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Lewin A, Murali G, Rachmilevitch S, Roll U. Global evaluation of current and future threats to drylands and their vertebrate biodiversity. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02450-4. [PMID: 38965413 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02450-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Drylands are often overlooked in broad conservation frameworks and development priorities and face increasing threats from human activities. Here we evaluated the formal degree of protection of global drylands, their land vertebrate biodiversity and current threats, and projected human-induced land-use changes to drylands under different future climate change and socioeconomic scenarios. Overall, drylands have lower protected-area coverage (12%) compared to non-drylands (21%). Consequently, most dryland vertebrates including many endemic and narrow-ranging species are inadequately protected (0-2% range coverage). Dryland vertebrates are threatened by varied anthropogenic factors-including agricultural and infrastructure development (that is, artificial structures, surfaces, roads and industrial sites). Alarmingly, by 2100 drylands are projected to experience some degree of land conversion in 95-100% of their current natural habitat due to urban, agricultural and alternative energy expansion. This loss of undisturbed dryland regions is expected across different socioeconomic pathways, even under optimistic scenarios characterized by progressive climate policies and moderate socioeconomic trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Lewin
- 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 Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
| | - Gopal Murali
- 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 Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Shimon Rachmilevitch
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Uri Roll
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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2
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Pili AN, Leroy B, Measey JG, Farquhar JE, Toomes A, Cassey P, Chekunov S, Grenié M, van Winkel D, Maria L, Diesmos MLL, Diesmos AC, Zurell D, Courchamp F, Chapple DG. Forecasting potential invaders to prevent future biological invasions worldwide. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17399. [PMID: 39007251 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17399] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The ever-increasing and expanding globalisation of trade and transport underpins the escalating global problem of biological invasions. Developing biosecurity infrastructures is crucial to anticipate and prevent the transport and introduction of invasive alien species. Still, robust and defensible forecasts of potential invaders are rare, especially for species without known invasion history. Here, we aim to support decision-making by developing a quantitative invasion risk assessment tool based on invasion syndromes (i.e., generalising typical attributes of invasive alien species). We implemented a workflow based on 'Multiple Imputation with Chain Equation' to estimate invasion syndromes from imputed datasets of species' life-history and ecological traits and macroecological patterns. Importantly, our models disentangle the factors explaining (i) transport and introduction and (ii) establishment. We showcase our tool by modelling the invasion syndromes of 466 amphibians and reptile species with invasion history. Then, we project these models to amphibians and reptiles worldwide (16,236 species [c.76% global coverage]) to identify species with a risk of being unintentionally transported and introduced, and risk of establishing alien populations. Our invasion syndrome models showed high predictive accuracy with a good balance between specificity and generality. Unintentionally transported and introduced species tend to be common and thrive well in human-disturbed habitats. In contrast, those with established alien populations tend to be large-sized, are habitat generalists, thrive well in human-disturbed habitats, and have large native geographic ranges. We forecast that 160 amphibians and reptiles without known invasion history could be unintentionally transported and introduced in the future. Among them, 57 species have a high risk of establishing alien populations. Our reliable, reproducible, transferable, statistically robust and scientifically defensible quantitative invasion risk assessment tool is a significant new addition to the suite of decision-support tools needed for developing a future-proof preventative biosecurity globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman N Pili
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Boris Leroy
- Unité 8067 Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Université de Caen Normandie, CNRS, IRD, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - John G Measey
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- UMR7179 MECADEV CNRS/MNHN, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Bâtiment d'Anatomie Comparée, Paris, France
| | - Jules E Farquhar
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam Toomes
- Invasion Science and Wildlife Ecology Group, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Phillip Cassey
- Invasion Science and Wildlife Ecology Group, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sebastian Chekunov
- Invasion Science and Wildlife Ecology Group, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Matthias Grenié
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Dylan van Winkel
- Bioresearches (Babbage Consultants Limited), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lisa Maria
- Biosecurity New Zealand-Tiakitanga Pūtaiao Aotearoa, Ministry for Primary Industries-Manatū Ahu Matua, Upper Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Mae Lowe L Diesmos
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
- Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | | | - Damaris Zurell
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Franck Courchamp
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Gif Sur Yvette, France
| | - David G Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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3
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Cui Y, Carmona CP, Wang Z. Identifying global conservation priorities for terrestrial vertebrates based on multiple dimensions of biodiversity. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14205. [PMID: 37855155 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14205] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity calls for an expansion of the current protected areas (PAs) to cover at least 30% of global land and water areas by 2030 (i.e., the 30×30 target). Efficient spatial planning for PA expansion is an urgent need for global conservation practice. A spatial prioritization framework considering multiple dimensions of biodiversity is critical for improving the efficiency of the spatial planning of PAs, yet it remains a challenge. We developed an index for the identification of priority areas based on functionally rare, evolutionarily distinct, and globally endangered species (FREDGE) and applied it to 21,536 terrestrial vertebrates. We determined species distributions, conservation status (global endangerment), molecular phylogenies (evolutionary distinctiveness), and life-history traits (functional rarity). Madagascar, Central America, and the Andes were of high priority for the conservation of multiple dimensions of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity. However, 68.8% of grid cells in these priority areas had <17% of their area covered by PAs, and these priority areas were under intense anthropogenic and climate change threats. These results highlight the difficulties of conserving multiple dimensions of biodiversity. Our global analyses of the geographical patterns of multiple dimensions of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity demonstrate the insufficiency of the conservation of different biodiversity dimensions, and our index, based on multiple dimensions of biodiversity, provides a useful tool for guiding future spatial prioritization of PA expansion to achieve the 30×30 target under serious pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cui
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Zhiheng Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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4
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Rosindell J, Manson K, Gumbs R, Pearse WD, Steel M. Phylogenetic Biodiversity Metrics Should Account for Both Accumulation and Attrition of Evolutionary Heritage. Syst Biol 2024; 73:158-182. [PMID: 38102727 PMCID: PMC11129585 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syad072] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic metrics are essential tools used in the study of ecology, evolution and conservation. Phylogenetic diversity (PD) in particular is one of the most prominent measures of biodiversity and is based on the idea that biological features accumulate along the edges of phylogenetic trees that are summed. We argue that PD and many other phylogenetic biodiversity metrics fail to capture an essential process that we term attrition. Attrition is the gradual loss of features through causes other than extinction. Here we introduce "EvoHeritage", a generalization of PD that is founded on the joint processes of accumulation and attrition of features. We argue that while PD measures evolutionary history, EvoHeritage is required to capture a more pertinent subset of evolutionary history including only components that have survived attrition. We show that EvoHeritage is not the same as PD on a tree with scaled edges; instead, accumulation and attrition interact in a more complex non-monophyletic way that cannot be captured by edge lengths alone. This leads us to speculate that the one-dimensional edge lengths of classic trees may be insufficiently flexible to capture the nuances of evolutionary processes. We derive a measure of EvoHeritage and show that it elegantly reproduces species richness and PD at opposite ends of a continuum based on the intensity of attrition. We demonstrate the utility of EvoHeritage in ecology as a predictor of community productivity compared with species richness and PD. We also show how EvoHeritage can quantify living fossils and resolve their associated controversy. We suggest how the existing calculus of PD-based metrics and other phylogenetic biodiversity metrics can and should be recast in terms of EvoHeritage accumulation and attrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Rosindell
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
- Biomathematics Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kerry Manson
- Biomathematics Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Rikki Gumbs
- EDGE of Existence Programme, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - William D Pearse
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Mike Steel
- Biomathematics Research Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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5
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Gumbs R, Scott O, Bates R, Böhm M, Forest F, Gray CL, Hoffmann M, Kane D, Low C, Pearse WD, Pipins S, Tapley B, Turvey ST, Jetz W, Owen NR, Rosindell J. Global conservation status of the jawed vertebrate Tree of Life. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1101. [PMID: 38424441 PMCID: PMC10904806 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45119-z] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Human-driven extinction threatens entire lineages across the Tree of Life. Here we assess the conservation status of jawed vertebrate evolutionary history, using three policy-relevant approaches. First, we calculate an index of threat to overall evolutionary history, showing that we expect to lose 86-150 billion years (11-19%) of jawed vertebrate evolutionary history over the next 50-500 years. Second, we rank jawed vertebrate species by their EDGE scores to identify the highest priorities for species-focused conservation of evolutionary history, finding that chondrichthyans, ray-finned fish and testudines rank highest of all jawed vertebrates. Third, we assess the conservation status of jawed vertebrate families. We found that species within monotypic families are more likely to be threatened and more likely to be in decline than other species. We provide a baseline for the status of families at risk of extinction to catalyse conservation action. This work continues a trend of highlighting neglected groups-such as testudines, crocodylians, amphibians and chondrichthyans-as conservation priorities from a phylogenetic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki Gumbs
- Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
- Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK.
