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Journal ArticleDOI

Biological diversity: differences between land and sea

Robert M. May
- 29 Jan 1994 - 
- Vol. 343, Iss: 1303, pp 105-111
TLDR
Analysis of patterns of diversity on land and in the sea at higher taxonomic levels and on the possible causes and consequences of these patterns finds some estimates of impending extinction rates.
Abstract
This paper begins with a brief survey of the numbers of species that have been named and recorded on land and in the sea. It then assesses how many species there may be in total, giving particular attention to recent suggestions for dramatic upward revision of species totals for tropical invertebrates, fungi, benthic macrofauna, and microorganisms in general. Against this background, I comment on patterns of diversity on land and in the sea at higher taxonomic levels - orders through phyla - and on the possible causes and consequences of these patterns. I conclude with some estimates of impending extinction rates.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI

The Theory of Island Biogeography

TL;DR: Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols used xiii 1.
Book

Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology

TL;DR: In this paper, the Ecosystem Concept is used to describe the Earth's Climate System and Geology and Soils, and the ecosystem concept is used for managing and sustaining ecosystems.
Journal ArticleDOI

Beyond the '3/4-power law': variation in the intra- and interspecific scaling of metabolic rate in animals.

TL;DR: The 3/4-power scaling law of metabolic rate is not universal, either within or among animal species as discussed by the authors, and this variation can be related to taxonomic, physiological, and/or environmental differences.
Journal ArticleDOI

Marine Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: Situation, Problems and Prospects for Future Research

TL;DR: A rough estimate of more than 8500 species of macroscopic marine organisms should live in the Mediterranean Sea, corresponding to somewhat between 4% and 18% of the world marine species.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

The Theory of Island Biogeography

TL;DR: Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols used xiii 1.
Book

The Theory of Island Biogeography

TL;DR: The Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201
Book

The Diversity of Life

TL;DR: In this article, the authors trace the processes that produce new species, explain the importance of biodiversity, and recommend steps to help preserve diversity and improve the general quality of life of humans.
Journal ArticleDOI

The fungal dimension of biodiversity: magnitude, significance, and conservation

David L. Hawksworth
- 01 Jun 1991 - 
TL;DR: The number of known species in the world is conservatively estimated at 1·5 million; six-times higher than hitherto suggested; this realization has major implications for systematic manpower, resources, and classification.