Biodiversity in Alabama

1
Biodiversity in Alabama

• The Richest State East of the Mississippi River

2
What is Biodiversity?

• Species
• 1.4 1.75 Million Species
• 10 100 Million Species Exist
• Ecological
• Genetic

3
The Importance of Biodiversity

• Keystone Species
• Bees for pollination
• Gopher Tortoise
• Environmental Indicators
• Amphibians
• Raptors

4
The Importance of Biodiversity

• Products
• Food
• Fiber
• Medicine
• Gene Pool
• 1 in 2,000 species survive periods

5
What Leads to Biological Diversity

• Solar Energy
• Increases from poles to tropics
• Area
• 10x increase in area 2x increase in species
• the closer to the equator the smaller the range
• Stable Climate
• With muted seasons allow specialists to
  out-compete generalists

6
What Leads to Biological Diversity

• Landscape
• Soils and Physical Geography
• Streams, Lakes, Rivers, Seas, Oceans
• Forest Types
• Regional
• Latitude
• Weather
• Temporal
• Disturbances
• Climate
• Isolation

7
Physiographic Regions

• Limestone Valleys and Uplands
• Appalachian Plateau
• Piedmont Plateau
• Coastal Plain
• Blackland Prairie
• Flood Plains and Terraces
• Coastal Marshes

8
Alabama Rivers and Wetlands

• 11 of the state is classified as wetland
• Roughly 77,000 miles of intermittent and
  perennial streams
• These streams produce 33.5 trillion gallons of
  water each year

9
Forest Types

• Greater areas of habitat lead to more diversity
• Forests cover 71 of the state
• Consists of over 300 species of trees and nearly
  3,000 species of vascular plants
• Alabama ranks 9th in this category

10
Stable Climate

• Time and stability hypothesis
• The southeast was not covered by glaciers in
  previous ice ages
• Age coupled with the stability of the climate
  could lead to greater diversity

11
Alabama Biodiversity

• Alabama Ranks 5th in the Nation in Biodiversity
• Alabama Ranks 1st in the Eastern U.S. in
  Biodiversity
• Over 4,500 Species of Plants and Animals are
  Found in Alabama

Chris Evans, The University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
Pete Pattavina, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
12
Alabama Biodiversity

• There are 144 Endemic Species Found in Alabama

David J. Moorhead, The University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
13
Alabama Biodiversity

• Alabama Ranks 1st in the Nation in Fish Species
  with 284
• Alabama Ranks 1st in the Nation in Mussels with
  60 of all North American Species

Jeffrey J. Jackson, University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
Gary Peeples, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
www.forestryimages.org
14
Alabama Biodiversity

• Alabama Ranks 6th in the Nation with 68 Species
  of Amphibians
• Alabama also Ranks 6th in the Nation with 85
  Species of Reptiles

Jeffrey J. Jackson, University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
Gary Peeples, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
www.forestryimages.org
15
What is the Biodiversity Issue?

• Human population is 100x more than any other
  species of comparable size
• Humans use 20-40 of solar energy captured in
  land plants
• Need for intensive management
• Poorest countries are home to most diverse biota
  potential hotspots

16
What is the Biodiversity Issue?
17
Extinct Species in Alabama

• Passenger Pigeon
• Carolina Parakeet
• Bachmans Warbler
• Harelip Sucker
• Whiteline Topminnow
• 42 Snails
• 27 Mussels

John James Audubon
18
Threatened and Endangered Species in Alabama

• 99 Animal Species, including Eastern Indigo Snake
• 18 Plant Species, including the Relict Trillium

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Speake, Dr. Dan,
W.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pattavina, Pete
19
Delisted Species

• American Alligator 1967 - 1987
• Peregrine Falcon 1970 1999
• Brown Pelican 1970 1985
• Eggerts Sunflower1997 - 2005

20
What is Threatening the
Worlds Biodiversity?

• Loss of Habitat 85
• Nonnatives 49
• Pollution 24
• Exploitation 17
• Disease 3

