Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity Research Articles

Reconstructing the origin and early evolution of the snake brain.

Snakes represent one-eighth of terrestrial vertebrate diversity, encompassing various lifestyles, ecologies, and morphologies. However, the ecological origins and early evolution of snakes are controversial topics in biology. To address the paucity of well-preserved fossils and the caveats of osteological traits for reconstructing snake evolution, we applied a different ecomorphological hypothesis based on high-definition brain reconstructions of extant Squamata. Our predictive models revealed a burrowing lifestyle with opportunistic behavior at the origin of crown snakes, reflecting a complex ancestral mosaic brain pattern. These findings emphasize the importance of quantitatively tracking the phenotypic diversification of soft tissues-including the accurate definition of intact brain morphological traits such as the cerebellum-in understanding snake evolution and vertebrate paleobiology. Furthermore, our study highlights the power of combining extant and extinct species, soft tissue reconstructions, and osteological traits in tracing the deep evolution of not only snakes but also other groups where fossil data are scarce.

Airborne environmental DNA captures terrestrial vertebrate diversity in nature.

The current biodiversity and climate crises highlight the need for efficient tools to monitor terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we provide evidence for the use of airborne eDNA analyses as a novel method for detecting terrestrial vertebrate communities in nature. Metabarcoding of 143 airborne eDNA samples collected during 3 days in a mixed forest in Denmark yielded 64 bird, mammal, fish and amphibian taxa, of which the detected 57 'wild' taxa represent over a quarter of the around 210 terrestrial vertebrates that occur in the overall area. We provide evidence for the spatial movement and temporal patterns of airborne eDNA and for the influence of weather conditions on vertebrate detections. This study demonstrates airborne eDNA for high-resolution biomonitoring of vertebrates in terrestrial systems and elucidates its potential to guide global nature management and conservation efforts in the ongoing biodiversity crisis.

Terrestrial vertebrate and butterfly diversity of Garbhanga Landscape, Assam, India

A study was conducted on the current status of terrestrial vertebrates and butterflies in Garbhanga Reserve Forest. Data were compiled from field surveys and secondary sources like existing literature, and citizen science databases. We found that Garbhanga is represented by 254 species of butterflies (6 families), 29 species of amphibians (7 families), 64 species of reptiles (12 families), 307 species of birds (68 families) and 31 species of mammals (19 families). In Garbhanga, amongst the studied group, two species are ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR), six species are ‘Endangered’ (EN), 14 species are ‘Vulnerable’ (VU), eight species are ‘Near Threatened’ (NT), eight species are ‘Data Deficient’ (DD), 411 species are ‘Least Concern’ (LC), and 236 species are not assessed (denoted by blank space). This shows a huge gap in research and status evaluation of understudied species. This in turn also provides further research opportunities on the lesser known species.

Influence of Last Glacial Maximum legacies on functional diversity and community assembly of extant Chinese terrestrial vertebrates

Contemporary biodiversity patterns are shaped by not only modern climate but also factors such as past climate fluctuations. Investigating the relative degree of paleoclimate legacy could help us understand the formation of current biodiversity patterns. However, an assessment of this issue in China is lacking. Here, we investigated the phylogenetic structure and functional diversity patterns of Chinese terrestrial vertebrates. We found that Southern China harbored higher functional richness, while Northern and Western China were more phylogenetically clustered with higher functional divergence and evenness, indicating environmental filtering effects. Moreover, we found that drastic Last Glacial Maximum climate changes were positively related to phylogenetic clustering, lower functional richness, and higher functional divergence and evenness, although this effect varied among different taxonomic groups. We further found that mammal communities experiencing more drastic Last Glacial Maximum temperature changes were characterized by "faster" life-history trait values. Our findings provide new evidence of the paleoclimate change legacies influencing contemporary biodiversity patterns that will help guide national-level conservation plans.

Study on Terrestrial Wild Vertebrate Diversity and Geographical Fauna in Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountain National Park, China

To gain an in-depth understanding of the resource status of terrestrial wild vertebrates in the Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountain National Park, a total of 10 field surveys were conducted in the reserve from May 2019 to May 2022, and the diversity and geographical fauna of terrestrial wild vertebrates in the study area were studied combined with literature. The results show that in the Qinghai Area of the Qilian Mountain National Park, there are 265 species of terrestrial vertebrates in 4 classes, 30 orders, 71 families and 167 genera. Among them, Amphibia has 1 order, 2 families, 2 genera and 3 species; Reptilia has 2 orders, 4 families, 5 genera and 5 species; Aves has 21 orders, 51 families, 131 genera and 214 species; Mammalia has 6 orders, 15 families, 29 genera and 43 species. The composition of terrestrial wild vertebrate species in the study area shows that Aves account for 80.75%, Mammalia account for 16.23%; Reptilia account for 1.89% and Amphibia account for only 1.13%. The geographical fauna is dominated by Cosmopolitan species (218), followed by Palaearctic species (48) and a few Oriental species (3). Data from the G-F analysis shows that birds are more diverse at both family and genus levels, followed by mammals, with amphibians lower and reptiles lowest.

