Biogeography, current knowledge and conservation of threatened vascular plants characteristic of Mexican temperate forests

The main goal of this study is to document the biogeographical patterns, current status and conservation of 24 species of vascular plants in Mexico, all of them recorded in some risk category in the Mexican official publication named ‘Norma Oficial Mexicana 059’ (NOM-059) and some of them in the IUCN red lists (the World Conservation Union) and CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species); many of these species are linked to Mexican cloud forests and other temperate vegetation types. Distribution maps of these 24 species were generated with information obtained from specialized literature, herbarium specimens, institutional databases, and field work; with this information, the patterns of richness and endemism of these species were obtained. For this, the Mexican territory was divided using a grid system based on a chart index (scale 1:50,000 system composed by grids of 15' × 20'). Also, we up to date the knowledge of these species and their populations and current habitats, and evaluate their geographic distribution in relation to the current Mexican National Parks and Reserves System and Mexican Priority Regions for Conservation. We also discuss some changes of categories in the NOM-059 and suggest the urgent incorporation of some of the species in the recent IUCN Red Data List of Threatened Species (2003). Most of the species studied require special policies for their conservation due to problems that affect their natural populations; also we consider that these taxa are underrepresented in the current Mexican System of Natural Protected Areas, especially those with restricted distributions.     

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.     

广州市植物多样性现状调查与分析

为摸清广州市植物资源状况及生态环境变化动态,对广州市的维管植物和生物多样性热点区域的植被群落进行了调查和比较分析.在种类方面,共记录到广州市维管植物230科1362属3508种,其中石松类和蕨类植物25科78属174种,裸子植物8科20属34种,被子植物197科1264属3300种;属于国家重点保护野生植物的有20种,...     

三峡库区两种特有植物天然生境与迁地生境土壤特征的比较

对库区特有的濒危植物荷叶铁线蕨、疏花水柏枝天然生境和迁地保护区生境及其土壤性质进行了调查分析和比较,结果表明：荷叶铁线蕨适宜于温暖湿润且排水良好的条件下发育的酸性淋溶土,养分含量高,多为粘土。疏花水柏枝适宜于亚热气候下弱碱性、养分含量低的冲积性砂砾质初育土、能耐一定程度的盐分。中国科学院武汉植物研究所内的迁地保护区土壤为湖滨沉积物上发育的中性粘土、主要养分和盐分含量介于两种天然生境土壤之间。微量元     

The Western Ordos Plateau as a Biodiversity Center of Relic Shrubs in Arid Areas of China

The western Ordos plateau in the central-north of China is abundant in relic shrub species. Totally 54 shrub species belonging to 31 genera in 16 families are found in 10 desert shrub communities,including 10 local endemic species, five relic shrub species, and seven threatened species defined by the China Red Data Book. The percentage of the threatened shrub species to the total is as high as 12.9%, much greater than the national average (3.5%). Although a National Natural Reserve has been established since 1998 in the western Ordos plateau, the exploitation of mining resources continues to expand at a significant biological cost. Given the circumstances, future conservation efforts should focus on (1) removing coking and cement facilities from the reserve; (2) defining the boundaries of the Western Ordos National Natural Reserve encompassing all habitats where these shrub species occur; (3) implementing comprehensive plans coupling conservation with economic development; (4) enforcing ecological restoration after mining; and (5)␣establishing comprehensive population monitoring systems and promoting ex situ conservation. In addition, two local endemic relic species (Tetraena mongolica and Helianthemum ordosicum), which were defined as rare species in the second conservation priority by the China Red Data Book, should be considered as endangered species in the first conservation priority rank due to the extremely restricted distribution ranges, extremely scarce populations and more prominently, the currently increasing human disturbances caused by mining and urbanization in the core conservation area of the western Ordos plateau.     

红雪茶基源种的鉴定及资源分布

本研究通过对红雪茶基源种进行考证,并结合品种鉴定及野外生态调查,结果表明,红雪茶的基源种应为金丝刷（Lethariella cladonioides）和金丝带（L.zahlbruckneri）,在这两个种群内,存在化学多态现象。市售的“红雪茶”主要由这两个种的四个化学宗所组成。红雪茶的分布中心主要在藏东南,滇西北及川西地区,目前红雪茶的资源已经受到了极大的破坏,日渐濒危。为加强对野生红雪茶资源的有效保护,提出了开展红雪茶种质资源保护的建议。     

