1
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Omollo WO, Rabarijaona RN, Ranaivoson RM, Rakotoarinivo M, Barrett RL, Zhang Q, Lai YJ, Ye JF, Le CT, Antonelli A, Chen ZD, Liu B, Lu LM. Spatial heterogeneity of neo- and paleo-endemism for plants in Madagascar. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1271-1283.e4. [PMID: 38460512 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.023] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Madagascar is a biogeographically unique island with a remarkably high level of endemism. However, endemic taxa in Madagascar are massively threatened due to unprecedented pressures from anthropogenic habitat modification and climate change. A comprehensive phylogeny-based biodiversity evaluation of the island remains lacking. Here, we identify hotspots of taxonomic and phylogenetic plant diversity and neo- and paleo-endemism by generating a novel dated tree of life for the island. The tree is based on unprecedented sampling of 3,950 species (33% of the total known species) and 1,621 genera (93% of the total known genera and 69% of endemic genera) of Malagasy vascular plants. We find that island-endemic genera are concentrated in multiple lineages combining high taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Integrating phylogenetic and geographic distribution data, our results reveal that taxon richness and endemism are concentrated in the northern, eastern, and southeastern humid forests. Paleo-endemism centers are concentrated in humid eastern and central regions, whereas neo-endemism centers are concentrated in the dry and spiny forests in western and southern Madagascar. Our statistical analysis of endemic genera in each vegetation region supports a higher proportion of ancient endemic genera in the east but a higher proportion of recent endemic genera in the south and west. Overlaying centers of phylogenetic endemism with protected areas, we identify conservation gaps concentrated in western and southern Madagascar. These gaps should be incorporated into conservation strategies to aid the protection of multiple facets of biodiversity and their benefits to the Malagasy people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyckliffe Omondi Omollo
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Romer Narindra Rabarijaona
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rindra Manasoa Ranaivoson
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
| | - Mijoro Rakotoarinivo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
| | - Russell L Barrett
- National Herbarium of New South Wales, Australian Botanic Garden, Locked Bag 6002, Mount Annan, NSW 2567, Australia; School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Qiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Yang-Jun Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Jian-Fei Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Chi Toan Le
- Hanoi Pedagogical University 2, 32 Nguyen Van Linh, Xuanhoa, Phucyen, Vinhphuc 15000, Vietnam
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3AE Richmond, Surrey, UK; Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41319 Gothenburg, Sweden; Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Zhi-Duan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Li-Min Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China.
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2
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Shipley BR, McGuire JL. The environmental conditions of endemism hotspots shape the functional traits of mammalian assemblages. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232773. [PMID: 38471553 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Endemic (small-ranged) species are distributed non-randomly across the globe. Regions of high topography and stable climates have higher endemism than flat, climatically unstable regions. However, it is unclear how these environmental conditions interact with and filter mammalian traits. Here, we characterize the functional traits of highly endemic mammalian assemblages in multiple ways, testing the hypothesis that these assemblages are trait-filtered (less functionally diverse) and dominated by species with traits associated with small range sizes. Compiling trait data for more than 5000 mammal species, we calculated assemblage means and multidimensional functional metrics to evaluate the distribution of traits across each assemblage. We then related these metrics to the endemism of global World Wildlife Fund ecoregions using linear models and phylogenetic fourth-corner regression. Highly endemic mammalian assemblages had small average body masses, low fecundity, short lifespans and specialized habitats. These traits relate to the stable climate and rough topography of endemism hotspots and to mammals' ability to expand their ranges, suggesting that the environmental conditions of endemism hotspots allowed their survival. Furthermore, species living in endemism hotspots clustered near the edges of their communities' functional spaces, indicating that abiotic trait filtering and biotic interactions act in tandem to shape these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Shipley
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Jenny L McGuire
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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3
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Dowle EJ, Trewick SA, Morgan-Richards M. Fossil-calibrated phylogenies of Southern cave wētā show dispersal and extinction confound biogeographic signal. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231118. [PMID: 38356874 PMCID: PMC10864783 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The biota of continents and islands are commonly considered to have a source-sink relationship, but small islands can harbour distinctive taxa. The distribution of four monotypic genera of Orthoptera on young subantarctic islands indicates a role for long-distance dispersal and extinction. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred from whole mtDNA genomes and nuclear sequences (45S cassette; four histones). We used a fossil and one palaeogeographic event to calibrate molecular clock analysis. We confirm that neither the Australian nor Aotearoa-New Zealand Rhaphidophoridae faunas are monophyletic. The radiation of Macropathinae may have begun in the late Jurassic, but trans-oceanic dispersal is required to explain the current distribution of some lineages within this subfamily. Dating the most recent common ancestor of seven island endemic species with their nearest mainland relative suggests that each existed long before their island home was available. Time estimates from our fossil-calibrated molecular clock analysis suggest several lineages have not been detected on mainland New Zealand, Australia, or elsewhere most probably due to their extinction, providing evidence that patterns of extinction, which are not consistently linked to range size or lineage age, confound biogeographic signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddy J. Dowle
