三种白腐菌生物学特性与木质纤维素酶基因遗传多样性

以采自东北林业大学帽儿山实验林场的3种白腐真菌——木蹄层孔菌(Fomes fomentarius)、鲍姆鲍姆木层孔菌(Phellinus baumiibaumii)和火木层孔菌(Phellinus igniarius)为材料,用菌落直径测量法比较3种白腐菌在马铃署葡萄糖固体培养基上的生长速度,采用菌丝体干重法比较其在马铃署葡萄糖液体培养基中的生物量变化。结果显示:马铃薯葡萄糖固体培养基上3种白腐菌均为快速生长类型,其生长速度木蹄层孔菌火木层孔菌鲍姆鲍姆木层孔菌;马铃署葡萄糖液体培养基中生物量增长速度木蹄层孔菌鲍姆鲍姆木层孔菌火木层孔菌。用比色法测量其木质纤维素酶活性,结果显示:木蹄层孔菌产锰过氧化物酶和漆酶量较高,鲍姆鲍姆木层孔菌和火木层孔菌产木质素过氧化物酶量较高;木蹄层孔菌、鲍姆鲍姆木层孔菌和火木层孔菌3种白腐菌的3种主要木质素酶(锰过氧化物酶、漆酶和木质素过氧化物酶)的表达量,种间差异显著(F=3.75*、5.20**、3.01*),白桦木屑诱导处理与对照间差异显著(F=3.84*、4.19*、5.28*);两种主要纤维素酶(葡聚糖内切酶、葡聚糖外切酶)的表达量,种间差异不显著,受碳源影响作用显著(F=3.99*、4.04*)。筛选29对引物组合,对3种白腐菌几种主要木质纤维素酶基因进行TRAP-PCR分子标记检测,比较3菌种间遗传差异,扩增总条带数为357条,多态性条带数为255条,多态性条带的比例为71.43%,其中木质素降解酶基因总多态位点比率为73.77%,纤维素降解酶基因总多态位点比率为68.97%。3种白腐菌的木质纤维素降解酶基因在种间均存在较高的遗传差异。因此,特定基因的TRAP分子标记可以用于木腐菌的遗传变异分析。     

Predicting the Distribution Pattern of Small Carnivores in Response to Environmental Factors in the Western Ghats

Due to their secretive habits, predicting the pattern of spatial distribution of small carnivores has been typically challenging, yet for conservation management it is essential to understand the association between this group of animals and environmental factors. We applied maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) to build distribution models and identify environmental predictors including bioclimatic variables, forest and land cover type, topography, vegetation index and anthropogenic variables for six small carnivore species in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Species occurrence records were collated from camera-traps and vehicle transects during the years 2010 and 2011. We used the average training gain from forty model runs for each species to select the best set of predictors. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic plot (ROC) ranged from 0.81 to 0.93 for the training data and 0.72 to 0.87 for the test data. In habitat models for F. chaus, P. hermaphroditus, and H. smithii “distance to village” and precipitation of the warmest quarter emerged as some of the most important variables. “Distance to village” and aspect were important for V. indica while “distance to village” and precipitation of the coldest quarter were significant for H. vitticollis. “Distance to village”, precipitation of the warmest quarter and land cover were influential variables in the distribution of H. edwardsii. The map of predicted probabilities of occurrence showed potentially suitable habitats accounting for 46 km² of the reserve for F. chaus, 62 km² for V. indica, 30 km² for P. hermaphroditus, 63 km² for H. vitticollis, 45 km² for H. smithii and 28 km² for H. edwardsii. Habitat heterogeneity driven by the east-west climatic gradient was correlated with the spatial distribution of small carnivores. This study exemplifies the usefulness of modeling small carnivore distribution to prioritize and direct conservation planning for habitat specialists in southern India.     

Precipitation of the warmest quarter and temperature of the warmest month are key to understanding the effect of climate change on plant species diversity in Southern African savannah

In this study, we test for the key bioclimatic variables that significantly explain the current distribution of plant species richness in a southern African ecosystem as a preamble to predicting plant species richness under a changed climate. We used 54,000 records of georeferenced plant species data to calculate species richness and spatially interpolated climate data to derive nineteen bioclimatic variables. Next, we determined the key bioclimatic variables explaining variation in species richness across Zimbabwe using regression analysis. Our results show that two bioclimatic variables, that is, precipitation of the warmest quarter (R² = 0.92, P < 0.001) and temperature of the warmest month (R² = 0.67, P < 0.001) significantly explain variation in plant species richness. In addition, results of bioclimatic modelling using future climate change projections show a reduction in the current bio‐climatically suitable area that supports high plant species richness. However, in high‐altitude areas, plant richness is less sensitive to climate change while low‐altitude areas show high sensitivity. Our results have important implications to biodiversity conservation in areas sensitive to climate change; for example, high‐altitude areas are likely to continue being biodiversity hotspots, as such future conservation efforts should be concentrated in these areas.     

