Post Midterm #2

Question 1

Define Biodiversity

Answer 1

A measure of variety of organisms within a local area le region including genetic variation, taxonomic uniqueness, and endemism

Question 2

Number of taxa in a local area or region

Answer 2

Species richness

Question 3

Measure of the variety of taxa in a community that takes into account the relative abundance of each one

Answer 3

Dominance Index

Question 4

3 Measures of Local Biodiversity and Descriptions

Answer 4

1. Alpha Diversity: number of species in habitat and combined with info in evenness of abundance
2. Gamma Diversity: number of species over larger region
3. Beta Diversity: the turnover in number of species in habitat v region estimated

Question 5

Define Species

Answer 5

Groups of interbreeding natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other groups

Question 6

Morphological Species

Answer 6

Differing species in characters/traits

Question 7

Phylogenetic Species

Answer 7

Differing species from lineages that maintain integrity

Question 8

Genetic Species

Answer 8

Differing species from DNA

Question 9

Ecological Species

Answer 9

Species defined from niche space

Question 10

Due to geographic barrier of populations where there are dissimilar selective pressures or genetic drift

Answer 10

Allopatric speciation

Question 11

Due to the isolated niche from isolation of a small population with unique traits

Answer 11

Peripatric speciation

Question 12

From niche specialization with a population to reduce competition

Answer 12

Parapatric Speciation

Question 13

From genetic divergence within a population, but not due to new niches

Answer 13

Sympatric Speciation

Question 14

Founder Effect

Answer 14

When an isolated population is founded by a small number of pioneering individuals, the new population may turn out to be different from OG

Question 15

Endemism

Answer 15

An endemic species is one whose geographic range is small (aka isolated)

Question 16

3 Factors of Facilitating Endemism

Answer 16

1. Time Stability
2. Topographic barriers
3. Low Productivity

Question 17

3 factors to Species Rarity

Answer 17

1. Range size
2. Population size
3. Habitat specificity

Question 18

Division of area by ten, divides the fauna by two

Answer 18

• Darlington’s Rule

Question 19

Ratio Extapolation

Answer 19

• Erwin used insecticidal forcing of trees to study diversity in Panama
  
  • Used ratio method to predict number of total nettle species based on unique beetles per tree

Question 20

Global Patterns of Biodiversity

Answer 20

• Notable negative latitudinal relationship
  
  • Richness decreases with latitude

Question 21

Biodiversity Hypothesis: Solar Energy, Precip., & PET

Answer 21

More energy = more niches (and more water needed for life)

Question 22

Biodiversity Hypothesis: NPP and Structure

Answer 22

More biomass or structure = more niches

Question 23

Biodiversity Hypothesis: Seasonality

Answer 23

High seasonality = low diversity (greater climatic tolerances)

Question 24

Biodiversity Hypothesis: stability-time

Answer 24

Diversity increases with community age

Question 25

Biodiversity Hypothesis: Area

Answer 25

Tropics have larger surface area of similar climate because it borders the equator

Question 26

Biodiversity Hypothesis: Pathogens

Answer 26

Increase pathogen = increase diversity Tropics have more pathogen pressure than temperate ecosystems, so individuals must spread out to avoid diseases

Question 27

Mechanisms that Prevent Competitive Exclusion

Answer 27

1. Mortality of dominant competitor via predation, herbivore, or abiotic disturbance 2. Environmental fluctuations (ex: droughts) 3. Local extinction and rescue effect (ex: re-invasion of species)

Question 28

Theory: Consider spatial patterns in populations (source-sink dynamics) relative to patches of habitat with immigration (dispersal) “rescuing” Populations lost or declining, thus maintaining more diversity in a region

Answer 28

Rescue Effects

Question 29

Abiotic Disturbances at Non-Equilibrium

Answer 29

- Density-independent mortalities - Selective mortalities

Question 30

Species richness-productivity Relationship

Answer 30

- More productive ecosystems are often assumed to contain higher species diversity - Global scale NOT LOCAL SCALE

Question 31

Natural Processes Promoting Extinction

Answer 31

- Demographic stochasticity - Environmental variability - Catastrophes

Question 32

- Theory that there is a need to keep evolving to “keep up” or potentially go extinct

