The Ant-like Tachydromia Complex in the Iberian Peninsula—Insights from Habitat Suitability Modelling for the Conservation of an Endemism (Diptera: Hybotidae)

Ant-like flies comprise nine Iberian endemic species of flightless Tachydromia. Severe knowledge gaps on distribution and ecological requirements hinder conservation assessments. Species distribution models were applied to unveil habitat suitability and to provide guidelines for future studies. An ensemble modeling approach combining ten different techniques was implemented with the biomod2 package. Occurrence data was partitioned into six sets, including two multi-species groups and four species. The most relevant drivers of habitat suitability are climate-related, followed by forest type and structure, according to well-defined biogeographic gradients. T. lusitanica and T. ebejeri are adapted to mild temperatures and high-humidity environments. Their distribution is connected to the Temperate–Eurosiberian life zone. T. semiaptera and T. iberica are adapted to progressively drier and hotter central and southern parts of the Iberian Peninsula, connected to transitional Temperate–submediterranean areas. Ant-like fly’ ranges overlap with deciduous/marcescent oak species, acting as suitable indicators of their presence in Iberia. Southern marcescent forests emerge as “islands” with particular interest for future prospections. Ant-like flies are threatened by several factors such as climate change and habitat destruction, including urbanization and forest fires. This study provides vital tools to better assess the ant-like flies’ conservation status and to manage their habitat.

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Distribution Models and Spatial Analyses Provide Robust Assessments of Conservation Status of Orchid Species in Colombia: The Case of Lephantes mucronata

Harvard Papers in Botany ◽

10.3100/hpib.v25iss1.2020.n14 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 111

Author(s):

Juan Sebastián Moreno ◽

Stephania Sandoval-Arango ◽

Rubén Darío Palacio ◽

Nestor Fabio Alzate ◽

Milton Rincón ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Conservation Status ◽

Spatial Analyses ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Orchid Species

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Notes on the threatened lowland forests of Mt Cameroon and their endemics including Drypetes burnleyae sp. nov., with a key to species of Drypetes sect. Stipulares (Putranjivaceae)

Kew Bulletin ◽

10.1007/s12225-021-09947-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Martin Cheek ◽

Nouhou Ndam ◽

Andrew Budden

Keyword(s):

Conservation Management ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Central Africa ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Coastal Forests ◽

Key To Species ◽

International Union ◽

Species Discovery ◽

Mount Cameroon ◽

Lowland Forests

SummaryThis paper reports a further discovery of a new endemic threatened species to science in the context of botanical surveys in the lowland coastal forests of Mount Cameroon in the Cross River-Sanaga interval of west-central Africa. These studies now focus on species discovery and conservation through the Tropical Important Plant Areas programme. New species to science continue to be discovered from Mt Cameroon. Most of these species are rare, highly localised, and threatened by habitat destruction, increasing the justification for improved conservation management of surviving habitat. Drypetes burnleyae is placed in and keyed out in Drypetes sect. Stipulares, a group mostly confined to Lower Guinea, here adjusted to accommodate nine species. The conservation status of Drypetes burnleyae is assessed as Endangered (EN B1+2ab(iii)) according to the 2012 criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. An updated overview of the plant endemics of Mt Cameroon is presented.

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Combining conservation status and species distribution models for planning assisted colonisation under climate change

Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1111/1365-2745.13606 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gabriele Casazza ◽

Thomas Abeli ◽

Gianluigi Bacchetta ◽

Davide Dagnino ◽

Giuseppe Fenu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Species Distribution ◽

Species Distribution Models ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Distribution Models

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Habitat features of settlement areas used by floaters of Bonelli’s and Golden Eagles

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270910000213 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 59-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

JESÚS CARO ◽

DIEGO ONTIVEROS ◽

MANUEL PIZARRO ◽

JUAN M. PLEGUEZUELOS

Keyword(s):

Iberian Peninsula ◽

Habitat Heterogeneity ◽

Habitat Characteristics ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Habitat Features ◽

Ecological Requirements ◽

Bonelli’S Eagle ◽

Declining Species ◽

Dispersal Period ◽

Settlement Areas

SummaryBonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus and Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos are two declining species, in which floaters tend to be located outside of breeding territories during the dispersal period, in so-called settlement areas. We studied settlement areas for both these long-lived raptors in the southern Iberian Peninsula, to gain a better understanding of the ecological requirements of the eagles during their long pre-adult stage, a period accounting for around 80% of the species’ mortality. Eagle abundance was calculated by road censuses, and habitat characteristics of settlement and non-settlement areas compared by General Discriminant Analysis (GDA) and Logistic Regression (LR). The best model of GDA and LR incorporated the abundance of main prey for eagles (rabbits, partridges) and orchard surface area, and explained 100% of eagle presence; the best model selected by GDA also included habitat heterogeneity. Both eagles tended to share settlement areas in the southern Iberian Peninsula and, when they did not, the mean annual temperature and slope appeared to explain the segregation between the two species. Management measures for the conservation of both threatened species during the dispersal period should be focused on identifying settlement areas, maintaining high prey densities and maximum habitat heterogeneity.

