329 Biodiversity Flashcards
Endangered species
facing imminent extirpation or extinction
endangered example
Blue Whale Oregon Spotted Frog Northern Leopard Frog (SARA, COSEWIC)
Extirpated species
species that no longer exist in the wild in BC, but do occur elsewhere
extirpated examples
Greater Sage-Grouse (SARA, COSEWIC)
Threatened species
likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed
threatened species example
Fin Whale Coastal Giant Salamander (SARA, COSEWIC)
Vulnerable
particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events due to: restricted range, few populations, recent widespread declines, or other factors making them vulnerable to extirpation
vulnerable species example
Western Toad Sea Otter (SARA, COSEWIC)
red listed species
includes any indigenous species or subspecies that have, or are candidates for, extirpated, endangered, or threatened status in BC
Blue listed species
any indigenous species or subspecies considered to be of special concern (vulnerable) in BC
Canada Goose population on VI pre-europeans
Vancouver CG not numerous overwintered at coastal areas
CG 1920-1930s
Branta Canadensis moffitti introduced from Okanagan to Elk Lake. Introduced birds made small breeding population then increased to several hundred up coast to duncan
CG 1970s
hundreds of non-native hybrids introduced
CG now
15,000 resident CG that live here now year round, significant damage to human-modified and native landscapes
CG 1982
Little Qualicum river estuary health and productive brackish marsh, significant sedges, tufted hair grass, high above ground biomass, less than 20 records of CG
CG 1984
firt CG nesting on LQ estuary
CG mid 1990s
goose use had increased significantly, impacts to vegetation becoming evident
CG 2000s
impacts have escalated to the point of needing to be documented
CG 2005
gathering of comparative data. 24/56 marsh species significantly changed in frequency/mean cover. over 10,000m^2 changed to primarily bare substrate
detrital food web losses at LQ estuary
at least 17tonnes of above ground dry mass/year affecting higher trophic levels - apparent trophic cascade
secondary impact on LQ estuary
increased salinity due to increased aquifer drawdown from human use
LQ recovery
have to decrease current carrying capacity of geese could take decades especially due to hyper salinity, loss of organic matter, soil compaction
where are the worlds richest longline fishing grounds?
key foraging areas for seabirds! areas of upwelling, productive areas
longline fishing
a long fishing line deployed from a fishing vessel with up to 2500 hooks out at a time over many km’s
longline fishing bycatch
160-320,000 seabirds /yr up to 100,000 albatross/yr caught on hooks and drowned while tying to snatch bait from the line or while foraging behind vessel for waste
quantifying longline fishing bycatch
difficult b/c diverse, remote nature of fisheries, lack of systematic reporting, nature of seabird by catch rates themselves
majority of birds caught in longline fisheries
albatross petrel shearwater (some gulls, terns, gannets, boobies, cormorants)
why do conservation and longline fisheries management have common interests
time lost removing dead birds from hooks and nets fish catches foregone due to bait loss
trawl fishing
big nets in water bycatch bird deaths mostly as warp cables at back of boat, or entangled in net during hauling
trawl fishing bycatch
mostly larger bodied albatross and petrels up to 40 species 10s of thousands dying/year
‘discovery’ of fishing seabird bycatch
long-line fishing known since 1980s trawl fishery threat much more recently
trawl fishing in S Africa
all globally threatened or near threatened seabirds being caught BirdLifes Albatross Task Force working with trawl fisheries since 2006 to reduce bycatch- significantly reduced problem
gillnet fishing
static curtain of netting left to drift at different depths, designed to entangle fish by their gills used to target large species - salmon, tuna, cod banned in international waters since 1991 but continue to operate in territorial and coastal waters (200 nautical miles of coast) around the world
gillnet bycatch
large number of seabirds and seaducks - loons, grebes, seaducks, auks, cormorants, sharks, mammals ~400,000/yr
gillnet expansion
rapid in 1960s- development of nets from synthetic material- cheaper, stronger, invisible in water. Improved catch, greater mortality of non-target species
