Rich Knight, Biodiversity & Conservation Biology UWC knight.rich[at]gmail.com Biomes, eco-regions and biodiversity hotspots FACULTY OF NATURAL SCIENCES Biomes (Terrestrial) Spatial units with "Ecological Similarity" with respect to communities of Plants, Animals, Soil Organisms. Defined based on Plant structures (such as trees, shrubs, and grasses), Leaf types (such as broadleaf and needle leaf), Plant spacing (forest, woodland, savanna), Climate (moisture and temperature). Biome characteristics Not defined by genetic, taxonomic, or historical similarities Biomes are often identified with particular patterns of Ecological succession e.g. Savanna, Climax vegetation e.g. Tropical Rainforest. Biome Biodiversity Determined especially by fauna e.g. mammals Subdominant plant forms depends on Abiotic factors (soil, light etc) Biomass productivity of the dominant vegetation Species diversity tends to be higher in biomes with particular patterns of higher net primary productivity, higher moisture availability higher temperatures Biome - distribution Major factor determining their distribution are Latitude: arctic, boreal, temperate, subtropical, tropical Humidity: humid, semi-humid, semi-arid, and arid. seasonal variation: rainfall may be distributed evenly throughout the year, or possess seasonal variations. dry summer, wet winter: most regions of the earth receive most of their rainfall during the summer months; Mediterranean climate regions receive their rainfall during the winter months. Elevation: increasing elevation causes a distribution of habitat types similar to that of increasing latitude. Biodiversity increases towards the equator and with increased humidity. Biomes Schematic Diagram Udvardy Classification (12) Tropical humid forests Subtropical and temperate rainforests or woodlands Temperate broad-leaf forests or woodlands and sub- polar deciduous thickets Temperate needle-leaf forests or woodlands Evergreen sclerophyllous forests, scrub, or woodlands Tropical dry or deciduous forests (including Monsoon forests) or woodlands Temperate grasslands Warm deserts and semi-deserts Cold-winter (continental) deserts and semi-deserts Tundra communities and barren Arctic deserts Mixed mountain and highland systems with complex zonation Mixed island systems WWF: major habitat types (14) Tundra (arctic) Boreal forests/taiga (subarctic, humid) Temperate coniferous forests (temperate, humid to semi- humid) Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests (temperate, humid) Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands (temperate, semi-arid) Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and shrub (temperate warm, semi-humid to semi-arid with winter rainfall) Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests (tropical and subtropical, semi-humid) Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (tropical and subtropical, humid) WWF... /continued Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests (tropical and subtropical, semi-humid) Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands (tropical and subtropical, semi-arid) Montane grasslands and shrublands (alpine or montane climate) Deserts and xeric shrublands (temperate to tropical, arid) Mangrove (subtropical and tropical, salt water inundated) Flooded grasslands and savannas (temperate to tropical, fresh or brackish water inundated) Further divided into 825 terrestrial eco-regions. WWF identified 200 ecoregions for conservation prioritization. Aquatic biomes Continental shelf Littoral/Intertidal zone Riparian Pond/Lake Coral reef Kelp forest Pack ice Hydrothermal vents Cold seeps Benthic zone Pelagic zone Epipelagic Mesopelagic Bathypelagic Abyssopelagic Hadopelagic Neritic zone 34 Biodiversity Hotspots >70% habitat lost, >1 500 endemic vascular plant spp. Investment criteria for Conservation Internationals prioritization. Defining Biodiversity Hotspots Coined by Norman Myers in two articles in The Environmentalist (1988 & 1990) Thirty-four areas are identified and support nearly 60% of the world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species Half of the worlds plant species and 42 percent of all terrestrial vertebrate species are endemic to hotspots Covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth's land surface Therefore defined as "a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction" Revised by Myers Hotspots: Earths Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions (1999) Critique of Biodiv. Hotspots High profile of the biodiversity hotspots concept - World Banks funding has resulted in considerable criticism Inadequate representation of other species richness (e.g. total species richness or threatened species richness). Inadequate representation of taxa other than vascular plants (e.g. vertebrates, or fungi). No provision to protect smaller scale richness No provision for changing land use patterns. Do not consider ecosystem services Do not consider phylogenetic diversity. Global Conservation Do not address the concept of cost The purpose of biodiversity hotspots is not simply to identify regions that are of high biodiversity value, but to prioritise conservation spending. The regions identified include regions in the developed world (e.g. the California Floristic Province), alongside regions in the developing world (e.g. Madagascar). The cost of land is likely to vary between these regions by an order of magnitude or more, but the biodiversity hotspots do not consider the conservation importance of this difference. North and Central America 1. 1.California Floristic Province 2. 2.Caribbean Islands 3. 3.Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands 4. 4.Mesoamerica South America 1. 1.Atlantic Forest 2. 2.Cerrado 3. 3.Chilean Winter Rainfall- Valdivian Forests 4. 4.Tumbes-Choc-Magdalena 5. 5.Tropical Andes Europe and Central Asia 1. 1.Caucasus 2. 2.Irano-Anatolian 3. 3.Mediterranean Basin 4. 4.Mountains of Central Asia Africa 1. 1.Cape Floristic Region 2. 2.Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa 3. 3.Eastern Afromontane 4. 4.Guinean Forests of West Africa 5. 5.Horn of Africa 6. 6.Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands 7. 7.Maputaland-Pondoland- Albany 8. 8.Succulent Karoo Asia-Pacific 1. 1.East Melanesian Islands 2. 2.Himalaya 3. 3.Indo-Burma 4. 4.Japan 5. 5.Mountains of Southwest China 6. 6.New Caledonia 7. 7.New Zealand 8. 8.Philippines 9. 