Abstract
Since the coining of the term, biodiversity has come to be understood as being more than a synonym for species richness. It also embraces a diversity of lifestyles, so that of two samples with the same number of species one that solely comprises a diversity of herbivores is considered to be less biodiverse than one that includes detritivores, predators, parasitoids, parasites, etc. as well. It seems that Phoridae could be a prime candidate for use in conservation evaluation exercises because the larvae of this family exhibit a greater range of habits than any other family of animals on the planet.
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Disney, R.H.L., Durska, E. Conservation evaluation and the choice of faunal taxa to sample. Biodivers Conserv 17, 449–451 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-007-9284-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-007-9284-1