most frequently entangled species in gillnet
long-tailed duck
fisheries mitigation strategies
better targeted fishing efforts more visible nets bird-scaring line set longlines at night add weights to lines to sink out of reach of birds streamer lines hook ‘pods’ cover point and barb of baited hook, opens at depth
albatross at risk
17/22 species globally threatened remainder near threatened fisheries the major threat
bird-scaring line strategy
bird by catch = 0 fish catch increase = >30% more fish caught b/c bait was not lost to birds birds steal ~18 baits before being caught
challenges of implementing fishing mitigations
communicating effectively to diverse communities of fishermen worldwide - what works for 1 fishery may not work for others
Albatross Task Force
worlds first international team of seabird catch mitigation instructors. work with fisheries to raise awareness and demonstrate simple measures to reduce bycatch
S Africa mitigation
streamer lines compulsory in trawl fisheries, reduced albatross mortality ~90%
where does the ATF stand
albatross task force- necessary research is complete, significant advances reached, ensuring adoption of regulations in each country and across entire fleets is next crucial step
BirdLife remote tracking devices fitted to seabirds
study their movements at sea collate data in online database conserve seabirds around the world
how has improved technology helped with seabird tracking
smaller, cheaper, more reliable devices
why knowledge of seabirds is poor
many species (wandering albatross, sooty shearwater) spend most of life at sea, breed on rocky outcrops in remote parts of the world, travel widely far from land, distribution and behaviour is unknown
BirdLife database
www.seabirdtracking.org >50 species of seabird collected from ~100 breeding colonies >100 researchers 2004 brought together to allow unprecedented understanding
purpose of BC breeding bird atlas
collect and make freely available the most comprehensive, current source of info on provinces breeding birds. Address conservation priorities and research questions. Enable biologists and land manager to make wiser decisions.
breeding bird atlas helps biologists and land managers with what sorts of decisions
species at risk status environmental assessment climate change habitat management
How does BC breeding bird atlas accomplish their purpose
10km^2 distribution maps relative abundance maps written accounts of project findings detailed info on rare and at-risk breeding birds comprehensive baseline for future comparisons major online database with tools, resources for conservation and research
Breeding Bird Atlas - the records
600,000 records >320 species 5 breeding seasons (‘08-2012) publicly available, free
most important products of BBA
maps which inform conservation decisions and tell stand-alone stories
BBA are among the most published examples in the scientific literature of what
citizen science
main conservation applications of BBA
species status assessment OR reassessment (>40 species reassessed in BC) setting conservation priorities landscape conservation and stewardship environmental impact assessment development of BCRs
combining provincial BBA’s
BC, Man, Ont, Que, Maritimes combined data used by COSEWIC to determine status assessments standard data collection from broad regions highlights shifts in distribution and abundance
BCRs
bird conservation regions
What is an IBA
important bird area started in Canada in 1996 have ID’d 600 in 5 yrs discrete sites that support threatened birds, large groups, birds restricted by range and/or habitat
IBA size
variable - may encompass private/public land, mar include legally protected sites
IBA criteria
universally agreed upon for standardization, quantitative, scientifically defensible
IBAs used for
conservation, prioritizing lands, assessing impacts establishing developmental guidelines
IBA features
- internationally significant for conservation and biodiversity 2. recognized worldwide as practical observation tool 3. distinct areas open to practical conservation action 4. identified using standardized criteria
IBA focus
- Reinvigorate IBA program nationally, regionally 2. develop national caretaker network to engage citizens in conservation 3. develop monitoring protocols and systems to report on bird populations 4. encourage decision makers to consider IBAs in planning and regulatory processes
IBA regional caretaker networks
