1. Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach Chapter 9

2. Which statement describes you? a. As long as it stays in its space, wildlife is okay. b. As long as I do not need its space, wildlife is okay. c. I have the right to use wildlife habitat to meet my own needs. d. When you have seen one redwood tree, elephant, or some other form of wildlife, you have seen them all. So lock up a few of each species in a zoo or wildlife park an don’t worry about protecting the rest. e. Wildlife should be protected.

3. Core Case Study: The Passenger Pigeon: Gone Forever  Passenger pigeon hunted to extinction by 1900  Commercial hunters used a "stool pigeon”  Archeological record shows five mass extinctions  Human activities: hastening more extinctions?

4. Passenger Pigeon

5. 9-1 What Role Do Humans Play in the Premature Extinction of Species?  Concept 9-1A We are degrading and destroying biodiversity in many parts of the world, and these threats are increasing.  Concept 9-1B Species are becoming extinct 100 to 1,000 times faster than they were before modern humans arrived on the earth (the background rate), and by the end of this century, the extinction rate is expected to be 10,000 times the background rate.

6. Human Activities Are Destroying and Degrading Biodiversity  Human activity has disturbed at least half of the earth’s land surface Fills in wetlands Converts grasslands and forests to crop fields and urban areas  Degraded aquatic biodiversity

7. Extinctions Are Natural but Sometimes They Increase Sharply  Background extinction – continuous low level extinction rate. Pre-human rate =.0001% Current rate is 1,000x background rate  Mass extinction: extinction of many species in a relatively short period of time. - 5 have occurred - Are we in the middle of a 6 th ?  Causes?

8. Some Human Activities Cause Premature Extinctions; the Pace Is Speeding Up (1)  Levels of species extinction Local extinction Ecological extinction Biological extinction

9. Growth of human population will increase this loss Rates are higher where there are more endangered species ex: Hawaii – “endangered species capital of the world” Tropical forests and coral reefs, wetlands and estuaries being destroyed Some Human Activities Cause Premature Extinctions; the Pace Is Speeding Up (2)

10. Endangered and Threatened Species Are Ecological Smoke Alarms  Endangered species – so few surviving that they are in danger of becoming extinct  Threatened species, vulnerable species that have low populations and could become endangered.  Species of Special Concern numbers are decreasing and habitat is being reduced.

11. Fig. 9-5, p. 188 Low reproductive rate (K-strategist) Blue whale, giant panda, rhinoceros Specialized niche Blue whale, giant panda, Everglades kite Narrow distribution Elephant seal, desert pupfish Feeds at high trophic level Bengal tiger, bald eagle, grizzly bear Fixed migratory patterns Blue whale, whooping crane, sea turtle Rare African violet, some orchids Commercially valuable Snow leopard, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, rare plants and birds Large territories California condor, grizzly bear, Florida panther CharacteristicExamples Characteristics of Species That Are Prone to Ecological and Biological Extinction

12. Endangered Natural Capital: Species Threatened with Premature Extinction

13. Fig. 9-4, p. 187 Grizzly bear Kirkland’s warbler Knowlton cactus Florida manatee African elephant Utah prairie dog Swallowtail butterfly Humpback chub Golden lion tamarin Siberian tiger Giant panda Black-footed ferret Whooping crane Northern spotted owl Blue whale Mountain gorilla Florida panther California condor Hawksbill sea turtle Black rhinoceros

14. Percentage of Various Species Threatened with Premature Extinction

15. Science Focus: Estimating Extinction Rates Is Not Easy  Three problems Hard to document due to length of time Only 1.8 million species identified Little known about nature and ecological roles of species identified  Document little changes in DNA  Use species–area relationship  Mathematical models

16. 9-2 Why Should We Care about Preventing Premature 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.

17. Importance of Biodiversity  Intrinsic value/Existence value - inherent right to exist and play its ecological roles regardless of it’s use to us  Intrinsic value/Existence value - inherent right to exist and play its ecological roles regardless of it’s use to us  Instrumental value - use values that benefit people  Aesthetic value - appreciation and beauty  Bequest value - leaving natural capital for use by future generations

18. Fig. 9-8, p. 190 Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia, Pacific Northwest Ovarian cancer Rosy periwinkle Cathranthus roseus, Madagascar Hodgkin's disease, lymphocytic leukemia Rauvolfia Rauvolfia sepentina, Southeast Asia Anxiety, high blood pressure Neem tree Azadirachta indica, India Treatment of many diseases, insecticide, spermicide Foxglove Digitalis purpurea, Europe Digitalis for heart failure Cinchona Cinchona ledogeriana, South America Quinine for malaria treatment Nature’s Pharmacy

19. Science Focus: Using DNA to Reduce Illegal Killing of Elephants for Their Ivory  1989 international treaty against poaching elephants  Poaching on the rise  Track area of poaching through DNA analysis of elephants  Elephants damaging areas of South Africa: Should they be culled?

