Background: Light pollution has been increasingly recognised as a threat to biodiversity, especially with the current expansion of public lighting. Although the impacts of light intensity, spectral composition and temporality are more often studied, another component of light, its flicker frequency, has been largely overlooked. However, flashing light could also have impacts on biodiversity, and especially on animal behaviour and physiology. Objective: This systematic review aimed at identifying the reported physiological and behavioural impacts of flashing light on animals when compared to continuous light. Methods: We followed the standards recommended by the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) in order to achieve a comprehensive, transparent and replicable systematic review. Citations were primarily extracted from three literature databases and were then screened for relevance successively on their titles, abstracts and full-texts. Retained studies were finally critically appraised to assess their validity and all relevant data were extracted. Only studies which compared a flashing light to a continuous one were included. Results: At first, we found 19,730 citations. Screening and critical appraisal resulted in 32 accepted articles corresponding to 54 accepted observations—one observation corresponding to one species and one outcome. We collated data on four main taxa: Aves (the most studied one), Actinopterygii, Insecta and Mammalia as well as on plankton. Conclusions: The impacts of flashing light are currently critically understudied and varied between species and many light specificities (e.g. frequency, wavelength, intensity). Therefore, no definitive conclusions could be drawn for now. Thus, research on flashing light should be pressingly carried out in order to better mitigate the impacts of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) on wildlife. In the meantime, we would recommend precautionary principles to be applied: flashing lighting should be limited when not deemed essential and flicker frequencies managed to prevent animals from experiencing any potential harm from flashing light.
{"title":"Does a flashing artificial light have more or conversely less impacts on animals than a continuous one? A systematic review","authors":"Alix Lafitte, Romain Sordello, Marc Legrand, Virginie Nicolas, Gaël Obein, Yorick Reyjol","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.54.102614","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.54.102614","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Background: Light pollution has been increasingly recognised as a threat to biodiversity, especially with the current expansion of public lighting. Although the impacts of light intensity, spectral composition and temporality are more often studied, another component of light, its flicker frequency, has been largely overlooked. However, flashing light could also have impacts on biodiversity, and especially on animal behaviour and physiology.\u0000Objective: This systematic review aimed at identifying the reported physiological and behavioural impacts of flashing light on animals when compared to continuous light.\u0000Methods: We followed the standards recommended by the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) in order to achieve a comprehensive, transparent and replicable systematic review. Citations were primarily extracted from three literature databases and were then screened for relevance successively on their titles, abstracts and full-texts. Retained studies were finally critically appraised to assess their validity and all relevant data were extracted. Only studies which compared a flashing light to a continuous one were included.\u0000Results: At first, we found 19,730 citations. Screening and critical appraisal resulted in 32 accepted articles corresponding to 54 accepted observations—one observation corresponding to one species and one outcome. We collated data on four main taxa: Aves (the most studied one), Actinopterygii, Insecta and Mammalia as well as on plankton.\u0000Conclusions: The impacts of flashing light are currently critically understudied and varied between species and many light specificities (e.g. frequency, wavelength, intensity). Therefore, no definitive conclusions could be drawn for now. Thus, research on flashing light should be pressingly carried out in order to better mitigate the impacts of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) on wildlife. In the meantime, we would recommend precautionary principles to be applied: flashing lighting should be limited when not deemed essential and flicker frequencies managed to prevent animals from experiencing any potential harm from flashing light.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138547312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-07DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.54.105606
Anett Endrédi, Ármin Sőth, Dóra Ércz, Balázs Deák, Orsolya Valkó, János György Nagy
We aimed to investigate the reproduction-related traits of Vicia biennis L., an endangered and poorly known wetland species in its western marginal populations (in Hungary), and discuss the conservational and ecological implications. We measured the mass, viability, and physical dormancy of half-year-old seeds in five in-situ collected seed lots, while potential seed longevity (i.e., seed bank type) was estimated from repeatedly germinating subsamples from four ex-situ collected seed lots for 3–8 years. Plant survival, flowering, and seed production were studied in different light-, irrigation-, and competition conditions in a botanical garden experiment. We found that 1) half-year-old seeds have a high germination capacity (78–100%), 2) and high level of physical dormancy (72–100%) in all examined Hungarian populations, and 3) the seeds can preserve their germination capacity for more than five years, although their viability sharply decreases, probably falling below 10% within ten years, when they are stored at room temperature. The results of the botanical garden experiment suggested that 1) the species is annual, not biennial; 2) it shows strong sensitivity to precipitation and low competitiveness for water; and 3) it can produce hundreds of seeds even in suboptimal (dry or shady) conditions. Although the species was found to be well-adapted to a temporally heterogeneous environment, its future vulnerability can increase depending on the duration of dry seasons. Further investigation of genetic diversity and soil seed bank is needed to estimate the actual vulnerability of the species while strengthening the populations through seed sowing, and additional vegetation control in the habitats is suggested.