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, 9016 Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Steven A. Trewick
- Ecology, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University Manawatū, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Mary Morgan-Richards
- Ecology, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University Manawatū, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
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4
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McGaughran A, Dhami MK, Parvizi E, Vaughan AL, Gleeson DM, Hodgins KA, Rollins LA, Tepolt CK, Turner KG, Atsawawaranunt K, Battlay P, Congrains C, Crottini A, Dennis TPW, Lange C, Liu XP, Matheson P, North HL, Popovic I, Rius M, Santure AW, Stuart KC, Tan HZ, Wang C, Wilson J. Genomic Tools in Biological Invasions: Current State and Future Frontiers. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evad230. [PMID: 38109935 PMCID: PMC10776249 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad230] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Human activities are accelerating rates of biological invasions and climate-driven range expansions globally, yet we understand little of how genomic processes facilitate the invasion process. Although most of the literature has focused on underlying phenotypic correlates of invasiveness, advances in genomic technologies are showing a strong link between genomic variation and invasion success. Here, we consider the ability of genomic tools and technologies to (i) inform mechanistic understanding of biological invasions and (ii) solve real-world issues in predicting and managing biological invasions. For both, we examine the current state of the field and discuss how genomics can be leveraged in the future. In addition, we make recommendations pertinent to broader research issues, such as data sovereignty, metadata standards, collaboration, and science communication best practices that will require concerted efforts from the global invasion genomics community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela McGaughran
- Te Aka Mātuatua/School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Manpreet K Dhami
- Biocontrol and Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Elahe Parvizi
- Te Aka Mātuatua/School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Amy L Vaughan
- Biocontrol and Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Dianne M Gleeson
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Kathryn A Hodgins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Lee A Rollins
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carolyn K Tepolt
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Kathryn G Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA
| | - Kamolphat Atsawawaranunt
- School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Paul Battlay
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Carlos Congrains
- Entomology Section, Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
| | - Angelica Crottini
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4169–007, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal
| | - Tristan P W Dennis
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Claudia Lange
- Biocontrol and Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Xiaoyue P Liu
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Paige Matheson
- Te Aka Mātuatua/School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Henry L North
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Iva Popovic
- School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Marc Rius
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Accés a la Cala Sant Francesc, Blanes, Spain
- Department of Zoology, Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Anna W Santure
- School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Katarina C Stuart
- School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Hui Zhen Tan
- School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Cui Wang
- The Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jonathan Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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5
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Smyčka J, Toszogyova A, Storch D. The relationship between geographic range size and rates of species diversification. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5559. [PMID: 37689787 PMCID: PMC10492861 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41225-6] [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: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Range size is a universal characteristic of every biological species, and is often assumed to affect diversification rate. There are strong theoretical arguments that large-ranged species should have higher rates of diversification. On the other hand, the observation that small-ranged species are often phylogenetically clustered might indicate high diversification of small-ranged species. This discrepancy between theory and the data may be caused by the fact that typical methods of data analysis do not account for range size changes during speciation. Here we use a cladogenetic state-dependent diversification model applied to mammals to show that range size changes during speciation are ubiquitous and small-ranged species indeed diversify generally slower, as theoretically expected. However, both range size and diversification are strongly influenced by idiosyncratic and spatially localized events, such as colonization of an archipelago or a mountain system, which often override the general pattern of range size evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Smyčka
