Great Conservation Value Research Articles

Conserving Egypt's reptiles under climate change

Climate change has caused range shifts and extinctions of many species in the recent past. In this study, the effects of climate change on Egyptian reptiles were investigated for the first time using species distribution models. Maxent was used to model the current and future distributions of suitable habitats for 75 terrestrial reptile species from Egypt. The modelled distribution for current suitable conditions for each species was projected into the future at three time slices using two emission scenarios from four global circulation models and under two assumptions of dispersal ability. Climate change is expected to vary in its effects spatially, with some areas characterized by increased species richness while others show declines. Future range changes vary among species and different future projections, from the entire loss to large gains in range. Two species were expected to become extinct in at least one future projection, and eight species were expected to lose >80% of their current distribution. Although Protected Areas have greater conservation value, on average, compared to unprotected areas, they appear inadequate to conserve Egyptian reptiles under expected climate change.

Space use by female agile antechinus: are teat number and home-range size linked?

Context The number of teats that a female agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis) possesses effectively determines her initial litter size. In the Otway Ranges, south-eastern Australia, numerous separate populations in which all females have either six or 10 teats occur fairly close together in similar, contiguous forest at comparable altitudes and latitudes. Six-teat and 10-teat females have a similar mean mass, but the latter have a 1.7 × greater reproductive potential and so should have a greater nutritional requirement while raising young than do six-teat females. Theoretically, they could meet this requirement by occupying larger and/or more exclusive home ranges during breeding than do six-teat females do (provided that their food-resource abundance is comparable), albeit at a greater energetic cost. Aims The aim of the study was to determine whether 10-teat A. agilis females occupied larger and less overlapping home ranges than did six-teat females. To interpret the findings more meaningfully, it was necessary to compare food abundance and habitat characteristics in areas occupied by the two phenotypes. Methods The investigation was conducted in six-teat and 10-teat A. agilis areas in cool temperate forest over 22 months. Population density was determined by mark–recapture methods and arthropod prey biomass and abundance by pitfall trapping. Vegetation structure and plant-taxa abundance and diversity were determined by standard plant-survey methods. Female home-range estimates determined by radio-tracking were based on 95% minimal convex polygons (MCP) and kernel analysis. Home-range overlap was based on 80% MCP range determinations and core areas were calculated from utilisation plots. Key results Female population density was 2.5 × lower in exclusively 10-teat than in exclusively six-teat populations. Radio-tracked 10-teat females’ home ranges less commonly overlapped those of identified female neighbours and, on average, were 1.5 × larger than ranges of six-teat females. Food abundance and composition was similar in six-teat and 10-teat areas, but ground cover was denser and more complex in the latter areas. Conclusions Food-resource availability was similar in the six-teat and 10-teat phenotype areas, so the larger, and probably more exclusive, home ranges of 10-teat females could reflect greater nutritional requirements resulting from having larger litters, and account for their lower population density. Implications The A. agilis teat-number variation pattern in the Otways may be a rare, visible example of ongoing incipient speciation. This makes it of great scientific and conservation value and it is important to document how the phenomenon operates.

Population differentiation in a Mediterranean relict shrub: the potential role of local adaptation for coping with climate change.

Plants can respond to climate change by either migrating, adapting to the new conditions or going extinct. Relict plant species of limited distribution can be especially vulnerable as they are usually composed of small and isolated populations, which may reduce their ability to cope with rapidly changing environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the vulnerability of Cneorum tricoccon L. (Cneoraceae), a Mediterranean relict shrub of limited distribution, to a future drier climate. We evaluated population differentiation in functional traits related to drought tolerance across seven representative populations of the species' range. We measured morphological and physiological traits in both the field and the greenhouse under three water availability levels. Large phenotypic differences among populations were found under field conditions. All populations responded plastically to simulated drought, but they differed in mean trait values as well as in the slope of the phenotypic response. Particularly, dry-edge populations exhibited multiple functional traits that favored drought tolerance, such as more sclerophyllous leaves, strong stomatal control but high photosynthetic rates, which increases water use efficiency (iWUE), and an enhanced ability to accumulate sugars as osmolytes. Although drought decreased RGR in all populations, this reduction was smaller for populations from the dry edge. Our results suggest that dry-edge populations of this relict species are well adapted to drought, which could potentially mitigate the species' extinction risk under drier scenarios. Dry-edge populations not only have a great conservation value but can also change expectations from current species' distribution models.

