Environmental indicators for sustainable production of algal biofuels

For analyzing sustainability of algal biofuels, we identify 16 environmental indicators that fall into six categories: soil quality, water quality and quantity, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and productivity. Indicators are selected to be practical, widely applicable, predictable in response, anticipatory of future changes, independent of scale, and responsive to management. Major differences between algae and terrestrial plant feedstocks, as well as their supply chains for biofuel, are highlighted, for they influence the choice of appropriate sustainability indicators. Algae strain selection characteristics do not generally affect which indicators are selected. The use of water instead of soil as the growth medium for algae determines the higher priority of water- over soil-related indicators. The proposed set of environmental indicators provides an initial checklist for measures of algal biofuel sustainability but may need to be modified for particular contexts depending on data availability, goals of stakeholders, and financial constraints. Use of these indicators entails defining sustainability goals and targets in relation to stakeholder values in a particular context and can lead to improved management practices.     

Plant functional types and climatic change: Introduction

Abstract. Plant functional types are a necessary device for reducing the complex and often uncharted characteristics of species diversity in function and structure when attempting to project the nature and function of species assemblages into future environments. A workshop was held to review the current methods commonly used for defining plant functional types, either globally or for particular biomes, and to compare them with the field experiences of specialists for specific biomes of the world. The methods fall into either an objective and inductive approach or a subjective and deductive approach. When the different methods were tested, it was generally found that the classification for one site or environment was not wholly applicable to a different site or environment. However, the degree of change which is necessary for adjustment between environments may not prove to be a major limitation in the use of functional types.     

An inverted latitudinal gradient of plant diversity in shallow depressions on Ivorian inselbergs

The vegetation of shallow depressions on Ivorian granite inselbergs was studied along a gradient from the savanna zone in the north to the rainforest zone in the south of the country. Short-term inundation and prolonged drought are typical features of this habitat. In total, 64 taxa belonging to 25 families were recorded, with the Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Fabaceae accounting for the greatest proportion of species. Annuals represent the predominant life form and comprise nearly two thirds of all species recorded. DCA ordination of the sample plots illustrates that diversity decreases from north to south, and is accompanied by a gradual transition in the ambient vegetation from savanna to rainforest. This decrease is in marked contrast with diversity of surrounding vegetation types. In the drier northern area, it appears as if the less favourable environmental conditions prevent a state of community equilibrium being attained in the shallow depressions. This enables weak competitors to co-exist along with more vigorous species, which, in the south of the country, form species-poor stands. Furthermore, the fact that inselbergs in the rainforest zone are more isolated enhances the probability of extinction of less competitive associates.     

Examination of the 'founder effect' in biodiversity research: patterns and imbalances in the published literature

We reviewed 2524 articles published from 1987 to 1995 in five international journals, Conservation Biology , Biological Conservation , Biodiversity and Conservation , Ecological Applications , and the Journal of Applied Ecology , to assess patterns and imbalances in biodiversity research in the following subject areas: locations where research was conducted, types of organisms studied, types of ecosystems studied, types of methodologies used, and types of stresses investigated. Biodiversity research was found to be narrowly focused with little deviation from its initial course set of being a discipline concerned largely with the implications of forest habitat loss on charismatic terrestrial megafauna; i.e. the 'founder effect' is very much in evidence. The 'sleeping dragon' of ignored marine biodiversity is really symptomatic of a wider problem, and can perhaps be referred to as a 'hibernating hydra' of many imbalances due to, for example, under-representations of research from developing nations, or on amphibians and invertebrates, alpine and arctic systems, sociological components and chemical stresses etc. It is time to take steps to actively awaken the creature so that conservation biology/applied ecology can become more pluralistic in scope.     

The impact investigation and adaptation strategy analysis of climate change on nature reserve in China

Nature reserve has been served as the important pathway for biodiversity conservation and carbon storage. Global climate change is an indisputable fact and impacted the biodiversity and nature reserve. How nature reserves adapt to climate change has drawn more and more concerns. This research conducted questionnaires of 68 national nature reserves from 24 provincial regions, and the questionnaires showed that all surveyed nature reserves experienced climate change, and 68.57%, 61.43% and 68.57% of nature reserves, respectively, considered warming temperature, precipitation change, and occurrence of extreme climate events as new threats to them. These new factors directly threat the distribution range and survival of endangered species, change of ecosystem function, enhance of pest and disease damages, and directed damage the infrastructures. However, most of the surveyed nature reserves did not consider the systematic monitoring the facts of climate change, and lack actions and strategies of initiative adaptation to climate change. At last, we proposed the strategies for nature reserves to adapt to climate change, including enhancing the monitoring on the impact of climate change, making scientific planning and designing for development of nature reserves, decreasing the pressure through sustainable development, and enhancing the scientific research and the investment to improve the ability of nature reserves to adapt to climate change.     

Favolaschia in remnants of the Atlantic Forest,Brazil

The examination of recent collections of Favolaschia from remnants of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, resulted in the identification of F. aurantiaca, F. cinnabarina and F. luteoaurantiaca sp. nov. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences obtained from these collections were introduced into the previously published phylogenetic tree of the genus to assess the position of these species within the Favolaschia clade. A maximum likelihood analysis generated a phylogenetic tree with a better resolution, especially for the clade that contains species belonging to section Favolaschia subsection Auriscalpium, where the three specimens collected in Brazil also were clustered in.     

