EE37

Question 1

What is the equilibrium theory of island biogeography?

Answer 1

any island has equilbrium no. of species - balance immigration and extinction
large islands support larger populations - lowers extinction rates - larger targets = more immigration
near islands = more immigration
= more species at equilbrium

Question 2

What is SAR?

Answer 2

area species relationship
linear when logged
larger areas have more sorts of niche/habitats
S= species number
K= constant
H= habitat
S=KH and H scales with area
H= easy to measure wrong

Question 3

What is the general relationship between species and area?

Answer 3

• more species found in larger areas

- more isolated have fewer species than expected for their area

Question 4

what is a multiple regression?

Answer 4

extention of simple linear regression

used to predict value of variable based on value of 2 or more variables

Question 5

what is the neutral theory of biodiversity?

Answer 5

explain biodiversity by relative abundance of species in ecological communities.
assumes difference between members on an ecological communinity is neutral or irrelevant to success
goes against the theory of survival of the fittest
eg. random mortality.
tree die. gap for new tree
gap colonised by random propagule - each individual tree likely to be parent irrespective of species
no ecological difference among species

Question 6

what does the neutral theory of biodiversity suggest species abundance fluctuate by?

Answer 6

drift, equivalent to alleles in a population
- over time species dwindle to zero abundance by change
immigration can introduce a new species
diversity is the balance between immigration and extinction
this is a challenget o the niche theory
might not need ecological differecne to maintain and explain diversity
lots of patterns can arise ust with birth death and dispersal

Question 7

How can sar be used in conservation?

Answer 7

if sar is in equilibrium we can use it to predict species extinction rate

Question 8

how can sar be used in evolutionary predictions?

Answer 8

if sar is in equilbrium can be used to predict diversification

Question 9

what is one of the most wide spread patterns in biodiversity?

Answer 9

sar
can be explained by neutral porocesses or by niche
often not clear whether area of habitat diversity determines species richness.