Areas Of High Biodiversity Research Articles

Discriminating native and plantation forests in a Landsat time-series for land use policy design

ABSTRACTThe Warren River Catchment of south-western Australia is an area of high biodiversity threatened by the loss of native vegetation and dryland salinity. Over the last 20 years, it has been the target of a series of policies that encourage conversion of agricultural land to plantation forest. Remote sensing has a key role in measuring trends in the area of plantation forest observed across the landscape and hence the effectiveness of policy initiatives. Despite its importance to land use policy, accurate data on historical land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics of two spectrally similar but ecologically distinct forest types – such as native forest and plantation forest – are not readily available for south-western Australia, largely due to prohibitive data delivery costs. However, we argue that regular low-cost monitoring of long-term change in the spatial distribution of plantation forest through remote sensing is a critical input into environmental policy for the catchment. To this end, a 35-year time-series of Landsat imagery was acquired, and three different classifiers were tested (Support Vector Machines – SVM; Random Forests – RF; and Classification and Regression Trees – CART) on spectral and textural indices applied to four spectral bands. The six major LULC classes considered were agriculture, water, native forest, sand dunes, plantation forest and harvested native forest. In classifying the imagery the SVM and RF outperformed the CART across all classes. However, the SVM classifier gave a slightly higher F-score for most individual classes than the RF. Eucalypt dominated plantation forest reaching full canopy cover was subject to the highest rates of misclassification inasmuch as it shares spectral properties with the Eucalypt dominant native forest. When applied to Landsat time-series imagery, SVM classifier combined with four bands held in common between the four Landsat sensors, and derived textures metrics are valuable in classifying plantation and native forest, particularly where these have a similar species composition. The differences in prediction accuracy when including additional Landsat bands were not statistically significant, as demonstrated by the McNemar test. Thus, we achieved a trade-off in reducing processing time without significantly impacting on classification accuracy (≥86%). The relatively high accuracy of the proposed method enables the effects of past policy initiatives to be observed, and hence the efficient design of environmental and conservation policy in the future.

The importance of grassland patches and their associated rainforest ecotones to insectivorous bats in a fire-managed tropical landscape

Abstract ContextEcotones are recognised globally as areas of high biodiversity, yet relatively little is known about how fauna use different types of ecotone. Tropical rainforest–grassland ecotones are shaped through particular fire regimes, creating both gradual and abrupt ecotones. Insectivorous bats contribute considerably to mammalian diversity, and their capacity for flight allows them to use ecotones in a three-dimensional way, making them an informative faunal group for evaluating ecotone use. AimsTo critically evaluate how insectivorous bats use gradual and abrupt ecotones between rainforest and grassland habitats. MethodsBat detectors were placed every 50m, along 200-m transects, through five gradual and five abrupt rainforest–grassland ecotones. The activity of all insectivorous bats, as well as open, edge–open and closed foraging guilds (defined by echolocation call type), was compared among grassland and rainforest habitats, gradual and abrupt ecotones and positions across the ecotones. Key resultsMean total bat activity, mean open and edge–open foraging guild activity were significantly higher in grassland positions, followed by the edge, and were lowest in the rainforest. Closed foraging guild bats showed no preference for either habitats, but had significantly higher activity in gradual compared with abrupt ecotones. Mean activity of edge–open foraging guild bats was affected strongly by the interaction between ecotone type and position along the ecotone. Gradual ecotones had a more even proportion of all three bat foraging guilds along the ecotone compared with abrupt ecotones. Most of these findings were likely driven by the structural complexity of gradual ecotones that fulfilled microhabitat requirements for all three foraging guilds, but may also have been influenced by insect prey abundance. ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated the importance of grassland patches in a tropical, rainforest landscape, and of gradual rainforest–grassland ecotones for insectivorous bats. Gradual ecotones promote complex habitat mosaics to allow closed foraging guild species to take advantage of food resources provided by grasslands, and provide all bats proximity to potential roosting and foraging sites. ImplicationsThe data clearly suggest that a suitable fire regime should be used to maintain current grassland patches within a rainforest landscape, and to promote gradual ecotones for use by insectivorous bats.

