Conservation Of Natural Habitats Research Articles

Native pollinators increase fruit set while honeybees decrease the quality of mandarins in family farms

Family farms can benefit from the presence of a diverse set of native pollinators and associated pollination services. In the present study we assessed the effect of flower visitor richness and visitation rate by honeybees and native insects on mandarin production (Citrus reticulata `Criolla´), in ten citrus family farms located in the Dry Chaco region of northwest Argentina. An exclusion experiment was conducted to explore how pollinators influence the fruit set and quality of `Criolla´ mandarin. The influence of features such as local richness and abundance of flowering plants, farm size, and surrounding natural/semi-natural habitats in the diversity of flower visitors was also evaluated. Fruit set in open pollination branches was three times higher than in bagged branches, where flower visitors were excluded. Moreover, the mandarin fruit set increased with a higher native visitation rate, and mandarin quality (fruit weight and size) decreased with a higher honeybee visitation rate. Flower visitor diversity was higher in farmlands with a greater proportion of surrounding natural and semi-natural habitats. Our results demonstrate the negative effects of excessive honeybee visitation on citrus fruit quality and highlight the importance of native pollinators and natural habitat conservation to increase the fruit set and quality of mandarin in family farms.

Molluscs as bioindicators of tourism pressure on ecosystems of Dilijan National Park, Armenia

ABSTRACT Research on the impact of tourism on ecosystems in protected areas has grown in recent years as a part of the debate on how to efficiently combine the use and conservation of natural habitats. Various taxa have been used as indicators through the use of invertebrate animals that have remained modest. The impact of uncontrolled flow of tourism on indicator species richness and diversity in the Dilijan National Park was studied. Diversity, species richness, and abundance of terrestrial molluscs were used as response variables to analyze the impact of tourism on ecosystems for the first time. We found significant differences in the diversity, species richness, and abundance of terrestrial molluscs between the control and experimental plots. Species richness and abundance were not so different in spring but in the autumn almost twice higher total abundance and species richness were detected in control plots. Moreover, out of 31 detected species, the 5 rare ones were found in control plots with low human presence. We conclude that the high intensity of tourism harms the communities of land snails. We suggest that terrestrial molluscs show sensitivity to human presence and can be used to study the direct impact of tourism-related ecosystems in protected areas.

Influence of the Declaration of Protected Natural Areas on the Evolution of Forest Fires in Collective Lands in Galicia (Spain)

Since the adoption of European Union Council Directive 92/43 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora, some opposition has arisen among owners and managers of land affected by the directive. Some studies have indicated that some of this opposition has found expression in subsequent arson fires in these areas. This article analyses the occurrence of arson fires in the SACs (Special Areas of Conservation) included in the European ecological network, Natura 2000, in Galicia (Spain), more specifically in the montes vecinales en mano común (MVMCs), which are privately owned collective lands. We tested whether the declaration of SACs had a statistical impact on the forest fire regime in the period 1999–2014. The analyses focused on the sub-periods of 1999–2004 and 2005–2014, i.e., before and after the approval of the list of sites of community importance in the study area in December 2004. The results obtained show that, after the declaration of protection, there was a statistically significant increase in the area burnt by fire in these areas, mainly on private estates. We also found that the percentage of arson fires after 2004 was higher in SACs than in other territorial units. We found that the percentage of arson fires was reduced less in SACs than in other territorial units. Furthermore, we found that the area burnt per fire after 2004 in SACs was almost double that in the MVMC-SACs (12.04 ha versus 6.64 ha), so it can be concluded that the conservationist policies of the Natura 2000 network in Galicia have not had a positive effect on the forest fire regime.

