Biodiversity Hotspot Lab

1. 

I have chosen the Mediterranean Basin as my hotspot to explore. 

The Mediterranean Basin is located between two landmasses, Euroasia and Africa.  The basin is a the biggest hotspot regarding vegetation, housing over 11,900 endemic plant species. The climate has a vast range, with cool wet winters and hot dry summers. There is also a range in rainfall between 100 mm to 3,000 mm. While the Mediterranean Basin used to house a variety of large forests including conifer and oak, the land is now mostly shrublands, similar to the "chaparral vegetation of California" (CEPF).

2.

 The Cedar of Lebanon is an evergreen conifer cedar. The tree is a producer, found in, as its name would suggest, Lebanon.  The cedar is known for its "high quality timber, oils, and resins" (arkive). Regarding its reproductive traits, the cedar is monoecious. It is also known for a long lifespan, with trees on record being over 1,000 years old!  One interaction with other species the Cedar of Lebanon is known for, is actually the lack of interaction. The cedar works as a natural moth repellent. It is also known to control mosquito larvae (arkive). There are no other specific mentions of the cedar of Lebanon and surrounding species; however,  being a tree, the cedar of Lebanon could easily provide shelter and food for various tree-dwelling animals of the area, including the Isabelline wheatear, the Wren, and/or the Bluethroat. 

The Iberian Lynx is a member of the family felidae. Per Arkive, this is "the world's most threatened species of cat ". The Iberian lynx is a carnivore. Their mating season tends to take place in January, mothers typically reach full term within 2 months. It is noted there is typically only one litter a year, part of the reason this species is endangered. The Iberian lynx has a direct tie to rabbits of the area, as they are the lynx's primary food source. The lynx are also known to eat ducks, deer, and partridges if there are not enough rabbits readily available. Keeping this in mind, it is easy to see how feeding habits alone affect their ecosystem.

3. 

The Cedar of Lebanon is known as Cedrus libani. 

The Iberian Lynx is known as Lynx pardinus.

4. 

The socioeconomic status of the Mediterranean Basin is largely based on the tourism industry. This area hosts 32% of the world's tourism, which is growing quite drastically since the 1970's (CEPF). The number of people the tourism brings in is small compared to the 450 million inhabitants that reside in the area year round (CEPF).  There is a wide spread regarding income, as the Mediterranean Basin is a vast hotspot. The norther Mediterranean area is known for low population growth and medium-high income. Alternatively, the southern and eastern areas have low-medium income rates and high population growth. Overall, the main threats that are brought forth by the Mediterranean's socioeconomic status include degradation because of urbanization, tourism, and industrial endeavors utilizing natural resources (CEPF).

5. 

The most glaring reason the Mediterranean Basin is now a hotspot is due to mankind. Many people of the area have utilized the natural resources as a point of income; this could take the form of industrialization or tourism. Additionally, to permit for the growing population, urbanization has also lead to degradation of the land. Major culprits that go hand in hand with population growth, the area has experienced "deforestation, intensive grazing and fires, and infrastructure development" (CEPF).

6. 

 Current conservation measures for the Mediterranean Basin include: expansion of protected areas,  and pollution control. Because the area consists of various countries, conservation efforts look different by area. One such conservation project is known as the Mediterranean Action Plan, which looks at both land protection and pollution elimination efforts. The Mediterranean Action Plan was established under the United Nations in the 1970's, and continues to go strong.  There is more information here regarding the Mediterranean Action Plan.

7. 

Especially after taking this class, I feel it is of the utmost importance to protect biodiversity everywhere. The important thing to remember is we are all connected on this earth. By offsetting one ecosystem, it can, and quite possibly will, disrupt another ecosystem down the road. As amazing as the technological advances mankind has made, I believe we have grown up too quickly. By messing with technologies and ways of life we don't completely understand, we have jeopardized what we have now, and what future generations could have.  Protecting the biodiversity of our planet now is actively pursuing measures of sustainability we need for tomorrow.

8. Works Cited 

"Cedar of Lebanon Photos and Facts." Arkive - Cedar of Lebanon Videos, Photos and Facts. Wildscreen. Web. 25 Nov. 2015. <http://www.arkive.org/cedar-of-lebanon/cedrus-libani/>

"Iberian Lynx Videos, Photos and Facts." Arkive- Lynx Pardinus. Wildscreen. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.arkive.org/iberian-lynx/lynx-pardinus/>.

