Specific Habitat Research Articles

Management challenges in marine protected areas: a field note from the Malvan Marine Sanctuary, India

Marine protected area (MPA) is an umbrella term for the protection and conservation of coastal biodiversity. MPAs are expected to work as an effective tool for marine biodiversity conservation and fishery management. As India has an extensive coastline of 7,517 km that supports approximately 250 million people for their livelihood, the existence of prosperous coastal and marine ecosystems is imperative for the sustainable economic growth of the country. In India, MPA is part of the protected area network notified under the Wildlife Protection Act, of 1972. In view of the socio-economic angle of the MPA, conserving the specific marine habitat and sustaining commercial activities like fishing pose tremendous challenges in achieving conservation goals. In this context, this paper evaluates the management challenges of the Malvan Marine Sanctuary located in Maharashtra State of India and subsequently discusses the possible solutions for effectively managing the sanctuary.

Successful Translocation of a Long‐Distance Migrating Passerine—New Impetus for the Conservation of the Globally Threatened Aquatic Warbler

ABSTRACTTranslocations are a conservation measure that is increasingly applied to assist the recovery of animal populations threatened with extinction. Long‐distance migrating passerines, however, have been rarely addressed in translocation projects so far. One such species is the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, a habitat specialist breeding in fen mires in Central Europe and wintering in sub‐Saharan Africa. The global breeding population has severely declined during the last decades due to habitat loss. Although the implementation of conservation measures has stopped the decline in the core breeding area, peripheral populations continue to decline. The aim of this pilot study was to reveal whether translocated Aquatic Warblers will return to a distant release site after wintering in Africa. Our translocation method is based on natal habitat imprinting of juvenile passerines before their first migration. In 2018 and 2019, 50 chicks (10–12 entire broods) each year were translocated 526 km from Belarus to Lithuania at an age of about 7 days and hand‐reared with predominantly wild insects captured in the surroundings of the release site. The survival rate of chicks until soft release from outdoor aviaries was 98% (49 fledglings released) in 2018 and 100% (50 fledglings released) in 2019. In 2019, 11 Aquatic Warblers (9 males, 2 females) were resighted at the release site after returning from wintering grounds. In 2020, nine birds (6 males, 3 females) were observed, including three males from the 2018 release cohort. An average apparent first‐year survival of 0.30 was estimated. The very successful outcome gives new impetus for the restoration prospects of declined populations of the Aquatic Warbler to halt extinction at the margins of the breeding range.

Hierarchical reduction in plant immune receptor repertoires during adaptation to special lifestyles and habitats.

Hierarchical reduction in plant immune receptor repertoires during adaptation to special lifestyles and habitats.

Gut microbiota profiles of sympatric snub-nosed monkeys and macaques in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau show influence of phylogeny over diet

The unique environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau provides a great opportunity to study how primate intestinal microorganisms adapt to ecosystems. The 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenome analysis were conducted to investigate the correlation between gut microbiota in primates and other sympatric animal species living between 3600 and 4500 m asl. Results showed that within the same geographical environment, Macaca mulatta and Rhinopithecus bieti exhibited a gut microbiome composition similar to that of Tibetan people, influenced by genetic evolution of host, while significantly differing from other distantly related animals. The gut microbiota of plateau species has developed similar strategies to facilitate their hosts’ adaptation to specific environments, including broadening its dietary niche and enhancing energy absorption. These findings will enhance our comprehension of the significance of primate gut microbiota in adapting to specific habitats.

Key environmental predictors as drivers of avifauna assemblages in Ghana’s coastal ecosystems

Avian assemblages are not only influenced by spatial factors but also by temporal variations in environmental conditions, creating dynamic patterns of bird presence in a given area. This study examined environmental elements affecting bird assemblages in Ghana's coastal ecosystems. We conducted point transect sampling along a 15-km coastal stretch, analyzing bird abundance, richness, and diversity in relation to microclimate and urbanization. Humidity and wind speed had a significant negative relationship with bird abundance as well as time of day (morning) having a negative relationship. Mean bird richness, diversity, were significantly higher in natural shoreline areas compared to urbanized ones. Bird abundance and seasonality were positive related where wet season was characterized by higher bird numbers which can be attributed to the favorability of the wet season in terms of food availability and habitat suitability. Indicator Species Analysis identified nineteen species significantly associated specific habitat characterization, with eleven species linked to lagoon adjacent shorelines. These results show the relationship between environmental factors and avian assemblages in coastal ecosystems, highlighting impacts of human disturbance and climate-related factors and the importance of pristine ecosystems in biodiversity conservation.

