Terrestrial Areas Research Articles

Priority conservation areas for protected saproxylic beetles in Romania under current and future climate scenarios

Climate change threatens species and ecosystems globally, including forest ecosystems that support rich invertebrate diversity. Saproxylic beetles, that depend on old-growth trees and deadwood, are facing increasing pressure. Consequently, conserving these beetles has become a priority for EU Member States. We developed ensemble species distribution models for five saproxylic beetles for current and three future time horizons under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and two Global Circulation Models. We used a systematic conservation planning approach to assess the effectiveness and resilience to climate change of the Romanian Natura 2000 network for saproxylic beetles while identifying areas for prospective protected area expansion to meet EU conservation targets. Our study revealed that under all scenarios and time horizons, the saproxylic beetles may lose over 80% of their suitable habitat and restrict their distribution to higher elevations. According to the conservation prioritization analysis, we found that, when considering 30% of the landscape as being protected, an average of 85% of species distribution is retained within priority areas overlapping the Carpathian Mountains, while for the current protected area coverage (18% of Romania’s terrestrial area), the existing Natura 2000 network does not perform satisfactorily, with only ~ 30% of the saproxylic species distributions falling within the network. Our results corroborate previous findings on saproxylic beetle range shifts and contractions due to climate change. Furthermore, our findings question the effectiveness of the current Natura 2000 network, as it is currently inadequate for protecting these species. To achieve the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 of protecting at least 30% of the EU’s territory, we advocate the expansion of the Natura 2000 sites to future suitable saproxylic beetle habitats.

Dynamic Monitoring of Poyang Lake Water Area and Storage Changes from 2002 to 2022 via Remote Sensing and Satellite Gravimetry Techniques

The monitoring of Poyang Lake water area and storage changes using remote sensing and satellite gravimetry techniques is valuable for maintaining regional water resource security and addressing the challenges of global climate change. In this study, remote sensing datasets from Landsat images (Landsat 5, 7, 8 and 9) and three Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and Gravity Follow-on (GRACE-FO) mascon solutions were jointly used to evaluate the water area and storage changes in response to global and regional climate changes. The results showed that seasonal characteristics existed in the terrestrial water storage (TWS) and water area changes of Poyang Lake, with nearly no significant long-term trend, for the period from April 2002 to December 2022. Poyang Lake exhibited the largest water area in June and July every year and then demonstrated a downward trend, with relatively smaller water areas in January and November, confirmed by the estimated TWS changes. For the flood (August 2010) and drought (September 2022) events, the water area changes are 3032 km2 and 813.18 km2, with those estimated TWS changes 17.37 cm and −17.46 cm, respectively. The maximum and minimum Poyang Lake area differences exceeded 2700 km2. The estimated terrestrial water storage changes in Poyang Lake derived from the three GRACE/GRACE-FO mascon solutions agreed well, with all correlation coefficients higher than 0.92. There was a significant positive correlation higher than 0.75 between the area and TWS changes derived from the two independent monitoring techniques. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that combined remote sensing with satellite gravimetric techniques can better interpret the response of Poyang Lake to climate change from the aspects of water area and TWS changes more efficiently.

An Overview of Pollution Level in Vlora Port

This study reports the concentrations of organic pollutants, nutrients, and some physicochemical parameters in water samples from Vlora Port. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, o-, m- and p-Xyelenes, Ethylbenzene) were analyzed organic pollutants. The levels of NO3-, NO2-, NH4-, N-total, PO4-, and P-total were determined. Temperature, PH, Conductivity, Turbidity, TDS, TSS DO, BOD and COD were physical-chemical parameters determined in the water samples. Vlora Port is located in the southern part of Albania in Vlora Bay, near Vlora City in the Adriatic Sea. Elevated activities in port areas (terrestrial and marine areas) are the main causes of water pollution. Urban pollution, agriculture, and water currents can influence marine water pollution in this area. To evaluate pollution levels at the port of Vlora, water samples (12 stations) were analyzed over a two-year period (2022 – 2023). Water samples were collected during two seasons: March and July of each year Analyses of organic compounds were performed using a gas chromatograph (Varian 450 GC) equipped with ECD and FID detectors. Nutrients were analyzed using the UV-VIS technique. Titration, automatic, semi-automatic, and gravimetric methods were used to determine the physicochemical parameters. Organic pollutants were detected in all the water samples. Nutrient concentrations and physicochemical values classified the marine water of Vlora’s port as moderately good. Levels of organic pollutants, nutrients, and physicochemical parameters in water samples from Vlora’s port were higher/comparable with those reported in previous studies of the Adriatic Sea (Albania coastline).

