Biodiversity Conservation Management Research Articles

Maintenance of biodiversity in multitrophic metacommunities: Dispersal mode matters.

Although metacommunity models generally formulate dispersal as a random, passive process, mounting evidence suggests that dispersal can be an active process depending on species fitness over the landscape, particularly in multitrophic communities. How different dispersal modes (i.e. from random to increasingly fitness-dependent dispersal) modulate the effect of dispersal on biodiversity remains unclear. Here, we used a metacommunity model of food webs to investigate the effects of dispersal and habitat heterogeneity on biodiversity and how these effects may be dependent on dispersal mode. Our results showed that compared to isolated systems, random dispersal increased local food web diversity ( diversity) but decreased across-community dissimilarity ( diversity) and regional food web diversity ( diversity), consistent with findings from competitive metacommunity models. However, fitness-dependency could alter the effects of dispersal on biodiversity. Both and diversity increased with the strength of fitness-dependency of dispersal, while diversity peaked at intermediate fitness-dependency. Notably, strong fitness-dependent dispersal maintained levels of and diversity similar to those observed in isolated systems. Thus, random dispersal and isolation (i.e. no dispersal) can be considered as two extremes along the continuum of fitness-dependent dispersal, in terms of their effects on biodiversity. Moreover, both biodiversity-habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity-habitat connectivity relationships depended on the dispersal mode. Strikingly, under random dispersal, diversity decreased with habitat heterogeneity and connectivity, but under strong fitness-dependent dispersal, it increased with habitat heterogeneity and remained unchanged as habitat connectivity increased. Our study highlights the context dependence of dispersal effects on biodiversity in heterogeneous landscapes. Our findings have useful implications for biodiversity conservation and landscape management, where management strategies should account for different modes of dispersal across taxa, thus different responses of biodiversity to habitat heterogeneity and connectivity.

Plant phylogenetic relatedness and herbivore specialization interact to determine pest biocontrol efficiency in mixed plantations

Pest herbivory regulation is one of the key functions provided by diverse ecosystems, especially when compared to species depauperate agro-ecosystems and in the context of increased pest outbreaks due to global change. The dilution effect of host diversity on insect herbivory suggests that mixed plantations are feasible for regulating pest herbivory in agroecosystems. Dilution effect of increased plant diversity on insect herbivory has been widely observed, yet little is known about how it may change with plant phylogenetic relatedness and herbivore specialization, especially at the community level. Here, we compared herbivore richness, abundance, and degree of herbivory (i.e., the ratio of trees damaged by pest and total trees in a given area) among the two monocultures and the four mixed plantations in Wenchang city, Hainan Province, China. We also respectively assessed the effects of phylogenetically close or distant species on generalist and specialist herbivores in monocultures and mixture. We found that increasing the number of phylogenetically closely-related tree species could dilute generalist herbivore richness, abundance, and degree of herbivory but amplify specialist herbivore richness, abundance, and degree of herbivory. In contrast, increasing the number of phylogenetically distant tree species increased generalist herbivore richness, abundance, and degree of herbivory, while reducing specialist herbivore richness, abundance, and degree of herbivory. Our results suggest that plant phylogenetic relatedness and herbivore specialization can indeed interact to influence pest control efficiency when using mixed plantations to manage pest herbivory in agroecosystems. Thus, both herbivore specialization and plant phylogenetic relatedness should be taken into account in the management of agro-ecosystems and biodiversity conservation with respect to herbivory.

Land-use change is associated with multi-century loss of elephant ecosystems in Asia

Understanding historic patterns of land use and land cover change across large temporal and spatial scales is critical for developing effective biodiversity conservation management and policy. We quantify the extent and fragmentation of suitable habitat across the continental range of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) based on present-day occurrence data and land-use variables between 850 and 2015 A.D. We found that following centuries of relative stability, over 64% (3.36 million km2) of suitable elephant habitat across Asia was lost since the year 1700, coincident with colonial-era land-use practices in South Asia and subsequent agricultural intensification in Southeast Asia. Average patch size dropped 83% from approximately 99,000–16,000 km2 and the area occupied by the largest patch decreased 83% from ~ 4 million km2 (45% of area) to 54,000 km2 (~ 7.5% of area). Whereas 100% of the area within 100 km of the current elephant range could have been considered suitable habitat in the year 1700, over half was unsuitable by 2015, driving potential conflict with people. These losses reflect long-term decline of non-forested ecosystems, exceeding estimates of deforestation within this century. Societies must consider ecological histories in addition to proximate threats to develop more just and sustainable land-use and conservation strategies.

