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Ongoing warming-induced permafrost thawing and human pressures in alpine regions have a profound impact on biodiversity and are expected to further aggravate by the end of the century. However, their future impacts on the alpine species remain largely unexplored. Here, we present an assessment of terrestrial vertebrates (mammals, amphibians, birds, and reptiles) exposures to future permafrost degradation and human modification on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) by 2090. The projections showed that the threat of permafrost degradation and human modification is mostly concentrated in the northwestern and southeastern QTP, respectively. Under a high-emissions scenario (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 5–8.5), about 10 % of terrestrial vertebrates' geographical range are exposed to highly risk regions of permafrost degradation. More importantly, 49.7 % of terrestrial vertebrates (54.5 % of mammals, 61.2 % of amphibians, 39.8 % of birds, and 43.3 % of reptiles) are predicted to become imperiled due to human modification in >50 % of their habitat. Our study highlights national stewardship for species that are in particular need of reimagining proactive biodiversity conservation planning to avoid detrimental impacts of future permafrost degradation and human modification. • Permafrost degradation threatens alpine species and protection planning is neglected. • 10 % of land vertebrates' range is exposed to a high risk of permafrost degradation. • Half of land vertebrates are predicted to become imperiled due to human modification. • Critical areas for future threats occur in the southeast and northwest of the QTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based monitoring (CBM)– programs that integrate community members and their values into biodiversity and/or natural resource monitoring– is an effective tool for conservation. Wide inequities exist in CBM collaboration, and monitoring abilities may vary between collaborators of different backgrounds. Therefore exploring the demographic composition of CBM collaborators, and how demographics shape individual monitoring efficacy, can help improve both diversity in CBM representation and program outcomes. Yet, few studies have focused on CBM collaborator demographics, especially in low-income countries. We implemented a CBM project co-designed by protected area managers and local community members in the geographically, biologically, and culturally diverse Southern Madagascar. The project involved 27 scientists and 83 community members who collectively generated 69,429 observations of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles across two years (2917 surveys). Using linear regressions and mixed-effects models, we examined how collaborators' demographics (gender, age, and level of formal education) and their prior amount of biological monitoring experience impacted their efficacy, measured as the number of observed species. For both scientists and community members, monitoring teams with women, despite being underrepresented, on average observed more species than male-only teams. Among community members, age and level of formal education had smaller positive effects on efficacy. Our results suggest that CBM projects should actively engage a broad array of community members, including those with marginalized identities, to provide diverse perspectives. Inclusive initiatives offer both tangible (lower project costs) and intangible (community engagement, education, and enhanced collaboration) benefits for local communities and conservation managers alike. • Community-based monitoring (CBM) can be an effective tool for monitoring biodiversity in Madagascar. • Women were more effective at biodiversity monitoring than men. • Age and amount of formal education had slight positive impacts on monitoring efficacy. • Enhanced collaboration between park management and local communities provides benefits to all stakeholders. • CBM programs should embrace a diverse array of demographics and perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring threatened species is essential for quantifying population trends, understanding causes of species' declines, and guiding the development and assessment of effective recovery actions. Here, we provide a systematic, continental-scale evaluation of the extent and quality of monitoring for threatened species, focussing on terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates in Australia. We found marked inadequacies: one in four threatened taxa are not monitored at all; for taxa that are monitored, monitoring quality, as assessed across nine metrics, was generally low. Higher quality monitoring was associated with policy recognition, in the form of species recovery plans, and for species having a more imperilled conservation status. Across taxonomic classes, the proportion of species monitored was highest for mammals and then birds, whereas monitoring quality was greatest for birds. Improving monitoring quality requires setting clear objectives, direct integration with management, incorporating explicit management triggers, long-term resourcing, and better communication and accessibility of monitoring information. While our results revealed that overall monitoring efforts are inadequate, the positive relationship between improved monitoring outcomes and national policy support highlights that, when resources are available, good monitoring outcomes can be achieved. Quality monitoring programs for threatened species, and biodiversity more generally, should be recognized as vital measures of a nation's progress, analogous and complementary to more widely-used economic and human health indicators. • Threatened species monitoring is markedly inadequate. • Mammals are most commonly monitored, while bird monitoring is higher quality • Fish and reptiles receive least monitoring. • Inadequate monitoring compromises conservation efforts. • Improved monitoring outcomes are associated with national legislative support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the global average, extinction risk for mainland African reptiles, particularly for South Africa, appears to be relatively low. Despite this, African reptiles are under threat primarily due to habitat loss as a result of agriculture, resource extraction, and urbanisation, and these pressures are expected to increase into the future. South Africa's reptile fauna is relatively well-studied, allowing an investigation of whether threat status assessment limitations are driving the comparably low threat status for the country, a large component of Africa's reptile fauna (ca. 25% of mainland African reptiles are found in South Africa). Extinction risk of South African reptiles was assessed as of 2018 using IUCN criteria and we 'backcast' these assessments to infer extinction risk circa 1990. A Red List Index (RLI: a measure of the extinction risk for a group of species) for 1990 and 2018 was estimated, and the protection level afforded to South African reptiles was investigated by intersecting reptile distributions with the network of protected areas. Finally, a coarse estimate of extinction rate was made. Level of extinction risk for South African reptiles (ca. 5.4%) is lower than the global average, and most currently threatened species would have already been at risk by 1990. The RLI was slightly lower for 2018 than for 1990, and the decrease was more prominent for endemic reptiles than for all reptiles combined. Most South African reptiles fall into the Well Protected category, implying that the protected area network has substantial conservation impact. However, many threatened reptile species are Poorly Protected or Not Protected. The current extent of the protected area network therefore, does not adequately mitigate extinction risk for reptiles. Furthermore, the protected area expansion plan for South Africa would not capture any additional threatened species within its boundaries. Despite the lower level of extinction risk indicated by IUCN assessments, it would be premature to assume that South African reptiles are faring better than reptiles globally based only on this one measure. Notably, two South African reptiles are Critically Endangered and theses are not found in protected areas, two others are already classified as Extinct, and rough estimates of extinction rates are similar to values estimated for other vertebrates. By considering additional metrics that are directly guided by our in-depth knowledge of the species, their distributions and the threats, we demonstrate that South African reptiles are under pressure and that risk of extinction is tangible for several species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation biologists often use sophisticated models of population functioning to predict the levels at which harvesting of wild populations will be sustainable. We argue that this approach is not useful for species that, although abundant, are near impossible to survey cost-effectively with enough precision to gather key data to input as model parameters. Our examination of >7000 Reticulated Pythons (Malayopython reticulatus), collected for the commercial skin industry, provides extensive information on life-history traits, population size structure, sex ratio and diets across sites in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. Our data reveal many interesting divergences between populations from north vs south of the equator (e.g., in body sizes, reproductive frequencies, seasonal timing of reproduction), and a trend for snakes to be smaller from more intensively harvested sites. In combination with earlier analyses, >10,000 individuals of M. reticulatus have been dissected for information on ecological attributes (more than for any other snake species worldwide). Nonetheless, in the absence of demographic data (e.g., on underlying abundances and rates of survival and growth of free-ranging snakes), the most robust estimate of sustainability of the harvest comes from long-term trends in mean body sizes, life history traits, and offtake rates. Because mathematical models depend upon accurate estimation of abundance and demography, parameters unobtainable for these secretive, well-camouflaged reptiles, managers should prioritise gathering long term data on harvest trends instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feral cats have been responsible, in part, for the extinction of many species of mammal, bird and reptile globally, especially on islands. Whilst there is extensive evidence of the predatory impacts of cats on mammals and birds, far less is known about their ecological impacts on reptiles, especially in continental situations. We conducted a field experiment to evaluate the impact of feral cats on terrestrial vertebrates in tropical savanna environments of northern Australia. Three experimental treatments were applied to six 64 ha plots to compare and contrast responses of reptile abundance and species richness to predator exclusion and the additive effects of frequent fire. Replicated pitfall-trapping was undertaken in each plot on seven sampling occasions between November 2013 and November 2015. We analysed relative abundance and species richness data using generalized linear mixed models. There was a significant increase in the abundance of reptiles over a two year period in cat-excluded plots with reptile abundance increasing at twice the rate in cat-exclusion plots compared with cat-accessible plots and there was an additive effect of time-since-fire. Cat exclusion had a positive effect on reptile species richness over time, however the evidence for this pattern was weak when seasonal variation was taken into account. Predation by cats, in synergy with other disturbance processes, could adversely impact reptile species and communities elsewhere in the world where feral cats have been established and warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, biodiversity is declining, and a major driver of this decline is climate change; consequently, we need ways to evaluate the vulnerability of species to this change. We assessed 25 species of herpetofauna (7 amphibians and 18 reptiles) using multi-model averaging of NatureServe's Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI), a qualitative trait-based vulnerability assessment tool. We calculated vulnerability across model runs varying type and extent of spatial data and climate model scenario. Amphibians were more vulnerable than reptiles. The most vulnerable species were those that were dependent on water for their habitat, high elevation species, and habitat specialists. For reptiles in particular, the projected downscaled extent of temperature change and change in moisture availability were also important in delineating vulnerability. Unfortunately, the invasive American Bullfrog was less vulnerable than any of the native amphibians, which highlights the importance of considering invasives when planning for climate change. Snakes that were riparian specialists also were ranked as highly vulnerable. Lizards were ranked as less vulnerable related to projected differences in the proportion of their range experiencing larger changes in temperature. We suggest improvements to the CCVI vulnerability index. For example, certain aspects of reptile biology that are critical to climate-related vulnerability are not included in the current generation of the Climate Change Vulnerability Index, specifically reproductive strategy and the difference in vulnerability between viviparous and oviparous species. Methods for assessing vulnerability will need continued refinement as we contend with climate change and other human-caused factors that are driving the biodiversity crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services such as natural pest control and pollination may benefit agriculture, but may also adversely affect adjacent ecosystems. Here, we explored the cosmopolitan cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), a commensal insectivorous large bird which has been expanding worldwide and is often considered as a pest control agent. We assessed the changes in the distribution of this new resident and its nesting and foraging habitat preferences in Mediterranean agroecosystems in northern Israel over the last few decades. We evaluated the relative importance of reptile, amphibian and arthropod prey in its diet by analysing regurgitated food in nesting colonies, and modelled the effect of land-use on reptile prey composition. We found that a recent expansion of B. ibis has been facilitated by the introduction of cattle grazing to natural habitats, and by augmentation of human-dominated landscapes and crop fields. Arthropods have dominated the egret diet (73.75 %), but the overwhelming proportion of reptile species (19.67 %) comprises predominantly maquis dwellers, indicating high predation pressure in natural rangelands. Although B. ibis acts as an agricultural pest control agent in croplands, its function as a harmful predator in grazed natural habitats seems to be substantial. Such intrusion of a novel predator into natural ecosystems may have catastrophic implications for native fauna, particularly in human-dominated and fragmented landscapes. Our findings underscore the potential adverse effects of a naturally thriving predator on local fauna and the importance of further research to understand its actual impact on both agricultural pests and non-pest prey communities in the wild. • Cattle Egrets have been rapidly expanding their range by utilizing human land uses. • A significant proportion of Egret diet comprises reptiles from natural habitats. • Egrets provide both agricultural services and ecological disservices. • Egret management should account for their contradicting roles in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss and pollution are two of the greatest global threats to biodiversity. Due to their widespread prevalence, these threats often co-occur, yet their interactive effects on organisms remain poorly understood. Some reptiles are vulnerable to these threats because they have specific microclimate requirements for embryonic development and because pollutants are maternally transferred to their eggs; both incubation temperature and pollutants affect reptile sex determination. In aquatic turtles, females often select nest sites in recently planted agricultural fields but the impact of nesting in polluted agricultural habitats is not understood. We examined the influences of crop agriculture and mercury pollution on nest microclimate and offspring sex ratios of Chelydra serpentina . We hypothesized that crop growth in agricultural fields would shade and cool turtle nests, decrease moisture levels, increase male offspring production, and interact with maternally-derived mercury to impact sex determination. As predicted, nests shaded by crops had lower average temperatures (−2.5 °C) and moisture levels (−107 kPa) than control nests. In field and laboratory experiments, agricultural thermal regimens increased the proportion of male offspring in clutches and this effect was intensified in the presence of mercury. Global temperatures are expected to rise within the 21st century and to have a feminizing effect on reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination. That prediction should be refined to incorporate how the cooling effect of some local habitat conditions (e.g., agricultural fields), and interactions between anthropogenic land-use and common pollutants, will interact with climate change to influence sex ratios of reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how we built our knowledge on species descriptions is especially important in biodiversity hotspots, since those regions potentially harbour many undescribed-endemic species that are already threatened by intensification of human activities. We compiled an extensive dataset on anuran, lizard, and snake assemblages in the Atlantic Forest (AF) hotspot, South America, to evaluate the role of geographic and socioeconomic factors on herpetofaunal species discoveries. We applied spatial autoregressive methods under a multimodel inference framework to quantify the extent to which human occupation, economic development, on-ground accessibility, biodiversity appeal ( i . e . interest of first researching preserved areas), and expertise availability explain geographical discovery trends of distinct herpetofaunal groups. More populous regions show more recently described species, particularly in southeastern AF where regional expert availability and economic development are greater. The influence of human occupation on geographical discovery trends carries the impact of historical human colonization in the AF, which happened mainly over endemism-rich mountainous regions in its southeastern section. Similarly, the biodiversity appeal effect is linked to the current reserve network in the AF that was only established after the massive human disturbance of lowland forest regions. Overall, our findings indicate that low-populated areas with low on-ground accessibility should be prioritized in future studies in the AF, since these are where the taxonomic impediment is more likely to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major hydropower infrastructure has become a leading driver of biodiversity loss in the lowland tropics. Terrestrial species typically become stranded in post-isolation land-bridge islands within hydroelectric reservoirs. Understanding the resulting extinction dynamics of insular communities is critical to inform, if not to avert, the ongoing blitzkrieg of dam development. Here we assess the effects of forest patch and landscape metrics on diurnal lizard species richness and composition within the Balbina Hydroelectric Dam and surrounding areas in the Central Brazilian Amazon. This 28-yr-old dam created a reservoir of ~ 4438 km 2 , comprising 3546 islands. We sampled 25 of these islands (0.83–1466 ha) and five mainland continuous forest sites, one of which placed along stream banks. We further related morpho-ecological traits and the geographic distribution of lizard species to the spatial metrics of islands where they occurred. Using 100 L-pitfall traps operated over 5447 trap-days, we recorded 1123 lizards from 17 taxa, two of which exclusively found along stream banks within continuous forest. Island area was the best predictor of species richness and composition. Small islands (≤ 2 ha) harboured fewer than a third of all species typically observed in larger islands and continuous forest (≥ 8 species), and only islands ≥ 100 ha retained nearly complete lizard faunas. Lizard assemblages inhabiting small, isolated islands