Name:_____________________
Conservation of an Island Biodiversity Hotspot
The government of Kapikua wants to expand biodiversity conservation efforts on the island. The
government has two goals: 1) To protect the overall biodiversity and sustainability of the island
ecosystem, and 2) to protect the endemic primates that live in the forests on the island. The endangered
primates are unique and very sensitive to habitat changes. This put them at a higher risk of extinction.
The primates are also a flagship species and attract ecotourism from around the world. The government
has enough funds to fully support conservation at only one of the four forest areas being considered for
conservation. Your group is the conservation team in charge of advising the government which area
should get full conservation support.
In this activity you will learn more about each of the four areas and select one for conservation. You will
use additional evidence from an evolutionary tree for the primates to help decide which are should be
conserved.
Fill in your data in the tables on the back of this sheet. You will be turning this into the government (Ms.
Dalby) to support your results.
Part A: Four Possible Conservation Areas:
1. Assign each group member one of the forest areas under consideration for conservation. Fill in
the chart below.
Forest Area
Economic
Outcomes if
Conserved
Social
Outcomes if
Conserved
Environmental
Outcomes if
Conserved
Other Benefits
of Conserving
the Area
Trade-offs of
Conserving the
Area
Mangrove
Forest
Lowland
Tropical
Rain Forest
South
Lowland
Tropical
Rain Forest
North
Tropical
Montane
Cloud Forest
2. If you had to make you decision simply on the information presented above which forest would
you select for conservation? Explain your reasoning.
Part B: Evolutionary Tree Analysis
1. With your team, compare the evolutionary tree on the next page for each of the four forest
areas. The tree shows evolutionary data for primates that are endemic to the island. Record the
number of the node that represents the most recent common ancestor for all of the primates
collectively living in that forest area.
Forest Area
Mangrove Forest
Node #
Description of Phylogenetic Diversity
Lowland Tropical Rain Forest South
Lowland Tropical Rain Forest North
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest
2. How does the node number and phylogenetic diversity help in considering what forest should
be conserved?
Part 3: The Final Decision
1. Which forest did you decide should be conserved?
a. Forest:
i. Reason 1:
ii. Reason 2:
iii. Reason 3:
2. What social and economic elements of sustainability were involved in your considerations about
which area should be conserved?