each IBA is assigned a lead volunteer who is assisted by citizen scientists and volunteers networks are in every province and mostly run by provincial nature conservation organizations
role of provincial organizations in IBA caretaker network
recruit volunteers enlist community/government support oversee review of summary information
provincial IBA program implementation
provinces are all currently at different stages of program implementation
IBA database
search site by name, species, province, habitat type, bird conservation region, and read its site summary, additional tools (graphs, frequency chart, protection status), site description, and conservation issues
why monitor bird populations
we want to understand status and trends of bird populations as an indicators for their environments overall health
IBA bird programs are designed
to be reliable and accurate specific protocols are still in development
Merlin Falcon Foundation role
Investigate the life history of our Northwest Merlin and educate by involving people in their conversation stewardship
What does MFF do
started in 1983 to observe migration pattern and wintering behavioural ecology, reproductive cycle, habitat/prey utilization Expanded fieldwork to BC in 1998
Why study Merlins
rarest breeding falcon in Washington state (and BC?) unknown, uncommon forest raptors
Merlin identification
chestnut brown on back, white with dark/chestnut brown streaks under throat to lower abdomen, males most into purple-blue black, females retain dark brown all year, females 1/4 larger than males
Merlin female vs male
f brown, m molts to purple-blue black - sexual dichromatism f 1/4 larger than m - sexual dimorphism
Merlin Migration
disperse from birth sites migrate across N America, possible into mid-California migration not well known
Merlin Breeding
courtship begins in Feb-March M/Fs call, chase each other in elaborate displays Ms show Fs nesting platforms and bring them food Fs lay 3-5 eggs in April-May
Merlin hatchlings
hatchlings may- June; nestlings fledge 4-5wks; remain at breeding territory another 4-5 wks until learn to hunt
Merlin habitat
NW coastal forest Merlin’s are found in ancient - young forests where nest platforms are available in their breeding season migrate and overwinter where prey species occur
Merlin population status and distribution
appear uncommon-rare true status unknown less common than other threatened/endangered bop like eagles, peregrine falcon, spotted owl, marbled murrelet
Merlin historic distribution
likely Puget sound - Northern BC habitat likely fluctuating due to human impacts
What are raptors
predatory birds that kill what they eat, though some are scavengers including: eagles, hawks, falcons, owls
Where does the word raptor come from
rapere - latin for ‘to take by force’
scavengers
find dead prey to eat, not kill it some raptors are scavengers (bald eagle eats dead/dying salmon)
Raptor special features
sharp talons - capturing/holding prey hooked beak - for tearing flesh
Raptor importance
aesthetic value spiritual value recreational value educational/scientific value ecological value economic value
Raptor aesthetic value
admired by public for striking, noble appearance, flying ability, and keen sense. Portrayed in artists and photographers works.
Raptor spiritual value
Bald and golden eagles have significant role in native american society. Raptors are an emblem of strength, courage, freedom, namesake of teams, vehicles, aircraft. Viewing wild raptors maintains psychological connection with nature.
Raptor recreational value
bird watching, falconry, raptors are renowned for their ability to attract bird-watchers
Raptor educational/scientific value
top position in food chain = barometer of environmental changed and overall ecosystem health. Require large areas and healthy prey so conservation for them provides an umbrella of conservation for other plants/animals (ex. DDT)
Raptor ecological value
consume wide variety of prey - regulate prey populations and nutrient cycling. Genetic variation within species contributes to biodiversity of the region. Full ecologic value not well known.
Raptor economic value
reduce pest species (rats, mice, rabbits, starlings, sparrows, grasshoppers). Eagles, vultures reduce spread of disease by cleaning up dead/rotting carcasses. Bring in tourism (travelling birdwatchers). Increase property value - scare away other birds from airports and crops.
