ENWC201 Lecture 22: Virtual Field Experience
15 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lake Erie
Fourth largest of the Great Lakes
○
871 miles of shoreline
○
Very popular sport fishery
○
Prone to algal blooms
○
Southern-most great lake
○
Lots of industry associated with the lake -
lots of cooling towers around the lake
§
Also industry in fishing and agriculture surrounding the lake for irrigation
§
○
Leads to a lot of pollution in the lake - lake eerie is famous for its pollution
Cuyahoga river caught fire in the past. Made people realize they needed to start
cleaning up how they use the river
§
Still problems with invasive species, lack of wetlands, etc but lots of positive
changes have come
§
○
Commercial fishing on lake eerie
Yellow perch main commercial fishery
§
Long history of overfishing as well as overfishing regulations leading to
resurgence in some populations
Blue pike went extinct
□
§
○
Mussels are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem - clean the water
○
Ottowa national wildlife refuge
Protecting marsh habitat, wetlands
§
Critical areas for nesting birds
§
Trying to restore and protect
§
Limit about of invasive species in marshes
§
Globally important bird area
§
○
20% of the world fresh water is held in the great lakes
○
•
Mississippi River
2,350 miles long
4th longest river in the world
§
○
Originates from Lake Itasca
○
Watershed = 1.2 million square miles
Watershed = point where any water that comes in will flow
§
○
Major source of commerce
○
Home to hundreds of fish and wildlife species
○
Major flyway for many migratory species
○
Created locks
Increases sediment in water
§
Accumulates in backwater
Causes them to become land□
They were important habits for breeding, where birds nest, etc□
§
○
Upper Mississippi river conservation
Ecosystem conservation
§
Mississippi flows through many states
On this scale we need ecosystem management , multiple states,agemncies,
etc
□
§
○
•
Yellowstone National Park
Worlds first national park
○
Category 2 protected area
○
World heritage site - outstanding beauty and value to all the people in the world
Think old faithful geyser
§
○
Established March 1, 1872
○
67 mammal species
○
285 bird species
○
16 fish species
○
Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined
○
Overpopulation of elk damaging the ecosystem
Scraping against trees and damaging them
§
Overgrazing
§
Area built to keep the elk out - aspen growth
Studying how it would look if no elk were there□
§
○
Too close to wildlife
Bison selfies
§
Lots of bad interactions between people and animals in Yellowstone
§
○
Bison
Carry brucellosis - affects cows too
Abort fetuses in cows, cant sell meat□
Problem for ranchers□
§
Trying to figure out how to control this in bison
§
Allowed hunting even though it is a protective species
§
○
Bears
Grizzly
§
Black
Smaller□
Black bears and brown bears coexisting□
Straight facial profile, no large shoulder hump□
§
Both generalist omnivores
§
○
•
The Everglades
The everglades are not only a National Park, but a World Heritage Site, an International
Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. Everglades National
Park and the surrounding area protect numerous rare and endangered species,
including the Florida panther, American crocodiles, and manatees
○
Panthers
Accidental death by cars
§
Built underpass with fencing to funnel them into underpass
§
Only 100-120 florida panthers out there
Every year 10-20 killed by cars□
§
○
Mangroves
Roots and shoots of mangroves covered in oysters
Filter water □
§
Rich biodiverse area
§
Protect coast from storm surge
§
○
Father of the everglades
Ernest F Coe
§
○
Big Cyprus national preserve
○
A lot of the water flowing through the everglades has been diverted to agriculture
Causes natural water flow to be messed up
§
Trying to remove water diversion and restore natural flow
Important for species □
Wood stork
Low nesting success because of the water levels not being natural
®
□
§
○
Osprey
Carry fish in an aerodynamic fashion - head forward
Allows them to carry big fish□
§
Watch to see where one osprey comes back from, and the next will go that way
to fish
§
○
Burrowing owl
Used to be in open praries
Lost to commercial areas□
§
Big decrease in these owls across Florida
§
Protected
§
Beneficial because they eat insects
§
