3. What is a species?
A species can be defined as a group of organisms
that resemble one another in appearance,
behaviour and genetic structure and that
produce fertile offspring under natural
conditions.
4. How many species are
there on Earth?
• Scientists do not know how many species live
on earth!
• There are many estimates but the general
range is 5-30 million species living on earth
today though the extreme estimate is 100
million species.
6. Species Identified?
• Insects are the most
numerous of all species
and account for over
half of all identified
species
• Scientists have
identified over 300 000
species of beetles
alone!
Identified Species:
• Mammals 5490
• Birds 9998
• Reptiles 9084
• Amphibians 6433
• Fishes 31 300
• Invertebrates 1 305 212
• Plants 321 212
• Other 51 563
(www.currentresults.com)
7. Hundreds to thousands of new species
are discovered each year!
Smith's litter frog (Leptobrachium
smithi), identified in 1999 Photo by:
Milivoje Krvavac
Gumprecht's green pitviper
(Trimeresurus gumprechti), identified in
2002, Photo by: Gernot Vogel
In 2006 alone, 16 969 new species were identified.
8. Types of species:
• Endemic species are
species that normally
live and thrive in an
ecosystem
• Exotic species are those
that migrate into or are
introduced into an
ecosystem deliberately
or accidently by
humans.
9. • Specialist Species: have a narrow niche, may only live
in certain habitat, few food sources, narrow range of
tolerance
• Generalist Species: broad niches, live in many
habitats, many food sources, broad range of tolerance
• Indicator Species: indicates health of ecosystem,
provides early warning system, sensitive to biotic,
abiotic change
• Keystone Species: a species that is very important in
maintaining ecosystem health, balance of entire
ecosystem depends on actions of this species
10. • Learning the name of every species of plant,
mammal, insect, bird, fungi that you come
across is very difficult, if not impossible.
• However, many useful field guides are
available to assist you in identifying the
species you observed.
11. Tips for identifying species in the field:
• Take a picture if possible
• Keep a field notebook to jot down/sketch
important characteristics of your observation i.e.:
colour, habitat, size, shapes, sounds, flowers,
etc.
• If the species you are observing is moving, you
may only get a brief glimpse so record every
characteristic you can
• Later, refer to your notes and use a field guide to
help identify your observation.
12. Bird Identification
• Remember the acronym GISS (General
Impression, Size, Shape) to make field notes
• Colour, markings, striping, eye ring or eye
lines, colour of beak, legs, eyes, tail markings.
Where did you observe it? Flight
characteristics, sound.
• Relative size—sparrow, robin, crow?
• Thin, bulky, long/short beak, forked tail,
narrow tail, upright, rounded, flat? Wing
shape.
18. Flower Type:
2. If the flower is regular,
how many petals or
similar parts?
Four petals
19. Plant Type:
3. Is the plant a wildflower, shrub or vine?
4. If a wildflower, is it without leaves, or if it has
leaves are they all at the base of the plant
(basal), are they arranged singly on the stem
(alternate) or are they opposite one another
in pairs or whorls?
25. Tree Identification
• Leaves, needles– shape, colour, clusters
• Flowers
• Bark—colour, texture
• Seeds, fruits, cones,
• Branches—thorns, texture, buds,
arrangement
• Habitat and range map, what trees
should be growing in the habitat
