Texas Natural Regions

1
Texas Natural Regions
2
Extinction Rates

• Background (natural) rate of extinction

• Massextinction

Number of families of marine animals

• Adaptiveradiations

3
(No Transcript)
4
Sustaining Wild Species

Brian Kaestner and Dr. Richard Clements Saint
Marys Hall and Chattanooga State Technical
Community College
5
Why Should We Care About Biodiversity?

• Instrumental value

• Intrinsic value

6
60
EUROPE
NORTH AMERICA
ASIA
30N
Tropic Of Cancer
Atlantic Ocean
AFRICA
Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
150
90
60E
0
30W
90
120
150
0
SOUTH AMERICA
Indian Ocean
Tropic Of Capricorn
AUSTRALIA
30S
Antarctic Circle
60
ANTARCTICA
Critical and endangered
Threatened
Stable or intact
Projected Status of Biodiversity 19982018
7
Human Impacts on Biodiversity
8
Decreasing Biodiversity

• Large environmental disturbance

• Introduction of alien species

• Geographic isolation

9
Biome
of Area Disturbed
Temperate broadleaf forests
94
Temperate evergreen forests
94
Temperate grasslands
72
Mixed mountain systems
71
Tropical dry forests
70
Subtropical and temperate rain forests
67
Cold deserts and semidesert
55
Mixed island systems
53
Warm deserts and semideserts
44
Tropical humid forests
37
Tropical grasslands
26
Temperate Boreal forests
18
Tundra
0.7
10
Increasing Biodiversity

• Physically diverse habitat

• Moderate environmental disturbance

11
US Diversity
12
U.S. Endangered Species s
13
Texas Blind Salamander
14
Species Extinction

• Local extinction

• Ecological extinction

• Biological extinction

15
Endangered and Threatened Species

• Endangered species

• Threatened (vulnerable) species

• Rare species

16
Badger
Anemone
17
Karner Blue
Hawaian Sea Turtle
18
Ceratozamia
Whooping Crane
19
Whooping Crane Flyway
20
Pitcher Plant
21
U.S. Endangered Species
22
Characteristic
Examples
Low reproductive rate (K-strategist)
Blue whale, giant panda, rhinoceros
Specialized niche
Blue whale, giant panda, Everglades kite
Narrow distribution
Many island species, elephant seal, desert pupfish
Bengal tiger, bald eagle, grizzly bear
Feeds at high trophic level
Fixed migratory patterns
Blue whale, whooping crane, sea turtles
Rare
Many island species, African violet, some orchids
Commercially valuable
Snow leopard, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, rare
plants and birds
Large territories
California condor, grizzly bear, Florida panther
23
Range 100 years ago
Range today (about 2,300 left)
Indian Tiger
24
Range in 1700
Range today (about 2,400 left)
Black Rhino
25
Causes of Premature Extinction of Wild Species

• Habitat degradation

• Introduction of non-native species

26
Type of Nonnative Organism
Annual Losses and damages
Crop disease
23.5 billion
Crop weeds
23.5 billion
Rats
19 billion
Feral cats and outdoor pet cats
17 billion
Crop insects
14 billion
Livestock diseases
9 billion
Forest insects and diseases
4.8 billion
Zebra mussels
3 billion
Common pigeon
1.1 billion
Formosan termite
1.1 billion
Fishes
1.1 billion
Asian clam
1.1 billion
Feral pigs
0.8 billion
Starlings
0.8 billion
Fire ant
0.6 billion
27
Kudzu Use
28
Chestnut Blight Fungi
29
Zebra Mussle
30
Zebra Mussle map
31
Expansion of the fire ant in southern states.
32
Characteristics of Successful Invader Species
Characteristics of Ecosystems Vulnerable to
Invader Species

• High reproductive rate, short generation time
  (r-selected species)
• Pioneer species
• Long lived
• High dispersal rate
• Release growth- inhibiting chemicals into soil
• Generalists
• High genetic variability

• Similar climate to habitat of invader
• Absence of predators on invading species
• Early successional species
• Low diversity of native species
• Absence of fire
• Disturbed by human activities

33
2
4
3
5
Top Six Hot Spots
6
1 Hawaii 2 San Francisco Bay area 3 Southern
Appalachians 4 Death Valley 5 Southern
California 6 Florida Panhandle
Concentration of rare species
1
Low
Moderate
High
34
Wildlife Management

• Laws regulating hunting and fishing

• Harvest quotas

• Population management plants

• Improving habitat

• Treaties and laws for migrating species

35
Solutions Protecting Wild Species from
Depletion and Extinction

• Bioinformatics

• International Treaties CITES

• National Laws Lacey Act Endangered Species Act

• Habitat conservation plans

• Wildlife refuges and protected areas

• Zoos, botanical gardens, and gene banks

36
Strategies for Protecting Biodiversity

• Species approach

• Ecosystem approach