Can burrow into gopher tortoise burrows
§
○
Conservation success story
American alligator
One of the first species on endangered list
Used skin for textiles
®
□
Has made a full recovery□
American crocodile still on list
Difference; alligator has broader snout can see teeth
®
□
§
○
•
Costa Rica
Approximately 4 million years ago Costa Rica and Panama formed a bridge between
South and North America. This, coupled with its variety of climatic zones and
ecosystems, has led to costa rica having the highest density of biodiversity of any
country in the world
○
Climate
Cloud forest climate - monteverde
Forest should have constant moisture and cloud cover□
No longer a could forest climate□
Plants and animals starting to die off □
Climate change is a big problem□
§
○
Primary succession
Volcanoes have lava flows that make new land
§
Nothing on them when they first happen - have to have primary succession
Seeds blow in, turn into plants, break apart lava flow and make soil, other
species travel in
□
§
○
Secondary succession
Big tree falls down, opens canopy, sun reaches ground, pioneer community
emerges
Micro habitat within rainforest□
Different species here□
Opening will eventually close, but this happens all over the forest□
§
○
Protected areas
Children's eternal rainforest
§
Private preserve 54000 acres
§
Started w a small group of people - Monteverde conservation league
§
Bought the land with the help of kids from Sweden
§
Schoolkids all over the world help raise money
§
Huge biodiversity in the park
§
Much of park off limits to public conserve
Type 1a protected area□
§
○
Cloud forest biodiversity
Highest species diversity In the world
20% of worlds plant species 16% vertebrate species but cover less than 1%
of earths surface
□
More than 100 mammal species 400 birds over 100 reptiles 3000 plants□
500 species of orchids□
§
Can tell is a snake is venomous by looking at its head
§
○
Wildlife at night
Many nocturnal species
§
Leaf cutter ants
Use the vegetation to decompose which grows fungus and they eat it□
§
○
Volunteer for turtle conservation
Help dig up eggs and put them where there is no predation
§
Get the turtles to the sea
§
Science
§
Patrol beaches for illegal poaching
§
Playa osteanol
Sea turtle eggs
Harvest of eggs through community conservation
®
□
Hundreds of thousands of turtles nest overnight - ari batta□
So many turtles coming that the turtles are digging into the same nests -
kills eggs
□
Allowing harvest in the first few hours - sustainable use of eggs while
allowing them to make money
□
Model for community based conservation□
Incentive based conservation□
§
○
•
VFE
Friday, May 11, 2018
12:08 PM
Lake Erie
Fourth largest of the Great Lakes
○
871 miles of shoreline
○
Very popular sport fishery
○
Prone to algal blooms
○
Southern-most great lake
○
Lots of industry associated with the lake -
lots of cooling towers around the lake
§
Also industry in fishing and agriculture surrounding the lake for irrigation
§
○
Leads to a lot of pollution in the lake - lake eerie is famous for its pollution
Cuyahoga river caught fire in the past. Made people realize they needed to start
cleaning up how they use the river
§
Still problems with invasive species, lack of wetlands, etc but lots of positive
changes have come
§
○
Commercial fishing on lake eerie
Yellow perch main commercial fishery
§
Long history of overfishing as well as overfishing regulations leading to
resurgence in some populations
Blue pike went extinct
□
§
○
Mussels are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem - clean the water
○
Ottowa national wildlife refuge
Protecting marsh habitat, wetlands
§
Critical areas for nesting birds
§
Trying to restore and protect
§
Limit about of invasive species in marshes
§
Globally important bird area
§
○
20% of the world fresh water is held in the great lakes
○
•
Mississippi River
2,350 miles long
4th longest river in the world
§
○
Originates from Lake Itasca
○
Watershed = 1.2 million square miles
Watershed = point where any water that comes in will flow
§
○
Major source of commerce
○
Home to hundreds of fish and wildlife species
○
Major flyway for many migratory species
○
Created locks
Increases sediment in water
§
Accumulates in backwater
Causes them to become land□
They were important habits for breeding, where birds nest, etc□
§
○