Geographical Patterns in Functional Diversity of Chinese Terrestrial Vertebrates

Identifying priority regions is essential for effectively protecting biodiversity. China is one of the world’s megabiodiversity countries, but its biodiversity is seriously threatened by anthropogenic forces. Many studies have identified priority regions in China for conserving biodiversity. However, most of these studies focused on plants and mainly relied on metrics such as species richness. A comprehensive assessment of functional diversity hotspots of Chinese terrestrial vertebrates is still lacking. In this study, we collected distribution information and functional traits of terrestrial Chinese vertebrates. We calculated functional richness and identified hotspots. Then, we assessed the overlap between functional hotspots and hotspots identified based on species richness. We found that the mountains in southern China harbor the most hotspots. Southwestern China is the most important region for biodiversity conservation, as it harbors functional diversity and species richness hotspots of multiple taxa. Mismatches between functional diversity and species richness hotspots were found in all taxa. Moreover, the locations of functional hotspots are different among taxa, even within taxonomic units. For example, the functional diversity patterns of Rodentia, Chiroptera and other mammalian taxa are different. These results highlight the importance of considering distinct groups separately in conservative actions.

The evolution of parental care in salamanders

Complex parenting has been proposed to contribute to the evolutionary success of vertebrates. However, the evolutionary routes to complex parenting and the role of parenting in vertebrate diversity are still contentious. Although basal vertebrates provide clues to complex reproduction, these are often understudied. Using 181 species that represent all major lineages of an early vertebrate group, the salamanders and newts (Caudata, salamanders henceforth) here we show that fertilisation mode is tied to parental care: male-only care occurs in external fertilisers, whereas female-only care exclusively occurs in internal fertilisers. Importantly, internal fertilisation opens the way to terrestrial reproduction, because fertilised females are able to deposit their eggs on land, and with maternal care provision, the eggs could potentially develop outside the aquatic environment. Taken together, our results of a semi-aquatic early vertebrate group propose that the diversity and follow-up radiation of terrestrial vertebrates are inherently associated with a complex social behaviour, parenting.

Thalassotitan atrox, a giant predatory mosasaurid (Squamata) from the upper Maastrichtian phosphates of Morocco

The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) transition saw mass extinctions in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Terrestrial vertebrate diversity patterns across the K–Pg boundary have seen extensive study, but less is known about marine vertebrates. We describe a new mosasaurid from the latest Maastrichtian phosphatic beds of Morocco, showing how mosasaurids evolved to become apex predators in the latest Cretaceous. Thalassotitan atrox gen. et sp. nov., from the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Khouribga Province, Morocco is characterized by large size, a broad skull, massive jaws, and reduced cranial kinesis, suggesting it was highly adapted for carnivory. Teeth resemble those of killer whales in their robust, conical shape, and show heavy wear and damage. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Thalassotitan as a close relative of Prognathodon currii and P. saturator within the Prognathodontini. Among the associated fauna, three genera of mosasaurids, elasmosaurid plesiosaur, chelonioid turtle, and enchodontid fish show acid damage, and could be prey ingested by mosasaurids, likely Thalassotitan. Thalassotitan shows mosasaurids evolved to fill the marine apex predator niche, a niche occupied by orcas and white sharks today. Mosasaurs continued to diversify and fill new niches until their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous.

