Conservation of Animal Resources for

Sustainable Productivity

R. C. SihagDepartment of Zoology & Aquaculture

CCS Haryana Agricultural University

Hisar-125004

Productivity

Rate of weight produced by a population

orMaximum yield

that can be harvested from a population repeatedly

Important1. Ecosystem stability depends upon the

complexity of ‘Food webs’ which in turn depend upon the number of ‘Food chains’ in that system.

2. Animal productivity is secondary productivity

3. Productivity along the food chain follows the second law of thermodynamics

American Bison

Keribou

Wilder beast

Zebra

Deer

Giraffe

Blue whale

School fishes

Sea Lion

Fur Seal

Otter

Catla

Sepia

Turtle

Python

Production Efficiency of Earth vs Support to Human population

∞ IE (Incident solar energy/unit area/yr)

∞ ALW (crop area, land and water)

∞ % RE (Radian energy that is transformed in to chemical energy

∞ _____________1__________________ EM (Energy required by average man)

Energy Requirement of Human beings

70 kg man = 1700 kcal/d

Asian man = 2070 kcal/d

Generous International estimate

= 3000 kcal/d

or 106 kcal/yr

Conversion Efficiency of Various Crops and the Capacity of Earth to Support Human beings

Crop Area required to support one man / yr (sq m)

World population that can be supported by earth

Algae 12,5 5 9.1x1012 (910 B)

Potatoes 0.10 600 7.6x1010 (760 B)

Grain 0.05 1200 3.8x1010 (380 B)

Prunes 0.04 1500 3.0x 1010 (300B)

Milk 0.04 1500 3.0x 1010 (300B)

Pork 0.015 4000 1.1x 1010 (110 B)

Eggs 0.002 30000 1.5x 109 (15B)

Current world population =6.5 B

World Production of Major Foods

Commodity Production

(metric tons)*

Wheat 500

Rice 400

Milk 650

Meat 130

Eggs 20

Sea food________

*Total arable land

____46_________

= 4.56 x 109 ha

Relative Importance of Animal and Vegetable Proteins in Different Parts of the World

(per person)

Sr.

No.

Region Total protein (g/d)

Animal protein (g/d)

1. North America 93 66

2. Western Europe 25 39

3. Mexico 68 20

4. South Asia 52 7*

5. For East including China

61 8*

*Mainly vegetarian and suffer from malnutrition

Conversion Efficiency of Marine Foods

Sr.No. Source Energy/100 g

1. Cod 70 kcal

2. Salmon 92 kcal

3. Sardines

(canned oil)

266 kcal

4. Shrimps

(dry canned)

120 kcal

5. Tuna (canned) 255 kcal

World Potential of Animal Resources

a) Safe estimate of CE = 100 kcal/100 g

b) World catch of marine food = 46X109 kg = 46X1012 kcals

c)This will support = 4.6x107 persons/yr = 46 million persons/yr

d)Total marine potential = 1 billion persons/yr (20 times)e) Total terrestrial potential = 1 billion persons/yr

f) Total potential for = 2 billion persons/yr

Exploitation of Animal Bioresource

What is Important ?

Knowledge of Knowledge ofPopulation Resource

Ecology Exploitation Theory

Causal Pathways to Regulate Animal Productivity

- Natality

- Mortality

- Individual growth rate

- Population dispersal

These are different in

different animals

Population Growth in an Unlimited Environment

dn --------- = r n dt

This is a case of Exponential Growth Form

Population Growth in a Limited Environment

dn ---- = r N (K-N) with a limit at K dt This is a case of Sigmoid Growth Form

When N = K

dn ---- = o dt

Human population does not follow these patterns

Effect of Age on Reproductive Rate of Bison

Age (yrs) N % pregnant

2 160 36

3 92 52

4 120 37

Young adult 95 40

Adult 192 28

Aged 74 8

Effect of Age on Reproductive Rate of Herring

Age

(yrs)

Mean

Fecundity

3 14620

4 17679

5 20482

6 23102

7 25580

8 27931

Effect of Age on Growth Rate of PlaiceAge (yr) Annual increase in wt (%)

2 15.4

3 22.1

5 13.6

7 12.7

9 11.4

11 2.7

13

8.1

15 5.5

17

-3.0

19 -4.2

Effect of Age on Dispersal of South Bay Small Mouth Bass

Age

________

Av. Distance Traveled /

day (miles)

________________________

2 0.014

3 0.050

4 0.075

5 0.088

6 0.105

7 0.142

Effect of Population Density on Survival of Swiss Starling

Clutch size No. of young ringed

% recovered after

3 months of flying

2 328 1.8

3 1278 2.0

4 3956 2.1

5 6175 2.1

6 3156 1.7

7 651 1.5

8 120 0.8

9 28 0.0

10 28 0.0

Catastrophic Over- harvesting ofPelagic Fur Seal

Year No. of vessels

Catch Catch/ship

1994 37 55686 1.53x103

1995 59 56291 0.93x103

1996 87 43917 0.51x103

1997 38 24321 0.64x103

Effect of Over- exploitation on Adult Ratio of Guppy

Period

(weeks)

Exploitation

rate (%)

