Pervasive threats within a protected area: conserving the endemic birds of São Tomé, West Africa

The importance of the rainforests on the island of São Tomé for biodiversity is well known. However, the area only recently received full legal protection as a National Park and currently few resources are available to enforce that legislation. With rapid economic development forecast for the island, active conservation efforts are essential. Here we study the distribution and density of the island's endemic bird species, including nine that are Globally Threatened, within the National Park. Sites, covering the full range of primary forest types, were surveyed using distance sampling methods. No introduced species were observed. The highest number of species, including eight Globally Threatened species, were found in lowland rainforest, although many were infrequently encountered. Higher altitude sites were less diverse, but supported some of the common endemic species at extremely high densities. The least diverse assemblage, with generally lower species population densities, occurred at the most accessible mid-altitude forest site. Distance from settlements was a key explanatory variable for the presence of all Globally Threatened species, indicating that human habitation has negative effects on the suitability of nearby forest habitats. This suggests that, as infrastructure improvements proceed, populations of endangered species will come under growing pressure. Integrating the needs of biodiversity conservation and development represents a major challenge for many biodiverse countries and on São Tomé, as elsewhere, may best be achieved by preserving the still intact functioning forest ecosystem.     

Large-scale habitat use of some declining British birds

1. Large-scale habitat use of eight species of breeding birds was considered using data collected across Britain. The species were skylark Alauda arvensis (L.), dunnock Prunella modularis (L.), blackbird Turdus merula (L.), song thrush Turdus philomelos (L.), starling Sturnus vulgaris (L.), linnet Carduelis cannabina (L.), bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula (L.) and reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus (L.). All are linked by roughly synchronous population declines over the last 25 years in southern Britain (and mostly in farmland landscapes). Discussion is limited to the conservation status of these species.
2. Breeding densities were estimated for broad habitat types and these were used to estimate population sizes within habitat types. Confidence limits on the estimates were derived using a bootstrap procedure.
3. For most species considered, farmland holds a high proportion of their population (in excess of 50% for four species), reflecting the predominance of this land use across Britain. This suggests that sympathetic changes in farming practices are likely to provide the best mechanism for improving the status of these species.
4. Substantial proportions of particular species occur outside farmland, but different species occur in different habitats. A considerable proportion of skylarks occur on upland moor, bullfinches in wooded habitats, and reed buntings in riparian habitats. Conservation of this group of species thus requires appropriate management of the wider countryside, including their main habitats.
5. Habitats associated with human habitation hold > 20% of the British populations of blackbird, song thrush and starling, and considerable numbers of other species. The management of parks, gardens and other 'green space' may have an important impact on their populations and should not be neglected by conservationists.     

Habitat availability,hunting or poaching: what affects distribution and density of large mammals in western Tanzanian woodlands?

Game reserves (GR) in Tanzania have been found to support similar or lower densities of large mammals compared with National parks (NP). But as these areas usually differ considerably not only in regard to management but also to environmental factors, we assessed the relative importance of vegetation cover, species‐specific habitat preferences and legal (trophy hunting) and illegal off‐take for observed differences in species‐specific densities. In the Katavi ecosystem, open habitats were characteristic elements of Katavi NP, while Rukwa GR was dominated by miombo forest. In an inter‐specific comparison, density differences were moderately correlated with preferences for open habitats, and with estimates of combined legal and illegal off‐take but not with one of these separately. In a multiple linear regression, open habitat preference was found to explain 39.6% of the density differences between the two protected areas. This analysis suggests that the broad‐scale pattern of most species’ distributions is governed by differing vegetation cover but that several species are overexploited by illegal (elephant, giraffe, buffalo, bush pig, warthog) or combined off‐take (hippopotamus, eland, waterbuck), thus emphasizing the need for quota readjustments and a more efficient anti‐poaching control.     