| | - Oenone Scott
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Ryan Bates
- Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Monika Böhm
- Global Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis Zoological Society, Indianapolis, IN, 46222, USA
| | - Félix Forest
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | | | | | - Daniel Kane
- Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Christopher Low
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - William D Pearse
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Sebastian Pipins
- Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- On the Edge, London, SW3 2JJ, UK
| | | | - Samuel T Turvey
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Walter Jetz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | | | - James Rosindell
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
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6
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Oskyrko O, Mi C, Meiri S, Du W. ReptTraits: a comprehensive dataset of ecological traits in reptiles. Sci Data 2024; 11:243. [PMID: 38413613 PMCID: PMC10899194 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03079-5] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Trait datasets are increasingly being used in studies investigating eco-evolutionary theory and global conservation initiatives. Reptiles are emerging as a key group for studying these questions because their traits are crucial for understanding the ability of animals to cope with environmental changes and their contributions to ecosystem processes. We collected data from earlier databases, and the primary literature to create an up-to-date dataset of reptilian traits, encompassing 40 traits from 12060 species of reptiles (Archelosauria: Crocodylia and Testudines, Rhynchocephalia, and Squamata: Amphisbaenia, Sauria, and Serpentes). The data were gathered from 1288 sources published between 1820 and 2023. The dataset includes morphological, physiological, behavioral, and life history traits, as well as information on the availability of genetic data, IUCN Red List assessments, and population trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksandra Oskyrko
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunrong Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology & the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Weiguo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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7
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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.
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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
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Gumbs R, Chaudhary A, Daru BH, Faith DP, Forest F, Gray CL, Kowalska A, Lee WS, Pellens R, Pipins S, Pollock LJ, Rosindell J, Scherson RA, Owen NR. Indicators to monitor the status of the tree of life. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14138. [PMID: 37377164 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14138] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Following the failure to fully achieve any of the 20 Aichi biodiversity targets, the future of biodiversity rests in the balance. The Convention on Biological Diversity's Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) presents the opportunity to preserve nature's contributions to people (NCPs) for current and future generations by conserving biodiversity and averting extinctions. There is a need to safeguard the tree of life-the unique and shared evolutionary history of life on Earth-to maintain the benefits it bestows into the future. Two indicators have been adopted within the GBF to monitor progress toward safeguarding the tree of life: the phylogenetic diversity (PD) indicator and the evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) index. We applied both to the world's mammals, birds, and cycads to show their utility at the global and national scale. The PD indicator can be used to monitor the overall conservation status of large parts of the evolutionary tree of life, a measure of biodiversity's capacity to maintain NCPs for future generations. The EDGE index is used to monitor the performance of efforts to conserve the most distinctive species. The risk to PD of birds, cycads, and mammals increased, and mammals exhibited the greatest relative increase in threatened PD over time. These trends appeared robust to the choice of extinction risk weighting. EDGE species had predominantly worsening extinction risk. A greater proportion of EDGE mammals (12%) had increased extinction risk compared with threatened mammals in general (7%). By strengthening commitments to safeguarding the tree of life, biodiversity loss can be reduced and thus nature's capacity to provide benefits to humanity now and in the future can be preserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki Gumbs
- EDGE of Existence Programme, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, UK
- IUCN SSC Phylogenetic Diversity Task Force, London, UK
| | - Abhishek Chaudhary
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, Kanpur, India
| | - Barnabas H Daru
- Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel P Faith
- The Australian Museum Research Institute, The Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Félix Forest
- Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK
| | - Claudia L Gray
- EDGE of Existence Programme, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | | | - Who-Seung Lee
- Environmental Assessment Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Roseli Pellens
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, et Biodiversité (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Ecole Pratique de Hautes Etudes, Université des Antilles), Paris, France
| | - Sebastian Pipins
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, UK
- Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK
| | - Laura J Pollock
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - James Rosindell
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, UK
| | - Rosa A Scherson
- Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nisha R Owen
- IUCN SSC Phylogenetic Diversity Task Force, London, UK
- On the EDGE Conservation, Chelsea, UK
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Tietje M, Antonelli A, Forest F, Govaerts R, Smith SA, Sun M, Baker WJ, Eiserhardt WL. Global hotspots of plant phylogenetic diversity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1636-1646. [PMID: 37496281 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19151] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Regions harbouring high unique phylogenetic diversity (PD) are priority targets for conservation. Here, we analyse the global distribution of plant PD, which remains poorly understood despite plants being the foundation of most terrestrial habitats and key to human livelihoods. Capitalising on a recently completed, comprehensive global checklist of vascular plants, we identify hotspots of unique plant PD and test three hypotheses: (1) PD is more evenly distributed than species diversity; (2) areas of highest PD (often called 'hotspots') do not maximise cumulative PD; and (3) many biomes are needed to maximise cumulative PD. Our results support all three hypotheses: more than twice as many regions are required to cover 50% of global plant PD compared to 50% of species; regions that maximise cumulative PD substantially differ from the regions with outstanding individual PD; and while (sub-)tropical moist forest regions dominate across PD hotspots, other forest types and open biomes are also essential. Safeguarding PD in the Anthropocene (including the protection of some comparatively species-poor areas) is a global, increasingly recognised responsibility. Having highlighted countries with outstanding unique plant PD, further analyses are now required to fully understand the global distribution of plant PD and associated conservation imperatives across spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Tietje
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, 413 19, Sweden
| | - Félix Forest
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | | | - Stephen A Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Miao Sun
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | | | - Wolf L Eiserhardt
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Aaarhus, 8000, Denmark