9.Polynesia-Micronesia Southwest Australia Sundaland Wallacea Western Ghats and Sri Lanka California Floristic Province Mediterranean-type climate of North America High levels of plant endemism the giant sequoia, the planet's largest living organism and less massive relative, the coastal redwood. Has a number of threatened endemic species such as the giant kangaroo rat and the desert slender salamander Some of the last individuals of the Critically Endangered California condor Wilderness destruction caused by commercial farming Heavily threatened by the expansion of urban areas, pollution, and road construction. California Floristic Province Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 ) Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 ) Endemic Plant Species2.124 Endemic Threatened Birds4 Endemic Threatened Mammals5 Endemic Threatened Amphibians8 Extinct Species2 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )121 Area Protected (km 2 ) Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV Recorded extinctions since *Categories I-IV afford higher levels of protection. Caribbean Islands Diverse ecosystems from montane cloud forests to cactus scrublands Devastated by deforestation Hotspot has dozens of threatened species, including two species of solenodon (giant shrews) and the Cuban crocodile. The hotspot is also remarkable for the diminutive nature of much of its fauna, boasting the world's smallest bird (the tiny bee hummingbird) and smallest snake. Caribbean Islands Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )229,549 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )22,955 Endemic Plant Species6,550 Endemic Threatened Birds48 Endemic Threatened Mammals18 Endemic Threatened Amphibians143 Extinct Species38 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )155 Area Protected (km 2 )29,605 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*16,306 Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands Includes Mexico's main mountain chains, mountaintops in Baja California and southern US An area of rugged mountainous terrain, high relief, and deep canyons. Quarter of Mexico's plant species are found here, many of which are endemic. The pine forests of Michoaca'n provide over-wintering sites for the annual monarch butterfly migrations Excessive logging is causing destruction of pine forests and consequent loss of habitat. Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )461,265 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )92,253 Endemic Plant Species3,975 Endemic Threatened Birds7 Endemic Threatened Mammals2 Endemic Threatened Amphibians36 Extinct Species1 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )32 Area Protected (km 2 )27,361 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*8,900 Mesoamerica The Mesoamerican forests are the third largest among the world's hotspots. Endemic species include quetzals, howler monkeys, and 17,000 plant species. Is also a corridor for many Neotropical migrant bird species. The hotspot's montane forests are important for amphibians, many endemic species of which are in dramatic decline due to an interaction between habitat loss, fungal disease and climate change. Mesoamerica Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )1,130,019 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )226,004 Endemic Plant Species2,941 Endemic Threatened Birds31 Endemic Threatened Mammals29 Endemic Threatened Amphibians232 Extinct Species7 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )72 Area Protected (km 2 )142,103 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*63,902 Atlantic Forest Occurs in tropical South America includes 20,000 plant species, and 40% are endemic. Only 10 percent or less remains. More than 24 Critically Endangered vertebrate species including three species of lion tamarins and six bird species Hotspot has almost 950 avian species with endemics such as the red-billed curassow, the Brazilian merganser. Sugarcane plantations and later, coffee plantations has contributed to significant habitat destruction over the centuries With massive urban growth of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo threaten what remains of this hotspot. Atlantic Forest Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )1,233,875 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )99,944 Endemic Plant Species8,000 Endemic Threatened Birds55 Endemic Threatened Mammals21 Endemic Threatened Amphibians14 Extinct Species1 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )87 Area Protected (km 2 )50,370 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*22,782 Cerrado Comprising 21% of Brazil Most extensive woodland-savanna in South America. Has a pronounced dry season and supports a unique array of drought- and fire- adapted plant species Numerous endemic bird species. Large mammals such as the giant anteater, giant armadillo, jaguar and maned wolf still survive despite rapid expansion of Brazil's agricultural frontier, which focuses primarily on soy and corn. Ranching is another major threat to the region, as it produces almost 40 million cattle a year. Cerrado Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )2,031,990 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )438,910 Endemic Plant Species4,400 Endemic Threatened Birds10 Endemic Threatened Mammals4 Endemic Threatened Amphibians2 Extinct Species0 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )13 Area Protected (km 2 )111,051 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*28,736 Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests Isolated by being bounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Andes Mountains, and the Atacama Desert. These forests have a rich endemic flora and fauna. Protection from logging now exists. Rare fauna include Andean cat, the mountain vizcacha, & Andean condor. Reptilian, amphibian, and freshwater fish endemism is high. Threats include overgrazing, invasive species, & urbanization. Major hydroelectric dams and coastal development are specific problems facing the conservation of this hotspot. Chilean Winter Rainfall- Valdivian Forests Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )397,142 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )119,143 Endemic Plant Species1,957 Endemic Threatened Birds6 Endemic Threatened Mammals5 Endemic Threatened Amphibians15 Extinct Species 0 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )37 Area Protected (km 2 )50,745 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*44,388 Tumbes-Choc-Magdalena Bordered by Mesoamerica in the north, and to the east the Tropical Andes hotspots. Endemic fauna include bare-necked umbrella bird and the brightly- colored poison dart frogs, are characteristic of the region. The white-winged guan of Southern Ecuador and extreme northern Peru is seriously threatened with extinction. Urbanization, hunting (large birds and mammals), and deforestation, especially mangroves are threats. Ecuador's coastal forests are only 2 percent of their original area consequently species presence continue to decline. Tumbes-Choc-Magdalena Hotspot Original Extent (km 2 )274,597 Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km 2 )65,903 Endemic Plant Species2,750 Endemic Threatened Birds21 Endemic Threatened Mammals7 Endemic Threatened Amphibians8 Extinct Species4 Human Population Density (people/km 2 )51 Area Protected (km 2 )34,338 Area Protected (km 2 ) in Categories I-IV*18,814 Tropical Andes Greatest biodiversity on Earth Contain about 1/6 of all plant spp. in