Connectivity measures across scales differentially influence dryland sediment and seed movement

Drylands makeup over 40% of the terrestrial land surface area and are highly vulnerable to degradation. The drivers of dryland degradation can lead to shifts in vegetation, such as woody plant encroachment into historic arid grasslands. Encroachment often creates connected bare plant interspaces where wind and water erosion can redistribute resources, including sediment and seeds. Dryland restoration can incorporate methods to reduce these connected pathways, thus mitigating erosion and retaining resources locally. One method to reduce connectivity is through connectivity modifier (ConMod) structures. Quantifying sediment and seeds captured in ConMod structures provides insight into resource movement on the landscape and system‐level resilience. We quantified sediment and germinable seeds captured in ConMods in relation to vegetation along a grassland‐to‐shrubland gradient, measured at multiple scales, in the Northern Chihuahuan desert, United States. We found (1) a significant but weak correlation between ConMod sediment and seed capture; (2) connectivity in the form of bare ground cover at the large and small scale correlated with sediment capture but not seed capture; and (3) sediment and seed capture were both influenced by previously implemented restoration treatments, though differentially. When investigating the capture of different seed functional groups and sizes, we found that grass seed capture increased with proximity to shrubs and that smaller seeds were both captured more frequently and more closely correlated to sediment capture. These findings have implications for the use of ConMods as restoration tools in shrub‐encroached systems.

The infiltration variability under oil palm plantation related to moss and understory vegetation covers in terrestrial and riparian sites in Jambi, Indonesia

Abstract The capacity and contribution of each understory vegetation group to infiltrate transmitted precipitation and moisten the soil are to be revealed. Recently, common findings on infiltration rate under oil palm are well reported, however, it does not include the role of each vegetation group to support water availability to the oil palm plantation. The specific objective of this study is to identify the role of each understory vegetation group consisting of moss and weeds on cumulative infiltration rate and infiltration capacity in the terrestrial area and riparian zone of oil palm plantations consisting of smallholder and corporate farmers in dry and rainy seasons. The total covering rate of both vegetation types amounted to 61.7%. In the active path of terrestrial area weed growth dominated the surface cover of oil palm plantations in both seasons, where the cover of weeds reached 67.8% and moss covers at the level of averagely 11.3%. The total covering rate by the vegetation was 79.1%, and 20.9% of the surface area was without any vegetative protection. In the riparian area, there was no evidence of the difference of infiltration rate measured in Ks both in the circle area and active path area, which reached very low at the value of 1.74-4.02 cm h−1 in the dry season and 3.29-3.88 cm h−1 in the rainy season. However, in the terrestrial area at the active path area, the Ks value reached an average of 12.13 cm h−1 in the dry season and 5.86 cm h−1 in the rainy season. The Ks-value in the oil palm circle in the terrestrial area showed no difference value, which was a very low category value ranging from 3.37-3.80 cm h−1. The cumulative value of infiltrated water during the first four hours in the riparian zone in the active path ranged from 10.35 to 18.52 cm. This value is lower than cumulative infiltrated water in the terrestrial area, ranging from 25.83-110.55 cm in the first 4 hours of infiltration time.

Energy-based corridor identification for mammals between protected areas in Iran.

