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Transcript
Ryan Johnson Geo4300 Biogeography Paper 6 10/10 Worm, Boris, Helike K. Lotze, and Ransom A. Myers. "Predator diversity hotspots in the blue ocean." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 100.17 (2003): 9884-9888. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. Biology Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada 1) Research Problem Predators are very important for biodiversity within the ocean. Data were collected to identify ocean predator hotspots. Then it was determined if making these areas conservation area would have positive effects on the diversity. 2) Background Information Many large predators populations such as tuna, sharks, and turtles are being driven to low levels. Large predators are very important to ocean diversity. Removing a keystone species can have a top to bottom effect on the ecosystem. Because of these concerns marine scientists are calling for large-scale protected areas in the open ocean around these hotspots. These ideas have been used for benthic diversity with the conservation of coral reefs. 3) Method They used observations taken by US and Australian longline fisheries collected between 1991 and 2000. Recorded the counts of tuna, billfishes, bony fish, sharks, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. One of the worlds largest and widespread fishing methods, and is useful for determining pelagic diversity because they catch a wide range of species. The data are then expressed on different cells on a map. The best data were expressed in the Atlantic, and was used in a model. The model was used to determine weather closing off large areas of ocean would have an effect on the species diversity. 4) Results Species diversity was low in high latitudes, intermediate in tropical regions, and peaked at intermediate latitudes. Diversity also peaked close to prominent topographic features such as islands, shelf breaks, atolls, shelf’s breaks, and seamounts. The model had several different results for different areas. So of the high diversity areas that would be protected have a low catch rate for target fish for fishing anyways so it has a positive effect on ocean diversity. But some high diversity areas are high catch rate, and making them conservation areas will cause over fishing in other areas. Good report, but it is a little older than it should be. Nonetheless, given the importance of the paper, its age won’t count. QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. 5) Weaknesses Longline fishing only hooks larger species and doesn’t give a true extent of diversity. The model of effects of conservation areas is completely theoretical and is not taken from observations. 6) Conclusion Creating these conservation areas have an overall positive effect on species diversity, especially within the protected area and usually outside of it also.