Pyrodiversity trade-offs: A simulation study of the effects of fire size and dispersal ability on native mammal populations in northern Australian savannas

Maximising the spatiotemporal variability of prescribed fire (i.e. pyrodiversity) is often thought to benefit biodiversity. However, given mixed empirical support, the generality of the pyrodiversity hypothesis remains questionable. Here, we use a simulation experiment to explore the effects of spatiotemporal fire patterns on the population trajectories of four mammal species in a northern Australian savanna: northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus), northern brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula arnhemensis), grassland melomys (Melomys burtoni), and northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Underpinned by data from a landscape-scale fire experiment, we simulated mammal population trajectories under three scenarios of fire size (ambient, small/dispersed fires, large/clumped fires) and three levels of dispersal ability (low, moderate, high) over a 21-year period across the Kapalga area of Kakadu National Park. The simulated population size of all four species declined markedly, regardless of fire spatial pattern and dispersal ability. However, the predicted final population size (i.e. number of individuals in the final timestep of the simulation) for the northern brown bandicoot, northern brushtail possum and grassland melomys were significantly influenced by fire size, with declines most severe under the small/dispersed fire scenario. Our results suggest that maximising the dispersion of small fires at the expense of disturbance refugia (such as less-frequently burnt areas) may exacerbate the severity of mammal decline. This highlights the importance of considering trade-offs between spatial (i.e. fire dispersion) and temporal (i.e. fire frequency) aspects of pyrodiversity, and the potential risks when applying fire management for biodiversity conservation without a firm understanding of the requirements of the target species.

Climate Change in the Biodiversity and Forest Strategies in Greece Using Discourse Analysis and Text Mining: Is an Integration into a Cost-Efficient Natural Resources Policy Feasible?

Climate change poses major threats to biodiversity and ecosystems. National policies on environmental issues address the problems created by these threats and set targets for their mitigation. In Greece, the National Biodiversity Strategy and the National Forest Strategy analyze, among others, the issue of climate change and how it is related to biodiversity conservation and forest management. As biodiversity and forests are interrelated, common strategies may be similar, overlapping, or opposite. In the present research, the issue of climate change is investigated in the two national strategies for finding out if an integration of policies is feasible. Such an integration may result in a cost efficient and smaller set of solutions that should be determined and may have important results in the funding of natural resources policy. Discourse analysis and content analysis with the text mining approach were used to compare the two policy texts. The results are both methodological and applied. Methodologically, text mining is confirmed in the present research to enhance the objectivity of discourse analysis, and it is recommended to complement it. In terms of the way the two policies deal with climate change, it is found that a future integration of a Biodiversity and Forest Strategy in Greece for climate change issues is relevant and may be applied.

Pragmatic applications of DNA barcoding markers in identification of fish species – A review

Abstract DNA barcoding and mini-barcoding involve Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) gene in mitochondrial genome and are used for accurate identification of species and biodiversity. The basic goal of the current study is to develop a complete reference database of fishes. It also evaluates the applicability of COI gene to identify fish at the species level with other aspects i.e., as Kimura 2 parameter (K2P) distance. The mean observed length of the sequence was ranging from 500 to 700 base pairs for fish species in DNA barcoding and from 80 to 650 base pairs for DNA mini-barcoding. This method describes the status of known to unknown samples but it also facilitates the detection of previously un-sampled species at distinct level. So, mini-barcoding is a method which focuses on the analysis of short-length DNA markers and has been demonstrated to be effective for species identification of processed food containing degraded DNA. While DNA metabarcoding refers to the automated identification of multiple species from a single bulk sample. They may contain entire organisms or a single environmental sample containing degraded DNA. Despite DNA barcoding, mini-barcoding and metabarcoding are efficient methods for species identification which are helpful in conservation and proper management of biodiversity. It aids researchers to take an account of genetic as well as evolutionary relationships by collecting their morphological, distributional and molecular data. Overall, this paper discusses DNA barcoding technology and how it has been used to various fish species, as well as its universality, adaptability, and novel approach to DNA-based species identification.

