Future of BiogeographyFuture of Biogeography. . . our new flora . . .. . . our new flora . . .Future of Biogeography•• Humans are now altering biota to a degree equalling or surpassing all past events Humans are now altering biota to a degree equalling or surpassing all past eventsDegradations of biotaand impact onbiogeography•• ““WeedsWeeds””, invasives, invasives•• Land use changes Land use changes•• Habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation•• Pollution of -spheres Pollution of -spheres•• Climate changes Climate changes•• Biological extinction Biological extinction•• Speciation and extinction natural part of the history of biota Speciation and extinction natural part of the history of biotaPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earthPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’’s animals and plantss animals and plantsDavid QuammenDavid 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 earthPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’’s animals and plantss animals and plantsDavid QuammenDavid 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 earthPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’’s animals and plantss animals and plantsDavid QuammenDavid 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 earthPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’’s animals and plantss animals and plantsDavid QuammenDavid 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 earthPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’’s animals and plantss animals and plantsDavid QuammenDavid 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 earthPlanet of Weeds: tallying the losses of earth’’s animals and plantss animals and plantsDavid QuammenDavid QuammenWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silverswordHaleakala silversword•• All species evolve somewhere All species evolve somewhere —— in time in timeand space and in some form and space and in some form —— and may and maysubsequently enlarge their distributions bysubsequently enlarge their distributions bymigration or by long distance dispersalmigration or by long distance dispersalWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silverswordHaleakala silversword•• The Haleakala silversword is considered The Haleakala silversword is considered““nativenative”” to Hawaii, but once (5-6 mya) to Hawaii, but once (5-6 mya)there was a single colonist (a there was a single colonist (a ““weedweed”” ?) ?)that came over from California as itsthat came over from California as itsancestorancestorWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silverswordHaleakala silversword•• Kahili ginger is a species native to the Kahili ginger is a species native to theHimalayas, introduced to Hawaii severalHimalayas, introduced to Hawaii severaldecades ago, and now considered andecades ago, and now considered aninvasive weed in the Hawaiian Islandsinvasive weed in the Hawaiian IslandsKahili gingerWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaHaleakala silverswordHaleakala silversword•• How is the Kahili ginger any different How is the Kahili ginger any differentthan from the original than from the original ““weedweed”” that made it that made itto Kauai some 5 mya but then adaptivelyto Kauai some 5 mya but then adaptivelyradiated into the silversword complex?radiated into the silversword complex?Kahili gingerWeed: : A plant species (or any organism) not in itsA plant species (or any organism) not in itsnormal geographic distribution, spread by humannormal geographic distribution, spread by humanactivities, and usually with some negative impactactivities, and usually with some negative impactto humans and/or to humans and/or ““nativenative”” flora/vegetation/fauna flora/vegetation/faunaWhat then is a What then is a weed??•• introduction introduction•• non-native non-native•• naturalized naturalized•• alien alien•• invasive invasiveWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaKahili gingerWhat is not a weed!Eupatorium maculatumEupatorium maculatumJoe-pye weedJoe-pye weedWeeds: the Great Biodiaspora. . . although the Wisconsin. . . although the WisconsinCranberry Association hasCranberry Association haslabeled labeled Eupatorium Eupatorium maculatummaculatuma weed as it decreases theira weed as it decreases theirprofits!profits!What is not a weed!Eupatorium maculatumEupatorium maculatumJoe-pye weedJoe-pye weedWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaCirsium pitcheriCirsium pitcheriDune thistleDune thistleWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaWhat is not a weed!Blatella germanica - Blatella germanica - German cockroachGerman cockroachSome Some ““weedsweeds”” are simply disgusting and universally detested are simply disgusting and universally detestedWeeds: negative aspectsWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaThe economics of weeds (human impact) drives a huge businessThe economics of weeds (human impact) drives a huge businessand academic industryand academic industryWeeds: negative aspectsWeeds: the Great BiodiasporaNative flora/fauna of many areas (e.g., Native flora/fauna of many