{"title":"Exploring life-history traits of an endangered plant (Vicia biennis L.) to support the conservation of marginal populations","authors":"Anett Endrédi, Ármin Sőth, Dóra Ércz, Balázs Deák, Orsolya Valkó, János György Nagy","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.54.105606","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.54.105606","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000We aimed to investigate the reproduction-related traits of Vicia biennis L., an endangered and poorly known wetland species in its western marginal populations (in Hungary), and discuss the conservational and ecological implications. We measured the mass, viability, and physical dormancy of half-year-old seeds in five in-situ collected seed lots, while potential seed longevity (i.e., seed bank type) was estimated from repeatedly germinating subsamples from four ex-situ collected seed lots for 3–8 years. Plant survival, flowering, and seed production were studied in different light-, irrigation-, and competition conditions in a botanical garden experiment. We found that 1) half-year-old seeds have a high germination capacity (78–100%), 2) and high level of physical dormancy (72–100%) in all examined Hungarian populations, and 3) the seeds can preserve their germination capacity for more than five years, although their viability sharply decreases, probably falling below 10% within ten years, when they are stored at room temperature. The results of the botanical garden experiment suggested that 1) the species is annual, not biennial; 2) it shows strong sensitivity to precipitation and low competitiveness for water; and 3) it can produce hundreds of seeds even in suboptimal (dry or shady) conditions. Although the species was found to be well-adapted to a temporally heterogeneous environment, its future vulnerability can increase depending on the duration of dry seasons. Further investigation of genetic diversity and soil seed bank is needed to estimate the actual vulnerability of the species while strengthening the populations through seed sowing, and additional vegetation control in the habitats is suggested.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138547321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The red mullet (Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758) is a keynote species for the Bulgarian Black Sea ecosystem and fisheries; nevertheless, existing knowledge on population status is very scarce. The present study was intended to assess the health status and adaptive potential of M. barbatus populations inhabiting the Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea. Our findings revealed that populations of M. barbatus are exposed to a variety of anthropogenic and environmental stressors. The species’ status was assessed using representative genetic, morphological, biochemical and chemical biomarkers from specimens obtained in the research area’s northern and southern regions. Based on mtDNA markers, genetic analysis revealed low haplotype and nucleotide diversity, typically observed in overexploited or “threatened” populations. Examining the morphology of the specimens revealed no discernible pattern of differentiation. Except for aluminium and chrome, metal and PAH concentrations in fish were below the regulatory thresholds. The specimens from the southern region ingested more microplastics than those from the northern region. The majority of specimens collected from the southern region also exhibited elevated levels of oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defence, which can be interpreted as an early indication that they had reached the limits of their adaptive potential. Further research on the composite effects of the stressogenic environment on the Black Sea biota are critically needed, as well as the introduction of new indicators and thresholds at molecular and cellular levels for adequate monitoring of both the ecological state of the marine environment and its biota.
