http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/03/photos_document_bp_oil_still_c.html
Wetland habitats found at the mouth of the Mississippi River are still showing signs of the BP oil spill. It is said that warm weather is causing oil to bubble up in previously cleaned areas. In many areas, the oil clean up was stopped for net environmental benefit, and now the oil is getting loose again. One question, what is the net environmental benefit? I think the cleaning was stopped because it became too expensive and infeasible to continue over time. Wetland habitats are some of the most productive habitats on Earth, but in these areas they have become dead zones with little life. The oil covers the wetlands like a black tarp, preventing light penetration and gas exchange. It is so thick, that natural processes such as light degradation and bacteria processes are not breaking down the hydrocarbons as efficiently as it should. The federal trial against BP has yet to be conducted, but it's news like this that really ticks me off. The BP oil spill was a different type of spill because the oil was dispersed through the entire water column in the Gulf of Mexico, not just an oil tanker spill where oil stays on the surface. It is unknown exactly how many species is and will continue to be affected by this tragic event, and the amount of individuals is definitely in the millions. I hope BP goes bankrupt because they have to pay all their remaining money to conservation.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
ComBATTING White Nose Syndrome
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9TTFHG00.htm
A relatively new fungus that causes disease in bats is called white nose syndrome. It was first discovered in 2006 west of Albany, NY. In 6 short years, the disease has been documented to have spread to the South, and as far west as Missouri. The fungus affects a few healthy bats, and then the bats spread the disease throughout their colony. The fungus prompts the bats to wake up from their winter hibernation, and then they die as they fly into the cold air searching for food. Why is this important? Well, bats are our front line defense against many night flying insect pests including moths, beetles, and mosquitoes, many of which are crop pests. It is said that bats provide approximately $22 billion annually in pest control because of all the pests they consume. They eat tons of insects, estimated to be 540 tons per year by gray bats alone. What is at stake is an exponential loss in beneficial ecological services from the bats. With a monetary value in services that high tagged to the bats, more intensive and thorough research must, and probably will be conducted to better understand how to combat this issue with white nose syndrome.
A relatively new fungus that causes disease in bats is called white nose syndrome. It was first discovered in 2006 west of Albany, NY. In 6 short years, the disease has been documented to have spread to the South, and as far west as Missouri. The fungus affects a few healthy bats, and then the bats spread the disease throughout their colony. The fungus prompts the bats to wake up from their winter hibernation, and then they die as they fly into the cold air searching for food. Why is this important? Well, bats are our front line defense against many night flying insect pests including moths, beetles, and mosquitoes, many of which are crop pests. It is said that bats provide approximately $22 billion annually in pest control because of all the pests they consume. They eat tons of insects, estimated to be 540 tons per year by gray bats alone. What is at stake is an exponential loss in beneficial ecological services from the bats. With a monetary value in services that high tagged to the bats, more intensive and thorough research must, and probably will be conducted to better understand how to combat this issue with white nose syndrome.
New Kid on the Block in Deer Management in the Southeast
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/04/coytoes_a_new_player_in_deer_m.html
Recent studies of John Kilgo at the Savannah River Site show that coyotes can inflict an 80% mortality rate of white-tailed deer fawns. Though this may be a generalization to that specific area, and not necessarily true for the whole Southeast, it still indicates that coyotes have the potential to control deer populations. It is of great concern if deer herds are reduced to the point that fawn survival rates are not high enough to overcome the level of coyote predation, considering that the game animal generates millions of dollars annually in revenue for each state in the Southeast. Coyotes were not historically found on the eastern side of North America, but now they seem to be filling the ecological niche of the mountain lion. Most people view them as a non native nuisance species because they regularly prey on livestock such as sheep, or maybe the occasional pet may go missing. On the other hand, the presence of apex predators can be an indication of health of an ecosystem. Hunters, however, are also apex predators. As the coyote continues to predate on species that are tagged with monetary value, they will be known as pests and "mobile vulture food plots." It will be interesting more research to see if low fawn survival rates by way of coyote predation is a wide spread phenomenon, and not just a characteristic of the Savannah River Site.
