1) State the organism's genus and species and common name if applicable I decided to go with the Bog Turtle species called Glyptemys muhlenbergii

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1) State the organism's genus and species and common name if applicable

I decided to go with the Bog Turtle species called Glyptemys muhlenbergii.

2. State the area in which this organism lives

The bog turtle may be found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

3. Is this organism a producer or a consumer? Where does it or did it fit into the ecosystem?

Like many other pond turtles, Bog turtles are omnivores and are thus primary eaters in the food chain. It can consume many different things, including plants, tiny insects, berries, and seeds. Non-native and non-wetland plants may benefit from an increased ecological advantage provided by the bog turtle. When bog turtles use these tiny wetlands, they accomplish duties such as filtering water, replenishing aquifers, and serving as floodwater reservoirs.

4. Discuss why it is threatened (habitat loss, change in climate, etc.)

Because of habitat degradation, the bog turtle is in danger. Many of the bog turtle's habitat has been taken up by invasive species and urban development, significantly reducing its population.

5. How have human's impacted the survival of this species - both negatively and positively

Bog turtles are an essential part of our wildlife resources, both because they devour amounts of nuisance insects and larvae but also because they are a vital piece in what makes our ecosystems distinct. Their status as a "flagship species" embodies an ecological diversity that is rare yet fragile and at risk from degradation. Demand in the commercial pet trade has resulted in the purchase of tiny, colorful, and aesthetically appealing turtles, undesirable to the pet trade. Human Impact on the Economy: However, they pose no damage to human interests. Unfortunately, due to their protected status, some people may perceive turtles as an inconvenience or obstacle to property development.

6. What level of effort should we expend on saving endangered species? What can be done to help them survive (and in particular, your chosen organism)?

One of the best things we humans can do to aid endangered animals is to stop killing them; we can also help them by making our homes inviting to wildlife. The last step that every Eco-minded person should follow is avoiding using herbicides and pesticides in the garden and recycling and buying only sustainable items.

William

1. State the organism's genus and species and common name if applicable

Snow Leopard-Panthera uncia

2. State the area in which this organism lives

Easter Himalayas, Yangtze (cold areas, high up on mountains)

3. Is this organism a producer or a consumer? Where does it or did it fit into the ecosystem?

Consumer. Snow Leopards eat sheep, boars, gazelles, hares, deers, and mice.

4. Discuss why is it threatened (habitat loss, change in climate, etc.)

Three main threats are attributed to Snow Leopards survival. Climate change, habitat fragmentation, and retaliatory killings. Climate changes threatens their habitat due to Snow Leopards mainly staying in cold areas. With global warming up to 30 percent of habitat could be lost in the Himalayas alone. Human settlement and climate change is resulting in less space and broken up areas of habitat for the Snow Leopard minimizing space for hunting, hiding, and mating. Local farmers are a risk to Snow Leopards as Snow Leopards will kill livestock in the areas they would normally hunt but farmers have taken over for farming. The farmers then kill the Snow Leopards to save their livestock. Argali sheep is a main food source for Snow Leopards but local communities also hunt Argali sheep which lessens the food sources available for the Snow Leopards as they not only have less food but are at risk from the hunters as well.

5. How have human's impacted the survival of this species - both negatively and positively

Negative: As mentioned above, most of the threats to this species are directly due to human impact. Hunting, farming on their land, and killing the Snow Leopards has made it difficult for them to survive,

Positive: Organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund have been working to stop illegal trade and work with local communities to stop the killing of Snow Leopards. They work with farmers and herders to bring awareness to the Snow Leopards and create ways such as insurance to ensure retaliatory killings do not take place.

6. What level of effort should we expend on saving endangered species? What can be done to help them survive (and in particular your chosen organism)?

We should expend a lot of effort to save endangered species. These animals are vital to their areas in ways that we cannot see. My go to example is wolves in Yellowstone. Wolves were driven out of Yellowstone and the environment suffered from their absence. (I suggest watching the video on the page linked below titled “How Wolves Change Rivers”) Taking an animal out of the environment that has adapted to their presence can have many negative impacts that we don’t see. This animal needs more awareness to its vulnerability to help stop illegal trade of the fur and other body parts and more creative ways to stop retaliatory killings from local farmers. Habitat conservation and stopping climate change is also needed but are harder to achieve and should be long term goals versus the previous short-term goals listed.

