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Ondo I, Dhanjal-Adams KL, Pironon S, Silvestro D, Colli-Silva M, Deklerck V, Grace OM, Monro AK, Nicolson N, Walker B, Antonelli A. Plant diversity darkspots for global collection priorities. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 39152543 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
More than 15% of all vascular plant species may remain scientifically undescribed, and many of the > 350 000 described species have no or few geographic records documenting their distribution. Identifying and understanding taxonomic and geographic knowledge shortfalls is key to prioritising future collection and conservation efforts. Using extensive data for 343 523 vascular plant species and time-to-event analyses, we conducted multiple tests related to plant taxonomic and geographic data shortfalls, and identified 33 global diversity darkspots (those 'botanical countries' predicted to contain most undescribed and not yet recorded species). We defined priority regions for future collection according to several socio-economic and environmental scenarios. Most plant diversity darkspots are found within global biodiversity hotspots, with the exception of New Guinea. We identify Colombia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Peru, Philippines and Turkey as global collection priorities under all environmental and socio-economic conditions considered. Our study provides a flexible framework to help accelerate the documentation of global plant diversity for the implementation of conservation actions. As digitisation of the world's herbaria progresses, collection and conservation priorities may soon be identifiable at finer scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Ondo
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, CB3 0DL, UK
| | | | - Samuel Pironon
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, CB3 0DL, UK
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4DQ, UK
| | - Daniele Silvestro
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, 41319, Sweden
| | | | - Victor Deklerck
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK
- Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, 1860, Belgium
| | - Olwen M Grace
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, UK
| | | | | | | | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, 41319, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
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2
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Farooq H, Harfoot M, Rahbek C, Geldmann J. Threats to reptiles at global and regional scales. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2231-2237.e2. [PMID: 38657609 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.007] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Reptiles are an important, yet often understudied, taxon in nature conservation. They play a significant role in ecosystems1 and can serve as indicators of environmental health, often responding more rapidly to human pressures than other vertebrate groups.2 At least 21% of reptiles are currently assessed as threatened with extinction by the IUCN.3 However, due to the lack of comprehensive global assessments until recently, they have been omitted from spatial studies addressing conservation or spatial prioritization (e.g., Rosauer et al.,4,5,6,7,8 Fritz and Rahbek,4,5,6,7,8 Farooq et al.,4,5,6,7,8 Meyer et al., 4,5,6,7,8 and Farooq et al.4,5,6,7,8). One important knowledge gap in conservation is the lack of spatially explicit information on the main threats to biodiversity,9 which significantly hampers our ability to respond effectively to the current biodiversity crisis.10,11 In this study, we calculate the probability of a reptile species in a specific location being affected by one of seven biodiversity threats-agriculture, climate change, hunting, invasive species, logging, pollution, and urbanization. We conducted the analysis at a global scale, using a 50 km × 50 km grid, and evaluated the impact of these threats by studying their relationship with the risk of extinction. We find that climate change, logging, pollution, and invasive species are most linked to extinction risk. However, we also show that there is considerable geographical variation in these results. Our study highlights the importance of going beyond measuring the intensity of threats to measuring the impact of these separately for various biogeographical regions of the world, with different historical contingencies, as opposed to a single global analysis treating all regions the same.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harith Farooq
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark; Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba 958, Mozambique; Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden.
