Assessment Of Conservation Priorities Research Articles

Cytochrome b gene as a potential DNA barcoding marker in ecoraces of tropical Tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury

BackgroundTropical Tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury plays a very crucial role in the economic development of the country employing around 9.76 million people in rural and semi-urban areas. Since the population of this species has spread over many states with varying environmental factors, the population has been isolated into many pockets, specifically adapted to that niche, and are called as “ecoraces”. Even though phenotypically these ecoraces may look similar to some level but the intra-generic genotypic variability between them is correlated to the economically important yield traits of their cocoons. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene of mitochondrial genome as a potential DNA barcoding marker for identification of these ecoraces as to are they really ecoraces, and attempts to establish the first country report of DNA barcode reference library of this silkworm species. Methods and resultsDNA was extracted from pupae of pure ecoraces collected from core ecozones. PCR amplicon was bead purified and further subjected to Sanger Sequencing. The parsimony tree was also created using the MEGA 11 software. The genetic distance, gene flow and relation among the ecoraces was evaluated. The conserved regions of Cyt b gene were identified along with the documentation of the mode and tempo of nucleotide variation and evolution. ConclusionThe present study confirms the efficiency of Cyt b gene as a potential DNA marker for identification of ecoraces of Tasar silkworm and is the first country report on barcoding of A. mylitta Drury. Apart from being used as an early-warning system for ecological degradation, this knowledge will help in assessing the evolutionary relationship of these economically important ecoraces and identify their position in the process of evolution aiding in the assessment of conservation priorities.

Population Genetic Assessment Model Reveals Conservation Priorities for Gymnocypris Species Resources on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) has nurtured a rich diversity of species because of its unique geographical and environmental conditions. Gymnocypris species (subfamily Schizopygopsinae) are primitive fishes that live in the special environment of the plateau, and their evolution and distribution are inseparable from the historical changes of the QTP. Recently, the resources of Gymnocypris species have been decreasing due to habit deterioration and the intensification of human activities. Therefore, the scientific conservation of the genetic resources of Gymnocypris species is urgently required. In this study, we established two models for the priority conservation assessment of germplasm resources of Gymnocypris species on the basis of the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of 674 individuals from eight Gymnocypris species populations. The results show that the Gymnocypris potanini (GPO), Gymnocypris eckloni (GE), and Gymnocypris przewalskii (GPR) populations are the most genetically diverse in terms of combined genetic diversity values and should be prioritized for conservation. In terms of genetic contribution, the GPO, GE, and GPR populations have a positive impact on maintaining the distinctiveness and diversity of the entire Gymnocypris species population and should be prioritized for conservation. However, in terms of different evolutionary clades, the Gymnocypris namensis, Gymnocypris waddellii, Gymnocypris dobula, and GE populations in clade A should be given priority for protection, the GE population in clade B should be given priority, and the GPR population in clade C should be given priority. In conclusion, the two models and assessment of conservation priorities will provide a scientific basis for the conservation of Gymnocypris species.

Evaluating the conservation priority of key biodiversity areas based on ecosystem conditions and anthropogenic threats in rapidly urbanizing areas

The rapid and intense development in highly urbanized regions presents huge challenges to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Progress on incorporating ecosystem conditions and anthropogenic threats into conservation assessments for key biodiversity areas (KBAs) in highly urbanized regions is still insufficient. To address this, this paper conducted an assessment of conservation priorities for key biodiversity areas in highly urbanized regions by integrating anthropogenic threats with ecosystem conditions. Taking 8 KBAs in the Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area of China (GBA) as an example, this study found that the ecosystem condition of most of KBAs remains stable from 2000 to 2020. We found that the ecosystem conditions in most KBAs have not been negatively affected by anthropogenic threats. It is worth noting that Shenzhen Wutongshan (SZW) is the only KBA that faces a significant increase in anthropogenic threats with a significant decline in ecosystem condition during the past two decades. Overall, SZW is the highest priority KBA that needs to reduce the negative effects of anthropogenic threats and strengthen ecosystem conservation in the future.

