Identifying high‐density areas of oysters using species distribution modeling: Lessons for conservation of the native Ostrea edulis and management of the invasive Magallana (Crassostrea) gigas in Sweden

AimUnderstanding spatial patterns of the distribution of adult native oyster, Ostrea edulis, and the invasive Magallana (Crassostrea) gigas is important for management of these populations. The aim of this study was to use ensemble SDM’s to (a) identify and predict conservation hotspots, (b) assess the current level of protection for O. edulis, and (c) quantify the amount of overlap between the two species where interactions with M. gigas are most likely.LocationSkagerrak, Sweden.MethodsWe used data collected by video at depths from 0.5 to 10 m in 436 sites. Models of occurrence and densities >1 m⁻² were fitted and assessed using ensemble methods (“biomod2” package). Models of high‐density hotspots were used to predict, map, and quantify areal extent of the species in order to assess the degree of overlap with protected areas and the potential for interactions between the two species.ResultsBoth species were widely distributed in the region. Observations of high‐density habitats, mainly occurring at depths of ≈3 and 0.5 m for O. edulis and M. gigas, respectively, were found in 4% and 2% of the sites. Models provided useful predictions for both species (AUC = 0.85–0.99; sensitivity = 0.74–1.0; specificity = 0.72–0.97). High‐density areas occupy roughly 15 km² each with substantial overlap between species. 50% of these are protected only by fisheries regulations, 44% are found in Natura 2000 reserves and 6% of the predicted O. edulis enjoys protection in a national park.Main conclusionsData collection by video in combination with SDM’s provides a realistic approach for large‐scale quantification of spatial patterns of marine population and habitats. O. edulis and M. gigas are common in the area, but a large proportion of the most valuable O. edulis habitats are not found in protected areas. The overlap between species suggests that efforts to manage the invasive M. gigas need to be integrated with management actions to conserve the native O. edulis.     

Description of Phradonoma blabolili sp. n. (Coleoptera,Dermestidae, Megatominae), with notes on the dermestid beetles from Angola

Phradonoma blabolili sp. n. from Angola is described and illustrated. Key to the Afrotropical “Phradonoma nobile species group” to which the newly described species belongs, as well as key to genera of dermestid beetles occurring in Angola is given. List of all species of Dermestidae known to occur in Angola hitherto is provided.     

Defining distribution and habitat use of west‐central Florida’s coastal sharks through a research and education program

Identifying critical habitat for highly mobile species such as sharks is difficult, but essential for effective management and conservation. In regions where baseline data are lacking, non‐traditional data sources have the potential to increase observational capacity for species distribution and habitat studies. In this study, a research and education organization conducted a 5‐year (2013–2018) survey of shark populations in the coastal waters of west‐central Florida, an area where a diverse shark assemblage has been observed but no formal population analyses have been conducted. The objectives of this study were to use boosted regression tree (BRT) modeling to quantify environmental factors impacting the distribution of the shark assemblage, create species distribution maps from the model outputs, and identify spatially explicit hot spots of high shark abundance. A total of 1036 sharks were captured, encompassing eleven species. Abundance hot spots for four species and for immature sharks (collectively) were most often located in areas designated as “No Internal Combustion Engine” zones and seagrass bottom cover, suggesting these environments may be fostering more diverse and abundant populations. The BRT models were fitted for immature sharks and five species where n > 100: the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum), blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus), blacknose shark (C. acronotus), Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), and bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo). Capture data were paired with environmental variables: depth (m), sea surface temperature (°C), surface, middle, and bottom salinity (psu), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), and bottom type (seagrass, artificial reef, or sand). Depth, temperature, and bottom type were most frequently identified as predictors with the greatest marginal effect on shark distribution, underscoring the importance of nearshore seagrass and barrier island habitats to the shark assemblage in this region. This approach demonstrates the potential contribution of unconventional science to effective management and conservation of coastal sharks.     