Body mass plays a crucial role in determining the mass-specific energy expenditure during terrestrial locomotion across diverse animal taxa, affecting locomotion patterns. The energy landscape concept offers a framework to explore the relationship between landscape characteristics and energy expenditure, enhancing our understanding of animal movement. Although the energy landscape approach solely considers the topographic obstacles faced by animals, its suitability compared to previous methods for constructing resistance maps and delineating corridors has not been comprehensively examined. In this study, we utilized the enerscape R package to generate resistance maps in kilocalories (kcal) by incorporating digital elevation models (DEMs) and body size data (kg). We assigned body sizes ranging from 0.5 to 100 kg to encompass a wide range of small and large mammals in Iran, adjusting maximum dispersal distances accordingly from 50 to 200 km. By analyzing these scenarios, we produced four resistance maps for each body size. Next, we identified potential corridors between terrestrial protected areas in Iran using the Linkage Mapper toolkit and examined barriers and pinch-points along these paths. Our study revealed significant findings regarding the shared corridors between small and large mammals in Iran's landscape. Despite their differing body sizes and energy requirements, many corridors were found to be utilized by both small and large mammal species. For example, we identified 206 corridors for mammals weighing 500 g, which were also recognized as the least-cost paths for 100 kg mammals. Thus, embracing a comprehensive method in resistance map creation, one that incorporates species-specific traits and human infrastructure becomes imperative for accurately identifying least-cost paths and consequently pinpointing pinch points and barriers.

Diversity and Abundance of Soil Arthropods in Terrestrial Area of Situ Lengkong Panjalu, West Java, Indonesia

Diversity and Abundance of Soil Arthropods in Terrestrial Area of Situ Lengkong Panjalu, West Java, Indonesia

Projected future climatic forcing on the global distribution of vegetation types.

Most emissions scenarios suggest temperature and precipitation regimes will change dramatically across the globe over the next 500 years. These changes will have large impacts on the biosphere, with species forced to migrate to follow their preferred environmental conditions, therefore moving and fragmenting ecosystems. However, most projections of the impacts of climate change only reach 2100, limiting our understanding of the temporal scope of climate impacts, and potentially impeding suitable adaptive action. To address this data gap, we model future climate change every 20 years from 2000 to 2500 CE, under different CO2 emissions scenarios, using a general circulation model. We then apply a biome model to these modelled climate futures, to investigate shifts in climatic forcing on vegetation worldwide, the feasibility of the migration required to enact these modelled vegetation changes, and potential overlap with human land use based on modern-day anthromes. Under a business-as-usual scenario, up to 40% of terrestrial area is expected to be suited to a different biome by 2500. Cold-adapted biomes, particularly boreal forest and dry tundra, are predicted to experience the greatest losses of suitable area. Without mitigation, these changes could have severe consequences both for global biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'.

Evaluating the use of marine subsidies by Arctic foxes without direct coastal access; insights from stable isotopes

The trophic structures of tundra ecosystems are often viewed as a result of local terrestrial primary productivity. However, other resources can be brought in through long-distant migrants or be directly accessible in coastal areas. Hence, trophic structures may deviate from predictions based on local terrestrial resources. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small canid that may use marine resources when available. We used stable isotope values in Arctic fox fur and literature data on potential prey to evaluate Arctic fox summer resource use in a mountain tundra without coastal access. The dietary contribution of local prey, presumably mostly rodents, declined with declining rodent abundance, with a subsequent increased contribution of migratory prey relying on marine resources. Stable isotope values did not differ between this terrestrial area and an area with direct coastal access during years of high rodent abundance, but isotope values during low rodent abundances suggested less marine input than in a coastal population feeding primarily on marine prey. Our study shows that marine resources may be used by animals in areas without any coastal access, and we highlight that such partial coupling of ecosystems must be included in the modeling and assessments of tundra environments.

Methylmercury cycling in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea: Reasons for the low system efficiency of methylmercury production