A decadal outlook for global aquaculture

A decadal outlook for global aquaculture

Environmental and climatic drivers of phenotypic evolution and distribution changes in a widely distributed subfamily of subterranean mammals

How environmental factors shape species morphology and distributions is a key issue in ecology, especially in similar environments. Species of Myospalacinae exhibit widespread distribution spanning the eastern Eurasian steppe and the extreme adaptation to the subterranean environment, providing an excellent opportunity for investigating species responses to environmental changes. At the national scale, we here use geometric morphometric and distributional data to assess the environmental and climatic drivers of morphological evolution and distribution of Myospalacinae species in China. Based on phylogenetic relationships of Myospalacinae species constructed using genomic data in China, we integrate geometric morphometrics and ecological niche models to reveal the interspecific variation of skull morphology, trace the ancestral state, and assess factors influencing interspecific variation. Our approach further allows us to project future distributions of Myospalacinae species throughout China. We found that the interspecific morphology variations were mainly concentrated in the temporal ridge, premaxillary-frontal suture, premaxillary-maxillary suture, and molars, and the skull morphology of the two current species in Myospalacinae followed the ancestral state; temperature and precipitation were important environmental variables influencing skull morphology. Elevation, temperature annual range, and precipitation of warmest quarter were identified as dominant factors affecting the distribution of Myospalacinae species in China, and their suitable habitat area will decrease in the future. Collectively, environmental and climate changes have an effect on skull phenotypes of subterranean mammals, highlighting the contribution of phenotypic differentiation in similar environments in the formation of species phenotypes. Climate change will further shrink their habitats under future climate assumptions in the short-term. Our findings provide new insights into effects of environmental and climate change on the morphological evolution and distribution of species as well as a reference for biodiversity conservation and species management.

Individual tree-based forest species diversity estimation by classification and clustering methods using UAV data

Monitoring forest species diversity is essential for biodiversity conservation and ecological management. Currently, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing technology has been increasingly used in biodiversity monitoring due to its flexibility and low cost. In this study, we compared two methods for estimating forest species diversity indices, namely the spectral angle mapper (SAM) classification approach based on the established species-spectral library, and the self-adaptive Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering algorithm by selected biochemical and structural features. We conducted this study in two complex subtropical forest areas, Mazongling (MZL) and Gonggashan (GGS) National Nature Forest Reserves using UAV-borne hyperspectral and LiDAR data. The results showed that the classification method performed better with higher values of R2 than the clustering algorithm for predicting both species richness (0.62 > 0.46 for MZL and 0.55 > 0.46 for GGS) and Shannon-Wiener index (0.64 > 0.58 for MZL, 0.52 > 0.47 for GGS). However, the Simpson index estimated by the classification method correlated less with the field measurements than the clustering algorithm (R2 = 0.44 and 0.83 for MZL and R2 = 0.44 and 0.62 for GGS). Our study demonstrated that the classification method could provide more accurate monitoring of forest diversity indices but requires spectral information of all dominant tree species at individual canopy scale. By comparison, the clustering method might introduce uncertainties due to the amounts of biochemical and structural inputs derived from the hyperspectral and LiDAR data, but it could acquire forest diversity patterns rapidly without distinguishing the specific tree species. Our findings underlined the advantages of UAV remote sensing for monitoring the species diversity in complex forest ecosystems and discussed the applicability of classification and clustering methods for estimating different individual tree-based species diversity indices.

Disentangling the role of environmental filtering and biotic resistance on alien invasions in a reservoir area.

Large-scale water conservancy projects benefit human life but have modified the landscape and provided opportunities for alien plant invasions. Understanding the environmental (e.g., climate), human-related (e.g., population density, proximity to human activities), and biotic (e.g., native plant, community structure) factors driving invasions is essential in the management of alien plants and biodiversity conservation in areas with intense human pressure. To this end, we investigated the spatial patterns of alien plant species distribution in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) of China and distinguished the role of the external environment and community characteristics in determining the occurrence of alien plants with differing levels of known invasion impacts in China using random forest analyses and structural equation models. A total of 102 alien plant species belonging to 30 families and 67 genera were recorded, the majority being annual and biennial herbs (65.7%). The results showed a negative diversity-invasibility relationship and supported the biotic resistance hypothesis. Moreover, percentage coverage of native plants was found to interact with native species richness and had a predominant role in resisting alien plant species. We found alien dominance was mainly the result of disturbance (e.g., changes in hydrological regime), which drove native plant loss. Our results also demonstrated that disturbance and temperature were more important for the occurrence of malignant invaders than all alien plants. Overall, our study highlights the importance of restoring diverse and productive native communities in resistance to invasion.

