Sustaining Biodiversity: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem ApproachThe Ecosystem Approach

Chapter 8Chapter 8

Sections 5-8Sections 5-8

The Short VersionThe Short Version

Tropical DeforestationTropical Deforestation Rapid and increasing - Rapid and increasing - 11 football fields per minute lost in 200411 football fields per minute lost in 2004

Loss of biodiversityLoss of biodiversity at least half world’s terrestrial species live in tropical at least half world’s terrestrial species live in tropical forestsforests

Deforestation for croplands, logging and ranchingDeforestation for croplands, logging and ranching

Problems measuring deforestationProblems measuring deforestation- - satellite images difficult, countries satellite images difficult, countries misreport, varying definitions misreport, varying definitions

Causes of tropical deforestationCauses of tropical deforestation = = pop. Growth, poverty, gov. subsidies, debt, pop. Growth, poverty, gov. subsidies, debt, failure to value ecological servicesfailure to value ecological services

Burning: contributes COBurning: contributes CO22 to global warming to global warming

Possible solutionsPossible solutions - prevention & restoration - see next slide- prevention & restoration - see next slide

Fig. 8-21, p. 171

Protect most diverse and endangered areas

Educate settlers about sustainableagriculture and forestry

Phase out subsidies that encourageunsustainable forest use

Add subsidies that encouragesustainable forest use

Protect forests with debt-for-nature swaps, conservation easements, and conservation concessions

Certify sustainably grown timber

Reduce illegal cutting

Reduce poverty

Slow population growth

Reforestation

Rehabilitation of degraded areas

Concentrate farming and ranching on already-cleared areas

RestorationPrevention

Solutions

Sustaining Tropical Forests

Protecting Tropical ForestsProtecting Tropical Forests

Burning of Amazon Tropical ForestBurning of Amazon Tropical Forest

Fig. 8-19, p. 170

•Oil drilling•Mining•Flooding from dams•Tree plantations•Cattle ranching•Cash crops•Settler farming•Fires•Logging•Roads

•Not valuing ecological services•Exports•Government policies•Poverty•Population growth•Roads

Secondary Causes

Basic CausesFig. 8-20, p. 170

Basic and Secondary Causes of the Basic and Secondary Causes of the Destruction of Tropical ForestsDestruction of Tropical Forests

Global Outlook: Threats to National ParksGlobal Outlook: Threats to National Parks

Too little protection Too little protection

Illegal wood collection, logging, poaching, and miningIllegal wood collection, logging, poaching, and mining

Too little money to support the parksToo little money to support the parks

Too small to sustain biodiversityToo small to sustain biodiversity

Invasions from nonnative speciesInvasions from nonnative species

Too many visitors to US national parksToo many visitors to US national parks

Traffic jams and air pollution in US parksTraffic jams and air pollution in US parks

Underpaid park officialsUnderpaid park officials

Harm from dirt bikes, dune buggies, and snowmobilesHarm from dirt bikes, dune buggies, and snowmobiles

Establishing, Designing, Protecting Establishing, Designing, Protecting Nature ReservesNature Reserves

Currently 12% of earth’s land is “protected”Currently 12% of earth’s land is “protected”

Include large to moderate tracts of landInclude large to moderate tracts of land

Preserve biodiversityPreserve biodiversity

Involve government, businesses, and private groupsInvolve government, businesses, and private groups

Buffer zone concept: biosphere reservesBuffer zone concept: biosphere reserves

Costa Rica’s accomplishmentsCosta Rica’s accomplishments

Adaptive ecosystem managementAdaptive ecosystem management

Emergency action and biodiversity hot spotsEmergency action and biodiversity hot spots

WildernessWilderness

Biosphere Reserve

Core areaCore area

Buffer zone 1Buffer zone 1

Buffer zone 2Buffer zone 2

Human settlements

Tourism andeducation center

Research station

Biosphere ReserveBiosphere Reserve

Fig. 8-23, p. 174

Biodiversity Hot SpotsBiodiversity Hot Spots

Fig. 8-26, p. 176

AnimationAnimation

Biodiversity hot-spots interaction.

