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Biological Diversity (biological + diversity)
Selected AbstractsA Call to Action for Conserving Biological Diversity in the Face of Climate ChangeCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Malcolm Hunter Jr. No abstract is available for this article. [source] Expanding the Global Network of Protected Areas to Save the Imperiled Mediterranean BiomeCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009EMMA C. UNDERWOOD análisis de disparidad; áreas protegidas; biodiversidad; ecosistemas Mediterráneos; pérdida de hábitat Abstract:,Global goals established by the Convention on Biological Diversity stipulate that 10% of the world's ecological regions must be effectively conserved by 2010. To meet that goal for the mediterranean biome, at least 5% more land must be formally protected over the next few years. Although global assessments identify the mediterranean biome as a priority, without biologically meaningful analysis units, finer-resolution data, and corresponding prioritization analysis, future conservation investments could lead to more area being protected without increasing the representation of unique mediterranean ecosystems. We used standardized analysis units and six potential natural vegetation types stratified by 3 elevation zones in a global gap analysis that systematically explored conservation priorities across the mediterranean biome. The highest levels of protection were in Australia, South Africa, and California-Baja California (from 9,11%), and the lowest levels of protection were in Chile and the mediterranean Basin (<1%). Protection was skewed to montane elevations in three out of five regions. Across the biome only one of the six vegetation types,mediterranean shrubland,exceeded 10% protection. The remaining vegetation types,grassland, scrub, succulent dominated, woodland, and forest,each had <3% protection. To guard against biases in future protection efforts and ensure the protection of species characteristic of the mediterranean biome, we identified biodiversity assemblages with <10% protection and subject to >30% conversion and suggest that these assemblages be elevated to high-priority status in future conservation efforts. Resumen:,Las metas globales establecidas por la Convención sobre Diversidad Biológica estipulan que 10% de las regiones ecológicas del mundo deberán estar conservadas efectivamente en 2010. Para alcanzar esa meta en el bioma mediterráneo, por lo menos 5% más de superficie debe estar protegida formalmente en los próximos años. Aunque las evaluaciones globales identifican al bioma mediterráneo como una prioridad, sin unidades de análisis biológicamente significativas, datos de resolución más fina y los correspondientes análisis de priorización, las inversiones futuras en conservación pudieran conducir a la protección de más superficie sin incrementar la representación de los ecosistemas mediterráneos únicos. Utilizamos unidades de análisis estandarizadas y seis tipos potenciales de vegetación natural estratificados en tres zonas de elevación en un análisis global de disparidad que exploró sistemáticamente las prioridades de conservación en el bioma mediterráneo. Los niveles de protección más altos se localizaron en Australia, África del Sur y California-Baja California (de 9,11%) y los niveles de protección más bajos se localizaron en Chile y la Cuenca del mediterráneo (<1%). La protección estaba sesgada hacia elevaciones altas en tres de las cinco regiones. En todo el bioma, solo uno de los seis tipos de vegetación,matorral mediterráneo,excedió 10% de protección. Los tipos de vegetación restantes,pastizal, matorral, dominio de suculentas, y bosques,tenían <3% de protección cada uno. Para evitar sesgos en futuros esfuerzos de protección y asegurar la protección de especies características del bioma mediterráneo, identificamos ensambles de biodiversidad con <10% de protección y sujetos a >30% de conversión y sugerimos que estos ensambles sean elevados a un estatus de alta prioridad en esfuerzos de conservación en el futuro. [source] Quantification of Extinction Risk: IUCN's System for Classifying Threatened SpeciesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008GEORGINA M. MACE definición de prioridades de conservación; especies amenazadas; Lista Roja UICN; riesgo de extinción Abstract:,The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species was increasingly used during the 1980s to assess the conservation status of species for policy and planning purposes. This use stimulated the development of a new set of quantitative criteria for listing species in the categories of threat: critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable. These criteria, which were intended to be applicable to all species except microorganisms, were part of a broader system for classifying threatened species and were fully implemented by IUCN in 2000. The system and the criteria have been widely used by conservation practitioners and scientists and now underpin one indicator being used to assess the Convention on Biological Diversity 2010 biodiversity target. We describe the process and the technical background to the IUCN Red List system. The criteria refer to fundamental biological processes underlying population decline and extinction. But given major differences between species, the threatening processes affecting them, and the paucity of knowledge relating to most species, the IUCN system had to be both broad and flexible to be applicable to the majority of described species. The system was designed to measure the symptoms of extinction risk, and uses 5 independent criteria relating to aspects of population loss and decline of range size. A species is assigned to a threat category if it meets the quantitative threshold for at least one criterion. The criteria and the accompanying rules and guidelines used by IUCN are intended to increase the consistency, transparency, and validity of its categorization system, but it necessitates some compromises that affect the applicability of the system and the species lists that result. In particular, choices were made over the assessment of uncertainty, poorly known species, depleted species, population decline, restricted ranges, and rarity; all of these affect the way red lists should be viewed and used. Processes related to priority setting and the development of national red lists need to take account of some assumptions in the formulation of the criteria. Resumen:,La Lista Roja de Especies Amenazadas de la UICN (Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza) fue muy utilizada durante la década de l980 para evaluar el estatus de conservación de especies para fines políticos y de planificación. Este uso estimuló el desarrollo de un conjunto nuevo de criterios cuantitativos para enlistar especies en las categorías de amenaza: en peligro crítico, en peligro y vulnerable. Estos criterios, que se pretendía fueran aplicables a todas las especies excepto microorganismos, eran parte de un sistema general para clasificar especies amenazadas y fueron implementadas completamente por la UICN en 2000. El sistema y los criterios han sido ampliamente utilizados por practicantes y científicos de la conservación y actualmente apuntalan un indicador utilizado para evaluar el objetivo al 2010 de la Convención de Diversidad Biológica. Describimos el proceso y el respaldo técnico del sistema de la Lista Roja de la IUCN. Los criterios se refieren a los procesos biológicos fundamentales que subyacen en la declinación y extinción de una población. Pero, debido a diferencias mayores entre especies, los procesos de amenaza que los afectan