consisted almost exclusively of an oversimplified set of widely distributed, large-bodied, habitat generalist, heliophile species associated with open areas and forest edges, and that feed on a wide spectrum of prey sizes. These wholesale changes in lizard community structure were characterized by severe losses in functional traits, and may profoundly affect ecosystem functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IUCN recently coordinated the first assessment of extinction risk of the world's reptile species. This monumental undertaking allows, for the first time, an examination of threats and prioritization of conservation effort, not just for reptiles, but for land vertebrates as a whole. Reptiles are now the largest class of land vertebrates in terms of species numbers. The dynamic nature of reptile taxonomy, the 18 years it took for the Global Reptile Assessment to be completed, the poor state of knowledge for many species – especially of squamates – and the evolving nature of threats, however, all highlight the need for continued monitoring of reptile species and threats. Here we review the status of reptile conservation assessments, and identify the challenges facing the next reptile assessments. We then recommend potential avenues that could facilitate efficient, accurate and timely future assessments. • The first Global Reptile assessment only covers ~85 % of species currently recognized • Newly described reptiles, Data Deficient species and species that underwent taxonomic splitting after they were assessed require new dedicated studies to correctly assess their conservation status • Small ranged species and species not observed for lengthy periods of time need to be carefully assessed in the future • The effects of climate change and future land use changes need to be well integrated into assessments • approaches to measuring Red List criteria need to be diversified, population trends, generation length and projected declines should increasingly be used [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global problem of biological invasions will continue escalating, given inadequate biosecurity worldwide. Developing stringent biosecurity is hindered by the lacking essential information on the global flows of alien species, especially alien species accidentally transported and neglected by biosecurity due to inapparent economic significance. We provide evidence and new perspectives on the temporal, geographical, taxonomic, and transport sub-pathway dimensions of the global flows of neglected alien species, using alien amphibians and reptiles ("herpetofauna") accidentally transported to New Zealand as a case study (2610 records from 1929 to 2021). We decomposed and forecasted the alien herpetofauna transport frequency using locally-weighted smoothing and dynamic regression modelling. We explored geographical patterns of the alien herpetofauna origins and destinations, and explored temporal trends in species diversity. Finally, we analysed a species×transport sub-pathway network to elucidate the diversity of sub-pathways used by alien herpetofauna. Alien herpetofauna transport frequency is generally increasing, with fluctuations coinciding with changes in biosecurity and economic expansion and recessions. The most recent decline was during the COVID-19 recession, but we forecast transport to recover. Two hundred and forty-three alien herpetofauna worldwide arrived at ports of entry across New Zealand. Alien herpetofauna were accidentally transported through 13 sub-pathways, primarily as stowaways in 'personal effects and household goods', and in 'machinery, vehicles, and equipment'. Our study illuminates that neglected alien species' transport frequency, spatial extent of origins and destinations, species diversity, and accidental transport sub-pathways are hugely underestimated and dynamic. These crucial oversights in the global flows of alien species significantly impede biosecurity worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asian biodiversity is a global priority for conservation, due to the high levels of diversity and endemism, combined with some of the greatest levels of threat. Conservation planning is essential to ensure that hotspots of biodiversity and endemism have the protection needed to prevent deforestation, hunting and other forms of exploitation in some of the Southeast Asia's most diverse areas, yet this requires data which in many cases does not exist. Growing volumes of online available data provides the ability to develop accurate models of species distributions, and gain new perspectives on regional diversity patterns and provide essential baseline data for planning and conservation. Here, using the best available information I develop maps of the ranges of 2471 vertebrate (birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians) and 1198 plant species, and explore patterns of biodiversity and the adequacy of protection. Each taxon shows different patterns of diversity, and no taxa provided an effective surrogate for diversity patterns in different groups. I show that for the majority of biodiversity hotspots fall outside protected areas, with between 10 and 55% of areas with at least > 75% of the maximum number of species unprotected. The percentage of species ranges protected areas also varies by taxa, from a maximum of 40% to reptiles with a mean of only 13.5% of species ranges protected. Furthermore comparison between my predictions and IUCN maps of diversity differed greatly for all taxa examined, with IUCN hotspots covering a much larger portion of the region and potentially overestimating the ranges of many species. Further efforts are needed to better protect centres of diversity, and the inclusion of these methods into regional conservation planning may greatly assist in increasing the effectiveness of conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tropical Dry Forest (TDF) is one of the most highly transformed and threatened neotropical systems in the world and much of its original area has been replaced by secondary forests. Therefore, it is important to understand the process of ecological succession underlying the natural regeneration of TDF, especially the role of early successional stages as drivers of the course of secondary succession. In this study, we investigated the response of herpetofaunal assemblages to vegetation and landscape attributes in areas dominated by early successional stages of TDF. Such response was evaluated in terms of assemblage's composition, richness, taxonomic diversity and functional diversity. We found a high variation in composition, richness and diversity of herpetofaunal assemblages at the initial stages of TDF succession. According to our hypothesis, in general we found the richest herpetofaunal assemblages in sites embedded in the most conserved matrix with higher levels of vegetation cover. Additionally, patch density of forest was also associated to the variation in assemblages' richness. We found high specificity on the response of frogs, lizards and snakes to the surveyed local and landscape attributes. This response involved both taxonomic and functional diversity. This study shows that composition and quality of the surrounding matrix can actually drive the maintenance of herpetofauna species in early successional stages. Considering that these stages greatly influence the course of secondary succession, the natural regeneration of the herpetofauna communities of TDF will depend not only on the local vegetation attributes but also on the initial status of the surrounding matrix. Thus, in order to preserve the resilience of the herpetofaunal assemblages it is important an adequate management of the system, maintaining high levels of the original vegetation in anthropogenic landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial production systems for wildlife increasingly involve closed-cycle captive breeding, in which effective regulation requires methods for verifying the provenance of stock. We compared the isotopic and elemental compositions of skin from wild and captive-bred pythons raised under different diet regimes in Indonesia and Viet Nam to examine the efficacy of using these techniques as a means of determining the source and origin of skins entering international trade. We found significant differences in both isotopic and elemental markers between wild and captive-bred snakes, as well as those from different geographic origins. Combinations of both techniques were able to discriminate between diet treatments and geographic origins with up to 100% accuracy. Moreover, our experimental manipulation of python diets confirmed that the application of specific diet regimes (or the addition of known elemental markers) for captive-bred snakes can create signatures specific to those animals, vastly improving the efficacy of these methods. Our study strongly suggests that the analysis of isotope ratios and elemental markers offers a powerful tool for verifying the provenance of reptile skins entering trade – but these methodologies will be most applicable (and cost-effective) for species with small populations of genuine conservation concern, rather than for large volume trade in species for which there is little conservation risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Military training areas (MTAs) cover 6% of the earth's land surface, but the impact on biodiversity of weapons use in MTAs remains largely unknown. We quantified the effects of military training on vertebrates in a 5-year study at Beecroft Weapons Range in south-eastern Australia by contrasting the occurrence of birds, mammals and reptiles between 24 sites within an area subject to repeated weapons use and a matched set of non-impacted sites. Species richness of mammals and reptiles was similar within versus outside the impact area, although many individual species responded to fire, which occurred more frequently in impacted sites. Bird species richness, the occurrence of larger-bodied and migratory bird species, and the occurrence of most individual bird species, was reduced within the impact area. Many bird species that displayed low prevalence in impacted sites also declined over time across the whole study area. Differences in biota between the impact and non-impact areas were detectable after controlling for the effects of recent fire, suggesting that weapons use impacted vertebrates through mechanisms additional to altered fire regimes. Overall, our data indicated that Beecroft Weapons Range maintained considerable biodiversity value despite prolonged military use. Hence, MTAs have the potential to make a substantial contribution to conservation outside the formal protected area network. However, managers of MTAs need to explicitly state their environmental objectives. This is because management practices may be different if the aim is to maximize species richness rather than to secure populations of particular species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woodland birds are a commonly used taxonomic surrogate for other species groups in agricultural landscapes as they are relatively diverse, easily-studied, and charismatic. Yet, other taxa can respond to native vegetation on farms differently to woodland birds, challenging the present focus on birds in agri-environmental schemes. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of woodland birds as taxonomic surrogates for biodiversity in conservation planning on farms, in comparison with reptiles and arboreal marsupials. We used a complementarity-based approach to select patches of remnant and restored vegetation that supported a priori representation targets of species occurrences. We found that the spatial locations of vegetation patches selected to meet representation targets for woodland birds were 24%–69% different from the locations of patches selected for other taxa. The vegetation patches selected to meet representation targets for woodland birds failed to incidentally meet representation targets for other taxa, although targets for a subset of threatened woodland birds were exceeded. Conservation planning for woodland birds, however, led to higher incidental representation of the other taxa, compared with conservation planning for reptiles and arboreal marsupials. This indicates that woodland birds are a more effective taxonomic surrogate for biodiversity on farms compared to reptiles and arboreal marsupials. If the conservation goal is to conserve a broad array of biodiversity on farms, then the focus on woodland birds in agri-environmental schemes is justified. However, if the conservation of particular species or taxonomic groups is a priority, then conservation plans explicitly targeting these species or groups are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have no information on the risk of extinction of 21% of reptiles listed as Data Deficient on the Sampled Red List Index (SRLI), an indicator developed to track global change in species status. Data Deficient species are of high research priority, because they contribute to uncertainty in estimates of extinction risk and are neglected by conservation programmes. We review the causes of data deficiency in reptiles; the likely status of Data Deficient reptiles; and possible solutions for their re-assessment. We find that 52% of Data Deficient reptiles lack information on population status and trends, and that few species are only known from type specimens and old records. We build a random forest model for SRLI species of known extinction risk, based on life-history, environmental and threat information. The final model shows perfect classification accuracy (100%) in ten-fold cross validation. We use the model to predict that 56 of 292 Data Deficient reptiles (19%) are at risk of extinction, so the overall proportion of threatened reptiles in the SRLI (19%) remains unchanged. Regions predicted to contain large numbers of threatened Data Deficient reptiles overlap with known centres of threatened species richness. However, the model shows lower accuracy (79%) on 29 species recently re-assessed in the Global Reptile Assessment. Predictive models could be used to prioritize Data Deficient species and reptiles not included in the SRLI, and new reptile assessments could be used to improve model predictions through adaptive learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern conservation operates at the nexus of biological and social influences. While the importance of social and cultural factors is often mentioned, defining, measuring and comparing these factors remains a significant challenge. Here, we explore a novel method to quantify cultural interest in all extant reptile species using Wikipedia — a large, open-access online encyclopaedia. We analysed all page views of reptile species viewed during 2014 in all of Wikipedia's language editions. We compared species' page view numbers across languages and in relationship to their spatial distribution, phylogeny, threat status and various other biological attributes. We found that the three species with most page views are shared across major language editions, beyond these, page view ranks of species tend to be specific to particular language editions. Interest within a language is mostly focused on reptiles found in the regions where the language is spoken. Overall, interest is greater for reptiles that are venomous, endangered, widely distributed, larger and that have been described earlier. However, within individual reptile families not all the above factors predict page views. Most families contain at least one species in the top 5% of page views, but 29 families (with 1,450 species) have no ‘high interest species’ in them. Overall, our analyses elucidate novel patterns of human interests in nature over large geographical, cultural and taxonomic spectra using big-data techniques. Such approaches hold much promise for incorporating social perceptions in future conservation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, one in five reptile species is threatened with extinction, with invasive species a leading cause of extinction risk. Translocations could alleviate the risk of extinction through the establishment of populations in locations from which invasive predators have been removed. But do translocations represent a viable strategy for reptile conservation? We investigate the numerical and genetic outcomes of translocations of reptiles as reintroductions to islands cleared of introduced mammals around New Zealand. These reintroductions included nine populations of tuatara ( Sphenodon punctatus ), ten populations of six species of geckos and 24 populations of 12 species of skinks on a total of 24 islands. Reintroduced populations are often relatively small, which exposes them to associated demographic and genetic problems. We compared criteria for success based on abundance with available genetic data for four species of reintroduced reptiles. Three populations of skinks showed some loss of genetic heterozygosity but have nonetheless met most criteria for numerically viable populations. Whether loss of genetic variability might have long-term consequences for persistence is unclear because the genetic basis for population viability is still debated. We found that the success of reintroductions can be influenced by complex interactions between numerical, genetic and administrative constraints on project design. We thus suggest that obtaining data on the outcomes of reptile recovery will require managers to avoid mixing populations for pre-emptive genetic rescue, and a commitment to long term ecological and genetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the 10,272 currently recognized reptile species, the trade of fewer than 8% are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the European Wildlife Trade Regulations (EWTR). However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has assessed 45% of the world's reptile species and determined that at least 1390 species are threatened by “biological resource use”. Of these, 355 species are intentionally targeted by collectors, including 194 non-CITES-listed species. Herein we review the global reptile pet trade, its impacts, and its contribution to the over-harvesting of species and populations, in light of current international law. Findings are based on an examination of relevant professional observations, online sources, and literature (e.g., applicable policies, taxonomy [reptile database], trade statistics [EUROSTAT], and conservation status [IUCN Red List]). Case studies are presented from the following countries and regions: Australia, Central America, China, Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Germany, Europe, India, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Western Africa, and Western Asia. The European Union (EU) plays a major role in reptile trade. Between 2004 and 2014 (the period under study), the EU member states officially reported the import of 20,788,747 live reptiles. This review suggests that illegal trade activities involve species regulated under CITES, as well as species that are not CITES-regulated but nationally protected in their country of origin and often openly offered for sale in the EU. Further, these case studies demonstrate that regulations and enforcement in several countries are inadequate to prevent the overexploitation of species and to halt illegal trade activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-fifth of the world's reptiles are currently estimated as threatened with extinction, primarily due to the immediate threats of habitat loss and overexploitation. Climate change presents an emerging slow-acting threat. However, few IUCN Red List assessments for reptiles explicitly consider the potential role of climate change as a threat. Thus, climate change vulnerability assessments can complement existing Red List assessments and highlight further, emerging priorities for conservation action. Here we present the first trait-based global climate change vulnerability assessment for reptiles to estimate the climate change vulnerability of a random representative sample of 1498 species of reptiles. We collected species-specific traits relating to three dimensions of climate change, sensitivity, low adaptability, and exposure, which we combined to assess overall vulnerability. We found 80.5% of species highly sensitive to climate change, primarily due to habitat specialisation, while 48% had low adaptability and 58% had high exposure. Overall, 22% of species assessed were highly vulnerable to climate change. Hotspots of climate change vulnerability did not always overlap with hotspots of threatened species richness, with most of the vulnerable species found in northwestern