Using comparative extinction risk analysis to prioritize the IUCN Red List reassessments of amphibians.

Assessing the extinction risk of species based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List (RL) is key to guiding conservation policies and reducing biodiversity loss. This process is resource demanding, however, and requires continuous updating, which becomes increasingly difficult as new species are added to the RL. Automatic methods, such as comparative analyses used to predict species RL category, can be an efficient alternative to keep assessments up to date. Using amphibians as a study group, we predicted which species are more likely to change their RL category and thus should be prioritized for reassessment. We used species biological traits, environmental variables, and proxies of climate and land-use change as predictors of RL category. We produced an ensemble prediction of IUCN RL category for each species by combining 4 different model algorithms: cumulative link models, phylogenetic generalized least squares, random forests, and neural networks. By comparing RL categories with the ensemble prediction and accounting for uncertainty among model algorithms, we identified species that should be prioritized for future reassessment based on the mismatch between predicted and observed values. The most important predicting variables across models were species' range size and spatial configuration of the range, biological traits, climate change, and land-use change. We compared our proposed prioritization index and the predicted RL changes with independent IUCN RL reassessments and found high performance of both the prioritization and the predicted directionality of changes in RL categories. Ensemble modeling of RL category is a promising tool for prioritizing species for reassessment while accounting for models' uncertainty. This approach is broadly applicable to all taxa on the IUCN RL and to regional and national assessments and may improve allocation of the limited human and economic resources available to maintain an up-to-date IUCN RL.

Uso del análisis comparativo del riesgo de extinción para priorizar la reevaluación de los anfibios en la Lista Roja de la UICN Resumen El análisis del riesgo de extinción de una especie con base en la Lista Roja (LR) de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) es clave para guiar las políticas de conservación y reducir la pérdida de la biodiversidad. Sin embargo, este proceso demanda recursos y requiere de actualizaciones continuas, lo que se complica conforme se añaden especies nuevas a la LR. Los métodos automáticos, como los análisis comparativos usados para predecir la categoría de la especie en la LR, pueden ser una alternativa eficiente para mantener actualizados los análisis. Usamos a los anfibios como grupo de estudio para predecir cuáles especies tienen mayor probabilidad de cambiar de categoría en la LR y que, por lo tanto, se debería priorizar su reevaluación. Usamos las características biológicas de la especie, las variables ambientales e indicadores climáticos y del cambio de uso de suelo como predictores de la categoría en la LR. Elaboramos una predicción de ensamble de la categoría en la LR de la UICN para cada especie mediante la combinación de cuatro algoritmos diferentes: modelos de vínculo acumulativo, menor número de cuadros filogenéticos generalizados, bosques aleatorios y redes neurales. Con la comparación entre las categorías de la LR y la predicción de ensamble y con considerar la incertidumbre entre los algoritmos identificamos especies que deberían ser prioridad para futuras reevaluaciones con base en el desfase entre los valores predichos y los observados. Las variables de predicción más importantes entre los modelos fueron el tamaño de la distribución de la especie y su configuración espacial, las características biológicas, el cambio climático y el cambio de uso de suelo. Comparamos nuestra propuesta de índice de priorización y los cambios predichos en la LR con las reevaluaciones independientes de la LR de la UICN y descubrimos un buen desempeño tanto para la priorización como para la direccionalidad predicha de los cambios en las categorías de la LR. El modelo de ensamble de la categoría de la LR esa una herramienta prometedora para priorizar la reevaluación de las especies a la vez que considera la incertidumbre del modelo. Esta estrategia puede generalizarse para aplicarse a todos los taxones de la LR de la UICN y a los análisis regionales y nacionales. También podría mejorar la asignación de los recursos humanos y económicos limitados disponibles para mantener actualizada la LR de la UICN.

Mammal recovery inside and outside terrestrial protected areas.

