Biodiversity Management Plans Research Articles

Temporal changes in species richness, composition and diversity of the forest stands over 36-year period, Western Himalaya, India

This study investigates the temporal changes in species richness, composition, and diversity in forest stands spanning a 36-year period in the Western Himalaya. Four forest stands (subtropical Sal-forest, subtropical Chir-pine forest, temperate Banj-oak forest, and temperate Mixed-oak Forest) studied in 1980-1981 were resurveyed using similar methods. Over the past 36 years, 19 new species have been recorded in the four stands; eight species planted and eleven species naturally introduced. Dominant species continue to dominate in the forest stands. However, their contribution to the total tree density has decreased over the year. Species diversity, richness, and evenness increased in all forests except the Sal stand. Three species were newly introduced in the Sal stand, seven in the Chir-pine stand, eight in the Banj-oak stand, and seven in the Mixed-oak stand. The highest similarity in species composition was observed in the Sal stand (59%), followed by the mixed-oak stand (57%), Chir-pine stand (50%), and Banj-oak stand (47%). The results indicate an increase in tree density across all sites, with the Mixed-oak forest exhibiting the highest increase in tree density due to least biotic pressure. The findings of this study, based on two-time composition datasets, provide valuable insights into forest dynamics, supporting biodiversity conservation and management planning.

Reconnoitre on ichthyofauna of Mahanadi River of India: shifting diversity down the river continuum and linking ecological traits with patterns in biodiversity.

Anthropogenic alterations have paramount impacts on the alpha and beta diversity of aquatic resources, and fishes are predominantly susceptible to such impacts. Mahanadi River, one of the major peninsular rivers of India, has abundant fish resources, which play a significant role in supporting the fishers' livelihoods. The exploratory study in the river conducted for three consecutive years recorded 148 species under 53 families. Cyprinids dominated the fish diversity with 41 species, followed by Bagrids (9) and Sciaenids (7). One hundred-one species under 29 families were reported from the freshwater stretch. With a total of 111 species reported under 48 families, the estuarine and tidal freshwater stretch was more speciose, due to marine migrant species which advent the estuarine and tidal freshwaters stretch for breeding and feeding purposes. Tikarpara, a conserved site within a sanctuary, was the most species-diverse as well as a species-even site. The study also recorded the extension of the distributional range of 3 fish species and also 4 exotic species from the river. The seasonal variations in diversity indicated that the deviations were not prominent in freshwater sites, whereas in tidal brackish water sites, species richness was relatively higher in post-monsoon, and species evenness was higher during monsoon. Taxonomic distinctness test showed that the average taxonomic distinctness was high for tidal estuarine locations as they harbour taxonomically distant fishes. The hierarchical clustering of sites showed the inordinate effect of river gradient and fragmentation on the fish community structure. Analyzing the key drivers of the assemblage structure of the entire river, salinity was the major deterministic factor, and within the freshwater stretch, the major influences were depth, transparency, and specific conductivity. The study concluded that, despite all of its ecological stresses, Mahanadi still supports rich fish diversity, yet there is a notable shift in the fish community structure. There is a need for integrating molecular and morphological tools for the taxonomic revision of many genera and species for proper in situ and ex situ conservation measures and to formulate future biodiversity management plans addressing to reduce the impacts of the ecological threats.

Does soil matter?

There has been a serious increase in solar energy installations in Hungary recently. The majority (98.6%) of the installations were done as greenfield investments. Due to the nature of technological intervention in the agricultural landscapes, some of the results of these investments were the disturbance of the environment (soil and water), change of landscape (and its values), and reduction in the biodiversity of these areas. Due to the increase of land use and land cover change, especially towards soil sealing or reduced availability, it should be important to maintain or improve the role of such places as habitats, besides producing the equally important renewable energy forms. Solar parks on former greenfield areas cover a significant amount of soil surface, and there are tremendous works related to soil resources, their soils are changed during the investment and thus soil properties influence their biodiversity management plan. An important step in habitat development is revegetation. While planting valuable plants for improvement of the biodiversity, it is also important to adapt the plans to the environment of the solar parks, and also, to its technical parameters. In the recent study, soil samplings were done close to the disturbed area and in a nearby natural area. Soil properties were measured by a Near Infrared device. Soil organic matter and N-content resulted in differences between the examined sites. The deviation of soil properties proved the importance of soil investigation in this case as revegetation requires knowledge on soil to find the proper plant species for the soils on-site.

