Rapid Biodiversity Assessment Research Articles

Development of DNA Barcoding for the Rapid Assessment of Biodiversity: 2024 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth and Environmental Science presented to Paul D. N. Hebert, Ph.D., FRSC, O.C.

Development of DNA Barcoding for the Rapid Assessment of Biodiversity: 2024 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth and Environmental Science presented to Paul D. N. Hebert, Ph.D., FRSC, O.C.

Unveiling the role of taxonomic sufficiency for enhanced ecosystem monitoring

The use of Artificial substrates (AS) as sampling devices addresses challenges in macrofaunal quantitative sampling. While effectively capturing biodiversity patterns, the time-intensitive identification process at the species level remains a substantial challenge. The Taxonomic Sufficiency approach (TS), where only taxa above species level are identified, arises as a potential solution to be tested across different environmental monitoring scenarios. In this paper, we analyzed three AS macrobenthic datasets to evaluate the odds of TS in improving the cost-effective ratio in AS monitoring studies and establish the highest resolution level to detect assemblage changes under different environmental factors. Results indicated that the family level emerged as a pragmatic compromise, balancing precision and taxonomic effort. Cost/benefit analysis supported TS efficiency, maintaining correlation stability until the family level. Results also showed that reducing resolution to family does not entail a significant Loss of Information. This study contributes to the discourse on TS applicability, highlighting its practicality in monitoring scenarios, including spatial-temporal studies, and rapid biodiversity assessments. Additionally, it highlights the “second best approach” of family-level practicality depending on the specific monitoring scenario and recognizes the importance of the species-level “best approach” before applying TS in monitoring studies.

Habitat niches of bird species along a recovery gradient in the Chocó tropical forest

Conservation programs need improved tools to measure the recovery of animal diversity across restoration gradients. We used soundscapes and expert identifications of bird species to calculate niche position (i.e., mean of environmental conditions across all areas a species occupies) and niche breadth (i.e., the standard deviation of the species distribution) along a recovery gradient; from agriculture to early (up to 20 yrs) and late (up to 38 yrs) recovery, to old-growth forests. Our survey included 323 bird species and was conducted in 66 plots in the lowland Chocoan tropical rainforest in Ecuador where less than 11% of the forest remains intact, and large areas are currently undergoing regeneration post-abandonment. First, we validated our niche metrics by contrasting them against independent global categories of forest density dependency. We then explained the niche metrics of the bird species with different ecological traits, gathered from the literature, reflecting species-specific primary diet, morphology and distribution, and accounting for the phylogenetic relatedness of species. Finally, we explored the phylogenetic signal present in bird species’ ecological traits and recovery niche metrics. Niche position and breadth across the recovery gradient closely followed global categories of forest density dependency. However, our approach provided a more fine-scaled sorting of bird species in forest plots categorized as late recovery and old-growth. Granivorous birds occupied niche positions in active cacao and pasture plots and were replaced by frugivorous birds in older regeneration plots. Along the recovery gradient, tail length and handwing index decreased with niche position, supporting previous observations that birds in old-growth forests are less mobile. Birds in old-growth forests had smaller global distribution ranges than birds in agricultural plots. Finally, the latitudinal distribution of birds in the study area averaged south of the equator, with birds in old-growth plots averaging latitudinal centroids in wet forests north of the equator, whereas birds in agriculture plots averaged latitudinal centroids further south of the country, towards the dry and open Tumbesian forest. Frugivores, invertivores and vertivores had broader niche breadths, but these decreased (marginally) with tail length. We suggest these recovery niche metrics as a potentially powerful tool for the rapid assessment of the recovery process, which might support conservation strategies such as biodiversity credits, compensation payments, and strategic land purchases. With the increasing availability of information-intensive models for bird species identification, such as deep learning artificial intelligence, our new niche metrics open the avenue for rapid assessment of tropical biodiversity and new conservation areas at larger scales.

