scholarly journals Diet of the critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) in the Ecuadorian Chocó: Conflict between primates and loggers over fruiting tree species

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Citlalli Morelos-Juárez ◽  
Andrea Tapia ◽  
Galo Conde ◽  
Mika Peck
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Spider Monkey ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Healthy Population ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Forest Remnant ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Effective Conservation

Identifying key food resources for critically endangered species is vital in the design of effective conservation strategies, particularly if these resources are also targeted by anthropogenic activities such as logging. The province of Esmeraldas in NW Ecuador is heavily dependent on commercial logging. It also maintains the only healthy population of the critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps). The unprotected forest remnant of Tesoro Escondido, in the buffer zone of the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, is home to an estimated 130 individuals of a global population of approximately 250. There is an urgent need for information to develop effective conservation action plans for the species, in particular the impact of logging activity on key feeding resources. We characterised the floristic composition of the habitat of A. f. fusciceps and estimated the availability of fruit resources for the annual cycle of 2012-2013 in sixteen 0.1 hectare vegetation plots. We determined feeding preferences for A. f. fusciceps using behavioural observations applying the Chesson ε index to identify key feeding tree species. We reviewed regional logging permits to identify species targeted for extraction by the timber industry and calculated extraction volumes in primary forest for key feeding tree species to identify potential conflict between logging and primate diet. We identified 65 fruiting tree species from 34 families that formed the diet of A. f. fusciceps. The Chesson ε index identified twelve species as preferred species with further phenological observations identifying seven species as staple foods and two palms as potential fall back fruits. Additionally, high densities of the lipid rich fruits of Brosimum utile make this an important resource for this primate throughout the year. Of 65 feeding tree species identified for A. f. fusciceps, 35 species are also targeted as sources of timber. Five key feeding species would be depleted under current sustainable management extraction protocols while two other species would be significantly impacted in terms of local abundance.Given the critically endangered status of A. f. fusciceps, remaining primary forest in NW Ecuador requires urgent protection, including thorough revision of current logging protocols to ensure long term survival of the species.

scholarly journals Diet of the critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) in the Ecuadorian Chocó: Conflict between primates and loggers over fruiting tree species

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Citlalli Morelos-Juárez ◽  
Andrea Tapia ◽  
Galo Conde ◽  
Mika Peck
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Spider Monkey ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Healthy Population ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Forest Remnant ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Effective Conservation

Identifying key food resources for critically endangered species is vital in the design of effective conservation strategies, particularly if these resources are also targeted by anthropogenic activities such as logging. The province of Esmeraldas in NW Ecuador is heavily dependent on commercial logging. It also maintains the only healthy population of the critically endangered brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps). The unprotected forest remnant of Tesoro Escondido, in the buffer zone of the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, is home to an estimated 130 individuals of a global population of approximately 250. There is an urgent need for information to develop effective conservation action plans for the species, in particular the impact of logging activity on key feeding resources. We characterised the floristic composition of the habitat of A. f. fusciceps and estimated the availability of fruit resources for the annual cycle of 2012-2013 in sixteen 0.1 hectare vegetation plots. We determined feeding preferences for A. f. fusciceps using behavioural observations applying the Chesson ε index to identify key feeding tree species. We reviewed regional logging permits to identify species targeted for extraction by the timber industry and calculated extraction volumes in primary forest for key feeding tree species to identify potential conflict between logging and primate diet. We identified 65 fruiting tree species from 34 families that formed the diet of A. f. fusciceps. The Chesson ε index identified twelve species as preferred species with further phenological observations identifying seven species as staple foods and two palms as potential fall back fruits. Additionally, high densities of the lipid rich fruits of Brosimum utile make this an important resource for this primate throughout the year. Of 65 feeding tree species identified for A. f. fusciceps, 35 species are also targeted as sources of timber. Five key feeding species would be depleted under current sustainable management extraction protocols while two other species would be significantly impacted in terms of local abundance.Given the critically endangered status of A. f. fusciceps, remaining primary forest in NW Ecuador requires urgent protection, including thorough revision of current logging protocols to ensure long term survival of the species.

