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Land‐cover change is a major driver of species extinction risk and the overarching loss of biodiversity. However, the impact of such change is nuanced, varying among species due to the mediation of life‐history traits and the timing of land transformation. While diverse studies have pinpointed ecological and life‐history attributes linked to the decline of bird species, the combined effects of past and recent land‐cover change often present a complex picture. In this study, we undertook a modelling approach to assess extinction risk in New Zealand's endemic birds based on life‐history traits and past (1996–2008) and recent (2008–2018) land‐cover change. Our results suggested specific variables driving extinction risk in endemic New Zealand birds. Notably, incubation length emerged as the most influential factor, trailed by past land‐cover change, body size and clutch size. This indicates that past land‐cover change in combination with large body sizes and slow life histories, characterized by low fecundity and extended incubation periods, collectively elevates the extinction risk of endemic birds in New Zealand. These results shed light on the conservation priorities for species with specific biological traits potentially exposed to the negative effects of land‐cover change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ex situ conservation is a complementary strategy to in situ efforts and is vital for safeguarding endangered species through maintenance and breeding in captivity with potential for reintroductions into natural environments. However, it is crucial to recognize that prolonged captivity can lead to diminished abilities of organisms over generations. Factors linked to the impact of phenotypic plasticity during development, such as restricted movement, may affect organism performance during ex situ conservation efforts, potentially making reintroduction into the wild unfeasible. Consequently, it is imperative to analyze physiological differences between captive‐bred and wild individuals. Therefore, this study investigates how captivity influences locomotor performance, morphology, and metabolic capacities of adults and juveniles of the threatened treefrog Ololygon alcatraz, in comparison to natural populations. We obtained proportional measurements of individuals and assessed their locomotor performance through jumping exercise. We also measured the metabolic capacities of the frogs by examining the activity of enzymes involved in energetic metabolic pathways in their skeletal muscle fibers. We found that wild adult frogs had larger limbs, greater jumping abilities, and a more glycolytic profile, while captive adult frogs had smaller limbs and increased aerobic enzyme activity compared to their wild counterparts. These differences probably arise from phenotypic plasticity in ontogenetic development that differs between captive and natural environments, as juveniles do not show such differences. These results highlight the need for innovative strategies in managing captive O. alcatraz populations, which will aid in their successful translocation to the wild and strengthen ex situ conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline in biodiversity poses a serious threat to natural ecosystems and has become one of the most pressing global environmental issues. Establishing conservation priorities for protected areas (PAs) is one of the most direct and effective biodiversity conservation measures. However, conservation gaps arise as a result of existing problems in spatial layout of PAs, including overlapping protection scopes, artificial fragmentation of natural ecological regions, as well as "over‐protection" and "over‐exploitation." To optimize the spatial layout of PAs and improve the efficiency of biodiversity conservation, we employed the Habitat Quality module of the Integrated Assessment of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model and the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model to assess the PAs in the Songnen Plain, China. The combined model (MaxEnt‐InVEST) revealed that the conservation priorities for PAs in the Songnen Plain occupied a total area of 14,764.14 km2 (10.24% of the total area of the Songnen Plain). The conservation priorities outside PAs occupied a total area of 7858.45 km2 (5.45% of the total area of the Songnen Plain) and were primarily distributed in the northeastern, central, and southwestern regions of the Songnen Plain. This indicated that existing PAs did not offer adequate protection for local biodiversity. The consistency of our combined modeling framework was 72.11%, which enabled a more accurate assessment of biodiversity hotspots and respects the land uses of the Songnen Plain. In addition, the modeling framework successfully created maps of conservation gaps of biodiversity hotspots based on actual species distribution data and considers current land uses. Our study was aimed at optimizing the spatial conservation efficiency of the Songnen Plain by assessing the conservation gaps in the Songnen Plain. It could provide a reference for the future development of a PA system centering on national parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small mammalian fauna plays pivotal roles in ecosystem dynamics and as crucial biodiversity indicators. However, recent research has raised concerns about the decline of mammalian species due to climate change. Consequently, significant attention is directed toward studying various big flagship mammalian species for conservation. However, small mammals such as the hog badgers (Mustelidae: Arctonyx) remain understudied regarding the impacts of climate change in Asia. The present study offers a comprehensive analysis of climate change effects on two mainland hog badger species, utilizing ensemble species distribution modeling. Findings reveal concerning outcomes, as only 52% of the IUCN extent is deemed suitable for the Great Hog Badger (Arctonyx collaris) and a mere 17% is ideal for the Northern Hog Badger (Arctonyx albogularis). Notably, projections suggest a potential reduction of over 26% in suitable areas for both species under future climate scenarios, with the most severe decline anticipated in the high‐emission scenario of SSP585. These declines translate into evident habitat fragmentation, particularly impacting A. collaris, whose patches shrink substantially, contrasting with the relatively stable patches of A. albogularis. However, despite their differences, niche overlap analysis reveals an intriguing increase in overlap between the two species, indicating potential ecological shifts. The study underscores the importance of integrating climate change and habitat fragmentation considerations into conservation strategies, urging a reassessment of the IUCN status of A. albogularis. The insights gained from this research are crucial for improving protection measures by ensuring adequate legal safeguards and maintaining ecological corridors between viable habitat patches, which are essential for the conservation of hog badgers across mainland Asia. Furthermore, emphasizing the urgency of proactive efforts, particularly in countries with suitable habitats can help safeguard these small mammalian species and their ecosystems from the detrimental impacts of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical and subtropical dry woodlands are rich in biodiversity and carbon. Yet, many of these woodlands are under high deforestation pressure and remain weakly protected. Here, we assessed how deforestation dynamics relate to areas of woodland protection and to conservation priorities across the world's tropical dry woodlands. Specifically, we characterized different types of deforestation frontier from 2000 to 2020 and compared them to protected areas (PAs), Indigenous Peoples' lands and conservation areas for biodiversity, carbon and water. We found that global conservation priorities were always overrepresented in tropical dry woodlands compared to the rest of the globe (between 4% and 96% more than expected, depending on the type of conservation priority). Moreover, about 41% of all dry woodlands were characterized as deforestation frontiers, and these frontiers have been falling disproportionately in areas with important regional (i.e. tropical dry woodland) conservation assets. While deforestation frontiers were identified within all tropical dry woodland classes of woodland protection, they were lower than the average within protected areas coinciding with Indigenous Peoples' lands (23%), and within other PAs (28%). However, within PAs, deforestation frontiers have also been disproportionately affecting regional conservation assets. Many emerging deforestation frontiers were identified outside but close to PAs, highlighting a growing threat that the conserved areas of dry woodland will become isolated. Understanding how deforestation frontiers coincide with major types of current woodland protection can help target context‐specific conservation policies and interventions to tropical dry woodland conservation assets (e.g. PAs in which deforestation is rampant require stronger enforcement, inactive deforestation frontiers could benefit from restoration). Our analyses also identify recurring patterns that can be used to test the transferability of governance approaches and promote learning across social–ecological contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Understanding biodiversity patterns is crucial for prioritizing future conservation efforts and reducing the current rates of biodiversity loss. However, a large proportion of species remain undescribed (i.e. unknown biodiversity), hindering our ability to conduct this task. This phenomenon, known as the 'Linnean shortfall', is especially relevant in highly diverse, yet endangered, taxonomic groups, such as insects. Here we explore the distributions of recently described freshwater insect species in Europe to (1) infer the potential location of unknown biodiversity hotspots and (2) determine the variables that can anticipate the distribution of unknown biodiversity. Location: The European continent, including western Russia, Cyprus and Turkey. Methods: Georeferenced information of all sites where new aquatic insect species were described across Europe from 2000 to 2020 was compiled. In order to understand the observed spatial patterns in richness of recently described species, spatial units were defined (level 6 of HydroBASINS) and associated with a combination of a set of socioeconomic, environmental and sampling effort descriptors. A zero‐inflated Poisson regression approach was used to model the richness of newly described species within each spatial unit. Results: Nine hundred and sixty‐six recently described species were found: 398 Diptera, 362 Trichoptera, 105 Coleoptera, 66 Plecoptera, 28 Ephemeroptera, 3 Neuroptera, 2 Lepidoptera and 2 Odonata. The Mediterranean Basin was the region with the highest number of recently described species (74%). The richness of recently described species per spatial unit across Europe was highest at mid‐elevation areas (between 400 and 1000 m), latitudes between 40 and 50° and in areas with yearly average precipitation levels of 500–1000 mm, a medium intensity of sampling effort and low population density. The percentage of protected areas in each study unit was not significantly related to the richness of recently described species. In fact, 70% of the species were found outside protected areas. Main conclusions: The results highlight the urgent need to concentrate conservation efforts in freshwater ecosystems located at mid‐altitude areas and out of protected areas across the Mediterranean Basin. The highest number of newly described species in those areas indicates that further monitoring efforts are required to ensure the aquatic biodiversity is adequately known and managed within a context of growing human impacts in freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of high‐resolution distribution maps for freshwater species across large extents fundamentally challenges biodiversity conservation worldwide. We devised a simple framework to delineate the distributions of freshwater fishes in a high‐resolution drainage map based on stacked species distribution models and expert information. We applied this framework to the entire Chinese freshwater fish fauna (>1600 species) to examine high‐resolution biodiversity patterns and reveal potential conflicts between freshwater biodiversity and anthropogenic disturbances. The correlations between spatial patterns of biodiversity facets (species richness, endemicity, and phylogenetic diversity) were all significant (r = 0.43–0.98, p < 0.001). Areas with high values of different biodiversity facets overlapped with anthropogenic disturbances. Existing protected areas (PAs), covering 22% of China's territory, protected 25–29% of fish habitats, 16–23% of species, and 30–31% of priority conservation areas. Moreover, 6–21% of the species were completely unprotected. These results suggest the need for extending the network of PAs to ensure the conservation of China's freshwater fishes and the goods and services they provide. Specifically, middle to low reaches of large rivers and their associated lakes from northeast to southwest China hosted the most diverse species assemblages and thus should be the target of future expansions of the network of PAs. More generally, our framework, which can be used to draw high‐resolution freshwater biodiversity maps combining species occurrence data and expert knowledge on species distribution, provides an efficient way to design PAs regardless of the ecosystem, taxonomic group, or region considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi are highly diverse organisms, which provide multiple ecosystem services. However, compared with charismatic animals and plants, the distribution patterns and conservation needs of fungi have been little explored. Here, we examined endemicity patterns, global change vulnerability and conservation priority areas for functional groups of soil fungi based on six global surveys using a high‐resolution, long‐read metabarcoding approach. We found that the endemicity of all fungi and most functional groups peaks in tropical habitats, including Amazonia, Yucatan, West‐Central Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Caledonia, with a negligible island effect compared with plants and animals. We also found that fungi are predominantly vulnerable to drought, heat and land‐cover change, particularly in dry tropical regions with high human population density. Fungal conservation areas of highest priority include herbaceous wetlands, tropical forests, and woodlands. We stress that more attention should be focused on the conservation of fungi, especially root symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi in tropical regions as well as unicellular early‐diverging groups and macrofungi in general. Given the low overlap between the endemicity of fungi and macroorganisms, but high conservation needs in both groups, detailed analyses on distribution and conservation requirements are warranted for other microorganisms and soil organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree diversity in Asia's tropical and subtropical forests is central to nature‐based solutions. Species vulnerability to multiple threats, which affect provision of ecosystem services, is poorly understood. We conducted a region‐wide, spatially explicit assessment of the vulnerability of 63 socioeconomically important tree species to overexploitation, fire, overgrazing, habitat conversion, and climate change. Trees were selected for assessment from national priority lists, and selections were validated by an expert network representing 20 countries. We used Maxent suitability modeling to predict species distribution ranges, freely accessible spatial data sets to map threat exposures, and functional traits to estimate threat sensitivities. Species‐specific vulnerability maps were created as the product of exposure maps and sensitivity estimates. Based on vulnerability to current threats and climate change, we identified priority areas for conservation and restoration. Overall, 74% of the most important areas for conservation of these trees fell outside protected areas, and all species were severely threatened across an average of 47% of their native ranges. The most imminent threats were overexploitation and habitat conversion; populations were severely threatened by these factors in an average of 24% and 16% of their ranges, respectively. Our model predicted limited overall climate change impacts, although some study species were likely to lose over 15% of their habitat by 2050 due to climate change. We pinpointed specific natural areas in Borneo rain forests as hotspots for in situ conservation of forest genetic resources, more than 82% of which fell outside designated protected areas. We also identified degraded areas in Western Ghats, Indochina dry forests, and Sumatran rain forests as hotspots for restoration, where planting or assisted natural regeneration will help conserve these species, and croplands in southern India and Thailand as potentially important agroforestry options. Our results highlight the need for regionally coordinated action for effective conservation and restoration. Article impact statement: There are specific forest areas and degraded lands in Indonesia and Malaysia that are hotspots for tree species conservation and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chondrichthyan fishes are ecologically and economically important, yet many are overfished or at elevated risk of extinction. Researchers report a desire to perform policy‐relevant science that can generate data in support of effective conservation and management plans, but also report a lack of clarity about how to most effectively to do that. To address this gap, we created a list of research and policy priorities for chondrichthyan species of conservation concern in US waters using a modified expert solicitation horizon scan approach. Thirty‐five policy‐relevant research priorities and twenty‐seven policy priorities are presented here, a list which can help to guide scientists and conservationists to maximize the effectiveness of their research and policy advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IUCN Red List plays a key role in setting global conservation priorities and is populated via rigorous, time‐intensive assessments. Here, we test rapid preliminary assessments of plant extinction risk using one Red List metric: Extent of Occurrence (EOO). We developed REBA (Rapid EOO‐Based Assessment) to harvest and clean data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, calculate each species' EOO and assign EOO‐based Red List categories. We validated REBA classifications against 1671 North American plant species already on the Red List and found ~87% overlap between REBA's classifications and the IUCN's. However, REBA's false‐negative rate for species outside the Least Concern category was substantial (~68%). To elucidate factors that might drive such a high rate of under‐classification, we used hierarchical Bayesian models to show that certain plant types (e.g., Geophytes) and threats (e.g., Invasive and Other Problematic Species, Genes, and Diseases) increased the probability of under‐classification. While REBA requires further refinement, it has yielded valuable insight into how preliminary assessment methodologies may become more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and land‐cover changes are major threats to biodiversity, and their impacts are expected to intensify in the future. Protected areas (PAs) are crucial for biodiversity conservation. However, their effectiveness under future climate and land‐cover changes remains to be evaluated. Moreover, the impacts of climate and land‐cover changes on multi‐dimensions of biodiversity are rarely considered when expanding PAs.Using distributions of 8,732 woody species in China and species distribution models, we identified species that will be threatened by future climate and land‐cover changes (i.e. species with significant projected loss of suitable habitats by the 2070s) under different dispersal scenarios. We then estimated the geographical patterns in species richness (SR) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of threatened species, evaluated the effectiveness (i.e. the changes in SR and PD) of Chinese PAs and identified conservation priorities for future PA expansion.Approximately 12%–38% of woody species will be threatened under different scenarios. These species tend to be clustered in the tree of life, and their SR and PD show consistent spatial patterns, being highest at low latitudes. PAs currently protect 90% of threatened species. However, their SR and PD of threatened species within PAs will decrease by 30%–40% by the 2070s, which reduces the PA effectiveness, especially for PAs at low elevations and those with low topographic heterogeneity and high natural vegetation loss.The conservation priorities identified from the SR and PD of the threatened species are mainly in mountains in southern China, the Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau and Taiwan Island. PA expansion and ecological corridors in these regions are needed to conserve threatened species.Synthesis and applications. We present a systematic study of the