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Description of two new species of Avicularia Lamarck 1818 and redescription of Avicularia diversipes (C. L. Koch 1842) (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae)—three possibly threatened Brazilian species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2223.1.2 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2223 (1) ◽

pp. 25-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

ROGÉRIO BERTANI ◽

CAROLINE SAYURI FUKUSHIMA

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Original Description ◽

Color Pattern ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Southern State ◽

Two New Species ◽

Specimen Identification ◽

Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

Avicularia diversipes (C. L. Koch 1842) known previously only from its original description is redescribed along with Avicularia sooretama sp. nov. and Avicularia gamba sp. nov. The three species are endemic to Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. With other Avicularia species, they share a procurved anterior eye row, slender embolus and medially folded spermathecae, whereas they have unusual characters, such as a very long and spiraled embolus (A. diversipes) and spermathecae with multilobular apex (A. sooretama sp. nov.). Furthermore, the three species lack a tibial apophysis in males and share a distinctive color pattern ontogeny that is not known in any other Avicularia species. The conservation status of the three species is discussed, especially with respect to endemism, illegal trafficking and habitat destruction. The creation of protected areas in southern State of Bahia, Brazil, is recommended, as well as the inclusion of these species in IUCN and CITES lists. Appendices with figures and species information are presented to facilitate correct specimen identification by custom officers, in order to limit illegal traffic.

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Medicinal Plants of Turmic Valley (Central Karakoram National Park), Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Journal of Bioresource Management ◽

10.35691/jbm.5102.0025 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sher Wali Khan ◽

Qamar Abbas ◽

Syed Najmul Hassan ◽

Hawas Khan ◽

Azhar Hussain

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Plant Species ◽

National Park ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Indus River ◽

Medicinal Uses ◽

The People ◽

Over Exploitation ◽

Gilgit Baltistan

This study was undertaken to enumerate the medicinal plants of the area, find out the conservation status, and record the folk knowledge from the inhabitants of Turmic Valley during 2011-2013. The valley is located in the Rondo division of the District Skardu on the Northeastern side of the Indus River. The detailed information about the local flora regarding medicinal uses was collected from the local herbal healers (Hakeems) and other knowledgeable people. Locally used herbs of the area prevent and cure the people from various diseases such as joint pains, bronchitis, flu and fever, lowering blood pressure, constipation, liver disorders, stomach and abdominal problems, etc. The most common medicinal herbs found in the region belong to the families Gentianaceae, Berberidaceae, Umbelliferae, Labiatae, Rosaceae, Compositae, Urticaceae, and Ranunculaceae. The inhabitants of the valley mostly use the 42 plant species for the treatment of different health problems. Forty-two species of plants (including 4 Gymnosperms, 1 monocotyledon, and 37 dicotyledons) and 35 types of diseases have been identified during the current study. Thymus linearis, Rosa webbiana, Urtica dioca, Pleurospermum candollei, Berberis spp., Delphinium brononianum, and Mentha angustifolia were the commonly used plant species in the valley. The collected baseline data of this study will be helpfulfor young researchers in the fieldof taxonomy, ethnobotany, pharmacology, organic chemistry, and particularly for biodiversity conservation. Over exploitation, habitat destruction, and over grazing are the major threats for the loss of the important flora of the area.

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Lowland tapir distribution and habitat loss in South America

10.7287/peerj.preprints.1579v1 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Jose Luis Passos Cordeiro ◽

José MV Fragoso ◽

Danielle Crawshaw ◽

Luiz Flamarion B Oliveira

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Habitat Loss ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Potential Habitat ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Suitability Maps ◽

Complex Relationships

The development of species distribution models (SDMs) can help conservation efforts by generating potential distributions and identifying areas of high environmental suitability for protection. Our study presents a rigorously derived distribution and habitat map for lowland tapir in South America. We also describe the potential habitat suitability of various geographical regions and habitat loss, inside and outside of protected areas network. Two different SDM approaches, MAXENT and ENFA, produced relative different Habitat Suitability Maps for the lowland tapir. While MAXENT was efficient at identifying areas as suitable or unsuitable, it was less efficient (when compared to the results by ENFA) at identifying the gradient of habitat suitability. MAXENT is a more multifaceted technique that establishes more complex relationships between dependent and independent variables. Our results demonstrate that for at least one species, the lowland tapir, the use of a simple consensual approach (average of ENFA and MAXENT models outputs) better reflected its current distribution patterns. The Brazilian ecoregions have the highest habitat loss for the tapir. Cerrado and Atlantic Forest account for nearly half (48.19%) of the total area lost. The Amazon region contains the largest area under protection, and the most extensive remaining habitat for the tapir, but also showed high levels of habitat loss outside protected areas, which increases the importance of support for proper management.