scholarly journals PRESERVATION OF PRIMARY FOREST CHARACTERISTICS DESPITE FRAGMENTATION AND ISOLATION IN A FOREST REMNANT FROM VIÇOSA, MG, BRAZIL1

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 985-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Gastauer ◽  
Marcos Eduardo Guerra Sobral ◽  
João Augusto Alves Meira-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Forest Patch ◽  
Diameter At Breast Height ◽  
Breast Height ◽  
Forest Remnant ◽  
Primary Forests ◽  
Biotic Resources

According to its owners, the Forest of Seu Nico (FSN) from the Viçosa municipality, Minas Gerais, Brazil, never has been logged and is therefore considered a primary forest. Nevertheless, the forest patch suffered impacts due to selective wood and non-timber extraction, fragmentation and isolation. Aim of this study was to test if the FSN, despite impacts, preserved characteristics of primary forests, which are elevated percentages of non-pioneer (>90%), animal-dispersed (>80 %), understory (>50%) and endemic species (~40%). For that, all trees with diameter at breast height equal or major than 3.2 cm within a plot of 100 x 100 m were identified. With 218 tree species found within this hectare, the FSN's species richness is outstanding for the region. The percentages of non-pioneer (92 %), animal-dispersed (85 %), understory (55 %) and endemic species (39.2 %) from the FSN fulfill the criteria proposed for primary forest. Therefore, we conclude that the FSN maintained its characteristics as a primary forest which highlights its importance for the conservation of biotic resources in the region, where similar fragments are lacking or not described yet.

scholarly journals The Draft Genome Assembly of the Critically Endangered Nyssa yunnanensis, a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations Endemic to Yunnan Province, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weixue Mu ◽  
Jinpu Wei ◽  
Ting Yang ◽  
Yannan Fan ◽  
Le Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Draft Genome ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Deciduous Tree ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Small Populations

Nyssa yunnanensis is a deciduous tree in family Nayssaceae within the order Cornales. As only 8 individuals in 2 sites recorded in Yunnan province of China, the species was listed as the China’s national grade-I protection species in 1999, and also as one of 120 PSESP(Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations) in Implementation Plan of Rescuing and Conserving China’s Plant Species with extremely Small Populations(PSESP) (2011-2-15). N. yunnanensis was also been evaluated as Critically Endangered in IUCN red list and Threatened Species List of China's Higher Plants. Hence understanding the genomic characteristics of this highly endangered Tertiary relict tree species is essential, especially for developing conservation strategies. Here we sequenced and annotated the genome of N. yunnanensis using 10X genomics linked-reads sequencing data. The de novo assembled genome is 1474Mb in length with a scaffold N50 length of 985.59kb. We identified 823.51Mb of non-redundant sequence as repetitive elements and annotated 39,803 protein-coding genes in the assembly. Our result provided the genomic characteristics of N. yunnanensis, which will provide valuable resources for future genomic and evolutionary studies, especially for conservation biology studies of this extremely threatened tree species.

scholarly journals Integrated conservation of the Whenua Hou Diving Petrel

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Johannes Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Nest Survival ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Breeding Distribution ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diving Petrel

