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Society for Conservation Biology. Auburn University Chapter. 2010-2011 Kickoff Meeting Joint Meeting with AU Marine Biology Club Guest Speaker: Dr. Ken Halanych “2010’s Gulf Oil Spill”. WHERE? 112 Rouse Life Sciences. FOOD? Free Pizza Provided!. WHEN? TUESDAY Aug. 31 6:00-7:00 PM.
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Society for Conservation Biology Auburn University Chapter • 2010-2011 Kickoff Meeting • Joint Meeting with AU Marine Biology Club • Guest Speaker: Dr. Ken Halanych • “2010’s Gulf Oil Spill” WHERE? 112 Rouse Life Sciences FOOD?Free Pizza Provided! WHEN? TUESDAY Aug. 31 6:00-7:00 PM Check us out at www.auburn.edu/scb • Also: Info on upcoming Tailgate, Aquatic Biodiversity • Workshop, North Alabama Cave Field Trip!
Chapter 2:What is Biological Diversity? NatureServe Explorer • The Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly: First fly on the Federal Endangered Species List! Alabama Natural Heritage Program Biological Abstracts
What is Biological Diversity? • 1) Species diversity • Provides resources • 2) Genetic diversity • Allows species to survive and adapt (evolve!) • 3) Community diversity • Supports ecosystem function • Provides human benefits: ecological services (filter water/air, flood/erosion control, etc.).
What you know: species interactions (BIOL 3060) • Competition: Organisms both need resource in limiting supply (-,- interaction) • Predation: One species consumes another (+,-) • Mutualism: Organisms benefit one another (+,+) • Commensalism: One benefits, other unaffected (+,0) • Amensalism: One harmed, other unaffected (-,0)
You also know this: trophic levels (BIOL 3060) • Primary producers: Do photosynthesis • Primary consumers: Herbivores • Secondary consumers: Carnivores • Parasites/pathogens: Cause disease • Decomposers/detritivores: Break down non-living materials
Communities • Interactions and trophic levels contribute to community diversity
Keystone species/guilds • Guild: group species with similar ecological function in community • Ex, frugivorous (fruit-eating) birds • Keystone: species/guild affects community more than expected based upon abundance/biomass (has disproportionate impact) Lollipop guild Who am I?
Keystone types (4): 1. Control potential dominants • BIOL 3060: Paine & seastars in intertidal zone (keystone predator) • Trophic cascade: Influence of higher levels on lower
Keystone types (4):2. Resource Providers • Provide critical resource • Ex, tree in tropical forest: fruits when most others don’t • Allow frugivore guild to survive yearlong
Keystone types (4):3. Mutualists • Flying foxes: Mutualist bats (Old World Tropics and Pacific Islands) • Pollinate flowers & disperse seeds
Keystone types (4):4. Ecosystem engineers • Modify habitat to favor many species • Ex, Who am I? • Burrows provide refuge Fifth??
Keystone Resources • Critical physical or structural resources • Examples: • Deep pools in streams • Salt licks • Hollow trees Keebler Elf Habitat
Where is Biological Diversity? • Global “hotspots” (Myers et al. 2000) • 1) Endemic species (found only there) numerous • At least 1500 endemic species vascular plants (>0.5% world total) • 2) Habitat destruction critical • >70% habitat destroyed • “Hotspots Revisited” (Mittermeier et al. 2005) • Foreword by Harrison Ford • Extends list from 25 to 34
Where is Biological Diversity? • Conservation International: private group • 50% plant/animal species: 16% Earth’s surface • Average: 10% habitat left these places!
Hotspots Tour See pdf link on class webpage for downloadable map!
Asia-Pacific (13) • 13) SW China mountains Map of temperate Forest areas Rich temperate forest Boyd panda Giant panda
Asia-Pacific (13) • 12) Himalaya • Grasslands to forest to alpine • >3000 endemic plants, 50 endemic reptiles Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha) Western Tragopan
Asia-Pacific (13) • 11) Indo-Burma • Tropical rainforest High freshwater turtle diversity Leaf deer: described 1997 6 new species large mammals found in last 16 years!
Asia-Pacific(13) • 10) East Melanesia • 1600 islands • Tropical rainforest >12 threatened species flying fox
Asia-Pacific (13) • 9) Polynesia-Micronesia (4,500 tropical islands) Hawaiian honeycreepers (type speciation?)