21
Loss of Habitat - Urbanization

• Urban and suburban areas now cover 64 million
  acres
• An increase of 300 since 1955
• While population has only increased 75 in the
  same time

22
Loss of Habitat - Forestland

• Original forests in the U.S. totaled about 1.05
  billion acres
• Clearing of forests in the East from 1850 - 1900
  averaged 13 square miles every day for 50 years
• The most prolific period of forest clearing
  coincides with the most prolific period of
  immigration
• Forests cover about 749million acres, 33 of the
  U.S. and 22 million acres, 73 of Alabama

23
Average Annual Harvest Area

• Harvesting affects 10 million acres, 1.3, in the
  US annually
• More than 5 million acres is in the South which
  provides 60 of all the nations forest products
• Harvesting affects lt 3 of the Souths forests
  annually
• Only about 38 of the annual harvest area is by
  the clearcut

Source FIA State Reports
24
Pollution

• Is the 3rd ranked contributor for all imperiled
  species
• However is 2nd ranked for imperiled aquatic
  species
• Pollution includes sedimentation

25
Nonnative Invasive Species

• Approximately 1,000 exotic plants occupy 100
  million acres in the U.S.
• 49 of threatened and endangered species affected
  by invasive species

26
Species Accounts MammalsIndiana Bat Myotis
sodalis

• 9.5-10.5 wingspan
• Largest hibernating population in Sauta Cave near
  Scottsboro
• Endangered
• Human disturbance during hibernation leads to
  starvation
• Vandalism and loss of habitat

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Andy King
27
Species Accounts BirdsRed Cockaded Woodpecker
Picoides borealis

• No visible red marks from a distance
• Only woodpecker in Ala. That lives in living
  pines
• Depends on mature pines with heart-rot fungus
• Abandons nests when a mid-story develops
• Endangered
• Habitat loss

Erich G. Vallery, USDA Forest Service,
www.forestryimages.org
28
Species Accounts ReptilesGopher Tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus

• Only indigenous tortoise in the SE
• Prefers open canopy forests
• Lives up to 40 years
• Listed in Alabama as a game species with no open
  season
• Threatened west of the Tombigbee and Mobile Rivers

Chris Evans, The University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
29
Species Accounts ReptilesGopher Tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus

• Burrows can reach up to 9 feet deep and 20 feet
  long
• Females lay 5-8 eggs in May June
• Declines due to loss of habitat
• Prescribed burning and herbicides improve habitat

David J. Moorhead, The University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
30
Species Accounts ReptilesEastern Indigo Snake
- Drymarchon corais couperi

• More stout than Black Racer and Pine Snake
• Immune to all venoms
• Prefers diet of snakes
• Uses burrows of Gopher Tortoise for shelter and
  nesting
• Threatened due to habitat loss and human
  collection and killing

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pete Pattavina
31
Species Accounts AmphibiansRed Hills
Salamander Phaeognathus hubrichti

• State amphibian of Alabama
• Found on steep bluffs of the Tallahatta and
  Hatchetigbee formations
• Spends most time in burrows
• Threatened

David J. Moorhead, The University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org
32
Species Accounts FishesAlabama Sturgeon
Scaphirhynchus suttkusi

• Found in the Alabama River below Millers Ferry
  and Claiborne Dam
• Feeds on mollusks and aquatic larvae
• Endangered due to blockage of migratory routes,
  poor spawning habitat and sedimentation

Fishes of Alabama and the Mobile Basin ONeil,
Pierson and Mettee
33
Species Accounts InvertebratesFreshwater
Mussels
Gary Peeples, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
www.forestryimages.org
34
Species Accounts InvertebratesMitchells Satyr
Butterfly Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii
Gary Peeples, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
www.forestryimages.org
35
Species Accounts PlantsGreen Pitcher Plant
Sarraccenia oreophila
James Henderson, Gulf South Research Corporation,
www.forestryimages.org