Endangered fishes and economics: intergenerational obligations

Synopsis The diversity of fishes is declining worldwide, largely as the result of habitat alterations created by decisions that foster short-term economic gain. While the best arguments for preserving endangered fishes and ecosystems are non-economic arguments, they have been relatively ineffective. Therefore, it is necessary to provide economic arguments as well. Fish in general have high market values and are a vital source of protein for humans but these values have contributed more to their decline than to their conservation. Fish also have high value as indicators of the health of ecosystems which provide many services to humans, such as clean water. This has not prevented the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, although the value of fisheries has occasionally justified ecosystem protection. Existence values have been developed as a way of putting an economic value on some of the less tangible aspects of fish and ecosystems but they also make it possible to justify extinctions. If the continuous increase in the number of endangered fishes and aquatic ecosystems is to be halted, then the economic costs of environmental degradation to future generations must be included as part of the cost of doing business today (intergenerational value). Political action is needed to protect fishes and aquatic habitats against the day when more benign economic and philosophical systems become predominant.Invited essay     

木兰科濒危植物华盖木的生境脆弱性

华盖木(Manglietiastrum sinicum Law)为原始类群木兰科单种属植物,仅残存7株于中国三大特有中心之一的滇东南古特有中心的文山国家级自然保护区。对其生境条件,更新能力等的研究表明华盖木外围生境恶化,周边喀斯特型土壤利用过度,形成“孤岛”,使靠鸟类传播的华盖木失去了向四周扩散的机会,种子难于萌发生长,生存条件受到严重威胁。同时通过对华盖木的濒危机制及生境脆弱性探讨,提出了保护建议和措施。     

湖北珍稀危植物保存现状及对今后开展研究的建议

本文在《国家重点保护植物名录》的基础上,提出了湖北地区有关保护植物的种类和分布,并以植物园和自然保护区为重点,调查了湖北珍稀危植物的保存现状和存在问题,提出了今后开展研究工作的建议。     

Plants that protect ecosystems: a survey from California

State and federal endangered species laws allow the protection ofcritical habitat for listed plant taxa. In the case of extreme ecologicalspecialists with restricted geographic distributions, significant proportions ofunusual ecosystems could thus be afforded protection as a byproduct of listingand subsequent restrictions on land use or management practices. This studysurveyed federally and state-listed plants to determine: (1) which taxaconserved a significant proportion of a distinctive ecosystem, (2) which taxaprovided a protective, regulatory 'umbrella' to unlisted rare orrestricted plants and animals, and (3) the taxonomic, life history or othercharacteristics correlated with the greatest secondary benefits. Protection of'whole' ecosystems was uncommon among listed taxa, but the relativedegree of protection depended on critical delineation of boundaries. The numberof associated, but unlisted taxa was considerable in some cases. In general,taxonomic distinctiveness and non-biological factors generated the greatestsecondary effects. Management and monitoring problems prevent the assessment ofwhether such single-species approaches can effectively conserve ecosystems.     

BioBanking: an environmental scientist’s view of the role of biodiversity banking offsets in conservation

Offsets, first formalised in the United States of America in the 1970s for wetland mitigation, are now widely used globally with the aim to mitigate loss of biodiversity due to development. Embracing biodiversity offsets is one method of governments to meet their commitments under the Millennium Development Goals and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Resource extraction companies see them as a method of gaining access to land, while the community may perceive them as a way of enhancing environmental outcomes. In New South Wales, Australia, BioBanking legislation was introduced in late 2006 with the aim of ‘no net loss’ of biodiversity associated with development, particularly expanding urban and coastal development. The strengths of the legislation are that it aims to enhance threatened species conservation, and raise the profile of conservation of threatened species and habitats. Weaknesses include (1) the narrowness of the definition of biodiversity; (2) the concepts are based on a flawed logic and immature, imprecise and complex science which results in difficulties in determining biodiversity values; (3) likely problems with management and compliance; and (4) an overall lack of resources for implementation and long-term monitoring. It is concluded that the legislation is a concerted effort to deal with biodiversity loss, however, stakeholders have concerns with the process, and it is unworkable with the complexity of such ecosystems (compared for example to carbon credit trading), and underdeveloped disciplines such as restoration biology and ecology. Despite these criticisms, there is a need for all stakeholders to work to improve the outcomes.     

