Question

Chittenango falls state park in central new york state is the only known habitat for an endangered species of aquatic snail. contamination of its water supply and reduction of its habitat have threatened the future of this snail. which step could be taken to protect this species of snail?

Answer 1

This first step to protecting this endangered species of snail is to preserve its existing habitat. This means that steps need to be taken to ensure that Chittenango Falls state park continues to offer a refuge to this snail, and that steps are taken to improve the water quality in the park. A scientific study can be run to identify the pollutants and their concentrations that are having a negative effect on the snail species. For this, water quality testing can be conducted to first identify any pollutants. Once suspect pollutants are identified, ecotoxicology tests can be run to identify concentrations of the pollutants that have an effect on the snail. Both acute (short term) and chronic (long term) tests would have to be conducted, looking at mortality as well as sub-acute end points such as growth and reproduction. Once concentrations of pollutants are identified that would negatively affect the snail, we can call these 'water quality guidelines' that we would need to keep water quality within. We can then identify sources of these pollutants upstream, and take steps to reduce the pollution at source, by forcing factories to treat their water more rigorously or changing upstream land use. Finally, what can also be considered is introducing the snail species to new habitat within the State of New York. We must be careful here though as the actions of man have spread invasive species globally.