y la escasez de conocimiento sobre la mayoría de las especies, el sistema de la UICN tenía que ser amplio y flexible para ser aplicable a la mayoría de las especies descritas. El sistema fue diseñado para medir los síntomas del riesgo de extinción, y utiliza cinco criterios independientes que relacionan aspectos de la pérdida poblacional y la declinación del rango de distribución. Una especie es asignada a una categoría de amenaza si cumple el umbral cuantitativo por lo menos para un criterio. Los criterios, las reglas acompañantes y las directrices utilizadas por la UICN tienen la intención de incrementar la consistencia, transparencia y validez de su sistema de clasificación, pero requiere algunos compromisos que afectan la aplicabilidad del sistema y las listas de especies que resultan. En particular, se hicieron selecciones por encima de la evaluación de incertidumbre, especies poco conocidas, especies disminuidas, declinación poblacional, rangos restringidos y rareza; todas estas afectan la forma en que las listas rojas deberían ser vistas y usadas. Los procesos relacionados con la definición de prioridades y el desarrollo de las listas rojas nacionales necesitan considerar algunos de los supuestos en la formulación de los criterios. [source] The ecosystem approach in corporate environmental management , expert mental models and environmental drivers in the Finnish forest industryCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2009Petteri Vihervaara Abstract The ecosystem approach has been adopted as the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and is recommended to be used widely in the integrated management of land, water and living resources, to promote conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way, also in corporations. The forest industry is a resource-intensive branch with various impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Our aims in this study were to examine (i) how the ecosystem approach is implemented in the Finnish forest industry; and (ii) to outline the mental models of environmental experts of corporations, and their conceptualization of some key terms of ecosystem thinking. We interviewed 12 experts about their opinions on the main future challenges, the risks, the mistakes of the past, the possibilities and the successes confronting the forest industry. The results were analyzed using the DPSIR (Driving forces-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses) framework model. Finally, we give several recommendations as to how the ecosystem approach can be integrated into corporate environmental management. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] The implementation of international nature conservation agreements in Europe: the case of the NetherlandsENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2001Graham Bennett Nature conservation policy in European countries is increasingly determined by the requirements of a wide range of international agreements. The most important are two EU directives (the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive) and four conventions (the Ramsar Convention, the Bern Convention, the Bonn Convention and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity). The main foci of these instruments are habitats and species that are of international importance or require international cooperation to secure their effective conservation. Despite the importance of these habitats and species, implementation of the instruments has been uneven. The Netherlands provides a interesting example of implementation issues. The legislation necessary to enable the government to legally designate areas that have to be protected under the Birds Directive was only adopted in 1998, 17 years after the deadline fixed by the directive. This legislation has enabled the government to nominate areas for designation under the Birds and Habitats Directive. However, not all the sites that fall under the criteria of the Directives have been included in the list, and the legislation does not include the required provision concerning compensation for areas that are protected under the Habitats Directive and then damaged by activities that are authorized in the public interest. In the case of the Ramsar Convention, the government is planning to increase the number of designated sites, but the total number of sites will still represent inadequately the types of wetland of international importance that are found in the Netherlands. Despite this uneven implementation, the instruments , particularly the EU Directives , are having far-reaching effects on nature conservation in Europe. The most important consequences are that ecological considerations are the sole and absolute criteria for determining whether a site should be protected under the EU Directives and that many areas that until now only enjoyed limited protection under the spatial planning system now have to be legally protected from virtually all forms of damage. However, in practice many development plans take only limited account of the biodiversity conservation requirements implied by international conventions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source] Sowing the Seeds of Progress: The Agricultural Biotechnology Debate in AfricaHISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2008Noah Zerbe Recent innovations in agricultural biotechnology raise a number of questions for the future of farming in both the developed and developing worlds. Conflicting international agreements, particularly tensions between the World Trade Organization's Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity, provoke debates between farmers, plant breeders, and indigenous communities over the extent of ownership rights in genetic resources. Further, trade disputes between the United States and the European Union help to shape the terrain on which biotechnology is developed. The future of agricultural biotechnology in Africa is largely a function of the outcome of these debates. [source] Conservation goals and fisheries management units for Atlantic salmon in the Baltic Sea areaJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2001M-L. Koljonen The effective application of genetic information in fisheries management strategies implies political goal setting taking both conservation and fisheries management into account. The concept of sustainable use as set out by the Convention on Biological Diversity offers a valuable starting point in this respect, since the criterion for it is defined as the maintenance of genetic diversity within each species. However, strategic decisions are also needed on the practical level, where the actual genetic information can be taken into account. Genetic factors, such as glacial differentiation, the postglacial genetic structure of populations, gene flow levels and the probability of the existence of adaptive differences, have an effect on the formation of conservation and management units and on the long-term strategy for the sustainable use of aspecies. The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in the Baltic Sea area is treated here as an example of a complicated management problem with a highly hierarchical genetic structure associated with marked loss of naturally reproductive stocks, extensive hatchery production and an effective international offshore fishery. The implications of genetic factors for the conservation and management strategy of the Baltic salmon is discussed in the light of the goals set by the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks Agreement, the Habitats Directive of the European Union and