Convergent reduction of immune receptor repertoires during plant adaptation to diverse special lifestyles and habitats.

Plants deploy cell-surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and intracellular nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) to recognize pathogens. However, how plant immune receptor repertoires evolve in responding to changed pathogen burdens remains elusive. Here we reveal the convergent reduction of NLR repertoires in plants with diverse special lifestyles/habitats (SLHs) encountering low pathogen burdens. Furthermore, a parallel but milder reduction of PRR genes in SLH species was observed. The reduction of PRR and NLR genes was attributed to both increased gene loss and decreased gene duplication. Notably, pronounced loss of immune receptors was associated with the complete absence of signalling components from the enhanced disease susceptibility 1 (EDS1) and the resistance to powdery mildew 8 (RPW8)-NLR (RNL) families. In addition, evolutionary pattern analysis suggested that the conserved toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-only proteins might function tightly with EDS1/RNL. Taken together, these results reveal the hierarchically adaptive evolution of the two-tiered immune receptor repertoires during plant adaptation to diverse SLHs.

New nucleolin-containing cytoplasmic bodies in an archamoebian protist Pelomyxa belevskii (Amoebozoa, Archamoebae, Pelobiontida).

The representatives of the archamoebian genus Pelomyxa are amoeboid anaerobic protists that inhabit fresh-water anoxic sediments, and most of them are usually multinucleate. The cytoplasm of these unicellular organisms is highly complicated and contains numerous vacuoles of different types, as well as a wide range of prokaryotic endocytobionts, agglomerations of glycogen, lipids, etc. Among the great variety of cytoplasmic structures in P.belevskii, we identified novel organelles termed Cytoplasmic Nucleolin-Rich Bodies (CNRBs) due to their enrichment in nucleolin, a nuclear/nucleolar protein. The P. belevskiiCNRBs differ significantly from known cytoplasmic nucleolin-related organelles encountered in some other eukaryotic cells, but their biological significance remains elusive. The work also provides the first description of the nuclear organization of P. belevskii. The nucleolar apparatus of P. belevskii contains little nucleolin, as determined by quantitative electron microscopic data, suggesting that it is inactive despite its morphological complexity. The presence of CNRBsin Pelomyxa is discussed in the context of the specific habitat conditions and biology of these unicellular eukaryotes.

Antarctic Geothermal Soils Exhibit an Absence of Regional Habitat Generalist Microorganisms.

Active geothermal systems are relatively rare in Antarctica and represent metaphorical islands ideal to study microbial dispersal. In this study, we tested the macro-ecological concept that high dispersal rates result in communities being dominated by either habitat generalists or specialists by investigating the microbial communities on four geographically separated geothermal sites on three Antarctic volcanoes (Mts. Erebus, Melbourne, and Rittman). We found that the microbial communities at higher temperature (max 65°C) sites (Tramway Ridge on Erebus and Rittmann) were unique from each other and were dominated by a variety of novel Archaea from class Nitrososphaeria, while lower temperature (max 50°C) sites (Western Crater on Erebus and Melbourne) had characteristically mesophilic communities (Planctomycetes, Acidobacteriota, etc.) that were highly similar. We found that 97% of the detected microbial taxa were regional habitat specialists, with no generalists, with community assembly driven by high dispersal rates and drift (25% and 30% of community assembly, respectively), not environmental selection. Our results indicate that for microbial communities experiencing high dispersal rates between isolated communities, habitat specialists may tend to out-compete habitat generalists.

Half a Century of Temperate Non-Forest Vegetation Changes: No Net Loss in Species Richness, but Considerable Shifts in Taxonomic and Functional Composition.