Comparative population genetics of habitat-forming octocorals in two marine protected areas: eco-evolutionary and management implications

Current efforts to halt the decline of biodiversity are based primarily on protecting species richness. This narrow focus overlooks key components of biological diversity, particularly the infra-species genetic diversity, which is critical to consider with respect to genetic adaptation in changing environments. While comparative population genetics is recognized as a relevant approach to improve biodiversity management, it is still barely considered in practice. Here, a comparative population genetics study was conducted on two key habitat-forming octocoral species, Corallium rubrum and Paramuricea clavata, to contribute to management of two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the northwestern Mediterranean. Contrasting patterns of genetic diversity and structure were observed in the two species, although they share many common biological features and live in similar habitats. Differential genetic drift effects induced by species-specific reproductive strategies and demographic histories most likely explain these differences. The translation of our results into management strategies supports the definition of four management units. We identified a coldspot of genetic diversity, with genetically isolated populations, and a hotspot of genetic diversity that has a central role in the system’s connectivity. Interestingly, they corresponded to the most recent and the oldest protected areas, respectively. This case study shows how moving from a “species pattern” perspective to an “eco-evolutionary processes” perspective can help assess and contribute to the effectiveness of biodiversity management plans.

Mammal traits and soil biogeochemistry: Functional diversity relates to composition of soil organic matter.

Mammal diversity affects carbon concentration in Amazonian soils. It is known that some species traits determine carbon accumulation in organisms (e.g., size and longevity), and are also related to feeding strategies, thus linking species traits to the type of organic remains that are incorporated into the soil. Trait diversity in mammal assemblages - that is, its functional diversity - may therefore constitute another mechanism linking biodiversity to soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation. To address this hypothesis, we analyzed across 83 mammal assemblages in the Amazon biome (Guyana), the elemental (by ED-XRF and CNH analysis) and molecular (FTIR-ATR) composition of SOM of topsoils (401 samples) and trait diversity (functional richness, evenness, and divergence) for each mammal assemblage. Lower mammal functional richness but higher functional divergence were related to higher content of carbonyl and aliphatic SOM, potentially affecting SOM recalcitrance. Our results might allow the design of biodiversity management plans that consider the effect of mammal traits on carbon sequestration and accumulation in soils.

Genetic diversity and origin of captive lion (Panthera leo) in South Africa: an assessment and comparison to wild populations

South Africa has a large captive lion (Panthera leo) sector, but detailed knowledge on the origin of individuals and any potential genetic value to conservation targets is lacking. In 2021, the South African government committed to closing the sector and have since appointed a Ministerial Lion Task Team (2022) to initiate this process. Some have suggested that captive lions could be integrated into wild populations as part of the process but information on the genetic origins and diversity of captive lions is critical if this is to be explored further. Both the Biodiversity Management Plan for lions in South Africa (2015) and a High-Level Ministerial report for the South African government (2021) have called for more information on the genetic composition of captive lions. To determine the probable origin of captive lions in South Africa we summarised existing survey responses from captive facilities (collected 2017–2018) and CITES permit data (issued 1991–2019). Survey data suggest that most lions were sourced from within the South African captive sector. However, many CITES permits were also issued for the import of lions from across Africa and beyond, indicating possible mixed origins within the sector. To evaluate genetic relationships between captive and wild lions in South Africa we standardised existing microsatellite marker data from three laboratories and analysed genotypes of captive lions from 31 properties. A comparison of captive and wild lion genotypes revealed that the genetic composition of captive lions is currently comparable to existing wild South African lions. Captive lions cluster with similar probabilities to three of four regional reference populations of wild lions included in the study and no major signatures of inbreeding were identified. However, captive lions are highly genetically interconnected across properties and represent a smaller effective population size compared to Kruger National Park, the largest population of wild lions in South Africa, suggesting some risk of future inbreeding. There were also signatures of genetic drift which should be investigated further as it will likely compromise any potential conservation genetic value of captive lions in the future. The findings of this study should be considered when planning the fate of individuals within South Africa’s captive lion sector and within the broader context of African lion conservation.

