Panbiogeography and the public

Abstract

Progress is reported on the systematics and biogeography of some small land snails in Australasia. Observed patterns of dispersal and massings of taxa appear to support basic concepts in panbiogeographic methodology. The role of the amateur in science is related to the use of computers, curatorial systems, and the current political environment for science.     

Panbiogeography and rails of the genus Gallirallus

Abstract

An investigation of flightlessness in the Rallidae led me to question the theories of Olson (1973); that all rails in the genus Gallirallus were distributed over their present range by recent flighted dispersal; and that flightlessness is a recent process conferred by the paedomorphic process neoteny. The current distribution of some members of Gallirallus (Olson 1973a) are interpreted using the panbiogeographic method of Croizat (1958, 1958a). This method indicates that the distribution of some rails is similar to other biota. I suggest the group may be ancient, and its distribution the result of vicariism. Consequently, the evolution of flightless morphology need not be fast, and the flightless rails on different land masses could be the result of flightless radiations.     

Panbiogeography and conservation science in New Zealand

Abstract

New Zealand’s official conservation science framework, the Protected Natural Areas Programme (PNA), is evaluated in relation to current biogeographic/systematic methods and principles with reference to philosophy, taxonomy, information content, and historical geological/biological relations. The PNA Programme and its parent International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) framework is based on a phenetic system of classification that does not reflect process (phylogenetic) characters of ecological systems. The PNA philosophy of conservation science is shown to be essentialist, rooted in traditional medieval Western metaphysics, and out of step with current developments in biogeography, systematics, and ecology. Panbiogeography is an appropriate global perspective for developing a conservation science because it meets the requirements of homology, monophyly, increased information content, and empirical testability whereas the PNA programme does not. Establishment of a Panbiogeographic Track Atlas is proposed as a suitable conservation framework for historical ecology and biogeography. The atlas could provide an empirical natural resource inventory to identify priority areas for conservation at an economically acceptable cost compared to the PNA Programme. Application of cladistic techniques to ecological and biogeographic patterns in relation to the Atlas can provide aphylogenetically sound hierarchical classification for conservation science. The potential benefits of the panbiogeographic approach for conservation education and tourism are discussed.     

Genetic variation, its assessment and implications to the conservation of seagrasses

In a study of the widespread Australian endemic seagrass Posidonia australis , allozyme analysis identified a wide range in population genetic structure assessed using the multilocus genotype diversity statistic ( D _G). Values of D _G between zero and one were obtained; however, RAPD analysis generally detected higher levels of diversity, where D _G values were all greater than 0.5 ( D _G = 0.67 – 1). Some populations were allozymically monomorphic using allozyme analysis yet were highly polymorphic using RAPD analysis. The differences observed between methods, particularly among allozymically uniform populations, demonstrate the importance of choosing an appropriate method when assessing genotypic diversity. Different methods may reflect different historical aspects of population processes where allozymes reflect broader-scale gene flow and population establishment and DNA fingerprinting methods such as RAPDs may reflect fine-scale local recruitment events and shorter-term population processes. Using either method alone, particularly in genotypically depauperate organisms such as seagrasses and other clonal organisms, will be problematic in assessing their population genetic potential, a parameter being used by conservation managers to decide upon management strategies in rare and endangered organisms. It is recommended that the impact of disturbance assessed using genotypic diversity measures requires more than one technique to provide the most appropriate information for designing subsequent conservation strategies.     

Using patterns of distribution and diversity of Kenyan birds to select and prioritize areas for conservation

Patterns and environmental correlates of species distributions and richness are identified for Kenyan birds at a quarter degree-square scale. This information is used together with iterative complementarity analyses, which employ species richness, taxonomic dispersion and range-restrictedness, to identify priority areas for possible conservation attention. Bird species apparently not conserved by existing protected areas in Kenya are identified. Six avifaunal zones (and one transitional zone) are distinguished based on distributions of suites of bird species. Variation in biotope diversity (the number of forest and aquatic systems) accounts for 79% of the observed variation in Kenyan bird species richness. Although both rainfall and altitudinal range are significantly correlated with species richness, they only explain an additional 3% of the observed variation. The priority areas identified are situated mainly within highlands and coastal lowlands. Although few priority areas are identified in northern Kenya, this region also constitutes a priority, as it contains a suite of xeric species with habitats that are not represented elsewhere in Kenya. The papyrus yellow warbler, Chloropeta gracilirostris, William's bush lark, Mirafra williamsi, white-winged dove, Streptopelia reichenowi, and Jubaland weaver, Ploceus dichrocephalus, are identified as endemics or near-endemics that are probably not adequately conserved in Kenya at present.     

