MBD 2

Biological Richness, An Introduction
James A. Danoff-Burg Dept. Ecol., Evol., & Envir. Biol. Columbia University
Today: Introduction to Biological Richness

gDesigning Surveys Review of assignment 1 gWhy Study Biological Diversity? gTypes & Aspects of Diversity gEvenness gSpecies Richness Indices gRarefaction
Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness
2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu
Application of Techniques An Exercise

gDesign a study, avoiding pseudoreplication gInclude visual representations of sampling method gInclude:

Experimental question Manipulations Hypotheses (null, alternatives) Target organisms Censusing design Censusing method
Last Weeks Assignment

gProject of your own design gWrite up a short (2-3 paragraphs) description of your proposed study in normal scientific prose gInclude question and hypotheses (including null and all alternative hypotheses) gInclude sampling design, sampling method gBe specific and thorough gEmail to jd363@columbia.edu before the start of class next week
Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness 2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu
Types of Censusing Designs

gGrid
Using regular intervals along a 2-dimensional design Sampling with reference to a straight line Can be used to site point-quarters, quadrats, other sampling methods
gTransect
gRandom
Choosing Between Censusing Designs

gHow to choose between sampling layouts? gDepends on experimental question gGradients

Probably best to use a transect Ensures comparability Random probably best if done frequently enough, get equal representation of areas included Grid may be useful when need to uniformly sample area
gRelatively uniform sampling area
Surveying Design
gNeed to equally capture / census entire community (or subset) to be studied gBe consistent gHave equal sampling effort in different areas
Time, area, quantity sampled Equally sample disparate constituent areas Random vs. orderly (grid, transect)?
gAppropriately represent area studied

Surveying Techniques
gIn short: Any viable form of collecting or sampling
Need to be sited at a level appropriate to the question Point-Quarter

Proximity to a central point within a cross
gExamples:
Quadrat
Sampling within a small area
Pitfall traps Beating Sheets Mist netting Seining Etc Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness
Pseudoreplication Example
Treatment A Treatment B
g Question What is the affect of treatments A & B? g Pseudoreplication = treating stars of the same color as replicates g Replication = include only a single star of each color, or their average
Site 1
Site 3
Site 2
Site 4

Diversity is Interesting
gStimulated many poets, artists, naturalists, etc. gEcotourism is prompted by biological diversity

Or at least biological, geological, climatological diversity Continual novelty is a key feature Increasing probability of novelty, because of high biodiversity, leads to increasing visitation rates E.g., most ecotourism is to tropics
Diversity as an Indicator
gDiversity = health of the ecosystem gDiversity and stability relationship
Example of Shahid Naeems work on trophic redundancy and stability
gDiversity and recovery from perturbations, erosion, etc. gDiversity as a detective tool of the past
Use to determine how long ago land was altered by human or natural activity
Diversity is controversial
gDefine diversity gSimple definitions work well

Richness Abundance BUT these are not really Diversity What does it mean? More we try to define it, the less definable it is Some have argued that it is meaningless (Hurlbert 1971)
gMore complicated ones are less clear


Types of Biological Diversity

gPoint: diversity at a single point or microenvironment gAlpha: within habitat diversity gBeta: species diversity along transects & gradients
High Beta indicates number of spp increases rapidly with additional sampling sites along the gradient
gGamma: diversity of a larger geographical unit (island) gEpsilon: regional diversity
Aspects of Biodiversity
gWhat can we measure? gPossibilities

Species (richness) Abundance Diversity

relationship between richness & abundance
Guild Trophic structure Evolutionary diversity Within species diversity (genetic, morphological) Others?
Diversity of Diversities
gDifference between the diversities is usually one of relative emphasis of two main envir. aspects gTwo key features

Richness Abundance
gEach index differs in the mathematical method of relating these features

One is often given greater prominence than the other Formulae significantly differ between indices

Evenness
gDefinition of Evenness

How equally abundant are each of the species? A simple way to combine abundance and richness Some are better competitors, more fecund, more abundant in general than others
gRarely are all species equally abundant
Evenness increases diversity

gIncreasing evenness greater diversity
True for all indices
S=4 N=8 Higher Evenness, Diversity Site 1

S=4 N=8
Site 2
Evenness as an Indicator
gFor many ecosystems, high evenness is a sign of ecosystem health