{"title":"Effects of anthropogenic and environmental stressors on the current status of red mullet (Mullus barbatus L., 1758) populations inhabiting the Bulgarian Black Sea waters","authors":"Ivelina Zlateva, Violin Raykov, Albena Alexandrova, Petya Ivanova, Nesho Chipev, Kremena Stefanova, Nina Dzhembekova, Valentina Doncheva, Violeta Slabakova, Elitsa Stefanova, Svetlana Mihova, Nadezhda Valcheva, Ognyana Hristova, Boryana Dzhurova, Dimitar Dimitrov, Almira Georgieva, Elina Tsvetanova, Madlena Andreeva, Ivan Popov, Mariya Yankova, Yordan Raev, Konstantin Petrov","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.54.103758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.54.103758","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000The red mullet (Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758) is a keynote species for the Bulgarian Black Sea ecosystem and fisheries; nevertheless, existing knowledge on population status is very scarce. The present study was intended to assess the health status and adaptive potential of M. barbatus populations inhabiting the Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea. Our findings revealed that populations of M. barbatus are exposed to a variety of anthropogenic and environmental stressors. The species’ status was assessed using representative genetic, morphological, biochemical and chemical biomarkers from specimens obtained in the research area’s northern and southern regions. Based on mtDNA markers, genetic analysis revealed low haplotype and nucleotide diversity, typically observed in overexploited or “threatened” populations. Examining the morphology of the specimens revealed no discernible pattern of differentiation. Except for aluminium and chrome, metal and PAH concentrations in fish were below the regulatory thresholds. The specimens from the southern region ingested more microplastics than those from the northern region. The majority of specimens collected from the southern region also exhibited elevated levels of oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defence, which can be interpreted as an early indication that they had reached the limits of their adaptive potential. Further research on the composite effects of the stressogenic environment on the Black Sea biota are critically needed, as well as the introduction of new indicators and thresholds at molecular and cellular levels for adequate monitoring of both the ecological state of the marine environment and its biota.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":" 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138493218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Coastal sand dunes are amongst the world’s most sensitive and dynamic landforms. Unfortunately, during the last thirty years, heavy anthropogenic alterations have been observed, encompassing the greater part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (BBSC), which has changed the land-sea interactions significantly. As a consequence, the depositional coast has shrunk to 131 km or 25% of the aggregate Bulgarian Black Sea shoreline length. Although our research reveals that 86% of BBSC dunes are included in the Natura 2000 network of protected sites established under the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC 1992), they are often heavily modified, subjected to environmental vandalism and destroyed due to mismanagement or lack of accurate information and prevention. These facts were the main reason for carrying out an inventory of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal dune systems in 2021-2022. Our research aimed to identify all dune systems/sand dunes, update their spatial distribution and classify the observed coastal sand dunes landforms along the BBSC. The article demonstrates a successful methodology for combining unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, in situ sediment sampling, video imaging and verification and GNSS-RTK ground control points for coastal mapping. As of June 2022, over 97% of the Bulgarian shoreline has been surveyed with this technique, excluding military areas and national security sites. Based on the acquired data, as of 2021, the shoreline length was estimated to be 518.7 km at a scale 1:5000. The integrated UAS approach includes using Digital surface models (DSM), raster orthophotomosaics (OM) and 3D models, based on SfM photogrammetry to analyse the coastal topography, detect dune forms and update their spatial distribution. Throughout the inventory, 46 beach-dune systems were identified along the BBSC, which were divided into 62 dune sectors. The area of coastal dune systems was estimated at 988.21 ha (0.0089% of Bulgaria) and a total length of 73 km (14% of the shoreline). A comprehensive geomorphological analysis of the relationships between landforms morphology, aeolian and morphodynamic processes, vegetation density and type was the basis for the coastal dune landforms (CDLs) or dune systems to be classified into primary (312 ha; 32%) and secondary (676 ha; 68%). Additionally, the CDLs were classified according to Natura 2000 habitats: fixed (grey) dunes (546.27 ha; 55.28%), wooded dunes (222.61 ha; 22.53%), shifting (white) dunes (150.30 ha; 15.21%), embryonic dunes (68.3 ha; 6.91%) and humid dune slacks (0.94 ha; 0.09%). The highest positioned CDLs on the Balkan Peninsula were registered at perched Sozopol Sand Dunes (61 m a.s.l.) and cliff-top dunes at Arkutino (50.2 m a.s.l.). The multi-temporal analysis of photogrammetric DSMs and raster OMs showed the permanent loss of five dune systems in the Pomorie-Burgas-Rosenets coastal sector. The accrued UAS data approach allowed us to ide
