Biodiversity Loss - Class #20

Biodiversity

genes, populations, species, functional groups, taxonomic groups, communities, ecosystems, biomes, landscape units, and habitats, and how this is changing over space and time

Large Scale patterns of biodiversity?

• species-area relationship

• species-latitude relationship

• species-elevation relationship

• species-precipitation relationship

biodiversity hotspots

defined by number of plant species they contain and threat posed by further development

what type of species was discovered by a UNCG researcher?

Mammal - of the squirrell species by Dr.McLean

since 1970 how has freshwater species changed?

freshwater declined by 81%

since 1970 how has terrestrial species changed?

terrestrial declined by 38%

since 1970 how has marine species changed?

marine declined by 36%

five categories of man-made causes of biodiversity loss?

• habitat loss and degradtion

• species overexploitation

• pollution

• invasive species and disease

• climate change

What are some natural threats to biodiversity?

• narrow geographic range

• low breeding rates

• small population size

• competition

• natural disasters

• predation

what contributes the most to the current loss of terrestrial and freshwater species?

habitat loss and degradation (2nd, overexplotitation)

what contributes the most to the current loss of marine species?

overexploitation (2nd, habitat loss and degradation)

how many mass extinctions have their been?

5

What is a Pleistocene?

large mammal extinction

What continent maintained their large mammal assemblages?

Africa

What continent did not maintain their large mammal assemblages?

all of them!

What trait does all the extinct animals show?

The bigger or heavier an animal, the more likely they are to be lost