Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach Chapter 9

Core Case Study: Declining Bird Species (1)  Decline of 70% of 9,775 known species  Birds around humans benefited, but forest species declined  Long-distance migrants – greatest decline

Core Case Study: Declining Bird Species (2)  Reasons Climate change Habitat loss Fragmentation  Birds environmental indicators  Perform economic and ecological services

Threatened U.S. Songbirds

Fig. 9-1, p. 176 Florida scrub jayHenslow's sparrowBachman's warblerBlack-capped vireoKirtland's warbler

Fig. 9-1, p. 176 Florida scrub jay Henslow's sparrow Bachman's warbler Black-capped vireo Kirtland's warbler Stepped Art

9-1 What Role Do Humans Play in the Premature Extinction of Species?  Concept 9-1 The current rate of species extinction is at least 100 times the rate that existed before modern humans arrived on earth, and is expected to increase to between 1,000 and 10,000 times the earlier rate during this century.

Three Types of Extinction  Local extinction  Ecological extinction  Biological extinction

Ecological Smoke Alarms  Endangered species  Threatened species  The first to go large, slow, tasty, or have valuable parts  Some behaviors make species prone to extinction

Species Prematurely Extinct

Fig. 9-2, p. 178 Aepyornis (Madagascar) Passenger pigeonGreat aukDodoDusky seaside sparrow

Calculating Extinction Rates  Extinction takes a long time, difficult to document  Only identified 1.8 million species – most unknown  Know little of ecological role of most species  Average species survive 1–10 million years  Species-area relationship

Endangered or Threatened Species (1)

Endangered or Threatened Species (2)

Fig. 9-3, p. 179

Fig. 9-3a, p. 179 Siberian tiger Grizzly bear Kirkland’s warbler Knowlton cactus Florida manatee African elephant Utah prairie dog Swallowtail butterfly Humpback chub Golden lion tamarin

Fig. 9-3b, p. 179 Black rhinoceros Giant pandaBlack-footed ferret Whooping crane Northern spotted owl Blue whale Mountain gorillaFlorida panther California condor Hawksbill sea turtle

Human Activities and Extinction  Background extinction rate  Current rate is 100 times background extinction  Rate likely to rise 1,000–10,000 times with climate change  Is a mass extinction coming?

Characteristics of Species Prone to Extinction

Fig. 9-4, p. 180 Large territories Blue whale, giant panda, rhinoceros Blue whale, giant panda, Everglades kite Elephant seal, desert pupfish Bengal tiger, bald eagle, grizzly bear Blue whale, whooping crane, sea turtle African violet, some orchids Snow leopard, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, rare plants and birds California condor, grizzly bear, Florida panther Examples Characteristic Low reproductive rate (K-strategist) Specialized niche Narrow distribution Feeds at high trophic level Fixed migratory patterns Rare Commercially valuable

Percentage of Various Taxa Endangered

Fig. 9-5, p % Fish Amphibians Mammals Reptiles Plants Birds 34% (51% of freshwater species) 32% 12% 14% 20%

Current Extinction Rate Estimates Are Conservative  Species and biodiversity decrease in next 50– 100 years  Biodiversity hotspot rates higher than global average  Degrading, simplifying, and destroying diverse environments

9-2 Why Should We Care about Preventing Species Extinction?  Concept 9-2 We should prevent the premature extinction of wild species because of the economic and ecological services they provide and because they have a right to exist regardless of their usefulness to us.

Value of Species  Instrumental value of biodiversity Food crops Genetic information Medicine  Do not know what we lose when species go extinct

Nature’s Pharmacy

Fig. 9-6, p. 181 Cathranthus roseus, Madagascar Hodgkin's disease, lymphocytic leukemia Rauvolfia Rauvolfia sepentina, Southeast Asia Anxiety, high blood pressure Foxglove Digitalis purpurea, Europe Digitalis for heart failure Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia, Pacific Northwest Ovarian cancer Cinchona Cinchona ledogeriana, South America Quinine for malaria treatment Neem tree Azadirachta indica, India Treatment of many diseases, insecticide, spermicide Rosy periwinkle

Values of Species Diversity  Recreational pleasure value  Eco-tourism >$500 billion per year  Ethical obligations – intrinsic (existence) value  Foundation of earth’s ecosystems bacteria and other microorganisms

9-3 How Do Humans Accelerate Species Extinction?  Concept 9-3 The greatest threats to any species are (in order) loss or degradation of its habitat, harmful invasive species, human population growth, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation.

