E.O. Wilson’s main thesis on how to save the earth is presented in the title and near the end of the book in a scant 3 pages. If you’re looking for a detailed instruction manual on how to follow his advice, this book is not it. The instructions are clear, and simple, set aside more of the planet for species. The largest impediment to species survival is suitable habitat. Therefore we need more natural areas set aside. Simple, except for the implementation.
Humans are species killers. Our actions have caused species extinction rates to be up to 1000 times the pre-human background rates (the ‘natural rates’, if I dare to use that word). Humans have done this in a number of ways but primarily by reducing the available habitat. Humans have also allowed (is that the right word?) some species to not go extinct. We have done this by our conservation efforts, and its estimated that without conservation efforts 20% more vertebrate species would have gone extinct.
How can we save individual species from extinction. Determine the factors that make species vulnerable (or determine vulnerability in another way - few individuals left for example), single out those species, and start protecting them. What are the factors that make species vulnerable to extinction? Here are a few; species that have small ranges, require specific habitat or have limited habitat/space (island species), are poor dispersers, have low fecundity (produce few young each breeding period) are more at risk. Now let’s send the hoards out to protect them - for example, we could setup fences during breeding seasons to keep people from tromping over nests. We do do this for some species. BUT… is this the best way? Well, no it certainly is not. As I have already stated, the way is save more space for species. Specific efforts may be necessary to save an individual species - a species reduced to few individuals will not bounce back even if instantly given twice as much habitat - but over the long-term more space = more species saved. Let’s not arrest short term efforts, lets do both.
The plea from E.O. Wilson goes like this:
“To those who are steering the growth of reserves worldwide, let me make an earnest request: Don’t stop, just aim higher.”
Here is my plea: Think about where you live and the number, size, or area of natural spaces within 200 miles of you. In the next 5 years make an effort to add 30% that area, or if that is unrealistic try to add 10% to that area. You will save more species for your children’s children.
Most people know the names of animals that have gone extinct due to humans screwing up the system - at least the larger and famous ones: The Dodo, the Moa, The dugong, Stellar’s Seacow, the passenger pigeon. Others might not be so well known, like the zebra-like Quagga for example. Even further down most the list of known extinction are small relatively unknown species such as snails and mussels. These mollusks are one of the most at risk groups: New extinctions in this realm include the first species (a snail) declared extinct in 2017 the Beaverpond Marstonia (a dubious distinction). Mussels include three Pearly mussels species the Green Blossom, Yellow Blossom and Turgid Blossom, AND 310 more mollusks.
These species extinctions are foreshadowing our own end, we live in the same system, we are not unconnected. We are in trouble unless E. O. Wilson starts to run the show. E.O. Wilson for World President!
Readings
De Vos, et al 2014. Estimating the Normal Background Rate of
Species Extinction. Conservation Biology 29: 452 — 462.
Hoffmann et al. 2010. The impact of conservation on the status
of the world’s vertebrates. Science 330: 1503–1509.
Wilson, E.O. 2014. Half-earth: Our planets fight for life. New York: Norton. 259 pp.