The conservation value of unlogged and logged forests for native mammals on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Tropical forests across the world provide important habitats for a diverse number of conservation priority species, yet are under threat from a range of anthropogenic impacts including logging. This study aims to quantify mammalian biodiversity in unlogged and logged forests in the adjoining Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserves, Terengganu, on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Data was collected over a series of surveys using direct and indirect observation methods from 2008 to 2014. A total of 30 medium and large sized mammals species were identified, with 27 of those species found in unlogged forests and 22 species in logged forests. Carnivores encompassed 11 species from 67 observations representing 15% of the total number of observations. The family Felidae had the highest number of species (six species), followed by Hylobatidae, Cercopithecidae and Suidae with three species each. A total of 17 species contributed to more than 90% of the mammal community in the unlogged and logged forests, while six species were uncommon and only observed once during the entire survey. Species abundance in the unlogged forest was significantly greater than the logged forests, but the difference was not significant for species richness. This study provides critical baseline information on the impact of unlogged and logged forests and the identification of threatened species warrant the establishment of conservation measures such as anti-poaching patrol and ranger stations in the study area.     

Developing and testing alien species indicators for Europe

Alien species indicators provide vital information to the biodiversity policy sector on the status-quo and trends of biological invasions and on the efficacy of response measures. Applicable at different geographical scales and organizational levels, alien species indicators struggle with data availability and quality. Based on policy needs and previous work on the global scale, we here present a set of six alien species indicators for Europe, which capture complementary facets of biological invasions in Europe: (a) an combined index of invasion trends, (b) an indicator on pathways of invasions, (c) the Red List Index of Invasive Alien Species (IAS), (d) an indicator of IAS impacts on ecosystem services, (e) trends in incidence of livestock diseases and (f) an indicator on costs for alien species management and research. Each of these indicators has its particular strengths and shortcomings, but combined they allow for a nuanced understanding of the status and trends of biological invasions in Europe. We found that the scale and impact of biological invasions are steadily increasing across all impact indicators, although societal response in recent years has increased. The Red List Index is fit-for-purpose and demonstrates that overall extinction risks (here shown for amphibians in Europe) are increasing. Introduction pathway dynamics have changed, with some pathways decreasing in relevance (e.g., biological control agents) and others increasing (e.g., horticultural trade) providing a leverage for targeted policy and stakeholder response. The IAS indicators presented here for the first time on a continental basis serve as a starting point for future improvements, and as a basis for monitoring the efficacy of the recent EU legislation of IAS. This will need a better workflow for data collection and management. To achieve this, all main actors must work toward improving the interoperability among existing databases and between data holders.     

Vicariance and endemism in a Neotropical savanna hotspot: distribution patterns of Cerrado squamate reptiles

Aim To test predictions of the vicariance model, to define basic biogeographical units for Cerrado squamates, and to discuss previous biogeographical hypotheses. Location Cerrado; South American savannas south of the Amazon, extending across central Brazil, with marginal areas in Bolivia and Paraguay and isolated relictual enclaves in adjacent regions. Methods We compiled species occurrence records via field sampling and revision of museum specimens and taxonomic literature. All species were mapped according to georeferenced locality records, and classified as (1) endemic or non‐endemic, (2) typical of plateaus or depressions, and (3) typical of open or forested habitats. We tested predictions of the vicariance model using biotic element analysis, searching for non‐random clusters of species ranges. Spatial congruence of biotic elements was compared with putative areas of endemism revealed by sympatric restricted‐range species. Effects of topographical and vegetational mosaics on distribution patterns were studied according to species composition in biotic elements and areas of endemism. Results We recorded 267 Cerrado squamates, of which 103 (39%) are endemics, including 20 amphisbaenians (61% endemism), 32 lizards (42%) and 51 snakes (32%). Distribution patterns corroborated predictions of the vicariance model, revealing groups of species with significantly clustered ranges. An analysis of endemic species recovered seven biotic elements, corroborating results including non‐endemics. Sympatric restricted‐range taxa delimited 10 putative areas of endemism, largely coincident with core areas of biotic elements detected with endemic taxa. Distribution patterns were associated with major topographical and vegetational divisions of the Cerrado. Endemism prevailed in open, elevated plateaus, whereas faunal interchange, mostly associated with forest habitats, was more common in peripheral depressions. Main conclusions Our results indicate that vicariant speciation has strongly shaped Cerrado squamate diversity, in contrast to earlier studies emphasizing faunal interchange and low endemism in the Cerrado vertebrate fauna. Levels of squamate endemism are higher than in any other Cerrado vertebrate group. The high number of recovered endemics revealed previously undetected areas of evolutionary relevance, indicating that biogeographical patterns in the Cerrado were poorly represented in previous analyses. Although still largely undocumented, effects of vicariant speciation may be prevalent in a large fraction of Cerrado and Neotropical biodiversity.