Conservation Units Research Articles

Conservation units and the origin of planted individuals of an endangered endemic species Lobelia boninensis in the Ogasawara Islands

The Ogasawara Islands, one of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site located about 1000 km south of Japan’s main island, harbor numerous endemic species, many of which are as endangered. One of the endemic plant species, Lobelia boninensis, found in the Mukojima, Chichijima, and Hahajima archipelagoes, is endangered due to predation. As part of conservation efforts, translocation is now underway, especially on Chichijima. However, we lack essential information, such as the genetic population structure, to develop appropriate translocation strategies for both wild and planted individuals. Here, we aimed to identify the conservation units and the origin of planted individuals by estimating the genetic population structure and phylogenetic relationships across all habitats of this species. We identified two distinct genetic clusters, indicating genetic differentiation between the northern and southern populations. The genetic population components detected at an isolated site on Chichijima showed a mixture of these distinct clusters, probably due to hybridization. The transplanted individuals in Chichijima were found to have originated from a population in Hahajima. These results suggest the presence of two distinct conservation units. Furthermore, the current translocation strategy poses a risk of genetic contamination between these units, highlighting the need for revised conservation management practices.

Microlicia ferricola (Lavoisiereae), a new species of Melastomataceae from the Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Here, we describe Microlicia ferricola, a newly discovered species exclusive to the Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais state. Additionally, we provide an illustration plate, field images, occurrence map, and comparisons with its morphological relatives such as M. longicalycina, M. woodgyeriana, and M. trichocalycina. This new species is characterized by its green-reddish to reddish branches, leaves, hypanthia, and sepals covered with glandular trichomes, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate leaves, setose at the apices, campanulate-oblong hypanthia, long-triangular sepals, dimorphic and bicolorous androecium with tetrasporangiate anthers. Microlicia ferricola is found in the Serra do Rola-Moça State Park and is considered a Least Concern (LC) taxon since it is within a conservation unit, ensuring its preservation.

Uncovering Patterns: Data Mining the Deforestation Frontier in Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract. The Brazilian Cerrado, recognized as the world's most diverse tropical savanna, has undergone significant land clearance for agriculture, cattle ranching, and charcoal production, leading to considerable loss of its natural vegetation. This deforestation disrupts major aquifers, affecting ecosystems and human populations. The Cerrado Deforestation Monitoring Project (PRODES), active since 2017, systematically maps new deforestation using satellite imagery. This study used GeoDMA, a geospatial data mining tool for analyzing complex spatial databases such as those provided by the PRODES. The study area is the Alto Parnaíba region within the MATOPIBA agricultural frontier, characterized by high rates of crop expansion and burned areas. Using PRODES deforestation data from 2000 to 2023, the study categorizes deforestation patterns into geometric, multidirectional, and diffuse types, associated with large-scale agriculture, smallholder farming, and subsistence agriculture, respectively. The analysis reveals that approximately 50% of land use trajectories are small-scale subsistence agriculture, predominantly in northern Alto Parnaíba. Unchanged large-scale farms are concentrated in the southern part of the study area, linked to annual crops. The transition from small to large-scale farms is significant in the western region. Protected areas, especially strictly protected conservation units, show minimal changes in native vegetation. This study highlights the expansion of large-scale agriculture in MATOPIBA, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to manage land use changes and prevent further deforestation. Future research should extend this approach to other Cerrado ecoregions to improve the detection and analysis of deforestation processes.