| | - Mike Harfoot
- Vizzuality, Calle de Fuencarral, Madrid 28010, Spain
| | - Carsten Rahbek
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark; Center for Global Mountain Biodiversity, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark; Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M 5230, Denmark
| | - Jonas Geldmann
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
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3
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Nganhane IDN, Farooq H. Self-advocacy for young African scientists. Science 2024; 384:748. [PMID: 38753781 DOI: 10.1126/science.adp0406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Harith Farooq
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Mozambique
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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4
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Karimi N, Hanes MM. Patterns of Grewia (Malvaceae) diversity across geographical scales in Africa and Madagascar. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:773-788. [PMID: 38243607 PMCID: PMC11082522 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae009] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Quantifying spatial species richness is useful to describe biodiversity patterns across broad geographical areas, especially in large, poorly known plant groups. We explore patterns and predictors of species richness across Africa in one such group, the palaeotropical genus Grewia L. (Malvaceae). METHODS Grewia species richness was quantified by extracting herbarium records from GBIF and Tropicos and creating geographical grids at varying spatial scales. We assessed predictors of species richness using spatial regression models with 30 environmental variables. We explored species co-occurrence in Madagascar at finer resolutions using Schoener's index and compared species range sizes and International Union for Conservation of Nature status among ecoregions. Lastly, we derived a trait matrix for a subset of species found in Madagascar to characterize morphological diversity across space. KEY RESULTS Grewia species occur in 50 countries in Africa, with the highest number of species in Madagascar (93, with 80 species endemic). Species richness is highest in Madagascar, with ≤23 Grewia species in a grid cell, followed by coastal Tanzania/Kenya (≤13 species) and northern South Africa and central Angola (11 species each). Across Africa, higher species richness was predicted by variables related to aridity. In Madagascar, a greater range in environmental variables best predicted species richness, consistent with geographical grid cells of highest species richness occurring near biome/ecoregion transitions. In Madagascar, we also observe increasing dissimilarity in species composition with increasing geographical distance. CONCLUSIONS The spatial patterns and underlying environmental predictors that we uncover in Grewia represent an important step in our understanding of plant distribution and diversity patterns across Africa. Madagascar boasts nearly twice the Grewia species richness of the second most species-rich country in Africa, which might be explained by complex topography and environmental conditions across small spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisa Karimi
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Margaret M Hanes
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
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5
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García FA, Fuentes TF, Alonso IP, Bosch RA, Brunetti AE, Lopes NP. A Comprehensive Review of Patented Antimicrobial Peptides from Amphibian Anurans. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024; 87:600-616. [PMID: 38412091 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c01040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Since the 1980s, studies of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from anuran skin secretions have unveiled remarkable structural diversity and a wide range of activities. This study explores the potential of these peptides for drug development by examining granted patents, amino acid modifications related to patented peptides, and recent amphibians' taxonomic updates influencing AMP names. A total of 188 granted patents related to different anuran peptides were found, with Asia and North America being the predominant regions, contributing 65.4% and 15.4%, respectively. Conversely, although the Neotropical region is the world's most diversified region for amphibians, it holds only 3.7% of the identified patents. The antimicrobial activities of the peptides are claimed in 118 of these 188 patents. Additionally, for 160 of these peptides, 66 patents were registered for the natural sequence, 69 for both natural and derivative sequences, and 20 exclusively for sequence derivatives. Notably, common modifications include alterations in the side chains of amino acids and modifications to the peptides' N- and C-termini. This review underscores the biomedical potential of anuran-derived AMPs, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between AMP description and practical drug development while highlighting the urgency of biodiversity conservation to facilitate biomedical discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Almeida García
- NPPNS, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café, s/no, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Talia Frómeta Fuentes
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, 25 Street No. 455, Vedado 10400, Cuba
| | - Isel Pascual Alonso
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, 25 Street No. 455, Vedado 10400, Cuba
| | - Roberto Alonso Bosch
- Natural History Museum Felipe Poey, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Vedado 10400, Cuba
| | - Andrés E Brunetti
- Institute of Subtropical Biology (CONICET-UNAM), National University of Misiones, Posadas N3300LQH, Argentina
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Norberto Peporine Lopes
- NPPNS, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café, s/no, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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6
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Bayliss J, Bittencourt-Silva GB, Branch WR, Bruessow C, Collins S, Congdon TCE, Conradie W, Curran M, Daniels SR, Darbyshire I, Farooq H, Fishpool L, Grantham G, Magombo Z, Matimele H, Monadjem A, Monteiro J, Osborne J, Saunders J, Smith P, Spottiswoode CN, Taylor PJ, Timberlake J, Tolley KA, Tovela É, Platts PJ. A biogeographical appraisal of the threatened South East Africa Montane Archipelago ecoregion. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5971. [PMID: 38472297 PMCID: PMC10933300 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54671-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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent biological surveys of ancient inselbergs in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique have led to the discovery and description of many species new to science, and overlapping centres of endemism across multiple taxa. Combining these endemic taxa with data on geology and climate, we propose the 'South East Africa Montane Archipelago' (SEAMA) as a distinct ecoregion of global biological importance. The ecoregion encompasses 30 granitic inselbergs reaching > 1000 m above sea level, hosting the largest (Mt Mabu) and smallest (Mt Lico) mid-elevation rainforests in southern Africa, as well as biologically unique montane grasslands. Endemic taxa include 127 plants, 45 vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and 45 invertebrate species (butterflies, freshwater crabs), and two endemic genera of plants and reptiles. Existing dated phylogenies of endemic animal lineages suggests this endemism arose from divergence events coinciding with repeated isolation of these mountains from the pan-African forests, together with the mountains' great age and relative climatic stability. Since 2000, the SEAMA has lost 18% of its primary humid forest cover (up to 43% in some sites)-one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Urgently rectifying this situation, while addressing the resource needs of local communities, is a global priority for biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Bayliss
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
- African Butterfly Research Institute, P.O. Box 14308, Nairobi, 0800, Kenya.
