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- Hydrological regime and forest development have indirect effects on
soil fauna feeding activity in Central European hardwood floodplain
forests
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 257-278
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.106260
Authors : Nicole Scheunemann, David J. Russell : Soil fauna act as regulators of decomposition processes via their feeding activity, thereby playing an important role in regulating carbon cycling and sequestration. Hardwood floodplain forests are critically endangered habitats, but strongly contribute to carbon sequestration in Central Europe. In the present study, within a floodplain forest-development programme, we investigated the feeding activity of soil fauna via the Bait Lamina test in hardwood floodplain forests of the middle Elbe River in Germany in sites with different hydrological regimes and forest-development stages, with neighbouring grassland sites for comparison. While statistically significant differences in overall feeding activity between general hydrological regimes or forest development stages were not found, decreases in feeding activity with soil depth were strongly modulated by these factors, indicating more unfavourable conditions for soil fauna at increasing soil depth due to, e.g., anoxic conditions in floodplains of tributaries or low soil moisture content below the shallow rooting zone of grasslands. Registered effects of soil texture on soil fauna feeding activity were dependent on forest-tree density, and combined effects indicate that soil-fauna feeding activity varies with soil temperature during spring, but with soil moisture in early autumn. In conclusion, our results highlight the importance of the current abiotic conditions on soil-fauna feeding activities in floodplain forests, i.e. soil temperature, moisture and ground water level. Hydrological regime and forest development have a strong impact on the effect of these conditions, indirectly affecting soil fauna feeding activity and highlighting the multifactorial influence on soil fauna functional activity to be considered in floodplain-forest restoration programs. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:15:03 +030
- An analysis of the inter-state similarity of the herpetofaunas of
Mexican states
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 223-256
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.106732
Authors : Julio A. Lemos-Espinal, Geoffrey R. Smith : Mexico is a megadiverse country with high amphibian and reptile richness. Understanding how Mexico’s herpetofauna is shared among Mexican states can contribute to developing conservation plans by figuring out which states may need to coordinate conservation actions. We generated species lists for the herpetofauna for all Mexican states, and used hierarchical clustering analyses to identify clusters of states on the basis of amphibian and reptile species separately. We also calculated pair-wise Jaccard distances for all Mexican states for amphibians, reptiles, and physiographic provinces and estimated the length of shared borders between states and the geographic (straight-line) distance between the centroids of pairs of states. We used these data to explore potential drivers of the cluster analysis results. Our cluster analysis for amphibians identified five clusters with nine subclusters, and for reptiles, resulted in four clusters with six subclusters. In general, the clusters for Mexican amphibians and reptiles have a similar composition of states. However, for amphibians, the states of Veracruz and Puebla form a cluster separate from a large cluster of northeastern Mexican states, whereas in reptiles Veracruz and Puebla cluster with northeastern Mexican states. Jaccard distances of amphibians and reptiles were highly, positively correlated. Both amphibian and reptile Jaccard distances were positively correlated with the physiographic provinces’ Jaccard distance and shared border length and negatively correlated with the distance between centroids. Taken together, our results suggest that the pattern of the sharing of herpetofaunal species among Mexican states is a consequence of the states’ proximity. Such a pattern is consistent with the underlying driver being the similarity of physiographic provinces (i.e., habitats and ecosystems) of these states (i.e., geographic proximity likely reflects, at least in large part, ecological similarity). Our results suggest clusters of states that should coordinate the conservation and management of their herpetofaunas. For example, clusters of states in southern Mexico share a high number of threatened amphibian species and clusters of states in northern Mexico share a high number of threatened reptile species. Oaxaca is also a state that has a unique herpetofauna and a high number of threatened species of both amphibians and reptiles. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Mon, 25 Sep 2023 18:32:40 +030
- Conserving the threatened woody vegetation on dune slopes: Monitoring
the decline and designing adaptive strategies for restoration
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 165-182
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.106406
Authors : Amin U. Khan, Asad Abbas, Faiza Sharif, Asma Mansoor, Zafar Siddiq : The southern tip of the Thal desert in Pakistan harbors the remnants of the original tropical thorn forest, amounting to two percent, which covered the province of Punjab a hundred years ago. In the past three decades, there has been a progressive decline in woody species cover on dunes, which is directly related to the increase in population in the surrounding area. Stabilized and destabilized dunes were subjectively selected followed by quantification of cover and diversity of woody species on the top and lower slopes. Dunes closely resembling the overall cover were grouped to suggest corresponding restoration measures. The results suggest that trends of decrease in cover and diversity of woody species were evident in the upper slopes of some stabilized dunes having less than 50% cover. The destabilized dunes with less than 20% cover are highly vulnerable to erosion. A general trend observed among dunes was that with a decrease in the cover of upper slopes, there is a decrease in the cover on lower slopes. The number of destabilized dunes is increasing without effective restoration measures against the prevailing trends of disturbances. Ranking dunes on the basis of cover could help in proposing simple restoration measures as a first step towards developing an understanding of designing adaptive strategies to restore the woody cover. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Tue, 5 Sep 2023 16:11:15 +0300