The last stand of a watershed forest in Southern Philippines: a case study of land cover and biodiversity

Abstract. Tabora JAG, Ancog RC, Sanchez PAJ, Arboleda MDM, Lit IL Jr, Tiburan CL Jr. 2023. The last stand of a watershed forest in Southern Philippines: a case study of land cover and biodiversity. Biodiversitas 24: 1438-1449. Land Use Land Cover (LULC) maps using remote sensing technology became popular due to their contribution to spatial information useful for threat determination, biodiversity conservation, and landscape management. Our area of interest in this paper is a watershed in the southern Philippines with no published land cover maps and low biodiversity records. The watershed was a resettlement area originally covered by forest but slowly converted to an agricultural landscape. It was declared a watershed and forest reserve to conserve the primary forest. This paper shows the first spatiotemporal display of Land Use Land Cover change of the watershed to describe the potential threats to the landscape. The land cover change shows a 58% reduction in primary forest cover from 1973 to 2021. In contrast, the croplands have increased by 117% in the same time frame. The Land Use Dynamics Index hints at the landscape's socioeconomic and political situation in the past. In addition, the biodiversity surveys show multiple threatened organisms in the remaining forest. The biodiversity data distinguish between ecosystem types, while the threatened species mapping suggests potential wildlife refuges. The spatially explicit land cover and the location of the threatened species map suggest potential areas for conservation and management.

Arthropod Ectoparasites of Two Rodent Species Occurring in Varied Elevations on Tanzania’s Second Highest Mountain

Climate change causes organisms, including species that act as parasite reservoirs and vectors, to shift their distribution to higher altitudes, affecting wildlife infestation patterns. We studied how ectoparasite distributions varied with altitude using two rodent species, Montemys delectorum and Rhabdomys dilectus, at different elevations (1500-3500 m). The ectoparasites infesting the two rodent species were influenced by the host sex, species, and temperature. We expected host density to predict parasite infestation patterns, because hosts in higher densities should have more parasites due to increased contact between individuals. However, temperature, not host density, affected ectoparasite distribution. Since temperatures decrease with elevation, parasite prevalences and abundances were lower at higher elevations, highlighting that the cold conditions at higher elevations limit reproduction and development-this shows that higher elevation zones are ideal for conservation. The rodents and ectoparasite species described in this study have been reported as vectors of diseases of medical and veterinary importance, necessitating precautions. Moreover, Mount Meru is a refuge for a number of endemic and threatened species on the IUCN Red List. Thus, the parasitic infection can also be an additional risk to these critical species as well as biodiversity in general. Therefore, our study lays the groundwork for future wildlife disease surveillance and biodiversity conservation management actions. The study found a previously uncharacterized mite species in the Mesostigmata group that was previously known to be a parasite of honeybees. Further investigations may shed light into the role of this mite species on Mount Meru.

Good Agricultural Practices Could Help to Attain Environmental Sustainability in Ginger Production in Nigeria

This review was undertaken to identify the specific market requirements of major international buyers of Nigerian ginger (Zingiber officinale) and how adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) could help to attain these standards. The paper carefully discussed the standards and compliance requirements for Nigerian ginger meant for export, review the activities of the agencies responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the standards and concluded by evaluating how good agricultural practices (GAPS) could help to attain environmental sustainability in ginger production. Given that the GAPs certification is the precondition for admission of produce’s sale in the international markets, adoption of GAPs such as soil and water resources management, improved land use management, restoration of degraded land, biodiversity conservation, integrated pest and fertilizer management amongst other agronomic practices would be necessary to attain these standards. However, current challenges in the adoption and application of GAP in ginger value chain in Nigeria include poor farming and marketing practices, lack of knowledge of the principles, practices and protocols of GAPs, lack of awareness on the availability of premium prices for organically - produced ginger, inadequacy of organic farm inputs, availability of diverse country specific standards, make it difficult for farmers to meet the GAP standards. These challenges notwithstanding, organization of Nigerian ginger farmers into easily accessible and manageable clusters/cooperatives is one of the major ways of addressing the challenges of adoption of GAPs in the ginger value chain.

