Modelling spatial patterns of biodiversity for conservation prioritization in North-eastern Mexico

Relationships between spatial patterns of bird and mammal species richness in north‐eastern Mexico were analysed in relation to the location of three biosphere reserves (El Abra‐Tanchipa, El Cielo, and Sierra Gorda) and 13 priority areas recently identified for conservation. Ecological niches were modelled and potential distributions delimited for 285 bird and 114 mammal species using a genetic algorithm based on locality information from museum specimens and 15 selected environmental attributes. Potential distributions were transformed into hypothesized current distributions based on species–habitat associations as reflected in a recent land‐use map. Although species richness was lower when distributions were reduced from potential to current, spatial patterns of potential and current richness were similar. Heuristic, complementarity‐based prioritization procedures were used to identify combinations of areas and sites with maximal species representation: the biosphere reserves included 79% of birds and 74% of mammal species; eight priority areas provided an additional 11% of birds and 13% of mammals; the remaining 10% of birds and 13% of mammals were concentrated in new sites across the study area.     

Integrating species life-history traits and patterns of deforestation in amphibian conservation planning

Aim  To identify priority areas for amphibian conservation in southeastern Brazil, by integrating species life-history traits and patterns of deforestation.
Location  State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Methods  We used the software M arxan to evaluate different scenarios of amphibian conservation planning. Our approach differs from previous methods by explicitly including two different landscape metrics; habitat split for species with aquatic larvae, and habitat loss for species with terrestrial development. We evaluated the effect of habitat requirements by classifying species breeding habitats in five categories (flowing water, still water permanent, still water temporary, bromeliad or bamboo, and terrestrial). We performed analyses using two scales, grid cells and watersheds and also considered nature preserves as protected areas.
Results  We found contrasting patterns of deforestation between coastal and inland regions. Seventy-six grid cells and 14 watersheds are capable of representing each species at least once. When accounting for grid cells already protected in state and national parks and considering species habitat requirements we found 16 high-priority grid cells for species with one or two reproductive habitats, and only one cell representing species with four habitat requirements. Key areas for the conservation of species breeding in flowing and permanent still waters are concentrated in southern state, while those for amphibians breeding in temporary ponds are concentrated in central to eastern zones. Eastern highland zones are key areas for preserving species breeding terrestrially by direct or indirect development. Species breeding in bromeliads and bamboos are already well represented in protected areas.
Main conclusions  Our results emphasize the need to integrate information on landscape configuration and species life-history traits to produce more ecologically relevant conservation strategies.     

Bird conservation and biodiversity research in Mexico: status and priorities

Mexico has a megadiverse avifauna that includes many endemic elements, as well as rich sets of species ranging farther north or farther south in the Americas. This avifauna, nonetheless, has suffered considerable losses as a consequence of long‐term, intensive human activity across the landscape. We review what is known about the Mexican avifauna, specifically its diversity and endemism, and how that knowledge has and has not turned into effective conservation measures to assure the long‐term integrity of the avifauna.     

Phylogenetic dimension of tree communities reveals high conservation value of disturbed tropical rain forests

Aim

The conversion of old‐growth tropical forests into human‐modified landscapes threatens biodiversity worldwide, but its impact on the phylogenetic dimension of remaining communities is still poorly known. Negative and neutral responses of tree phylogenetic diversity to land use change have been reported at local and landscape scales. Here, we hypothesized that such variable responses to disturbance depend on the regional context, being stronger in more degraded rain forest regions with a longer history of land use.

Location

Six regions in Mexico and Brazil.

Methods

We used a large vegetation database (6,923 trees from 686 species) recorded in 98 50‐ha landscapes distributed across two Brazilian and four Mexican regions, which exhibit different degrees of disturbance. In each region, we assessed whether phylogenetic alpha and beta diversities were related to landscape‐scale forest loss, the percentage of shade‐intolerant species (a proxy of local disturbance) and/or the relatedness of decreasing (losers) and increasing (winners) taxa.

Results

Contrary to our expectations, the percentage of forest cover and shade‐intolerant species were weakly related to phylogenetic alpha and beta diversities in all but one region. Loser species were generally as dispersed across the phylogeny as winner species, allowing more degraded, deforested and species‐poorer forests to sustain relatively high levels of evolutionary (phylogenetic) diversity.

Main conclusion

Our findings support previous evidence indicating that traits related to high susceptibility to forest disturbances are convergent or have low phylogenetic signal. More importantly, they reveal that the evolutionary value of disturbed forests is (at least in a phylogenetic sense) much greater than previously thought.

