Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

What is Biodiversity?

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity describes the variety of living things at multiple organizational levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Species diversity includes all branches of the evolutionary tree from single-celled prokaryotic organisms, bacteria, and archaea, to the eukaryotic kingdoms: plants; animals; fungi; and protists. To date, there have been about 1.75 million species identified, and new species are discovered every week.

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.

Diversity of Protists IV

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...

Diversity of Protists II

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...

Diversity of Protists III

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...

The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes

The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes

The “tree of life” describes the evolution of life and the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The root of the tree is the common ancestor to all life on Earth. All other species radiate from this point, much like the branches of a tree. The numerous tips of these branches on the tree of life represent every living, or extant, species. Extinct species, which are species that no longer exist, can be found towards the center of the tree. Currently, these organisms, both extant and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Network topology of stable isotope interactions in a sub-arctic raptor guild.

Oecologia·2016

Same author

Non-invasive monitoring of glucocorticoid metabolites in brown hyaena (Hyaena brunnea) feces.

Zoo biology·2011

Same author

Diversity and depletions in continental carnivore guilds: implications for prioritizing global carnivore conservation.

Biology letters·2008

Same author

Resolving temporal variation in vertebrate diets using naturally occurring stable isotopes.

Oecologia·2005

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

Published on: July 30, 2019

Phylogenetic and functional diversity in large carnivore assemblages.

¹Centre for Wildlife Management, Hatfield Experimental Farm, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, South Africa. fredrik.dalerum@zoology.up.ac.za

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|April 12, 2013

Summary

Conserving diverse large carnivore (mammal) assemblages is crucial for maintaining both evolutionary history and ecosystem functions. Prioritizing conservation actions requires balancing current ecological roles with future adaptive potential.

More Related Videos

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates

Published on: January 13, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

Published on: July 30, 2019

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates

Published on: January 13, 2023

Area of Science:

Ecology
Conservation Biology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Large terrestrial carnivores are vital ecological players and flagship species, yet face high extinction risks due to biological traits and human activities.
Understanding their phylogenetic and functional diversity is key for effective conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate global and continental large carnivore assemblages using phylogenetic and functional diversity metrics.
To establish a framework for conservation prioritization within and between these assemblages.
To identify key species for conservation efforts.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic diversity assessments of large carnivore species globally and continentally.
Functional diversity evaluations considering species' ecological roles.
Analysis of species contributions to both phylogenetic and functional diversity components.

Main Results:

Species-rich large carnivore assemblages exhibit high phylogenetic and functional diversity.
Individual species' contributions to phylogenetic and functional diversity are not always correlated.
Larger carnivore species are ecologically justified as conservation priorities.
Range contraction significantly diminishes carnivore ecosystem function.

Conclusions:

Preserving species-rich carnivore assemblages captures substantial phylogenetic and functional diversity.
Conservation prioritization within assemblages involves trade-offs between current ecosystem function and future evolutionary capacity.
Conservation strategies must consider both species richness and individual species' roles.