Implementation gaps affecting the quality of biodiversity conservation management: An ethnographic study of protected areas in Fujian Province, China

Policies play a vital role in setting goals for biodiversity conservation management. China has set an ambitious biodiversity conservation target since acceding to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); however, there remains an obvious gap between China's conservation targets and the results of policy implementation. To understand the barriers to policy implementation, this study examined local actors' perceptions of biodiversity conservation policy implementation based on an adaptive management logic. We systematically investigated the status of policy implementation in protected areas in Fujian Province, China, through face-to-face interviews. We identified a series of barriers that affect the implementation of biological conservation policies, including conflicting priorities in functions, objectives and operations between local governments and local forestry bureau, controversy over forest tenure, inadequate funding and hierarchy-induced funding misallocation, insufficient professional expertise, and a lack of scientific support for the establishment, enlargement and routine management of protected areas. By incorporating the decomposition of interest, beliefs and power structure of multiple actors, we were able to establish links between management inadequacies and the broader political and institutional context. The intertwined interactions between multiple actors create the action arena through which bureaucratic structures and institutional deficiencies combine to distort the implementation of conservation policies. Our research has important implications for developing countries that are undergoing changes in their conservation systems.

Coexistence between similar invaders: The case of two cosmopolitan exotic insects.

Biological invasions are usually examined in the context of their impacts on native species. However, few studies have examined the dynamics between invaders when multiple exotic species successfully coexist in a novel environment. Yet, long-term coexistence of now established exotic species has been observed in North American lady beetle communities. Exotic lady beetles Harmonia axyridis and Coccinella septempunctata were introduced for biological control in agricultural systems and have since become dominant species within these communities. In this study, we investigated coexistence via spatial and temporal niche partitioning among H. axyridis and C. septempunctata using a 31-year data set from southwestern Michigan, USA. We found evidence of long-term coexistence through a combination of small-scale environmental, habitat, and seasonal mechanisms. Across years, H. axyridis and C. septempunctata experienced patterns of cyclical dominance likely related to yearly variation in temperature and precipitation. Within years, populations of C. septempunctata peaked early in the growing season at 550 degree days, while H. axyridis populations grew in the season until 1250 degree days and continued to have high activity after this point. C. septempunctata was generally most abundant in herbaceous crops, whereas H. axyridis did not display strong habitat preferences. These findings suggest that within this region H. axyridis has broader habitat and abiotic environmental preferences, whereas C. septempunctata thrives under more specific ecological conditions. These ecological differences have contributed to the continued coexistence of these two invaders. Understanding the mechanisms that allow for the coexistence of dominant exotic species contributes to native biodiversity conservation management of invaded ecosystems.

Enrichments, Migrations, and Conversions of Heavy Metal in the Soil/Sediment-Plant System Towards the Lake in Typical Poyang Lake Wetland

A large area of periodic water-level-fluctuating zone (WLFZ) in the Poyang Lake, regulated by a special hydrologic rhythm, was deposited with significant amounts of nutrients and pollutants. In this study, the WLFZ located in a typical estuarine wetland was chosen and sampling transects were arranged according to different vegetation types towards the lake. Soil/sediment and dominant plant (different tissues) samples were collected, and contents and enrichment levels of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Pb) in these samples were analyzed. The migrations and conversions of heavy metal in the soil/sediment-plant system were evaluated, and driving environmental factors were explored. The results indicated that the contents of heavy metal in the soil/sediment presented an obvious single-peak distribution towards the lake, that is, the seasonally flooded zone was identified as the main deposited zone of heavy metals. There was a high enrichment level of Cu, Pb, and Sb in the soil/sediment from the WLFZ, and significant Cu and Sb pollution was identified (EF>5). The results from the potential ecological risk evaluation (RI) indicated that the ecological risk of the seasonally flooded zone was significantly higher than that in the flooded and unflooded zones, being at a low ecological risk (70 ≤ RI<140). There was no obvious spatial distribution of heavy metal contents in the dominant plant towards the lake, whereas significant seasonal differences were detected. The levels of heavy metals in plants at the growth phase (April) were higher compared to those at the other sampling times. The tissue distributions of heavy metal content basically followed the sequence of soil/sediment>root ≥ above-ground part, except for in Cd and Sb. The Cd content in the roots was significantly higher than that in the sediment/soil, and the Sb concentration was not significantly different among the three tissues. The bio-enrichment coefficient (BAF) and transfer factor (TF) of heavy metal in the dominant plant towards the lake did not show an obvious spatial pattern, and BAF and TF of heavy metals in the Artemisia capillaris Thunb. was higher than those in other dominant plants. The RDA revealed that pH, organic matter, plant height, and Fe-Mn oxides were the key environmental factors driving the migrations of heavy metals in the soil/sediment-plant system. These results will provide scientific basis and theoretical support for the biodiversity conservation and heavy metal pollution prevention and management in wetlands of the Poyang Lake.