     

Geographical gradients in the biodiversity of Chinese freshwater molluscs: Implications for conservation

Aim

Large ‐ scale diversity patterns are generated by different but not mutually exclusive mechanisms. However, understanding of multiple facets of diversity and their determinants in the freshwater realm remains limited. Here, we characterized the geographical gradients, hotspots and spatial congruence of three facets of freshwater molluscan diversity and evaluated the relative importance of three different underlying mechanisms related to the energy, area/environmental heterogeneity and dispersal/historical hypotheses.

Location

China.

Methods

Species richness (SR), functional richness (FR) and taxonomic distinctness (TD, a proxy of phylogenetic diversity) were calculated for 212 drainage basins with a total of 313 molluscan species. Spatial congruence between the diversity facets was evaluated with Pearson correlation coefficient and overlap among hotspots. Multiple linear regression models and variation partitioning were used to assess the relative importance of different mechanisms.

Results

Hotspots of SR and FR were mainly concentrated in the Yangtze River and Huai River basins, while high TD values were patchily distributed across China. We found extremely low spatial congruence between TD and both SR and FR, while there was relatively high concordance between SR and FR. All diversity facets were best explained by the dispersal/historical hypothesis with strong unique effects, followed by the factors related to the energy hypothesis. The area/ environmental heterogeneity hypothesis was only weakly supported.

Main conclusions

We found a potentially strong influence of dispersal limitation and evolutionary history on the geographical diversity gradients of Chinese molluscs. This finding contrasts with the general finding that energy‐related factors are the strongest correlates of diversity patterns at large spatial scales. Moreover, our results do not support the idea that using any one diversity component as a surrogate of the others in developing conservation strategies. Instead, an integrative approach embracing multiple facets of diversity should be adopted in the conservation of freshwater biodiversity.

     

Sacred groves of Manipur,northeast India:biodiversity value,status and strategies for their conservation

The people of Manipur, a state in northeast India, follow ancestral worship and animism in the form of deity worship, with the central focus on worship in forest patches. The beliefs and taboos associated with the Sylvan deities (Umanglais) in the forest patches are restricted to any sort of disturbance of flora and fauna. These social boundaries help to conserve the entire organism as a whole, which stand the concept of sacred groves. The pleasing of deities is performed every year by the Meiteis, a dominant community of Manipur, in honour of the deities and to gain their favour. Indigenous cultural and rituals practices of the local people in sacred groves serve as a tool for conserving biodiversity. Sacred groves are distributed over a wide ecosystem and help in conservation of rare and endemic species. Well-preserved sacred groves are store houses of valuable medicinal and other plants having high economic value, and serve as a refuge to threatened species. One hundred and sixty-six sacred groves were inventoried in Manipur valley that comprises Imphal east, Imphal west, Thoubal and Bishnupur districts of the state. Detailed studies were carried out in four selected sacred groves, to know the importance of biodiversity status and vegetation characteristics. A total of 173 plant species representing 145 genera under 70 families were recorded through baseline floristic survey. The species diversity indices were compared among the four studied groves. The vegetation composition and community characteristics were recorded. Ethnobotanical uses of species were examined, which reveal that 96% of the species were used as medicine for the treatment of various ailments. Utilization of herbal medicine by the Meiteis is closely related to the cultural and ritual practices. A few of the medicinal plants which have disappeared from the locality are now confined only to the groves. Socio-cultural aspects were investigated taking into account the attitudes of local people, which indicate social beliefs and taboo are eroding, simultaneously degrading the degree of protection of sacred groves. Therefore, conservation measures of sacred groves need to be formulated considering the factor of degradation and the basic necessities of the local people. Until and unless a viable option is provided to the local people (especially those who habitat nearby the adjoining areas) for sustaining their economic condition, no step for conservation of biodiversity will be successful.     

Floristic patterns of epiphytes in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest,a biodiversity hotspot

To assess the main factors driving epiphytic angiosperm distribution throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, we compiled 57 floristic surveys and analysed species composition under the influence of environmental variables, space and vegetation type using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), similarity (Sorensen) and Mantel's tests. The indicator value index (IndVal) was used to find indicator species of each Brazilian Atlantic Forest vegetation type. Group sharpness analysis was performed in order to determine the appropriate group partition level. CCA showed a separation of the epiphytic flora reflecting temperature and rainfall gradients. Mantel's test showed that environment and space were highly correlated with floristic similarity. Cluster analysis, indicating floristic similarity, resolved five groups, mainly grouped by region. Clear differentiation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest epiphytic flora on a north–south axis with a strong correlation with temperature and rainfall gradients was found. The role of space and environment on species composition varied according to distinct epiphytic species groups. In particular, for Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae, the main factor associated with floristic similarity was space. Indicator species were found for all vegetation types apart from the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest that seemed to represent a subset of a more humid forest type. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 179 , 587–601.     

