Future of Biogeography. . . our new flora . . .Future of Biogeography• Humans are now altering biota to a degree equalling or surpassing all past eventsDegradations of biotaand impact onbiogeography• “Weeds”, invasives• Land use changes• Habitat fragmentation• Pollution of -spheres• Climate changes• Biological extinction• Speciation and extinction natural part of the history of biotaPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’s animals and plantsDavid Quammen“The earth has undergone five majorextinction periods, each requiringmillions of years of recovery”“Biologists believe that we are enteringanother mass extinction, a vale ofbiological impoverishment”“The earth has undergone five majorextinction periods, each requiringmillions of years of recovery”Future of Biogeography“Even by conservative estimates, hugepercentages of earth’s animals and plantswill simply disappear”Future of BiogeographyPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’s animals and plantsDavid Quammen“In the next fifty years, deforestation willdoom one half of the world’s forest-birdspecies”1985195010,000 ybpPreserves todayMadagascar wet tropicsKirtland’s warblerMichigan“The lesson to be learned from fragmentedisolated habitats is Yeatsian: things fallapart”Future of BiogeographyPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’s animals and plantsDavid Quammen“We confront the vision of a humanpopulation pressing snugly around whatevernatural landscapes remains”“Even Noah’s Ark only managed to rescuepaired animals, not large parcels of habitat”Future of BiogeographyPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’s animals and plantsDavid Quammen“The species that survive will be likeweeds, reproducing quickly and survivingalmost anywhere”“Wildlife will consist of pigeons,coyotes, rats, roaches, house sparrows,crows, and feral dogs”starlingpurple loosestrifeFuture of BiogeographyPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’s animals and plantsDavid QuammenChicago - lake shore prairie“Homo sapiens — remarkably widespread,prolific, and adaptable — is the consummateweed”“What will happen after this massextinction, after we destroy two-thirds ofall living species?”Future of BiogeographyPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’s animals and plantsDavid QuammenWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silversword• All species evolve somewhere — in timeand space and in some form — and maysubsequently enlarge their distributions bymigration or by long distance dispersalWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silversword• The Haleakala silversword is considered“native” to Hawaii, but once (5-6 mya)there was a single colonist (a “weed” ?)that came over from California as itsancestorWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silversword• Kahili ginger is a species native to theHimalayas, introduced to Hawaii severaldecades ago, and now considered aninvasive weed in the Hawaiian IslandsKahili gingerWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silversword• How is the Kahili ginger any differentthan from the original “weed” that made itto Kauai some 5 mya but then adaptivelyradiated into the silversword complex?Kahili gingerWeed: A plant species (or any organism) not in itsnormal geographic distribution, spread by humanactivities, and usually with some negative impactto humans and/or “native” flora/vegetation/faunaWhat then is a weed?• introduction• non-native• naturalized• alien• invasiveWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaKahili gingerWhat is not a weed!Eupatorium maculatumJoe-pye weedWeeds: the Great Biodiaspora. . . although the WisconsinCranberry Association haslabeled Eupatorium maculatuma weed as it decreases theirprofits!What is not a weed!Eupatorium maculatumJoe-pye weedWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaCirsium pitcheriDune thistleWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaWhat is not a weed!Blatella germanica - German cockroachSome “weeds” are simply disgusting and universally detestedWeeds: negative aspectsWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaThe economics of weeds (human impact) drives a huge businessand academic industryWeeds: negative aspectsWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaNative flora/fauna of many areas (e.g., islands, “portals”) are atrisk with invasive weedsWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaWeeds: negative aspectsislandport of entryFederal and state government agencies nowconsider invasion of the aliens as the newestthreat to our terrestrial and aquatic biota.U.S.D.ARecent issue ofTREEWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHow do you tell a weed?1. Fossil evidence or its lack2. Historical evidence ofintroductions3. Probable means of introduction4. Typical reproductive patterns5. Disturbed habitats6. Genetic diversity7. Geographical distributionpatternsWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHow do you tell a weed?1. Fossil evidence or its lackWeeds: the Great Biodiaspora• are any of the cattails native to NorthAmerica?• Green River Eocenedeposits of Colorado• Holocene fossil pollentetrads1. Fossil evidence or its lack2. Historical evidence ofintroductions3. Probable means of introduction4. Typical reproductive patterns5. Disturbed habitats6. Genetic diversity7. Geographical distributionpatternsPassiflora mollissimaBanana pocaHawaiian invasiveIntroduced from South America toHawaii in early 1900s as a vine tohide an outhouse in HawaiiWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHow do you tell a weed?Reseda lutea (mignonette) from Mediterranean found“natively” in pristine Thompson Prairie west of MadisonRock garden ornamental - via shoes?Weeds: the Great Biodiaspora1. Fossil evidence or its lack2. Historical evidence ofintroductions3. Probable means of introduction4. Typical reproductive patterns5. Disturbed habitats6. Genetic diversity7. Geographical distributionpatternsHow do you tell a weed?ModifiedvegetativefeaturesModifieddispersalfeaturesWeeds often possess modifiedvegetative and sexual reproductivefeatures as part of the “weed syndrome”Weeds: the Great Biodiaspora1. Fossil evidence or its lack2. Historical evidence ofintroductions3. Probable means of introduction4. Typical reproductive patterns5. Disturbed habitats6. Genetic diversity7. Geographical distributionpatternsHow do you tell a weed?Weeds: the Great Biodiaspora1. Fossil evidence or its lack2. Historical evidence ofintroductions3. Probable means of introduction4. Typical reproductive patterns5. Disturbed habitats6. Genetic diversity7. Geographical distributionpatternsHow do you tell a