Chapter 12 - Sustaining Biodiversity: The species Approach

Other extinction threats

- hunting and poaching - predator control - market for exotic pets and plants - climate change and pollution

Case Study: The Passenger Pigeon: gone forever

- last seen 1914 - From numerous to extinct in 100 years - Uncontrolled hunting - Habitat loss - it was most common bird in north america and the world to extinct in a few decades, due to *humans wiping them out*

Climate change threatening Endangered Species

*Endangered species:* •"Any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range..." •With the exception of insect pests *Threatened species* •"Means any species which is *likely to become an endangered* species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range" species threatened with extinction (graph)

Causes of Depletion of Wild Species

*HIPPCO* - *h*abitat destruction - *I*nvasive species - *P*op (humans) growth - *P*ollution - *C*limate change - *O*verharvesting

Species Extinction

*Local Extinction* - No longer found in a specific area - Can still be found elsewhere *Ecological Extinction* - Too few individuals left to fulfill its role in the ecosystem *Biological Extinction* - No longer found anywhere on Earth

Habitat loss and degradation

*Single greatest threat to species survival* •Deforestation •Wetlands destruction •Plowing of grasslands *Habitat fragmentation* •Isolation and scattering makes species more vulnerable

Reasons for conserving species

*Utilitarian* - even if we don't care need to recognize; -Genetic pool -Pharmaceuticals - food resources *Ecological* - Ecosystem function (need to be maintained) *Aesthetic* - Large animals *Moral* - cute, pulling at heartstrings *Cultural* - like indigenous and the caribou, plants are considered sacred

Voluntary Conservation Efforts

- initiatives whose success depends on citizen participation - this is another way to protect - Is to involve the *public and use volunteers*, we see decade after decade the number is increasing for people involved in cleaning the water ways, removing endangered species, etc. -Takes a lot of pressure off government funding - common loons and the distribution,going to be in million, so w/ volunteers the data collected can be way more accurate

Characteristics of Extinction-Prone Species

- low reproductive rate: blue whale, giant panda, rhinoceros - specialized niche: bye whats, giant panda, everglades kite - narrow distribution: elephants seal, desert pupfish - feeds at high trophic level: bengal tiger, bald eagle, grizzly bear - fixed migratory patterns: whooping crane, blue whale, sea turtle - rare: african violet, some orchids - commercially valuable: elephant, rhinoceros, snow leopard, rare birds an plants - large territories: california condor, grizzly bear, florida panther

Basic and Secondary Causes of Depletion and Extinction

Basic and secondary causes of depletion and premature extinction of wild species. - The biggest direct causes of wildlife depletion and premature extinction are loss, fragmentation, and degradation of habitat, and deliberate or accidental introduction of non-native species into ecosystems.

Reconciliation Ecology

The process is very sustained (back to kaka poo examples, they catch the same 120 every year and record the weight etc) Another way to preserve species at risk is -Establish reserves - very very hard at large scale, expensive (ex. eastern marine artic refuge, blocks bc of fishing, they want to preserve as potential fishing ground) •Reserves can only protect 5% of nature. •Reserves are also expensive to maintain. •Instead, maintain cooperative lifestyle - New habitats for species conservation in proximity to human populace

Extinction Canadian Species

•Fifteen species have become extinct in Canada, including:

Endangered Species: Current Status

•Number of species listed as threatened or endangered is increasing •International Union for Conservation of Nature maintains a list known as the: •IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - The red list - Gives the level of the critically endangered species. - Ranking of animals based on populations, endangered, threatened, etc, and the rankings can change periodically as new research comes to light Ex. Kaka poo (strigops habroptila) only non-flight parrot -Shows status (endangered) -Shows whether it exist in wild (it does, very low) -Low reproductive rate -Easier to campaign because its cute and funny to watch (but as scientist need to understand the importance of every species) (picture) -Red Highlights the three biggest percentages of species from different groups that are threatened - Mammals many are threatened (not endangered there is a difference) - Blue highlights the most successful