Geography 5 Week 9 Lecture 16 Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation Biodiversity is a concept that is one of the main concerns of conservation efforts Biodiversity and Extinction Background or Normal Extinction Rates versus Catastrophic or Mass Extinctions Attached to deforestation global warming agriculture etc Extinction Loss of species o Fish Other Concepts in Extinction and Biodiversity Legal definitions with the Endangered Species At o Threatened Species Currently not at risk of extinction Likely to be Endangered in the Future o Endangered Species At Risk of Extinction Some Amphibians US Endangered Species Act 1973 Nixon administration Genetic Bottlenecks o Decreased Genetic Diversity that results from a decreased Population Size Small genetic diversity Large genetic diversity E g American bison Trophic Cascades o When the Extinction of one species has a profound impact on the entire ecosystem o California Condor too Main source of food carcass etc Vulture like Why Conserve Biodiversity Direct Utilitarian Values o Food E g Conservation of Wild Grain Genetic Pool E g New Crops may be Waiting to be Found To enhance our crops Many Indigenous Peoples rely on local biodiversity Medicines and other chemical compounds e g Aspirin Taxol and the Canadian Yew Tree Medical Research o Ex Armadillos used to research leprosy Ecological Service Values o Contribution to Ecological Health E g Pollinators Aesthetic Values o It enhances the quality of our lives by providing beauty Ecotourism is a growing source of income for many developing countries Cultural and Spiritual Values o Ex Bison for Native Americans Ethical Values Bio Centrism o Other species have a moral right to exist independent of our need for them o We are Global Stewards o Different interests actors get involved by making varied arguments Biodiversity and Public Policy Over Focus on Aesthetic Landscapes instead of Biodiversity Landscapes Dramatic landscapes of the Western US get preserved But the East and South are much more Biologically Diverse o More productivity Everglades National Park is an example of a park focused largely on Biodiversity o Biologically Reproductive Christmatic Mega Fauna ten to receive attention and funding o Big Fluffy Wildlife o What about those bacteria Ocean Resource Development Geopolitics and the Law of the Sea Fisheries Oil and Natural Gas Who owns who uses these resources o EX BRAZIL Magnesium Nodules Sea Boundaries and the Law of the Sea Traditional Cannon Shot Rule o 3 mile territorial sea measured from coast U N Conference on the Land of the Sea UNCLOS I 1959 UNCLOS II UNCLOS III Negotiated 1972 to 1983 in force 1994 UNCLOS III Defines the rights and responsibilities of state in their use of the world s oceans establishing guidelines for the management of marine natural resources Internal Waters o Treated as Sovereign Territory No Innocent Passage by other states Exception for Straights o Based on the Base Line Enclose opening less than 24 miles Low Tide Line o E g Libya and the Gulf of Sidra in the 1980s Attempted to make the Gulf of Sidra internal waters The US as a result sent ships in the area which led to much conflict o Archipelagic states They can draw a baseline around their outermost islands Innocent Passage allowed Territorial Sea o 12 Nautical Miles 14 miles from the Baseline o Sovereignty and Jurisdiction to set laws use resources o Must Allow Innocent Passage Boats not Aircraft Contiguous Zone o Hot pursuit zone o Not important to know everything about contiguous zone Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ o Very important to know o Exclusive Rights over Ocean and Seabed Resources o 200 Nautical Miles 230 Miles from the Baseline that extends 200mi o Other States have right of Navigation and Overflight o All the resources within the zone are considered yours o Ex Fisheries minerals oil et Continental Shelf Provision o EEZ Can be extended to the end of the continental shelf up to 400 Miles o Exclusive right to minerals in the subsoil o Exclusive control over living resources attached to the continental shelf e g Coral Reefs not creatures living in the water column o South East Asia America s Ocean Frontier Geopolitical Resource Disputes East Asia o South China Sea o Yellow Sea o Big issues natural gas and oil resources Minor disputes between countries Yellow Sea Lots of conflict East China Sea South Korea Japan China Natural Gas Fields Fishing EEZ vs Continental Shelf Japan tries to claim their territory Who gets to control and exploit these resources in the international community Huge source of conflict The South China Sea China and Taiwan Vietnam Philippines Malaysia Oil and Natural Gas Fishing China s Nine Dashed Line Falkland Islands UK and Argentina Oil and Gas Fishing o Conflict worsens Global Warming and the Artic Sea Russia USA Canada Denmark Norway Fishing Fossil Fuels Transportation Routes Boundary Disputes US v Russia Natural resources Indigenous People and Oil Gas 05 06 2012 10 01 00 05 06 2012 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