BIODIVERSITYCP Environmental Science-2010

DEFINITIONS BENEFITSTHREATS

BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION

What is Biodiversity

• Species diversity • Genetic biodiversity• Ecological and ecosystem

diversity

How Many Species

• Over 2 million known• Numbers may up to 50 million, maybe 30

million insects• Inverts 70%of known & may be 90% of

existing species• Most in tropics

Benefits of Biodiversity

• Food-– especially genetic “bank” to improve domestic

crops– many potentially valuable food plants

• Drugs and medicine - studying native cultures• Ecological benefits • Aesthetic and cultural benefits

Natural Extinction

• Evolutionary time: most species extinct-99%• Through evolution - “genes” may remain from

evolutionary predecessors• Mass extinction: end of dinosaur age and end

or Permian period (over 1/2 of all animals)• In “normal times”: perhaps one species per

decade in undisturbed ecosystem

Human Caused Extinction

• Much accelerated rate of extinction• Hundreds or even thousands of species,

subspecies, or varieties to become extinct• Estimates are at more than 20,000 species

per year, but may be many more thousands of not even identified species

Extinction Extinction isis

ForeverForever

Figure 22-6Page 563

Passenger pigeon

Great auk Dodo Dusky seaside sparrow

Aepyornis(Madagascar)

Class ActivityIntroduction to Endangered Species - What Is Happening to These Animals?

• Effects of PA cutting forests in 1800s• Persecution of predators - animals extirpated• Introduced species• Lost or damaged habitats

– some details on wetlands - what happens to them?• What agencies in PA deal with End. Spp?

Class Activity - IntroductionClassification meanings

• List and define the different classifications• List several examples of each• Endangered species in P

– PA Game Commission– PA Fish Commission

Threats to Biodiversity Habitat Loss

• Number one cause• Especially wetlands, coastal• Tropical forest – great diversity• Includes filling, pollution, even ozone depletion!• Pollution-

– DDT, PCBs, – Lead poisons

• Global Climate Change – N.G.video the polar bear

Threats of Biodiversity Direct Killing and Persecution

• Commercial Products and Live specimens– Furs, hides, horns, pets

• Predator and pest control– 1995: Animal Damage Control Program: – $24 M to kill 700,000 birds and animals

• Hunting and fishing-overharvesting– making a renewable resource unstainable– American passenger pigeon– Great whales– Buffalo– Many island species

Figure 22-23

Page 584

DO NOT POST TO INTERNET

Threats of BiodiversityIntroduced Species

• Exotic species introduction– Plants: Purple loosestrife, honeysuckle,

multifloral rose– Zebra mussels– Feral animals - cats and dogs

• Diseases-American chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease

• Insects

African honeybee(“Killer bee”)

Figure 22-17 (1)Page 576

Purple looselife European starling Nutria Salt cedar(Tamarisk)

Marine toad Water hyacinth Japanese beetle Hydrilla European wild boar(Feral pig)

Figure 22-17 (2)Page 576

Sea lamprey(attached to lake trout)

Argentina fire ant Eurasian muffleBrown tree snake Common pigeon(Rock dove)

Formosan termite Zebra mussel Asian long-hornedbeetle

Asian tiger mosquito Gypsy moth larvae

Type of Nonnative Organism Annual Losses and DamagesCrop disease

Crop weeds

Rats

Feral cats and outdoor pet cats

Crop insects

Livestock diseases

Forest insects and diseases

Zebra mussels

Common pigeon

Formosan termite

Fishes

Asian clam

Feral pigs

Starlings

Fire ant

$23.5 billion

$23.4 billion

$19 billion

$17 billion

$14 billion

$9 billion

$4.8 billion

$3 billion

$1.1 billion

$1.1 billion

$1.1 billion

$1.1 billion

$0.8 billion

$0.8 billion

$0.6 billion

Figure 22-16Page 575

Protecting Biodiversity• Hunting and fishing laws• Endangered Species Act-1973

– State laws• International laws

– CITES– Ban on whaling

• Habitat protection- parks and refugees• Zoos and botanical preserves• Captive breeding and release programs

Endangered Species Act - 1973

• Classifications– Endangered– Threatened– Vulnerable

• Regulates– Taking in any form– Habitat protection– Harassment or interference during breeding

ESA - Numbers and Classification

• 1530 endangered & threatened species• 500 candidate species• Vertebrates: 91%• Hundreds of species “warranted but

precluded” from protection - just no staff or dollars

Zoos, Botanical Gardens, Captive Breeding

• Purposes: preservation and public education - or another expression of human dominance?

