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Endangered Aquatic Species H OW CAN WE H ELP P ROTECT OUR WATER R ESOURCES? Endangered Aquatic Species irginia’s unique natural heritage Endangered species: Organisms (animals or plants) includes aquatic communities and Vecosystems such as in tidal and that are at risk of becoming extinct. nontidal wetlands, the Chesapeake Bay Threatened species: Organisms that are at risk of estuary, the Atlantic Ocean coast and 49,000 becoming endangered. miles of rivers. These marvelous natural environments are home to more than 10,000 Species of special concern: Organisms that are at animal species and thousands of plant risk of becoming threatened or endangered. species – some of which are endangered or Niche: Total role or way of life of a species in an threatened. ecosystem; its physical location and function within an ecosystem. Includes all physical, chemical and WHAT ARE ENDANGERED AQUATIC biological conditions a species needs to live and SPECIES? reproduce. Also called ecological niche. Aquatic species are those organisms that live wholly or mostly in or on the water (fresh, Habitat: The specific environment (swamp, stream, brackish, or salt). These birds, mammals, fish, woods) where an organism or a population of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and plants organisms lives or grows, characterized by depend on aquatic environments for food, physical features or by dominant plants. shelter, protection from predators, and other Ecosystem: A functioning unit of nature that requirements of life. A list of aquatic species combines biotic communities (plants, animals and in Virginia that are endangered or threatened other organisms) interacting with each other and appears at the end of this chapter. with the abiotic environment. Ecosystems vary in size and characteristics. Ecosystems EVERY SPECIES’ UNIQUE ROLE have characteristic forms, including Why should we be concerned about endan- deciduous forests, deserts, gered species at all? Should we care if a few grasslands, etc. more species of freshwater mussels in Virginia become extinct? Who would miss the Shiny Pigtoe (one of Virginia’s endangered clams) if it were to disappear? In other words, what is the importance of wildlife? E NDANGERED A QUATIC S PECIES 3/15 H OW CAN WE H ELP P ROTECT OUR WATER R ESOURCES? In order to understand the value of wildlife, it REASONS TO PROTECT WILDLIFE is important to first understand that all living There are additional reasons why we should things are interrelated and dependent in some care about the protection of wildlife. First, way on other living things and their environ- species have intrinsic value or value just for ment. An ecosystem, then, consists of all the being unique and irreplaceable. Species are interacting, interdependent species and the also ecologically valuable in terms of their abiotic (nonliving) environment in a given relationship and usefulness to other species geographic area. As investigated in the Living (including us). When one species becomes Systems strand of Virginia’s SOLs, plants endangered or extinct, it can affect all other and animals each contribute to the functioning species that interact with it. of the ecological system in this web of inter- dependence. Every plant and animal has a Many aquatic species also have “instrumental” physical location and function within their value to humans. This means the species have ecosystem. The important role they fill is economic value because they provide us with called their niche. food, recreation, materials or important ser- vices. For example, fish are an important part In water-related environments (as in dry-land of our diet. Many species of mollusks, such environments), there are producers, consumers as mussels, are useful to us as indicators of and decomposers. Some aquatic animals water quality. They can alert us to water that are herbivores, while others are carnivores is not safe. Species can also provide medicines. or omnivores. And aquatic food chains have Many of our medicines today such as aspirin predator-prey relationships just as terrestrial and penicillin originally were obtained from food chains. When the population of one organisms. Beyond their economic value, species is eliminated from a biological com- species are also important to humans for their munity, the relationship among producers, scientific, spiritual, aesthetic and educational consumers and decomposers will undergo values. Many people greatly enjoy recreational a shift. activities such as whale watching. For all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service defines biodi of these reasons, protection of wildlife and versity as, “The variety of life and its processes, endangered species is extremely important. including the variety of living organisms, What human activities endanger wildlife? the genetic differences among them, and the communities and ecosystems in which they Species extinction today is occurring at a rate occur.” More simply stated, biodiversity is all that is alarming many scientists. Biologist life on Earth including all of its many forms E.O. Wilson estimates that 