How climate change threatens plant and animal species | Climate Watch: Protecting the Planet
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of Climate Watch, Ben Tracy explores the severe impacts of climate change, which has led to a 2°F increase in global temperatures since pre-industrial times. The documentary highlights the dangers faced by endangered species, such as the red wolf, honeybees, Florida Panthers, and reef sharks. Experts discuss potential solutions and conservation efforts, from preserving crucial habitats like the Caribbean forest and El Yunque National Forest to marine protected areas in the Bahamas. The episode underscores the urgency of addressing climate change to protect biodiversity and sustain human health.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The Earth has warmed by 2°F since pre-industrial times, leading to more severe weather and endangering plant and animal species.
- 🦏 In 2023 alone, 21 species went extinct, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change and its impact on biodiversity.
- 🐝 Honeybees are vital for pollination, but habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change continue to threaten insect populations, including dung beetles.
- 🪲 Dung beetles are struggling to adapt to rising temperatures, which impacts their ability to dispose of waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- 🌳 The medicinally valuable Tabonuco tree in Puerto Rico, threatened by climate change, has potential for treating cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases.
- 🦈 Reef sharks, critical to maintaining coral reef ecosystems, have declined by 63% due to overfishing but are recovering in marine protected areas (MPAs).
- 🦎 The Yaro spiny lizard in Arizona is nearing extinction due to rising temperatures, which are reducing its habitable range.
- 🐆 The Florida panther population has rebounded from near extinction, thanks to conservation efforts and the creation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
- 🚤 Enforcement of marine protected areas is essential for protecting endangered species like reef sharks from illegal fishing activities.
- 🌿 Conserving wild places is crucial not only for biodiversity but also for future medical discoveries, as seen with the Tabonuco tree and other species.
Q & A
What is the current global temperature increase compared to pre-industrial times?
-As of the end of 2023, the Earth has warmed by 2 degrees Fahrenheit compared to pre-industrial times.
What are the consequences of a hotter planet mentioned in the script?
-A hotter planet leads to more severe weather, deadly heat waves, and warmer oceans, which are endangering plants, animals, and insects at an alarming rate.
How many endangered plant and animal species are there in the United States?
-There are more than 1,300 endangered plant and animal species in the United States.
What role do insects play in the global ecosystem according to the script?
-Insects make up two-thirds of the world’s 1.5 million animal species and provide essential services like pollination, nutrient recycling, and waste decomposition, which are crucial for agriculture and the environment.
Why are honeybees and dung beetles in decline, according to the experts interviewed?
-Honeybees have experienced mass colony collapse due to pesticides and climate change, while dung beetles are struggling with extreme heat, which affects their ability to bury their offspring and decompose waste.
What medicinal plant in Puerto Rico is under threat, and why is it significant?
-The Tabonuco tree in Puerto Rico is under threat, and it has potential medicinal properties that could treat cancers, cardiovascular issues, and neurological diseases, making its conservation important for future medical research.
What is the role of marine protected areas (MPAs) in protecting marine life?
-Marine protected areas (MPAs) provide complete protection from fishing and other human activities, allowing species like reef sharks to recover and thrive, helping maintain the balance of coral reef ecosystems.
Why is the Yarrow spiny lizard in danger of extinction, according to the research mentioned?
-The Yarrow spiny lizard, which has lived in Arizona for 3 million years, is at risk of extinction due to rising temperatures, which are pushing it to higher elevations where cooler habitats are becoming scarce.
What has helped the population of Florida Panthers recover, and what challenges remain?
-Bipartisan conservation efforts like the Florida Wildlife Corridor have helped the Florida Panther population grow from 20-30 in the 1970s to about 200 today, but challenges like habitat loss and vehicle collisions still threaten their survival.
What role do cattle ranchers play in the conservation of Florida Panthers?
-Cattle ranchers, like Elton Langford, play a vital role in conservation by maintaining undeveloped lands that are part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, providing essential habitat for Florida Panthers and other wildlife.