Phylogeny and conservation priority assessment of Asian domestic chicken genetic resources

Chicken genetic resources are gradually decreasing in genetic diversity; thus, a theoretical basis for conservation is needed. The genetic diversity and phylogeography of domestic chickens from 10 countries in Asia and red jungle fowl were investigated by analyzing the mitochondrial DNA D-loop hypervariable segment (HVS). The order of domestic chickens distributed in 31 management units in Asia in terms of conservation priority was assessed based on genetic diversity and genetic contribution rate models. A total of 219 haplotypes were distributed in seven clades, with variants identified at 103 sites. Phylogenetic analysis revealed seven maternal origins of Asian domestic chickens. Multiple subspecies of red jungle fowl were involved in the domestication of chickens in the three centers of origin: the Indian subcontinent (clade D), China (clades B, C, E and F) and Southeast Asia (clade A). The domestication center of the G clade remains unknown. The order in terms of conservation priority based on genetic diversity was as follows: northwestern and northeastern Yunnan, China; Sri Lanka; Guangxi, China; Japan; etc. The order in terms of conservation priority based on the genetic contribution rate was as follows: northwestern Yunnan, China; Sri Lanka; Japan; Papua New Guinea; etc. This study provided new insights for the conservation and evaluation of native genetic resources.

What wild dogs want: habitat selection differs across life stages and orders of selection in a wide-ranging carnivore

BackgroundHabitat loss is a key threat to the survival of many species. Habitat selection studies provide key information for conservation initiatives by identifying important habitat and anthropogenic characteristics influencing the distribution of threatened species in changing landscapes. However, assumptions about the homogeneity of individual choices on habitat, regardless of life stage, are likely to result in inaccurate assessment of conservation priorities. This study addresses a knowledge gap in how animals at different life stages diverge in how they select habitat and anthropogenic features, using a free-ranging population of African wild dogs living in a human-dominated landscape in Kenya as a case study. Using GPS collar data to develop resource selection function and step selection function models, this study investigated differences between second order (selection of home range across a landscape) and third order (selection of habitat within the home range) habitat selection across four life history stages when resource requirements may vary: resident-non-denning, resident-heavily-pregnant, resident-denning and dispersing.ResultsWild dogs showed strong second order selection for areas with low human population densities and areas close to rivers and roads. More rugged areas were also generally selected, as were areas with lower percentage tree cover. The strength of selection for habitat variables varied significantly between life stages; for example, dispersal groups were more tolerant of higher human population densities, whereas denning and pregnant packs were least tolerant of such areas.ConclusionsHabitat selection patterns varied between individuals at different life stages and at different orders of selection. These analyses showed that denning packs and dispersal groups, the two pivotal life stages which drive wild dog population dynamics, exhibited different habitat selection to resident-non-breeding packs. Dispersal groups were relatively tolerant of higher human population densities whereas denning packs preferred rugged, remote areas. Evaluating different orders of selection was important as the above trends may not be detectable at all levels of selection for all habitat characteristics. Our analyses demonstrate that when life stage information is included in analyses across different orders of selection, it improves our understanding of how animals use their landscapes, thus providing important insights to aid conservation planning.

Conservation priority assessment of the coastal area in the Kuala Lumpur mega-urban region using extent analysis and TOPSIS

To guarantee sustainability in urban coastal areas, it is essential to have more conservation plans in these areas under various pressures. The first large urban conurbation in Malaysia, which stretches from the central mountain spine to the west coast, has expanded and emerged as a potential mega-urban region. To evaluate its sustainability, several critical criteria and indicators must be identified. The process of choosing criteria is very sensitive. If too many criteria are selected, the focus of the plan becomes narrow, and this simplification often leads to poor decision making. The use of a limited number of criteria allows accommodation of spatial and temporal changes and also makes it easier to collect data. This paper presents an innovative, reliable method for identification of the most important criteria and alternatives using integrated extent analysis and fuzzy TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution). The weights of the criteria are determined using the fuzzy pairwise comparison of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. Criteria were also selected by interviewing thirty experts in the fields of economic, social and environmental sustainability. This set of criteria was drawn from several policies and strategies for development in Malaysia. Interviews with coastal managers, town and country planners and academic experts at the national and local levels provided information used to refine and modify these criteria. Seventeen criteria in three clusters of ecological, social and economic issues were considered in the evaluation of six alternatives sites for conservation in coastal areas, Port Dickson, Kelanang, Jugra, Pulau Indah, Kuala Selangor and Morib. Jugra was determined to be the most appropriate area for conservation.