Bioindicators of edge effects within Atlantic Forest remnants: Conservation implications in a threatened biodiversity hotspot

Aim

Deforestation of the Atlantic Forest of eastern Paraguay has been recent but extensive, resulting in a fragmented landscape highly influenced by forest edges. We examined edge effects on multiple dimensions of small mammalian diversity.

Location

Forest fragments of eastern Paraguayan Atlantic Forest.

Methods

We trapped small mammal species at different distances from the forest edge (DTE) in reserves and estimated multiple dimensions of diversity per site. Similarity analysis identified species clusters that best described the patterns of diversity across reserves. Multivariate ordination and linear mixed models were used to determine the influence of DTE on various dimensions of small mammal diversity.

Results

There was an increase in richness and abundance along a DTE gradient, and remnants with higher edge:area ratios showed higher richness and abundance, independent of remnant size. Species at edges were generalists, open-habitat species or exotic species (spillover effect). We found higher phylogenetic diversity and functional richness and divergence towards forest edges. Spillover of non-forest and invasive species best explained richness, generalist forest species best explained total abundance, abundance of Hylaeamys megacephalus best explained diversity and evenness metrics and the presence of Marmosa paraguayana best explained various phylogenetic diversity models. None of the models that included megafauna or social factors were shown to be important in explaining patterns as a function of DTE.

Main Conclusions

We found strong support for a spillover effect and mixed support for complementary resource use and enhanced habitat resources associated with ecotones. Generalists characterized edge assemblages but not all generalists were equivalent. Edges showed more phylogenetically and functionally distinct assemblages than the interior of remnants. There was a conservation of functional diversity; however, open-habitat species, habitat generalists and exotic species boosted diversity near forest edges. Mechanisms governing diversity along forest edges are complex; disentangling those mechanisms necessitates the use of multiple dimensions of diversity.     

云南楚雄彝族的“神树林”与生物多样性保护

所述的“神树林”是广泛意义上的概念,包括多种因文化信仰而保护的各种森林块.这些森林块不仅有多种的生态功能,也是村社水平生物多样性相对集中的地方.通过对云南楚雄彝族的“神树林”进行了广泛调查,取样比较了自然保护区、村社集体林和“神树林”3种不同管理模式下的森林群落的植物物种多样性,结果表明“神树林”群落的物种总数(67)、样方特有种(17)、Shannon-Wiener物种多样性指数(2.96)都显著高于自然保护区群落(分别为44、8、2.17)和集体林群落(分别为34、4、2.39),表明云南楚雄彝族的“神树林”在当地生物多样性保护和管理中有着不可低估的作用.     

Symbiotic nesting of birds with formidable animals: a review with applications to biodiversity conservation

Increased predation and parasitism of bird nests has become a major problem in many biological communities altered by human activities, often causing declines in bird populations. To help solve this threat to biodiversity, I propose restoring the abundance of symbiotic nest-protecting animals in habitats where birds face an increased risk from predators and parasites, so that birds there can increase their chances of reproductive success by nesting close to these protectors. The re-establishment of such protective nesting associations to increase avian reproductive success differs from other proposed solutions to this problem in that it involves point defense of bird nests themselves. Rather than diminishing the number of nest predators and brood parasites in the whole habitat or community, as proposed with other approaches, the presence, activity and success of these enemies are reduced only within the microhabitat defended by the protector. The animal protecting the nest need not be larger in size than the predators or brood parasites, and is often many times smaller. In addition, it need not be from a higher trophic position, and in many cases comes from the same or a lower trophic level. Research suggests that an informed and careful use of nest protecting animals by wildlife managers can help reverse or prevent the decline of many bird populations, especially when used in combination with other approaches such as restoration of top predator populations and habitats. Although wildlife biologists have long recognized the important role that plants play in concealing and protecting bird nests from enemies, and regularly recommend manipulation of vegetation to enhance nest survival, they have generally ignored the important role that formidable animals play in protecting bird nests, and failed to incorporate animal protectors into management strategies. Because of this neglect, a host of new studies and experiments are urgently needed to provide managers with the critical information needed to use protective nesting associations effectively in integrated strategies to preserve avian biodiversity.     

