Assessment Of Conservation Status Research Articles

Conservation Status of Reptilia in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats, India and its Environment

The Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve is an important biogeographical hot spot and hosts diverse ecosystem in its habitat. The objectives of the present study are to assess conservation status of Reptilia in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve and to know the role of habitat in harbouring and conserving/protecting wild fauna. Day time opportunistic visual encounter survey method was employed to study and site different species of Reptiles. There are about 78 species of reptiles inhabited in the reserve, out of which 15 species are threatened as per IUCN, 2023 The reserve harbors three species of turtle and tortoises, 31 species of lizards under five families and 44 species of snakes under six families. There are about 37 species of reptiles which are endemic in the region comprises one species of Geoemydidae, six species of Gekkonidae, eight species of Agamidae, two species of Scincidae, seven species of Uropeltidae, eight species of Colubridae, one species of Pareidae, one species of Elapidae and three species of Viperidae.

Alocasia sakonakhonensis (Araceae), a new species from northeastern Thailand.

Alocasia sakonakhonensis Chatan & Promprom (Araceae), a new species from northeastern Thailand, is described and illustrated. It is clearly different from other previously known species by leaves, spathe, ovary, sterile interstice, synandria, and appendix. Color illustrations, and a distribution map are provided, as well as comparative morphological characters about its similar species. The preliminary conservation status assessment of the new species was presented.

Juncus snowii (Juncaceae), a New Rare Species Endemic to the Altamaha Grit of Georgia, U.S.A.

A new species, Juncus snowii W. M. Knapp & R. Carter (Juncaceae), is described from two counties of the Altamaha grit, a sandstone formation in the coastal plain physiographic province of Georgia, U.S.A. This new species resembles other members of Juncus L. sect. Ozophyllum Dumort. but is readily distinguished by a combination of characters including its typically annual life history, diminutive habit, and small capsules and tepals. The type locality is an area of geologic interest that supports a unique assemblage of rare and endemic plant species. Color photographs are provided for the new species, as well as preliminary conservation status assessments using NatureServe criteria (Critically Imperiled with extinction [G1]) and IUCN Red List criteria (Vulnerable [VU D2]).

The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List does not account for intraspecific diversity

Abstract The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List identifies threatened and endangered species and is a key instrument in global biodiversity conservation efforts. Our understanding of the structure and value of genetic biodiversity below the species level is rapidly increasing. Nonetheless, the IUCN assessment criteria overlook genetic variation within species. Here, we address this blind spot and discuss the principles of species conservation status classification relative to intraspecific biodiversity. We focus on coastal species, which thrive in heterogeneous environments known to drive genetic differentiation. The focal example species, Atlantic cod and sugar kelp, have contrasting life histories, are ecologically and economically important constituents of the coastal ecosystem, and are currently not classified as threatened in Norway and Canada. We expose important variation in population structure, the presence of ecotypes and genetic-environment covariation, as well as loss of ecotypes that threatens the conservation of these species. Because the genetic makeup of species directly influences their resilience, omitting this information from conservation status assessments can result in loss of adaptive capacity to future stressors, such as climate change. Consequently, recognizing and preserving intraspecific variation emerges as vital for species’ abilities to adapt to and survive in future ocean conditions.

Assessment of Avian Diversity and Conservation Status in Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary: A Special Reference to Migratory Bird Species

Assessment of Avian Diversity and Conservation Status in Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary: A Special Reference to Migratory Bird Species

Endemic amphibians of the Cerrado and Caatinga: species richness, geographic range and conservation