{"title":"Spatial distribution of sand dunes along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast: inventory, UAS mapping and new discoveries","authors":"Bogdan Prodanov, Lyubomir Dimitrov, Iliyan Kotsev, Radoslava Bekova, Todor Lambev","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.54.105507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.54.105507","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Coastal sand dunes are amongst the world’s most sensitive and dynamic landforms. Unfortunately, during the last thirty years, heavy anthropogenic alterations have been observed, encompassing the greater part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (BBSC), which has changed the land-sea interactions significantly. As a consequence, the depositional coast has shrunk to 131 km or 25% of the aggregate Bulgarian Black Sea shoreline length. Although our research reveals that 86% of BBSC dunes are included in the Natura 2000 network of protected sites established under the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC 1992), they are often heavily modified, subjected to environmental vandalism and destroyed due to mismanagement or lack of accurate information and prevention. These facts were the main reason for carrying out an inventory of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal dune systems in 2021-2022. Our research aimed to identify all dune systems/sand dunes, update their spatial distribution and classify the observed coastal sand dunes landforms along the BBSC. The article demonstrates a successful methodology for combining unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, in situ sediment sampling, video imaging and verification and GNSS-RTK ground control points for coastal mapping. As of June 2022, over 97% of the Bulgarian shoreline has been surveyed with this technique, excluding military areas and national security sites. Based on the acquired data, as of 2021, the shoreline length was estimated to be 518.7 km at a scale 1:5000. The integrated UAS approach includes using Digital surface models (DSM), raster orthophotomosaics (OM) and 3D models, based on SfM photogrammetry to analyse the coastal topography, detect dune forms and update their spatial distribution. Throughout the inventory, 46 beach-dune systems were identified along the BBSC, which were divided into 62 dune sectors. The area of coastal dune systems was estimated at 988.21 ha (0.0089% of Bulgaria) and a total length of 73 km (14% of the shoreline). A comprehensive geomorphological analysis of the relationships between landforms morphology, aeolian and morphodynamic processes, vegetation density and type was the basis for the coastal dune landforms (CDLs) or dune systems to be classified into primary (312 ha; 32%) and secondary (676 ha; 68%). Additionally, the CDLs were classified according to Natura 2000 habitats: fixed (grey) dunes (546.27 ha; 55.28%), wooded dunes (222.61 ha; 22.53%), shifting (white) dunes (150.30 ha; 15.21%), embryonic dunes (68.3 ha; 6.91%) and humid dune slacks (0.94 ha; 0.09%). The highest positioned CDLs on the Balkan Peninsula were registered at perched Sozopol Sand Dunes (61 m a.s.l.) and cliff-top dunes at Arkutino (50.2 m a.s.l.). The multi-temporal analysis of photogrammetric DSMs and raster OMs showed the permanent loss of five dune systems in the Pomorie-Burgas-Rosenets coastal sector. The accrued UAS data approach allowed us to ide","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":" 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138493219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-05DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.54.113071
Maria Yankova, Violin Raykov, Petya Ivanova, Nina Dzhembekova, Cemal Turan, Yordan Raev
This study was conducted to investigate genetic and some morphometric and meristic characteristics of garfish Belone belone from Nesebar in the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Twelve morphometric characters were measured, and six meristic characters were counted for each individual. Based on both sexes’ morphological and meristic analyses, no statistically significant sexual differences were observed. Additionally, DNA barcoding was done. The fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of mitochondrial DNA was sequenced to supplement the species identification and population diversity study. Two haplotypes were found out of 39 sequences, indicating a low level of haplotype diversity (0.146±0.072). Nucleotide diversity was also found to be low (0.00023±0.00011). The Nesebar population of B. belone requires conservation efforts, due to the highly decreased mtDNA genetic diversity.