What do we know about parasites of wildlife in high biodiversity areas with anthropogenic disturbance? The special case of Mexico.

The continual rise of anthropogenic disturbance of ecosystems has been associated with an increasing incidence of emerging diseases. The largest amount of data on emerging diseases relates to bacterial and viral pathogens, but there is a lack of parasite data, especially from wildlife. Monitoring wildlife parasitic diseases should be considered a priority, especially in high biodiversity regions with strong anthropogenic impacts, like Mexico, where the wildlife/livestock/human interface is associated with increased risk of disease transmission. Mexico belongs to the top-ten megadiverse countries and is located between two biogeographic regions. This situation makes Mexico a favourable region for the spillover of animal pathogens to human beings, causing pandemics, such as the one recently caused by influenza virus A (H1N1). The current state of knowledge of Mexican wildlife parasites is scarce and focuses mainly in Neotropical fauna. Moreover, this knowledge is heterogeneous for different parasite groups, especially concerning their pathologic effects and epidemiology. The goals of this review are to compile information on Mexican wildlife parasites and to identify knowledge gaps in order to stimulate research on pending epidemiological, public health, ecological and pathological areas, and to encourage the creation of more specialized groups from the perspective of the One-Health concept.

Molecular Analysis of Forensically Important Blow Flies in Thailand.

Blow flies are the first insect group to colonize on a dead body and thus correct species identification is a crucial step in forensic investigations for estimating the minimum postmortem interval, as developmental times are species-specific. Due to the difficulty of traditional morphology-based identification such as the morphological similarity of closely related species and uncovered taxonomic keys for all developmental stages, DNA-based identification has been increasing in interest, especially in high biodiversity areas such as Thailand. In this study, the effectiveness of long mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and II (COI and COII) sequences (1247 and 635 bp, respectively) in identifying 16 species of forensically relevant blow flies in Thailand (Chrysomya bezziana, Chrysomya chani, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya nigripes, Chrysomya pinguis, Chrysomya rufifacies, Chrysomya thanomthini, Chrysomya villeneuvi, Lucilia cuprina, Lucilia papuensis, Lucilia porphyrina, Lucilia sinensis, Hemipyrellia ligurriens, Hemipyrellia pulchra, Hypopygiopsis infumata, and Hypopygiopsis tumrasvini) was assessed using distance-based (Kimura two-parameter distances based on Best Match, Best Close Match, and All Species Barcodes criteria) and tree-based (grouping taxa by sequence similarity in the neighbor-joining tree) methods. Analyses of the obtained sequence data demonstrated that COI and COII genes were effective markers for accurate species identification of the Thai blow flies. This study has not only demonstrated the genetic diversity of Thai blow flies, but also provided a reliable DNA reference database for further use in forensic entomology within the country and other regions where these species exist.

Geology is a significant indicator of algal cover and invertebrate species composition on intertidal reefs of Ngari Capes Marine Park, south-western Australia

Effective management of rocky intertidal reefs requires an understanding of spatial variation in species composition and abundance, and the identification of high biodiversity areas. This study identified patterns of invertebrate biodiversity on intertidal reefs of differing underlying structure within Ngari Capes Marine Park, south-west Western Australia. Intertidal reef surveys were conducted at 12 limestone and 9 granite sites throughout the park. Geology was a significant indicator of variation in percentage cover of substrate and invertebrate composition, which covaried with rugosity and complexity. Limestone reefs were characterised by a combination of high and low branching algae and a sand–turf matrix, whereas granite reefs consisted of bare rock. A total of 15772 individual invertebrates representing 10 phyla, 16 classes, 60 families and 121 species was recorded. A high abundance of dove (Family Columbellidae) and jewel top snails (Family Trochidae) characterised limestone reefs, whereas an assortment of limpets and chitons characterised granite reefs. Granite reefs contained more species (92v. 63) and a higher mean (±s.d.) number of individuals (119±58v. 42±79m–2) than did limestone reefs. These findings emphasise the effect of underlying geology on the distribution of intertidal invertebrates and the need for management programs to accommodate different habitat types to effectively conserve biodiversity.