20. Science Focus: Why Should We Care about Bats?  Vulnerable to extinction Slow to reproduce Human destruction of habitats  Important ecological roles Feed on crop-damaging nocturnal insects Pollen-eaters Fruit-eaters  Unwarranted fears of bats

21. 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.

22. Loss of Habitat Is the Single Greatest Threat to Species: Remember HIPPCO  Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation  Invasive (nonnative) species  Population and resource use growth  Pollution  Climate change  Overexploitation

23. s  Island species are especially vulnerable: -many are endemic – found nowhere else in the world  Habitat islands are isolated mainland areas Habitat fragmentation – occures when large contiguous areas are divided into smaller, scattered and isolated patches by -developed or disturbed land. -Roads -Logging -Agriculture -etc

24. Fig. 9-10, p. 193 Underlying Causes Population growth Rising resource use Undervaluing natural capital Poverty Direct Causes Habitat loss Pollution Commercial hunting and poaching Habitat degradation and fragmentation Climate change Sale of exotic pets and decorative plants Introduction of nonnative species Overfishing Predator and pest control Causes of Depletion and Premature Extinction of Wild Species Climate change will have the biggest impact on biodiveristy over the next 50 years.

25. Fig. 9-11, p. 194 Indian Tiger Range 100 years ago Range today Black Rhino Range in 1700 Range today African Elephant Probable range 1600 Range today Asian or Indian Elephant Former range Range today Reduction in the Ranges of 4 Wildlife Species

26. Case Study: A Disturbing Message from the Birds (1)  Habitat loss and fragmentation of the birds’ breeding habitats Forests cleared for farms, lumber plantations, roads, and development  Intentional or accidental introduction of nonnative species Eat the birds Birds are Indicator Species

27. Case Study: A Disturbing Message from the Birds (2)  Seabirds caught and drown in fishing equipment  Migrating birds fly into power lines, communication towers, and skyscrapers  Other threats Oil spills Pesticides Herbicides Ingestion of toxic lead shotgun pellets

28. Case Study: A Disturbing Message from the Birds (3)  Greatest new threat: Climate  Environmental indicators  Economic and ecological services

29. Distribution of Bird Species in North America and Latin America

30. The Ten Most Threatened Song Birds in the United States

31. Science Focus: Vultures, Wild Dogs, and Rabies: Unexpected Scientific Connections  Vultures poisoned from diclofenac in cow carcasses  More wild dogs eating the cow carcasses  More rabies spreading to people

32. Some Deliberately Introduced Species Can Disrupt Ecosystems  Most species introductions are beneficial Food Shelter Medicine Aesthetic enjoyment  When Non-native species have no natural Predators Competitors Parasites Pathogens BIG PROBLEM!!!! They become INVASIVE!!!!

33. Fig. 9-14a, p. 199 Deliberately Introduced Species Purple loosestrife European starling African honeybee (“Killer bee”) NutriaSalt cedar (Tamarisk) Marine toad (Giant toad) Water hyacinthJapanese beetle Hydrilla European wild boar (Feral pig)

34. Fig. 9-14b, p. 199 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 Gypsy moth larvae

35. Case Study: The Kudzu Vine … “ The vine that ate the South”  Imported from Japan in the 1930s for erosion control  Grows 2 inches every hour!  Can’t be controlled by normal weed control tactics  Could there be benefits of kudzu?

36. Kudzu Taking Over an Abandoned House in Mississippi, U.S.

37. Some Accidentally Introduced Species Can Also Disrupt Ecosystems  Argentina fire ant: 1930s Pesticide spraying in 1950s and 1960s worsened conditions  Burmese python in Everglades

38. Argentina Fire Ant Accidentally Introduced into Mobile, Alabama, U.S.

39. Prevention Is the Best Way to Reduce Threats from Invasive Species  Ban transfer of species across borders with international treaties  Inspect goods before they enter the country  Require discharge of ballast water out at sea before entering port  Filter ballast water from ships

40. Characteristics of Invader Species and Ecosystems Vulnerable to Invading Species

41. What Can You Do? Controlling Invasive Species

42. Other Causes of Species Extinction (1)  Population growth  Overconsumption  Pollution  Climate change

43. Other Causes of Species Extinction (2)  Pesticides DDT: Banned in the U.S. in 1972  Bioaccumulation – stored in fat tissue in body  Biomagnification – animals higher in the food chain have higher amounts of toxin.

44. Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification

45. Case Study: Where Have All the Honeybees Gone?  Honeybees responsible for 80% of insect- pollinated plants  Dying due to? Pesticides Parasites Bee colony collapse syndrome

46. Case Study: Polar Bears and Global Warming  Environmental impact on polar bears Less summer sea ice – poles are warming 2x faster than the rest of the world. - Bears can’t get enough seals in summer to fatten up for winter PCBs and DDT – bimagnified in arctic food chains. Bears are top level consumers.  2007: Threatened species list

47. Polar Bear with Seal Prey

48. Illegal Killing, Capturing, and Selling of Wild Species Threatens Biodiversity  Poaching and smuggling of animals and plants Animal parts Pets Plants for landscaping and enjoyment  Prevention: research and education

49. White Rhinoceros Killed by a Poacher

50. Individuals Matter: Jane Goodall  Primatologist and anthropologist  45 years understanding and protecting chimpanzees Chimps have tool-making skills

51. Rising Demand for Bush Meat Threatens Some African Species  Indigenous people sustained by bush meat  More hunters leading to local extinction of some wild animals

52. Bush Meat: Lowland Gorilla

53. 9-4 How Can We Protect Wild Species from Premature Extinction? (1)  Concept 9-4A We can use existing environmental laws and treaties and work to enact new laws designed to prevent species extinction and protect overall biodiversity.  Concept 9-4B We can help to prevent species extinction by creating and maintaining wildlife refuges, gene banks, botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums.

54. 9-4 How Can We Protect Wild Species from Premature Extinction? (2)  Concept 9-4C According to the precautionary principle, we should take measures to prevent or reduce harm to the environment and to human health, even if some of the cause-and- effect relationships have not been fully established, scientifically.

55. International Treaties Help to Protect Species  1975: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Signed by 172 countries Restricts international trade in endangered species  Convention on Biological Diversity (BCD) Focuses on ecosystems & sustainable use of biodiversity -Prevents spread of invasive species -Commited to protecting genetic resources in biodiversity and making sure all people have access to it’s benefits Ratified by 190 countries (not the U.S.)

56. Case Study: The U.S. Endangered Species Act 1973, amended in 1982, 1983, and 1985 Read the Case Study on p 206 on the ESA. One person in each group will look for the following: 1)Specific description of responsibilities and tools that help protect species. 2)What are some loopholes or ways the ESA are circumvented that weaken it’s effectiveness? Discuss ways to prevent these loopholes. 3)Choose 4 of the efforts to weaken the ESA and discuss with your group why you think they would be good or bad ammendments. 4)Read the Science Focus on p 209. What are the major accomplishments of the ESA? Describe the 3 major changes recommended.

57. Confiscated Products Made from Endangered Species

58. Science Focus: Accomplishments of the Endangered Species Act (1)  Species listed only when serious danger of extinction  Takes decades for most species to become endangered or extinct  More than half of the species listed are stable or improving  Budget has been small

59. Science Focus: Accomplishments of the Endangered Species Act (2)  Suggested changes to ESA Increase the budget Develop recovery plans more quickly Establish a core of the endangered organism’s survival habitat

60. We Can Establish Wildlife Refuges and Other Protected Areas  1903: Theodore Roosevelt  Wildlife refuges Most are wetland sanctuaries – benefit migratory water fowl like ducks and wading birds More needed for endangered plants Could abandoned military lands be used for wildlife habitats?

61. Gene Banks, Botanical Gardens, and Wildlife Farms Can Help Protect Species  Gene or seed banks Preserve genetic material of endangered plants  Botanical gardens and arboreta Living plants  Farms to raise organisms for commercial sale

62. Zoos and Aquariums Can Protect Some Species (1)  Techniques for preserving endangered terrestrial species Egg pulling Captive breeding Artificial insemination Embryo transfer Use of incubators Cross-fostering

63. Zoos and Aquariums Can Protect Some Species (2)  Limited space and funds  Critics say these facilities are prisons for the organisms

64. What Can You Do? Protecting Species

65. Case Study: Trying to Save the California Condor  Largest North American bird  Nearly extinct Birds captured and breed in captivity  By 2007, 135 released into the wild Threatened by lead poisoning

66. The Precautionary Principle  Species: primary components of biodiversity  Preservation of species  Preservation of ecosystems  Prevent introduction of nonnative species