{"title":"Morphological and genetic characteristics of garfish Belone belone (L., 1760) (Belonidae, Teleostei) population from the southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast","authors":"Maria Yankova, Violin Raykov, Petya Ivanova, Nina Dzhembekova, Cemal Turan, Yordan Raev","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.54.113071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.54.113071","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000This study was conducted to investigate genetic and some morphometric and meristic characteristics of garfish Belone belone from Nesebar in the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Twelve morphometric characters were measured, and six meristic characters were counted for each individual. Based on both sexes’ morphological and meristic analyses, no statistically significant sexual differences were observed. Additionally, DNA barcoding was done. The fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of mitochondrial DNA was sequenced to supplement the species identification and population diversity study. Two haplotypes were found out of 39 sequences, indicating a low level of haplotype diversity (0.146±0.072). Nucleotide diversity was also found to be low (0.00023±0.00011). The Nesebar population of B. belone requires conservation efforts, due to the highly decreased mtDNA genetic diversity.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":" 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138493436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-05DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.54.111350
Bogdan Prodanov, Radoslava Bekova
Beach-dune systems are among the most dynamic and sensitive elements of coastal ecosystems in the world. They represent an intersection between human activities, flora, fauna and economic interests in tourism. The Bulgarian Black Sea shoreline spans 518.7 km and comprises 131 km (25%) of the depositional coast, including beaches and 46 dune systems. Over the past three decades, heavy anthropogenic impacts have been observed, significantly altering the cleanliness of the beach-dune systems along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast (BBSC). The research initially began as an initial assessment of macrolitter on dunes (MLD) using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). However, due to concerning data obtained in the first year, it transitioned into a mid-term monitoring program conducted between 2018 and 2022. The baseline assessment is based on a visual census, UAS mapping and manual image screening procedure in a GIS environment for litter mapping in 40 areas of litter monitoring (ALMs) along the Bulgarian Coast. Throughout the five-year monitoring period, the most abundant type of MLD was “Artificial polymer materials,” accounting for 83.4% of the total number, followed by “Paper/Cardboard” (6.2%), “Glass/Ceramics” (2.8%), “Metal” (2.8%), “Processed/Worked wood” (1.83%), “Rubber” (1.29%), and “Cloth/Textile” (1.17%). Generally, 95% of the total litter amount was assessed from Land-based sources and 5% from Sea-based sources. The COVID-19 pandemic indirectly affected the cleanliness of the Bulgarian dunes due to restrictions on foreign travel, which increased the domestic tourist pressure on the Bulgarian beaches, resulting in a more significant amount of waste accumulating on the beaches and dunes. The abundance experienced an increase of 39% between 2018 and 2021. A similar upward trend (+41%) was observed in the density of macrolitter on the dunes. Based on visual census data, the average density was estimated to be 0.54 ± 0.35 items/m2. The spatial distribution of MLD is a complex combination of anthropogenic impact and wind processes that affect various eco-geomorphological elements of the beach-dune system. The embryonic dunes retained only 16% of the total items (Dav: 0.32 ± 0.12 items/m2). The highest litter density was registered on the foredunes (Dav: 0.71 ± 0.21 items/m2; 28% of total items). The backdunes contained the highest litter abundance, accounting for 55% in larger areas (Dav:0.59 items/m2). Density litter maps established that dune vegetation acted as a natural trap, retaining 40% more macrolitter compared to areas without dune plants. A Clean Dune Index (CDI) was developed to evaluate the cleanliness of Bulgarian dunes. Based on aggregated CDI data for 2018–2022, the cleanliness of the dunes along the Bulgarian Coast was categorised as “moderate” (CDIav:10.89). Dune systems near the most visited resorts were classified as “extremely dirty”, with the highest CDI values recorded at Kavatsite (27.22), Nessebar – South (25.01), Bolata (24.69),
{"title":"A baseline assessment of anthropogenic macrolitter on dunes along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast using visual census and Unmanned Aerial Systems","authors":"Bogdan Prodanov, Radoslava Bekova","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.54.111350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.54.111350","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Beach-dune systems are among the most dynamic and sensitive elements of coastal ecosystems in the world. They represent an intersection between human activities, flora, fauna and economic interests in tourism. The Bulgarian Black Sea shoreline spans 518.7 km and comprises 131 km (25%) of the depositional coast, including beaches and 46 dune systems. Over the past three decades, heavy anthropogenic impacts have been observed, significantly altering the cleanliness of the beach-dune systems along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast (BBSC). The research initially began as an initial assessment of macrolitter on dunes (MLD) using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). However, due to concerning data obtained in the first year, it transitioned into a mid-term monitoring program conducted between 2018 and 