Conservation Biology- Lecture 1

GENETIC DIVERSITY:

Fundamental Elements of evolution – from where all new inherited characters originate via mutations and recombination.

How do we measure it?

• Allelic diversity (n alleles)
• Level of heterozygosity
• Proportion of loci which are variable.  

SPECIES DIVERSITY

• Species Richness
• Endemicity
• Function of sampling effort
• Curve of species acumulation per unit area 

The distribution of species richness is determined by a number of factors:

Historical 

• Age and stability of a biome
• Continental shift
• Climate change
• Area of a biome
• Degree of isolation

Ecological

• Latitude
• Topography (complexity)
• General climatic conditions
• Dispersal ability
• Species interactions`

Factors implicated for any given species ..

Species biogeography (past and present day distribution) & Competition and species richness 

ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Species, assemblages and communities. The ecosystem which sustains…