- Rede Para Gestão Comunitária de Recursos Naturais (ReGeCom), Maputo, Mozambique.
| | | | - William R Branch
- Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood, 6013, South Africa
| | - Carl Bruessow
- Mount Mulanje Conservation Trust, P.O. Box 139, Mulanje, Malawi
| | - Steve Collins
- African Butterfly Research Institute, P.O. Box 14308, Nairobi, 0800, Kenya
| | - T Colin E Congdon
- African Butterfly Research Institute, P.O. Box 14308, Nairobi, 0800, Kenya
| | - Werner Conradie
- Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood, 6013, South Africa
- Department of Nature Conservation Management, Faculty of Science, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa
| | - Michael Curran
- Department of Food System Science, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, P.O. Box 219, 5070, Frick, Switzerland
| | - Savel R Daniels
- Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | | | - Harith Farooq
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Mozambique
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lincoln Fishpool
- BirdLife International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK
| | - Geoffrey Grantham
- Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Zacharia Magombo
- National Herbarium and Botanical Gardens of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Hermenegildo Matimele
- Herbarium, Instituto de Investigaçao Agraria de Moçambique, P.O.Box 3658, Maputo, Mozambique
- DICE, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NZ, UK
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 163 Orlando Mendes Street, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Ara Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Jose Monteiro
- Rede Para Gestão Comunitária de Recursos Naturais (ReGeCom), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Jo Osborne
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Justin Saunders
- Africa Bees Ltd, Belgrave House, 39-43 Monument Hill, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8RN, UK
| | - Paul Smith
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3BW, UK
| | - Claire N Spottiswoode
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Peter J Taylor
- Biological Sciences Department, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
- Afromontane Research Unit and Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | | | - Krystal A Tolley
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Claremont, Private Bag X7, Cape Town, 7735, South Africa
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa
| | - Érica Tovela
- Museu de História Natural, Praça Travessia do Zambeze, 104, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Philip J Platts
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York, YO10 5NG, UK
- BeZero Carbon Ltd, 25 Christopher Street, London, E2, UK
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7
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Kendall CJ, Bracebridge C, Lynch EC, Mgumba M, Monadjem A, Nicholas A, Kane A. Value of combining transect counts and telemetry data to determine short-term population trends in a globally threatened species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14146. [PMID: 37424360 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14146] [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: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate conservation interventions, it is necessary to obtain reliable population trends for short (<10 years) time scales. Telemetry can be used to estimate short-term survival rates and is a common tool for assessing population trends, but it has limitations and can be biased toward specific behavioral traits of tagged individuals. Encounter rates calculated from transects can be useful for assessing changes across multiple species, but they can have large confidence intervals and be affected by variations in survey conditions. The decline of African vultures has been well-documented, but understanding of recent trends is lacking. To examine population trends, we used survival estimates from telemetry data collected over 6 years (primarily for white-backed vultures [Gyps africanus]) and transect counts conducted over 8 years (for 7 scavenging raptors) in 3 large protected areas in Tanzania. Population trends were estimated using survival analysis combined with the Leslie Lefkovitch matrix model from the telemetry data and using Bayesian mixed effects generalized linear regression models from the transect data. Both methods showed significant declines for white-backed vultures in Ruaha and Nyerere National Parks. Only telemetry estimates suggested significant declines in Katavi National Park. Encounter rates calculated from transects also showed declines in Nyerere National Park for lappet-faced vultures (38% annual declines) and Bateleurs (18%) and in Ruaha National Park for white-headed vultures (Trigonoceps occipitalis) (19%). Mortality rates recorded and inferred from telemetry suggested that poisoning is prevalent. However, only 6 mortalities of the 26 presumed mortalities were confirmed to be caused by poisoning, highlighting the challenges of determining the cause of death when working across large landscapes. Despite declines, our data provide evidence that southern Tanzania has higher current encounter rates of African vultures than elsewhere in East Africa. Preventing further declines will depend greatly on mitigating poisoning. Based on our results, we suggest that the use of multiple techniques improves understanding of population trends over the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne J Kendall
- Conservation, Education and Science, North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Claire Bracebridge
- Conservation, Education and Science, North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Emily C Lynch
- Conservation, Education and Science, North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Msafiri Mgumba
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Ruaha-Katavi Landscape Program, Tanzania
| | - Ara Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Aaron Nicholas
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Ruaha-Katavi Landscape Program, Tanzania
| | - Adam Kane
- School of Biology and Environmental Science and Earth Institute, O'Brien Science Centre West, University College Dublin Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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8
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Antonelli A, Farooq H, Colli-Silva M, Araújo JPM, Freitas AVL, Gardner EM, Grace O, Gu S, Marline L, Nesbitt M, Niskanen T, Onana JM, Pérez-Escobar OA, Taylor C, Knapp S. People-inspired names remain valuable. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1161-1162. [PMID: 37337005 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02108-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Antonelli
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK.