- Assessment of the threat status of reptile species from Vietnam -
Implementation of the One Plan Approach to Conservation
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 183-221
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.106923
Authors : Lilli Stenger, Anke Große Hovest, Truong Quang Nguyen, Cuong The Pham, Anna Rauhaus, Minh Duc Le, Dennis Rödder, Thomas Ziegler : Since the world is currently in the midst of a major biodiversity crisis, scientists have assigned high conservation priority to 36 biodiversity hotspots around the world. As part of one of the leading hotspots in terms of species richness and local endemism, Vietnam is considered a country with high conservation priority. The reptile fauna of Vietnam is known for its high level of diversity and an outstanding number of endemic species. Vietnamese reptiles are highly threatened due to habitat loss and overharvesting for domestic and international trade, traditional medicine and food, making them a group of great conservation concern. As a baseline for improved reptile conservation in Vietnam, we conducted a conservation assessment of Vietnamese reptile species by evaluating data from a variety of sources. Our study results show that approximately 32.9% (n = 159) of the total reptile species (n = 484) present in Vietnam are endemic to the country, of which more than half are only known from their type locality and about one-third restricted to a particular subregion, making the species particularly vulnerable to threats. Furthermore, 33.5% (n = 53) of 158 endemic taxa included in the protected area analysis have not yet been recorded from any protected area. Among all 418 Vietnamese reptile species listed on the IUCN Red List, 17.7% (n = 74) are threatened with extinction, 46.0% (n = 34) of the total 74 threatened species are endemic to Vietnam. The fact that 135 species are either listed as DD or have not yet been evaluated by the IUCN highlights the urgency of further research. Moreover, only very few species are protected by national or international legislation, and further assessments are needed to protect reptiles of particular concern. A Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) analysis revealed that 22.5% (n = 109) of all reptiles occurring in Vietnam and only 6.3% (n = 10) of the endemic Vietnamese reptiles are currently kept in zoos worldwide. Although 60.8% (n = 45) of the threatened reptiles (n = 74) from Vietnam are currently held in zoos, only 23.5 (n = 8) of the endemic threatened species (n = 34) are held there. Following the IUCN CPSG`s One Plan Approach to Conservation, it is therefore recommended to increase the number of threatened and endemic species in breeding stations and zoos to maintain assurance populations, suitable for restocking measures. Despite ongoing efforts in Vietnam, further conservation measures are required. We therefore also identify areas of highest reptile diversity and with the largest number of threatened species and provide a list of 50 most threatened species (10% of total species) as a guide for further research and conservation action in Vietnam. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Tue, 5 Sep 2023 10:32:53 +0300
- Has climate change hijacked the environmental agenda'
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 157-164
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.110961
Authors : Cássio Cardoso Pereira, Daniel Negreiros, Milton Barbosa, Fernando Figueiredo Goulart, Rodrigo de Loyola Dias, Maria Clara Melillo, Flávio Camarota, Mariana Antunes Pimenta, Marina Cruz, Geraldo Wilson Fernandes : Since the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), decision-makers have realised that periodic assessments were needed to closely monitor climate change. Studies on it became widespread and include the science of greenhouse gas emissions, the composition of these gases and the extent to which humans have been responsible for climate change. In this sense, the United Nations summit has made significant progress since the Rio Conference (Eco 92), with the creation of the Conference of the Parties (COPs). However, governments should not solely focus on curbing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. In a society with broad and deep environmental problems, governments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations’ (NGOs) efforts should include biodiversity conservation in their agenda. Solving a single problem, the climate crisis is honourable and urgently needed, but to constrain our ever-increasing land-use footprints on the planet needs the tackling of another equally challenging problem, the loss of biodiversity. The destruction of ecosystems undermines nature’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and protect against extreme weather, thus accelerating climate change and increasing our vulnerability to it. Therefore, tackling environmental challenges means more than building electric cars, investing in “clean” energy and imposing fines on those who burn forests. To save the environment, scientists, industry, policy-makers and the wider society urgently need to look at other aspects of ecosystem conservation and restoration in the same way they look at the climate agenda. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Tue, 5 Sep 2023 08:50:12 +0300
- Dynamic change of habitat quality and its key driving factors in