Differences in the occurrence and abundance of batoids across an oceanic archipelago using complementary data sources: Implications for conservation

Batoids, distributed from shallow to abyssal depths, are considerably vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. Data deficiencies on the distribution patterns of batoids, however, challenge their effective management and conservation. In this study, we took advantage of the particular geological and geomorphological configuration of the Canary Islands, across an east‐to‐west gradient in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, to assess whether patterns in the occurrence and abundance of batoids varied between groups of islands (western, central, and eastern). Data were collected from shallow (<40 m, via underwater visual counts and by a local community science program) and deep waters (60–700 m, via ROV deployments). Eleven species of batoids, assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, were registered, including three “Critically Endangered” (Aetomylaeus bovinus, Dipturus batis, and Myliobatis aquila), three “Endangered” (Gymnura altavela, Mobula mobular, and Rostroraja alba), two “Vulnerable” (Dasyatis pastinaca and Raja maderenseis), and two “Data Deficient” (Taeniurops grabata and Torpedo marmorata). Also, a “Least Concern” species (Bathytoshia lata) was observed. Overall, batoids were ~1 to 2 orders of magnitude more abundant in the central and eastern islands, relative to the western islands. This pattern was consistent among the three sources of data and for both shallow and deep waters. This study, therefore, shows differences in the abundance of batoids across an oceanic archipelago, likely related to varying insular shelf area, availability of habitats, and proximity to the nearby continental (African) mass. Large variation in population abundances among islands suggests that “whole” archipelago management strategies are unlikely to provide adequate conservation. Instead, management plans should be adjusted individually per island and complemented with focused research to fill data gaps on the spatial use and movements of these iconic species.     

Habitat selection of an endangered primate,the samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi): Integrating scales to prioritize habitat for wildlife management

AimAs habitat loss continues to accelerate with global human population growth, identifying landscape characteristics that influence species occurrence is a key conservation priority in order to prevent global biodiversity loss. In South Africa, the arboreal samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis sp.) is threatened due to loss and fragmentation of the indigenous forests it inhabits. The aim of this study was to determine the habitat preferences of the samango monkey at different spatial scales, and to identify key conservation areas to inform management plans for this species.LocationThis study was carried out in the western Soutpansberg Mountains, which represents the northernmost population of samango monkeys within South Africa, and the only endangered subspecies (C. a. schwarzi).MethodsWe used sequentially collected GPS points from two samango monkey groups followed between 2012 and 2017 to quantify the used and available habitat for this species within the western Soutpansberg Mountains. We developed 2nd‐order (selection of ranging area), 3rd‐order (selection within range), and 4th‐order (feeding site selection) resource selection functions (RSFs) to identify important habitat features at each scale. Through scale integration, we identified three key conservation areas for samango monkeys across Limpopo Province, South Africa.ResultsHabitat productivity was the most important landscape variable predicting probability of use at each order of selection, indicating the dependence of these arboreal primates on tall‐canopy indigenous forests. Critical habitat across Limpopo was highly fragmented, meaning complete isolation between subpopulations is likely.Main conclusionsUnderstanding the habitat characteristics that influence samango monkey distribution across South Africa is crucial for prioritizing critical habitat for this species. Our results indicated that large, contiguous patches of tall‐canopy indigenous forest are fundamental to samango monkey persistence. As such, protected area expansion of large forest patches and creation of forest corridors are identified as key conservation interventions for this species.     

Using Africa's protected area network to estimate the global population of a threatened and declining species: a case study of the Critically Endangered White‐headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis

The White‐headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis (WhV) is uncommon and largely restricted to protected areas across its range in sub‐Saharan Africa. We used the World Database on Protected Areas to identify protected areas (PAs) likely to contain White‐headed Vultures. Vulture occurrence on road transects in Southern, East, and West Africa was adjusted to nests per km² using data from areas with known numbers of nests and corresponding road transect data. Nest density was used to calculate the number of WhV nests within identified PAs and from there extrapolated to estimate the global population. Across a fragmented range, 400 PAs are estimated to contain 1893 WhV nests. Eastern Africa is estimated to contain 721 nests, Central Africa 548 nests, Southern Africa 468 nests, and West Africa 156 nests. Including immature and nonbreeding birds, and accounting for data deficient PAs, the estimated global population is 5475 ‐ 5493 birds. The identified distribution highlights are alarming: over 78% (n = 313) of identified PAs contain fewer than five nests. A further 17% (n = 68) of PAs contain 5 ‐ 20 nests and 4% (n = 14) of identified PAs are estimated to contain >20 nests. Just 1% (n = 5) of PAs are estimated to contain >40 nests; none is located in West Africa. Whilst ranging behavior of WhVs is currently unknown, 35% of PAs large enough to hold >20 nests are isolated by more than 100 km from other PAs. Spatially discrete and unpredictable mortality events such as poisoning pose major threats to small localized vulture populations and will accelerate ongoing local extinctions. Apart from reducing the threat of poisoning events, conservation actions promoting linkages between protected areas should be pursued. Identifying potential areas for assisted re‐establishment via translocation offers the potential to expand the range of this species and alleviate risk.     