An inflated conservation load for European butterflies: increases in rarity and endemism accompany increases in species richness

The addition of species to the European butterfly list since 1983 has resulted in a number of highly significant changes. Most important are the increases in the number and proportion of endemics and of rare species, and a regional excess of species and endemics for southern Europe compared to northern Europe. There is also a surplus of Lycaenidae and Satyridae compared to other families, and an increase in species per genus associated with the reduction in genera. These additions raise two issues. First, the potential conservation load for European butterflies is inflated at species level. This is especially the case for southern Europe, which has disproportionate increases in rare and endemic species, more particularly if rarity and endemism are found to equate with threat of extinction. Second, the inflation in rarity and endemism suggests that there is a trend to promote ever more local populations (races, subspecies) to species. The taxonomic status of species being added to the list, a quarter of which are regarded as doubtful, is increasingly difficult to determine. Consequently, there is a danger that this may call into question the validity and objectivity of taxonomic practices, and of databases dependent on them, used by conservation. Revision of higher and lower butterfly taxa is urgently required.     

Coastal-marine discontinuities and synergisms: implications for biodiversity conservation

Coastal-marine biodiversity conservation must focus increasingly at the level of the land- and seascape. Five cases illustrate discontinuities and synergisms and how system changes may take place. For Caribbean coral reefs, the result of overfishing and disease has been a shrinkage in the entire system, the effects of which may cascade through the coastal seascape. For Beringia, patterns of benthic diversity are best understood in a manner that matches the multiscale, integrated dynamics of weather, ice, marine mammal feeding, and community structure. In the case of US East Coast estuaries, oyster reefs may be keystone elements, with important effects on functional diversity. Large-scale coastal systems depend upon the connectivity of fresh and marine waters in the coastal zone, having implications for the apparent stochasticity of coastal fisheries. And, for a coastal barrier-lagoon site, a state change may be described in terms of a combination of succession, the attainment of a quasi-equilibrium state, and disturbance. A profound problem for conservation is that there is very little information about the relationship between species diversity and ecological function. Coastal-marine biodiversity conservation is best addressed at the level of the land- and seascape.     

Changes of traditional agrarian landscapes and their conservation implications: a case study of butterflies in Romania

Global biodiversity is decreasing as a result of human activities. In many parts of the world, this decrease is due to the destruction of natural habitats. The European perspective is different. Here, traditional agricultural landscapes developed into species-rich habitats. However, the European biodiversity heritage is strongly endangered. One of the countries where this biodiversity is best preserved is Romania. We analyse the possible changes in Romania's land-use patterns and their possible benefits and hazards with respect to biodiversity. As model group, we used butterflies, whose habitat requirements are well understood. We determined the ecological importance of different land-use types for the conservation of butterflies, underlining the special importance of Romania's semi-natural grasslands for nature conservation. We found that increasing modern agriculture and abandonment of less productive sites both affect biodiversity negatively — the former immediately and the latter after a lag phase of several years. These perspectives are discussed in the light of the integration of Romania into the European Union.     