Upper Mississippi river conservation
Ecosystem conservation
§
Mississippi flows through many states
On this scale we need ecosystem management , multiple states,agemncies,
etc
□
§
○
•
Yellowstone National Park
Worlds first national park
○
Category 2 protected area
○
World heritage site - outstanding beauty and value to all the people in the world
Think old faithful geyser
§
○
Established March 1, 1872
○
67 mammal species
○
285 bird species
○
16 fish species
○
Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined
○
Overpopulation of elk damaging the ecosystem
Scraping against trees and damaging them
§
Overgrazing
§
Area built to keep the elk out - aspen growth
Studying how it would look if no elk were there□
§
○
Too close to wildlife
Bison selfies
§
Lots of bad interactions between people and animals in Yellowstone
§
○
Bison
Carry brucellosis - affects cows too
Abort fetuses in cows, cant sell meat□
Problem for ranchers□
§
Trying to figure out how to control this in bison
§
Allowed hunting even though it is a protective species
§
○
Bears
Grizzly
§
Black
Smaller□
Black bears and brown bears coexisting□
Straight facial profile, no large shoulder hump□
§
Both generalist omnivores
§
○
•
The Everglades
The everglades are not only a National Park, but a World Heritage Site, an International
Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. Everglades National
Park and the surrounding area protect numerous rare and endangered species,
including the Florida panther, American crocodiles, and manatees
○
Panthers
Accidental death by cars
§
Built underpass with fencing to funnel them into underpass
§
Only 100-120 florida panthers out there
Every year 10-20 killed by cars□
§
○
Mangroves
Roots and shoots of mangroves covered in oysters
Filter water □
§
Rich biodiverse area
§
Protect coast from storm surge
§
○
Father of the everglades
Ernest F Coe
§
○
Big Cyprus national preserve
○
A lot of the water flowing through the everglades has been diverted to agriculture
Causes natural water flow to be messed up
§
Trying to remove water diversion and restore natural flow
Important for species □
Wood stork
Low nesting success because of the water levels not being natural
®
□
§
○
Osprey
Carry fish in an aerodynamic fashion - head forward
Allows them to carry big fish□
§
Watch to see where one osprey comes back from, and the next will go that way
to fish
§
○
Burrowing owl
Used to be in open praries
Lost to commercial areas□
§
Big decrease in these owls across Florida
§
Protected
§
Beneficial because they eat insects
§
Can burrow into gopher tortoise burrows
§
○
Conservation success story
American alligator
One of the first species on endangered list
Used skin for textiles
®
□
Has made a full recovery□
American crocodile still on list
Difference; alligator has broader snout can see teeth
®
□
§
○
•
Costa Rica
Approximately 4 million years ago Costa Rica and Panama formed a bridge between
South and North America. This, coupled with its variety of climatic zones and
ecosystems, has led to costa rica having the highest density of biodiversity of any
country in the world
○
Climate
Cloud forest climate - monteverde
Forest should have constant moisture and cloud cover□
No longer a could forest climate□
Plants and animals starting to die off □
Climate change is a big problem□
§
○
Primary succession
Volcanoes have lava flows that make new land
§
Nothing on them when they first happen - have to have primary succession
Seeds blow in, turn into plants, break apart lava flow and make soil, other
species travel in
□
§
○
Secondary succession
Big tree falls down, opens canopy, sun reaches ground, pioneer community
emerges
Micro habitat within rainforest□
Different species here□
Opening will eventually close, but this happens all over the forest□
§
○
Protected areas
Children's eternal rainforest
§
Private preserve 54000 acres
§
Started w a small group of people - Monteverde conservation league
§
Bought the land with the help of kids from Sweden
§
Schoolkids all over the world help raise money
§
Huge biodiversity in the park
§
Much of park off limits to public conserve
Type 1a protected area□
§
○
Cloud forest biodiversity
Highest species diversity In the world
20% of worlds plant species 16% vertebrate species but cover less than 1%
of earths surface
□
More than 100 mammal species 400 birds over 100 reptiles 3000 plants□