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-11000, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Anna Toszogyova
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-11000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Storch
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, CZ-11000, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, CZ-12844, Prague, Czech Republic
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6
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Shipley BR, McGuire JL. Disentangling the drivers of continental mammalian endemism. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2421-2435. [PMID: 36749035 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16628] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Endemic species and species with small ranges are ecologically and evolutionarily distinct and are vulnerable to extinction. Determining which abiotic and biotic factors structure patterns of endemism on continents can advance our understanding of global biogeographic processes, but spatial patterns of mammalian endemism have not yet been effectively predicted and reconstructed. Using novel null model techniques, we reconstruct trends in mammalian endemism and describe the isolated and combined effects of physiographic, ecological, and evolutionary factors on endemism. We calculated weighted endemism for global continental ecoregions and compared the spatial distribution of endemism to niche-based, geographic null models of endemism. These null models distribute species randomly across continents, simulating their range sizes from their degree of climatic specialization. They isolate the effects of physiography (topography and climate) and species richness on endemism. We then ran linear and structural models to determine how topography and historical climate stability influence endemism. The highest rates of mammalian endemism were found in topographically rough, climatically stable ecoregions with many species. The null model that isolated physiography did not closely approximate the observed distribution of endemism (r2 = .09), whereas the null model that incorporated both physiography and species richness did (r2 = .59). The linear models demonstrate that topography and climatic stability both influenced endemism values, but that average climatic niche breadth was not highly correlated with endemism. Climate stability and topography both influence weighted endemism in mammals, but the spatial distribution of mammalian endemism is driven by a combination of physiography and species richness. Despite its relationship to individual range size, average climate niche breadth has only a weak influence on endemism. The results highlight the importance of historical biogeographic processes (e.g. centers of speciation) and geography in driving endemism patterns, and disentangle the mechanisms structuring species ranges worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Shipley
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jenny L McGuire
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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7
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Zevgolis YG, Christopoulos A, Kalargalis II, Zannetos SP, Botetzagias I, Dimitrakopoulos PG. An (Un)Expected Threat for a Regionally Near-Threatened Species: A Predation Case of a Persian Squirrel on an Insular Ecosystem. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010024. [PMID: 36611634 PMCID: PMC9817833 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010024] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most successful predators on island ecosystems is the domestic cat, which is considered responsible for the decline of numerous species' populations. This can be estimated by the analysis of cats' dietary habits, yet prey identification is not always possible, and thus, in cases where precise prey identification is required, one of the most accurate methods derives from observing the hunting process. However, the cryptic nature of the feral cats and the constant vigilance of the species that are preyed upon make the observation process difficult, especially when the prey has a low population density. Here, we report for the first time such a case: a feral cat that has ambushed, killed, and consumed a regionally near-threatened species, the Persian squirrel. This incidental observation happened in the squirrel's westernmost end of its distribution, the island of Lesvos, Greece. Due to the unexpectedness of the event, in the following days, we estimated both the squirrels' and cats' population density. Results showed that while the density of the squirrels is moderate, the population density of the feral cats is almost fifteen times higher. For this reason, management actions need to be taken in an effort to minimize the impacts of feral cats on the native species of the island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiannis G. Zevgolis
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
- Correspondence:
| | - Apostolos Christopoulos
- Department of Zoology and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Ilias Kalargalis
- Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Stylianos P. Zannetos
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Iosif Botetzagias
- Laboratory for Environmental Policy and Strategic Environment Management, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
- Society for the Protection of Animals–KIVOTOS, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
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8