Answer 32

Red Queen Hypothesis

Question 33

Mass extinction definition and numbers

Answer 33

- Mass extinction if when over 75% of species disappear within a geologically short interval less than 5 million years

Question 34

- Loss of Animals whose weight was greater than 44 kg (100 lbs) by 72% in North America at the end of the Pleistocene

Answer 34

Megafauna

Question 35

- Controversial hypothesis about overkill causing extinctions of species

Answer 35

Overkill Hypothesis

Question 36

Theory: - Extinction events amplified by the interaction of both biotic and abiotic drivers. Coupling of marked climate change with direct human impacts is especially pernicious

Answer 36

Multiplicative Effects of Megafauna Loss

Question 37

Theory: Loss of key megafauna resulted in loss of dispersal for large-fruited species

Answer 37

Megafauna Dispersal Syndrome

Question 38

Environmental Impacts of Invasive Species

Answer 38

○ Negatively impact biodiversity ○ Cause extirpation and extinction ○ Cause soul degradation and erosion ○ Alter ecosystem processes like fire cycles

Question 39

Societal Impacts of Invasive Species

Answer 39

○ Can cause disease/suffering for humans and pets ○ Reduce recreational opportunities

Question 40

Economic Impacts of Invasive Species

Answer 40

○ Control and management costs can be significant ○ Reduce productivity in resources ○ Cause export/import trade restrictions ○ Reduce property values

Question 41

Traits of Invasive Species

Answer 41

- Fast growth and rapid reproduction - Excellent dispersal ability - Generalist species (thrive in different environments/climates) - Few or no predators - Often associated with humans and surface disturbances

Question 42

Positive association between absolute average individual fitness and population size over some finite interval As populations move back from critical point, the growth rate decreases - Recovery impossible

Answer 42

- allee effect

Question 43

Known Invasive Species Effects

Answer 43

- Economic losses of $138 B per year - Forage losses on pastures alone cost $1B per year

Question 44

How do you deal with invasive species?

Answer 44

- Eradicate it early - Difficult to eradication once established

Question 45

ecosystems with higher species richness were less subject to invasive species because of fewer available niches (competition)

Answer 45

Native-Exotic richness (Elton)

Question 46

Paradox: Natively rich ecosystems are likely to be hotspots for exotics. “The rich keep getting richer”

Answer 46

Invasion Paradox

Question 47

Land Sparing v. Sharing

Answer 47

Debate whether conservation should occur within each farm lowering yield (sharing) or triaging and separating high yield with no habitat from areas of habitat (sparing)

Question 48

Land Sharing Traits

Answer 48

- Conservation within agricultural areas - Production benefits from ecosystem - More land allocated to agriculture - Less inputs (more self-sustainable ag) - Diverse or associated crops

Question 49

Land Sparing Traits

Answer 49

- Conservation in separate areas - Production intensification - Less land allocated to agriculture - More inputs to agricultural production - Mono-cropping

Question 50

Species richness on islands is due to a dynamic equilibrium between colonization of new species and extinction of established species affected by area and isolation

Answer 50

Island Biogeography (IBG) Theory

Question 51

IBG Theory Two Main Processes

Answer 51

- Colonization (immigration) rate decreases with distance - Extinction rates decrease with island area

Question 52

Managing uncertainty theory: low uncertainty and high controllability like in forest harvesting and fisheries

Answer 52

Maximum Sustained Yield

Question 53

Managing uncertainty theory: low uncertainty, but also low control. This would represent a form of insurance where foresters may leave extra volume due to the risk of catastrophic fire

Answer 53

Hedging

Question 54

Systematic approach to improving resource management by learning from management outcomes with high uncertainty but controllable

Answer 54

Adaptive Management

Question 55

Used when there is high uncertainty and low controllability. EXAMPLE: climate change. Models used to understand implications of different actions before actions

Answer 55

Scenario Planning

Question 56

Triage Principle and 3 Levels

Answer 56

- Triage threatened species by dividing species bas on likelihood of survival with and without help. - Levels 1. Low danger: ignore (probably fine) 2. Lost: ignore (can’t be saved anyways) 3. Acute Danger: salvageable. Concentrate limited conservation money here.