When you think of the term “infrastructure,” you might default to processes like power lines, pipe networks, and interstate highways. However, infrastructure is a much broader concept in reality.
Merriam-Webster defines infrastructure as “the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization).”
Obviously, pipes and wires aren’t the only forms of infrastructure we rely upon. Ecosystems themselves, as well as the life that inhabits them, can be considered their own form of infrastructure. Not only do they produce resources and provide shelter for a multitude of species, but they also define human society, including American society, both economically and logistically. Therefore, when environments and critical species are disturbed, it is often humans who pay the price, and future infrastructure planning should reflect this fact.
Perhaps the most alarming examples of this sentiment in action are the various plagues that currently befall pollinators, particularly bees and bats. Bees are singlehandedly responsible for pollinating 75 percent of all fruits, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States, making them essential in agriculture. Bats are more specialized, but no less important; bat pollination is essential for night-blooming flowers. Despite this, however, both pollinators are at serious risk from diseases we do not understand.
Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, is a disorder found in beehives, especially those of honeybees, which effectively kills off most of a hive’s worker population, while leaving the queen, larvae and a few others untouched. In the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, beekeepers reported losses ranging upwards of 90 percent in their hives, with 50 percent of those cases being linked to unknown causes. Even though cases of CCD have plummeted since, colony loss still remains a concern and researchers still know next to nothing about what causes CCD.
In addition, bats in North America are uniquely susceptible to a fungal disease known as White-Nose Syndrome. Starting in 2006, this fungus, which grows on the bats themselves and interrupts hibernation and feeding, has spread to over 50 percent of the USA and has even breached Canada. The disease can reduce populations for twelve species of bat by approximately 90 percent in the worst cases.
Figures such as these are not only dreadful in terms of scale, but also implication. Given their established role as important pollinators, the continued loss of bees and bats to these maladies will have tremendous consequences for multiple economic sectors if they’re allowed to continue to fester.
These effects are not just limited to pollinators. Take, for example, sea otters and their role in marine ecosystems. To the everyman, sea otters may seem like just another animal, but this is where trophic cascades make themselves known. Trophic cascades are the interaction between predators, prey, scavengers and other consumers within an ecosystem. When these are interrupted by removing or adding new predators to an environment, especially keystone species like sea otters, there are numerous adverse consequences.
During the fur trade of the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otter populations in British Columbia were hunted to near-extinction, with multiple localized extirpations taking place. Moreover, in the absence of sea otters, sea urchins, which were kept in line through the efforts of the otters, exploded in number. Gradually, these urchins completely decimated local kelp forests, leaving nothing but “urchin barrens” behind. Kelp forests are quintessential to local marine ecosystems, serving as buffers against tidal waves, carbon sinks and habitats for multiple species of marine life, including commercially-viable fish.
When sea otters were re-introduced to British Columbia in the 1970’s, however, the sea urchin population declined to manageable levels, while kelp forests regrew at an astonishing rate. By re-introducing a keystone species back into a local ecosystem, the Canadian government was able to revitalize the marine ecosystem of an entire province, and help promote commercial activity at the same time.
However, not all re-introduction efforts are successes. Southern California , which also had its population of sea otters ravaged, initiated a similar campaign, but kelp forests there grew back slower. Thus, by leaving ecosystems alone and enforcing conservatory measures, we can prevent trophic cascades such as this from happening, while also working to undo the long-term damage caused by past actions.
Seemingly small parts of our natural environment, from bees to otters, play a specific role in maintaining ecological balance, and the consequences of their plights are clear to see. Ecological degradation is not only a social concern, but also a practical consideration. Maintaining biodiversity, as we’ve learned many times, is not optional, and continuing these destructive practices will only sow further detriment. Only by promoting conservation and innovating around these issues shall we overcome them.
Written by Albert Bernhardt IV, Public Policy Intern
The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) is an independent, national research and educational organization working to advance innovation across industry and public policy. The only nationwide public policy think tank dedicated to infrastructure, Aii explores the intersection of economics, law, and public policy in the areas of climate, damage prevention, eminent domain, energy, infrastructure, innovation, technology, and transportation.