Pub Date : 2022-10-14DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.50.86352
C. Toudonou, Angie Elwin, Johannes Penner, E. Coulthard, J. Norrey, D. Megson, Mark‐Oliver Rödel, B. Sinsin, L. Harrington, M. Auliya, N. D'Cruze
Ball pythons are traded as bushmeat, leather and belief-based medicine in West Africa, and specimens are exported in large numbers for the exotic pet trade. Here, we focused on understanding the purpose and socio-economic context of this trade in Benin through interviews with 44 actors involved in the trade of this species. We provided a snapshot of trade dynamics during a period when hunters are not predominantly actively involved in supplying eggs, neonates and gravid females for ranching and export as exotic pets. Our findings revealed that hunters and traders were largely focused on supplying the bushmeat and medicine markets in West Africa during this time. We estimated that the 21 collectors engaged in hunting in our study collectively hunt between 576 and 5,083 ball pythons from the wild each year. Collection rates reported by some suggests that they could earn more than 15,000 USD from ball python sales in bushmeat markets annually. Ball pythons hunted in Benin were mainly sold to local customers as “bushmeat” (53%) or for belief-based uses (39%) (including “fetish”, “medicinal products” and “voodoo”). However, cross-border trade with neighboring countries of Togo, Nigeria, and Ghana (or even further) also occurred. Although profitable for some, the scale of this practice, together with the widely reported decline in ball python populations in Benin, raises concern about the sustainability and long-term economic viability of this type of large-scale commercial wildlife trade in West Africa, especially as it occurs alongside extensive ranching practices to support the exotic pet trade.
{"title":"Seeking serpents: Ball python trade in Benin, West Africa","authors":"C. Toudonou, Angie Elwin, Johannes Penner, E. Coulthard, J. Norrey, D. Megson, Mark‐Oliver Rödel, B. Sinsin, L. Harrington, M. Auliya, N. D'Cruze","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.50.86352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.50.86352","url":null,"abstract":"Ball pythons are traded as bushmeat, leather and belief-based medicine in West Africa, and specimens are exported in large numbers for the exotic pet trade. Here, we focused on understanding the purpose and socio-economic context of this trade in Benin through interviews with 44 actors involved in the trade of this species. We provided a snapshot of trade dynamics during a period when hunters are not predominantly actively involved in supplying eggs, neonates and gravid females for ranching and export as exotic pets. Our findings revealed that hunters and traders were largely focused on supplying the bushmeat and medicine markets in West Africa during this time. We estimated that the 21 collectors engaged in hunting in our study collectively hunt between 576 and 5,083 ball pythons from the wild each year. Collection rates reported by some suggests that they could earn more than 15,000 USD from ball python sales in bushmeat markets annually. Ball pythons hunted in Benin were mainly sold to local customers as “bushmeat” (53%) or for belief-based uses (39%) (including “fetish”, “medicinal products” and “voodoo”). However, cross-border trade with neighboring countries of Togo, Nigeria, and Ghana (or even further) also occurred. Although profitable for some, the scale of this practice, together with the widely reported decline in ball python populations in Benin, raises concern about the sustainability and long-term economic viability of this type of large-scale commercial wildlife trade in West Africa, especially as it occurs alongside extensive ranching practices to support the exotic pet trade.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74710248","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 : 2022-10-11DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.50.86019
Andra Claudia Neagu, Steluta Manolache, L. Rozylowicz
The increasing demand for resources to meet the needs of our society has transformed the environment and increased the likelihood of human-wildlife interactions. Romania has the highest density of brown bears in Europe, with more than 7000 individuals populating the Carpathian Mountains and neighboring areas. The large brown bear population in Romania inhabits ever-increasing human-dominated landscapes, which frequently results in conflict with humans. The means and frequency by which the media communicates information to the readership influence the public perception of human-wildlife conflicts. This research is intended to contribute to the existing knowledge on human-brown bear coexistence in Romania by (1) exploring how the Romanian media depicts human-brown bear interactions in terms of the main themes discussed, framing of issues (emotions and key messages), and likely impacts on public perception; (2) analyzing the changes in reporting on human brown-bear interactions following the transition of the legal status of the brown bear from game to strictly protected species; and (3) investigating suggested policy and management solutions. The results indicate that news stories related to brown bears became common in Romanian mass media after 2016, when a provisional one-year ban on culling was instated, after which it increased abruptly in 2021, following the whistleblowing of an alleged trophy hunting event. The focus on human-bear interaction and hunting/poaching themes has not changed; however, the position of the media toward brown bears has become increasingly negative, even when presenting news stories covering human-bear interactions that incur no harm. To facilitate human-brown bear coexistence in Romania, scientists and practitioners should communicate with media representatives and provide a supplementary context for news stories. Evidence-informed news can help authorities better understand conflicts and create bottom-up pathways toward an optimistic future for brown bears and Romanian society.
