1
|
Juarez BH, Quintanilla-Salinas I, Lacey MP, O'Connell LA. Water Availability and Temperature as Modifiers of Evaporative Water Loss in Tropical Frogs. Integr Comp Biol 2024; 64:354-365. [PMID: 38839599 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icae057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Water plays a notable role in the ecology of most terrestrial organisms due to the risks associated with water loss. Specifically, water loss in terrestrial animals happens through evaporation across respiratory tissues or the epidermis. Amphibians are ideal systems for studying how abiotic factors impact water loss since their bodies often respond quickly to environmental changes. While the effect of temperature on water loss is well known across many taxa, we are still learning how temperature in combination with humidity or water availability affects water loss. Here, we tested how standing water sources (availability) and temperature (26 and 36°C) together affect water loss in anuran amphibians using a Bayesian framework. We also present a conceptual model for considering how water availability and temperature may interact, resulting in body mass changes. After accounting for phylogenetic and time autocorrelation, we determined how different variables (water loss and uptake rates, temperature, and body size) affect body mass in three species of tropical frogs (Rhinella marina, Phyllobates terribilis, and Xenopus tropicalis). We found that all variables impacted body mass changes, with greater similarities between P. terribilis and X. tropicalis, but temperature only showed a notable effect in P. terribilis. Furthermore, we describe how the behavior of P. terribilis might affect its water budget. This study shows how organisms might manage water budgets across different environments and is important for developing models of evaporative water loss and species distributions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan H Juarez
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Earth System Science Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Madison P Lacey
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cordier JM, Osorio-Olvera L, Huais PY, Tomba AN, Villalobos F, Nori J. Capability of big data to capture threatened vertebrate diversity in protected areas. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14371. [PMID: 39225275 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Protected areas (PAs) are an essential tool for conservation amid the global biodiversity crisis. Optimizing PAs to represent species at risk of extinction is crucial. Vertebrate representation in PAs is assessed using species distribution databases from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Evaluating and addressing discrepancies and biases in these data sources are vital for effective conservation strategies. Our objective was to gain insights into the potential constraints (e.g., differences and biases) of these global repositories to objectively depict the diversity of threatened vertebrates in the global system of PAs. We assessed differences in species richness (SR) of threatened vertebrates as reported by IUCN and GBIF in PAs globally and then compared how biased this information was with reports from independent sources for a subset of PAs. Both databases showed substantial differences in SR in PAs (t = -62.35, p ≤ 0.001), but differences varied among regions and vertebrate groups. When these results were compared with data from independent assessments, IUCN overestimated SR by 575% on average and GBIF underestimated SR by 63% on average, again with variable results among regions and groups. Our results indicate the need to improve analyses of the representativeness of threatened vertebrates in PAs such that robust and unbiased assessments of PA effectiveness can be conducted. The scientific community and decision makers should consider these regional and taxonomic disparities when using IUCN and GBIF distributional data sources in PA assessment. Overall, supplementing information in these databases could lead to more robust and reliable analyses. Additional efforts to acquire more comprehensive and unbiased data on species distributions to support conservation decisions are clearly needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier M Cordier
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IDEA-CONICET), Cordoba, Argentina
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Fac. de Cs. Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Luis Osorio-Olvera
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, Mexico
| | - Pablo Y Huais
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IDEA-CONICET), Cordoba, Argentina
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Fac. de Cs. Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Ana N Tomba
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IDEA-CONICET), Cordoba, Argentina
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Fac. de Cs. Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Cordoba, Argentina
| | | | - Javier Nori
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IDEA-CONICET), Cordoba, Argentina
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Fac. de Cs. Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Cordoba, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Dudgeon D, Strayer DL. Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: what are the prospects? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39221642 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater biodiversity conservation has received substantial attention in the scientific literature and is finally being recognized in policy frameworks such as the Global Biodiversity Framework and its associated targets for 2030. This is important progress. Nonetheless, freshwater species continue to be confronted with high levels of imperilment and widespread ecosystem degradation. An Emergency Recovery Plan (ERP) proposed in 2020 comprises six measures intended to "bend the curve" of freshwater biodiversity loss, if they are widely adopted and adequately supported. We review evidence suggesting that the combined intensity of persistent and emerging threats to freshwater biodiversity has become so serious that current and projected efforts to preserve, protect and restore inland-water ecosystems may be insufficient to avert substantial biodiversity losses in the coming decades. In particular, climate change, with its complex and harmful impacts, will frustrate attempts to prevent biodiversity losses from freshwater ecosystems already affected by multiple threats. Interactions among these threats will limit recovery of populations and exacerbate declines resulting in local or even global extinctions, especially among low-viability populations in degraded or fragmented ecosystems. In addition to impediments represented by climate change, we identify several other areas where the absolute scarcity of fresh water, inadequate scientific information or predictive capacity, and a widespread failure to mitigate anthropogenic stressors, are liable to set limits on the recovery of freshwater biodiversity. Implementation of the ERP rapidly and at scale through many widely dispersed local actions focused on regions of high freshwater biodiversity and intense threat, together with an intensification of ex-situ conservation efforts, will be necessary to preserve native freshwater biodiversity during an increasingly uncertain climatic future in which poorly understood, emergent and interacting threats have become more influential. But implementation of the ERP must be accompanied by measures that will improve water, energy and food security for humans - without further compromising the condition of freshwater ecosystems. Unfortunately, the inadequate political implementation of policies to arrest widely recognized environmental challenges such as climate change do not inspire confidence about the possible success of the ERP. In many parts of the world, the Anthropocene future seems certain to include extended periods with an absolute scarcity of uncontaminated surface runoff that will inevitably be appropriated by humans. Unless there is a step-change in societal awareness of - and commitment to - the conservation of freshwater biodiversity, together with necessary actions to arrest climate change, implementation of established methods for protecting freshwater biodiversity may not bend the curve enough to prevent continued ecosystem degradation and species loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Dudgeon
- Division of Ecology & Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David L Strayer
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, P.O. Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lamb IP, Massam MR, Mills SC, Bryant RG, Edwards DP. Global threats of extractive industries to vertebrate biodiversity. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3673-3684.e4. [PMID: 39067452 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Mining is a key driver of land-use change and environmental degradation globally, with the variety of mineral extraction methods used impacting biodiversity across scales. We use IUCN Red List threat assessments of all vertebrates to quantify the current biodiversity threat from mineral extraction, map the global hotspots of threatened biodiversity, and investigate the links between species' habitat use and life-history traits and threat from mineral extraction. Nearly 8% (4,642) of vertebrates are assessed as threatened by mineral extraction, especially mining and quarrying, with fish at particularly high risk. The hotspots of mineral extraction-induced threat are pantropical, as well as a large proportion of regional diversity threatened in northern South America, West Africa, and the Arctic. Species using freshwater habitats are particularly at risk, while the effects of other ecological traits vary between taxa. As the industry expands, it is vital that mineral resources in vulnerable biodiversity regions are managed in accordance with sustainable development goals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ieuan P Lamb
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
| | - Michael R Massam
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Simon C Mills
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Robert G Bryant
- School of Geography and Planning, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Peter N, Schantz AV, Dörge DD, Steinhoff A, Cunze S, Skaljic A, Klimpel S. Evidence of predation pressure on sensitive species by raccoons based on parasitological studies. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 24:100935. [PMID: 38638363 PMCID: PMC11024658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
To demonstrate predation and potential impacts of raccoons on various species, a total of 108 raccoons from aquatic-associated nature reserves and natural areas in three federal states of Germany, Hesse (n = 36), Saxony-Anhalt (n = 36) and Brandenburg (n = 36), were investigated from a dietary ecological perspective in the present study. Fecal analyses and stomach content examinations were conducted for this purpose. Additionally, as a supplementary method for analyzing the dietary spectrum of raccoons, the parasite fauna was considered, as metazoan parasites, in particular, can serve as indicators for the species and origin of food organisms. While stomach content analyses allow for a detailed recording of trophic relationships solely at the time of sampling, parasitological examinations enable inferences about more distant interaction processes. With their different developmental stages and heteroxenous life cycles involving specific, sometimes obligate, intermediate hosts, they utilize the food web to reach their definitive host. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that spawning areas of amphibians and reptiles were predominantly utilized as food resources by raccoons in the study areas. Thus, common toad (Bufo bufo), common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), grass frog (Rana temporaria), and grass snake (Natrix natrix) were identified as food organisms for raccoons. The detection of the parasite species Euryhelmis squamula, Isthmiophora melis, and Physocephalus sexalatus with partially high infestation rates also suggests that both amphibians and reptiles belong to the established dietary components of raccoons from an ecological perspective, as amphibians and reptiles are obligate intermediate hosts in the respective parasitic life cycles of the detected parasites. The study clearly demonstrates that raccoons have a significant impact on occurrence-sensitive animal species in certain areas and, as an invasive species, can exert a negative influence on native species and ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Peter
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Anna V. Schantz
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Dorian D. Dörge
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Anne Steinhoff
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Sarah Cunze
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Ajdin Skaljic
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt/Main, D-60439, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt/Main, D-60325, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Branch Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lucas PM, Di Marco M, Cazalis V, Luedtke J, Neam K, Brown MH, Langhammer PF, Mancini G, Santini L. Using comparative extinction risk analysis to prioritize the IUCN Red List reassessments of amphibians. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14316. [PMID: 38946355 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Assessing the extinction risk of species based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List (RL) is key to guiding conservation policies and reducing biodiversity loss. This process is resource demanding, however, and requires continuous updating, which becomes increasingly difficult as new species are added to the RL. Automatic methods, such as comparative analyses used to predict species RL category, can be an efficient alternative to keep assessments up to date. Using amphibians as a study group, we predicted which species are more likely to change their RL category and thus should be prioritized for reassessment. We used species biological traits, environmental variables, and proxies of climate and land-use change as predictors of RL category. We produced an ensemble prediction of IUCN RL category for each species by combining 4 different model algorithms: cumulative link models, phylogenetic generalized least squares, random forests, and neural networks. By comparing RL categories with the ensemble prediction and accounting for uncertainty among model algorithms, we identified species that should be prioritized for future reassessment based on the mismatch between predicted and observed values. The most important predicting variables across models were species' range size and spatial configuration of the range, biological traits, climate change, and land-use change. We compared our proposed prioritization index and the predicted RL changes with independent IUCN RL reassessments and found high performance of both the prioritization and the predicted directionality of changes in RL categories. Ensemble modeling of RL category is a promising tool for prioritizing species for reassessment while accounting for models' uncertainty. This approach is broadly applicable to all taxa on the IUCN RL and to regional and national assessments and may improve allocation of the limited human and economic resources available to maintain an up-to-date IUCN RL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Miguel Lucas
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Moreno Di Marco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Victor Cazalis
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jennifer Luedtke
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Re:wild, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Kelsey Neam
