Biological diversity on 'dramatic decline'

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Biological diversity on 'dramatic decline'

Saturday, September 18, 1999

By MICHAEL PAULSON
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON -- From the lowliest lichens to the fearsome grizzly bear, much of the diverse flora and fauna of the Northwest is in decline because of the side effects of human civilization, the government said yesterday.

The U.S. Geological Survey, releasing what it said was the first large-scale assessment of trends among the nation's biological resources, found "dramatic declines in the country's plants, animals and ecosystems."

The construction of cities and farms, the consumption of water for industry and agriculture, global warming, chemical pollution and even a history of transporting plants and animals from one continent to another all are cited by the report as ways in which human beings have contributed to a reduction of biological diversity in the United States.

"Man's impact on the Earth is accelerating," said Charles Groat, director of the USGS. "We continue to experience population growth, urban sprawl and heavy use of natural resources, from lands to waters to air and living creatures. In fact, we will see more and more pressure on all of our biological systems."

The conclusions of the report are not new -- the document is a compilation of scientific research conducted in the public and private sectors over the last few decades -- but they are nonetheless striking in their scope.

In the Pacific Northwest, the report says, logging of old-growth forests has dramatically affected a wide variety of birds and plants west of the Cascades. East of the Cascades, decades of fire suppression and heavy grazing have transformed the landscape.

The big picture is fairly familiar: At least 83 percent of the Northwest's old-growth Douglas fir forests are gone, as are 75 percent of the coastal rain forests in Washington. And some creatures -- the northern spotted owl and Pacific salmon, in particular -- have become familiar symbols of the conflict between economic and environmental values.

The report highlights the breadth of creatures that have declined over the last two centuries.

Washington state officials have been unable to find leopard frogs in parts of Eastern Washington where they were once abundant.

Sharp-tailed snakes, ring-necked snakes, western rattlesnakes and common king snakes have virtually disappeared from Oregon's southern Willamette Valley.

The winter wren, golden-crowned kinglet and Wilson's warbler, three birds found in old-growth forest, seem to be in decline, as is the marten, a small furry relative of the weasel.

Similar problems can be found throughout the country. The report found that less than 1 percent of the native grassland that once covered seven prairie states still remains. Grassland birds are in decline, and prairie dog populations have fallen by 98 percent.

The report blames dams and other water uses for the fact that fish and other aquatic organisms dominate lists of species at risk. For example, in the southeastern United States, 19 percent of freshwater fish are endangered or threatened, while in the Southwest, 48 percent of the region's fish species are in trouble.

The report does offer some good news about the Northwest.

Otters, hunted into oblivion at the turn of the century, have rebounded since the 1970s. A hardy population of sea otters can now be found between Makah Bay and Destruction Island in Washington.

Bald eagles and various raptors are also on the rebound, in part thanks to the banning of the insecticide DDT.

The Oregon silverspot butterfly population has stabilized after a long decline.

And some species have adapted well to humans and their activities, including two types of bird, Steller's jays and common yellowthroats, and mammals such as coyotes, red foxes and black bear.

Nature has shown, at least in the case of natural disaster, a dramatic ability to restore itself.

The report points to the eruption of Mount St. Helens and the destruction of Hurricane Andrew as examples of ways in which disaster can boost biological diversity. The distribution of sediment to coastal wetlands by Andrew and the toppling of trees by St. Helens have provided opportunities for different species to move into the area.

The report can be ordered online at www.usgs.gov