2022. The baseline assessment is based on a visual census, UAS mapping and manual image screening procedure in a GIS environment for litter mapping in 40 areas of litter monitoring (ALMs) along the Bulgarian Coast. Throughout the five-year monitoring period, the most abundant type of MLD was “Artificial polymer materials,” accounting for 83.4% of the total number, followed by “Paper/Cardboard” (6.2%), “Glass/Ceramics” (2.8%), “Metal” (2.8%), “Processed/Worked wood” (1.83%), “Rubber” (1.29%), and “Cloth/Textile” (1.17%). Generally, 95% of the total litter amount was assessed from Land-based sources and 5% from Sea-based sources. The COVID-19 pandemic indirectly affected the cleanliness of the Bulgarian dunes due to restrictions on foreign travel, which increased the domestic tourist pressure on the Bulgarian beaches, resulting in a more significant amount of waste accumulating on the beaches and dunes. The abundance experienced an increase of 39% between 2018 and 2021. A similar upward trend (+41%) was observed in the density of macrolitter on the dunes. Based on visual census data, the average density was estimated to be 0.54 ± 0.35 items/m2. The spatial distribution of MLD is a complex combination of anthropogenic impact and wind processes that affect various eco-geomorphological elements of the beach-dune system. The embryonic dunes retained only 16% of the total items (Dav: 0.32 ± 0.12 items/m2). The highest litter density was registered on the foredunes (Dav: 0.71 ± 0.21 items/m2; 28% of total items). The backdunes contained the highest litter abundance, accounting for 55% in larger areas (Dav:0.59 items/m2). Density litter maps established that dune vegetation acted as a natural trap, retaining 40% more macrolitter compared to areas without dune plants. A Clean Dune Index (CDI) was developed to evaluate the cleanliness of Bulgarian dunes. Based on aggregated CDI data for 2018–2022, the cleanliness of the dunes along the Bulgarian Coast was categorised as “moderate” (CDIav:10.89). Dune systems near the most visited resorts were classified as “extremely dirty”, with the highest CDI values recorded at Kavatsite (27.22), Nessebar – South (25.01), Bolata (24.69),","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":" 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138493437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-29DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.53.113052
Andrêsa G. Andrade, Cássio Cardoso Pereira, Vinícius F. Sperandei, Tatiana Cornelissen
The present study aimed to describe the composition of the butterfly community in relation to the altitudinal gradient in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Alto-Montana, Serra da Mantiqueira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to provide a list of species for the area. We collected samples in the RPPN Alto-Montana along an altitudinal gradient from 1400 to 2100 m, between the dry and rainy seasons of 2018 and 2019. During this period, the sampling method utilizing Van-Someren Rydon traps totaled 3,936 hours and the effort using sweep nets totaled 246 hours. A total of 1,253 butterflies distributed across 124 species and six families of diurnal butterflies were observed (Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Riodinidae). Nymphalidae was the most representative family, followed by Hesperiidae, Pieridade, Lycaenidae, Papilionidae and Riodinidae. Moreover, we recorded 37 species with only one individual (singletons) and 20 species with only two individuals (doubletons), totalling 57 species, which corresponds to 46% of all sampled richness. The rarefaction curve did not reveal a tendency toward stabilization. However, the indices showed slightly higher values for the 124 species sampled. The analysis performed using the Bootstrap estimator predicted a total of 143.22 species (± 10.87 SE), with a further 19 additional species than observed. Chao 1 predicted 153.42 (± 11.82 SE), and Jackknife 1 predicted 164.00 (± 16.29 SE) species, with 29 and 40 additional species than the observed, respectively. Our study contributes to the knowledge of butterfly biodiversity in Serra da Mantiqueira and reveals a high species richness for the RPPN Alto Montana, especially considering the relatively small area. In addition, our study provides the first inventory of butterflies for the RPPN Alto Montana, thus supporting further studies investigating the butterfly richness in the Serra da Mantiqueira region. Finally, our findings of endemic, rare, and endangered butterfly species highlight the relevance of further conservation strategies to be considered for the Protected Area’s Management Plan.
The本研究旨在描述巴西米纳斯吉拉州Serra da Mantiqueira Alto-Montana保护区Patrimônio Natural reserve (RPPN)蝴蝶群落的组成与海拔梯度的关系，并提供该地区的种类清单。我们在2018年和2019年的旱季和雨季之间，沿着1400至2100米的海拔梯度在阿尔托-蒙大拿州的RPPN收集了样本。在此期间，使用Van-Someren Rydon诱捕器的抽样方法共计3,936小时，使用扫网的抽样方法共计246小时。共观察到1253只蝴蝶，分布于6科124种，分别为夜蝶科、夜蝶科、蛱蝶科、凤蝶科、蛱蝶科和蛱蝶科。最具代表性的科是蛱蝶科，其次是蛱蝶科、蛱蝶科、蛱蝶科、蛱蝶科和蛱蝶科。此外，我们记录到37个物种只有1个个体(单粒)，20个物种只有2个个体(双粒)，总共57个物种，相当于所有样本丰富度的46%。稀薄曲线没有显示出趋于稳定的趋势。然而，124种样品的指数略高。利用Bootstrap估计器进行分析，共预测了143.22种(±10.87 SE)，比观测值多出19种。Chao 1预测153.42(±11.82 SE)种，Jackknife 1预测164.00(±16.29 SE)种，分别比观测值增加29种和40种。我们的研究有助于了解Serra da Mantiqueira的蝴蝶生物多样性，并揭示了RPPN Alto Montana的物种丰富度很高，特别是考虑到相对较小的面积。此外，我们的研究为RPPN Alto Montana提供了第一个蝴蝶清单，从而支持进一步研究Serra da Mantiqueira地区的蝴蝶丰富度。最后，我们对特有、稀有和濒危蝴蝶物种的研究结果强调了保护区管理计划中需要考虑的进一步保护策略的相关性。