Asia-Pacific (13) • 8) New Caledonia (size of NJ!) • 77% flora endemic (2,400 spp.) Only parasitic conifer! Kagu (endemic forest bird) Manyendemic Araucaria species (conifers)
25% mammals endemic Asia-Pacific (13) • 7) Japan • 3000 islands • Subtropics to boreal zone Japanese macaque (snow monkey) Japanese giant salamander 75% amphibians endemic
Asia-Pacifi (13) • 6) Philippines (>7,100 tropical islands!) • 6000 endemic plants, many endemic birds & amphibians • 7% forests left! Philippine eagle
Asia-Pacific (13) • 5) New Zealand (temperate) • All mammals, amphibians, reptiles endemic • 50 bird species extinct by humans Kiwi (endemic bird) Who am I? Revenge of the moa (extinct) Stephens Island Wren (extinct)
Asia-Pacific (13) • 4) Sundaland (western 1/2 Malaysia-Indonesia) • Tropical rainforest Who am I?
Asia-Pacific(13) • 3) Wallacea (eastern 1/2 Malaysia-Indonesia) • “Wallace’s Line”: Zoogeographical boundary Australasian and SE Asian faunas • Tropical rainforest Alfred Russell Wallace Who am I?
Asia-Pacific (13) Banksia • 2) Southwest Australia • Mediterranean climate • 80% plants endemic (3000 species)
Asia-Pacific (13) • 1) Western Ghats/Sri Lanka • Mostly forests • 3000 endemic plants, many fish, reptiles, amphibians 2003: New frog family (Nasikabatrachidae) discovered Western Ghats
Europe-Central Asia • 4) Mediterranean basin • Climate: Mediterranean! • Vegetation: Was forest, after 8000 yr civilization mostly scrub • 22,500 endemic plant spp.
Europe-Central Asia • 3) Irano-Anatolian • Mountainous forest • Many endemic plants (2500 spp.) Turkish orchids: bulbs ingredient (salep) for ice cream (endangering many species)
Europe-Central Asia Prez. of Georgia! • 2) Caucasus (incl. the Other Georgia) • Deserts, savannas, mountain forests • Many endemic plants (1600 spp.) Endemic tur (mountain goat)
Europe-Central Asia • 1) Mountains Central Asia • “Home of the -stans” • Arid: deserts, steppes, forests on mountains • 1500 endemic plant spp. Who am I?
High primate diversity Africa (8) • 8) Guinean Forests of West Africa • Tropical rainforest • >25% African mammals • >150 endemic fish Diana monkey Chimp (armed) Lowland gorilla
Africa (8) • 7) Horn of Africa • Arid: grasslands/desert • 50% plants endemic, 90 endemic reptiles Harvesting myrhh (resin) Source frankincense and myrrh in Bible Boswellia: frankincense source
Who am I? Africa (8) • 6) Eastern Afromontane • Moist & dry tropical forests • >600 endemic fish Cichlids: 10% Worlds’ Freshwater Fish species!
Africa (8) • 5) East Africa Coastal Forests • Moist & dry tropical forests • 1700 endemic plants Who am I?
Africa (8) • 4) Maputoland-Pondoland-Albany • Warm temperate forests, grasslands • Many endemic plants Bird of paradise (endemic)
Africa (8) • 3) Cape Floristic Region • Mediterranean scrub (fynbos) • 6200 endemic plants
Halfmens Africa (8) • 2) Succulent Karoo: Desert • Richest succulent flora in world • 20 endemic scorpions
Lemurs (15 extinct!) Africa (8) • 1) Madagascar/Indian Ocean Islands • Tropical rainforests, arid forests • 11,600 endemic plants (90% flora) • Many endemic birds (>60%), mammals (90%), amphibians (99%) The extinct giant lemur Who am I?
North/Central America • 4) California Floristic Province • Mediterranean climate • 61% plants endemic • 50% amphibians endemic Big tree (Sequoia) Who am I?
North/Central America • 3) Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands • Pine-oak forests • 4000 endemic plants • Monarch butterfly overwintering
North/Central America • 2) Mesoamerica • Tropical forests (dry to moist to montane) • 70% amphibians, 70% fishes endemic Golden toad of Costa Rica, extinct since 1989
North/Central America • 1) Caribbean Islands • Rainforests to cactus scrub • 6,500 endemic plants (25% on Cuba alone) • Many endemic reptiles (93%), amphibians (100%) Caribbean monk seal (declared extinct 2008) Pirates! Barbados thread snake (smallest!)
South America • 5) Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena • Moist to dry forests • 25% plants, 30% reptiles, 15% amphibians endemic Golden poison frog Chocó rain forest Galapagos tortoise
South America • 4) Tropical Andes • Most diverse place on Earth! • 10% Earth’s plants (50% endemics) • 70% amphibians, 45% reptiles endemic 250 endemic species Eleutherodactylus frogs
South America • 3) Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests • Coastal fog desert, temperate forest • 66% reptiles, 71% amphibians endemic Male Darwin’s frog (endemic) carries froglets in vocal sac Fog desert