Wilderness Protection in USWilderness Protection in US Mostly a losing battleMostly a losing battle

Wilderness Act of 1964Wilderness Act of 1964

National Wilderness Preservation SystemNational Wilderness Preservation System

Protected wilderness increased 10 fold since 1970Protected wilderness increased 10 fold since 1970

Most protected areas are small (4.6% of US land is protected as Most protected areas are small (4.6% of US land is protected as wilderness)wilderness)

Only 81 of 233 distinct US ecosystems are protectedOnly 81 of 233 distinct US ecosystems are protected

Efforts to expand wilderness areas in the USEfforts to expand wilderness areas in the US

Ecological RestorationEcological Restoration = “process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity & = “process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity &

dynamics of natural ecosystems”dynamics of natural ecosystems”

Restoration, rehabilitation and replacementRestoration, rehabilitation and replacement

Creating artificial ecosystems Creating artificial ecosystems

4 Principles of Ecological Restoration:4 Principles of Ecological Restoration:1.1. Mimic nature Mimic nature

2.2. Recreate important ecological nichesRecreate important ecological niches

3.3. Rely on pioneer, keystone and foundational species and natural Rely on pioneer, keystone and foundational species and natural ecological successionecological succession

4.4. Control or remove nonnative speciesControl or remove nonnative species

Accomplishments in Costa RicaAccomplishments in Costa Rica

Restoration of a Stream BankRestoration of a Stream Bank

Fig. 8-28, p. 178

Area restored in 10 years after banning grazing and off-road vehicles.

General Patterns of Marine General Patterns of Marine BiodiversityBiodiversity

Greatest biodiversity in coral reefs, estuaries, Greatest biodiversity in coral reefs, estuaries, and deep-sea floorand deep-sea floor

Biodiversity is higher near coasts than open seaBiodiversity is higher near coasts than open sea

Biodiversity is higher on the ocean bottom than Biodiversity is higher on the ocean bottom than the surfacethe surface

Major Human Impacts on Aquatic Major Human Impacts on Aquatic BiodiversityBiodiversity

Loss and degradation of habitat is greatest threatLoss and degradation of habitat is greatest threat

Damage to coral reefs and other habitatsDamage to coral reefs and other habitats

Dredging / trawler operations destroy bottom habitatsDredging / trawler operations destroy bottom habitats

OverfishingOverfishing

Premature extinctionPremature extinction

Degradation of the Ocean FloorDegradation of the Ocean Floor

Fig. 8-29, p. 179

Why Is It Difficult to Protect Marine Why Is It Difficult to Protect Marine Biodiversity?Biodiversity?

Coastal developmentCoastal development

Unseen pollutionUnseen pollution

Lack of protection in international watersLack of protection in international waters

““Tragedy of the Commons”Tragedy of the Commons”

Protecting and Sustaining Marine Protecting and Sustaining Marine BiodiversityBiodiversity

Protecting endangered and threatened species Protecting endangered and threatened species

Establish large and unpolluted protected areas- marine reserves work.Establish large and unpolluted protected areas- marine reserves work.

Integrated coastal managementIntegrated coastal management

Protect wetlandsProtect wetlands

Prevent overfishingPrevent overfishing

Regulate and prevent pollutionRegulate and prevent pollution

Fig. 8-30, p. 181

Fishery Regulations

Set catch limits well below the maximum sustainable yield

Improve monitoring and enforcement of regulations

Economic ApproachesSharply reduce or eliminate fishing subsidies

Charge fees for harvesting fishand shellfish from publicly ownedoffshore waters

Certify sustainable fisheries

Protected AreasEstablish no-fishing areas

Establish more marine protected areas

Rely more on integrated coastal management

Consumer InformationLabel sustainably harvested fish

Publicize overfished and

Bycatch

Use wide-meshed nets to allow escape of smaller fish

Use net escape devices for seabirds and sea turtles

Ban throwing edible and marketable fish back into the sea

Aquaculture

Restrict coastal locations for fish farms

Control pollution more strictly

Depend more on herbivorous fish species

Nonative Invasions

Kill organisms in ship ballast water

Filter organisms from ship ballast water

Dump ballast water far at sea andreplace with deep-sea water

Managing FisheriesManaging FisheriesSolutions

Managing Fisheries

What Can We Do? Wilson’s PrioritiesWhat Can We Do? Wilson’s Priorities

Preserve world’s biological “hot spots”Preserve world’s biological “hot spots”

Save the old-growth forestsSave the old-growth forests

Map world biodiversity so we know what we haveMap world biodiversity so we know what we have

Identify and protect marine “hot spots”Identify and protect marine “hot spots”

Protect and restore lakes and streamsProtect and restore lakes and streams

Ensure the full range of ecosystem types in the conservation strategyEnsure the full range of ecosystem types in the conservation strategy

Make conservation profitableMake conservation profitable

Initiate worldwide ecological restoration projectsInitiate worldwide ecological restoration projects