Applying United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Mt. Cuba Center Gardens with Native Plants and Grows Conservators

Mt. Cuba Center is a botanical garden created with a conservation purpose: to work with native plants and inspire people to become conservators of native habitats. Adherence to this founding mission aligns Mt. Cuba’s activities with 4 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This article shares aspects of the center’s founding, interpretative plan and content, horticultural research, and conservation programs. We hope that it will inspire the development and implementation of more botanical garden conservation programs that catalyze members, guests, and community partners to participate in and amplify conservation efforts through collective actions. By highlighting the region and its beautiful native flora, Mt. Cuba teaches conservation of native habitats and how to incorporate native plants into home gardens. The garden’s conservation messages are brought to life through interpretive plans, horticultural research, and public engagement. The garden itself acts as a tool to promote conservation by influencing guest attitudes and experiences. The renewal of Mt. Cuba from a fallow cornfield to a thriving ecosystem illustrates that individuals can make a difference. By telling its story and demonstrating accessible conservation actions through its work with native plants, Mt. Cuba aims to transform garden guests into conservators.

Conservation of Natural Habitat for Sustaining Indigenous Ornamental Fish Stock: Prime Need of the Hour amidst Development and Industrialization

Conservation of Natural Habitat for Sustaining Indigenous Ornamental Fish Stock: Prime Need of the Hour amidst Development and Industrialization

Global Decline of Insects: A Review from Agricultural Perspective

The diversity and abundance of insect is facing serious challenges globally in the current era. Although the loss of biodiversity other than invertebrates has been a burning issue from a long ago, some recent reports on insect decline and its impact on agriculture have given it a crucial dimension. Studies related to insect decline revealed that 40% of insect taxa are going through the risk of decline. The current situation is the resultant of several human-influenced factors, most prominently the intensification of agriculture. Insect is one of the most diverse groups having immense effects on ecosystem as an integral part of food web which ultimately has direct effect on other organisms of environment. The most conspicuous contribution of insect is its pollination services to 80% of the flowering plants worldwide which have direct effect on human food security. Decline of pollinator insects and natural enemies of insect pests can impair the crop production due to insufficient pollination and underutilization of the insect control potential of predator insects. To resist the vulnerability of nature and to ensure food security, insect decline should be cut down by controlling anthropogenic stressors through the conservation of natural habitats, eliminating deleterious agricultural practices, implementing insect friendly policies, etc. Immediate action is necessary to alter the nature exploiting agricultural practices causing insect decline to ensure the normal functioning and integrity of entire ecosystem and for human welfare.

From taxonomic to functional dark diversity: Exploring the causes of potential biodiversity and its implications for conservation

Abstract The conservation of natural habitats requires an accurate assessment of both their degradation and their potential for restoration. Among the tools available, dark diversity is promising, since it estimates all the species that could be present in a community due to favourable environmental conditions but are currently lacking. However, current experimental approaches measure dark diversity mainly from species co‐occurrences, which rely partly on neutral processes, and also suffer from several problems concerning the inclusion of rare species. Here, we propose a novel method to estimate dark diversity, which is based on more deterministic co‐occurrence and also strongly limits the problems of rarity: the co‐occurrence of species' functional features. We adapted the Beals' co‐occurrence index using functional groups, and we estimated functional dark diversity based on co‐occurrence of functional groups. To illustrate the interests of our approach, we then addressed as an example a major issue of restoration ecology: how does passive rewilding (i.e. spontaneous restoration of woodlands) impact the ecological integrity of recovered communities? We compared post‐agricultural woodlands with ancient forests, in terms of taxonomic and functional dark diversity of vascular plants and spiders. For both taxa, the patterns of dark diversity in recent woodlands and ancient forests changed depending on whether we used the taxonomic or functional approach. This was due to the detection of functional features even if they were hosted by rare species, and to the consideration of ecological redundancy between species in functional groups. Notably, recent woodlands harboured plant communities with a similar amount of taxonomic dark diversity compared to ancient forests, but with less functional dark diversity. Also, the composition of functional dark diversity clearly differed between forest types. Synthesis and applications. Functional dark diversity brings novel perspectives for ecological diagnostic and restoration. In particular, it provides a more mechanistic understanding of the constraints which limit the re‐assembly of natural communities during restoration practices (e.g. dispersal limitation). The functional approach usefully complements the taxonomical one to identify habitat conservation and restoration interests, especially for highly degraded sites where the detection of missing groups via species is biased because of their rarity.