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Re:wild, Austin, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Giordano Mancini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Guedes JJM, Diniz-Filho JAF, Moura MR. Macroecological correlates of Darwinian shortfalls across terrestrial vertebrates. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240216. [PMID: 39046287 PMCID: PMC11268159 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Most described species have not been explicitly included in phylogenetic trees-a problem named the Darwinian shortfall-owing to a lack of molecular and/or morphological data, thus hampering the explicit incorporation of evolution into large-scale biodiversity analyses. We investigate potential drivers of the Darwinian shortfall in tetrapods, a group in which at least one-third of described species still lack phylogenetic data, thus necessitating the imputation of their evolutionary relationships in fully sampled phylogenies. We show that the number of preserved specimens in scientific collections is the main driver of phylogenetic knowledge accumulation, highlighting the major role of biological collections in unveiling novel biodiversity data and the importance of continued sampling efforts to reduce knowledge gaps. Additionally, large-bodied and wide-ranged species, as well as terrestrial and aquatic amphibians and reptiles, are phylogenetically better known. Future efforts should prioritize phylogenetic research on organisms that are narrow-ranged, small-bodied and underrepresented in scientific collections, such as fossorial species. Addressing the Darwinian shortfall will be imperative for advancing our understanding of evolutionary drivers shaping biodiversity patterns and implementing comprehensive conservation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jhonny J. M. Guedes
- Departamento de Ecologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Goiás—Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO74690-900, Brazil
| | - José Alexandre F. Diniz-Filho
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás — Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO74690-900, Brazil
| | - Mario R. Moura
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Campinas, Campinas, SP13083-970, Brazil
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia, PB58397-000, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Moura MR, Ceron K, Guedes JJM, Chen-Zhao R, Sica YV, Hart J, Dorman W, Portmann JM, González-del-Pliego P, Ranipeta A, Catenazzi A, Werneck FP, Toledo LF, Upham NS, Tonini JFR, Colston TJ, Guralnick R, Bowie RCK, Pyron RA, Jetz W. A phylogeny-informed characterisation of global tetrapod traits addresses data gaps and biases. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002658. [PMID: 38991106 PMCID: PMC11239118 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) are model systems for global biodiversity science, but continuing data gaps, limited data standardisation, and ongoing flux in taxonomic nomenclature constrain integrative research on this group and potentially cause biased inference. We combined and harmonised taxonomic, spatial, phylogenetic, and attribute data with phylogeny-based multiple imputation to provide a comprehensive data resource (TetrapodTraits 1.0.0) that includes values, predictions, and sources for body size, activity time, micro- and macrohabitat, ecosystem, threat status, biogeography, insularity, environmental preferences, and human influence, for all 33,281 tetrapod species covered in recent fully sampled phylogenies. We assess gaps and biases across taxa and space, finding that shared data missing in attribute values increased with taxon-level completeness and richness across clades. Prediction of missing attribute values using multiple imputation revealed substantial changes in estimated macroecological patterns. These results highlight biases incurred by nonrandom missingness and strategies to best address them. While there is an obvious need for further data collection and updates, our phylogeny-informed database of tetrapod traits can support a more comprehensive representation of tetrapod species and their attributes in ecology, evolution, and conservation research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mario R. Moura
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia, Paraíba, Brazil
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Karoline Ceron
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Jhonny J. M. Guedes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Rosana Chen-Zhao
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yanina V. Sica
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Julie Hart
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- New York Natural Heritage Program, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Wendy Dorman
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Julia M. Portmann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Pamela González-del-Pliego
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Rui Nabeiro Biodiversity Chair, MED Institute, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Ajay Ranipeta
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Fernanda P. Werneck
- Programa de Coleções Científicas Biológicas, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nathan S. Upham
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - João F. R. Tonini
- Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Timothy J. Colston
- Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
| | - Robert Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Rauri C. K. Bowie
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - R. Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Walter Jetz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Meneses CG, Pitogo KME, Supsup CE, Brown RM. Philippine herpetology (Amphibia, Reptilia), 20 years on: two decades of progress towards an increasingly collaborative, equitable, and inclusive approach to the study of the archipelago's amphibians and reptiles. Zookeys 2024; 1190:213-257. [PMID: 38327266 PMCID: PMC10848817 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1190.109586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
A first review of the history, status, and prospects for Philippine herpetology conducted more than two decades ago (2002) summarized the diverse topics studied and highlighted the development and achievements in research up to the year 2000. This study revisits and re-assesses what Philippine herpetology has accomplished, both as a discipline and a community, during the last two decades (2002-2022). A total of 423 herpetological publications was collated, revealing a substantial increase in annual publications, rising from approximately four per year during 2002-2008 to around 28 per year in 2009-2022. Half of the published studies focused on squamate reptiles (lizards 30.5%, snakes 21%) and 28.4% on amphibians, 5.9% on turtles, and 2.6% on crocodiles. The remaining 11.6% of studies focused simultaneously on multiple taxa (i.e., faunal inventories). Diversity and distribution (35.2%) and ecological (26.5%) studies remained popular, while studies on taxonomy (14.9%), phylogenetics and biogeography (11.8%), and conservation (11.6%) all increased. However, geographical gaps persist urging immediate surveys in many understudied regions of the country. Finally, we found a balanced representation between Filipino and foreign first authors (1.0:1.1), yet a substantial gender gap exists between male and female first authors (7.1:1.0). Nonetheless, the steep increase in publications and the diversity of people engaged in Philippine herpetology is a remarkable positive finding compared to the 20 years preceding the last review (1980-2000). Our hope is that the next decades will bring increasingly equitable, internationally collaborative, and broadly inclusive engagement in the study of amphibians and reptiles in the Philippines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camila G. Meneses
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USAUniversity of KansasLawrenceUnited States of America
| | - Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USAUniversity of KansasLawrenceUnited States of America
| | - Christian E. Supsup
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USAUniversity of KansasLawrenceUnited States of America
| | - Rafe M. Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USAUniversity of KansasLawrenceUnited States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sze JS, Childs DZ, Carrasco LR, Fernández-Llamazares Á, Garnett ST, Edwards DP. Indigenous Peoples' Lands are critical for safeguarding vertebrate diversity across the tropics. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e16981. [PMID: 37888836 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Indigenous Peoples are long-term custodians of their lands, but only recently are their contributions to conservation starting to be recognized in biodiversity policy and practice. Tropical forest loss and degradation are lower in Indigenous lands than unprotected areas, yet the role of Indigenous Peoples' Lands (IPL) in biodiversity conservation has not been properly assessed from regional to global scales. Using species distribution ranges of 11,872 tropical forest-dependent vertebrates to create area of habitat maps, we identified the overlap of these species ranges with IPL and then compared values inside and outside of IPL for species richness, extinction vulnerability, and range-size rarity. Of assessed vertebrates, at least 76.8% had range overlaps with IPL, on average overlapping ~25% of their ranges; at least 120 species were found only within IPL. Species richness within IPL was highest in South America, while IPL in Southeast Asia had highest extinction vulnerability, and IPL in Dominica and New Caledonia were important for range-size rarity. Most countries in the Americas had higher species richness within IPL than outside, whereas most countries in Asia had lower extinction vulnerability scores inside IPL and more countries in Africa and Asia had slightly higher range-size rarity in IPL. Our findings suggest that IPL provide critical support for tropical forest-dependent vertebrates, highlighting the need for greater inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in conservation target-setting and program implementation, and stronger upholding of Indigenous Peoples' rights in conservation policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyne S Sze
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Dylan Z Childs
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - L Roman Carrasco
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares
- Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology (BABVE-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stephen T Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - David P Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Karuno AP, Mi X, Chen Y, Zou DH, Gao W, Zhang BL, Xu W, Jin JQ, Shen WJ, Huang S, Zhou WW, Che J. Impacts of climate change on herpetofauna diversity in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14155. [PMID: 37551770 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Although numerous studies on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity have been published, only a handful are focused on the intraspecific level or consider population-level models (separate models per population). We endeavored to fill this knowledge gap relative to the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP) by combining species distribution modeling (SDMs) with population genetics (i.e., population-level models) and phylogenetic methods (i.e., phylogenetic tree reconstruction and phylogenetic diversity analyses). We applied our models to 11 endemic and widely distributed herpetofauna species inhabiting high elevations in the QTP. We aimed to determine the influence of environmental heterogeneity on species' responses to climate change, the magnitude of climate-change impacts on intraspecific diversity, and the relationship between species range loss and intraspecific diversity losses under 2 shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP245 and SSP585) and 3 future periods (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s). The effects of global climatic change were more pronounced at the intraspecific level (22% of haplotypes lost and 36% of populations lost) than the morphospecies level in the SSP585 climate change scenario. Maintenance of genetic diversity was in general determined by a combination of factors including range changes, species genetic structure, and the part of the range predicted to be lost. This is owing to the fact that the loss and survival of populations were observed in species irrespective of the predicted range changes (contraction or expansion). In the southeast (mountainous regions), climate change had less of an effect on range size (>100% in 3 species) than in central and northern QTP plateau regions (range size <100% in all species). This may be attributed to environmental heterogeneity, which provided pockets of suitable climate in the southeast, whereas ecosystems in the north and central regions were homogeneous. Generally, our results imply that mountainous regions with high environmental heterogeneity and high genetic diversity may buffer the adverse impacts of climate change on species distribution and intraspecific diversity. Therefore, genetic structure and characteristics of the ecosystem may be crucial for conservation under climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Plimo Karuno
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Xue Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Youhua Chen
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Da-Hu Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
- Research Center for Ecology, College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa, P. R. China
| | - Wei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Bao-Lin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Jie-Qiong Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Jing Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| | - Song Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Institute of Innovation Ecology & College of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jing Che
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan key laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Luedtke JA, Chanson J, Neam K, Hobin L, Maciel AO, Catenazzi A, Borzée A, Hamidy A, Aowphol A, Jean A, Sosa-Bartuano Á, Fong G A, de Silva A, Fouquet A, Angulo A, Kidov AA, Muñoz Saravia A, Diesmos AC, Tominaga A, Shrestha B, Gratwicke B, Tjaturadi B, Martínez Rivera CC, Vásquez Almazán CR, Señaris C, Chandramouli SR, Strüssmann C, Cortez Fernández CF, Azat C, Hoskin CJ, Hilton-Taylor C, Whyte DL, Gower DJ, Olson DH, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Santana DJ, Nagombi E, Najafi-Majd E, Quah ESH, Bolaños F, Xie F, Brusquetti F, Álvarez FS, Andreone F, Glaw F, Castañeda FE, Kraus F, Parra-Olea G, Chaves G, Medina-Rangel GF, González-Durán G, Ortega-Andrade HM, Machado IF, Das I, Dias IR, Urbina-Cardona JN, Crnobrnja-Isailović J, Yang JH, Jianping J, Wangyal JT, Rowley JJL, Measey J, Vasudevan K, Chan KO, Gururaja KV, Ovaska K, Warr LC, Canseco-Márquez L, Toledo LF, Díaz LM, Khan MMH, Meegaskumbura M, Acevedo ME, Napoli MF, Ponce MA, Vaira M, Lampo M, Yánez-Muñoz MH, Scherz MD, Rödel MO, Matsui M, Fildor M, Kusrini MD, Ahmed MF, Rais M, Kouamé NG, García N, Gonwouo NL, Burrowes PA, Imbun PY, Wagner P, Kok PJR, Joglar RL, Auguste RJ, Brandão RA, Ibáñez R, von May R, Hedges SB, Biju SD, Ganesh SR, Wren S, Das S, Flechas SV, Ashpole SL, Robleto-Hernández SJ, Loader SP, Incháustegui SJ, Garg S, Phimmachak S, Richards SJ, Slimani T, Osborne-Naikatini T, Abreu-Jardim TPF, Condez TH, De Carvalho TR, Cutajar TP, Pierson TW, Nguyen TQ, Kaya U, Yuan Z, Long B, Langhammer P, Stuart SN. Ongoing declines for the world's amphibians in the face of emerging threats. Nature 2023; 622:308-314. [PMID: 37794184 PMCID: PMC10567568 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06578-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Systematic assessments of species extinction risk at regular intervals are necessary for informing conservation action1,2. Ongoing developments in taxonomy, threatening processes and research further underscore the need for reassessment3,4. Here we report the findings of the second Global Amphibian Assessment, evaluating 8,011 species for the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. We find that amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate class (40.7% of species are globally threatened). The updated Red List Index shows that the status of amphibians is deteriorating globally, particularly for salamanders and in the Neotropics. Disease and habitat loss drove 91% of status deteriorations between 1980 and 2004. Ongoing and projected climate change effects are now of increasing concern, driving 39% of status deteriorations since 2004, followed by habitat loss (37%). Although signs of species recoveries incentivize immediate conservation action, scaled-up investment is urgently needed to reverse the current trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Luedtke
- Re:wild, Austin, TX, USA.