Preliminary survey of medicinal plants in Soga-Perdana Forest Eco-Park Johor, Malaysia

Malaysian forests are home to rich biological diversity, many of which have potential medicinal values. However, like in many other ecosystems worldwide, these forests are in the brink of biodiversity loss caused by natural and anthropogenic pressures. This study presents the preliminary survey of medicinal plants in Soga-Perdana Forest Eco-Park Johor, Peninsular Malaysia. A rapid biodiversity assessment (RBA) method along the 2000 m by 20 m transect was used to collect taxonomic and ecological data. From the survey, 55 species of plants with known traditional medicinal uses were recorded, with Coscinium fenestratum categorised by IUCN as a critically endangered species. Aside from species that are traditionally used by indigenous people, some were commercially important species in medicine and timber production, namely Eurycoma longifolia, Dryobalanops aromatica and Shorea leprosula. This study provides evidence that even a small patch of forest surrounded by urbanised area and other land uses contains high diversity of plants with potential medicinal values. This calls for long-term conservation and effective management of this ecosystem, not only for the perpetuity of these species, but also to harness its potential scientific value in the field of pharmaceuticals and other areas related to biological diversity.

Assessment of the biodiversity of agricultural arthropods of the nord-est Souk Ahras (Algeria)

Agricultural territories represent the main habitats of ordinary biological diversity in the municipality of Tiffech and Oum Ladayem metropolitan. Several actions, to increase the biological diversity, are lead on these territories at different scales (Tiffech and Oum Ladayem, National, land scale or farm scale). The aim of these actions is to stop the loss of biodiversity. But scientific methods are necessary to evaluate the results of these actions. The method used for 3 years, in the study of the arthropoda biodiversity at the “Tiffech and Oum Ladayem” is one of these methods. In fact, the Rapid Biodiversity Assessment (RBA) is a simple method which permits an evaluation of the arthropods’ biodiversity, with a morphologic determination method, parataxonomy. The results obtained show the importance of the presence of Ecological Reservoir Zones or semi-natural habitats within monoculture territories (here leguminous peas), in order to preserve biodiversity in arthropods.

A new species of Malacophagula (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) obtained during a rapid biodiversity assessment in Sierra de la Ventana, Argentina

A new species of the genus Malacophagula Bequaert (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) is described, M. ventana sp. nov., collected during a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment (RBA) in Sierra de la Ventana, an area of high value for conservation of Argentina. In this work the genus Malacophagula is recorded for the first time in Argentina. Illustrations of the habitus and phallic structures to diagnose and recognition of this species are provided.

Utilizing a top predator to prioritize site protection for biodiversity conservation

Ongoing global change makes it ever more urgent to find creative solutions for biodiversity preservation, but prioritizing sites for protection can be challenging. One shortcut lies in mapping the habitat requirements of well-established biodiversity indicators, such as top predators, to identify high-biodiversity sites. Here, we planned site protection for biodiversity conservation by developing a multi-scale species distribution model (SDM) for the raptorial Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis; goshawk) breeding in an extensive megacity region of Japan. Specifically, we: (1) examined the determinants of top predator occurrence and thus of high-biodiversity value in this megacity setting, (2) identified the biodiversity hotspots, (3) validated whether they actually held higher biodiversity through an independent dataset, and (4) evaluated their current protection by environmental laws. The SDM revealed that goshawks preferred secluded sites far from roads, with abundant forest within a 100 m radius and extensive forest ecotones suitable for hunting within a 900 m radius. This multi-scale landscape configuration was independently confirmed to hold higher biodiversity, yet covered only 3.2% of the study area, with only 44.0% of these sites legally protected. Thus, a rapid biodiversity assessment mediated by a top predator quickly highlighted: (1) the poor development of biodiversity-friendly urban planning in this megacity complex, an aspect overlooked for decades of rapid urban sprawl, and (2) the extreme urgency of extending legal protection to the sites missed by the current protected area network. Exigent biodiversity indicators, such as top predators, could be employed in the early or late stages of anthropogenic impacts in order to proactively incorporate biodiversity protection into planning or flag key biodiversity relics. Our results confirm and validate the applied reliability of top predatory species as biodiversity conservation tools.