{"title":"The drums of war are beating louder: Media coverage of brown bears in Romania","authors":"Andra Claudia Neagu, Steluta Manolache, L. Rozylowicz","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.50.86019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.50.86019","url":null,"abstract":"The increasing demand for resources to meet the needs of our society has transformed the environment and increased the likelihood of human-wildlife interactions. Romania has the highest density of brown bears in Europe, with more than 7000 individuals populating the Carpathian Mountains and neighboring areas. The large brown bear population in Romania inhabits ever-increasing human-dominated landscapes, which frequently results in conflict with humans. The means and frequency by which the media communicates information to the readership influence the public perception of human-wildlife conflicts. This research is intended to contribute to the existing knowledge on human-brown bear coexistence in Romania by (1) exploring how the Romanian media depicts human-brown bear interactions in terms of the main themes discussed, framing of issues (emotions and key messages), and likely impacts on public perception; (2) analyzing the changes in reporting on human brown-bear interactions following the transition of the legal status of the brown bear from game to strictly protected species; and (3) investigating suggested policy and management solutions. The results indicate that news stories related to brown bears became common in Romanian mass media after 2016, when a provisional one-year ban on culling was instated, after which it increased abruptly in 2021, following the whistleblowing of an alleged trophy hunting event. The focus on human-bear interaction and hunting/poaching themes has not changed; however, the position of the media toward brown bears has become increasingly negative, even when presenting news stories covering human-bear interactions that incur no harm. To facilitate human-brown bear coexistence in Romania, scientists and practitioners should communicate with media representatives and provide a supplementary context for news stories. Evidence-informed news can help authorities better understand conflicts and create bottom-up pathways toward an optimistic future for brown bears and Romanian society.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81843050","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 : 2022-09-12DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.50.86002
Giuseppe Martino, A. Chiocchio, A. Siclari, D. Canestrelli
Amphibian biodiversity loss in recent years has exceeded that of all other groups of vertebrates. In this context, biodiversity hotspots represent priority targets for conservation in amphibian populations. However, little information is available on the distribution and conservation status of amphibian species within most biodiversity hotspots. Here, we characterized the distribution and conservation status of four threatened endemic amphibians (Bombina pachypus, Salamandra salamandra gigliolii, Salamandrina terdigitata, and Rana italica) in the Aspromonte Mountain region, a biodiversity hotspot in southern Italy where the conservation status of amphibians is almost unexplored. We conducted an intensive field survey of 507 potential breeding sites spanning over 2,326 km2. We found that all four species were widespread in the study area. We observed 337 species occurrences: 63 for S. s. gigliolii, 29 for S. terdigitata, 84 for B. pachypus, and 161 for R. italica. Species distribution analysis revealed that S. s. gigliolii and R. italica populations had an extended and homogenous distribution. Conversely, S. terdigitata showed a dispersed pattern, with long distances among breeding sites, and B. pachypus an aggregated pattern, associated with the availability of suitable artificial habitats. On the other hand, we reported a decrease in B. pachypus occurrence in its natural habitats, which reflects a negative trend of its populations. Overall, our results provide an encouraging framework for the conservation of amphibian populations in this area, but highlight the low coverage of threatened amphibian populations in protected areas, highlighting the need for a reassessment of conservation policies and spatial conservation planning for the Aspromonte region.
