Unit 3 - AOS 1 - CH 3 - Measuring species & biodiversity, Conservation status etc. Flashcards
Sampling using quadrats + info on size and number
Using a small area of habitat
- Most widely used means of obtaining quantitative info about composition & structure of plant or sessile (attached) animal species.
- If the size and position are appropriate = reliable info
Size: depends on height and density of species present
Number: ecologists suggest should cover 10% of area being studied.
Types of sampling - PLANTS
Random sampling: plots are placed randomly within the study area
Systemic sampling: quadrats are placed in line as evenly as possible.
- Belt transect: small quadrats joined in a line
Sampling edge effects
- When plant crosses edge decision if should be counted or not. (if not discussed = overestimation of population)
Circle quadrat:
- Minimises edge effect because ratio of edge to area is lower
- But is harder to calculate area.
Sampling - MAMMALS
INDIRECT SIGNS: droppings, tracks, feeding signs, burrows, food remains, body remains
SPOTLIGHTING: walk along tracks at night; listening for movement or spot mammal with light ( red=less disturbing)
DIRECT OBSERVATION: species observed during the day/setting up camera traps
LIVE TRAPPING: small mammals trapped alive in collapsible aluminium Elliot traps or wire mesh cage traps with suitable bait. (data = sex + weight)
CAPTURE MARK RECAPTURE: Sample of population is captured, marked and released. Later repeated with second sample mark individuals counted.
(number of individuals marked in 2nd sample should be proportional to number of whole population)
*Smaller # of individuals marked in 2nd capture = larger population.
Mark-recapture formula
M x n
N = ———-
m
N = estimation of population size
M = # of individuals initially marked
n = total size in second sample
m = # marked in second sample
Species abundance
“The number of individuals in a species”
Relative abundance
“Evenness of distribution of individuals among species in a community.”
Species richness
“The number of different species present in a particular region”
Why could using species richness data be not fully accurate
- Ignoring genetic variation that may be present in a species
- Partially represents ecosystem diversity
- Ranks all species equally (rare, common, introduced species)
Species diversity
“Takes into account the relative species abundance (# of individuals) & species richness (# of species)”
Definition of equitability & what makes a community diverse and non-diverse.
“Extent to which each species contributed to the ecology of the community”
Diverse community: species in a particular trophic level are present in roughly equal #.
Non-diverse community: a trophic level is dominated by only a few species.
SID = Simpsons index of diversity
“Based on probability of 2 specimens belonging to the same species”
0 = low diversity
1 = high diversity
Degree of endemism
“The level of endemism of the species present”
Endemism: species native to one area only
Vegetation structure
“Physical structure of the vegetation, size & shape”
1. height
2. projective foliage cover (% of the ground shaded by foliage of the plants in the stratum)
e.g., tropical rainforests 90% & grasslands 10%
2 developed researched to assess risk of extinction
- THEORY OF ISLAND BIOGRAPHY
- Lager island will have greater number of species compared to a small island
- Larger habitat loss will result in ^ loss of species
- generalised results that change depending on habitat type.
- predicts the possible effect of habitat loss & fragmentation.
- High levels of uncertainty. - COLLECTIONS AT HERBARIUMS AND MUSEUMS
- Organisms are considered extinct when they haven’t been collect for ~50 yrs
- Assumes collections are random (not actually the case in practice)
- There have been species that have been found (live) even after considered extinct.
- provides estimate of relative threat
- Most effective when used along with current data.
- both not reliable
definition for conservation status categories
“reflects the degree of threat of extinction to a species”
- framework for setting priorities for allocating limited resources
2 examples of conservation status categories
- how rare a species is
- IUCN categories
describe how “how rare a species is” works in terms of conservation status categories
“used in assessing conservation status with 3 main factors contributing to the rarity of species”
POPULATION SIZE. density or # of individuals in local area (high/low)
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE. spatial distribution is species (restricted/widespread)
SPECIFICITY OF HABITAT. variety of ecological conditions within which the species can survive. (specific/narrow)
name all IUCN categories
extinct
extinct in wild
critically endangered
endangered
vulnerable
near threatened
least concern
data efficient
not evaluated
extinct definition
last individual has died
extinct in wild definition
taxon known to survive in captivity without record of individual in wild
critically endangered
extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future
endangered definition
High risk of extinction in the wild in the near future
vulnerable
high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future
Conservation of genetic diversity - Notes
“Genetic diversity is important because species/pop with low genetic diversity is less able to respond to changes in enviro”
- Ensures it can adapt to changes through natural selection
Difference between genotype and morphology (genetic diversity)
GENOTYPE - genetic variation:
- Measured in terms of # of alternative alleles of a gene.
- Little info (less than 1% plants & animals assessed)
MORPHOLGY - appearance:
- Measured in terms of appearance
- quite reasonable: expression of genes (not always reliable)
> > Organisms with similar morphology may differ with genotype.
> > Organisms with different morphology may have similar genotype.
Conservation of population diversity - Notes
Population - “Group of organisms of same species living within a particular area”
Population used commonly but they can be separated geographically
- Gene flow restricted
- Genetic composition begins o vary as they adapt & evolve to diff enviros
- Extent of diff depends on -> how isolated, diff enviro & time separated
Genetic diff -> implication of management of species
- Important to reserve not just 1 population of species but rage of them. to encompose a range of genetic diversity
Conservation of species diversity - Notes
- Basic unit of most conservation programs -> reference to the preservation of species
Comly used ‘species definition’:
= “Group of individuals that actually or potentially interbreed with one another to produce fertile offspring”
–> Rebuttal: Organisms that don’t sexually reproduce aren’t included (these species determined through morphology, biomechanical characteristics, & habitat range)
–> Many of species determine on a basis of morphological characteristics. (thus, using species as the basic unit of conservation –> has limitations)
Conservation of ecosystem diversity - Notes
Ecosystem diversity: “Variety of ecosystems in given place” (interconnected)
- Conservation at this level = critical to conserve biodiversity
. Enables protection of interconnecting ecosystems, species and genetic diversity
. Also the ecological processes each ecosystem provides = more resilient environment & better at supporting life.