The role of native forest plantations in the conservation of Neotropical birds: the case of the Andean alder

The gradual increase in reforested areas worldwide, as a strategy for mitigating native forest loss, has stressed the need of assessing their real value as habitat for native species. Forest plantations, particularly those based on native species, could be valuable for conservation purposes, especially in heavily fragmented and disturbed ecosystems. We evaluated the value of a monoculture of a native tree species, the Andean alder (Alnus acuminata), for the conservation of avifauna in the Central Andes region, which is considered a bird species diversity hotspot but also suffers from high anthropogenic disturbance levels. Our results suggest that alder plantations are valuable for conservation from three points of view: (1) they have similar or greater bird species richness and abundance than secondary native forests; (2) low community similarities are found between this type of forest compared to secondary forest stands (with 27 species exclusive to alder plantations); and (3) three near threatened species (Odontophorus hyperythrus, Eriocnemis derbyi, and Cyanolyca viridicyanus). Further, 27 out of the 85 species found at the alder plantations were of least concern but showing decreasing population trends. While forest plantations do not replace native forests, they offer habitat for many bird species, some of them being of conservation concern (i.e., included in an IUCN threat category) or with decreasing populations. Hence establishing native species plantations among native forest remnants – especially in heavily fragmented landscapes – could have a positive effect in the conservation of threatened avifauna.     

Can we save Australia’s endangered wildlife by increasing species recognition?

Australia’s species extinction rate is one of the highest in the world. Yet, there is limited evidence regarding people’s recognition of, and preferences and support for, Australian endangered wildlife. This paper presents survey responses from 223 Zoos Victoria visitors (response rate: 39.1 %) and 90 community members (Victoria, Australia). We examined people’s top 10 overall (global) and Australian favourite animals, and conducted an in-depth exploration of recognition of, and preferences and support for, seven Australian endangered species identified as being at risk of extinction within the next decade, including: the leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri), eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii), helmeted honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops cassidix), southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree), Lord Howe Island (LHI) stick insect (Dryococelus australis), Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), and the orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster). Results indicate that the only Australian animals to feature in the overall top 10 favourite list were the kangaroo (ranked 9th for both sample groups) and koala (ranked 6th and 10th for the community and zoo sample, respectively). The Tasmanian devil had the highest rate of recognition (>86 %), in comparison to the remaining six species (1.2–7.3 % across both samples). Endangered species were not prominent in the top favourite Australian species. Australian endangered species’ likeability ratings typically followed the pattern of mammals being most likeable (Tasmanian devil and leadbeater’s possum), followed by birds, frogs, and insects (helmeted honeyeater, southern corroboree frog, and LHI stick insect). Importantly, for most endangered native species featured (4/7 and 6/7; zoo and community, respectively), simply being able to recognise species significantly (p <.05) increased people’s willingness to support their conservation. Findings underscore several powerful opportunities for future conservation programs to contribute to Australian endangered species conservation by striving to increase public familiarity with Australian species most at risk of extinction.     

云南被子植物蔷薇分支的进化历史研究

本文以云南被子植物蔷薇分支为研究对象,基于物种间的演化关系,结合其地理分布,从进化历史的角度探讨了物种、特有种、受威胁物种的种类组成及系统发育组成的分布格局,并整合自然保护地的空间分布,对生物多样性的重点保护区域进行识别。结果显示：云南被子植物蔷薇分支的物种密度与系统发育多样性、特有种密度、受威胁物种密度均呈显著正相关,云南南部和西北部是物种丰富度与系统发育多样性最为丰富的区域;就云南整体而言,蔷薇分支的标准化系统发育多样性较低;云南南部、东南部、西北部是蔷薇分支的重点保护区域。     

四川木里县木里河与水洛河流域鸟类资源变化调查

将2004年4~12月对木里县木里河、水洛河流域的鸟类调查结果与1928年美国博物学家约瑟夫.洛克(Joseph F Rock)在该区域内的鸟类调查记录比较,结果表明:①2004年调查的种类为123种,少于1928年调查记录139种,而且2004年调查的时间更长;②2004年调查鸟类群落的多样性指数和均匀度都小于1928年;③2004年调查鸟类的优势种有5种,常见种12种,主要为农耕-民居生境鸟类,1928年没有优势种,常见种有35种,主要为森林-灌丛生境鸟类;④鸟类区系构成没有产生大的变化。优势类群变化的主要原因是海拔3000m以下森林和灌丛生境受到干扰,蜕变为农耕地-民居生境,该区域的生境与1928年相比,已受到了破坏。