近年来，两栖动物的生物多样性损失超过了所有其他脊椎动物。在这种背景下，生物多样性热点是两栖动物种群保护的优先目标。然而，在大多数生物多样性热点地区，两栖动物物种的分布和保护状况知之甚少。本文对意大利南部生物多样性热点地区阿斯普洛蒙特山区的四种濒危地方性两栖动物(pachypus bomina、Salamandra Salamandra gigliolii、Salamandrina terdigitata和Rana italica)的分布和保护现状进行了研究。我们对507个潜在繁殖地进行了深入的实地调查，总面积达2326平方公里。我们发现这四个物种在研究区都很普遍。共观测到337种，其中:S. S. gigliolii 63种，S. terdigitata 29种，B. pachypus 84种，R. italica 161种。物种分布分析表明，两种居群均呈扩展均匀分布。与此相反，黄花蓟马呈分散分布模式，繁殖地之间距离较远，而肿ypus呈聚集分布模式，这与适宜人工生境的可用性有关。另一方面，在其自然栖息地中，我们报道了肿头鼩的发生减少，这反映了其种群数量的负趋势。总的来说，我们的研究结果为该地区两栖动物种群的保护提供了一个令人鼓舞的框架，但突出了保护区濒危两栖动物种群的低覆盖率，突出了对保护政策和空间保护规划的重新评估的必要性。
{"title":"Distribution and conservation status of threatened endemic amphibians within the Aspromonte mountain region, a hotspot of Mediterranean biodiversity","authors":"Giuseppe Martino, A. Chiocchio, A. Siclari, D. Canestrelli","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.50.86002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.50.86002","url":null,"abstract":"Amphibian biodiversity loss in recent years has exceeded that of all other groups of vertebrates. In this context, biodiversity hotspots represent priority targets for conservation in amphibian populations. However, little information is available on the distribution and conservation status of amphibian species within most biodiversity hotspots. Here, we characterized the distribution and conservation status of four threatened endemic amphibians (Bombina pachypus, Salamandra salamandra gigliolii, Salamandrina terdigitata, and Rana italica) in the Aspromonte Mountain region, a biodiversity hotspot in southern Italy where the conservation status of amphibians is almost unexplored. We conducted an intensive field survey of 507 potential breeding sites spanning over 2,326 km2. We found that all four species were widespread in the study area. We observed 337 species occurrences: 63 for S. s. gigliolii, 29 for S. terdigitata, 84 for B. pachypus, and 161 for R. italica. Species distribution analysis revealed that S. s. gigliolii and R. italica populations had an extended and homogenous distribution. Conversely, S. terdigitata showed a dispersed pattern, with long distances among breeding sites, and B. pachypus an aggregated pattern, associated with the availability of suitable artificial habitats. On the other hand, we reported a decrease in B. pachypus occurrence in its natural habitats, which reflects a negative trend of its populations. Overall, our results provide an encouraging framework for the conservation of amphibian populations in this area, but highlight the low coverage of threatened amphibian populations in protected areas, highlighting the need for a reassessment of conservation policies and spatial conservation planning for the Aspromonte region.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78215974","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 : 2022-08-09DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.89861
Lucija Šerić Jelaska
{"title":"Ecology and conservation of the Dutch ground beetle fauna – Lessons from 66 years of pitfall trapping","authors":"Lucija Šerić Jelaska","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.89861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.89861","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p />","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83899028","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 : 2022-08-01DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.81219
Piia Lundberg, Anni Arponen
The main role of flagship species in biodiversity conservation is to raise awareness and funds for conservation. Because of their marketing role, flagship species are often selected based on other than biodiversity related criteria, such as species charisma or aesthetic appeal. Nonetheless, funds raised through flagship species are often used to protect the species itself, making it important to evaluate the effectiveness of flagship species as conservation tools: For example, could superior fundraising ability outweigh the low biodiversity surrogate power of a flagship, justifying this ambivalent role in conservation? To assess flagship effectiveness from this dual perspective, we must synthesize evidence on a) the fundraising potential of flagship species vs. other conservation targets, such as ecosystems or biodiversity, and b) the biodiversity surrogate power of potential flagship taxa. We approached this broad topic through an overview of reviews on both subtopics. We found no evidence that charismatic flagship species were superior fundraisers over other conservation targets. In addition, studies evaluating the biodiversity surrogacy power of different taxa had mainly resulted in mixed findings, contesting the overall usefulness of the concept in conservation. The variability of study setups and methods made comparisons between studies difficult, highlighting the need to standardize future research (e.g., standardizing explanatory variables). Further possible reasons for lack of conclusive evidence on fundraising potential are the dominance of factors other than flagship identity (e.g., scope and conservation status) and differences in donor preferences. We recommend Environmental NGOs to develop and diversify their fundraising strategies based on best available knowledge, and rely less on mere species charisma.