Recent studies of John Kilgo at the Savannah River Site show that coyotes can inflict an 80% mortality rate of white-tailed deer fawns. Though this may be a generalization to that specific area, and not necessarily true for the whole Southeast, it still indicates that coyotes have the potential to control deer populations. It is of great concern if deer herds are reduced to the point that fawn survival rates are not high enough to overcome the level of coyote predation, considering that the game animal generates millions of dollars annually in revenue for each state in the Southeast. Coyotes were not historically found on the eastern side of North America, but now they seem to be filling the ecological niche of the mountain lion. Most people view them as a non native nuisance species because they regularly prey on livestock such as sheep, or maybe the occasional pet may go missing. On the other hand, the presence of apex predators can be an indication of health of an ecosystem. Hunters, however, are also apex predators. As the coyote continues to predate on species that are tagged with monetary value, they will be known as pests and "mobile vulture food plots." It will be interesting more research to see if low fawn survival rates by way of coyote predation is a wide spread phenomenon, and not just a characteristic of the Savannah River Site.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Dirty Swine
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120411131913.htm
Feral pig populations are exploding all across the country. Besides their rabbit-like reproductive potential, people are partially responsible for the population boom. Control of feral pig populations are extremely difficult, seeing as 70% of the population must be reduced each year to effectively control them. Furthermore, not only do they cause over 100 million dollars in damages annually in the U.S., they also carry and spread many zoonotic diseases. One management plan could be to harvest the pigs and use the meat for lower class citizens; however, it would be difficult to test each pig for swine brucellosis and pseudo-rabies. In my opinion, feral hogs are the greatest conservation challenge ahead for many states, and it will take quality cooperation from land owners, government agencies, and research institutions, along with intensive eradication, to effectively control this issue.
Feral pig populations are exploding all across the country. Besides their rabbit-like reproductive potential, people are partially responsible for the population boom. Control of feral pig populations are extremely difficult, seeing as 70% of the population must be reduced each year to effectively control them. Furthermore, not only do they cause over 100 million dollars in damages annually in the U.S., they also carry and spread many zoonotic diseases. One management plan could be to harvest the pigs and use the meat for lower class citizens; however, it would be difficult to test each pig for swine brucellosis and pseudo-rabies. In my opinion, feral hogs are the greatest conservation challenge ahead for many states, and it will take quality cooperation from land owners, government agencies, and research institutions, along with intensive eradication, to effectively control this issue.
Red Tape for the Red Wolf
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/04/09/3156950/re-endangering-the-red-wolf.html
Since 1993, it’s been legal to shoot coyotes during daylight hours throughout North Carolina, but a new rule proposed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission would expand statewide coyote hunting opportunities to include nighttime. The new rule would allow the use of artificial lights to blind coyotes after dark where hunting is legal. There would be no season, no bag limit and no permit required. Opponents to the rule say it unnecessarily places federally-listed red wolves at risk of being shot by mistake because they appear physically similar to coyotes. Red wolves range in weight from 55 to 75 pounds, while coyotes are usually 35 to 40 pounds.
Obviously, the population densities of red wolves in N.C. is low, so the impact of accidentally shooting one would be of great measure. In my opinion, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission needs to re-evaluate their new plan, and come up with a more viable way for the the red wolves to survive while eradicating coyotes. Conservation conflicts like this one are not far and few between. We need to recognize them early on, an use art and science to apply the principles of ecology to conservation and management.
Since 1993, it’s been legal to shoot coyotes during daylight hours throughout North Carolina, but a new rule proposed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission would expand statewide coyote hunting opportunities to include nighttime. The new rule would allow the use of artificial lights to blind coyotes after dark where hunting is legal. There would be no season, no bag limit and no permit required. Opponents to the rule say it unnecessarily places federally-listed red wolves at risk of being shot by mistake because they appear physically similar to coyotes. Red wolves range in weight from 55 to 75 pounds, while coyotes are usually 35 to 40 pounds.
