Endangered SEndangered Sppeciesecies

By: Chuan TranBy: Chuan Tran SBI4U 2009

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IntroIntro

Human beings have recklessly exploited the Human beings have recklessly exploited the Earth’s resources despite the apparent Earth’s resources despite the apparent negative consequencesnegative consequences

These consequences have lead scientists to These consequences have lead scientists to believe that Earth has entered a new believe that Earth has entered a new “extinction phase”“extinction phase”

The current rate of species extinction is The current rate of species extinction is between 50 and 1000 times more than the geo-between 50 and 1000 times more than the geo-historical normhistorical norm

Species that are at immediate risk of extinction Species that are at immediate risk of extinction are also known as endangered speciesare also known as endangered species

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species Those at immediate risk of extinctionThose at immediate risk of extinction

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Factors Factors

Factors that contribute to the decrease in populations Factors that contribute to the decrease in populations are:are:

Habitat lossHabitat loss Example: Humans cutting down forests for buildingsExample: Humans cutting down forests for buildings

PollutionPollution Example: contaminants released into the environmentExample: contaminants released into the environment

Introduced speciesIntroduced species Example: captivityExample: captivity

OverexploitationOverexploitation Example: huntingExample: hunting

Facing ExtinctionFacing Extinction

1/3 of amphibians1/3 of amphibians 1/8 of birds1/8 of birds 1/4 of mammals1/4 of mammals And more than 8000 plants and algae And more than 8000 plants and algae

species are facing extinctionspecies are facing extinction

What Are We DoingWhat Are We Doing

International and U.S. laws offer protection to the International and U.S. laws offer protection to the endangered speciesendangered species

These laws make it a crime to:These laws make it a crime to: Capture the speciesCapture the species Kill the speciesKill the species Fail to act to recover themFail to act to recover them Harm their habitatHarm their habitat

Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act IUCN – International Union for Conservation of NatureIUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature CITES - Convention on International Trade in CITES - Convention on International Trade in

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act

The endangered species act provides for The endangered species act provides for the conservation of endangered or the conservation of endangered or threatened species throughout all or most threatened species throughout all or most of their range and the ecosystem they of their range and the ecosystem they depend ondepend on

IUCN – International Union for IUCN – International Union for Conservation of NatureConservation of Nature

IUCN is a world conservation unionIUCN is a world conservation union It maintains a record, called the red list, It maintains a record, called the red list,

of the world’s species that are threatened of the world’s species that are threatened with extinctionwith extinction

The red list includes over 16 000 speciesThe red list includes over 16 000 species

CITES - Convention on International Trade in CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

This is an agreement signed by more This is an agreement signed by more than 160 countries to restrict trade of than 160 countries to restrict trade of more than 30 000 species of plants and more than 30 000 species of plants and animals, live or dead.animals, live or dead.

Example: Marmosets and IvoryExample: Marmosets and Ivory

Our PlansOur Plans

Plans are developed to aid in the recovery of Plans are developed to aid in the recovery of the speciesthe species

Recovery programs that can take place in the Recovery programs that can take place in the natural or outside the range of a species natural or outside the range of a species include:include: Habitat restorationHabitat restoration Captive breeding effortsCaptive breeding efforts Assisted reproductive effortsAssisted reproductive efforts Or field research into behaviour, reproduction and Or field research into behaviour, reproduction and

biological or ecology studybiological or ecology study

Recovery ProgramsRecovery Programs

The major functions of the recovery programs The major functions of the recovery programs are to:are to:

Identify the most important actions needed to Identify the most important actions needed to save the species from extinctionsave the species from extinction

Identify major players in the recovery effortIdentify major players in the recovery effort And collaborate and coordinate objectives to And collaborate and coordinate objectives to

speed the recovery processspeed the recovery process

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

An example of an endangered species is An example of an endangered species is planktonplankton

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PlanktonPlankton

Plankton is a term for species of microorganisms that Plankton is a term for species of microorganisms that drift in open waterdrift in open water

They are generally about 1/1000They are generally about 1/1000thth of a mm of a mm They are the most abundant form of life in the oceanThey are the most abundant form of life in the ocean There are two types of planktonThere are two types of plankton

PhytoplanktonPhytoplankton ZooplanktonZooplankton

PhytoplanktonPhytoplankton

Phytoplankton make their own food through the Phytoplankton make their own food through the process of photosynthesisprocess of photosynthesis

Phytoplankton remove carbon dioxide from sea Phytoplankton remove carbon dioxide from sea water and release oxygenwater and release oxygen

Populations of phytoplankton in the northern Populations of phytoplankton in the northern oceans have declined by as much as 30% oceans have declined by as much as 30% since 1980since 1980

Phytoplankton are the first link in the food Phytoplankton are the first link in the food chainchain

They are an important part of ocean lifeThey are an important part of ocean life

ZooplanktonZooplankton

Zooplankton feed on phytoplanktonZooplankton feed on phytoplankton Zooplankton are a food source to Zooplankton are a food source to

countless animalscountless animals As a result, plankton make up the base of As a result, plankton make up the base of

the aquatic food chainthe aquatic food chain These tiny organisms sustain all life in These tiny organisms sustain all life in

the oceanthe ocean

FactsFacts

All other marine life is dependent upon All other marine life is dependent upon planktonplankton

The abundance of marine life is directly related The abundance of marine life is directly related to the supply of phytoplanktonto the supply of phytoplankton