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Janice Chanson
- Re:wild, Austin, TX, USA
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kelsey Neam
- Re:wild, Austin, TX, USA
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Louise Hobin
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Alessandro Catenazzi
- Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Centro de Ornitologia y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI), Lima, Peru
| | - Amaël Borzée
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Amir Hamidy
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Anchalee Aowphol
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Anderson Jean
- Action Pour la Sauvegarde de l'Ecologie en Haïti (ACSEH), Les Cayes, Haiti
- Environmental Protection In the Caribbean (EPIC), Maho, Sint Maarten
| | | | - Ansel Fong G
- Centro Oriental de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad (BIOECO), Museo de Historia Natural "Tomás Romay", Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
| | - Anslem de Silva
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Sri Lanka, Gampola, Sri Lanka
| | - Antoine Fouquet
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Ariadne Angulo
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Artem A Kidov
- Russian State Agrarian University-MTAA, Moscow, Russia
| | - Arturo Muñoz Saravia
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group Bolivia, La Paz, Bolivia
- Animal Nutrition Unit, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Arvin C Diesmos
- ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
- HerpWatch Pilipinas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Atsushi Tominaga
- Faculty of Education, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Biraj Shrestha
- SAVE THE FROGS!, Laguna Beach, CA, USA
- The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Brian Gratwicke
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Burhan Tjaturadi
- Center for Environmental Studies, Sanata Dharma University (CESSDU), Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Carlos C Martínez Rivera
- Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Southampton Township, NJ, USA
- Centro de Conservación de Anfibios, Amaru Bioparque, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Carlos R Vásquez Almazán
- Museo de Historia Natural, Escuela de Biologia, Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- FUNDAECO, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Celsa Señaris
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - S R Chandramouli
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
| | | | | | - Claudio Azat
- Sustainability Research Center & PhD Program in Conservation Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Conrad J Hoskin
- College of Science & Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Damion L Whyte
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica
| | | | - Deanna H Olson
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Diego F Cisneros-Heredia
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical IBIOTROP, Quito, Ecuador
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Diego José Santana
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Elizah Nagombi
- The New Guinea Binatang Research Center, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Elnaz Najafi-Majd
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Evan S H Quah
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Federico Bolaños
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- CIBET (Museo de Zoología), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Feng Xie
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | | | | | | | - Frank Glaw
- Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Munich, Germany
| | | | - Fred Kraus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gabriela Parra-Olea
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gerardo Chaves
- CIBET (Museo de Zoología), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Guido F Medina-Rangel
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | | | - H Mauricio Ortega-Andrade
- Biogeography and Spatial Ecology Research Group, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM, Tena, Ecuador
- Herpetology Division, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Iberê F Machado
- Instituto Boitatá de Etnobiologia e Conservação da Fauna, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Indraneil Das
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
| | - Iuri Ribeiro Dias
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - J Nicolas Urbina-Cardona
- Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Jian-Huan Yang
- Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Jianping
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal
- University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
- Bhutan Ecological Society, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - Jodi J L Rowley
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John Measey
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Karthikeyan Vasudevan
- Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Kin Onn Chan
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kotambylu Vasudeva Gururaja
- Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Kristiina Ovaska
- Biolinx Environmental Research, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Luis Canseco-Márquez
- Laboratorio de Herpetología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis M Díaz
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Cuba, La Habana, Cuba
| | - M Monirul H Khan
- Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Key Laboratory in Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Manuel E Acevedo
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural "Jorge A. Ibarra", Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Marcelo Felgueiras Napoli
- Instituto de Biologia, Campus Universitário de Ondina, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | - Marcos Vaira
- Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas (INECOA, UNJu-Conicet), San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina
| | - Margarita Lampo
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Miranda, Venezuela
- Fundación para el Desarrollo de las Ciencias Físicas, Matemáticas y Naturales (FUDECI), Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Mario H Yánez-Muñoz
- Unidad de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mark D Scherz
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Maxon Fildor
- Action Pour la Sauvegarde de l'Ecologie en Haïti (ACSEH), Les Cayes, Haiti
| | - Mirza D Kusrini
- Faculty of Forestry & Environment, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | | | - Muhammad Rais
- Herpetology Lab, Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - N'Goran G Kouamé
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Ecologie Tropicale, UFR Environnement, Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nieves García
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Gland, Switzerland
| | - Nono Legrand Gonwouo
- Laboratory of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Paul Y Imbun
- Zoology Unit, Research and Education Section, Sabah Parks, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Philipp Wagner
- Allwetterzoo, Münster, Germany
- Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Philippe J R Kok
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Rafael L Joglar
- Rio Piedras Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Proyecto Coqui, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Renoir J Auguste
- Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | | | - Roberto Ibáñez
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, República de Panamá
| | - Rudolf von May
- California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA, USA
| | - S Blair Hedges
- Center for Biodiversity, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - S D Biju
- Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | | | - Sally Wren
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sandeep Das
- Centre for Research in Emerging Tropical Diseases, Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Kerala, India
- EDGE of Existence programme, Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | | | - Sara L Ashpole
- Environmental Studies, St Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA
- , Prescott, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Sonali Garg
- Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Somphouthone Phimmachak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, National University of Laos, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Stephen J Richards
- Herpetology Department, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tahar Slimani
- Faculty of Sciences Sremlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Tamara Osborne-Naikatini
- School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | | | - Thais H Condez
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Timothy P Cutajar
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Todd W Pierson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Truong Q Nguyen
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Uğur Kaya
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Zhiyong Yuan
- School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Penny Langhammer
- Re:wild, Austin, TX, USA
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Simon N Stuart
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Gland, Switzerland
- A Rocha International, London, UK
- Synchronicity Earth, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Arregui L, Bosch J. Gamete Collection, Artificial Fertilization and Captive-Rearing of Eggs in a Terrestrial-Breeding Anuran with Parental Care: Alytes obstetricans. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2802. [PMID: 37685066 PMCID: PMC10487003 DOI: 10.3390/ani13172802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Alytes consists of six primitive terrestrial-breeding species (five of them endangered or present in restricted distributions) with unique male parental care. Alytes obstetricans was used as a model for the development of assisted reproductive technologies for gamete collection, artificial fertilization and captive-rearing of embryos. Sperm collection was achieved with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), but only 17 to 50% of males responded to the hormone. In addition, an effect of captivity on sperm quality was observed. A combination of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) and hCG was tested for induction of ovulation, and 100% of females responded to the treatment. Recently collected sperm was used in artificial fertilization, and 10% of eggs showed complete embryo development. To design a method for captive-rearing of embryos, natural clutches (n = 13) were removed from males and divided into two sub-clutches. One was kept with all eggs together and in the other, the egg string was cut and eggs were split individually. All sub-clutches with eggs kept separated presented embryo survival (ranging from 27 to 61%) that hatched normally, while only one sub-clutch with embryos maintained together had some embryo survival (36%). These results may contribute to the management of this and related species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Arregui
- Centro de Investigación, Seguimiento y Evaluación, Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama, Ctra. M-604, Km 27.6, Rascafria, 28740 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Jaime Bosch
- Centro de Investigación, Seguimiento y Evaluación, Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama, Ctra. M-604, Km 27.6, Rascafria, 28740 Madrid, Spain;
- IMIB-Biodiversity Research Institute, University of Oviedo-CSIC-Principality of Asturias, C/Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirón S/N, Mieres, 33600 Asturias, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Walkup J, Dang C, Mau RL, Hayer M, Schwartz E, Stone BW, Hofmockel KS, Koch BJ, Purcell AM, Pett-Ridge J, Wang C, Hungate BA, Morrissey EM. The predictive power of phylogeny on growth rates in soil bacterial communities. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:73. [PMID: 37454187 PMCID: PMC10349831 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00281-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Predicting ecosystem function is critical to assess and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Quantitative predictions of microbially mediated ecosystem processes are typically uninformed by microbial biodiversity. Yet new tools allow the measurement of taxon-specific traits within natural microbial communities. There is mounting evidence of a phylogenetic signal in these traits, which may support prediction and microbiome management frameworks. We investigated phylogeny-based trait prediction using bacterial growth rates from soil communities in Arctic, boreal, temperate, and tropical ecosystems. Here we show that phylogeny predicts growth rates of soil bacteria, explaining an average of 31%, and up to 58%, of the variation within ecosystems. Despite limited overlap in community composition across these ecosystems, shared nodes in the phylogeny enabled ancestral trait reconstruction and cross-ecosystem predictions. Phylogenetic relationships could explain up to 38% (averaging 14%) of the variation in growth rates across the highly disparate ecosystems studied. Our results suggest that shared evolutionary history contributes to similarity in the relative growth rates of related bacteria in the wild, allowing phylogeny-based predictions to explain a substantial amount of the variation in taxon-specific functional traits, within and across ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeth Walkup
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Chansotheary Dang
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Rebecca L Mau
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Michaela Hayer
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Egbert Schwartz
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Bram W Stone
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USA
| | - Kirsten S Hofmockel
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USA