Habitat distribution modeling of endangered medicinal plant Picrorhiza kurroa (Royle ex Benth) under climate change scenarios in Uttarakhand Himalaya,India

Climate change has been the key factor in changing the alpine vegetation's habitat and causing it to migrate to higher latitudes. The present study aims to model the current and future potential habitat distribution of endangered medicinal plant Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth in Uttarakhand Himalaya using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling. We initially select twenty-two environmental variables (bioclimatic + topographic) got from the Fifty-four (54) species occurrence points, which were further reduced to nine variables to prevent multicollinearity. Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5) from the CMIP6 (BCC-CSM2-MR) climate model for the periods 2041–60 and 2061–80 were used to predict the current and future habitat distribution of P. kurroa. Results showed that the precipitation of the driest month (Bio 14; 33.8%), isothermality (Bio 3; 20.2%), mean temperature of warmest quarter (Bio 10; 12.7%), and temperature annual range (Bio 7; 12.2%) were the important bioclimatic variables influencing the habitat of P. kurroa. Overall, there is a decrease in the habitat of P. kurroa under climate change scenarios. The present results may prove insightful for the decision-makers to identify suitable sites in the wild for the further propagation of P. kurroa.     

Predicting the distribution of green turtle nesting sites over the Mediterranean with outcoming climate driven changes

Nesting beaches have a critical role in the life cycle of sea turtles and their survival. Many different factors affect nest site selection, ranging from the composition of the sand to the vegetation of the beach. These factors are subject to change due to the onset of climate change. We aimed to determine the possible changes in nesting beaches according to the future climate scenarios of Chelonia mydas nesting sites in the Mediterranean by ecological niche modeling. Nineteen bioclimatic variables and Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) were used to generate past, current, and future nesting site projections. The datasets were prepared with ArcGIS v10. and bioclimatic variables were analyzed using the Pearson Correlation Analysis. The ecological niche modeling was made with the MaxEnt v4.1.0. Model outputs, mean temperature of warmest quarter (22.01 %), precipitation of coldest quarter (15.32 %), mean temperature of the driest quarter (13.60 %), isothermality (12.30 %), mean diurnal range (9.22 %), the max temperature of the warmest month (6.60 %), precipitation seasonality (5.87 %) and annual mean temperature (4.73 %) are the parameters that most affect the estimated distribution of the species and the other parameters have the least effect on the estimated distribution (each < 2.60 %). The prediction accuracy of the model is measured by the Area Under the Curve (AUC) values, which is between 0 and 1, where values closer to 1 have a greater prediction accuracy. In our model results, the AUC values vary between 0.961 and 0.990. The majority of current green turtle nesting sites will continue to be suitable for nesting into the 2100′s. But the habitat suitability of the current nesting beaches in Syria and Lebanon will decrease. Conservational efforts should be developed to protect not only the current nesting beaches but also other possible nesting beaches that might become viable in the future.     

Species distribution models for predicting the habitat suitability of Chinese fire‐bellied newt Cynops orientalis under climate change

Climate change influences species geographical distribution and diversity pattern. The Chinese fire‐bellied newt (Cynops orientalis) is an endemic species distributed in East‐central China, which has been classified as near‐threatened species recently due to habitat destruction and degradation and illegal trade in the domestic and international pet markets. So far, little is known about the spatial distribution of the species. Based on bioclimatic data of the current and future climate projections, we modeled the change in suitable habitat for C. orientalis by ten algorithms, evaluated the importance of environmental factors in shaping their distribution, and identified distribution shifts under climate change scenarios. In this study, 46 records of C. orientalis from East China and 8 bioclimatic variables were used. Among the ten modeling algorithms, four (GAM, GBM, Maxent, and RF) were selected according to their predictive abilities. The current habitat suitability showed that C. orientalis had a relatively wide but fragmented distribution, and it encompassed 41,862 km². The models suggested that precipitation of warmest quarter (bio18) and mean temperature of wettest quarter (bio6) had the highest contribution to the model. This study revealed that C. orientalis is sensitive to climate change, which will lead to a large range shift. The projected spatial and temporal pattern of range shifts for C. orientalis should provide a useful reference for implementing long‐term conservation and management strategies for amphibians in East China.     

