scholarly journals Pet distribution modelling: Untangling the invasive potential of Trachemys dorbigni (Emydidae) in the Americas

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259626
Author(s):  
Érica Fonseca ◽  
Camila Both ◽  
Sonia Zanini Cechin ◽  
Gisele Winck

Human activities have been changing the global biogeographic patterns by the introductions of invasive species. For reptiles, the invasion rate increase of non-native species is remarkably related to the pet trade, especially for freshwater turtles. Here we estimated the invasive potential of the South American turtle Trachemys dorbigni in the Americas using a combination of climatic and human activity variables. We built species distribution models based on data from the native and invasive ranges, using the ensemble model from five different algorithms (GAM, MAXENT, BRT, RF and GBM). We compared the two models’ performance and predictions, one calibrated with only climatic variables (climate-driven), and the second also included a descriptive variable of human activity (climate plus human-driven). Suitable areas for T. dorbigni covered occurrence areas of its congeners and highly diversified ecoregions, such as the eastern USA, the islands of Central America, and the south eastern and eastern Brazilian coast. Our results indicate that human activities allow T. dorbigni to establish populations outside of its original climatic niche. Including human activity variables proved fundamental to refining the results to identify more susceptible areas to invasion and to allow the efficient targeting of prevention measures. Finally, we suggested a set of actions to prevent T. dorbigni becoming a highly impacting species in the areas identified as more prone to its invasion.

Author(s):  
Liliane Lodi ◽  
Marcelo Tardelli Rodrigues

Between 1993 and 2005, 68 sightings of southern right whales were recorded along 400 km of coastline between Paraty Bay (23°13'S 44°42'W) and Macaé (22°22'S 41°47'W), Rio de Janeiro State, south-eastern Brazilian coast. Mother/calf pairs represented 66.1% of sightings. Only solitary individuals showed a distinct pattern of occurrence. Females with calf did not show a distinct pattern of occurrence suggesting their widespread distribution in the area. Analysis of the records and detailed accounts of the sightings of southern right whales reveal that there exist conflicts between the animals and human activities such as harassment and collision with boats during attempted rescues, accidental entanglement in fishing nets and intentional mortality, which may have a bearing in the conservation of the species in Brazilian waters.


Check List ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 961-965
Author(s):  
Lucas Canes Garcia ◽  
Cristiano Rangel Moreira ◽  
Alfredo Carvalho-Filho

Recent studies reported the introduction of non-native species on the Brazilian coast. In this contribution, we provide the first record of Cephalopholis taeniops (Valenciennes 1828) in the western South Atlantic, based on a specimen captured off the Ilhas Cagarras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and discuss the potential agents for its introduction. While this single specimen was collected in 2006 in a well-known locality, no other specimen has been captured since.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant Duffy ◽  
Jasmine R Lee

Warming across ice-covered regions will result in changes to both the physical and climatic environment, revealing new ice-free habitat and new climatically suitable habitats for non-native species establishment. Recent studies have independently quantified each of these aspects in Antarctica, where ice-free areas form crucial habitat for the majority of terrestrial biodiversity. Here we synthesise projections of Antarctic ice-free area expansion, recent spatial predictions of non-native species risk, and the frequency of human activities to quantify how these facets of anthropogenic change may interact now and in the future. Under a high-emissions future climate scenario, over a quarter of ice-free area and over 80 % of the ~14 thousand km2 of newly uncovered ice-free area could be vulnerable to invasion by one or more of the modelled non-native species by the end of the century. Ice-free areas identified as vulnerable to non-native species establishment were significantly closer to human activity than unsuitable areas were. Furthermore, almost half of the new vulnerable ice-free area is within 20 km of a site of current human activity. The Antarctic Peninsula, where human activity is heavily concentrated, will be at particular risk. The implications of this for conservation values of Antarctica and the management efforts required to mitigate against it are in need of urgent consideration.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Bernardo Anacreto Gomes de Barros ◽  
Márcia Salustiano de Castro ◽  
Ana Cristina Teixeira Bonecker

Fistulariidae contains the single genus, Fistularia, with four species. Two of these species are recorded from Brazil: Fistularia petimba and F. tabacaria. This study describes larvae of these two species of Fistularia, recording their distribution along the southeastern Brazilian coast, which is limited in the north by Real River (12° S) and in the south by São Tomé Cape (22° S). Samples were collected using a bongo net with mesh apertures of 330 and 500 µm during three oceanographic cruises conducted on spring/98 (Central III), winter/99 (Bahia 1) and autumn/00 (Central IV). The net was towed obliquely and the maximum depth was 200 m. Larvae of F. petimba were the most abundant and most widely distributed within the study area, including the seamounts of the Vitória-Trindade Ridge. Larvae of F. tabacaria were recorded only between 14° S and 21° S.


