BLOG 4 - HABITAT USE

As I learned from the article by Krausmann, habitats are defined as the resources and conditions present in an area or the sum of the specific resources needed by organisms (Thomas 1979) that produce occupancy, including survival and reproduction, by a given organism.  Such resources include food, cover, water, and special factors (Leopold 1933).  It follows that wherever an organism is provided with resources that allow it to survive, that is habitat. 

A few months back, along Puypuy, Bay, Laguna area, everybody was so excited to see the newly-constructed BASF Agricultural Research Foundation Research Facility. From a manufacturer of the first synthetic dyes in 1865, BASF has developed into a leading global chemical company producing a comprehensive range of chemical products. BASF's chemicals products are used in a wide range of industries, e.g. agriculture, textile, leather, automotive, construction, electrical appliances and electronics, paper, food, feed, cosmetics, printing and packaging. Particularly in Bay, Laguna, the Research facility was constructed to serve as the laboratory for testing pesticides/insecticides. The residents of Puypuy can not complain at all since the new building is already there and without saying a word, they just breathe the bad air brought about by the smell of the pesticide. This bad smell or air pollution, may cause upper respiratory infection or perhaps, aggravate the condition of some residents with asthma.  Not only that, but the possible leak of the pesticide in the water pipes of the baranggay may easily affect the health of all the residents living near the area. Also, upon application of the pesticide, foreign or non-native plant and animal species, AKA exotic species may be  introduced in the area which can compete with and even replace the original, native species there. This creation of a new environment for exotic species may even lead to a worse effect because the species may even give more harm to the residents of the baranggay. The key concept I apply here which I learned from one of the modules I have read is habitat use.

As defined in Krausmann’s article, “habitat use is the way an animal uses the physical and biological resources in a habitat”. For sure, the introduction of new species in the area via the use of pesticides, will give the species a new habitat where these species can freely evolve and adapt. However, their introduction will greatly affect all the other species thriving in the area. For one, these new species will compete simultaneously with the original species in terms of the use of physical and biological resources such as food, home, etc. As mentioned in the article, habitat may be used for foraging, cover, nesting, escape, denning, or other life history traits.  An area used for foraging may be comprised of  the same physical characteristics used for cover, denning, or both (Litvaitis et al. 1996). The effect will be the decreased percentage of survival and reproduction of the original species. Also, the introduction of the new species is based on their habitat selection because the environment the species will use as a habitat provides them for cover availability, forage quality and quantity, and resting or denning sites.

Having realized the effect of the facility on the people, I found myself very enthusiastic to possibly work on making a research proposal on the Impact Assessment of the facility. And perhaps, whatever good results I obtain, I will furnish the local government of Bay a copy so that the issue/problem may be addressed properly. Of course, this is a wishful thinking having to consider the budget in accomplishing the report.