Are birds reliable indicators of most valuable natural areas? Evaluation of special protection areas in the context of habitat protection

Territorial protection of nature in any country is limited by various factors and therefore it is necessary to carefully select protected areas. Currently, they are often selected according to particular indicator taxa because of the simplicity and applicability of this approach. For example, Natura 2000 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in EU are established to protect selected species of birds. We asked how well do SPAs cover valuable natural habitats, i.e., whether the areas selected for the protection of birds are also important for the conservation of natural habitats. We focused on the Czech Republic because detailed data on habitat composition are available for the whole country. Although SPAs covered only 9% of the whole country they contained disproportionately high part of the whole area of preserved natural habitats (36%). This was because 64% of SPAs area was covered by natural habitats compared to only 11% in the rest of the country. However, the importance of SPAs for different habitats and their formation groups varied significantly. Further, we found a positive relationship between habitat rareness and the proportion of rare habitats within SPAs. Despite their relatively small overall area SPAs host disproportionally large areas of natural habitats in the Czech Republic. This pattern suggests that birds are reliable indicators for territorial protection. SPAs thus show large importance for habitat conservation.

Genetic diversity, genetic structure, and demographic history of Cinnamomum chago, a plant species with extremely small populations in China

As a species with restricted and fragmented distribution in Yunnan Province, Cinnamomum chago possesses high economic and phylogenetic values. Although this species has been categorized as an endangered plant in the IUCN Red List and has extremely small populations in China, the genetic information of C. chago has been rarely studied. In the present study, we used 4 pairs of DNA markers and 11 pairs of expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeat markers to conduct a systematic and comprehensive assessment about the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and demographic history of 5 C. chago populations. A low genetic diversity but a significant genetic differentiation were detected (Na=2.509, Np=3.8, Ra=2.423, AE=1.635, HO=0.177, He=0.340). The five populations presented obvious inbreeding phenomenon given the high value of inbreeding coefficient (Fis=0.462) and low value of outcrossing rate (t = 0.365). Although the genetic distance and geographic distance were not correlated, geographical structures were detected in C. chago. Extremely low historical and contemporary gene flow was detected between pairwise populations of C. chago. Additionally, the remnant populations of C. chago experienced a recent historical bottleneck, but the neutrality tests and mismatch distribution analysis revealed that this species did not underwent a recent population expansion. In consideration of the above consequence, we advocate in situ conservation of natural habitats and remaining individuals of C. chago, as well as artificial breeding. This study not only provides important insights into the genetic characteristic but also emphasizes the relevance of the conservation of C. chago and other extremely endangered plants.

Conservation of transnational species: The tensions between legal requirements and best scientific evidence

Abstract This paper describes the tensions between the legal requirements for conservation and the most beneficial biological practice for mobile transnational marine species, using the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in European Atlantic waters as a case study. Harbour porpoise are the smallest and one of the most abundant cetaceans occurring throughout the European continental shelf waters, and are affected by human activities occurring in the same waters, especially certain fishing activities. The Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (the Bern Convention) and its implementing legislation the Council Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora 92/43/EEC (i.e. the Habitats Directive) are the main legal drivers for species conservation throughout the European Union. They aim for the long‐term achievement of favourable conservation status and make provision for the use of two conservation measures: protected areas and strict protection measures. The strict protection measures aim to ensure that all forms of deliberate killing are prevented, and that where incidental killing and capture occurs, it does not have a negative effect on conservation status. The conservation of harbour porpoise is currently dependent upon tackling the key issue of bycatch in fisheries. However, in challenges to Member States on their application of the Habitats Directive, the European Commission has chosen to focus on site designation rather than the implementation of the strict protection measures required to monitor and, where necessary, reduce bycatch. This tension between a legal focus on the designation of protected areas instead of tackling threats such as bycatch has potentially led to negative conservation consequences for harbour porpoise and, in part, may explain why wider marine biodiversity has continued to deteriorate in Europe.

