Biodiversity and Exotic Species As the environment changes whether it was due to a change in temperature (climate or ocean) or quality (water, air or soil), the species habituating that area must change as well. Darwinism starts to penetrate the Islands because only the strong will survive. When scarcity hits the Solomons, the organisms that can live off the least amount of food or water shall prevail. An extremely wonderful example of a complex ecosystem that may soon be threatened are the mangroves. The mangroves are tropical wetlands that possess unique qualities not found in any areas of the world. For example, the mangroves contain highly saturated soils and trees with three unusual features. They have prop roots which balances the tree on unconsolidated soil, and unwittingly becomes a center of biodiversity. Pneutophores (snorkels) and viviparous seeds are the remaining characteristics which allow the mangroves to thrive in a stratified area impacted by freshwater (from the rivers) as well as saltwater (from the ocean).With only .2 square kilometers of salt-tolerant mangroves left, these rare wetlands must be protected. A narrow surviving corridor of species decreases the biodiversity of the islands because natural selection leaves behind several organisms. The ocean will also start to homogenize when water quality changes, and only a few marine creatures can adapt quick enough to survive. Although evolution takes decades or even centuries to change the demography of species, the threat of exotic species seems to be moving quicker than ever. For some reason, exotics are able to thrive in less than favorable conditions compared to native species. Combined with one or all of the other environmental problems, exotic species can be the end of many organisms. The Solomon Islands communicate with other countries mainly by ship because of their isolated situations. Usually ships travel all over the world, and they can be carriers of exotic ships especially with the practice of using "ballast water." For the time being, the major exotic species infestation in the Solomons are ants. Problems Social Problems Solomon Islanders tend to live in isolated villages along different islands (with the exception of Honiara), and they rarely share a common culture. With such a diverse population, achieving certain goals are only going to be the result of hard work and dedication. Problems that stem from the enormous variety include: • Nationwide communication due to the language barrier. • The establishment of treaties or contracts between the government, the native population and the foreign investors. • Educational progress in accordance with the development of new structures and faculty. • A shift away from short-term benefits. Economic Problems As a developing country, the Solomons are no exception when it comes to their economic standing in the world. Their economic status mirrors those of nineteenth and twentieth century "colonies" to the stronger powers. The more developed countries (ex. Japan) sell the Solomon Islands manufactured goods, in return for raw materials such as timber and fish. As a market for raw materials, the Solomons experience these problems: • Dependence on developed countries for manufactured goods. • Exportation of slow regenerative products. • Lack of capital and infrastructure. • Loss of employment due to selling raw logs. • Controversies between natives and foreigners over land and sea ownership. Political Problems "Particularly important, moreover, are the roles of formal political institutions as mediators and conveyors of the different views of traditional users and new parties" (Hviding, 1996). The government holds the key to uniting the Solomon Islanders in the struggle for their resources: • Government regulation of tropical rainforests. • Government enforcement of conservation practices and environmental policies. • Government subsidies for the advancement of education and research for export substitution.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:39:37 +0000
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