In This Issue the Wildlife Corridor Navy Is Enlisted in Plan Controversy: a Review to Protect Manatees
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U PDATEIncludingEndangered a Reprint Species of theTechnical latest USFWS Bulletin September/October 1993 School of Natural Resources and Environment Vol. 10 Nos. 11 & 12 THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN I In this Issue The Wildlife Corridor Navy is Enlisted in Plan Controversy: A Review to Protect Manatees Reauthorization of From the State Series: the Marine Mammal Georgia's Nongame and Protection Act Endangered Wildlife Program The Wildlife Corridor Controversy: A Review by Amy McEuen lfwhat we have said is correct, it is The Definition Quandary two or more large tracts of essentially not possible to preserve in a State or similar habitat and functions as either a National Park, a complete replica on a Various disciplines have defined movement route for individuals or an snlall scale of the fauna and flora of a corridors differently. Biogeographers avenue for gene-flow among native flora much larger area ...the preserved area tend to define corridors as "a route that and fauna" (Harris and Scheck beconles an isolate, and the number of permits the spread of many or most taxa 1991:202). Similarly, Soule and Gilpin species that can be accommodated must from one region to another," such as a (1991.3) define a "wildlife corridor" as apparently fall .... The only remedy is to land bridge connecting two continents "a linear two-dimensional landscape el- prevent the area from becoming an "iso- (Brown and Gibson 1983:215). How- ement that connects two or more patches late" by keeping open a continuous cor- ever, the large scale of biogeographic of wildlife (animal) habitat that have ridor with other preserved areas. corridors makes this definition unsuit- been connected in historical time; it is -Preston 1962 able for conservation biology, since some meant to function as a conduit for ani- wildlife corridors may beonly ten meters mals." Habitat fragmentation is one of the wide. In landscape ecology, any linear Current definitions emphasize that principle causes of the present landscapeelement, such as a road, ditch, a wildlife corridor (1) is a linear land- biodiversity crisis (Wilcox and Murphy trail, powerline right-of-way, riparian scape element (Hobbs 1992, Simberloff 1985), and wildlife corridors are the strip, habitat linkage, fencerow, and et al. 1992, and above), which (2) serves most widely advocated method forcoun- hedgerow, constitutes acorridor (Forman as a linkage between historically con- tering fragmentation effects (e.g., Noss and Baudry 1984). This definition is not nected habitatlnatural areas (Hobbs 1992 and Harris 1986). Corridors have been adequate for conservation biology ei- and above), and (3) is meant to facilitate recommended on all scales and for a ther, since some of these landscape ele- movement between these natural areas variety of habitats and species-from ments may aid while others hinder con- (Newmark in press, Soule 1991. road verge (roadside vegetation) con- servation objectives. The conservation Simberloffet al. 1992, and above). These nections in the highly developed function of these elements is also con- last two aspects distinguish wildlife cor- Wheatbelt of Australia for theCarnabyls text dependent-a right-of-way cutting ridors from other landscape corridors. cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus through continuous forest can create latirostris) (Saunders 1990), to large- detrimental edge effects and be a barrier History of Wildlife Corridor Theory scale networks across North America to movement, but a right-of-way in an for large, wide-ranging carnivores (Noss urban setting may contain the last rem- Preston (1 962) was the first to sug- 1992). Corridors also have been recom- nants of native vegetation and serve as a gest possible conservation benefits of mended for endangered species such as conduit between habitat patches. linking reserves with corridors. He ex- the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides Many early conservation papers amined species-area curves for what he borealis) (Anonymous 1988 as cited in discussing corridors did not explicitly termed "isolates" and "samples." Iso- Simberloff et al. 1992) and Florida pan- define the term (e.g., Simberloff and lates, such as islands, contain complete ther (Felis concolor coni) (Noss and Cox 1987, Noss 1987, Harris and assemblages of species. Samples. in Harris 1986). The conservation func- Gallagher 1989), while others used the contrast, are a sample of a larger asseni- tion of corridors, however, remains a landscape ecology definition (Noss and blage (e.g., a park within a continent). widely debated issue (e.g., Simberloff Harris 1986). This resulted in confusion Preston found that for any given area. and Cox 1987, Noss 