Using phylogenetic, genetic and demographic evidence for setting conservation priorities for Mexican rare pines

Phylogenetic, genetic and demographic information are key issues for establishing priorities for conservation. In this study we explored the Vane-Wrigth measure of phylogenetic diversity for establishing criteria for conservation, when intra as well as interpopulation level demographic (population size) and genetic (heterozygosity, inbreeding and genetic distances among populations) parameters are taken into consideration. The data were standardized and analyzed independently and integratively enabling the calculation of indices or criteria for conservation priorities. We illustrate the application of this approach in populations of four Mexican pine species that have been considered rare and endangered, Pinus rzedowzkii, P. pinceana, P. lagunae and P. muricata. The application of several independent diversity indices did not allow us to resolve prioritization. However, the integration of all indices generated different values of importance to conservation, and suggested that the populations with the highest priorities for conservation are: two for Pinus rzedowskii, P. pinceana, and P. lagunae, and one for P. muricata. These populations have intermediate sizes, are the most divergent in the phylogeny and contain genetic variation that is representative of the gene pool of each species. Finally, we demonstrated the functionality of some genetic and demographic parameters; the genetic structure, recruitment rate, geographic distribution and demographic stochasticity, as complementary indicators for evaluating the conservation priority among populations and species.     

Contrasting effects of herbivory on plant size and reproductive performance in two populations of the Critically Endangered species,Euphorbia clivicola R. A. Dyer

Euphorbia clivicola R.A. Dyer is a Critically Endangered Northern Province endemic confined to two populations that have declined drastically over the last decade. One population is protected within a Nature Reserve, while the other occurs in a peri-urban area. In order to determine the causes of the population declines, herbivory damage to plants in both the protected and urban populations was quantified and the effects of herbivory on various aspects of the population biology were assessed. Mountain reedbuck are believed to have been responsible for the herbivory in the protected population. Herbivory on the above-ground branches probably caused the small sizes of protected plants. These were on average less than half the size of urban plants. Herbivory caused a reduction in the number of flowers and fruit produced per protected plant and may have prevented the maturation of flowers into fruit, thereby reducing the total regenerative output of the population. An eight-year absence of fire had resulted in the build-up of a dense moribund grass layer. The selection of E. clivicola plants by mountain reedbuck may therefore have been due to their relatively high nutritional value and accessibility in the thick moribund grass layer. Fencing off the population to prevent entry of herbivores, and implementing a more suitable fire management programme is recommended, as is the adoption of a new IUCN status for the species of Critically Endangered (CR A1).     

Habitat stability and the larval mosquito community in treeholes and other containers on a temperate Island

The temporal fluctuation of water levels and the presence of mosquito larvae were investigated for four types of small container habitats (treeholes, bamboo stumps, cemetery stone vases, and cemetery stone vessels) on Kabeshima Island in Kyushu, southwestern Japan. The probability that containers held water was positively correlated with the quantity of the preceding rainfall and with the depth and volume of the containers. It was estimated that dehydration occurred more regularly in autumn and winter than in summer. The probability that mosquito larvae were present in each type of container was positively correlated with habitat stability in terms of the probability of the existence of standing water and the coefficient of variation of the water level. Twelve species of mosquito larvae, including two rare predators, were found. Species composition differed between the different types of container. Although 4 to 10 species used each type of container, the median number of species per container was two for treeholes and bamboo stumps, and one for the others. The dominant species wasTripteroides bambusa in treeholes and bamboo stumps,Aedes albopictus in stone vases, andA. japonicus in stone vessels. The larval mosquito community, which lacked major predators, possessed the following features that may facilitate the coexistence of many species: (1) niche segregation amongst species in terms of their selection of container types; (2) an aggregated distribution of the individual species among containers of the same type; (3) high intraspecific mean crowding (and hence probably intense intraspecific competition) in the dominant species in each type of container; (4) independent species associations within the same type of container; and (5) low interspecific mean crowding (and hence probablynot intense interspecific competition) between species in the same type of container.     

A euryhaline fish,lost in the desert: The unexpected metapopulation structure of Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) in the Sebkha of Imlili

Euryhaline Cichlid fish of the species Coptodon guineensis are present in different water holes situated in a dried depression in the desert in the extreme South of Morocco, the Sebkha of Imlili. A genetic survey of this population, using complete sequences of the ND2 gene (mtDNA) and sixteen microsatellite loci, revealed that the fish in the sebkha did not form a single population, but rather a metapopulation. This metapopulational structure may be regarded as good news from the point of view of the conservation of fish in the sebkha. Although small individual populations may have short, finite life spans, the metapopulation as a whole is more stable, because immigrants from one population are likely to re-colonize the habitat, left open by the extinction of another.