A frequency-dependent acoustic diversity index: A revision to a classic acoustic index for soundscape ecological research

In recent years, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has been widely applied in the field of soundscape ecology. Meanwhile, acoustic indices, as an important tool for rapid biodiversity assessment (RBA), have also attracted increasing attention. However, considerable evidence demonstrates that existing acoustic indices are susceptible to noise, which poses a challenge for wider applications of acoustic indices. In this work, we firstly provide insights into how noise affects the widely used acoustic diversity index (ADI), revealing that the global threshold scheme (i.e., −50 dBFS for all time–frequency bins) to generate the binary spectrogram (spectrogram containing time–frequency bins denoted as ‘1′ with power above the threshold and ‘0′ below) is the key factor that makes ADI sensitive to noise. To address this problem, we propose a revised ADI version named frequency-dependent acoustic diversity index (FADI), which employs a new threshold scheme to reduce noise impacts on its values. Specifically, considering that the noise floor along frequency axis usually varies in practice, i.e., a colored noise rather than a white noise exists in field recordings, floating thresholds adapted to the noise level at each frequency bin were employed and further incorporated with the global threshold of ADI. Controlled computational experiments using field recordings were conducted where manipulated noise levels were introduced as different signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). It was shown that the proposed FADI was significantly robust to noise within a much wider SNR range as compared with ADI. Furthermore, a singular example using a real-world recording also verified its effectiveness and highlighted the promising potential of FADI in applications of PAM.

COMMUNITY-BASED RAPID BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT: A PRELIMINARY STUDY IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL NATURAL RESOURCES IN KOTA AGUNG UTARA SOCIAL FORESTRY, TANGGAMUS

Community-based rapid biodiversity assessment has been done initially with Gapoktanhut Lestari Sejahtera, a group of coffee farmers practises social forestry in protected forest, Sedayu, Semaka, Tanggamus, under supervision of KPH Kotaagung Utara, Tanggamus. Its aim is to identify potential natural resources in Kotaagung Utara protected forest, Tanggamus, under Kaidenren Nature Conservation Fund, in collaboration with University of Lampung and Rainforest Alliance program. Direct survey and observation were done, kobotoolbox was applied to collect the biodiversity information, the direct and indirect data of plants, animals as well as landscapes. Of 480 data input has been done by transect line from November, 2021 to February, 2022 covering 15 observed areas. The data consists of direct and indirect data of plants, animals as well as landscapes. The finding done is by local names included plants (n=78) mostly understory plant species, orchids, and ferns, small animals (n=40) include amphibians, reptiles, birds, and arthropods, indirect signs (n=11) of food remains, footprints, voices, scraps, wallowing ponds, scratches, nests, insects body remains, eggs and animals’ trail, some fungi, and landscapes. The findings shows that local community is potential citizen research resources, supporting social forestry practice and the initial building of Kota Agung Utara Forest Management Unit database

Identification, prioritization, and management of biodiversity hot specks: a case study of Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India

