On the Species Abundance Distribution in Applied Ecology and Biodiversity Management
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Dung Beetle Richness, Abundance, and Biomass Meghan Gabrielle Radtke Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected]
Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2006 Tropical Pyramids: Dung Beetle Richness, Abundance, and Biomass Meghan Gabrielle Radtke Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Recommended Citation Radtke, Meghan Gabrielle, "Tropical Pyramids: Dung Beetle Richness, Abundance, and Biomass" (2006). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 364. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/364 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. TROPICAL PYRAMIDS: DUNG BEETLE RICHNESS, ABUNDANCE, AND BIOMASS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Biological Sciences by Meghan Gabrielle Radtke B.S., Arizona State University, 2001 May 2007 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. G. Bruce Williamson, and my committee members, Dr. Chris Carlton, Dr. Jay Geaghan, Dr. Kyle Harms, and Dr. Dorothy Prowell for their help and guidance in my research project. Dr. Claudio Ruy opened his laboratory to me during my stay in Brazil and collaborated with me on my project. Thanks go to my field assistants, Joshua Dyke, Christena Gazave, Jeremy Gerald, Gabriela Lopez, and Fernando Pinto, and to Alejandro Lopera for assisting me with Ecuadorian specimen identifications. I am grateful to Victoria Mosely-Bayless and the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum for allowing me work space and access to specimens. -
"Species Richness: Small Scale". In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences (ELS)
Species Richness: Small Advanced article Scale Article Contents . Introduction Rebecca L Brown, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Washington, USA . Factors that Affect Species Richness . Factors Affected by Species Richness Lee Anne Jacobs, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA . Conclusion Robert K Peet, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020488 Species richness, defined as the number of species per unit area, is perhaps the simplest measure of biodiversity. Understanding the factors that affect and are affected by small- scale species richness is fundamental to community ecology. Introduction diversity indices of Simpson and Shannon incorporate species abundances in addition to species richness and are The ability to measure biodiversity is critically important, intended to reflect the likelihood that two individuals taken given the soaring rates of species extinction and human at random are of the same species. However, they tend to alteration of natural habitats. Perhaps the simplest and de-emphasize uncommon species. most frequently used measure of biological diversity is Species richness measures are typically separated into species richness, the number of species per unit area. A vast measures of a, b and g diversity (Whittaker, 1972). a Di- amount of ecological research has been undertaken using versity (also referred to as local or site diversity) is nearly species richness as a measure to understand what affects, synonymous with small-scale species richness; it is meas- and what is affected by, biodiversity. At the small scale, ured at the local scale and consists of a count of species species richness is generally used as a measure of diversity within a relatively homogeneous area. -
Bridging the Gap Between Ecological Diversity Indices and Measures of Biodiversity with Shannon’S Entropy: Comment to Izsa´K and Papp
Ecological Modelling 152 (2002) 1–3 www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolmodel Bridging the gap between ecological diversity indices and measures of biodiversity with Shannon’s entropy: comment to Izsa´k and Papp Carlo Ricotta * Department of Plant Biology, Uni6ersity of Rome ‘‘La Sapienza’’, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy Received 31 May 2001; accepted 11 October 2001 Abstract Most ecological diversity indices summarize the information about the relative abundances of community species without reflecting taxonomic differences between species. Nevertheless, in the environmental conservation practice, data on species abundances are generally unknown. In such cases, to summarize the conservation value of a given site, so-called ‘biological diversity’ measures need to be used. Most of these measures are based on taxonomic relations among species and ignore species relative abundances. In a recent paper, Izsa´k and Papp suggest that the quadratic entropy index (Q) is the only diversity index used to date in the ecological practice that incorporates both species relative abundances and a measure of the pairwise taxonomic differences between species in the analyzed data set. I show here that a number of traditional ecological diversity measures can be generalized to take into account a taxonomic weighting factor. Since these new indices violate part of the mathematical properties that an index should meet to be termed an ecological diversity index, I defined this new family of indices ‘weak diversity indices’. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Biodiversity measures; Ecological diversity; Quadratic entropy; Shannon’s entropy; Species richness 1. Introduction data on species abundances are generally un- known. -