Underlying and Direct Causes of Depletion Fig. 9-7, p. 183

Secondary Causes of Endangerment and Premature Extinction (HIPPCO) (1)  Habitat destruction  Invasive species  Population growth  Pollution

Secondary Causes of Endangerment and Premature Extinction (HIPPCO) (2)  Climate change  Overexploitation

Habitat Loss  Deforestation of tropical areas greatest eliminator of species  Endemic species  Habitat fragmentation

Range Reductions in Four Species

Fig. 9-8a, p. 184

Fig. 9-8b, p. 184

Fig. 9-8c, p. 184

Fig. 9-8d, p. 184

Species Introductions  Most beneficial – food crops, livestock, pest control  500,000 alien invader species globally  50,000 nonnative species in the U.S.

Deliberately Introduced Species

Accidentally Introduced Species

Fig. 9-9a, p. 185 European wild boar (Feral pig) Deliberately Introduced Species Purple loosestrifeEuropean starling African honeybee (“Killer bee”) Nutria Salt cedar (Tamarisk) Marine toad (Giant toad) Water hyacinth Japanese beetle Hydrilla

Fig. 9-9b, p. 185 Gypsy moth larvae Accidentally Introduced Species Sea lamprey (attached to lake trout) Argentina fire ant Brown tree snake Eurasian ruffe Common pigeon (Rock dove) Formosan termite Zebra mussel Asian long- horned beetle Asian tiger mosquito

Case Study: The Kudzu Vine  Kudzu introduced to control erosion  Prolific growth  Uses Asians use powdered starch in beverages Source of tree-free paper Japanese kudzu farm in Alabama

Invasive Kudzu Vine Fig. 9-10, p. 186

Disruptions from Accidentally Introduced Species  Downside of global trade  Argentina fire ant  Burmese python

Argentina Fire Ant Fig. 9-11, p. 186

Prevention of Nonnative Species (1)  Identify characteristics of successful invaders  Detect and monitor invasions  Inspect imported goods  Identify harmful invasive species and ban transfer

Prevention of Nonnative Species (2)  ships discharge ballast waters at sea  introduce natural control organisms of invaders

Characteristics of Successful Invaders Fig. 9-12, p. 187

What Can You Do? Fig. 9-13, p. 188

Human Choices Drive Extinction  Human population growth  Excessive, wasteful consumption  Use of pesticides

DDT and Bioaccumulation  1950s–1960s fish-eating bird populations drop  DDT biologically magnified in food webs  Bird’s eggshells thin and fragile  Leads to unsuccessful reproduction

Bioaccumulation of DDT Fig. 9-14, p. 188

DDT in water ppm, or 3 ppt DDT in fish-eating birds (ospreys) 25 ppm DDT in large fish (needle fish) 2 ppm DDT in small fish (minnows) 0.5 ppm DDT in zooplankton 0.04 ppm

Recovery  Bald eagle recovered  Factors leading to recovery Ban on DDT Crackdown on hunting Prevention of habitat destruction

Climate Change and Extinction  More rapid compared to the past  Expected to eliminate >25% of land animal and plant species  Polar bears and penguins threatened

Illegal Killing and Trading of Wildlife  Poaching endangers many larger animals, rare plants  Over two-thirds die in transit  Illegal trade $6–$10 billion per year  Wild species depleted by pet trade  Exotic plants often illegally gathered

White Rhinoceros Poached for Its Horn Fig. 9-15, p. 189

The Value of Wild Rare Species  Declining populations increase black market values  Rare species valuable in the wild – eco-tourism  Some ex-poachers turn to eco-tourism

Rising Demand for Bush Meat  Traditional use of bush meat  Demand increasing with population growth  Increased road access  Loggers, miners, ranchers add to pressure  Local and biological extinctions

Bush Meat on the Rise Fig. 9-16, p. 190

9-4 How Can We Protect Wild Species from Premature Extinction?  Concept 9-4A We can use existing environmental laws and treaties and work to enact new laws designed to prevent species extinction and to protect overall biodiversity.  Concept 9-4B We can help prevent species extinction by creating and maintaining wildlife refuges, gene banks, botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums.