impacts of future climate and land‐cover changes on the conservation status of woody species and PA effectiveness in China. Our results suggest that future climate and land‐cover changes will reduce PA effectiveness, and the spatial prioritization of biodiversity conservation should consider the influences of future global changes on biodiversity. These results shed new light on the conservation priorities for the post‐2020 expansion of PAs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing species extinctions and expanding protected areas are key goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). To meet these goals, nations should assure a minimum protection of all ecoregions (Target 11) and preserve the most threatened species (Target 12). While the total extent of marine protected areas (MPAs) in Brazil has increased sharply, little is known about MPAs' capacity in representing the country´s commitments for global conservation goals. Here, we evaluated how well the current system of MPAs represents the geographic range of 118 threatened marine vertebrate species and the eight marine ecoregions in Brazil. We also investigated where unprotected or poorly protected species are concentrated, and whether existing MPAs are prioritizing the species most at risk. Results revealed that half of marine ecoregions have <10% of their area under protection, and therefore that Brazil has failed to meet CBD Aichi Target 11. About 3% of the threatened marine vertebrates remain completely unprotected by MPAs, and most (88.1%) species have less than 10% of their ranges covered by no‐take MPAs. Moreover, coverage provided by MPAs is strongly biased toward species under low threat levels. Our mapping of current conservation gaps highlights where establishing new MPAs could improve the protection of imperilled species and contribute to achieve global conservation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial prioritization is a critical step in conservation planning, a process designed to ensure that limited resources are applied in ways that deliver the highest possible returns for biodiversity and human wellbeing. In practice, many spatial prioritizations fall short of their potential by focusing on places rather than actions, and by using data of snapshots of assets or threats rather than estimated impacts. We introduce spatial action mapping as an approach that overcomes these shortfalls. This approach produces a spatially explicit view of where and how much a given conservation action is likely to contribute to achieving stated conservation goals. Through seven case examples, we demonstrate simple to complex versions of how this method can be applied across local to global scales to inform decisions about a wide range of conservation actions and benefits. Spatial action mapping can support major improvements in efficient use of conservation resources and will reach its full potential as the quality of environmental, social, and economic datasets converge and conservation impact evaluations improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating harmful interactions with wildlife requires an understanding of the interactions between predators, domesticated animals and humans. Large‐scale transformations of crocodilian habitats across the Latin America and Caribbean region, alongside significant use of crocodilians as a resource, and retaliatory killing of crocodilians following (or to prevent) attacks on humans and their animals, are generating significant conservation challenges. This matters because this is the world's most biodiverse region for crocodilians. Because there is little information on specific situations across this vast and complex region, in 2018 we initiated a biannual questionnaire survey to establish a reporting network. In this article, we summarize the findings of surveys conducted in 2018 and 2020. We triangulate this feedback with croc attack data, and consultation with regional experts, to produce this very preliminary overview. We identify trends in negative human–crocodilian interactions at country level, the most reported causes of these, and identify the key species and regions of concern. We surveyed attitudes to management policies and responses to negative interactions including direct action and outreach activities. We acknowledge (and clarify) knowledge gaps, and motivate for improved regional cooperation with regard to policies and management (notably monitoring and evaluation) and data collection and sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Primary forests are critical for forest biodiversity and provide key ecosystem services. In Europe, these forests are particularly scarce and it is unclear whether they are sufficiently protected. Here we aim to: (a) understand whether extant primary forests are representative of the range of naturally occurring forest types, (b) identify forest types which host enough primary forest under strict protection to meet conservation targets and (c) highlight areas where restoration is needed and feasible. Location: Europe. Methods: We combined a unique geodatabase of primary forests with maps of forest cover, potential natural vegetation, biogeographic regions and protected areas to quantify the proportion of extant primary forest across Europe's forest types and to identify gaps in protection. Using spatial predictions of primary forest locations to account for underreporting of primary forests, we then highlighted areas where restoration could complement protection. Results: We found a substantial bias in primary forest distribution across forest types. Of the 54 forest types we assessed, six had no primary forest at all, and in two‐thirds of forest types, less than 1% of forest was primary. Even if generally protected, only ten forest types had more than half of their primary forests strictly protected. Protecting all documented primary forests requires expanding the protected area networks by 1,132 km2 (19,194 km2 when including also predicted primary forests). Encouragingly, large areas of non‐primary forest existed inside protected areas for most types, thus presenting restoration opportunities. Main conclusion: Europe's primary forests are in a perilous state, as also acknowledged by EU's "Biodiversity Strategy for 2030." Yet, there are considerable opportunities for ensuring better protection and restoring primary forest structure, composition and functioning, at least partially. We advocate integrated policy reforms that explicitly account for the irreplaceable nature of primary forests and ramp up protection and restoration efforts alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small‐scale fisheries may pose a serious threat to the conservation of marine mammals. At the same time various factors have led to the decline of small‐scale fisheries, often making them unsustainable. Current rates of biodiversity loss and the reduction of fish stocks and fisheries dictate a thorough understanding of fisheries‐related issues and the implementation of effective management actions.The Mediterranean monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth; its survival in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is threatened by negative interactions with fisheries. A nationwide questionnaire survey among fishers and port police authorities was carried out in Greece to describe the main characteristics of small‐scale fisheries, and to understand the nature and assess the magnitude of negative interactions between the monk seal and these fisheries. Questionnaire information was verified by a second round of interviews during landings.The main attributes of the fishers, their fishing boats, and their practices were characteristic of the small‐scale fisheries sector. Overfishing was considered the main reason for fish‐stock reduction, and negative interactions with marine mammals was considered the main issue for the fishing sector.Monk seals were present, caused damage, and got accidentally entangled in fishing gear throughout Greece. Damage to fishing gear was recorded mainly during spring and summer, and on average affected 21% of all fishing trips and 1% of nets deployed during a fishing trip.Based on these results, the implementation of general and specific nationwide fishery management and conservation actions are proposed. These actions are mainly aimed at improving fish stock status, changing the behaviour of the fishers, and mitigating seal–fishery interactions in Greece, while promoting the recovery of the Mediterranean monk seal in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a landscape becomes increasingly fragmented through habitat loss, the individual patches become smaller and more isolated and thus less likely to sustain a local population. Metapopulation theory is appropriate for analyzing fragmented landscapes because it combines empirical landscape features with species‐specific information to produce direct information on population extinction risks. This approach contrasts with descriptions of habitat fragments, which provide only indirect information on risk. Combining a spatially explicit metapopulation model with empirical data on endemic species' ranges and maps of habitat cover, we calculated the metapopulation capacity—a measure of a landscape's ability to sustain a metapopulation. Mangroves provide an ideal model landscape because they are of conservation concern and their patch boundaries are easily delineated. For 2000–20015, we calculated global metapopulation capacity for 99 metapopulations of 32 different bird species endemic to mangroves. Northern Australia and Southeast Asia had the highest richness of mangrove endemic birds. The Caribbean, Pacific coast of Central America, Madagascar, Borneo, and isolated patches in Southeast Asia in Myanmar and Malaysia had the highest metapopulation losses. Regions with the highest loss of habitat area were not necessarily those with the highest loss of metapopulation capacity. Often, it was not a matter of how much, but how the habitat was lost. Our method can be used by managers to evaluate and prioritize a landscape for metapopulation persistence. Article impact statement: Application of metapopulation theory shows where area of habitat loss is highest; metapopulation capacity is not necessarily also the highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human‐induced impacts such as climate change and habitat alterations, coupled with limits on funding, have forced conservation actions into a mode of triage. Although no current method has been agreed upon as the best approach to select species for conservation, many studies have demonstrated the utility of incorporating phylogenetic diversity into these decisions. In many