Land use outweighs other stressors in declining fish biodiversity in lakes of Eastern China during the 1980s-2010s

Understanding patterns and driving factors of freshwater fish biodiversity in metacommunities is essential for biological conservation but rarely studied in regions experiencing rapid land use changes. We examined changes of both alpha and beta fish diversities in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic facets during the 1980 s to 2010 s, and quantified contributions from natural and human drivers in lakes located in China's fastest economic development region. Results showed that almost all indices of alpha and beta diversity decreased through time. For alpha diversity, taxonomic and functional richness declined by 13 to 15%. Rheophilic and piscivorous fish species declined by 50 and 36%, respectively. For beta diversity, the decline of overall functional (-31%) diversity was greater than taxonomic (-17%) and phylogenetic (-19%) diversity. The decline of multiple facets of beta diversity indicated that fish communities in these lakes have homogenized through time. Land use (i.e., increased urban land and aquaculture ponds), hydrology (i.e., increased water level), climate (i.e., increased air temperature), and fishing (i.e., increased lake fishery catch) factors all made significant contributions to both alpha and beta fish diversity decline in multiple facets. The overall contribution from land use to the decline of multidimensional fish diversity was greater than those of other stressors. While attention should be given to both local human disturbance and regional climate factors, in regions experiencing rapid economic development and land use changes, local disturbances should be considered as a priority in biodiversity management plans.

Maximizing sampling efficiency to detect differences in fish community composition using environmental DNA metabarcoding in subarctic fjords

AbstractEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) has gained popularity as a tool for ecosystem biomonitoring and biodiversity assessment. Although much progress has been made regarding laboratory and fieldwork protocols, the issue of sampling efficiency requires further investigation, particularly in three‐dimensional marine systems. This study focuses on fish community composition in marine ecosystems and aims to analyze the efficiency of sampling design given the sampling effort for distinguishing between different communities. We sampled three fjords in Northern Norway, taking samples along fjord transects and at three different depths, and amplified a fragment of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene of bony fishes using the MiFish primers. We evaluated the effect of (i) the number of sampling stations, (ii) samples' spatial distribution, and (iii) the data treatment approach (presence/absence versus semiquantitative) for maximizing the efficiency of eDNA metabarcoding sampling when inferring differences of fish community compositions between fjords. We found that the manner of data treatment strongly affected the minimum number of sampling stations required to detect differences among communities; because the semiquantitative approach retained some information about abundance of the underlying reads, it was the most efficient. Furthermore, we found little‐to‐no difference of fish communities in samples from intermediate depths when comparing vertical fish communities. Lastly, we found that the differences between fish communities at the surface were the highest across the horizontal distance and overall, samples ~30 km apart showed the highest variation in the horizontal distribution. Boosting sampling efficiency (reducing sampling effort without compromising ecological inferences) can significantly contribute to enhanced biodiversity management and efficient biomonitoring plans.

Species composition, relative abundance and distribution of rodents in Wof-Washa Natural State Forest, Ethiopia

The species composition, relative abundance, and distribution of rodents were studied in Wof-Washa Natural State Forest (WWNSF), Ethiopia, from December 2016 to May 2017 during the dry and wet seasons. A total of 49 Sherman live traps were set per grid at 10 m intervals in permanent 4900 m 2 (70 m x 70 m) live-trapping grids established in intact forest, disturbed forest, Erica woodland, plantation forest and farmland habitats. Twenty-five snap traps were placed in a 5 × 5 alignment per grid spaced at 10 m intervals. A total of 621 individuals of rodents were captured in 2560 trap nights by using both live traps and snap traps. Seven species of rodents in the family Muridae were recorded . Out of the total rodents sampled during the study period, Stenocephalemys albipes, Desmomys harringtoni and Lophuromys flavopunctatus are endemic to Ethiopia. The plantation forest had the highest mean trapping success, whereas the lowest trap success was in the Erica woodland. The distribution of rodent species was significantly different among studied habitats. Higher trap success was recorded during the dry season (26.2%) than in the wet season (24.4%). The highest value of the Shannon index was recorded in plantation forest ( H ’ = 1.82) followed by farmland habitat ( H ’ = 1.67) during the wet season, and the lowest value was observed in the intact forest ( H ’ = 0.67) and Erica woodland (H’ = 0.67) during the dry season. Of the total sampled individuals, adults comprised 260 (41.9%), sub-adults 248 (39.9%) and juveniles 113 (18.2%). The present study provides the first valuable record of species composition, relative abundance and distribution of rodents in the WWNSF. We recommend further monitoring and inventorying of small mammals to document and conserve the different endemic and endangered rodent species for designing essential biodiversity management plans in the area.