Natural and Anthropogenic Hybridization in Two Species of Eastern Brazilian Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus and C. penicillata)

Animal hybridization is well documented, but evolutionary outcomes and conservation priorities often differ for natural and anthropogenic hybrids. Among primates, an order with many endangered species, the two contexts can be hard to disentangle from one another, which carries important conservation implications. Callithrix marmosets give us a unique glimpse of genetic hybridization effects under distinct natural and human-induced contexts. Here, we use a 44 autosomal microsatellite marker panel to examine genome-wide admixture levels and introgression at a natural C. jacchus and C. penicillata species border along the São Francisco River in NE Brazil and in an area of Rio de Janeiro state where humans introduced these species exotically. Additionally, we describe for the first time autosomal genetic diversity in wild C. penicillata and expand previous C. jacchus genetic data. We characterize admixture within the natural zone as bimodal where hybrid ancestry is biased toward one parental species or the other. We also show evidence that São Francisco River islands are gateways for bidirectional gene flow across the species border. In the anthropogenic zone, marmosets essentially form a hybrid swarm with intermediate levels of admixture, likely from the absence of strong physical barriers to interspecific breeding. Our data show that while hybridization can occur naturally, the presence of physical, even if leaky, barriers to hybridization is important for maintaining species genetic integrity. Thus, we suggest further study of hybridization under different contexts to set well informed conservation guidelines for hybrid populations that often fit somewhere between “natural” and “man-made.”     

The collection and database of Birds of Angola hosted at IICT (Instituto de Investiga??o Científica Tropical), Lisboa,Portugal

The bird collection of the Instituto de Investigação Cientítica Tropical (Lisbon, Portugal) holds 5598 preserved specimens (skins), mainly from Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Principe, and Cape Verde. The subset collection from Angola includes 1560 specimens, which were taxonomically revised and georeferenced for the publication of this data paper. The collection contains a total of 522 taxa, including 161 species and 361 subspecies. Two species are classified by the IUCN Red List as Endangered - the wattled crane (Grus carunculata) and the Gabela bush-shrike (Laniarius amboimensis) - and two are classified as vulnerable - African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) and the white-headed vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis). The temporal span of the database ranges between 1943 and 1979, but 32% are from years 1958–1959, and 25% from years 1968–1969. The spatial coverage of the collection is uneven, with 2/3 of the records representing only four of the eighteen provinces of the country, namely Huíla, Moxico, Namibe and Cuanza Sul. It adds, however, valuable information for the Huíla area of the Angolan Scarp, which is probably a biodiversity hotspot of global conservation priority. Furthermore, this georeferenced database adds invaluable bird information to the GBIF network, for one of the countries with highest but less known biodiversity in Africa.     

Monitoring Rarity: The Critically Endangered Saharan Cheetah as a Flagship Species for a Threatened Ecosystem