The Cerrado and the Caatinga have few formally protected areas and encompass a high diversity of amphibians, which is still relatively unknown. In this study we present the list of amphibian species endemic to the Cerrado or Caatinga and their geographic range, highlighting current conservation status. We obtained the species list from the compilation of scientific publications (up to July 2022). We obtained the occurrence records from the databases SpeciesLink, GBIF, Portal da Biodiversidade and literature. We classified the species in the categories of threat according to the Brazilian list of threatened species and the global list of threatened species. We compiled 2,659 occurrences of amphibians, 1,335 from the SpeciesLink platform, 414 from GBIF, 371 from the Biodiversity Portal and 539 obtained from the literature. We recorded 100 endemic species, 82 from the Cerrado and 18 from the Caatinga. The Cerrado has three species Vulnerable (VU) (Boana buriti, Bokermannohyla napolii and Scinax pinimus), one Critically Endangered (CR) (Proceratophrys moratoi), 14 species Data Deficient (DD), 46 in the Least Concern (LC) category and 18 Not Evaluated (NE). The Caatinga has three species CR (Adelophryne maranguapensis, Proceratophrys ararype, Rhinella casconi), three DD, five LC and seven NE. Threatened, DD and NE species have few records within the protected areas of Cerrado and Caatinga. We consider that the Cerrado and Caatinga present a rich diversity of endemic amphibians, which have a geographic range relatively reduced, especially the threatened ones, DD and NE. Distribution and taxonomy data are essential, because the lack can hinder the assessment of conservation status, since threatened species, DD, NE, including LC, may be undervalued and at risk. Keywords: amphibia, distribution, endemism, species list, species protection

Syzygium ngheanense (Myrtaceae: Myrtoideae), a new species of Syzygium from Central Vietnam

Syzygium ngheanense (Myrtaceae), a new species from Nghe An Province, in Central Vietnam is described and illustrated. The species is most similar to S. vestitum, S. scarbum and S. levinei but differs from the three latter in having glabrous bracts and bracteoles, sparsely scabrid flower buds and hypanthia, larger sepals and petals, longer stamens and styles. Information on phenology, ecology and distribution is provided, together with a preliminary conservation status assessment and taxonomic notes for the new species and a key to distinguish it from three hairy Syzygium species in Indochina.

Encyclia naranjapatensis Dodson (Orchidaceae), a new record for the Peruvian flora

Background: Encyclia, is a genus with more than 200 species in the Neotropics, eight of which have been previously reported from Peru. During the evaluation of the orchid flora in the forests of the Sicchez district, a small population of an Encyclia species was found that could not be unequivocally matched to any previously known species in the country.
 Questions: Will the recent explorations of Northern Peru result in the reporting of new taxa for the country?
 Studied species: Orchidaceae, Laeliinae, Encyclia Hook, Encyclia naranjapatensis Dodson
 Study site and dates: Sicchez District, Ayabaca Province, Piura Department, Peru, 2022-2023.
 Methods: Specimens were collected and determined by consulting botanical collections available online, taxonomic treatments, checklists, and specialized literature. The conservation status was assessed according to IUCN methodology.
 Results: We report a novelty for Peru, Encyclia naranjapatensis, and an updated description including morphological information on relevant structures that will be used to diagnose this entity. In addition, E. naranjapatensis is part of a basal clade referred to as the E. diurna species group. The conservation status assessment results in Endangered and the species is linked to the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest, an endangered ecosystem throughout the Neotropics.
 Conclusions: The recent entity located in Peru correspond to Encyclia naranjapatensis. This discovery allows us to investigate the geographical limits, discuss the phylogenetic and ecological affinities, update the original description, and evaluate its conservation status.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation.

More than 70% of all vascular plants lack conservation status assessments. We aimed to address this shortfall in knowledge of species extinction risk by using the World Checklist of Vascular Plants to generate the first comprehensive set of predictions for a large clade: angiosperms (flowering plants, c. 330 000 species). We used Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) to predict the extinction risk of all angiosperms using predictors relating to range size, human footprint, climate, and evolutionary history and applied a novel approach to estimate uncertainty of individual species-level predictions. From our model predictions, we estimate 45.1% of angiosperm species are potentially threatened with a lower bound of 44.5% and upper bound of 45.7%. Our species-level predictions, with associated uncertainty estimates, do not replace full global, or regional Red List assessments, but can be used to prioritise predicted threatened species for full Red List assessment and fast-track predicted non-threatened species for Least Concern assessments. Our predictions and uncertainty estimates can also guide fieldwork, inform systematic conservation planning and support global plant conservation efforts and targets.

