Biodiversity and Conservation最新文献

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a biodiversity hotspot of national and global significance. Prerequisites for the effective conservation of biodiversity on the QTP are the identification of biodiversity conservation hotspots and gaps in the region and the subsequent optimization of the spatial planning of conservation networks. However, there is a lack of understanding and assessment of phylogenetic diversity in the QTP conservation network. In this study, 136 species of vascular plants included in the Red List of China’s Biodiversity - Higher Plants on the QTP were selected. The maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) and the zonation model were used to identify conservation priority areas and analyze gaps on the QTP using 17%, 30%, 36% and 50% of the area as the conservation targets. In contrast to existing protected area planning based only on species richness (SR), this study also considered evolutionary distinctiveness (ED), which is a measure of the contribution of species to the overall evolutionary history, to determine the priority areas for biodiversity conservation on the QTP; thus, this study takes into account both taxonomic and evolutionary dimensions. The results showed the following: (1) The current conservation network protects an average of only 18.9% of the habitats of the 136 vascular plant species. (2) Under different conservation targets, the coverage percentages of the conservation network for the conservation priority areas identified based on the superposition of SR and ED were approximately 24.7%, 26.1%, 25.5%, and 25.3%, which accounted for approximately 4.6%, 8.5%, 9.7%, and 12.5%, respectively, of the QTP area. (3) Under different conservation targets, the priority areas were concentrated in the southeastern part of the QTP, and as the target area expanded, these priority areas gradually extended into the central and northwestern parts of the QTP. Conservation gaps are mainly concentrated in the eastern Yarlung Zangbo River, the Three Parallel Rivers region, the Southern Hengduan Mountains, the Songpan Plateau–Qionglai Mountains region, and the Yellow River Headwater Region. Phylogenetic diversity reveals evolutionary information about species, and its spatial pattern of divergence from taxonomic diversity emphasizes the significance of incorporating it into conservation, with the aim of promoting multidimensional biodiversity conservation for future conservation planning.

One of the most important steps in identifying priority areas for conservation is the assessment of species richness and their extinction risks. While most species remain undescribed, the identification of cryptic lineages is frequent in phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies. This is particularly common in troglobites, exclusively subterranean organisms. The Jandaíra Formation, in the Brazilian semiarid, combines the occurrence of extensive karstic areas with hundreds of caves and subterranean aquifers in a region with intense paleoclimatic changes. This region is recognized for the richness of troglobitic species, some of which are widely distributed in heterogeneous areas. This suggests cryptic lineages that can be differentially exposed to anthropogenic threats, with distinct extinction risks regarding the nominal taxa of which they putatively belong. To test it, a large sampling was conducted and, by means of lineage delimitation analyses, the genetic structure of four troglobitic taxa, three aquatic and one terrestrial, was evaluated. In addition, the extinction risk of these lineages was assessed and priority areas for conservation were identified. The results indicated that while Cirolanidae sp. 1 (Isopoda) is a single species widely distributed, Cirolanidae sp. 2, Potiberaba porakuara (Amphipoda) and Kinnapotiguara troglobia (Hemiptera) present an extensive diversity of cryptic and endemic lineages, most of which are likely new threatened species. Furthermore, two priority areas for conservation of these lineages were identified. Thus, comparative phylogeography may represent a first step in the conservation of subterranean taxa, indicating areas that should be prioritized in a context of increasing threats and dwindling conservation resources.

River damming by hydroelectric plants interrupts the continuity of rivers and causes the flooding of adjacent terrestrial ecosystems. Assessments of the impacts of major hydroelectric dams on species and the functional responses of communities to flooding are scarce. We used data from eight years of forest monitoring around a - 100-km section of the Madeira River upstream of the Santo Antônio Dam in southwestern Brazilian Amazonia to investigate the effects of forest inundation on estimates of functional diversity and frequency of trait occurrence in pre- and post-flooding anuran assemblages. Lowland forests hosted higher functional diversity and more unique functional composition than unflooded areas sampled before and after reservoir filling. Functional richness was not affected by reservoir filling. Frequencies of arboreal anurans that lay their eggs in tree cavities or water and those that complete larval development in water were higher in flooded forest plots. In unflooded plots during the post-filling stage, there was an increase in the average frequency of nocturnal anurans and a decline in the abundance of fossorial and diurnal species. The average frequency of large-bodied anurans increased after river damming to levels similar to those of flooded plots. Our study indicates that anurans whose reproductive modes are associated with riparian and floodplain forests are most sensitive to permanent reservoir flooding. We recommend that efforts to mitigate the effects of hydropower infrastructure should include the protection of intact seasonally flooded lowland forests.

