PRINTER'S NO. 2468
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
497
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY McCARTER, DEAN, HENNESSEY, KINSEY, DiGIROLAMO,
MURT, VITALI, FRANKEL, BIZZARRO, MILLARD, NEILSON, SCHWEYER,
CALTAGIRONE, READSHAW, WATSON, ROZZI AND MARSICO,
SEPTEMBER 25, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 25, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of October 2017 as "Biodiversity Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, According to the American Heritage Science
Dictionary, biodiversity is defined as "the number, variety, and
genetic variation of different organisms found within a
specified geographic region"; and
WHEREAS, Use of the term biodiversity can encompass several
aspects of the natural world; and
WHEREAS, Beyond the total number of different and distinct
species, biodiversity can be used to describe an ecosystem,
which refers to a system, or a group of interconnected elements,
formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their
environment; and
WHEREAS, Biodiversity may also refer to the distinct genetic
differences among a particular species in which some members
have developed certain unique characteristics based on their
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geographic location and environment establishing certain endemic
species that only live within a specific area; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Geographic Society,
scientists located throughout the world have identified nearly
1.75 million species to date, including more than 950,000
species of insects, 270,000 species of plants, 19,000 species of
fish, 9,000 species of birds, 4,000 species of mammals and
countless other species such as fungi, arachnids and mollusks;
and
WHEREAS, The term "biological diversity" was first used and
popularized by entomologist Edward O. Wilson in his 1992 book,
The Diversity of Life, in which he referred to the totality of
Earth's organisms and their interdependence based on
interactions between different species and their habitats; and
WHEREAS, The 2014 World Wildlife Fund (WWF) publication,
Living Planet Report, found that wildlife populations of
vertebrate species have declined by 52% over the past 40 years;
and
WHEREAS, The WWF has referred to the consequences of human
activities as being directly responsible for the alarming
decline and in some cases the extinction of certain species; and
WHEREAS, Climate change, the clearing of natural habitats due
to increased human development and the expansion of agriculture,
overfishing, poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking have all
contributed to the decrease in species' populations throughout
the world; and
WHEREAS, The loss of a species may have an impact beyond that
of the environment in which it lives; and
WHEREAS, The ecological loss of species may negatively impact
a region's economy due to a loss of tourism and may be adverse
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to native people and cultures that often consider an animal or a
species to be of particular importance to their heritage; and
WHEREAS, Based on scientific models and collected data, the
National Audubon Society's 2014 Climate Change Report indicates
that of North America's 588 bird species, 314 could lose more
than 50% of their current climatic range by the year 2080; and
WHEREAS, According to the report, many of North America's
bird species are currently experiencing population declines for
a variety of reasons, including shifting climatic ranges; and
WHEREAS, As climatic ranges shift, native bird species could
face an increase in competition for food and other resources
from invasive species; and
WHEREAS, When a species with a shrinking population is faced
with a sudden increase in competition for resources by one or
more invasive species, its likelihood of survival further
diminishes; and
WHEREAS, A species whose total population decreases is less
likely to adapt and survive in a changing environment; and
WHEREAS, As a species' total population decreases, there is
less genetic diversity carried forward by new offspring, making
the overall population more susceptible to illness and disease;
and
WHEREAS, In her recently published book, The Sixth
Extinction: An Unnatural History, author Elizabeth Kolbert
states that there have been five mass extinctions in the history
of life on Earth; and
WHEREAS, According to Ms. Kolbert, the world may currently be
facing a possible sixth extinction, a mass die-off of a
multitude of species due to manmade activities; and
WHEREAS, It is vital that people be educated about the
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importance of biodiversity and commit to working toward
maintaining the Earth's unique and fascinating species;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of October 2017 as "Biodiversity Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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