<p>Seabirds are one of the most threatened taxa on the planet. These species are also considered ecosystem engineers. Therefore, seabirds are of particular conservation interest. One of the most threatened seabirds is the critically endangered Whenua Hou Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides whenuahouensis; WHDP). The WHDP is restricted to a minute (0.018 km2) breeding colony on a single island — Whenua Hou (Codfish Island), Aotearoa (New Zealand). The WHDP population was estimated at 150 adults in 2005. The WHDP is threatened by storms and storm surges, which erode its breeding habitat (fragile foredunes), and potentially by competition for burrows with congenerics.  I aimed to inform suitable conservation strategies for the WHDP. I first quantified the efficacy of past conservation actions (eradications of invasive predators). I compiled burrow counts across four decades to estimate and compare population growth before and after predator eradications. I then investigated offshore threats using tracking data to quantify WHDP offshore distribution, behaviour, and overlap with commercial fishing efforts. Subsequently, I estimated the potential impact and success of WHDP translocations. Specifically, I combined capture-recapture, nest-monitoring, and count data in an integrated population model (IPM) to predict the impact of harvesting chicks for translocations on the source population and to project the establishment of a second population. I then informed future translocation protocols using nest-monitoring data to quantify nest survival and breeding biology. Finally, I tested if WHDP presence had a positive influence on unrelated species groups. I counted two skink species at sites with and without burrows and used occupancy modelling to quantify the influence WHDP burrows had on skink occurrence.  Estimates of population growth before and after predator eradications illustrated that WHDP population growth remained comparatively low and unaffected by this conservation strategy. Therefore, additional interventions are required. WHDP tracking revealed that the non-breeding distribution did not overlap with commercial fishing efforts. However, considerable fishing efforts were present within the breeding distribution. Despite these findings, onshore threats remain present and conservation strategies aimed at addressing terrestrial threats may be more feasible. Results from my IPM showed that translocations could successfully establish a second WHDP population without impacting the source excessively, provided translocation cohorts remain small and translocations are repeated over long time periods (5-10 years). Nest survival was not clearly influenced by interannual variation, distance to sea, and intra- or interspecific competition. Furthermore, I informed future translocation protocols by identifying the preferred harvest window, measurements of ideal translocation candidates, and feeding regimes. Occurrence of one skink species was 114% higher at sites with burrows than at sites without, suggesting that WHDP presence benefits unrelated species.  The information provided in this thesis facilitates the identification of future management strategies for this critically endangered species. However, future conservation management of the WHDP should be based on structured decision-making frameworks that apply iterative adaptive management loops and must acknowledge the unique position of tangata whenua (people of the land). This approach could address the consequences and trade-offs of each alternative, account for uncertainty, facilitate the decolonisation of conservation biology, and would ultimately result in the best potential outcome of the target species in a truly integrated fashion.</p>

Long-term changes in tree species composition in the Dinaric mountain forests of Slovenia

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrej Boncina ◽  
Franc Gaspersic ◽  
Jurij Diaci
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Virgin Forest ◽  
Forest Remnant ◽  
The Impact

This study utilizes data from long-term research sites in managed fir-beech forests (Hrusica, Leskova dolina and Rog) and a virgin forest remnant (Rajhenav), used as a reference site. Data obtained from old forest management plans and forest inventories were analysed. The results of the study support the hypothesis that two main tree species—silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)—alternate site dominance. The causes of species dominance alternation include both natural processes and anthropogenic factors, in particular silvicultural practices and the impact of ungulates. More than a hundred years ago, European beech dominated stand volume. The proportion of silver fir increased until 1940–1970 when a gradual decrease started. All indicators suggest that the proportion of silver fir will decrease further in the coming decades. Key words: tree species composition alternation, diameter distribution, silver fir, European beech, forest history, forest planning, managed forests, virgin forest remnant

scholarly journals Integrated conservation of the Whenua Hou Diving Petrel

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Johannes Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
Nest Survival ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Breeding Distribution ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diving Petrel