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10
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Cortés-Díaz D, Buitrago-Torres DL, Restrepo-Cardona JS, Estellés-Domingo I, López-López P. Bridging Evolutionary History and Conservation of New World Vultures. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3175. [PMID: 37893899 PMCID: PMC10603630 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203175] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The New World Vultures (Cathartidae) include seven species of obligate scavengers that, despite their ecological relevance, present critical information gaps around their evolutionary history and conservation. Insights into their phylogenetic relationships in recent years has enabled the addressing of such information gaps through approaches based on phylogeny. We reconstructed the ancestral area in America of the current species using two regionalization schemes and methods: Biogeography with Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis (BioGeoBears) and Bayesian Binary Model-Monte Carlo Markov Chains (BBM-MCMC). Then, we identified the priority species and areas for conservation by means of the Evolutionary Distinctiveness index (ED), as a proxy of the uniqueness of species according to phylogeny, and the Global Endangerment index (GE), mapping phylogenetic diversity. We found that the ancestral area of New World Vultures in America corresponds to South America, with dispersal processes that led to a recolonization of North America by Coragyps atratus, Gymnogyps californianus and Cathartes aura. We identified the Black Vulture, G. californianus and Vultur gryphus as priority species based on ED and "Evolutionary Distinct Globally Endangered" (EDGE) indexes, and the lowlands of Amazon River basin and the Orinoco basin and some tributaries areas of the Guiana Shield were identified as the priority areas when mapping the phylogenetic diversity. This study highlights the importance of filling knowledge gaps of species of conservation concern through the integration of evolutionary and ecological information and tools and, thus, developing adequate strategies to enhance the preservation of these species in the face of the current loss of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Cortés-Díaz
- Semillero de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá 110151, Colombia;
| | | | - Juan Sebastián Restrepo-Cardona
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
- Fundación Cóndor Andino—Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador
| | - Irene Estellés-Domingo
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain;
| | - Pascual López-López
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain;
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11
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Ceballos G, Ehrlich PR. Mutilation of the tree of life via mass extinction of animal genera. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2306987120. [PMID: 37722053 PMCID: PMC10523489 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306987120] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass extinctions during the past 500 million y rapidly removed branches from the phylogenetic tree of life and required millions of years for evolution to generate functional replacements for the extinct (EX) organisms. Here we show, by examining 5,400 vertebrate genera (excluding fishes) comprising 34,600 species, that 73 genera became EX since 1500 AD. Beyond any doubt, the human-driven sixth mass extinction is more severe than previously assessed and is rapidly accelerating. The current generic extinction rates are 35 times higher than expected background rates prevailing in the last million years under the absence of human impacts. The genera lost in the last five centuries would have taken some 18,000 y to vanish in the absence of human beings. Current generic extinction rates will likely greatly accelerate in the next few decades due to drivers accompanying the growth and consumption of the human enterprise such as habitat destruction, illegal trade, and climate disruption. If all now-endangered genera were to vanish by 2,100, extinction rates would be 354 (average) or 511 (for mammals) times higher than background rates, meaning that genera lost in three centuries would have taken 106,000 and 153,000 y to become EX in the absence of humans. Such mutilation of the tree of life and the resulting loss of ecosystem services provided by biodiversity to humanity is a serious threat to the stability of civilization. Immediate political, economic, and social efforts of an unprecedented scale are essential if we are to prevent these extinctions and their societal impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Ceballos
- Departamento de Ecologia de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tercer Circuito Exterior SN, C.U., 04510Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Paul R. Ehrlich
- Department of Biology, Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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Capaldo A. The Adrenal Gland of Squamata (Reptilia): A Comparative Overview. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2686. [PMID: 37684950 PMCID: PMC10486442 DOI: 10.3390/ani13172686] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The adrenal gland is a complex endocrine organ composed of two components: a steroidogenic tissue, which produces steroid hormones, and a chromaffin tissue, which mainly produces norepinephrine and epinephrine. Through evolution, their relationships with each other changed. They begin as isolated chromaffin and steroidogenic cell aggregates, typical of fish, and end with the advanced compact gland, typical of mammals, which consists of an external steroidogenic cortical zone and an internal chromaffin medullary zone. The adrenal gland of reptiles is unique because, with few exceptions, it is near the gonads and genital ducts, and the chromaffin and steroidogenic tissues are closely associated. However, the degree of mixing is variable. For example, in Squamata, the mixing degree of chromaffin and steroidogenic tissues, their reciprocal position in the gland, and the relative quantities of norepinephrine and epinephrine secreted by the chromaffin cells are extremely variable. This variability could be related to the phylogenetic history of the species. After a brief discussion of the adrenal gland and its main functions in vertebrates, this overview will examine the general characteristics of the adrenal gland of squamates, the differences in morphology of the gland, and the possible relationships with the phylogeny of the different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Capaldo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, Edificio 7, 80126 Naples, Italy
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13
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Park D, Jeong H, Park J, Park IK. Distribution and habitat assessments of the Slender racer, Orientocoluber spinalis, for the registration of nationally endangered species in the Republic of Korea. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12025. [PMID: 37491466 PMCID: PMC10368646 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39018-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation assessments are essential for preserving biodiversity. However, many reptile species have not been evaluated owing to data deficiencies. The Slender racer (Orientocoluber spinalis) is threatened in four out of six inhabiting countries. However, despite its apparent rarity and data deficiency, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified it as a Least Concern. In this study, we combined field surveys, habitat analysis, and ecological niche models (ENMs) to identify the critical habitat characteristics of O. spinalis, evaluate its distribution status in the Republic of Korea, and register it as a nationally endangered species. Across the country, we found a few small populations on the mainland but large populations on the islands. Orientocoluber spinalis is mainly found in low-altitude ecotone habitats between grasslands and forests. Based on previous genetic and climatic studies, we propose designating it as an endangered species to conserve this species in protected areas such as national parks, and its non-isolated mainland populations can be preserved as source populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daesik Park
- Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Hojun Jeong
- Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaejin Park
- Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Il-Kook Park
- Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Ramírez-Verdugo P, Tapia A, Forest F, Scherson RA. Evolutionary diversity of the endemic genera of the vascular flora of Chile and its implications for conservation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287957. [PMID: 37406022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a direct consequence of global change, both natural and human-induced, a high percentage of biodiversity is now under threat worldwide. This has urged conservation planners to formulate and/or improve existing strategies to preserve species and their ecosystems. In this context, the present study focuses on two strategies using phylogeny-based measures of biodiversity to account for the processes that led to the biodiversity patterns observed today. It will contribute additional information that can aid decision-making regarding the assignment of threat status for some species, thus strengthening measures currently in use and facilitate the allocation of often scarce conservation resources. The Evolutionarily Distinct (ED) index prioritises species that are on long branches of the tree of life with few descendants, and the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) index integrates evolutionary history with IUCN Red List threat status of species. It has been used mostly in animal groups, but since the threats faced by many plants have not been evaluated, it has been more difficult to compile for plants worldwide. Here, we apply the EDGE metric to species of the endemic genera of Chile. However, more than 50% of the endemic flora of the country are still lacking official threat status. We thus used an alternative measure (Relative Evolutionary Distinctness-RED), based on a range-weighted phylogenetic tree, which uses geographic ranges to adjust branch lengths, and calculate ED. The RED index was shown to be a suitable measure, yielding similar results compared to EDGE, at least for this group of species. Given the urgency to halt biodiversity loss and the time it would take to evaluate all species, we propose that this index is used to set conservation priorities until we can calculate EDGE for these unique endemic species. This would allow guiding decision-making until we can gather more data to assess and assign conservation status to new species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Ramírez-Verdugo
- Herbario VALPL y Laboratorio de Botánica, Departamento de Ciencias y Geografía, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
- Jardín Botánico Nacional, Viña del Mar, Chile
- Laboratorio de Evolución y Sistemática, Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexis Tapia
- Departamento de Matemática, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Félix Forest
- Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa A Scherson
- Laboratorio de Evolución y Sistemática, Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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15
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Jablonski D, Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Simonov E, Šoltys K, Meiri S. A new, rare, small-ranged, and endangered mountain snake of the genus Elaphe from the Southern Levant. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4839. [PMID: 36964263 PMCID: PMC10038995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30878-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Elaphe Fitzinger, 1833 includes 17 species of charismatic, large-sized, non-venomous, Eurasian snakes. In the Western Palearctic, the genus is represented by three species from the Elaphe quatuorlineata group ranging from the Apennine peninsula to Central Asia. The southernmost population of this group is distributed in the mountains of the Southern Levant, with more than 400 km gap to other Elaphe populations. This population has been known to science for only 50 years and is virtually unstudied due to its extreme rarity. We studied these snakes' morphological and genetic variation from the three countries where they are known to occur, i.e., Israel (Hermon, the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights), Lebanon, and Syria. We used nine mitochondrial and nuclear genes, complete mitogenome sequences, and a comprehensive morphological examination including published data, our own field observations, and museum specimens, to study its relationship to other species in the group. The three currently recognized species of the group (E. quatuorlineata, E. sauromates, E. urartica), and the Levant population, form four deeply divergent, strongly supported clades. Three of these clades correspond to the abovementioned species while the Southern Levant clade, which is genetically and morphologically distinct from all named congeners, is described here as a new species, Elaphe druzei sp. nov. The basal divergence of this group is estimated to be the Late Miocene with subsequent radiation from 5.1 to 3.9 Mya. The revealed biogeography of the E. quatuorlineata group supports the importance of the Levant as a major center of endemism and diversity of biota in Eurasia. The new species is large-sized and is one of the rarest snakes in the Western Palearctic. Because of its small mountain distribution range, in an area affected by land use and climate change, the new Elaphe urgently needs strict protection. Despite political issues, we hope this will be based on the cooperation of all countries where the new species occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jablonski
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | | | - Evgeniy Simonov
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Katarína Šoltys
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Shai Meiri
- The School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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16
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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.
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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
- * E-mail:
| | - 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
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17
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Mitochondrial DNA and Distribution Modelling Evidenced the Lost Genetic Diversity and Wild-Residence of Star Tortoise, Geochelone elegans (Testudines: Testudinidae) in India. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010150. [PMID: 36611759 PMCID: PMC9817980 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a massively traded animal in South Asia. To mitigate this risk, the conservation agencies recommended guidelines to safeguard this charismatic species in nature. We adopted mitochondrial DNA-based investigation and performed species distribution modeling of G. elegans throughout its distribution range in the Indian subcontinent. The genetic analyses revealed weak genetic landscape shape interpolations, low intraspecific distances (0% to 1.5%) with mixed haplotype diversity, and a single molecular operational taxonomic unit (MOTU) in the cytochrome b gene dataset. The star tortoise, G. elegans, and its sister species Geochelone platynota showed a monophyletic clustering in the Bayesian (BA) phylogeny. We also attempt to understand the habitat suitability and quality of G. elegans in its distribution range. Our results suggest that, out of the extant area, only 56,495 km2 (9.90%) is suitable for this species, with regions of highest suitability in Sri Lanka. Comparative habitat quality estimation suggests the patch shape complexity and habitat fragmentation are greater in the western and southern ranges of India, which have been greatly influenced by an increased level of urbanization and agriculture practices. We have also provided a retrospect on the potential threat to G. elegans related to the wildlife trade on the regional and international spectrum. Our results detected multiple trading hubs and junctions overlying within the suitable ranges which need special attention in the vicinity. The present study calls for a proper conservation strategy to combat the fragmented distribution and explicitly recommends intensive genetic screening of founder individuals or isolated adult colonies, implementing scientific breeding, and subsequent wild release to restore the lost genetic diversity of star tortoises.