{"title":"An overview of reviews of conservation flagships: evaluating fundraising ability and surrogate power","authors":"Piia Lundberg, Anni Arponen","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.81219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.81219","url":null,"abstract":"The main role of flagship species in biodiversity conservation is to raise awareness and funds for conservation. Because of their marketing role, flagship species are often selected based on other than biodiversity related criteria, such as species charisma or aesthetic appeal. Nonetheless, funds raised through flagship species are often used to protect the species itself, making it important to evaluate the effectiveness of flagship species as conservation tools: For example, could superior fundraising ability outweigh the low biodiversity surrogate power of a flagship, justifying this ambivalent role in conservation? To assess flagship effectiveness from this dual perspective, we must synthesize evidence on a) the fundraising potential of flagship species vs. other conservation targets, such as ecosystems or biodiversity, and b) the biodiversity surrogate power of potential flagship taxa. We approached this broad topic through an overview of reviews on both subtopics. We found no evidence that charismatic flagship species were superior fundraisers over other conservation targets. In addition, studies evaluating the biodiversity surrogacy power of different taxa had mainly resulted in mixed findings, contesting the overall usefulness of the concept in conservation. The variability of study setups and methods made comparisons between studies difficult, highlighting the need to standardize future research (e.g., standardizing explanatory variables). Further possible reasons for lack of conclusive evidence on fundraising potential are the dominance of factors other than flagship identity (e.g., scope and conservation status) and differences in donor preferences. We recommend Environmental NGOs to develop and diversify their fundraising strategies based on best available knowledge, and rely less on mere species charisma.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72564215","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 : 2022-07-29DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.84825
A. Sabdono, E. Lestari, M. Sibero
Gorgonian corals of Karimunjawa are impacted by anthropogenic activities, such as increasingly high mariculture intensity with consequent eutrophication, overfishing, tourism, sewage, and other pollutant discharges, which result in changes in the microbial community structure. In this study, bacterial communities associated with six species of Gorgonian, Viminella sp., Ellisella sp., Antipathes sp., Melithaea sp., Astrogorgia sp., and Junceella sp. from both the Marine Protected Area (MPA) and non-Marine Protected Area (non-MPA) zones were screened for their antipathogenic potential against Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) pathogens. The selected bacterial isolates were identified and compared for their abundance and diversity between the two zones. A total of 156 bacterial strains were assayed for their prospective antipathogenic compounds against seven UTI pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus saptophyticus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Candida albicans. The results showed that 17 of 92 (18.48%) and 6 of 64 (9.37%) bacterial isolates from MPA and non-MPA, respectively, exhibited antimicrobial activity in at least one of the UTI pathogens. By analyzing the gene of 16S rRNA, it was discovered that the 17 isolates of MPA were associated with phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, including Streptomyces zhaozhoue, Nocardiopsis salina, Micrococcus endophyticus, Brevibacterium casei, Micrococcus yunnanensis, Saccharopolyspora coralli, Bacillus paramycoides, Virgibacillus salarius, Oceanobacillus iheyensis, and Vibrio alginolyticus. In contrast, only six selected isolates of non-MPA were associated with the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, including Nocardiopsis salina, Micrococcus yunnanensis, and Acinetobacter soli. The Diversity Index (H’), Species Richness (S), and Relative Abundance of the MPA zone were higher than those of non-MPA. These results demonstrated that Gorgonian octocoral species in the MPA region harbour varied bacteria and we propose that many Gorgonian-associated bacteria have the prospective for advancing broad-spectrum antibiotics.