Floristic Inventory of the Iguaçu and Iguazú National Parks (Brazil and Argentina): Bignoniaceae

Although Argentina and Brazil are among the countries with the highest vascular plant diversity, the flora of both countries remains understudied. The Iguazú region, where the Iguaçu National Park (Brazil) and the Iguazú National Park (Argentina) are located, is an example of a region that remains poorly known botanically. Even though the Bignoniaceae is an important component of the flora of this region, few floristic treatments are available for this plant family for the Southern Cone, a region encompassing Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Southern Brazil. Here, we provide a floristic account of Bignoniaceae from the Iguazú and Iguaçu National Parks, including identification keys, photographs, illustrations, comments on the geographic distribution, habitat, and phenology. A total of 29 species in 13 genera of Bignoniaceae were documented. Of these, Dolichandra and Fridericia are the richest genera in the region, with five species each, followed by Adenocalymma, Handroanthus, and Jacaranda with three species each, and Amphilophium and Bignonia with two species each. Six genera, i.e., Mansoa, Podranea, Pyrostegia, Tabebuia, Tanaecium, and Tynanthus, are represented by a single species. As scientific novelties herein we document Fridericia triplinervia for the first time in the PARNA Iguaçu, a new collection of Dolichandra cynanchoides in the PARNA Iguaçu after 54 years, Tynanthus micranthus distribution expansion to Argentina, the correction of the endemism status of Jacaranda micrantha and Jacaranda puberula, as well as the preliminar assessment of most of the species conservation status. This way, our findings expand the knowledge about the flora of the Southern Cone, contributing with important information for the establishment of biodiversity management plans and conservation priorities.

An assessment of the medium-term reproductive success of an extralimital white rhinoceros population

The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is threatened primarily due to continued poaching for its horns. In South Africa, partly to promote the conservation of the species, white rhinos have been introduced into areas where they did not occur historically (i.e. where they are considered extralimital). Few studies have investigated the conservation contribution of extralimital white rhinos to the overall national herd. We aimed to determine whether the white rhinos introduced to a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape province have been successful from a reproductive perspective. We calculated inter-calving intervals, age at first calving, sex ratios of calves, and recruitment rates for white rhinos at a single site between 1992 and 2019. The average net annual population growth rate for the population was 10%, which is higher than the recommended 5% by the Biodiversity Management Plan for white rhinos. Trends in density-dependent parameters such as age at first calving and inter-calving intervals also indicated that the study population is still well below the density at which ecological constraints may manifest. We demonstrate that an extralimital white rhino population in the Eastern Cape can be successful from a reproductive perspective.

Predicting future distributions and dispersal pathways for precautionary management of human-raccoon dog conflicts in metropolitan landscapes

Human-wildlife conflicts in cities are becoming increasingly common worldwide and are a challenge to urban biodiversity management and landscape planning. In comparison to compensatory management, which often focuses on addressing emergency conflicts, precautionary management allows decision-makers to better allocate limited resources on prioritized areas and initiate long-term actions in advance. However, precautionary approaches have rarely been developed or applied in biodiversity conservation. Since 2020, human-raccoon dog conflicts in Shanghai, one of the largest cities in the world, have tripled in reported number due to the rapid spread of the species in the city from 70 residential districts in 2020 to 249 residential districts in 2022. Here, we use ensemble and circuit modeling to predict suitable raccoon dog habitat and identify their potential dispersal pathways to aid the development of precautionary management strategies. We find that raccoon dog distribution is positively associated with several anthropogenic factors, including residential buildings and nighttime light, which could be signs that the species’ foraging behavior has adapted to the urban environment. We find that raccoon dogs only occupy 10.1% of its suitable habitat, and thus there is a high potential for the expansion of the raccoon dog population and more frequent human-raccoon dog conflicts in the near future. We predict 60 potential dispersal pathways across Shanghai, seven of which cross densely human populated areas and are likely to trigger excessive conflicts. Based on our findings, we propose priority areas where precautionary management strategies, such as constraining stray animal feeding and wildlife-vehicle collision prevention, would potentially alleviate human-raccoon dog conflicts. We present the first study on the precautionary approach of human-wildlife conflict in China’s major cities, and provide a practical example of how comprehensive modeling approaches can be used as the foundation of precautionary management in urban landscapes.