cases, degree of phylogenetic relatedness is thought to provide a measure of functional diversity, and greater phylogenetic distinctiveness is likely linked to ecosystem stability. Despite recent debate over the validity of this notion, phylogenetic information remains an important factor to consider in evaluating species and regions for conservation attention. Emberizoidea is a large radiation of 830 species, representing roughly 17% of all songbirds and 8% of all birds. Species in this clade are found throughout the Americas and occur in all terrestrial biomes in the region. The large distribution of this clade, coupled with its morphological and ecological diversity, makes it an important radiation to study from an evolutionary and conservation perspective. This study provides conservation priorities for all species in Emberizoidea using evolutionary distinctiveness (ED) and Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) values from a pseudoposterior distribution of time‐calibrated supertrees. We found that threat level is not correlated with degree of ED, indicating that the most threatened species do not represent a disproportionate amount of ED. In addition, threatened species are slightly clustered across the phylogeny, indicating similar threats may be affecting groups of closely related species such as island radiations or geographically restricted radiations in highly disturbed regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing how much biodiversity is captured by protected areas (PAs) is important to meeting country commitments to international conservation agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, and analyzing gaps in species coverage by PAs contributes greatly to improved locating of new PAs and conservation of species. Regardless of their importance, global gap analyses have been conducted only for a few taxonomic groups (e.g., mangroves, corals, amphibians, birds, mammals). We conducted the first global gap analysis for a complete specious plant group, the highly threatened Cactaceae. Using geographic distribution data of 1438 cactus species, we assessed how well the current PA network represents them. We also systematically identified priority areas for conservation of cactus species that met and failed to meet conservation targets accounting for their conservation status. There were 261 species with no coverage by PAs (gap species). A greater percentage of cacti species (18%) lacked protection than mammals (9.7%) and birds (5.6%), and also a greater percentage of threatened cacti species (32%) were outside protected areas than amphibians (26.5%), birds (19.9%), or mammals (16%). The top 17% of the landscape that best captured covered species represented on average 52.9% of species ranges. The priority areas for gap species and the unprotected portion of the ranges of species that only partially met their conservation target (i.e., partial gap) captured on average 75.2% of their ranges, of which 100 were threatened gap species. These findings and knowledge of the threats affecting species provide information that can be used to improve planning for cacti conservation and highlight the importance of assessing the representation of major groups, such as plants, in PAs to determining the performance of the current PA network. Article impact statement: A higher percentage of cacti lacked protection than birds or mammals, and a higher percentage of threatened cacti are outside protected areas than amphibians, birds, or mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flora of the hot deserts: emerging patterns from phylogeny-based diversity studies Keywords: arid environments; Australia; California; Chile; complementarity; conservation priorities; neoendemism; option value; phylogenetic diversity; phylogenetic endemism EN arid environments Australia California Chile complementarity conservation priorities neoendemism option value phylogenetic diversity phylogenetic endemism 1467 1469 3 12/02/20 20201101 NES 201101 Relatively recent increases in molecular and geographic data for many taxa in different areas of the world have provided scientists with tools to evaluate biodiversity using evolutionary or phylogeny-based indices (reviewed by Laffan, 2018). An area with more taxa in short branches and/or clustered in the tree of life (A) will have lower PD than areas in which taxa are in long branches and/or spread in the tree of life (B). Tropical regions in the world constitute most of the biodiversity hotspots (Myers et al., 2000), and only 1.82% of hotspots correspond to arid zones (Olson et al., 2001), leaving deserts underprioritized in national and international biodiversity conservation strategies. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: The effectiveness of biodiversity conservation projects is influenced by socio‐political context, a reality overlooked by traditional prioritization schemes that use only measures of biological value and threat when deciding where to invest limited conservation resources. We combined ecological and socio‐political criteria to illuminate options for prioritizing investment in African wild dog Lycaon pictus conservation among countries and subpopulations. Countries and subpopulations were assigned scores for conservation priority (based on their wild dog populations) and conservation likelihood (based on their governance quality and other indicators of the likelihood of effective conservation action for wild dogs). Seven of the 19 wild dog countries scored above the median value for both priority and likelihood and supported 74% of the total wild dog population. Investment in these ‘higher priority, higher likelihood’ countries may offer the greatest returns on conservation investment. The intention of this study is not, however, to be prescriptive, nor to suggest abandoning disadvantaged countries, but to provide a tool for understanding and managing trade‐offs between where conservation is most needed for wild dogs and where it is most feasible. The prioritization framework presented in this paper may easily and profitably be applied to other taxa, extending the scope of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Carbon storage in forests and its ability to offset global greenhouse gas emissions, as well as biodiversity and its capacity to support ecosystem functions and services, are often considered separately in landscape planning. However, the potential synergies between them are currently poorly understood. Identifying the spatial patterns and factors driving their co‐occurrence across different climatic zones is critical to more effectively conserve forest ecosystems at the regional level. Here, we integrated information of National Forest Inventories and Breeding Bird Atlases across Europe and North America (Spain and Quebec, respectively), covering five subclimates (steppe, dry Mediterranean, humid Mediterranean, boreal, and temperate). In particular, this study aimed to (1) determine the spatial patterns of both forest carbon stocks and biodiversity (bird richness, tree richness, and overall biodiversity) and the factors that influence them; (2) establish the relationships between forest carbon stocks and biodiversity; and (3) define and characterize the areas of high (hotspots) and low (coldspots) values of carbon and biodiversity, and ultimately quantify their spatial overlap. Our results show that the factors affecting carbon and biodiversity vary between regions and subclimates. The highest values of carbon and biodiversity were found in northern Spain (humid Mediterranean subclimate) and southern Quebec (temperate subclimate) where there was more carbon as climate conditions were less limiting. High density and structural diversity simultaneously favored carbon stocks, tree, and overall biodiversity, especially in isolated and mountainous areas, often associated with steeper slopes and low accessibility. In addition, the relationship between carbon stocks and biodiversity was positive in both regions and all subclimates, being stronger where climate is a limiting factor for forest growth. The spatial overlap between hotspots of carbon and biodiversity provides an excellent opportunity for landscape planning to maintain carbon stocks and conserve biodiversity. The variables positively affecting carbon and biodiversity were also driving the hotspots of both carbon and biodiversity, emphasizing the viability of “win‐win” solutions. Our results highlight the need to jointly determine the spatial patterns of ecosystem services and biodiversity for an effective and sustainable planning of forest landscapes that simultaneously support conservation and mitigate climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Alpine and Arctic species are considered to be particularly vulnerable to climate change, which is expected to cause habitat loss, fragmentation and—ultimately—extinction of cold‐adapted species. However, the impact of climate change on glacial relict populations is not well understood, and specific recommendations for adaptive conservation management are lacking. We focused on the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) as a model species and modelled species distribution in combination with patch and landscape‐based connectivity metrics. They were derived from graph‐theory models to quantify changes in species distribution and to estimate the current and future importance of habitat patches for overall population connectivity. Models were calibrated based on 1,046 locations of species presence distributed across three biogeographic regions in the Swiss Alps and extrapolated according to two IPCC scenarios of climate change (RCP 4.5 & 8.5), each represented by three downscaled global climate models. The models predicted an average habitat loss of 35% (22%–55%) by 2100, mainly due to an increase in temperature during the reproductive season. An increase in habitat fragmentation was reflected in a 43% decrease in patch size, a 17% increase in the number of habitat patches and a 34% increase in inter‐patch distance. However, the predicted changes in habitat availability and connectivity varied considerably between biogeographic regions: Whereas the greatest habitat losses with an increase in inter‐patch distance were predicted at the southern and northern edges of the species’ Alpine distribution, the greatest increase in patch number and decrease in patch size is expected in the central Swiss Alps. Finally, both the number of isolated habitat patches and the number of patches crucial for maintaining the habitat network increased under the different variants of climate change. Focusing conservation action on the central Swiss Alps may help mitigate the predicted effects of climate change