They are a vital part of all food websThey are a vital part of all food webs Phytoplankton are the world’s number one Phytoplankton are the world’s number one

source of oxygensource of oxygen Phytoplankton produces about 90% of all Phytoplankton produces about 90% of all

photosynthetic processes on Earthphotosynthetic processes on Earth

Theories for declinationTheories for declination

Global warmingGlobal warming COCO22 emissions emissions

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Global WarmingGlobal Warming

Global warming is an increase in average temperature of Earth’s Global warming is an increase in average temperature of Earth’s atmosphereatmosphere

Global warming is the main cause of decreasing phytoplanktonGlobal warming is the main cause of decreasing phytoplankton Phytoplankton require nutrients from the bottom of the ocean in Phytoplankton require nutrients from the bottom of the ocean in

order to reproduceorder to reproduce At the Earth’s poles the ocean water is colder at the surface than it At the Earth’s poles the ocean water is colder at the surface than it

is belowis below The cold water sinks to the bottom and the warmer water below The cold water sinks to the bottom and the warmer water below

rises to the top, bringing nutrients with itrises to the top, bringing nutrients with it Because of the climate changes the water from the top is warmer Because of the climate changes the water from the top is warmer

and therefore less water from below will riseand therefore less water from below will rise This means less nutrients will be available for the planktonThis means less nutrients will be available for the plankton As a result, the reproduction of phytoplankton is hinderedAs a result, the reproduction of phytoplankton is hindered

COCO22 emissions emissions

Carbon dioxide emissions also causes the decrease in Carbon dioxide emissions also causes the decrease in planktonplankton

Carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceanCarbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean Recent years, the ocean’s capacity has not been able Recent years, the ocean’s capacity has not been able

to keep up with the amount of carbon dioxide levels to keep up with the amount of carbon dioxide levels from human outputfrom human output

The carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean turns into The carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean turns into carbonic acidcarbonic acid

This lowers the pH of the oceanThis lowers the pH of the ocean The decrease in pH is corrosive to the sea animals that The decrease in pH is corrosive to the sea animals that

form shellsform shells One of these animals include zooplanktonOne of these animals include zooplankton

EffectEffect

Because plankton are a vital part of all food webs, the decrease in Because plankton are a vital part of all food webs, the decrease in plankton will cause the food web to collapse plankton will cause the food web to collapse

For example: Seals feed on fish, and fish feed on plankton, if For example: Seals feed on fish, and fish feed on plankton, if plankton population decreases the affected species will die from plankton population decreases the affected species will die from hungerhunger

Therefore if population decreases ocean life will be threatenedTherefore if population decreases ocean life will be threatened Humans are also affected because many cultures also depend on Humans are also affected because many cultures also depend on

food from the seafood from the sea The sea-air exchange will be affected and will cause an impact on The sea-air exchange will be affected and will cause an impact on

our living conditions because of reduced oxygenour living conditions because of reduced oxygen Also, since the ocean absorbs additional carbon dioxide from the Also, since the ocean absorbs additional carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere, if the population of plankton decreased, atmospheric atmosphere, if the population of plankton decreased, atmospheric carbon dioxide would increasecarbon dioxide would increase

This would increase global warming even moreThis would increase global warming even more

ConclusionConclusion

Plankton are become closer and closer to Plankton are become closer and closer to extinction as we speakextinction as we speak

This needs to be stopped and reversed This needs to be stopped and reversed as soon as possibleas soon as possible

If not, the human race may face the If not, the human race may face the ultimate consequenceultimate consequence

Work CitedWork Cited

Alois, P., & Cheng, V. (2007, July). Keystone Species Extinction Overview. In Alois, P., & Cheng, V. (2007, July). Keystone Species Extinction Overview. In World's Biggest ProblemsWorld's Biggest Problems. Retrieved December 12, 2009, from . Retrieved December 12, 2009, from http://www.arlingtoninstitute.org/wbp/species-extinction/443#http://www.arlingtoninstitute.org/wbp/species-extinction/443#

Endangered Species Act (ESA). (n.d.). Endangered Species Act (ESA). (n.d.). Office of Protected ResourcesOffice of Protected Resources. . Retrieved December 13, 2009, from http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/Retrieved December 13, 2009, from http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/

Endangered Species Science. (n.d.). Endangered Species Science. (n.d.). Conservation and ScienceConservation and Science. Retrieved . Retrieved December 13, 2009, from December 13, 2009, from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/EndangeredSpecies/defahttp://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/EndangeredSpecies/default.cfmult.cfm

How Do Phytoplankton Control The Carbon Cycle? (2003, January 27). How Do Phytoplankton Control The Carbon Cycle? (2003, January 27). The The Wild Blue WonderWild Blue Wonder. Retrieved December 12, 2009, from . Retrieved December 12, 2009, from http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/seawifs/carbon2.htmhttp://kids.earth.nasa.gov/seawifs/carbon2.htm

The Who? What? Where? How? and Why's? of Plankton. (n.d.). The Who? What? Where? How? and Why's? of Plankton. (n.d.). Protect Protect Oceanography: Ocean DriftersOceanography: Ocean Drifters. Retrieved December 12, 2009, from . Retrieved December 12, 2009, from http://www.marine.usf.edu/pjocean/packets/f97/plank_1.pdfhttp://www.marine.usf.edu/pjocean/packets/f97/plank_1.pdf