Focal Species Concepts

1
Focal Species Concepts

• There are no simple shortcuts to biological
  conservation or ecosystem restoration knowledge
  of population ecology of species is fundamental.
• But with so many species, and so little time, how
  do we include population biology in a practical
  way?
• FOCAL or SURROGATE species are one potential
  bridge between single- and multiple species
  approaches.

• Considerable debate on value of focal species
  approaches to conservation.

2
Flagship Species
Umbrella Species
Focal Species Concepts
Keystone Species
Indicator Species
3
Flagship Species

• Species that are selected to attract attention
  and funding from the public for conservation
  projects.
• animals that are huge, ferocious, cuddly,
  cute, or of direct benefit to humans they are
  the charismatic animals most likely to make
  people smile, feel goose-bumps, and write a check
  for conservation. (Mills)

• Flagship species might not be good surrogates for
  broader biodiversity or ecosystem protection.
• What happens if the flagship sinks? Will public
  emotional investment in species turn to
  disenchantment with conservation in general?
  (Simberloff)

4
Charismatic Flagship Species
(Mills)
5
Flagship Species
WWF safeguards hundreds of species around the
world, but we focus special attention on our
flagship species giant pandas, tigers,
endangered whales and dolphins, rhinos,
elephants, marine turtles and great apes. These
species not only need special measures and extra
protection in order to survive, they also serve
as umbrella species helping them helps numerous
other species that live in the same habitats.
(from the World Wildlife Fund web site)
Are flagship species necessarily umbrella species
also?
6
Umbrella Species

• Species whose conservation provides protections
  for many co-occurring species.
• Traditionally, umbrella species have had large
  area requirements (large animals and carnivores).
  
• Idea is that if we conserve enough habitat for
  the umbrella species, then other species should
  be covered as well. Concept has been applied to
  selecting nature reserves.

• However, not a lot of empirical validation.
• For instance, black rhinos proposed as umbrella
  species in Africa due to extensive habitat
  requirements, but space used by rhinos was not
  sufficient to support five of six sympatric
  herbivore species (Berger 1997).

7
Extended Umbrella Concept

• Umbrella designation could be based on more than
  just area requirements.
• Fleishman et al. developed an umbrella index
• tendency to occur with other species
• degree of ubiquity
• sensitivity to human disturbance

8
Umbrella index
9
Indicator Species

• Organism whose characteristics (presence or
  absence, population density, dispersion,
  reproductive success) are used as an index of
  attributes too difficult, inconvenient, or
  expensive to measure for other species or
  environmental conditions of interest. (Landres
  et al.)

10
Indicator Species

• Biodiversity Indicator Species
• Presence of one species indicates presence of
  other species.
• Measure richness of well-known taxonomic group
  and use as surrogate for sympatric, poorly-known
  group.
• Controversial application of indicators.

• 2. Ecosystem Health Indicator Species
• Application with fairly long history.
• Species used to indicate environmental
  conditions.
• Specific properties or processes must be defined
  health is vague.
• Choose species that are most sensitive to
  disturbance or stressor of interest (i.e., canary
  in the coal mine).
• E.g., use of aquatic inverts or fish by
  toxicologists.

11
Keystone Species

• Overused term that was vaguely defined by many
  people and that became synonymous with species
  that are somehow really important in
  ecosystems.
• Remove the keystone species and other species
  will follow.
• Keystones could be flagship, umbrella, or
  indicator species, but not necessarily.

12
Keystone Species
13
Keystone Species

• Keystone predators starfish, sea otters
  (top-down tropic cascades).
• Keystone mutualists pollinators (bees) and seed
  dispersers.
• Keystone modifiers or Ecological Engineers
• beavers, banner-tailed kangaroo rats

14
Flagship Species
Umbrella Species
Focal Species Concepts
Keystone Species
Indicator Species
15
Student Group Discussions

• What are strengths and limitations of each focal
  species concept in terms of its potential value
  for biodiversity conservation and maintenance of
  ecosystem structure and function?

• How might a given focal species concept be
  integrated with one or more of the other focal
  species approaches in a complementary way to
  increase conservation effectiveness?