Reptile Conservation and Cultural Significance (lecture 5)

Question 1

Australia is a reptile paradise

Answer 1

• high endemism

- high species diversity

Question 2

driver of diversity

Answer 2

substantial changes in the globe

-animals have to deal with it or become extinct

Question 3

endemism

Answer 3

• number of species unique to a specific area
• does not tell you the rate of diversity (number of species in a particular area)
• bigger land mass has high endemism and high diversity

Question 4

speciation

Answer 4

• a method of how species evolved

Question 5

allopatric

Answer 5

• most common
• population divided by a physical isolation
• changes natural selection
• large genetic changes
• reproductive isolation
• males and females do not have the same cues for mating and reproduction
• no more interbreeding

Question 6

sympatric

Answer 6

• speciation by a mutation

- cause divergence in species

Question 7

centers of diversity

Answer 7

• where on the landscape are there areas that lead to speciation
• often there is hot spots or cold spots

Question 8

classes of factors

Answer 8

-areas with a strong level of extinction
-not all species can live everywhere
(broader tolerance more diversity)
(narrow tolerance less diversity)
-competition
-predation
-disturbance
(major ecological force
all of these happening at one dictates rate of speciation and what can persist at once

Question 9

Kimberly

Answer 9

• mountains that seperate arid a

- generate endemic species

Question 10

Wet tropics

Answer 10

• greater number of niches with great resources and loads of living
• nocturnal skinks (prickly skink) highly endemic to this area
• 23% of Australian reptile species
• highest concentration of endemic reptiles in the Wet Tropics of 18 species
• high diversity about 162 species of reptiles live in this region
• 24 of these species are found exclusively in the rainforest

Question 11

suitability and habitat for species

Answer 11

• climate resilient area is the border range of Queensland and New South Whales
• good amount of rainfall

Question 12

arid diversity

Answer 12

• highly diverse lizards in the desert
• dont go to Kimberley
• reptiles have different center
• 90 species

Question 13

East coast more productive

Answer 13

-higher diversity

Question 14

considerable areas

Answer 14

• reptiles particularly in the desert have high diversity

- center have different level of evolution that lead to different levels of diversity and endemism

Question 15

under huge pressure due to climate

Answer 15

• selection process
• rate and frequency of heat
• reptiles exploited by humans
  
  • no extinction since European colonization
• most endangered is the Western swamp tortoise which needs rainfall to start growth of egg

Question 16

habitat alteration

Answer 16

• most major concern
• habitat loss due to suburbs and farming
• disturbance regimen has increase drastically
• takes 40 yrs. to rebuild after timber
• group of animals behave differently to disturbance
• species diversity usually go down but some do well

Question 17

some glimmers of hope

Answer 17

• thought to be extinct pygmy blue-tongue found in the stomach of a snake at and clearing
• thought to be extinct as a result of pressure on these animals through trampling and CO2 gas from herding

Question 18

possum

Answer 18

• state emblem of Australia
• live in dead trees called stags
• timbering reduce habitat resources

Question 19

lizards response to logging and how to combat it

Answer 19

-don’t go extinct but feel the effects

• can use selective logging (20% of timber)
• take out mature trees that are likely to die
• forest coop-clear out a particular patch
• alll achieve balance of timber and maintaining animal habitat

Question 20

cane toads

Answer 20

• used to control cane beetle on sugar cane
• move into western Australia
• big poisonous sacks
• 99% of reptiles harbor no resistance to the toxins
• very few competition among other toads
• all animals that eat toads will die off (freshwater crocodiles crash to about 50-60%%)
• animals that survive have difference of choice
• major conservation concern for reptiles

Question 21

competition

Answer 21

• mammalian predators are warm blooded
• higher reproductive rate
• stealing food
• nutritional stress
• small reproduction
• smaller in size
• lag on population dynamics

Question 22

conservation methods

Answer 22

• drop toxic feeding

- reduce competition risk of predators

Question 23

reptiles as resources

Answer 23

• look beyond their looks into what they do

- cultural values

Question 24

cultural values

Answer 24

• indigenous
• reptiles painted on walls
• value to community
• spiritually, food source
• oral tradition (rainbow serpent produce the nation)
• hunting
  
  • big cornerstone to diet particularly for desert people
• fishing
• bush tucker
• sea tucker (sea turtles)
  
  • telling stories
  • food
  • show level of skilling
  • fitness benefit of having more children