Climatic variables and ecological modelling data for birds, amphibians and reptiles in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (Portugal-Spain).

BackgroundClimate change has been widely accepted as one of the major threats for global biodiversity and understanding its potential effects on species distribution is crucial to optimise conservation planning in future scenarios under global change. Integrating detailed climatic data across spatial and temporal scales into species distribution modelling can help to predict potential changes in biodiversity. Consequently, this type of data can be useful for developing efficient biodiversity management and conservation planning. The provision of such data becomes even more important in highly biodiverse regions, currently suffering from climatic and landscape changes. The Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (BRMI; Portugal-Spain) is one of the most relevant reserves for wildlife in Europe. This highly diverse region is of great ecological and socio-economical interest, suffering from synergistic processes of rural land abandonment and climatic instabilities that currently threaten local biodiversity.Aiming to optimise conservation planning in the Reserve, we provide a complete dataset of historical and future climate models (1 x 1 km) for the BRMI, used to build a series of distribution models for 207 vertebrate species. These models are projected for 2050 under two climate change scenarios. The climatic suitability of 52% and 57% of the species are predicted to decrease under the intermediate and extreme climatic scenarios, respectively. These models constitute framework data for improving local conservation planning in the Reserve, which should be further supported by implementing climate and land-use change factors to increase the accuracy of future predictions of species distributions in the study area.New informationHerein, we provide a complete dataset of state-of-the-art historical and future climate model simulations, generated by global-regional climate model chains, with climatic variables resolved at a high spatial resolution (1 × 1 km) over the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica. Additionally, a complete series of distribution models for 207 species (168 birds, 24 reptiles and 15 amphibians) under future (2050) climate change scenarios is delivered, which constitute framework data for improving local conservation planning in the reserve.

Climate change and plant biodiversity in Himalaya, India

The Himalaya, the geodynamically active youngest mountain system of the Earth, due to high environmental variability supports rich biodiversity, which makes the fundamental basis for ecosystem services that constitute the basic life support for human being. Most of the life support commodities, such as food, shelter, water, quality air and medicine directly or indirectly depend on plant diversity. However, due to climate change and growing anthropogenic pressure ecosystem structure and function is greatly affected posing threat to the availability of biotic resources on sustained basis. Ground and space based observations show that the biozones across the Himalaya have experienced changes in vegetation in recent decades. Many of the high-elevation temperature sensitive plant species are known to be shifting to higher elevations in the Himalayan region, though the rate of shift being highly species and site idiosyncratic. Increasing magnitude of ecosystem fragmentation associated with the developmental activities coupled with projected warming in the twenty-first century could pose a serious threat to biodiversity that include many of the endemic plant species, progenitors of cultivated and economic plants. The change in climatic conditions also accelerates the invasion of alien species having competitive edge over the indigenous ones. Commendable steps have been recently taken for in-situ conservation of species through the establishment of protected areas across the elevations in the Himalayan region. However, species specific ecological studies and long-term ecological monitoring essentially required to understand relative sensitivity of species to environmental changes in the Himalayan region are still lacking. Such empirical studies in long-term perspective are required to adopt appropriate biodiversity management plans for the Himalayan region. For this it is required to ascertain chronology of species dynamics in relation to environmental changes using precisely dated growth rings of plant species. This should provide appropriate clue to the absolute chronology of species dynamics in response to environmental changes.

Policy coherence for national climate change adaptation and invasive species management in four countries.

