Public Lecture Series 2007

The Web of Life: Why is biodiversity important to us?

Cristián Samper National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Trinidad & Tobago, July 2007

C. Clark

C. Ziegler

L. Mazariegos

B. Lim

C. Castano

Changes since 1960 • • • • •

Population increased from 3 to 6 billion Economy increased 6 fold Food production increased by 2.5 x Demand for water has doubled Amount of water impounded by dams quadrupled • Flows of phosphorous tripled Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

Some achievements… • Documented 1.8 million species • 11% of world’s terrestrial ecosystems are protected • Advances in human health • Advances in agricultural productivity • Increased awareness among people • Stronger multilateral agreements

But the fact is… • Biodiversity is still declining • Many people are still living in poverty • Inequities in distribution

Many of the richest countries in biodiversity are among the least developed

Much of the capacity and information is in a few countries, most biodiversity is in other countries

How can we bring the best science to inform policy and benefit society?

Biodiversity science : how much do we know?

Biodiversity Sciences • • • • • • •

What is this species? (Taxonomy) How are species related? (Phylogenetics) Where are they found? (Biogeography) How do species interact? (Ecology) How did they come to be? (Evolution, Paleo) How are they used by people? (Ethnobiology) What is the impact of people? (Conservation biology)

M. Vecchione (NOAA)

AE Arnold

DNA BARCODING

P. Hebert

The cotton in your shirt came from here You are here

The E.coli in your gut is here The fungus on your foot is here

C. Ziegler

WAB M5.5 Flowering plant family density

WAB M5.6 Terrestrial vertebrate family density

WAB M7.1 Freshwater fish family density

Biodiversity Conservation

Human Population Density

Cultivated Systems

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

Use of Net primary Productivity

Expansion of marine fisheries

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

Terrestrial Biomes

NASA

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

P. Salaman

Threatened Species Described Evaluated Threatened % Mammals

5416

4853

1101

23

Birds

9917

9917

1213

12

Amphibians

5743

5743

1856

32

Reptiles

8163

499

304

61

28500

1721

800

46

1190200

3487

1992

57

287655

11824

8321

70

1545594

38046

15589

41

Fishes Invertebrates Plants TOTAL

IUCN Global Species Assessment (2004)

Extinct Species (2004) Ex Wild

Extinct

Mammals

TOTAL

73

4

77

129

4

133

Reptiles

21

1

22

Amphibians

34

1

35

Fishes

81

12

93

359

14

373

Plants

86

24

110

Protists

1

0

1

784

60

844

Birds

Invertebrates

TOTAL

IUCN Global Species Assessment (2004)

Geography of Extinction

IUCN Global Species Assessment (2004)

Changes in threat processes for Birds

IUCN Global Species Assessment (2004)

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

Museum specimens, Ancient DNA

DNA was amplified from specimens collected > 100 years ago

Bone fragments were removed from the nasal cavities of 96 black-footed ferret skulls

Variation in DNA between individuals and populations was used to make inferences about historical patterns of colonization, migration, and population decline.

Genetic diversity

2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Year N

1871

>10,000

1972

110

1982 1986

45

7

Protected areas

Science for conservation • • • • • • •

Taxonomy/systematics Natural history/ reproductive biology Protected areas/ landscape ecology Invasive species Climate change Sustainable use Social and economic sciences

Biodiversity and Human Well-being

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Global Regional Local Human Wellbeing & Poverty Reduction

ƒHealth and disease ƒEnvironmental Security ƒCultural Security ƒEconomic Security ƒEquity

Primary Drivers

ƒ Demographic Change ƒ Economic Change (incl globalization, trade, market, & policy framework) ƒ Social and Political Change (incl governance, institutional, & legal framework) ƒ Technological change ƒ Lifestyle and Behavioral change

Ecosystems & their Services

ƒ Supporting (Biodiversity and ecosystem processes) ƒ Provisioning (Food, water, fiber, fuel, other biological products) ƒ Cultural (Cultural, aesthetic)

Life on Earth

Life on Earth

Proximate Drivers

ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

Climate Change Land and Water Use & Cover Change Factor inputs (e.g., irrigation, fertilizers) Pollution Harvest Nutrient Release Species Introductions

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)

Water availability

Food supply and demand

Freshwater supply and demand

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Ch Ha an ge bit at in ch tra an ns ge pir ati on

Habi tat lo ss

Forest product supply and demand

of cr

ion itat p i c Pre

em &t

sfo r

Erosion and water flow

re atu r e p

Loss

Climate change

Lan

N, C

Hyd tem rologi c per atu CO re c 2 and han ges

Water use and nutrient loss

Biodiversity loss Ayensu et al. 1999. Science 286:685-686.

Response options • • • • •

Institutional Economic Social and behavioral Technological Knowledge

Future Scenarios

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)