• Exposure of people to wild animals • Who do we protect - only the humanly

defined beautiful and interesting?

Breed and Release

• Peregrines • California Condor• How to reduce genetic inbreeding • High Cost

Capture, transfer and release

• Elk in PA• Turkey in PA• Wolves in Yellowstone• Whopping crane• Sea turtles (egg “capture”)

CITES Treaty

• International-What is purpose?• Need economic sustainability as well

as protect endangered species• Role of ecotourism

Figure 22-7 (3)

Page 565

West Virginiaspring salamander

Giant panda(China)

Knowlton cactus

Mountain gorilla(Africa)

Swamp pink

Pine barrens tree frog (male)

Hawksbill sea turtle

El Segundo blue butterfly

Whooping crane

Blue whale

Figure 22-7 (1)Page 564

Florida manatee

Northern spotted owl (threatened)

Gray wolf Florida panther Bannerman's turaco (Africa)

Devil's hole pupfish

Snow leopard(Central Asia)

Black-footed ferret

Symphonia(Madagascar)

Utah prairie dog(threatened)

Ghost bat(Australia)

California condor

Black lace cactus

Black rhinoceros(Africa)

Oahu tree snail

Indian Tiger

Range 100 years agoRange today(about 2,300 left)

Figure 22-13 (1)Page 573

•The Tiger – critically endangered - NG video

Figure 22-13 (4)Page 573

Asian or Indian Elephant

Former rangeRange today(34,000–54,000 left)

African Elephant

Probable range 1600Range today(300,000 left)

Figure 22-13 (3)Page 573

Why Be Concerned?

• Plants– Source of drugs - rosy periwinkle (78)– genetic diversity for food crops

• Loss of ecosystems - cascading effects– keystone species - sea otter in California– killing predators - lose limiting factors -

• Elk in Yellowstone, deer in pa

• Moral, ethical, aesthetic

FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea, EuropeDigitalis for heart failure

Figure 22-11 (2)Page 569

Pacific yewTaxus brevifolia, Pacific NorthwestOvarian cancer

Figure 22-11 (3)Page 569

Endangered Species in PAClass Activity

• Wade Island - Tough Decisions to Protect Endangered Species What two end Class Activity endangered species nest on

Wade Island? Describe what is happening with cormorants on the

islandDiscuss at least three problems caused by the

cormorant What is going to be done? Do you agree or disagree with this approach? Do we humans have a right to decide what species

survives on the island?

Wildlife Management(textbook 1.15, game commission website, class

videos)• What are the goals of a wildlife manager?• How are wildlife populations studied and

assessed?• What are the techniques used today and in the past

to manage and enhance PA wildlife populations?– Hunting– Habitat management– Endangered species– Other

• What are some PA wildlife “success stories”?• What are advantages/disadvantages of hunting in

PA?

Preserving Nature

Vital Habitats

• Coral Reef - video

Land Use in the United States

Fig. 23-3 p. 595

Rangeland and pasture 29%

Types of US Public Lands

Multiple-use lands: National ForestsBLM National Forest Service in Dept of Agr.

Moderately-restricted use lands: National Wildlife Refuges - USFWS

Restricted-use lands: National Park System- Dept of InteriorNational Wilderness Preservation System Wilderness Act of 1964 (pg 627) Preservationist philosophy

US Public Lands

Fig. 23-4p. 596

US National Parks

• The First: Yellowstone in 1872• Yosemite: thanks to John Muir• Why a national park - what are the

purposes?

Wildlife Refuges

• Teddy Roosevelt - 1901• 511 in the system• Hunting not only allowed, but in many have

become number one activity

Land Use In PA

• Pennsylvania Land Area 28,863,000 acres• Forested (Public and Private) 20,078,000 acres• State Forest Land 2,100,000 acres• State Forest Wild Areas 145,000 acres• Protected Natural Areas 79,000 acres• Even if we protect all 145,000 acres of state forest wild

areas, only a fraction of Pennsylvania - less than 1% - will be left wild and protected for future generations to enjoy.

Types of PA Public Lands

• PA Wildlands• State parks

Tropical Rain Forests

• Sustainable Logging• Why are rainforests being cut and SO

WHAT?

Summary

• State of the Earth• Animals – State of the Earth