A review of vascular plant endemisms in Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, highlights critical knowledge gaps and urgent need of conservation efforts1

The State of Santa Catarina, located in southern Brazil, presents great diversity of topography, landscapes and vegetation types. It also harbors a very rich biodiversity, and many species are exclusive to this territory. As a consequence of the destruction of most of its original vegetation, a considerable part of this biodiversity is threatened. This work presents a survey of the vascular flora exclusive to Santa Catarina, based on a thorough literature review. The compilation provides information on the distribution, environments, latest recorded date of collection, and conservation status of these species with bibliographic references. This information has great potential value for biodiversity conservation. More taxonomic and conservation studies are warranted since our results present strong evidence that there are profound knowledge gaps on Neotropical biodiversity, even for allegedly well-studied areas, thwarting the implementation of effective conservation policies.

Simulating urbanization scenarios reveals tradeoffs between conservation planning strategies

Land that is of great value for conservation can also be highly suitable for human use, resulting in competition between urban development and the protection of natural resources. To assess the effectiveness of proposed regional land conservation strategies in the context of rapid urbanization, we measured the impacts of simulated development patterns on two distinct conservation goals: protecting priority natural resources and limiting landscape fragmentation. Using a stochastic, patch-based land change model (FUTURES) we projected urbanization in the North Carolina Piedmont according to status quo trends and several conservation-planning strategies, including constraints on the spatial distribution of development, encouraging infill, and increasing development density. This approach allows simulation of population-driven land consumption without excluding the possibility of development, even in areas of high conservation value. We found that if current trends continue, new development will consume 11% of priority resource lands, 21% of forested land, and 14% of farmlands regionally by 2032. We also found that no single conservation strategy was optimal for achieving both conservation goals. For example, strategies that excluded development from priority areas caused increased fragmentation of forests and farmlands, while infill strategies increased loss of priority resources proximal to urban areas. Exploration of these land change scenarios not only confirmed that a failure to act is likely to result in irreconcilable losses to a conservation network, but that all conservation plans are not equivalent in effect, highlighting the importance of analyzing tradeoffs between alternative conservation planning approaches.

The anuran fauna of a Volunteer Nature Reserve: the Tanoé-Ehy Swamp Forests, south-eastern Ivory Coast, West Africa

We report the results of an amphibian survey in the Tanoé-Ehy Swamp Forests, south-eastern Ivory Coast. During 26 days we recorded at least 33 frog species. These include a new record for the recently described Morerella cyanophthalma, which seems to be endemic to the south-eastern Ivorian forests. Some individuals of the genus Phrynobatrachus may represent the so far unknown males of P. intermedius, described from neighboring Ghana and only known from the type locality, or a species new to science. Based on the IUCN Red List more than one quarter of the recorded species are threatened. The study sites comprise an amphibian fauna mainly consisting of forest specialists that are endemic to the Upper Guinea forest zone. Although some regional endemics were lacking from our records, the Tanoé-Ehy Swamp Forests have great value for amphibian conservation in Ivory Coast. However, the presence of some invasive species is a clear hint to past and present forest alteration. We urge for the protection of these forests as they represent an important refuge for the forest fauna in the south-eastern Ivory Coast, a region where only few forests persisted until today.