Deserts are particularly vulnerable to human impacts and have already suffered a substantial loss of biodiversity. In harsh and variable desert environments, large herbivores typically occur at low densities, and their large carnivore predators occur at even lower densities. The continued survival of large carnivores is key to healthy functioning desert ecosystems, and the ability to gather reliable information on these rare low density species, including presence, abundance and density, is critical to their monitoring and management. Here we test camera trap methodologies as a monitoring tool for an extremely rare wide-ranging large felid, the critically endangered Saharan cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki). Two camera trapping surveys were carried out over 2–3 months across a 2,551km² grid in the Ti-n-hağğen region in the Ahaggar Cultural Park, south central Algeria. A total of 32 records of Saharan cheetah were obtained. We show the behaviour and ecology of the Saharan cheetah is severely constrained by the harsh desert environment, leading them to be more nocturnal, be more wide-ranging, and occur at lower densities relative to cheetah in savannah environments. Density estimates ranged from 0.21–0.55/1,000km², some of the lowest large carnivore densities ever recorded in Africa, and average home range size over 2–3 months was estimated at 1,583km². We use our results to predict that, in order to detect presence of cheetah with p>0.95 a survey effort of at least 1,000 camera trap days is required. Our study identifies the Ahaggar Cultural Park as a key area for the conservation of the Saharan cheetah. The Saharan cheetah meets the requirements for a charismatic flagship species that can be used to “market” the Saharan landscape at a sufficiently large scale to help reverse the historical neglect of threatened Saharan ecosystems.     

West Africa - A Safe Haven for Frogs? A Sub-Continental Assessment of the Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)

A putative driver of global amphibian decline is the panzootic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). While Bd has been documented across continental Africa, its distribution in West Africa remains ambiguous. We tested 793 West African amphibians (one caecilian and 61 anuran species) for the presence of Bd. The samples originated from seven West African countries - Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d''Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone - and were collected from a variety of habitats, ranging from lowland rainforests to montane forests, montane grasslands to humid and dry lowland savannahs. The species investigated comprised various life-history strategies, but we focused particularly on aquatic and riparian species. We used diagnostic PCR to screen 656 specimen swabs and histology to analyse 137 specimen toe tips. All samples tested negative for Bd, including a widespread habitat generalist Hoplobatrachus occipitalis which is intensively traded on the West African food market and thus could be a potential dispersal agent for Bd. Continental fine-grained (30 arc seconds) environmental niche models suggest that Bd should have a broad distribution across West Africa that includes most of the regions and habitats that we surveyed. The surprising apparent absence of Bd in West Africa indicates that the Dahomey Gap may have acted as a natural barrier. Herein we highlight the importance of this Bd-free region of the African continent - especially for the long-term conservation of several threatened species depending on fast flowing forest streams (Conraua alleni (“Vulnerable”) and Petropedetes natator (“Near Threatened”)) as well as the “Critically Endangered” viviparous toad endemic to the montane grasslands of Mount Nimba (Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis).     

Relating macrofungal diversity and forest characteristics in boreal forests in China: Conservation effects,inter‐forest‐type variations,and association decoupling

QuestionHow conservation and forest type affect macrofungal compositional diversity is not well understood. Even less is known about macrofungal associations with plants, soils, and geoclimatic conditions.LocationSouthern edge of boreal forest distribution in China, named as Huzhong Nature Reserve.MethodsWe surveyed a total of 72 plots for recording macrofungi, plants, and topography in 2015 and measured soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and bulk density. Effects of conservation and forest types on macrofungi and plants were compared, and their associations were decoupled by structural equation modeling (SEM) and redundancy ordination (RDA).ResultsConservation and forest type largely shaped macrofungal diversity. Most of the macrofungal traits declined with the conservation intensities or peaked at the middle conservation region. Similarly, 91% of macrofungal traits declined or peaked in the middle succession stage of birch‐larch forests. Forest conservation resulted in the observation of sparse, larch‐dominant, larger tree forests. Moreover, the soil outside the Reserve had more water, higher fertility, and lower bulk density, showing miscellaneous wood forest preference. There is a complex association between conservation site characteristics, soils, plants, and macrofungi. Variation partitioning showed that soil N was the top‐one factor explaining the macrofungal variations (10%). As shown in SEM coefficients, conservation effect to macrofungi (1.1–1.2, p < .05) was like those from soils (1.2–1.6, p < .05), but much larger than the effect from plants (0.01–0.14, p > .10). For all tested macrofungal traits, 89%–97% of their variations were from soils, and 5%–21% were from conservation measures, while plants compensated 1%–10% of these effects. Our survey found a total of 207 macrofungal species, and 65 of them are new updates in this Reserve, indicating data shortage for the macrofungi list here.ConclusionOur findings provide new data for the joint conservation of macrofungi and plant communities, highlighting the crucial importance of soil matrix for macrofungal conservation in boreal forests.     