Dont have a single species dominating the ecosystem Often invasives dominate Paradox of enrichment
E.g., polluted / enriched Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Disturbed areas are mostly edge species

Simple biodiversity Dominance of a few species ecologically, numerically
Evenness Across Locations

gBetween ecosystem comparability is usually not possible
Some areas have lower biodiversity naturally than others

Tiaga is naturally much less even than the deciduous forest Tiaga is often dominated by a single species (e.g., Blue Spruce)
Seasonality may confound the comparison as well

Earlier in temperate growing season, less even than later
This is a general principle for most all indices this term Trying to prioritize areas for conservation Based largely on biodiversity (not ecol. uniqueness)
gWhen would you want to compare across locations?


Species Richness Indices

gRichness has largely been the variable of interest for many conservationists gThere are many ways to treat species richness gTwo main ones

Raw Richness Species Density
Numerical species richness = Raw Richness

gWorks best with complete surveys (everything taken)
These can be destructive
gNeed equal sampling effort gPopular in aquatic studies
species seen per 1000 individuals
Species Density
gUseful in botanical surveys, sometimes in aquatic surveys gSpecies / m2 if on a 2D plane
Mostly botanical surveys, some arthropod surveys Aquatic or botanical canopy surveys
gSpecies / m3 if in a 3D space

Rarefaction
gMethod to post-hoc treat data to correct for lack of standardization of sampling effort

Not always possible to collect in a standardized manner Particularly true with Natural Experiments May have some treatment areas larger than others Able to collect in some areas for more time than others To calculate the # of spp expected in each sample If hypothetically, all samples were of a standard size
gOutcome

Rarefaction
gDesigned by Sanders (1968), modified by Hurlbert (1971) gDrawbacks
Loss of information through data loss

Expected number of abundance / species is all that is left Loss of abundance, richness data
gSee Worked example #1 in Magurran for more information on how to do the calculation

We will work through this next week Read the example before hand
After Standardizing Efforts

gCan now conduct simple richness comparisons between sites

Need to be comparable Can do Margalef, Menhinick, Shannon, Simpson analyses Well begin these in two weeks
Our Data This Term I

gRelationship between plant biodiversity, pest insect biodiversity, and beneficial insect biodiversity
Read website at http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/webpages/gardens_main.htm Has a pretty good amount of background on the topic Field sites were in Manhattan and Brooklyn community gardens Data collected during summer 2001 I will also email you the data matrix
Please begin looking it over so that you are comfortable with it
Our Data This Term II

gInfluence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on carrion beetle biodiversity

Separated by many (at least 3) trophic levels Adelgid is a phloem-feeding insect Carrion beetles are detritivores or predators on fly larvae on carrion Field sites at Black Rock Brook, Black Rock Forest Data collected during summer 2001 I will also email you these data
Please begin looking over the data set
Next week:
gAbundance, An Introduction gRead

Magurran Ch 2 Magurran Worked Examples 1-6 Southwood & Henderson 2.1, 2.2, 13.1
gWe will conduct a few evenness and species abundance models next week gDecide which of the two projects on which you are interested in working collaboratively
3 people per group


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Biological Richness, An Introduction

Today: Introduction to Biological Richness

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Application of Techniques An Exercise

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

Last Weeks Assignment

Types of Censusing Designs

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Choosing Between Censusing Designs

gRelatively uniform sampling area

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

gAppropriately represent area studied

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Need to be sited at a level appropriate to the question Point-Quarter

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

Today: Introduction to Biological Richness

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Example of Shahid Naeems work on trophic redundancy and stability

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

gMore complicated ones are less clear

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

Today: Introduction to Biological Richness

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Types of Biological Diversity

gGamma: diversity of a larger geographical unit (island) gEpsilon: regional diversity

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Species (richness) Abundance Diversity

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

gEach index differs in the mathematical method of relating these features

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

Today: Introduction to Biological Richness

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

gRarely are all species equally abundant

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Evenness increases diversity

True for all indices

S=4 N=8 Higher Evenness, Diversity Site 1

Disturbed areas are mostly edge species

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Evenness Across Locations

Some areas have lower biodiversity naturally than others

Seasonality may confound the comparison as well

gWhen would you want to compare across locations?

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Today: Introduction to Biological Richness

Lecture 2 Introduction to Biological Richness

2003 Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg, jd363@columbia.edu

Species Richness Indices

Raw Richness Species Density