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 125-155
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.102810
Authors : Ding Wang, Haiguang Hao, Hao Liu, Lihui Sun, Yuyang Li : Habitat quality reflects the level of biodiversity, and habitat maintenance functions are related to human well-being and ecosystem stability. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is a typical ecologically fragile region in Western China with complex human-nature relationships. Maintaining good habitat is not only a fundamental requirement for biodiversity conservation but also a necessary path for sustainable regional development. In this study, we assessed and analysed the spatial and temporal patterns and changes in habitat quality in Ningxia from 2000 to 2020, and explored the driving factors of habitat quality using a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. The results indicated: (1) The overall habitat quality level in Ningxia was low to intermediate, with an upwards and then downwards trend during the past 20 years, showing a small change in overall magnitude. (2) The high- and higher-level habitat quality patches in Ningxia were mainly distributed in areas with high vegetation cover, such as the Helan Mountain and Liupan Mountain. The patches of moderate-level habitat quality mainly included cultivated land, while the low- and lower-level patches were mainly distributed in areas subjected to more frequent human activities, such as cultivated land and construction land. (3) The spatial and temporal distribution patterns and changes in habitat quality in Ningxia from 2000 to 2020 were mainly influenced by fractional vegetation cover (FVC), soil moisture content (SMC), proportion of construction land area (PCL), and proportion of cultivated land area (CLP). Among them, FVC and SMC were positive driving factors, and PCL and CLP were negative driving factors. The results support that increasing vegetation cover and reducing anthropogenic disturbance to natural habitats are important measures to maintain fragile habitats and that key ecological function areas such as nature reserves are crucial for habitat quality protection in ecologically fragile areas. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:14:44 +030
- Performance of SNP markers for parentage analysis in the Italian Alpine
brown bear using non-invasive samples
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 105-123
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.86739
Authors : Patrizia Giangregorio, Nadia Mucci, Anita J. Norman, Luca Pedrotti, Stefano Filacorda, Paolo Molinari, Göran Spong, Francesca Davoli : Determination of parentage provides valuable information for the conservation of wild populations, for instance, by allowing the monitoring of breeding success and inbreeding. Between 1999 and 2002, nine brown bears (Ursus arctos) were translocated to augment the remnant population of a few surviving individuals in the Italian Alps, but only part of them reproduced, with a higher inbreeding risk occurrence in the long-time. Currently, in the Alpine population, parentage tests are assessed through the analysis of 15 microsatellite loci (STRs), but the reduction of genetic variability in future generations will need the use of additional informative markers. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been proven to be useful and reliable in individual identification and family reconstruction; moreover, they can perform well on low-quality samples. In this study, we analysed 51 SNPs to generate a SNP multilocus genotype dataset of 54 Alpine brown bears (Ursus arctos) and compared its performance in parentage analysis with the validated STR dataset. We found that SNPs alone are not sufficient to determine parentage relationships, but the combination of SNPs and STRs provided unambiguous parentage assignments. The combined panel also performed better than STRs when true parents were not present in the dataset and, consequently, showed higher values of assignment probabilities. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:22:39 +030
- Hope is the last thing lost: Colombian captive-bred population of the
critically endangered Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is a
genetic reservoir that could help to save the species from extinction
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 85-103
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.104000
Authors : Ana M. Saldarriaga-Gómez, María Cristina Ardila-Robayo, Federico Medem, Mario Vargas-Ramírez : A purpose of ex-situ populations is the preservation of genetic variation, but this is a challenging task since genetic diversity is commonly lost through each generation, and so the establishment of management guidelines should be a high priority. Fifty years ago, the National University of Colombia began a breeding program in the Roberto Franco Tropical Station (in Villavicencio, Meta) to conserve the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile Crocodylus intermedius. Despite the large number of individuals raised and kept in captivity, the Station has not been able to release individuals due to a lack of a complete genetic characterization that could determine whether the population is genetically viable. In this study we used a panel of 17 microsatellite loci to overcome this problem. We estimated from the founder animals and the live crocodiles the inbreeding, heterozygosities, the number of alleles, and their richness, and frequencies to understand the effects of managing a captive breeding program without considering genetic profiles. Our results revealed that the living population maintains much of its founder diversity with high levels of heterozygosity and low overall inbreeding, making it suitable for maintaining captive breeding and for implementing wild releases. We estimated the individual genetic diversity of the living crocodiles, as well as their relationships. This information, combined with the size, sex, and location, allowed us to propose combinations and to restructure the breeding groups. We demonstrated that molecular data could be used to improve the management of ex-situ conservation programs well beyond what could be achieved with pedigree information alone. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:27:08 +030