International Treaties  Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES)  Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Case Study: Controversy over the U.S. Endangered Species Act (1)  National Marine Fisheries Services – ocean species  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – other species  Listings based on biological factors  Forbids federal agency projects that jeopardize listed species or habitats

Case Study: Controversy over the U.S. Endangered Species Act (2)  Fines violations on private land – 90% listed species on private land  Illegal to sell or buy listed species  1,180 species listed  USFWS and NMFS supposed to prepare recovery plan – 25% species have a plan

Case Study: Controversy over the U.S. Endangered Species Act (3)  Successful recovery plans include American alligator and grey wolf  Lax enforcement  Smugglers not aware of dangerous diseases in exotic species  Amended to give private landowners economic incentive to save species

Case Study: Controversy over the U.S. Endangered Species Act (4)  ESA protect endangered marine reptiles and mammals  Challenges to protecting marine species Limited knowledge of species Difficulty in monitoring and enforcing treaties – open oceans

Hawaiian Monk Seal with Plastic Debris Fig. 9-17, p. 192

Endangered Green Sea Turtle Fig. 9-18, p. 192

Opposition to Endangered Species Act  Opponents want: Voluntary protection on private land Government compensation for land owners Bureaucratic obstacles to listing species Elimination of need for critical habitat Exemptions granted by Secretary of Interior  Steps to weaken ESA

New Ecosystems Approach  Inventory country’s species and ecosystems  Locate and protect the most endangered ecosystems  Make development biodiversity-friendly through financial incentives and technical help

Science Focus: Accomplishments of the Endangered Species Act  Biologists defend limited success  Need more funding  Develop recovery plans more quickly  Core habitat established when listed

Establish Wildlife Refuges  National Wildlife Refuge System  Wetland refuges  35 million American visitors  20% of listed species in refuge system

Storing Genetic Information  Gene or seed banks  Botanical gardens  Farms – commercial sale of endangered species removes pressure

Zoos and Aquariums for Protection  Collect species with long-term goal of returning them into habitat  100–500 captive individuals to avoid extinction  10,000 individuals to maintain capacity for biological evolution

9-5 What Is Reconciliation Ecology?  Concept 9-5 We can help protect some species from premature extinction by finding ways to share the places we dominate with them.

Reconciliation Ecology  Danger that biodiversity preserve efforts will fail  Develop reconciliation ecology

Case Study: The Blackfoot Challenge (1)  Blackfoot River – large Montana watershed  600 plant and 21 large animal species  Seven human communities, 2,500 rural households  Community established Action Team

Case Study: The Blackfoot Challenge (2)  Developed Restoration, sustainable grazing, conservation easement plans  Created corridor between undeveloped lands  Restored wetlands, streams

Animation: Species Diversity By Latitude PLAY ANIMATION

Animation: Area and Distance Effects PLAY ANIMATION

Animation: Humans Affect Biodiversity PLAY ANIMATION

Animation: Resources Depletion and Degradation PLAY ANIMATION

Animation: Biodiversity Hot Spots PLAY ANIMATION

Animation: Habitat Loss and Fragmentation PLAY ANIMATION

Video: New Species Found PLAY VIDEO

Video: Hsing Hsing Dies PLAY VIDEO

Video: Penguin Rescue PLAY VIDEO

Video: Bachelor Pad at the Zoo PLAY VIDEO

Video: Sea Turtle Release PLAY VIDEO

Video: Human Zoo PLAY VIDEO