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opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Fenced and fragmented: conservation value of managed metapopulations

Population fragmentation is threatening biodiversity worldwide. Species that once roamed vast areas are increasingly being conserved in small, isolated areas. Modern management approaches must adapt to ensure the continued survival and conservation value of these populations. In South Africa, a managed metapopulation approach has been adopted for several large carnivore species, all protected in isolated, relatively small, reserves that are fenced. As far as possible these approaches are based on natural metapopulation structures. In this network, over the past 25 years, African lions (Panthera leo) were reintroduced into 44 fenced reserves with little attention given to maintaining genetic diversity. To examine the situation, we investigated the current genetic provenance and diversity of these lions. We found that overall genetic diversity was similar to that in a large national park, and included a mixture of four different southern African evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). This mixing of ESUs, while not ideal, provides a unique opportunity to study the impact of mixing ESUs over the long term. We propose a strategic managed metapopulation plan to ensure the maintenance of genetic diversity and improve the long-term conservation value of these lions. This managed metapopulation approach could be applied to other species under similar ecological constraints around the globe.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Yet another empty forest: considering the conservation value of a recently established tropical nature reserve

The primary approach used to conserve tropical biodiversity is in the establishment of protected areas. However, many tropical nature reserves are performing poorly and interventions in the broader landscape may be essential for conserving biodiversity both within reserves and at large. Between October 2010 and 2012, we conducted bird surveys in and around a recently established nature reserve in Xishuangbanna, China. We constructed a checklist of observed species, previously recorded species, and species inferred to have occurred in the area from their distributions and habitat requirements. In addition, we assessed variation in community composition and habitat specificity at a landscape-scale. Despite the fact that the landscape supports a large area of natural forest habitat (~50,000 ha), we estimate that >40% of the bird fauna has been extirpated and abundant evidence suggests hunting is the primary cause. A large proportion (52%) of the bigger birds (>20 cm) were extirpated and for large birds there was a U-shaped relationship between habitat breadth and extirpation probability. Habitat specificity was low and bird communities were dominated by widespread species of limited conservation concern. We question whether extending tropical protected area networks will deliver desired conservation gains, unless much greater effort is channeled into addressing the hunting problem both within existing protected areas and in the broader landscape.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: The conservation value of high elevation habitats to North American migrant birds

The basic patterns of faunal community composition and habitat associations of high elevation mountainous regions are poorly-known. This is true for the avifauna of western North America where our knowledge of high elevation use is primarily restricted to breeding assemblages. Here we report on systematic avian surveys of high elevation habitats over four years in British Columbia conducted during the post-breeding and fall migration periods (Aug–Oct). We detected a remarkable diversity of birds (95 species in 30 families) using alpine, subalpine, and montane forest, many of which used these habitats seasonally. One quarter of the species are on lists of conservation concern. Density, species richness, and community composition varied considerably between habitats and mountain ranges within the study area, especially between the western slope of the Coast range and other ranges. Most species exhibited strong temporal variation in patterns of abundance that were related to migratory behavior. From an extensive literature-based survey, we found that ~ 35% of North America's breeding bird species use high elevations, and that all primary high elevation habitats are important for full life-cycle conservation of this avifauna. Our findings highlight the importance of high elevation habitats to migrating birds from wide-ranging breeding distributions for at least three months of the year, a period equivalent to the length of the breeding season for most species. These results emphasize the need for effective conservation of fragile alpine and other high elevation habitats that are increasingly threatened by local, regional, and global anthropogenic disturbance.

FIGURE 7 in Bryofloristic diversity and conservation value of a protected area in the Brazilian semi-arid region

FIGURE 7. Principal Component Analysis. The model identified the non-specificity of substrate colonization for four available substrates.

FIGURE 6 in Bryofloristic diversity and conservation value of a protected area in the Brazilian semi-arid region

FIGURE 6. Lifeforms identified in bryophytes collected in the Poeta e Repentista Juvenal de Oliveira State Park, in the city of Campina Grande, PB. The tuft form was predominant in relation to the other three, followed by weft and thalloid, both equally represented. Photos: Jenkins and William (2020), Aquarium Plants Factory (2023), Glime, J. M. (2021).

FIGURE 4 in Bryofloristic diversity and conservation value of a protected area in the Brazilian semi-arid region

FIGURE 4. Distribution of bryophytes recorded in the Parque Estadual do Poeta e Repentista Juvenal de Oliveira, according to the phytophysiognomies of Brazil.

FIGURE 3 in Bryofloristic diversity and conservation value of a protected area in the Brazilian semi-arid region

FIGURE 3. Worldwide geographic distribution of bryophytes occurring in the Poeta e Repentista Juvenal de Oliveira State Park, in the city of Campina Grande, PB. The most representative one was the Neotropical.

FIGURE 5 in Bryofloristic diversity and conservation value of a protected area in the Brazilian semi-arid region

FIGURE 5. Unweighted group pairwise average (UPGMA). The average distance between all group members shows that areas within the same landscapes generally tend to have similar sets of species. Number differentiates landscapes; CF—Closed Forest; OF—Open Forest. Areas in dark gray had collections recorded during the dry season; in marine water, rainy season. Correlation Coefficient = 0.67—indicates moderate correlation.

opencc-zeroAug 2021View details →

High diversity of mites (Acari: Oribatida, Mesostig-mata) supports the high conservation value of a broadleaf forest in Eastern Norway

Broadleaf forests are critical habitats for biodiversity and this biodiversity is in turn essential for their proper functioning. Mites (Acari) are a numerous and functionally essential component of these forests. We report the diversity of two important groups, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, in a broadleaf forest in Eastern Norway which is considered to be a biodiversity hotspot. Eighteen samples, each 500 cm3, were collected from diverse microhabitats (moss on ground, lichens on tree twigs lying on ground, moss on tree trunk at ground level and 1.5 m above ground, moss on decaying wood, log and stump, and decaying wood) from which 10,843 specimens and 95 species from 32 families of Oribatida, and 655 specimens of 34 species from 14 families of Mesostigmata were found. Only 30% of the species were previously recorded in broadleaf forests in Western Norway. Oribatid communities on tree stumps and in lichens were distinct from the other communities, while mesostigmatid communities on tree trunks (both at ground level and above ground) and in lichens differed most from other communities. Over 30% of the species were found in only a single microhabitat. Twenty-three species and the genus Zerconopsis are reported from Norway for the first time. Six records are also new to Fennoscandia, including (Oribatida) Quadroppia monstruosa, Eueremaeus valkanovi, Ramusella furcata, and (Mesostigmata) Dendrolaelaps rectus, D. multidentatus, and D. tenuipilus. In addition, several rare species were detected, e.g., Achipteria magna, Oribotritia berlesei, and Subiasella quadrimaculata, and two were found in their northernmost locality (O. berlesei, E. valkanovi). These results confirm the unique character and high conservation value of the studied forest in Norway, Fennoscandia and at a European scale.