Find research datasets worth reusing

Figure 6 in Conservation of biodiversity in a hotspot: Sri Lanka's amphibians and reptiles

Figure 6. Lowland rain forest at Sinharaja (top) and montane forest in the Knuckles Range (bottom; cardamom factory in the foreground). Photos by Walter R. Erdelen.

Figure 3 in Conservation of biodiversity in a hotspot: Sri Lanka's amphibians and reptiles

Figure 3. Male specimen of Lyriocephalus scutatus, the most charismatic lizard of Sri Lanka. The genus is monotypic and endemic to Sri Lanka. Photo by Walter R. Erdelen.

Figure 2 in Conservation of biodiversity in a hotspot: Sri Lanka's amphibians and reptiles

Figure 2. Tadpoles (top) and adult specimen (bottom) of Nannophrys marmorata, an endemic species restricted to the Knuckles range; Critically Endangered. Mainly found under boulders on wet, flat, rocky surfaces (Dutta and ManamendraArachchi 1996; confirmed by own observations). The genus is endemic to Sri Lanka, comprising four species, one of them (N. naeyakai) described only in 2007 (Fernando et al. 2007). Photos by Walter R. Erdelen.

Figure 7 in Conservation of biodiversity in a hotspot: Sri Lanka's amphibians and reptiles

Figure 7. Variability in geographic distribution among Sri Lankan reptiles. (A) Chamaeleo zeylanicus, a non-endemic species of the dry zone lowlands; (B) Naja naja, non-endemic and found all over the island below some 1500 m asl; (C) Geckoella triedrus, a wet zone species which is also locally found in the dry zone and intermediate zone; (D) Geckoella yakhuna, F restricted to the dry zone lowlands of the north; both species are endemic to Sri Lanka and need further study as regards to intraspecific variation. The status of the third species occurring in Sri Lanka (G. collegalensis) is unclear (Somaweera and Somaweera 2009); (E) Rhinophis homolepis, an endemic uropeltid snake found in the wet zone lowlands; fossorial amphibians and reptiles may be environmental indicators and key groups for an understanding of species evolution in Sri Lanka (see Gans 1993); (F) Haplocercus ceylonensis, an endemic colubrid snake found in the wet zone highlands. Photos by Indraneil Das.

Figure 5 in Conservation of biodiversity in a hotspot: Sri Lanka's amphibians and reptiles

Figure 5. Two species of reptiles endemic to the Knuckles range, the gekkonid Cyrtodactylus soba (left) and the scincid Nessia bipes (right). Photos by Indraneil Das.

Figure 4 in Conservation of biodiversity in a hotspot: Sri Lanka's amphibians and reptiles

Figure 4. Range restricted endemic forest lizards. Top left: Ceratophora tennentii, male; top right: Cophotis ceylanica, male; bottom left: Calotes liocephalus, juvenile; bottom right: a newly discovered endemic but widespread species of scincid lizard (Eutropis tammanna; described by Das et al. 2008). Eutropis tammanna photo by Indraneil Das; all others by Walter R. Erdelen.

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2024View details →

Species diversity and community structure of braconid wasps (Hymenoptera) in two ecological hotspots of Iran: implication for conservation

Species diversity and community structure of braconid wasps (Hymenoptera) <a name="_Hlk115346465"></a>in two ecological hotspots of <a name="_Hlk115825047"></a>Iran: implication for conservation Parisa Abdoli1, Ali Asghar Talebi1<a title="" href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">*</a>, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos2, Samira Farahani3 and Rasoul Khosravi4   1. Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, I.R. Iran. <a name="_Hlk533412392"></a>talebia@modares.ac.ir; P.abdoli@modares.ac.ir 2. Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens; 75 Iera Odos  str., 11855 Athens, Attica, Greece. nick_kaval@aua.gr 3. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, I. R. Iran. <a href="mailto:s.farahani@rifr-ac.ir">s.farahani@rifr-ac.ir</a> 4. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, r-khosravi@shirazu.ac.ir <div> <div> <a title="" href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">*</a> Correspondence. E-mail: talebia@modares.ac.ir   </div> </div>

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2023View details →

Datasets for Universal closed-tube barcoding for monitoring the shark and ray trade in megadiverse conservation hotspots

Data repository accompanying manuscript titled of "Universal closed-tube barcoding for monitoring the shark and ray trade in megadiverse conservation hotspots" by Andhika Prima Prasetyo et.al

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Data for: Transboundary conservation hotspots in China and potential impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative

Aim: Biodiversity hotspots often span international borders, thus conservation efforts must as well. China is one of the most biodiverse countries and the length of its international land borders is the longest in the world; thus, there is a strong need for transboundary conservation. We identify China's transboundary conservation hotspots and analyze the potential effects of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on them to provide recommendations for conservation actions. Location: China, Asia Methods: We compiled a species list of terrestrial vertebrates that span China's borders. Using their distribution, we extracted the top 30% of the area with the highest richness value weighted by Red List category and considered these transboundary hotspots for conservation priority. Then we analyzed protected area (PA) coverage and connectivity to identify conservation gaps. To measure the potential impact of the BRI, we counted the species whose distribution range is traversed by the BRI and calculated the aggregation index, proportion of natural land, and night light index along its routes. Results: We identified 1,964 terrestrial vertebrate species living in the border region. We identified four transboundary hotspots and found insufficient PA coverage and low connectivity in three of them. The BRI routes intersected all four hotspots and traversed 82.4% (1,619/1,964) of the transboundary species, half of which (918) are sensitive to the potential risks brought by the BRI. Night light index increased generally along the BRI. However, the proportion of natural land and the aggregation index near the BRI showed different trends in hotspots. Main conclusions: There is an urgent need for conservation action in China's transboundary region. The BRI should put biodiversity conservation at the core of its development strategy. Furthermore, we suggest using the planned BRI as a platform for dialogue and consultation, knowledge and data sharing, and joint planning to promote transboundary conservation.

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

Conservation measures or hotspots of disease transmission? Agri-environment schemes can reduce disease prevalence in pollinator communities

Insects are under pressure from agricultural intensification. To protect pollinators, conservation measures such as the EU agri-environment schemes (AES) promote planting wildflowers along fields. However, this can potentially alter disease ecology by serving as transmission hubs or by diluting infections. We tested this by measuring plant-pollinator interactions and virus infections (DWV-A, DWV-B and ABPV) across pollinator communities in agricultural landscapes over a year. AES had a direct effect on DWV-B, reducing prevalence and load in honeybees, with a tentative general dilution effect on load in early summer. DWV-A prevalence was reduced both under AES and with increasing niche overlap between competent hosts, likely via a dilution effect. In contrast, AES had no impact on ABPV; its prevalence was driven by the proportion of bumblebees in the community. Epidemiological differences were also reflected in the virus phylogenies, with DWV-B showing recent rapid expansion, while DWV-A and ABPV showed slower growth rates and geographic population structure. Phylogenies indicate that all three viruses freely circulate across their host populations. Our study illustrates how complex interactions between environmental, ecological and evolutionary factors may influence wildlife disease dynamics. Supporting pollinator nutrition can mitigate the transmission of important bee diseases, providing an unexpected boost to pollinator conservation.

publicDec 2022View details →

Data for: Transboundary conservation hotspots in China and potential impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

publicJan 2023View details →

Conservation measures or hotspots of disease transmission? Agri-environment schemes can reduce disease prevalence in pollinator communities

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

dryad32/100

Characterizing the spatio-temporal threats, conservation hotspots and conservation gaps for the most extinction-prone bird family (Aves: Rallidae)

Here we worked on the rails (bird family Rallidae), looking at whether the current threats are consistent with those that led to recent extinctions, and ultimately, what conservation actions might be necessary to mitigate further losses. We undertook a global synthesis of the temporal and spatial threat patterns for Rallidae and determined conservation priorities and gaps.

opencc-zeroJan 2021View details →

dryad32/100

Data from: Conservation implications of the evolutionary history and genetic diversity hotspots of the snowshoe hare

With climate warming, the ranges of many boreal species are expected to shift northward and to fragment in southern peripheral ranges. To understand the conservation implications of losing southern populations, we examined range-wide genetic diversity of the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), an important prey species that drives boreal ecosystem dynamics. We analysed microsatellite (8 loci) and mitochondrial DNA sequence (cytochrome b and control region) variation in almost 1000 snowshoe hares. A hierarchical structure analysis of the microsatellite data suggests initial subdivision in two groups, Boreal and southwestern. The southwestern group further splits into Greater Pacific Northwest and U.S. Rockies. The genealogical information retrieved from mtDNA is congruent with the three highly differentiated and divergent groups of snowshoe hares. These groups can correspond with evolutionarily significant units that might have evolved in separate refugia south and east of the Pleistocene ice sheets. Genetic diversity was highest at mid-latitudes of the species' range, and genetic uniqueness was greatest in southern populations, consistent with substructuring inferred from both mtDNA and microsatellite analyses at finer levels of analysis. Surprisingly, snowshoe hares in the Greater Pacific Northwest mtDNA lineage were more closely related to black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) than to other snowshoe hares, which may result from secondary introgression or shared ancestral polymorphism. Given the genetic distinctiveness of southern populations and minimal gene flow with their northern neighbours, fragmentation and loss of southern boreal habitats could mean loss of many unique alleles and reduced evolutionary potential.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

dryad32/100

Data from: Ecological niche modelling for conservation planning of an endemic snail in the verge of becoming a pest in cardamom plantations in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot

Conservation managers and policy makers are often confronted with a challenging dilemma of devising suitable strategies to maintain agricultural productivity while conserving endemic species that at the early stages of becoming pests of agricultural crops. Identification of environmental factors conducive to species range expansion for forecasting species distribution patterns will play a central role in devising management strategies to minimize the conflict between the agricultural productivity and biodiversity conservation. Here, we present results of a study that predicts the distribution of Indrella ampulla, a snail endemic to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, which is becoming a pest in cardamom (Ellettaria cardamomum) plantations. We determined the distribution patterns and niche overlap between I. ampulla and Ellettaria cardamomum using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) niche modeling techniques under current and future (2020–2080) climatic scenarios. The results showed that climatic (precipitation of coldest quarter and isothermality) and soil (cation exchange capacity of soil [CEC]) parameters are major factors that determine the distribution of I. ampulla in Western Ghats. The model predicted cardamom cultivation areas in southern Western Ghats are highly sensitive to invasion of I. ampulla under both present and future climatic conditions. While the land area in the central Western Ghats is predicted to become unsuitable for I. ampulla and Ellettaria cardamomum in future, we found 71% of the Western Ghats land area is suitable for Ellettaria cardamomum cultivation and 45% suitable for I. ampulla, with an overlap of 35% between two species. The resulting distribution maps are invaluable for policy makers and conservation managers to design and implement management strategies minimizing the conflicts to sustain agricultural productivity while maintaining biodiversity in the region.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

FIGURE 7 in Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of the Ctenotus labillardieri (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) species group and a new species of immediate conservation concern in the southwestern Australian biodiversity hotspot

FIGURE 7. Photograph in life of Ctenotus ora sp. nov. from Pinjarra, Western Australia (WAM R119059).

FIGURE 5 in Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of the Ctenotus labillardieri (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) species group and a new species of immediate conservation concern in the southwestern Australian biodiversity hotspot

FIGURE 5. Back patterns in the Ctenotus labillardieri species group. A–D illustrate geographic variation in C. labillardieri and E–J show representative back patterns in the other species in the group. The variation shown within C. labillardieri is not confined to the clades illustrated. A) C. labillardieri (R135665; lineage 6), B) C. labillardieri (R117354, lineage 1), C) C. labillardieri (R142908, lineage 2), D) C. labillardieri (166085, lineage 7), E) C. catenifer (R163143), F) C. delli (R13444), G) C. gemmula (R150245), H) C. lancelini (R18874), I) C. youngsoni (R66208), J) C. ora sp. nov. (R131983). Scale bars are all 1cm.

FIGURE 4 in Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of the Ctenotus labillardieri (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) species group and a new species of immediate conservation concern in the southwestern Australian biodiversity hotspot

FIGURE 4. Summary of results for the principal component analyses (PCAs) of the morphological data. Mean principal component scores and standard deviations are shown with sample sizes noted.

FIGURE 3 in Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of the Ctenotus labillardieri (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) species group and a new species of immediate conservation concern in the southwestern Australian biodiversity hotspot

FIGURE 3. Phylogram based on analysis of the combined data set. Values on selected branches refer to parsimony bootstrap values above the branch and Bayesian posterior probabilities below.

FIGURE 1 in Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of the Ctenotus labillardieri (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) species group and a new species of immediate conservation concern in the southwestern Australian biodiversity hotspot

FIGURE 1. Distribution of the seven major C. labillardieri (circle) clades, the C. lancelini (pentagonal) clade and the new taxon, C. ora sp. nov (square). Specimens used in both the genetic and morphological analyses are denoted with a white center, and specimens for which we only had morphological data are solid. The few specimens of C. labillardieri for which we only had tissue samples are denoted with an inner white ring. SCP refers to the Swan Coastal Plain west of the Darling Scarp. Black dotted lines represent boundaries between rainfall zones, as defined by Hopper (1979). Grey dotted line demarks the known range for C. ora sp. nov.