A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals

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dc.contributor.advisorHockey, Phil A Ren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGithiora, Yvonneen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-31T07:56:12Z
dc.date.available2014-07-31T07:56:12Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.description.abstractExploring past extinction patterns among taxa can inform us about risks facing currently threatened taxa if such extinctions have been non-random with respect to phylogeny and/or geographical patterns. This study analyses patterns of recent extinctions among birds and mammals in order to determine factors influencing these patterns and whether these factors differed between the two groups. Data on bird and mammal species that have become extinct since 1500, including their distributions and body-masses, were collected from diverse sources. GIS mapping was used to determine spatial patterns of species extinctions. The body-mass distributions of extinct species were also compared with body-mass distributions of samples of extant species. Patterns of extinction were found to differ geographically among birds and mammals. However, underlying factors influencing these patterns were found to be similar, with species endemism being an important predictor of recent extinctions. Recently extinct species were larger, on average, than extant species in both birds and mammals pointing to the influence of human over-exploitation in the extinctions. Invasive species, particularly mammals such as rats, were also an important driver, influencing species extinctions by preying on native birds and competing with native mammals of similar biology. These findings can most likely be extrapolated to reptiles, whose extinctions have been similarly influenced by invasive mammals but not necessarily to amphibians whose recent extinctions and declines are being driven primarily by a complex interaction of factors including emerging infectious diseases.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationGithiora, Y. (2010). <i>A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4748en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationGithiora, Yvonne. <i>"A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4748en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationGithiora, Y. 2010. A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Githiora, Yvonne AB - Exploring past extinction patterns among taxa can inform us about risks facing currently threatened taxa if such extinctions have been non-random with respect to phylogeny and/or geographical patterns. This study analyses patterns of recent extinctions among birds and mammals in order to determine factors influencing these patterns and whether these factors differed between the two groups. Data on bird and mammal species that have become extinct since 1500, including their distributions and body-masses, were collected from diverse sources. GIS mapping was used to determine spatial patterns of species extinctions. The body-mass distributions of extinct species were also compared with body-mass distributions of samples of extant species. Patterns of extinction were found to differ geographically among birds and mammals. However, underlying factors influencing these patterns were found to be similar, with species endemism being an important predictor of recent extinctions. Recently extinct species were larger, on average, than extant species in both birds and mammals pointing to the influence of human over-exploitation in the extinctions. Invasive species, particularly mammals such as rats, were also an important driver, influencing species extinctions by preying on native birds and competing with native mammals of similar biology. These findings can most likely be extrapolated to reptiles, whose extinctions have been similarly influenced by invasive mammals but not necessarily to amphibians whose recent extinctions and declines are being driven primarily by a complex interaction of factors including emerging infectious diseases. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 T1 - A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals TI - A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4748 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/4748
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationGithiora Y. A comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammals. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, 2010 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4748en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentPercy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.titleA comparitive analysis of patterns of recent extinction in birds and mammalsen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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