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Determining population trends and conservation status of the common quail (Coturnix coturnix) in Western Europe

Animal Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.32800/abc.2012.35.0343 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 343-352

Author(s):

M. Puigcerver ◽

◽

F. Sardà–Palomera ◽

J. D. Rodriguez-Teijeiro ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Western Europe ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Population Trends ◽

Distribution Model ◽

Breeding Period ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Winter Cereal ◽

Coturnix Coturnix ◽

The Common ◽

Common Quail

In this paper we review the conservation status and population trends of the common quail (Coturnix coturnix) from 1900 to the present. Data are sometimes contradictory with regard to the status of this species as it has some features that make it difficult to produce reliable population estimates. Recent data clearly suggest, either at a local scale or at a trans–national scale, that the Atlantic common quail populations have remained stable in the last two decades, and that restocking practices with farm–reared quails (hybrids with the Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica) do not affect our estimates. The complex movement patterns showed by this species require special attention. Analysis of ring recoveries can give important information, especially about the nomadic movement of quails in search of suitable habitats after the destruction of winter cereal crops due to harvesting. Thus, when developing a breeding distribution model for this species, continuously updated information on seasonal habitat and weather must be included for optimal prediction. Including fortnightly data of vegetation indices in distribution models, for example, has shown good results. Obtaining reliable predictions about changes in species distribution and movements during the breeding period could provide useful knowledge about the conservation status and population trends and would help in the design of future management measures.

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Unveiling the conservation status of the sessile oak forest for their protection and management in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula

Mediterranean Botany ◽

10.5209/mbot.70549 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. e70549

Author(s):

Jordi Bou ◽

Lluís Vilar

Keyword(s):

Iberian Peninsula ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Conservation Strategy ◽

Oak Forests ◽

Oak Forest ◽

Current Conservation ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Sessile Oak ◽

Characteristic Species

The sessile oak forests found on the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula are ascribed to the Lathyro-Quercetumpetraeae association and play a key role in understanding the ecology of this habitat, as this region represents its xeric limit. For this reason, we analysed the biodiversity patterns and current conservation status of the sessile oak forests in the region. To do so, we collected Braun-Blanquet inventories of 34 plots randomly distributed throughout the sessile oak forests. The results showed a relationship between the climatic conditions and the biodiversity variables. While the richness of the community increased with decreasing temperatures, the characteristic species found within the community decreased at these same temperatures. This result was due to the presence of most companion species in the cool zones at high elevations.Sessile oaks are found close to other communities, such as silver birches and Scot pine forests.On the other hand, in the warm areas at low elevations, the sessile oak community was more established, with plants typical of this type of forest. These slightly warmer zones with sessile oaks are very important in terms of conservation and more vulnerable to climate change and the thermophilization of the community, as has been studied. As such, protecting and managing these forests is key to conserving this community. Nevertheless, as current protection measures do not safeguard most of these forests, it is essential to define a conservation strategy to preserve them. Using the conservation status, we have established criteria to improve the conservation strategy for sessile oak forest on the NE Iberian Peninsula.

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Conservation status of polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) in relation to projected sea-ice declines

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2016.0556 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 20160556 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Eric V. Regehr ◽

Kristin L. Laidre ◽

H. Resit Akçakaya ◽

Steven C. Amstrup ◽

Todd C. Atwood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Polar Bear ◽

Extinction Risk ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Arctic Sea Ice ◽

Polar Bears ◽

Near Term ◽

Conservation Assessments ◽

Global Population

Loss of Arctic sea ice owing to climate change is the primary threat to polar bears throughout their range. We evaluated the potential response of polar bears to sea-ice declines by (i) calculating generation length (GL) for the species, which determines the timeframe for conservation assessments; (ii) developing a standardized sea-ice metric representing important habitat; and (iii) using statistical models and computer simulation to project changes in the global population under three approaches relating polar bear abundance to sea ice. Mean GL was 11.5 years. Ice-covered days declined in all subpopulation areas during 1979–2014 (median −1.26 days year −1 ). The estimated probabilities that reductions in the mean global population size of polar bears will be greater than 30%, 50% and 80% over three generations (35–41 years) were 0.71 (range 0.20–0.95), 0.07 (range 0–0.35) and less than 0.01 (range 0–0.02), respectively. According to IUCN Red List reduction thresholds, which provide a common measure of extinction risk across taxa, these results are consistent with listing the species as vulnerable. Our findings support the potential for large declines in polar bear numbers owing to sea-ice loss, and highlight near-term uncertainty in statistical projections as well as the sensitivity of projections to different plausible assumptions.

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