Study Guide
Lecture 24 – Biodiversity, Part 2
Understand the difference between “species diversity” (and its various subdefinitions) and
“biodiversity” (which is more encompassing).
Be familiar with examples of ways that we measure biodiversity, including novel tools (molecular
biology, remote sensing).
Be familiar with the “surrogacy” hypothesis and be able to provide examples (i.e. that diversity at one
level can sometimes serve as a proxy for diversity at another level).
Be familiar with the patterns and causes of biodiversity increases and decreases over the past 600
million years.
Understand the concept of a cladogram and how it can be used to represent relatedness and diversity.
Understand the concept of spectral reflectance and how it can be used to represent optical diversity.
Be familiar with Asner and Martin’s “spectranomics” hypothesis – that patterns in spectral reflectance
can reveal patterns of biodiversity, due to underlying biochemical differences.
Be familiar with the hypothesis that optical diversity can provide a surrogate measure of biodiversity.
Know that multiple factors (structure, biochemistry, phenology...) can contribute to optical diversity.
Understand the value of biodiversity, both economically, and in terms of natural capital (not necessarily
part of our monetary economy). For example, biodiversity contributes to ecosystem productivity and
resilience. In this context, biodiversity provides essential goods and services considered by “ecological
economics” but not necessarily valued by conventional economics.
Be familiar with the story of Cordyceps sinensis, and how habitat preservation and sustainable harvest
(preserving biodiversity) has benefited communities in Bhutan.
[stopped here – later material will be covered in later lectures and the final exam, but will not be
covered on the second midterm.]
Understand that extensive land transformation (land use change) has a “biodiversity cost.”
Understand the concept of tradeoffs between maximizing one goal (e.g. crop production) and other
values (e.g. maintaining biodiversity, along with other goods and services). This concept is similar to
“optimization” theory discussed earlier, and argues that a balanced approach (e.g. croplands that
maintain some degree of natural capital) provides more overall value.
Be familiar with the concept of “biodiversity hotspots” and their locations. Be familiar with broad
geographic patterns of biodiversity distribution, and with hypotheses explaining these patterns.
Be familiar with various hypotheses addressing the question “What controls biodiversity?”
(Note that we will continue this topic in several future lectures covering additional chapters of Molles
and Cahill).