Understanding how and why biodiversity varies across the globe is a long-standing focus of ecology and is a fundamental concern of many conservation efforts. However, simply counting the number of species in an area may not give an accurate representation of biodiversity because many of the species observed in an area do not occur there regularly. By analyzing data collected over the past forty years by volunteer birders at almost 500 locations across North America, it was found that most bird species fall into one of two categories: core species that are observed almost every year at a site, and transient species that are observed only rarely. The number of core bird species was most strongly related to local climate and vegetation, whereas the number of transient bird species was greatest in regions with a diversity of habitats, independent of climate. This project will assess the generality of this distinction between core and transient species, and the importance of that distinction for understanding patterns in species diversity across a broad range of taxonomic groups and ecosystems including birds, mammals, butterflies, plants, fish, plankton, and intertidal invertebrates.
Results from this research will have implications for both basic and applied understanding of the determinants of biodiversity, and for how ecological communities will respond to climate and land use change. Research training and career mentoring will be provided for one graduate student. In conjunction with the University of North Carolina's Center for Mathematics and Science Education and the Pre-College Program, public outreach activities will be developed that engage middle school students, including a large proportion from underrepresented groups. The Pre-College Program is an inquiry-based program of enrichment and encouragement in science and mathematics for women and minorities underrepresented in scientific and mathematical careers. One product of this outreach will be an interpretive display exhibited at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. The researchers will also provide structured workshops to improve the computational and data management skills of scientists of all levels.