Plastid genomes reveal evolutionary shifts in elevational range and flowering time of Osmanthus (Oleaceae)

Species of Osmanthus are economically important ornamental trees, yet information regarding their plastid genomes (plastomes) have rarely been reported, thus hindering taxonomic and evolutionary studies of this small but enigmatic genus. Here, we performed comparative genomics and evolutionary analyses on plastomes of 16 of the 28 currently accepted species, with 11 plastomes newly sequenced. Phylogenetic studies identified four main lineages within the genus that are here designated the: “Caucasian Osmanthus” (corresponding to O. decorus), “Siphosmanthus” (corresponding to O. sect. Siphosmanthus), “O. serrulatus + O. yunnanensis,” and “Core Osmanthus: (corresponding to O. sect. Osmanthus + O. sect. Linocieroides). Molecular clock analysis suggested that Osmanthus split from its sister clade c. 15.83 Ma. The estimated crown ages of the lineages were the following: genus Osmanthus at 12.66 Ma; “Siphosmanthus” clade at 5.85 Ma; “O. serrulatus + O. yunnanensis” at 4.89 Ma; and “Core Osmanthus: clade at 6.2 Ma. Ancestral state reconstructions and trait mapping showed that ancestors of Osmanthus were spring flowering and originated at lower elevations. Phylogenetic principal component analysis clearly distinguished spring‐flowering species from autumn‐flowering species, suggesting that flowering time differentiation is related to the difference in ecological niches. Nucleotide substitution rates of 80 common genes showed slow evolutionary pace and low nucleotide variations, all genes being subjected to purifying selection.     

Dominating Role of an Unusual Magnetotactic Bacterium in the Microaerobic Zone of a Freshwater Sediment

A combination of polymerase chain reaction-assisted rRNA sequence retrieval and fluorescent oligonucleotide probing was used to identify in situ a hitherto unculturable, big, magnetotactic, rod-shaped organism in freshwater sediment samples collected from Lake Chiemsee. Tentatively named “Magnetobacterium bavaricum,” this bacterium is evolutionarily distant from all other phylogenetically characterized magnetotactic bacteria and contains unusually high numbers of magnetosomes (up to 1,000 magnetosomes per cell). The spatial distribution in the sediment was studied, and up to 7 × 10⁵ active cells per cm³ were found in the microaerobic zone. Considering its average volume (25.8 ± 4.1 μm³) and relative abundance (0.64 ± 0.17%), “M. bavaricum” may account for approximately 30% of the microbial biovolume and may therefore be a dominant fraction of the microbial community in this layer. Its microhabitat and its high content of sulfur globules and magnetosomes suggest that this organism has an iron-dependent way of energy conservation which depends on balanced gradients of oxygen and sulfide.     

Combining modern tracking data and historical records improves understanding of the summer habitats of the Eastern Lesser White‐fronted Goose Anser erythropus

The Lesser White‐fronted Goose (Anser erythropus), smallest of the “gray” geese, is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and protected in all range states. There are three populations, with the least studied being the Eastern population, shared between Russia and China. The extreme remoteness of breeding enclaves makes them largely inaccessible to researchers. As a substitute for visitation, remotely tracking birds from wintering grounds allows exploration of their summer range. Over a period of three years, and using highly accurate GPS tracking devices, eleven individuals of A. erythropus were tracked from the key wintering site of China, to summering, and staging sites in northeastern Russia. Data obtained from that tracking, bolstered by ground survey and literature records, were used to model the summer distribution of A. erythropus. Although earlier literature describes a patchy summer range, the model suggests a contiguous summer habitat range is possible, although observations to date cannot confirm A. erythropus is present throughout the modeled range. The most suitable habitats are located along the coasts of the Laptev Sea, primarily the Lena Delta, in the Yana‐Kolyma Lowland, and smaller lowlands of Chukotka with narrow riparian extensions upstream along major rivers such as the Lena, Indigirka, and Kolyma. The probability of A. erythropus presence is related to areas with altitude less than 500 m with abundant wetlands, especially riparian habitat, and a climate with precipitation of the warmest quarter around 55 mm and mean temperature around 14°C during June‐August. Human disturbance also affects site suitability, with a gradual decrease in species presence starting around 160 km from human settlements. Remote tracking of animal species can bridge the knowledge gap required for robust estimation of species distribution patterns in remote areas. Better knowledge of species'' distribution is important in understanding the large‐scale ecological consequences of rapid global change and establishing conservation management strategies.     