- Coastal beaver, Chinook, coho, chum salmon and trout response to
nearshore changes resulting from diking and large-scale dam removals:
synergistic ecosystem engineering and restoration in the coastal zone
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 61-83
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.85421
Authors : J. Anne Shaffer, Dave Parks, Katrina Campbell, Anna Moragne, Bligh Hueske, Pamela Adams, Jenise M. Bauman : In this paper we assess long-term trends and habitat changes to understand the relationships between coastal beaver (Castor canadensis), salmon, shoreline alterations, large-scale dam removals and nearshore ecological restoration. From this work we conclude that the removal of two large scale dams in the Elwha River has benefited beaver use of the coastal zone through water quality changes that allow beaver to re-establish high-quality zones and the expansion of riparian zones that provide extensive new food resources to beaver. However, the lower river hydrodynamic processes continue to be disrupted by a 200-meter earthen dike installed by local government and landowners for flood protection in the Elwha coastal zone in the 1960’s. The dike acts as a driver of lower river geomorphology and has resulted in the formation of a large and persistent lateral bar along the lower river channel. Associated disrupted hydrodynamics are causing a critical coastal zone of the unimpounded lower river side channels to fill in. This channel habitat has decreased by 23%, with an annual average shrinkage rate of 13%, from pre-dam removal size, resulting in a decrease in both quality and quantity of nursery function for juvenile wild fish in a coastal zone that was historically documented to be the highest functioning for endangered juvenile salmon and trout. Inversely, physical changes including improved water quality in the adjacent impounded west side channel and continued expansion of riparian vegetation along the west delta lateral bar benefitted coastal beaver that recolonized the west delta after dam removals. The newly colonized coastal beaver may provide ecological engineering services to offset side channel loss as well as promote continued fish access. However recreational use was found to negatively impact beaver use of the area. We therefore recommend a series of additional ecosystem restoration actions that incorporate beaver as an ecosystem restoration component of the coastal zone. These actions include a public outreach program to encourage passive recreation measures to prevent negative impacts to beaver, and legacy, ecosystem scale restoration projects that reconnect the hydrodynamics of the west delta to complete Elwha ecosystem restoration. Together, these steps, if implemented, will result in a synergistic ecosystem restoration throughout the watershed to the benefit of the coastal ecosystem, including both beaver and salmon, as intended by the large-scale dam removal project. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Tue, 18 Jul 2023 18:07:55 +030
- First exhaustive distribution and habitat modelling of Morimus asper
(Sulzer, 1776) sensu lato (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Bulgaria
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 39-59
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.104243
Authors : Rumyana Kostova, Rostislav Bekchiev, Georgi Popgeorgiev, Yurii V. Kornilev : Although Morimus asper, in particular the ssp. funereus, is considered as widespread throughout Bulgaria, a current national mapping of the species is missing. Thus, here we present the first exhaustive study on the distribution of M. asper in Bulgaria. Our research combined 967 georeferenced presence records from scientific publications, from the museum collection of the National Museum of Natural History-BAS, as well as authors’ and citizen scientists’ field observations. An Ecological Niche Model (ENM) was generated using software MaxEnt to identify the potential distribution of the species based on niche suitability. The potentially suitable area for the species was 26% of Bulgaria (29 059 km2). The main predictor variables in M. asper’s ENM assessed by а Jackknife test were the distance to mixed Fagus-Carpinus forests, the mean forest age, the mean tree height, the maximal temperature during the hottest month and the altitude. The percentage contribution to the model of the first two variables was also the largest – respectively 40% and 11%. The remaining variables contributed less than 10% each. Furthermore, we recommend some changes to the current species monitoring methodology to the National Biodiversity Monitoring System. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Fri, 7 Jul 2023 11:20:13 +0300
- Effect of ecological restoration on topsoil phosphorus following
afforestation on abandoned ponds in northern Chaohu Lake, China
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 1-16
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.97873
Authors : Gang Li, Shengming Dong, Hao Wang, Yanmei Guan, Patrick Tyler Deja, Wei Nie : Afforestation is an approach for ecological restoration. Soil total phosphorus is one of the important ecological and evolutionary elements for carbon cycles and plant growth following afforestation. However, studies on soil total phosphorus of afforestation on abandoned ponds with different slopes are still lacking. Soil total phosphorus and other soil properties from afforestation sites with different slopes were investigated. Soil total phosphorus, total nitrogen, bulk density, soil water contents and pH of poplar (Populus spp.) plantation sites (Slope 1) with a steep slope and pond cypress (Taxodium spp.) plantation sites (Slope 2) with a flat slope were determined. Soil total nitrogen stocks, soil total phosphorus stocks and the ratio of soil total nitrogen to total phosphorus (N:P) were calculated. Results showed that soil