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Rowsey DM, Duya MRM, Ibañez JC, Jansa SA, Rickart EA, Heaney LR. A new genus and species of shrew-like mouse (Rodentia: Muridae) from a new center of endemism in eastern Mindanao, Philippines. J Mammal 2022; 103:1259-1277. [PMID: 36660555 PMCID: PMC9841421 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The Philippine archipelago hosts an exceptional diversity of murid rodents that have diversified following several independent colonization events. Here, we report the discovery of a new species of rodent from Mt. Kampalili on eastern Mindanao Island. Molecular and craniodental analyses reveal this species as a member of a Philippine "New Endemic" clade consisting of Tarsomys, Limnomys, and Rattus everetti (tribe Rattini). This new species of "shrew-mouse" is easily distinguished from its relatives in both craniodental and external characteristics including a long, narrow snout; small eyes and ears; short, dark, dense fur dorsally and ventrally; stout body with a tapering, visibly haired tail shorter than head and body length; stout forepaws; bulbous and nearly smooth braincase; narrow, tapering rostrum; short incisive foramina; slender mandible; and narrow, slightly opisthodont incisors. This new genus and species of murid rodent illustrates that murids of the tribe Rattini have exhibited greater species and morphological diversification within the Philippines than previously known and provides evidence that Mt. Kampalili represents a previously unrecognized center of mammalian endemism on Mindanao Island that is deserving of conservation action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariano Roy M Duya
- Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines–Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Jayson C Ibañez
- Philippine Eagle Foundation, Philippine Eagle Center, Malagos, Baguio District Davao City, Philippines
| | - Sharon A Jansa
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Eric A Rickart
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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9
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Kneubühler J, Baggenstos M, Neubert E. On the verge of extinction - revision of a highly endangered Swiss alpine snail with description of a new genus, Raeticella gen. nov. (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Hygromiidae). Zookeys 2022; 1104:69-91. [PMID: 36761925 PMCID: PMC9848827 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1104.82866] [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: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The phylogenetic status of the alpine land snail Fruticicolabiconica has remained questionable since it was described by Eder in 1917. Considered a microendemic species from mountain tops in Central Switzerland, the shell is specially adapted for life under stones. Herein, we show via molecular and anatomical investigations that F.biconica neither belongs to the land snail genus Trochulus, nor to any other genus within Trochulini, but rather warrants placement within the newly established genus Raeticella Kneubühler, Baggenstos & Neubert, 2022. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that R.biconica is clearly separated from Trochulus. These findings are supported by morphological investigations of the shell and genitalia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannette Kneubühler
- Natural History Museum Bern, 3005 Bern, SwitzerlandNatural History Museum BernBernSwitzerland,Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, SwitzerlandUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Markus Baggenstos
- Oekologische Beratung Markus Baggenstos, Tottikonstrasse 48, 6370 Stans, SwitzerlandOekologische Beratung Markus BaggenstosStansSwitzerland
| | - Eike Neubert
- Natural History Museum Bern, 3005 Bern, SwitzerlandNatural History Museum BernBernSwitzerland,Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, SwitzerlandUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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10
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Silva DC, Oliveira HFM, Zangrandi PL, Domingos FMCB. Flying Over Amazonian Waters: The Role of Rivers on the Distribution and Endemism Patterns of Neotropical Bats. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.774083] [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
The Amazon comprises many of the largest rivers in the planet and also houses some of the richest bat communities in the world. Rivers are important geographic barriers for the dispersal and distribution of different taxa worldwide and, particularly in the Amazon region, they form the conceptual and empirical bases for the recognition of the so-called Areas of Endemism of terrestrial vertebrates. Despite the vast literature on the role of rivers on vertebrate community structure in the Amazon Forest, this process has never been investigated using a comprehensive dataset of Neotropical bat communities in the region. In this study, we aimed at: (1) evaluating the patterns of bat endemism across the Amazon Forest; (2) testing for the relationship between the distribution of bat species in the Amazon and the interfluve Areas of Endemism as currently recognized, and; (3) analyzing the importance of major Amazonian rivers in bat beta-diversity (turnover and nestedness) in the Amazon. Our results indicate that rivers are not major barriers for the current distribution of most bat species, and bat community composition breaks were divided into two clusters separating the east and west regions, and a third cluster in northern Amazon. In addition, there was no significant overlap among species distribution limits and the interfluve Areas of Endemism. Interestingly, the geographic patterns that we found for bat communities composition breaks highly resembles the one recovered using bird communities, suggesting that similar ecological and historical drivers might be acting to determine the distribution of flying vertebrates in the Amazon. Moreover, Amazonian bat distribution and endemism patterns were likely shaped by factors other than rivers, such as species interactions and the current environmental conditions. In conclusion, our results highlight the importance of modern analytical approaches to investigate large scale ecological patterns in the Neotropical region, and also challenge the widely recognized role of rivers on the determination of community structure and endemism patterns in the Amazon Forest, at least for bats.
