endangered species – envirobites

Delta smelt, a small free-swimming fish native to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in California, have been portrayed as the catalyst for failing agriculture in the delta region. As an Endangered Species Act-listed species, delta smelt require increased water allocation to maintain a low salinity in an already water-starved area, leaving less water for farmers and their crops. In reality, only a small percentage of freshwater outflow to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is being used for fish protection. Through improper management and general disregard for delta smelt recovery, the species is near extinction.

Case Studies Environmental Science

Last call for African forest elephants

August 6, 2018August 11, 2018 Anika Hazra 0 Comments African forest elephants, Conservation, Ecosystem engineer, ecosystem services, endangered species, Loxodonta cyclotis, Megafauna extinction

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are in trouble; this may not be news to you. They are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation as well as poaching for the ivory trade. Rather than beat this information over everyone’s heads, scientists are trying to get us to understand why we will miss the elephants when they are gone.

Environmental Science

Endangered Species Act: Headed for Extinction?

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018 Nick Iraola 0 Comments Conservation, critical habitat, ecosystem services, endangered species, environmental policy, extinction, human impacts

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a law designed to protect and recover endangered species of plants, animals, and ecosystems, and in turn, preserve our nation’s ecological history and functionality. However, there has been a recent push to overhaul the ESA in favor of economic opportunities. This would relieve the burden carried by landowners and industries who have been hampered by ESA restrictions, but would strip protections on species already listed on the ESA and make it more difficult to add species to the list. Left unprotected, those endangered species would be left to go extinct, and the ecological functions they serve within their ecosystem could collapse or irreversibly shift their biomes. With human activity responsible for current accelerated extinction rates, this is the time for urgent action on conservation, not a time to overhaul the law designed to protect our nation’s species and ecosystems.

Environmental Science Toxicology

The impact of three insecticides on endangered species

March 23, 2018March 23, 2018 Niranjana Krishnan 0 Comments chlorpyrifos, diazonin, endangered species, EPA, malathion, Threatened Species, toxicology, USFWS

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released reports that examine how the use of three insecticides could impact endangered and threatened species. This post summarizes their findings.