101. Life stage and Resource needs data as it relates to Effects pathways management.
- Author
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Johnson, Cameron
- Subjects
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ECOSYSTEM management , *LIFE cycles (Biology) , *ENDANGERED species , *WILDLIFE conservation , *GENETIC variation , *BALLAST water , *ECOSYSTEMS - Abstract
Human activities very obviously impact the environment. From pollution, to deforestation, to the introduction of invasive species, human activities often cause noticeable effects within an ecosystem. Knowledge of the cause and effect relationship between an action and its consequences makes up the bulk of effects pathways management. Describing land development proposals using data concerning Effects Pathways is often employed to minimize the harmful effects of developing that land. This data includes a list of the activities involved, the kinds of cause-and-effect interactions that are known to exist, and the methods by which stressors finally result in consequences in the environment. This study aims to uncover and catalog the resource needs for every life stage of 64 imperiled plant species, some of them being endemic to the state of Florida. This data could then be used to identify cause-and effect relationships between Human actions and the wellbeing of these endangered species. Most data collected was obtained by way of ECOS, most notably through the use of the "Five-year review" papers when they were available. Additional data was collected through the use of various peer-reviewed articles. Raw data in the form of papers, articles, and reports were mostly processed visually and the pertinent data from the raw data was recorded manually. This was done through careful reading and note-taking. The resource needs and life stage data was then added into a spreadsheet where data for each plant was recorded. From the data collected from the life stages and resource needs of the plant species used in this study several trends between the species involved arose. These trends Include low genetic diversity, persisting only in habitats exclusive to Florida, poor defenses against competing or invasive species, and benefitting from regular wildfires. The information gathered in this study is sure to be instrumental in allowing the effects pathways management team of the USFWS to effectively and efficiently manage and maintain Florida's ecosystems through understanding of their life cycles, resource needs, and the effects that certain actions or inactions from humans cause on them. This information allows us to understand not only the relationship between humans and the ecosystem, but the relationships between the organisms that live in them as well. There are several instances in which one plant on the list often lives near or relies on another plant from the list for its survival. This shows that the act of protecting one species is often the same as acting to protect the other species that rely upon it. This holistic approach to ecosystem management via the protection of one species that benefits several others can be very effective in ensuring the survival of several uniquely Floridian ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023