Epiphytic lichens onJuniperus communis– an unexplored component of biodiversity in threatened alvar grassland

Semi‐natural grasslands, among them thin‐soil calcareous grasslands (alvars), have great conservation value but have become increasingly rare in Europe. The main threat to alvar grasslands is the encroachment by juniperJuniperus communisand therefore it is usually removed during the restoration practice. Juniper can also be a host plant for many epiphytic lichens, but its role as a phorophyte is poorly known. We studied epiphytic lichen diversity on 126 junipers in 17 sites in western Estonia and found 140 lichenized taxa including several rare and red‐listed species. Using indirect and direct multivariate analyses (DCA, pCCA) and general linear models we revealed that both habitat and phorophyte properties affect lichen assemblies on juniper. Lichen species richness per site showed a unimodal relationship with compound factors of site productivity and juniper characteristics (stem circumference and juniper width). Lichen species richness per phorophyte was increasing with its size and with the proportion of dead branches, and was twice higher in plate alvars than in ryhk alvars. Also, the species composition in plate alvars differed from ryhk alvars by having 42 characteristic lichen species in plate alvars vs three indicators of ryhk alvars. The composition of lichens was significantly influenced by encroachment of alvars, e.g. by high juniper cover and shrub layer height, as well as by the proportion of dead branches and stem circumference of juniper. We conclude that the epiphytic lichen assemblies on junipers are threatened by grassland encroachment similarly to ground layer lichen assemblies. We suggest that some old and scencent junipers should be preserved during the restoration of alvar grasslands.

Genetic Diversity and Spatial Genetic Structure of Stellaria Holostea Populations from Urban Forest Islands

Abstract Stellaria holostea is a clonal herb highly confined to well-established deciduous forests. This study examined whether its genetic diversity and spatial genetic organization in urban forest islands is similar to the values from well-established populations outside urban landscape. We studied four populations in Warsaw and two populations from well preserved forests outside the city. Genetic diversity was greater in populations from well-preserved forests than from forests heavily exploited in the past. High clonal diversity indices indicate that the studied populations did not lose the ability to reproduce sexually. The small populations in urban forests differed from the remaining sites in spatial organization. High overall FST (0.24) and the lack of correlation between genetic and geographic distance between the studied populations indicate limited gene flow. Urban forests may be of great value for conservation of S. holostea and other ancient forest species as they may still harbor substantial genetic variability despite their isolation.

AKULTURASI SAINS, TEKNOLOGI DAN BUDAYA UNTUK PENINGKATAN KUALITAS PENDIDIKAN BERBASIS KEARIFAN LOKAL

<em>The values of local knowledge is the basis of great value for nature conservation, development of local products and development of national character. Indigenous development efforts need to be made by all parties and the whole society, so that the direction of development based on their own national identity. This can be exemplified in the national figures are recognized worldwide, while sticking to the philosophy of the nation. Positive impact on improving the quality of education is expected to be achieved as a result of acculturation between science, technology and culture. Pancasila should be a solid foundation for the development of science and technology, so that Indonesia become a nation of character</em>

Do avian communities vary with season in highly urbanized Hong Kong?

Abstract Urban habitat has become more and more important for birds because of rapid urban development and reduction of natural areas, and the responses of birds to season in urban habitats is important to research in urban avian ecology. We examined whether bird communities varied with season in terms of community attributes, composition of species and species groups, and nestedness in highly urbanized Hong Kong, which is positioned on one of the main migratory routes, and thus has great conservation value for birds. We studied 30 urban parks, and had 3,815 observations of 31 species in the breeding season (May–Aug 2010), compared to 3,972 observations of 53 species in the nonbreeding season (Nov 2010–Feb 2011). Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus), Red-whiskered Bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus), and Japanese White-eyes (Zosterops japonicus) were the most abundant species in both seasons. Bird species richness and diversity in the nonbreeding season were significantly higher than in the breeding season. ...

Species richness declines and biotic homogenisation have slowed down for NW-European pollinators and plants.

