Species interactions and biodiversity
Interactions between species
Effect of species 2 on species 1
Effect of species
1 on species 2
Positive
Neutral
Positive
Mutualism
Commensalism
Negative
Natural enemies
Predator - prey
Grazer - plant
Parasite - host
Neutral
Amensalism
Negative
Competition
Mutualisms
•
•
•
•
Facultative
Seed dispersal
Cleaner fish
Pollination
•
•
•
•
Obligate
Termites and protozoa
Cellular organelles
Leaf cutter ants and
their fungi
• Ant-Acacia?
Mutualism - pollination
Commensalism = Cyamus erraticus on a juvenile
southern right whale, Eubalaena australis
Cyamus ovalis
female
male
Where are the parasites???
Biodiversity-levels
•
•
•
•
•
•
Genes
Genomes
Behavior
Species
Species interactions
Species-environment
interactions
Biodiversity
•
•
•
•
•
•
Genes
Genomes
Behavior
Species-Bugs rule!
Species interactions
Species-environment
interactions
Most species are small
Insects are habitat specialists
The importance of biological diversity
• Aesthetic: Biodiversity for biodiversity sake
• Function:
• Ecosystem goods and services
•
•
•
•
Water purification
Generation and preservation of fertile soils
Pollination of crops and natural vegetation
Control of agricultural pests
Dung beetles and burial
• Key functions
• Nutrient cycling
• Seed dispersal
Function is lost rapidly 
the most important species are lost first!
Strategies for conservation, a hopeful note?
• Using human welfare to
promote conservation goals
• Ecosystem services
perspective
THE VALUE OF EVERYTHING
• Annual value of GLOBAL
services US$33 trillion!
• 1.8 times global GDP
• Examples: Forests and carbon
sequestration, water
purification
San Bernardino Valley: a landscape scale experiment
United States-Mexico
border
Before 1979, the San
Valley was entirely
Ranch lands
After 1979, grazing
was discontinued
After the National
Wildlife Refuge was
established
San Bernardino
River
North
Picnic Bowls- one collecting technique
Rarefaction curves- all bee surveys
Rarefaction curves - Bird Communities
Number birds sampled
James & Rathbun 1981
Insect morphology
Insect Orders
Order Collembola: springtails
Order Thysanura: silverfish
Order Ephemeroptera: mayflies
Order Odonata: dragonflies
Order Plecoptera: stoneflies
Order Orthoptera: crickets,
kaydids, grasshoppers
Order Dermaptera: earwigs
Order Dictyoptera
• Mantids
Order Dictyoptera
Order Dictyopotera
• Cockroaches
Order Isoptera
• Termites
(the social
Cockroaches)
Order Hemiptera: true bugs
Order Hemiptera
Order Hemiptera
Order Thysanoptera: thrips
Order Phthiraptera: lice
Order Phthiraptera
Pubic louse
Order Neuroptera: lacewings,
antlions, owlflies
Order Nueroptera
Order Coleoptera: Beetles
Order Coleoptera
Order Hymenoptera: wasps, ants,
bees
Order Hymenoptera
Order Lepidoptera: moths,
butterflies
Order Lepidoptera
Order Siphonaptera: fleas
Order Diptera: flies