the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission. [source] Global Warming: Can Existing Reserves Really Preserve Current Levels of Biological Diversity?JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Mai-He Li Abstract Paleoecological evidence and paleoclimatic records indicate that there was a plant poleward migration in latitude and an upward shift in elevation with increased temperatures after the last glaciation. Recent studies have shown that global warming over the past 100 years has been having a noticeable effect on living systems. Current global warming is causing a poleward and upward shift in the range of many plants and animals. Climate change, in connection with other global changes, is threatening the survival of a wide range of plant and animal species. This raises the question: can existing reserves really preserve current levels of biological diversity in the long term given the present rapid pace of climate change? The present paper deals with this question in the context of the responses of plants and animals to global climate change, based on a literature review. Consequently, we recommend expanding reserves towards the poles and/or towards higher altitudes, to permit species to shift their ranges to keep pace with global warming. (Managing editor: Ya-Qin Han) [source] Elements for Legislation in User Countries to Meet the Fair and Equitable Benefit-Sharing CommitmentTHE JOURNAL OF WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, Issue 2 2006Morten Walløe Tvedt The third objective of the Convention on the Biological Diversity, the fair and equitable benifit sharing of the use of genetic resources, is lagging behind at the implementation phase. Very few countries have taken effective measures to promote sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. This article offers some suggestions as to why this is the case and poses a number of questions that need to be dealt with before such a system can be in place. It develops the concept of genetic resources and suggests that the focus need to be at the successful end uses of genetic material rather than at the point in time when genetic material is found in the nature. [source] The Wildlife Picture Index: monitoring top trophic levelsANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2010T. G. O'Brien Abstract Although recent biodiversity loss has been compared with cataclysmic mass extinctions, we still possess few indicators that can assess the extent or location of biodiversity loss on a global scale. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has mandated development of indicators that can meet the needs of monitoring biodiversity by 2010. To date, many indicators rely on unwarranted assumptions, secondary data, expert opinion and retrospective time series. We present a new biodiversity indicator, the Wildlife Picture Index (WPI) that targets medium and large-sized terrestrial birds and mammals in forested and savannah ecosystems that. The WPI is a composite indicator based on the geometric mean of relative occupancy estimates derived from camera trap sampling at a landscape scale. It has been designed to meet the needs of a CBD indicator while avoiding many of the pitfalls that characterize some CBD indicators. We present an example using 8 years of camera trap data from Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Indonesia to show that the WPI is capable of detecting changes in the rate of loss of biodiversity, a key requirement of a CBD indicator. We conclude that the WPI should be effective at monitoring top trophic levels in forest and savannah ecosystems using primary data and can fill the gap in knowledge about trends in tropical biodiversity. [source] The Devil is in the (Bio)diversity: Private Sector "Engagement" and the Restructuring of Biodiversity ConservationANTIPODE, Issue 3 2010Kenneth Iain MacDonald Abstract:, Intensified relations between biodiversity conservation organizations and private-sector actors are analyzed through a historical perspective that positions biodiversity conservation as an organized political project. Within this view the organizational dimensions of conservation exist as coordinated agreement and action among a variety of actors that take shape within radically asymmetrical power relations. This paper traces the privileged position of "business" in aligning concepts of sustainable development and ecological modernization within the emerging institutional context of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Environment Facility in ways that help to secure continued access to "nature as capital", and create the institutional conditions to shape the work of conservation organizations. The contemporary emergence of business as a major actor in shaping contemporary biodiversity conservation is explained in part by the organizational characteristics of modernist conservation that subordinates it to larger societal and political projects such as neoliberal capitalism. [source] Yeast diversity sampling on the San Juan Islands reveals no evidence for the spread of the Vancouver Island Cryptococcus gattii outbreak to this localeFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 4 2006James A. Fraser Abstract Biological diversity has been estimated for various phyla of life, such as insects and mammals, but in the microbe world is has been difficult to determine species richness and abundance. Here we describe a study of species diversity of fungi with a yeast-like colony morphology from the San Juan Islands, a group of islands that lies southeast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Our sampling revealed that the San Juan archipelago biosphere contains a diverse range of such fungi predominantly belonging to the Basidiomycota, particularly of the order Tremellales. One member of this group, Cryptococcus gattii, is the etiological agent of a current and ongoing outbreak of cryptococcosis on nearby Vancouver Island. Our sampling did not, however, reveal this species. While the lack of recovery of C. gattii does not preclude its presence on the San Juan Islands, our results suggest that the Strait of Juan de Fuca may be serving as a geographical barrier to restrict the dispersal of this primary human fungal pathogen into the United States. [source] Priority Wetland Invertebrates as Conservation SurrogatesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010S. J. ORMEROD agua dulce; caracoles; conservación; especies paraguas; especies sustitutas; gasterópodos Abstract:,Invertebrates are important functionally in most ecosystems, but seldom appraised as surrogate indicators of biological diversity. Priority species might be good candidates; thus, here we evaluated whether three freshwater invertebrates listed in the U.K. Biodiversity Action Plan indicated the richness, composition, and conservation importance of associated wetland organisms as defined respectively by their alpha diversity, beta diversity, and threat status. Sites occupied by each of the gastropods Segmentina nitida, Anisus vorticulus, and Valvata macrostoma had greater species richness of gastropods and greater conservation importance than other sites. Each also characterized species assemblages associated with significant variations between locations in alpha or beta diversity among other mollusks and aquatic macrophytes. Because of their distinct resource requirements, conserving the three priority species extended the range of wetland types under management for nature conservation by 18% and the associated gastropod niche-space by around 33%. Although nonpriority species indicated variations in richness, composition, and conservation importance among other organisms