South America, southwestern USA, Sri Lanka, the Himalayan Arc, Central Asia and southern India. Most families were found to be significantly more vulnerable to climate change than expected by chance. Our findings build on previous work on reptile extinction risk to provide an overview of the risk posed to reptiles by climate change. Despite significant data gaps for a number of traits, we recommend that these findings are integrated into reassessments of species' extinction risk, to monitor both immediate and slow-acting threats to reptiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have no information on the risk of extinction of 21% of reptiles listed as Data Deficient on the Sampled Red List Index (SRLI), an indicator developed to track global change in species status. Data Deficient species are of high research priority, because they contribute to uncertainty in estimates of extinction risk and are neglected by conservation programmes. We review the causes of data deficiency in reptiles; the likely status of Data Deficient reptiles; and possible solutions for their re-assessment. We find that 52% of Data Deficient reptiles lack information on population status and trends, and that few species are only known from type specimens and old records. We build a random forest model for SRLI species of known extinction risk, based on life-history, environmental and threat information. The final model shows perfect classification accuracy (100%) in ten-fold cross validation. We use the model to predict that 56 of 292 Data Deficient reptiles (19%) are at risk of extinction, so the overall proportion of threatened reptiles in the SRLI (19%) remains unchanged. Regions predicted to contain large numbers of threatened Data Deficient reptiles overlap with known centres of threatened species richness. However, the model shows lower accuracy (79%) on 29 species recently re-assessed in the Global Reptile Assessment. Predictive models could be used to prioritize Data Deficient species and reptiles not included in the SRLI, and new reptile assessments could be used to improve model predictions through adaptive learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern conservation operates at the nexus of biological and social influences. While the importance of social and cultural factors is often mentioned, defining, measuring and comparing these factors remains a significant challenge. Here, we explore a novel method to quantify cultural interest in all extant reptile species using Wikipedia — a large, open-access online encyclopaedia. We analysed all page views of reptile species viewed during 2014 in all of Wikipedia's language editions. We compared species' page view numbers across languages and in relationship to their spatial distribution, phylogeny, threat status and various other biological attributes. We found that the three species with most page views are shared across major language editions, beyond these, page view ranks of species tend to be specific to particular language editions. Interest within a language is mostly focused on reptiles found in the regions where the language is spoken. Overall, interest is greater for reptiles that are venomous, endangered, widely distributed, larger and that have been described earlier. However, within individual reptile families not all the above factors predict page views. Most families contain at least one species in the top 5% of page views, but 29 families (with 1,450 species) have no ‘high interest species’ in them. Overall, our analyses elucidate novel patterns of human interests in nature over large geographical, cultural and taxonomic spectra using big-data techniques. Such approaches hold much promise for incorporating social perceptions in future conservation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) has an extensive protected area network, including Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the Birds Directive. Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) are sites of international significance for birds identified by BirdLife International. Here, we perform EU-wide terrestrial spatial conservation prioritizations to evaluate the coverage of IBAs by SPAs, and the coverage of bird and other vertebrate distributions by IBAs and SPAs. We then investigate the distribution of potential locations for expanding the SPA network that maximize bird species' representation, and the coverage of these locations by IBAs. On average, SPAs cover 23% of the EU-wide distribution of each bird species and 25% of the distributions of amphibians, reptiles and mammals together, while IBAs provide marginally greater coverage. Overall, 76% of terrestrial IBAs in the EU are completely or partially covered by SPAs, and 66% of the IBA network area is covered by SPAs. Our results suggest that SPA designation has been significantly informed by data on the location of IBAs. While IBAs are identified using data on particular bird species of conservation concern, they also tend to have high EU-wide representation of other vertebrates. The designation of new or expanded SPAs covering a relatively small amount of currently unprotected land (particularly in the southern EU) would substantially increase SPA coverage of bird species ranges. Our analysis provides insights on the current contribution that these sites make to conserving vertebrates across the EU, and future possibilities for efficiently expanding the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation organizations worldwide are investing in climate change vulnerability assessments. Most vulnerability assessment methods focus on either landscape features or species traits that can affect a species vulnerability to climate change. However, landscape features and species traits likely interact to affect vulnerability. We compare a landscape-based assessment, a trait-based assessment, and an assessment that combines landscape variables and species traits for 113 species of birds, herpetofauna, and mammals in the northeastern United States. Our aim is to better understand which species traits and landscape variables have the largest influence on assessment results and which types of vulnerability assessments are most useful for different objectives. Species traits were most important for determining which species will be most vulnerable to climate change. The sensitivity of species to dispersal barriers and the species average natal dispersal distance were the most important traits. Landscape features were most important for determining where species will be most vulnerable because species were most vulnerable in areas where multiple landscape features combined to increase vulnerability, regardless of species traits. The interaction between landscape variables and species traits was important when determining how to reduce climate change vulnerability. For example, an assessment that combines information on landscape connectivity, climate change velocity, and natal dispersal distance suggests that increasing landscape connectivity may not reduce the vulnerability of many species. Assessments that include landscape features and species traits will likely be most useful in guiding conservation under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragmentation and habitat loss contribute considerably to global declines of amphibians and reptiles. However, few studies focus on forest edges, created during the fragmentation process, as proximate drivers of the local demographic structure of populations. Here, we use abundance data of amphibians and reptiles to study their responses to forest edges in nine fragmented forested landscapes of the Neotropics. Species-specific abundance data were collected in plots established at varying distances from their respective nearest forest edge. We tested for edge effects on the abundance of species, and used curve clustering techniques to group species with similar edge responses, i.e. species with either increasing or decreasing abundance from the matrix towards the forest interior. We also grouped species that showed no change in abundance with respect to the nearest forest edge and those whose abundance response was unimodal, peaking in either forest habitat or the surrounding matrix habitat. We found that 96% of all amphibians and 90% of all reptiles showed an edge response, with the abundance of 74.5% of amphibians and 57.3% of reptiles decreasing with increasing proximity to forest edges. However, species-specific edge effects were not always consistent, with some species having opposite edge responses when measured in different landscapes. The depth of edge effects exhibited by forest species, i.e. species that increased in abundance in the forest interior, extended up to one kilometre away from forest edges. We show that the median edge effect on forest species extends to 250 m within the forest interior, indicating that tropical forest patches with a mean diameter < 500 m (minimum area ≈ 78 ha) are unsuitable for half of forest-dependent species considered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last report on the State of the Nature in the European Union (EU), a periodic monitoring exercise at continental scale, shows that biodiversity continues to decline, despite the efforts done in the last decades. Urgent action is, therefore, needed to reverse this trend. Effective conservation must rely on careful planning and strategic investment of limited resources to maximise efficiency of conservation efforts. Here, we carry out a gap analysis to identify pressures and threats with no reported management action over the period 2013–2018 and identify priorities to close this gap. We use information from the State of Nature report to identify combinations of species/habitats × pressures/threats affecting them with no management action reported. We finally prioritise the selection of pressures and threats to be addressed for all species and habitats collectively. We found that 2/3 of all combinations of species/habitat × pressure/threat did not have management actions reported. Management gaps were especially large for birds, amphibians and reptiles and marine bioregions in northern EU. This management gap affects 98 % of Natura 2000 sites, with at least one species/habitat with no management action reported for one or more pressures/threats. The spatial prioritisation analyses showed that all species and habitats could benefit collectively from a reduction in 30 % of pressures/threats incidence by targeting a small proportion of pressures/threats and Natura 2000 sites. The prioritisation approach that we demonstrate here could be valuable to plan investment to close the current management gap and inform conservation across the EU. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying effects of climate change, as well as other drivers of population shifts, across multiple taxa and broad spatial and temporal scales is challenging. Nevertheless these are the data that may be required to catalyze and focus management actions, separating the effects of weather from climate, and climate from a multitude of other stressors. An impediment to initiating research that fulfill these criteria is ensuring financial and institutional sustainability for an effort that necessarily could span decades. Citizen scientists have been put forth as a means for providing that sustainability, but is quality compromised when volunteers are collecting data? Here we evaluate that question for research focused on assessing the effect of environmental change across the transition between the Mojave and Sonoran Desert ecoregions of North America. While our research includes surveys for multiple taxa, here our focus is on measuring the utility of using citizen scientists for surveying diurnal reptiles. We compared data collected by two trained biologists to citizen science teams supervised by one or more biologists on the same plots. We also re-surveyed plots to determine if separate citizen science teams yielded similar results. The number of reptile species detected and the number of individuals detected increased significantly with teams of citizen scientists, and multiple sampling of individual plots showed those results to be repeatable. With carefully designed survey protocols and supervision by biologists, citizen scientists can be an important component of achieving sustainability of scientific research, without losing scientific rigor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forest destruction is a major contributor to global biodiversity loss, with much of remaining forests subject to extensive subsistence use. Compared to forest clear-felling and conversion, the impacts of these less intense but complex disturbance regimes on biodiversity remain poorly understood. Given the challenges of protecting pristine tropical forests for conservation in developing regions, there is a strong imperative to understand the role of altered forests with a range of low to moderate disturbance regimes in long term biodiversity conservation. We sampled tropical rainforest reptile and amphibian diversity over a nine year period along a gradient of moderate anthropogenic disturbance to intact primary rainforest in Sulawesi, Indonesia. We evaluated the relative influences of anthropogenic disturbance proxies and natural habitat variability on species richness and assemblage composition. Reptile and amphibian species richness were affected by natural variability in a range of habitat characteristics, but not by moderate anthropogenic disturbance. In contrast, species composition varied with both natural and anthropogenic disturbance metrics. Our results indicate that even low to moderate levels of anthropogenic disturbance have measurable, pervasive, impacts on tropical herpetofaunal diversity. However, moderately disturbed and altered forests that retain relatively high canopy cover and habitat complexity still retained most species associated with primary forest, indicating that they provide a significant contribution to herpetofaunal biodiversity conservation. Management implications from these findings complement those for birds and large mammals in tropical Asia, in that sustainable biodiversity conservation is likely to be best achieved by maintaining larger forest areas of variable disturbance and usage regimes around more remote, minimally disturbed core areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of widely dispersed marine vertebrates can be facilitated by better understanding their distribution, density, population trends and threats. Unfortunately, for some populations of sea turtle spatial and temporal data are often lacking, particularly along the Atlantic coast of Africa, a region which is considered globally important. Here we combined spatially limited monitoring data from four nesting beaches over seven seasons with an extensive ground-based coastal survey that covered 585 km of Gabon’s Atlantic coast, to provide the first population assessment for the olive ridley turtle Lepidochelys olivacea . This species is currently classified as data deficient by the IUCN in the eastern Atlantic and so is considered a regional conservation priority. Whilst the logistics required to undertake such a comprehensive ground-based census were complicated, the method proved extremely effective in providing population estimates for a widely dispersed marine vertebrate and demonstrates the importance of focusing beyond intensively monitored beaches. In particular, our findings reveal that the presence of nesting activity spans almost the entirety of Gabon’s coast, the density of which subsequently reveals that Gabon hosts one of the most important olive ridley rookeries in the Atlantic (2370–9814 clutches, approximating to 948–5452 breeding females per annum and a total estimate of 1422–8178 breeding females), with a significant proportion, 81 ± 3.5% (mean ± 1 S.D.) of total nesting effort occurring within protected areas. These findings thus complement our existing knowledge base and further emphasise the regional and global importance of Gabon’s nesting sea turtle populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The likelihood of extinction within the next 20 years was determined for 47 Australian mammal, bird, reptile, frog and freshwater fish taxa previously identified as being highly imperilled. A 14-member expert elicitation panel, consisting of a mix of taxon experts and government managers of threatened species, estimated that there was a > 50% chance that nine taxa would be extinct by 2041. The panel estimated that there was a > 50% likelihood that a further 16 taxa (considered extant under Australian legislation), for which there are no recent independently verified records, are already extinct, with four almost certainly extinct. For five of these taxa, there was a > 50% chance that they would persist for 20 more years if they are currently extant, notwithstanding the lack of recent records. Most of the taxa considered occur within conservation areas and in south-eastern Australia, where human population density is highest. All the highly imperilled taxa occur wholly or partly in conservation reserves, within a total reserved area of 1994 km2, 0.13% of the total area conserved in Australia. Highly imperilled taxa also occur on 313 km2 of non-conservation government-owned land, and 242 km2 of private land. The total area that needs management intervention to prevent extinction of Australia's most imperilled vertebrate taxa in the next 20 years represents 0.06% of the area of Australia's terrestrial and freshwater environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manipulation of habitat through thinning and logging activities may have cascading effects on fauna because of direct and indirect changes to key habitat features. However, the combined effect of thinning and logging on fauna has not been investigated for Australian forests, despite the widespread use of thinning as a silvicultural management tool in selectively logged forests, and the emerging interest in thinning for biofuels. We therefore surveyed reptiles, birds and key habitat variables at sites selected to sample four management classes reflecting categories of thinning and/or logging activity in cypress pine Callitris glaucophylla forests of the Brigalow Belt bioregion of Australia. Habitat structure and assemblages of reptile and bird species were distinct across the four management classes, reflecting long-term cumulative impacts of small- and/or large-diameter tree removal in a dynamic system, but the response of various functional groups of species was mixed. Recovery of some habitat elements (e.g. small trees) to a state that maintains densities of most fauna species appears to be relatively rapid, but depends on the combined effect of thinning and logging. Other habitat elements, such as large cypress trees which were reduced by logging and unaffected by thinning, require longer time frames to mature and therefore will be critical resources to maintain during future management activities in cypress forests. Overall, it appears that thinning activities affect fauna and therefore must be considered when making decisions about forest management. We suggest management of production forests aims for a mosaic of thinning and/or logging combinations across the landscape, but emphasise the importance of retaining or restoring unthinned and unlogged areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main issues in conservation biology is assessing how much biodiversity is currently represented in protected areas (PA). Traditional approaches such as ‘gap analysis’ require the choice of arbitrary targets and thresholds that can greatly influence the obtained results. We present here a complementary approach that avoids typical methodological uncertainties being particularly useful when the aim is to explore differences in the effectiveness of PA networks in representing species with distinct features and varying range sizes. Firstly, we calculated how far the distribution of a species overlaps with a network. Then, null models were used to test if this value is significantly different from random expectations (i.e. compared with random species of the same number of occurrences), which allowed over and under-represented species to be identified. Using this approach, we aimed to determine how well amphibian and terrestrial reptile species in Europe were represented by two protected area networks: nationally designated protected areas (NPAs) and the Natura 2000 network (N2000). We also tested to see if there were any differences in species representation depending upon their conservation status, range size and distribution type. Although N2000 is more effective than NPAs, both PA networks