How to protect half of Earth to ensure it protects sufficient biodiversity.

It is theoretically possible to protect large fractions of species in relatively small regions. For plants, 85% of species occur entirely within just over a third of the Earth's land surface, carefully optimized to maximize the species captured. Well-known vertebrate taxa show similar patterns. Protecting half of Earth might not be necessary, but would it be sufficient given the current trends of protection? The predilection of national governments is to protect areas that are "wild," that is, typically remote, cold, or arid. Unfortunately, those areas often hold relatively few species. Wild places likely afford the easier opportunities for the future expansion of protected areas, with the expansion into human-dominated landscapes the greater challenge. We identify regions that are not currently protected, but that are wild, and consider which of them hold substantial numbers of especially small-ranged vertebrate species. We assess how successful the strategy of protecting the wilder half of Earth might be in conserving biodiversity. It is far from sufficient. (Protecting large wild places for reasons other than biodiversity protection, such as carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services, might still have importance.) Unexpectedly, we also show that, despite the bias in establishing large protected areas in wild places to date, numerous small protected areas are in biodiverse places. They at least partially protect significant fractions of especially small-ranged species. So, while a preoccupation with protecting large areas for the sake of getting half of Earth might achieve little for biodiversity, there is more progress in protecting high-biodiversity areas than currently appreciated. Continuing to prioritize the right parts of Earth, not just the total area protected, is what matters for biodiversity.

Cover Caption

Insect ScienceVolume 25, Issue 4 CONTENTSFree Access Cover Caption First published: 18 July 2018 https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7917.12522AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Schematic representation of the potential impacts of Lepidoptera-resistant GM Bt oilseed rape on butterflies and wild Brassicaceae if it were naturalization of spilled seed or released for cultivation into high biodiversity areas like Sicily (Italy). Butterflies can be exposed directly to the toxin as larvae through the host and the pollen fall on other plants. Adults, which are pollinators, can be exposed via pollen and nectar and increase potential gene flow with wild relatives Brassicaceae, that can become Lepidopteran resistant (see pages 562–580). Concept and photocomposition by Giuseppe Bazan and Barbara Manachini. Volume25, Issue4August 2018 RelatedInformation

The Lichens and Allied Fungi of the Credit River Watershed, Ontario, Canada

Abstract The Credit River Watershed contains a mosaic of habitat types, which support a large number of lichen species; however, no detailed inventories of the lichen diversity in this region exist. We present a checklist of 124 species of lichens and allied fungi discovered in the watershed. We report new collections of Illosporium carneum, Microcalicium ahlneri, and Pseudoschismatomma rufescens, which are provincially rare. In this checklist, twelve species are ranked as S1 (critically imperiled), S2 (imperiled), or S3 (vulnerable) in Ontario by the Natural Heritage Information Centre. Local municipalities and conservation authorities can use these baseline data to help monitor changes in populations and in determining areas of high biodiversity in the watershed.

The seven lamps of planning for biodiversity in the city

Cities tend to be built in areas of high biodiversity, and the accelerating pace of urbanization threatens the persistence of many species and ecological communities globally. However, urban environments also offer unique prospects for biological conservation, with multiple benefits for humans and other species. We present seven ecological principles to conserve and increase the biodiversity of cities, using metaphors to bridge the gap between the languages of built-environment and conservation professionals. We draw upon John Ruskin's famous essay on the seven lamps of architecture, but more generally on the thinking of built-environment pioneers such as Patrick Geddes (1854–1932) who proposed a synoptic view of the urban environment that included humans and non-humans alike. To explain each principle or ‘lamp’ of urban biodiversity, we use an understanding from the built-environment disciplines as a base and demonstrate through metaphor that planning for the more-than-human does not require a conceptual leap. We conclude our discussion with ten practical strategies for turning on these lamps in cities. Urban planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers and other built-environmental professionals have a key role to play in a paradigm shift to plan for the more-than-human, because of their direct influence on the evolving urban environment. This essay is intended to increase dialogue between ecologists and members of these professions, and thus increase the biodiversity of cities around the world.