| | - Benjamin J Koch
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Alicia M Purcell
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Jennifer Pett-Ridge
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA
- University of California Merced, Life & Environmental Sciences Department, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Chao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, LN, China
| | - Bruce A Hungate
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Ember M Morrissey
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Cartereau M, Leriche A, Médail F, Baumel A. Tree biodiversity of warm drylands is likely to decline in a drier world. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:3707-3722. [PMID: 37060269 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Warm drylands represent 19% of land surfaces worldwide and host ca. 1100 tree species. The risk of decline due to climate aridification of this neglected biodiversity has been overlooked despite its ecological and societal importance. To fill this gap, we assessed the risk of decline due to climate aridification of tree species in warm drylands based on spatialized occurrence data and climate models. We considered both species vulnerability and exposure, compared the risk of tree species decline across five bioregions and searched for phylogenetic correlates. Depending on the future climate model, from 44% to 88% of warm drylands' tree species will undergo climate aridification with a high risk of decline even under the most optimistic conditions. On a regional scale, the rate of species that will undergo climate aridification in the future varies from 21% in the Old World North, to 90% in Australia, with a risk of decline confirming the high level of risk predicted at the global scale. Using generalized linear mixed models, we found that, species more exposed to climate aridification will be more at risk, but also that species vulnerability is a key driver of their risk of decline. Indeed, the warm drylands specialist species will be less at risk due to climate aridification than species being marginal in warm drylands. We also found that the risk of decline is widespread across the main clades of the phylogeny and involves several evolutionary distinct species. Estimating a high risk of decline for numerous tree species in all warm drylands, including emblematic dryland endemics, our work warns that future increase in aridity could result in an extensive erosion of tree biodiversity in these ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Cartereau
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Agathe Leriche
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Frédéric Médail
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Alex Baumel
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Aix-en-Provence, France
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hughes A, Auliya M, Altherr S, Scheffers B, Janssen J, Nijman V, Shepherd CR, D'Cruze N, Sy E, Edwards DP. Determining the sustainability of legal wildlife trade. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 341:117987. [PMID: 37178541 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Exploitation of wildlife represents one of the greatest threats to species survival according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Whilst detrimental impacts of illegal trade are well recognised, legal trade is often equated to being sustainable despite the lack of evidence or data in the majority of cases. We review the sustainability of wildlife trade, the adequacy of tools, safeguards, and frameworks to understand and regulate trade, and identify gaps in data that undermine our ability to truly understand the sustainability of trade. We provide 183 examples showing unsustainable trade in a broad range of taxonomic groups. In most cases, neither illegal nor legal trade are supported by rigorous evidence of sustainability, with the lack of data on export levels and population monitoring data precluding true assessments of species or population-level impacts. We propose a more precautionary approach to wildlife trade and monitoring that requires those who profit from trade to provide proof of sustainability. We then identify four core areas that must be strengthened to achieve this goal: (1) rigorous data collection and analyses of populations; (2) linking trade quotas to IUCN and international accords; (3) improved databases and compliance of trade; and (4) enhanced understanding of trade bans, market forces, and species substitutions. Enacting these core areas in regulatory frameworks, including CITES, is essential to the continued survival of many threatened species. There are no winners from unsustainable collection and trade: without sustainable management not only will species or populations become extinct, but communities dependent upon these species will lose livelihoods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, China.
| | - Mark Auliya
- Department of Herpetology, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Brett Scheffers
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jordi Janssen
- Monitor Conservation Research Society, PO BOX 200, Big Lake Ranch, BC, V0L 1G0, Canada
| | - Vincent Nijman
- Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
| | - Chris R Shepherd
- Monitor Conservation Research Society, PO BOX 200, Big Lake Ranch, BC, V0L 1G0, Canada
| | - Neil D'Cruze
- The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, UK; World Animal Protection, 222 Greys Inn Road, London, WC1X 8HB, UK
| | - Emerson Sy
- Philippine Center for Terrestrial & Aquatic Research, Manila, Philippines
| | - David P Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Messerman AF, Clause AG, Gray LN, Krkošek M, Rollins HB, Trenham PC, Shaffer HB, Searcy CA. Applying stochastic and Bayesian integral projection modeling to amphibian population viability analysis. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2783. [PMID: 36478484 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Integral projection models (IPMs) can estimate the population dynamics of species for which both discrete life stages and continuous variables influence demographic rates. Stochastic IPMs for imperiled species, in turn, can facilitate population viability analyses (PVAs) to guide conservation decision-making. Biphasic amphibians are globally distributed, often highly imperiled, and ecologically well suited to the IPM approach. Herein, we present a stochastic size- and stage-structured IPM for a biphasic amphibian, the U.S. federally threatened California tiger salamander (CTS) (Ambystoma californiense). This Bayesian model reveals that CTS population dynamics show greatest elasticity to changes in juvenile and metamorph growth and that populations are likely to experience rapid growth at low density. We integrated this IPM with climatic drivers of CTS demography to develop a PVA and examined CTS extinction risk under the primary threats of habitat loss and climate change. The PVA indicated that long-term viability is possible with surprisingly high (20%-50%) terrestrial mortality but simultaneously identified likely minimum terrestrial buffer requirements of 600-1000 m while accounting for numerous parameter uncertainties through the Bayesian framework. These analyses underscore the value of stochastic and Bayesian IPMs for understanding both climate-dependent taxa and those with cryptic life histories (e.g., biphasic amphibians) in service of ecological discovery and biodiversity conservation. In addition to providing guidance for CTS recovery, the contributed IPM and PVA supply a framework for applying these tools to investigations of ecologically similar species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam G Clause
- Urban Nature Research Center & Department of Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Levi N Gray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Martin Krkošek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hilary B Rollins
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Peter C Trenham
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - H Bradley Shaffer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, and Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Howell LG, Witt RR. Emerging arguments for reproductive technologies in wildlife and their implications for assisted reproduction and conservation of threatened marsupials. Theriogenology 2023; 198:19-29. [PMID: 36529108 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have significant potential to make a meaningful contribution to the conservation of threatened wildlife. This is true of Australia's iconic, and endangered koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). If developed, ARTs could offer a solution to manage genetic diversity and costs in breeding programs and may provide frozen repositories for either insurance or the practical production of genetically resilient koalas for release and on-ground recovery. Holding back the wider use of ARTs for koalas and other wildlife is a lack of funding to close the remaining knowledge gaps in the marsupial reproductive sciences and develop the reproductive tools needed. This lack of funding is arguably driven by a poor understanding of the potential contribution ARTs could make to threatened species management. We present a review of our cross-disciplinary and accessible strategy to draw much needed public attention and funding for the development of ARTs in wildlife, using emerging cost and genetic modelling arguments and the koala as a case study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan G Howell
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Geelong, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia; FAUNA Research Alliance, Kahibah, NSW, 2290, Australia.
| | - Ryan R Witt
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; FAUNA Research Alliance, Kahibah, NSW, 2290, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Campbell KS, Keller P, Golovko SA, Seeger D, Golovko MY, Kerby JL. Connecting the Pipes: Agricultural Tile Drains and Elevated Imidacloprid Brain Concentrations in Juvenile Northern Leopard Frogs ( Rana pipiens). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2758-2767. [PMID: 36753680 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoids are neurotoxic insecticides and are often released into nearby wetlands via subsurface tile drains and can negatively impact nontarget organisms, such as amphibians. Previous studies have indicated that imidacloprid, a commonly used neonicotinoid, can cross the amphibian blood-brain barrier under laboratory conditions; however, little is known about the impact of low concentrations in a field-based setting. Here, we report aqueous pesticide concentrations at wetland production areas that were either connected or not connected to agricultural tile drains, quantified imidacloprid and its break down products in juvenile amphibian brains and livers, and investigated the relationship between imidacloprid brain concentration and brain size. Imidacloprid concentrations in brain and water samples were nearly 2.5 and 5 times higher at tile wetlands (brain = 4.12 ± 1.92 pg/mg protein; water = 0.032 ± 0.045 μg/L) compared to reference wetlands, respectively. Tile wetland amphibians also had shorter cerebellums (0.013 ± 0.001 mm), depicting a negative relationship between imidacloprid brain concentration and cerebellum length. The metabolite, desnitro-imidacloprid, had liver concentrations that were 2 times higher at tile wetlands (2 ± 0.3 μg/g). Our results demonstrate that imidacloprid can cross the amphibian blood-brain barrier under ecological conditions and may alter brain dimensions and provide insight into the metabolism of imidacloprid in amphibians.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn S Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| | - Peyton Keller
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| | - Svetlana A Golovko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203, United States
| | - Drew Seeger
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203, United States
| | - Mikhail Y Golovko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203, United States
| | - Jacob L Kerby
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lawson LP, Loader SP, Lyakurwa JV, Liedtke HC. Diversification of spiny-throated reed frogs (Anura: Hyperoliidae) with the description of a new, range-restricted species from the Ukaguru Mountains, Tanzania. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0277535. [PMID: 36730334 PMCID: PMC9894401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The spiny-throated reed frog species group is a small radiation of Hyperolius frogs from East Africa. Unlike many members of the genus which have relatively wide distributions, these species tend to be small-range endemics found in montane and submontane forests. Recent discovery of a golden-hued frog with the clade-specific traits of spines on their gular discs prompted a morphological and genetic exploration of the distinctness of this new lineage and relationships to other members of the clade. Genetic (mitochondrial and nuclear loci) results resolved many sister-relationships, but deeper nodes in the phylogeny were poorly resolved. A reduced-representation genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) dataset was able to fully resolve the phylogenetic relationships within this clade, placing this new lineage, here named after the mountain range in which is it found-H. ukaguruensis sp. nov., as an early diverging lineage within the group. This new species is distinct from all other spiny-throated reed frogs, necessitating further understanding as a single-mountain endemics vulnerable to habitat loss and potential decline. Morphometric analyses identify clear morphological characteristics that are distinct for the herein described species, most noticeably in that the eyes are significantly smaller than other members of the genus for which we have samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucinda P. Lawson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Zoology, Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Simon P. Loader
- Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - John V. Lyakurwa
- Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - H. Christoph Liedtke
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Gumbs R, Gray CL, Böhm M, Burfield IJ, Couchman OR, Faith DP, Forest F, Hoffmann M, Isaac NJB, Jetz W, Mace GM, Mooers AO, Safi K, Scott O, Steel M, Tucker CM, Pearse WD, Owen NR, Rosindell J. The EDGE2 protocol: Advancing the prioritisation of Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered species for practical conservation action. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001991. [PMID: 36854036 PMCID: PMC9974121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The conservation of evolutionary history has been linked to increased benefits for humanity and can be captured by phylogenetic diversity (PD). The Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) metric has, since 2007, been used to prioritise threatened species for practical conservation that embody large amounts of evolutionary history. While there have been important research advances since 2007, they have not been adopted in practice because of a lack of consensus in the conservation community. Here, building from an interdisciplinary workshop to update the existing EDGE approach, we present an "EDGE2" protocol that draws on a decade of research and innovation to develop an improved, consistent methodology for prioritising species conservation efforts. Key advances include methods for dealing with uncertainty and accounting for the extinction risk of closely related species. We describe EDGE2 in terms of distinct components to facilitate future revisions to its constituent parts without needing to reconsider the whole. We illustrate EDGE2 by applying it to the world's mammals. As we approach a crossroads for global biodiversity policy, this Consensus View shows how collaboration between academic and applied conservation biologists can guide effective and practical priority-setting to conserve biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rikki Gumbs
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom
- IUCN SSC Phylogenetic Diversity Task Force, London, United Kingdom
- Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia L. Gray
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Monika Böhm
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
- Global Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Ian J. Burfield
- BirdLife International, David Attenborough Building, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia R. Couchman
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel P. Faith
- School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Félix Forest
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hoffmann
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nick J. B. Isaac
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, United Kingdom
| | - Walter Jetz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Georgina M. Mace
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arne O. Mooers
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Kamran Safi
- Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Migration, Radolfzell, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Oenone Scott
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mike Steel
- Biomathematics Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Caroline M. Tucker
- Environment, Ecology and Energy Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - William D. Pearse
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Nisha R. Owen
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
- IUCN SSC Phylogenetic Diversity Task Force, London, United Kingdom
- On the EDGE Conservation, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Rosindell
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Peñafiel-Ricaurte A, Price SJ, Leung WTM, Alvarado-Rybak M, Espinoza-Zambrano A, Valdivia C, Cunningham AA, Azat C. Is Xenopus laevis introduction linked with Ranavirus incursion, persistence and spread in Chile? PeerJ 2023; 11:e14497. [PMID: 36874973 PMCID: PMC9979829 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ranaviruses have been associated with amphibian, fish and reptile mortality events worldwide and with amphibian population declines in parts of Europe. Xenopus laevis is a widespread invasive amphibian species in Chile. Recently, Frog virus 3 (FV3), the type species of the Ranavirus genus, was detected in two wild populations of this frog near Santiago in Chile, however, the extent of ranavirus infection in this country remains unknown. To obtain more information about the origin of ranavirus in Chile, its distribution, species affected, and the role of invasive amphibians and freshwater fish in the epidemiology of ranavirus, a surveillance study comprising wild and farmed amphibians and wild fish over a large latitudinal gradient (2,500 km) was carried out in 2015-2017. In total, 1,752 amphibians and 496 fish were tested using a ranavirus-specific qPCR assay, and positive samples were analyzed for virus characterization through whole genome sequencing of viral DNA obtained from infected tissue. Ranavirus was detected at low viral loads in nine of 1,011 X. laevis from four populations in central Chile. No other amphibian or fish species tested were positive for ranavirus, suggesting ranavirus is not threatening native Chilean species yet. Phylogenetic analysis of partial ranavirus sequences showed 100% similarity with FV3. Our results show a restricted range of ranavirus infection in central Chile, coinciding with X. laevis presence, and suggest that FV3 may have entered the country through infected X. laevis, which appears to act as a competent reservoir host, and may contribute to the spread the virus locally as it invades new areas, and globally through the pet trade.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Peñafiel-Ricaurte
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD in Conservation Medicine Program, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - William T M Leung
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mario Alvarado-Rybak
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD in Conservation Medicine Program, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom.,Núcleo de Ciencias Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés Espinoza-Zambrano
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina Valdivia
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD in Conservation Medicine Program, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Claudio Azat
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD in Conservation Medicine Program, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Adams AJ, Bushell J, Grasso RL. To treat or not to treat? Experimental pathogen exposure, treatment, and release of a threatened amphibian. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea J. Adams
- Resources Management and Science Division Yosemite National Park El Portal California USA
- Earth Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | | | - Robert L. Grasso
- Resources Management and Science Division Yosemite National Park El Portal California USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Pillay R, Watson JEM, Hansen AJ, Jantz PA, Aragon-Osejo J, Armenteras D, Atkinson SC, Burns P, Ervin J, Goetz SJ, González-Del-Pliego P, Robinson NP, Supples C, Virnig ALS, Williams BA, Venter O. Humid tropical vertebrates are at lower risk of extinction and population decline in forests with higher structural integrity. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1840-1849. [PMID: 36329351 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01915-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Reducing deforestation underpins global biodiversity conservation efforts. However, this focus on retaining forest cover overlooks the multitude of anthropogenic pressures that can degrade forest quality and imperil biodiversity. We use remotely sensed indices of tropical rainforest structural condition and associated human pressures to quantify the relative importance of forest cover, structural condition and integrity (the cumulative effect of condition and pressures) on vertebrate species extinction risk and population trends across the global humid tropics. We found that tropical rainforests of high integrity (structurally intact and under low pressures) were associated with lower likelihood of species being threatened and having declining populations, compared with forest cover alone (without consideration of condition and pressures). Further, species were more likely to be threatened or have declining populations if their geographic ranges contained high proportions of degraded forest than if their ranges contained lower proportions of forest cover but of high quality. Our work suggests that biodiversity conservation policies to preserve forest integrity are now urgently required alongside ongoing efforts to halt deforestation in the hyperdiverse humid tropics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Pillay
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew J Hansen
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Patrick A Jantz
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Jose Aragon-Osejo
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dolors Armenteras
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Patrick Burns
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Jamison Ervin
- United Nations Development Programme, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott J Goetz
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Brooke A Williams
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Oscar Venter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Andrade P, Lyra ML, Zina J, Bastos DFO, Brunetti AE, Baêta D, Afonso S, Brunes TO, Taucce PPG, Carneiro M, Haddad CFB, Sequeira F. Draft genome and multi-tissue transcriptome assemblies of the Neotropical leaf-frog Phyllomedusa bahiana. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:jkac270. [PMID: 36205610 PMCID: PMC9713437 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Amphibians are increasingly threatened worldwide, but the availability of genomic resources that could be crucial for implementing informed conservation practices lags well behind that for other vertebrate groups. Here, we describe draft de novo genome, mitogenome, and transcriptome assemblies for the Neotropical leaf-frog Phyllomedusa bahiana native to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Caatinga. We used a combination of PacBio long reads and Illumina sequencing to produce a 4.74-Gbp contig-level genome assembly, which has a contiguity comparable to other recent nonchromosome level assemblies. The assembled mitogenome comprises 16,239 bp and the gene content and arrangement are similar to other Neobratrachia. RNA-sequencing from 8 tissues resulted in a highly complete (86.3%) reference transcriptome. We further use whole-genome resequencing data from P. bahiana and from its sister species Phyllomedusa burmeisteri, to demonstrate how our assembly can be used as a backbone for population genomics studies within the P. burmeisteri species group. Our assemblies thus represent important additions to the catalog of genomic resources available from amphibians.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Andrade
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
| | - Mariana L Lyra
- Departamento de Biodiversidade and Centro de Aquicultura, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana Zina
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Jequié 45206-190, Brazil
| | - Deivson F O Bastos
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Jequié 45206-190, Brazil
| | - Andrés E Brunetti
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Subtropical Biology, National University of Misiones (UNaM-CONICET) Posadas N3300LQH, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Délio Baêta
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- Departamento de Biodiversidade and Centro de Aquicultura, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
| | - Tuliana O Brunes
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Pedro P G Taucce
- Departamento de Biodiversidade and Centro de Aquicultura, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
| | - Célio F B Haddad
- Departamento de Biodiversidade and Centro de Aquicultura, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando Sequeira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Oliver PM, Bower DS, McDonald PJ, Kraus F, Luedtke J, Neam K, Hobin L, Chauvenet ALM, Allison A, Arida E, Clulow S, Günther R, Nagombi E, Tjaturadi B, Travers SL, Richards SJ. Melanesia holds the world's most diverse and intact insular amphibian fauna. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1182. [PMID: 36333588 PMCID: PMC9636264 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04105-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying hotspots of biological diversity is a key step in conservation prioritisation. Melanesia-centred on the vast island of New Guinea-is increasingly recognised for its exceptionally species-rich and endemic biota. Here we show that Melanesia has the world's most diverse insular amphibian fauna, with over 7% of recognised global frog species in less than 0.7% of the world's land area, and over 97% of species endemic. We further estimate that nearly 200 additional candidate species have been discovered but remain unnamed, pointing to a total fauna in excess of 700 species. Nearly 60% of the Melanesian frog fauna is in a lineage of direct-developing microhylids characterised by smaller distributions than co-occurring frog families, suggesting lineage-specific high beta diversity is a key driver of Melanesian anuran megadiversity. A comprehensive conservation status assessment further highlights geographic concentrations of recently described range-restricted threatened taxa that warrant urgent conservation actions. Nonetheless, by world standards, the Melanesian frog fauna is relatively intact, with 6% of assessed species listed as threatened and no documented extinctions; and thus it provides an unparalleled opportunity to understand and conserve a megadiverse and relatively intact insular biota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Oliver
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, 4121, Australia.
- Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia.
| | - Deborah S Bower
- Zoology Discipline, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Peter J McDonald
- Flora and Fauna Division, Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, Alice Springs, NT, 0870, Australia
| | - Fred Kraus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Jennifer Luedtke
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, 3701 Lake Shore Blvd W, P.O. Box 48586, Toronto, Ontario, M8W 1P5, Canada
- Re:wild, P.O. Box 129, Austin, Texas, 78767, USA
| | - Kelsey Neam
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, 3701 Lake Shore Blvd W, P.O. Box 48586, Toronto, Ontario, M8W 1P5, Canada
- Re:wild, P.O. Box 129, Austin, Texas, 78767, USA
| | - Louise Hobin
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, 3701 Lake Shore Blvd W, P.O. Box 48586, Toronto, Ontario, M8W 1P5, Canada
| | - Alienor L M Chauvenet
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, 4121, Australia
| | - Allen Allison
- Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, HI, 96817, USA
| | - Evy Arida
- Division of Zoology, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Simon Clulow
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
| | | | - Elizah Nagombi
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
| | - Burhan Tjaturadi
- Center for Environmental Studies, Sanata Dharma University (CESSDU), Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Scott L Travers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Stephen J Richards
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, 3701 Lake Shore Blvd W, P.O. Box 48586, Toronto, Ontario, M8W 1P5, Canada
- Herpetology Department, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, S.A., 5000, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Nie P, Feng J. Global niche and range shifts of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a highly virulent amphibian-killing fungus. Fungal Biol 2022; 126:809-816. [PMID: 36517148 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is one of the world's most invasive species, and is responsible for chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease that has caused huge losses of global amphibian biodiversity. Few studies have investigated invasive Bd's niche and range relative to those of native Bd. In the present study, we applied niche and range dynamic models to investigate global niche and range dynamics between native and invasive Bd. Invasive Bd occupied wider and different niche positions than did native Bd. Additionally, invasive Bd was observed in hotter, colder, wetter, drier, and more labile climatic conditions. Contrast to most relevant studies presuming Bd's niche remaining stable, we found that invasive Bd rejected niche conservatism hypotheses, suggesting its high lability in niche, and huge invasion potential. Bd's niche non-conservatism may result in range lability, and small niche expansions could induce large increases in range. Niche shifts may therefore be a more sensitive indicator of invasion than are range shifts. Our findings indicate that Bd is a high-risk invasive fungus not only due to its high infection and mortality rates, but also due to its high niche and range lability, which enhance its ability to adapt to novel climatic conditions. Therefore, invasive Bd should be a high-priority focus species in strategizing against biological invasions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peixiao Nie
- Department of Life Science and Agronomy, Dali University, Dali, 671003, China
| | - Jianmeng Feng
- Department of Life Science and Agronomy, Dali University, Dali, 671003, China.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Range-Wide Population Projections for Northern Red-Bellied Cooters (Pseudemys rubriventris). J HERPETOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1670/21-065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
29
|
Altobelli JT, Dickinson KJM, Godfrey SS, Bishop PJ. Methods in amphibian biotelemetry: Two decades in review. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T. Altobelli
- Department of Zoology University of Otago 340 Great King Street, PO Box 56 Dunedin 9054 New Zealand
| | | | - Stephanie S. Godfrey
- Department of Zoology University of Otago 340 Great King Street, PO Box 56 Dunedin 9054 New Zealand
| | - Phillip J. Bishop
- Department of Zoology University of Otago 340 Great King Street, PO Box 56 Dunedin 9054 New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Zhu W, Zhao C, Feng J, Chang J, Zhu W, Chang L, Liu J, Xie F, Li C, Jiang J, Zhao T. Effects of Habitat River Microbiome on the Symbiotic Microbiota and Multi-Organ Gene Expression of Captive-Bred Chinese Giant Salamander. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:884880. [PMID: 35770173 PMCID: PMC9234736 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.884880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The reintroduction of captive-bred individuals is a primary approach to rebuild the wild populations of the Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus), the largest extant amphibian species. However, the complexity of the wild habitat (e.g., diverse microorganisms and potential pathogens) potentially threatens the survival of reintroduced individuals. In this study, fresh (i.e., containing environmental microbiota) or sterilized river sediments (120°C sterilized treatment) were added to the artificial habitats to treat the larvae of the Chinese giant salamander (control group—Cnt: 20 individuals, treatment group 1 with fresh river sediments—T1: 20 individuals, and treatment group 2 with sterilized river sediments—T2: 20 individuals). The main objective of this study was to test whether this procedure could provoke their wild adaptability from the perspective of commensal microbiotas (skin, oral cavity, stomach, and gut) and larvae transcriptomes (skin, spleen, liver, and brain). Our results indicated that the presence of habitat sediments (whether fresh or sterilized) reshaped the oral bacterial community composition. Specifically, Firmicutes decreased dramatically from ~70% to ~20–25% (mainly contributed by Lactobacillaceae), while Proteobacteria increased from ~6% to ~31–36% (mainly contributed by Gammaproteobacteria). Consequently, the proportion of antifungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) increased, and the function of oral microbiota likely shifted from growth-promoting to pathogen defense. Interestingly, the skin microbiota, rather than the colonization of habitat microbiota, was the major source of the pre-treated oral microbiota. From the host perspective, the transcriptomes of all four organs were changed for treated individuals. Specifically, the proteolysis and apoptosis in the skin were promoted, and the transcription of immune genes was activated in the skin, spleen, and liver. Importantly, more robust immune activation was detected in individuals treated with sterilized sediments. These results suggested that the pathogen defense of captive-bred individuals was improved after being treated, which may benefit their survival in the wild. Taken together, our results suggested that the pre-exposure of captive-bred Chinese giant salamander individuals to habitat sediments could be considered and added into the reintroduction processes to help them better adapt to wild conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunlin Zhao
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianyi Feng
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiang Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbo Zhu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Liming Chang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiongyu Liu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Xie
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianping Jiang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Jianping Jiang
| | - Tian Zhao
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu, China
- Tian Zhao
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Munstermann MJ, Heim NA, McCauley DJ, Payne JL, Upham NS, Wang SC, Knope ML. A global ecological signal of extinction risk in terrestrial vertebrates. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13852. [PMID: 34668599 PMCID: PMC9299904 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
To determine the distribution and causes of extinction threat across functional groups of terrestrial vertebrates, we assembled an ecological trait data set for 18,016 species of terrestrial vertebrates and utilized phylogenetic comparative methods to test which categories of habitat association, mode of locomotion, and feeding mode best predicted extinction risk. We also examined the individual categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List extinction drivers (e.g., agriculture and logging) threatening each species and determined the greatest threats for each of the four terrestrial vertebrate groups. We then quantified the sum of extinction drivers threatening each species to provide a multistressor perspective on threat. Cave dwelling amphibians (p < 0.01), arboreal quadrupedal mammals (all of which are primates) (p < 0.01), aerial and scavenging birds (p < 0.01), and pedal (i.e., walking) squamates (p < 0.01) were all disproportionately threatened with extinction in comparison with the other assessed ecological traits. Across all threatened vertebrate species in the study, the most common risk factors were agriculture, threatening 4491 species, followed by logging, threatening 3187 species, and then invasive species and disease, threatening 2053 species. Species at higher risk of extinction were simultaneously at risk from a greater number of threat types. If left unabated, the disproportionate loss of species with certain functional traits and increasing anthropogenic pressures are likely to disrupt ecosystem functions globally. A shift in focus from species- to trait-centric conservation practices will allow for protection of at-risk functional diversity from regional to global scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maya J. Munstermann
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHawaiiUSA
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Graduate ProgramUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHawaiiUSA
| | - Noel A. Heim
- Department of Earth & Ocean SciencesTufts UniversityMedfordMassachusettsUSA
| | - Douglas J. McCauley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and Marine Science InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jonathan L. Payne
- Department of Geological SciencesStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nathan S. Upham
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - Steve C. Wang
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsSwarthmore CollegeSwarthmorePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Matthew L. Knope
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHawaiiUSA
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Graduate ProgramUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHawaiiUSA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Guedes JJM, Feio RN, Moura MR. Environmental and biological correlates of migration phenology of tropical leaf‐litter anurans. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jhonny J. M. Guedes
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal de Goiás Campus Samambaia Goiânia GO 74690‐900 Brazil
| | - Renato N. Feio
- Departamento de Biologia Animal Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa MG Brazil
| | - Mario R. Moura
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal da Paraíba Areia PB Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Caetano GHDO, Chapple DG, Grenyer R, Raz T, Rosenblatt J, Tingley R, Böhm M, Meiri S, Roll U. Automated assessment reveals that the extinction risk of reptiles is widely underestimated across space and phylogeny. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001544. [PMID: 35617356 PMCID: PMC9135251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Red List of Threatened Species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is a crucial tool for conservation decision-making. However, despite substantial effort, numerous species remain unassessed or have insufficient data available to be assigned a Red List extinction risk category. Moreover, the Red Listing process is subject to various sources of uncertainty and bias. The development of robust automated assessment methods could serve as an efficient and highly useful tool to accelerate the assessment process and offer provisional assessments. Here, we aimed to (1) present a machine learning–based automated extinction risk assessment method that can be used on less known species; (2) offer provisional assessments for all reptiles—the only major tetrapod group without a comprehensive Red List assessment; and (3) evaluate potential effects of human decision biases on the outcome of assessments. We use the method presented here to assess 4,369 reptile species that are currently unassessed or classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN. The models used in our predictions were 90% accurate in classifying species as threatened/nonthreatened, and 84% accurate in predicting specific extinction risk categories. Unassessed and Data Deficient reptiles were considerably more likely to be threatened than assessed species, adding to mounting evidence that these species warrant more conservation attention. The overall proportion of threatened species greatly increased when we included our provisional assessments. Assessor identities strongly affected prediction outcomes, suggesting that assessor effects need to be carefully considered in extinction risk assessments. Regions and taxa we identified as likely to be more threatened should be given increased attention in new assessments and conservation planning. Lastly, the method we present here can be easily implemented to help bridge the assessment gap for other less known taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Henrique de Oliveira Caetano
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - David G. Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard Grenyer
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tal Raz
- School of Zoology and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Reid Tingley
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Monika Böhm
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
- Global Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Uri Roll
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Klein BA, Brosius T. Insects in Art during an Age of Environmental Turmoil. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13050448. [PMID: 35621783 PMCID: PMC9146312 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Humans are reshaping the planet in impressive, and impressively self-destructive, ways. Evidence and awareness of our environmental impact has failed to elicit meaningful change in reversing our behavior. A multifaceted approach to communicating human-induced environmental destruction is critical, and art can affect our behavior by its power to evoke emotions. Artists often use insects in their works because of our intimate and varied relationship with this diverse, abundant lineage of animals. We surveyed work by 73 artists featuring insects or insect bodily products to gauge how extensively artists are addressing anthropogenic environmental distress, and what insects they are choosing as subjects in the process. Categories often cited as contributing to species extinction are (1) habitat destruction, (2) invasive species, (3) pollution, (4) human population, and (5) overharvesting. After adding insect-specific categories of (6) decline of insect pollinators and (7) the intentional modification or extermination of insects, we categorized our surveyed works, confirming categorizations with 53 of the living artists. Forty-seven percent of the artists addressed habitat destruction or climate change, but some other categories were severely underrepresented, with almost no work explicitly addressing overpopulation or overharvesting. Artists favored Hymenoptera (62%) over potentially more species-rich orders. Recognizing these biases could alert scientists, artists, and others to more effectively communicate messages of universal importance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barrett Anthony Klein