"Iberian Lynx." WWF. World Wildlife Fund. Web. 25 Nov. 2015. <http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/species/profiles/mammals/iberian_lynx

"Mediterranean Basin." CEPF.net -. Conservation International. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.          

       

"Socioeconomic, Policy and Civil Society Context." CEPF.net -. Conservation International. Web. 25 Nov. 2015. 

Wildlife Corridor Lab

1.  

I have chosen the Bob Cat, otherwise known as Lynx rufus.

2.  

The habitat I have chosen is Prescott, AZ. This is a forest habitat. This habitat is part of the biotic community, Petran Montane Conifer Forest.  The topography shows elevation is approximately 5650 - 5400 feet. Other abiotic factors of the Prescott area include an average high of 69.6 degrees F, a low of 38.8 degrees F, and average annual precipitation at 17.9 inches. There is a wealth of wildlife diversity present, including everything from the Bob Cat, Javalina, Coyote, to Rabbits, Mice, and Tarantulas. The current human population in Prescott is just over 40,000.  Prescott is part of the larger, 'Quad City Area', which is closer to 95,000 total population. The Prescott area commonly hosts tourist events, raising the population periodically for holidays and town celebrations.  Prescott is also home to a community college and private college.

3.

The Bob Cat is currently common in Northern Arizona. Per "The Ecosystem of Bob Cats", it has been noted that the Bob Cat may be a keystone species; because of this, it is vital we support Bob Cats  thrive in our community. Their current birth rate was not readily available, but it is mentioned the Bob Cat gives birth between April and June, with an average yield of 2-3 kittens per litter. Per the Arizona Game and Fish Department, frequently, a Bob Cat will have a territory of over 12 miles. Given the spatial need of the Bob Cat's territory, it would make sense to provide a corridor to allow their territory to be as big as desired.  

There are areas of habitat fragmentation for the Bob Cat currently in Prescott. On the map below, one can see Highway 69 divides areas of Prescott that continue to provide homes for the native species of the area.  It is also noteworthy, the point of the intended corridor lies on Yavapai Reservation; there have been mentioned plans to expand on the reservation. With this future development in mind, it is important to make plans to support the natural wildlife from the looming edge effect. 

4.

In order to utilize effective adaption management, one must look at the main points of concern, current and future. Currently, there is already an edge effect occurring due to population increase, and retail expansion. Regarding the future, there is a threat of increasing the commercialized area, which could further the already established habitat fragmentation. With this in mind, it is clear that a corridor would serve the Bob Cat in maintaining a large territory, and remaining a keystone species in the area. 

The corridor would stretch over Highway 69, directly east of Frontier Village, but west of the Prescott Canyon Community.  Given the tight space provided, the corridor would be (at best) 1200 feet wide, and approximately 1/3 of a mile long, stretching south beyond the rear property line of Frontier Village, and north beyond the U-Haul rear property line. This tactic would increase the natural area for Bob Cats and other wildlife alike to find the entrance and exit without threat. Ideally, this corridor would be raised above the highway a fair amount, with natural vegetation planted the entire length. It would also be established that future building would not be permitted within a 500 ft space on either side of the entrance.  Any current home owners of the Prescott Canyon Community would be provided with free education regarding wild life in their area. Specific instruction would be given, and rules established to support efforts against feeding/interacting directly with the wildlife utilizing the corridor. 

5.

This corridor will assist the Bob Cats in opening up their territory. This will allow the current breach in one habitat to be mended, providing a safe crossing from current impediments.  For wildlife heading north, Bob Cats and other creatures would have to travel under 1/4 mile from their current position on P-Mountain to reach the corridor.  Alternately, wildlife heading south would have a similar distance to achieve entrance to the corridor. With this corridor, geographic isolation could be prevented by Bob Cats to the north of Highway 69, as there are far more resources and space to the south. It is also worth noting, per the Prescott National Forest's Ecological and Biological Diversity in Prescott National Forest, that there are at least 3 other terrestrial animals on the endangered/threatened species list and another 31 animals on the 'species-of-concern' list.  This means this corridor can assist all creatures on this list remain in their core habitats and provide mitigation from their current status. Below is a photo of the wildlife corridor that I drew my design plots from. This is provided by natureofwildworks.org

6.