Genetic structure and conservation of Mountain Lions in the South-Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest

The Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems worldwide, is also among the most important hotspots as regards biodiversity. Through intensive logging, the initial area has been reduced to around 12% of its original size. In this study we investigated the genetic variability and structure of the mountain lion, Puma concolor. Using 18 microsatellite loci we analyzed evidence of allele dropout, null alleles and stuttering, calculated the number of allele/locus, PIC, observed and expected heterozygosity, linkage disequilibrium, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, F(IS), effective population size and genetic structure (MICROCHECKER, CERVUS, GENEPOP, FSTAT, ARLEQUIN, ONESAMP, LDNe, PCAGEN, GENECLASS software), we also determine whether there was evidence of a bottleneck (HYBRIDLAB, BOTTLENECK software) that might influence the future viability of the population in south Brazil. 106 alleles were identified, with the number of alleles/locus ranging from 2 to 11. Mean observed heterozygosity, mean number of alleles and polymorphism information content were 0.609, 5.89, and 0.6255, respectively. This population presented evidence of a recent bottleneck and loss of genetic variation. Persistent regional poaching constitutes an increasing in the extinction risk.     

Amphibian richness patterns in Atlantic Forest areas invaded by American bullfrogs

The relationship between invasion success and native biodiversity is central to biological invasion research. New theoretical and analytical approaches have revealed that spatial scale, land‐use factors and community assemblages are important predictors of the relationship between community diversity and invasibility and the negative effects of invasive species on community diversity. In this study we assess if the abundance of Lithobates catesbeianus, the American bullfrog, negatively affects the richness of native amphibian species in Atlantic Forest waterbodies in Brazil. Although this species has been invading Atlantic Forest areas since the 1930s, studies that estimate the invasion effects upon native species diversity are lacking. We developed a model to understand the impact of environmental, spatial and species composition gradients on the relationships between bullfrogs and native species richness. We found a weak positive relationship between bullfrog abundance and species richness in invaded areas. The path model revealed that this is an indirect relationship mediated by community composition gradients. Our results indicate that bullfrogs are more abundant in certain amphibian communities, which can be species‐rich. Local factors describing habitat heterogeneity were the main predictors of amphibian species richness and composition and bullfrog abundance. Our results reinforce the important role of habitats in determining both native species diversity and potential invasibility.     

云南楚雄彝族的"神树林"与生物多样性保护

所述的“神树林”是广泛意义上的的概念,包括多种因文化信仰面保护的各种森林块,这些森林块不仅有多种的生态功能,也是村社水平生物多样性相对集中的地方,通过对云南楚雄彝族的“神树林”进行了广泛调查,取样比较了自然保护区,村社集体林和“神树林”３种不同管理模式下的森林群落的植物物种多样性,结果表明“神树林”群落的物种总数的植物物种多样性,结果表明“神树林”群落的物种总数（６７）、样方特有种（１７）、Ｓｈａ     

Global pattern of phylogenetic species composition of shark and its conservation priority

The diversity of marine communities is in striking contrast with the diversity of terrestrial communities. In all oceans, species richness is low in tropical areas and high at latitudes between 20 and 40°. While species richness is a primary metric used in conservation and management strategies, it is important to take into account the complex phylogenetic patterns of species compositions within communities. We measured the phylogenetic skew and diversity of shark communities throughout the world. We found that shark communities in tropical seas were highly phylogenetically skewed, whereas temperate sea communities had phylogenetically diversified species compositions. Interestingly, although geographically distant from one another, tropical sea communities were all highly skewed toward requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae), hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae), and whale sharks (Rhincodon typus). Worldwide, the greatest phylogenetic evenness in terms of clades was found in the North Sea and coastal regions of countries in temperate zones, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, southern Australia, and Chile. This study is the first to examine patterns of phylogenetic diversity of shark communities on a global scale. Our findings suggest that when establishing conservation activities, it is important to take full account of phylogenetic patterns of species composition and not solely use species richness as a target. Protecting areas of high phylogenetic diversity in sharks, which were identified in this study, could form a broader strategy for protecting other threatened marine species.     

Freshwater fish biodiversity in the Yangtze River basin of China: patterns, threats and conservation

We synthesized information on freshwater fish biodiversity in the Yangtze River basin. We documented 361 species and subspecies that had been recorded and described from the basin. Of these, 177 species are endemic. The basin is usually divided into three parts, i.e. the upper reaches, the middle reaches and the lower reaches. This study indicated that the three reaches approach was not supported by fish distribution patterns. Hydrological alterations are perhaps the largest threat to fish biodiversity in the basin. Fishes in the upper reaches will be seriously affected by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and other dams, and action should be taken for priority conservation. The most immediate restoration need is reconnection of the Yangtze River with its lakes. The cluster of lakes in the Central Yangtze should be protected to maintain habitats for spawning, feeding and migration of migratory fishes. Our study indicates a need to identify areas of high fish biodiversity and to select nature reserves to mitigate the loss of fish biodiversity in the Yangtze River basin.