The European Union can afford greater ambition in the conservation of its threatened plants

The importance of Natura 2000 network for the conservation of natural habitats, wild flora and fauna at European level is undeniable. However, it may not have reached its full potential since the loss of biodiversity continues to increase year on year. Further on, a third of the plant species listed in the Habitats Directive to guide the declaration of European Union Natura 2000 network of protected areas is not threatened and there is broad agreement on the need to review and update the species list. Here, the effectiveness of Natura 2000 in the conservation of Spanish bryophytes and vascular plants included in the Habitats Directive Annex II is analysed and compared with the one offered to the species included in the Spanish Red Lists. Results show a remarkable coverage of Natura 2000 over the distribution areas of threatened species, thus providing an umbrella effect on these taxa. It confirms that the number of plant species in the Habitats Directive could be significantly extended without altering the current configuration of the network. This would allow the incorporation of scientific advances produced since the Habitats Directive was approved almost 30 years ago, and will contribute to the goals of the new European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, such as to consider impacts caused by alien species, land use or climate changes.

Development of the Animal Conservation Digital Learning Aids and Assessments through the Industry-University Collaborative Course

Due to the rapid changes caused by globalization and internationalization, this study focused on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 and 15 via specific digital learning materials—animal conservation apps—particularly designed for enlarging primary school pupils’ knowledge of biodiversity and conservation of natural habitats, and promoting sustainable development and lifelong learning abilities. Through a collaboration with Taipei Zoo, this study recruited 37 undergraduates who took the Learning Design and Practice course to develop the digital learning-assisted materials, namely animal conservation apps and assessment tools that suited the digital learning materials. In the initiative stage of the course, the undergraduates were required to work as a team and to learn in a group by observing and experiencing the model apps provided in the class. The provided apps were developed in compliance with the ADDIE model. In the middle stage of the course, each team was asked to develop their team app and assessment tools following the ADDIE model. In the final stage, each team’s design results were evaluated based on the digital learning material scale and core competency test evaluation: art domain. The results show that the undergraduates were able to integrate the expertise they gained in the course to developing high-quality digital learning materials. According to the educational professionals’ evaluation, the assessment tools designed by the undergraduates scored high marks.

Effective population size of broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) in Brazil: A historical and spatial perspective

Caiman latirostris has a large geographic distribution, that includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In Brazil illegal hunting and land use change have caused population decline, relatively well documented in the last three decades. Due to such circumstances, the estimate of species effective population size might help analyze its viability. Single-sample estimator was used to estimate current effective population size (Ne) of broad-snouted caiman populations in representative areas of the species range in Brazil. For the analyzes, genotypes previously obtained were used for subpopulations of the captive colony of the University of São Paulo (USP) and for wild subpopulations. The microsatellites used were Amiμ8, Amiμ11, Amiμ13, Amiμ20, Claμ2, Claμ5, Claμ6, Claμ7, Claμ8, Claμ9 and Claμ10. The 11 loci analyzed produced 18.27 alleles on average. Wild populations showed significant genic and genotypic differentiation among them (p < 0.01). Population structure analyses (Rho-statistics) at Genepop for all loci was 0.376. The effective number of population sizes (Ɵ, the Ne estimator of Migrate-n software) of Caiman latirostris populations from the captive colony at the USP was 117.1 (N = 7) for NRF, 115.2 (N = 4) for Fm1, and 107.5 (N = 4) for Fm5, on the oposite side, the mean value of theta (Ɵ) was 7.7 (N = 51) for the Atlantic SE basin wild population, 9.4 (N = 42) for the Atlantic N/NE basin wild population and 9.6 (N = 91) for the Paraná basin wild population. The mean number of migrants (M of Migrate-n software) varied from 1.7 to 1.9 estimated by migrate-n are comparable to 1.3 estimated by Genepop. It is observed that in most wild population only few adults effectively contribute to genetic variation. The following guidlines are proposed as management actions: (1) an update of population sampling; (2) redefinition, delimitation and conservation of natural habitats; and (3) new conservation genetic studies with special attention to genetic diversity recovery.

Editorial: Green or red: Challenges for fish and freshwater biodiversity conservation related to hydropower

Editorial: Green or red: Challenges for fish and freshwater biodiversity conservation related to hydropower

Evaluation of morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits for assessing drought resistance in eleven tree species.