With this visual, we see where the corridor would begin and end in relation to the current structures and roadways. From this view, we can see the mesh of natural vegetation along the corridor, along with the spacious openings on either side. 

7. 

Works Cited:

"Living With Bobcats." Living With Bobcats. Arizona Game and Fish Department. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"Temperature - Precipitation - Sunshine - Snowfall." Climate Prescott. U.S. Climate Data. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"The Ecosystem of Bobcats." Science. Opposing Views. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"The Phoenix Fund: A Legacy of Protecting Our Mountain Lions." The Phoenix Fund: A Legacy of Protecting Our Mountain Lions. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://www.natureofwildworks.org/the-phoenix-fund-a-legacy-of-protecting-our-mountain-lions/>.

"TopoQuest Map Viewer - N34.55125° W96.00000°." TopoQuest Map Viewer - N34.55125° W96.00000°. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=34.55125&lon=-112.43808&datum=nad83&zoom=2&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomin&size=m>.

Vander Lee, Bruce. "Ecological and Biological Diversity in Prescott National Forest." F.S. USDA.GOV. Prescott National Forest Services. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_020948.pdf>.

Endangered Species: `Aiakeakua, Popolo

The 'Aiakeakua popolo, also known in Latin as the Solanum Sandwichense, is an endangered plant located in Hawaii.  The plant is "... a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), [and] is a large sprawling shrub that can grow up to 4 meters (13 ft) tall" (Hawaii.gov, Popolo‘aiakeakua Solanum sandwicense). The full taxonomic name of this plant is:

Plantae, Tracheobionta, Magnoliophyta, Magnoliapsida, Asteridae, Solanales, Solanaceae, Solanum L., Solanum sandwicense.   (USDA, Solanum sandwicense)

From the taxonomic order, we learn this plant is vascular, a seed plant, a flowering plant, a dicotyledon, part of the potato family, and part of the nightshade genus (USDA, Solanum sandwicense).

The 'Aiakeakua popolo, informally known as 'Hawaiian horse-nettle', has been endangered since 02/25/1994. The main threat to the Aiakeakua are feral pigs, degradation of their natural habitat, and competition with introduced plants in Hawaii (Center for Plant Conservation, Solanum sandwicense). Another factor to consider is this is an island plant; this creates an inability for this plant to easily move to a new setting.

The 'Aiakeakua does not provide any services to the human culture; however, it is noted that it's a member of the Solanum family. From the same family, the Solanum americanum is highly sought after for its medicinal use. Being part of the nightshade genus, 'Aiakeakua is poisonous. (Hawaiian Native Plants, Popolo (sandwicense)).  In Poisonous Weeds in Horse Pastures,one can read about the type and power of the poison within horse-nettle.  It is noted that between one and ten pounds of the plant are fatal to horses; a prime example of why this plant is not a typical part of any consumer's diet (Rutgers, Poisonous Weeds in Horse Pastures).

Similar to many plants, the 'Aiakeakua is "... a hermaphrodite that is insect pollinated"  and "their seeds are bird-dispersed".  With this in mind, the Aiakeakua does have a specific role/relationship with the insects and birds of the ecosystem (Hawaiian Native Plants, Popolo (sandwicense)). Given the size of the plant, one could assume other organisms of the ecosystem could take shelter with this plant; in my research, I was unable to confirm or deny this theory.

The 'Aiakeakua is originally from the mesic forests of O'ahu and Kaua'i. This plant is a native species, but not a keynote species. While this plant is rare and has a narrow niche (making it a specialist species), this plant has no reported issues regarding density dependency.  Because this plant is a hermaphrodite, and is pollinated by insects, there is not a threat from a lack of other 'Aiakeakua needing to be present for the survival of one. An independent density factor that is a noted threat to the 'Aiakeakua is fire, reported by Hawaii.gov within their plant face sheet for the Popolo ‘Aiakeakua.

There wasn't any information available regarding the previous population of the 'Aiakeakua in its natural habitat. Unfortunately, it appears this plant did not receive much attention or recognition until it was noted to be endangered. Per the Recovery Plan for the Kaua'i Plant Cluster (1995), " Little is known about the life history of Solanum sandwicense. Flowering cycles, pollination vectors, seed dispersal agents, longevity, specific environmental requirements, and limiting factors are unknown."

