Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach Chapter 8 Sections 5-8 The Short Version

Tropical Deforestation Rapid and increasing - 11 football fields per minute lost in 2004 Rapid and increasing - 11 football fields per minute lost in 2004 Loss of biodiversity at least half world’s terrestrial species live in tropical forests Loss of biodiversity at least half world’s terrestrial species live in tropical forests Deforestation for croplands, logging and ranching Deforestation for croplands, logging and ranching Problems measuring deforestation - satellite images difficult, countries misreport, varying definitions Problems measuring deforestation - satellite images difficult, countries misreport, varying definitions Causes of tropical deforestation = pop. Growth, poverty, gov. subsidies, debt, failure to value ecological services Causes of tropical deforestation = pop. Growth, poverty, gov. subsidies, debt, failure to value ecological services Burning: contributes CO 2 to global warming Burning: contributes CO 2 to global warming Possible solutions - prevention & restoration - see next slide Possible solutions - prevention & restoration - see next slide

Fig. 8-21, p. 171 Protect most diverse and endangered areas Educate settlers about sustainable agriculture and forestry Phase out subsidies that encourage unsustainable forest use Add subsidies that encourage sustainable forest use Protect forests with debt-for-nature swaps, conservation easements, and conservation concessions Certify sustainably grown timber Reduce illegal cutting Reduce poverty Slow population growth Reforestation Rehabilitation of degraded areas Concentrate farming and ranching on already-cleared areas Restoration Prevention Solutions Sustaining Tropical Forests Protecting Tropical Forests

Burning of Amazon Tropical Forest Fig. 8-19, p. 170

Oil drilling Mining Flooding from dams Tree plantations Cattle ranching Cash crops Settler farming Fires Logging Roads Not valuing ecological services Exports Government policies Poverty Population growth Roads Secondary Causes Basic Causes Fig. 8-20, p. 170 Basic and Secondary Causes of the Destruction of Tropical Forests

Global Outlook: Threats to National Parks Too little protection Too little protection Illegal wood collection, logging, poaching, and mining Illegal wood collection, logging, poaching, and mining Too little money to support the parks Too little money to support the parks Too small to sustain biodiversity Too small to sustain biodiversity Invasions from nonnative species Invasions from nonnative species Too many visitors to US national parks Too many visitors to US national parks Traffic jams and air pollution in US parks Traffic jams and air pollution in US parks Underpaid park officials Underpaid park officials Harm from dirt bikes, dune buggies, and snowmobiles Harm from dirt bikes, dune buggies, and snowmobiles

Establishing, Designing, Protecting Nature Reserves Currently 12% of earth’s land is “protected” Currently 12% of earth’s land is “protected” Include large to moderate tracts of land Include large to moderate tracts of land Preserve biodiversity Preserve biodiversity Involve government, businesses, and private groups Involve government, businesses, and private groups Buffer zone concept: biosphere reserves Buffer zone concept: biosphere reserves Costa Rica’s accomplishments Costa Rica’s accomplishments Adaptive ecosystem management Adaptive ecosystem management Emergency action and biodiversity hot spots Emergency action and biodiversity hot spots Wilderness Wilderness

Biosphere Reserve Core area Buffer zone 1 Buffer zone 2 Human settlements Tourism and education center Research station Biosphere Reserve Fig. 8-23, p. 174

Biodiversity Hot Spots Fig. 8-26, p. 176

Animation Biodiversity hot-spots interaction.

Wilderness Protection in US Mostly a losing battle Mostly a losing battle Wilderness Act of 1964 Wilderness Act of 1964 National Wilderness Preservation System National Wilderness Preservation System Protected wilderness increased 10 fold since 1970 Protected wilderness increased 10 fold since 1970 Most protected areas are small (4.6% of US land is protected as wilderness) Most protected areas are small (4.6% of US land is protected as wilderness) Only 81 of 233 distinct US ecosystems are protected Only 81 of 233 distinct US ecosystems are protected Efforts to expand wilderness areas in the US Efforts to expand wilderness areas in the US

Ecological Restoration = “process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity & dynamics of natural ecosystems” = “process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity & dynamics of natural ecosystems” Restoration, rehabilitation and replacement Restoration, rehabilitation and replacement Creating artificial ecosystems Creating artificial ecosystems 4 Principles of Ecological Restoration: 1. Mimic nature 2. Recreate important ecological niches 3. Rely on pioneer, keystone and foundational species and natural ecological succession 4. Control or remove nonnative species Accomplishments in Costa Rica Accomplishments in Costa Rica

Restoration of a Stream Bank Fig. 8-28, p. 178 Area restored in 10 years after banning grazing and off-road vehicles.

General Patterns of Marine Biodiversity Greatest biodiversity in coral reefs, estuaries, and deep-sea floor Greatest biodiversity in coral reefs, estuaries, and deep-sea floor Biodiversity is higher near coasts than open sea Biodiversity is higher near coasts than open sea Biodiversity is higher on the ocean bottom than the surface Biodiversity is higher on the ocean bottom than the surface

Major Human Impacts on Aquatic Biodiversity Loss and degradation of habitat is greatest threat Loss and degradation of habitat is greatest threat Damage to coral reefs and other habitats Damage to coral reefs and other habitats Dredging / trawler operations destroy bottom habitats Dredging / trawler operations destroy bottom habitats Overfishing Overfishing Premature extinction Premature extinction

Degradation of the Ocean Floor Fig. 8-29, p. 179

Why Is It Difficult to Protect Marine Biodiversity? Coastal development Coastal development Unseen pollution Unseen pollution Lack of protection in international waters Lack of protection in international waters “Tragedy of the Commons” “Tragedy of the Commons”

Protecting and Sustaining Marine Biodiversity Protecting endangered and threatened species Protecting endangered and threatened species Establish large and unpolluted protected areas- marine reserves work. Establish large and unpolluted protected areas- marine reserves work. Integrated coastal management Integrated coastal management Protect wetlands Protect wetlands Prevent overfishing Prevent overfishing Regulate and prevent pollution Regulate and prevent pollution

Fig. 8-30, p. 181 Fishery Regulations Set catch limits well below the maximum sustainable yield Improve monitoring and enforcement of regulations Economic Approaches Sharply reduce or eliminate fishing subsidies Charge fees for harvesting fish and shellfish from publicly owned offshore waters Certify sustainable fisheries Protected Areas Establish no-fishing areas Establish more marine protected areas Rely more on integrated coastal management Consumer Information Label sustainably harvested fish Publicize overfished and Bycatch Use wide-meshed nets to allow escape of smaller fish Use net escape devices for seabirds and sea turtles Ban throwing edible and marketable fish back into the sea Aquaculture Restrict coastal locations for fish farms Control pollution more strictly Depend more on herbivorous fish species Nonative Invasions Kill organisms in ship ballast water Filter organisms from ship ballast water Dump ballast water far at sea and replace with deep-sea water Managing Fisheries Solutions Managing Fisheries

What Can We Do? Wilson’s Priorities Preserve world’s biological “hot spots” Preserve world’s biological “hot spots” Save the old-growth forests Save the old-growth forests Map world biodiversity so we know what we have Map world biodiversity so we know what we have Identify and protect marine “hot spots” Identify and protect marine “hot spots” Protect and restore lakes and streams Protect and restore lakes and streams Ensure the full range of ecosystem types in the conservation strategy Ensure the full range of ecosystem types in the conservation strategy Make conservation profitable Make conservation profitable Initiate worldwide ecological restoration projects Initiate worldwide ecological restoration projects