Species of Concern within the Salish Sea nearly double between 2002 and 2013
Presentation Abstract
Species of concern are native species, sub-species or ecologically significant units that warrant special attention to ensure their conservation. The number of species of concern within an ecosystem can be used as a crude measure of ecosystem health. Within the Salish Sea, four jurisdictions assess which species require special initiatives to ensure protection and survival of the population: the Province of British Columbia, the State of Washington, the Canadian Federal Government, and the United States Federal Government. Also known as marine species at risk, the number of species of concern in the Salish Sea is used by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada as a transboundary ecosystem indicator. As of November 15, 2013, there were 119 species at risk in the Salish Sea, almost twice the number of species at risk when the indicator was first established in 2002. While some of this increase represents an increase in the number of fish, bird and mammal species known to use the Salish Sea, most additions represent new listings due to concern about declines in populations. In terms of species richness, currently 35% of mammal species, 32% of bird species, 17% of fish species, 100% of reptile species, and less than 1% of macro invertebrate species are listed by one or more jurisdiction. The high proportion of species of concern is suggestive of ecosystem decay and we recommend that it is time to consider the Salish Sea an ecosystem of concern.
Session Title
Session S-09E: Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Species: Threats and Conservation
Conference Track
Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2-5-2014 10:30 AM
End Date
2-5-2014 12:00 PM
Location
Room 613-614
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Endangered animals--Monitoring--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Endangered ecosystems--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Species of Concern within the Salish Sea nearly double between 2002 and 2013
Room 613-614
Species of concern are native species, sub-species or ecologically significant units that warrant special attention to ensure their conservation. The number of species of concern within an ecosystem can be used as a crude measure of ecosystem health. Within the Salish Sea, four jurisdictions assess which species require special initiatives to ensure protection and survival of the population: the Province of British Columbia, the State of Washington, the Canadian Federal Government, and the United States Federal Government. Also known as marine species at risk, the number of species of concern in the Salish Sea is used by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada as a transboundary ecosystem indicator. As of November 15, 2013, there were 119 species at risk in the Salish Sea, almost twice the number of species at risk when the indicator was first established in 2002. While some of this increase represents an increase in the number of fish, bird and mammal species known to use the Salish Sea, most additions represent new listings due to concern about declines in populations. In terms of species richness, currently 35% of mammal species, 32% of bird species, 17% of fish species, 100% of reptile species, and less than 1% of macro invertebrate species are listed by one or more jurisdiction. The high proportion of species of concern is suggestive of ecosystem decay and we recommend that it is time to consider the Salish Sea an ecosystem of concern.