Effects of land use and climate change on functional and phylogenetic diversity of terrestrial vertebrates in a Himalayan biodiversity hotspot

AbstractAimThe synergy between human land use and climate change is accelerating the global decline of biodiversity. In the fragile Himalayas, this trend has a strong ecological impact on wildlife communities, and a better understanding is needed to discern changes in the mechanisms. This study aims to understand the effects of land use and climate change on the functional (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of mammal and bird communities across the land use gradient.LocationEastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, Bhutan.MethodsMammal data were gathered from a camera trap survey and bird data from point counts. We used morphological and ecological traits of 45 mammal species and 336 bird species to construct functional trait space. We quantified FD and PD using standardized effect size of functional richness, functional dispersion, mean pairwise distance and mean nearest taxon distance. We used linear regression to evaluate the relationship between FD and PD and land use/climate variables.ResultsThe functional space of mammals was structured by body mass (small–large) and diet (herbivore–carnivore) as one major axis, and habitat breadth (generalist‐specialist) as the other, whereas bird functional space was structured by beak shape and size (large and long–small and short), body mass (small–large), foraging strata (canopy–ground) and diet (ectotherm–scavenge) along four axes. Land use (agriculture and road) negatively affected mammal FD, whereas both land use (tree cover and built‐up area) and climate (temperature and precipitation) affected PD, although the effects were highly variable. Climate (temperature) had a pronounced negative effect on bird FD while land use (agriculture, built‐up area and settlement) on PD.Main conclusionsThe realized functional space of the vertebrate groups can be represented by different planes on which species are clumped around a small number of functional strategies. The loss of species at the edge of functional space is non‐random and could result in the loss of irreplaceable traits impacting long‐term ecological and evolutionary processes. Our study demonstrates the filtering effect of anthropogenic pressure and climate change on vertebrate FD and PD. However, the association with land use suggests the potential for ecosystem services (particularly by birds). Our findings reveal nuances of dimensions of biodiversity and provide novel insights into the structure and drivers of vertebrate assemblages in the eastern Himalayas.

Filling the Bearpaw gap: Evidence for palaeoenvironment-driven taxon distribution in a diverse, non-marine ecosystem from the late Campanian of west-Central Alberta, Canada

Patterns of Late Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate diversity across North America have been interpreted primarily in terms of biogeographic provincialism driven by latitude or coastal-inland habitat gradients. A major difficulty in determining the influence of these two gradients is the existence of some large gaps in the terrestrial fossil record, notably the ‘Bearpaw gap’ caused by a transgression of the inland Bearpaw Seaway during the latter part of the Campanian. In this context, the terrestrial fauna preserved in the Campanian deposits of the Wapiti Formation (west-central Alberta, Canada) is crucial for addressing the information deficit. Deposited at the edge of the palaeo-circumpolar region, Unit 3 of the strictly terrestrial Wapiti Formation (WU3) is coeval with the ‘Bearpaw gap’, a period when the terrestrial record from better-sampled areas elsewhere in Canada and the U.S.A. gives way to marine sediments. Here we show, based largely on evidence from the recently discovered DC (Dinosaur-Chelonian) Bonebed locality, that the diverse WU3 vertebrate fauna shares similarities with lowland to marginal marine ecosystems in the Oldman and Dinosaur Park formations which were deposited in southern Alberta prior to the Bearpaw gap. In addition, a major change in faunal composition demarcates the upper boundary of WU3, related to the disappearance of the Bearpaw Sea in Canada. Data presented here help, first and foremost, to bridge an ~1.2-million-year gap in the North American record of Campanian terrestrial vertebrates. Resemblances between the WU3 vertebrate fauna and slightly older assemblages from southern Alberta underscore the importance of determining the spatiotemporal changes in environmental factors (e.g., coastal proximity). The occurrence of one seemingly endemic lizard, together with differences in relative taxon abundance, suggest additional latitude-correlated factors, implicating both latitudinal and coastal-inland habitat gradients in driving the taxonomic composition of Late Cretaceous terrestrial faunas. • We introduce a new microvertebrate site from the late Campanian of western Canada. • A diverse non-marine fauna coeval with the Bearpaw Formation is discussed. • Vertebrate community is compared with others from the Campanian of Alberta. • Data help filling the information deficit related to the ‘Bearpaw Gap’.

Diversity and conservation of terrestrial vertebrates (birds, mammals, and reptiles) of Sierra Cucapá, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Knowledge about the biodiversity of Baja California has been obtained mainly from natural protected areas (NPAs), while some unprotected natural areas have been poorly studied. The Sierra Cucapá in the northeast of the peninsula is one example. The objectives of this study are 1) to integrate existing knowledge of bird, mammal, and reptile diversity in Cucapá from public databases, citizen science platforms, and information generated from fieldwork, 2) to identify the spatial distribution of records in the study area, 3) to compare the composition of vertebrate species of Cucapá with that of NPAs of northern part of the peninsula, and 4) to assess the biological conservation value of Cucapá. We obtained records of 150 species of native vertebrates (102 birds, 34 mammals, and 14 reptiles) of which 10 species of birds, four mammals, and seven reptiles are included in a risk extinction category. The different sources of information contributed in a complementary way to the species inventories. Large areas in western and northern Cucapá lack records. The total difference in species composition between Cucapá and nearby NPAs ranged between 58 and 69% for birds, 61 and 79% for mammals, and 69 and 87% for reptiles. The species richness of Cucapá, its particular species composition, the presence of species in risk extinction categories, and the number and size of unexplored areas indicate that this area represents an opportunity for biological conservation in the northern part of the Peninsula. This work provides compelling data for the protection of Cucapá.

TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES IN THE AREA OF INFLUENCE OF THE SIERRA LA MOJONERA IN SAN LUIS POTOSÍ AND ZACATECAS, MEXICO

Knowledge of the diversity of terrestrial vertebrates in the Sierra La Mojonera Natural Protected Area and its surroundings is quite limited. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to update the list of terrestrial vertebrate species that inhabit the area of influence of the Sierra La Mojonera, to investigate the subspecies, and to highlight the conservation status of the species in terms of national and international regulations. We sampled 30 locations in 850 km2 of the area of influence of the Sierra La Mojonera between 2010 and 2013. We recorded amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals by observation, capture (by hand or with mist nets), or trace evidence (footprints, scats, or ecdysis). We recorded 51 species: 3 amphibians, 9 reptiles, 14 birds, and 25 mammals. We recorded 29 species (3 amphibians, 8 reptiles, 8 birds, and 10 mammals) for the first time in the area, including Anaxyrus debilis, Anaxyrus punctatus, Hypsiglena jani, Cophosaurus texanus, Caracara cheriway, Charadrius vociferus, Myotis yumanensis, and Notiosorex crawfordi. The subspecies of seven species have distribution boundaries in the study area. Other species are remarkable because of their protection category, such as Crotalus molossus, Cynomys mexicanus, and Leptonycteris nivalis. The area of influence of Sierra La Mojonera contains numerous important charismatic species in need of conservation. We strongly recommend that scientists specialized in each group of terrestrial vertebrates conduct a complete and detailed inventory of the species that inhabit the protected natural area and its surroundings. As part of these investigations, it is important to ensure scientific collection obtains reference specimens (vouchers) and that collectors deposit these specimens in recognized scientific collections in order to contribute to the knowledge of the biodiversity of the region and to increase the information on the vertebrates in this report.

Relative effects of land conversion and land-use intensity on terrestrial vertebrate diversity

Land-use has transformed ecosystems over three quarters of the terrestrial surface, with massive repercussions on biodiversity. Land-use intensity is known to contribute to the effects of land-use on biodiversity, but the magnitude of this contribution remains uncertain. Here, we use a modified countryside species-area model to compute a global account of the impending biodiversity loss caused by current land-use patterns, explicitly addressing the role of land-use intensity based on two sets of intensity indicators. We find that land-use entails the loss of ~15% of terrestrial vertebrate species from the average 5 × 5 arcmin-landscape outside remaining wilderness areas and ~14% of their average native area-of-habitat, with a risk of global extinction for 556 individual species. Given the large fraction of global land currently used under low land-use intensity, we find its contribution to biodiversity loss to be substantial (~25%). While both sets of intensity indicators yield similar global average results, we find regional differences between them and discuss data gaps. Our results support calls for improved sustainable intensification strategies and demand-side actions to reduce trade-offs between food security and biodiversity conservation.

Airborne environmental DNA for terrestrial vertebrate community monitoring

SummaryBiodiversity monitoring at the community scale is a critical element of assessing and studying species distributions, ecology, diversity, and movements, and it is key to understanding and tracking environmental and anthropogenic effects on natural ecosystems.1, 2, 3, 4 Vertebrates in terrestrial ecosystems are experiencing extinctions and declines in both population numbers and sizes due to increasing threats from human activities and environmental change.5, 6, 7, 8 Terrestrial vertebrate monitoring using existing methods is generally costly and laborious, and although environmental DNA (eDNA) is becoming the tool of choice to assess biodiversity, few sample types effectively capture terrestrial vertebrate diversity. We hypothesized that eDNA captured from air could allow straightforward collection and characterization of terrestrial vertebrate communities. We filtered air at three localities in the Copenhagen Zoo: a stable, outside between the outdoor enclosures, and in the Rainforest House. Through metabarcoding of airborne eDNA, we detected 49 vertebrate species spanning 26 orders and 37 families: 30 mammal, 13 bird, 4 fish, 1 amphibian, and 1 reptile species. These spanned animals kept at the zoo, species occurring in the zoo surroundings, and species used as feed in the zoo. The detected species comprise a range of taxonomic orders and families, sizes, behaviors, and abundances. We found shorter distance to the air sampling device and higher animal biomass to increase the probability of detection. We hereby show that airborne eDNA can offer a fundamentally new way of studying and monitoring terrestrial communities.