Aspects of Embryonic and Larval Development in Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

As bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and silver carp H . molitrix (the bigheaded carps) are poised to enter the Laurentian Great Lakes and potentially damage the region’s economically important fishery, information on developmental rates and behaviors of carps is critical to assessing their ability to establish sustainable populations within the Great Lakes basin. In laboratory experiments, the embryonic and larval developmental rates, size, and behaviors of bigheaded carp were tracked at two temperature treatments, one “cold” and one “warm”. Developmental rates were computed using previously described stages of development and the cumulative thermal unit method. Both species have similar thermal requirements, with a minimum developmental temperature for embryonic stages of 12.1° C for silver carp and 12.9° C for bighead carp, and 13.3° C for silver carp larval stages and 13.4° C for bighead carp larval stages. Egg size differed among species and temperature treatments, as egg size was larger in bighead carp, and “warm" temperature treatments. The larvae started robust upwards vertical swimming immediately after hatching, interspersed with intervals of sinking. Vertical swimming tubes were used to measure water column distribution, and ascent and descent rates of vertically swimming fish. Water column distribution and ascent and descent rates changed with ontogeny. Water column distribution also showed some diel periodicity. Developmental rates, size, and behaviors contribute to the drift distance needed to fulfill the early life history requirements of bigheaded carps and can be used in conjunction with transport information to assess invasibility of a river.     

Broad Distribution of Diverse Anaerobic Ammonium-Oxidizing Bacteria in Chinese Agricultural Soils

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria have been detected in many marine and freshwater ecosystems. However, little is known about the distribution, diversity, and abundance of anammox bacteria in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, anammox bacteria were found to be present in various agricultural soils collected from 32 different locations in China. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA genes showed “Candidatus Brocadia,” “Candidatus Kuenenia,” “Candidatus Anammoxoglobus,” and “Candidatus Jettenia” in the collected soils, with “Candidatus Brocadia” being the dominant genus. Quantitative PCR showed that the abundance of anammox bacteria ranged from 6.38 × 10⁴ ± 0.42 × 10⁴ to 3.69 × 10⁶ ± 0.25 × 10⁶ copies per gram of dry weight. Different levels of diversity, composition, and abundance of the anammox bacterial communities were observed, and redundancy analysis indicated that the soil organic content and the distribution of anammox communities were correlated in the soils examined. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis showed that the diversity of the anammox bacteria was positively correlated with the soil ammonium content and the organic content, while the anammox bacterial abundance was positively correlated with the soil ammonium content. These results demonstrate the broad distribution of diverse anammox bacteria and its correlation with the soil environmental conditions within an extensive range of Chinese agricultural soils.     

Drivers of Solidago species invasion in Central Europe—Case study in the landscape of the Carpathian Mountains and their foreground

AimThe invasion process is a complex, context‐dependent phenomenon; nevertheless, it can be described using the PAB framework. This framework encompasses the joint effect of propagule pressure (P), abiotic characteristics of the environment (A), and biotic characteristics of both the invader and recipient vegetation (B). We analyzed the effectiveness of proxies of PAB factors to explain the spatial pattern of Solidago canadensis and S. gigantea invasion using invasive species distribution models.LocationCarpathian Mountains and their foreground, Central Europe.MethodsThe data on species presence or absence were from an atlas of neophyte distribution based on a 2 × 2 km grid, covering approximately 31,200 km² (7,752 grid cells). Proxies of PAB factors, along with data on historical distribution of invaders, were used as explanatory variables in Boosted Regression Trees models to explain the distribution of invasive Solidago. The areas with potentially lower sampling effort were excluded from analysis based on a target species approach.ResultsProxies of the PAB factors helped to explain the distribution of both S. canadensis and S. gigantea. Distributions of both species were limited climatically because a mountain climate is not conducive to their growth; however, the S. canadensis distribution pattern was correlated with proxies of human pressure, whereas S. gigantea distribution was connected with environmental characteristics. The varied responses of species with regard to distance from their historical distribution sites indicated differences in their invasion drivers.Main conclusionsProxies of PAB are helpful in the choice of explanatory variables as well as the ecological interpretation of species distribution models. The results underline that human activity can cause variation in the invasion of ecologically similar species.     