In recent decades, global change and local anthropogenic pressures have severely affected natural ecosystems and their biodiversity. Although disentangling the effects of these factors is difficult, they are reflected in changes in the functional composition of plant communities. We present a comprehensive, large-scale analysis of long-term changes in plant communities of various non-forest habitat types in the Czech Republic based on 1154 vegetation-plot time series from 53 resurvey studies comprising 3909 vegetation-plot records. We focused not only on taxonomic diversity but also on the functional characteristics of communities. Species richness of most habitat types increased over time, and taxonomic and functional community composition shifted significantly. Habitat specialists and threatened species became less represented in plant communities, indicating a decline in habitat quality. The spread of trees, shrubs, tall herbaceous plants, strong competitors, and nutrient-demanding species in all non-forest habitats, coupled with the decline of light-demanding species, suggests an effect of eutrophication and natural succession following the abandonment of traditional management. Moreover, we identified specific trends in certain habitats. In wetlands, springs, and mires, moisture-demanding species decreased, probably due to drainage, river regulations, and increasing drought resulting from climate change. Dry grasslands, ruderal, weed, sand, and shallow-soil vegetation became more mesic, and successional processes were most pronounced in these communities, suggesting a stronger effect of abandonment of traditional management and eutrophication. In alpine and subalpine vegetation, meadows and mesic pastures, and heathlands, insect-pollinated species declined, and the proportion of grasses increased. Overall, these functional changes provide deep insights into the underlying drivers and help conservationists take appropriate countermeasures.

An ecological-evolutionary perspective on the genomic diversity and habitat preferences of the Acidobacteriota.

Members of the phylum Acidobacteriota inhabit a wide range of ecosystems including soils. We analysed the global patterns of distribution and habitat preferences of various Acidobacteriota lineages across major ecosystems (soil, engineered, host-associated, marine, non-marine saline and alkaline and terrestrial non-soil ecosystems) in 248 559 publicly available metagenomic datasets. Classes Terriglobia, Vicinamibacteria, Blastocatellia and Thermoanaerobaculia were highly ubiquitous and showed a clear preference to soil over non-soil habitats, while classes Aminicenantia and Holophagae showed preferences to non-soil habitats. However, while specific preferences were observed, most Acidobacteriota lineages were habitat generalists rather than specialists, with genomic and/or metagenomic fragments recovered from soil and non-soil habitats at various levels of taxonomic resolution. Comparative analysis of 1930 genomes strongly indicates that phylogenetic affiliation plays a more important role than the habitat from which the genome was recovered in shaping the genomic characteristics and metabolic capacities of the Acidobacteriota. The observed lack of strong habitat specialization and habitat-transition-driven lineage evolution in the Acidobacteriota suggest ready cross-colonization between soil and non-soil habitats. We posit that such capacity is key to the successful establishment of Acidobacteriota as a major component in soil microbiomes post-ecosystem disturbance events or during pedogenesis.

Environmental correlates of breeding outcomes in Endangered Grey Crowned Cranes Balearica regulorum in agricultural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Summary Birds are often used as ecological indicators because they are widely distributed across diverse habitats and display distinct behavioural responses to environmental changes. The Endangered Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum is regarded as a flagship species of Africa’s wetland and grassland habitats, both of which are undergoing substantial transformation to alternative land uses. The delayed reproductive strategies and habitat specialisation of this crane species makes them more vulnerable to extinction, but this risk is further compounded by data paucity. We employed traditional and contemporary survey methods to collect breeding metrics to calculate stage transition probabilities (i.e. egg–hatchling, hatchling–juvenile) and to identify possible macro-environmental factors that either promote or hinder their reproductive output in a key agricultural area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We found that Grey Crowned Cranes have a low hatching rate of 38.4% (95% confidence interval 29.3–48.4%) and show that this low hatching rate is exacerbated under high rainfall intensity. Multivariate analyses and multi-model inference revealed that successful nest-sites were generally associated with larger open water-bodies, greater distances from shore, and increased proximity to secondary roads, buildings, and natural grasslands. Although increased agricultural activities might promote greater foraging opportunities, the overall breeding outcomes of this species were poor in this key agricultural region. Our findings stress the urgent need for further fine-scale data collection and monitoring activities to better inform conservation strategies for this species. We also encourage future studies to focus on aspects affecting Grey Crowned Crane breeding in regions where proximity to human activities is inevitable.