Outlines
🌍 Earth's Warming and the Consequences of Climate Change
As of 2023, the Earth has warmed by 2°F since pre-industrial times, leading to severe weather events, deadly heat waves, and warmer oceans. This environmental shift is threatening over 1,300 endangered species in the U.S., including the red wolf and the Arizona Hedgehog Cactus. In 2023 alone, 21 species went extinct. The video explores these climate impacts on plants, animals, and insects, starting with the crucial role insects play in ecosystems. Specifically, it highlights how the decline of insects like honeybees and dung beetles is a critical sign of broader environmental damage.
🐝 The Decline of Honeybees and Dung Beetles
Insects, which constitute two-thirds of Earth's species, are facing significant decline, with 40% of species, including honeybees and dung beetles, at risk. Honeybees experienced mass colony collapse 15 years ago, and dung beetles are now struggling due to rising temperatures. The segment introduces scientists like Kimberly Sheldon, who are studying how climate change affects insects and their critical roles in ecosystems, such as nutrient recycling. This section underscores the importance of insects in waste disposal and climate regulation, with a special focus on the fascinating and often overlooked dung beetle.
🌿 The Medicinal Value of the Tabanouco Tree and Other Endangered Plants
The El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is home to the endangered Tabanouco tree, which holds medicinal properties that may help treat cancers and neurological diseases. Ranger Victor Quas and researcher Michelle Lopez Lorenzo emphasize the importance of preserving wild places like El Yunque to protect endangered species. This segment highlights the medicinal potential of the tree, which can only be studied further if its population remains healthy and abundant. It also draws attention to other endangered plants like the Yellow Hibiscus in Hawaii and the Nichols Turks Head Cactus in Arizona.
🦈 Reef Sharks and the Impact of Marine Protected Areas
Reef sharks have seen a population decline of 63% due to overfishing, with 20% of reefs now lacking these top predators. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), like those in the Bahamas, are crucial for protecting reef sharks and ensuring the survival of coral reef ecosystems. Scientists like Candice Fields are using technology to track shark populations and study the effects of MPAs on marine life recovery. The segment explores the role of MPAs in global ocean conservation efforts and the enforcement of fishing restrictions, demonstrating their success in maintaining biodiversity.
🦎 The Yarrow Spiny Lizard Faces Extinction
The Yarrow Spiny Lizard, which has thrived in the Mule Mountains of Arizona for 3 million years, is now facing imminent extinction due to rising temperatures. Dr. John Wans from the University of Arizona explains how lizard populations are being pushed higher up the mountains as the desert floor becomes too hot. With limited space remaining, some populations may go extinct by 2025. This segment illustrates how climate change is accelerating the extinction of species and warns that such local extinctions are becoming more common.
🐾 The Florida Panther: From the Brink of Extinction
The Florida Panther population, once as low as 20 or 30 individuals, has grown to around 200, thanks to conservation efforts like the Florida Wildlife Corridor. However, threats from urban sprawl, vehicle collisions, and habitat loss persist. Photographer Carlton Ward has spent years documenting these elusive 'ghost cats,' while biologists continue to monitor and support the Panther population. The narrative emphasizes the importance of connecting habitats for the survival of the species and celebrates recent successes like the Panther named Babs, who crossed the Kissimmee River, expanding the Panther’s range northward.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Climate Change
💡Endangered Species
💡Insect Population Decline
💡Habitat Loss
💡Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
💡Conservation
💡Colony Collapse Disorder
💡Biodiversity
💡Reef Sharks
💡Wildlife Corridors
Highlights
The Earth has warmed by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since pre-industrial times, resulting in more severe weather and increased threats to plants, animals, and insects.
In 2023 alone, 21 species went extinct in the U.S., adding to the more than 1,300 endangered species, including the red wolf and Arizona Hedgehog Cactus.
40% of insect species are in decline, including the honeybee and the dung beetle, which are crucial for pollination and decomposition.