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin—La Crosse, La Crosse, WI 54601, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-608-785-6995
| | - Tierney Brosius
- Department of Biology, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL 61201, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Christoph Liedtke H, Lyakurwa JV, Lawson LP, Menegon M, Garrido-Priego M, Mariaux J, Ngalason W, Channing A, Owen NR, Bittencourt-Silva GB, Wilkinson M, Larson JG, Loader SP. Thirty years of amphibian surveys in the Ukagurus Mountains of Tanzania reveal new species, yet others are in decline. AFR J HERPETOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2022.2043945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H Christoph Liedtke
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - John V Lyakurwa
- Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lucinda P Lawson
- Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Michele Menegon
- Division of Biology & Conservation Ecology, School of Science & the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
- PAMS Foundation, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Marina Garrido-Priego
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean Mariaux
- Natural History Museum of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Wilirk Ngalason
- Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Alan Channing
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Nisha R Owen
- On the EDGE Conservation, London, UK
- The Society for Environmental Exploration (Frontier), London, UK
| | - Gabriela B Bittencourt-Silva
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Mark Wilkinson
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Joanna G Larson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Simon P Loader
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Clulow S, Clulow J, Marcec-Greaves R, Della Togna G, Calatayud NE. Common goals, different stages: the state of the ARTs for reptile and amphibian conservation. Reprod Fertil Dev 2022; 34:i-ix. [PMID: 35275052 DOI: 10.1071/rdv34n5_fo] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibians and reptiles are highly threatened vertebrate taxa with large numbers of species threatened with extinction. With so many species at risk, conservation requires the efficient and cost-effective application of all the tools available so that as many species as possible are assisted. Biobanking of genetic material in genetic resource banks (GRBs) in combination with assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to retrieve live animals from stored materials are two powerful, complementary tools in the conservation toolbox for arresting and reversing biodiversity decline for both amphibians and reptiles. However, the degree of development of the ARTs and cryopreservation technologies differ markedly between these two groups. These differences are explained in part by different perceptions of the taxa, but also to differing reproductive anatomy and biology between the amphibians and reptiles. Artificial fertilisation with cryopreserved sperm is becoming a more widely developed and utilised technology for amphibians. However, in contrast, artificial insemination with production of live progeny has been reported in few reptiles, and while sperm have been successfully cryopreserved, there are still no reports of the production of live offspring generated from cryopreserved sperm. In both amphibians and reptiles, a focus on sperm cryopreservation and artificial fertilisation or artificial insemination has been at the expense of the development and application of more advanced technologies such as cryopreservation of the female germline and embryonic genome, or the use of sophisticated stem cell/primordial germ cell cryopreservation and transplantation approaches. This review accompanies the publication of ten papers on amphibians and twelve papers on reptiles reporting advances in ARTs and biobanking for the herpetological taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Clulow
- Centre for Conservation Ecology & Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
| | - John Clulow
- University of Newcastle, Conservation Biology Research Group, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | | | - Gina Della Togna
- Universidad Interamericana de Panama, Direccion de Investigacion, Campus Central, Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro, Panama City, Panama; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, Panama
| | - Natalie E Calatayud
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Beckman Center for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual valley Road, Escondido, CA 92025, USA; and Conservation Science Network, 24 Thomas Street, Mayfield, NSW 2304, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Brooks GC, Kindsvater HK. Early Development Drives Variation in Amphibian Vulnerability to Global Change. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.813414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how natural selection determines species’ life histories can reveal their resilience or sensitivity to anthropogenic changes. For example, the safe harbor hypothesis posits that natural selection will favor life histories that maximize the time spent in the safest life stages; a second theoretical prediction suggests that species with complex life histories will maximize the growth potential of a life stage relative to its safety. Amphibians exhibit complex life histories, with a diversity of developmental strategies occurring across taxa. Many strategies involve the complete elimination of a particular life stage, and thus provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate the main tenets of the safe harbor hypothesis and understand the consequences of this developmental variation for conservation of threatened amphibians. We develop a general framework for understanding developmental life histories of amphibians – including the special cases of paedomorphism, direct development, and viviparity – based on the relative growth potential and safety offered by aquatic and terrestrial habitat, which we tested using a global trait database. We then compare the IUCN Red List status of species differing in developmental mode, revealing that most fully aquatic species and species with an aquatic larval stage are currently of Least Concern, despite the fact that freshwater habitats are being lost at a much faster rate compared with terrestrial ecosystems. The higher proportion of direct developing and viviparous species that are threatened can be attributed to their smaller ranges, the fact that they are more likely to be found in rainforest habitats, and their relatively slow life histories. We conclude that an amphibian’s developmental mode reflects the relative costs and benefits of different habitats, and that this could contribute to the resilience or vulnerability of amphibians to future anthropogenic change.
Collapse
|
38
|
Liu J, Slik F, Zheng S, Lindenmayer DB. Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species. Conserv Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences Fudan University Shanghai China
| | - Ferry Slik
- Environmental and Life Sciences Department Faculty of Science Universiti Brunei Darussalam Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam
| | - Shilu Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences Fudan University Shanghai China
| | - David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Marino C, Leclerc C, Bellard C. Profiling insular vertebrates prone to biological invasions: What makes them vulnerable? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1077-1090. [PMID: 34783130 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major threat to insular vertebrates, although the ecological characteristics that make insular communities vulnerable to IAS are poorly understood. After describing the ecological strategies of 6015 insular amphibians, birds, lizards, and mammals, we assessed the functional and ecological features of vertebrates exposed to IAS. We found that at least 50% of insular amphibian functional richness was hosted by IAS-threatened amphibians and up to 29% for birds. Moreover, all IAS-threatened groups except birds harbored a higher functional richness than species groups threatened by other threats. Disentangling the ecological strategies threatened by IAS, compared to those associated with other threats, we showed that birds, lizards, and mammals were more likely to be terrestrial foragers and amphibians to have larval development. By contrast, large-bodied species and habitat specialists were universally threatened. By considering the functional aspect of threatened insular diversity, our work improves our understanding of global IAS impacts. This new dimension proves essential for undertaking relevant and effective conservation actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clara Marino
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Orsay, France
| | - Camille Leclerc
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Orsay, France
| | - Céline Bellard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Orsay, France
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Pillay R, Venter M, Aragon‐Osejo J, González‐del‐Pliego P, Hansen AJ, Watson JEM, Venter O. Tropical forests are home to over half of the world's vertebrate species. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2022; 20:10-15. [PMID: 35873358 PMCID: PMC9293027 DOI: 10.1002/fee.2420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tropical forests are renowned for their astonishing diversity of life, but the fundamental question of how many species occur in tropical forests remains unanswered. Using geographic range maps and data on species habitat associations, we determined that tropical forests harbor 62% of global terrestrial vertebrate species, more than twice the number found in any other terrestrial biome on Earth. Up to 29% of global vertebrate species are endemic to tropical forests, with more than 20% of these species at risk of extinction. Humid tropical forests (also known as tropical rainforests) and the Neotropics dominate as centers of species diversity, harboring more than 90% and nearly half of all tropical forest vertebrates, respectively. To maintain the biodiversity that underpins the ecosystem functions and services essential for human well-being, we emphasize the critical importance of environmental policies aimed at reducing tropical deforestation and mitigating deleterious anthropogenic pressures on these imperiled ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Pillay
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies InstituteUniversity of Northern British ColumbiaPrince GeorgeCanada
| | - Michelle Venter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies InstituteUniversity of Northern British ColumbiaPrince GeorgeCanada
| | - Jose Aragon‐Osejo
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies InstituteUniversity of Northern British ColumbiaPrince GeorgeCanada
| | | | | | - James EM Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
- School of Earth and Environmental SciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Oscar Venter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies InstituteUniversity of Northern British ColumbiaPrince GeorgeCanada
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Mixed protection of threatened species traded under CITES. Curr Biol 2022; 32:999-1009.e9. [PMID: 35090593 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates international legal trade to prevent the detrimental harvest of wildlife. We assess the volumes of threatened and non-threatened bird, mammal, amphibian, and reptile species in the CITES-managed trade and how this trade responded to category changes of species in the IUCN Red List between 2000 and 2018. In this period, over a thousand wild-sourced vertebrate species were commercially traded. Species of least conservation concern had the highest yearly trade volumes (excluding birds), whereas species in most Red List categories showed an overall decrease in trade reoccurrence and volume through time, with most species unlikely to reoccur in recent trade. Charismatic species with populations split-listed between Appendices I and II were traded in substantially lower yearly volumes when sourced from the more-threatened Appendix I populations. Species trade volumes did not systematically respond to changes in the Red List category, with 31.0% of species disappearing from trade before changing category and the majority of species revealing no difference in trade volumes from pre- to post-change. Just 2.7% (12/432) of species volumes declined and 2.1% (9/432) of volumes increased after a category change. Our findings highlight that non-threatened species dominate trade but reveal small numbers of highly threatened species in trade and a disconnect between species trade volumes and changing extinction risk. We highlight potential drawbacks in the current regulation of trade in listed species and urgently call for open and accessible assessments-non-detriment findings-robustly evidencing the sustainable use of threatened and non-threatened species alike.
Collapse
|
42
|
Development of assisted reproductive technologies for the conservation of Atelopus sp. (spumarius complex). Cryobiology 2021; 105:20-31. [PMID: 34968472 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Amphibians are in peril, given the ongoing sixth mass extinction of wildlife. Thus, Conservation Breeding Programs (CBPs) are attempting to breed some species under laboratory conditions. The incorporation of assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs), such as hormonal stimulation, sperm collection and cryopreservation, and in vitro fertilization is contributing to successful CBPs. The objective of this study was to apply ARTs in sexually mature individuals of an undescribed species of Atelopus (spumarius complex) (harlequin frog). Our procedure involves hormonal induction of gametogenesis in this species. We were able to induce gamete release through administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in males, and in females this has been achieved through the sequential administration of hCG (priming doses), and combinations of hCG with gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue, GnRHa (ovulary dose). We standardized sperm cryopreservation by performing toxicity tests of cryoprotectants, fast/slow freezing and thawing, as well as supplementation of non-penetrating cryoprotectants (sugars). Next, we performed in vitro fertilization, evaluated the fertilization capacity of the cryopreserved sperm, and describe external features of fresh and cryopreserved sperm. We found that 10 IU/g hCG induced the release of the highest sperm concentrations between 3 and 5 h post-injection, while 2.5 IU/g hCG induced the release of eggs in most treated females. Under cryopreservation conditions, the highest recovery of forward progressive motility or FPM was 26.3 ± 3.5%, which was obtained in cryosuspensions prepared with the 5% DMF and 2.5% sucrose. Cryopreserved sperm showed narrower mitochondrial vesicles after thawing, while in frozen samples without cryodiluent showed 31% of spermatozoa lost their tails. In most cases, our attempts of in vitro fertilization were successful. However, only ∼10% of embryos were viable. Overall, our study demonstrates that the development of ARTs in individuals of Atelopus sp. (spumarius complex) bred in laboratory can be successful, which result in viable offspring through in vitro fertilization. Our study provides a baseline for assisted breeding protocols applicable to other harlequin frogs of the genus Atelopus.