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18
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Bosse M, van Loon S. Challenges in quantifying genome erosion for conservation. Front Genet 2022; 13:960958. [PMID: 36226192 PMCID: PMC9549127 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.960958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Massive defaunation and high extinction rates have become characteristic of the Anthropocene. Genetic effects of population decline can lead populations into an extinction vortex, where declining populations show lower genetic fitness, in turn leading to lower populations still. The lower genetic fitness in a declining population due to a shrinking gene pool is known as genetic erosion. Three different types of genetic erosion are highlighted in this review: overall homozygosity, genetic load and runs of homozygosity (ROH), which are indicative of inbreeding. The ability to quantify genetic erosion could be a very helpful tool for conservationists, as it can provide them with an objective, quantifiable measure to use in the assessment of species at risk of extinction. The link between conservation status and genetic erosion should become more apparent. Currently, no clear correlation can be observed between the current conservation status and genetic erosion. However, the high quantities of genetic erosion in wild populations, especially in those species dealing with habitat fragmentation and habitat decline, may be early signs of deteriorating populations. Whole genome sequencing data is the way forward to quantify genetic erosion. Extra screening steps for genetic load and hybridization can be included, since they could potentially have great impact on population fitness. This way, the information yielded from genetic sequence data can provide conservationists with an objective genetic method in the assessment of species at risk of extinction. However, the great complexity of genome erosion quantification asks for consensus and bridging science and its applications, which remains challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirte Bosse
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Section Ecology and Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Mirte Bosse,
| | - Sam van Loon
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Section Ecology and Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Li Z, Zhou J, Liang H, Ye L, Lan L, Lu F, Wang Q, Lei T, Yang X, Cui P, Huang J. Differences in Alpha Diversity of Gut Microbiota in Neurological Diseases. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:879318. [PMID: 35837118 PMCID: PMC9274120 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.879318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neurological diseases are difficult to diagnose in time, and there is currently a lack of effective predictive methods. Previous studies have indicated that a variety of neurological diseases cause changes in the gut microbiota. Alpha diversity is a major indicator to describe the diversity of the gut microbiota. At present, the relationship between neurological diseases and the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota remains unclear. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of Pubmed and Bioproject databases up to January 2021. Six indices were used to measure alpha diversity, including community richness (observed species, Chao1 and ACE), community diversity (Shannon, Simpson), and phylogenetic diversity (PD). Random-effects meta-analyses on the standardized mean difference (SMD) were carried out on the alpha diversity indices. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore the sources of interstudy heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was performed on articles by matching the age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) of the disease group with the control group. Meanwhile, subgroup analysis was performed to control the variability of the sequencing region, platform, geographical region, instrument, and diseases. The area under the curve (AUC) value of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated to assess the prediction effectiveness of the microbial alpha diversity indices. Results We conducted a meta-analysis of 24 published studies on 16S rRNA gene amplified sequencing of the gut microbiota and neurological diseases from the Pubmed and Bioproject database (patients, n = 1,469; controls, n = 1,289). The pooled estimate demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the alpha diversity between patients and controls (P < 0.05). Alpha diversity decreased only in Parkinson's disease patients, while it increased in anorexia nervosa patients compared to controls. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and geographical region, none of the alpha diversity was associated with neurological diseases. In terms of Illumina HiSeq 2000 and the V3-V5 sequencing region, the results showed that alpha diversity increased significantly in comparison with the controls, while decreased in Illumina HiSeq 2500. ROC curves suggested that alpha diversity could be used as a biomarker to predict the AD (Simpson, AUC= 0.769, P = 0.0001), MS (observed species, AUC= 0.737, P = 0.001), schizophrenia (Chao1, AUC = 0.739, P = 0.002). Conclusions Our review summarized the relationship between alpha diversity of the gut microbiota and neurological diseases. The alpha diversity of gut microbiota could be a promising predictor for AD, schizophrenia, and MS, but not for all neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoxin Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hao Liang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- Life Science Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Li Ye
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Liuyan Lan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Fang Lu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Qing Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Ting Lei
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- Geriatrics Digestion Department of Internal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiping Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Ping Cui
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- Life Science Institute, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Ping Cui
| | - Jiegang Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment, Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, Nanning, China
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Jiegang Huang
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20
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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.
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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:
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21
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Diversity patterns of lizard assemblages from a protected habitat mosaic in the Brazilian Cerrado savanna. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467422000244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Differences in habitat complexity and structure can directly influence the composition, diversity, and structure of species assemblages. Measurements of functional and phylogenetic diversity complement the commonly used measurements of taxonomic diversity, elucidating the relationships between species, their traits, and their evolutionary history. In this study, we evaluated how the mosaic of open and forested formations in a federal conservation unit in the western portion of the Brazilian Cerrado savanna influences the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic structure of lizard assemblages. Lizards were sampled for 15 months using pitfall traps set in open and forested formations. We recorded 292 lizards distributed among 16 species from eight families, with species composition differing among the formations. Richness was greater in the assemblages from open formations, while functional diversity and phylogenetic variability were greater in those of forested formations. Lizard assemblages in open formations were functionally and phylogenetically clustered, probably as a result of environmental filters acting on species, while the assemblages from forested formations were randomly structured. Different environmental and historical mechanisms have apparently shaped the current diversity of lizards in the region. This study shows that Cerrado vegetation mosaics can promote wide variation in different aspects of the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic structure from the lizard assemblages.
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22
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Cox N, Young BE, Bowles P, Fernandez M, Marin J, Rapacciuolo G, Böhm M, Brooks TM, Hedges SB, Hilton-Taylor C, Hoffmann M, Jenkins RKB, Tognelli MF, Alexander GJ, Allison A, Ananjeva NB, Auliya M, Avila LJ, Chapple DG, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Cogger HG, Colli GR, de Silva A, Eisemberg CC, Els J, Fong G A, Grant TD, Hitchmough RA, Iskandar DT, Kidera N, Martins M, Meiri S, Mitchell NJ, Molur S, Nogueira CDC, Ortiz JC, Penner J, Rhodin AGJ, Rivas GA, Rödel MO, Roll U, Sanders KL, Santos-Barrera G, Shea GM, Spawls S, Stuart BL, Tolley KA, Trape JF, Vidal MA, Wagner P, Wallace BP, Xie Y. A global reptile assessment highlights shared conservation needs of tetrapods. Nature 2022; 605:285-290. [PMID: 35477765 PMCID: PMC9095493 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04664-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Comprehensive assessments of species’ extinction risks have documented the extinction crisis1 and underpinned strategies for reducing those risks2. Global assessments reveal that, among tetrapods, 40.7% of amphibians, 25.4% of mammals and 13.6% of birds are threatened with extinction3. Because global assessments have been lacking, reptiles have been omitted from conservation-prioritization analyses that encompass other tetrapods4–7. Reptiles are unusually diverse in arid regions, suggesting that they may have different conservation needs6. Here we provide a comprehensive extinction-risk assessment of reptiles and show that at least 1,829 out of 10,196 species (21.1%) are threatened—confirming a previous extrapolation8 and representing 15.6 billion years of phylogenetic diversity. Reptiles are threatened by the same major factors that threaten other tetrapods—agriculture, logging, urban development and invasive species—although the threat posed by climate change remains uncertain. Reptiles inhabiting forests, where these threats are strongest, are more threatened than those in arid habitats, contrary to our prediction. Birds, mammals and amphibians are unexpectedly good surrogates for the conservation of reptiles, although threatened reptiles with the smallest ranges tend to be isolated from other threatened tetrapods. Although some reptiles—including most species of crocodiles and turtles—require urgent, targeted action to prevent extinctions, efforts to protect other tetrapods, such as habitat preservation and control of trade and invasive species, will probably also benefit many reptiles. An extinction-risk assessment of reptiles shows that at least 21.1% of species are threatened by factors such as agriculture, logging, urban development and invasive species, and that efforts to protect birds, mammals and amphibians probably also benefit many reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Cox