Setting priorities for the conservation of marine vertebrates in Brazilian waters

The global panorama of biodiversity loss has motivated international agreements to enhance the protection of the oceans. Given the conflicting interests arising from multiple uses of seascapes and finite funds for conservation, developing cost-effective strategies for marine biodiversity conservation is crucial to support decision making. Here, we identified sites in Brazilian waters that would maximize species representation and avoid potential conflicts with relevant economic activities. We compared conservation benefits provided by three conservation-planning scenarios that incorporated the distribution of 750 marine vertebrate species, while considering established marine protected areas (MPAs) and blocks concessioned for the oil and gas industry. The results showed that a MPA network encompassing 10% of the study area with high conservation priority would cover between 85.8 and 86.5% of species distributions, on average. We found that incorporating existing MPAs and areas concessioned for oil and gas exploitation in the prioritization process caused only a small loss in representation of near-threatened and threatened species. Our results highlight, therefore, that it is possible to reconcile current offshore oil and gas production with the expansion of the national MPA network, without significant losses in species' representation. These results represent a preliminary assessment of spatial priorities for conservation of marine vertebrates in Brazilian waters. They can be used to prompt a dialog with social actors, in order to expand the national MPA system.

Conhecimentos e usos da fauna por caçadores no semiárido brasileiro: um estudo de caso no estado da Paraíba, Nordeste do Brasil

The present study was undertaken in a traditional community in the semiarid region of Paraiba State, Northeastern Brazil, with the purpose of registering the main animal species hunted and evaluating the implications of these practices in terms of the conservation of local fauna. A total of 78 species of wild tetrapod vertebrates were cited by 24 interviewees as being hunted in the region. These animals were separated into four different animals groups (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians) with ten distinct purposes: zootherapy, folk veterinary medicine, cosmetics, mystical-religious purposes, creation/domestication, commercial exploration, ornamental use, as food, as entertainment, and for animal control. This work highlights the lack of studies regarding some forms of exploitation of wildlife resources as a barrier that hinders the assessment of priorities for conservation and management, by precluding a stable inventory of animal species under the greatest pressure of use. However, even with these barriers we can clearly see that exploitation and utilization of wildlife by man represents one of the most significant uses of natural resources in the surveyed areas.

Application of VIKOR and fuzzy AHP for conservation priority assessment in coastal areas: Case of Khuzestan district, Iran

The evaluation of sustainability in coastal lands needs some critical criteria and indicators. These criteria include both qualitative and quantitative data. To make a selection among criteria and alternatives for coastal land-use development, there is a need for Multi Criteria Analysis methods (MCDM). In this study, an integrated VIKOR-Fuzzy AHP method has been applied to make a selection among criteria and alternatives for conservation development in a coastal area. Using fuzzy AHP, one of the main weaknesses of AHP in the pair-wise comparison process can be improved. A range of values was used instead of a crisp value. This paper presents an innovative, reliable method for the identification of the most important criteria and alternatives using fuzzy AHP-VIKOR. To determine the weights of the criteria, a fuzzy pairwise comparison using the AHP method based on expert opinions in different disciplines was applied in this study. The first section of this paper is devoted to understanding sustainable coastal land use planning, along with the decision making process and its complexity and to defining the objectives. Literature about frequently used MCDM techniques in different studies is briefly summarized in this section. In Section 2, a modified fuzzy VIKOR methodology is presented. It describes the definition of criteria, the means used to gather information, the study area and the procedure that is applied in the fuzzy AHP-VIKOR technique. Additionally, this section shows how a fuzzy AHP can be jointly used with VIKOR for a priority assessment of different alternatives for conservation. Section 3 includes detailed analyses. Based on 17 criteria and 6 alternatives, it was found that Musa Estuary, one of the largest estuaries in the Persian Gulf and located in the northeast of the Persian Gulf, is the most appropriate zone for conservation. Section 4 presents a discussion of the results, and the final section is devoted to conclusions regarding these findings. Based on these findings, the integration of social, economic and environmental criteria within a planning framework using fuzzy MCDM techniques has provided a holistic approach for integrated coastal land-use development.