Biodiversity of Macrofungi in Mapinguari National Park, Amazonas, Brazil

Objective: This study aimed to survey the fungal species found in PARNA Mapinguari-AM. Theoretical framework: Fungi are well known for their function as decomposers of organic matter, and have great ecological importance for maintaining the cycle of life. In the Amazon region, there is a vast diversity of macrofungi present, which can have very useful and important applications. These are important for human life, as they stand out in several areas, mainly ecological and economic. Method: The field research was carried out in the period from July to October 2022 and from September to November 2023. On the three trails existing in the park, it was decided to work only on trail 01 due to access and logistics of the research. The walking method was used along the 5 km of each trail, in order to demarcate the areas of possible macrofungi in substrates. Results and Discussion: Twenty-nine species of macrofungi were found and identified, divided into five families with the highest occurrence in the order Polyporales. Positive results were obtained, since the Mapinguari National Park has a large quantity of decomposing substrates, in addition to parts with high humidity, thus making it possible to find an excessive quantity of macrofungi specimens. Implications of the research: The results of this unprecedented study carried out in the area reveal the potential of the rich fungal biodiversity. Originality/value: Studies of macrofungi surveys contribute to the expansion of knowledge of mycological diversity. Therefore, the implementation of environmental education through interpretive trails as a perspective for this conservation unit in order to preserve and conserve the species of macrofungi existing in the park, as well as recording the existing macrofungi from trails 2 and 3 of the Mapinguari National Park are of fundamental importance for scientific knowledge.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BASED ON SOIL LOSS, DEFORESTATION IN PERMANENT PRESERVATION AREAS, AND WATER QUALITY APPLIED IN THE ITACAIÚNAS WATERSHED, EASTERN AMAZON.

To understand how various environmental pressures may threaten the Amazon territory, specifically its hydrographic basins, it is crucial to guide key management actions such as soil conservation, environmental preservation, and forest restoration. This paper, based on a detailed study conducted in the Itacaiúnas River Watershed (IRW) located in the Carajás mining province—one of the most significant metallogenetic provinces globally and within the Arc of Deforestation in the Amazon—proposes a new index to assess environmental threats or vulnerabilities. The index evaluates soil loss, deforestation in permanent preservation areas, and water quality—key environmental issues in watershed management. Using geoprocessing and remote sensing techniques, we applied the index across the entire catchment area and at the beginning of the drainage network (a proxy for river springs). Our findings reveal that: i) 68% of unit catchments (32% of headwaters) exhibit “High” or “Very High” soil loss vulnerability; ii) 69% of unit catchments (32% of headwaters) have more than 20% of their permanent preservation areas deforested, representing the primary threat among the three criteria to the basin; iii) Only 4.7% of unit catchments (2% of headwaters) present any chemical risk related to water consumption. The combined criteria (simple arithmetic mean of normalized values) indicate that the east-central and southern parts of the watershed have higher index values, necessitating greater attention to soil conservation. In contrast, the center-western area of the basin, characterized by conservation units and indigenous land, showed low index values but remains at risk primarily due to soil loss if environmental preservation actions are not maintained.

Delineating genomic features for wild guanaco conservation

Abstract The South American fauna has endured challenges such as illegal hunting, cattle expansion, climate change, and landscape fragmentation. Despite ongoing conservation efforts that aim to address these issues, genetic diversity remains overlooked. We genotyped 126 Lama guanicoe individuals from an area of 2 million km2 in Patagonia and Cuyo using the 60K SNPs Axiom-Camelids, and we assessed population viability through genetic diversity, inbreeding, and population size. We then explored population connectivities through network analyses, genetic differentiation, and Bayesian approaches. Our findings reveal six genetic clusters: Cuyo, Somuncura, North Patagonia, Central Patagonia, South Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego Island (TDFI). Cuyo and TDFI guanacos differed from others due to isolation-by-distance and geographical barriers, respectively. Cuyo exhibited the highest degree of allele conservation, but TDFI faced heightened vulnerability due to isolation and increased homozygosity. Sharp bottlenecks in Cuyo and North Patagonia coincided with the expansion of sheep farming, while bottlenecks in the other populations occurred during the Little Ice Age. North Patagonia acted as a probable contact zone, facilitating mixing of the Cuyo, Somuncura, and Central Patagonia populations. The Central and South Patagonian populations presented the highest gene flow. Thus, genomic advances help to define distinct conservation units (genetic stocks) to guide management practices and decisions.

