Sustaining Biodiversity: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species ApproachThe Species Approach

SPECIES EXTINCTIONSPECIES EXTINCTION

Species can become extinct: Species can become extinct: LocallyLocally: A species is no longer found in an area : A species is no longer found in an area

it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in the world.the world.

EcologicallyEcologically: Occurs when so few members of a : Occurs when so few members of a species are left they no longer play its ecological species are left they no longer play its ecological role.role.

Globally (biologically)Globally (biologically): Species is no longer : Species is no longer found on the earth.found on the earth.

Endangered and Threatened Species: Endangered and Threatened Species: Ecological Smoke AlarmsEcological Smoke Alarms

Endangered speciesEndangered species: so few individual : so few individual survivors that it could soon become extinct.survivors that it could soon become extinct.

Threatened speciesThreatened species: still abundant in its : still abundant in its natural range but is likely to become natural range but is likely to become endangered in the near future.endangered in the near future.

Some species Some species have have characteristics characteristics that make them that make them vulnerable to vulnerable to ecological and ecological and biological biological extinction.extinction.

SPECIES SPECIES EXTINCTIONEXTINCTION

Deliberately Introduced Species

Purple loosestrife European starling African honeybee(“Killer bee”)

Nutria Salt cedar(Tamarisk)

European wild boar(Feral pig)

Marine toad(Giant toad)

Water hyacinth Japanese beetle

Hydrilla

Gypsy moth larvae

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

• Do not allow wild animals to escape.

• Do not spread wild plants to other areas.

• Do not dump the contents of an aquarium into waterways, wetlands, or storm drains.

• When camping use wood near your campsite instead of bringing firewood from somewhere else.

• Do not dump unused bait into the water.

• After dogs visit woods or the water brush them before taking them home.

• After each use clean your vehicle, mountain bike, surfboard, kayaks, canoes, boats, tent, hiking boots, and other gear before heading for home.

• Empty all water from canoes, kayaks, dive gear, and other outdoor equipment before heading home.

• Plant a variety of trees, shrubs, and other plants in your yard to reduce losses from invasive species.

• Do not buy plants from overseas or swap them with others using the Internet.

What Can You Do?Invasive Species

• Climate similar to habitat of invader

• Absence of predators on invading species

• Early successional systems

• Low diversity of native species

• Absence of fire

• Disturbed by human activities

Characteristics ofSuccessful

Invader Species

• High reproductive rate, short generation time (r-selected species)

• Pioneer species

• Long lived

• High dispersal rate

• Release growth-inhibiting chemicals into soil

• Generalists

• High genetic variability

Characteristics ofEcosystems Vulnerable

to Invader Species

PROTECTING WILD SPECIES: PROTECTING WILD SPECIES: LEGAL AND ECONOMIC LEGAL AND ECONOMIC

APPROACHESAPPROACHES International treaties have helped reduce the International treaties have helped reduce the

international trade of endangered and international trade of endangered and threatened species, but enforcement is threatened species, but enforcement is difficult.difficult. One of the most powerful is the 1975 Convention One of the most powerful is the 1975 Convention

on International Trade of Endangered Species on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).(CITES).• Signed by 169 countries, lists 900 species that cannot Signed by 169 countries, lists 900 species that cannot

be commercially traded.be commercially traded.

Case Study: Case Study: The U.S. Endangered Species ActThe U.S. Endangered Species Act

One of the world’s most far-reaching and One of the world’s most far-reaching and controversial environmental laws is the 1973 controversial environmental laws is the 1973 U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). ESA forbids federal agencies (besides defense ESA forbids federal agencies (besides defense

department) to carry out / fund projects that department) to carry out / fund projects that would jeopardize an endangered species.would jeopardize an endangered species.

ESA makes it illegal for Americans to engage in ESA makes it illegal for Americans to engage in commerce associated with or hunt / kill / collect commerce associated with or hunt / kill / collect endangered or threatened species.endangered or threatened species.

ESAESA

Forbids federal agencies to carry out, fund, or Forbids federal agencies to carry out, fund, or authorize projects that would jeopardize and authorize projects that would jeopardize and endangered or threatened species or destroy endangered or threatened species or destroy or modify the critical habitat it needs to or modify the critical habitat it needs to survivesurvive

Makes it illegal for Americans to sell or buy Makes it illegal for Americans to sell or buy any product made from an endangered any product made from an endangered species or to hunt, kill, collect, or injure such species or to hunt, kill, collect, or injure such species in the United Statesspecies in the United States

ESA continuedESA continued

USFWS and NMFS is supposed to prepare a USFWS and NMFS is supposed to prepare a plan to help listed species recover, including plan to help listed species recover, including designating and protecting its critical habitatdesignating and protecting its critical habitat

Requires that all commercial shipments of Requires that all commercial shipments of wildlife and wildlife products enter or leave wildlife and wildlife products enter or leave the country through one of nine designated the country through one of nine designated portsports

HCP: landowners, developers, or loggers are HCP: landowners, developers, or loggers are allowed to destroy some critical habitat in allowed to destroy some critical habitat in exchange for taking steps to protect exchange for taking steps to protect members of a speciesmembers of a species

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

Because of Because of scarcity of scarcity of inspectors, inspectors, probably no probably no more than 1/10more than 1/10thth of the illegal of the illegal wildlife trade in wildlife trade in the U.S. is the U.S. is discovered.discovered.

PROTECTING WILD SPECIES: THE PROTECTING WILD SPECIES: THE SANCTUARY APPROACHSANCTUARY APPROACH

Gene banks, botanical gardens and using Gene banks, botanical gardens and using farms to raise threatened species can help farms to raise threatened species can help prevent extinction, but these options lack prevent extinction, but these options lack funding and storage space.funding and storage space.

Zoos and aquariums can help protect Zoos and aquariums can help protect endangered animal species by preserving endangered animal species by preserving some individuals with the long-term goal of some individuals with the long-term goal of reintroduction, but suffer from lack of space reintroduction, but suffer from lack of space and money. and money.

RECONCILIATION ECOLOGYRECONCILIATION ECOLOGY

Reconciliation ecology involves finding ways Reconciliation ecology involves finding ways to share places we dominate with other to share places we dominate with other species.species. Replacing monoculture grasses with native Replacing monoculture grasses with native

species.species. Maintaining habitats for insect eating bats can Maintaining habitats for insect eating bats can

keep down unwanted insects.keep down unwanted insects. Reduction and elimination of pesticides to protect Reduction and elimination of pesticides to protect

non-target organisms (such as vital insect non-target organisms (such as vital insect pollinators).pollinators).

Using Reconciliation Ecology to Using Reconciliation Ecology to Protect BluebirdsProtect Bluebirds

Putting up bluebird Putting up bluebird boxes with holes too boxes with holes too small for (nonnative) small for (nonnative) competitors in areas competitors in areas where trees have where trees have been cut down have been cut down have helped reestablish helped reestablish populations.populations.

• Do not buy furs, ivory products, and other materials made from endangered or threatened animal species.

• Do not buy wood and paper products produced by cutting remaining old-growth forests in the tropics.

• Do not buy birds, snakes, turtles, tropical fish, and other animals that are taken from the wild.

• Do not buy orchids, cacti, and other plants that are taken from the wild.

• Spread the word. Talk to your friends and relatives about this problem and what they can do about it.

What Can You Do?

Protecting Species