While there may not have been much interest in the 'Aiakeakua prior to its endangered classification, now their are many entities of the Hawaiian islands that are working to get the plant off of the endangered species list.  The most prominent and successful thus far is the Lyon Arboretum, housing 12 plants as of 1995.  The Lyon Arboretum is part of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Their mission statement is " To increase the appreciation of the unique flora of Hawai'i and the tropics, by conserving, curating, and studying plants and their habitats; providing inclusive educational opportunities; encouraging use by the broader community; and supporting the educational, scientific, and service activities of the University of Hawai'i" (Lyon Arboretum, Mission and History).

The conservation of the 'Aiakeakua has not been achieved yet. Below is a graph showing the progress made thus far.  While the number of plants have met their desired 50 plants per 3 populations, they had not matured at the time of the 5 year review (from which this data was retrieved), thus marking the plan as progressing, but not complete.

Works Cited

Barbour, Bruce, Laura Gladney, and Carey Williams. "Poisonous Weeds in Horse Pastures." Rutgers NJAES. The State University of New Jersey, 1 May 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.

Garrett. "Hui Ku Maoli Ola." Hui Ku Maoli Ola. GOING GREEN PRO THEME ON GENESIS FRAMEWORK, 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.

"Mission & History." Harold L Lyon Arboretum. University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 9 May 2014. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.

"Plants Popolo‘aiakeakua Solanum Sandwicense." Hawaii.gov. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.

"Plants Profile for Solanum Sandwicense (Hawai'i Horsenettle)." Plants Profile for Solanum Sandwicense (Hawai'i Horsenettle). United States Department of Agriculture. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.

"RECOVERY PLAN FOR THE KAUA'I PLANT CLUSTER." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 20 Sept. 1995. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.

"Solanum Sandwicense (Popolo ‘aiakeakua) 5-Year Review Summary and Evaluation." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 21 July 2009. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.

Lab 9 Freshwater Ecosystems

For this lab, I chose to utilize Prescott city water from my tap.

Collecting the water

Testing the temperature 

Testing the turbidity

Testing dissolved oxygen levels

Testing the pH level

Testing the phosphate levels

Testing coliform levels

Test Factor	Result	Rank
Temperature	22 Degrees, no temp change	Not applicable; tap water
Turbidity	0 JTU	4  Excellent
Dissolved Oxygen	4 ppm, 46% Saturation	1  Poor
BOD	To be determined (11/5/15)	N/A
Nitrate	5 ppm	2  Fair
pH	8	3  Good
Phosphate	2 ppm	3  Good
Coliform	Negative	3  Good

 The results found here were fairly neutral results.  This is nice to know, seeing as this is Prescott's drinking water.  Because this is tap water, I feel it does not impact an ecosystem the way a pond or river might. 

It is noted here that there is an excellent rating for the turbidity; in nature, this would mean there is strong clarity in the water. This would mean the water was not as effected by algal blooms or urban runoffs. The dissolved oxygen count was graded as 'poor' here. If this were the case in nature, this would be negative, as aquatic animals also need oxygen to survive; this is showing the concentration is not very high.

Part B: Thinking about the World's Water

I read "The Red Sea - Dead Sea Project Update" by Kristina Donnelly.  This piece explores the strengths and barriers of the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and the Dead Sea. Since  the 1850's, there have been discussions of how to create greater transportation options through the bodies of water. By the early 1900's, there were discussions of how to expand energy sources by creating a canal between the Mediterranean and the Red sea. Additionally, there have been discussions through the late 20th and 21st century of how to create more fresh water and restore the Dead Sea. Unfortunately, the barriers related to economics, politics, and population have previously halted all progress within these domains. At the time of the report, very little had been accomplished towards the goals of the 'Combined Plan".

When reading this, I felt frustrated. I believe so much of our world gets tangled up in the bureaucratic run around. It seems everyone has an issue with everyone else; if we can't all figure out how to put our differences aside, we will end up killing our planet!  On a more optimistic note, I think it is wonderful these countries are willing to at least talk about it. I think shift will happen only when the benefit is far greater than the potential responsibility.