Obviously, the population densities of red wolves in N.C. is low, so the impact of accidentally shooting one would be of great measure. In my opinion, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission needs to re-evaluate their new plan, and come up with a more viable way for the the red wolves to survive while eradicating coyotes. Conservation conflicts like this one are not far and few between. We need to recognize them early on, an use art and science to apply the principles of ecology to conservation and management.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The "Black Death" of Wildlife
http://www.livescience.com/18634-endangered-rattlesnake-fungal-infection.html
This article is one of many to come I believe. Diseases are detrimental to wildlife and to the will to survive habitat decline and scare resources, human conflicts (in the case of snakes), and now climate change. Reading this article, I realized that this situation is no different than that of the Bubonic Plague that once nearly wiped out an entire human civilization. Once people we so crowed in Europe, they didn't stand a chance against the Black Death. However, the human spirit is resilient and our ancestors prevailed. Hopefully, these threatened rattlesnakes can survive this epidemic; but they lack the population size to withstand it I fear. More times than not, the extinction vortex is too powerful to revive an endangered species. The environment is in a rut as humans have decimated once healthy populations of many different species, forced them to adapt to urbanization, genetically isolated species, we are now dealing with a force too large and unpredictable to help some animals (climate change); not to mention that everyone has a different attitude towards wildlife, so how do we get everyone on the same page? As wildlife biologists, it may seem like ice skating uphill for decades from now, but I am willing to spend my life trying and set the bar high.
This article is one of many to come I believe. Diseases are detrimental to wildlife and to the will to survive habitat decline and scare resources, human conflicts (in the case of snakes), and now climate change. Reading this article, I realized that this situation is no different than that of the Bubonic Plague that once nearly wiped out an entire human civilization. Once people we so crowed in Europe, they didn't stand a chance against the Black Death. However, the human spirit is resilient and our ancestors prevailed. Hopefully, these threatened rattlesnakes can survive this epidemic; but they lack the population size to withstand it I fear. More times than not, the extinction vortex is too powerful to revive an endangered species. The environment is in a rut as humans have decimated once healthy populations of many different species, forced them to adapt to urbanization, genetically isolated species, we are now dealing with a force too large and unpredictable to help some animals (climate change); not to mention that everyone has a different attitude towards wildlife, so how do we get everyone on the same page? As wildlife biologists, it may seem like ice skating uphill for decades from now, but I am willing to spend my life trying and set the bar high.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Not OK to Use ATV's on WMA's
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife is causing an uproar within the Honobia Creek Wildlife Management Area in Pushmataha County, OK. ATV operators are asked to be restricted to established roads only. Scientifically, morally, and aesthetically, this move makes a lot of sense. There is no telling exactly how much is being "taken" from the WMA. The ATV's are used for harvesting game and outdoor recreation, but they are causing harm to the land. It is possible that the vehicles significantly damage native plant species too, which could have negative effects in the long run. Do these plants have unknown scientific value, for medical use for example? Do these plants have symbiotic relationships with insects, which may be valuable for the health of the ecosystem there? These are types of questions that may not be answered, but are protected by the new regulation. The problem started when a nearby WMA (Three Rivers) enacted this rule two years earlier; so, the Honobia Creek WMA has probably doubled in ATV users since then. "Not all 4X4 riders are destructive, but some are," says Alan Peoples, the chief of the wildlife division for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The rule was actually requested by three different timber investment groups that own the land, not by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife. "No one is happy about this proposed deal," says an outdoor writer for a local newspaper. The rule may hurt yearly sales for ATV businessmen, and spoil some fun for visitors and locals; but the bigger picture here is "wise use". There was a Town Hall meeting about the issue, but I'm uncertain of the outcome. If the 4X4's are allowed to reign free within the Honobia Creek WMA, the habitat there will most certainly be significantly damaged if there is no regulation in place. This could probably decrease the carrying capacity for wildlife there somewhat, and then maybe people would get the picture (if they can't already see the area riddled with tire tracks and trails). They aren't saying you can't have the vehicles on the WMA, it's just off road they're worried about; and off road WILL be allowed during deer gun season. It will be interesting to find out which stakeholder wins, the citizens/businesses or the timber investors/land owners. Personally, I think the regulation idea is awesome and it should have been enacted earlier.
http://newsok.com/article/3638508
http://newsok.com/article/3638508
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