生态系统保护现状及保护等级评估——以江西省为例

The ecosystem based protection,an effective way to prevent the loss of biodiversity,is a hot topic in the field of conservation biology. As resources are always inadequate to monitor all components of biodiversity,criteria must be applied to prioritize both species and ecosystem for conservation and management plan. While there are many methods for prioritizing species,criteria for prioritizing ecosystem are not well developed. To provide the basis for the development of ecosystem protection plan,International Conservation Organization and researchers have been dedicated to working over theecosystem conservation priority by developing quantitative criteria and methods for local,regional and global level ecosystem protection. The first step for assessing ecosystem conservation priority is properly defined and classified ecosystem as unit of analysis. Then,we select criteria and methods that the conservation priority can be assessed quantitatively. Finally,based on the above outcomes,the ecosystem conservation priority can be ranked in low,medium,and high priority. The criteria used for assessment are grouped into three classes: ecosystem area loss rate,ecosystem extent( area),and ecosystem representativeness. In this paper,we take ecosystems in Jiangxi Province as a case to show the process for ecosystem conservation priority assessment. We explain the use of these criteria for assessing ecosystem conservation priority,the vegetation digital map in 1980s,land-use map in 2010 and national nature reserves map are used to evaluate the ecosystem conservation priority by overlying,reclassing,normalizing and quantitative assessing in GIS. The conservation priority of nature ecosystems in Jiangxi Province is ranked in low,moderate and high level,respectively. The result shows that a total area of nature ecosystems reduced by 82613. 83km2which account more than 60% of its area. There are 19 ecosystem types among the total 37 ecosystem types in Jiangxi province have been protected by National Nature Reserves,but the ratio of protection area for each of these ecosystems is still low. The ratio to the total area of Jiangxi Province for forest ecosystems ranking in high,moderate and low priority is 16. 7374%,5. 5310%,and 3. 8242%; the ratio for shrub ecosystems is0. 0975%,0. 9335%,and 0. 0100%; the ratio for grassland ecosystems is 0. 2647%,0. 0005%,and 0. 1064%; and the ratio for wetland ecosystems is 0. 3532%,0. 1127%,and 1. 5650%,respectively. The ratio of protected area by national nature reserves for forest ecosystems ranking in high,moderate,and low priority level is 0. 51%,3. 73%,and 5. 76%;the ratio for shrub ecosystems is 1. 72%,0. 17%,and 0. 70%; the ratio for grassland ecosystems is 0. 21%,0. 00%,and3. 49%; and the ratio for wetland ecosystems is 1. 87%,0. 00%,and 18. 01%,respectively. The spatial pattern for the ecosystems in different conservation priority level shows that the ecosystems in high conservation priority ranking are mainly distributed in the south-east and north-west part,the ecosystems in moderate conservation priority ranking are mainly distributed in north-east and north-west part,and the ecosystems in low conservation priority ranking are mainly distributed in the north part. Due to the economic growth and social development in the past 30 years,most of the ecosytem types which distributed in the central part of Jianxi province are changed to agricultural and city ecosystems. Combined with the present status of the nature ecosystems in Jiangxi province,the ecosystems ranking in high conservation priority which account for 17. 46% of the total area of Jiangxi province are suggested to protect first. These results have practical value for ecosystem level conservation,especially in the ecosystem conservation planning.

Molecular analysis of genetic diversity, population structure and inbreeding level of the Italian Lipizzan horse