{"title":"Small reserve but high diversity: butterfly community across an altitudinal gradient in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest","authors":"Andrêsa G. Andrade, Cássio Cardoso Pereira, Vinícius F. Sperandei, Tatiana Cornelissen","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.53.113052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.53.113052","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000The present study aimed to describe the composition of the butterfly community in relation to the altitudinal gradient in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Alto-Montana, Serra da Mantiqueira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to provide a list of species for the area. We collected samples in the RPPN Alto-Montana along an altitudinal gradient from 1400 to 2100 m, between the dry and rainy seasons of 2018 and 2019. During this period, the sampling method utilizing Van-Someren Rydon traps totaled 3,936 hours and the effort using sweep nets totaled 246 hours. A total of 1,253 butterflies distributed across 124 species and six families of diurnal butterflies were observed (Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Riodinidae). Nymphalidae was the most representative family, followed by Hesperiidae, Pieridade, Lycaenidae, Papilionidae and Riodinidae. Moreover, we recorded 37 species with only one individual (singletons) and 20 species with only two individuals (doubletons), totalling 57 species, which corresponds to 46% of all sampled richness. The rarefaction curve did not reveal a tendency toward stabilization. However, the indices showed slightly higher values for the 124 species sampled. The analysis performed using the Bootstrap estimator predicted a total of 143.22 species (± 10.87 SE), with a further 19 additional species than observed. Chao 1 predicted 153.42 (± 11.82 SE), and Jackknife 1 predicted 164.00 (± 16.29 SE) species, with 29 and 40 additional species than the observed, respectively. Our study contributes to the knowledge of butterfly biodiversity in Serra da Mantiqueira and reveals a high species richness for the RPPN Alto Montana, especially considering the relatively small area. In addition, our study provides the first inventory of butterflies for the RPPN Alto Montana, thus supporting further studies investigating the butterfly richness in the Serra da Mantiqueira region. Finally, our findings of endemic, rare, and endangered butterfly species highlight the relevance of further conservation strategies to be considered for the Protected Area’s Management Plan.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":"13 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138496454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-20DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.53.113548
Lindsay A. R. Lalach, David W. Bradley, Douglas F. Bertram, L. Blight
{"title":"Corrigendum: Using drone imagery to obtain population data of colony-nesting seabirds to support Canada’s transition to the global Key Biodiversity Areas program. Nature Conservation 51: 155–166. doi: 10.3897/natureconservation.51.96366","authors":"Lindsay A. R. Lalach, David W. Bradley, Douglas F. Bertram, L. Blight","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.53.113548","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.53.113548","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p />","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":"56 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139255966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-24DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.53.104000
Ana M. Saldarriaga-Gómez, María Cristina Ardila-Robayo, Federico Medem, Mario Vargas-Ramírez
A purpose of ex-situ populations is the preservation of genetic variation, but this is a challenging task since genetic diversity is commonly lost through each generation, and so the establishment of management guidelines should be a high priority. Fifty years ago, the National University of Colombia began a breeding program in the Roberto Franco Tropical Station (in Villavicencio, Meta) to conserve the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile Crocodylus intermedius. Despite the large number of individuals raised and kept in captivity, the Station has not been able to release individuals due to a lack of a complete genetic characterization that could determine whether the population is genetically viable. In this study we used a panel of 17 microsatellite loci to overcome this problem. We estimated from the founder animals and the live crocodiles the inbreeding, heterozygosities, the number of alleles, and their richness, and frequencies to understand the effects of managing a captive breeding program without considering genetic profiles. Our results revealed that the living population maintains much of its founder diversity with high levels of heterozygosity and low overall inbreeding, making it suitable for maintaining captive breeding and for implementing wild releases. We estimated the individual genetic diversity of the living crocodiles, as well as their relationships. This information, combined with the size, sex, and location, allowed us to propose combinations and to restructure the breeding groups. We demonstrated that molecular data could be used to improve the management of ex-situ conservation programs well beyond what could be achieved with pedigree information alone.
