Download Lecture 11/2 Saving Biodiversity

Announcements
• Exam 11/9
• Population Lab due this week
2. Invasive Species are species that evolved
elsewhere
• Most are not a problem
• Some become invasive – out-compete native
species
Purple Loosestrife
Asian Longhorn Beetle
What do we mean when we say something is
endangered or threatened?
• Endangered Species are in danger of becoming
extinct
• Threatened Species are those that are likely to
become endangered
Ex. Grizzly Bear
Ex. Black footed
ferret
Ex. Least Tern
Keystone species = without them other species
would suffer
Ex. Prairie Dogs
• Black Footed Ferrets (endangered) eat prairie
dogs and live in burrows
• Burrowing Owls (threatened) live in burrows
Umbrella species require large blocks of
undisturbed habitat.
Ex. Greater Sage Grouse
Protecting it will protect
39 other species
March 2010 denied adding
Greater Sage Grouse to
the Endangered Species
Act
A. Laws:
1. Endangered Species Act (ESA) attempts to
save as much biodiversity as possible
• It is illegal to harm a species listed as
endangered or its habitat
Ex. Karner
Ex. Florida Panther Blue Butterfly
Ex. Whooping Crane
• Currently 1,300 species in U.S. are listed as
endangered
• Successes – 29 species including Bald Eagle
have been removed or downgraded
What might have been a reason the Greater Sage
Grouse was denied listing as an Endangered
Species?
25%
25%
25%
2
3
25%
1. They need large tracts
of land
2. They are an umbrella
species
3. They are a prey animal
4. Birds are not listed on
the ESA
1
4
2. Exotic species control laws make it illegal to
plant or transport invasive species.
Ex. water milfoil
3. Hunting laws restrict what species can be
hunted and when.
Ex. white-tailed deer
4. Pollution Control Laws
Ex. clean water act
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures/warning.jpg
B. Captive Breeding and Reintroduction
• Species are raised in captivity and releasing
into the wild
Ex. Peregrine Falcon
Problems with Captive Breeding
•
•
•
Won’t breed in captivity
Imprinting – birds think they are the wrong
species
Lack ability to find food and/or mates when
released into the wild
•
•
Expensive!
Do not have capacity to save all species this
way
– Who do we save?
• Not a permanent solution. Need to fix wild
habitat
C. Habitat Protection
• Preservation of
ecosystems saves many
species.
• Ex. Florida Panther
Refuge
• Habitat for 24 species of
endangered, threatened
species plus126 bird species, 46 species of
reptiles and amphibians, 22 species of
mammals and a large variety of fish.
C. Habitat Protection
• More cost effective to
protect large tracts of
land as opposed to
focusing efforts on a
single species
• Sustain all native
species in a given area
Ex. Yellowstone
• 1st national park was Yellowstone
• 2 million acres in Wyoming, Idaho and
Montana
• Animals outside of parks are sometimes shot
Solution:
• Land in addition to parks need to be preserved
because animals roam
Animals are struck by cars
• Over 15% of Florida Panther population lost
last year due to car accidents.
Approx 100
Habitat Protection is the best way to save species
because
1. It often saves habitat for
several species
2. It is more cost effective
than focusing on a single
species
3. It is a long term solution
4. All of the above
25%
1
25%
25%
2
3
25%
4
Protecting habitat in other countries
Debt-for-nature swaps
• Buy debt a developing country has and agree
to cancel it if the country protects land