Current and future conflicts between eucalypt plantations and high biodiversity areas in the Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula (Iberia) is a key region for preserving many endangered habitats and species. High biodiversity areas, such as Natura 2000 sites and High Nature Value farmlands, are widespread in Iberia. However, the massive, uncontrolled proliferation of exotic Eucalyptus globulus plantations in some regions may jeopardise conservation goals. It is thus important to assess the potential conflicts of E. globulus plantations with high biodiversity areas, both in current and future times. We applied species distribution models to project the current and future potential ranges of E. globulus plantations in Iberia, considering two representative concentration (of greenhouse gas) pathways (RCP): RCP2.6 and RCP8.5. Projections include a range of environmental suitability for E. globulus plantations. These projections were assessed in relation to the distribution of the Natura 2000 sites and High Nature Value farmlands. Conflicts were rated based on the combination between the level of suitability for plantations and the level of biodiversity importance in a grid of cells covering Iberia.Eucalyptus globulus plantations are currently widespread inside the Natura 2000 network of the Iberian Peninsula. In a few Natura 2000 sites, E. globulus cover increased after their designation as a protected area. Overall, plantations expanded greatly around Natura 2000 sites. The species distribution model showed that the current potential range of E. globulus plantations extends over 18% of Iberia, mostly along the Atlantic shore, being mainly determined by the minimum temperature of the coldest month. The future projections show a northward contraction of the suitable range, especially under the RCP8.5 (warmer scenario). However, the suitability for E. globulus plantations will improve in most of the receding range, leading to an aggravation of the potential conflicts with those high biodiversity areas. This study helps identify priority areas to prevent further impacts of E. globulus plantations on Iberian biodiversity.

The optimal sampling design for littoral habitats modelling: A case study from the north-western Mediterranean.

Species distribution models (SDMs) have been used to predict potential distributions of habitats and to model the effects of environmental changes. Despite their usefulness, currently there is no standardized sampling strategy that provides suitable and sufficiently representative predictive models for littoral marine benthic habitats. Here we aim to establish the best performing and most cost-effective sample design to predict the distribution of littoral habitats in unexplored areas. We also study how environmental variability, sample size, and habitat prevalence may influence the accuracy and performance of spatial predictions. For first time, a large database of littoral habitats (16,098 points over 562,895 km of coastline) is used to build up, evaluate, and validate logistic predictive models according to a variety of sampling strategies. A regularly interspaced strategy with a sample of 20% of the coastline provided the best compromise between usefulness (in terms of sampling cost and effort) and accuracy. However, model performance was strongly depen upon habitat characteristics. The proposed sampling strategy may help to predict the presence or absence of target species or habitats thus improving extensive cartographies, detect high biodiversity areas, and, lastly, develop (the best) environmental management plans, especially in littoral environments.

The contribution of broadscale and finescale habitat structure to the distribution and diversity of birds in an Alpine forest-shrub ecotone

