Too few, too late: U.S. Endangered Species Act undermined by inaction and inadequate funding

Resource Management Appropriations, when measured on a per species basis, dropped by nearly 50% since 1985.

“As such, Resource Management Appropriations, when measured on a per species basis, have dropped by nearly 50% since 1985.”

Full species accounted for 80% of listings during 1992-2020.

“Full species accounted for the majority of listings during this period (80%).”

Very few species have received protection in the two-year period prescribed in the ESA.

“Consistently, very few species have received protection in the two-year period that is prescribed in the ESA.”

Section 4 Appropriations peaked in 2010 at $25.9 million USD before dropping to $20.1 million USD by 2020.

“The same trend is observed in Section 4 Appropriations, which peaked in 2010 at $25.9 million USD before dropping to $20.1 million USD by 2020.”

The median number of vertebrate populations at time of listing was slightly greater in 1992-2020 than in 1985-1991, increasing from 2 to 4 populations (p = 0.04).

“However, the median number of vertebrate populations at time of listing was slightly greater in the 1992–2020 time period, increasing from 2 to 4 populations (p = 0.04).”

The number of species listed for protection under the ESA increased by over 300% between 1985-2020.

“Concurrently, the number of species listed for protection under the ESA increased by over 300% between 1985–2020.”

A pattern of not protecting species until their populations have reached very low levels increases both the time to recovery and the likelihood that species will vanish entirely due to environmental, genetic, and demographic stochasticity.

“a pattern of not protecting species until their populations have reached very low levels, which increases both the time to recovery and the likelihood that species will vanish entirely due to environmental, genetic, and demographic stochasticity [5]”

• cites [5] ME Gilpin, 1986, Minimum viable populations: processes of species extinction, In: Conservation Biology: The Science of Scarcity and Diversity. Sinauer, Sunderland, MANot checked — no full text of the source

FWS is being asked to do more with less resources.

“The unfortunate conclusion is that FWS is being asked to do more with less resources.”

The combination of delays in listing rare species, typically small population sizes at time of listing, and inadequate funding for recovery actions are the key factors that explain the relatively small number of listed species that have fully recovered.

“The combination of delays in listing rare species, the typically mall population sizes of species at time of listing, and inadequate funding for recovery actions, are the key factors that can explain the relatively small number of listed species that have fully recovered (Fig 2B).”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: For species with very small or rapidly declining populations, a multi-year delay in receiving protection increases the risk of extinction.

Most species are not receiving protection until they have reached dangerously low population sizes.

“Most species are not receiving protection until they have reached dangerously low population sizes.”

Protection under the ESA implies a slow process of clearing a backlog of rare but unprotected species rather than a failure to respond to recent rapid population declines in formerly common species.

“Their protection under the ESA implies a painfully slow process of clearing a backlog of rare but unprotected species as opposed to a failure to respond to recent, rapid population declines in formerly more common species.”

The pattern of species being protected only at low population sizes has persisted throughout the quarter century since 1993.

“First reported in 1993, this pattern has persisted throughout the intervening quarter century.”

When a range or upper limit was given for population size at listing, the authors recorded the maximum possible value, making analyses an optimistic best-case scenario.

“This was done in order to obtain the largest possible estimate of each plant and animal population at time of listing, making our subsequent analyses an optimistic “best case scenario”.”

In the 48 years since enactment of the ESA, only 54 US species have been declared fully recovered and delisted.

“In the 48 years since enactment of the ESA, only 54 US species have been declared fully recovered and delisted [4].”

• cites [4] U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2021, Press Release: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Delisting 23 Species from Endangered Species Act Due to ExtinctionNot checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

There were insufficient data to test whether the apparent decrease in wait times when fewer species are listed is significant.

“While wait times seem to decrease when fewer species are listed, there are insufficient data to test whether this effect is significant.”

Wait times may be exacerbated when limited resources for listing are strained by a large influx of petitions.

“This suggests that wait times may be exacerbated when limited resources for listing are strained by a large influx of petitions.”