Morphological variation of the saker (Falco cherrug) and the implications for conservation

The saker (Falco cherrug) is a traditional and valued bird of Arabic falconry. Harvesting birds from the wild raises questions of its conservation status and sustainability. The external morphology of this species is highly variable and the Arabic system of classification identifies over 11 saker types, some of which are more favoured among Arab falconers than others. Our study assessed morphological variation of birds chosen for known natal origin. Although most variation was between individuals-within-regions, the remaining variation in size and plumage characters may be appropriately described as a gradual cline between small dorsally uniform brown sakers from western lowland regions (e.g. lowland Kazakstan, and south-west Russia) to large, dorsally barred russet, dark brown and grey coloured sakers from eastern highland regions (e.g. south-east Russia, Mongolia, and China). Between these extremes exists a plethora of highly variable and contiguous populations. Although preferred falconry types may originate from any of these populations, the preferred jarudi and 'sinjari sakers from northeastern Altai, Tuva, and Sayan populations, and the large sakers from eastern populations may be over exploited through trapping. The demand for wild sakers, however, may be substituted by an increasing number of captive bred falcons used for Arab falconry.     

The mismeasure of islands: implications for biogeographical theory and the conservation of nature

The focus on place rather than space provides geography with a powerful raison d’être. As in human geography, the functional role of place is integral to the understanding of evolution, persistence and extinction of biotic taxa. This paper re‐examines concepts and biogeographical evidence from a geographical rather than ecological or evolutionary perspective. Functional areography provides convincing arguments for a postmodern deconstruction of major principles of the dynamic Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography (ETIB). Endemic oceanic island taxa are functionally insular as a result of long‐term island stability, confinement, isolation, and protection from continental invasion and disturbance. Most continental taxa persist in different, more complex and open spatial systems; their geographical place is therefore fundamentally distinct from the functional insularity of oceanic island taxa. This creates an insular‐continental polarity in biogeography that is currently not reflected in conservation theory. The focus on the biogeographical place leads to the development of the eigenplace concept defined as the functional spatial complex of existence. The application of still popular ETIB concepts in conservation biology is discouraged. The author calls for the integration of functional areography into modern conservation science.     

Dispersal limitation of unionid mussels and implications for their conservation

1. Freshwater unionid mussels are a highly imperilled group. Their dispersal abilities depend on the availability and the movement of host fish on which their parasitic mussel larvae develop. 2. We examined the relationship between the dispersal abilities of unionid mussels and their conservation status on a regional (SW Ontario) scale and their distribution and abundance on a catchment scale (Sydenham River, SW Ontario) by determining host specificity and estimating the dispersal abilities of mussels on fish from a review of the literature. 3. On the regional scale, we found that mussels with the most precarious conservation status relied on host fish with short movement distances, whereas vulnerable and more secure mussel species had host fish with 2–3 orders of magnitude larger movement distances. We were not able to detect a clear pattern on the catchment scale. 4. Our results suggest that limited dispersal by host fish affects the abundance and distribution of unionid mussels and ultimately their conservation status on a regional scale. Information on dispersal limitations because of differences in host fish communities should be included in conservation and management decisions to ensure connectivity and maintain functioning mussel metacommunities.     

Ancient introductions of mammals in the Mediterranean Basin and their implications for conservation

• 1 The importance of taxonomy to the determination of conservation priorities and actions is widely accepted. It should be not surprising therefore that the taxonomic treatment of mammal species that have been subject to human actions in antiquity may well influence the contemporary assessment of conservation priorities at various levels.
• 2 As a result of early extinctions caused by humans and protohistoric and historic introductions, we suggest that the Mediterranean Basin and its islands are particularly prone to misdirection of efforts towards biodiversity conservation.
• 3 The two main risks associated with the failure to use an evolutionary and palaeoecological approach to conservation efforts are (i) an underestimation of the conservation importance of distinctive continental taxa vs. the apparent endemicity of island taxa; and (ii) a serious risk for native and endemic island species when anthropochorous mammals, especially ungulates, misguidedly become the focus of conservation actions, particularly inside protected areas.
• 4 Urgent measures, including refinement of mammal taxonomy, the exclusion of known anthropochorous taxa from conservation lists and implementation of protective legislation, are necessary to maintain the uniqueness and richness of the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot.