Comparison of gut microbiota between immigrant and native populations of the Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris) living in mining area.

The complex gut bacterial communities have a major impact on organismal health. However, knowledge of the effects of habitat change on the gut microbiota of wild birds is limited. In this study, we characterized the gut microbiota of two different subspecies of the Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris), the native subspecies (L. a. rubrogularis) and immigrant subspecies (L. a. vernayi), using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. These two subspecies live in a trace metal-contaminated area, and L. a. vernayi was trafficked. They are an excellent system for studying how the gut microbiome of wild animal changes when they move to new habitats. We hypothesized that the immigrant subspecies would develop the same adaptations as the native subspecies in response to habitat changes. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the composition, diversity, or functional metabolism of gut microbiota between native and immigrant subspecies under the combined action of similar influencing factors (the p values of all analyses of variance >0.05). In addition, the composition and functional metabolism of gut microbiota in two subspecies showed adaptation against trace metal damage. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed that Massilia in the intestinal microbiota of immigrant subspecies was significantly higher than that of native subspecies, suggesting that immigrant subspecies suffered habitat change. Finally, we found that these two subspecies living in the mining area had an extremely high proportion of pathogenic bacteria in their gut microbiota (about 90%), much higher than in other species (about 50%) living in wild environment. Our results revealed the adaptation of intestinal microbiota of immigrant Silver-eared Mesias under heavy metals stress, which would provide guidance for biodiversity conservation and pollution management in mining area.

Maxent Modeling for Predicting Habitat Suitability and Potential Distribution of Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is a keystone species in the alpine rangeland ecosystem on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP). However, it has been considered a pest because these mammals dig holes and make bare patches, which reduces grassland productivity. Accordingly, there is a trade-off required between biodiversity conservation and pest management. Habitat assessment is one of the critical approaches in small mammal management and protection. Although a few papers have reported the distribution of plateau pika and predicted its potential distribution under climate change at local scales in some areas, little is known about the synergistic effect of climate change and human disturbance on the wider distribution of this mammal on the QTP. In this study, we recorded 219 points of plateau pika presence on the QTP via Global Positioning System and used the Maxent model to predict potential suitable habitats. The results indicated that, under the current climate, the potential distribution of plateau pika is mainly located in southern Gansu Province, eastern Qinghai Province, and northwestern Sichuan Province, accounting for 4.44% of the total area of the QTP. The most important factors in defining habitat suitability and limiting the distribution of plateau pika include normalized difference vegetation index (29.1%), human footprint (21.6%), seasonal precipitation (11.2%), and elevation (7.8%). In the future, in the 2030s and 2050s, the total area of suitable habitat on the QTP is projected to decrease, while the habitable region in northwest Sichuan and eastern Qinghai will likely increase.