{"title":"Biogeographic assessment of Gorgonian-associated bacteria with antipathogenic Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in Karimunjawa Marine National Park, Java Sea, Indonesia","authors":"A. Sabdono, E. Lestari, M. Sibero","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.84825","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.84825","url":null,"abstract":"Gorgonian corals of Karimunjawa are impacted by anthropogenic activities, such as increasingly high mariculture intensity with consequent eutrophication, overfishing, tourism, sewage, and other pollutant discharges, which result in changes in the microbial community structure. In this study, bacterial communities associated with six species of Gorgonian, Viminella sp., Ellisella sp., Antipathes sp., Melithaea sp., Astrogorgia sp., and Junceella sp. from both the Marine Protected Area (MPA) and non-Marine Protected Area (non-MPA) zones were screened for their antipathogenic potential against Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) pathogens. The selected bacterial isolates were identified and compared for their abundance and diversity between the two zones. A total of 156 bacterial strains were assayed for their prospective antipathogenic compounds against seven UTI pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus saptophyticus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Candida albicans. The results showed that 17 of 92 (18.48%) and 6 of 64 (9.37%) bacterial isolates from MPA and non-MPA, respectively, exhibited antimicrobial activity in at least one of the UTI pathogens. By analyzing the gene of 16S rRNA, it was discovered that the 17 isolates of MPA were associated with phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, including Streptomyces zhaozhoue, Nocardiopsis salina, Micrococcus endophyticus, Brevibacterium casei, Micrococcus yunnanensis, Saccharopolyspora coralli, Bacillus paramycoides, Virgibacillus salarius, Oceanobacillus iheyensis, and Vibrio alginolyticus. In contrast, only six selected isolates of non-MPA were associated with the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, including Nocardiopsis salina, Micrococcus yunnanensis, and Acinetobacter soli. The Diversity Index (H’), Species Richness (S), and Relative Abundance of the MPA zone were higher than those of non-MPA. These results demonstrated that Gorgonian octocoral species in the MPA region harbour varied bacteria and we propose that many Gorgonian-associated bacteria have the prospective for advancing broad-spectrum antibiotics.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85421793","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 : 2022-07-21DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.89237
C. Pereira, G. Fernandes
Not applicable for letter
不适用于信件
{"title":"Cerrado Rupestre is not Campo Rupestre: The unknown and threatened savannah on rocky outcrops","authors":"C. Pereira, G. Fernandes","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.89237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.89237","url":null,"abstract":"Not applicable for letter","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88435257","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 : 2022-07-15DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.82931
Dario Nania, Maria Lumbierres, G. Ficetola, M. Falaschi, M. Pacifici, C. Rondinini
Planning conservation actions requires detailed information on species’ geographic distribution. Species distribution data are most needed in areas hosting unique or endangered biodiversity. Italy is one of the European countries with the highest levels of herpetological diversity and endemism and is home to several threatened species of amphibians and reptiles. Information on the distribution of species’ habitats can help identify sites where the species is most likely to thrive, as viable populations depend on it. Area of Habitat (AOH) maps reveal the distribution of the habitat available to the species within their geographic range. We produced high resolution, freely accessible global area of habitat maps for 60 species of reptiles and amphibians distributed in Italy, which represent 60% of all Italian amphibian and reptile species. We validated a total of 44 AOH maps through a presence-only based evaluation method, with 86% of these maps showing a performance better than expected by chance. AOH maps can be used as a reference for conservation planning, as well as to investigate macroecological patterns of Italian herpetofauna. Furthermore, AOH maps can help monitoring habitat loss, which is known to be a major threat to many reptile and amphibian species in Europe.