Climatic niche of the Saker Falcon Falco cherrug: predicted new areas to direct population surveys in Central Asia

Accurate species distribution data across remote and extensive geographical areas are difficult to obtain. Here, we use bioclimatic envelope models to determine climatic constraints on the distribution of the migratory Saker Falcon Falco cherrug to identify areas in data-deficient regions that may contain unidentified populations. Sakers live at low densities across large ranges in remote regions, making distribution status difficult to assess. Using presence-background data and eight bioclimatic variables within a species distribution modelling framework, we applied MaxEnt to construct models for both breeding and wintering ranges. Occurrence data were spatially filtered and climatic variables tested for multicollinearity before selecting best fit models using the Akaike information criterion by tuning MaxEnt parameters. Model predictive performance tested using the continuous Boyce index (B) was high for both breeding (B_TEST = 0.921) and wintering models (B_TEST = 0.735), with low omission rates and minimal overfitting. The Saker climatic niche was defined by precipitation in the warmest quarter in the breeding range model, and mean temperature in the wettest quarter in the wintering range model. Our models accurately predicted areas of highest climate suitability and defined the climatic constraints on a wide-ranging rare species, suggesting that climate is a key determinant of Saker distribution across macro-scales. We recommend targeted population surveys for the Saker based on model predictions to areas of highest climatic suitability in key regions with distribution knowledge gaps, in particular the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in western China. Further applications of our models could identify protected areas and reintroduction sites, inform development conflicts, and assess the impact of climate change on distributions.     

Delimitation of central and northern European species of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phellinus igniarius</Emphasis> group (Basidiomycota,Hymenochaetales) based on analysis of ITS and translation elongation factor 1 alpha DNA sequences

The Phellinus igniarius group comprises several closely related wood-decaying basidiomycetes with poroid hymenophores that are sometimes difficult to identify on a morphological basis. The delimitation of pileate species belonging to the group was the subject of ITS (internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA) and tefa (translation elongation factor 1 alpha) DNA sequence analyses applied to specimens from central and northern Europe. The results confirmed the distinctiveness of P. alni, P. igniarius, P. lundellii, P. nigricans, P. populicola, P. tremulae, and P. tuberculosus in Europe. The specimens of the previously distinguished species P. cinereus were found to be identical with either P. nigricans or P. alni. Thus, Phellinus cinereus does not follow the species criteria of phylogenetic species recognition. In addition, a recently described species, P. neolundellii, was grouped within the P. alni clade. The ITS and tefa analyses produced a different topology for P. populicola and P. igniarius. P. alni had the largest spectrum of hosts, including woody plants from nine families, and records on Aesculus hippocastanum and Ulmus glabra are reported for the first time. P. igniarius s.s. has been collected not only on Salix spp. as expected but also, though rarely, on Populus nigra, and it has been observed once on Malus domestica. The host specificity of the remaining species resembles previous data. An additional analysis of basidiospore dimensions did not reveal any differences between P. alni and P. igniarius, but both are distinguishable from those of P. nigricans.     

Modeling impacts of climate change on the geographic distribution of medicinal plant Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don

Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don is a renowned traditional Chinese medicine plant that is mainly distributed in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The overexploitation in the recent years has led to a sharp decline of this undomesticated resource. Analyzing the impact of climate change on the geographic distribution of F. cirrhosa is meaningful for its conservation and domestication. In this study, the maximum entropy model (Maxent) was used to simulate the distribution of F. cirrhosa in relation to the current and future climatic conditions. The maximum temperature of the warmest month (Bio 5) and the precipitation of the warmest quarter (Bio 18) were the two most important bioclimatic variables determining the distribution of F. cirrhosa. Based on the predicted level of climatic warming, a further reduction of the geographic distribution of F. cirrhosa is to be expected. This study demonstrated the necessity and urgency of establishing more effective ways to protect the natural F. cirrhosa resources and developing artificial cultivation methodology.     