500 species of orchids□
§
Can tell is a snake is venomous by looking at its head
§
○
Wildlife at night
Many nocturnal species
§
Leaf cutter ants
Use the vegetation to decompose which grows fungus and they eat it□
§
○
Volunteer for turtle conservation
Help dig up eggs and put them where there is no predation
§
Get the turtles to the sea
§
Science
§
Patrol beaches for illegal poaching
§
Playa osteanol
Sea turtle eggs
Harvest of eggs through community conservation
®
□
Hundreds of thousands of turtles nest overnight - ari batta□
So many turtles coming that the turtles are digging into the same nests -
kills eggs
□
Allowing harvest in the first few hours - sustainable use of eggs while
allowing them to make money
□
Model for community based conservation□
Incentive based conservation□
§
○
•
VFE
Friday, May 11, 2018
12:08 PM
Lake Erie
Fourth largest of the Great Lakes
○
871 miles of shoreline
○
Very popular sport fishery
○
Prone to algal blooms
○
Southern-most great lake
○
Lots of industry associated with the lake -
lots of cooling towers around the lake
§
Also industry in fishing and agriculture surrounding the lake for irrigation
§
○
Leads to a lot of pollution in the lake - lake eerie is famous for its pollution
Cuyahoga river caught fire in the past. Made people realize they needed to start
cleaning up how they use the river
§
Still problems with invasive species, lack of wetlands, etc but lots of positive
changes have come
§
○
Commercial fishing on lake eerie
Yellow perch main commercial fishery
§
Long history of overfishing as well as overfishing regulations leading to
resurgence in some populations
Blue pike went extinct□
§
○
Mussels are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem - clean the water
○
Ottowa national wildlife refuge
Protecting marsh habitat, wetlands
§
Critical areas for nesting birds
§
Trying to restore and protect
§
Limit about of invasive species in marshes
§
Globally important bird area
§
○
20% of the world fresh water is held in the great lakes
○
•
Mississippi River
2,350 miles long
4th longest river in the world
§
○
Originates from Lake Itasca
○
Watershed = 1.2 million square miles
Watershed = point where any water that comes in will flow
§
○
Major source of commerce
○
Home to hundreds of fish and wildlife species
○
Major flyway for many migratory species
○
Created locks
Increases sediment in water
§
Accumulates in backwater
Causes them to become land
□
They were important habits for breeding, where birds nest, etc
□
§
○
Upper Mississippi river conservation
Ecosystem conservation
§
Mississippi flows through many states
On this scale we need ecosystem management , multiple states,agemncies,
etc
□
§
○
•
Yellowstone National Park
Worlds first national park
○
Category 2 protected area
○
World heritage site - outstanding beauty and value to all the people in the world
Think old faithful geyser
§
○
Established March 1, 1872
○
67 mammal species
○
285 bird species
○
16 fish species
○
Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined
○
Overpopulation of elk damaging the ecosystem
Scraping against trees and damaging them
§
Overgrazing
§
Area built to keep the elk out - aspen growth
Studying how it would look if no elk were there
□
§
○
Too close to wildlife
Bison selfies
§
Lots of bad interactions between people and animals in Yellowstone
§
○
Bison
Carry brucellosis - affects cows too
Abort fetuses in cows, cant sell meat
□
Problem for ranchers
□
§
Trying to figure out how to control this in bison
§
Allowed hunting even though it is a protective species
§
○
Bears
Grizzly
§
Black
Smaller□
Black bears and brown bears coexisting□
Straight facial profile, no large shoulder hump□
§
Both generalist omnivores
§
○
•
The Everglades
The everglades are not only a National Park, but a World Heritage Site, an International
Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. Everglades National
Park and the surrounding area protect numerous rare and endangered species,
including the Florida panther, American crocodiles, and manatees
○
Panthers
Accidental death by cars
§
Built underpass with fencing to funnel them into underpass
§
Only 100-120 florida panthers out there
Every year 10-20 killed by cars□
§
○
Mangroves
Roots and shoots of mangroves covered in oysters
Filter water □
§
Rich biodiverse area
§