Community Diversity
Community Diversity Topics What is biodiversity and why is it important? What are the major drivers of species richness? Habitat heterogeneity Disturbance Species energy theory Metobolic energy theory Dynamic equilibrium hypothesis (interactions among disturbance and energy) Resource ratio theory How does biodiversity influence ecosystem function? Biodiversity and ecosystem function hypothesis Integration of biodiversity theory How might the drivers of species richness and hence levels of species richness differ among biomes? Community Diversity Defined Biodiversity Merriam-Webster - the existence of many different kinds of plants and animals in an environment. Wikipedia - the degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment - the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur. Diversity can be defined as the number of different items and their relative frequency. For biological diversity, these items are organized at many levels, ranging from complete ecosystems to the chemical structures that are the molecular basis of heredity. Thus, the term encompasses different ecosystems, species, genes, and their relative abundance." Community Diversity Defined Species richness - Species evenness - Species diversity - Community Diversity Defined Species richness - number of species present in the community (without regard for their abundance). Species evenness - relative abundance of the species that are -
Species Biodiversity Lab
SCIENCE IN THE PARK: ROCK POOLS SPECIES BIODIVERSITY LAB Purpose: To understand the importance of biodiversity, calculate the indices of the Simpson’s Index, and quantify the biodiversity of a sample. Developed by E. A. Betts Time: 40 minutes BACKGROUND: Simpson's Diversity Index is a measure of diversity. In ecology, it is often used to quantify the biodiversity of a habitat. It takes into account the number of species present, as well as the abundance of each species. Before looking at Simpson's Diversity Index in more detail, it is important to understand the basic concepts. Biological diversity can be quantified in many different ways. The two main factors taken into account when measuring diversity are richness and evenness. Richness is a measure of the number of different kinds of organisms present in a particular area. For example, species richness is the number of different species present. However, diversity depends not only on richness, but also on evenness. Evenness compares the similarity of the population size of each of the species present. Richness - The number of species per sample is a measure of richness. The more species present in a sample, the 'richer' the sample. Species richness as a measure on its own takes no account of the number of individuals of each species present. It gives as much weight to those species which have very few individuals as to those which have many individuals. Thus, one daisy has as much influence on the richness of an area as 1000 buttercups. Evenness - Evenness is a measure of the relative abundance of the different species that make up the richness of an area. -
Indexes of Group Diversity 1 Some Common Indexes Of
INDEXES OF GROUP DIVERSITY 1 SOME COMMON INDEXES OF GROUP DIVERSITY: UPPER BOUNDARIES1,2 ANTONIO SOLANAS Department of Behavioral Sciences Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona Institute for Research in Brain, Cognition, and Behavior (IR3C), University of Barcelona REJINA M. SELVAM Department of Behavioral Sciences Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona Institute for Research in Brain, Cognition, and Behavior (IR3C), University of Barcelona JOSÉ NAVARRO Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona DAVID LEIVA Department of Behavioral Sciences Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona Institute for Research in Brain, Cognition, and Behavior (IR3C), University of Barcelona 1 Address correspondence to Antonio Solanas, Departament de Metodologia de les Ciències del Comportament, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035-Barcelona, Spain. Electronic mail may be sent to Antonio Solanas at: ([email protected]) 2This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, grant PSI2009-07076 and by the Generalitat of Catalonia’s Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, grant 2009SGR1492. INDEXES OF GROUP DIVERSITY 2 Summary. —Workgroup diversity can be conceptualized as variety, separation, or disparity. Thus, the proper operationalization of diversity depends on how a diversity dimension has been defined. Analytically, the minimal diversity must be obtained when there are no differences -
Diversity Indices: Shannon and Simpson