27,000 species go and processes. So, when species go extinct, extinct every year (an average of 73 – 74 biodiversity is decreased. Today, scientists species per day). He also estimated that only around the word believe that protection of 10 species would become extinct in one year biodiversity should be a main priority for under “normal” circumstances. Human activity world leaders. E NDANGERED A QUATIC S PECIES 3/16 H OW CAN WE H ELP P ROTECT OUR WATER R ESOURCES? has accelerated the rate. Many species of human-caused habitat loss on Virginia’s become extinct as a result of many stresses, aquatic wildlife. not just one. Example 1: Riparian Forest Habitat There are five main classes or groups of human activities that cause wildlife and plants Riparian means “...of, on, or relating to the to become endangered and eventually extinct. bank of a natural course of water.” So, riparian The acronym HIPPO provides an easy way to forests are forests along streams, rivers, and remember the five categories. bays. They are extremely important as aquatic habitats for several reasons. They help to H = habitat destruction and fragmentation maintain stream and riverbanks and prevent I = introduction of invasive species erosion. Forest trees and shrubs remove nutrients from stormwater runoff and provide P = pollution food to aquatic organisms from leaf debris. P = population growth (human) Riparian forest canopies shade and cool the O = over harvesting water, improving habitat conditions for the fish, insects, salamanders, frogs and other HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND in-stream organisms. They also provide critical FRAGMENTATION food, shelter and nesting sites for many birds, small mammals and other wildlife. Wildlife With the exception of the whales in our such as ducks, herons, salamanders, turtles, coastal waters, all the endangered and threat- and fish are all affected by loss of habitat, and ened species in Virginia have been listed in many of these aquatic species are endangered part or in whole due to habitat loss. Altering in Virginia partly or wholly due to loss of this or destroying an ecosystem (or an animal’s critical habitat. Today, hundreds of miles of habitat) can profoundly impact the plant and riparian habitats are being replanted to restore animal species living there. these unique functions and benefits. The Human activities, such as draining and Virginia Department of Forestry has more developing wetlands, destruction of aquatic information about riparian buffers in Virginia: reefs and sea grass beds, expansion of urban http://state.vipnet.org/dof/rfb/rfb-intro.htm areas, logging, mining, farming, construction of roads and dams, and recreation, lead to Example 2: Wetland Habitat the loss of important habitat for wildlife. Wetlands, such as bogs and marshes, have When a species’ habitat is altered such that it standing water for most of the year and have is unable to meet its daily needs for survival aquatic vegetation. They provide many direct then it will become endangered and if enough and indirect benefits to human society, plus critical habitat is lost, it will become extinct. are critically important habitats for much of The following examples illustrate the effects Virginia’s aquatic wildlife. Many species of E NDANGERED A QUATIC S PECIES 3/17 H OW CAN WE H ELP P ROTECT OUR WATER R ESOURCES? fish, shellfish, aquatic birds, and mammals Isolating a local population increases the prob- depend on wetlands for survival, yet much of ability of extinction. Fragmented areas can be the wetland habitat in Virginia has been lost too small to provide adequate room and food due to human activity. Wetlands and seasonal and so they support fewer species than a ponds have been drained or filled by humans larger natural area. Many animal species for agriculture, road construction, or urban require several different plant communities development, contributing to the endanger- during their lifetimes, and may not find all ment of many of Virginia’s aquatic species. the required elements in one fragmented area. Underwater habitats in Virginia’s streams, For example, breeding sites requirements rivers and bays have also been altered through may be different than feeding sites. If these increased sedimentation, reduced submerged critical areas are separated by a road or other vegetation beds, dredging, and other activities. barrier, populations will decline. Example 3: Habitat Fragmentation Can Streams be Fragmented? Development also leads to habitat fragmen- Habitat fragmentation can occur in aquatic tation, where small, isolated fragments of systems too. Dams separate one part of a natural habitat - referred to as ecological stream from another, creating a barrier that islands - are created from what was once migrating fish cannot cross. The reservoir continuous natural habitat. These fragmented created behind the dam will also have very bits and pieces are like islands surrounded different characteristics than the natural by a sea of towns, roads, fences, power lines, stream habitat on the other side of the dam, farms and developed land.
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