In this study, we examine the population structure and inbreeding level of the Italian Lipizzan horse breed by means of AFLP fingerprinting and SSR genotyping. A total of 245 AFLP marker alleles were scored across all horses (n=140) living in the Italian Lipizzan stud in 2007, and microsatellite analysis was performed on all mares (n=42) and stallions (n=7) by genotyping at 30 SSR marker loci. A total of 53 (21.6%) AFLP marker alleles were scored as polymorphic among the animals, with a mean frequency of 0.722. Based on this subset of markers, 123 animals were assigned to three distinct subgroups of 44, 41 and 38 animals, respectively, each one showing a within-subgroup mean Dice's genetic similarity around 86% (standard error<0.3%), whereas the remaining 17 animals that displayed an admixed ancestry (membership<45%) were clustered apart, with a between-subgroup genetic similarity spanning from 80% to 83%. All animals could be discriminated from each other on the basis of multi-locus DNA fingerprints. However, only 6% of the genetic variation was found among subgroups, as supported by the low fixation index Fst=0.058. In the mares and stallions, a total number of 146 marker alleles were detected across the assayed SSR loci, with a mean marker allele frequency of 0.485 and an observed and effective number of alleles per locus of 4.710 and 2.921, respectively. The Nei's unbiased heterozygosity for the Italian Lipizzan horse breed was equal to H=63.5% and the Wright's inbreeding coefficient had an average value of Fis=−0.133, suggesting an excess of heterozygosity. Significant (P<0.01) pair-wise linkage disequilibria between AFLP marker alleles as well as between SSR marker alleles were found in the whole Lipizzan population. It was found that mating plan optimization could reduce the average relatedness to 0.619, a lower value than that obtained by casual unions between stallions and mares (0.740). The findings described here will be useful for the indirect selection of animals based on markers linked to traits of interest and for the assessment of conservation priorities and strategies.

Assessing conservation priorities of xenarthrans in Argentina

In this study, we combine species distribution models with a reserve selection approach to assess the degree of representation of xenarthrans in the existing protected area network of Argentina, and to identify conservation priority areas that may help expand the current system. Species distribution models were developed from species’ occurrence records using a maximum entropy algorithm. Maps of species distributions were produced for 15 of the 16 species currently present in the country. To assess the performance of the existing protected area network in representing all modeled species, and to identify priority areas to expand the current reserve system, we used the software Zonation. Overall, all species modeled are represented in the existing protected area network. However, the percentage of their ranges covered by protected areas is very low (average = 6.7%; range = 1.7–17.6%). To represent at least 5% of the distribution of each species, 8.8% of the country’s area would be needed, and species with restricted ranges have the greatest increase in representation in this scenario. When 10% of the country is set aside for conservation, species representation increases considerably, again favoring range-restricted species. Most of the areas identified as conservation priorities are under strong anthropogenic pressures, including deforestation, agricultural expansion, and hunting. Our analysis provides a preliminary assessment of conservation priorities for the xenarthrans of Argentina, and we hope will serve as guideline to focus future conservation assessments at more refined scales.

From genetic structure to wetland conservation: a freshwater isopod Paramphisopus palustris (Phreatoicidea: Amphisopidae) from the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia

The freshwater isopod Paramphisopus palustris is ubiquitous and abundant in the groundwater-fed wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain around Perth, Western Australia. Taxonomically, an additional variety (P. palustris fairbridgei) and species (P. montanus) are recognized from geographically outlying localities. Here a 486 bp fragment of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mtDNA was sequenced in 68 individuals from 23 localities in order to evaluate the accepted taxonomy, to examine the evolutionary history of the species, and to identify lineages to prioritize conservation of wetlands already substantially modified. MtDNA showed individual populations to be largely distinct and differentiated. The 41 unique haplotypes formed seven independent, geographically defined networks. Phylogenetic analysis retrieved corresponding subclades, with three well-supported larger clades occurring (1) north of the Swan River, (2) south of the Swan River, and (3) in an area further south. A clear pattern of isolation by distance was detected suggesting an ancient serial founder event, with the pattern possibly persisting in the face of limited gene flow through priority effects. The possibility of incipient speciation, the monophyly of the recognized subspecies and the paraphyly of P. palustris with respect to P. montanus, suggest that the current taxonomy is invalid and requires re-examination. Divergences suggest a mid- to early Pliocene divergence of the major clades, with early Pliocene divergences among subclades probably driven by documented intense arid periods. Lineages are present in wetlands in geologically younger environments suggesting in situ survival and persistence. Seven Evolutionarily Significant Units were identified for the conservation of Paramphisopus, two of which are not currently represented in conservation reserves. With increased water demand and the negative impact of surrounding land-use, the current study provides a first phylogeographic assessment of conservation priorities for wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain.