Honeybee populations have somewhat recovered from a mass colony collapse 15 years ago, thanks to beekeepers like Alicia Bixler, but they remain under threat from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.
Dung beetles are struggling to bury their offspring deep enough to protect them from the warming climate, potentially leading to a decrease in essential ecosystem services.
The massive decline in insect populations is as critical to life on Earth as climate change, with potential long-term consequences for agriculture and biodiversity.
The dung beetle, responsible for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by managing waste, faces challenges in surviving and performing its vital ecological functions.
Puerto Rico's El Yunque National Forest is home to the endangered Tabanuko tree, which has potential medicinal properties for treating cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are critical for reef sharks, whose populations have declined by 63% globally. These areas offer protection from overfishing and allow marine ecosystems to recover.
The Yarow Spiny Lizard, a species that has lived for 3 million years in Arizona, is now facing extinction due to rising temperatures that are forcing them higher up mountains with limited space.
Conservation efforts like the Florida Wildlife Corridor have helped increase the population of Florida Panthers from 20-30 in the 1970s to roughly 200 today, but they remain under threat.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the world are part of a UN goal to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030, crucial for conserving endangered marine species like reef sharks.
The endangered Florida Panther has expanded its range beyond the Everglades thanks to successful conservation efforts, including a key female Panther named Babs who crossed the previously impassable Kusahahatchee River.
Cattle ranchers have emerged as unlikely allies in Florida panther conservation, as protecting their habitat also ensures the survival of their ranching operations.
Panther conservation efforts have received bipartisan support, helping prevent urban development that would threaten their habitat, such as a proposed toll road through their territory.
Transcripts
[Music]
welcome to climate watch I'm Ben Tracy
as of the end of 2023 the Earth has
warmed by 2 Dees Fahrenheit from
pre-industrial times that's when Global
temperature recordkeeping began a hotter
Planet means more severe weather deadly
heat waves and warmer oceans all of
which are endangering plants animals and
in sex at an alarming rate there are
more than 1,300 endangered plant and
animal species in the United States
alone including the red wolf native to
the southeast and the Arizona Hedgehog
Cactus 21 species went extinct in 2023
alone so we're going to hear from
experts about what this means for us
humans and some potential solutions to
this crisis we'll travel to a Caribbean
Forest where a tree with medicinal
properties is under threat and can only
be studied and used in modern medicine
if there is a healthy abundant
population and we meet a wildlife
photographer trying to raise awareness
about the critically low population of
Florida Panthers but first what bugs can
tell us about the state of our planet
insects make up 2third of the world's
1.5 million animal species but 40% of
insect species are in Decline including
the honeybee and the dung beetle
honeybees experience Mass colony
collapse 15 years ago doing part to
pesticides and climate change and dung
beetles are having trouble digging deep
enough into the ground to Shield their
offspring from extreme heat Adam
Yamaguchi met scientists determined to
save these
creatures we run our honeybee business
out of our home Florida beekeeper Alicia
Bixler has made it her life's calling to
protect honeybees we rely on them for so
much pollination apples almonds
blueberries pumpkin
avocados macadamia nuts wow Bixler is
one of over 100,000 beekeepers in
America today who are in part
responsible for bringing back the number
of honeybees from Mass colony collapse
over 15 years ago but habitat loss the
use of pesticides and climate change are
threatening other insects of all shapes
and
sizes so this is the female including
The Not So Glamorous dung beetle this is
called the rainbow SC and and you can
see that they do look like a puppy dog
with their little antenna out oh my God
and it just pooped on yeah it did means
it likes
you entomologist Kimberly Sheldon and
her team from the University of
Tennessee are studying what happens to
dung beetles in a warming climate are
you concerned about beatles and and what
the future holds I am concerned about
beatles Sheldon collects dung beetles
into a greenhouse to better understand
how they might fare in the future in the
greenhouse the soil temperatures in that