The Western Ghats are globally recognized as a hotspot of rich, endemic, and threatened biodiversity. Within this hotspot of biological diversity, there are islands of natural landscapes that can be termed as ‘hot specks’. These hot specks require careful prioritization and specific management strategies as they vary in objectives and ownership. Conserving hot specks of biodiversity is of great relevance because creating new protected areas with wildlife corridors between them has become relatively impossible in the present context of intensive land-use change in this rapidly developing region. Management strategies, however, must be based on scientific assessment and using a set of prioritization criteria for selecting the most appropriate forms of management. The conservation action plan for the Western Ghats has become a controversial issue based on the findings in the report submitted by the Western Ghats Expert Ecological Panel and the High Level Work Group on Western Ghats. In the present context of rapidly changing land-use patterns, economic development, forest fragmentation, isolation of habitats, linear intrusion, neo-urbanization and industrial growth are threats to the pristine nature of the ghats. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify, prioritize and manage the smaller fragments of biological importance within the larger ecologically sensitive landscape. A prioritization model for different types of hot specks is essential so that it can be easily replicated by training frontline forest staff, community-based organizations, Biodiversity Management Committees, and non-government organizations for implementing a strategy and action plans for the sites by using the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Support of the local Biodiversity Management Committees and the State Biodiversity Board is essential for the conservation management of these biodiversity-rich sites. This study presents an innovative approach to prioritize areas outside the formally notified boundaries of the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to assess the conservation value of hot specks of diversity through a rapid biodiversity assessment tool. This can lead to a rational conservation strategy that conservation planners and practitioners can use.

Biotic sound SNR influence analysis on acoustic indices

In recent years, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has become increasingly popular. Many acoustic indices (AIs) have been proposed for rapid biodiversity assessment (RBA), however, most acoustic indices have been reported to be susceptible to abiotic sounds such as wind or rain noise when biotic sound is masked, which greatly limits the application of these acoustic indices. In this work, in order to take an insight into the influence mechanism of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on acoustic indices, four most commonly used acoustic indices, i.e., the bioacoustic index (BIO), the acoustic diversity index (ADI), the acoustic evenness index (AEI), and the acoustic complexity index (ACI), were investigated using controlled computational experiments with field recordings collected in a suburban park in Xuzhou, China, in which bird vocalizations were employed as typical biotic sounds. In the experiments, different signal-to-noise ratio conditions were obtained by varying biotic sound intensities while keeping the background noise fixed. Experimental results showed that three indices (acoustic diversity index, acoustic complexity index, and bioacoustic index) decreased while the trend of acoustic evenness index was in the opposite direction as signal-to-noise ratio declined, which was owing to several factors summarized as follows. Firstly, as for acoustic diversity index and acoustic evenness index, the peak value in the spectrogram will no longer correspond to the biotic sounds of interest when signal-to-noise ratio decreases to a certain extent, leading to erroneous results of the proportion of sound occurring in each frequency band. Secondly, in bioacoustic index calculation, the accumulation of the difference between the sound level within each frequency band and the minimum sound level will drop dramatically with reduced biotic sound intensities. Finally, the acoustic complexity index calculation result relies on the ratio between total differences among all adjacent frames and the total sum of all frames within each temporal step and frequency bin in the spectrogram. With signal-to-noise ratio decreasing, the biotic components contribution in both the total differences and the total sum presents a complex impact on the final acoustic complexity index value. This work is helpful to more comprehensively interpret the values of the above acoustic indices in a real-world environment and promote the applications of passive acoustic monitoring in rapid biodiversity assessment.

Evaluating species richness using proteomic fingerprinting and DNA barcoding—a case study on meiobenthic copepods from the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone

The Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) is a vast deep-sea region harboring a highly diverse benthic fauna, which will be affected by potential future deep-sea mining of metal-rich polymetallic nodules. Despite the need for conservation plans and monitoring strategies in this context, the majority of taxonomic groups remain scientifically undescribed. However, molecular rapid assessment methods such as DNA barcoding and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) provide the potential to accelerate specimen identification and biodiversity assessment significantly in the deep-sea areas. In this study, we successfully applied both methods to investigate the diversity of meiobenthic copepods in the eastern CCZ, including the first application of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification of these deep-sea organisms. Comparing several different species delimitation tools for both datasets, we found that biodiversity values were very similar, with Pielou’s evenness varying between 0.97 and 0.99 in all datasets. Still, direct comparisons of species clusters revealed differences between all techniques and methods, which are likely caused by the high number of rare species being represented by only one specimen, despite our extensive dataset of more than 2000 specimens. Hence, we regard our study as a first approach toward setting up a reference library for mass spectrometry data of the CCZ in combination with DNA barcodes. We conclude that proteome fingerprinting, as well as the more established DNA barcoding, can be seen as a valuable tool for rapid biodiversity assessments in the future, even when no reference information is available.