PRINCIPALES APORTACIONES CIENTÍFICAS DE LA FMVZ-UADY AL CONOCIMIENTO DE LOS VERTEBRADOS TERRESTRES DE LA PENÍNSULA DE YUCATÁN, MÉXICO

<p><strong>Background</strong>. Mexico is one of the megadiverse countries, harbouring 10% of total worldwide biodiversity. The Yucatan peninsula has 1,010 terrestrial vertebrate species, approximately, however, unfortunately most of them are threatened or in danger of extinction, resulted of degradation, fragmentation, and transformation of habitats. Information generation is a permanent process in the Autonomous University of Yucatan and the Zoology department, to contribute to the conservation and management strategies for wild terrestrial vertebrate species in the region. <strong>Objective.</strong> To review the most relevant scientific information published by the Department of Zoology during its first 30 years of creation, focused to biology, ecology, zoonosis, diversity, and conservation of vertebrates. <strong>Methodology</strong>. A compilation of scientific information generated and published by the Zoology department was made mainly focused to biology, ecology, zoonosis, diversity and conservation of terrestrial vertebrates of the Yucatan Peninsula. <strong>Main findings</strong>. Publications have shown the large amount of information generated mainly in areas of diversity, ecology, zoonosis, and ethnobiology, being the last two areas particularly relevant in the last few years. Scientific collections have contributed largely to the knowledge of the wildlife fauna in the region. <strong>Implications.</strong> Information is generated by research projects which main objective is to increase the knowledge for supporting the conservation strategies of vertebrates in the Peninsula. <strong>Conclusion.</strong> The Zoology department has generated relevant information at local, regional, and international level, supporting the present fauna conservation and management strategies in the region.</p>

Extinction of threatened vertebrates will lead to idiosyncratic changes in functional diversity across the world

Although species with larger body size and slow pace of life have a higher risk of extinction at a global scale, it is unclear whether this global trend will be consistent across biogeographic realms. Here we measure the functional diversity of terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates in the six terrestrial biogeographic realms and predict their future changes through scenarios mimicking a gradient of extinction risk of threatened species. We show vastly different effects of extinctions on functional diversity between taxonomic groups and realms, ranging from almost no decline to deep functional losses. The Indo-Malay and Palearctic realms are particularly inclined to experience a drastic loss of functional diversity reaching 29 and 31%, respectively. Birds, mammals, and reptiles regionally display a consistent functional diversity loss, while the projected losses of amphibians and freshwater fishes differ across realms. More efficient global conservation policies should consider marked regional losses of functional diversity across the world.

Projected climatic changes lead to biome changes in areas of previously constant biome

AbstractAimRecent studies in southern Africa identified past biome stability as an important predictor of biodiversity. We aimed to assess the extent to which past biome stability predicts present global biodiversity patterns, and the extent to which projected climatic changes may lead to eventual biome changes in areas with constant past biome.LocationGlobal.TaxonSpermatophyta; terrestrial vertebrates.MethodsBiome constancy was assessed and mapped using results from 89 dynamic global vegetation model simulations, driven by outputs of palaeoclimate experiments spanning the past 140 ka. We tested the hypothesis that terrestrial vertebrate diversity is predicted by biome constancy. We also simulated potential future vegetation, and hence potential future biome patterns, and quantified and mapped the extent of projected eventual future biome change in areas of past constant biome.ResultsApproximately 11% of global ice‐free land had a constant biome since 140 ka. Apart from areas of constant Desert, many areas with constant biome support high species diversity. All terrestrial vertebrate groups show a strong positive relationship between biome constancy and vertebrate diversity in areas of greater diversity, but no relationship in less diverse areas. Climatic change projected by 2100 commits 46%–66% of global ice‐free land, and 34%–52% of areas of past constant biome (excluding areas of constant Desert) to eventual biome change.Main conclusionsPast biome stability strongly predicts vertebrate diversity in areas of higher diversity. Future climatic changes will lead to biome changes in many areas of past constant biome, with profound implications for biodiversity conservation. Some projected biome changes will result in substantial reductions in biospheric carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services.