A comparative analysis of components incorporated in conservation priority assessments: a case study based on South African species of terrestrial mammals

Assessing the risk of extinction to species forms an essential part of regional conservation initiatives that facilitate the allocation of limited resources for conservation. The present study conducted conservation priority assessments for 221 South African terrestrial mammal species using existing data sources. These data sources included regional IUCN Red List assessments, regional geographic distributions, relative endemism, taxonomic distinctiveness, relative body mass and human density. These components were in turn subjected to two quantitative conservation priority assessment techniques in an attempt to determine regional conservation priorities for South African terrestrial mammals. The top 22 mammal species (i.e. the top 10% of assessed species) identified by both regional conservation priority assessment techniques to be of conservation priority, consistently identified 13 South African terrestrial mammal species to be of high conservation priority. Seven of the 13 species were from the order Afrosoricida, two species from the order Eulipotyphla, with one species each from the orders Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Pholidota, and Rodentia. More importantly, 12 of the 13 mammal species were also listed as threatened in the 2004 Red Data Book of South African Mammals. These results suggest that the two conservation priority assessment techniques used in the present study may represent a practical and quantitative method for determining regional conservation priorities, and include measures that represent vulnerability, conservation value, and threat.

A comparative analysis of components incorporated in conservation priority assessments: a case study based on South African species of terrestrial mammals

Assessing the risk of extinction to species forms an essential part of regional conservation initiatives that facilitate the allocation of limited resources for conservation. The present study conducted conservation priority assessments for 221 South African terrestrial mammal species using existing data sources. These data sources included regional IUCN Red List assessments, regional geographic distributions, relative endemism, taxonomic distinctiveness, relative body mass and human density. These components were in turn subjected to two quantitative conservation priority assessment techniques in an attempt to determine regional conservation priorities for South African terrestrial mammals. The top 22 mammal species (i.e. the top 10% of assessed species) identified by both regional conservation priority assessment techniques to be of conservation priority, consistently identified 13 South African terrestrial mammal species to be of high conservation priority. Seven of the 13 species were from the order Afrosoricida, two species from the order Eulipotyphla, with one species each from the orders Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Pholidota, and Rodentia. More importantly, 12 of the 13 mammal species were also listed as threatened in the 2004 Red Data Book of South African Mammals. These results suggest that the two conservation priority assessment techniques used in the present study may represent a practical and quantitative method for determining regional conservation priorities, and include measures that represent vulnerability, conservation value, and threat.

Endemic vertebrates are the most effective surrogates for identifying conservation priorities among Brazilian ecoregions

ABSTRACTMany studies have tested the performance of terrestrial vertebrates as surrogates for overall species diversity, because these are commonly used in priority‐setting conservation appraisals. Using a database of 3663 vertebrate species in 38 Brazilian ecoregions, we evaluated the effectiveness of various subsets for representing diversity of the entire vertebrate assemblage. Because ecoregions are established incorporating information on biotic assemblages, they are potentially more amenable to regional comparison than are national or state lists. We used 10 potential indicator groups (all species; all mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians; all endemic species; and endemic species within each class) to find priority sets of ecoregions that best represent the entire terrestrial vertebrate fauna. This is the first time such tests are employed to assess the effectiveness of indicator groups at the ecoregion level in Brazil. We show that patterns of species richness are highly correlated among mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ecoregion sets selected according to endemic species richness captured more vertebrate species per unit area than sets based on overall vertebrate richness itself, or than those selected at random. Ecoregion sets based on endemic bird, endemic reptile, or endemic amphibian richness also performed well, capturing more species overall than random sets, or than those selected based on species richness of one or all vertebrate classes within ecoregions. Our results highlight the importance of evaluating biodiversity concordance and the use of indicator groups as well as aggregate species richness. We conclude that priority sets based on indicator groups provide a basis for a first assessment of priorities for conservation at an infracontinental scale. Areas with high endemism have long been highlighted for conservation of species. Our findings provide evidence that endemism is not only a worthwhile conservation goal, but also an effective surrogate for the conservation of all terrestrial vertebrates in Brazil.

