Understanding Invasions and Extinctions

Mediterranean-climate regions support large human populations resulting in extensive, and outside the Mediterranean Basin proper, rapid, anthropogenic transformation. Compared to other continental areas, Mediterranean regions have been invaded by a large number of non-indigenous organisms, including vertebrates. Concomitant with invasions, declines and extinctions have transformed the faunas of Mediterranean ecoregions.

Goals

Project objectives were to
1) compare the vertebrate body mass structures of Mediterranean-climate ecosystems, and
2) examine the effects of invasions and extinctions in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems on body mass structure and alpha, beta and gamma diversity.

Current Status

This project is complete with results compiled into a master's thesis.

Graduate Student(s)

-Aaron Lotz

Funding

-U.S. Geological Survey

Cooperators