- Biodiversity Assessment Unit, IUCN-Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Philip Bowles
- Biodiversity Assessment Unit, IUCN-Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Miguel Fernandez
- NatureServe, Arlington, VA, USA.,Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation and Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.,Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Julie Marin
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Bobigny, France
| | - Giovanni Rapacciuolo
- Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Monika Böhm
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.,World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), University of The Philippines, Los Baños, The Philippines.,Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - S Blair Hedges
- Center for Biodiversity, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Craig Hilton-Taylor
- Science & Data Centre: Biodiversity Assessment & Knowledge Team, IUCN, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael Hoffmann
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Richard K B Jenkins
- Science & Data Centre: Biodiversity Assessment & Knowledge Team, IUCN, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marcelo F Tognelli
- Biodiversity Assessment Unit, IUCN-Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Graham J Alexander
- Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Natalia B Ananjeva
- Department of Herpetology, Zoological Institute, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Mark Auliya
- Department of Herpetology, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | - Luciano Javier Avila
- Grupo Herpetología Patagónica (GHP-LASIBIBE), Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC-CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - David G Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Diego F Cisneros-Heredia
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Museo de Zoología, Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical iBIOTROP, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.,Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Harold G Cogger
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Guarino R Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Anslem de Silva
- South Asia Regional Office, Crocodile Specialist Group, Gampols, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Johannes Els
- Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Government of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ansel Fong G
- Centro Oriental de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad (BIOECO), Museo de Historia Natural "Tomás Romay", Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
| | - Tandora D Grant
- Conservation Science & Wildlife Health, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Noriko Kidera
- Department of Biosphere-Geosphere Science, Okayama University of Science, Okayama, Japan.,National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Marcio Martins
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology & the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nicola J Mitchell
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | | | - Juan Carlos Ortiz
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Johannes Penner
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Gilson A Rivas
- Museo de Biología, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uri Roll
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Kate L Sanders
- University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Glenn M Shea
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Sydney School of Veterinary Science B01, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Bryan L Stuart
- Section of Research & Collections, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Krystal A Tolley
- Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Marcela A Vidal
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | | | | | - Yan Xie
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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23
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Yu H, Sui X, Sun M, Yin X, Deane DC. Relative Importance of Ecological, Evolutionary and Anthropogenic Pressures on Extinction Risk in Chinese Angiosperm Genera. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.844509] [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
China has many threatened plant species, which are exposed to environmental degradation and other anthropogenic pressures. We assessed support for potential extinction pathways in Chinese angiosperm genera and quantified possible threats to phylogenetic diversity. We compiled a database and phylogeny for 27,409 Chinese angiosperm species in 2,453 genera. For each genus, we used the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifications to quantify extinction risk and calculated predictors corresponding to their ecological, evolutionary characteristics and exposure to human pressures. We first tested for phylogenetic clustering in extinction risk among genera and then tested support for direct and indirect causal pathways involving our predictors using piecewise structural equation models. Finally, we quantified the potential loss of phylogenetic diversity under different extinction scenarios. We found that extinction risk is non-randomly distributed among Chinese angiosperm genera, with the proportion of threatened species higher in range-limited and species-rich taxa. Habitat loss had a significant positive effect on threatened species richness. Phylogenetic diversity loss under scenarios: the decreasing habitat loss and relative extinction rate were high. Thus, genera would suffer from high extinction risk, if species in these genera occupy similar niches and overlapping ranges. While diversification or speciation via niche divergence might increase range-limited species vulnerable to stochastic extinction, this could reduce extinction risk of the whole clade by expanding its range and climatic niche tolerance. Endemic genera with higher extinction rates, less climatic niche divergence, and lower range segregation are especially vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances.
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24
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Borko Š, Altermatt F, Zagmajster M, Fišer C. A hotspot of groundwater amphipod diversity on a crossroad of evolutionary radiations. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Špela Borko
- SubBio Lab Department of Biology Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Aquatic Ecology EawagSwiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Maja Zagmajster
- SubBio Lab Department of Biology Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Cene Fišer
- SubBio Lab Department of Biology Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana Ljubljana Slovenia
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25
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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.
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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
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26
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González‐Orozco CE, Sosa CC, Thornhill AH, Laffan SW. Phylogenetic diversity and conservation of crop wild relatives in Colombia. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2603-2617. [PMID: 34815742 PMCID: PMC8591330 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Crop wild relatives (CWR) are an important agricultural resource as they contain genetic traits not found in cultivated species due to localized adaptation to unique environmental and climatic conditions. Phylogenetic diversity (PD) measures the evolutionary relationship of species using the tree of life. Our knowledge of CWR PD in neotropical regions is in its infancy. We analysed the distribution of CWR PD across Colombia and assessed its conservation status. The areas with the largest concentration of PD were identified as being in the northern part of the central and western Andean mountain ranges and the Pacific region. These centres of high PD were comprised of predominantly short and closely related branches, mostly of species of wild tomatoes and black peppers. In contrast, the CWR PD in the lowland ecosystems of the Amazon and Orinoquia regions had deeply diverging clades predominantly represented by long and distantly related branches (i.e. tuberous roots, grains and cacao). We categorized 50 (52.6%) of the CWR species as 'high priority', 36 as 'medium priority' and nine as 'low priority' for further ex-situ and in situ conservation actions. New areas of high PD and richness with large ex-situ gap collections were identified mainly in the northern part of the Andes of Colombia. We found that 56% of the grid cells with the highest PD values were unprotected. These baseline data could be used to create a comprehensive national strategy of CWR conservation in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E. González‐Orozco
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA)Centro de Investigación La LibertadVillavicencioColombia
| | - Chrystian C. Sosa
- Departamento de Ciencias naturales y MatemáticasPontificia Universidad Javeriana CaliCaliColombia
- Grupo de Investigación en EvoluciónEcología y Conservación EECOPrograma de BiologíaFacultad de Ciencias Básicas y TecnologíasUniversidad del QuindíoArmeniaColombia
| | - Andrew H. Thornhill
- Environment InstituteThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSAAustralia
- Department for Environment and WaterState Herbarium of South AustraliaBotanic Gardens and State HerbariumAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Shawn W. Laffan
- Earth and Sustainability Science Research CentreSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesThe University of New South WalesKensingtonNSWAustralia
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27