Ecological analysis and environmental niche modelling of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo: A conservation approach for critically endangered medicinal orchid

The natural populations of Dactylorhiza hatagirea have been greatly affected due to incessant exploitation. As such, studies on its population attributes together with habitat suitability and environmental factors affecting its distribution are needed to be undertaken for its conservation in nature. Present study aimed at accessing an impact of anthropogenic pressure on population structure and locate suitable habitats for the conservation of this critically endangered orchid. Considerable changes in the phytosociological attributes were observed on account of the changing magnitude and extent of anthropogenic threat in their natural abode. The distribution pattern of species indicated that more than 90% of the populations exhibit substantially aggregated spatial distribution. Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) distribution modelling algorithm was used to predict suitable habitat and potential area for its cultivation and reintroduction. Twenty-seven occurrence records, nineteen bioclimatic variables, altitude, and slope were used. MaxEnt map output gave the habitat suitability for this species and predicted its distribution in the North-Western Himalayas of India for approximately 616 km². Jackknifing indicated that maximum temperature of warmest month, annual mean temperature, mean temperature of the driest quarter, and mean temperature of the wettest quarter were the governing factors for its distribution and hence, presented a higher gain with respect to other variables. According to permutation importance, precipitation seasonality and mean temperature of wettest quarter shows the prominent impact on the habitat distribution. Results of AUC (area under curve) were statistically significant (0.940) and the line of predicted omission falls very close to an omission on training samples, validating a better run of the model. Response curves revealed a probable increase in the occurrence of D. hatagirea with an increase in mean temperature of the wettest quarter and maximum temperature of the warmest month contributed more than 50% to predicted habitat suitability. Direct field observations concurrent with predicted habitat suitability and google-earth images represent greater model thresholds for successful inception of the species. Together, the study proposes that the species can be conserved in or near its present-day natural habitats and is equally effective in determining the possible habitats for its cultivation and reintroduction.     

气候变化下耐旱藓类连轴藓属在新疆的分布模拟

该研究基于耐旱藓类连轴藓属5种53条在新疆的地理分布信息和7个气候变量,利用最大熵模型和ArcGIS 10.2软件,分别模拟现代气候和未来气候情景下连轴藓属在新疆的适生分布区,为探讨气候变化对干旱、半干旱区苔藓植物物种分布的影响提供参考。结果表明:(1)Maxent模型预测连轴藓属在新疆适生区的准确性非常高(AUC=0.957)。(2)年降雨量、最干季度降雨量和最暖季度平均气温是影响连轴藓属分布的主要气候因子。(3)连轴藓属在新疆的适生区主要集中在阿尔泰山和天山沿线,在未来(2061~2080年)气候情景下,连轴藓属分布面积将比现代气候下减少10.39%,其绝大部分现有南部适生区将丧失。     

Selected Species of the Genus Phellinus – Chemical Composition,Biological Activity,and Medicinal Applications

This study presents the current knowledge on chemical composition, biological activity, and possible medicinal applications of Phellinus igniarius, Phellinus pini, Phellinus pomaceus, and Phellinus robustus. These inedible arboreal species are phytopathogens that cause the enzymatic decomposition of wood. These species belong to the medicinal mushrooms and have been known for centuries in the traditional medicine of the Far East. They have been used as an effective remedy for stomach and intestinal ailments, diarrhea, and hemorrhages. Mycochemical studies have proved the presence of polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and terpenoids. These compounds show biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antiangiogenic, and antiviral. Research studies conducted using modern analytical methods have advanced the knowledge on the potential therapeutic use of compounds isolated not only from the fruiting bodies but also from biomass obtained with in vitro biotechnological methods.     

Impact of meteorological and geographical factors on the distribution of Phlebotomus chinensis in northwestern mainland China

Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Phlebotomidae) are vectors of the zoonotic disease leishmaniasis. To better understand the distribution of phlebotomine sandflies in order to facilitate control of leishmaniasis transmission, the present study explored the impacts of climate and landscape on local abundances of Phlebotomus chinensis in northwestern mainland China. Identification records were used to create a geodatabase for the locations at which P. chinensis had been collected in the region, and a regional‐scale map was developed to show the distribution of P. chinensis. Location data and data on environmental factors during the years in which the samples were collected were incorporated, and a presence‐only modelling method was used to evaluate the species' habitat preferences and to predict its potential distribution in northwestern mainland China. Jackknife analysis revealed that several meteorological variables, including maximum temperature in the warmest quarter, precipitation in the driest month, daily average temperature and daily precipitation, significantly affected the presence of this species. Moreover, the presence of P. chinensis was significantly associated with grassland and shrubland. Probability distributions using maximum entropy were used to map the distribution ranges of P. chinensis based on suitable habitats in northwestern mainland China. The models generated can be used to develop detailed strategies for the prevention and control of leishmaniasis.     