 

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/snow-leopard

yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wildlife/wolf-reintroduction-changes-ecosystem/

Marilyn smith

1. State the organism's genus and species and common name if applicable

-Sequoiadendron giganteum (The Giant Sequoia)

2. State the area in which this organism lives

-Giant Sequoia only occur naturally in the remaining 68 groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

3. Is this organism a producer or a consumer? Where does it or did it fit into the ecosystem?

-Giant Sequoia are a major primary producer, living for thousands of years and supplying food to the herbivores in the ecosystem which feed on the tissues of living trees. Its cones are a source of food for the Douglas squirrel, the Giant Sequoia also supplies food to decomposers such as fungi and insects in the ground that feed on the dead parts falling to the ground. The Giant Sequoia benefits from these decomposers, replenishing nutrients in the soil which is vital to a Giant Sequoias continued growth. 

4. Discuss why is it threatened (habitat loss, change in climate, etc.)

-Giant Sequoia are threatened due to fire and fire suppression. Early land management practices, which prohibited fires in an attempt to protect the species, actually led to a build up of fuel load, such as ground cover and smaller trees that would dry out excessively in a drought and cause dangerous crown fires. These fires were especially detrimental to the younger Giant Sequoias because they have not yet built up a fire resistance like the older Sequoias, leaving few to replace the older generation. Today it is still extremely difficult to properly germinate the seeds of these Giant Sequoia due to the need for controlled burns and direct sunlight to open the cones containing the seeds, which can remain closer for up to 20 years before opening! Because of the insufficient regeneration there are now a decreasing number of younger trees that are going to replace older generations. If fire suppression from the past century is to be fully mitigated, a method to increase the acreage burned must be found. Currently with air quality controls and restrictions on burning there is little that can be done until these issues are resolved. 

5. How have human's impacted the survival of this species - both negatively and positively

-Negative: Humans excessively logged Giant Sequoias beginning in 1856 and continued intermittently up until the 1950's! One particularly devastating logging took place from 1888-1908 in the Converse Basin Grove. During this time over 8,000 Sequoias were cut, including the oldest ever recorded having 3,200 rings and was estimated to be over 4,000 years old! However due to trees shattering on impact beyond salvaging and an extremely expensive flume (channel for transport), this endeavor ironically turned out to render zero profit. So essentially, all this was done for nothing. The other negative would be the early poor land management not allowing fires which led to an overgrowth of underbrush and fir trees, thus making regeneration for the Sequoia nearly impossible. This led to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing the Giant Sequoia from 'vulnerable' to 'endangered' on their Red List. 

-Positive: According to the National Parks Service, interest in preserving the groves led to "...part of the Yosemite Act of 1864, the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias was included in the first public reservation designated by the Federal government for the long term protection of natural features." This paved the way for the conservation and protection of the Giant Sequoia from logging. In 1961 as concerns of the effects of fire suppression increased, experimental burns were attempted and documented the significant fuel reduction and dependence of Giant Sequoia on fire for successful regeneration. Later in 1972, finally prescribed burns were established helping to maintain the species, cycle nutrients and control disease organisms. 

6. What level of effort should we expend on saving endangered species? What can be done to help them survive (and in particular your chosen organism)?

-I believe that there is an increasing amount of people who are genuinely contributing to trying to lessen human impact on the planet and I think that is where it really needs to start if we expect any change to happen. People organizing to clean up trash along the road, clean up the oceans, or even volunteering. There are tons of organizations out there like 4Ocean that people can be apart of as well that work to benefit the ocean as a whole which in turn helps endangered species. I think everyone should be contributing to helping endangered species, creating solutions to coexist with them, and appreciating them and their environment. Unfortunately this is not the case and not everyone is going to care, hence the issue I see. The only way I could see this being reversed is by trying to instill in the younger generation the importance of these animals and the importance of keeping our impacts minimal. I feel like building society from the ground up is our only hope for the future of endangered species, teach people to care! For instance, the Giant Sequoia, I go to Sequoia about once every other week and I can't even tell you how much trash I pick up, it's ridiculous. Something as simple as people cleaning up after themselves, that would be a great start! 

I attached some pics of Mariposa Grove in Yosemite, my best friend is standing by these giants for perspective. The other two are of my husband in Sequoia National Park walking the Big Tree Sequoia Trail. 

Sources:

The Giant Sequoia of the Sierra Nevada (Chapter 4) (nps.gov)

Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Sequoia) (iucnredlist.org)

NPS: The Giant Sequoias of California (Enemies of the Giant Sequoia)

Proceedings of the Workshop on Management of Giant Redwoods (fs.fed.us)

Objects or Ecosystems? Giant Sequoia Management in National Parks - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)