Global Challenges – Biodiversity Felix Eigenbrod, Biological Sciences

Outline of today’s lecture What is biodiversity?

Outline of today’s lecture What is biodiversity? What are the big patterns of biodiversity?

Outline of today’s lecture What is biodiversity? What are the big patterns of biodiversity? Why is biodiversity decreasing?

Outline of today’s lecture What is biodiversity? What are the big patterns of biodiversity? Why is biodiversity decreasing? Why does biodiversity matter? –Ecosystem services

Outline of today’s lecture What is biodiversity? What are the big patterns of biodiversity? Why is biodiversity decreasing? Why does biodiversity matter? –Ecosystem services How do we conserve biodiversity?

Learning objectives To be able to define what the term ‘biodiversity’ means

Learning objectives To be able to define what the term ‘biodiversity’ means To be able to describe the main patterns of biodiversity

Learning objectives To be able to define what the term ‘biodiversity’ means To be able to describe the main patterns of biodiversity To be able to describe the main drivers of biodiversity loss

Learning objectives To be able to define what the term ‘biodiversity’ means To be able to describe the main patterns of biodiversity To be able to describe the main drivers of biodiversity loss To be able to discuss why biodiversity loss matters for humans

What is biodiversity? Diaz et al /journal.pbio Biodiversity can mean the number, relative abundance, or spatial distribution of: –Genotypes

What is biodiversity? Diaz et al /journal.pbio Biodiversity can mean the number, relative abundance, or spatial distribution of: –Genotypes –Species

What is biodiversity? Diaz et al /journal.pbio Biodiversity can mean the number, relative abundance, or spatial distribution of: –Genotypes –Species –Functional groups

What is biodiversity? Diaz et al /journal.pbio Biodiversity can mean the number, relative abundance, or spatial distribution of: –Genotypes –Species –Functional groups –Landscape units

Where is biodiversity? Buckley & Jetz 2007 (Proceedings of the Royal Society B 274: )

Where is biodiversity? Bird richness Orme et al Nature 436,

Where is biodiversity? Tittensor et al doi: /nature09329

Where is biodiversity? Eigenbrod et al doi: /rspb

What are the trends in biodiversity? Biodiversity is currently decreasing –The rate of species extinctions is greater than the rate of speciation (formation of new species)

What are the trends in biodiversity? Biodiversity is currently decreasing –The rate of species extinctions is greater than the rate of speciation (formation of new species) However, this is in itself not that alarming – biodiversity has declined before

What are the trends in biodiversity? Biodiversity is currently decreasing –The rate of species extinctions is greater than the rate of speciation (formation of new species) However, this is in itself not that alarming – biodiversity has declined before What is alarming is the current rate of biodiversity loss

Biodiversity is decreasing.. …as the current rate of extinction is MUCH higher than historical rates

Why are we losing biodiversity? Loss of natural habitat

Why are we losing biodiversity? Loss of natural habitat Estimated percent forest cover, 2000 (A) and percent gross forest cover loss (GFCL), 2000–2005 (B), both per sample block. Hansen et al /pnas

Why are we losing biodiversity? Agricultural production is driving this habitat loss Tilman et al Science DOI: /science

Why are we losing biodiversity? Climate change is likely to be a major driver of future biodiversity losses, particularly when combined with habitat loss

Why are we losing biodiversity? Climate change is likely to be a major driver of future biodiversity losses, particularly when combined with habitat loss (A, B) Patterns of change in land cover due to land-use and climate change by (C, D) The resulting potential impact for birds: the pattern of richness of species with projected range declines ≥50%. Jetz et al. (2007) e/info:doi/ /journal.pbio e/info:doi/ /journal.pbio

Why should you care if we lose biodiversity? For moral reasons –Nature has an intrinsic value and as the dominant organism on the planet, we have a ‘duty of care’

Why should you care if we lose biodiversity? For moral reasons –Nature has an intrinsic value and as the dominant organism on the planet, we have a ‘duty of care’..but also for pragmatic ones –Ecosystem services

What are ecosystem services? –Term first used by John Holdren in 1970s (Stanford) –Popularized by John Holdren, Paul Ehrlich and Gretchen Daily at Stanford in 1990s –Broadly – ES are the benefits (monetary or otherwise) that humans get from nature –These can be considerable….

Ecosystem Services Costanza et al (Nature) “The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital” –Estimated the YEARLY global value of ES at $ TRILLION!! –VERY crude estimate…but you get the idea

Ecosystem Services Mace and Fitter, Trends in Ecology and Evolution (2012), Vol. 27, pp 19-26

Effects of species richness on ES Balvanera et al –Meta-analysis of 446 studies –Generally positive effect Ecology Letters Volume 9, Issue 10, pages , 29 AUG 2006 DOI: /j x x/full#f3 Volume 9, Issue 10, x/full#f3

How do we conserve biodiversity Most biodiversity is in the tropics, and most threatened biodiversity is in the tropics Brooks et al

How do we conserve biodiversity Tropical countries are (generally) poor, and have the fewest resources to conserve the biodiversity we all depend on

Paying for biodiversity and ES conservation Payment for ecosystem service (PES) schemes may be a way forward

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) REDD+ is the largest current example –Reducing [Carbon] Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation –+ the role of conservation, sustainable management and enhancement of carbon stocks is also recognized

Key points Biodiversity is… –Multifaceted –The number of species is the most frequent measure

Key points Biodiversity is… –Multifaceted –The number of species is the most frequent measure Biodiversity is located… –(Largely) in the tropics

Key points Biodiversity is… –Multifaceted –The number of species is the most frequent measure Biodiversity is located… –(Largely) in the tropics Biodiversity is declining… –Due to habitat loss driven by agricultural expansion –Climate change is a major future threat

Key points Biodiversity is… –Multifaceted –The number of species is the most frequent measure Biodiversity is located… –(Largely) in the tropics Biodiversity is declining… –Due to habitat loss driven by agricultural expansion –Climate change is a major future threat Biodiversity matters because.. –We depend on it (ecosystem services)

Key points Biodiversity is… –Multifaceted –The number of species is the most frequent measure Biodiversity is located… –(Largely) in the tropics Biodiversity is declining… –Due to habitat loss driven by agricultural expansion –Climate change is a major future threat Biodiversity matters because.. –We depend on it (ecosystem services) Conserving biodiversity… –Is hard as the countries with the most biodiversity have the least resources to conserve it