Populations

A B

Control

40-76 25 0.46 0.49 0.84

79-118 10 0.54 0.56 0.85

121-148 50 0.20 0.27 0.84

151-172 75 0.19 0.24 0.86

No. of Bisons killed in America*

Year No. of bison

1868 1,500,000

1869 2,500,000

1870 5,000,000

1871 6,000,000

1872 7,000,000

1873 6,000,000

1874 3,000,000

*In 1883 Yellowstone park was established

No. of whales caught by different countries (1960-61)*

Country Whales caught

Japan 19891

Norway 12829

USSR 11184

UK 4551

Peru 3602

South Africa 3352

Netherlands 2212

Australia 1937

Falk land Islands 1262

Brazil 1083

Portugal 515

USA 442

*Total world quota 16000

Effect of Diseases on Abundance of Herron Larvae in the Western Gulf of

St.Lawrence

Year Catch/sampling

1982 1897.8

1983 855.9

1984 127.4

1985 407.8

1986 31.6

1987 32.5

1988 9.1

1989 1.5

Animal Bioresource A Renewable Crop

Scientific Non-scientific

Exploitation Exploitation

Sustainable Not sustainable

Scientific Exploitation

Breeding stock Surplus stock

To conserve To exploit

Surplus Stock

Depends on 3 factors

1.Protection of 2.Proper 3. Provide Breeding Regulation of Biological Stock Animal Harvest Needs

Breeding Stock

3 Enemies

Man Natural predators Diseases

Entertainment Take good amount , All types, have Food Physical control on variable

effects, Fiber biological basis sometimes very Enemies of severe, keep agriculture watch & remedy

Put restrictions through legislations

Annual Harvest

Unregulated Regulated

Uneconomical on Profitable and

long term basis sustainable

Sustainable Harvest

3 Factors

Exploitation Exploitation Exploitation Time Duration Extent

(out of ( short ) (Based on breeding population season ) build up characteristics)

Biological Needs

Food Shelter/Habitat Mate

For migratory Don’t disturb habitat Guarantee a population animals e.g. Bovine-Gregarious- e.g. over critical level birds, mammals Open habitat 5 pairs of Antilop

Don’t disturb Feline- solitary- 40 acres for Ruffed food chain Close habitat Grouse

Illogical introduction of exotic species

1. Lamprey in Great lakes

2. Rabbits in Australia / France

3. Tilapia in Udaipur lake

Equilibrium Harvest and Sustainable Productivity

i) Follow ecological principles

ii) Aquatic ecosystem

Ce = KF - F2

r

iii) Terrestrial ecosystem

dn ---- = r N (K-N) with a limit at K dt

Climate Change

Long term significant change in expected pattern of

average weather of

a specific region

over a specified

period of time

The diminishing Glaciers

Polar Bear

Mama! Is this our last laugh?

Is this my food?

Are you sure, this is the last snow fall?Japanees Macaque

Is any place on earth left for new inhabitation?

For how long Water will fall?

The diminishing picturesque of Mountain terrains

Will you stop destroying my bamboo forests ?

Mama! Ground is not safe?

Where are my salmons?

Will the dawn bring some hope?

Is there any deer left?

Will mama bring food, don’t know?

You don’t allow me even to dwell in water. Wait, I will teach you a lesson

Can Termites alone fill my belly?

Papa! How safe is our habitat?

Do you hear my claps?Don’t spoil my habitat

No coral reef, where to feed and breed?

Man is coming, I need shelter

Mr.! I had warned you that this is my food

Chick proposes, Man disposes

Hurray! This time I could save my life

Still you are stronger

Reasons of Climate Change

- Deforestation- Burning fossil fuels- Coal mines- Methane production

- NO2 production

- SO2 production

All these lead directly or indirectly to “Green House Effect”

Effects on Terrestrial Ecosystems

- Increase in temperature 2.5 - 10o F by 2100

- Erratic rains

- Increase of temperature by 3oC will increase sea level by 1 m

- Terrestrial area will decrease.

- Ramifications many

- Erratic rains ---- more floods and more draughts--- less agricultural production.

Consequences

- Decrease in Agricultural and natural plant production

- Temperature 3oC increase means 15% decline in wheat and rice production alone

- More defoliation of forests

- Less quantity and quality of feed available to the animals

Effect on Animal Health

- Poor nutrition- Decreased immunity- Effect on ecological distribution of

vectors and diseases - Appearance of new heat related

diseases e.g. Anthrax, cholera, blue tongue virus, Tests fly, helminthes, snails, other foot and moth diseases etc.

- Their movement towards polar region.

Effect on Animal Productivity

High temperature/high humidity

- Hyper- thermia in animals/heat stroke especially in bovids and aquatic animals

- Altered hormonal levels- Low sperm production in males and low

spawn motility- Reduced conceptions- High embryonic deaths- Less feed intake- Decreased milk production- Decreased egg production

Effects on Aquatic Ecosystems

- Increase in aquatic temperature

- Increase in aquatic pH

- Increase in aquatic eurtrophication

- Decrease in aquatic dissolved oxygen

- Decrease in aquatic faunal productivity

Consequences

- Decreased Zooplankton survival

- Increased coral weathering

- Increased loss of land

- Decreased animal productivity

Corrective Measures Against Climate Change

1. Lower down CO2 production

2. Lower down methane production

3. Lower down NO2 / SO2 production

Lord Shiva will leave the mountains and cobra snake will be left alone?

Barbeque doll will stand in the wilderness

Man will plough the deserts with the help of dogs

Dogs will force you to mend your ways

Thank You