<p>Seabirds are one of the most threatened taxa on the planet. These species are also considered ecosystem engineers. Therefore, seabirds are of particular conservation interest. One of the most threatened seabirds is the critically endangered Whenua Hou Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides whenuahouensis; WHDP). The WHDP is restricted to a minute (0.018 km2) breeding colony on a single island — Whenua Hou (Codfish Island), Aotearoa (New Zealand). The WHDP population was estimated at 150 adults in 2005. The WHDP is threatened by storms and storm surges, which erode its breeding habitat (fragile foredunes), and potentially by competition for burrows with congenerics.  I aimed to inform suitable conservation strategies for the WHDP. I first quantified the efficacy of past conservation actions (eradications of invasive predators). I compiled burrow counts across four decades to estimate and compare population growth before and after predator eradications. I then investigated offshore threats using tracking data to quantify WHDP offshore distribution, behaviour, and overlap with commercial fishing efforts. Subsequently, I estimated the potential impact and success of WHDP translocations. Specifically, I combined capture-recapture, nest-monitoring, and count data in an integrated population model (IPM) to predict the impact of harvesting chicks for translocations on the source population and to project the establishment of a second population. I then informed future translocation protocols using nest-monitoring data to quantify nest survival and breeding biology. Finally, I tested if WHDP presence had a positive influence on unrelated species groups. I counted two skink species at sites with and without burrows and used occupancy modelling to quantify the influence WHDP burrows had on skink occurrence.  Estimates of population growth before and after predator eradications illustrated that WHDP population growth remained comparatively low and unaffected by this conservation strategy. Therefore, additional interventions are required. WHDP tracking revealed that the non-breeding distribution did not overlap with commercial fishing efforts. However, considerable fishing efforts were present within the breeding distribution. Despite these findings, onshore threats remain present and conservation strategies aimed at addressing terrestrial threats may be more feasible. Results from my IPM showed that translocations could successfully establish a second WHDP population without impacting the source excessively, provided translocation cohorts remain small and translocations are repeated over long time periods (5-10 years). Nest survival was not clearly influenced by interannual variation, distance to sea, and intra- or interspecific competition. Furthermore, I informed future translocation protocols by identifying the preferred harvest window, measurements of ideal translocation candidates, and feeding regimes. Occurrence of one skink species was 114% higher at sites with burrows than at sites without, suggesting that WHDP presence benefits unrelated species.  The information provided in this thesis facilitates the identification of future management strategies for this critically endangered species. However, future conservation management of the WHDP should be based on structured decision-making frameworks that apply iterative adaptive management loops and must acknowledge the unique position of tangata whenua (people of the land). This approach could address the consequences and trade-offs of each alternative, account for uncertainty, facilitate the decolonisation of conservation biology, and would ultimately result in the best potential outcome of the target species in a truly integrated fashion.</p>

scholarly journals The gut microbiome as an indicator of habitat disturbance in a Critically Endangered lemur

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolette McManus ◽  
Sheila M. Holmes ◽  
Edward E. Louis ◽  
Steig E. Johnson ◽  
Andrea L. Baden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Habitat Disturbance ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Host Responses ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitat ◽  
Disturbed Forest ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Habitat disturbance affects the biology and health of animals globally. Understanding the factors that contribute to the differential responses of animals to habitat disturbance is critical for conservation. The gut microbiota represents a potential pathway through which host responses to habitat disturbance might be mediated. However, a lack of quantitative environmental data in many gut microbiome (GM) studies of wild animals limits our ability to pinpoint mechanisms through which habitat disturbance affects the GM. Here, we examine the impact of anthropogenic habitat disturbance on the diet and GM of the Critically Endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata editorum). We collected fecal samples and behavioral data from Varecia occupying habitats qualitatively categorized as primary forest, moderately disturbed forest, and heavily disturbed forest. Results Varecia diet and GM composition differed substantially across sites. Dietary richness predicted GM richness across sites, and overall GM composition was strongly correlated to diet composition. Additionally, the consumption of three specific food items positively correlated to the relative abundances of five microbial strains and one microbial genus across sites. However, diet did not explain all of the GM variation in our dataset, and differences in the GM were detected that were not correlated with diet, as measured. Conclusions Our data suggest that diet is an important influence on the Varecia GM across habitats and thus could be leveraged in novel conservation efforts in the future. However, other factors such as contact with humans should also be accounted for. Overall, we demonstrate that quantitative data describing host habitats must be paired with GM data to better target the specific mechanisms through which environmental change affects the GM.

Application of genetic markers in the domestication, conservation and utilisation of genetic resources of Australasian tree species

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 313 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. F. Moran ◽  
P. A. Butcher ◽  
J. C. Glaubitz
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Molecular Marker ◽  
Genetic Resources ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Acacia Mangium ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Native Forests ◽  
The Impact