Protected areas are a key component of global conservation, and the world is aiming to increase protected areas to cover 30% of land and water through the 30 × 30 Initiative under the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. However, factors affecting their success or failure in regard to promoting mammal population recovery are not well studied, particularly using quantitative approaches comparing across diverse taxa, biomes, and countries. To better understand how protected areas contribute to mammalian recovery, we conducted an analysis of 2706 mammal populations both inside and outside of protected areas worldwide. We calculated the annual percent change of mammal populations within and outside of terrestrial protected areas and examined the relationship between the percent change and a suite of human and natural characteristics including biome, region, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) protected area category, IUCN Red List classification, and taxonomic order. Our results show that overall mammal populations inside and outside of protected areas are relatively stable. It appears that Threatened mammals are doing better inside of protected areas than outside, whereas the opposite is true for species of least concern and Near Threatened species. We also found significant population increases in protected areas classified as category III and significant population decreases in protected and unprotected areas throughout Oceania. Our results demonstrate that terrestrial protected areas can be an important approach for mammalian recovery and conservation.

Lysimachiadanxiashanensis, a new species of Primulaceae from Guangdong, China.

Lysimachiadanxiashanensis, a new Primulaceae species, endemic to the Danxia landscape in Guangdong Province, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is morphologically similar to L.pseudohenryi, L.phyllocephala, L.congestiflora and L.kwangtungensis, but it differs from the similar species by its purplish-red plants, petiole without wings, calyx with orange glandular and the corolla margin serrated on upper half with orange-red glandular punctates. This new species belongs to Lysimachiasubgen.Lysimachiasect.Nummularia. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that L.danxiashanensis is a distinct clade, based on the combined data of ITS and rbcL sequences. The conservation status of the new species was evaluated as Endangered (EN) according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Advances in life-history knowledge for 35 seahorse species from community science.

Marine community science presents an important route to gather valuable scientific information while also influencing local management and policy, thus contributing to marine conservation efforts. Because seahorses are cryptic but charismatic species, they are good candidates for engaging diverse people to help overcome the many gaps in biological knowledge. We have synthesized information contributed to the community science project iSeahorse from October 2013 to April 2022 for 35 of 46 known seahorse species. We then compared the obtained results with information in existing IUCN Red List assessments, executed from 2014 to 2017, to explore the potential of iSeahorse in expanding seahorse knowledge. Our results show updated geographic ranges for 7 seahorse species, new habitats described for 24 species, observations outside the previously recorded depth range for 14 species, and new information on sex ratio for 15 species and on pregnancy seasonality for 11 species. As one example of the power of iSeahorse, contributed observations on Coleman's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus colemani) indicated that its geographic range is thousands of square kilometers larger, its habitat more diverse, and its depth range shallower than previously known. It is clear that iSeahorse is expanding knowledge on seahorses to a level that will help improve IUCN Red List assessments. The power of community science for marine conservation in general needs to be fully explored.

Population parameters and conservation implications for one of the world's rarest marine fishes, the red handfish (Thymichthys politus).

Population estimates are required for effective conservation of many rare marine species, but can be difficult to obtain. The critically endangered red handfish (Thymichthys politus) is a coastal anglerfish known only from two fragmented populations in southeast Tasmania, Australia. It is at a high risk of extinction due to low numbers, loss of habitat, and the impacts of climate change. To aid conservation efforts, we provide the first empirical population size estimates of red handfish and investigate other important aspects of the species' life history, such as growth, habitat association, and movement. We surveyed both red handfish local populations via underwater visual census on scuba over 3 years and used photographic mark-recapture techniques to estimate biological parameters. In 2020, the local adult population size was estimated to be 94 (95% confidence interval [CI] 40-231) adults at one site, and 7 (95% CI 5-10) at the other site, suggesting an estimated global population of 101 adults. Movement of individuals was extremely limited at 48.5 m (± 77.7 S.D.) per year. We also found evidence of declining fish density, a declining proportion of juveniles, and increasing average fish size during the study. These results provide a serious warning that red handfish are likely sliding toward extinction, and highlight the urgent need to expand efforts for ex situ captive breeding to bolster numbers in the wild and maintain captive insurance populations, and to protect vital habitat to safeguard the species' ongoing survival in the wild.

What factors influence the rediscovery of lost tetrapod species?