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11
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Rodríguez-Rodríguez P, Fernández de Castro AG, Pérez de Paz PL, Curbelo L, Palomares Á, Mesa R, Acevedo A, Sosa PA. Evolution and conservation genetics of an insular hemiparasitic plant lineage at the limit of survival: the case of Thesium sect. Kunkeliella in the Canary Islands. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:419-436. [PMID: 35289923 PMCID: PMC9415105 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE The diversification of island flora has been widely studied. However, the role of environmental niches in insular radiation processes has been less investigated. We combined population genetic analyses with species distribution modelling to clarify the genetic relationships, diversification patterns, species niche requirements, and conservation of Thesium sect. Kunkeliella, a clade of rare hemiparasitic plants endemic to the Canaries. METHODS We studied the three extant Thesium species and a new taxon from La Palma Island. We developed 12 microsatellites and performed population genetic analysis and studied the demographic history of the group. To evaluate the role of niche conservatism in the diversification of the group, we performed species distribution modelling (ESM) with four algorithms. RESULTS All species presented moderate genetic diversity values for rare endemics. Thesium canariense (Gran Canaria) showed high differentiation, whereas T. subsucculentum, T. retamoides (Tenerife), and La Palma populations are closely related. The lineage may have undergone a recent diversification with colonization proceeding east to west, with T. canariense as sister to the others. We detected a climatic niche shift, as taxa showed different distributions across the temperature gradient. There is enough evidence to describe La Palma populations as a new species. CONCLUSIONS We characterized the evolutionary history of Thesium sect. Kunkeliella by integrating genetic and ecological assessments. Our results indicate that this clade has undergone a recent radiation process with niche differentiation among species. The results increase our knowledge about insular radiations and will inform the conservation management of the study species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (IUNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | | | - Pedro Luis Pérez de Paz
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de La Laguna, 38071 La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Leticia Curbelo
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (IUNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ángel Palomares
- Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente. Carretera de Padrón, 47. 38750 El Paso (La Palma), Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ricardo Mesa
- Calle Francisco Bermúdez 6, 38500 Güímar. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Aurelio Acevedo
- Calle Barrial de Abajo N13A, 38750 El Paso, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Pedro A Sosa
- Instituto Universitario de Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (IUNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
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Hammoud C, Kougioumoutzis K, Rijsdijk KF, Simaiakis SM, Norder SJ, Foufopoulos J, Georgopoulou E, Van Loon EE. Past connections with the mainland structure patterns of insular species richness in a continental-shelf archipelago (Aegean Sea, Greece). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5441-5458. [PMID: 34026019 PMCID: PMC8131802 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research in island biogeography has highlighted the important role of late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations in shaping biogeographic patterns in insular systems but focused on oceanic systems. Through this study, we aim investigate how late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations shaped species richness patterns in continental-shelf island systems. Focusing on the Aegean archipelago, we first compiled maps of the area's geography using published data, under three sea-level stands: (a) current; (b) median sea-level over the last nine glacial-interglacial cycles (MSL); and (c) Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We gathered taxon-island occurrences for multiple chorotypes of angiosperms, butterflies, centipedes, and reptiles. We investigated the impact of present-day and past geographic settings on chorological groups by analyzing island species-area relationships (ISARs) and using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) selection based on multiple metrics of goodness of fit. Our results confirm that the Aegean's geography has changed dramatically since the LGM, whereas the MSL only modestly differs from the present configuration. Apart for centipedes, paleogeographic changes affected both native and endemic species diversity through altering connections between land-bridge islands and the mainland. On land-bridge islands, we detected over-representation of native species and under-representation of endemics. Unlike oceanic islands, sea-level-driven increase of isolation and area contraction did not strongly shape patterns of species richness. Furthermore, the LGM configurations rather than the MSL configuration shaped patterns of endemic species richness. This suggests that even short episodes of increased connectivity with continental populations are sufficient to counteract the genetic differentiation of insular populations. On the other hand, the over-representation of native nonendemic species on land-bridge islands reflected MSL rather than LGM mainland connections. Our study shows that in terms of processes affecting species richness patterns, continental archipelagos differ fundamentally from oceanic systems because episodic connections with the mainland have profound effects on the biota of land-bridge islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Hammoud