Acoustic indices as proxies for biodiversity: a meta-analysis.

As biodiversity decreases worldwide, the development of effective techniques to track changes in ecological communities becomes an urgent challenge. Together with other emerging methods in ecology, acoustic indices are increasingly being used as novel tools for rapid biodiversity assessment. These indices are based on mathematical formulae that summarise the acoustic features of audio samples, with the aim of extracting meaningful ecological information from soundscapes. However, the application of this automated method has revealed conflicting results across the literature, with conceptual and empirical controversies regarding its primary assumption: a correlation between acoustic and biological diversity. After more than a decade of research, we still lack a statistically informed synthesis ofthe power of acoustic indices that elucidates whether they effectively function as proxies for biological diversity. Here, we reviewed studies testing the relationship between diversity metrics (species abundance, species richness, species diversity, abundance of sounds, and diversity of sounds) and the 11 most commonly used acoustic indices. From 34 studies, we extracted 364 effect sizes that quantified the magnitude of the direct link between acoustic and biological estimates and conducted a meta-analysis. Overall, acoustic indices had a moderate positive relationship with the diversity metrics (r= 0.33, CI [0.23, 0.43]), and showed an inconsistent performance, with highly variable effect sizes both within and among studies. Over time, studies have been increasingly disregarding the validation of the acoustic estimates andthoseexaminingthis link have been progressively reporting smaller effect sizes. Some of the studied indices [acoustic entropy index (H), normalised difference soundscape index (NDSI), and acoustic complexity index (ACI)] performed better in retrieving biological information, with abundance of sounds (number of sounds from identified or unidentified species) being the best estimated diversity facet of local communities. We found no effect of the type of monitored environment (terrestrial versus aquatic) and the procedure for extracting biological information (acoustic versus non-acoustic) on the performance of acoustic indices, suggesting certainpotential to generalise their application across research contexts. We also identified common statistical issues and knowledge gaps that remainto be addressed in future research, such as a high rate of pseudoreplication and multiple unexplored combinations of metrics, taxa, and regions. Our findings confirm the limitations of acoustic indices to efficiently quantify alpha biodiversity and highlight that caution is necessary when using them as surrogates of diversity metrics, especially if employed as single predictors. Although these tools are able partially to capture changes in diversity metrics, endorsing to some extent the rationale behind acoustic indices and suggestingthem as promising bases for future developments, they are far from being direct proxies for biodiversity. To guide more efficient use and future research, we review their principal theoretical and practical shortcomings, as well as prospects and challenges of acoustic indices in biodiversity assessment. Altogether, we provide the first comprehensive and statistically based overview on the relation between acoustic indices and biodiversity and pave the way for a more standardised and informed application for biodiversity monitoring.

Ecological indices from environmental DNA to contrast coastal reefs under different anthropogenic pressures