Conservation assessment and prioritization of areas in Northeast India: Priorities for amphibians and reptiles

This study combines niche modeling and systematic area prioritization using distribution data for 131 species of amphibians and reptiles from Northeast India and Burma, with two objectives: (i) to evaluate the performance of the current conservation area network in Northeast India with respect to the representation of amphibians and reptiles, and (ii) to identify potential areas for expanding the current conservation area network. In a two-step protocol, maximum entropy niche modeling was used to project species’ potential geographic occurrences, and the resulting probabilistic distribution data were used to prioritize areas with algorithms that maximize the representation of all species in minimal total area. The results provided a critical assessment of conservation priorities in this data-deficient region, and indicate the utility of combining niche modeling with systematic area prioritization in such situations. Many areas that had been overlooked in previous assessments were identified. Although the existing protected areas were found to be inadequate for representation of amphibian and reptile diversity, the prioritization results show that by targeting a minimal representation of 5% of the current total area suitable for each species, the gaps can be filled with a relatively modest (0.41%) increase in the current total area covered by the network. Extended analyses were also performed to assess the effects of putatively rare species on reserve selection, which showed that the inclusion of these taxa can change the prioritization solutions significantly. The prioritization results also highlight areas of Northeast India that warrant attention from future surveys.

Identification of Biodiversity Conservation Priorities using Predictive Modeling: An Application for the Equatorial Pacific Region of South America

We used predictive modeling of species distributions to identify conservation priority areas in the equatorial Pacific region of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Museum and herbarium data and predictive models of species distributions are increasingly being used to assess the conservation status of individual species. In this study, we assembled occurrence data for 28 species of vascular plants, birds, and mammals to assess the conservation priorities of the set of natural communities that they represent. Environmental variables were used to predict the species’ distributions using correlative modeling as an alternative to point data, which has been the traditional approach to identify critical areas. Specific priority sites for conservation were identified using an area-selection algorithm based on simulated annealing. Four scenarios of prioritization were created using different criteria for the spatial compactness of the selected sites and fragmentation of remnant habitat. The results provide a preliminary assessment of conservation priorities for the dry ecosystems of the Equatorial Pacific region, and will serve as guidelines to focus future fieldwork.

Large variations in the ratio of effective breeding and census population sizes between two species of pond-breeding anurans

The viability of wild populations is frequently assessed by monitoring adult census sizes (Nc). This approach is particularly useful for pond-breeding amphibians, because assemblages during the breeding season are relatively easy to detect and count. However, it is the genetic effective population size (Ne) or surrogates such as effective breeding population size (Nb) that are of primary importance for long-term viability. Although Nc estimates of one anuran amphibian (Bufo bufo) in Britain were much larger than those of another (Rana temporaria) at the same sites, the ratios of Nb to Nc were much smaller in B. bufo than in R. temporaria. These differences were sufficiently great as to reverse the effective size order at one site, such that Nb for R. temporaria was larger than that for B. bufo. Differences in adult sex ratios at breeding sites probably contributed to lower Nb values in B. bufo populations compared with those of R. temporaria. The relationship of Nb to Nc can therefore vary dramatically even between similar species, to the extent that just monitoring Nc can give misleading impressions of relative effective breeding sizes and thus of population viability. It will be increasingly important to estimate Ne or Nb in wildlife populations for assessment of conservation priorities.

Marker‐assisted conservation of European cattle breeds: an evaluation

Two methods have been developed for the assessment of conservation priorities on the basis of molecular markers. According to the Weitzman approach, contributions to genetic diversity are derived from genetic distances between populations. Alternatively, diversity within and across populations is optimized by minimizing marker-estimated kinships. We have applied, for the first time, both methods to a comprehensive data set of 69 European cattle breeds, including all cosmopolitan breeds and several local breeds, for which genotypes of 30 microsatellite markers in 25-50 animals per breed have been obtained. Both methods were used to calculate the gain in diversity if a breed was added to a set of nine non-endangered breeds. Weitzman-derived diversities were confounded by genetic drift in isolated populations, which dominates the genetic distances but does not necessarily increase the conservation value of a breed. Marker-estimated kinships across populations were less disturbed by genetic drift than the Weitzman diversities and assigned high conservation values to Mediterranean breeds, which indeed have genetic histories that differ from the non-endangered breeds. Prospects and limitations of marker-assisted decisions on conservation priorities are discussed.