Hanski Ch. 1-3

Question 1

what ecosystems are most significant for global biodiversity?

Answer 1

tropical rain forests, where more than half of all terrestrial species live
coral reefs, where 25% of all marine life lives

Question 2

what animal has the majority population?

Answer 2

insects (80-90%), more specifically beetles (40% of insects)

Question 3

where did life arise from?

Answer 3

the sea, cambrian explosion was surge of marine biodiversity

Question 4

what factors contribute to the diversity of habitats?

Answer 4

soil, temperature, precipitation

Question 5

is biodiversity evenly distributed across the planet?

Answer 5

no
latitudinal gradient of increasing biodiversity towards the tropics

Question 6

what is a good example of unique fauna and flora evolving on a large island?

Answer 6

Madagascar, developed even when isolated from the rest of the world

Question 7

what commonly causes new species to arise?

Answer 7

when geographical distribution of a widely distributed species in split into isolated parts
populations in different parts evolve independently, adapt, and accumulate genetic differences, preventing interbreeding

Question 8

what is the impact of the key innovation evolution occasionally produces?

Answer 8

inherited by new species, allows them to expand geographical ranges
increases rate of speciation, accelerating evolution

Question 8

what caused biodiversity on land to increase rapidly approx 100 mya?

Answer 8

reciprocal evolution/coevolution between angiosperms and pollinating and herbivorous insects
increased speciation rate
species respond to evolutionary changes in each other

Question 9

do evolutionary dynamics and ecological dynamics operate on a similar or different time scale?

Answer 9

similar
evolutionary adjustments prevent extinction

Question 10

megatrend in changes in biodiversity

Answer 10

caused by humans via climate change and land use
uncommon specialist species go locally extinct, common species become more widespread

Question 11

what has been found in the course of mammalian evolution?

Answer 11

body size increases
increasing human effects has caused large-bodied mammals to decline, but they will adapt to human environments if not killed

Question 12

in what direction are the geographical distributions of many species shifting?

Answer 12

north, toward higher elevations on mountains in response to warming climate

Question 13

what type of species are not adapting to shift geographically and therefore are more prone to extinction?

Answer 13

specialist species in uncommon natural habitats