规划保护行动需要物种地理分布的详细信息。在拥有独特或濒危生物多样性的地区，最需要物种分布数据。意大利是欧洲爬行动物多样性和特有程度最高的国家之一，是几种两栖动物和爬行动物濒危物种的家园。关于物种栖息地分布的信息可以帮助确定物种最有可能茁壮成长的地点，因为存活的种群依赖于它。栖息地面积(Area of Habitat, AOH)图揭示了该物种在其地理范围内的栖息地分布。我们制作了60种分布在意大利的爬行动物和两栖动物的高分辨率、免费获取的全球栖息地地图，这些地图代表了意大利所有两栖动物和爬行动物物种的60%。我们通过仅基于存在的评估方法验证了总共44个AOH地图，其中86%的地图表现出比偶然预期更好的性能。AOH图可作为意大利爬行动物保护规划的参考，也可用于研究意大利爬行动物的宏观生态格局。此外，AOH地图可以帮助监测栖息地的丧失，这是欧洲许多爬行动物和两栖动物物种的主要威胁。
{"title":"Maps of area of habitat for Italian amphibians and reptiles","authors":"Dario Nania, Maria Lumbierres, G. Ficetola, M. Falaschi, M. Pacifici, C. Rondinini","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.82931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.82931","url":null,"abstract":"Planning conservation actions requires detailed information on species’ geographic distribution. Species distribution data are most needed in areas hosting unique or endangered biodiversity. Italy is one of the European countries with the highest levels of herpetological diversity and endemism and is home to several threatened species of amphibians and reptiles. Information on the distribution of species’ habitats can help identify sites where the species is most likely to thrive, as viable populations depend on it. Area of Habitat (AOH) maps reveal the distribution of the habitat available to the species within their geographic range. We produced high resolution, freely accessible global area of habitat maps for 60 species of reptiles and amphibians distributed in Italy, which represent 60% of all Italian amphibian and reptile species. We validated a total of 44 AOH maps through a presence-only based evaluation method, with 86% of these maps showing a performance better than expected by chance. AOH maps can be used as a reference for conservation planning, as well as to investigate macroecological patterns of Italian herpetofauna. Furthermore, AOH maps can help monitoring habitat loss, which is known to be a major threat to many reptile and amphibian species in Europe.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83030127","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 : 2022-07-04DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.82145
Marie Krzikowski, T. Nguyen, C. Pham, D. Rödder, Anna Rauhaus, M. Le, T. Ziegler
The current decline in global biodiversity is most evident in amphibians with 41% percent of all species worldwide classified as threatened with extinction. Hence, a major challenge in amphibian conservation is the high number of threatened species, leading to a common approach of identifying priority species and regions for conservation efforts. As a part of one of 36 globally designated biodiversity hotspots, Vietnam is considered to be of particular importance for conservation action. To improve amphibian conservation in Vietnam, this study provides an updated species list and assesses their threat status by compiling data from a variety of sources. Furthermore, a Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) analysis was conducted to determine the representation of extant amphibians from Vietnam in zoos worldwide. The batrachofauna of Vietnam is characterized by a high level of species richness and local endemism as well as a high rate of new discoveries, with more than half of the endemic species reported exclusively from their type locality, making them especially vulnerable to extinction. Up to 18% of all amphibians extant in Vietnam and 28% of endemic species are classified as threatened with extinction by the IUCN. In many cases, the IUCN Red List status is either missing or outdated, highlighting the urgent need of action. Around 14% of endemic amphibian species have been recorded exclusively from unprotected areas, suggesting prioritization for further research and conservation measures. The continuing decline in many species remains an unresolved problem. As a guide for future research and conservation measures, a list of the top 57 species was compiled. In addition, according to the ZIMS analysis, only 8% of threatened and 3% of endemic amphibian taxa from Vietnam are currently kept in zoos worldwide, and a richness analysis revealed that the highest density of husbandries is found in Europe and North America. To achieve maximum outcome for the conservation of threatened species, this study recommends a general shift by zoos towards maintaining species in greater need of captive assurance populations and breeding programs to support integrative strategies that combine in situ and ex situ conservation efforts following the IUCN’s One Plan Approach.