bucket are warmer and more variable so
it's actually realistically simulating
what's happening with climate change but
now Sheldon says smaller dung beetles
are having trouble digging deep enough
to protect their offspring from the
warming climate and extreme temperature
swings a troubling sign for the insects
that aate and provide nutrients and soil
a critical service for agriculture and
vegetation getting rid of feces getting
rid of dead bodies getting rid of all
the kind of horrible decomposing work is
done on this kind of grand scale we
don't really think about it we don't
like to think about it writer Oliver
milman author of the book insect crisis
says the massive die off of insects is
as consequential to life on Earth as
climate change the dung be really
important disposing waste that would
otherwise carry all kinds of diseases
pathogens that would be passed between
animals and humans and while climate
change is contributing to insect
population declines the loss of dung Vos
May in turn exacerbate extreme swings in
temperature creating something of a
climate Doom Loop do dung beetles serve
a function in let say climate regulation
dung beetles reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from things like cow pies this
is endlessly fascinating I I had no idea
that the dung beetle was this important
I mean arguably has the worst job in the
world well I think the dung beatles
don't think it's a bad
job there's a thing for everybody in
this world and if that's your you know
though we often look to animals like the
polar bear as the poster child of the
climate crisis according to milman
insects are just as deserving of our
attention insects around the world
they're the pilots of the plane we're at
the back where the passenger drinking a
martini so they're piloting the plane
we're out back having a drink but we do
have a a significant impact yeah yeah
we're kind of like kicking down the door
of the cockpit and messing around with
the pilot we're doing terrible things to
their environment habitat dest C but
this is really dry dung back in
Tennessee Sheldon says the lowely dung
beetle just might be the unsung hero
doing its critical duties for the planet
sounds almost foundational for life on
Earth yeah that's why people have
describe insects as the little things
that run the world because they're
really that
[Music]
important we head now to elun National
Forest in Puerto Rico it's home to many
endangered plants including the yellow
habiscus and the Nickels Turks head
Cactus but one plant the tabonuco tree
has the potential to treat some cancers
cardiovascular issues and neurological
diseases David sheer has
more there are 154 forests in the
National Forest system none with a
larger Bounty of plants animals and
habitats than eljun National Forest in
Puerto Rico places like this
are
medicinal to the soul to the heart I'm
headed into the forest with park ranger
Victor quas and volunteer Michelle Lopez
Lorenzo they're telling me at a time
when 1 million species on the planet are
threatened with Extinction that
protecting wild places is one of our
best defenses to save our Living
Treasures like the tabonuco tree Victor
says the sap of the tree has medicinal
qualities f a beach
this is this is newer sap huh that's
enough
righty my whole mouth is now getting
numb that's that's what it is if you
have a cavity if you have a tooth aach
this um was and is one of the many
traditional ways to remedy that it also
tastes wonderful the tabano has long
been used in traditional folk medicine
but new research suggests its value as a
pharmaceutical is largely untapped and
that the class of trees it belongs to
has potential to treat diverse cancers
cardiovascular and neurological diseases
the tabano still exists today because
eljun was protected against logging in
development and land conservation is
helping to protect many other species
across the country like the endangered
Yellow Hibiscus the state flower of
Hawaii and the Nickels Turks head cactus
in Arizona the only way that the people
who are experts in this are going to be
able to study these trees is if there's
is a healthy abundant population today
conserving wild places like aljun
sustains a huge variety of plants and
animals that live here tomorrow it might
help sustain us with remedies we don't
yet know
[Music]
about from land to the ocean reef sharks
have declined in population by 63%
according to a five your study and over
fishing has driven them to near
Extinction on 20% of reefs Marin
protected areas or mpas around the world
protect animals like the reef shark from
human activity so the rest of the
underwater ecosystem can Thrive I
visited the Bahamas to see how they're
protecting these Kings of the coral
reef here in the Bahamas reef sharks are
one of the most common sharks that we
see Candice Fields took us to Danger
Reef in the Bahamas to see this Waters