1987, Simberloff et over what was being advocated and isolates contained fewer species than al. 1992). Widespread recommendation muddled the debate (Simberloff et al. samples. He reasoned that this was and debate makes it imperative that ev- 1992). Perhaps because of this, more because samples were "at equilibrium" eryone working in the conservation field recent papers have given very precise with areas outside their boundaries (it.. understand the theoretical and empirical definitions resulting in a growing con- immigration and emigration allowed history of the corridor concept. The sensus regarding what is meant by a samples to support species at very low following is an overview of this history, wildlife corridor. A "faunal dispersal numbers, numbers which would lead to along with some recommendations for corridor" has recently been defined as a their extinction in isolates). Drawing future directions of corridor theory and "naturally occurring or restored native the parallel between "isolates" and re- research. linear landscape feature that connects serve systems. Preston advocated that 1 Endangered Species UPDATE Vol. 10 Nos. II & 12 1993 corridors be established between reserves primary reasons for corridors. Endangered Species to prevent faunal and floral collapse (see In the early to mid-1980s, the first UPDATE introductory quote). criticisms of corridors were made, in- Using Preston's work as a jumping- cluding the following: (1) habitat un- A forum for information exchange on off point, MacArthur and Wilson (1967) suitability of corridors-noting that ri- endangered species issues developed the theory of island biogeog- parian corridors will not serve as a con- SeptemberIOctober 1993 raphy, which predicted that any island duit for non-riparian species; (2) high Vol. 10 Nos. 11 & 12 would maintain an equilibrium number rates of poaching or trapping in corri- R. Lynn Gooch.............. .. ............Editor of species due to the counteracting forces dors; (3) the importanceofcorridor width Terry Root ..................... Faculty Advisor of immigration (related to distance from and habitat variety for use by non-gener- Kimberly Hall ..............Editorial Assistant a source population) and extinction (re- alist species; (4)fearthat corridors would Ruth E. Polk .................Editorial Assistant lated to island size). By the 1970s, this lead to the establishment of smaller re- Instructions for Authors: theory was being widely applied to habi- serves; (5) negation of the quarantine The Endangered Species UPDATE tat fragmentation and reserve design is- effect of isolation (e.g., allowing disease welcomes articles related to species sues, with habitat remnants and reserves to spread between populations); and, (6) protection in a wide range of areas being treated as "islands" in a sea of increased exposure to domestic animals including but not limited to: research and management activities and policy analyses development (see Shafer 1990). Several harboring disease (Frankel and Soul6 for endangered species, theoretical of those applying the theory advocated 198 1, Soul6 and Simberloff 1986). approaches to species conservation, and corridorsbetween reserves (Willis 1974, Frankel and Soul6 (198l)did note, how- habitat protection. Book reviews, editorial Diamond 1975,Wilsonand Willis 1975). ever, that small, closely spaced reserves comments, and announcements of current Although not explicitly stated, the rea- would need corridors to maintain larger events and publications are also welcome. soning seemed to be that corridors in- animals. Readers include a broad range of crease immigration rates and decrease Frankel and Soul6 (198 1) were also professionals in both scientific and policy extinction rates (due to greater available the first to advocate wider corridors. fields. Articles should be written in an easily understandable style for a knowl- area), thereby increasing the equilib- This followed Wilson and Willis' edgeable audience. For further informa- rium number of species in a given re- (1975529) contention that even thin tion, contact the editor. serve (Newmark in press). corridors would serve a conservation A slight modification of island bio- function: "extinction will be lower when Subscription Information: The Endangered Species UPDATE is geographic theory occurred in 1977when the fragments are connected by corri- published approximately ten times per year Brown and Kodric-Brown introduced dors of natural habitat, no matter how by the School of Natural Resources and the concept of the "rescue effect." They thin the corridors." Though Frankel and Environment at The University of pointed out that immigration could de- Soul6 (1981:109) advocated wider cor- Michigan. Annual rates are $23 for regular subscriptions, and $18 for students and crease the extinction risk of an isolated ridors, they followed this advice