Study on the biodiversity of macroinvertebrate in the Dayang River Basin during summer based on environmental DNA and morphological analysis

The health of the Dayang River ecosystem, critical freshwater resource for Dandong City, is intertwined with local water management and coastal development. In June 2023, we conducted a biodiversity survey in the Dayang River basin using a combined morphological and environmental DNA (eDNA) approach. We assessed both species and functional diversity of summer macroinvertebrates. A total of 81 macroinvertebrates species were identified, with some overlap in species detection between the methods. The trunk stream exhibited lower species diversity with uneven distribution across sites, whereas the tributaries displayed a more stable species composition. Functional diversity analysis mirrored this pattern, revealing lower functional diversity in the trunk stream, indicative of intense competition and niche occupation. Conversely, the tributaries displayed more uniform and complete functional diversity. This study highlights the differential influence of hydrological environments on macroinvertebrate communities during the summer season, with the trunk stream favoring certain species with specific habitat preferences and adaptations. Furthermore, it underscores the value of combining traditional morphological surveys and eDNA techniques for comprehensive biodiversity assessments.

Butterfly Diversity in Harding Park, Patna, Bihar, India: A Case Study of Urban Ecosystem

Butterflies serve as crucial bioindicators susceptible to habitat degradation, emphasising the need of green spaces in urban conservation efforts. Current study investigates butterfly diversity in Harding Park, Patna, within a very high density, heavily anthropogenically impacted urban area. This study documented 1,089 butterfly individuals of 45 species belonging to five families using the Pollard Walk Method (100m each) between April and July 2022. The Hesperiidae family was most abundant, comprising 36.2% of total butterfly abundance, with Rice Swift as highest recorded species followed by Pieridae (27.4%) Nymphalidae (27.6%) and Papilionidae (9%) that were notably prevalent. However, the reduced occurrence of Lycaenidae (8%) indicates a potential need for species specific habitats. Diversity indices (Shannon, Simpson, and Evenness) were mainly used to compare diversity across different months. Shannon diversity peaked in May (3.217), with highest species richness (37 species) and evenness (0.73, whereas the lowest diversity was recorded in July (2.382) and this was associated with an increase in dominance as a few species became predominant during July. In April, the lowest richness (24 species) and abundance (137 individuals) were reported, perhaps attributable to dry, less humid pre-monsoon conditions. Butterfly abundance increased consistently, reaching 540 individuals in July, presumably due to favourable monsoon conditions. The butterfly assemblages of May and June had a similarity of 68%, whereas the July assemblages, with a similarity of approximately 54%, as it distinctly separated from assemblages of other months. The current study highlights the significance of Harding Park in offering green environment and thus microclimatic conditions supporting butterfly populations and other biodiversity. The study further discusses the role of urban parks in conserving biodiversity, particularly in the context of increasing urbanisation.

Влияние пестицидов на почвенную микрофлору (обзор)

Soil is not only the most important component of the ecosystem, providing specific habitat conditions for bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, algae and other microorganisms that make up the soil microflora, but also a means of crop production. It is well known that modern agricultural production would be impossible without the use of chemical pesticides, which form the basis of modern plant protection. At present, excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides not only pollutes the soil, but also affects its quality and reduces the biodiversity of the soil profile. The study of the interaction between pesticides and soil microflora is necessary due to the important role of microorgan-isms in the development of fertility and detoxification of soil from xenobiotics. An important problem is the replacement of toxic pesticides with new types of preparations that are less polluting to the soil and are able to degrade under the influence of microorganisms.

Changes in cetacean occurrence in Faxaflói Bay, Iceland, as observed from whale watching vessels

The distribution of animal species is shaped by environmental conditions and their ecological niches. The understanding of these niches is essential for conservation, especially for cetaceans, as cetacean species may adjust their geographical range in response to ecological changes. Long-term data is vital to monitor these shifts and guide conservation efforts. While environmental changes are occurring globally, localised effects on specific species and habitats, particularly marine ecosystems, remain understudied. This gap in knowledge is evident in Artic regions. As key trophic species, cetaceans can act as indicators of potential significance and contribute significantly to the economy of local communities via the practice of whale watching. Iceland, a biodiversity hotspot, has experienced significant warming as part of global climate change, possibly affecting the abundance of prey species. Cetaceans such as humpback whales, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises inhabit these waters year-round and may be affected by such changes. This paper focuses on the bay of Faxaflói in southwest Iceland, utilising semi long-term data (2016-2023) from whale watching tours to discern potential changes in the occurrence of these four species. Sightings Per Unit Effort (SPUE) for the four targeted species was calculated for each month and year. ANOVA test (p<.005) and Tukey HSD test were conducted for humpback whales revealing significant differences in Spue in the years 2022-2017 (p=0.006), 2023-2017 (p=0.003), 2023-2018 (p=0.04), 2022-2019 (p=0.02), and 2023-2019 (p=0.009). Seasonal analysis suggests shifts in SPUE, with increased observations during non-touristic periods after 2021. Results indicate intriguing trends in species occurrence, with a significant increase in humpback whale sightings and a steady decline in mine whale sightings since 2018. The inverse relationship between minke and humpback whales suggests possible competition or distributional shifts. Acknowledging limitations and biases from tourism-centric data collection his study highlights the importance of whale watching records as a year-round monitoring tool. Collaborative efforts between operators and researchers are crucial to enhance data quality. Understanding and addressing the observational changes in cetaceans in Faxaflói is imperative for effective conservation measures in this ecologically significant region.