Coastal seas contribute the majority of human methylmercury (MeHg) exposure via marine fisheries. The terrestrial area surrounding the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea (BS and YS) is one of the mercury (Hg) emission “hot spots” in the world, resulting in high concentrations of Hg in BS and YS seawater in comparison to other marine systems. However, comparable or even lower Hg levels were detected in seafood from the BS and YS than other coastal regions around the word, suggesting a low system bioaccumulation of Hg. Reasoning a low system efficiency of MeHg production (represented by MeHg/THg (total Hg) in seawater) may be present in these two systems, seven cruises were conducted in the BS and YS to test this hypothesis. MeHg/THg ratios in BS and YS seawater were found to be lower than that in most coastal systems, indicating that the system efficiency of MeHg production is relatively lower in the BS and YS. The low system efficiency of MeHg production reduces the risk of Hg in the BS and YS with high Hg discharge intensity. By measuring in situ production and degradation of MeHg using double stable isotope addition method, and MeHg discharge flux from various sources and its exchange at various interfaces, the budgets of MeHg in the BS and YS were estimated. The results indicate that in situ methylation and demethylation are the major source and sink of MeHg in the BS and YS. By comparing the potential controlling processes and environmental parameters for MeHg/THg in the BS and YS with the other coastal seas, estuaries and bays, lower transport efficiency of inorganic Hg from water column to the sediment, slower methylation of Hg, and rapid demethylation of MeHg were identified to be major reasons for the low system efficiency of MeHg production in the BS and YS. This study highlights the necessity of monitoring the system efficiency of MeHg production, associated processes, and controlling parameters to evaluate the efficiency of reducing Hg emissions in China as well as the other countries.

First insights into the spatio-temporal ecology of sympatric large carnivores in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

Abstract Large carnivores play a crucial role in their native ecosystems, but their populations are rapidly declining across the African continent. West Africa is no exception, with large protected areas often forming the last strongholds for these species. Little is known about the population status and ecology of large carnivores in the region, hampering the design and implementation of effective conservation strategies. We conducted a camera-trap survey during the dry season in Niokolo-Koba National Park, the largest terrestrial protected area in Senegal and the second largest in West Africa, to investigate the spatio-temporal ecology of the four large carnivores inhabiting the Park: the spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta, leopard Panthera pardus, West African lion Panthera leo leo and African wild dog Lycaon pictus. Spotted hyaenas and leopards had the widest spatial distribution and highest probability of site use. Spotted hyaena site use was positively associated with leopard relative abundance index and negatively associated with normalized difference vegetation index, whereas only distance to the nearest road influenced leopard site use. Distance to the Gambian River was the most important covariate positively affecting site use by lions. African wild dog site use was negatively associated with the relative abundance indices of lions and leopards. Lions, spotted hyaenas and leopards showed strong overlap in their activity patterns. By providing new information on the ecology of large carnivores in West Africa, including where they range and which habitats are critical for their survival, our study will facilitate conservation planning. Our findings lay the foundations for future research to conserve these threatened species in West Africa effectively and to guide ranger patrol efforts, which are key for their long-term survival.

Optimizing restoration duration to maximize CO2 uptake on the Tibetan Plateau

Grasslands cover one-third of the terrestrial area, though half of them have been degraded and primarily due to overgrazing. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is home to the largest area of alpine grassland on Earth, experiencing a typical degradation-restoration story over the past three decades. With the large-scale implementation and long-term duration of ecological projects aimed at restoring degraded grasslands by fencing across the TP, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the direction and magnitude of changes in the carbon (C) sink function. To address this, we combined ten pairs of systematic field observations at the site scale with literature compilation, aiming to clarify whether restoration still contributes to C uptake and its driving factors. Our results show that after a decade of restoration, living biomass was enhanced by over 80 %, and litter accumulation increased by 3.68 ± 1.25 times across all ecosystem types, although these changes were barely reflected in soil C. Litter caused consistent negative impacts on CO2 uptake across all vegetation types, despite restoration having increased CO2 uptake by half in alpine steppes and alpine meadows. This negative impact was more evident in alpine wetlands, where the quantity of litter was double the living biomass. The thick layer of litter produced a shading effect that further limited the photosynthetic yield of living plants, regulating the restoration-induced CO2 gain or loss. Combining 246 cases across the TP further highlights the need to shorten the duration of restoration to maximize CO2 uptake while also benefitting sustainability, which is deserving of attention from both the scientific community and policy-makers.

