How Many Lichen? How Many Trees? Island Biogeography in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Abstract

Concepts garnered by studying islands and their biogeography can be applied to conservation and land management, since many natural areas are isolated due to fragmentation of the landscape by human activity. Two factors that influence species numbers on islands are insularity and habitat diversity. A study analyzing species richness on islands in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area was used to assess the relative importance of these two factors. Lichen and tress species richness was assessed on 30 islands in six lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.