as effectively as priority species, none characterized such a wide range of high-quality wetland types. We conclude that priority invertebrates are no more effective than nonpriority species as indicators of alpha and beta diversity or conservation importance among associated organisms. Nevertheless, conserving priority species can extend the array of distinct environments that are protected for their specialized biodiversity and environmental quality. We suggest that this is a key role for priority species and conservation surrogates more generally, and, on our evidence, can best be delivered through multiple species with contrasting habitat requirements. Resumen:,Los invertebrados son funcionalmente importantes en la mayoría de los ecosistemas, pero raramente son valorados como indicadores sustitutos de la diversidad biológica. Las especies prioritarias pueden ser buenos candidatos; por lo tanto, aquí evaluamos sí tres especies de invertebrados enlistados en el Plan de Acción para la Biodiversidad del Reino Unido eran indicadores de la riqueza, la composición e importancia para la conservación de organismos de humedal asociados definida por su diversidad alfa, diversidad beta y estatus de amenaza respectivamente. Los sitios ocupados por cada uno de los gasterópodos Segmentina nitida, Anisus vorticulus and Valvata macrostoma tuvieron una mucho mayor riqueza de gasterópodos y mayor importancia para la conservación que otros sitios. Cada uno también caracterizó a los ensambles asociados con variaciones significativas entre localidades en la diversidad alfa o entre otros moluscos y macrofitas acuáticas en la diversidad beta. Debido a sus diferentes requerimientos de recursos, la conservación de las tres especies prioritarias se amplió la extensión de todos los tipos de humedal bajo manejo para la conservación de la naturaleza en 18% y el nicho-espacio de los gasterópodos asociados se amplió alrededor de 33%. Aunque las especies no prioritarias indicaron variaciones en riqueza, composición e importancia de conservación entre otros organismos tan efectivamente como las especies prioritarias, ninguna caracterizó un rango tan amplio de humedales de alta calidad. Concluimos que los invertebrados prioritarios no son más efectivos que las especies no prioritarias como indicadores de la diversidad alfa y beta ni de la importancia para la conservación entre organismos asociados. Sin embargo, la conservación de especies prioritarias puede ampliar el conjunto de ambientes diferentes que son protegidos por su biodiversidad especializada y calidad ambiental. Sugerimos que este es un papel clave para las especies prioritarias y, más generalmente, para los sustitutos de conservación, y, con base en nuestra evidencia, puede ser desarrollado mediante múltiples especies con requerimientos de hábitat contrastantes. [source] Remarkable Amphibian Biomass and Abundance in an Isolated Wetland: Implications for Wetland ConservationCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2006J. WHITFIELD GIBBONS biodiversidad; declinación de anfibios; recuperación de humedales sequía; uso de suelo Abstract:,Despite the continuing loss of wetland habitats and associated declines in amphibian populations, attempts to translate wetland losses into measurable losses to ecosystems have been lacking. We estimated the potential productivity from the amphibian community that would be compromised by the loss of a single isolated wetland that has been protected from most industrial, agricultural, and urban impacts for the past 54 years. We used a continuous drift fence at Ellenton Bay, a 10-ha freshwater wetland on the Savannah River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina (U.S.A.), to sample all amphibians for 1 year following a prolonged drought. Despite intensive agricultural use of the land surrounding Ellenton Bay prior to 1951, we documented 24 species and remarkably high numbers and biomass of juvenile amphibians (>360,000 individuals; >1,400 kg) produced during one breeding season. Anurans (17 species) were more abundant than salamanders (7 species), comprising 96.4% of individual captures. Most (95.9%) of the amphibian biomass came from 232095 individuals of a single species of anuran (southern leopard frog[Rana sphenocephala]). Our results revealed the resilience of an amphibian community to natural stressors and historical habitat alteration and the potential magnitude of biomass and energy transfer from isolated wetlands to surrounding terrestrial habitat. We attributed the postdrought success of amphibians to a combination of adult longevity (often >5 years), a reduction in predator abundance, and an abundance of larval food resources. Likewise, the increase of forest cover around Ellenton Bay from <20% in 1951 to >60% in 2001 probably contributed to the long-term persistence of amphibians at this site. Our findings provide an optimistic counterpoint to the issue of the global decline of biological diversity by demonstrating that conservation efforts can mitigate historical habitat degradation. Resumen:,A pesar de la pérdida de hábitats de humedales y las declinaciones asociadas de poblaciones de anfibios, se han realizado pocos intentos para traducir las pérdidas de humedales en pérdidas mensurables en los ecosistemas. Estimamos la productividad potencial de la comunidad de anfibios que se afectaría por la pérdida de un humedal aislado que ha estado protegido de los impactos industriales, agrícolas y urbanos durante los últimos 54 años. Utilizamos un cerco de desvío en la Bahía Ellentonn, un humedal dulceacuícola de 10 ha en el Río Savannah, cerca de Aiken, Carolina del Sur (E.U.A.), para muestrear todos los anfibios durante 1 año después de una sequía prolongada. A pesar del intensivo uso agrícola del suelo alrededor de la Bahía Ellenton antes de 1951, documentamos 24 especies y números y biomasa de anfibios juveniles notablemente altos (>360,000 individuos; >1,400 kg) en una temporada reproductiva. Los anuros (17 especies) fueron más abundantes que las salamandras (7 especies), y comprendieron 96.4% de las capturas individuales. La mayor parte (95.9%) de la biomasa provino de 232095 individuos de una sola especie de anuro (Rana sphenocephala). Nuestros resultados revelaron que la resiliencia de la comunidad de anfibios a los estresantes naturales y a la alteración histórica del hábitat y la magnitud potencial de la transferencia de biomasa y energía desde los humedales aislados hacia el hábitat terrestre circundante. Atribuimos el éxito post-sequía de los anfibios a una combinación de longevidad de adultos (a menudo > 5 años), la reducción de la abundancia de depredadores y la abundancia de recursos alimenticios para las larvas. Asimismo, el incremento de la cobertura forestal alrededor de la Bahía Ellerton de < 20% en 1951 a > 60% en 2001 probablemente contribuyó a la persistencia de los anfibios a largo plazo en este sitio. Nuestros hallazgos proporcionan un contrapunto optimista al tema de la declinación global de la diversidad biológica al demostrar que los esfuerzos de conservación pueden mitigar a la degradación histórica del hábitat. [source] Conservation Status as a Biodiversity Trend Indicator: Recommendations from a Decade of Listing Species at Risk in British ColumbiaCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2005JAMES F. QUAYLE especies amenazadas; especies en peligro; estado del ambiente Abstract:,Species conservation status is commonly used as a broad-scale indicator of the state of biological diversity. To learn about its value for tracking trends, we examined provincial lists of terrestrial vertebrate species and subspecies at risk in British