AbstractHuman activities can degrade the quality of coral reefs and cause a decline in fish species richness and functional diversity and an erosion of the ecosystem services provided. Environmental DNA metabarcoding (eDNA) has been proposed as an alternative to Underwater Visual Census (UVC) to offer more rapid assessment of marine biodiversity to meet management demands for ecosystem health indices. Taxonomic information derived from sequenced eDNA can be combined with functional traits and phylogenetic positions to generate a variety of ecological indices describing ecosystem functioning. Here, we inventoried reef fish assemblages of two contrasting coastal areas of Curaçao, (i) near the island's capital city and (ii) in a remote area under more limited anthropogenic pressure. We sampled eDNA by filtering large volumes of seawater (2 × 30 L) along 2 km boat transects, which we coupled with species ecological properties related to habitat use, trophic level, and body size to investigate the difference in fish taxonomic composition, functional and phylogenetic indices recovered from eDNA metabarcoding between these two distinct coastal areas. Despite no marked difference in species richness, we found a higher phylogenetic diversity in proximity to the city, but a higher functional diversity on the more isolated reef. Composition differences between coastal areas were associated with different frequencies of reef fish families. Because of a partial reference database, eDNA only partly matched those detected with UVC, but eDNA surveys nevertheless provided rapid and robust species occurrence responses to contrasting environments. eDNA metabarcoding coupled with functional and phylogenetic diversity assessment can serve the management of coastal habitats under increasing threat from global changes.

Short recce transects or camera trap surveys—Short recce surveys highlighted as a useful supplement for rapid biodiversity assessments in the Republic of the Congo

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Taxonomic study on praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of Goodrical range forest, Kerala, India, with the description of a new species

Mantid fauna of the forested tracts of different localities within the Goodrical forest range of the southern Western Ghats, Ranni forest division, Kerala, India were surveyed. During the Rapid Biodiversity Assessment (RBA) a total of 13 mantid specimens belonging to eight species under six families were collected. A new species Caliris mukherjeei sp. nov. (Haaniidae: Caliridinae) and two new records of rare mantids to Kerala viz., Ceratomantis ghatei Roy & Svenson, 2007 (Hymenopodidae: Oxypilinae) and Dysaulophthalma nathani Stiewe, 2009 (Eremiaphilidae: Iridinae) are reported with description and redescription.

DNA metabarcoding unravels unknown diversity and distribution patterns of tropical freshwater invertebrates

Abstract Tropical freshwater invertebrate species are becoming extinct without being described, and effective conservation is hampered by a lack of taxonomic and distribution data. DNA metabarcoding is a promising tool for rapid biodiversity assessments that has never been applied to tropical freshwater invertebrates across large spatial and taxonomic scales. Here we use DNA metabarcoding to comprehensively assess the benthic freshwater invertebrate fauna of the Perak River basin, Malaysia. Specific objectives were to: (1) assess performance of two DNA metabarcoding protocols; (2) identify gaps in reference databases; (3) generate new data on species diversity and distribution; and (4) draw conclusions regarding the potential value of DNA metabarcoding in tropical freshwater conservation. Organisms were collected by hand and net at 34 sites and divided into small (retained in 0.5‐mm but passing through 1‐mm mesh) and large (retained in 1‐mm mesh) fractions, and a 313‐bp cytochrome c oxidase subunit I fragment amplified and sequenced using general Metazoa primers. Bioinformatic analysis resulted in 468 operational taxonomic units (~species) from 12 phyla. Only 29% of species could be assigned binominal names through matches to public sequence libraries, indicating varying levels of library completeness across Orders. Extraction of small‐fraction DNA with a soil kit resulted in a significantly higher species count than with a general kit, but this was not even across taxa. Metabarcoding (amplification) success rate, estimated via comparison to morphological identifications of the large‐fraction specimens, was high in most taxa analysed but low, for example, in ampullariid and viviparid gastropods. Conversely, a large proportion of species‐site records for Decapoda and Bivalvia came from metabarcoding only. Species richness averaged 29 ± 16 species per site, dominated by Diptera, Annelida, and Odonata, and was particularly high in tributaries of the mountainous Titiwangsa Range. At least eight species are new records for Malaysia, including the non‐natives Ferrissia fragilis (Gastropoda) and Dugesia notogaea (Platyhelminthes). Our study showed that DNA metabarcoding is generally more effective in detecting tropical freshwater invertebrate species than traditional morphological approaches, and can efficiently improve knowledge of distribution patterns and ranges of native and non‐native species. However, current gaps in reference databases, particularly for bioindicator taxa, such as the Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Coleoptera, need to be addressed urgently.