Abstract This study explores the opportunities for interlinkages across national planning processes for invasive species management (ISM), national climate change adaptation plans (NAPs), national biodiversity management plans (NBSAPs), and other related policies. Focusing on four countries - Pakistan, Zambia, Kenya, and Ghana - the paper aims to identify policy recommendations for more integrated approaches and to achieve greater efficiency in resource allocation and spending. It finds that there is currently very little integration between these policy areas, and little overlap in implementation systems. It identifies sub-national planning and governance systems as an optimal area for increased harmonization of policy and practice to facilitate locally-led climate adaptation and area-specific responses to ISM issues.

Correlation Analysis of Biodiversity with Local Wisdom in Indigenous Villages and Non-Indigenous Villages in Bogor Regency

Biodiversity is an abundance of various types of landscape resources on the face of the earth. The sustainability of biodiversity in a landscape is inseparable from the role of humans living. Various cultures have knowledge, practices, wisdom, and other cultural representations in utilizing and preserving the landscape resources. Urug Village is one of the traditional Sundanese villages that still maintain its local wisdom. Preservation of biodiversity and environmental management in traditional villages are based on local wisdom. It can be used as a reference for landscape management to preserve biodiversity in their environment. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the level of biodiversity in indigenous villages and non-indigenous villages and to find out the correlation between biodiversity and local wisdom, and to formulate local wisdom-based biodiversity management plans. The results of the biodiversity index calculation indicate that the level of biodiversity in Urug Indigenous Village is higher with index value 1.96. Cipatat village has a lower index of 1.34. Both of these biodiversity indexes are in the medium category. But the results of the T-test show that these two indexes are significantly different. It can be validly concluded that the biodiversity index in Urug Indigenous Village is higher than in Cipatat Village. Logistic regression was carried out to determine the correlation of biodiversity index with local wisdom. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that there was a positive relationship between the biodiversity index and local wisdom. The recommendations for biodiversity management were formulated through SWOT analysis. This analysis resulted in three main recommendations for biodiversity management strategies based on local wisdom.

Potential habitat suitability of Iraqi amphibians under climate change

Abstract. Kaky E. 2020. Potential habitat suitability of Iraqi amphibians under climate change. Biodiversitas 21: 731-742. Biodiversity management and conservation planning are two techniques for reducing the rate of biodiversity loss, especially under the effect of climate change. Here 289 records of five species of amphibians from Iraq and seven environmental variables were used with MaxEnt to predict potential habitat suitability for each species under current and future conditions, using the 5th IPCC assessment (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 for the year 2050). The models suggest that annual precipitation and the mean temperature of the wettest quarter are the main factors that shape the distributions of these species. The estimated current habitat suitability was closely similar to that for 2050 under both scenarios, with a high niche overlap between them for all species. Among species, there were low niche overlaps between the frogs Bufo viridis, Hyla savignyi and Rana ridibunda, and also between the salamanders Neurergus crocatus and Neurergus microspilotus. Future sampling should focus on areas not currently covered by records to reduce bias. The results are a vital first step in long-term conservation planning for these species. Via sharing these results with decision-makers and stakeholders a crucial conservation actions need to increase Iraqi Protected Areas to avoid losing biodiversity in Iraq especially the unique populations and threaten species.

Has strategic planning made a difference to amphibian conservation research in South Africa?

Background: Conservation relies on the strategic use of resources because monies for conservation action are limited, especially in developing countries. South Africa’s Frog Atlas project established a baseline for the country’s amphibian data and threat levels in 2004, and in 2009 a prioritisation exercise developed a strategy for conservation research.Objectives: In this article, we assess this strategy for conservation research.Method: We conducted a quantitative and qualitative assessment of research undertaken since the strategy was developed.Results: The strategy has produced a lasting impact on taxonomy, ecological studies, monitoring and capacity building. Publications in all areas have increased, but particularly in conservation ecology. Other indicators are increases in the numbers of locality records for target taxa, species descriptions and postgraduate degrees with amphibians as the principal topic. We document important milestones for South African amphibian conservation, including the first Biodiversity Management Plan for Species (BMP-S) for Hyperolius pickersgilli, a smart device app that uploads locality data to an open access database, 15 years of monitoring data and new amphibian identification books for adults and children. The Red List Index calculated for South African amphibians shows that the country’s species are becoming more threatened (a 1% reduction in 10 years), but a hindcasting exercise suggests that most of the damage was already done by 1990. We provide a checklist for 131 amphibian species in South Africa, of which 82 species are endemic.Conclusion: A strategy for conservation research was found to greatly augment the focus of research on South African frogs. A new strategy should focus on fewer taxa over meaningful time spans.

Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins.

More than half of the world's 18 penguin species are declining. We, the Steering Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group, determined that the penguin species in most critical need of conservation action are African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), and Yellow‐eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). Due to small or rapidly declining populations, these species require immediate scientific collaboration and policy intervention. We also used a pairwise‐ranking approach to prioritize research and conservation needs for all penguins. Among the 12 cross‐taxa research areas we identified, we ranked quantifying population trends, estimating demographic rates, forecasting environmental patterns of change, and improving the knowledge of fisheries interactions as the highest priorities. The highest ranked conservation needs were to enhance marine spatial planning, improve stakeholder engagement, and develop disaster‐management and species‐specific action plans. We concurred that, to improve the translation of science into effective conservation for penguins, the scientific community and funding bodies must recognize the importance of and support long‐term research; research on and conservation of penguins must expand its focus to include the nonbreeding season and juvenile stage; marine reserves must be designed at ecologically appropriate spatial and temporal scales; and communication between scientists and decision makers must be improved with the help of individual scientists and interdisciplinary working groups.

Species distribution models can be highly sensitive to algorithm configuration

In pursuit of a more robust provenance in the field of species distribution modelling, an extensive literature search was undertaken to find the typical default values, and the range of values, for configuration settings of a large number of the most commonly used statistical algorithms available for constructing species distribution models (SDM), as implemented in the R script packages (such as Dismo and Biomod2) or other species distribution modelling programs like MaxEnt. We found that documentation of SDM algorithm configuration option settings in the SDM literature is, overall, very uncommon, and the justifications for these settings were minimal, when present. Such settings were often the R default values, or were the result of trial and error. This is potentially concerning since: (i) it detracts from the robustness of the provenance for such SDM studies; (ii) a lack of documentation of configuration option settings in a paper prevents the replication of an experiment, which contravenes one of the main tenets of the scientific method; (iii) inappropriate or uninformed configuration option settings are particularly concerning if they represent a poorly understood ecological variable or process, and if the algorithm is sensitive to such settings, this could result in erroneous and/or unrealistic SDMs. Therefore, this study sets out to comprehensively test the sensitivity of eight widely used SDM algorithms to variation in configuration options settings: MaxEnt, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Generalized Additive Model (GAM), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Flexible Discriminant Analysis (FDA), Surface Range Envelope (SRE) and Classification tree analysis (CTA). A process of expert elicitation was used to derive a range of appropriate values with which to test the sensitivity of our algorithms. We chose to use species occurrence records for two species - Koala (Phascolartos cinereus) and Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus) - in order to investigate how algorithm sensitivity depends on the species being modelled. Results were assessed by comparing the modelled distribution of the control SDM (default settings) to the modelled distribution from each sensitivity test SDM (i.e. non-default configuration settings). This was done using the visual and statistical measures of predictive performance available in the Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory (BCCVL), including the area under the (receiver operating characteristic) curve. The aim of our study was to be able to draw conclusions as to how the sensitivity of SDM algorithms to their configuration option settings may detract from the reliability of SDM results, given the often unjustified and unscrutinized use of the default settings, and generally infrequent and largely perfunctory attendance to this issue in most of the published SDM literature. Our results indicate that all of the algorithms tested showed sensitivity to alternative (non-default) values for some of their configuration settings and that often this sensitivity is species-dependent. Therefore we can conclude that the choice of configuration settings in these widely used SDM algorithms can have a large impact on the resulting projected distribution. This has important ramifications for decision-making and policy outcomes wherever SDMs are used to inform species and biodiversity management plans and policy settings. This study demonstrates that assigning suitable values for these settings is a very important consideration and as such should always be published along with the model. Documenting all configuration settings is necessary to increase the scientific robustness, transparency and reproducibility of species distribution modelling studies.