{"title":"Assessment of the threat status of the amphibians in Vietnam - Implementation of the One Plan Approach","authors":"Marie Krzikowski, T. Nguyen, C. Pham, D. Rödder, Anna Rauhaus, M. Le, T. Ziegler","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.82145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.82145","url":null,"abstract":"The current decline in global biodiversity is most evident in amphibians with 41% percent of all species worldwide classified as threatened with extinction. Hence, a major challenge in amphibian conservation is the high number of threatened species, leading to a common approach of identifying priority species and regions for conservation efforts. As a part of one of 36 globally designated biodiversity hotspots, Vietnam is considered to be of particular importance for conservation action. To improve amphibian conservation in Vietnam, this study provides an updated species list and assesses their threat status by compiling data from a variety of sources. Furthermore, a Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) analysis was conducted to determine the representation of extant amphibians from Vietnam in zoos worldwide. The batrachofauna of Vietnam is characterized by a high level of species richness and local endemism as well as a high rate of new discoveries, with more than half of the endemic species reported exclusively from their type locality, making them especially vulnerable to extinction. Up to 18% of all amphibians extant in Vietnam and 28% of endemic species are classified as threatened with extinction by the IUCN. In many cases, the IUCN Red List status is either missing or outdated, highlighting the urgent need of action. Around 14% of endemic amphibian species have been recorded exclusively from unprotected areas, suggesting prioritization for further research and conservation measures. The continuing decline in many species remains an unresolved problem. As a guide for future research and conservation measures, a list of the top 57 species was compiled. In addition, according to the ZIMS analysis, only 8% of threatened and 3% of endemic amphibian taxa from Vietnam are currently kept in zoos worldwide, and a richness analysis revealed that the highest density of husbandries is found in Europe and North America. To achieve maximum outcome for the conservation of threatened species, this study recommends a general shift by zoos towards maintaining species in greater need of captive assurance populations and breeding programs to support integrative strategies that combine in situ and ex situ conservation efforts following the IUCN’s One Plan Approach.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89645135","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 : 2022-06-30DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.49.81469
Cristian Papp, B. Scheele, L. Rákosy, T. Hartel
Achieving coexistence between humans and large carnivores in human-shaped landscapes is a complex challenge. Addressing this challenge requires the revaluation of the approaches academia uses to foster carnivore conservation and human-large carnivore coexistence. In this forum paper, we provide a brief overview of the three archetypical approaches of knowledge generation for large carnivore conservation in human dominated landscapes (disciplinary, interdisciplinary and emerging transdisciplinary approaches) and highlight the need for more explicit consideration of transdisciplinarity in large carnivore conservation funding. We refer to transdisciplinary deficit (TDD) for those situations when the context allows the implementation of transdisciplinarity but research and practice remains disciplinary or interdisciplinary. We identify drivers of this TDD and provide a brief overview of current and past conservation funding programmes at the European level in terms of their capacity to promote transdisciplinary approaches for large carnivore conservation. We show that current funding programmes favour sectorial and disciplinary approaches, resulting in low transdisciplinary substance in large carnivore conservation projects. TDD can be overcome by transforming the character of public funding towards multi-stakeholder collaboration, designing and nurturing effective communities of practice, and reducing co-financing rates for large, integrated projects.
{"title":"Transdisciplinary deficit in large carnivore conservation funding in Europe","authors":"Cristian Papp, B. Scheele, L. Rákosy, T. Hartel","doi":"10.3897/natureconservation.49.81469","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.49.81469","url":null,"abstract":"Achieving coexistence between humans and large carnivores in human-shaped landscapes is a complex challenge. Addressing this challenge requires the revaluation of the approaches academia uses to foster carnivore conservation and human-large carnivore coexistence. In this forum paper, we provide a brief overview of the three archetypical approaches of knowledge generation for large carnivore conservation in human dominated landscapes (disciplinary, interdisciplinary and emerging transdisciplinary approaches) and highlight the need for more explicit consideration of transdisciplinarity in large carnivore conservation funding. We refer to transdisciplinary deficit (TDD) for those situations when the context allows the implementation of transdisciplinarity but research and practice remains disciplinary or interdisciplinary. We identify drivers of this TDD and provide a brief overview of current and past conservation funding programmes at the European level in terms of their capacity to promote transdisciplinary approaches for large carnivore conservation. We show that current funding programmes favour sectorial and disciplinary approaches, resulting in low transdisciplinary substance in large carnivore conservation projects. TDD can be overcome by transforming the character of public funding towards multi-stakeholder collaboration, designing and nurturing effective communities of practice, and reducing co-financing rates for large, integrated projects.","PeriodicalId":54166,"journal":{"name":"Nature Conservation Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76298313","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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