Search

Effects of anthropogenic activities, including climate change, are modifying fire regimes, and the dynamic nature of these modifications requires identification of general patterns of organisms’ responses to fire. This is a challenging task because of the high complexity of factors involved (including climate, geography, land use, and species‐specific ecology). We aimed to describe the responses of the reptile community to fire across a range of environmental and fire‐history conditions in the western Mediterranean Basin. We sampled 8 sites that spanned 4 Mediterranean countries. We recorded 6064 reptile sightings of 36 species in 1620 transects and modeled 3 community metrics (total number of individuals, species richness, and Shannon diversity) as responses to environmental and fire‐history variables. Reptile community composition was also analyzed. Habitat type (natural vs. afforestation), fire age class (time since the last fire), rainfall, and temperature were important factors in explaining these metrics. The total number of individuals varied according to fire age class, reaching a peak at 15–40 years after the last fire. Species richness and Shannon diversity were more stable during postfire years. The 3 community metrics were higher under postfire conditions than in unburned forest plots. This pattern was particularly prevalent in afforested plots, indicating that the negative effect of fire on reptiles was lower than the negative effect of afforestation. Community composition varied by fire age class, indicating the existence of early‐ and late‐successional species (xeric and saxicolous vs. mesic reptiles, respectively). Species richness was 46% higher in areas with a single fire age class relative to those with a mixture of fire age classes, which indicates pyrodiverse landscapes promoted reptile diversity. An expected shift to more frequent fires will bias fire age distribution toward a predominance of early stages, and this will be harmful to reptile communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morocco′s aquatic biodiversity remains insufficiently studied, especially in terms of invertebrates, with numerous gaps persisting, even in protected areas. This study combines our research with existing studies to provide a comprehensive list that encompasses both old and new faunistic and distributional records of three orders of aquatic insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) in Tazekka National Park, located in the Eastern Middle Atlas Mountains. We provide an annotated list of 33 species, 23 of which were identified from 1400 specimens collected seasonally between the summer of 2018 and 2019 at 19 sampling sites. The remaining 10 species were identified from the literature sources and were not captured during this study. These 33 species belong to 31 genera and 21 families, comprising 9 species of Ephemeroptera, 14 species of Plecoptera, and 10 species of Trichoptera. The most interesting faunistic novelties consist of the capture of Epeorus cf. torrentium Eaton, 1881 (Ephemeroptera), Micrasema moestum Hagen, 1868 (Trichoptera), and Brachyptera auberti Consiglo, 1957, and Leuctra geniculata (Stephens, 1836) (Plecoptera), which are new records for the Middle Atlas. Furthermore, this work provided the first data on the Ephemeroptera of the Tazekka National Park. Additionally, 9 species of Plecoptera and Trichoptera were newly captured in this park. A chorological analysis revealed that most species are predominantly Mediterranean 61%, while those with a wider distribution occur in the Palearctic constitute the remaining 39%. In terms of endemism, 80% of the species recorded are endemic in the broad sense, with 44% classified as Ibero-Maghrebian, 31% endemic to the Maghreb, and 25% strictly Moroccan endemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive snake Hemorrhois hippocrepis colonized the island of Ibiza (Balearic Islands) in 2003 as stowaways inside trunks of olive trees imported for gardening. It has quickly spread since 2010, posing a threat to the island's only remaining endemic vertebrate, the Ibiza wall lizard Podarcis pityusensis. We map the yearly expansion rate of the snake and estimate via transect surveys how severely it affects the distribution and abundance of the endemic lizard. As well, we surveyed 9 of 30 small lizard populations on islets surrounding Ibiza that have been isolated since the Last Glacial Maximum. Snakes had invaded 49% of Ibiza's land area by 2018, and censuses show a critical contrast in lizard abundance between areas with and without snakes; almost all censuses in areas without snakes show lizard presence whereas nearly all censuses in areas with H. hippocrepis lack lizard sightings. Moreover, at least one subspecies previously thriving on one of the offshore islets has become extinct, and there have been several snakes recorded swimming between Ibiza and the surrounding islets. Therefore, lizard populations have been dramatically reduced or have vanished within the range of the snake, and our results quantitatively support upgrading this species' threat level for extinction. This study can inform to programs to manage invasive snake populations and to conservation actions to recover the endemic lizard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and socioeconomic factors are modifying fire regimes. In this scenario, some taxa, such as amphibians, may be increasingly vulnerable. We examined the response of amphibian species to fire severity after a 1600-ha fire in a fire-active region located in the north-western Iberian Peninsula. This area is a biogeographical crossroad where Atlantic and Mediterranean amphibian species can coexist in the same ponds. We sampled 33 water points in native (mainly oak) and exotic (eucalyptus) forests. Water points were sampled in two different periods: just after the fire to report direct mortality, and two years after the fire to evidence amphibian resilience. We examined the influence of forest type and fire severity on the number of amphibian species detected per point (species richness). Species richness per point varied depending on both forest type (i.e. higher richness in the native forest) and fire severity. Both Atlantic and Mediterranean groups showed higher species richness at native than at exotic points. The occurrence of Atlantic species did not change with fire whereas the number of Mediterranean species increased at sites affected by highseverity fires. This study identified the negative effect of eucalyptus plantations on amphibians and showed that the response of this taxon to fire is partially shaped by species-specific bioregion affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chelonians are among the animal groups with the poorest conservation status. Since tortoises are long-lived species that need very long time to reach sexual maturity, they are extremely vulnerable to human pressure. Despite their endangered status, there are no common strategies for the development of conservation actions. At the "Mediterranean workshop to develop tortoise conservation strategies", scientists, conservation associations, environmental managers, IUCN advisers and CITES inspectors met in October 2019 in Alicante (Spain). The aims were to update the diagnosis of the conservation status of the Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) and the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) and to suggest strategies that guarantee their preservation at the Mediterranean Region. The main conclusions are summarized by: i) Mediterranean tortoises are wild endangered species that must be protected in, and together with, their natural habitat. Their main threats are habitat loss and fragmentation and pet trade, but we should also pay attention to wildfires, spread of diseases, the introduction of exotic species or lineages and climate change. ii) Long-term efforts and stablished protocols are needed to accurately diagnose and monitor the conservation status of wild populations, as well as flows among captive and wild animals. iii) Tortoise trade should be banned because it threatens the conservation of wild populations of tortoises. Illegal practices related to tortoises should be decidedly persecuted. People should consider tortoises as wild animals that are endangered and deserving of protection. It is possible to enjoy them by responsibly observing them in their habitat. iv) Tortoises may carry pathogens or parasites and their sanitary status cannot be fully assessed. They should always be considered potential vectors of tortoise pathogens and of zoonotic agents. Hygiene protocols should be implemented when managing them. v) The researchers attending this workshop aimed to develop a scientific network for the longterm monitoring of T. graeca and T. hermanni populations in the Mediterranean Region. They will need the support from public administrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]