Main threats to raptors on VI
urbanization, agriculture, forestry old-growth forests depleted, coastal habitats greatly modified
Raptors most affected by threats
spotted owl, northern goshawk, peregrine falcon, merlin, bald eagle, western screech owl
BMP
best management practices measures to help maintain raptor and their habitats in urban/rural environments most likely to be successful for species that are compatible with human activity
BMP 1
retain existing habitats and features, minimize loss of natural vegetation
BMP 2
protect raptor nest sites
BMP 3
avoid use of pesticide and herbicides
retaining existing raptor habitats
preserve trees and snags for nesting and perching retain groups of trees not isolates for inter-locking canopy riparian ares w/ large living/dead trees maintain shoreline vegetation retain old farm buildings/sheld for owls
why retain dead trees
attract woodpeckers – woodpeckers make nest/perch sites for owls
key raptor habitat features
nesting, perching, roosting sites, foraging areas, as large of area as possible
Protect Raptor Nest Sites
Retain 100-500m buffer around nest sites protect existing and potential nest sites including trees with natural cavities locate trails, buildings, roads away from raptor nesting habitat
why do you need a large buffer around raptor nest
Some species like Cooper’s Hawk use alternate nests in same general vicinity, important to protect more than just the specific nest area
Bald Eagle/Osprey nesting
repeatedly use same nest over many years
Avoid us of pesticide and herbicides
use traps rather than poison to control rodents and pests
why monitor after protection measures have been implemented
Minimize time/resource wastes if measures are ineffective or counter-productive direct adjustments/refinements needed to find optimal settings (adaptive management) learning from projects that are in place, to help direct other projects
eradication of rats on Langara island
increased breeding population of ancient murrelet colony expanded w/ high occupancy rate and hatching success doubling of breeding population 1999-2004
why did Ancient Murrelet population increase after eradication of rats
increased adult survival, reduced emigration, behavioural changes such as greater breeding and burrow philopatry
why do introduced predators shift populations
predation, received predation risk, predator–induced breeding failure (stress), decreased survival of breeders, increased sorrow shifting, emigration to other colonies
why are introduced predator populations so hard on endemic populations
small, isolated populations have limited gene pools, limited diversity, and cannot adjust as well to threats, especially new/introduced threats that they haven’t had time to adjust to (Island Biogeography theory) Vulnerable due to small geographic range, limited to certain areas. Small to begin with, large kills = non viable population.
endemic population
native or restricted to a certain area
Ancient murrelet study methodology
line transects perpendicular to shore, 5x5m quadrat at 40m intervals on right side of transect mapped colony boundaries calculated colony surface area with software estimated breeding population with equation
quadrats defined as active if
burrows/tunnels/nest material/fecal material were found in or 1/2 distance away
defined quadrat occupancy rate as
number of burrows that contained eggs or shells (that they could reach the end of)
number of burrows =
colony area (ha) x burrow density (burrows/ha)
number of breeding pairs =
number of burrows x occupancy rate
trends in the figure of REGEHR et al’s RECOVERY OF THE ANCIENT MURRELET SYNTHLIBORAMPHUS ANTIQUUS COLONY ON LANGARA ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, FOLLOWING ERADICATION OF INVASIVE RATS
burrows, burrow occupancy, breeding pop. did not respond immediately to rat eradication. Little change up to 2004, then large increase. Either other environmental conditions delayed recovery or a late before breeding activities normalized.
Colony area changes
decreased with rat introduction then increased after eradication
burrow density changes
increased after rat introduction and decreased after eradication
burrow occupancy changes
didn’t change with introduction, increased after eradication
breeding population changes
decreased slowly after introduction and increased after eradication
what is the status of marbled murrelet
California, Oregon, Washington threatened under endangered species act have declined since listing in 1992 27% decline over last decade
Recovery efforts of marbled murrelet
increase population size by working with universities and federal/state agencies, tribes, land owners identify causes of decline, purchase land and put into conservation status remove predators from population habitats
Threats in the terrestrial environment? (MAMU)
removal of nesting habitat due to harvest, fire, wind want large, intact stands edge effect/fragmenting harmful (trails/roads add more edges)
threats in the marine environment? (MAMU)
oil spills gill nets derelict fishing gear water quality (pollution)
what are some of the changes that have occurred in the MAMU diet?
diet now is lower in caloric value lower prey quality = lower breading success
What are the likely effect of climate change on the MAMUs marine environment?
how prey will react to climate change - increased SST, changes in upwelling/stratification, frequency/duration of harmful algal blooms (biomagnification, particularly Puget sound), anoxia
effects of anoxia on MAMU
will cause prey species to move further off coast where they are not accessible to MAMU
what is the measure of success for the US fish and wildlife services MAMU recovery efforts?
Long way from being able to do that or from de-listing species working for a stable population with continuous decline
characteristics of nest platforms for MAMU
mossy pads, limbs, deformities, canopy epiphytes (mainly moss), tree diameter, tree height
why are tree diameter and height important characteristics of MAMU nest platforms
larger/higher trees have more platform availability platform trees have ≥1/3 epiphyte coverage and 81% intermediate-thick moss mats
why are ancient forests important for MAMU nesting?
long time to build up large epiphyte mats, litter accumulation, & structural complexity- optimal conditions for nest platform bryophyte biomass increases in late succession only -trees >200 yr
Extinct example
Dawson caribou
IBA lead
Regional caretaker network
What species was studied on Langara island?