Columbia, Canada, for 1992 and 2002 to see whether changes in these lists reflected changes in the status of the taxa they represent. Examination of the case histories of individual species and subspecies showed that 65% of additions and deletions to the British Columbia Red List were the result of improvement in knowledge of species status, changes in assessment procedures, and refinements in taxonomy rather than actual changes in a species' status. Comparison to an alternate set of rank scores provided by NatureServe for taxa that appeared on both 1992 and 2002 British Columbia Red Lists revealed changes in status that were not reflected by movement from the list. Estimates of historical conservation status for species on the 1992 British Columbia Red List demonstrated ambiguity around the natural baseline with regard to tracking changes in list composition over time. We discourage the continued use of indicators based solely on conservation status as a means of tracking biodiversity. Instead we recommend advancing strategic indicators around species at risk based on long-term monitoring data, deliberate and explicitly stated baselines, and consistent methods of conservation ranking. Resumen:,El estatus de conservación de las especies comúnmente es utilizado como un indicador de escala amplia del estado de la diversidad biológica. En un esfuerzo por aprender sobre su valor para el seguimiento de tendencias, examinamos listas provinciales, para 1992 y 2002, de especies y subespecies de vertebrados terrestres en riesgo en Columbia Británica, Canadá, para ver si los cambios en estas listas reflejaban cambios en el estatus de los taxa que representan. El examen de la historia del caso de especies y subespecies individuales mostró que 65% de las adiciones y supresiones en la Lista Roja de Columbia Británica fueron el resultado de avances en el conocimiento del estatus de la especie, de cambios en los procedimientos de evaluación y de refinamientos en la taxonomía y no de cambios en el estatus de una especie. La comparación con un conjunto alternativo de valores de clasificación proporcionado por NatureServe para taxa que aparecieron tanto en la Lista Roja de Columbia Británica de 1992 como de 2002 reveló cambios en el estatus que no se reflejaron en movimientos en la lista. Estimaciones del estatus de conservación histórico de especies en la Lista Roja de Columbia Británica de 1992 demostraron ambigüedad alrededor de la línea de base natural en relación con el seguimiento de cambios en el tiempo en la composición de la lista. Desalentamos el uso continuo de indicadores basados solamente en el estatus de conservación como un medio para el seguimiento de biodiversidad. En cambio, recomendamos avanzar con indicadores estratégicos en torno a especies en riesgo con base en datos de monitoreo de largo plazo, en líneas básicas puestas de manifiesto deliberada y explícitamente y en métodos consistentes para la clasificación de la conservación. [source] Death Rides the Forest: Perceptions of Fire, Land Use, and Ecological Restoration of Western ForestsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004J. BOONE KAUFFMAN fuego prescrito; incendios catastróficos; incendios en áreas silvestres; incendios no controlados; reducción de riesgo de combustible; restauración de bosques; tala de bosques Abstract:,Large wild fires occurring in forests, grasslands, and chaparral in the last few years have aroused much public concern. Many have described these events as "catastrophes" that must be prevented through aggressive increases in forest thinning. Yet the real catastrophes are not the fires themselves but those land uses, in concert with fire-suppression policies that have resulted in dramatic alterations to ecosystem structure and composition. The first step in the restoration of biological diversity (forest health) of western landscapes must be to implement changes in those factors that have caused degradation or are preventing recovery. This includes changes in policies and practices that have resulted in the current state of wildland ecosystems. Restoration entails much more than simple structural modifications achieved though mechanical means. Restoration should be undertaken at landscape scales and must allow for the occurrence of dominant ecosystem processes, such as the natural fire regimes achieved through natural and/or prescribed fires at appropriate temporal and spatial scales. Resumen:,En años recientes, grandes incendios en bosques, pastizales y chaparrales han causado bastante preocupación en la opinión pública. Muchos han descrito estos eventos como "catástrofes" que deben ser prevenidas mediante incrementos agresivos en la tala de bosques. Pero los incendios mismos no son las verdaderas catástrofes, sino los usos del suelo en conjunto con políticas de supresión de fuego que han resultado en alteraciones dramáticas de la estructura y composición de ecosistemas. El primer paso en la restauración de la diversidad biológica (salud del bosque) en paisajes occidentales debe ser la implementación de cambios en los factores que causaron la degradación o que están impidiendo la recuperación. Esto incluye cambios en políticas y prácticas que han resultado en el estado actual de ecosistemas en áreas silvestres. La restauración implica mucho más que simples modificaciones estructurales obtenidas mediante medios mecánicos. La restauración debe llevarse a cabo a nivel de paisaje y debe permitir que ocurrencia de procesos ecológicos dominantes (por ejemplo, regímenes de incendios naturales logrados mediante incendios naturales y/o prescritos en escalas temporales y espaciales apropiadas). [source] Grazing Intensity and the Diversity of Grasshoppers, Butterflies, and Trap-Nesting Bees and WaspsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Andreas Kruess The reduction of management intensity can be a useful tool for the long-term conservation of the biological diversity of grasslands. We analyzed floral and faunal diversity on intensively and extensively (unintensively) grazed pastures and on 5- to 10-year-old ungrazed grasslands in northern Germany. Each of the three grassland habitats differing in grazing intensity was replicated six times. We related diverse taxa such as grasshoppers, butterfly adults and lepidopteran larvae, and trap-nesting solitary bees and wasps to vegetation structure. There was an increase of species richness and abundance from pastures to ungrazed grasslands. The percentage of parasitism of the most abundant trap-nesting species, the digger-wasp ( Trypoxylon figulus), was also higher on ungrazed grasslands. Decreased grazing on pastures enhanced species richness for adult butterflies only, whereas the abundance of adult butterflies, solitary bees and wasps, and their natural enemies increased. Although the differences in insect diversity between pastures and ungrazed grassland could be attributed to a greater vegetation height and heterogeneity ( bottom-up effects) on ungrazed areas, the differences between intensively and extensively grazed pastures could not be explained by changes in vegetation characteristics. Hence, intensive grazing appeared to affect the insect communities through the disruption of plant-insect interactions. A mosaic of extensively grazed grassland and grassland left ungrazed for a few years may be a good means by which to maintain biodiversity and the strength of trophic interactions. Resumen: El mantenimiento de pastizales como hábitats distintos depende del manejo regular, generalmente, por medio de pastoreo o segado, pero se sabe que la diversidad de especies declina con el incremento de intensidad de manejo. La reducción de la intensidad