Filling the gaps: herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province (Angola) shed light on one of the most unexplored corners of tropical Central Africa

ABSTRACT The global environmental crisis has reinforced the importance of improving the documentation of the geographical distributions of extant species. With this aim, species inventories of specific locations or regions are a high priority, especially so in poorly explored areas. Cabinda Province, an Angolan enclave located between the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), represents one of the most enigmatic and poorly explored areas in Africa. No detailed species inventories within its protected areas (namely, Mayombe National Park) exist. Furthermore, this region presents some of the better preserved remanent of primary moist rainforest in West Africa. Although these forests are severely threatened by logging and by the rapid social growth in the area. Therefore, we provide here the first herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province, Angola, to shed light on this underexplored corner of Africa. To obtain the most accurate species identification, we performed detailed morphological examinations and DNA barcoding identifications. As a result, we recorded a total of 76 species of amphibians and reptiles in the area, including four new genera, 19 new distribution records for Angola, and 13 candidate species. This work also provides novel topotypic genetic material from three reptile species (i.e., Agama congica, Panaspis cabindae and Atractaspis congica), that may contribute to revise and solve taxonomic inconsistencies in these different groups. Finally, we identified areas of high species richness, as well as areas with a high number of habitat specialists, thus indicating species more vulnerable to extinction. Therefore, our study allowed us to identify areas that are of special interest for conservation of reptiles and amphibians, primarily focus on species vulnerable to extinction, but also to identify some knowledge gaps that still need further investigation. To conclude, this work not only contributes to an improved understanding of Angolan herpetofauna, but also highlights the importance of the western slope of Central Africa as an important biodiversity hotspot, centre of endemism and potential source of diversification for this group of land vertebrates.

High extinction risk of the endemic tree flora in a hyper‐diverse region of the Amazon

Societal Impact StatementThe rapid global loss of biodiversity, especially in the Neotropics, underscores the need to understand how deforestation impacts endemic plant species' extinction risk and conservation status. Due to limited ranges and habitat specialization, endemics are particularly vulnerable. Our study reveals that around 14% and 47% of Ecuadorian Amazon endemic trees are Critically Endangered and Endangered, respectively, with 41% facing high extinction risk. Traits like life‐form, fruit size, and height relate to extinction vulnerability. These findings highlight the factors driving Amazonian tree flora endangerment, providing crucial insights for conservation efforts of this fundamental component of Amazon hyper‐diverse forests.Summary Comprehensive analyses of the global conservation statuses of endemic tree species are scarce, especially for species‐rich forests. Endemic trees arguably suffer a higher extinction risk than other plant species due to their restricted geographic range and habitat specialization. Here, we present an updated assessment of the conservation status and extinction risk estimates for the endemic tree flora of the Ecuadorian Amazon, a darkspot of biodiversity. We combined an extensively verified taxonomic database of Amazon tree species abundance and occurrence with the most updated data of deforestation for this region. We found that approximately one sixth of the Ecuadorian Amazon endemic tree flora is Critically Endangered. A few clades, including Myrtaceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Fabaceae s.l., and Lauraceae, harbor one third of the Critically Endangered endemic tree species. According to our analysis, the extinction risk for endemic trees is associated not only with extrinsic factors such as deforestation but also with their ecology. Life‐form, fruit size, and maximum height are significantly related to extinction risk. Thus, endemic understory and canopy trees with small fruits are more prone to suffer extinction than emergent tree species. We argue that assessment programs should also include biological trait information in addition to geographic ranges and habitat specialization for the establishment of effective conservation strategies of this hyper‐diverse region of the Amazon.