The anti-influenza virus effect of Phellinus igniarius extract

Herbal medicine has been used in the orient for thousands of years to treat large and small ailments, including microbial infections. Although there are treatments for influenza virus infection, there is no treatment for drug-resistant viruses. It is time that we explored and exploited the multi-component nature of herbal extracts as multi-drug combination therapies. Here, we present data on the anti-influenza virus effect of a medicinal mushroom, Phellinus igniarius. The P. igniarius water extract was effective against influenza A and B viruses, including 2009 pandemic H1N1, human H3N2, avian H9N2, and oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 viruses. Virological assays revealed that the extract may interfere with one or more early events in the influenza virus replication cycle, including viral attachment to the target cell. Therefore, our results provide new insights into the use of P. igniarius as an anti-influenza medicine.     

Inonotus tenuicontextus sp. nov. (Hymenochaetaceae) from Guizhou, southwest China with a preliminary discussion on the phylogeny of its kin

Inonotus tenuicontextus collected from Guizhou, southwest China was described and illustrated as a new species based on a combination of phylogenetic and morphological evidence. It is characterized by perennial and effused-reflexed to pileate basidiocarps; duplex and very thin context; a monomitic hyphal system in context; a dimitic hyphal system in trama; and broadly ellipsoid, hyaline and thick-walled basidiospores. Phylogenetically I. tenuicontextus clustered within Inonotus s. s. clade; moreover, it formed a well supported monophyletic subclade with Inonotus baumii, I. linteus, I. lonicericola, I. vaninii and I. weirianus. In morphology I. tenuicontextus distinguishes from I. linteus, also a species with duplex context, by its smaller basidiospores, while its duplex context makes it different from the other four species with homogeneous context. We proposed this subclade as a medicinal group for most of its members with medicinal functions. The phylogeny of the six species in this medicinal group was briefly discussed based on our results. An identification key to them is also provided.     

Predicting the Impacts of Climate Change on the Potential Distribution of Major Native Non-Food Bioenergy Plants in China

Planting non-food bioenergy crops on marginal lands is an alternative bioenergy development solution in China. Native non-food bioenergy plants are also considered to be a wise choice to reduce the threat of invasive plants. In this study, the impacts of climate change (a consensus of IPCC scenarios A2a for 2080) on the potential distribution of nine non-food bioenergy plants native to China (viz., Pistacia chinensis, Cornus wilsoniana, Xanthoceras sorbifolia, Vernicia fordii, Sapium sebiferum, Miscanthus sinensis, M. floridulus, M. sacchariflorus and Arundo donax) were analyzed using a MaxEnt species distribution model. The suitable habitats of the nine non-food plants were distributed in the regions east of the Mongolian Plateau and the Tibetan Plateau, where the arable land is primarily used for food production. Thus, the large-scale cultivation of those plants for energy production will have to rely on the marginal lands. The variables of “precipitation of the warmest quarter” and “annual mean temperature” were the most important bioclimatic variables for most of the nine plants according to the MaxEnt modeling results. Global warming in coming decades may result in a decrease in the extent of suitable habitat in the tropics but will have little effect on the total distribution area of each plant. The results indicated that it will be possible to grow these plants on marginal lands within these areas in the future. This work should be beneficial for the domestication and cultivation of those bioenergy plants and should facilitate land-use planning for bioenergy crops in China.     

Partial characterization of a phenolic pigment from sporocarps of Phellinus igniarius

A dark brown phenolic polymer, isolated from mature sporocarps of Phellinus igniarius (DC. ex Fr.) Quél., is responsible for the darkening of sporocarp tissue when a drop of base is applied. The pigment is rich in aliphatic as well as phenolic hydroxyl groups, and also contains significant numbers of carboxyls and carbonyls. The presence of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl moieties was documented by the identification of veratric and metahemipinic acids from oxidative degradation of methylated samples. Despite a 2% methoxyl content, the polymer contains no guaiacyl or syringyl moieties and therefore contains no lignin. It appears to be formed by the oxidative polymerization of a molecule containing a 3,4-dihydroxystyryl moiety. Hispidin was identified as its trimethyl ether in methylated extracts of pigmented mycelial mats of Phellinus igniarius grown in liquid culture.     