Protect coast from storm surge
§
○
Father of the everglades
Ernest F Coe
§
○
Big Cyprus national preserve
○
A lot of the water flowing through the everglades has been diverted to agriculture
Causes natural water flow to be messed up
§
Trying to remove water diversion and restore natural flow
Important for species □
Wood stork
Low nesting success because of the water levels not being natural
®
□
§
○
Osprey
Carry fish in an aerodynamic fashion - head forward
Allows them to carry big fish□
§
Watch to see where one osprey comes back from, and the next will go that way
to fish
§
○
Burrowing owl
Used to be in open praries
Lost to commercial areas□
§
Big decrease in these owls across Florida
§
Protected
§
Beneficial because they eat insects
§
Can burrow into gopher tortoise burrows
§
○
Conservation success story
American alligator
One of the first species on endangered list
Used skin for textiles
®
□
Has made a full recovery□
American crocodile still on list
Difference; alligator has broader snout can see teeth
®
□
§
○
•
Costa Rica
Approximately 4 million years ago Costa Rica and Panama formed a bridge between
South and North America. This, coupled with its variety of climatic zones and
ecosystems, has led to costa rica having the highest density of biodiversity of any
country in the world
○
Climate
Cloud forest climate - monteverde
Forest should have constant moisture and cloud cover□
No longer a could forest climate□
Plants and animals starting to die off □
Climate change is a big problem□
§
○
Primary succession
Volcanoes have lava flows that make new land
§
Nothing on them when they first happen - have to have primary succession
Seeds blow in, turn into plants, break apart lava flow and make soil, other
species travel in
□
§
○
Secondary succession
Big tree falls down, opens canopy, sun reaches ground, pioneer community
emerges
Micro habitat within rainforest□
Different species here□
Opening will eventually close, but this happens all over the forest□
§
○
Protected areas
Children's eternal rainforest
§
Private preserve 54000 acres
§
Started w a small group of people - Monteverde conservation league
§
Bought the land with the help of kids from Sweden
§
Schoolkids all over the world help raise money
§
Huge biodiversity in the park
§
Much of park off limits to public conserve
Type 1a protected area□
§
○
Cloud forest biodiversity
Highest species diversity In the world
20% of worlds plant species 16% vertebrate species but cover less than 1%
of earths surface
□
More than 100 mammal species 400 birds over 100 reptiles 3000 plants□
500 species of orchids□
§
Can tell is a snake is venomous by looking at its head
§
○
Wildlife at night
Many nocturnal species
§
Leaf cutter ants
Use the vegetation to decompose which grows fungus and they eat it□
§
○
Volunteer for turtle conservation
Help dig up eggs and put them where there is no predation
§
Get the turtles to the sea
§
Science
§
Patrol beaches for illegal poaching
§
Playa osteanol
Sea turtle eggs
Harvest of eggs through community conservation
®
□
Hundreds of thousands of turtles nest overnight - ari batta□
So many turtles coming that the turtles are digging into the same nests -
kills eggs
□
Allowing harvest in the first few hours - sustainable use of eggs while
allowing them to make money
□
Model for community based conservation□
Incentive based conservation□
§
○
•
VFE
Friday, May 11, 2018 12:08 PM
Document Summary
Lots of industry associated with the lake - lots of cooling towers around the lake. Also industry in fishing and agriculture surrounding the lake for irrigation. Leads to a lot of pollution in the lake - lake eerie is famous for its pollution. Made people realize they needed to star cleaning up how they use the river. Still problems with invasive species, lack of wetlands, etc but lots of positive changes have come. Long history of overfishing as well as overfishing regulations leading to resurgence in some populations. Mussels are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem - clean the water. 20% of the world fresh water is held in the great lakes. Watershed = point where any water that comes in will flow. Home to hundreds of fish and wildlife species. They were important habits for breeding, where birds nest, etc. On this scale we need ecosystem management , multiple states,agemn etc.