bulk density, soil water content, total phosphorus, total phosphorus stocks and total nitrogen stocks of three soil layers at Slope 1 were significantly lower than those of Slope 2. N:P of Slope 1 was significantly higher, but no significant difference of total nitrogen and pH were found between the two sampling sites. Soil bulk density, soil water content and total nitrogen had significant positive relationships with both total phosphorus and total phosphorus stocks. No obvious correlation was found between pH and total phosphorus or total phosphorus stocks. Redundancy analysis (RDA analysis) suggested that soil water content and bulk density had the most important individual effect on total phosphorus and total phosphorus stocks with values at 59.3% and 59.5%, respectively. It is recommended that afforestation on a flat or gentle slope rather than on a steep gradient could be helpful for accumulation of soil total phosphorus and phosphorus stocks and could decrease the risk of soil phosphorus loss, when afforestation is used for ecological restoration. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:41:56 +030
- Promoting private forests for biodiversity conservation and ecosystems
restoration in the Sahel region
Abstract: Nature Conservation 53: 17-38
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.53.99313
Authors : Karafa Bognini, Loyapin Bondé, Sié Sylvestre Da, Abisha Mapendembe, Roch Yao Gnabeli : Private forests have the potential to mitigate biodiversity loss and improve community livelihoods. However, information on the socio-ecological factors that drive their establishment and long-term management are limited. This study aimed to narrow this gap by assessing the potential of privately-owned forests in conserving biodiversity and supporting the livelihoods of communities in northern Burkina Faso. Floristic data were collected within 26 plots (900 m2 each) equally distributed between private Gourga forest, established in 1980) and its adjacent communal areas. Sixty-three (63) private landowners were interviewed in order to underpin their motivations and associated traditional knowledge and a stakeholder’s workshop was conducted to develop conservation models for private forests and participatory implementation roadmap. Findings revealed that species richness was 132 in the Gourga forest and 85 in the communal areas, highlighting the importance of private forest in species conservation. Local communities recognized the provisioning (36.46%), regulating (28.46%) and supporting (22.48%) of ecosystem services provided by the Gourga forest as motivating factors. The main barriers to their establishment and management include lack of financial resources (35%), scarce lands (26%) and human pressures (8%). The implementation of private forests will need to be supported by the enactment of a secure land tenure policy, as well as payment for ecosystem services (PES) policies, incentivizing locals. We suggest decision makers mainstream privately-owned lands into national conservation strategies and design incentives policies to motivate local communities’ engagement. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:15:23 +030
- The scale of the problem: understanding the demand for medicinal
pangolin products in China
Abstract: Nature Conservation 52: 47-61
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.52.95916
Authors : Yifu Wang, Samuel T. Turvey, Nigel Leader-Williams : Wildlife conservationists are increasingly concerned about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) due to the demands it places on many threatened species. In particular, pangolin populations in both Asia and Africa have experienced drastic declines driven by illegal trade. However, few studies have attempted to determine the level of this demand for traded species. In this study, we use social science approaches to investigate the pangolin scale trade within China, based upon interviews with informants from hospitals and pharmaceutical shops in two Chinese provinces (Henan and Hainan). Doctors from 41 hospitals and shop owners or shop assistants from 134 pharmaceutical shops were interviewed between October 2016 and April 2017. We show that pangolin scales are under heavy demand and products are available in 34% of the shops and 66% of the hospitals included in this study. Sale quantities were found to vary substantially amongst sellers and no significant factors were found to correlate with sale quantity. Moreover, quantities of products traded by permitted legal sellers are estimated to greatly exceed the supply capacity of legal sources. There is an urgent need to reduce demand from TCM on pangolin scales and revise the current legal pangolin scale trade system. We also highlight the importance of incorporating the TCM sector into combating illegal wildlife trade and species conservation beyond pangolins. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Mon, 3 Apr 2023 15:17:32 +0300
- Vegetation changes at oligotrophic grasslands managed for a
declining butterfly
Abstract: Nature Conservation 52: 23-46
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.52.90452
Authors : Přemysl Tájek, Aleš Tenčík, Martin Konvička, Václav John : A selection of sites occupied by the EU-protected marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) in western Czech Republic were subjected to a vegetation survey 15 years ago and again recently. In the 66 time-replicated 25 m2 plots from 12 sites, representing the diversity of E. aurinia-occupied oligotrophic grasslands in the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area (and covering a fifth of the currently-occupied Czech sites), we recorded quantitative representation of vascular plants and mosses. We analysed the data using multivariate ordinations, asking how the vegetation changed between the surveys, how was it affected by the conservation management applied and how it affected occupancy by the butterfly larval nests; the vegetation patterns were interpreted using Ellenberg’s plant indicator values. Between the two surveys, the overall representation