Domestication programs are currently being developed for a number of Australasian tropical tree species for plantations largely outside Australia. An assessment of the genetic resources of several species has been made on the basis of levels and patterns of genetic diversity at molecular marker loci. On the basis of growth performance and other quantitatively inherited commercial traits, populations from only limited regions of the geographic range were included in baseline selections of breeding programs for species such as Acacia mangium, A. auriculiformis, A. aulacocarpa and Eucalyptus pellita. For A. mangium, this domestication strategy resulted in a high proportion of the genetic resources of the species being included in breeding programs, but for other species such as A. aulacocarpa a significant fraction of the genetic resources were not incorporated into the baseline populations. The same molecular marker data sets enabled the formulation of conservation strategies both in situ and ex situ for these important commercial species. Within Australia many tree species are utilised directly from native forests in the absence of domestication efforts. Preliminary results from a study on genetic impacts of silvicultural regeneration practices in native forests indicate that there is very limited loss in genetic diversity in E. sieberi, a locally abundant species, under either clearfelling with aerial resowing or the seed tree system. Questions remain concerning the impact of silvicultural regeneration practices on species that are more locally rare.

scholarly journals The Draft Genome Assembly of the Critically Endangered Nyssa yunnanensis, a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations Endemic to Yunnan Province, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weixue Mu ◽  
Jinpu Wei ◽  
Ting Yang ◽  
Yannan Fan ◽  
Le Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Genome Assembly ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Draft Genome ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Deciduous Tree ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
Draft Genome Assembly

Nyssa yunnanensis is a deciduous tree species in family Nyssaceae within the order Cornales. As owning only eight individuals in two sites recorded in Yunnan province of China, this species was listed as the China&rsquo;s national grade-I protection species in 1999, and also as one of 120 PSESP (Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations) in Implementation Plan of Rescuing and Conserving China&rsquo;s Plant Species with extremely Small Populations(PSESP) (2011-2-15). N. yunnanensis was also been evaluated as Critically Endangered in IUCN red list and Threatened Species List of China's Higher Plants. Hence understanding the genomic characteristics of this highly endangered Tertiary relict tree species is essential, especially for developing conservation strategies. Here we present the draft genome assembly of N. yunnanensis. Using 10X genomics linked-reads sequencing data, we carried out the de novo assembly and annotation analysis. The N. yunnanensis genome assembly is 1475 Mb in length containing 288,519 scaffolds with a scaffold N50 length of 985.59 kb. 799.51 Mb of the assembled genome was identified as repetitive elements, accounting for 54.24% of the sequenced genome. And a total of 39,803 protein-coding genes were annotated. The genomic data of N. yunnanensis provided in this study will provide basic information for future genomic and evolutionary studies. With the genomic characteristics of N. yunnanensis available, our study might also facilitate in future conservation biology studies to help protecting this extremely threatened tree species.

scholarly journals Hurricane-induced population decrease in a Critically Endangered long-lived reptile

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthijs P. van den Burg ◽  
Hannah Madden ◽  
Timothy van Wagensveld ◽  
Erik Boman
Keyword(s):  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Site Occupancy ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Population Decrease ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Stochastic Events ◽  
The Impact

Catastrophic events, like hurricanes, bring lethal conditions that can have population-altering effects. The threatened Caribbean dry forest occurs in a region known for its high-intensity hurricane seasons and high species endemism, highlighting the necessity to better understand hurricane impacts as fragmentation and clearing of natural habitat continues. However, such studies remain rare, and for reptiles are mostly restricted to Anolis. Here we used single-season occupancy modeling to infer the impact of the intense 2017 Atlantic hurricane season on the critically endangered Lesser Antillean Iguana, Iguana delicatissima. We surveyed 30 transects across eight habitats on St. Eustatius during 2017-2019, which resulted in 344 individual surveys and 98 iguana observations. Analyses of abundance and site occupancy indicated both measures for 2018 and 2019 were strongly reduced compared to the pre-hurricane 2017 state. Iguanas at higher elevations were affected more profoundly, likely due to higher wind speeds, tree damage and extensive defoliation. Overall, our results indicate a decrease in population estimates (23.3-26.5%) and abundance (22-23.8%) for 2018 and 2019, and a 75% reduction in the number of opportunistic sightings of tagged iguanas between 2017-2018. As only small and isolated I. delicatissima populations remain, our study further demonstrates their vulnerability to stochastic events. Considering the frequency and intensity of hurricanes are projected to increase, our results stress the urgent need for population-increasing conservation actions in order to secure the long-term survival of I. delicatissima throughout its range.

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