de manejo puede ser una herramienta útil para la conservación a largo plazo de la biodiversidad de pastizales. Analizamos la diversidad florística y faunística en pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente (no intensivos) y en pastizales de 5 a 10 años no pastoreados en el norte de Alemania. Cada uno de los tres hábitats de pastizal diferentes en el grado de pastoreo fue replicado seis veces. Relacionamos diversos taxones como chapulines, mariposas adultas, larvas de lepidópteros y abejas y avispas solitarias con la estructura de la vegetación. Hubo un incremento en la riqueza y abundancia de especies de pastizales pastoreados a no pastoreados. El porcentaje de parasitismo de la especie de avispa más abundante ( Trypoxylon figulus) también fue mayor en pastizales no pastoreados. La reducción del pastoreo incrementó la riqueza de especies de mariposas adultas solamente, mientras que incrementó la abundancia de mariposas adultas, abejas y avispas solitarias y sus enemigos naturales. Aunque las diferencias en la diversidad de insectos entre pastizales pastoreados y no pastoreados pudiera atribuirse a la mayor altura de la vegetación y a la heterogeneidad (efectos abajo-arriba) en áreas no pastoreadas, las diferencias entre pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente no podría explicarse por cambios en las características de la vegetación. Por consiguiente, el pastoreo intensivo aparentemente afectó a las comunidades de insectos por la disrupción de las interacciones planta-animal. Un mosaico de pastizales pastoreados extensivamente y pastizales sin pastoreo por varios años puede ser una buena estrategia para mantener la biodiversidad y la vigencia de las interacciones tróficas. [source] A chemical dataset for evaluation of alternative approaches to skin-sensitization testingCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2004G. Frank Gerberick Allergic contact dermatitis resulting from skin sensitization is a common occupational and environmental health problem. In recent years, the local lymph node assay (LLNA) has emerged as a practical option for assessing the skin-sensitization potential of chemicals. In addition to accurate identification of skin sensitizers, the LLNA can also provide a reliable measure of relative sensitization potency, information that is pivotal in successful management of human health risks. However, even with the significant animal welfare benefits provided by the LLNA, there is interest still in the development of non-animal test methods for skin sensitization. Here, we provide a dataset of chemicals that have been tested in the LLNA and the activity of which correspond with what is known of their potential to cause skin sensitization in humans. It is anticipated that this will be of value to other investigators in the evaluation and calibration of novel approaches to skin-sensitization testing. The materials that comprise this dataset encompass both the chemical and biological diversity of known chemical allergens and provide also examples of negative controls. It is hoped that this dataset will accelerate the development, evaluation and eventual validation of new approaches to skin-sensitization testing. [source] Range size, taxon age and hotspots of neoendemism in the California floraDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2010Nathan J. B. Kraft Abstract Aim, Sustaining biological diversity requires the protection of the ecological, evolutionary and landscape-level processes that generate it. Here, we identify areas of high neoendemism in a global diversity hotspot, the California flora, using range size data and molecular-based estimates of taxon age. Location, California, USA. Methods, We compiled distribution and range size data for all plant taxa endemic to California and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based age estimates for 337 putative neoendemics (15% of the endemic flora). This information was combined to identify areas in the state with high proportions of young and restricted-range taxa. We overlaid the distribution of neoendemic hotspots on maps of currently protected lands and also explored correlations between our diversity measures and climate. Results, The central coast of California, the Sierra Nevada and the San Bernardino Range contained endemics with the most restricted distributions on average, while areas in the Desert and Great Basin provinces found within the state were composed of the youngest neoendemics on average. Diversity measures that took age and range size into account shifted the estimate of highest endemic diversity in the state towards the Desert and Great Basin regions relative to simple counts of endemic species richness. Our diversity measures were poorly correlated with climate and topographic heterogeneity. Main conclusions, Substantial portions of California with high levels of plant neoendemism fall outside of protected lands, indicating that additional action will be needed to preserve the geographic areas apparently associated with high rates of plant diversification. The neoendemic flora of the deserts appears particularly young in our analyses, which may reflect the relatively recent origin of desert environments within the state. [source] Evaluating reserves for species richness and representation in northern CaliforniaDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 4 2006Jeffrey R. Dunk ABSTRACT The Klamath-Siskiyou forests of northern California and southern Oregon are recognized as an area of globally outstanding biological distinctiveness. When evaluated at a national or global level, this region is often, necessarily, considered to be uniformly diverse. Due to large variation in biotic and abiotic variables throughout this region, however, it is unlikely that biological diversity is uniformly distributed. Furthermore, land management decisions nearly always occur at spatial scales smaller than this entire region. Therefore, we used field data from a random sampling design to map the distribution of local and regional richness of terrestrial molluscs and salamanders within northern California's portion of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. We also evaluated the protection afforded by reserves established for varying reasons (e.g. for inspiration and recreation for people vs. species conservation) to hotspots of species richness and species representation of these taxa. No existing reserves were created with these taxa in mind, yet it was assumed that reserves established largely around considerations for the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) would afford adequate protection for many lesser-known species. Species of terrestrial molluscs and salamanders share two general features: (1) they have extremely low vagility, and (2) they are often associated with moist, cool microclimates. Existing reserves disproportionately included areas of hotspots of species richness for both taxa, when hotspots included the richest c. 25% of the area, whereas non-reserved lands contained greater than expected areas with lower species richness. However, when a more strict definition of hotspot was used (i.e. the richest c.10% of areas), local hotspots for both taxa were not disproportionately found in reserves. Reserves set aside largely for human aesthetics and recreation and those set aside for biodiversity both contributed to the protection of areas with high (greatest 25%) species richness. Existing biodiversity reserves represented 68% of mollusc species and 73% of salamander species, corresponding to the 99th and 93rd percentiles, respectively, of species representation achieved by simulating a