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Murali G, Gumbs R, Meiri S, Roll U. Global determinants and conservation of evolutionary and geographic rarity in land vertebrates. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabe5582. [PMID: 34644103 PMCID: PMC8514094 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe5582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Deciphering global trends in phylogenetic endemism is crucial for understanding broad-scale evolutionary patterns and the conservation of key elements of biodiversity. However, knowledge to date on global phylogenetic endemism and its determinants has been lacking. Here, we conduct the first global analysis of phylogenetic endemism patterns of land vertebrates (>30,000 species), their environmental correlates, and threats. We found that low temperature seasonality and high topographic heterogeneity were the main global determinants of phylogenetic endemism. While phylogenetic endemism hotspots cover 22% of Earth, these regions currently have a high human footprint, low natural land cover, minimal protection, and will be greatly affected by climate change. Evolutionarily unique, narrow-range species are crucial for sustaining biodiversity in the face of environmental change. Our global study advances the current understanding of this imperilled yet previously overlooked facet of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Murali
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 849900, Israel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environments and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 849900, Israel
| | - Rikki Gumbs
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
- EDGE of Existence Programme, Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology, Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Uri Roll
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environments and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 849900, Israel
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28
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Wahle A, Rödder D, Chapple DG, Meiri S, Rauhaus A, Ziegler T. Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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29
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Rio JP, Mannion PD. Phylogenetic analysis of a new morphological dataset elucidates the evolutionary history of Crocodylia and resolves the long-standing gharial problem. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12094. [PMID: 34567843 PMCID: PMC8428266 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
First appearing in the latest Cretaceous, Crocodylia is a clade of semi-aquatic, predatory reptiles, defined by the last common ancestor of extant alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials. Despite large strides in resolving crocodylian interrelationships over the last three decades, several outstanding problems persist in crocodylian systematics. Most notably, there has been persistent discordance between morphological and molecular datasets surrounding the affinities of the extant gharials, Gavialis gangeticus and Tomistoma schlegelii. Whereas molecular data consistently support a sister taxon relationship, in which they are more closely related to crocodylids than to alligatorids, morphological data indicate that Gavialis is the sister taxon to all other extant crocodylians. Here we present a new morphological dataset for Crocodylia based on a critical reappraisal of published crocodylian character data matrices and extensive firsthand observations of a global sample of crocodylians. This comprises the most taxonomically comprehensive crocodylian dataset to date (144 OTUs scored for 330 characters) and includes a new, illustrated character list with modifications to the construction and scoring of characters, and 46 novel characters. Under a maximum parsimony framework, our analyses robustly recover Gavialis as more closely related to Tomistoma than to other extant crocodylians for the first time based on morphology alone. This result is recovered regardless of the weighting strategy and treatment of quantitative characters. However, analyses using continuous characters and extended implied weighting (with high k-values) produced the most resolved, well-supported, and stratigraphically congruent topologies overall. Resolution of the gharial problem reveals that: (1) several gavialoids lack plesiomorphic features that formerly drew them towards the stem of Crocodylia; and (2) more widespread similarities occur between species traditionally divided into tomistomines and gavialoids, with these interpreted here as homology rather than homoplasy. There remains significant temporal incongruence regarding the inferred divergence timing of the extant gharials, indicating that several putative gavialids ('thoracosaurs') are incorrectly placed and require future re-appraisal. New alligatoroid interrelationships include: (1) support for a North American origin of Caimaninae in the latest Cretaceous; (2) the recovery of the early Paleogene South American taxon Eocaiman as a 'basal' alligatoroid; and (3) the paraphyly of the Cenozoic European taxon Diplocynodon. Among crocodyloids, notable results include modifications to the taxonomic content of Mekosuchinae, including biogeographic affinities of this clade with latest Cretaceous-early Paleogene Asian crocodyloids. In light of our new results, we provide a comprehensive review of the evolutionary and biogeographic history of Crocodylia, which included multiple instances of transoceanic and continental dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P. Rio
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Philip D. Mannion
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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30
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Chan KO, Grismer LL. Integrating spatial, phylogenetic, and threat assessment data from frogs and lizards to identify areas for conservation priorities in Peninsular Malaysia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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31
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Ribeiro‐Júnior MA, Sánchez‐Martínez PM, Moraes LJCDL, Oliveira USCD, Carvalho VTD, Pavan D, Choueri EHDL, Werneck FP, Meiri S. Uncovering hidden species diversity of alopoglossid lizards in Amazonia, with the description of three new species of
Alopoglossus
(Squamata: Gymnophthalmoidae). J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola María Sánchez‐Martínez
- Grupo de Morfología y Ecología Evolutiva Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Universidad Nacional de Colombia Bogotá, D.C Colombia
| | | | | | - Vinícius Tadeu de Carvalho
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Recursos Naturais Universidade Regional do Cariri Crato Brazil
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal Universidade Federal do Amazonas Manaus Brazil
| | - Dante Pavan
- Ecosfera Consultoria e Pesquisa em Meio Ambiente Itapina Brazil
| | | | - Fernanda P. Werneck
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade Programa de Coleções Científicas Biológicas Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
| | - Shai Meiri
- Steinhardt Museum of Natural History Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel
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32
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Liang T, Meiri S, Shi L. Sexual size dimorphism in lizards: Rensch's rule, reproductive mode, clutch size, and line fitting method effects. Integr Zool 2021; 17:787-803. [PMID: 34216109 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Rensch's rule relates to a pattern whereby sexual size dimorphism is more female-biased in small-sized species and more male-biased in large-sized ones. We collected literature and museum data on the body size of males and females belonging to 4032 lizard species, as well as data on their reproductive modes and clutch sizes. We used phylogenetic comparative analyses, and general linear mixed models, to test Rensch's rule and examined how reproductive mode and clutch size affect sexual size dimorphism. Sexual size dimorphism was independent of clutch size in lizard species with variable clutch sizes and in oviparous lizards. Large litters were associated with female-biased sexual dimorphism in viviparous and in scincomorph lizards. Inference regarding Rensch's rule depended on the analytical method used to identify it. The widely used, but less conservative, reduced major axis regression usually support Rensch's rule while ordinary least squares regressions mostly show isometric relationships. The rule tended to apply more to oviparous than to viviparous lizards. We infer that Rensch's rule is, at best, a weak pattern in lizards. This is especially true in viviparous lineages where females reproduce infrequently and therefore evolve large sizes to maximise fecundity, resulting in female-biased dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.,College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology & the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lei Shi
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
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Robuchon M, Pavoine S, Véron S, Delli G, Faith DP, Mandrici A, Pellens R, Dubois G, Leroy B. Revisiting species and areas of interest for conserving global mammalian phylogenetic diversity. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3694. [PMID: 34140481 PMCID: PMC8211746 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23861-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Various prioritisation strategies have been developed to cope with accelerating biodiversity loss and limited conservation resources. These strategies could become more engaging for decision-makers if they reflected the positive effects conservation can have on future projected biodiversity, by targeting net positive outcomes in future projected biodiversity, rather than reflecting the negative consequences of further biodiversity losses only. Hoping to inform the post-2020 biodiversity framework, we here apply this approach of targeting net positive outcomes in future projected biodiversity to phylogenetic diversity (PD) to re-identify species and areas of interest for conserving global mammalian PD. We identify priority species/areas as those whose protection would maximise gains in future projected PD. We also identify loss-significant species/areas as those whose/where extinction(s) would maximise losses in future projected PD. We show that our priority species/areas differ from loss-significant species/areas. While our priority species are mostly similar to those identified by the EDGE of Existence Programme, our priority areas generally differ from previously-identified ones for global mammal conservation. We further highlight that these newly-identified species/areas of interest currently lack protection and offer some guidance for their future management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Robuchon
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséumnational d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Sorbonne Université, Université Caen-Normandie, Université des Antilles, Paris, France.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, Directorate for Sustainable Resources, Ispra (VA), Italy.