We created a database of lost and rediscovered tetrapod species, identified patterns in their distribution and factors influencing rediscovery. Tetrapod species are being lost at a faster rate than they are being rediscovered, due to slowing rates of rediscovery for amphibians, birds and mammals, and rapid rates of loss for reptiles. Finding lost species and preventing future losses should therefore be a conservation priority. By comparing the taxonomic and spatial distribution of lost and rediscovered tetrapod species, we have identified regions and taxa with many lost species in comparison to those that have been rediscovered-our results may help to prioritise search effort to find them. By identifying factors that influence rediscovery, we have improved our ability to broadly distinguish the types of species that are likely to be found from those that are not (because they are likely to be extinct). Some lost species, particularly those that are small and perceived to be uncharismatic, may have been neglected in terms of conservation effort, and other lost species may be hard to find due to their intrinsic characteristics and the characteristics of the environments they occupy (e.g. nocturnal species, fossorial species and species occupying habitats that are more difficult to survey such as wetlands). These lost species may genuinely await rediscovery. However, other lost species that possess characteristics associated with rediscovery (e.g. large species) and that are also associated with factors that negatively influence rediscovery (e.g. those occupying small islands) are more likely to be extinct. Our results may foster pragmatic search protocols that prioritise lost species likely to still exist.

Illuminating Firefly Diversity: Trends, Threats and Conservation Strategies.

Fireflies are a diverse group of bioluminescent beetles belonging to the family Lampyridae. Recent research on their diversity, evolution, behavior and conservation has greatly advanced our scientific understanding of these charismatic insects. In this review, we first summarize new discoveries about their taxonomic and ecological diversity, then focus on recent endeavors to identify and protect threatened fireflies around the world. We outline the main threats linked to recent population declines (habitat loss and degradation, light pollution, pesticide overuse, climate change and tourism) and describe relevant risk factors that predict which species will be particularly vulnerable to these threats. Although global coordination of firefly conservation efforts has begun only recently, considerable progress has already been made. We describe work by the IUCN SSC Firefly Specialist Group to identify species currently facing elevated extinction risks and to devise conservation strategies to protect them. To date, IUCN Red List assessments have been completed for 150 firefly taxa, about 20% of which face heightened extinction risks. The conservation status for many species has yet to be determined due to insufficient information, although targeted surveys and community science projects have contributed valuable new data. Finally, we highlight some examples of successful firefly habitat protection and restoration efforts, and we use the framework of the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Cycle to point out high-priority actions for future firefly conservation efforts.

Extinction risk of the world's freshwater mammals.

The continued loss of freshwater habitats poses a significant threat to global biodiversity. We reviewed the extinction risk of 166 freshwater aquatic and semiaquatic mammals-a group rarely documented as a collective. We used the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species categories as of December 2021 to determine extinction risk. Extinction risk was then compared among taxonomic groups, geographic areas, and biological traits. Thirty percent of all freshwater mammals were listed as threatened. Decreasing population trends were common (44.0%), including a greater rate of decline (3.6% in 20 years) than for mammals or freshwater species as a whole. Aquatic freshwater mammals were at a greater risk of extinction than semiaquatic freshwater mammals (95% CI -7.20 to -1.11). Twenty-nine species were data deficient or not evaluated. Large species (95% CI 0.01 to 0.03) with large dispersal distances (95% CI 0.03 to 0.15) had a higher risk of extinction than small species with small dispersal distances. The number of threatening processes associated with a species compounded their risk of extinction (95% CI 0.28 to 0.77). Hunting, land clearing for logging and agriculture, pollution, residential development, and habitat modification or destruction from dams and water management posed the greatest threats to these species. The basic life-history traits of many species were poorly known, highlighting the need for more research. Conservation of freshwater mammals requires a host of management actions centered around increased protection of riparian areas and more conscientious water management to aid the recovery of threatened species.