In a mountain context, the forest-shrub ecotone is an area of high biodiversity. Relatively little is known about the habitat requirements of birds in this habitat, yet it is facing potential threats from changes in grazing practices and climate change. Moreover, it is not clear at which scale habitat associations should be assessed in Alpine birds. Further information on key habitat components affecting bird communities of the ecotone is needed in order to inform management strategies to counteract potential habitat loss, and to better inform predictions of how bird communities may be affected by future environmental change. Data on bird occurrence and broadscale (land cover) and finescale (vegetation structure and shrub species composition) habitat variables were collected in an Alpine forest-shrub ecotone in Val Troncea (northwestern Italian Alps) in order to address two objectives: to identify the key habitat variables associated with the occurrence of individual species and with the diversity of the bird community; and, to assess which scale of habitat measurement (broadscale, finescale or both combined) is needed to model bird occurrence. Broadscale variables, or combinations of broadscale and finescale variables, tended to have the best performing models. When combined models performed best, shrub species identity was included in many cases. Shrubs also played an important role in explaining variations in species diversity and richness. Vegetation structure was of relatively little importance, either for individual bird species or for species richness and diversity. These findings suggest that management should strive to maintain a mosaic of habitats whilst minimizing forest encroachment, which could be achieved through targeted grazing. Broadscale habitat data and data on shrub species composition should provide a sufficient basis for identifying relevant species-specific habitat parameters in a mountain environment in order to model future scenarios of effects of habitat change on the bird community of the alpine forest-shrub ecotone.

Assessing the effects of habitat patches ensuring propagule supply and different costs inclusion in marine spatial planning through multivariate analyses

Marine Protected Areas are considered key tools for conservation of coastal ecosystems. However, many reserves are characterized by several problems mainly related to inadequate zonings that often do not protect high biodiversity and propagule supply areas precluding, at the same time, economic important zones for local interests. The Gulf of Naples is here employed as a study area to assess the effects of inclusion of different conservation features and costs in reserve design process. In particular eight scenarios are developed using graph theory to identify propagule source patches and fishing and exploitation activities as costs-in-use for local population. Scenarios elaborated by MARXAN, software commonly used for marine conservation planning, are compared using multivariate analyses (MDS, PERMANOVA and PERMDISP) in order to assess input data having greatest effects on protected areas selection.MARXAN is heuristic software able to give a number of different correct results, all of them near to the best solution. Its outputs show that the most important areas to be protected, in order to ensure long-term habitat life and adequate propagule supply, are mainly located around the Gulf islands. In addition through statistical analyses it allowed us to prove that different choices on conservation features lead to statistically different scenarios. The presence of propagule supply patches forces MARXAN to select almost the same areas to protect decreasingly different MARXAN results and, thus, choices for reserves area selection.The multivariate analyses applied here to marine spatial planning proved to be very helpful allowing to identify i) how different scenario input data affect MARXAN and ii) what features have to be taken into account in study areas characterized by peculiar biological and economic interests.

Conflitos e negociações entre a indústria do petróleo e a conservação da Mata Atlântica no Litoral Norte de São Paulo, Brasil

Muitas áreas protegidas do planeta estão sob pressão de atividades de mineração e energia. Em relação à exploração e produção de petróleo e gás, existe uma forte correlação entre áreas de alta biodiversidade e formações geológicas que contêm hidrocarbonetos. Além disso, muitas áreas almejadas por esse setor se sobrepõem com áreas sensíveis, ecossistemas ameaçados e territórios indígenas. No Brasil, apesar de a maior parte da exploração e produção de petróleo e gás (cerca de 94%) ocorrer em alto mar (campos offshore), as atividades de tratamento e transporte ocorrem necessariamente em regiões costeiras e litorâneas. Essa infraestrutura petrolífera tem se instalado nas últimas décadas no altamente ameaçado bioma da Mata Atlântica e em seus ecossistemas costeiros associados. O presente artigo explora o conflito entre a expansão da atividade de petróleo e gás e a conservação da Mata Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo. A partir do conceito de arena, o artigo analisa o processo de licenciamento ambiental do Projeto Mexilhão da Petrobras, envolvendo exploração (offshore), tratamento e transporte de gás natural, no contexto do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (PESM) no Litoral Norte de São Paulo. O trabalho destaca o papel e a importância das áreas protegidas como recursos de poder nas negociações. Por si só, a existência dessas áreas pode não ser suficiente para fazer frente às pressões das atividades petrolíferas, mas, sem dúvida, sua presença influencia nas tomadas de decisão e nos resultados dos processos de negociação. Do ponto de vista teórico-metodológico, este trabalho constata a relevância de análises multiatores e multiníveis para tratar do conflito e do processo decisório sobre empreendimentos de energia e a conservação da biodiversidade.