Eumeninae y Zethinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) de Unidades de Conservación del estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Despite the significant biodiversity and ecological importance of solitary and pre-social wasps, the subfamilies Eumeninae and Zethinae are still under-sampled in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil. The aim of this study was to record the occurrence of species of these subfamilies in different Conservation Units (CUs) in the state. The study was conducted in eight CUs in the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest domains and recorded 95 individuals distributed among 31 species of Eumeninae and seven individuals from five Zethinae species. Alphamenes campanulatus (Fabricius, 1804), Pachodynerus argentinus (de Saussure, 1870) and Pseudodynerus auratoides (Bertoni, 1918) (Eumeninae) are recorded for the first time in Minas Gerais state. In turn, Zethus wagneri Bohart & Stange, 1965 (Zethinae) is recorded for the first time in Brazil. Our results illustrate the importance of UCs for the conservation of vespid biota and reinforce the need for further studies of these insects.

Multivariate statistical analysis as a tool for monitoring drinking water sources in an Atlantic Rainforest Conservation Unit.

Water quality monitoring is paramount in identifying and mitigating pollution sources, protecting aquatic ecosystems, and ensuring safe water for human and wildlife consumption. This study is aimed at evaluating the quality of drinking water sources in three communities located in a Sustainable Use Conservation Unit in the municipality of Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, employing a multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 161 water samples were collected from January to December 2022, encompassing 32 surface water and 129 tap water samples. Physicochemical parameters were determined in situ employing a Horiba U50 multiparameter probe. The samples were stored and transported at 4°C to the laboratory for microbiological analyses concerning total coliforms and Escherichia coli using a commercial enzymatic test. All samples contained coliforms, while E. coli were detected in 87% of the samples. The multivariate analysis indicated that the microbiological water quality in sampling region R2 was influenced by rainy periods and that, in general, the water quality within R3 was the most affected by the transport of solids to the water sources. The statistical methods applied herein aided in characterizing the study areas and detecting points of attention regarding physicochemical and microbiological parameters that significantly influence the water quality of each sampling point. Representative points for each study region were identified and may be employed for future monitoring and prevention actions.

Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Atlantic Forest-Cerrado transition zone of Luminárias, southern Minas Gerais state, Brazil

The Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes are global biodiversity hotspots. However, these environments still face large knowledge gaps concerning fauna inventory studies, such as those on harvestmen. Our study aimed to sample harvestmen species in a transition area between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, contributing to future biodiversity assessments and conservation efforts in Brazil. The surveys were conducted in the municipality of Luminárias, southern Minas Gerais state, between May 2023 and March 2024. We collected 185 individuals from six species and three morphospecies with a wide geographical distribution, but whose conservation status has not been assessed, which may affect their protection. Additionally, loss of native vegetation may lead to reductions in their populations. Our study supports current literature, which suggests the need for more inventories and the creation of a Conservation Unit in the Luminárias region.

30 year review of the zooplankton in three conservation units on the Upper Paraná River, Brazil, with notes for stressors, flood pulse, and public politics

30 year review of the zooplankton in three conservation units on the Upper Paraná River, Brazil, with notes for stressors, flood pulse, and public politics

Characterization of bone lesions and bone mineral density of roadkilled wild animals in the Brazilian semi-arid

Highways are one of the anthropogenic factors that have the greatest impact on terrestrial biodiversity. Barriers, depletion effects, and roads are the most common locations of wild animal roadkill, leading to biodiversity loss in wild vertebrates. However, the corpses of these animals can be used as opportunistic samples, an excellent source of information on topics such as population dynamics, which is one of the aims of road ecology. Nonetheless, there are only a few studies on injuries in roadkilled wild animals. Between 2018 and 2021, road monitoring was performed around three Federal Conservation Units in Brazil. Twenty-four animals, including birds, reptiles, and mammals, were collected. This study aims to characterize the lesions in wild animals that were roadkilled on roads in the Brazilian semi-arid region using necropsy and quantitative computed tomography (QCT). Also, the bone mineral density was measured using QCT and compared with the number of lesions and body condition score. Four types of bone lesions were found in 13 different bones, with an average of 3.25 lesions per bird and 3.75 lesions per reptile and mammal, with no statistical difference between the means (p > 0.05). Providing a database on the main injuries found in wild animals that are frequently roadkilled serves as an aid to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation professionals who contribute to the conservation of species. In addition, the data on road ecology serves as a basis for the implementation of mitigation measures against wildlife roadkills, also contributing to the conservation of species.