Effects of agricultural lands on the distribution pattern of genus diversity for neotropical terrestrial vertebrates

The expansion and intensification of agricultural lands (i.e., croplands and pasture areas) have become increasing threats to species diversity around the world. However, genus diversity should be considered for biodiversity conservation due to the important role that phylogenetic diversity and evolutionary history play shaping biodiversity patterns, particularly in the Neotropics, the most species-rich realm. Here, we explored agricultural land effects on distribution patterns of terrestrial vertebrate diversity at the genus level using cases from the Neotropics. We compiled distribution data on genera of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles and explored the effects of agricultural lands on genus diversity distribution patterns for terrestrial vertebrates in the region using distribution modelling. Geography Weighting Regression (GWR) was used to explore the spatially variable relationship between agricultural lands and genus diversity. We found that there are significant, non-stationary relationships between agricultural lands and genus diversity in the Neotropics. The non-stationary relationship between croplands and genus diversity was stronger than that between pasture areas and genus diversity. Furthermore, these effects may depend on changes in genus groups (i.e., amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles) and biomes. The relationship was the strongest for the croplands and reptile diversity pair at the genus levels. The relationship between both croplands and pasture areas and reptile diversity was the largest in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests. Given the influence of crop and pasturelands on vertebrate distribution patterns, we argue that agriculture development should be considered in the spatial prioritization of conservation for vertebrates in the Neotropics. Agricultural lands should be used as environmental variables for distribution modelling, and understanding the impacts of agricultural lands on biodiversity is critical for effective conservation management in the Neotropics.

First report of bird tracks (Ignotornis seoungjoseoi ichnosp. nov.) from the Jinju Formation (Lower Cretaceous), Sacheon City, Korea

This is the first report of the webbed bird tracks from the middle part of the Jinju Formation (Lower Cretaceous: upper Aptian–lower Albian) in Bito Island, Seopo-myeon, Sacheon City, Gyeongnam, South Korea. Although it is well known that the avian tracks are very abundant and diverse in the Cretaceous Hayang and Yucheon groups of the Gyeongsang Supergroup, bird tracks of the Sindong Group have never been reported. The bird tracks, which are comparatively small (about 3.5 cm length excluding hallux), tetradactyl with a functional reversed hallux, asymmetric and semi-palmate webbing in the hypex between digits II–III and III–IV and are characterized by narrow divarication angle (about 79.8°) between digits II and IV, are described herein as a new ichnotaxon, Ignotornis seoungjoseoi ichnosp. nov. Left and right footprints set showing standing traces is well preserved on the track surface. Tracks of Jindongornipes ichnosp. were also recovered from the intertidal zone of Bito Island, and is the first report of this ichnogenus from the Jinju Formation on Bito Island. The discovery of two ichnotaxa of bird tracks from the Jinju Formation demonstrates that bird diversity from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Aptian–lower Albian) to Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) track record, and the record of terrestrial vertebrate diversity from the Cretaceous Period of Korea, is still in the process of being fully documented and understood.

Estimation of Status and Trend of Species Diversity of Terrestrial Vertebrates and Plants of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

The Nizhny Novgorod region is the only region of Russia where the Strategy of biological diversity conservation has the status of a normative act. It was approved by the regional government in 2000. The article aims to assess the status and trends of species diversity of wildlife in the region after the adoption of the Strategy. Two model groups of wildlife species were used for the assessment: terrestrial vertebrates (468 species) and vascular plants (1800 species). Changes in regional lists of species belonging to the model groups are analyzed. The share of terrestrial vertebrate species requiring protection is now 41% and it is slightly higher than at the end of the XX century. As in the 1990s, about a quarter of the native flora of plants requires protection to varying degrees. For species requiring protection, both terrestrial vertebrates and plants at the present time, as at the end of the XX century, the main limiting factor remains the human disturbance of habitats. The second most important limiting factor is the direct pursuit (hunting, catching and destruction) of rare species, although the significance of this factor in the XXI century has rather decreased. Limiting factors have not been known for 21% of species of terrestrial vertebrates and 7% of plant species, which encourages studying the biology of these species. It is shown that the solution of problems concerned with the protection of biological diversity should be the most important element of regional environmental management, and the strategy of biological diversity conservation of the Nizhny Novgorod region has been generally relevant. Suggestions for editing the Strategy and developing the Action Plan for the biodiversity conservation of the Nizhny Novgorod region are presented.