Looking for reliable species distribution models for low‐density cetacean species: Compared effectiveness of SDMs for G. griseus, G. melas, Z. cavirostris in the Mediterranean Sea based on long‐term fixed‐transect data

Abstract The EU regulative framework for the protection of marine biodiversity and habitats requires the assessment of species' conservation status and the identification of core habitats to design adequate conservation and management plans. However, the identification of distribution range and habitat‐use of pelagic large‐range, migratory species, such as cetaceans, is challenging. Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly used in conservation planning to identify species priority areas. However, the quality of SDMs varies widely depending on the representativeness of data and the appropriateness of the modelling techniques. Since 2007, the Fixed Line Transect Mediterranean Monitoring Network (FLT Med Net) has been continuously monitoring cetaceans throughout the year in the Mediterranean basin using passenger ferries as observation platforms that perform repetitive surveys along fixed trans‐border transects. With the aim of defining a standard analytical approach, the data collected by the FLT Med Net on rarer Mediterranean cetacean species (i.e., Grampus griseus, Globicephala melas, Ziphius cavirostris) are used here to assess the performance of commonly used SDMs, including GLM, GAM, GAM‐Negative Binomial, GAM‐tweedy, MaxEnt and Random Forest. Models were built and evaluated using a total of 296 FLT Med Net sighting data and cross‐validated using 145 independent data points. Under testing conditions, almost all methods exhibited good performance, with Random Forest being the best model in several cases. However, when evaluated with the independent dataset, many models yielded inconsistent results or notably low performance. Only MaxEnt demonstrated consistent efficiency and reliability in both cases, showing results less affected by unequal sampling or small sample size. Results confirm the importance of robust standard SDM approaches based on representative data such as the FLT Med Net data to identify reliable priority areas for the species and to assess the long‐term coherence and effectiveness of spatial protection measures.

Conservation status of the blind mole rat populations in Hungary (Rodentia: Spalacinae: Nannospalax) revisited.

Regular reviews of long-term research and conservation programs are useful sources of information for future directions in science and for the assessment of current conservation status of taxa. In this paper, we compiled all available data from the last 10years related to Hungarian blind mole rat populations and assessed this information according to the following main themes: systematics, distribution and threats, and conservation actions. Based on the most recent information, national and global risk assessments are provided for the three species of Nannospalax (N. montanosyrmiensis, N. hungaricus and N. syrmiensis), currently accepted as part of the Hungarian fauna.

Expanding the Distribution of Prosthechea jauana (Orchidaceae) in the Pantepui and Highlighting the Urgent Need for Conservation Strategies in the Region in Face of Climate Change.

Prosthechea jauana has been recognized as an orchid species endemic to the Venezuelan tepui. The first record of P. jauana in Brazil is presented here, also from a tepui in the Southern phytogeographical district of Pantepui in the Serra do Aracá, at the northern border of the Amazonas state. A detailed morphological description and images of the specimen are presented, as well as an updated distribution map, preliminary conservation status assessment, and taxonomic notes about the species. In addition, we provide species' distribution models for P. jauana based on current and future bioclimatic data. Future projections suggest that the geographic distribution of P. jauana will likely be severely affected, with ~79% of its suitable habitat being reduced by 2041-2060 and ~92% by 2061-2080. Prosthechea jauana could represent a flag species and an example of how climate change may affect the endemic Pantepui flora.

Two new species of Typhonium (Araceae) with bicolored staminodes from Central Vietnam

Typhonium bicolor and T. culaochamense are described as new species endemic to Central Vietnam. They have bicolored staminodes (apex and base of different colors) which are formerly reported for six species, namely T. bachmaense, T. blumei, T. filiforme, T. flagelliforme, T. kbangense and T. ramosum. The first species is characterized by its oblong-elliptic and thick leaflets, yellowish and elliptic flattened anthers with lateral dehiscence, pink 6–7 mm long staminodes with a pale purple verrucose surface and a bright yellow and obtuse or truncate apex, oblanceolate ovaries and stipitate spadix appendix, and the second by its elongate and cylindrical tuber, variable leaf blades, longer spathe tube, basically externally green-brownish spathe limb, 3–5 rows of pistils, apically brownish dotted ovaries, disciform stigmas and recurved staminodes with a yellow apex. The ecology, distribution and assessment of conservation status of the two new taxa as well as a key to all known Typhonium species in Vietnam are provided.

Philcoxia cachimboensis (Plantaginaceae): uma nova espécie carnívora da Serra do Cachimbo, Amazônia oriental, Brasil

ABSTRACT A new species of Philcoxia (Plantaginaceae) from Serra do Cachimbo, eastern Amazon, Brazil, is described and discussed. Philcoxia cachimboensis sp. nov. is mainly characterized by the corolla with asymmetrically obovate (liver-shaped) lateral lobes, with truncate to sub-emarginate apex. This is the first record of the genus in the Brazilian Amazon. A morphological description, illustration and photographs, conservation status assessment, an updated identification key for the recognized species of Philcoxia, and comparative taxonomic comments are provided.