Studying the patterns and properties of biological diversity at multiple geographic scales is essential to answering biogeographical and macroecological questions. Here, we tested the hypothesis that diversity estimates derived from stacked species distribution models (stacked SDMs) would be robust and positively correlated when compared to estimates from well-surveyed areas with species checklists, but potentially more ambiguous when compared to estimates based on species’ occurrences. We used these three diversity sources to evaluate alpha and beta diversity, per-site range size, total nestedness and completeness at five geographic scales (1/2°, 1/4°, 1/8°, 1/16°, and 1/32°). Estimates from the species’ occurrences dataset and stacked SDMs showed poor positive correlation with alpha diversity in well-surveyed areas (except for stacked SDMs at coarse scales). However, beta diversity in well-surveyed areas exhibited a strong correlation with both the species’ occurrence dataset and stacked SDMs at finer scales. The nestedness pattern from stacked SDMs remained relatively constant across all geographic scales; in contrast, nestedness in occurrence datasets was influenced by finer scales, thereby affecting community traits such as incidence and composition of species. Our study demonstrates that stacked SDMs was reliable for inferring effective diversities across multiple geographic scales, whereas occurrence datasets are not and may fail to accurately infer diversity patterns. Even well-surveyed areas with species checklists showed low completeness, sharing similarities with occurrence datasets at 1/4° and 1/16°. We recommend conducting complementary analysis of completeness properties of sample coverage to ensure the reliability of diversity assessments.

Today, most of Ethiopia’s church forests are small forest patches surrounded by a degraded and anthropogenically modified landscape, mostly arable land. Nevertheless, these forest islands may still provide valuable habitats for typical forest species. It remains questionable whether these habitat remnants provide sufficient resources for forest species to successfully reproduce and persist in the long run. In this study, we assessed bird species based on point-counts in and around Tara Gedam Church Forest in northern Ethiopia. We observed birds in typical natural evergreen Afromontane forest (forest interior and forest edge) and in anthropogenic habitats, the semi-natural shrublands, agricultural land, and Eucalyptus tree plantations. We assigned ecological and behavioural characteristics to each of the bird species observed. Our results point to a specific bird community restricted to the forest interior and characterized by forest generalists and forest specialist birds. Along the forest edge, a mix of forest generalists and species of the open landscape can be found, creating mixed communities with high species overlap. The highest number of species was observed at the forest edge and in semi-natural shrubland, where both, open-land and forest species were found. On the other hand, the total number of species in the forest interior was comparatively low, with insectivorous and frugivorous typical forest species. Our results underline the fact that even small forest remnants are important for the conservation of forest species, which do not evade surrogate forest habitats.

The chequered skipper butterfly Carterocephalus palaemon was reintroduced to Fineshade Wood, England in 2018 as part of a Butterfly Conservation-led project following several years of planning. From 2019–2022, the population was sampled each May–June by the lead author, timed count volunteers, Butterfly Conservation staff, and casual observers. A novel photographic mark-recapture (PMR) technique was trialled as an alternative to mark-release-recapture (MRR). In conjunction with timed counts, PMR was used to photo-identify individual C. palaemon through each butterfly’s upperside (ups) wing markings, estimate daily and gross population size, detect movements, and determine lifespan. As capture and recapture can be achieved non-invasively using PMR, habitat disturbance, the potential to influence butterfly behaviour, accelerate wing wear, affect mate selection and predation, and heighten mortality risk through handling are eliminated. We found PMR to be a viable alternative to MRR for a sensitive reintroduction of a low-density species with unique ups markings such as C. palaemon. Using capture histories generated through PMR, from a known founder population size of 42 butterflies in 2018, we estimated the population at Fineshade Wood had increased to 618 butterflies (+ 1371.43%) by 2022. Movements of up to 2.22 km over a time period of 17 days were also detected. Lastly, we discuss the implications of PMR for population sampling of other Lepidopterans, and the potential to improve cost-efficiency of the technique using machine-based learning tools.