Cytotoxicity of amine-modified polystyrene MPs and NPs on neural stem cells cultured from mouse subventricular zone

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are found in various environments such as aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial areas. Once ingested and inhaled, these tiny plastic debris damaged the digestive and respiratory organ systems in animals. In humans, the possible connection between MPs and various diseases such as lung diseases has been raised. Yet, the impact of MPs on the human nervous system has been unclear. Previous research using animals and cultured cells showed possible neurotoxicity of MPs and NPs. In this study, we used neural stem cells cultured from mouse subventricular zone to examine the effects of polystyrene (PS) NPs and MPs with sizes of 0.1 μm, 1 μm, and 2 μm on the cell proliferation and differentiation. We observed that only positively charged NPs and MPs, but not negatively charged ones, decreased cell viability and proliferation. These amine-modified NPs and MPs decreased both neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis. Finally, fully differentiated neurons and oligodendrocytes were damaged and removed by the application of NPs and MPs. All these effects varied among different sizes of NPs and MPs, with the greatest effects from 1 μm and the least effects from 2 μm. These results clearly demonstrate the cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity of PS-NPs and MPs.

Short-Term Coastal Impact Of Lakeshore For Natural Reserve Protection

The site of Grangettes, which is registered as a natural reserve of national and international importance for waterowl and migratory birds (i.e. OROEM site), is considered the last part of the Swiss lakeshore of Lake Geneva that remains natural. This area hosts a wide variety of coastal ecosystems, containing significant natural values located both in aquatic and in terrestrial areas of the reserve. Because of repetitive localized dredging activities of the lake bottom since the last century, a severe withdraw of the shoreline and its associated natural values has been observed between 1964 and 2001 close to the « Gros Brasset » dredge pit.

A cost-effective approach to identify conservation priority for 30 × 30 biodiversity target on the premise of food security

There is a growing consensus on expanding protected and conserved areas for biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain where to expand conserved areas as well as what appropriate management modalities to choose. Moreover, conserved areas expansion should be balanced with crop-related food security challenges. We developed a framework to identify cost-effective areas for expanding protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), and applied it to China. By combining templates for biodiversity conservation priorities at global scale and the priority conservation areas based on 2413 vertebrates' extinction risk in China, we identified areas with high biodiversity conservation value. We then categorized the priority areas according to human impact, indicating the potential cost of management. As a result of combining the two aspects above, we identified the most cost-effective areas for expanding protected areas and OECMs while excluding both the current and predicted croplands that can be used for food security. The results show that China could expand its protected areas to 22.81 % of the country's land area and establish OECMs in areas accounting for 9.82 % and 17.37 % of the country's land area in a cost-effective approach in two scenarios. In the ambitious scenario, protected and conserved areas would account for a maximum of 40.18 % of terrestrial area, with an average 62.67 % coverage of the 2413 species' suitable habitat. To achieve the goals of protected and conserved areas in Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, countries could apply this framework to identify their protected areas and OECM expansion priorities.

Global patterns of human-wildlife spatial associations and implications for differentiating conservation strategies.

Understanding the global patterns of human and wildlife spatial associations is essential for pragmatic conservation implementation, yet analytical foundations and indicator-based assessments that would further this understanding are lacking. We integrated the global distributions of 30,664 terrestrial vertebrates and human pressures to map human-nature index (HNI) categories that indicate the extent and intensity of human-wildlife interactions. Along the 2 dimensions of biodiversity and human activity, the HNI allowed placement of terrestrial areas worldwide in one of 4 HNI categories: anthropic (human-dominated areas), wildlife-dominated (little human influence and rich in wildlife), co-occurring (substantial presence of humans and wildlife), and harsh-environment (limited presence of humans and wildlife) areas. The HNI varied considerably among taxonomic groups, and the leading driver of HNI was global climate patterns. Co-occurring regions were the most prevalent (35.9%), and wildlife-dominated and anthropic regions encompassed 26.45% and 6.50% of land area, respectively. Our results highlight the necessity for customizing conservation strategies to regions based on human-wildlife spatial associations and the distribution of existing protected area networks. Human activity and biodiversity should be integrated for complementary strategies to support conservation toward ambitious and pragmatic 30×30 goals.

Plant Adaptation to Extreme Environments in Drylands—Series II: Studies from Northwest China

Arid and semi-arid lands cover more than one-third of the Earth’s terrestrial area [...]