Collapse
|
43
|
Zizka A, Andermann T, Silvestro D. IUCNN
– Deep learning approaches to approximate species' extinction risk. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Zizka
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig (iDiv)University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Biology Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg Germany
| | - Tobias Andermann
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Göteborg Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre Göteborg Sweden
| | - Daniele Silvestro
- Department of Biology University of Fribourg Fribourg Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics Lausanne Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Dang C, Walkup JGV, Hungate BA, Franklin RB, Schwartz E, Morrissey EM. Phylogenetic organization in the assimilation of chemically distinct substrates by soil bacteria. Environ Microbiol 2021; 24:357-369. [PMID: 34811865 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Soils are among the most biodiverse habitats on earth and while the species composition of microbial communities can influence decomposition rates and pathways, the functional significance of many microbial species and phylogenetic groups remains unknown. If bacteria exhibit phylogenetic organization in their function, this could enable ecologically meaningful classification of bacterial clades. Here, we show non-random phylogenetic organization in the rates of relative carbon assimilation for both rapidly mineralized substrates (amino acids and glucose) assimilated by many microbial taxa and slowly mineralized substrates (lipids and cellulose) assimilated by relatively few microbial taxa. When mapped onto bacterial phylogeny using ancestral character estimation this phylogenetic organization enabled the identification of clades involved in the decomposition of specific soil organic matter substrates. Phylogenetic organization in substrate assimilation could provide a basis for predicting the functional attributes of uncharacterized microbial taxa and understanding the significance of microbial community composition for soil organic matter decomposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chansotheary Dang
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Jeth G V Walkup
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Bruce A Hungate
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Rima B Franklin
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Egbert Schwartz
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Ember M Morrissey
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Greenberg DA, Pyron RA, Johnson LGW, Upham NS, Jetz W, Mooers AØ. Evolutionary legacies in contemporary tetrapod imperilment. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:2464-2476. [PMID: 34510687 PMCID: PMC9048422 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Tree of Life will be irrevocably reshaped as anthropogenic extinctions continue to unfold. Theory suggests that lineage evolutionary dynamics, such as age since origination, historical extinction filters and speciation rates, have influenced ancient extinction patterns - but whether these factors also contribute to modern extinction risk is largely unknown. We examine evolutionary legacies in contemporary extinction risk for over 4000 genera, representing ~30,000 species, from the major tetrapod groups: amphibians, birds, turtles and crocodiles, squamate reptiles and mammals. We find consistent support for the hypothesis that extinction risk is elevated in lineages with higher recent speciation rates. We subsequently test, and find modest support for, a primary mechanism driving this pattern: that rapidly diversifying clades predominantly comprise range-restricted, and extinction-prone, species. These evolutionary patterns in current imperilment may have important consequences for how we manage the erosion of biological diversity across the Tree of Life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan A. Greenberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - R. Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Liam G. W. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nathan S. Upham
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Walter Jetz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Arne Ø. Mooers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Davison CW, Rahbek C, Morueta-Holme N. Land-use change and biodiversity: Challenges for assembling evidence on the greatest threat to nature. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:5414-5429. [PMID: 34392585 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Land-use change is considered the greatest threat to nature, having caused worldwide declines in the abundance, diversity, and health of species and ecosystems. Despite increasing research on this global change driver, there are still challenges to forming an effective synthesis. The estimated impact of land-use change on biodiversity can depend on location, research methods, and taxonomic focus, with recent global meta-analyses reaching disparate conclusions. Here, we critically appraise this research body and our ability to reach a reliable consensus. We employ named entity recognition to analyze more than 4000 abstracts, alongside full reading of 100 randomly selected papers. We highlight the broad range of study designs and methodologies used; the most common being local space-for-time comparisons that classify land use in situ. Species metrics including abundance, distribution, and diversity were measured more frequently than complex responses such as demography, vital rates, and behavior. We identified taxonomic biases, with vertebrates well represented while detritivores were largely missing. Omitting this group may hinder our understanding of how land-use change affects ecosystem feedback. Research was heavily biased toward temperate forested biomes in North America and Europe, with warmer regions being acutely underrepresented despite offering potential insights into the future effects of land-use change under novel climates. Various land-use histories were covered, although more research in understudied regions including Africa and the Middle East is required to capture regional differences in the form of current and historical land-use practices. Failure to address these challenges will impede our global understanding of land-use change impacts on biodiversity, limit the reliability of future projections and have repercussions for the conservation of threatened species. Beyond identifying literature biases, we highlight the research priorities and data gaps that need urgent attention and offer perspectives on how to move forward.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Davison
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Rahbek
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Global Mountain Biodiversity, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Naia Morueta-Holme
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
De Troyer N, Bruneel S, Lock K, Greener MS, Facq E, Deknock A, Martel A, Pasmans F, Goethals P. Ratio-dependent functional response of two common Cladocera present in farmland ponds to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. FUNGAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2021.101089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
48
|
Lapp S, Wu T, Richards‐Zawacki C, Voyles J, Rodriguez KM, Shamon H, Kitzes J. Automated detection of frog calls and choruses by pulse repetition rate. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1659-1668. [PMID: 33586273 PMCID: PMC8518090 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Anurans (frogs and toads) are among the most globally threatened taxonomic groups. Successful conservation of anurans will rely on improved data on the status and changes in local populations, particularly for rare and threatened species. Automated sensors, such as acoustic recorders, have the potential to provide such data by massively increasing the spatial and temporal scale of population sampling efforts. Analyzing such data sets will require robust and efficient tools that can automatically identify the presence of a species in audio recordings. Like bats and birds, many anuran species produce distinct vocalizations that can be captured by autonomous acoustic recorders and represent excellent candidates for automated recognition. However, in contrast to birds and bats, effective automated acoustic recognition tools for anurans are not yet widely available. An effective automated call-recognition method for anurans must be robust to the challenges of real-world field data and should not require extensive labeled data sets. We devised a vocalization identification tool that classifies anuran vocalizations in audio recordings based on their periodic structure: the repeat interval-based bioacoustic identification tool (RIBBIT). We applied RIBBIT to field recordings to study the boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) of temperate North American grasslands and the critically endangered variable harlequin frog (Atelopus varius) of tropical Central American rainforests. The tool accurately identified boreal chorus frogs, even when they vocalized in heavily overlapping choruses and identified variable harlequin frog vocalizations at a field site where it had been very rarely encountered in visual surveys. Using a few simple parameters, RIBBIT can detect any vocalization with a periodic structure, including those of many anurans, insects, birds, and mammals. We provide open-source implementations of RIBBIT in Python and R to support its use for other taxa and communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sam Lapp
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Tianhao Wu
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Jamie Voyles
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Nevada, RenoRenoNevadaUSA
| | | | - Hila Shamon
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Justin Kitzes
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Alvarado-Rybak M, Lepe-Lopez M, Peñafiel-Ricaurte A, Valenzuela-Sánchez A, Valdivia C, Mardones FO, Bacigalupe LD, Puschendorf R, Cunningham AA, Azat C. Bioclimatic and anthropogenic variables shape the occurrence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis over a large latitudinal gradient. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17383. [PMID: 34462470 PMCID: PMC8405646 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96535-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has caused the greatest known loss of biodiversity due to an infectious disease. We used Bd infection data from quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays of amphibian skin swabs collected across Chile during 2008-2018 to model Bd occurrence with the aim to determine bioclimatic and anthropogenic variables associated with Bd infection. Also, we used Bd presence/absence records to identify geographical Bd high-risk areas and compare Bd prevalence and infection loads between amphibian families, ecoregions, and host ecology. Data comprised 4155 Bd-specific qPCR assays from 162 locations across a latitudinal gradient of 3700 km (18º to 51ºS). Results showed a significant clustering of Bd associated with urban centres and anthropogenically highly disturbed ecosystems in central-south Chile. Both Bd prevalence and Bd infection loads were higher in aquatic than terrestrial amphibian species. Our model indicated positive associations of Bd prevalence with altitude, temperature, precipitation and human-modified landscapes. Also, we found that macroscale drivers, such as land use change and climate, shape the occurrence of Bd at the landscape level. Our study provides with new evidence that can improve the effectiveness of strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss due to amphibian chytridiomycosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Alvarado-Rybak
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 252, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Núcleo de Ciencias Aplicadas en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Universidad de las Américas, Echaurren 140, Santiago, Chile
| | - Manuel Lepe-Lopez
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 252, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexandra Peñafiel-Ricaurte
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 252, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Andrés Valenzuela-Sánchez
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 252, Santiago, Chile
- ONG Ranita de Darwin, Nataniel Cox 152, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5110566, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Catalina Valdivia
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 252, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando O Mardones
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leonardo D Bacigalupe
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Robert Puschendorf
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Claudio Azat
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Life Sciences Faculty, Universidad Andres Bello, Republica 252, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Liu G, Rowley JJL, Kingsford RT, Callaghan CT. Species' traits drive amphibian tolerance to anthropogenic habitat modification. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3120-3132. [PMID: 33939215 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat modification is accelerating, threatening the world's biodiversity. Understanding species' responses to anthropogenic modification is vital for halting species' declines. However, this information is lacking for globally threatened amphibians, informed primarily by small community-level studies. We integrated >126,000 verified citizen science observations of frogs, with a global continuous measure of anthropogenic habitat modification for a continental scale analysis of the effects of habitat modification on frogs. We derived a modification tolerance index-accounting for anthropogenic stressors such as human habitation, agriculture, transport and energy production-for 87 species (36% of all Australian frog species). We used this index to quantify and rank each species' tolerance of anthropogenic habitat modification, then compiled traits of all the frog species and assessed how well these equipped species to tolerate modified habitats. Most of Australia's frog species examined were adversely affected by habitat modification. Habitat specialists and species with large geographic range sizes were the least tolerant of habitat modification. Call dominant frequency, body size, clutch type and calling position (i.e. from vegetation) were also related to tolerance of habitat modification. There is an urgent need for improved consideration of anthropogenic impacts and improved conservation measures to ensure the long-term persistence of frog populations, particularly focused on specialists and species identified as intolerant of modified habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gracie Liu
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jodi J L Rowley
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard T Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Corey T Callaghan
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Ecology & Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|