Unsustainable wildlife trade is a leading threat to biodiversity, not least in Southeast Asia where serious overexploitation of songbirds has precipitated the ‘Asian Songbird Crisis’. While the nature of bird trade in physical markets is fairly well studied, the growing online trade in birds is far less understood, in terms of diversity and traits of birds on offer. Here, online trade, monitored across twelve broad spectrum Indonesian bird-selling Facebook groups over a period of six months in 2022, is compared to published data from physical markets, and from a machine learning web-scrape. Nearly 2,000 individuals of 190 Indonesian species were recorded from Facebook, with 9.5% of species being categorised as Threatened (IUCN 2022), 15.8% protected under Indonesian law, and 17.4% regarded as priority taxa according to the Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group. These represent similar proportions of species to those from physical market surveys, although physical markets had more individuals of protected species than did Facebook groups. Bird family composition did not correlate between online and physical platforms, with the former dominated by Muscicapidae and the latter by Estrildidae. Controlling for trade volume, online groups had higher species richness than physical markets, although the difference was not significant. Bird ‘communities’ on offer in the individual Facebook groups were both similar to each other, and distinct from those in physical markets, although there was a geographical signature especially in the latter. Results highlight the importance of monitoring online trade as, while there are substantial differences in types of birds sold, it contains a similarly high number of species of conservation concern to physical markets.

UNESCO designated the Moroccan Argan grove as Argan Grove Biosphere Reserve on December 8th, 1998. Thanks to its precious value, this grove is supposed to play a considerable part in promoting sustainable development. Recent studies have shown that the AGBR is still facing serious economic and social challenges in areas where local communities suffer from both precariousness and vulnerability. According to their needs, community members pragmatically joined different bodies such as associations, cooperatives or Economic Interest Groups. The multiplicity of bodies involved in the field of a socially and solidarity-oriented economy stands as a serious challenge for governance. The present study aims to investigate the role of cooperative stakeholders and their contribution in establishing and developing a conservation model based on local skills and knowledge. Based on a review of the literature on biosphere conservation models developed or implemented in areas affected by human activities, we adopted a mixed method by designing interviews and questionnaires to collect data. Having defined our sample size, respondents belonging to different areas of the Argan Grove were asked to answer a set of both quantitative and qualitative questions. The aim is to collect data that served the purpose of our research. Analysis of data demonstrated that cooperatives stakeholders appeared to have lost their initial focus of promoting and protecting ecosystems by prioritizing economic profitability over conservation efficiency. Further research is needed to identify factors that would really contribute to promoting an efficient conservation community-based approach model.

Biological invasions need to be assessed as spatial processes, incorporating information on introduction sites, environmental suitability, dispersal parameters and negative impacts. The above allows us to develop risk maps, which are an important tool to determine the probability and consequences of an invasion in each area. In this study, we developed species niche-based distribution models for Vespa mandarinia and V. velutina, exotic species recently discovered in North America, being V. velutina a recognized invasive alien species that has caused enormous economic impacts in Europe. Species niche-based distribution models were used as a base map to determine the risk of establishment in conjunction with information related to the introduction, economic and biodiversity risk. The models developed in this study show environmental suitability for the establishment of these species in tropical and subtropical locations of North America. In Mexico, more than 50% of the ports are at high risk especially those located in the Gulf of Mexico. The biodiversity impact risk map for V. mandarinia shows that 57 protected areas are in regions with some risk of invasion and the V. velutina analysis shows 49 protected areas at potential risk. By implementing comprehensive surveillance and monitoring programs, integrating early detection and rapid response strategy and leveraging geographic information systems, Mexico can take proactive measures to mitigate the potential impacts of invasive species. These efforts will be crucial in protecting biodiversity, preserving ecosystems and safeguarding the country’s economy from the negative consequences associated with invasive species.

At the end of 2020, 18 European bison (Bison bonasus) were introduced to El Encinarejo estate, in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. This hunting-oriented estate has 956 hectares of dehesa, Mediterranean forest and scrubland in which about 400 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 200 fallow deer (Dama dama) coexist with the bison. To know how trophic resources are used by these herbivore species, faecal samples were collected during the year 2021. The microhistological analysis technique was used to determine the percentage of epidermal fragments of the main functional groups (woody plants, graminoids, legumes and forbs) in each sample. The results showed significant differences between animal species and seasons of the year. Globally, woody plants are preferentially consumed in autumn and winter, graminoids in summer and legumes and forbs in spring. The woody component was the most abundant in the diet of the three species, accounting for 81% of the plant fragments present in red deer faeces, 52% in bison and 38% in fallow deer. This is the first study describing the dietary use of Pistacia lentiscus by European bison, the substantial use throughout all seasons indicates it as a very important diet source. In addition, the interspecific comparison showed that the bison significantly consumed more graminoids (21%), whereas legumes were more present in fallow deer diet (32%). Finally, red deer consumed less forbs than the other two species (8%). It is concluded that there is a certain distribution of trophic resources between the three species that may facilitate their coexistence.