RE: Subject: [GSAS-Member] UV light to control algae, ecological consequences of using bogwood

["Hess, Clay A" <clay.a.hess@boeing.com>]

 Hmmmmm, so, I found another interesting question to talk a little
about.  "Does anyone know if there are negative ecological consequences
to using bogwood. Are we destroying habitat or doing other harm by using
it, as we are when we use peat?"  

First, let me state, I believe that protecting and helping the
environment are noble causes.  It would be fantastic if we could live on
this planet without impacting our environment.  However, placing 5+
billion organic life forms, the size of humans, on a small sphere the
size Planet Earth seems to be the wrong approach to "living on a planet
without impacting it's environment".  With this disclaimer made, let me
see if I can offer a little insight on our hobby and it's impact to the
environment.

Let's start with the original question about bogwood.  First, let me
state that bogwood is a generic term, in the aquarium hobby, for any of
a number of tree parts (from a number of tree species) that have a
density greater than water.  This simply means, when the wood is placed
in water......yep, it sinks.  With this noted, there is one type of wood
that tends to be sold more than others for this purpose. The "bogwood"
most often sold in the aquarium industry is mopane (Colophospermum
mopane). Pronounced "mo-PAHN-eh". 

What is mopane? Throughout southern Africa, mopane is the predominant
large tree that forms dense stands of woodland in low-lying river valley
bottoms of the Zambezi and its tributaries. Mopane is a tree of the dry
sub-tropical savanna rather than a rain forest tree. It's an important
part of the savanna ecosystem, for its leaves are unusually high in
proteins and the wood is hard and tough, the first choice for
slow-burning firewood (according to Niles Eldridge, Life in the Balance
pp 10ff). These trees are fed on by a long list of African wildlife,
including elephants, gazelles and moths caterpillar form, the mopane
worm, an important human food source).  The trees also provide a nesting
location for a number of bird types including the hornbills. The mopane
woodlands support some of the largest and most significant wildlife
populations in all of Africa.

Unfortunately, the mopane woodland region is really not that large a
part of Africa.  Fortunately, about 45% of the mopane woodland region is
habitat protected by various forms of state and private conservation.
Land transformation and degradation through agriculture, settlement and
livestock grazing poses some threat to the ecoregion, particularly in
South Africa and Swaziland, where population densities are as high as
174 persons per km2 (Els 1996) and large-scale agricultural plans have
been introduced (Stalmans and Peel 1999).  

What does this all mean relative to our original question?  The point
here is, there is an ongoing threat to the mopane woodlands due to human
pressures on the region.  By providing a market demand for mopane in a
multi-billion dollar industry such as the aquarium industry, further
human demands are placed on the mopane woodlands.  In a poor
agricultural region such as the mopane woodlands, human pressures are
normally low.  However, areas such as the mopane woodlands become
increasingly pressured as human population grows and market demands
increase.

Sooooo, again.....what does this all mean?  I believe most of us in the
aquarium industry are familiar with the negative impact our hobby has
had on reef life in the Phillipines.  The demand for live corals and
pretty salt water fish drove an unregulated demand upon this region to a
point where the reefs were decimated.  I am not saying the mopane
woodlands are near as sensitive as the Phillipine reefs, yet, there are
similarities here.  

Reefs grow and thrive in very limited ecoregions for a number of
reasons.  Similarly, the mopane woodlands grow and thrive in a very
limited ecoregion.  Overgrazing or over-harvesting can produce
devastating imbalances in a reef zone.  Again, similarly, overgrazing or
over-harvesting can devastate forests or woodlands. Once destroyed, it
takes many many years for a reef to recover.  Finally, once destroyed,
it is very very rare to see a forest or woodland re-established in an
unprotected ecoregion.

With this, I will let the reader decide if "there are negative
ecological consequences to using bogwood. Are we destroying habitat or
doing other harm by using it, as we are when we use peat?"  


This was written to offer the reader a chance to consider the issue a
little more in-depth.  I am not trying to say that putting bogwood in
your fishtank is a bad thing.  I am simply offering the aquarist an
opportunity to consider the potential consequences of their actions.  As
with any information, it is best not to lose sight of the bigger picture
too.  There are many human driven impacts to this Planet, is buying
bogwood one of the most significant?  I seriously doubt it.  Yet, for
every action....there is a reaction.


Clay








--- John Ruhland <john@drruhland.com> wrote:
> I was so busy this week, I'm just now able to give a follow-up report 
> on my use of the UV light for the blue-green "algae."
> This life form is 
> small
> enough that the pleated filter of the Magnum 350 did
> not filter any out.
> I did not try precipitating it out, although that
> may have been my next 
> step
> if the UV light had not worked.
> 
> Originally, the algae suspended in the water was
> clouding the water so
> much
> that one could see maybe 4 to 6 inches in. After 6
> hours using the UV 
> light,
> it was about 8 to 10 inches. 24 hours after that, so
> 30 hours after 
> first using the
> light, one could see the color of the wall through
> the tank, and an 
> additional 24
> hours later, it was nearly normal. At this time, I
> moved the light to 
> another tank,
> where two of my Kenyi have developed a nasty-looking
> infection. They 
> have
> been fighting while I quickly try to get another
> tank running in order 
> to be able
> to separate them.
> 
> John
> 
> (Still looking for more hiding places for the fish
> as well, if anyone
> else bogwood,
> clay pipes or rocks that would be appropriate for
> the Kenyi African 
> Cichlides (they
> are about 6-7 inches long). Sorry, I will not be
> able to make the 
> auction.  : (
> 
> Does anyone know if there are negative ecological consequences to 
> using bogwood. Are we destroying habitat or doing other
> harm by using it, as 
> we
> are when we use peat? Is it practical to use wood
> from our area, and 
> just
> submerge and waterlog it? I'm afraid that it will
> work its way loose, 
> shoot
> up to the surface, and damage light or cover.
> 
> Thank you
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> GSAS-Member@thekrib.com
>
http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member
> 


                
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