Concern about biodiversity loss has led to increased public investment in conservation. Whereas there is a widespread perception that such initiatives have been unsuccessful, there are few quantitative tests of this perception. Here, we evaluate whether rates of biodiversity change have altered in recent decades in three European countries (Great Britain, Netherlands and Belgium) for plants and flower visiting insects. We compared four 20-year periods, comparing periods of rapid land-use intensification and natural habitat loss (1930–1990) with a period of increased conservation investment (post-1990). We found that extensive species richness loss and biotic homogenisation occurred before 1990, whereas these negative trends became substantially less accentuated during recent decades, being partially reversed for certain taxa (e.g. bees in Great Britain and Netherlands). These results highlight the potential to maintain or even restore current species assemblages (which despite past extinctions are still of great conservation value), at least in regions where large-scale land-use intensification and natural habitat loss has ceased.

Conservation priorities for Prunus africana defined with the aid of spatial analysis of genetic data and climatic variables.

Conservation priorities for Prunus africana, a tree species found across Afromontane regions, which is of great commercial interest internationally and of local value for rural communities, were defined with the aid of spatial analyses applied to a set of georeferenced molecular marker data (chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites) from 32 populations in 9 African countries. Two approaches for the selection of priority populations for conservation were used, differing in the way they optimize representation of intra-specific diversity of P. africana across a minimum number of populations. The first method (S1) was aimed at maximizing genetic diversity of the conservation units and their distinctiveness with regard to climatic conditions, the second method (S2) at optimizing representativeness of the genetic diversity found throughout the species’ range. Populations in East African countries (especially Kenya and Tanzania) were found to be of great conservation value, as suggested by previous findings. These populations are complemented by those in Madagascar and Cameroon. The combination of the two methods for prioritization led to the identification of a set of 6 priority populations. The potential distribution of P. africana was then modeled based on a dataset of 1,500 georeferenced observations. This enabled an assessment of whether the priority populations identified are exposed to threats from agricultural expansion and climate change, and whether they are located within the boundaries of protected areas. The range of the species has been affected by past climate change and the modeled distribution of P. africana indicates that the species is likely to be negatively affected in future, with an expected decrease in distribution by 2050. Based on these insights, further research at the regional and national scale is recommended, in order to strengthen P. africana conservation efforts.

De factorefugia, ecological traps and the biogeography of anthropogenic cougar mortality in Utah

Aim Modern extirpations within the Carnivora have generally followed the human footprint. The contagion hypothesis predicts that range contractions should occur along gradients in human activity, leaving relict populations in remote areas at range edges. We evaluated this hypothesis for cougars (Puma concolor), a widely distributed and heavily exploited North American carnivore. Location Colorado Plateau and Great Basin ecoregions within Utah, USA. Methods We examined the spatial distribution of anthropogenic cougar mortality (n = 4217) using indices of remoteness and habitat quality within a GIS/multiple-regression analytical framework. To identify areas of disproportionately high or low exploitation rates, we used break-points from the literature and local field studies. We defined de facto refugia as watersheds with mean annual harvest rates ≤ 24% of the predicted population, whereas ecological traps were those watersheds that exceeded this value. Results Cougar harvest rates were greater in the core and lower along the periphery of their statewide geographic range. The largest refugia were overrepresented in arid ecoregions with low human population densities, whereas ecological traps were concentrated in areas of low remoteness. Ecological traps were within mean cougar dispersal distances from refugia, highlighting the potential for source-sink dynamics. Patterns of anthropogenic cougar mortality generally followed the predictions of the contagion hypothesis, being spatially correlated with human access in high-quality habitats. Main conclusions Low-quality habitats on the range margins are likely to harbour carnivore populations in the event of widespread human-caused declines, and therefore may have greater conservation value than has previously been assumed. Resource managers may consider using the distribution of de facto refugia and ecological traps within a source-sink context to develop conservation strategies for cougars and other wide-ranging, low-density carnivores with high dispersal tendencies.