random distribution of the same total area of reservation. Cumulatively, however, reserves set aside for inspiration and biodiversity represented 83% of mollusc species and 91% of salamander species. The existing reserves provide conservation value for terrestrial molluscs and salamanders. This reserve network, however, should not be considered optimal for either taxa. [source] Linking the concept of scale to studies of biological diversity: evolving approaches and toolsDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2006Erik A. Beever ABSTRACT Although the concepts of scale and biological diversity independently have received rapidly increasing attention in the scientific literature since the 1980s, the rate at which the two concepts have been investigated jointly has grown much more slowly. We find that scale considerations have been incorporated explicitly into six broad areas of investigation related to biological diversity: (1) heterogeneity within and among ecosystems, (2) disturbance ecology, (3) conservation and restoration, (4) invasion biology, (5) importance of temporal scale for understanding processes, and (6) species responses to environmental heterogeneity. In addition to placing the papers of this Special Feature within the context of brief summaries of the expanding literature on these six topics, we provide an overview of tools useful for integrating scale considerations into studies of biological diversity. Such tools include hierarchical and structural-equation modelling, kriging, variable-width buffers, k -fold cross-validation, and cascading graph diagrams, among others. Finally, we address some of the major challenges and research frontiers that remain, and conclude with a look to the future. [source] Effects of landscape structure and habitat type on a plant-herbivore-parasitoid communityECOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2003Andreas Kruess The effects of local habitat and large-scale landscape factors on species diversity and species interactions were studied using the insect community in stems of the creeping thistle Cirsium arvense. Thistle abundance was higher in fallows than in crop fields and field margins, with fallows providing 67% of thistle abundance within 15 study areas on a landscape scale. Species richness of the herbivores was positively related with thistle abundance, parasitoid species richness was influenced by habitat type and was positively correlated with herbivore species richness. The abundance of herbivores and parasitoids was affected by local factors such as habitat type and host abundance, but also by landscape factors such as the percentage of non-crop area and the isolation of habitats. The infestation rate caused by the agromyzid Melanagromyza aeneoventris was positively related to percent non-crop area, whereas the parasitism rate of this fly increased with increasing habitat diversity on the landscape scale. For these two interactions and for total herbivore abundance, a scale-dependency of the landscape effects was found. The results emphasize that biological diversity and ecological functions within a plant-insect community are not only affected by local habitat factors but also by large-scale landscape characteristics. Hence, to improve future agri-environmental schemes for biodiversity conservation and biological control large-scale landscape effects and their scale-dependency should be considered. [source] Phylogenetic beta diversity: linking ecological and evolutionary processes across space in timeECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 12 2008Catherine H. Graham Abstract A key challenge in ecological research is to integrate data from different scales to evaluate the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that influence current patterns of biological diversity. We build on recent attempts to incorporate phylogenetic information into traditional diversity analyses and on existing research on beta diversity and phylogenetic community ecology. Phylogenetic beta diversity (phylobetadiversity) measures the phylogenetic distance among communities and as such allows us to connect local processes, such as biotic interactions and environmental filtering, with more regional processes including trait evolution and speciation. When combined with traditional measures of beta diversity, environmental gradient analyses or ecological niche modelling, phylobetadiversity can provide significant and novel insights into the mechanisms underlying current patterns of biological diversity. [source] The effect of a pathogen epidemic on the genetic structure and reproductive strategy of the crustacean Daphnia magnaECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 9 2004Suzanne E. Mitchell Abstract Host,parasite coevolution is potentially of great importance in producing and maintaining biological diversity. However, there is a lack of evidence for parasites directly driving genetic change. We examined the impact of an epidemic of the bacterium Pasteuria ramosa on a natural population of the crustacean Daphnia magna through the use of molecular markers (allozymes) and laboratory experiments to determine the susceptibility of hosts collected during and after the epidemic. Some allozyme genotypes were more heavily infected than others in field samples, and the population genetic structure differed during and after the epidemic, consistent with a response to parasite-mediated selection. Laboratory studies showed no evidence for the evolution of higher resistance, but did reveal an intriguing life-history pattern: host genotypes that were more susceptible also showed a greater tendency to engage in sex. In light of this, we suggest a model of host,parasite dynamics that incorporates the cycles of sex and parthenogenesis that Daphnia undergo in the field. [source] Functional redundancy in heterogeneous environments: implications for conservationECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 3 2001Todd Wellnitz It has been argued that one of the best ways to conserve biological diversity is to maintain the integrity of functional processes within communities, and this can be accomplished by assessing how much ecological redundancy exists in communities. Evidence suggests, however, that the functional roles species play are subject to the influences of local environmental conditions. Species may appear to perform the same function (i.e. be redundant) under a restricted set of conditions, yet their functional roles may vary in naturally heterogeneous environments. Incorporating the environmental context into ecological experiments would provide a critical perspective for examining functional redundancy among species. [source] Conservation and management of the Arctic charr: a forward viewECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 1 2007C. E. Adams Abstract , In this study, we synthesised the views of 34 participants in a workshop to consider the status and future conservation and management of the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.). These are expressed as a series of resolutions deriving from a conference on Arctic charr conservation held in Perth, Scotland in June 2004. Agreed resolutions from the conference were as follows. (i) The unique diversity of Arctic charr should be recognised for the contribution it makes to biodiversity of northern aquatic communities. (ii) The recognition by the public, nongovernmental organisations and national governments of the importance of Arctic charr in northern ecosystems is an important step to the management and protection that should be pursued. (iii) The taxonomic status of highly variable charr