of the larval host plant, Succisa pratensis, did not change; tree and herbs layers (both grasses and forbs) increased and the moss layer decreased. Across surveys, the main driver of vascular plants’ species composition was moisture, followed by soil reaction and nitrogen, whereas in mosses, nitrogen was the main factor. The main change between the surveys was the increase of nitrogen accompanied by decreased light, probably due to increase of competitively strong plants. Butterfly occupancy declined at sites with high soil moisture and increased at sites with higher soil reaction. Mowing of moist nitrogen-rich sites, but not drier nitrogen-poor sites, increased occupancy, illustrating the need for context-dependent interventions. All the evidence thus shows that E. aurinia prefers drier, warmer and less acidic conditions within the generally moist acidic grasslands and that ongoing eutrophication represents a potential problem in the future. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Thu, 23 Mar 2023 18:16:18 +020
- Evaluating resampled and fused Sentinel-2 data and machine-learning
algorithms for mangrove mapping in the northern coast of Qeshm island,
Iran
Abstract: Nature Conservation 52: 1-22
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.52.89639
Authors : Ali Reza Soffianian, Neda Bihamta Toosi, Ali Asgarian, Hervé Regnauld, Sima Fakheran, Lars T. Waser : Mangrove forests, as an essential component of the coastal zones in tropical and subtropical areas, provide a wide range of goods and ecosystem services that play a vital role in ecology. Mangroves are globally threatened, disappearing, and degraded. Consequently, knowledge on mangroves distribution and change is important for effective conservation and making protection policies. Developing remote sensing data and classification methods have proven to be suitable tools for mapping mangrove forests over a regional scale. Here, we scrutinized and compared the performance of pixel-based and object-based methods under Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) algorithms in mapping a mangrove ecosystem into four main classes (Mangrove tree, mudflat, water, and sand spit) using resampled and fused Sentinel-2 images. Additionally, landscape metrics were used to identify the differences between spatial patterns obtained from different classification methods. Results showed that pixel-based classifications were influenced heavily by the effect of salt and pepper noise, whereas in object-based classifications, boundaries of land use land cover (LULC) polygons were smoother and visually more appealing. Object-based classifications, with an excellent level of kappa, distinguished mudflat and sand spit from each other and from mangrove better than the pixel-based classifications which obtained a fair-to-good level of kappa. RF and SVM performed differently under comparable circumstances. The results of landscape metrics comparison presented that the classification methods can be affected on quantifying area and size metrics. Although the results supported the idea that fused Sentinel images may provide better results in mangrove LULC classification, further research needs to develop and evaluate various image fusion approaches to make use of all Sentinel’s fine resolution images. Our results on the mapping of mangrove ecosystems can contribute to the improvement of management and conservation strategies for these ecosystems being impacted by human activities. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Mon, 20 Mar 2023 10:49:33 +020
- Local perception of the current state and threat factors of a
critically endangered species, Celtis toka (Forssk.) Hepper & J.R.I. Wood,
in Burkina Faso: implications for species conservation
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 189-225
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.96255
Authors : Zaïnabou Dabré, Issouf Zerbo, Blandine Marie Ivette Nacoulma, Dodiomon Soro, Adjima Thiombiano : Celtis toka, the only species of the genus Celtis (family Cannabaceae) encountered in the flora of Burkina Faso, is critically endangered in the country. To engage the public for the future conservation and domestication of the species, knowledge of the factors threatening Celtis toka survival is necessary. Thus, the study objective was to identify the perceptions of local people concerning the current state and conservation strategies of Celtis toka in Burkina Faso. To investigate potential solutions to the threats posed to Celtis toka, we randomly surveyed 405 consenting participants using a selected semi-structured interview. Moreover, field observations were performed to assess the threat drivers cited by local people of the Sudanian and Sudano-Sahelian climatic zones. Descriptive analyses (relative frequency and fidelity level) and generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to highlight the impact of sociodemographic factors and climate zones on the current state, threat drivers, and potential solutions. The chi-square test was used to assess whether to plant C. toka. GLM analyses revealed that local knowledge about the current state, threat factors and potential solution to the threat as related to natural stand varied significantly according to ethnolinguistic group (P < 0.000), sex (P = 0.01) and age (P = 0.01). Rural people had varying perceptions of the current state of C. toka. Sixty-eight percent reported a decrease in population, ten percent reported scarcity, and five percent reported extinction. The views of local people were that the factors affecting C. toka were pruning (25%), climate change (14%), deforestation (10%), ageing (10%), debarking (9%), and agriculture (7%). Potential solutions included planting (45%), conservation of C. toka and its habitat (27%), sustainable use of Celtis toka (14%), promotion of education and awareness about Celtis toka (10%) and tree/crop association (5%). The study concluded that the ethnobotanical knowledge of Celtis toka may play an important role in its conservation and domestication in Burkina Faso. Furthermore, its incorporation into reforestation and restoration programs is critical to species survival. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:56:02 +020