Prioritizing conservation areas around multispecies bat colonies using spatial modeling

AbstractBats and other vertebrates form large colonies concentrating key populations of multiple endangered species. Their foraging ranges are of critical importance for the colony but can be too vast to preserve in full extent. We evaluated an approach to prioritize areas within this range that conciliates the distinct needs of various species.Our model colony was a large cave‐bat nursery harboring Rhinolophus mehelyi, Myotis myotis and Miniopterus schreibersii located in Southern Portugal. With radio‐tracking data of foraging bats and spatially explicit modeling, we generated habitat suitability maps for each species. Models incorporated both habitat variables and distance to the roost. The resulting maps were then used separately or in combinations to identify the areas with greatest multispecies conservation value.The best results were obtained by combining individual suitabilities in a single value, weighting each species by its threat risk. Although the overall range of the colony was very extensive, this approach identified the areas that had most multispecies value; more than half of the foraging sites are included in the best 13% of the range, and adding the next best 12% includes almost all sites of the most threatened study species, R. mehelyi. The efficiency of the prioritization can be evaluated not only for the species ensemble, but also for individual species.The concentration of most multispecies conservation value in a small area is partly due to the importance of distance to roost as a determinant of foraging habitat selection in all species, so this factor is essential in suitability models used for prioritization. This prioritization process successfully minimizes the amount of land required for protection, while maximizing the quality of the habitat to protect. Such prioritizations should spur the preservation of foraging areas of large multispecies colonies, thus improving the chances of survival of populations of great conservation value.

Rabbits, weeds and crops: Can agricultural intensification promote wildlife conflicts in semiarid agro-ecosystems?

Agricultural intensification has led to the extreme simplification of agricultural landscapes. The subsequent impoverishment of farmland plant communities can drive dramatic changes in the associated food webs of agricultural systems, with potential implications for vertebrate pest management. Weeds may provide alternative food sources for damaging species and thus contribute to reducing their damage, which is particularly desirable if the species is a valuable resource in its own right. Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are a game species of great conservation value in the Iberian Peninsula that cause frequent damage to crops. Here we describe the dynamics of non-crop plant communities over an annual cycle in a semiarid Mediterranean agro-ecosystem, and discuss the potential linkages and implications for rabbit damage management. Overall, the availability of alternative food for rabbits was very low, especially in the most extensive habitat types, i.e. olive groves and vineyards. The seasonal pattern in plant productivity, which coincides with the phenology of rabbits in Mediterranean areas was only detectable in the less intensively managed habitat types. Scarce natural vegetation remnants retained the highest richness, diversity and plant cover, potentially acting as a refuge for both, plants and rabbits. Our results indicate that intensive management practices, through reducing alternative food sources for rabbits, are likely to promote conflict between hunters, farmers and conservationists in semiarid agro-ecosystems of Southern Spain.

Precision control of an invasive ant on an ecologically sensitive tropical island: a principle with wide applicability

Effective management of invasive ants is an important priority for many conservation programs but can be difficult to achieve, especially within ecologically sensitive habitats. This study assesses the efficacy and nontarget risk of a precision ant baiting method aiming to reduce a population of the invasive big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala on a tropical island of great conservation value. Area-wide application of a formicidal bait, delivered in bait stations, resulted in the rapid decline of 8 ha of P. megacephala. Effective suppression remained throughout the succeeding 11-month monitoring period. We detected no negative effects of baiting on nontarget arthropods. Indeed, species richness of nontarget ants and abundance of other soil-surface arthropods increased significantly after P. megacephala suppression. This bait station method minimized bait exposure to nontarget organisms and was cost effective and adaptable to target species density. However, it was only effective over short distances and required thorough bait placement. This method would therefore be most appropriate for localized P. megacephala infestations where the prevention of nontarget impacts is essential. The methodology used here would be applicable to other sensitive tropical environments.

