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ASSESSING THE SECURITY OF ECOLOGICAL POPULATIONS WITH REGARDS T0 TOXIC AIR POLLUTANTS AND HABITATE THREATS ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
Citation:
SMITH, E. R., M. H. MEHAFFEY, R. TANKERSLEY, L. MILLER, A. W. REA, AND P. WAGNER. ASSESSING THE SECURITY OF ECOLOGICAL POPULATIONS WITH REGARDS T0 TOXIC AIR POLLUTANTS AND HABITATE THREATS ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. Presented at EcoSummit 2007, Beijing, CHINA, May 22 - 27, 2007.
Impact/Purpose:
ReVA's program objectives are to:
Provide regional-scale, spatially explicit information on the extent and distribution of both stressors and sensitive resources.
Develop and evaluate techniques to integrate information on exposure and effects so that relative risk can be assessed and management actions can be prioritized.
Predict consequences of potential environmental changes under alternative future scenarios.
Effectively communicate economic and quality of life trade-offs associated with alternative environmental policies.
Develop techniques to prioritize areas for ecological restoration.
Identify information gaps and recommend actions to improve monitoring and focus research.
Description:
The Southeastern United States is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the country and is home to significant numbers of threatened and endangered species. It is also one of the fastest growing regions in terms of human population, urban development, and the associated production of toxic pollutants. Under the Clean Air Act (as amended in 1990), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must determine if significant threat is posed to 1) threatened and endangered species, 2) migratory bird species, and 3) ecosystems by any of the 187 currently regulated hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). In response to this requirement, we are evaluating the potential threat from HAPs: 1) individually, 2) in aggregate (e.g. multiple pollutants acting simultaneously), and 3) in concert with other stressors such as loss of habitat across the region.