Global thermal niche models of two European grasses show high invasion risks in Antarctica

The two non‐native grasses that have established long‐term populations in Antarctica (Poa pratensis and Poa annua) were studied from a global multidimensional thermal niche perspective to address the biological invasion risk to Antarctica. These two species exhibit contrasting introduction histories and reproductive strategies and represent two referential case studies of biological invasion processes. We used a multistep process with a range of species distribution modelling techniques (ecological niche factor analysis, multidimensional envelopes, distance/entropy algorithms) together with a suite of thermoclimatic variables, to characterize the potential ranges of these species. Their native bioclimatic thermal envelopes in Eurasia, together with the different naturalized populations across continents, were compared next. The potential niche of P. pratensis was wider at the cold extremes; however, P. annua life history attributes enable it to be a more successful colonizer. We observe that particularly cold summers are a key aspect of the unique Antarctic environment. In consequence, ruderals such as P. annua can quickly expand under such harsh conditions, whereas the more stress‐tolerant P. pratensis endures and persist through steady growth. Compiled data on human pressure at the Antarctic Peninsula allowed us to provide site‐specific biosecurity risk indicators. We conclude that several areas across the region are vulnerable to invasions from these and other similar species. This can only be visualized in species distribution models (SDMs) when accounting for founder populations that reveal nonanalogous conditions. Results reinforce the need for strict management practices to minimize introductions. Furthermore, our novel set of temperature‐based bioclimatic GIS layers for ice‐free terrestrial Antarctica provide a mechanism for regional and global species distribution models to be built for other potentially invasive species.     

Climate and pH Predict the Potential Range of the Invasive Apple Snail (Pomacea insularum) in the Southeastern United States

Predicting the potential range of invasive species is essential for risk assessment, monitoring, and management, and it can also inform us about a species’ overall potential invasiveness. However, modeling the distribution of invasive species that have not reached their equilibrium distribution can be problematic for many predictive approaches. We apply the modeling approach of maximum entropy (MaxEnt) that is effective with incomplete, presence-only datasets to predict the distribution of the invasive island apple snail, Pomacea insularum. This freshwater snail is native to South America and has been spreading in the USA over the last decade from its initial introductions in Texas and Florida. It has now been documented throughout eight southeastern states. The snail’s extensive consumption of aquatic vegetation and ability to accumulate and transmit algal toxins through the food web heighten concerns about its spread. Our model shows that under current climate conditions the snail should remain mostly confined to the coastal plain of the southeastern USA where it is limited by minimum temperature in the coldest month and precipitation in the warmest quarter. Furthermore, low pH waters (pH <5.5) are detrimental to the snail’s survival and persistence. Of particular note are low-pH blackwater swamps, especially Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia (with a pH below 4 in many areas), which are predicted to preclude the snail’s establishment even though many of these areas are well matched climatically. Our results elucidate the factors that affect the regional distribution of P. insularum, while simultaneously presenting a spatial basis for the prediction of its future spread. Furthermore, the model for this species exemplifies that combining climatic and habitat variables is a powerful way to model distributions of invasive species.     

Predicting potential distribution and identifying priority areas for conservation of the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) in Peruvian Amazon

A key conservation biology tool is the information on the geographic distribution of species as well as the variables driving those patterns. Here, we used maximum entropy modeling, MaxEnt, to model the total potential distribution of Tapirus terrestris, classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In this study, we recorded 117 occurrence records and considered 18 environmental variables. The total potential distribution area covers 96,055.6 km², meaning 12.3 % of the territory of the Peruvian Amazon, with “high potential” habitat covering 3,891.36 km², “moderate potential” habitat covering 22,849.5 km², and “low potential” habitat covering 69,314.7 km². Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) shelter 32.2 % (30,966.2 km²) of the total potential distribution area of the species, being the Bahuaja Sonene and Manu National Parks, the NPAs with the largest total potential distribution, 8,220.2 km² and 7,619.7 km² respectively. Eventually, 67.8 % (65,089.4 km²) of the total potential distribution were identified without any type of protection category by SINANPE and its complementary categories; therefore, we consider this area as a priority for the conservation of T. terrestris in Peru.