Riesgo de extinción de los mamíferos de agua dulce Resumen La pérdida continua de hábitats de agua dulce representa una amenaza importante para la biodiversidad mundial. Analizamos el riesgo de extinción de 166 especies de mamíferos acuáticos y semiacuáticos de agua dulce-un grupo que se documenta pocas veces como colectivo. Usamos las categorías de la Lista Roja de Especies Amenazadas de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza de diciembre 2021 para determinar el riesgo de extinción. Después comparamos este riesgo entre grupos taxonómicos, áreas geográficas y caracteres biológicos. El 30% de los mamíferos de agua dulce están categorizados como amenazados. La declinación de las tendencias poblacionales fue común (44.0%), incluyendo una mayor tasa de declinación (3.6% en 20 años) que para los mamíferos o las especies de agua dulce como conjunto. Los mamíferos acuáticos de agua dulce se encuentran en mayor riesgo de extinción que los mamíferos semiacuáticos (95% IC -7.20 a -1.11). Veintinueve especies no contaban con suficientes datos o no estaban evaluadas. Las especies grandes (95% IC 0.01 a 0.03) con distancias de dispersión amplias (95% IC 0.03 a 0.15) tuvieron un mayor riesgo de extinción que las especies pequeñas con menores distancias de dispersión. El número de procesos amenazantes asociados a alguna especie agravó su riesgo de extinción (95% CI 0.28 a 0.77). Las principales amenazas para estas especies fueron la cacería, el desmonte de tierras para tala y agricultura, la contaminación, los desarrollos residenciales y la destrucción o modificación del hábitat causados por presas o manejo hidrológico. Se sabe poco sobre los caracteres básicos de la historia de vida de muchas especies, lo que destaca la necesidad de más investigación al respecto. La conservación de mamíferos de agua dulce requiere una serie de acciones gestoras centradas en el incremento de la protección de las áreas ribereñas y una gestión hidrológica más consciente para ayudar a la recuperación de las especies amenazadas.

A new species of Iochroma Benth. (Solanaceae) from the eastern Andes of Colombia.

Iochromaorozcoae A.Orejuela & S.D.Sm., sp. nov. (Solanaceae) is described from the Andean forests of Cundinamarca in the eastern cordillera of Colombia. Iochromaorozcoae was first collected by the eminent Spanish priest and botanist José Celestino Mutis in the late part of the 18th century, but the specimens have lain unrecognised in herbaria for over 200 years. The species shares many features with its closest relative, Iochromabaumii S.D.Sm. & S.Leiva, but it differs from it in having small flowers with five corolla lobes and few inflorescences per branch, located near the shoot apex with 1 to 4 (-8) flowers, fruits that are greenish-yellow when ripe and its restricted geographic distribution. A description of I.orozcoae is provided, along with a detailed illustration, photographs of live plants, a comparison with closely-related species and a key to all Colombian species of Iochroma Benth. In closing, we emphasise the value of historical collections for the knowledge of biodiversity.

ResumenIochromaorozcoae A.Orejuela & S.D.Sm., sp. nov. (Solanaceae) se describe a partir de los bosques andinos de Cundinamarca, en la cordillera oriental de Colombia. Iochromaorozcoae fue recolectada por primera vez por el eminente sacerdote y botánico español José Celestino Mutis a finales del siglo XVIII, pero los especímenes han permanecido sin ser reconocidos en herbarios durante más de 200 años. La especie comparte muchas características con su pariente más cercano, Iochromabaumii S.D.Sm. & S.Leiva, pero difiere de esta en sus flores más pequeñas con cinco lóbulos de la corola y pocas inflorescencias por rama ubicadas cerca del ápice de la rama, con 1 a 4 (­8) flores por inflorescencia, frutos verde-amarillentos al madurar, y su distribución geográfica restringida. Se presenta una descripción de I.orozcoae, junto con una ilustración detallada, fotografías en vivo, una comparación con las especies cercanamente relacionadas y una clave para las especies colombianas de Iochroma Benth. Finalmente, enfatizamos el valor de las colecciones históricas para el conocimiento de la biodiversidad.

New Finds and Ecology of the Rare Liverworts Scapania apiculata, Scapania carinthiaca, and Scapania scapanioides in Austria.