A multivariate probabilistic framework for tracking the regional tropical edges: analysis of inter-annual variations and long-term trends

In the present study, a multivariate probabilistic framework is used to identify the meridional positions of regional tropical edges (RTEs), which are based on two variables: sea level pressure and precipitation minus evaporation. This new defined metric effectively captures inter-annual variability and long-term trend of the commonly adopted zonal mean tropical edge based on meridional mass stream function and near-surface winds. Besides, pronounced RTE trends are primarily located over the oceanic regions, and the terrestrial areas exhibit substantial inter-annual variability. These results are consistent among three modern reanalysis datasets. Moreover, the impacts of climate modes on RTE are investigated. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the Atlantic multi-decadal oscillation, and the Southern Annular Mode are important both on the inter-annual variations and long-term trends of RTE. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation is more inclined to affect long-term contribution rather than inter-annual relationship, and the Pacific–North American teleconnection, the North Atlantic Oscillation, and the Arctic oscillation highlight the inter-annual relationship with RTE in the specific regions, such as North Pacific, North Atlantic, and North Africa, respectively.

Predicting the current and future distributions of Pinus merkusii in Southeast Asia under climate change

Abstract. Sulton MN, Aurina DM, Muhammad F, Fadzilah FPA, Hanun Z, Indrawan M, Budiharta S, Supriatna J, Nursamsi I, Setyawan AD. 2024. Predicting the current and future distributions of Pinus merkusii in Southeast Asia under climate change. Biodiversitas 25: 1135-1143. Pinus merkusii Jungh. Et de Vriese is a native pine species of Southeast Asia with primary distribution in Indonesia, especially in the mountainous areas of northern Sumatra. The P. merkusii has an important role in the forest ecosystem including maintaining ecosystem stability, reducing soil erosion, and providing habitat for various types of flora and fauna. Climate change is expected to affect the growth, development and distribution of plants, so this study aims to predicting the current dan future distribution of P. merkusii in Southeast Asia under climate change. We used Maxent and Geographic Information System (GIS), which incorporated bioclimatic, edaphic, and UVB radiation variables, to predict the suitable areas of P. merkusii under current and future climate scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0, and RCP 8.5) and three time periods (2030, 2050, and 2080). Our findings indicate that compared to current, there will be an increase of suitable areas for P. merkusii in 2030 across all climate scenarios with RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5 represent 9.53%, 9.66%, 9.73%, and 9.91% of Southeast Asia terrestrial area, respectively. In 2050, such increase will continue under all climate scenarios with RCP 4.5 has the largest proportion of suitable area (10.39%). However, in 2080, the suitable areas are likely to reduce compared with 2050 with RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5 have a percentage of 9.21%, 9.69%, 10.29%, and 9.81%, respectively. Our predictions showed that there will be a geographical shift of suitable area of P. merkusii into higher elevation and latitude, migrating east and northeast. Our findings about the potential future distribution of P. merkusii might be used as a reference for cultivation according to predicted suitable areas in the future.

Mammal recovery inside and outside terrestrial protected areas

Protected areas are a key component of global conservation, and the world is aiming to increase protected areas to cover 30% of land and water through the 30 × 30 Initiative under the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. However, factors affecting their success or failure in regard to promoting mammal population recovery are not well studied, particularly using quantitative approaches comparing across diverse taxa, biomes, and countries. To better understand how protected areas contribute to mammalian recovery, we conducted an analysis of 2706 mammal populations both inside and outside of protected areas worldwide. We calculated the annual percent change of mammal populations within and outside of terrestrial protected areas and examined the relationship between the percent change and a suite of human and natural characteristics including biome, region, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) protected area category, IUCN Red List classification, and taxonomic order. Our results show that overall mammal populations inside and outside of protected areas are relatively stable. It appears that Threatened mammals are doing better inside of protected areas than outside, whereas the opposite is true for species of least concern and Near Threatened species. We also found significant population increases in protected areas classified as category III and significant population decreases in protected and unprotected areas throughout Oceania. Our results demonstrate that terrestrial protected areas can be an important approach for mammalian recovery and conservation.