Biodiversity: Patterns and Processes How is biodiversity spatially spread? Distribution of biodiversity Origin of Life Earth history Heterogenity of environment Pattern of herbivory Complexity of environment Distribution of body size Source: Yves Samyn Evolution of Biodiversity • Life on Earth 3.7 - 3.85x109 years old • Evolutionary history shapes contemporary physical and biological environment • Current diversity of species is a product of the processes of extinction and speciation An Extraordinary Number • So far, about 1.5-1.75 million species have been identified • Scientists estimate that there may be between and 117 million species • Most estimates range between 13-20 million Spector ©AMNH-CBC Cone head katydid How many species? Estimated Number of Described Species Bacteria 9,021 (0.5%) Archaea 259 (0.01%) Nematoda Actinopterygii 20,000 (1.1%) 23,712 (1.4%) Other Vertebrata 27,199 (1.6%) Other Eucarya 36,702 (2.1%) Crustacea 38,839 (2.2%) Other Plantae 49,530 (2.8%) Arachnida 74,445 (4.3%) Insecta 827,875 (47.3%) Other invertebrate Metazoa 82,047 (4.7%) Fungi 100,800 (5.8%) Stramenopiles 105,922 (6.1%) Mollusca 117,495 (6.7%) Angiospermae 233,885 (13.4%) How many species in Vietnam? Species group Number of species known from Vietnam Number of species described globally (approx.) Global percentage of species found in Vietnam Terrestrial plants 13,766 220,000 6.3 Insects 7,750 750,000 1.0 Fishes 3,170 30,000 10.6 Reptiles 286 6300 4.5 Amphibians 162 4,184 3.8 Birds 840 9,040 9.3 Mammals 310 4,000 7.7 Patterns of species description Thalassinid shrimps Mammals Source: Yves Samyn New Species Described from Vietnam (1992-2004) Mammals species Birds species Reptiles 22 species Turtles, 15 Lizards, Snakes Amphibians 31 Frogs and Toads Freshwater Fishes > 45 species Vascular Plants 14 genera Joyce A Powzyk Global Biodiversity Gradient Biodiversity is not distributed evenly across the planet: Source: Sterling ©AMNH-CBC Source: Kristan Hutchison,NSF: US Antarctic Program Species diversity for most taxa is lowest near the poles, and increases toward the tropics, reaching a peak in tropical rain forests (may contain more than half the species on Earth) Terrestrial biomes The term biome refers to a major type of terrestrial ecosystem that typifies a broad geographical region “Cryptic” Biodiversity Green Cascade Frog (Huia chloronata) species complex Morafka’s Cascade Frog (Huia morafkai, top), Green Cascade Frog (H chloronata, center), and Ba Na Cascade Frog (H.banaorum, bottom) Joyce A Powzyk Biodiversity of Vietnam Endemic Species – 6% mammals – 25% amphibians – 21% reptiles Tilo Nadler/FZS Grey-shanked Douc Pygathrix n cinerea – 18% freshwater fish – 30% vascular plants Earth Trends, 2003 Golden Vietnamese Cypress Callitropsis vietnamensis Daniel K Harder/Arboretum at UCSC Caveats Incomplete Survey Records 26 of 31 new frog species are endemic to Vietnam, BUT 17 known only from their type locality Sung’s Asian Toad (Leptolalax sungi) Amy Lathrop/Royal Ontario Museum Recent Research In Vietnam New Species Discoveries Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) Eleanor Sterling/CBC-AMNH Joyce A Powzyk SFNC/FFI Recent Research In Vietnam New Species Discoveries Hairy-nosed Otter (Lutra sumatrana) Kevin Frey/CBC-AMNH Joyce A Powzyk New Species Described from Vietnam (1992-2004) Mammals species Birds species Reptiles 22 species Turtles, 15 Lizards, Snakes Amphibians 31 Frogs and Toads Freshwater Fishes > 45 species Vascular Plants 14 genera Joyce A Powzyk Biodiversity of Vietnam Species Richness Civets (Family Viverridae) Mammals > 300 species Bats 91 species Carnivores 37 species Primates 27 taxa (19 spp; subspp) Spotted Linsang (Prionodon pardicolor, top), Owston’s Civet (Chrotogale owstoni, center), and Binturong (Arctictis binturong, bottom) Joyce A Powzyk Species Richness Babblers (Family Timalidae) Birds ~ 850 species Babblers 102 species Woodpeckers 27 species Pheasants 24 species Asian Barbets 10 species Grey-faced Tit Babbler (Macronous kelleyi, top), Whitebrowed Shrike Babbler (Pteruthius flaviscapis, second from top), Sooty Babbler (Stachyris herberti, third from top), and Short-tailed Scimitar babbler (Jabouilleia danjoui, bottom) Joyce A Powzyk Species Richness Amphibians > 180 species Chinese Softshell Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) Frogs 174 species Vietnamese Warty Newt (Paramesotriton