Extinction risk - project idea, help!

[Treefrog]

Hi all,

I'm seeing my tutor about an idea for my MSc project (Ecology and Evolution) this week, so to save looking like a total idiot i thought i'd run it past you first!:) Sorry its not very well thought out at this stage!!!

Thinking about correlates of extinction risk, there are certain traits that normally result in an increased risk (relative to human impacts). Would it be possible / feesable to research anomolies in these trends - i.e species who 'should' be at high risk of extinction when looking at these trend but some unknown factor is increasing their survival rates?

(i was watching an episode of Oceans last night about coral in the red sea, and how it should be declining due to high temperatures but its actually doing well, they explained it by the high level of fluorescence in the coral which protects the algae)

Then maybe suggest applications of this knowledge to aid conservation of populations of the same / similar species which are declining?

Hope that makes sense, please tell me if its a stupid idea - i'm trawling the internet for examples but not getting very far!

Thankyou!!

[mith]

Do some preliminary research to see how much info you can get. This sounds like an interesting topic but you might be biting off more than you can chew as the proverb goes.

[Treefrog]

Thanks Mith,

I thought that too, maybe its a bit broad. Maybe i could focus on one genus or species even.

I don't suppose anyone knows of a good exception to the general trends of extinction risk?! I can't find anything except that coral!!

Thanks