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Public Events --

  Brownbag Lectures: Drivers of Beta Diversity Along Latitudinal Gradients   

Brownbag Lectures: Drivers of Beta Diversity Along Latitudinal Gradients

  • Location: ISM Research & Collections Center, Springfield
  • Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presented by Dr. Hong Qian, Curator of Botany, Illinois State Museum

Species diversity is often described with three components: alpha-, beta-, and gamma-diversity. Alpha- and gamma-diversity both measure species richness within an area, but they focus on different spatial scales. Gamma-diversity measures total species richness in a larger area comprised of many smaller sub-units in which alpha-diversity, the species richness in a sub-unit, is measured. Beta-diversity quantifies the variation in species composition among the sub-units, and thus represents a scalar linking alpha- and gamma-diversity. Understanding the underlying mechanisms that drive beta-diversity across the globe is crucial to understanding the origin and maintenance of global patterns in biodiversity. Patterns of beta-diversity have been long thought to be driven, at least in part, by ecological mechanisms but this idea has been challenged by a recent article published in one of the world’s top scientific journals (Science, vol. 333, p.1755-1758). However, in the presentation, Dr. Qian will show that the results of the article are based on an artifact of data and a method that would result in artifacts.

One of our Brownbag Lectures

Weekly lectures held at the Museum's Research and Collections Center. Lectures are usually held during lunchtime on Wednesday. The RCC is located at 1011 E. Ash Street in Springfield. Access to the building is from 10 ½ Street (between Ash and Laurel Streets), where there is ample visitor parking in the west parking lot. For more information, please call 217-785-0037. Brown Bag Lectures are free and open to the public.

Also, if you want to be informed of upcoming lectures by email, you can sign up for the brownbag announcement list

For more events at ISM Research & Collections Center.