Indicator Species

+3 ° World

What can we Learn from indicator species That can effectively communicate the urgency of envirnonmental threats that affect both human and non-human survival?

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Indicator Species are organisms whose presence, absence or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition. They help assess ecosystem health and detect environmental changes.

Indicator Species

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Format: VR ExperienceInformation: 4 different types of environment. Each with 1-3 indicator species. Each species description should include: ecological, biological, and functional details highlighting their roles both in the environment and as indicator species.

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ORIGINAL

Virtual Reality/360 video: Meet your carbon footprint

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Climate

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Biological

Different types of Indicator Species:

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Pollution

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Trophic

ORIGINAL

Invisible Demons by Rahul Jain

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Format: Live action + Animation, still shots, narrator, sound.Information: What can we learn from Indicator species?Duration: 5-10 minutes

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fILM

The video highlights the collapse of a once-thriving pond ecosystem, where amphibians like frogs and newts served as vital indicators of environmental health. Pollution has poisoned the water, leading to their disappearance and disrupting the ecosystem’s balance. Their loss is a warning sign of an impending environmental crisis.

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LichensScientific Name: Varies (e.g., Cladonia rangiferina – Reindeer Lichen)Description:Lichens are symbiotic organisms composed of fungi and algae (or cyanobacteria). They appear as crusty, leafy, or branching structures on rocks, trees, and soil.Habitat:Forests, tundra, deserts, and urban environments.Geographic Range:Found globally in a wide range of ecosystems, from the Arctic to temperate forests.Ecological Role: • Trophic Level: Primary producers through photosynthesis. • Niche: They contribute to nutrient cycling by breaking down rocks into soil, and they provide food and habitat for various small organisms. • Interactions: Symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. Serve as food for some invertebrates.Indicator Species Role: • Environmental Conditions Indicated: Air quality, particularly sulfur dioxide and nitrogen levels. • Sensitivity: Extremely sensitive to air pollutants like sulfur dioxide and heavy metals. • Indicator of Ecosystem Health: The absence or decline of lichens in an area often signals poor air quality due to industrial pollution or urbanization.Conservation Status:Many lichen species are declining due to air pollution and habitat changes.Threats: • Human Impact: Air pollution, deforestation, habitat disturbance. • Natural Threats: Extreme weather and predation by small herbivores.

MayfliesScientific Name: Order EphemeropteraDescription:Mayflies are small aquatic insects with delicate bodies, short lifespans, and are known for their synchronized mass emergences. They have two or three long tail filaments and transparent wings.Habitat:Freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes.Geographic Range:Found in freshwater habitats worldwide.Ecological Role: • Trophic Level: Primary consumers as larvae (detritivores), secondary consumers as adults. • Niche: Mayfly larvae feed on algae and organic matter, playing a key role in nutrient cycling. They are also an essential food source for fish and other aquatic predators. • Interactions: Preyed upon by fish, birds, and amphibians.Indicator Species Role: • Environmental Conditions Indicated: Water quality, particularly oxygen levels and the presence of pollutants. • Sensitivity: Highly sensitive to water pollution, including heavy metals, pesticides, and changes in oxygen levels. • Indicator of Ecosystem Health: A decline in mayfly populations typically indicates poor water quality and reduced oxygen levels.Conservation Status:Some species are declining due to pollution and habitat degradation.Threats: • Human Impact: Water pollution from agriculture, industrial runoff, and habitat alteration. • Natural Threats: Changes in water temperature and predators.

FrogsScientific Name: Varies (e.g., Rana temporaria – Common Frog)Description:Frogs are amphibians with smooth, moist skin, strong hind legs for leaping, and are typically found near freshwater sources. They undergo metamorphosis from aquatic tadpoles to terrestrial adults.Habitat:Wetlands, ponds, streams, forests, and marshes.Geographic Range:Worldwide, except in extreme cold regions like Antarctica.Ecological Role: • Trophic Level: Secondary consumers, feeding on insects, small invertebrates. • Niche: Control insect populations, serve as prey for birds, snakes, and mammals. • Interactions: Vital in aquatic and terrestrial food webs, often preyed upon by many species.Indicator Species Role: • Environmental Conditions Indicated: Water quality and ecosystem health. • Sensitivity: Frogs are highly sensitive to changes in pH, temperature, pollutants, and UV radiation due to their permeable skin and aquatic life stage. • Indicator of Ecosystem Health: A decline in frog populations can indicate pollution (e.g., pesticides, heavy metals) and habitat degradation.Conservation Status:Many species are threatened due to habitat loss, pollution, and diseases like chytridiomycosis.Threats: • Human Impact: Water pollution, habitat destruction, climate change. • Natural Threats: Predation and diseases like the chytrid fungus.

