1
|
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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The conservation of evolutionary history has been linked to increased benefits for humanity and can be captured by phylogenetic diversity (PD). The Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) metric has, since 2007, been used to prioritise threatened species for practical conservation that embody large amounts of evolutionary history. While there have been important research advances since 2007, they have not been adopted in practice because of a lack of consensus in the conservation community. Here, building from an interdisciplinary workshop to update the existing EDGE approach, we present an "EDGE2" protocol that draws on a decade of research and innovation to develop an improved, consistent methodology for prioritising species conservation efforts. Key advances include methods for dealing with uncertainty and accounting for the extinction risk of closely related species. We describe EDGE2 in terms of distinct components to facilitate future revisions to its constituent parts without needing to reconsider the whole. We illustrate EDGE2 by applying it to the world's mammals. As we approach a crossroads for global biodiversity policy, this Consensus View shows how collaboration between academic and applied conservation biologists can guide effective and practical priority-setting to conserve biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rikki Gumbs
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, United Kingdom
- IUCN SSC Phylogenetic Diversity Task Force, London, United Kingdom
- Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
- * 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
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Duntsch L, Tomotani BM, de Villemereuil P, Brekke P, Lee KD, Ewen JG, Santure AW. Polygenic basis for adaptive morphological variation in a threatened Aotearoa | New Zealand bird, the hihi ( Notiomystis cincta). Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200948. [PMID: 32842928 PMCID: PMC7482260 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
To predict if a threatened species can adapt to changing selective pressures, it is crucial to understand the genetic basis of adaptive traits, especially in species historically affected by severe bottlenecks. We estimated the heritability of three hihi (Notiomystis cincta) morphological traits known to be under selection (nestling tarsus length, body mass and head-bill length) using 523 individuals and 39 699 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a 50 K Affymetrix SNP chip. We then examined the genetic architecture of the traits via chromosome partitioning analyses and genome-wide association scans (GWAS). Heritabilities estimated using pedigree relatedness or genomic relatedness were low. For tarsus length, the proportion of genetic variance explained by each chromosome was positively correlated with its size, and more than one chromosome explained significant variation for body mass and head-bill length. Finally, GWAS analyses suggested many loci of small effect contributing to trait variation for all three traits, although one locus (an SNP within an intron of the transcription factor HEY2) was tentatively associated with tarsus length. Our findings suggest a polygenic nature for the morphological traits, with many small effect size loci contributing to the majority of the variation, similar to results from many other wild populations. However, the small effective population size, polygenic architecture and already low heritabilities suggest that both the total response and rate of response to selection are likely to be limited in hihi.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Duntsch
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Pierre de Villemereuil
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), École Pratique des Hautes Études PSL, MNHN, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Patricia Brekke
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, UK
| | - Kate D. Lee
- School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, UK
| | - Anna W. Santure
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Thorpe CJ, Lewis TR, Fisher MC, Wierzbicki CJ, Kulkarni S, Pryce D, Davies L, Watve A, Knight ME. Climate structuring of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in the threatened amphibians of the northern Western Ghats, India. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:180211. [PMID: 30110422 PMCID: PMC6030269 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a pathogen killing amphibians worldwide. Its impact across much of Asia is poorly characterized. This study systematically surveyed amphibians for Bd across rocky plateaus in the northern section of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, including the first surveys of the plateaus in the coastal region. These ecosystems offer an epidemiological model system since they are characterized by differing levels of connectivity, edaphic and climatic conditions, and anthropogenic stressors. One hundred and eighteen individuals of 21 species of Anura and Apoda on 13 plateaus ranging from 67 to 1179 m above sea level and 15.89 to 17.92° North latitude were sampled. Using qPCR protocols, 79% of species and 27% of individuals tested were positive for Bd. This is the first record of Bd in caecilians in India, the Critically Endangered Xanthophryne tigerina and Endangered Fejervarya cf. sahyadris. Mean site prevalence was 28.15%. Prevalence below the escarpment was 31.2% and 25.4% above. The intensity of infection (GE) showed the reverse pattern. Infection may be related to elevational temperature changes, thermal exclusion, inter-site connectivity and anthropogenic disturbance. Coastal plateaus may be thermal refuges from Bd. Infected amphibians represented a wide range of ecological traits posing interesting questions about transmission routes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Thorpe
- Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Todd R. Lewis
- Westfield, 4 Worgret Road, Wareham, Dorset BH20 4PJ, UK
| | - Matthew C. Fisher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Claudia J. Wierzbicki
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Siddharth Kulkarni
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, 2121 I St NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - David Pryce
- Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Lewis Davies
- Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Aparna Watve
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Apsinga Road, PO Box No. 09, Tuljapur 413 601, District-Osmanabad, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mairi E. Knight
- Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Thorpe CJ, Lewis TR, Kulkarni S, Watve A, Gaitonde N, Pryce D, Davies L, Bilton DT, Knight ME. Micro-habitat distribution drives patch quality for sub-tropical rocky plateau amphibians in the northern Western Ghats, India. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194810. [PMID: 29579111 PMCID: PMC5868820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of patch quality for amphibians is frequently overlooked in distribution models. Here we demonstrate that it is highly important for the persistence of endemic and endangered amphibians found in the threatened and fragile ecosystems that are the rocky plateaus in Western Maharashtra, India. These plateaus are ferricretes of laterite and characterise the northern section of the Western Ghats/Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot, the eighth most important global hotspot and one of the three most threatened by population growth. We present statistically supported habitat associations for endangered and data-deficient Indian amphibians, demonstrating significant relationships between individual species and their microhabitats. Data were collected during early monsoon across two seasons. Twenty-one amphibian taxa were identified from 14 lateritic plateaus between 67 and 1179m above sea level. Twelve of the study taxa had significant associations with microhabitats using a stepwise analysis of the AICc subroutine (distLM, Primer-e, v7). Generalist taxa were associated with increased numbers of microhabitat types. Non-significant associations are reported for the remaining 9 taxa. Microhabitat distribution was spatially structured and driven by climate and human activity. Woody plants were associated with 44% of high-elevation taxa. Of the 8 low-elevation taxa 63% related to water bodies and 60% of those were associated with pools. Rock size and abundance were important for 33% of high elevation specialists. Three of the 4 caecilians were associated with rocks in addition to soil and stream presence. We conclude the plateaus are individualistic patches whose habitat quality is defined by their microhabitats within climatic zones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Thorpe
- Ecology and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (CJT); (TRL)
| | - Todd R. Lewis
- Westfield, Wareham, Dorset, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (CJT); (TRL)
| | | | - Aparna Watve
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Taljapur, Osmanabad, Maharashtra, India
| | - Nikhil Gaitonde
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Kodigehalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - David Pryce
- Ecology and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Lewis Davies
- Ecology and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - David T. Bilton
- Ecology and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Mairi E. Knight
- Ecology and Evolution Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Andradi-Brown DA, Grey R, Hendrix A, Hitchner D, Hunt CL, Gress E, Madej K, Parry RL, Régnier-McKellar C, Jones OP, Arteaga M, Izaguirre AP, Rogers AD, Exton DA. Depth-dependent effects of culling-do mesophotic lionfish populations undermine current management? R Soc Open Sci 2017; 4:170027. [PMID: 28573007 PMCID: PMC5451808 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have spread widely across the western Atlantic and are recognized as a major threat to native marine biodiversity. Although lionfish inhabit both shallow reefs and mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs from 30 to 150 m depth), the primary management response implemented by many countries has been diver-led culling limited to reefs less than 30 m. However, many reef fish undergo ontogenetic migrations, with the largest and therefore most fecund individuals found at greatest depths. Here, we study lionfish density, body size, maturity and dietary patterns across the depth gradient from the surface down to 85 m on heavily culled reefs around Utila, Honduras. We found lionfish at increased densities, body size and weight on MCEs compared with shallow reefs, with MCEs also containing the greatest proportion of actively spawning females, while shallow reefs contained the greatest proportion of immature lionfish. We then compared lionfish behaviour in response to divers on shallow culled and mesophotic unculled Utilan reefs, and on shallow unculled reefs in Tela Bay, on the Honduran mainland. We found that mesophotic lionfish exhibited high alert distances, consistent with individuals previously exposed to culling despite being below the depth limits of removal. In addition, when examining stomach content, we found that fish were the major component of lionfish diets across the depth gradient. Importantly, our results suggest that despite adjacent shallow culling, MCEs retain substantial lionfish populations that may be disproportionately contributing towards continued lionfish recruitment onto the shallow reefs of Utila, potentially undermining current culling-based management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic A. Andradi-Brown
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
- Author for correspondence: Dominic A. Andradi-Brown e-mail:
| | - Rachel Grey
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
- College of Charleston, 205 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Alicia Hendrix
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
| | - Drew Hitchner
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
| | - Christina L. Hunt
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
| | - Erika Gress
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
| | - Konrad Madej
- Whaleshark and Oceanic Research Center, Main Street, Utila, Bay Islands 34201, Honduras
| | - Rachel L. Parry
- Whaleshark and Oceanic Research Center, Main Street, Utila, Bay Islands 34201, Honduras
| | | | - Owen P. Jones
- Whaleshark and Oceanic Research Center, Main Street, Utila, Bay Islands 34201, Honduras
| | - María Arteaga
- Bay Islands Conservation Association—Utila Chapter, Airport Road, Utila, Bay Islands 34201, Honduras
| | - Andrea P. Izaguirre
- Bay Islands Conservation Association—Utila Chapter, Airport Road, Utila, Bay Islands 34201, Honduras
| | - Alex D. Rogers
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Dan A. Exton
- Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4EX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vörös J, Márton O, Schmidt BR, Gál JT, Jelić D. Surveying Europe's Only Cave-Dwelling Chordate Species (Proteus anguinus) Using Environmental DNA. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170945. [PMID: 28129383 PMCID: PMC5271363 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In surveillance of subterranean fauna, especially in the case of rare or elusive aquatic species, traditional techniques used for epigean species are often not feasible. We developed a non-invasive survey method based on environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect the presence of the red-listed cave-dwelling amphibian, Proteus anguinus, in the caves of the Dinaric Karst. We tested the method in fifteen caves in Croatia, from which the species was previously recorded or expected to occur. We successfully confirmed the presence of P. anguinus from ten caves and detected the species for the first time in five others. Using a hierarchical occupancy model we compared the availability and detection probability of eDNA of two water sampling methods, filtration and precipitation. The statistical analysis showed that both availability and detection probability depended on the method and estimates for both probabilities were higher using filter samples than for precipitation samples. Combining reliable field and laboratory methods with robust statistical modeling will give the best estimates of species occurrence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judit Vörös
- Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- Molecular Taxonomy Laboratory, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
| | - Orsolya Márton
- Institute for Soil Sciences and Agricultural Chemistry, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Benedikt R. Schmidt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environment Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Koordinationsstelle für Amphibien- und Reptilienschutz in der Schweiz, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Júlia Tünde Gál
- Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dušan Jelić
- Croatian Institute for Biodiversity, Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jacoby DMP, Papastamatiou YP, Freeman R. Inferring animal social networks and leadership: applications for passive monitoring arrays. J R Soc Interface 2016; 13:20160676. [PMID: 27881803 PMCID: PMC5134018 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses of animal social networks have frequently benefited from techniques derived from other disciplines. Recently, machine learning algorithms have been adopted to infer social associations from time-series data gathered using remote, telemetry systems situated at provisioning sites. We adapt and modify existing inference methods to reveal the underlying social structure of wide-ranging marine predators moving through spatial arrays of passive acoustic receivers. From six months of tracking data for grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) at Palmyra atoll in the Pacific Ocean, we demonstrate that some individuals emerge as leaders within the population and that this behavioural coordination is predicted by both sex and the duration of co-occurrences between conspecifics. In doing so, we provide the first evidence of long-term, spatially extensive social processes in wild sharks. To achieve these results, we interrogate simulated and real tracking data with the explicit purpose of drawing attention to the key considerations in the use and interpretation of inference methods and their impact on resultant social structure. We provide a modified translation of the GMMEvents method for R, including new analyses quantifying the directionality and duration of social events with the aim of encouraging the careful use of these methods more widely in less tractable social animal systems but where passive telemetry is already widespread.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David M P Jacoby
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Yannis P Papastamatiou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 N.E. 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Robin Freeman
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hirschfeld M, Blackburn DC, Doherty-Bone TM, Gonwouo LN, Ghose S, Rödel MO. Dramatic Declines of Montane Frogs in a Central African Biodiversity Hotspot. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155129. [PMID: 27149624 PMCID: PMC4858272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibian populations are vanishing worldwide. Declines and extinctions of many populations have been attributed to chytridiomycosis, a disease induced by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). In Africa, however, changes in amphibian assemblages were typically attributed to habitat change. We conducted a retrospective study utilizing field surveys from 2004–2012 of the anuran faunas on two mountains in western Cameroon, a hotspot of African amphibian diversity. The number of species detected was negatively influenced by year, habitat degradation, and elevation, and we detected a decline of certain species. Because another study in this region revealed an emergence of Bd in 2008, we screened additional recent field-collected samples and also pre-decline preserved museum specimens for the presence of Bd supporting emergence before 2008. When comparing the years before and after Bd detection, we found significantly diminished frog species richness and abundance on both mountains after Bd emergence. Our analyses suggest that this may be the first disease-driven community-level decline in anuran biodiversity in Central Africa. The disappearance of several species known to tolerate habitat degradation, and a trend of stronger declines at higher elevations, are consistent with Bd-induced declines in other regions. Not all species decreased; populations of some species remained constant, and others increased after the emergence of Bd. This variation might be explained by species-specific differences in infection probability. Increased habitat protection and Bd-mitigation strategies are needed for sustaining diverse amphibian communities such as those on Mt. Manengouba, which contains nearly half of Cameroon’s frog diversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Hirschfeld
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California 94118, United States of America
| | - Thomas M. Doherty-Bone
- Conservation Research & Action for Amphibians of Cameroon, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - LeGrand Nono Gonwouo
- Cameroon Herpetology-Conservation Biology Foundation (CAMHERP-CBF), PO Box 8218, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Sonia Ghose
- Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California 94118, United States of America
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|