populations requires to be reviewed. (iv) There should be a separate system, complementary to the taxonomic one, which systematically catalogues the biological diversity of S. alpinus. (v) The Arctic charr provides a unique natural resource to study the process of evolution and this requires the highest level of protection from anthropogenic effects. (vi) The status of conservation policy for Arctic charr needs to be urgently reviewed to take account of its unique position in the fauna. [source] Patterns of bacterial diversity across a range of Antarctic terrestrial habitatsENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 11 2007Etienne Yergeau Summary Although soil-borne bacteria represent the world's greatest source of biological diversity, it is not well understood whether extreme environmental conditions, such as those found in Antarctic habitats, result in reduced soil-borne microbial diversity. To address this issue, patterns of bacterial diversity were studied in soils sampled along a > 3200 km southern polar transect spanning a gradient of increased climate severity over 27° of latitude. Vegetated and fell-field plots were sampled at the Falkland (51°S), South Georgia (54°S), Signy (60°S) and Anchorage Islands (67°S), while bare frost-sorted soil polygons were examined at Fossil Bluff (71°S), Mars Oasis (72°S), Coal Nunatak (72°S) and the Ellsworth Mountains (78°S). Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences were recovered subsequent to direct DNA extraction from soil, polymerase chain reaction amplification and cloning. Although bacterial diversity was observed to decline with increased latitude, habitat-specific patterns appeared to also be important. Namely, a negative relationship was found between bacterial diversity and latitude for fell-field soils, but no such pattern was observed for vegetated sites. The Mars Oasis site, previously identified as a biodiversity hotspot within this region, proved exceptional within the study transect, with unusually high bacterial diversity. In independent analyses, geographical distance and vegetation cover were found to significantly influence bacterial community composition. These results provide insight into the factors shaping the composition of bacterial communities in Antarctic terrestrial habitats and support the notion that bacterial diversity declines with increased climatic severity. [source] Scale and trends in species richness: considerations for monitoring biological diversity for political purposesGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Darius Weber ABSTRACT Switzerland's governmental ,Biodiversity Monitoring' program is designed to produce factual information on the dynamics of biodiversity within the country for governmental agencies, politicians, and the general public. Monitoring a complex issue like biodiversity in order to give relevant and accurate messages to the general public and politicians within a politically relevant timescale and at moderate cost means focusing on few elements. Because relevant human impacts on biodiversity operate differently at different spatial scales, we need at least three different indicators to observe changes over time in local (,within-habitat'), landscape (,habitat-mosaic'), and macro-scale (,regional') diversity. To keep things as simple as possible, we use species richness as an indicator for all three levels of diversity, just defining three different spatial scales (10 m2, 1 km2, regions, respectively). Each indicator is based on a number of taxonomic groups which have been selected mainly on the basis of costs and the availability of appropriate methods. [source] Elevation gradients of species-density: historical and prospective viewsGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001MARK. V. Lomolino Abstract Studies of elevation clines in diversity and composition of ecological communities date back to the origins of biogeography. A modern resurgence of interests in these elevational clines is likely to contribute important insights for developing a more general theory of species diversity. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of geographical clines in diversity, the research programme for montane biogeography should include statistically rigorous tests of apparent patterns, comparisons of patterns among regions and taxonomic or ecological groups of species, and analyses of clines in environmental variables concurrent with biogeographical surveys. The conceptual framework for this research programme should be based on the assumption that elevational gradients in species diversity result from a combination of ecological and evolutionary processes, rather than the presumed independent effects of one overriding force. Given that montane ecosystems are hot spots of biological diversity, an expanded and integrated programme for biogeographic surveys in montane regions should provide valuable insights for conservation biologists. [source] Assessing the impact of deforestation and climate change on the range size and environmental niche of bird species in the Atlantic forests, BrazilJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2010Bette A. Loiselle Abstract Aim, Habitat loss and climate change are two major drivers of biological diversity. Here we quantify how deforestation has already changed, and how future climate scenarios may change, environmental conditions within the highly disturbed Atlantic forests of Brazil. We also examine how environmental conditions have been altered within the range of selected bird species. Location, Atlantic forests of south-eastern Brazil. Methods, The historical distribution of 21 bird species was estimated using Maxent. After superimposing the present-day forest cover, we examined the environmental niches hypothesized to be occupied by these birds pre- and post-deforestation using environmental niche factor analysis (ENFA). ENFA was also used to compare conditions in the entire Atlantic forest ecosystem pre- and post-deforestation. The relative influence of land use and climate change on environmental conditions was examined using analysis of similarity and principal components analysis. Results, Deforestation in the region has resulted in a decrease in suitable habitat of between 78% and 93% for the Atlantic forest birds included here. Further, Atlantic forest birds today experience generally wetter and less seasonal forest environments than they did historically. Models of future environmental conditions within forest remnants suggest generally warmer conditions and lower annual variation in rainfall due to greater precipitation in the driest quarter of the year. We found that deforestation resulted in a greater divergence of environmental conditions within Atlantic forests than that predicted by climate change. Main conclusions, The changes in environmental conditions that have occurred with large-scale deforestation suggest that selective regimes may have shifted and, as a consequence, spatial patterns of intra-specific variation in morphology, behaviour and genes have probably been altered. Although the observed shifts in available environmental conditions resulting from deforestation are greater than those predicted by climate change, the latter will result in novel environments that exceed temperatures in any present-day climates and may lead to biotic attrition unless organisms can adapt to these warmer conditions. Conserving intra-specific diversity over the long term will require considering both how changes in the recent past have influenced contemporary populations and the impact of future environmental change. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||