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This image provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service shows landscapes with a high degree of connectivity, at left, and low degree of connectivity, at right. A connected landscape structure generally has higher levels of functions than a fragmented landscape.
In wetlands areas traversed by busy roads, the turtle population is almost entirely male, said Purdue Fort Wayne herpetologist Bruce Kingsbury.
That is because the females travel to other locations to lay their eggs, and often try to cross a road to do it.
A population made up of only males does not have a chance of survival.
One World has delved into why it is important to help turtles across the road and the correct way to help turtles across the road.
In this edition, I would like to share ways we as a society can help keep turtle – and other species – populations healthy by providing places where they can safely follow their instinctual drives without being driven over.
“Wetlands are really important,” said Kingsbury.
Well, that’s strike one for the state of Indiana as it has chosen to change wetlands regulation and did away with compensatory mitigation – payment for environmental damage – in a controversial law championed by developers two years ago. The law changed the definition of a Class II wetland and allows discharge into our natural water resources, including Class I wetlands, additional Class II wetlands and ephemeral streams.
Amy Oberlin
Kingsbury talked at length about ephemeral wetlands. Ephemeral wetlands are not wet all the time. In the fall and winter, the water subsides, returning to wet habitat in the spring and summer.
It is not wet all the time, but it is still a vital part of amphibian and reptile survival.
As I write this, I can imagine someone asking me why they should care about slimy, crawling creatures.
Every creature counts. God created a perfectly balanced Earth that includes humans.
“Biodiversity underpins all life on Earth, and refers to biological variety in all its forms, from the genetic make up of plants and animals to cultural diversity,” says the World Health Organization. “People depend on biodiversity in their daily lives, in ways that are not always apparent or appreciated. Human health ultimately depends upon ecosystem products and services (such as availability of fresh water, food and fuel sources) which are requisite for good human health and productive livelihoods. Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health impacts if ecosystem services are no longer adequate to meet social needs. Indirectly, changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods, income, local migration and, on occasion, may even cause or exacerbate political conflict. Additionally, biological diversity of microorganisms, flora and fauna provides extensive benefits for biological, health, and pharmacological sciences. Significant medical and pharmacological discoveries are made through greater understanding of the earth’s biodiversity. Loss in biodiversity may limit discovery of potential treatments for many diseases and health problems.”
To help preserve a healthy biodiversity that includes snakes, lizards and salamanders, Kingsbury suggests leaving ephemeral wetlands alone, even if they look like dry ground in the summer. For those who have water bodies on their properties, he says to beware of stocking fish. Hungry fish that do not naturally occur in a location could quickly devour a plethora of other species.
Also, Kingsbury says, keep pesticides and fertilizers out of wetlands and areas that drain into them.
You do not need all those sprays and chemicals. They are toxic not just to native plants and animals, but to humans. Have you perchance seen the class action suit that brought an $11 billion settlement from Roundup for cancer caused by glyphosate, an active ingredient in many weed killers? These types of dangerous chemicals should be used sparingly and with caution. Just reach down and pull the darn weed out of the ground instead of violently spraying it with poison.
Biodiversity includes, for example, dandelions and nettles – both are edible and have a variety of uses. You don’t have to eat them – but you can still understand how they are meant to exist in a healthy world.
A great way to assure that turtles and other animals can naturally achieve their life cycles is to preserve wetlands corridors.
Kingsbury provided a graphic from the Natural Resources Conservation Service that showed how the corridors work. They have to be continuous. When bits of wilderness are tamed and turned into fields, lawns or roads, the corridor is broken. Then, the pregnant female turtle must traverse a foreign, potentially dangerous place to get where she needs to go to lay her eggs.
Salamanders live under leaf litter. You don’t notice them but they are there. When you rake up leaves from an area that has been undisturbed for many years, you just wiped out thousands of salamanders and other living creatures, too.
Salamanders eat ticks and mosquitoes – a natural, safe alternative to nasty sprays. And, they are a food source for other animals, like fish, snakes and birds.
We have developed the heck out of everything around us. Wetlands corridors are threatened.
Responsible, thoughtful development and ecosystem restoration may be pondered by those who enjoy the beautiful world we live in.
One World is a weekly column delving into the responsible use of our resources. Comments and suggestions are welcomed at editor@hurdmedia.com.
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