Principles of Conservation Biology

BIOL 4160

Biodiversity

Biodiversity

Species Diversity

Genetic Diversity

Ecosystem Diversity

Species Diversity

What is a species anyway?o A group of individuals that is morphologically,

physiologically, or biochemically distinct from other groups. Morphological Species Concept

o A group of individuals that can potentially interbreed in the wild and don’t (usually) interbreed with other species. Biological Species Concept

Difficulties with morphology

Species definitions can be tricky....

How do we classify species?

Taxonomy

The practice and science of classification

http://www.barcodeoflife.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU1ru9H332s

Speciation vs. Extinction

Present rate of extinction: 100-1000 times faster than rate of speciation

Back to looking at species diversity

Figure 2.9

Ecosystem Diversity

Ecosystem: a biological community, together with its associated physical and chemical environment

Species interactions

CompetitionPredationMutualismSymbiosis

Food webs

Fig 2.13

Species “importance”

Figure 2.14

Loss of keystone species, like otters, can drastically altering ecosystem dynamics

Ecosystem Engineers

Ecosystem Engineers

Keystone Resources (examples)

Deep pools in streams and springs

Salt licks and mineral pools

Hollow trees

Rotting wood

What else?

Ecosystem dynamics

Resistance: ability to maintain the same state with ongoing disturbance

Resiliance: ability to return to the original state following a disturbance

Patterns of Biological Diversity

Tropical rainforestsTropical rainforests7% world7% world’’s land areas land area>50% world>50% world’’s speciess species5-30 million insect species5-30 million insect species1,300 bird species (not incl. 1,300 bird species (not incl. migrants or island endemics)migrants or island endemics)

Figure 3.1

Madagascar

Contains 28/35 animal phyla on earth todayContains 28/35 animal phyla on earth todayIncredibly high productivityIncredibly high productivity

Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier Reef400 coral spp400 coral spp1500 fish spp1500 fish spp4,000 mollusks4,000 mollusks252 birds252 birds6 turtles6 turtles

mid-Atlantic Seaboardmid-Atlantic Seaboard250 fish spp250 fish spp

Productivity – 2500g/m2/yr compared to 125g/m2/yr

Clip

Factors influencing diversity

ClimateEnvironmentTopographyGeological ageOthers?

Species richness

Climate and Environment

Species richness

Complex Topography

Great geological age

Topography, Geological Age, Habitat Size

Habitat size

Correspondence in species richness between different groups of organisms

Habitat size can have a large effect – Indian Ocean and west Pacific have a much larger reef area and correspondingly high richness compared to the west Atlantic

FranceThailan

d

674,843 km2

104 mammal species283 bird species

513,120 km2

241 mammal species971 bird species11625 plant species

Why so many species in the tropics?

1) Solar Energy, abundant rainfall leads to high productivity and large resource base

2) Longer periods of stability

3) Warm temperature, high humidity favorable for growth

Why so many species in the tropics?

4) High competition, high niche specialization due to predictability of environment

5) Pressure from parasites, disease

6) Large geographic area

How many species are there?

2006

2010

Vertebrates – 62,305Invertebrates – 1,305,250Plants – 321,212Fungi – 74-120,000

Canada