Using resiliency, redundancy, and representation in a Bayesian belief network to assess imperilment of riverine fishes

AbstractConservation prioritization frameworks are used worldwide to identify species at greatest risk of extinction and to allocate limited resources across regions, species, and populations. Conservation prioritization can be impeded by ecological knowledge gaps and data deficiency, especially in freshwater species inhabiting highly complex aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, we developed a flexible approach that calculates a species' imperilment risk based on the conservation principles of resiliency, redundancy, and representation (i.e., the “three R's”). Our approach organizes data on species traits, distributions, population connectivity, and threats within a Bayesian belief network capable of predicting resiliency and redundancy within representative ecological settings. Empirical data and expert judgment inform the model to provide robust and repeatable risk assessments for rare and data‐deficient species. The model calculates resiliency at hierarchical spatial scales from distributional trends and population strength. Redundancy is estimated from the connectivity and quantities of extant populations. Resiliency, redundancy, and species' inherent vulnerability based on species traits collectively estimate extirpation risk within each unique ecological setting. Extirpation risks across ecological settings characterize representation and are aggregated to estimate global imperilment risk. We demonstrate the model's utility with Piebald Madtom (Noturus gladiator), a species petitioned for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Our results revealed that resiliency, redundancy, and extirpation risks can vary spatially across the species' range while identifying populations where additional sampling could disproportionally reduce uncertainty in estimated global imperilment risk. Our approach could standardize and expedite conservation status assessments, identify opportunities for early management intervention of at‐risk species and populations, and strategically reduce uncertainty by focusing monitoring and research on priority information gaps.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Weberbauerella Ulbr. (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) in Peru and Chile

SummaryThe little-known and infrequently collected papilionoid legume genus Weberbauerella, is only known from outlying regions of the Atacama Desert. Presently it comprises three species, one in Chile and two in Peru. These small, woody, perennial species, enigmatic in both occurrence and form, are found growing in isolated populations in climatically extreme conditions. They are characterised by the presence of pustular glands throughout. Here we revise the genus, providing a key to the species, descriptions, distribution maps, illustrations, assessments of conservation status and notes on a northern variant population.

Assessment of conservation status of riparian vascular plant species in a dry season exposed flood plain area of the Incalaue river catchment, Niassa Special Reserve, Northern Mozambique

Riparian vegetation usually gets less focus in biodiversity assessments and yet species diversity is important knowledge when applying patch specific conservation value in the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR). This study assessed the composition and conservation status of riparian species in an exposed river basin downstream location. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of sites and respondents to maximize data collection. The study found 19 species belonging to 15 families with 52.63% of them having a frequency of ⩾50% in sampling plots. There were 10 species that are endemic to the sub-Sharan Africa Region. Fabaceae was the dominant family with 5 species. The species with the highest population was Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr. Species richness ranged from 0.35 to 0.98 with a mean of 0.66 ± 0.22. The IVI ranged from 34.70 (F. indica (Burm. f.) Merr) to 4.43 (Tribulus cistoides L.) with a mean of 15.79 ± 7.79. Threats of species loss and ecosystem disturbance were agriculture, infrastructure development and plant harvests. There was a reported decline in species availability over the previous 10 years by 18.7% of the respondents. The results added to existing studies and records of vegetation species of conservation value in areas exposed to loss in the NSR. This study advances research on vegetation range dynamics in the NSR and presents a need to mitigate human land use impacts on riparian vegetation species composition.

Optimisation of classification methods to differentiate morphologically-similar pollen grains from FT-IR spectra

A growing body of research is demonstrating the potential of Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) to identify and differentiate morphologically similar pollen taxa. The Poaceae (grass) family is a large and complex with morphologically similar pollen grains. It is not possible to use traditional light microscopy to differentiate Poaceae species, or genus, based on pollen morphological characteristics. This research presents a study of five species from the Poaceae family found across a wide variety of different moorland vegetation communities, to test the extent to which FT-IR microspectroscopy can be used to separate and identify these species and develop statistical approaches for the analyses of these data. Moorland grasses are of particular importance to assess conservation status and baselines in fragile and scarce vegetation communities, whose vegetation composition in the past remains cryptic owing to low taxonomic resolution. Non-differentiated and second derivative spectra were combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) to determine whether species had different chemical compositions and would cluster. Decision trees and random forest were used to classify each species and demonstrated 100% successful classification rate. This success demonstrates that using FT-IR microspectroscopy alongside spectral pre-processing and multivariate analysis can successfully identify and separate these moorland Poaceae species and has the clear potential to improve taxonomic resolution and classification of fossil pollen records. This will improve our understanding of how past land-use practice has shaped upland communities, provide more detailed ecologically-relevant palaeoecological information, and be utilised for the restoration and conservation of upland habitats.