     

Lichen translocation with reference to species conservation and habitat restoration

Lichen translocation techniques that may be of value in the salvage of endangered lichen species, or in the latter stages of habitat restoration, are reviewed. Successful translocation is defined here as the transfer of a target organism from a donor site to a receptor site to establish a new self-maintaining colony; for lichens, this may or may not include co-transfer of the thallus-supporting substrate. In a time of global environmental change many species are under threat and the need for effective translocation methods is clear. Indeed, some lichens are already amenable to translocation from one substrate to another. Global conservation requires the restoration of degraded ecosystems and translocation technology offers a tool for habitat replenishment. The re-introduction of lichenised fungi into sites from which they have been lost is an integral part of the restoration of complex habitats. Successful translocation creates in turn niches for other organisms which inhabit, or feed upon, them.     

Birdsong and anthropogenic noise: implications and applications for conservation

The dramatic increase in human activities all over the world has caused, on an evolutionary time scale, a sudden rise in especially low-pitched noise levels. Ambient noise may be detrimental to birds through direct stress, masking of predator arrival or associated alarm calls, and by interference of acoustic signals in general. Two of the most important functions of avian acoustic signals are territory defence and mate attraction. Both of these functions are hampered when signal efficiency is reduced through rising noise levels, resulting in direct negative fitness consequences. Many bird species are less abundant near highways and studies are becoming available on reduced reproductive success in noisy territories. Urbanization typically leads to homogenization of bird communities over large geographical ranges. We review current evidence for whether and how anthropogenic noise plays a role in these patterns of decline in diversity and density. We also provide details of a case study on great tits (Parus major), a successful urban species. Great tits show features that other species may lack and make them unsuitable for city life. We hypothesize that behavioural plasticity in singing behaviour may allow species more time to adapt to human-altered environments and we address the potential for microevolutionary changes and urban speciation in European blackbirds (Turdus merula). We conclude by providing an overview of mitigating measures available to abate noise levels that are degrading bird breeding areas. Bird conservationists probably gain most by realizing that birds and humans often benefit from the same or only slightly modified measures.     

北京及其邻近地区野生鱼类物种多样性及其资源保育

作者2002-2010年间,连续多年对北京及周边地区的野生鱼类进行了实地调查和采集,结合对中国科学院动物研究所国家动物博物馆馆藏鱼类标本及相关文献资料的整理,得出北京及其邻近地区分布过的鱼类计有93种,隶属于13目23科73属;去除引入种,自然分布于该地区的原生野生鱼类为85种(包括经通海河流上溯至区域内的河口咸淡水、...     

From research to implementation: Nature conservation in the Eastern Rhodopes mountains (Greece and Bulgaria), European Green Belt

Nature conservation should ideally build on the scientific recommendations that are concluded from applied conservation research, as well as on monitoring schemes that evaluate the effectiveness of recommendations. We considered as a case study a system of six protected areas located in the Eastern Rhodopes mountains in the southern part of the European Green Belt (EGB). To investigate nature conservation effectiveness, we reviewed 196 articles from scientific journals and books, eight doctoral and master theses, and 39 scientific reports regarding the Greek (one protected area, 428 km²) and the Bulgarian (five protected areas, 904 km²) part of the study area. We extracted 743 conservation recommendations, and through questionnaires completed by 10 local experts, we found that 74% of the recommendations were familiar for the experts. In the Greek (GR) and the Bulgarian part (BG) only 52% and 16%, respectively, of the recommendations were implemented, and only 15% (GR) and 3.1% (BG) were implemented and evaluated regarding their effectiveness. According to the experts, the main reasons for non-implementation and non-evaluation were absence or incompetence of the responsible authorities. Some recommendations obtained a remarkable low rate of implementation, such as those regarding agriculture and livestock rearing practices (GR: 29%, BG: 16%) or mammal conservation (GR: 0%, BG: 16%). Some other recommendations obtained rather high rates at least for Greece, such as tourism and environmental education (GR: 57%, BG: 42%) and bird conservation (GR: 57%, BG: 11%). We found that researchers and conservation managers at both sides of the Greek-Bulgarian border face similar implementation problems, related often to the lack of political will for nature conservation and establishment of competent authorities. The role of the EGB is crucial in enhancing the established cross-border collaborations between stakeholders involved in nature conservation.     

