Appendix 8-1
THREATS AND IMPACTS Fish and wildlife species and their varied habitats are subject to numerous natural processes that can trigger, reinforce, or constrain the components of an ecosystem. However, there are many impacts tied to anthropogenic activities in North Carolina as well as around the world. In addition to legacy impacts from habitat fragmentation, ecosystem degradation, overharvesting, land-use conversion, pollution, and invasive species, there are emerging issues such as climate change and disease that create new challenges to understanding their impacts and how to respond to them. New threats will drive the need for additional research and monitoring in order to make informed decisions about appropriate management and policy actions.
Chapter 5 in the North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan (WAP, Plan) addresses 11 dif- ferent categories of threats and emerging concerns that are most likely to be sources of stress to fish and wildlife and habitat diversity. The chapter includes informa- tion about expected threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and includes a list of which SGCN are likely to be most impacted by each threat.
The Wildlife Resources Commission is working on a revision to the WAP and invites input from the public on solutions and collaborations to address issues caused by these threats. If you would like to contrib- ute to the revision process, please send a reply email to Cindy Simpson, Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator.
Photography: Tri-colored bat, Melissa McGaw/NCWRC; Neuse River waterdog, Melissa McGaw/NCWRC
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