Hydrobiologia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 821 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Garofalo ◽  
S. Fezzani ◽  
F. Gargano ◽  
G. Milisenda ◽  
O. Ben Abdallah ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faye Wedrowicz ◽  
Jennifer Mosse ◽  
Wendy Wright ◽  
Fiona E. Hogan

Context Pathogenic infections are an important consideration for the conservation of native species, but obtaining such data from wild populations can be expensive and difficult. Two pathogens have been implicated in the decline of some koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations: urogenital infection with Chlamydia pecorum and koala retrovirus subgroup A (KoRV-A). Pathogen data for a wild koala population of conservation importance in South Gippsland, Victoria are essentially absent. Aims This study uses non-invasive sampling of koala scats to provide prevalence and genotype data for C. pecorum and KoRV-A in the South Gippsland koala population, and compares pathogen prevalence between wild koalas and koalas in rescue shelters. Methods C. pecorum and KoRV-A provirus were detected by PCR of DNA isolated from scats collected in the field. Pathogen genetic variation was investigated using DNA sequencing of the C. pecorum ompA and KoRV-A env genes. Key results C. pecorum and KoRV-A were detected in 61% and 27% of wild South Gippsland individuals tested, respectively. KoRV-A infection tended to be higher in shelter koalas compared with wild koalas. In contrast with other Victorian koala populations sampled, greater pathogen diversity was present in South Gippsland. Conclusions In the South Gippsland koala population, C. pecorum is widespread and common whereas KoRV appears less prevalent than previously thought. Further work exploring the dynamics of these pathogens in South Gippsland koalas is warranted and may help inform future conservation strategies for this important population. Implications Non-invasive genetic sampling from scats is a powerful method for obtaining data regarding pathogen prevalence and diversity in wildlife. The use of non-invasive methods for the study of pathogens may help fill research gaps in a way that would be difficult or expensive to achieve using traditional methods.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert R. Blank ◽  
James A. Young

Invasion of western North America by the annual exotic grassBromus tectorumL. (cheatgrass) has been an ecological disaster. High soil bioavailability of nitrogen is a contributing factor in the invasive potential ofB. tectorum. Application of labile carbon sources to the soil can immobilize soil nitrogen and favor native species. We studied the interaction of labile carbon addition (sucrose), with soil invasion status and fertilizer addition on the growth ofB. tectorum. Soils were noninvaded (BNI) andB. tectoruminvaded (BI). Treatments were control, sucrose, combined fertilizer, and sucrose + fertilizer. The greenhouse experiment continued for 3 growth-cycles. After the 1st growth-cycle, sucrose addition reducedB. tectorumaboveground mass almost 70 times for the BI soil but did not significantly reduce growth in the BNI soil.B. tectorumaboveground mass, after the 1st growth-cycle, was over 27 times greater for BI control soils than BNI control soils. Although sucrose addition reduced soil-solution , tissue N was not significantly lowered, suggesting that reduction of soil available N may not be solely responsible for reduction inB. tectorumgrowth. Noninvaded soil inhibits growth ofB. tectorum. Understanding this mechanism may lead to viable control strategies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 453 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.D Mourtzas

Sea level changes during the Upper Holocene submerged the coasts of Kea in three different phases about 5.50m, 3.90m and 1.50m respectively below the contemporary sea level thus causing sea transgression along the shores of Kea, which varied from 8m to 78m depending on the coastal morphology. These changes caused the alteration of the earlier morphology at coastal archaeological sites of the Island, as the prehistoric settlement of Ayia Irini and Classical period port of Karthaia, as well as, submerged under the sea areas of coastal human activity during antiquity, as the ancient schist quarry at Spathi bay. The study of historical, geomorphological and sedimentological data indicative of previous sea levels allow the paleogeographical reconstruction of the coasts during the period of human activities in these areas.


Author(s):  
Tatia Kuljanishvili ◽  
Levan Mumladze ◽  
Bella Japoshvili ◽  
Namig Mustafayev ◽  
Shaig Ibrahimov ◽  
...  

The South Caucasus (SC) region is recognized for its high biological diversity and various endemic animal taxa. The area has experienced many fish introductions over the years, but the overall information about non-native fishes in the three SC countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia did not exist. Although these three countries belong to the Kura River drainage, Caspian Sea basin (only the western half of Georgia drains into the Black Sea), the legislative framework for each country regarding introduction of non-native fish species and their treatment is different and poorly developed. The goal of the present study was to make an initial inventory of non-native fish species in the three SC countries, and summarize the existing knowledge as a basis for future risk assessment models and formulation of regional management policies. Here, we present a unified list of 27 non-native species recorded in the wild in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Among these 27 species, eight were translocated from the Black Sea basin to the Caspian Sea basin. Out of these 27 non-native fishes, 15 species have become established (three of them being considered invasive) and six fish species could not survive in the wild.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-114
Author(s):  
Alexandre A. Oliveira ◽  
Hélcio R. Gil-Santana ◽  
Ruy J. Válka Alves ◽  
Jeronimo Alencar

ABSTRACT Herein we report the first recorded arrival of Aedes aegypti on Trindade Island, approximately 1,140 km from the Brazilian coast, posing potential health risks to the human inhabitants thereof. The collection of mosquitoes was done from August to October 2019 via an active search for adults, eggs, and larvae by surveying objects with accumulated water and implantation of 23 ovitraps in different regions of the island. As a result, we collected 33 adults of Ae. aegypti via active search inside buildings. A total of 433 eggs of Ae. aegypti were also obtained from the ovitraps, all of which subsequently reached the adult stage. No other species of Culicidae was found.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document