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Transcript
+ Chapter 9 Sustaining Biodiversity + What Role do Humans Play in Extinction? Extinctions: Biological – no longer exist…anywhere Can cause secondary extinction – weakened ecosystem – extinction of some species that had strong ties with one deceased Background extinction rate – low rate 1/million species = 0.0001% Allowed for balance between extinction and formation of new species Mass extinction – many in a short time Recovery can happen, but takes millions of years + What Role do Humans Play in Extinction? Human Activities 2005 Millennium assessment – humans have taken over or disturbed 50-80% of land surfaces Polluted or disturbed about ½ of surface waters Extinction Rates Rising Rapidly Current rate is 1,000 x times background rate Rate due to habitat loss, climate change, etc could rise to 10,000 times the background rate = 1% extinction About 10,000 species/year for every 1million sp ¼- ½ of current animal & plant species extinct by end of century + What Role do Humans Play in Extinction? Extinction Rates Rate of loss and extent of biodiversity loss increase during next 50-100 years – due to human growth Projected rates are higher in areas with highly endangered centers of biodiversity Biodiversity hot-spots We are eliminating, degrading, fragmenting, and simplifying many biologically diverse enviro Limiting the long-term recovery – reducing rate of speciation + What Role do Humans Play in Extinction? Endangered and threatened species smoke alarms Endangered species – so few survivors species soon become extinct Threatened/vulnerable – enough for short term, but likely to become endangered IUCN (international union for the conservation of nature) 2009 1370 listed as endangered/threatened for ESA Behavioral characteristics – make more prone to extinction pg 194 fig 9-3 + Passenger Pigeon Early By 1800’s very abundant 1900 gone Habitat loss – forests cleared Uncontrolled commercial hunting/easy to kill Good eats, feathers good pillows Easy targets + WHY should we care about rising rate of extinction Species vital part of natural capital Extinction, but speciation (form new ones) replaces at a natural background extinction rate So why care? Vital part of earth’s life support system – natural resources and services – keep us alive EX pollination, chemical cycling, upset ecosystem Economics – food, fuel, lumber, medicines (62% for prospectors in rainforests) Ecotourism – more money alive/intact than dead Will take longer to recover Right to exist + How do we accelerate extinction HIPPCO Habitat destruction, degradation, fragmentation Invasive species Population growth and increasing use of resources Pollution Climate change Overexploitation Greatest threat is habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation Deforestation, destruction/degradation of coral reefs and wetlands, plowing grasslands + How accelerate Habitat fragmentation – large intact areas, divided Block migration routes Decrease tree cover Divide populations into too small of species pockets Vulnerability to normal pressures Natural Use parks/reserves are habitat islands theory of island biogeography to help understand role of fragmentation and species extinction + How Accelerate 98% of US food supply – corn, wheat, rice, cattle, poultry; was introduced In new habitat Face no natural predators, competitors, parasites, or pathogens Crowd-out populations of native species – ecological disruptions, health problems, economic loss US FW 40% of species listed as endangered are due to invasive species + How Accelerate Kudzu vine Imported from Japan and planted to control soil erosion Literally takes over Can use useful – starch in beverages, confections, herbal remedies All parts are edible Fiber could be used to replace trees in paper Disrupt ecosystems – try many approaches – typically not much works + Prevention for Invasives Research Ground surveys and tracking International Cargo treaties to ban transfer ships dump ballast water Educate public + How accelerate Pop growth and excessive and wasteful consumption of resources = increased eco footprint = eliminated, degraded, and fragmented areas of wildlife Pollution Pesticides Annually kill 1/5th of honeybee colonies (pollinate 1/3rd of crops) Kill ~67 millin birds 6-14 million fish DDT 50’s -70s especially harmed bald eagle Biomagnification + How accelerate Read through case studies for honeybees, illegal killing and selling Birds PAY ATTENTION TO STATS and #s + How Can we Protect Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) US Endangered Species Act – what’s within the reading and the science Focus Establish wildlife refuges and protected areas Especially vital for migratory waterfoul Gene Banks, Botanical Gardens Zoos/Aquariums + Endangered Species Act It’s not a failure Species listed only when in serious danger Takes decades for most species to become endangered/threatened, so it can take decades to come back ~ ½ of listed species are stable or improving and 99% of protected species are still surviving Small budget can do a lot Recommend to strengthen and modify Increase funding Develop recovery plans Look carefully at the core of its habitat for protection + Precautionary Principle To avoid causing more extinctions and more loss of biodiversity If evidence shows it can harm, precautionary measure to prevent or reduce Better safe than sorry Look at 3 important questions: How do we allocate limited resources between protecting species and protecting habitats? How do we decide which species should get more attention? How do we determine which habitat areas are most critical to protect