Endangered Species in the Pennsylvania Wetlands
The Pennsylvania wetlands are home to diverse species of plants and animals. The changing state of the habitat, however, has led many of these to become threatened or endangered. Between the 1780s and 1980s, Pennsylvania lost approximately 56 per cent of its wetlands. This was largely due to agricultural conversion. Under the authority of the Wild Resources Conservation Act of 1982, Pennsylvania has listed more than 500 plants under categories of special concern. Many of these grow in the state's wetlands. There are also 29 species of fish, reptiles, aquatic invertebrates and amphibians that have been classified as threatened or endangered by the Fish and Boat Commission, under whose regulatory jurisdiction and protection they fall. Of these 29 species, 18 are fish, five are reptiles, four are amphibians and two are mussels.
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Fish
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The Pennsylvania wetlands are home to a range of fish which have now been classified as endangered. These include the lake sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon, eastern sand darter, northern brook lamprey, gravel chub, spotted darter, Tippecanoe darter, longnose sucker and longhead darter. The work of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission involves conducting studies regarding water quality, carrying out conservation work and monitoring the populations of fish and the habitats in which these fish live.
Reptiles
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The endangered reptile species that inhabit the Pennsylvania wetlands include the bog turtle and two species of snake, Kirtland's snake and the Massasauga rattlesnake. One reason for the bog turtle being under threat is poaching. The small, attractive turtles are desirable in the black market pet trade. The number of bog turtles has reduced by about 50 percent since 1990. In Europe and Japan, a pair of bog turtles can sell for about $2,000 and the greater the scarcity of the animal, the higher the price increases. Other factors that may have contributed to the turtle's decline are habitat loss, the health of the wetlands and disease which can result from being reintroduced to areas outside their native wetland.
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Mussels
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The Pennsylvania wetlands are inhabited by two endangered species of mussels, the northern riffleshell and the clubshell. Freshwater mussels are the most endangered species in Pennsylvania. There has been a massive decline in their numbers. The health and number of freshwater mussels such as the clubshell and the northern riffleshell are indicators of good water quality and decreasing populations lead to concerns about their natural habitat.
Amphibians
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The eastern mud salamander, New Jersey chorus frog and coastal plain leopard frog are all amphibian species that inhabit the Pennsylvania wetlands and have been listed as endangered. The reduction in the amphibian population is partly due to factors such as acidity levels in the water, loss of habitat and being desirable to collectors. These species also fall under the protection of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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References
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