Conservation Status of a Recently Described Endemic Land Snail,Candidula coudensis,from the Iberian Peninsula

We assessed the distribution, population size and conservation status of Candidula coudensis, a recently described endemic land snail from Portugal. From March 2013 to April 2014, surveys were carried out in the region where the species was described. We found an extent of occurrence larger than originally described, but still quite small (13.5 km²). The species was found mainly in olive groves, although it occurred in a variety of other habitats with limestone soils, including grasslands, scrublands and stone walls. Minimum population estimate ranged from 110,000–311,000 individuals. The main identified potential threats to the species include wildfires, pesticides and quarrying. Following the application of IUCN criteria, we advise a conservation status of either “Least Concern” or “Near-threatened” under criterion D (restricted population).     

Species of Adialytus F?rster, 1862 (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Aphidiinae) in Iran: taxonomic notes and?tritrophic associations

The species of Adialytus Förster in Iran are taxonomically studied and new data on distribution and host associations are presented. The existence of a species complex, in the case of Adialytus ambiguus (Haliday), and the morphological variability in commonly used taxonomic characters has been discussed. In total, four valid species belonging to the genus Adialytus including Adialytus ambiguus (Haliday), Adialytus salicaphis (Fitch), Adialytus thelaxis (Starý) and Adialytus veronicaecola (Starý) have been identified and recorded from Iran. Also, we recognized two additional phenotypes: “Adialytus arvicola” (Starý) and “Adialytus cf. ambiguus” (Haliday). These phenotypes and Adialytus veronicaecola are newly recorded from Iran in association with Sipha and Aphis species, respectively. An illustrated key for identification of the species and two variable phenotypes is presented.     

Predicting the potential global distribution of Ageratina adenophora under current and future climate change scenarios

AimInvasive alien species (IAS) threaten ecosystems and humans worldwide, and future climate change may accelerate the expansion of IAS. Predicting the suitable areas of IAS can prevent their further expansion. Ageratina adenophora is an invasive weed over 30 countries in tropical and subtropical regions. However, the potential suitable areas of A. adenophora remain unclear along with its response to climate change. This study explored and mapped the current and future potential suitable areas of Ageratina adenophora.LocationGlobal.TaxaAsteraceae A. adenophora (Spreng.) R.M.King & H.Rob. Commonly known as Crofton weed.MethodsBased on A. adenophora occurrence data and climate data, we predicted its suitable areas of this weed under current and future (four RCPs in 2050 and 2070) by MaxEnt model. We used ArcGIS 10.4 to explore the potential suitable area distribution characteristics of this weed and the “ecospat” package in R to analyze its altitudinal distribution changes.ResultsThe area under the curve (AUC) value (>0.9) and true skill statistics (TSS) value (>0.8) indicated excelled model performance. Among environment factors, mean temperature of coldest quarter contributed most to the model. Globally, the suitable areas for A. adenophora invasion decreased under climate change scenarios, although regional increases were observed, including in six biodiversity hotspot regions. The potential suitable areas of A. adenophora under climate change would expand in regions with higher elevation (3,000–3,500 m).Main conclusionsMean temperature of coldest quarter was the most important variable influencing the potential suitable area of A. Adenophora. Under the background of a warming climate, the potential suitable area of A. adenophora will shrink globally but increase in six biodiversity hotspot regions. The potential suitable area of A. adenophora would expand at higher elevation (3,000–3,500 m) under climate change. Mountain ecosystems are of special concern as they are rich in biodiversity and sensitive to climate change, and increasing human activities provide more opportunities for IAS invasion.