- Invertebrate UnitDepartment of BiologyRoyal Museum for Central AfricaTervurenBelgium
- Limnology UnitDepartment of BiologyGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis
- Department of BiologySection of Ecology and TaxonomyNational & Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Kenneth F. Rijsdijk
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Sietze J. Norder
- Leiden University Centre for LinguisticsLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | | | | | - Emiel E. Van Loon
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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Zhu Z, Harris AJ, Nizamani MM, Thornhill AH, Scherson RA, Wang H. Spatial phylogenetics of the native woody plant species in Hainan, China. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2100-2109. [PMID: 33717445 PMCID: PMC7920777 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
To better identify biodiversity hotspots for conservation on Hainan Island, a tropical island in southern China, we assessed spatial variation in phylogenetic diversity and species richness using 18,976 georeferenced specimen records and a newly reconstructed molecular phylogeny of 957 native woody plants. Within this framework, we delineated bioregions based on vegetation composition and mapped areas of neoendemism and paleoendemism to identify areas of priority for conservation. Our results reveal that the southwest of Hainan is the most important hot spot for endemism and plant diversity followed by the southeast area. The distribution of endemic species showed a scattered, rather than clustered, pattern on the island. Based on phylogenetic range-weighted turnover metrics, we delineated three major vegetational zones in Hainan. These largely correspond to natural secondary growth and managed forests (e.g., rubber and timber forests) in central Hainan, old-growth forests and natural secondary growth forest at the margins of Hainan, and nature reserves on the island (e.g., Jianfeng and Diaoluo National Nature Reserves). Our study helps to elucidate potential botanical conservation priorities for Hainan within an evolutionary, phylogenetic framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi‐Xin Zhu
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical BioresourcesCollege of Tropical CropsHainan UniversityHaikouChina
| | - AJ Harris
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable UtilizationSouth China Botanical GardenChinese Academy of ScienceGuangzhouChina
| | - Mir Muhammad Nizamani
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical BioresourcesCollege of Tropical CropsHainan UniversityHaikouChina
| | - Andrew H. Thornhill
- Department for Environment and WaterState Herbarium of South AustraliaBotanic Gardens and State HerbariumAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Rosa A. Scherson
- Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la NaturalezaFacultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la NaturalezaUniversidad de ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Hua‐Feng Wang
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical BioresourcesCollege of Tropical CropsHainan UniversityHaikouChina
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Diversity and Distribution of Mites (Acari: Ixodida, Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes, Sarcoptiformes) in the Svalbard Archipelago. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12090323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Svalbard is a singular region to study biodiversity. Located at a high latitude and geographically isolated, the archipelago possesses widely varying environmental conditions and unique flora and fauna communities. It is also here where particularly rapid environmental changes are occurring, having amongst the fastest increases in mean air temperature in the Arctic. One of the most common and species-rich invertebrate groups in Svalbard is the mites (Acari). We here describe the characteristics of the Svalbard acarofauna, and, as a baseline, an updated inventory of 178 species (one Ixodida, 36 Mesostigmata, 43 Trombidiformes, and 98 Sarcoptiformes) along with their occurrences. In contrast to the Trombidiformes and Sarcoptiformes, which are dominated in Svalbard by species with wide geographical distributions, the Mesostigmata include many Arctic species (39%); it would thus be an interesting future study to determine if mesostigmatid communities are more affected by global warming then other mite groups. A large number of new species (42 spp.) have been described from Svalbard, including 15 that have so far been found exclusively there. It is yet uncertain if any of these latter species are endemic: six are recent findings, the others are old records and, in most cases, impossible to verify. That the Arctic is still insufficiently sampled also limits conclusions concerning endemicity.
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