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Harith Farooq
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
| | - Matheus Colli-Silva
- Department of Botany, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João P M Araújo
- Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - André V L Freitas
- Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, Unicamp, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Elliot M Gardner
- International Center for Tropical Botany at The Kampong, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Olwen Grace
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Shiran Gu
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK
- South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lovanomenjanahary Marline
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK
- Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | | | - Jean Michel Onana
- National Herbarium of Cameroon, IRAD, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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9
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Puruleia A, Nanvonamuquitxo C, Ernesto M, Jamal A, Amade I, Monia W, Massingue Y, Verburgt L, Faurby S, Antonelli A, Perrigo A, Farooq H. Rediscovery of the lost skink Proscelotes aenea and implications for conservation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11261. [PMID: 37438413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38286-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Biodiversity loss is recognized as a grand challenge of the twenty-first century but ascertaining when a species is "lost" can be incredibly difficult-since the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. This may be a relatively easy task for large and conspicuous animals, but extremely difficult for those living hidden lives or at low population sizes. We showcase this challenge by focusing on Africa's montane skink, Proscelotes aenea (Barbour & Loveridge 1928). In this study, we embarked on a year-long intensive survey to find this fossorial species in Lumbo, Northern Mozambique, the only remaining location where it may still occur but was recorded for the last time over 100 years ago. We located the species already after 20 days of intensive and targeted searching by five members of our team. The finding allowed us to describe, for the first time, details on the biology and ecology of the species, alongside photos and videos of live specimens (including a pregnant female), and to sequence DNA from the species, which we used to infer the phylogenetic placement. Our combined 12S and 16S phylogenetic analysis weakly suggest that the genus Proscelotes may not be monophyletic and therefore requires further phylogenetic work and potentially taxonomic revision. We also gathered evidence of a possible decrease in population abundance and, based on the species' ecology, we identified urbanization as a potential key threat, which could lead to the local or global extirpation of the species. We call for urgent conservation actions that help protect the future of the montane skink, and additional surveys to map its full distribution. As countries now work towards implementing the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, our study demonstrates the need for proper investments in biodiversity inventories and monitoring in order to halt species extinctions by 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Puruleia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.
| | | | - Milagre Ernesto
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
| | - Abdurabe Jamal
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
| | - Iassine Amade
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
| | - Wilson Monia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
| | - Yasalde Massingue
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
| | - Luke Verburgt
- Enviro-Insight CC, Unit 8 Oppidraai Office Park, Pretoria, 0050, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Søren Faurby
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Allison Perrigo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Botanical Garden, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Harith Farooq
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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10
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Farooq H, Antonelli A, Faurby S. A call for improving the Key Biodiversity Areas framework. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
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11
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Becker FK, Shabangu FW, Gridley T, Wittmer HU, Marsland S. Sounding out a continent: seven decades of bioacoustics research in Africa. BIOACOUSTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2021.2021987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Frowin K. Becker
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington/Te Herenga Waka, Wellington, New Zealand
- National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, Maun, Botswana
| | - Fannie W. Shabangu
- Fisheries Management Branch, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Cape Town, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tess Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation Npc, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Heiko U. Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington/Te Herenga Waka, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Stephen Marsland
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington/Te Herenga Waka, Wellington, New Zealand
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Krásová J, Mikula O, Bryja J, Baptista NL, António T, Aghová T, Šumbera R. Biogeography of Angolan rodents: The first glimpse based on phylogenetic evidence. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jarmila Krásová
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Mikula
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
| | - Josef Bryja
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology Faculty of Science Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Ninda L. Baptista
- Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação da Huíla (ISCED‐Huíla) Lubango Angola
- CIBIO‐InBIO Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do Porto Vairão Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências Universidade do Porto Porto Portugal
| | - Telmo António
- Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação da Huíla (ISCED‐Huíla) Lubango Angola
| | - Tatiana Aghová
- Centre of OncocytogenomicsInstitute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory DiagnosticsGeneral University Hospital and First Faculty of MedicineCharles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Radim Šumbera
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia České Budějovice Czech Republic
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