Records of endangered felines in conservation units in the Brazilian Pampa

The Brazilian Pampa biome is an environment formed by grasslands, shrubs, and riparian forests, home to several endemic species. These are being increasingly threatened by the replacement of their native areas by other types of land use, including agriculture and urbanization. To obtain comprehensive records of the native fauna, camera traps were installed in two protected areas, the Ibirapuitã Biological Reserve and the Espinilho State Park. In this way, it was possible to detect diverse populations of two native cats, the margay (Leopardus wiedii) and the Geoffroy’s cat (Leopardus geoffroyi), as well as the first record of the elusive Pampa’s cat (Leopardus munoai) in Brazilian conservation units, highlighting the critical importance of these unique habitats for biodiversity conservation and ecological research.

Anthropogenic threats in the border zone of the Amazon Forest: a case study of land use and land cover in RESEX Ciriaco, Maranhão, Brazil

The state of Maranhão is located in northeastern Brazil and covers three biomes, the Amazon Forest, Cerrado (savannah), and Caatinga (semi-arid), and an endemic ecosystem known as the Mata de Cocais (coconut forest). This study aimed to identify the land use and land cover (LU/LC) in RESEX Ciriaco, located in the border zone of the Amazon Forest of Maranhão, where occurs the Mata de Cocais. The database used in this study was obtained from the Brazilian Annual Land Use and Land Cover Mapping Project (Mapbiomas). The LU/LC in RESEX Ciriaco was carried out across 8,106.7 ha and a buffer zone with a 3 km radius was adopted. A map representing the class changes in the study area was created for the years 1985, 1992, 1999, 2006, 2013, 2020, and 2021. Despite the findings indicate a troubling particularly driven by the presence of pasturelands, the results demonstrate that RESEX Ciriaco has fulfilled its function of guaranteeing the sustainable use of natural resources without deforestation. However, the advancement of livestock and agriculture around RESEX Ciriaco poses a risk to the ecosystem. Creating a buffer zone for RESEX Ciriaco is vital for stopping the advancement of anthropogenic activities in the conservation unit.

Evaluating Sustainability in Social-ecological Systems: 50 Years of Conservation in Florianópolis, Brazil

Abstract This study examines 50 years of land use planning practices in Florianópolis, Brazil, to identify the attributes that resulted in the city’s notable and long-standing commitment to pro-conservation programmes and policies. By analysing key policies, planning strategies, and partnerships that underpin the preservation of forests and green spaces, this research contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on the combined role of conservation governance and collective action in building sustainable and resilient cities. The social-ecological systems framework is applied to evaluate the interactions between multi-level laws, collective action groups, and mid-level government officials to determine the drivers that promoted incremental and accumulative change, ultimately leading to sustainable land conservation practices in Florianópolis. The findings highlight the importance of stakeholder goal alignment, managerial flexibility, and collaboration with diverse actors in achieving long-term conservation goals, particularly in cities adopting an amenity-led growth model. Growing challenges to the continued protection of conservation units in the city resulting from population growth are also raised to advance approaches to evaluating the durability of sustainability initiatives.

