Review: Type I vs. Type II Error Null Hypothesis (H 0 ): We do not need acres to prevent extinction of the spotted owl. Type I Error: We DO NOT need acres, but conclude that we do. Type II Error: We DO need acres, but conclude that we don’t. The importance of “reversibility”.

Study Questions Compare and contrast preservation and conservation. Distinguish conservation biology from both basic biology and natural resource management. Why is the distinction between type I and II error important in conservation biology (Hint: how is this distinction relevant to making decisions in spite of limited data).

What is Biodiversity? “The variety of living organisms considered at all levels of organization, including the genetic, species, and higher taxonomic levels, and the variety of habitats and ecosystems, as well as the processes occurring therein.” - Meffe and Carroll

Taxonomic Organization Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus species King Philip Came Of Fairly Good Size. Kings Play Chess On Fat Girls’ Stomachs. Kids Picking Cacti On Fridays Get Stuck. Kiss Pigs Carefully Or Face Grimy Smiles. Keep Peeling Cold Onions For Good Smells. Karen's Pups Chew On Furry Grey Squirrels. Keep Privates Clean Or Forget Getting Sex.

Levels of Biological Organization Genes Individual Population Species Community Ecosystem Biodiversity

The “Species” in Conservation “Species” includes any subspecies of fish or wildlife or plants, and any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife which interbreeds when mature. – Endangered Species Act

Vertebrates

Invertebrates and Plants

Species Concepts Biological... Evolutionary... Isolation... Recognition... Cohesion... Pluralistic... Cladistic... Phenetic... Morphological... Typological... Ecological... Phylogenetic...

Biological Species Concept “Groups of actually or potentially interbreeding populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups.” – Ernst Mayr, 1963

Ring Species D. E. Irwin, S. Bensch, T. D. Price, Nature 409, (2001).

Too Little Sex ASEXUAL GROUPS

Too Much Sex A. R. Templeton, in Speciation and Its Consequences D. Otte, J. A. Endler, Eds. (Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, 1989) pp SYNGAMEONS

Cohesion Species Concept SYNGAMEONS ASEXUAL Selection Limits to Gene Flow BIOLOGICAL SPECIES CONCEPT

Cohesion Species Concept A. R. Templeton, in Speciation and Its Consequences D. Otte, J. A. Endler, Eds. (Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, 1989) pp

Concepts vs. Identification “What a species is,” or “Is that a species?”

Morphological Species Concept

Phylogenetic Species Concept –Evolutionary lineage / history –Shared derived characters (morphological or molecular) Character: Any describable trait of an organism. Derived: Unique

Phylogenetic Species Concept Hybrid Species Genetic Management

Evolutionary Significant Units A set of populations that is morphologically and genetically distinct from other similar populations. A set of populations with a distinct evolutionary history.

The “Population” in Conservation IUCN –Population is defined as the total number of individuals of the taxon... –Subpopulations are defined as geographically or otherwise distinct groups in the population between which there is little exchange (typically one successful migrant individual or gamete per year or less.

DPS’s “Species” includes... any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate...” Discreteness –“It is markedly separated from other populations... Quantitative measures of genetic or morphological discontinuity may provide evidence of this separation.” Significance –“The discrete population segment differs markedly from other populations of the species in its genetic characteristics.”

Causes of Extinction Deterministic factors (stacked deck) –Realized growth rate is negative. –Deaths > Births Stochastic factors (bad luck) –Intrinsic genetic stochasticity demographic stochasticity –Extrinsic environmental variation (EV) catastrophe

time ln(N) K time K K Population fluctuates due to demographic and genetic stochasticity Population extinction due to environmental variation Deterministic decline to extinction catastrophes ln(N)

Catastrophe Severe and rare environmental variation (Remember for Vortex)