Diversity and habitat preferences of bdelloid rotifers in mosses and liverworts from beach forest along sand dunes in Thailand.

Microscopic animals are often thought to be widely distributed due to their small size and specific adaptations. However, evidences show that bdelloid rotifers in bryophytes exhibit habitat specialization, with species composition varying by microhabitat. This indicates that their distribution is influenced by complex ecological processes, warranting further research, particularly at the microscale. In this study, we tested whether species richness and composition of bdelloid rotifers differ across bryophyte species, forms, characteristics, and seasons to understand their ecological distribution and habitat preferences in limnoterrestrial environments. Bdelloid rotifers were identified and counted from bryophyte samples collected in April (low rainfall), August (moderate rainfall), and December 2022 (high rainfall) at Bang Burd Beach Forest, Chumphon Province, Thailand. The results revealed high bdelloid diversity, with 22 species identified, 14 of which are new records for Thailand, raising the known number to 30. However, species richness did not vary across bryophyte variables or seasons, with substantial overlap in species composition across these variables. Additionally, there was no strong habitat preference between bdelloid rotifers and bryophyte species. These results confirm a low degree of habitat specialization of bdelloid rotifers in tropical limnoterrestrial environments.

Vertebrate diversity and biomass along a recovery gradient in a lowland tropical forest

AbstractDeforestation of tropical forests have resulted in extensive areas of secondary forests with the potential to restore biodiversity to former old‐growth forest levels. The recovery of vertebrate communities is an essential component of biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, as vertebrates provide key ecosystem functions. However, little is known about the recovery trajectories and habitat preferences of vertebrates in tropical landscapes with differing land‐use legacies. We used camera traps covering 3 weeks to study the activity of ground‐based mammals and birds in the understory of 57 sites along a forest recovery gradient, ranging from active agriculture, such as pastures and cacao plantations, to naturally recovering forests and old‐growth forests in the Chocó rainforest in north‐western Ecuador. Our results show that diversity and biomass of wild vertebrates are highest in old‐growth forests and late recovery stages, while for domestic vertebrates, these indices are highest in agricultural land. Additionally, while species‐habitat networks showed low habitat specificity for vertebrate species, an indicator species analysis found no species to indicate old‐growth forests, Dasyprocta punctata and Tayassu pecari to indicate all forest types, and Aramides wolfi and Pecari tajacu to indicate late regeneration forests. We suggest that these patterns are caused by a high habitat connectivity and large amounts of remaining old‐growth forest in our study area. Our findings indicate that secondary forests have a high potential for the recovery of vertebrate species diversity and biomass to old‐growth level in lowland tropical forests with short regeneration times.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Disappearing aapa mires and why we should care: unnoticed climate change exacerbates drainage effects on birds

Aapa mires are distinctive base‐enriched northern peatland systems, often with pronounced flark‐string (deep‐pool) surface features. Aapa mires are used by specialist breeding migratory waterbirds (particularly Broad‐billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus, Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus, Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis and Pintail Anas acuta) and support high densities of other nesting wader species (Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus, Ruff Calidris pugnax, Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago, Curlew Numenius arquata and Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus) compared with other peatland landforms. Remote sensing, palynology and peat stratigraphy studies confirm rapid and massive loss of aapa mires through recent drainage, but now also through climate change. Botanists report that recent warming has caused enhanced successional expansions in ombrotrophic raised mire vegetation to engulf aapa mires, destroying their unique surface and nutrient characteristics. As the waterbird species associated with aapa mires cannot survive on acidic base‐poor raised mire systems, this ecological change places their populations in jeopardy. While acknowledging the need to reduce climate change through other means, these changes prioritize the need for international cooperation to extend and improve site‐safeguarding of intact aapa mires and restoration of damaged aapa mires, as well as effective conservation of affected avian species throughout their full annual cycle to safeguard them, aapa mires and their associated bird communities for future generations. The case regarding aapa mires highlights the need to establish new mechanisms to create cohesive networks of protected areas for special habitats that are of disproportional importance to key avian populations and other wetland species that may not be adequately represented in current site‐safeguard networks.