| | - Sandrine Pavoine
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséumnational d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Simon Véron
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Giacomo Delli
- Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, Directorate for Sustainable Resources, Ispra (VA), Italy
| | | | - Andrea Mandrici
- Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, Directorate for Sustainable Resources, Ispra (VA), Italy
| | - Roseli Pellens
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Grégoire Dubois
- Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, Directorate for Sustainable Resources, Ispra (VA), Italy
| | - Boris Leroy
- Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Sorbonne Université, Université Caen-Normandie, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
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Pliego-Sánchez JV, Blair C, Díaz de la Vega-Pérez AH, Jiménez-Arcos VH. The insular herpetofauna of Mexico: Composition, conservation, and biogeographic patterns. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6579-6592. [PMID: 34141242 PMCID: PMC8207341 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We compile a Mexican insular herpetofaunal checklist to estimate endemism, conservation status, island threats, net taxonomic turnover among six biogeographic provinces belonging to the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, and the relationships between island area and mainland distance versus species richness. We compile a checklist of insular herpetofaunal through performing a literature and collection review. We define the conservation status according to conservation Mexican law, the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Environmental Vulnerability Scores. We determine threat percentages on islands according to the 11 major classes of threats to biodiversity. We estimate the net taxonomic turnover with beta diversity analysis between the Nearctic and Neotropical provinces. The Mexican insular herpetofauna is composed of 18 amphibian species, 204 species with 101 subspecies of reptiles, and 263 taxa in total. Endemism levels are 11.76% in amphibians, 53.57% in reptiles, and 27.91% being insular endemic taxa. Two conservation status systems classify the species at high extinction risk, while the remaining system suggests less concern. However, all systems indicate species lacking assessment. Human activities and exotic alien species are present on 60% of 131 islands. The taxonomic turnover value is high (0.89), with a clear herpetofaunal differentiation between the two biogeographic regions. The species-area and species-mainland distance relationships are positive. Insular herpetofauna faces a high percentage of threats, with the Neotropical provinces more heavily impacted. It is urgent to explore the remaining islands (3,079 islands) and better incorporate insular populations and species in ecological, evolutionary, and systematic studies. In the face of the biodiversity crisis, islands will play a leading role as a model to apply restoration and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Blair
- Department of Biological Sciences New York City College of Technology The City University of New York Brooklyn NY USA
- Biology PhD Program, Graduate Center New York NY USA
| | - Aníbal H Díaz de la Vega-Pérez
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología-Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
| | - Víctor H Jiménez-Arcos
- Laboratorio de Herpetología Vivario FES Iztacala Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Tlalnepantla Mexico
- Naturam Sequi AC Naucalpan Mexico Mexico
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Zhong (钟雨茜) Y, Chen (陈传武) C, Wang (王彦平) Y. Biological and extrinsic correlates of extinction risk in Chinese lizards. Curr Zool 2021; 68:285-293. [PMID: 35592347 PMCID: PMC9113272 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
China is a country with one of the most species-rich reptile faunas in the world. However, nearly a quarter of Chinese lizard species assessed by the China Biodiversity Red List are threatened. Nevertheless, to date, no study has explicitly examined the pattern and processes of extinction and threat in Chinese lizards. In this study, we conducted the first comparative phylogenetic analysis of extinction risk in Chinese lizards. We addressed the following 3 questions: (1) What is the pattern of extinction and threat in Chinese lizards? (2) Which species traits and extrinsic factors are related to their extinction risk? (3) How can we protect Chinese lizards based on our results? We collected data on 10 species traits (body size [BS], clutch size, geographic range size, activity time, reproductive mode, habitat specialization [HS], habitat use, leg development, maximum elevation, and elevation range) and 7 extrinsic factors (mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean annual temperature, mean annual solar insolation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), human footprint, human population density, and human exploitation). After phylogenetic correction, these variables were used separately and in combination to assess their associations with extinction risk. We found that Chinese lizards with a small geographic range, large BS, high HS, and living in high MAP areas were vulnerable to extinction. Conservation priority should thus be given to species with the above extinction-prone traits so as to effectively protect Chinese lizards. Preventing future habitat destruction should also be a primary focus of management efforts because species with small range size and high HS are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Zhong (钟雨茜)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Chuanwu Chen (陈传武)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yanping Wang (王彦平)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Jablonski D, Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Meiri S, Maza E, Kukushkin OV, Chirikova M, Pirosová A, Jelić D, Mikulíček P, Jandzik D. Morphological and genetic differentiation in the anguid lizard Pseudopus apodus supports the existence of an endemic subspecies in the Levant. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e60800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The Levant represents one of the most important reptile diversity hotspots and centers of endemism in the Western Palearctic. The region harbored numerous taxa in glacial refugia during the Pleistocene climatic oscillations. Due to the hostile arid conditions in the warmer periods they were not always able to spread or come into contact with populations from more distant regions. One large and conspicuous member of the Levantine herpetofauna is the legless anguid lizardPseudopus apodus. This species is distributed from the Balkans to Central Asia with a portion of its range running along the eastern Mediterranean coast. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, microsatellite genotypes, and morphology show that populations in this region differ from the two named subspecies and presumably had a long independent evolutionary history during the Quaternary. Here we describe the Levantine population as a new subspecies and present biogeographic scenarios for its origin and diversification. The new subspecies is genetically highly diverse, and it forms a sister lineage toPseudopusfrom the remaining parts of the range according to mtDNA. It is the largest-bodied of the three subspecies, but occupies the smallest range.
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Wicke K, Mooers A, Steel M. Formal Links between Feature Diversity and Phylogenetic Diversity. Syst Biol 2020; 70:480-490. [PMID: 32797209 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syaa062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent to which phylogenetic diversity (PD) captures feature diversity (FD) is a topical and controversial question in biodiversity conservation. In this short paper, we formalize this question and establish a precise mathematical condition for FD (based on discrete characters) to coincide with PD. In this way, we make explicit the two main reasons why the two diversity measures might disagree for given data; namely, the presence of certain patterns of feature evolution and loss, and using temporal branch lengths for PD in settings that may not be appropriate (e.g., due to rapid evolution of certain features over short periods of time). Our article also explores the relationship between the "Fair Proportion" index of PD and a simple index of FD (both of which correspond to Shapley values in cooperative game theory). In a second mathematical result, we show that the two indices can take identical values for any phylogenetic tree, provided the branch lengths in the tree are chosen appropriately. [Evolutionary distinctiveness; feature diversity; phylogenetic diversity; shapley value.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Wicke
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Arne Mooers
- Department of Biological Sciences and the Crawford Lab for Evolutionary Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A1S6, Canada
| | - Mike Steel
- Biomathematics Research Centre University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
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