Applying genomic approaches to identify historic population declines in European forest bats

Abstract Anthropogenically driven environmental changes over recent centuries have led to severe declines of wildlife populations. Better tools are needed to assess the magnitude and consequences of these declines. Anecdotal evidence suggests European bat populations have suffered substantial declines in the past centuries. However, there is little empirical evidence of these declines that can be used to put more recent population trends into historic context. This study is a collaboration between academics and conservation practitioners to develop molecular approaches capable of providing evidence of historic population changes that can inform conservation status assessments and management. We generated a genomic dataset of 46,872 SNPs for the Western barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus, a regionally Vulnerable bat species, including colonies from across the species' British and Iberian ranges. We used a combination of landscape genetics and model‐based inference of demographic history to identify both evidence of population size changes and possible drivers of these changes. Levels of genetic diversity increased and inbreeding decreased with increasing broadleaf woodland cover around the colony. Genetic connectivity was impeded by artificial lights and facilitated by rivers and broadleaf woodland cover. The demographic history analysis showed that both the northern and southern British barbastelle populations have declined by 99% over the past 330–548 years. These declines may be linked to the loss of large oak trees and native woodlands due to shipbuilding during the early colonial period. Synthesis and applications. Genomic approaches can provide a better understanding of the conservation status of threatened species, within historic and contemporary contexts, and inform their conservation management. Our findings of will directly influence the definition of the Favourable Conservation Status of the barbastelle, in turn influencing considerations of the conservation of the species in development plans. Knowledge gained will also help set species recovery targets. Policymakers are interested in using our approach for other species. This study shows how we can bridge the implementation gap between genomic research and direct conservation applications. There is an urgent need to carry out such collaborative studies for other priority species to enable informed species recovery interventions via policy mechanisms and project delivery.

Ethno-medicinal plants used by Jadh Bhotiya Community of District Uttarakashi, Uttarakhand, India

In the present study, our aim was to document the traditional knowledge regarding ethno-medicinal plants used by the Jadh-Bhotiya community in the Uttarakashi district (Uttarakhand, India). A total of 54 taxa, belonging to 49 genera and 31 families, were recorded with medicinal properties. Lamiaceae, Liliaceae and Orchidaceae were the dominant families (in terms of number of species), while the top genera included Berberis, Habenaria, Malaxis and Polygonatum. Herbs constituted the dominant life form (82%), followed by shrubs and trees (9% each). Roots (20%) and the whole plant (13%) showed a higher proportion of use for medication. Powder (33%) and paste (20%) were the most frequently used drug preparation methods. Regional conservation assessment analysis revealed that 76% of the species were recorded under the 'Least Concern' (LC) category, followed by 'Vulnerable' (VU) with 13% of the species, and 11% of the species were recorded under the 'Near Threatened' (NT) category. Aconitum heterophyllum, Arnebia benthamii, Nardostachys jatamansi, Rheum australe, Saussurea obvallata and Taxus wallichiana were recorded under the ‘Near Threatened’ (NT) category. Angelica glauca, Carduus edelbergii, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Ephedra gerardiana, Lilium polyphyllum, Malaxis acuminata, and Malaxis muscifera were recorded under the ‘Vulnerable’ (VU) category, while the remaining species were recorded under the ‘Least Concern’ (LC) category. The knowledge about therapeutic information concerning plants in the study area and elsewhere is diminishing day by day. Regional-level conservation status of plant species can be helpful in the global conservation status assessment. It is recommended that conservation measures be applied for the betterment of those species falling under various conservation categories, especially the threatened ones. Additionally, more ethno-medicinal studies are recommended in such remote regions to further enhance our understanding of traditional medicinal practices and contribute to the conservation of indigenous plant knowledge.