This document discusses various topics related to sustaining wild species and preventing extinction. It describes three types of species extinction and characteristics of species prone to extinction. It also discusses factors contributing to habitat loss and degradation, the impacts of human activities and climate change on extinction rates, and approaches for protecting endangered species through international treaties, national laws, protected areas, and conservation programs.
7. Characteristics of Species Prone to
Extinction
Low reproductive rate
Specialized niche
Narrow distribution
Feeds at high tropic levels
Fixed migratory patterns
Rare
Commercially valuable
Large territories
11. Problems Measuring Extinctions
Extinction typically takes a long time.
Not all species have been identified.
Not much is know about identified species.
12. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN)
http://www.iucn.org/
15. Discovery Questions
What is the difference between a threatened and
endangered species?
How many species are currently threatened?
What criteria does the IUCN use to establish an
organism’s status?
Which species meet each of these criteria in your
area?
What factors contribute to a particular species
status?
18. Problems Estimating Extinction Rates
Assumptions about the earth’s total number of
species
The proportion of species found in each ecosystem
The rate at which ecosystems are being damaged
The reliability of the method used to make these
estimates
20. Extinction-Level Events (ELE)
Caused by global environmental disruptions that
result in large percentages of marine and terrestrial
species dying out.
24. Humans and Extinction Rates
.0001% before humans
0.1 – 1% now, probably conservative
At this rate 1 million species would be lost in 200
years
20% of species might be gone by 2030
Most ecologists consider humans to be an extinction
crisis
33. Ecological Roles of Bats
70% feed on crop-
damaging nocturnal
insects
The pollinate flowers on
many tropical islands
Fruit eating bats
distribute seeds
They are a keystone
species and help to
maintain plant
biodiversity
34. Vulnerable to Extinction
They reproduce slowly
They live in huge colonies in caves and abandoned
mines, which people sometimes block
About ¼ of bat species are listed as endangered
35. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF HABITAT
LOSS AND DEGRADATION?
36. Primary Causes of Habitat Depletion (HIPPO)
Habitat Destruction
Invasive Species
Population Growth
Pesticides/Pollution
Overharvesting
38. Three Greatest Contributors to Terrestrial Species Loss
Deforestation in
Tropical Forests
Destruction of
Wetlands
Plowing of Grasslands
39. Greatest Cause of Marine Biodiversity Loss
Commercial
Fishing
Sports Fishing
Solid Waste
Disposal
40. Contributors to Habitat Loss in U.S.
Invasive Species
Commercial
Development
Fire Suppression
Agriculture
Livestock Grazing
Pesticides/Pollution
Water Development
Outdoor Recreation
42. Habitat Fragmentation
Divides populations into isolated groups
More vulnerable to predators, invasive species, and
catastrophic events
Creates barriers that can hinder species from
dispersing and colonizing new areas
44. Vulnerable Species
Those that are rare
Those that need to roam over large areas
Those that have a low reproductive capacity
Those with specialized niches
50. Major Threats to Birds
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Nonnative Species
Some are Loved to Death
Drowned by Fishing Nets
Caught in Power Lines, Skyscrapers and
Communication Towers
52. Ecological Role of Birds
Indicator Species
Control Rodent Populations
Control Insect Populations
Pollinate Flowering Plants
Scavenging Dead Animals
53. Birds as Indicator Species
Live in every climate
Respond quickly to environmental change in their
habitat
Are easy to tack and count
54. Environmental Issue: Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
National Public Radio Broadcasts
Audio Evidence of Ivory-Billed
Woodpecker
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?s
toryId=4814860)
Audubon Bird Count, Lost
Woodpecker Rediscovered
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?s
toryId=5067655)
55. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF
DELIBERATELY INTRODUCED
SPECIES?
56. Role of Introduced Species
Provide food crops
Provide livestock
Provide lumber and ornamentals
Control pests
58. Problems of Introduced Species
Biggest cause of animal and plant extinctions
They threaten 1,260 endangered and threatened
species in the U.S.
And 95% in Hawaii
59. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF
ACCIDENTALLY INTRODUCED
SPECIES?
60. Modes of Transmission
Stowaways on aircraft
In the ballast water of tankers
Hitchhikers on imported products
61. Argentina Fire Ant
Wiped out 90% of native ant
population
Painful stings can kill deer
fawns, birds, and pets
Damage crops, such as corn
soybeans, potatoes
Disrupted phone service and
electrical power
62. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE
THE THREAT FROM NONNATIVE
SPECIES?
63. Reducing the Threat
Identify major characteristics that allow species to
become successful invaders
Identify the types of ecosystems that are vulnerable
to invaders
Inspect imported goods that may be infected
64. Characteristics of Successful Invader Species
High reproductive rate
Short maturation time
Pioneer species
Long lived
High dispersal rate
Release of growth-inhibiting chemical
Generalists
High genetic variability
66. Deadly Dear
Deer kill more than 200
people each year, more
each year in the U.S.
than any other wild
species
Collisions occur more
than 1.5 million times
each year
67. HOW SERIOUS IS THE ILLEGAL
TAKING OR KILLING OF WILD
SPECIES?
