Wildlife%20Resources

1
Wildlife Resources

• What is happening to the wildlife
• and plant resources around us today?

2
U.S. Species Diversity
3
Decreasing Biodiversity

• 10-20 of species alive in 1975 were
• extinct in 2000

• Mostly plants, invertebrates in tropical
• rain forests (many undescribed species)

• 40 of all species live in tropical areas

• Disappear along with forests

4
Extinction Not New

• 99 of all species have gone extinct

• Gradual environmental changes have
• been responsible for most extinctions

• Rapid environmental changes from
• asteroids, etc. also have been important
• in many extinctions

5
Extinction Rates

• Background (natural) rate of extinction

• Massextinction

6
Why Should We Care About Extinctions and
Biodiversity?
1) economics 2) aesthetics 3)
ecological 4) ethics
7
Cinchona
Cinchona ledogeriana, South America Quinine for
malaria treatment
8
Rauvolfia
Rauvolfia sepentina, Southeast
Asia Tranquilizer, high blood pressure
medication
9
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea, Europe Digitalis for heart
failure
10
Pacific yew
Taxus brevifolia, Pacific Northwest Ovarian
cancer
11
Human Impacts on Biodiversity
12
Causes of Premature Extinction of Wild Species

13
Human Activities That MayCause Extinctions

• Habitat disturbance/destruction

• Commercial hunting

• Predator and pest control

• Collecting for pets, zoos, research

• Pollution

• Introductions of exotic species

14
Habitat Disturbance and Destruction
California Condor
15
Commercial Hunting
Black Rhino
Range in 1700
Range today (about 2,400 left)
16
Predator and Pest Control
African Elephant
Probable range 1600
Range today (300,000 left)
17
Collecting for Pets, Zoos, Research
18
Pollution
Bald Eagle - DDT
19
Species Introductions
Dodo Bird
Zebra Mussel
20
Threats from Nonnative Species
21
Strategies for Protecting Biodiversity

• Species approach

• Ecosystem approach

22
Protecting Wild Species The Legal Approach

• International Treaties CITES
• - Convention on International Trade in
• Endangered Species

• National Laws ESA- Endangered Species Act

23
Protecting Wild Species The Sanctuary Approach

• Wildlife refuges and protected areas
• - e.g. whooping cranes

• Gene banks, botanical gardens, and farms

• Zoos and Aquariums
• - captive breeding programs

24
The Ecosystem Approach

• Biosphere reserves

• U.S. has gt30 reserves
• - Yellowstone National Park
• - Great Smoky Mtns. National Park

• Other countries have similar reserves

25
Bird Success Stories
California Condor
Whooping Crane
Peregrine Falcon
Canada Goose
Wild Turkey
26
Economics and the Environment

• Sustaining economic growth?

- Is growth necessary for progress?
- Limited natural resources
- Limited capacity to deal with wastes
27
Redirecting Economic Growth

• Reduce polluting growth, and growth
• dependent on nonrenewable resources

• Encourage clean and efficient
• growth, and growth dependent on
• renewable resources

28
Harmful External Costs and Full-Cost Pricing

• External costs - need to eliminate
• waste in the economy

• Full-cost pricing - pay true cost for
• goods and services
• - recycling fee and pollution
• tax to cost of new tires, oil
• changes

29
Politics

• Orderly distribution of resources

• Political systems designed to
• accomplish this goal

30
United States Political System

• Legislative enact laws to ensure
• equitable distribution of resources

• Clean Air Water Acts, Water
• Pollution Control Act, RCRA,
• Endangered Species Act, National
• Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

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NEPA

• Environmental impact statement

• Short- and long-term effects of
• project on the environment

• Examine alternatives

32
United States Political System

• Executive enforce the laws

• Environmental Protection Agency
• (EPA)

• Enforce environmental regulations

• Distribute federal money for
• environmental purposes (Superfund)

33
United States Political System

• Judicial interpreting the laws

• Environmental law
• - Who speaks for the trees?

The Lorax
34
Factors Hindering Democracies in Dealing with
Environmental Problems

• Lack of long-range planning
• (usually focus on short-term issues)

• Special interest groups have too much
• influence

• Too much bureaucracy

35
Religion and the Environment

• Most environmental degradation has been
• the result of human attitudes and values.

• Self-centered view of nature

36
Religion and the Environment

• All major religions emphasize humans as
• a part of nature

• Steward of nature

• A steward is a caretaker

37
Religion and the Environment

• Most people do not practice their religious or
  philosophical beliefs when it relates to the
  environment (not acting as stewards)

• Human population growth
• Resource problems
• Pollution problems

• More emphasis is being placed on environmental
  concerns now by the worlds religious leaders.

38
Ecological Crisis?

• Gloom and doom?

• Technological optimism?

• Good old days?

• An important beginning

• Lots more to accomplish