Gut Microbiome of the Critically Endangered New Zealand Parrot, the Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)

The kakapo, a parrot endemic to New Zealand, is currently the focus of intense research and conservation efforts with the aim of boosting its population above the current ‘critically endangered’ status. While virtually nothing is known about the microbiology of the kakapo, given the acknowledged importance of gut-associated microbes in vertebrate nutrition and pathogen defense, it should be of great conservation value to analyze the microbes associated with kakapo. Here we describe the first study of the bacterial communities that reside within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of both juvenile and adult kakapo. Samples from along the GIT, taken from the choana (≈throat), crop and faeces, were subjected to 16 S rRNA gene library analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of >1000 16 S rRNA gene clones, derived from six birds, revealed low phylum-level diversity, consisting almost exclusively of Firmicutes (including lactic acid bacteria) and Gammaproteobacteria. The relative proportions of Firmicutes and Gammaproteobacteria were highly consistent among individual juveniles, irrespective of sampling location, but differed markedly among adult birds. Diversity at a finer phylogenetic resolution (i.e. operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of 99% sequence identity) was also low in all samples, with only one or two OTUs dominating each sample. These data represent the first analysis of the bacterial communities associated with the kakapo GIT, providing a baseline for further microbiological study, and facilitating conservation efforts for this unique bird.

Genetic relationships of brook lamprey of the genus Lampetra in a Pyrenean stream in Spain

The genetic relationships of a population of brook lamprey Lampetra planeri from Spain were analysed using a fragment of the mitochondrial non-coding region in order to describe its relationships with other European Lampetra populations. DNA sequences were obtained from ten larvae, all corresponding to a single private haplotype. Its closest haplotype differed by five mutations and was found in several samples of Lampetra fluviatlis, both from the North Sea and the Baltic. These results argue for the great conservation value of this brook lamprey population, likely originated from L. fluviatilis ancestors.

Effect of slight vegetation degradation on soil properties in Brachypodium pinnatum grasslands

The interrelationship of soil and vegetation degradation is an emerging issue, where most studies have addressed severe degradation so far. We aimed at revealing changes in soil accompanying slight vegetation degradation in a case study involving xeromesophilous grasslands from Hungary. Slight degradation is of special interest here because the target community (Euphorbio pannonicae—Brachypodietum pinnati association) has great nature conservation value. Vegetation status was related to chemical and structural soil properties by principal component analysis and redundancy analysis. Vegetation conditions were assessed by species abundances and by fine-scale spatial structure, which is proposed here for soil-vegetation studies. Slight vegetation degradation clearly manifested itself in soil properties. Differences in vegetation status when assessed by species abundances were mirrored in chemical soil properties. When structural vegetation descriptors were used, a soil structure property (bulk density) was responsible for the segregation according to naturalness. Vegetation-soil relationships were more consistent over biogeographic regions, when vegetation structural descriptors were used. Differences in chemical soil properties reflected species abundance pattern, as was found in most non-grazing related degradation studies. However, changes to soil structure also accompanied slight degradation, and their importance was revealed when vegetation structure was taken into account.

Vegetation of Mediterranean temporary pools: a fading jewel?

Although Mediterranean temporary pools are of great value for conservation, they are in rapid decline under the impact of various forms of anthropogenic pressure. Their disappearance from the landscape may result in a weakening of the biological connections between pools due to increasing isolation and the impoverishment of their communities. In Western Morocco (province of Benslimane), temporary pools have undergone severe regression over the past decades. The quantification of these losses and the impact on the richness of plant communities remain, however, unstudied. Since this is of vital importance for the conservation of the biodiversity of these habitats, a study has been undertaken associating (1) an assessment of the pool losses (both in density and surface area) between 1955 and 2001 using remote sensing, (2) surveys of vegetation and water depth (in 2006) in 48 pools, and (3) an assessment of the density and surface area of pools occurring within a 3 km radius around each of the sampled pools. The results show a loss of 23% in number and 61% in surface area of pools in the province over a period of 47 years. This decline, promoted by their small size and shallowness, is probably related to socio-economic changes (intensification of agricultural practices and population growth). The richness in characteristic and rare species of the pools was related to both local (water depth) and regional features (land use, pool density and total water surface area in the surrounding landscape). The significant impact of the current density of pools and their total surface area on the conservation value of the studied pools suggests a weakening of the metacommunity dynamics between pools. Given the rapid socio-economic changes in the province and the current rate of pool disappearance (0.5% per year) we predict a continuing reduction in pool density with a high risk of the widespread loss of their unique flora in the long term.