performed poorly in representing European amphibians and reptiles, as the level of representativeness for most species (excepting reptiles in N2000) within these networks was either not significantly different or significantly lower than expected by chance. A combination of this approach with traditional gap analyses could provide valuable information to improve the future effectiveness of PAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reptiles are in global decline with nearly 20% of species currently threatened with extinction. Despite these alarming trends, data documenting detailed changes in reptile populations remain sparse and the methods for detecting those changes are largely unevaluated. Rock turning is one commonly used method for detecting the presence or absence of reptiles. Here, we use data from four years of rock turning surveys for the endangered Tympanocryptis pinguicolla to estimate the probability of species occurrence while accounting for detectability. Our data set was zero-inflated with only 36 detections despite some 69,146 detection attempts (rocks turned) across 60 sites. Our analysis revealed the species probability of detection per detection attempt is extremely low (0.00098 (95% CI: 0.00064–0.00142)) and suggested that the species remained undetected at some sampling sites where it was present. Indeed, our estimate of actual site occupancy was nearly double the naïve estimate obtained when not accounting for detectability, suggesting the species is more widespread than previously thought. Our results highlight some important considerations for landscape conservation planning for T. pinguicolla and rupicoline (rock inhabiting) reptiles more generally. In particular, the application of rock turning as a sampling technique must be questioned given the low confidence of detecting a presence in the study reported here and the likely destructive nature of the approach. We recommend that the effectiveness of detection surveys by rock turning be fully evaluated for any species before it is applied widely as a detection technique and suggest that other approaches such as camera traps may prove equally or more effective while being less destructive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen native lizard species inhabit the desert surrounding Phoenix, AZ, USA, but only two occur within heavily developed areas. This pattern is best explained by a combination of socioeconomic status, land-cover, and location. Lizard diversity is highest in affluent areas and lizard abundance is greatest near large patches of open desert. The percentage of building cover had a strong negative impact on both diversity and abundance. Despite Phoenix’s intense urban heat island effect, which strongly constrains the potential activity and microhabitat use of lizards in summer, thermal patterns have not yet impacted their distribution and relative abundance at larger scales. As Phoenix emerges from an economic recession, efforts to restrict urban sprawl and encourage higher density development could lower water and energy use while benefiting lizards in undisturbed habitats. However, this would likely exacerbate the urban heat island effect, and pose a threat to native species within the urban landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species gap analyses that adopt conservation targets based on individual species attributes recognize that some biodiversity features need more protection than others and should lead to better outcomes than uniform conservation targets. In the Brazilian Cerrado hotspot, 4 of the 30 endemic lizard species are included in the IUCN or Brazilian red lists of threatened species. For 18 species with more than 5 occurrence records, we produced distribution models using Maxent and for 12 species with less than 5 occurrence records we used a 5 km radius around the records to indicate distributions. For all species, we estimated habitat loss after discounting cleared areas from indicated distributions. Non-modeled species were considered as truly restricted-range endemics and had conservation targets set a priori as 100%. We formulated conservation targets for 18 modeled species based on three characteristics: natural rarity, vulnerability, and life-history. We estimated vulnerability from a model of future habitat loss across the Cerrado, derived with Maxent. We then performed a gap analysis considering strictly protected conservation areas. We applied percentage targets (between 12% and 23%) to estimated species distributions prior to habitat loss and evaluated the targets against the presence of the species within strictly protected conservation areas. Disturbingly, only one species is adequately protected by the current system of protected areas. We also found that one species is a minor conservation gap, whereas the remaining 28 species are either major (13) or total (5) conservation gaps. Habitat loss has erased a significant fraction of the original distribution of Cerrado endemic lizards and the existent network of protected areas is wholly inadequate to ensure their conservation. The use of conservation targets based on natural rarity, vulnerability, and life-story will support more defensible conservation guidelines than commonly used uniform targets for this threatened Neotropical savanna biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsible conservation decisions are made when managers consider the benefits provided by an action in relation to the potential negative effects incurred. Some introduced grasses can be managed using fire and grazing, but experiments, replicated in time and space, are required to determine the relative costs and benefits of this action on native biodiversity. We aimed to experimentally determine the effect on reptile and amphibian assemblages of repeated burning and grazing of the invasive weed para grass ( Urochloa mutica ) over three years in a north Queensland conservation reserve in Australia. We measured the diversity and abundance of reptiles and amphibians, and quantified temperature and humidity during an experiment that repeatedly grazed, burnt, or burnt and grazed para grass in a replicated series of experimental plots. All burnt plots were drier and sites that were both burnt and grazed were hotter. The frog and reptile community was dominated by a few common species. Richness changed seasonally and was strongly related to the distance from the nearest woodland and free water, but it was unaffected by the management treatments. Abundance of the skink ( Lampropholis delicata ) and frog ( Limnodynastes convexiusculus ) decreased with burning and grazing, while a closely related frog ( Limnodynastes tasmaniensis ) remained unaffected. There was a clear trade-off between decreasing the abundance of a few common species to increase the overall suitability of habitat for a diversity of native species. We suggest that, in this case, it is reasonable to make the value judgement that this trade-off is acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] 42% Of amphibian and 77% of reptile species are listed as at-risk in Canada. [•] Common threats to these taxa have differential effects in northern landscapes. [•] Conservation challenges are associated with peripheral populations, most of which are at the edge of their species distribution. [•] Science and stewardship are leading forces in the conservation of species at risk in Canada. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We studied the taxonomic and functional response of reptiles to repeated fires in southern France along a 51-years period. [•] Repeated fire regimes produced a shift in dominant species and a loss of reptile diversity. [•] Repeated fires favored insectivorous and strictly Mediterranean species, specialists in their ecological niche, and with a short lifespan. [•] The increase in fire frequency suggests a negative impact for the endangered Hermann’s tortoise Testudo hermanni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Timber harvesting is a common global disturbance that has important effects on the ability of forests to provide ecosystems services and retain biodiversity. Using predictive frameworks to examine biodiversity responses to logging could assist in retaining natural forest values. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) and the habitat accommodation model (HAM) potentially offer frameworks for explaining different coarse scale community responses to logging. We used a 60year post-logging chronosequence to investigate small reptile community responses to age post-logging in temperate forests using three metrics (species richness, evenness and relative abundance). First, we evaluated if variation in these metrics adhered to prior predictions, including the IDH. Second, we evaluated how age post-logging influence community responses through fine scale vegetation elements. Third, we evaluated support for the HAM by measuring compositional change (species turnover) of small reptile community to age post-logging. Reptile relative abundance exhibited a curvilinear relationship to age since logging, contradicting our prior prediction of sustained increase. Species richness and evenness were unrelated to age since logging thus providing no support to IDH and other prior predictions. Relative abundance and richness did not relate to any vegetation characteristic tested. These metrics were also unrelated to logging method. Community composition was marginally significantly influenced by age since logging, thus supporting the HAM. Our results suggest that forest reptiles exposed to logging exhibit variable changes depending on the community metric in question, and that different approaches, including those based on species traits, are needed to improve evaluating disturbance related biodiversity responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] During surveys, diving taxa must often be at or near the surface to be detected. [•] We studied effects of variation in sea turtle diving on analyses of sightings data. [•] Several analyses were biased or confounded by spatiotemporal variation in diving. [•] Long winter dives led to negative detection bias and density underestimates. [•] Diving and depth use studies are needed for the conservation of diverse divers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Understanding the factors that determine