on population connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Areas hosting hotspots of low‐latitude marginal populations of cold‐adapted plant species could be key areas for understanding geographical attributes that result in refugia during climatic shifts as well as the conservation of genetic diversity in the face of climate change. Low‐latitude populations of cold‐adapted plants are important because they may harbour the combination of alleles that foster persistence in a warmer climate. Consequently, identification of areas where arctic‐alpine, circumpolar and circumboreal species reach the low‐latitude ends of their distribution will present a unique opportunity to uncover processes that shaped current biogeographical patterns, as well as prepare for future scenarios. Here, we identify 35 main marginal population hotspots (19 and 16 areas in North America and Europe, respectively) of 183 plant taxa. These hotspots represent areas where southern marginal populations of cold‐adapted species co‐occur. The identification of hotspots was based on geographic overlap of southernmost locations of the target species, in a 50 × 50 km grid. With a threshold of two species in a single grid cell or in two contiguous cells, the analysis revealed that hotspots are in most cases located in the southern portion of major mountain chains. However, hotspots also occur in lowland areas at high latitudes (Fennoscandia, Alaska, Hudson Bay) which do not necessarily correspond to known cold‐ or warm‐stage refugia (e.g. Alps). Rockies and Sierra Nevada both in California and Spain, Apennines, and the southern Scandes, maintain their hotspot status even with more stringent cut‐off thresholds (>3 and >5 species per cell group). From a conservation point of view, our analysis reveals that only a small portion of the hotspots are currently included within protected areas. We discuss the importance of marginal population hotspots to future research on climate change and, finally, outline how conservation strategies can capitalize on the knowledge gained from studying climate change effects on cold‐adapted plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat connectivity is a major concern in biodiversity conservation. Network analysis provides efficient tools for assessing landscape connectivity and identifying priority areas for protection. Widespread approaches consist of ranking individual habitat patches by their importance for connectivity. However, depending on the spatial arrangement of patches, and on the complementarity or redundancies between different patches in the network, the group of patches that together best contribute to connectivity may differ from the top individual patches., Here we apply individual ranking (single-node) and group prioritization (multi-node) methods to identify key patches in the habitat network of 20 bird species in Catalonia, Spain. We compare single-node evaluation using the landscape index probability of connectivity ( PC) and two multi-node evaluations that focus on two different aspects of connectivity: reachability and fragmentation. We quantify how well the species' habitats and key patches are covered by the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, as given by all three methods. We discuss some species-specific differences between results, and general, multi-species solutions., The key patches for reachability were widely scattered, while patches that best prevented fragmentation were concentrated in core areas. Key patches according to single-node PC were in intermediate position, although more similar to the fragmentation patches. The patches that minimized fragmentation were highlighted as more crucial for low-mobility species, while reachability patches scored higher for long-distance dispersers. For most species, the key patches were not better protected than total habitat. We identify two main areas that concentrate priority patches for all the studied species (including the endangered Neophron percnopterus) and offer suggestions for the potential improvement of the Natura 2000 network., Our work provides a significant step towards the inclusion of multi-node prioritization in landscape network analysis. The concept of multi-node reachability, especially, provides an additional viewpoint to the assessment of connectivity. The multi-patch algorithm we applied optimizes efficiency, overcoming computational limits associated with the high number of combinations that potentially arise in multi-node analysis. We believe that a combination of multi-node evaluations and PC has the potential to increase the realism and applicability of landscape network analysis for biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have explored the value of using more sophisticated coastal impact models and higher resolution elevation data in sea-level rise ( SLR) adaptation planning. However, we know little about to what extent the improved models and data could actually lead to better conservation outcomes under SLR. This is important to know because high-resolution data are likely to not be available in some data-poor coastal areas in the world and running more complicated coastal impact models is relatively time-consuming, expensive, and requires assistance by qualified experts and technicians. We address this research question in the context of identifying conservation priorities in response to SLR. Specifically, we investigated the conservation value of using more accurate light detection and ranging (Lidar)-based digital elevation data and process-based coastal land-cover change models (Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model, SLAMM) to identify conservation priorities versus simple 'bathtub' models based on the relatively coarse National Elevation Dataset ( NED) in a coastal region of northeast Florida. We compared conservation outcomes identified by reserve design software (Zonation) using three different model dataset combinations (Bathtub- NED, Bathtub-Lidar, and SLAMM-Lidar). The comparisons show that the conservation priorities are significantly different with different combinations of coastal impact models and elevation dataset inputs. The research suggests that it is valuable to invest in more accurate coastal impact models and elevation datasets in SLR adaptive conservation planning because this model-dataset combination could improve conservation outcomes under SLR. Less accurate coastal impact models, including ones created using coarser Digital Elevation Model ( DEM) data can still be useful when better data and models are not available or feasible, but results need to be appropriately assessed and communicated. A future research priority is to investigate how conservation priorities may vary among different SLR scenarios when different combinations of model-data inputs are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question Rare and threatened species are a common focus of natural area protection, but selecting sites to protect them must be balanced against other conservation objectives. Using a series of wetlands as a case study, we ask: (i) will protecting sites based on species rarity capture all critical community types; (ii) do rare plant species occur in rare environments; and (iii) will safeguarding large wetlands protect taxonomic and functional richness of rare and threatened species? Location Southern New Zealand. Methods We used lists of vascular plant species from 118 wetlands (66 fens, 35 bogs and 17 marshes). The resulting species lists included 29 rare and threatened species. Nine functional attributes of the rare and threatened species were compiled. Species assemblages were ordinated using non-metric multidimensional scaling. Permutational multivariate ANOVA tested for a difference in assemblages between wetlands with or without rare and threatened species. Wetlands were classified according to a rare environment scheme. SLOSS (single-large-or-several-small) accumulation curves determined whether species and functional richness of rare and threatened species were best captured by groups of small or large wetlands. Results Wetlands with rare and threatened species supported species assemblages, which were different from those without rare or threatened plant species. Rare and threatened species were not associated with rare environments. The presence or richness of rare and threatened species was not associated with wetland size. SLOSS analyses revealed that small wetlands were critical for capturing rare and threatened species and their functional richness. Conclusions Prioritizing wetlands with rare and threatened plant species will not meet other conservation objectives, such as the preservation of all critical community types, rare environments or large wetlands. Networks of small wetlands will be necessary to safeguard rare and threatened plant species. Complementary objectives targeted at wetlands of varying size will be necessary to protect the full range of biodiversity and ecosystem services that wetlands offer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Conservation priorities need to take the feasibility of protection measures into account. In times of economic pressure it is essential to identify the 'low-hanging fruit' for conservation: areas where human impacts are lower and biological diversity is still high, and thus conservation is more feasible. Location We used the Mediterranean large marine ecosystem ( LME) as a case study to identify the overlapping areas of low threats and high diversity of vertebrate species at risk. Methods This LME is the first in the world to have a complete regional IUCN Red List assessment of the native marine fish. We augmented these data with distributions of marine mammals, marine turtles and seabirds at risk, and we calculated the spatial distributions of species at risk ( IUCN densities). Using cumulative threats we identified 'priority areas for conservation of species at risk' ( PACS), where IUCN diversities are high and threats are low. We assessed whether IUCN diversities and PACS were spatially congruent among taxa and we quantified whether PACS corresponded to current and proposed protected areas. Results IUCN densities and PACS were not highly correlated spatially among taxa. Continental shelves and deep-sea slopes of the Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean and Tunisian Plateau/ Gulf of Sidra are identified as relevant for fish species at risk. The eastern side of the western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea are identified as most relevant for endemic fish, and shelf and open sea areas distributed through the LME are most important for marine mammals and turtles at risk, while specific locations of the western Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean and Levantine seas are highlighted for seabirds. Main conclusions Large parts of the areas of PACS fell outside current or proposed frameworks to be prioritized for conservation. PACS may be suitable candidates for contributing to the 10% protection target for the Mediterranean Sea by 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Species distribution modelling ( SDM) is commonly used to predict spatial patterns of biodiversity across sets of taxa with sufficient distributional records, while omitting narrow-ranging species due to statistical constraints. We investigate the implications of this dichotomy for conservation priority setting in Africa, now and in the future. Location Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding islands). Methods We use multivariate ordination to characterize climatic niches of 733 African amphibians, distinguishing between species eligible for large-scale correlative SDM (≥ 10 records at 1° resolution) and those omitted due to insufficient records. Species distributions are projected under current and future climates using simple niche envelopes. Empirical priorities are derived separately on the eligible and omitted sets and compared with three existing large-scale conservation schemes. Results Of the 733 amphibian species, 400 have too few records for correlative SDM, including 92% of those threatened with extinction ( VU/ EN/ CR). Omitted species typically occupy topographically complex areas with cooler, wetter and less seasonal climates, which are projected to experience lower rates of climatic change. Priorities derived from omitted species have greater congruence with existing conservation schemes. Under future climate, priorities for eligible species shift towards those for omitted species. Similarly, while omitted species often lose climate space at 1° resolution, persistent populations tend to coincide with existing conservation schemes. Main conclusions Under current climate, statistical restrictions on SDM systematically downplay important sites for narrow-ranging and threatened species. This issue spans taxonomic groups and is only partially mitigated by modelling at finer scales. Effective biodiversity conservation, now and in the future, relies on our capacity to project geographic determinants of all species, and thus, a wider range of approaches is essential. We conclude, however, that future persistence among narrow- and wide-ranging species alike will be highest within sites already identified for conservation investment and that the focus on these sites ought to be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecuador has the largest number of species by area worldwide, but also a low representation of species within its protected areas. Here, we applied systematic conservation planning to identify potential areas for conservation in continental Ecuador, with the aim of increasing the representation of terrestrial species diversity in the protected area network. We selected 809 terrestrial species (amphibians, birds, mammals, and plants), for which distributions were estimated via species distribution models (SDMs), using Maxent. For each species we established conservation goals based on conservation priorities, and estimated new potential protected areas using Marxan conservation planning software. For each selected area, we determined their conservation priority and feasibility of establishment, two important aspects in the decision-making processes. We found that according to our conservation goals, the current protected area network contains large conservation gaps. Potential areas for conservation almost double the surface area of currently protected areas. Most of the newly proposed areas are located in the Coast, a region with large conservation gaps and irreversible changes in land use. The most feasible areas for conservation were found in the Amazon and Andes regions, which encompass more undisturbed habitats, and already harbor most of the current reserves. Our study allows defining a viable strategy for preserving Ecuador's biodiversity, by combining SDMs, GIS-based decision-support software, and priority and feasibility assessments of the selected areas. This approach is useful for complementing protected area networks in countries with great biodiversity, insufficient biological information, and limited resources for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Climate warming and land use change represent a major challenge for both species and conservation managers. Temporally and spatially explicit projections of the future distribution of species have been extensively developed to support decision-making in conservation. The aim of this study was to move beyond the simple projections of likely impacts of global change to identify the most vulnerable species. We suggest an original vulnerability index that integrates estimations of projected range change and different proxies of species resilience in a quantitative way. The proposed index is generally applicable, completely quantitative, and it allows ranking species so as to prioritize conservation actions. Location We illustrate the applicability of the vulnerability index using breeding birds in Switzerland as an example of conservation target. Methods The vulnerability index relies on five indicators quantifying different aspects of the projected change in distributional area, the reservoirs available for the species and their recent population trend. Species distribution was modelled using three different techniques (GAM, MARS and BRT) and then projected for 2050 and 2100 according to two different IPCC scenarios of climate change coupled with two regional land use scenarios to represent different magnitudes of the stressors and the range of possible outcomes. Results According to the different contributions of the base indicators, different patterns of vulnerability can be distinguished. In Switzerland, breeding birds inhabiting coniferous woodlands, alpine habitats and wetlands have significantly higher vulnerability to climate and land use change than species in other habitats. Main conclusions The proposed vulnerability index represents an early warning system as it identifies species that are currently not threatened, but are very likely to become so. As such, it complements the assessment of risk of species' extinction based on the Red List and on their international importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Rare aquatic species are a substantial component of biodiversity, and their conservation is a major objective of many management plans. However, they are difficult to assess, and their optimal habitats are often poorly known. Methods to effectively predict the likely locations of suitable rare aquatic species habitats are needed. We combine two modelling approaches to predict occurrence and general abundance of several rare fish species. Location Allegheny watershed of western New York State (USA) Methods Our method used two empirical neural network modelling approaches (species specific and assemblage based) to predict stream-by-stream occurrence and general abundance of rare darters, based on broad-scale habitat conditions. Species-specific models were developed for longhead darter ( Percina macrocephala), spotted darter ( Etheostoma maculatum) and variegate darter ( Etheostoma variatum) in the Allegheny drainage. An additional model predicted the type of rare darter-containing assemblage expected in each stream reach. Predictions from both models were then combined inclusively and exclusively and compared with additional independent data. Results Example rare darter predictions demonstrate the method's effectiveness. Models performed well ( R2 ≥ 0.79), identified where suitable darter habitat was most likely to occur, and predictions matched well to those of collection sites. Additional independent data showed that the most conservative (exclusive) model slightly underestimated the distributions of these rare darters or predictions were displaced by one stream reach, suggesting that new darter habitat types were detected in the later collections. Main conclusions Broad-scale habitat variables can be used to effectively identify rare species' habitats. Combining species-specific and assemblage-based models enhances our ability to make use of the sparse data on rare species and to identify habitat units most likely and least likely to support those species. This hybrid approach may assist managers with the prioritization of habitats to be examined or conserved for rare species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea-level rise ( SLR) due to global warming will result in the loss of many coastal areas. The direct or primary effects due to inundation and erosion from SLR are currently being assessed; however, the indirect or secondary ecological effects, such as changes caused by the displacement of human populations, have not been previously evaluated. We examined the potential ecological consequences of future SLR on >1,200 islands in the Southeast Asian and the Pacific region. Using three SLR scenarios (1, 3, and 6 m elevation, where 1 m approximates most predictions by the end of this century), we assessed the consequences of primary and secondary SLR effects from human displacement on habitat availability and distributions of selected mammal species. We estimate that between 3-32% of the coastal zone of these islands could be lost from primary effects, and consequently 8-52 million people would become SLR refugees. Assuming that inundated urban and intensive agricultural areas will be relocated with an equal area of habitat loss in the hinterland, we project that secondary SLR effects can lead to an equal or even higher percent range loss than primary effects for at least 10-18% of the sample mammals in a moderate range loss scenario and for 22-46% in a maximum range loss scenario. In addition, we found some species to be more vulnerable to secondary than primary effects. Finally, we found high spatial variation in vulnerability: species on islands in Oceania are more vulnerable to primary SLR effects, whereas species on islands in Indo-Malaysia, with potentially 7-48 million SLR refugees, are more vulnerable to secondary effects. Our findings show that primary and secondary SLR effects can have enormous consequences for human inhabitants and island biodiversity, and that both need to be incorporated into ecological risk assessment, conservation, and regional planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Comprehensive maps of regional biodiversity are so far lacking for tropical insects. However, such data would be relevant to guide implementations of conservation areas. Using geometrid moths of Borneo as a case study, we show how insect biodiversity data can be made available for regional conservation planning. 