Name: Date: Student Handout 1A: How to Calculate Biodiversity Diversity Indices: A) A diversity index is a mathematical measure of species diversity in a given community. B) Based on the species richness (the number of species present) and species abundance (the number of individuals per species). C) The more species you have, the more diverse the area, right? D) However, there are two types of indices, dominance indices and information statistic indices. E) The equations for the two indices we will study are: s Shannon Index (H) = - ∑ pi ln pi i=1 1 Simpson Index (D) = s 2 ∑ pi i=1 The Shannon index is an information statistic index, which means it assumes all species are represented in a sample and that they are randomly sampled. Can you point out any problems in these assumptions? In the Shannon index, p is the proportion (n/N) of individuals of one particular species found (n) divided by the total number of individuals found (N), ln is the natural log, Σ is the sum of the calculations, and s is the number of species. The Simpson index is a dominance index because it gives more weight to common or dominant species. In this case, a few rare species with only a few representatives will not affect the diversity. Can you point out any problems in these assumptions? In the Simpson index, p is the proportion (n/N) of individuals of one particular species found (n) divided by the total number of individuals found (N), Σ is still the sum of the calculations, and s is the number of species. -
Burning Reduces Nematode Abundance in Reconstructed Prairies
Burning reduces nematode abundance in reconstructed prairies EVIE KENEPP Biology Department, Grinnell College, PO Box 805, Grinnell, IA 50112, USA Introduction community upon death (Freckman and Baldwin, 1990). Their effect on Nematodes are one of the most plant production is less numerous and diverse groups of conclusive and depends highly on organisms. They have an intricate the interaction between specific relationship with the soil plant and nematode species: some ecosystem (Freckman & Baldwin, plants are resistant to nematode 1990; Ingham, 1994). Nematodes are invasion, while others are microscopic worms that vary in tolerant of high numbers of size, but most are less than 4 mm nematodes feeding in or on their in length (Freckman and Baldwin, roots (Freckman and Baldwin, 1990). There are six 1990). classifications of nematodes, It is important to know the based on their feeding habits: impact of nematodes on prairie endoparasites, ectoparasites, ecosystems so they can be properly microbivores, and fungivores, managed. Smolick (1974) estimated omnivores and predators, which that root-feeding nematodes play a unique role in soil food consumed as much plant material as webs (Freckman and Virginia, 1997; cattle in a Colorado grassland Ingham, 1994). Plant-feeding ecosystem (as cited in Freckman nematodes affect primary plant and Virginia, 1989). Ingham and production by feeding on roots and Detling (1984) found that in seed heads. Other types of grassland ecosystems, nematode nematodes affect nutrient cycling herbivory decreased plant and decomposition by feeding on production from 6-13% (as cited in fungi, bacteria and microfauna. Freckman and Virginia, 1989). A (Freckman & Baldwin, 1990; high population of root-feeding Freckman & Virginia, 1997). -
Arboreal Arthropod Predation on Early Instar Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth Redacted for Privacy
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Becky L. Fichter for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Entomologypresented onApril 23, 1984. Title: Arboreal Arthropod Predation on Early Instar Douglas-fir Tussock Moth Redacted for privacy Abstract approved: William P. StOphen Loss of early instar Douglas-fir tussock moth( Orgyia pseudotsugata McDunnough) (DFTM) has been found to constitute 66-92% of intra-generation mortality and to be a key factor in inter-generation population change. This death has been attributed to dispersal and to arthropod predation, two factors previously judged more important to an endemic than an outbreak population. Polyphagous arthropod predators are abundant in the forest canopy but their predaceous habits are difficult to document or quantify. The purpose of the study was to develop and test a serological assay, ELISA or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, for use as an indirect test of predation. Development of this assay involved production of an antiserum reactive with DFTM but not reactive with material from any coexisting lepidopteran larvae. Two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis was used to select a minimally cross-reactive fraction of DFTM hemolymph as the antigen source so that a positive response from a field-collected predator would correlate unambiguously with predation on DFTM. Feeding trials using Podisus maculiventris Say (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) and representative arboreal spiders established the rate of degredation of DFTM antigens ingested by these predators. An arbitrary threshold for deciding which specimens would be considered positive was established as the 95% confidence interval above the mean of controls. Half of the Podisus retained 0 reactivity for 3 days at a constant 24 C. -