Wild Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes: Nepenthaceae) in Lowland of Tanjung Selor: A Notes of Diversity, Conservation and Threats

Borneo is the second-highest diversity island for Nepenthes, with approximately comprising 23 species that were spread on this island. Species found on lowland to highland with variety habitat and ecological types. Tanjung Selor is the capital city of Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan. Nepenthes distribution in these areas has never been reported, particularly in the heath forest. The study was conducted to report the floristic of Nepenthes in Tanjung Selor. We used a desktop study and field exploration on heath forest of Tanjung Selor in 2019 with rapid biodiversity assessment method. The preliminary report of Nepenthes in Bulungan are presented with species description, ecology, threats, illustration, and a brief disscusion regarding the species. We reported six wild species and one natural hybrid of Nepenthes based on exploration. Nepenthe’s habitat is in an open area, roadside, and heath forest vegetation. The threats are higher from habitat degradation and land conversion to agricultural land or non-agricultural uses. In this paper, we mentioned Nepenthes fusca growth in lowland habitat, commonly found in highland.

Developing a future protocol for measuring spider biodiversity in pastures in New Zealand

ABSTRACT Arthropods are often ignored or under-sampled in biodiversity and conservation assessments because of their large diversity, small size and lack of taxonomic guides. Rapid biodiversity assessment programmes have been established to assess these groups accurately. A COBRA (Conservation Oriented Biodiversity Rapid Assessment) protocol consists of an intense sampling of a habitat using the optimal combination of sampling methods. We set a basis for future protocols of measuring spider biodiversity in exotic pastures in New Zealand. Overall, 28 spider species were collected. There was variation in species discovery for each collection method, i.e. pitfall traps (86.6% of total species found), ground hand collection (95.4%), suction sampling (85.7%), and sweeping (25%). The various collection methods were complementary in species that were found. Of the four sampling methods used pitfall traps and ground hand collection were far more efficient at collecting spider species in pastures per sample. These findings are relevant for the future development of these protocols and ultimately, these tools will be used for assessing and monitoring biodiversity on farms and the impacts of farming methods.

How citizen scientists are rapidly generating big distribution data: lessons from the Arewa Atlas Team, Nigerian Bird Atlas Project

The Arewa Atlas Team (AAT) in northern Nigeria has set an example for a robust methodological data collection and made a big impact for the African Bird Atlas Project. To broaden national bird atlas projects and coverage across the continent, this paper reports on the activities and protocols of the AAT. We set out how we have galvanised bird clubs and bird club members to participate in this important monitoring project. We then focus on a bird atlas expedition conducted to the Bauchi State as an example. The outing was carried out from 24 to 28 September 2020 in line with the BirdMap protocol. For the first time, the AAT atlased 100 pentads and recorded 8 591 individual birds of 222 species (24.21% of Nigerian birds) from 67 families. We explore what can be done with these data, by presenting a summary of descriptions of the birds observed. For instance, we recorded 184 resident species, nine intra-African and 24 Palearctic migrants. The highest bird abundance (120 individuals) was recorded at 11°00′26.9″ N, 9°29′46.5″ E, pentad 1105C0925. Furthermore, the Rock Firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis was out-of-range from Lumba. The Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax (Vulnerable) and Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (Near Threatened) were species of conservation concern. Results of this survey shows that citizen science is a powerful tool to make rapid biodiversity assessments of bird species richness and abundance and provides insights into bird occurrence and composition. This can be extended to distribution over time at a local geographic scale. Continuous efforts to map bird distributions are therefore recommended, mostly in regions and countries where atlas projects have not been established or still in the formative stages. It is important that bird atlas teams maximise ways to accomplish more noteworthy coverage in their respective national bird atlas projects and here we outline how we accomplished this as motivation and a model for the African Bird Atlas Project.