Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity

Questions for Today What are the major threats to aquatic biodiversity (HIPPCO)? How can we protect and sustain marine biodiversity? How should we manage and sustain marine fisheries? How can we protect and sustain wetlands? How can we protect and sustain freshwater lakes, rivers, and fisheries?

Remember: The greatest biodiversity occurs in coral reefs, estuaries, and deep ocean floor. Biodiversity is higher near coasts because of the greater variety of producers and habitats in coastal areas. Biodiversity is greater in the bottom region of the ocean because of habitats and food sources.

HIPPCO – Acronym to Remember Greatest Threats to Biodiversity H stands for Habitat Loss and Degradation. 90% of fish living in the ocean spawn in coral reefs, mangrove forests, coastal wetlands, sea-grass beds, or rivers. The above areas are under intense pressure from human activities. (dredging, trawling, dams, excessive water withdrawal) Restoring sea-grass beds in Galveston, tX http://www.galvbaydata.org/Portals/2/images/seagrass_meadow.jpg http://www.gulfbase.org/project/view.php?pid=sriwbgit

HIPPCO I stands for Invasive Species These bioinvaders can displace or cause extinction of native species and disrupt ecosystem services and human economies. USFW states that bioinvaders are blamed for about 2/3 of fish extinctions in the US since 1900 84% of world’s coastal waters are being colonized by invaders! (Water hyacinth, Asian swamp eel, zebra mussel, Nile perch, are some examples…p. 252 for details) Re-Carpeting Galveston Bay - www.fws.gov/news/articles/Re-CarpetingGalvestonBay.html

How do aquatic invaders spread? Many aquatic invaders are introduced through ballast water that is stored in tanks in large cargo ships to keep them stable and then dumped into another bay. Example: The brown seaweed Unidaria or wakame that was introduced along the California coast Chokes out native kelp forests that are habitat for sea otters, fish, and others

Water Hyacinths

Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes

Perch-fishing industry put most small-scale fishermen and vendors out of business which led to increased poverty and malnutrition. Local forests were destroyed to buy wood because most people used wood-burning smokers to preserve the oily flesh of perch. Also, decreased cichlids (predation from perch) caused increased algae growth and algal blooms in the lake.

Lionfish in Florida Lionfish were introduced to the Atlantic through human actions, though the exact mechanism is still being debated. Some believe they were dumped from aquariums Compete with native fishes such as grouper and snapper for food From “Lionfish Invasion!” By Bill Crowley and “Living in the Environment”

Common Carp fcps.edu

HIPPCO P The first P in HIPPCO is coastal Population Growth. More people moving to coastal areas destroy habitat and increases pollution. U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2010 reported that about 80% of the world’s people were living along or near the coasts http://www.unep.org/ - UNEP formed in 1972 NEP has six regional offices, the Regional Office for Africa (ROA), the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), the Regional Office for Europe (ROE), the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), the Regional Office for North America (RONA), and the Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA). MISSION: UNEP aims at catalysing action to protect the environment through enhanced engagement and collaboration with the multitude of major groups actors who share the same purpose around the world. This strategy is based on engagement at the policy level to take into account major groups expertise and views at the intergovernmental level, and on the programmatic level in implementation of UNEP's work programme. For more information visit: http://www.unep.org/

Image from NASA visible earth pictures. Taken in 2000.

HIPPCO The second P is Pollution 2004, UNEP estimated that 80% of all pollution comes from land-based activities. Humans have doubled the flow of nitrogen, mostly from nitrate fertilizers since 1860. Similar inputs of phosphorous have occurred. (They cause eutrophication, which can lead to algal blooms, fish die-offs, and degradation of ecosystems.)

Pollution Continued Toxic pollutants from industrial and urban areas can kill some forms of aquatic life by poisoning them (i.e. Irrawaddy dolphins in Mekong River at risk of extinction from DDT, PCB’s, and mercury) Massive inputs of sediment and wastes (plastics, sewage, etc) from land due to construction of homes and recreation areas.

HIPPCO The C in HIPPCO is for projected climate change Sea levels rise Destroys coral reefs, swamp low-lying islands, drown highly productive coastal wetlands, and put many coastal cities such as New Orleans under water. Mangrove forests that protect islands will be destroyed or damaged.

HIPPCO The BIG O in HIPPCO is OVERFISHING!! Industrialized fishing has depleted marine life at an alarming rate. The “fishprint” is defined as the area of ocean needed to sustain the consumption of an average person, a nation, or the world. All the world’s nations together are overfishing the global oceans by an unsustainable 157%!!!!  In most cases, this leads to commercial extinction.

Fish species are also threatened with biological extinction, mostly from overfishing, water pollution, wetlands destruction, and excessive removal of water from rivers and lakes. Marine and freshwater species are threatened with extinction by anthropogenic activities more than any other group of species!!! (OUR fault!)

Industrial Fish Harvesting Methods Trawlers (fishes and shellfish – shrimp, flounder, scallops) Purse-seine (schooling fish - tuna, mackerel, herring) Longlining (open-ocean fish – tuna, swordfish, sharks, cod) Drift nets (leads to excess bycatch of unwanted species such as turtles and seabirds) Bans on the length of driftnets have reduced use of technique Sonar and Spotter airplanes

Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills Fish farming in cage Trawler fishing Spotter airplane Sonar Purse-seine fishing Drift-net fishing Long line fishing Float Buoy lines with hooks Deep sea aquaculture cage Fish caught by gills Fig. 11-7, p. 256

Trawling Before and After

What can the government do? There are different ways the government can help the environment: Pass Laws Regulate people and fine those that break the law Levy Taxes or subsidize for positive responses. Educate the people Community Outreach Organizations Public Service Announcements Create Reserves and Mitigate new land.

How Can We Protect and Sustain Marine Biodiversity?? CITES: 1975 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species The U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 The U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973 U.S. Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 1976 1995 International Convention on Biological Diversity

Wetlands are cool, K? Wetlands are important because: * they are natural filters * they are breeding grounds for coastal wildlife * they are very biologically diverse

How Should We Protect and Sustain Wetlands? Wetlands have been drained, filled in, or covered over to create rice fields, crop land, cities, and roads. Wetlands have been destroyed by processes of extracting minerals and oil. AND to reduce breeding grounds of disease causing insects.

How to Preserve and Restore Wetlands?? Mitigation banking: allows destruction as long as an equal area is created or restored. Not the best idea though! Buy wetlands and restore them with help of EPA or US Corps of Engineers

FRESHWATER ISSUES!  Aside from HIPPCO, one way that humans have destroyed freshwater ecosystems are through the creation of Dams. Dams create different economic and environmental benefits and problems. We will further discuss dams during our renewable energy unit.