The frequency and severity of drought are expected to increase due to climate change; therefore, selection of tree species for afforestation should consider drought resistance of the species for maximum survival and conservation of natural habitats. In this study, three soil moisture regimes: control (100% precipitation), mild drought (40% reduction in precipitation), and severe drought (80% reduction in precipitation) were applied to six gymnosperm and five angiosperm species for two consecutive years. We quantified the drought resistance index based on the root collar diameter and assessed the correlation between species drought resistance and other morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits by regression analysis. The prolonged drought stress altered the morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits, but the responses were species-specific. The species with high drought resistance had high leaf mass per area (LMA), photosynthetic rate (Pn), and midday leaf water potential (ΨMD), and low carbon isotopic discrimination (δ13C), flavonoid and polyphenol content, superoxide dismutase and DPPH radical scavenging activity. The highly drought-resistant species had a relatively less decrease in leaf size, Pn, and predawn leaf water potential (ΨPD), and less increase in δ13C, abscisic acid and sucrose content, and LMA compared to the control. The interannual variation in drought resistance (∆Rd) was positively correlated with the species hydroscopic slope (isohydric and anisohydric). Korean pine was highly resistant, sawtooth oak, hinoki cypress, East Asian white birch, East Asian ash, and mono maple were highly susceptible, and Korean red pine, Japanese larch, Sargent cherry, needle fir, and black pine were moderate in drought resistance under long-term drought. These findings will help species selection for afforestation programs and establishment of sustainable forests, especially of drought-tolerant species, under increased frequency and intensity of spring and summer droughts.

Low Densities of the Ghost Crab Ocypode quadrata Related to Large Scale Human Modification of Sandy Shores

Sandy beaches are the most common ecosystems of coastal regions and provide direct and indirect essential services for millions of people, such as coastal protection, fishing, tourism, and recreational activities. However, the natural habitats of sandy shores are being modified at rates never experienced before, making beaches key monitoring sites of marine ecosystems worldwide. The ghost crab species Ocypode quadrata is the most conspicuous crustacean of sandy beaches along the Western Atlantic coast and has been successfully used as an indicator of anthropogenic disturbance and environmental variability. To investigate the potential role of a “triple whammy” [(1) urbanization; (2) use of resources; (3) decreasing resilience] on the most common bioindicator of sandy shores, we compiled a dataset including 214 records of burrows density from 94 microtidal sandy beach sectors covering a range of over 65° of latitude. The response of burrows density to synergetic effects of human modification of natural systems and environmental changes was investigated using linear models. We used the cumulative Human Modification (HMc) index, a standardized geographic projection of changes of natural systems, as a predictor of urbanization, industrialization and use of resources. The predictor wave energy, tidal range and temperature (sea surface and air) were included as potential effects of climate changes. Literature review showed records mainly concentrated at sub-tropical and temperate regions. HMc values were clearly negatively related to burrows density, thereby supporting an effect of modification of natural habitat at large spatial scale. Sea surface temperature and air temperature were positive related with density and the lack of a general pattern of the relationship between burrows density, interactions between wave energy and tide range, supported unclear patterns reported at regional scales. Finally, we argue that ghost crabs are valuable targets for protection actions on sandy beaches that can benefit coexisting species and provide natural habitat conservation.

International Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen impacts to local community development in Ijen Crater – Banyuwangi

The aim of this research is to analyze economic, social, and environmental impacts of International Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen (ITdBI) to local community development in Ijen Crater – tourist destination in Banyuwangi. The research subjects were local communities, public figures, tour and travel agents, hotels, restaurants, and related institutions such as government, Statistics Bureau, Culture and Tourism Department, Regional Development Board, Nature Conservation Agency of Regional Conservation Section V, and South Banyuwangi Forest Management Unit. Data were collected by using observation, live-interview, questionnaire, and archival collection method from the aforementioned relevant institutions in Banyuwangi. Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was applied to analyze economic impacts. Cross Tabulation with Chi Square used to analyze socio-cultural impacts. Qualitative data analysis used to examine environmental impacts. The results showed that ITdBI gave impacts to the local community development. Economically, it contributed 100% increasing rate for ticket revenue, 43% increasing revenue for Small and Medium Enterprises, and 37% for decreasing unemployment rate. Socially, it contributed to 11.6% increasing rate for prosperity, 11.1% for the local communities' satisfaction level, and 44.4% for the local communities' participation. Environmentally, it contributed to the continuous waste management and conservation of natural habitat of both Ijen endemic flowering plant such as Edelweiss and animals such as Lutung Jawa and deer.

