Community-based conservation with formal protection provides large collateral benefits to Amazonian migratory waterbirds

Wetland habitats supporting waterbird diversity: Conservation perspective on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship

Wetlands, as core habitats for supporting waterbird diversity, provide a variety of ecosystem services through diverse ecosystem functioning. Wetland degradation and wetland-habitat loss undermine the relationship between biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF), affecting the diversity of habitats and waterbirds. The conservation of waterbird diversity is closely linked to the proper functioning of wetland ecosystems (nutrient cycling, energy storage, and productivity). Waterbirds have complex habitat preferences and sensitivities, which affect biotic interactions. By highlighting the importance of temporal and spatial scales guided by BEF, a habitat-waterbird conservation framework is presented (BEF relationships are described at three levels: habitat, primary producers, and waterbird diversity). We present a novel perspective on habitat conservation for waterbirds by incorporating research on the effects of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning to address the crucial challenges in global waterbird diversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and habitat conservation. Last, it is imperative to prioritize strategies of habitat protection with the incorporation of BEF for future waterbird conservation.

Coastal Ecosystem Services Modeling in Latin America to Guide Conservation and Restoration Strategies: The Case of Mangroves in Guatemala and El Salvador

We modeled the coastal protection and blue carbon ecosystem services provided by the mangroves of the Paz River Basin (El Salvador and Guatemala) using InVEST Coastal Vulnerability and Coastal Blue Carbon Models, with the goal of supporting the Regional Coastal Biodiversity Project of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, in determining potential priority mangrove areas for conservation and restoration. To quantify the relative coastal protection that mangroves provide, we combined maps of different aspects of vulnerability, including ecological, physical, and social data. We also estimated carbon stocks, net sequestration, and the economic value of carbon sequestration as a service in 2050 and 2100. We then developed a combined index of coastal protection and carbon sequestration services to highlight potential priority conservation and restoration areas for mangroves. We found that in Guatemala the coastal protection service was provided in greater quantity in the province of Moyuta, while in El Salvador this service was the highest in the provinces of San Francisco Menéndez, Jujutla and Acajutla, which also had the greatest total carbon stock. In the Paz River Basin, we estimate there are approximately 1,741 hectares of mangroves that provide the highest coastal protection and carbon sequestration services. Furthermore, we identified 318.9 hectares across both countries where mangroves could potentially be restored.