teeming with reef sharks as top
predators they're critical to keeping
the balance of fish populations in check
so coral reef ecosystems can Thrive
they're kind of the kings of the coral
reef right they're keeping the reef in a
in nice harmonious balance Fields is
part of a global shark census called fin
print in 2018 it found the five main
species of reef sharks had declined
63% and were functionally extinct on 20%
of the reefs largely due to over
fishing but they're thriving here inside
what is called a marine protected area
or MPA you can't come in here and fish
for anything you can't take a thing
absolutely it's complete protection all
right let's check the camera we watched
as Fields deployed an underwater camera
to help count the Sharks her data is
part of a new study to see if MPA help
threaten marine life
recover there are more than 18,000 mpas
covering about 8% of the world's oceans
part of the United Nations effort to
protect 30% of the oceans by
2030 so we're on our way to look for
people fishing yes sir but enforcement
is key we rode along with the Royal
Bahamas Defense Force on patrol stop the
Mel it has seized dozens of votes they
have 46 persons on board Bing and
jailing fishermen and confiscating their
often massive illegal catch either we
chase them away or we catch them and
we've been having um huge success doing
this so when it comes to enforcement you
guys are the muscle yes these vessels
have entered into the Bahamian Waters
part of the brains of the operation is
Skylight A system that helps track the
bad guys using a mix of AI and satellite
vessel tracking data so we're using this
technology to help Focus those Patrol
efforts it's something that I think will
have a big impact on shark conservation
um in the future hopefully helping the
kings of the reef
[Music]
rebound up next a lizard that has
survived for millions of years is losing
its habitat as temperatures
rise the Yaro spiny lizard has been
living in and around the mule mountains
of Arizona for 3 million years but now
scientists fear they could be extinct as
early as next year as temperatures
continue to soar to new record highs
here again is David sheer who went in
search of this struggling
species this guy they're actually I love
them at just a few inches long they look
like they're smiling all the time is
called a Yaro spiny lizard despite his
tiny size he has a huge story to tell
about climate change and the Very future
of our planet everyone's got water is it
bad that I'm already out of breath we'll
take it easy I'm tagging along on a
2-hour hike with Dr John wans from the
University of Arizona to count lizards
and document how hotter temperatures are
stressing them out this is some serious
stuff look it's about to flatten out he
says it's about to flatten out but he's
been saying that for an hour yar's
lizards love the cooler Mountain
habitats across Southern Arizona that
are well above the hot desert floor
because they can't take the heat down
there individual populations have been
isolated from each other for millions of
years in different mountain
ranges just outside the town of Bisby a
subpopulation of lizards has lived in
the mule Mountains for 3 million years
the one here around Bisby is older than
human beings we anticipate that they're
um going to be entirely extinct here in
the mules by uh next year by 2025 they
may be extinct already why does he think
so well in 2014 wans and his colleagues
could only find lizards in the mule
mountains above 5700 ft of elevation 8
years later he went back and the only
lizards that hadn't died out were now
above 7,100 ft that left only a few
hundred fet of Mountaintop cool enough
for them to survive so they're almost
out of room a landmark report from the
United Nations determined that 1 million
species are threatened with Extinction
based on Dr W's research he believes
that number is actually far higher
driven by the heat trapping gases that
come from our cars our factories and our
power plants it's
catastrophic um as human beings of in
the developed world we all sort of have
some responsibility for this what do you
do to look we're going to look on uh top
of rocks here um a little sun is really
helpful
but so they they'll be out basking
they're very easy to find when they're
when it's a sunny day does not seem to
be anyone here we need to confirm you
come back here at least a couple more
times but it seems like this this
distinct lineage that's been separated
for about 3 million years is looks like
it's gone now it's gone yeah is that is
that disappointing to you well yeah of
course it's ultimately what's the story
this is what the future's going to look
like this is this is climate related
Extinction yarao spiny lizard
populations survive in other parts of
Arizona though many are struggling too
we says the death of this local
population around Bisby shows us how