An annotated checklist of Atlantic rain forest trees in southeastern Brazil, Tinguá Biological Reserve, Rio de Janeiro

Studies have identified the central region of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as an area of high biodiversity and endemism. Strong anthropogenic pressure has made protected areas in Rio de Janeiro State important sites for biodiversity conservation as they contain many areas of extreme biological importance. We sought to document and qualitatively describe the arboreal species composition of the Tinguá Biological Reserve by examining the collection data of the herbaria at the Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (RB) and the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (RBR). The survey identified 563 species belonging to 249 genera and 77 families, including 13 new occurrences for Rio de Janeiro State, 34 endemic species for the state, 17 vulnerable species, 15 endangered species, and one critically endangered species. Our results demonstrate the importance of this environmental protection area to the conservation of many plant populations and identified the region as harboring high tree diversity—thus reinforcing its role as an important forest remnant in a fragmented landscape within a threatened biome.

Impacts of recreation management practices in a subalpine wetland system dominated by the willow plant, Salix planifolia

Wetland habitat in the subalpine Rocky Mountains is an area of high biodiversity and includes many species of willow. These willow-dominated communities are often used for both summer and winter recreation. The maintenance of winter recreation trails has the potential to disturb wetland vegetation and compromise the long-term persistence of the wetland. In Breckenridge, Colorado, willow plants are clipped in October to a uniform height to prevent stems from protruding through the snow onto the ski trails, and large grooming tractors compact the snow on the trails. Our objective was to investigate the impact of winter recreation trail maintenance on growth and reproductive output of Salix planifolia (common names: planeleaf or diamondleaf willow) and to determine impacts on community diversity in a willow-dominated wetland system. Catkin production, plant height, and branch elongation were evaluated in meter-squared quadrats within paired belt transects both inside and outside a ski trail during the growing seasons of 2008 and 2009. In addition, percent cover of total vegetation was estimated for each species to calculate species richness and diversity. We found that maintenance of winter trails reduced catkin production and limited willow growth. Additionally, winter trail maintenance may have promoted the introduction of invasive species within the willow community. The activities associated with winter trail maintenance could interfere with the long-term persistence of the willow community adjacent to ski trails and should be considered when planning new trails in or along a wetland ecosystem.

Insular bats and research effort: a review of global patterns and priorities

Abstract Evidence‐based knowledge is critical for the delineation and success of conservation interventions. However, despite limited research resources, research efforts frequently fail to target conservation priorities. Island endemic bats (IEBs) are a poorly studied group inhabiting some of the world's most vulnerable habitats, and for which no review of research allocation has ever been conducted. We conducted a bibliometric review to evaluate the global research patterns for IEBs with respect to individual species, geographical distribution and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categories. Additionally, we studied the relationship between the number of publications and changes in Red List category, and identified species‐based and area‐based priorities for future research. IEBs are significantly more threatened than bat species that are not island endemics. However, research focusing on IEBs is scarce, centred on species of lesser conservation concern, and spatially asymmetric, overlooking areas of high IEB biodiversity. Conservation‐oriented research seems to target species facing high extinction risk, but is extremely thinly and unevenly distributed. Although we found a positive association between research effort and improvement in Red List category, an increase in extinction risk did not trigger more scientific attention. A prioritisation analysis highlighted, as the top five islands for species richness in the least‐studied and highest conservation concern IEBs: Sulawesi, Timor, New Guinea, Java, and Borneo. The ten species of highest research priority include threatened and Data Deficient species from Southeast Asian and Pacific islands. Conservation‐oriented research seems to be too scarce to satisfy conservation needs. The observed mismatch between research allocation and conservation priorities may reflect the fact that highly endangered species are unattractive targets for fund‐raising, due to species crypticity, high research budget requirements, and high risk of project failure. However, our findings support the importance of research for the conservation of IEBs, and we therefore advocate that more attention is directed towards the least‐known species.