WolvesScientific Name: Canis lupusDescription:Wolves are large carnivores with thick fur, strong jaws, and a highly organized pack structure. They communicate through howls, body language, and scent marking. Wolves are known for their complex social behaviors, with packs that hunt cooperatively.Habitat:Forests, tundra, grasslands, and mountainous regions.Geographic Range:Found across North America, Europe, and Asia.Ecological Role: • Trophic Level: Apex predators. • Niche: Wolves regulate populations of large herbivores like deer and elk, preventing overgrazing, which in turn maintains plant diversity and habitat stability. This regulation can also benefit other species indirectly (e.g., scavengers like ravens). • Interactions: Compete with other large predators (e.g., bears, cougars), prey on large herbivores, and have a mutualistic relationship with scavengers who feed on their kills.Indicator Species Role: • Environmental Conditions Indicated: The health of an ecosystem’s prey populations and overall trophic structure. • Sensitivity: Sensitive to prey population declines, habitat fragmentation, and human encroachment. • Indicator of Ecosystem Health: Wolves are keystone species; their presence indicates a balanced predator-prey dynamic. The reintroduction of wolves (e.g., Yellowstone National Park) has been shown to restore ecosystem balance, influencing vegetation, water flow, and even riverbank erosion.Conservation Status:Varies by region. Some populations are stable or recovering, while others remain endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, and human-wildlife conflict.Threats: • Human Impact: Hunting, poaching, habitat destruction, and conflicts with livestock farming. • Natural Threats: Disease, food scarcity, competition with other large predators.

Polar BearScientific Name: Ursus maritimusDescription:Polar bears are large, carnivorous bears adapted to the Arctic, with thick white fur and a layer of fat for insulation. They are strong swimmers, using sea ice as platforms to hunt their primary prey, seals.Habitat:Primarily sea ice in the Arctic, with occasional forays onto land during ice-free seasons.Geographic Range:The Arctic Circle, including parts of Canada, Alaska (USA), Russia, Norway (Svalbard), and Greenland.Ecological Role: • Trophic Level: Apex predators. • Niche: Polar bears maintain balance in the Arctic ecosystem by regulating seal populations, particularly ringed and bearded seals. Their predation helps control seal numbers, ensuring sustainable population levels. • Interactions: Polar bears are top predators, facing few threats in the wild, but they do compete with other scavengers (e.g., Arctic foxes) for food. During ice-free periods, they may scavenge or hunt terrestrial animals like birds or small mammals.Indicator Species Role: • Environmental Conditions Indicated: The extent and health of sea ice, as well as broader impacts of climate change on the Arctic environment. • Sensitivity: Extremely sensitive to sea ice loss due to global warming, as they depend on the ice to hunt seals. Declining sea ice forces them to travel greater distances for food, often leading to malnutrition or starvation. • Indicator of Ecosystem Health: Polar bears are a key indicator of climate change impacts. Their population decline and changes in hunting patterns reflect the rapid melting of Arctic sea ice, making them one of the most visible indicators of warming temperatures.Conservation Status:Classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to the rapid loss of their sea ice habitat.Threats: • Human Impact: Climate change is the primary threat, leading to sea ice loss and habitat shrinkage. Additionally, oil and gas exploration, increased shipping traffic in the Arctic, and pollution pose significant risks. • Natural Threats: Food scarcity, particularly due to shrinking ice platforms, and intraspecific competition (especially in areas with limited food).

EaglesScientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Bald Eagle), Aquila chrysaetos (Golden Eagle)Description:Eagles are large birds of prey with powerful beaks, sharp talons, and excellent vision. The bald eagle is notable for its white head and tail, while the golden eagle has golden-brown plumage.Habitat:Forests, mountains, wetlands, and coastal regions.Geographic Range:Bald eagles are found in North America, while golden eagles have a more widespread distribution across North America, Europe, and Asia.Ecological Role: • Trophic Level: Apex predators, top of the food chain. • Niche: Control populations of fish, small mammals, and birds, ensuring balance in the ecosystem. • Interactions: Prey on fish, small mammals, and birds, often scavenging on carrion as well.Indicator Species Role: • Environmental Conditions Indicated: Contamination of ecosystems, particularly with bioaccumulative toxins like DDT. • Sensitivity: Sensitive to pollution, especially to bioaccumulative toxins that weaken eggshells and lead to population decline. • Indicator of Ecosystem Health: A healthy eagle population indicates low levels of environmental contaminants and balanced ecosystems.Conservation Status:Bald eagles were once endangered due to DDT use but have rebounded significantly since the pesticide ban. Many other eagle species are still at risk.Threats: • Human Impact: Pesticide use, habitat destruction, hunting, and lead poisoning from gunshot residues. • Natural Threats: Predation on young, food scarcity, and competition.