Impacts of the Tropical Cyclone Idai in Mozambique: A Multi-Temporal Landsat Satellite Imagery Analysis

The Central Region of Mozambique (Sofala Province) bordering on the active cyclone area of the southwestern Indian Ocean has been particularly affected by climate hazards. The Cyclone Idai, which hit the region in March 2019 with strong winds causing extensive flooding and a massive loss of life, was the strongest recorded tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere. The aim of this study was to use pre- and post-cyclone Idai Landsat satellite images to analyze temporal changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) across the Sofala Province. Specifically, we aimed—(i) to quantify and map the changes in LULC between 2012 and 2019; (ii) to investigate the correlation between the distance to Idai’s trajectory and the degree of vegetation damage, and (iii) to determine the damage caused by Idai on different LULC. We used Landsat 7 and 8 images (with 30 m resolution) taken during the month of April for the 8-year period. The April Average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) over the aforementioned period (2012–2018, pre-cyclone) was compared with the values of April 2019 (post-cyclone). The results showed a decreasing trend of the productivity (NDVI 0.5 to 0.8) and an abrupt decrease after the cyclone. The most devastated land use classes were dense vegetation (decreased by 59%), followed by wetland vegetation (−57%) and shrub land (−56%). The least damaged areas were barren land (−23%), barren vegetation (−27%), and grassland and dambos (−27%). The Northeastern, Central and Southern regions of Sofala were the most devastated areas. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient between the relative vegetation change activity after Idai (NDVI%) and the distance to Idai’s trajectory was 0.95 (R-square 0.91), suggesting a strong positive linear correlation. Our study also indicated that the LULC type (vegetation physiognomy) might have influenced the degree of LULC damage. This study provides new insights for the management and conservation of natural habitats threatened by climate hazards and human factors and might accelerate ongoing recovery processes in the Sofala Province.

Distribution and niche of Suillus aurihymenius in Asia

We defined the regularities spatial distribution of Suillus aurihymenius based on the occurrence data, as well as bioclimatic characteristics in order to control species status in the natural environment. Suillus aurihymenius is a rare species known only from our collections from the Republic of Altai and Republic of Tuva. Realised niche of S. aurihymenius on the western border of its currently known range in larch forests in the floodplains of rivers of the steppe of southeast Altai. Conservation of natural habitats of S. aurihymenius in the steppes of intermontane basins in the southeast of Altai will contribute to its preservation in Russia.

Assessing the effects of agricultural intensification on natural habitats and biodiversity in Southern Amazonia.

The ongoing trend toward agricultural intensification in Southern Amazonia makes it essential to explore the future impacts of this development on the extent of natural habitats and biodiversity. This type of analysis requires information on future pathways of land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) under different socio-economic conditions and policy settings. For this purpose, the spatially explicit land-use change model LandSHIFT was applied to calculate a set of high-resolution land-use change scenarios for the Brazilian states Para and Mato Grosso. The period of the analysis were the years 2010-2030. The resulting land-use maps were combined with maps depicting vertebrate species diversity in order to examine the impact of natural habitat loss on species ranges as well as the overall LULCC-induced effect on vertebrate diversity as expressed by the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII). The results of this study indicate a general decrease in biodiversity intactness in all investigated scenarios. However, agricultural intensification combined with diversified environmental protection policies show least impact of LULCC on vertebrate species richness and conservation of natural habitats compared to scenarios with low agricultural intensification or scenarios with less effective conservation policies.