3e. Compare your estimates of the numbers of potentially threatened species to t

Question

3e. Compare your estimates of the numbers of potentially threatened species to the number of species that we know are threatened to determine the “most threatened” group. Which group contains the largest number of known threatened species? Which group contains the largest number of potentially threatened species? Explain why your determination of “most threatened” group differs depending on whether you use data on numbers of known threatened species versus estimates of numbers of potentially threatened species.

3f. Based on your preliminary analyses above, in which group do you think further research would make the most difference in our understanding of the conservation status of the group, and why?

Table 1 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Number of species Number of species Number of species Group described evaluated threatened Vertebrates 61,259 5,966 26,604 6,161 2,496 Invertebrates 1,232,384 8,448 11,995 Plants 288,468 3 3 Lichen /Fungi 47,000 Source: Data from the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, as reported in Vie et al. (2009).

Explanation / Answer

Answers:

3e. Plants contains the largest number of known threatened species because as per the data, 70.42% (8,448) of the total number of evaluated species (11,995) were found to be threatened species. Lichen/Fungi contains the largest number of potentially threatened species because all of the evaluated species (100%) were also found to be threatened species. Determination of 'most threatened' group will depend upon the factor that how extensively the species of a group have been evaluated and the number of species threatened in a group. If only the former is taken into account then, plant group is the most threatened and if only the latter, then, lichen/fungi group is the most threatened group.

3f. The lichen/fungi group would make the most difference in our understanding of the conservation status of the group if further research is undertaken because only 0.006% species of the group have been evaluated and also due to the fact that all of them are threatened species. So, further research would lead to more insight on the conservation status of this group.

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