Lecture Seventeen - Climate Change and Biodiversity 2

Question 1

What is phenotypic plasticity?

Answer 1

The ability to express a range of different phenotypes depending on the environmental conditions experienced.

Question 2

Give an example of phenotypic plasticity.

Answer 2

Flowers flowering at different times of year depending on climatic conditions they experience in spring time.

Question 3

What percentage of corals were killed in 1998?

Answer 3

16%

Question 4

What can constrain the ability of some species to cope with rapidly changing environments?

Answer 4

Slow life histories

Question 5

Describe the Great Tit response to annual climatic variation.

Answer 5

• Plastic response
• Populations able to maintain tracking of timing of caterpillars they feed on upon changing temperatures year to year.
• Produce young every year.

Question 6

Explain why Chytrid fungus has a greater effect on frogs in warmer years.

Answer 6

• Exposed to ‘Chytrid Thermal Optimum Hypothesis’
• In warmer temperatures, able to maintain itself in amphibian populations and generate extinction events of individual species.

Question 7

What kind of species tend to have poleward expansions?

Answer 7

Mobile generalists - dispersive and generalist in terms of habitat requirements.

Question 8

What is the climate envelope?

Answer 8

The envelope of suitable climates where a species actually occurs.

Question 9

What proportion of European bumblebee species could lose what amount of their range by 2100 under a severe climate change scenario?

Answer 9

1/3 European bumblebee species could lose over 80% of current range.

Question 10

For what percentage of bird species do models fit distributions no better than chance?

Answer 10

68%

Question 11

For what species do climate envelope models fit best?

Answer 11

Species at a higher latitude

Question 12

What is used to estimate an extinction rate?

Answer 12

A species-area relationship

Question 13

Give the linear equation for the Species-area relationship.

Answer 13

S = c x A^z

Question 14

Give the logarithmic equation for species-area relationship.

Answer 14

LogS = Logc + zlogA

Question 15

What is the average value of z in a species-area relationship?

Answer 15

0.25-0.30

Question 16

For a 90% reduction in area, what is the expected reduction in number of species?

Answer 16

50%

Question 17

For a 99% reduction in area, what is the expected reduction in number of species?

Answer 17

75%

Question 18

What are the key findings of Thomas et al?

Answer 18

• 15-37% of species committed to extinction by 2050

- Less warming results in fewer extinctions

Question 19

What does ‘committed to extinction’ mean?

Answer 19

Species may require certain area to exist, but does not suffer extinction immediately once area of suitable habitat drops below threshold.

Question 20

Give three factors that influence the vulnerability of species.

Answer 20

• Exposure
• Sensitivity
• Adaptive capacity

Question 21

What is exposure?

Answer 21

Rate of change of climatic factors affecting species in geographic range.

Question 22

What is sensitivity?

Answer 22

Some species are more sensitive due to narrow range of biotic or environmental tolerances.

Question 23

What is adaptive capacity?

Answer 23

Dispersal ability, plasticity or micro-evolutionary potential.

Question 24

What is mitigation?

Answer 24

Reducing the causes of climate change in order to reduce exposure.

Question 25

What is adaptation within conservation and climate change?

Answer 25

Reducing the negative effects of exposure to climate change.

Question 26

What is assisted colonisation?

Answer 26

Taking species from their native ranges to regions that are predicted to become climatically favourable.

Question 27

Give an example of a possible future associated colonisation.

Answer 27

Moving species from Spain to Scotland.