Survival of certain species focus of Aug. 4 Director's Colloquium

The extinction of eukaryotic organisms is the subject of a Director's Colloquium at 11 a.m. on Aug. 4 in the Physics Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3.

Peter Raven, professor of biology at Washington University and director of the Missouri Botanical Garden will present the lecture titled "How Many Species Will Survive in the 21st Century?"

All organisms except bacteria and cyanobacteria are considered eukaryotic and belong to the prokaryote group. Raven estimates that more than 10 million eukaryotic species inhabit the Earth.

"They are disappearing at an estimated rate of several thousand per year, at least two orders of magnitude greater than the historical rate," Raven said. "The destruction of habitats around the world is the primary force driving their extinction, with invasive alien species and other factors also important."

Raven believes that as many as two-thirds of terrestrial species could become extinct or be on the way to extinction by the end of the century. He will discuss the consequences of this loss and how such damage could be mitigated.

Raven is co-editor of the "Flora of China," a joint Chinese American international project that is leading to a contemporary account on all plants of China.

Raven was an advisor to President Clinton's committee of science and technology. He also is the recipient of the National Medal of Science, the highest award for scientific achievement in the United States.

He received his doctoral degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1960. He completed his undergraduate work at the UC, Berkeley.

For more information, contact Rajan Gupta in Elementary Particles and Field Theory group (T-8) at 7-7664 or write to rg@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

Additional information on Director's Colloquiums can be obtained at http://stb.lanl.gov/program/colloquium.shtml online.

-- Michael Carlson

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