Long-term forest-savannah dynamics in the Bolivian Amazon: implications for conservation

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the respective roles of past changes in climate, geomorphology and human activities in shaping the present-day forest-savannah mosaic of the Bolivian Amazon, and consider how this palaeoecological perspective may help inform conservation strategies for the future. To this end, we review a suite of palaeoecological and archaeological data from two distinct forest-savannah environments in lowland Bolivia: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (NKMNP) on the Precambrian Shield and the 'Llanos de Moxos' in the Beni basin. We show that they contain markedly contrasting legacies of past climatic, geomorphic and anthropogenic influences between the last glacial period and the Spanish Conquest. In NKMNP, increasing precipitation caused evergreen rainforest expansion, at the expense of semi-deciduous dry forest and savannahs, over the last three millennia. In contrast, pre-Hispanic indigenous cultures were instrumental in facilitating recent forest expansion in the Llanos de Moxos by building a vast network of earthworks. Insights from Mid-Holocene palaeodata, together with ecological observations and modelling studies, suggest that there will be progressive replacement of rainforest by dry forest and savannah in NKMNP over the twenty-first century in response to the increased drought predicted by general circulation models. Protection of the latitudinal landscape corridors may be needed to facilitate these future species reassortments. However, devising appropriate conservation strategies for the Llanos de Moxos will be more difficult due to its complex legacy of Palaeo-Indian impact. Without fully understanding the degree to which its current biota has been influenced by past native cultures, the type and intensity of human land use appropriate for this landscape in the future will be difficult to ascertain.     

Population and geographic range dynamics: implications for conservation planning

Continuing downward trends in the population sizes of many species, in the conservation status of threatened species, and in the quality, extent and connectedness of habitats are of increasing concern. Identifying the attributes of declining populations will help predict how biodiversity will be impacted and guide conservation actions. However, the drivers of biodiversity declines have changed over time and average trends in abundance or distributional change hide significant variation among species. While some populations are declining rapidly, the majority remain relatively stable and others are increasing. Here we dissect out some of the changing drivers of population and geographic range change, and identify biological and geographical correlates of winners and losers in two large datasets covering local population sizes of vertebrates since 1970 and the distributions of Galliform birds over the last two centuries. We find weak evidence for ecological and biological traits being predictors of local decline in range or abundance, but stronger evidence for the role of local anthropogenic threats and environmental change. An improved understanding of the dynamics of threat processes and how they may affect different species will help to guide better conservation planning in a continuously changing world.     

Tree species compositional change and conservation implications in the white‐water flooded forests of the Brazilian Amazon

Aim The aim of this study was to use compositional changes in tree species along the Amazon River floodplain in Brazil to identify and characterize biogeographic regions that would serve as broad surrogates for conservation planning. Location The main course of the Amazon River in Brazil, covering a river distance of approximately 2800 km. Methods Two sampling methods were employed at specific sites: standardized transects and/or individual‐based samples. Seventy‐three samples were collected from 26 sites at approximately 100‐km intervals along the floodplain. Biogeographic regions were identified by non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination and by a hierarchical cluster analysis. The relative influence of environmental components (flood depths, annual rainfall, and length of the dry season) on tree species composition and one spatial component (longitude) were analysed by multiple regressions against a one‐dimensional NMDS ordination axis. Results Based on tree species composition, three main biogeographic regions were identified: a western region between Tabatinga and the Negro River confluence; a central region from the Negro River confluence to the Xingu confluence; and an estuarine region from the Xingu confluence to Santana. The regions identified were consistent using different data sets and analytical techniques. Mixed environmental and spatial effects explained most of the variation, but the spatial effect alone had a greater influence on species composition than environmental effects alone. Main conclusions The regions delimited in the analyses differed from those based on geomorphology or World Wildlife Fund (WWF) ecoregions. These results reinforce the need for surrogates to be tested against biological data before they are used to shape approaches to conservation planning. Although a protected area coverage of 25% gives the impression of extensive conservation management on the floodplain, less than 1% of the Amazon’s floodplain in Brazil is strictly protected. The significant compositional differences between regions and the strong spatial variation along the Amazon indicate that strict protection areas should be distributed much more evenly within and between regions.