Food Webs, Body Size, and Species Abundance in Ecological Community Description
Food Webs, Body Size, and Species Abundance in Ecological Community Description TOMAS JONSSON, JOEL E. COHEN, AND STEPHEN R. CARPENTER I. Summary ............................................... 2 A. Trivariate Relationships................................ 2 B. Bivariate Relationships ................................ 3 C. Univariate Relationships . ............................ 4 D. EVect of Food Web Perturbation ........................ 4 II. Introduction . ........................................... 4 A. Definitions .......................................... 7 III. Theory: Integrating the Food Web and the Distributions of Body Size and Abundance . ................................... 9 A. Predicting Community Patterns.......................... 10 B. The Distribution of Body Sizes .......................... 13 C. Rank-Abundance and Food Web Geometry . ............. 15 D. Linking the Food Web to the Relationship Between Body Size and Numerical Abundance . ............................ 16 E. Trophic Pyramids and the Relationship Between Consumer and Resource Abundance Across Trophic Levels ............ 18 IV. Data: Tuesday Lake . ................................... 20 A. The Manipulation . ................................... 21 B. The Data ........................................... 22 V. Results: Patterns and Relationships in the Pelagic Community of Tuesday Lake ........................................... 25 A. Trivariate Distributions: Food Web, Body Size, and Abundance 25 B. Bivariate Distributions. ................................ 29 C. -
The Benefits of MARINE PROTECTED AREAS © Commonwealth of Australia 2003 ISBN 0 642 54949 4
TheThe benefitsbenefits ofof MMARINEARINE PROTECTEDPROTECTED AREASAREAS The benefits of MARINE PROTECTED AREAS © Commonwealth of Australia 2003 ISBN 0 642 54949 4 Information contained in this document may be copied for study, research, information or educational purposes, subject to inclusion of acknowledgment of the source. Photography courtesy of the Great Barrier Marine Park Authority. This document has been prepared by the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage from material supplied by Richard Kenchington, Trevor Ward, and Eddie Hegerl. A technical support paper is also included in this resource kit, providing more details on current issues and practice for those who have not yet been involved in the processes of creation and management of marine protected areas. This summary of the benefits of marine protected areas is based on the scientific contributions of numerous authors. We acknowledge these sources, and specific contributions are cited in the accompanying technical support paper. THE BENEFITS OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS CONTENTS What is a marine protected area? 4 Why do we need marine protected areas? 4 The role of MPAs in protecting marine habitats and biodiversity 5 Conserving biodiversity and ecosystems 6 How do MPAs benefit fisheries? 8 How do MPAs benefit tourism? 13 What are the broader benefits of MPAs? 15 Education, training, heritage and culture 17 MPAs and research 19 3. THE BENEFITS OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS What is a marine protected area? marine resources for seafood. The global fish catch has been in consistent decline since 1989 and the downward A marine protected area (MPA) is an area of sea especially trend is projected to continue. -
The Shannon-Weiner Species Diversity Index
This article reprinted from: Nolan, K.A. and J.E. Callahan. 2006. Beachcomber biology: The Shannon-Weiner Species Diversity Index. Pages 334-338, in Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching, Volume 27 (M.A. O'Donnell, Editor). Proceedings of the 27th Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), 383 pages. Compilation copyright © 2006 by the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) ISBN 1-890444-09-X All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Use solely at one’s own institution with no intent for profit is excluded from the preceding copyright restriction, unless otherwise noted on the copyright notice of the individual chapter in this volume. Proper credit to this publication must be included in your laboratory outline for each use; a sample citation is given above. Upon obtaining permission or with the “sole use at one’s own institution” exclusion, ABLE strongly encourages individuals to use the exercises in this proceedings volume in their teaching program. Although the laboratory exercises in this proceedings volume have been tested and due consideration has been given to safety, individuals performing these exercises must assume all responsibilities for risk. The Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) disclaims any liability with regards to safety in connection with the use of the exercises in this volume. The focus of ABLE is to improve the undergraduate biology laboratory experience by promoting the development and dissemination of interesting, innovative, and reliable laboratory exercises.