71. The Rising Demand for Bushmeat
Increase in African
population
Increase in logging road
and access to remote areas
Increase demand by high-
end restaurants
Source of income for poor
people
72. WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND
POLLUTION?
73. Water use and pollution
and soil nutrient loss Freshwater
Food supply
supply and
and demand
Water availability demand
Changes in Deforestation
Changes in
water supply and precipitation Erosion,
temperature and temperature pollution, and
CO2, CH4, changes in
N2O emissions water flow
Habitat change
and fragmentation Forest product
Climate change of habitat supply and
demand
CO2 emission
Changes in Loss and
transpiration fragmentation Loss and
and albedo Loss of habitat fragmentation
of crop
of habitat
genetic
Habitat diversity Reduced
change resistance
to change
Biodiversity loss
74. Wildlife Fund and Climate Change
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/
76. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
http://www.cites.org/
Roughly 5,000
species of animals
and 28,000 species
of plants are
protected by CITES
against over-
exploitation
through
international trade.
78. http://www.fws.gov/endangered/esa.html
Most wide reaching act passed by the U.S.
National Marine Fisheries Services monitors ocean species.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services monitors all other wildlife species.
Act forbids federal agencies to carry out, fund or authorize projects
that would endanger species or their habitat.
Forbids American to purchase endangered species
There are 1,260 species currently on the list.
84. Eminent Domain
Part of the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Gives the government the right to force citizen to
sell their property needed for public good.
85. Richard Pombo and the Endangered Species Act
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4971014
86. Problems w/ Endangered Species Act
Act not doing too well, only 10 have been removed
Problems determining what is “critical habitat”; not
enough empirical data
Tends to lower the value of the land
If governments gave everyone the market value of
their land it would cripple the government
87. HOW CAN PRIVATE LANDOWNERS
BE ENCOURAGED TO PROTECT
ENDANGERED SPECIES?
88. Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)
Protecting critical nesting sites
Maintaining travel corridors for endangered species
Paying to relocate species to another suitable habitat
Removing competitors and predators
Paying money to have the government buy suitable habitat
elsewhere
90. House Approves Revised Endangered Species Act
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4930486
91. Efforts to Weaker the ESA
Make protection of endangered species on private
land voluntary.
Have governments compensate landowners for their
land.
Make it harder to list newly endangered species.
Eliminate the need to designate critical habitats.
93. Efforts to Strengthen the ESA
Find out what species and ecosystem the country has.
Locate and protect the most endangered ecosystems and
species within such systems.
Put more emphasis on preventing species from becoming
threatened and ecosystems from becoming degraded.
Provide private landowners who agree to help protect
endangered ecosystems with significatn financial incentives.
94. HOW CAN WILDLIFE REFUGES AND
OTHER PROTECTED AREAS HELP
PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES?
98. CAN GENE BANKS, BOTANICAL
GARDENS, AND FARMS HELP SAVE
MOST ENDANGERED SPECIES?
99. Gene Banks, Zoos, Aquariums and Botanical
Gardens
100 gene banks currently store seed from the 14 plants and
provide 90% of the food we eat.
1,600 botanical gardens world-wide, which help to educate
visitors about the need for plant conservation
201 accredited U.S. zoos provide sanctuaries for threatened
or endangered species and help to educate people about
animal conservation.
100. Seed Banks Move to Save Threatened Species
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10338057
101. CAN ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS
HELP PROTECT MOST
ENDANGERED SPECIES?
103. Conservation Techniques in Zoos and Game
Parks
Egg Pulling
Captive Breeding
Artificial Insemination
Surgical Implantation of Eggs into Surrogate Mothers
Use of Incubators
Cross-Fostering of Endangered Species
Use of Computer Databases to Match Compatible DNA
Strands for Breeding
104. Problems with Zoos
Some activists interpret zoos as human
domination over equal creatures
Some criticize their educational value as being
superficial and useless.
Some groups however do not fundamentally
reject the existence of zoological gardens, but
they point to the often unnatural and
controversial conditions of keeping animals in
captivity, particularly in small cages without
any environmental enrichment.
Some activists say behavioral patterns such as
pacing, rocking and swaying indicate suffering
of animals in unsuitable enclosures.
106. Reconciliation Ecology
Science of inventing, establishing, and maintaining
new habitats to conserve species diversity in places
where people live, work and play.
107. Reconciliation Ecology In Action
Neighbors banding together
to replace monoculture yards
with diverse habitats for
butterflies and birds.
Garden rooftops on buildings
in cities.
Large parks in cities that have
many different ecosystems.