Identification of candidate pelagic marine protected areas through a seabird seasonal‐, multispecific‐ and extinction risk‐based approach

AbstractWith increasing pressure on the oceans from environmental change, there has been a global call for improved protection of marine ecosystems through the implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs). Here, we used species distribution modelling (SDM) of tracking data from 14 seabird species to identify key marine areas in the southwest Atlantic Ocean, valuing areas based on seabird species occurrence, seasonality and extinction risk. We also compared overlaps between the outputs generated by the SDM and layers representing important human threats (fishing intensity, ship density, plastic and oil pollution, ocean acidification), and calculated loss in conservation value using fishing and ship density as cost layers. The key marine areas were located on the southern Patagonian Shelf, overlapping extensively with areas of high fishing activity, and did not change seasonally, while seasonal areas were located off south and southeast Brazil and overlapped with areas of high plastic pollution and ocean acidification. Non‐seasonal key areas were located off northeast Brazil on an area of high biodiversity, and with relatively low human impacts. We found support for the use of seasonal areas depending on the seabird assemblage used, because there was a loss in conservation value for the seasonal compared to the non‐seasonal approach when using ‘cost’ layers. Our approach, accounting for seasonal changes in seabird assemblages and their risk of extinction, identified additional candidate areas for incorporation in the network of pelagic MPAs.

Bioquality Hotspots in the Tropical African Flora

Identifying areas of high biodiversity is an established way to prioritize areas for conservation [1-3], but global approaches have been criticized for failingto render global biodiversity value at a scale suitable for local management [4-6]. We assembled 3.1 million species distribution records for 40,401 vascular plant species of tropical Africa from sources including plot data, herbarium databases, checklists, and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and cleaned the records for geographic accuracy and taxonomic consistency. We summarized the global ranges of tropical African plant species into four weighted categories of global rarity called Stars. We applied the Star weights to summaries of species distribution data at fine resolutions to map the bioquality (range-restricted global endemism) of areas [7]. We generated confidence intervals around bioquality scores to account for the remaining uncertainty in the species inventory. We confirm the broad significance of the Horn of Africa, Guinean forests, coastal forests of East Africa, and Afromontane regions for plant biodiversity but also reveal the variation in bioquality within these broad regions and others, particularly at local scales. Our framework offers practitioners a quantitative, scalable, and replicable approach for measuring the irreplaceability of particular local areas for global biodiversity conservation and comparing those areas within their global and regional context.

Bacillus cereus Biovar Anthracis Causing Anthrax in Sub-Saharan Africa-Chromosomal Monophyly and Broad Geographic Distribution.

Through full genome analyses of four atypical Bacillus cereus isolates, designated B. cereus biovar anthracis, we describe a distinct clade within the B. cereus group that presents with anthrax-like disease, carrying virulence plasmids similar to those of classic Bacillus anthracis. We have isolated members of this clade from different mammals (wild chimpanzees, gorillas, an elephant and goats) in West and Central Africa (Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo). The isolates shared several phenotypic features of both B. anthracis and B. cereus, but differed amongst each other in motility and their resistance or sensitivity to penicillin. They all possessed the same mutation in the regulator gene plcR, different from the one found in B. anthracis, and in addition, carry genes which enable them to produce a second capsule composed of hyaluronic acid. Our findings show the existence of a discrete clade of the B. cereus group capable of causing anthrax-like disease, found in areas of high biodiversity, which are possibly also the origin of the worldwide distributed B. anthracis. Establishing the impact of these pathogenic bacteria on threatened wildlife species will require systematic investigation. Furthermore, the consumption of wildlife found dead by the local population and presence in a domestic animal reveal potential sources of exposure to humans.