BIOtheNUMBERS

How about some positive news on the waterfowl front.  Here are some highlights from the 2009 Waterfowl Survey covering the north-central United States, south-central and northern Canada, and Alaska:

-The estimated mallard population is 8.5 million birds, a 10 percent increase over last year’s estimate of 7.7 million birds and 13 percent above the long-term average.

-The estimated population of 3.1 million gadwall is similar to last year’s estimate and 73 percent above the long-term average.

-At 7.4 million, the estimated population size of blue-winged teal is the second highest on record, while green-winged teal numbers were at an all-time high of 3.4 million. Estimates for both species are well above their long-term averages (60 percent and 79 percent, respectively).

-The 3.2 million estimate for northern pintails is 23 percent more than last year but 20 percent below the long-term average.

-The estimated number of one million redheads is similar to last year and is 62 percent above the long-term average.

-The canvasback estimate of 662,000 is 35 percent more than last year’s estimate and similar to the long-term average.

-The estimated abundance of northern shovelers (4.4 million) is 25 percent more than last year and 92 percent above the long-term average.

-The scaup (lesser and greater combined), estimate of 4.2 million, is 12 percent greater than last year but 18 percent below the long-term average. 

Data: U.S. FWS, Trends in Duck Breeding Populations, 1955-2009

The Living Planet Index is based on trends in nearly 5,000 populations of 1,686 species of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and fish from around the globe.

The global index (Living Planet Index) shows that vertebrate species populations declined by nearly 30% during the period 1970 to 2005.

Humanity’s Ecological Footprint- Human demand on the biosphere more than doubled during the period 1961 to 2005.

 Global Living Planet Index shows an average trend of -28% from 1970 to 2005 in 4,642 populations of 1,686 species.

Temperate Living Planet Index shows a +6% average trend between 1970 and 2005 in 3,309 opulations of 1,235 species.

Tropical Living Planet Index shows a -51% overall trend from 1970 to 2005 in 1,333 populations of 585 species.

Terrestrial Living Planet Index shows an average -33% trend between 1970 and 2005 in 2,007 populations of 887 terrestrial species.

Marine Living Planet Index shows an average -14 % trend over 35 years in 1,175 populations of 341 marine species.

Freshwater Living Planet Index shows an average -35% trend from 1970 to 2005 in 1,463 populations of 458 species.

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At least 81 bird species inhabit U.S. marine waters, spending their lives at sea and  returning to islands and coasts to nest.

At least 39% of bird species in U.S. marine waters are believed to be declining, but data are lacking for many species.

Of 81 ocean bird species, almost half are of conservation concern.

4 that are federally listed as endangered or threatened.

37% of ocean bird species have stable population trends.

12% of the 81 ocean bird species have  increasing populations.

12% of ocean birds do not have enough data available to determine population trends.

Longline fisheries worldwide injure and drown as many as 60 bird species.

Reference: North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee, 2009. The State of the Birds, United States of America, 2009. U.S. Department of Interior: Washington, DC.

Honey bees pollinate approximately $15 Billion worth of crops in the U.S. each year

It is estimated that honeybees only pollinate 15% of the most common food crops worldwide

Over 75% of all flowering plants are pollinated by animals

More than 100,000 different animal species – and perhaps as many as 200,000 – play roles in pollinating the 250,000 kinds of flowering plants on this planet

Insects (bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, flies, beetles) are the most common pollinators, but as many as 1,500 species of vertebrates such as birds and mammals serve as pollinators, including hummingbirds, perching birds, flying foxes, fruit bats, possums, lemurs and even a lizard (gecko)

At least 3 bat, 5 birds, and 24 butterfly, skipper and moth, one beetle and one fly species in the United States that are federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, are pollinators. It is unknown how many of the listed plants require pollinators.

Of the hundred or so crops that make up most of the world’s food supply, only 15% are pollinated by domestic bees, while at least 80% are pollinated by wild bees and other wildlife

The number of commercially managed honeybee colonies has declined from 5.9 million in the 1940s to 4.3 million in 1985 and 2.7 million in 1995

Data: USFWS

“Among the 566 extinct mollusk species, 400 are from oceanic islands, representing 71% of all listed mollusk extinctions. And among these 400 extinct mollusk species,327 are endemic to the most isolated islands of the world.”

Pacific islands – 225 species/subspecies
North America – 90
Asia – 59
Mascarene Islands – 49
Europe – 38
West Indies – 27
South/Central America – 21
Oceania – 13
Macaronesia – 11
Africa – 3
Others – 30

Reference: RÉGNIER, C., FONTAINE, B., & BOUCHET, P. (2009). Not Knowing, Not Recording, Not Listing: Numerous Unnoticed Mollusk Extinctions Conservation Biology