Frog book: biodiversity
genetic diversity: among one species (see bottleneck)
species diversity: within an ecosystem
ecosystem diversity: different habitats, communities, ecosystems
Taxonomic groups-reflect evolutionary relationships
like species are grouped by genus (genera)
Kings play chess on fat girls stomachs
kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
Domain is larger than kingdom:
bacteria, archaea, eukarya (you are a eukaryote)
genus+species = name
panthera + tigris = tiger
panthera = genus, tigris = species
Family is called Felidae (cats)
Subspecies-could interbreed, smaller differentiation
biodiversity-one measure is species diversity:
How many species?
Hard to tell: 5-100 million
- unexplored regions
- some are very small
- hard to identify from others
general increase in BD near the equator (warmer, more water, no freezing)
latitudinal gradient—
BD increases stability and robustness of ecosystems
stable = resistant + resilient
resistant=maintain function
resilient=bounces back after disruption
keystone species=removal changes the ecosystem
apex predators are one keystone species (impact others below)
contrast with ag monoculture
EXTINCTION
“Biodiversity losses caused by humans are common throughout history. Archaeological evidence shows that waves of extinctions tend to follow whenever people colonize islands and continents. After the Polynesians reached Hawaii, for example, half its birds went extinct. Birds, mammals, and reptiles vanished following the colonization of New Zealand and Madagascar. Dozens of species of large vertebrates died off in Australia after the Aborigines arrived roughly 50,000 years ago. North America lost 33 genera of large mammals after people arrived on the continent 10,000 years ago. Why does human settlement seem to mean extinction for other organisms? And, more important, is there anything we can do about it?”
extirpation=global extinction of a species
background rate of extinction
mass extinctions: KT event
cosmic ray theory of varying evolutionary rates
6th mass extinction: 1000x background rate
threatened -> endangered
living planet index: population trends
BD loss:
- habitat loss, change
- invasive species
- pollution
- overharvesting (e.g. fishing)
- climate change
Habitat fragmentation (see allopatric speciation)
invasive species: predation, parasitism, competition
Trouble with tribbles
Zebra mussel-know this
ESA-endangered species act 1973
CITES-convention on international trade in endangered species 1975
Convention on biological diversity (CBD) 2009 (exc. US, like Kyoto)
SSP=species survival plan (e.g. captive breeding)
cloning-genetic copy
endemic-only found in one place
biodiversity hotspots (e.g. big island of Hawaii)
debt for nature swap
economic predation
wildlife corridors (wolves in Canada)
Condor: 22 at genetic bottleneck
3.5 m wingspan,
Chatham Robins: 2 left
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