Ancient murrelet
COSEWIC
committee on the status of endangered wildlife in canada
SARA
species at risk act
monitoring
repeated sampling of the same population with the same methodology over time
monitoring influences
recovery committee and plans
sampling must be
independent unbiased random replicated
monitoring is counting
individuals/species richness/diversity over time to detect change
monitoring ecological populations is important
for both academic research and management of natural resources
why monitor
assess effectiveness of conservation measures, provide early warning of problems
types of sampling
random systematic
random sampling
large, uniform sample area, limited time
common mode of random sampling
quadrat
systematic sampling
sample at fixed intervals (often along a line, transect), especially relevant along a gradient
continuous sampling
sampling along whole length of transect
stratified sampling
take in to account different area/strata, random OR systematic within strata, take into account substantially different areas within sample space. ex. tidal levels
tropical rainforest strata
canopy sub canopy understorey ground layer
sampling error
chance difference between estimate and population parameter. difficult to measure
avoid sampling error
good study design
sampling bias
systematic discrepancy between estimate and true parameter from poor sampling plan
measurement bias
error that results solely from manner in which observations are made
unbiased
accurate
precise
samples are all close together
accurate
samples are close to true parameter
before monitoring
define purpose. what do you expect to find? what level of precision is needed (absolute, relative..)? define area and units. determine representative sample size, take into account random and independent. what variable need to be measured.
descriptive studies
what is present. overview.
distribution studies
where is it occurring. general habitat associations. more specific.
types of distribution study
inventory (1 time) determine abundance/density monitoring changes (over time)
BCT
bird census technique
difficult tetrapod census
cryptic, rare/elusive, low density, dense remote habitat, difficult field condition, cluttered habitat, very small population
complete census of very small population
can ID individuals ex. territory mapping song birds
complete census of highly aggregated population examples
colonial nesting birds seals on a beach
can’t do complete census
survey (sample population)
large spatial scale survey
low accuracy in small area, better over large area
large spatial scale survey examples
christmas bird counts breeding bird survey breeding bird atlas
small spatial scale survey
higher accuracy for smaller areas
small spatial scale survey examples
point counts line transects spot mapping marking methods
BBS
breeding bird survey, cooperative effort between US wildlife research centre and environment canada canadian wildlife service. monitor NA bird population trends
methods for small spatial scale
point count line transect spot mapping
point count
count at a single spot for specified time. fixed-radius more accurate. repeat in different areas. fairly accurate for relative abundance and density of individual species.
point count sources of error
observer ability, differences in detectability, mobility of species
line transect
slow walk down line, count all birds seen/heard, measure distance from line. fixed or variable distance away from line. repeat in different areas.
line transect not suitable for
highly mobile species - could be unknowingly double counted
reliable line transect
same observer, same time of day and year, similar weather conditions (good conditions)
line transect measurement bias
no adjustments for variation in detectability (quiet/high birds harder to hear)
spot mapping
territory of individual pair mapped. requires multiple visits to determine boundaries.
spot mapping territories determined
territorial behaviour (singing, chases, etc.)
spot mapping difficulty
cluttered environment, densely vegetated habitat, tall trees. denser vegetation requires smaller plot size.
spot mapping should be done when
early morning, early in breeding season - peak territorial activity
spot mapping sources of error
change in territorial behaviour, behaviour differences among species, inaccurate mapping, misidentify individual, different observer effort
potentially most accurate sampling
spot mapping if done correctly, also most time consuming
mark and recapture purpose
population size, habitat selection, survival rate, dispersal, reproductive success
mark and recapture methods
metal ring, colour ring, leg flag, patagial tag, neck collar, plumage dye, radio-tracking, individual marks
radar tracking
widely used for murrelets across BC
hair collection
bear rubs, barbwire, late summer, fall
other methods
radar, hair collection, camera trapping, drones
Geolocation
inferring location of tracked animal based, on the time history of sunlight brightness or water temperature and depth measured by an instrument attached to the animal. Such instruments are commonly called archival tags (including microchip implants, Pop-up satellite archival tags, and data storage tags) or dataloggers.