2. We used a predictive modelling approach to a large data set on local geometrid moth samples from Borneo. We explained substantial amounts of data variance for response variables, such as local diversity, diversity of endemics, and assemblage uniqueness with predictor variables, such as precipitation, temperature, elevation and forest disturbance. We extrapolated our model to gridded data of environmental conditions across the island. 3.We retrieved highly intuitive maps of the various aspects of biodiversity.We calculated a consensus map of conservation priorities from mean values of our predictions for the various biodiversity aspects. Using a classification framework based on means and standard deviations of grid cell values, we defined ca. 17% of Borneo's area as having high, and ca. 5%as having very high priority. Most of these were situated in the adjoining highland areas of Sarawak, Sabah and East Kalimantan. We suggest priorities for future work. 4. With this study, we exemplify how spatially scattered field data on invertebrates can be utilised for research and conservation. Furthermore, we provide information that may help guide the implementation of a proposed international nature reserve, the Heart of Borneo initiative. Model output is available in Geographic Information System-compatible format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A century ago, tigers ( Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) were so common in parts of Southeast Asia as to be considered pests, and governments sponsored their killing. Habitat loss and fragmentation, market-driven poaching and loss of prey have since led to the disappearance of Indochinese tigers from most their former range. Despite 15 years of dedicated tiger conservation funding, national estimates of Indochinese tiger subpopulations can at best only be roughly approximated. The future for the subspecies appears grim unless very focused efforts can be applied to stabilize and recover subpopulations. On a regional scale, the 2 proposed subspecies Panthera tigris corbetti and P. tigris jacksoni are effectively managed as separate conservation units. Evaluating where to place conservation efforts should consider the vulnerability (likelihood of extinction) and irreplaceability (likelihood that an area contributes uniquely to regional conservation) of tiger subpopulations. Only 1 site in Thailand supporting <200 individuals (Huai Kha Khaeng-Thung Yai) is considered low vulnerability, and is irreplaceable. Five sites in Lao, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia are medium vulnerability and irreplaceable. Priorities at these 6 sites are to double tiger numbers within 10 years through protection and monitoring. Seven sites in Lao, Thailand and Myanmar are high vulnerability and irreplaceable, and might be recovered if government commitment to tigers, staff capacity and legal frameworks for tiger protection are established. Tigers are extremely vulnerable or even extinct in Cambodia's Eastern Plains and the site is irreplaceable for tigers because it represents the only large (>10 000 km) block of dry forest habitat available in the region. A reintroduction program is the only option to recover tigers there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of primates to the seed rain in tropical forests has been long recognized, and there is evidence that these services are not compensated for by other frugivores in the event of primate extirpations. Given the vulnerability of large rainforest frugivores to hunting and the crisis dimensions that commercial hunting is taking in much of tropical Africa, studies on the seed handling of terrestrial cercopithecine primates are especially timely and needed in order to understand their role in maintaining plant community dynamics. Unlike arboreal species, terrestrial primates handle seeds at the post-dispersal stage of fruits and their populations are among the first to decline due to hunting pressure. We analyzed, for the first time, the year-round seed handling of the drill Mandrillus leucophaeus, an endangered terrestrial primate, by examining feeding remains and feces collected over 3284 km of patrols in Korup National Park, Cameroon. Drills defecated intact 110 seeds of diverse plant, fruit and seed traits primarily during periods of fruit abundance, and increased their seed predation during the pronounced fruit-scarce dry season. Considering the drill's diverse fruit diet, ground foraging, long day ranges and seed handling, we suggest that forest-dwelling terrestrial cercopithecines differ in their impact on seed deposition patterns compared with sympatric arboreal primates. Our findings emphasize the need to better assess the impact of terrestrial cercopithecines on plant community dynamics in Africa, warn of potential ecological process disruptions in the event of their extirpation and make a case for rethinking primate conservation priorities so that they do not only reflect a species' dire population status but also the impact its loss would entail for the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following creation of the 2010 Biodiversity Target under the Convention on Biological Diversity and adoption of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, information on status and trends of biodiversity at the national level has become increasingly important to both science and policy. National red lists (NRLs) of threatened species may provide suitable data for reporting on progress toward these goals and for informing national conservation priority setting. This information will also become increasingly important for developing species- and ecosystem-based strategies for climate change adaptation. We conducted a thorough global review of NRLs in 109 countries and analyzed gaps in NRL coverage in terms of geography and taxonomy to determine priority regions and taxonomic groups for further investment. We then examined correlations between the NRL data set and gross domestic product (GDP) and vertebrate species richness. The largest geographic gap was in Oceania, followed by middle Africa, the Caribbean, and western Africa, whereas the largest taxonomic gaps were for invertebrates, fungi, and lichens. The comprehensiveness of NRL coverage within a given country was positively correlated with GDP and negatively correlated with total vertebrate richness and threatened vertebrate richness. This supports the assertion that regions with the greatest and most vulnerable biodiversity receive the least conservation attention and indicates that financial resources may be an integral limitation. To improve coverage of NRLs, we propose a combination of projects that target underrepresented taxa or regions and projects that provide the means for countries to create or update NRLs on their own. We recommend improvements in knowledge transfer within and across regions as a priority for future investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EDGE (evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered) conservation program ( ) uses a composite measure of threat and phylogenetic isolation to rank species for conservation attention. Using primates as a test case, we examined how species that rank highly with this metric represent the collective from which they are drawn. We considered the ecological and morphological traits, including body mass, diet, terrestriality, and home range size, of all 233 species of primates. Overall, EDGE score and the level of deviance from the mean of 20 different ecological, reproductive, and morphological variables were correlated (mean correlation r = 0.14, combined p = 1.7 × 10−14). Although primates with a high EDGE score had characteristics that made them seem odd, they did not seem to express more ancestral characteristics than expected. Sets of primate species with high EDGE scores will, therefore, collectively capture a broader than expected range of the biology of the clade. If similar patterns hold in other groups, the EDGE metric may be useful for prioritizing biodiversity for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public preferences are likely to play an important role in prioritizing species at risk for conservation. We conducted a survey of British Columbians (Canada) (n = 555, r = 73% ) to examine how the public ranks a species’ attributes (rather than named species) with respect to conservation priority. Endemism, defined as species only or mainly occurring in British Columbia or species occurring in British Columbia and nowhere else in Canada, was considered the most important among the measured attributes. This preference was strongest among men and among respondents who had completed postsecondary education. The preference for endemism is generally consistent with science-based federal listings of British Columbian species. This congruence between listing and public opinion is welcome if such congruence is considered important. We suggest that investigating how much the public values species’ attributes, as opposed to named species, provides a more efficient way of incorporating public opinion into policies on species at risk, especially if large numbers of species must be ranked for conservation priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developed nations intervened in conservation policy across Africa during the 20th century to address needs to protect species and biodiversity that were based on their own perceptions and priorities. In the 21st century, conservationists in Africa have revised these perceptions and begun the process of identifying conservation priorities from an African perspective and in consideration of Africans’ priorities. Although foreign conservation interveners struggled to identify mechanisms to which local people would respond, African conservationists are now demonstrating how to integrate the continent's unique socioeconomic circumstances into efforts to protect biodiversity. In Africa effective conservation policy must include the generation of wealth, reduction of disease and hunger, and support of traditional land-use practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative assessment of the spatial patterns of all human uses of the oceans and their cumulative effects is needed for implementing ecosystem-based management, marine protected areas, and ocean zoning. Here, we apply methods developed to map cumulative impacts globally to the California Current using more comprehensive and higher-quality data for 25 human activities and 19 marine ecosystems. This analysis indicates where protection and threat