Society for Conservation BiologyAuburn University Chapter

Check us out at www.auburn.edu/scb

WHEN?

TUESDAY Aug. 31

6:00-7:00 PM

2010-2011 Kickoff MeetingJoint Meeting with AU Marine Biology Club

Guest Speaker: Dr. Ken Halanych“2010’s Gulf Oil Spill”

Also: Info on upcoming Tailgate, Aquatic BiodiversityWorkshop, North Alabama Cave Field Trip!

WHERE? 112 Rouse

Life Sciences FOOD?Free PizzaProvided!

Chapter 2:What is Biological Diversity?

• The Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly: First fly on the Federal Endangered Species List!

NatureServeExplorer

Alabama Natural HeritageProgram

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.).

3. Community diversity

• 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)

What you know: species interactions (BIOL 3060)

• Primary producers: Do photosynthesis• Primary consumers: Herbivores• Secondary consumers: Carnivores• Parasites/pathogens: Cause disease• Decomposers/detritivores: Break down non-

living materials

You also know this: trophic levels (BIOL 3060)

• Interactions and trophic levels contribute to community diversity

Communities

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?

The Keystone Concept

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

KeeblerElf Habitat

Ch. 3: Where (in the world) is Biological Diversity?

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

Rich temperate forest

Giant panda

Map of temperateForest areas

Boyd 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

6 new species large mammals found in last 16 years!

Leaf deer: described 1997

High freshwater turtle diversity

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!

Many endemic Araucaria species (conifers)

Kagu (endemic forest bird)

Asia-Pacific (13)• 7) Japan• 3000 islands• Subtropics to boreal zone

75% amphibians endemic

Japanese macaque (snow monkey)

25% mammals endemic

Japanese giant salamander

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 IslandWren (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)• 2) Southwest Australia• Mediterranean climate• 80% plants endemic (3000 species)

Banksia

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• 2) Caucasus (incl. the Other Georgia)• Deserts, savannas, mountain forests• Many endemic plants (1600 spp.)

Endemic tur (mountain goat)

Prez. of Georgia!

Europe-Central Asia• 1) Mountains Central Asia• “Home of the -stans”• Arid: deserts, steppes, forests on mountains• 1500 endemic plant spp.

Who am I?

Africa (8)• 8) Guinean Forests of West Africa• Tropical rainforest• >25% African mammals• >150 endemic fish

High primate diversity

Diana monkey

Chimp (armed)

Lowland gorilla

Africa (8)• 7) Horn of Africa• Arid: grasslands/desert• 50% plants endemic, 90 endemic

reptiles

Source frankincense and myrrh in Bible

Boswellia: frankincense source

Harvesting myrhh (resin)

Africa (8)• 6) Eastern Afromontane• Moist & dry tropical forests• >600 endemic fish

Who am I?

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

Africa (8)• 2) Succulent Karoo: Desert• Richest succulent flora in world• 20 endemic scorpions

Halfmens

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%)

Lemurs (15 extinct!)

The extinctgiant 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%)

Barbados thread snake (smallest!)

Caribbean monk seal (declared extinct 2008)

Pirates!

South America• 5) Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena• Moist to dry forests• 25% plants, 30% reptiles, 15%

amphibians endemicGolden poison frog

Chocó rain forest

Galapagostortoise

South America• 4) Tropical Andes• Most diverse place on Earth!• 10% Earth’s plants (50% endemics)• 70% amphibians, 45% reptiles endemic

250 endemicspecies Eleutherodactylusfrogs

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

South America• 2) Atlantic Forest• Tropical forests (dry to moist to

montane)• 8000 endemic plants

Golden lion tamarin

South America• 1) Cerrado• Savanna and woodland/savanna• Fires in dry season• 50% plants endemic

Giant worm lizard