extinction risk is vital for effective conservation. [•] Relative to other vertebrate groups, extinction risk has rarely been examined in reptiles. [•] We conduct the most comprehensive study of extinction risk within a reptile group. [•] Body size, geographic range size and habitat specialization were the strongest predictors of extinction risk. [•] We place our results in context with studies on extinction risk in other vertebrate groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International and national initiatives aim to conserve at least 30% of lands and waters by 2030. To safeguard biodiversity, conservation actions must be distributed in places that represent ecosystem and species diversity. Various methods of prioritizing sites for conservation have been used in local and global assessments. However, the performance and consequences of alternative methods are usually unknown. Such comparisons are needed to confidently implement national and international conservation initiatives. Here, we compared four widely-used methods of prioritizing sites in the contiguous United States for conserving species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Specifically, we calculated and mapped species richness, rarity-weighted richness, and two complementarity-based prioritizations (additive benefit function [ABF] and core area zonation [CAZ] in the software Zonation). We compared maps derived from these alternatives with respect to spatial locations and overlap, patch size distributions of the top-30% priorities, and existing ownership and protected-area status. We used species-accumulation curves across ranked priorities to evaluate performance of methods and compared results at 30% total area. Mapped locations and patch sizes of the highest priorities varied by taxonomic class and method of prioritization. Complementarity-based methods (ABF and CAZ) more efficiently represented species than methods based on richness or rarity-weighted richness, especially for taxa with higher beta diversity (amphibians). ABF and CAZ methods also resulted in greater conservation opportunity for the top 30% of priorities compared to maps of richness. Area-based conservation targets, such as the "30 by 30" initiative, must distribute limited resources in ways that safeguard all species. Our results show that spatial locations and configuration, performance, and conservation opportunity vary among prioritization methods and taxonomic classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Peccaries are known to shape vegetation structure and create important breeding habitat for some pond-breeding amphibians in Neotropical forests. Because peccaries are also important agents of disturbance and microhabitat variation in the litter, peccary loss could have important consequences for litter amphibians and reptiles that depend entirely upon the litter for shelter, foraging and reproduction sites, and thermoregulation. However, very little is known about the effects of peccaries or their loss on litter amphibians and reptiles. We experimentally reduced peccary density in 20×50m fenced exclusion plots (n =5). We compared standing litter structure and amphibian and reptile abundance where peccaries were excluded to paired, open-forest control plots that had natural peccary densities. We encountered 16% more amphibian and reptile individuals in open control plots, and we encountered more juveniles of the most common anuran species in control plots than on peccary exclusions. Control plots had more compacted litter than peccary exclusion plots, indicating that peccaries alter the physical structure of the standing leaf litter in a way that promotes greater recruitment of juvenile anurans. Our results demonstrate that peccaries should be viewed not just as seed predators or ecosystem engineers for palms and pond-breeding amphibians, but also as important agents that affect leaf litter structure and abundance of terrestrial amphibians and reptiles. Peccary extirpation from overhunting or habitat degradation could have unexpected negative consequences for litter amphibians and reptiles, a diverse group already severely threatened by habitat loss, climate change, disease, and other anthropogenic effects worldwide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Domestic cats (Felis catus) are efficient and abundant non-native predators. Predation by domestic cats remains a topic of considerable social and scientific debate and warrants attention using improved methods. Predation is likely a function of cat behavior, opportunity to hunt, and local habitat. Previous predation studies relied on homeowner reports of wildlife captures from prey returns to the household and other indirect means. We investigated hunting of wildlife by owned, free-roaming cats in a suburban area of the southeastern USA. Specific research goals included: (1) quantifying the frequency of cat interactions with native wildlife, (2) identifying common prey species of suburban cats, and (3) examining predictors of outdoor behavior. We monitored 55 cats during a 1-year period (November 2010–October 2011) using KittyCam video cameras. Participating cats wore a video camera for 7–10 total days and all outdoor activity was recorded for analysis. We collected an average of 38h of footage from each project cat. Forty-four percent of free-roaming cats hunted wildlife, of which reptiles, mammals, and invertebrates constituted the majority of prey. Successful hunting cats captured an average of 2.4 prey items during 7days of roaming, with Carolina anoles (Anolis carolinensis) being the most common prey species. Most wildlife captures (85%) occurred during the warm season (March–November in the southern USA). Twenty-three percent of cat prey items were returned to households; 49% of items were left at the site of capture, and 28% were consumed. Our results suggest that previous studies of pet cat predation on wildlife using owner surveys significantly underestimated capture rates of hunting cats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Agricultural expansion generates problems to ecosystems and hinders conservation efforts. Although several researchers worldwide are working to develop efficient approaches for conserving biodiversity adequately, certain decisions should be taken urgently. Here, by using two entire classes of vertebrates (amphibians and reptiles), we calculated optimal conservation area networks (CANs) under nine different scenarios (including three different degrees of land-use and three different degrees of ambition in conservation objectives), in a highly deforested province of central Argentina. We show that if conservation decisions are delayed further, not only will more land be necessary to meet a given conservation objective, but also that optimal CANs will have to have a much greater perimeter, a larger number of fragments and a less appropriate shape. Therefore, as agricultural frontiers continue to advance without designating specific sites for conservation, we are losing the possibility to conserve biodiversity adequately. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We provide a phylogenetic and population genetic evaluation of the illegal pet and bush meat trade of monitor lizards in the Philippines. We use a molecular dataset assembled from vouchered samples with known localities throughout the country, as a reference for statistical phylogenetic, population genetic, and DNA barcoding analyses of genetic material obtained during a three year survey of the Manila pet trade. Our results provide the first genetic evaluation of a major Southeast Asian city’s illegal trade in monitors and allow us to establish several important conclusions regarding actual, versus reported, origins of Manila’s black market Varanus. Monitor lizards are clearly transported throughout the archipelago for trade; we identified genotypes from areas surrounding Manila, the distinct Bicol faunal subregion of Luzon, Mindanao Island, the Visayan islands, islands of the Romblon Province, the Babuyan islands, and Mindoro Island. Numerous species are involved, including multiple endemic Philippine taxa, the threatened Gray’s monitor (Varanus olivaceus), and the presumably non-Philippine rough-neck monitor (Varanus rudicollis). Our results suggest that traders frequently and deliberately misrepresent the provenance of traded animals, in an apparent effort to increase their perceived market value. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Effective and targeted conservation action requires detailed information about species, their distribution, systematics and ecology as well as the distribution of threat processes which affect them. Knowledge of reptilian diversity remains surprisingly disparate, and innovative means of gaining rapid insight into the status of reptiles are needed in order to highlight urgent conservation cases and inform environmental policy with appropriate biodiversity information in a timely manner. We present the first ever global analysis of extinction risk in reptiles, based on a random representative sample of 1500 species (16% of all currently known species). To our knowledge, our results provide the first analysis of the global conservation status and distribution patterns of reptiles and the threats affecting them, highlighting conservation priorities and knowledge gaps which need to be addressed urgently to ensure the continued survival of the world’s reptiles. Nearly one in five reptilian species are threatened with extinction, with another one in five species classed as Data Deficient. The proportion of threatened reptile species is highest in freshwater environments, tropical regions and on oceanic islands, while data deficiency was highest in tropical areas, such as Central Africa and Southeast Asia, and among fossorial reptiles. Our results emphasise the need for research attention to be focussed on tropical areas which are experiencing the most dramatic rates of habitat loss, on fossorial reptiles for which there is a chronic lack of data, and on certain taxa such as snakes for which extinction risk may currently be underestimated due to lack of population information. Conservation actions specifically need to mitigate the effects of human-induced habitat loss and harvesting, which are the predominant threats to reptiles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]