deloustali) Joyce A Powzyk Reptiles > 330 species Joyce A Powzyk Freshwater Turtles 28 species The Major Extinction Events Adapted from Kaufman and Mallory (1986) ‘The Last Extinction’ fig 2.1 Recovery time from previous extinctions • Evolution required 10 million years or more to attain prior levels of species diversity Sixth mass extinction Homo sapiens (humans) may be the cause of a sixth major extinction in history Reasons for extinction: – human population – pollution – global climate change – over hunting The extinct dodo bird Sixth mass extinction Homo sapiens (humans) may be the cause of a sixth major extinction in history Reasons for extinction: – human population – pollution – global climate change – over hunting The extinct dodo bird How a 6th mass extinction might differ from previous mass extinctions • causes - apparently human induced • rate - possibly greater • possible breadth of taxonomic groups affected • it can be stopped or at least slowed! Can we rescue these species? Rafetus swinhoei Hoan Kiem Lake Ben Stocking/AP Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus Cat Tien National Park WWF Greater Mekong Pseudoryx nghetinhensis Pu Mat National Park David Hulse/WWF [...]... habitat structure may permit finer subdivision of resources and greater specialization 7 Productivity/Energy – greater available energy may allow for greater numbers of species to coexist Species richness and temperature range Birds Mammals Snails Species diversity and habitat complexity Species richness and productivity N American data Patterns of biodiversity Altitudinal gradient Altitudinal gradients... then extinction B More “evolutionary experiments” tried, and more niches filled Others: 3 Climatic Stability – stable climate may promote specialization (and speciation) and reduce extinctions 4 Harshness – harsh conditions may limit species numbers 5 Interspecific interactions – biotic interactions may promote specialization and coexistence and are more intense in the tropics 6 Habitat Heterogeneity... 0.0 MIO PQ COLD Understanding Vietnam’s Natural History Biogeography The study of the current and historic geographic distribution of organisms • Geological history • Past and present climate • Current ecological conditions A Medusa’s Head orchid (Bulbophyllum farreri) Joyce A Powzyk Vietnam as a “tectonic mélange” Kevin Koy/CBC-AMNH Continental plates and suture zones in East and Southeast Asia Dispersal... drier, cooler and warmer, wetter •Rising and lowering sea levels; creation/loss of land bridges Kevin Koy/CBC-AMNH Climate Change & Relict Populations Golden Vietnamese Cypress (Xanthocyparis vietnamensis) First described in 2002 (Farjon et al.) Closest living relative: Nootka Spruce Chamaecyparis nootkatensis restricted to Pacific Northwestern America Daniel K Harder/Arboretum at UCSC Fauna and Flora... Forests & Large Ungulates Banteng (Bos javanicus); male (left) and female (right) Joyce A Powzyk Habitat Diversity Forests over Limestone (Karst) Tuyen Quang Province Phan Ke Loc Seasonally Inundated Grasslands Tram Chim National Park Jeb Barzen Seasonally Inundated Grasslands & Birds Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis); male (front) and female (back) Joyce A Powzyk Eastern Sarus Crane (Grus antigone... time 8 mya Joyce A Powzyk Kevin Koy/CBC-AMNH “Crossroads of Diversity” Asian Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus, left) and Sun Bear (U malayanus) Joyce A Powzyk “Crossroads of Diversity” Pheasants (Family Phasianidae) Crested Argus (Rheinardia ocellata, top), Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus, center), and Temminck’s Tragopan (Tragopan temminckii, bottom) Joyce A Powzyk Habitat Diversity Coniferous-Broadleaved Evergreen...Global Distribution of Biodiversity • Greatest in areas where NPP is greatest – Terrestrial: toward Equator - Why? – Aquatic: near shore, marine upwellings – Why? Explanations for the latitudinal gradient in diversity: 1 Historical... ceylonensis Cyclanorbis senegalensis Cyclanorbis elegans 2 4 16 7 1 24 15 Cycloderma aubryi Cycloderma frenatum Trionyx triunguis Pelochelys bibroni Pelochelys cantorii Chitra indica Chitra chitra Chitra vandijki Rafetus euphraticus Rafetus swinhoei Apalone mutica Apalone ferox Apalone spinifera aspera Apalone spinifera emoryi Pelodiscus axenaria Pelodiscus maackii Pelodiscus sinensis Pelodiscus parviformis