集成生态系统服务与生物多样性的系统保护规划

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 集成生态系统服务与生物多样性的系统保护规划 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202112023396 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目（32071650，31670539）；云南省中青年学术和技术带头人后备人才项目（202105AC160070）；云南大学研究生科研创新基金项目（2021Y039） Systematic conservation planning by integrating ecosystem services and biodiversity Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: The National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 32071650, 31670539); Young and Middle-aged Academic and Technical Leaders Reserve Talent Program of Yunnan Province (202105AC160070); Graduate Research innovation project of Yunnan University (2021Y039). 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:生物多样性和生态系统服务的保护与可持续管理是当今世界面临的重大挑战之一，但如何判识与优化集成生态系统服务与生物多样性保护对象的保护优先区网络，相关研究还很有限。针对"三江并流"区，选取珍稀濒危与特有动植物物种和自然植被类型作为生物多样性保护对象，以调节服务（碳存储、固碳和土壤保持）、文化服务（自然游憩）和供给服务（水源供给）为生态系统服务保护对象。应用系统保护规划方法，首先判识出单一生物多样性和生态系统服务保护优先区；然后，分析这些保护优先区间的相关关系，并选择与生物多样性正相关的生态系统服务类型，判识集成生态系统服务与生物多样性的保护优先区；最后，评估了集成生态系统服务与生物多样性保护优先区在六类已建保护地中的保护状况。结果表明：（1）"三江并流"区多情景规划得到的生物多样性与生态系统服务保护优先区之间均呈正相关关系；（2）与分别针对生态系统服务和生物多样性的规划情景相比，集成生态系统服务与生物多样性保护优先区能够同时对两类保护对象提供最高的保护覆盖率；（3）集成生态系统服务和生物多样性保护优先区占研究区总面积的48.9%，其已建保护地覆盖率为32.5%，说明现有保护地体系仍存在保护空缺。 Abstract:Conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystem services are one of the major challenges faced by the world today. However, there is still limited research on how to identify and optimize the portfolio of priority conservation areas (PCAs) that integrate ecosystem services and biodiversity as conservation targets. Using the Three Parallel Rivers Region (TPRR) as a case, this study selected representative conservation features for both biodiversity and ecosystem services; biodiversity conservation features included the rare, endangered and endemic plant and animal species and natural vegetation types; ecosystem-service conservation features included regulation services (carbon storage, carbon sequestration and soil retention), cultural services (natural recreation) and supply services (water supply). We firstly identified the individual portfolio of PCAs for biodiversity and each type of ecosystem services by applying a systematic conservation planning approach, respectively. Then, we analyzed the relationship between these different portfolios of PCAs. We identified the PCAs by integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services that had a portfolio of PCAs being positively correlated with biodiversity PCAs. Finally, we assessed the conservation status of the integrated PCAs within six categories of the existing protected areas. The results showed that:(1) there was a positive relationship between different portfolios of the PCAs identified for biodiversity and each type of ecosystem service in TPRR; (2) In comparison with planning scenarios for ecosystem services and biodiversity separately, the PCAs integrating ecosystem services and biodiversity could simultaneously provide the highest coverage for all biodiversity features and ecosystem services; (3) The PCAs integrating ecosystem services and biodiversity covered 48.9% of the study area, and received 32.5% coverage from the protected areas, indicating that conservation gaps still existed in the existing protected-area system. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Shrubs alter alpha and beta diversity of soil fauna in a semiarid grassland

Shrubs are widely distributed in semi-arid and arid ecosystems. Understanding shrub effects on alpha and beta diversity of soil fauna in arid and semiarid ecosystems could lead to promotion of biodiversity conservation and sustainable management. Yet the extent to which shrubs can influence beta diversity of soil fauna and different body size in arid and semiarid ecosystems is unknown. An investigation of soil fauna, macrofauna, and mesofauna beneath shrub canopy and in open spaces was conducted in the Donddashan Nature Reserve (a semiarid grassland ecosystem in China). Shrubs significantly increased the alpha diversity (richness and Shannon index), but significantly decreased the beta diversity and the nestedness component. Moreover, shrub effects differed among soil fauna of different body size. Shrubs significantly increased the abundance and Shannon index of mesofauna, whereas there were no significant effects on macrofauna between shrubs and open spaces. Shrubs significantly decreased the beta diversity of mesofauna, but significantly increased beta diversity and the turnover component of macrofauna. Piecewise structural equation modelling (SEM) showed that shrubs had an indirect effect on soil fauna diversity through mesofauna diversity. Results highlighted the crucial role that shrubs have in maintaining alpha diversity of soil fauna in arid ecosystem, and also demonstrated the divergent shrub effects on beta diversity of soil fauna, mesofauna, and macrofauna. This suggests a need to examine different taxonomic groups to gain a better understanding of ecological consequences of shrubs.