climate change is quickening the pace of
Extinction it's not only happening over
centuries or decades it's happening now
the population of Florida Panthers has
risen from only 20 or 30 total in the
1970s to roughly 200 today bipartisan
conservation efforts like the Florida
Wildlife Corridor connecting their
native habitats have helped their
numbers grow but there's still much more
to be done Manuel borz followed along
with a wildlife photographer raising
awareness of the so-called ghost
cat a panther just walked out reclusive
and elusive the Florida panther is often
called the ghost
cat to see one it's either a zoo or the
rare and accidental encounter oh my God
oh my God holy sh I've only ever seen
two Florida Panthers in the wild with my
own eyes they're that elusive they're
completely elusive there could be one
looking at us somewhere in these cypress
trees right now but we'll never see it
this project has been the hardest thing
I've ever attempted wildlife
photographer Carlton ward has been
hunting Panthers digitally for 20 years
with elaborate camera traps in the
swampy Wilds ward has captured Panther
images as never before the new naio film
intimately showcases the struggle for
survival Panthers need a lot of land a
single male Panther needs a home range
of up to 200 square miles that's four
times the size of Miami for a single
Panther we met Ward at the edge of
What's called the Florida Wildlife
Corridor a project he founded it's a
mosaic of still wild and undeveloped
land stitched together and occasionally
assisted with infrastructure he says
it's the vital Link in the Panthers
Survival Story it takes all the adjacent
properties working together as a
connected hole because it takes the
Nature Preserve and the cattle ranch and
the Citrus Grove and the timber farm and
the state forest all together as this
connected Grand space that Panthers call
home human conflict drove Panthers to
the brink first livestock ranchers
removed big cats by any means necessary
east of the Mississippi Panthers were
eventually driven into a tiny swampy
corner of Florida next came rampant
urban sprawl and the often fatal
encounters that came with it vehicle
collision is number one but in the last
two weeks we have three the ghost cat
almost vanished entirely in the early '
80s in 1990s there are probably only
about 20 to 30 Florida Panthers left in
the wild I mean that's pretty close to
too extinct yeah it's about as close as
you can get Dave onor is a panther
biologist with Florida Fish and Wildlife
he's among the conservationists that
help bring them back from the brink it
looks like Wilderness but we're not very
far from I75 no Pumas and Panthers are
amazingly adaptable and so they will
come up to what we call the urban
Wildlife interface but to survive the
cats may need to go further for decades
the imposing kusah hatchee River
prevented Panthers from moving north of
the Everglade
and that had been the dividing line for
five decades where no female Panthers
had been seen north of that River since
1973 so we've had nothing nothing break
the beam since last Friday but then a
small miracle somehow a female Panther
north of the river nicknamed Babs she's
amazing she's a Pioneer she swam the
river for Ward Babs became an obsession
why is it so important for you to
capture a crystal clear beautiful image
people connect with beauty people
connect with their hearts and to see the
eyes of these Panthers and to see the
beauty of the habitat and the place
where they live now with their numbers
creeping above 200 Florida Panthers have
a new and unlikely
Ally come here yes cattle ranchers at
least some ranchers like Elton Langford
protecting the Panther also protects
your way of life yes sir it does he says
the same development that threatens
Panthers might make ranchers and
endangered species if you loseing
habitat you losing everything you know
if you think about it we need to do our
part as good stewards of the land Ward
hopes the tide May finally be turning it
is not California it is not Texas it is
Florida public opposition helped defeat
a toll road once proposed right through
Panther territory and there has been
bipartisan government support and
funding for the corridor and Babs well
here she is with one of her many Cubs
it's believed she's already delivered
multiple litters north of that River I
want people to know that this Florida
still exist that we have Wilderness and
wild places that are as beautiful and
inspiring as any place in the world and
then we have animals like the Florida
panther that are still out there and
need us for their
[Music]
survival for more stories like these in
live coverage of breaking news stream us
right here on CBS News 247 available
across all platforms thanks for watching
climate watch I'm Ben Tracy
[Music]
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