- Changes in suitable habitat for the critically endangered Northern
white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) in the Western Nghe An
Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam: Implication for conservation
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 167-188
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.90373
Authors : Khoa Van Phung, Dung Van Tran, Hai Thanh Dong, Vinh Quang Luu, Van Bac Bui, Thinh Tien Vu : Several recent studies have highlighted that change in land use and land cover (LULC) is the main threat causing the decline and extinction of certain species. Gibbons (Hylobatidae) could be excellent examples, on account of their potential for extinction in the near future under the effects of LULC changes due to their particular ecological traits. This study aims to model the current suitable habitat of the Northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys (Ogilby, 1840)) in the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve (BR), Vietnam and assess the changes in its suitable habitat following the changes in LULC from 1990 to 2020. The maximum entropy approach (MaxEnt) was used to predict the suitable habitat of the gibbon using its occurrence localities and environmental predictors. The model analysis showed that the “Distance to Agriculture” variable had the strongest impact on the gibbons’ suitable habitat. Our results predicted the present suitable habitat of the gibbon species at approximately 4,022.42 km2 (30.95% of the overall BR area) in three spatially separated areas inside the Western Nghe An BR. Furthermore, the suitable habitat areas of the gibbon in 1990, 2000, and 2010 were projected at roughly 4,347.68 km2, 4,324.97 km2, and 2,750.21 km2, respectively, following a decreasing trend from 1990 to 2010, but a gradual increase between 2010 and 2020. The suitable habitat of the gibbon inside three core protected areas (Pu Mat National Park, Pu Huong, and Pu Hoat Nature Reserves) showed a continually increasing trend from 1990 to 2020. Our results highlighted the influence of LULC changes and the role of the protected area network in gibbon conservation. The information from the study provides a quantitative baseline for the future conservation of the critically endangered gibbon in the Western Nghe An BR. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Tue, 21 Feb 2023 19:27:17 +020
- Using drone imagery to obtain population data of colony-nesting
seabirds to support Canada’s transition to the global Key Biodiversity
Areas program
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 155-166
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.96366
Authors : Lindsay A. R. Lalach, David W. Bradley, Douglas F. Bertram, Louise K. Blight : Identifying of global or national biodiversity ‘hotspots’ has proven important for focusing and prioritizing conservation efforts worldwide. Canada has nearly 600 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) identified by quantitative criteria to help guide avian conservation and management. Marine IBAs capture critical waterbird habitats such as nesting colonies, foraging sites, and staging areas. However, due to their remote locations, many lack recent population counts. Canada has begun transitioning IBAs into the global Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) program; KBAs identify areas that are important for the persistence of biodiversity and encompass a wider scope of unique, rare, or vulnerable taxa. Assessing whether IBAs qualify as KBAs requires current data – as will future efforts to manage these biologically important sites. We conducted a pilot study in the Chain Islets and Great Chain Island IBA, in British Columbia, to assess the effectiveness of using drones to census surface-nesting seabirds in an IBA context. This IBA was originally designated for supporting a globally significant breeding colony of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens). Total nest counts derived from orthomosaic imagery (1012 nesting pairs) show that this site now falls below the Global and National IBA designation criterion threshold, a finding consistent with regional declines in the species. Our trial successfully demonstrates a flexible and low cost approach to obtaining population data at an ecologically sensitive KBA site. We explore how drones will be a useful tool to assess and monitor species and habitats within remote, data-deficient IBAs, particularly during the transition to KBAs. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Wed, 15 Feb 2023 09:51:43 +020
- The trail less traveled: Envisioning a new approach to identifying key
food resources for threatened Hawaiian arboreal snails
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 137-153
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.94952
Authors : Wallace M. Meyer III, Kenneth A. Hayes, Norine W. Yeung, Edward J. Crane III, Alexandra Turvey, Claire LeBlanc, Andre R. O. Cavalcanti : Our understanding of Hawaiian arboreal snails’ diets remains rudimentary, hindering the development of effective conservation strategies. To identify important food resources, we tested the hypothesis that epiphytic microbial assemblages differ on plant species preferred and avoided by snails at Mt. Kaala Natural Area Reserve, where snail plant preferences are known from previous studies. Comparing microbial assemblages on plants that snails both prefer and avoid was identified as a potentially key step to moving research away from characterizing which microbes snails encounter, towards testing if microbial assemblages are driving snail plant preferences. We found that fungal and bacterial assemblages differed between plant species preferred and avoided by snails, indicating that Hawaiian arboreal snails may be selecting plants based on their epiphytic microbial assemblages. Previous microbes thought to be important, Cladosporium spp., propagated in captive rearing facilities, and Botryosphaeria spp., preferred fungi in a feeding experiment, were both rare and had similar abundances on preferred and avoided plant species in Mt. Kaala. Our approach, conducting preference studies before isolating microbes, is key to identifying arboreal snail food resources and improves our ability to identify microbes that form the foundation of Hawaiian arboreal snails’ diet. If we can identify important food resources, it greatly expands our ability to: (1) assess and monitor habitat quality, (2) make informed restoration recommendations, and (3) improve rearing efforts for highly endangered captive reared populations. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Fri, 10 Feb 2023 10:06:29 +020