{"title":"Hope is the last thing lost: Colombian captive-bred population of the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is a genetic reservoir that could help to save the species from extinction","authors":"Ana M. Saldarriaga-Gómez, María Cristina Ardila-Robayo, Federico Medem, Mario Vargas-Ramírez","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.53.104000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.53.104000","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000A purpose of ex-situ populations is the preservation of genetic variation, but this is a challenging task since genetic diversity is commonly lost through each generation, and so the establishment of management guidelines should be a high priority. Fifty years ago, the National University of Colombia began a breeding program in the Roberto Franco Tropical Station (in Villavicencio, Meta) to conserve the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile Crocodylus intermedius. Despite the large number of individuals raised and kept in captivity, the Station has not been able to release individuals due to a lack of a complete genetic characterization that could determine whether the population is genetically viable. In this study we used a panel of 17 microsatellite loci to overcome this problem. We estimated from the founder animals and the live crocodiles the inbreeding, heterozygosities, the number of alleles, and their richness, and frequencies to understand the effects of managing a captive breeding program without considering genetic profiles. Our results revealed that the living population maintains much of its founder diversity with high levels of heterozygosity and low overall inbreeding, making it suitable for maintaining captive breeding and for implementing wild releases. We estimated the individual genetic diversity of the living crocodiles, as well as their relationships. This information, combined with the size, sex, and location, allowed us to propose combinations and to restructure the breeding groups. We demonstrated that molecular data could be used to improve the management of ex-situ conservation programs well beyond what could be achieved with pedigree information alone.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138496443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-16DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.50.86090
Munian Kaviarasu, Farah Farhana Ramli, Lokman Mohd Ilham Norhakim, Nursyuhada Othman, Nur Aina Amira Mahyuddin, Hidayah Haris, Nur Hartini Sariyati, Mohd Faudzir Najmuddin, Salim Aman, Salman Faris Zaharin, Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdul-Latiff
In Malaysia, our knowledge of freshwater ecosystem and its aquatic inhabitants, particularly freshwater fish, remains inadequate, even in protected regions. It is essential to understand the composition of freshwater fish, their distribution along river gradients, and their interactions between environmental variables to develop and strategize effective conservation and management plans. Consequently, an investigation into freshwater fish assemblages in three rivers draining off from the western part of Endau-Rompin Landscape was conducted in 12 established substations. Sampling sessions were conducted from September to December 2021 in the Labis district of Johor, using multiple sampling methods along 200 meters for each substation. The environmental variables were measured using water quality parameters. A total of 66 species were collected. The family Cyprinidae presented the highest species diversity (17 species), constituting 52% of total capture. Crossocheilus obscurus was the most dominant species, and the highest species richness was recorded in the Segamat River (45 species), followed by Juaseh (36 species) and Labis River (34 species). It was discerned that the composition of fish varied between the substations. The knowledge presented here is the first documentation on the freshwater fish from these rivers. It would serve as a baseline information for key authorities and stakeholders to conserve the biodiversity inhabiting freshwater ecosystems in Malaysia.
{"title":"First insight into freshwater fish assemblages in the western part of the Endau-Rompin landscape, Malaysia","authors":"Munian Kaviarasu, Farah Farhana Ramli, Lokman Mohd Ilham Norhakim, Nursyuhada Othman, Nur Aina Amira Mahyuddin, Hidayah Haris, Nur Hartini Sariyati, Mohd Faudzir Najmuddin, Salim Aman, Salman Faris Zaharin, Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdul-Latiff","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.50.86090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.50.86090","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000In Malaysia, our knowledge of freshwater ecosystem and its aquatic inhabitants, particularly freshwater fish, remains inadequate, even in protected regions. It is essential to understand the composition of freshwater fish, their distribution along river gradients, and their interactions between environmental variables to develop and strategize effective conservation and management plans. Consequently, an investigation into freshwater fish assemblages in three rivers draining off from the western part of Endau-Rompin Landscape was conducted in 12 established substations. Sampling sessions were conducted from September to December 2021 in the Labis district of Johor, using multiple sampling methods along 200 meters for each substation. The environmental variables were measured using water quality parameters. A total of 66 species were collected. The family Cyprinidae presented the highest species diversity (17 species), constituting 52% of total capture. Crossocheilus obscurus was the most dominant species, and the highest species richness was recorded in the Segamat River (45 species), followed by Juaseh (36 species) and Labis River (34 species). It was discerned that the composition of fish varied between the substations. The knowledge presented here is the first documentation on the freshwater fish from these rivers. It would serve as a baseline information for key authorities and stakeholders to conserve the biodiversity inhabiting freshwater ecosystems in Malaysia.","PeriodicalId":501054,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138496442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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