Snow leopard phylogeography and population structure supports two global populations with single refugial origin

AbstractSnow leopards (Panthera uncia) inhabit the mountainous regions of High Asia, which experienced serial glacial contraction and expansion during climatic cycles of the Pleistocene. The corresponding impacts of glacial vicariance may have alternately promoted or constrained genetic differentiation to shape the distribution of genetic lineages and population structure. We studied snow leopard phylogeography across High Asia by examining range-wide historical and contemporary genetic structure with mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers. We genotyped 182 individuals from across snow leopard range and sequenced portions of the mitogenome in a spatially stratified subset of 80 individuals to infer historical biogeographic and contemporary patterns of genetic diversity. We observed a lack of phylogeographic structure, and analyses suggested a single refugial origin for all sampled populations. Molecular data provided tentative evidence of a hypothesized glacial refugia in the Tian Shan-Pamir-Hindu Kush-Karakoram mountain ranges, and detected mixed signatures of population expansion. Concordant assessments of microsatellite data indicated two global genetic populations, though we detected geographic differences between historical and contemporary population structure and connectivity inferred from mitochondrial and microsatellite data, respectively. Using the largest sample size and geographic coverage to date, we demonstrate novel information on the phylogeographic history of snow leopards, and corroborate existing interpretations of snow leopard connectivity and genetic structure. We recommend that conservation efforts incorporate genetic data to define and protect meaningful conservation units and their underlying genetic diversity, and to maintain the snow leopard’s adaptive potential and continued resilience to environmental changes.

Natural resources used in the traditional medicine of the Marinaú community, Caxiuanã forest, Brazil.

The diversity of Conservation Units in Brazil, ranging from Strict Protection areas like National Parks to Sustainable Use areas such as National Forests, supports the coexistence of human populations with extensive traditional knowledge of local natural resources. This traditional and local knowledge plays a crucial role in their subsistence and has significant potential to contribute to bioprospecting initiatives, as well as to enhance research and strategies for biological conservation. The São Sebastião de Marinaú community, situated within the Caxiuanã National Forest, offers valuable opportunities for ethnobiological studies. The field study was carried out with 48 informants from the São Sebastião de Marinaú Community, Caxiuanã National Forest (CNF), Brazil, a Sustainable Use Conservation Unit. It involved participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and guided tours. Indices of Use Value (UV), Fidelity Level (FL), and Consensus Factor (ICF) indicated plant species with therapeutic potential. A total of 944 uses associated with 154 plants and 21 animals were reported. Statistical tests pointed out that factors such as gender and age are not determinants in the richness of known plants among the residents. The plants are distributed among 59 botanical families and 126 genera. They predominantly use species native to Brazil (69%), among which 47 are endemic to the Amazon. The medicines are prepared mainly by decoction of leaves and bark. According to UV, veronica (Dalbergia monetaria L.f.) was the most important. The animals used are all vertebrates, and paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766,) was the most cited. Bile and lard are the parts most used in the recipes. They mentioned 116 diseases, especially those of the digestive system. The ceruzeiro (Allantoma lineata (Mart. ex O.Berg) Miers) had a high consensus of local use, and no additional studies on this species exist. This study underscores the vital role of traditional communities in sustainable conservation units, as their involvement is crucial for preserving plant and animal species essential to local traditional medicine. Such research also promotes the recognition of non-timber products as valuable raw materials with potential applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, mapping the occurrence and use of species in vulnerable conditions aids in developing effective conservation strategies for these resources.

Species Substitution and Changes in the Structure, Volume, and Biomass of Forest in a Savanna