- Numerous uncertainties in the multifaceted global trade in frogs’
legs with the EU as the major consumer
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 71-135
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.93868
Authors : Mark Auliya, Sandra Altherr, Charlotte Nithart, Alice Hughes, David Bickford : The commercial trade in frogs and their body parts is global, dynamic and occurs in extremely large volumes (in the thousands of tonnes/yr or billions of frogs/yr). The European Union (EU) remains the single largest importer of frogs’ legs, with most frogs still caught from the wild. Amongst the many drivers of species extinction or population decline (e.g. due to habitat loss, climate change, disease etc.), overexploitation is becoming increasingly more prominent. Due to global declines and extinctions, new attention is being focused on these markets, in part to try to ensure sustainability. While the trade is plagued by daunting realities of data deficiency and uncertainty and the conflicts of commercial interests associated with these data, it is clear is that EU countries are most responsible for the largest portion of the international trade in frogs’ legs of wild species. Over decades of exploitation, the EU imports have contributed to a decline in wild frog populations in an increasing number of supplying countries, such as India and Bangladesh, as well as Indonesia, Turkey and Albania more recently. However, there have been no concerted attempts by the EU and present export countries to ensure sustainability of this trade. Further work is needed to validate species identities, secure data on wild frog populations, establish reasonable monitored harvest/export quotas and disease surveillance and ensure data integrity, quality and security standards for frog farms. Herein, we call upon those countries and their representative governments to assume responsibility for the sustainability of the trade. The EU should take immediate action to channel all imports through a single centralised database and list sensitive species in the Annexes of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation. Further, listing in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) can enforce international trade restrictions. More joint efforts are needed to improve regional monitoring schemes before the commercial trade causes irreversible extinctions of populations and species of frogs. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Wed, 8 Feb 2023 15:00:50 +0200
- Important plant areas (IPAs) in the Fergana Valley (Central Asia): The
Bozbu-Too-Ungortepa massif
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 13-70
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.94477
Authors : Komiljon Sh. Tojibaev, Farkhod I. Karimov, Hushbaht R. Hoshimov, Rustam Gulomov, Georgy A. Lazkov, Chang-Gee Jang, Hee-Young Gil, Ju-Eun Jang, Avazbek R. Batoshov, Abdulla Iskandarov, Hyeok Jae Choi : This paper discusses identifying Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in one of the most densely populated regions of Central Asia—the Fergana valley. The recognition of IPA sites is an attempt to introduce new ways of conserving local plant diversity with a high concentration of endemic species in Central Asia, where conservation methods of the former Soviet Union still prevail. The research revealed the current state and geography of many rare species and enriched the flora of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan with several rare species. The second IPA is the transboundary territory of the Fergana valley, uniting the southern spurs of the Chatkal range and the Ungortepa-BozbuToo massif. We documented the distribution of 62 species in the IPAs under the sub-criteria of Plantlife International. Our study aimed at continuing studies on the IPAs in this region, addressing specific conservation challenges, such as conserving national endemics and endangered species that grow outside protected areas and GIS mapping of endemic species. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:41:01 +020
- Reencounter with the past: occurrence of sei whale (Balaenoptera
borealis) in an old hunting area in the south-eastern Pacific Ocean
Abstract: Nature Conservation 51: 1-12
DOI : 10.3897/natureconservation.51.95690
Authors : Andrea Cisterna-Concha, Camila Calderón-Quirgas, Fernanda Silva-Andrades, Richard Muñoz, Heraldo V. Norambuena : The sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) was intensively exploited throughout its range, with about 110.000 individuals hunted by pelagic fleets in Antarctic waters between 1960 and 1970. In addition, basic information on its distribution, migratory routes, and feeding grounds in the southeastern Pacific, has been poorly documented. In the case of Chile, recent information consists mainly of accidental records. This research presents the first sei whale photo-identification catalog for south-central Chile. From November 2019 to January 2020, 88 individuals were recorded from land-based and boat surveys at Caleta Chome. Of these, 12 individuals were photo-identified through scars or distinctive notches in the dorsal fins. The peak of sightings occurred during December 2019; two individuals were sighted on more than one occasion. HTML XML PDF
PubDate: Thu, 26 Jan 2023 16:56:57 +020
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