mitigation are most needed in the California Current and reveals that coastal ecosystems near high human population density and the continental shelves off Oregon and Washington are the most heavily impacted, climate change is the top threat, and impacts from multiple threats are ubiquitous. Remarkably, these results were highly spatially correlated with the global results for this region ( R2= 0.92), suggesting that the global model provides guidance to areas without local data or resources to conduct similar regional-scale analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation funds are grossly inadequate to address the plight of threatened species. Government and conservation organizations faced with the task of conserving threatened species desperately need simple strategies for allocating limited resources. The academic literature dedicated to systematic priority setting usually recommends ranking species on several criteria, including level of endangerment and metrics of species value such as evolutionary distinctiveness, ecological importance, and social significance. These approaches ignore 2 crucial factors: the cost of management and the likelihood that the management will succeed. These oversights will result in misallocation of scarce conservation resources and possibly unnecessary losses. We devised a project prioritization protocol (PPP) to optimize resource allocation among New Zealand's threatened-species projects, where costs, benefits (including species values), and the likelihood of management success were considered simultaneously. We compared the number of species managed and the expected benefits gained with 5 prioritization criteria: PPP with weightings based on species value; PPP with species weighted equally; management costs; species value; and threat status. We found that the rational use of cost and success information substantially increased the number of species managed, and prioritizing management projects according to species value or threat status in isolation was inefficient and resulted in fewer species managed. In addition, we found a clear trade-off between funding management of a greater number of the most cost-efficient and least risky projects and funding fewer projects to manage the species of higher value. Specifically, 11 of 32 species projects could be funded if projects were weighted by species value compared with 16 projects if projects were not weighted. This highlights the value of a transparent decision-making process, which enables a careful consideration of trade-offs. The use of PPP can substantially improve conservation outcomes for threatened species by increasing efficiency and ensuring transparency of management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a method with which to analyze a specie's response to chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD). We regressed density of individuals on the intensity of 3 disturbance agents (human activities, raising livestock, and land degradation) along CAD gradients to determine how much CAD is experienced by a species; whether species are ruderal (achieving maximum densities in disturbed sites); whether density declines as a result of CAD; which disturbance agents are responsible for this reduction; and the number of populations that decline as a result of CAD. We tested the method on 9 threatened Mammillaria species (Cactaceae). Seven species were ruderal. In 4 species, actual disturbance surpassed the CAD intensity in which plants achieved their maximum densities; thus, the density of those 4 species appeared to be declining. For 7 species, some populations were threatened by human activities or livestock, whereas others were favored by them. Land degradation negatively affected all species. Our results allowed us to distinguish 4 groups of species that had similar responses and thus may require different forms of management. Our method provided an estimation of the growth rate (λ) of the studied populations that was significantly correlated with λs obtained from demographic studies. The size structures of populations were consistent with the predictions of the analysis, which suggests our results are consistent and reliable. Disturbance–response analysis provides a basis for management in heavily populated areas, where conservation must be achieved along with development activities that cause CAD. The method provides readily interpretable information, which facilitates participative decision making; the data are rapidly generated, which makes it appropriate when results are required promptly or for assessment of large numbers of species; and it provides a comprehensive perception of how threatened species behave in the real world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To analyse the ecological patterns of distribution of the avifaunas of the Neotropical humid montane forests, by assessing the degree of habitat restriction among species through the calculation of a numerical index, analysing their relationships with adjacent habitat, and exploring the relative contribution of both higher and lower habitats in shaping the avian assemblages. Location The Neotropical humid montane forests, from Mexico to north-western Argentina. Methods The degree of species’ restriction to the habitat was calculated through a restriction index based on published endemicity indexes. The index scores range from 0 to 1: a score of 1 indicates a totally endemic species (i.e. fully restricted to the habitat); values tending to 0 indicate a widespread species. Results In Mesoamerica, completely restricted species represent a lower proportion of the total avifauna than in South American humid montane forests; whereas species shared to other habitats showed a higher proportion of the avifauna with affinities to higher altitude forests (e.g. pine and pine-oak forests). South America, on the other hand, holds assemblages with a high proportion of completely restricted species; species shared to other habitats showed a high proportion of taxa with affinities to lowland forests. Main conclusions The ecological distribution of the HMF's avifauna could be partitioned in three main components: the ecologically restricted avifauna, the high altitude species and, the lower altitude species, which are tightly associated to the floristic composition along the gradient. The history of formation of the HMF flora and the ecological distribution of different avian taxa suggest a common history. Finally, the restriction index allowed a detailed evaluation of the composition of avian assemblages, their degree of restriction to the habitat and of the affinities regarding adjacent habitats, as well as an accurate distinction between species richness and restricted species richness, which should be a fundamental step towards the establishment of conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Recent coarse-scale studies have shown positive relationships between the biodiversity of plants/vertebrates and the human population. Little is known about the generality of the pattern for invertebrates. Moreover, biodiversity and human population might correlate because they both covary with other factors such as energy availability and habitat heterogeneity. Here we test these two non-mutually exclusive mechanisms with ant species-richness data from the Fauna Europaea. Location Forty-three European countries/regions. Methods We derived mixed models of total, native and exotic ant species richness as a function of human population size/density, controlling for country area, plant species richness (as a proxy for habitat heterogeneity), and mean annual temperature and precipitation (variables related to energy availability). Results Ant species richness increased significantly with increasing human population. This result was confirmed when controlling for variations in country area. Both for human population size/density and for ant species richness, there were positive correlations with temperature but not with precipitation. This finding is in agreement with the energy-availability hypothesis. However, we observed a negative latitudinal gradient in ant and plant species richness, although not in human population size/density. Plant species richness was positively correlated with ant species richness but not with human population size/density. Thus, there is evidence that this type of habitat heterogeneity can play a role in the observed latitudinal gradient of ant species richness, but not in the positive correlation between ant species richness and human population. The results were confirmed for the 545 native and the 32 exotic ant species reported, and we observed a good correlation between exotic and native ant species richness. Main conclusions Ant species richness in European countries conforms to six macroecological patterns: (1) a negative latitudinal gradient; and a positive (2) species–energy relationship, (3) species–area relationship, (4) correlation with plant species richness, (5) exotic–native species richness correlation, and (6) species–people correlation. There is some evidence for the energy-availability hypothesis, but little evidence for habitat heterogeneity as an explanation of the large-scale human population–ant biodiversity correlation. This correlation has implications for the conservation of ant diversity in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central America is exceptionally rich in biodiversity, but varies widely in the attention its countries devote to conservation. Protected areas, widely considered the cornerstone of conservation, were not always created with the intent of conserving that biodiversity. We assessed how well the protected-area system of Central America includes the region's mammal diversity. This first required a refinement of existing range maps to reduce their extensive errors of commission (i.e., predicted presences in places where species do not occur). For this refinement, we used the ecological limits of each species to identify and remove unsuitable areas from the range. We then compared these maps with the locations of protected areas to measure the habitat protected for each of the region's 250 endemic mammals. The species most vulnerable to extinction—those with small ranges—were largely outside protected areas. Nevertheless, the most strictly protected areas tended toward areas with many small-ranged species. To improve the protection coverage of mammal diversity in the region, we identified a set of priority sites that would best complement the existing protected areas. Protecting these new sites would require a relatively small increase in the total area protected, but could greatly enhance mammal conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]