Research related to Cerradão vegetation focuses more on the floristic-structural aspect, with rare studies on the quantification of volume and biomass stocks, and even fewer investigating the increments of these attributes. Using a systematic sampling method with subdivided strips and 400 m2 plots, the density found was 1135, 1165, and 1229 trees/ha in 2012, 2020, and 2023, respectively, in Lajeado State Park, Tocantins State, Brazil. Volume was estimated using the equation v=0.000085D2.122270H0.666217, and biomass was estimated using the equation AGB=0.0673ρD2H0.976. Vegetation dynamics were assessed using growth increment, recruitment, mortality, turnover rate, and time. The results indicated that dynamics have increased since the start of monitoring. Typical Cerrado species, in the strict sense, were replaced by those from forest environments. The total production in volume and biomass was 160.91 m3/ha and 118.10 Mg/ha, respectively, in 2023. The species of Emmotum nitens, Mezilaurus itauba, Ocotea canaliculata, and Sacoglottis guianensis showed the highest increment values in volume and biomass. For the community, the average values were 4.04 m3/ha/year and 3.54 Mg/ha/year. The community has not yet reached its carrying capacity and stores a significant amount of biomass. This is influenced by the transition of the study area from an exploited environment to a conservation unit (park) and by its location in a transitional area with the Amazon biome.

Capacity and current use of the Formoso river watershed, bonito municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil: conflicts and land use recommendations

The lack of planning and feasibility of controlling actions over land use and land cover lead to relationship problems between the support capacity that environmental systems present and their current use. The goal of this study is to figure out how much land can be used based on its natural and physical features and to find problems that come up because of the heavy use in the Formoso River watershed. It is one of the most recognized Brazilian watersheds, due to its turistic, karst, and environmental characteristics. The methodology consists in handling and generating data in a GIS environment by performing a synthesis map, as well as adopting geoprocessing criteria and techniques in the field to validate the collected data. The results indicate that the watershed presents large areas without conflicts due to its numerous conservation units. However, major conflicts are identified in other areas, affecting the balance and dynamics of the landscape and its water resources. Such conflicts arise because soybean crops advance in fragile and karst areas. The highest concentration of confit is only 1.61%, particularly near the Formoso River marsh. Therefore, the present work considers a methodology that assesses the capacity of use through a method that has produced a summary document that is applicable and compatible with the karst system.

Conservation gaps for Brazilian bats, limited protection across conservation units and the importance of the indigenous lands.

In Brazil, there is 13% of the world's bat diversity, is the second most diverse group of mammals, playing a crucial role in providing ecosystem services that benefit humans. However, anthropogenic disturbances exacerbate processes of species extinction, shifts in geographic distributions, and phenological changes, despite efforts to safeguard biodiversity through the creation of Conservation Units and Indigenous Lands. Moreover, gaps in taxonomic knowledge and challenges related to species distribution hinder the effective implementation of conservation strategies in protected areas. This study assesses the contribution of Brazilian Conservation Units (both Full Protection and Sustainable Use) and Indigenous Lands to the conservation of bat species and their ecosystem services. It also presents maps illustrating species richness by trophic guilds and threat classification according to IUCN, including species listed as Data Deficient. The findings reveal low percentages of potential bat distribution areas within these protected regions, especially for insectivorous, nectarivorous, and frugivorous bats in the Cerrado biome, which are classified as Near Threatened. Additionally, the highest bat species richness was observed in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes.

Non-invasive biomarkers for investigating urban metal exposure in neotropical bats

In urban centers, sewage treatment plants (STPs) serve as foraging and shelter areas for bats; however, they are sources of persistent pollutants that affect the health of these animals. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pollutants from an STP on the health of different species of neotropical bats from different guilds using non-invasive biomarkers. A conservation unit, the Silvania National Forest (SNF), was used as a reference area for comparison purposes. Blood, buccal mucosa, and fur samples were obtained for comet assay, micronucleus test, leukocyte profile, and metal concentration analysis in fur. Our results demonstrated that bats collected at the STP show a higher frequency of genotoxic damage, nuclear abnormalities, and an inflammatory response linked to infection than bats from the SNF. Regarding guilds, frugivores and nectarivores showed more pronounced responses to damage, but insectivores bats also showed relevant responses. While STPs are considered a source of pollutants, other urban sources of contamination likely contributed to these results. Still we encourage further studies using other non-invasive biomarkers, detection analysis of different pollutants in biological matrices, and the use of other wildlife species inserted in urban centers.