Science and the Endangered Species Act / Committee on Scientific Issues in the Endangered Species Act, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Scientific Issues in the Endangered Species Act.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Endangered species--United States.

Endangered species.

Endangered species--Law and legislation--United States.

Habitat conservation--United States.

Habitat conservation.

Habitat conservation--Law and legislation--United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (288 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : National Academy Press, 1995.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a far-reaching law that has sparked intense controversies over the use of public lands, the rights of property owners, and economic versus environmental benefits. In this volume a distinguished committee focuses on the science underlying the ESA and offers recommendations for making the act more effective. The committee provides an overview of what scientists know about extinction--and what this understanding means to implementation of the ESA. Habitat--its destruction, conservation, and fundamental importance to the ESA--is explored in detail. The book analyzes Concepts of species--how the term "species" arose and how it has been interpreted for purposes of the ESA. Conflicts between species when individual species are identified for protection, including several case studies. Assessment of extinction risk and decisions under the ESA--how these decisions can be made more effectively. The book concludes with a look beyond the Endangered Species Act and suggests additional means of biological conservation and ways to reduce conflicts. It will be useful to policymakers, regulators, scientists, natural-resource managers, industry and environmental organizations, and those interested in biological conservation.

Contents:

Science and the Endangered Species Act

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

INTRODUCTION

THE PRESENT STUDY

EXTINCTIONS

THE SPECIES CONCEPT

HABITAT

RECOVERY

CONSERVATION CONFLICTS BETWEEN SPECIES

ESTIMATING RISK

MAKING ESA DECISIONS IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY

TIMING

BEYOND THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

SCIENCE, POLICY, AND THE ESA

1 Introduction

HISTORY

REFERENCES

2 Species Extinctions

EXTINCTIONS OVER GEOLOGICAL TIME

PREHISTORIC HUMAN IMPACT ON CONTINENTAL ECOSYSTEMS

PREHISTORIC HUMAN IMPACT ON ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS

RELATING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT

Ecosystem Degradation and Restoration

Rates of Extinction

Habitat Loss

Introduced Species

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3 Species Definitions and the Endangered Species Act

HISTORICAL USE OF THE TERM SPECIES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Introduction

Zoological Interpretations of Species

Botanical Interpretations of Species

HISTORY OF SPECIES CONCEPTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Species Concepts

Taxonomic Units Below the Rank of Species

A CONCEPT OF SPECIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Evolutionary Units and Their Identification

Species and Subspecies

Distinct Population Segments

Distinctiveness

Genetic Isolation

Geographic and Temporal Isolation

Behavioral and Reproductive Isolation

Examples of Circumscription of Evolutionary Units

The Fate of Hybrids under the Evolutionary Unit Concept

4 The Role of Habitat Conservation and Recovery Planning

THE IMPORTANCE OF HABITAT

THE ROLE OF HABITAT CONSERVATION UNDER THE ESA

CRITICAL HABITAT AND FEDERAL ACTIVITIES

Survival Habitat.

PRIVATE ACTIVITIES AND HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANNING

Habitat-Conservation Plans

RECOVERY PLANNING

NATURAL COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAM AND COASTAL SAGE SCRUB COMMUNITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

HABITAT-RELATED STANDARDS

Public and Private Lands and Actions

Survival and Recovery

5 Modern Perspectives of Habitat

LANDSCAPES AND POPULATIONS

SOURCES AND SINKS

METAPOPULATIONS

SPATIALLY EXPLICIT MODELS

A SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE AND POPULATION VIABILITY ANALYSIS

CONCLUSIONS

6 Conservation Conflicts Between Species

INTERACTIONS OF SPECIES IN NATURE

NORTHERN GOSHAWK AND MEXICAN SPOTTED OWL

WINTER-RUN CHINOOK SALMON AND DELTA SMELT

BACHMAN'S SPARROW AND RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER

MARINE MAMMALS AND SALMONIDS

RECOMMENDATIONS

7 Estimating Risk

ESTIMATING THE RISK OF EXTINCTION

SOURCES OF RISK

Random Demographic Changes

Random Environmental Changes

Catastrophes

Accumulation of Deleterious Genetic Factors

Loss of Adaptive Variation Within Populations

Habitat Fragmentation

Supplementation

FOCUSING CONSERVATION EFFORTS

DISTRIBUTION OF EXTINCTION TIMES

LIMITATIONS OF OUR ABILITY TO ESTIMATE RISK

8 Making ESA Decisions in the Face of Uncertainty

DECISIONS REQUIRED UNDER THE ESA

THE NEED FOR NEW APPROACHES TO DECISION MAKING

PROVIDING OBJECTIVE RISK STANDARDS

Developing Quantitative Risk Standards

Time Frame for Estimating Risk of Extinction

Listing Systems Based on Objective Criteria and Rules

Limitations on Estimates of Risk

Limits of Models

Poor Understanding of Cumulative Effects and Thresholds

Should Different Risk Standards Apply to Different ESA Decisions?

Endangered, Threatened, Recovered.

Different Taxa

Public Versus Private Land

USING STRUCTURED APPROACHES TO DECISION MAKING

Using Subjective Probability and Expert Opinion

Linking Science and Values

Scientific Uncertainty in ESA Decisions

Estimating Uncertain Quantities

Reducing Uncertainty by Gathering Information

Types of Errors

Burden of Proof

Statistical Errors

Cumulative Effects/Thresholds

Listing Decisions

Reducing Asymmetry of Risk for Listed Species

Making Tradeoffs Among Competing Objectives

Resolving Conflicts Among Interest Groups

Implementing Structured Approaches in the Agencies

9 Areas of Scientific Uncertainty

ECOSYSTEM-BASED PROTECTION

Ecosystem Management

INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIES AND THEIR ROLES IN ECOSYSTEMS

ESTIMATION OF THE RISK OF EXTINCTION

Current Limitations of Existing Theory

Intrinsic Limits of Extinction Models

LACK OF BASIC INFORMATION

Dynamics of Natural Populations

Systematics

Do Minimum Viable Population Sizes Exist?

THE PROTECTION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY

Uncertainty Regarding Future Adaptive Challenges to Species

FEASIBLE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

The Spatial Structure of Reserves

Corridors and Edge Effects

Reconstruction of Habitat

Consequences of Captive Breeding and Supplementation

Global Environmental Change

VALUING RARITY

10 Beyond the Endangered Species Act

IS THE ESA WORKING?

REDUCING EXTINCTION

RECOVERY SUCCESS

PROTECTION OF ECOSYSTEMS

THE FUTURE: BEYOND THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Appendixes

Appendix A

Appendix B

Endangered Species Act of 1973

Table of Contents

Findings, Purposes, and Policy

Definitions.

Determination of Endangered Species and Threatened Species

Land Acquisition

Cooperation with the States

Interagency Cooperation

International Cooperation

Convention Implementation

Prohibited Acts

Exceptions

Penalties and Enforcement

Endangered Plants

Conforming Amendments

Repealer

Authorization of Appropriations

Effective Date

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972

Annual Cost Analysis by the Fish and Wildlife Service

Appendix C Biographical Information on Committee Members

Chair

Members

Staff

Index.

Notes:

Appendix B: Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended through the 100th Congress. 1988, (p. 211-257).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786610210886

9780309176194

0309176190

9781280210884

1280210885

9780309568814

0309568811

9780585037387

0585037388

OCLC:

42330450