Scapania apiculata, Scapania carinthiaca, and Scapania scapanioides are rare deadwood-dwelling liverworts threatened across Europe. Scapania carinthiaca is thus listed in the Habitats Directive. However, their distribution data are scattered, and their ecologic demands are insufficiently studied. Here, we present new locations and data on the ecology of the species, which resulted from a targeted search in selected regions of Austria. We found ten new sites each for Scapania apiculata and Scapania scapanioides and twenty for Scapania carinthiaca. Reproduction was exclusively asexual. The macroclimates of all known locations in Austria did not differ significantly between the three species. It was consistently wet, with a mean annual precipitation of 1615.3 mm, a high evenness of rainfall, and a low desiccation risk. The mean temperature averaged 7.4 °C. The habitat was shaded dead wood of Picea abies, Abies alba, and Fagus sylvatica of all decay stages at a median distance of 2.5 m from streams or springy areas in semi-natural forests of montane and submontane regions. Thus, high deadwood volumes under a suitable climate are a prerequisite for the occurrences of the species. The number of locations of new finds has more than doubled in Austria and thus in Europe.

Free word association analysis of German laypeople's perception of biodiversity and its loss.

Due to the dramatic biodiversity crisis, it is crucial to understand how people perceive biodiversity. Knowledge of how thoughts are organized around this concept can identify which ideas are best to focus on biodiversity conservation information campaigns. The primary aim of the present study was to identify social representations of the German public regarding the concept of biodiversity and its loss using a free word association test. Furthermore, unique association networks were analyzed. For this purpose, data collection was performed in September 2021 in Germany using an online questionnaire to assess participants' associations with the prompt "biodiversity" (n = 131) and "biodiversity loss" (n = 130). Additionally, we used the social network software Gephi to create biodiversity (loss) association networks. The five most commonly mentioned associations for biodiversity were "animal," "plant," "nature," "human," and "flower." For biodiversity loss, the five most commonly mentioned associations were "species extinction," "climate change," "plant," "insect," and "bee." Neither "land use change" nor "invasive species," as key drivers of biodiversity loss, were present in social representations of the German public. A difference was observed in the total number of mentioned associations between biodiversity and biodiversity loss. For both, the associations "plant" and "animal" were related. However, participants associated specific taxa only with animals, such as "insects" and "birds." For plants, no specific taxa were named. Based on the network analysis, the most commonly mentioned word pairs for biodiversity and biodiversity loss were "plant - animal" and "species loss - climate change," respectively. Based on our statistical network analysis, these associations were identified as the most central associations with the greatest influence in the network. Thus, they had the most connections and the function of predicting the flow in the network. In sum, the public's multifaceted views on biodiversity and its loss, as well as the aforementioned central associations, hold great potential to be utilized more for the communication and education of biodiversity conservation. In addition, our findings contribute to the scientific community's understanding of social representations and perceptions of biodiversity and its loss.

Prioritizing the reassessment of data-deficient species on the IUCN Red List.

Despite being central to the implementation of conservation policies, the usefulness of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is hampered by the 14% of species classified as data-deficient (DD) because information to evaluate these species' extinction risk was lacking when they were last assessed or because assessors did not appropriately account for uncertainty. Robust methods are needed to identify which DD species are more likely to be reclassified in one of the data-sufficient IUCN Red List categories. We devised a reproducible method to help red-list assessors prioritize reassessment of DD species and tested it with 6887 DD species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). For each DD species in these groups, we calculated its probability of being classified in a data-sufficient category if reassessed today from covariates measuring available knowledge (e.g., number of occurrence records or published articles available), knowledge proxies (e.g., remoteness of the range), and species characteristics (e.g., nocturnality); calculated change in such probability since last assessment from the increase in available knowledge (e.g., new occurrence records); and determined whether the species might qualify as threatened based on recent rate of habitat loss determined from global land-cover maps. We identified 1907 species with a probability of being reassessed in a data-sufficient category of >0.5; 624 species for which this probability increased by >0.25 since last assessment; and 77 species that could be reassessed as near threatened or threatened based on habitat loss. Combining these 3 elements, our results provided a list of species likely to be data-sufficient such that the comprehensiveness and representativeness of the IUCN Red List can be improved.

Priorización de la reevaluación de las especies con datos deficientes en la Lista Roja de la UICN Resumen No obstante que es fundamental para la implementación de políticas de conservación, la utilidad de la Lista Roja de Especies Amenazadas de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) está limitada por el 14% de especies clasificadas con datos deficientes (DD) debido a que la información para evaluar el riesgo de extinción de estas especies no existía cuando fueron evaluadas la última vez o porque los evaluadores no consideraron la incertidumbre apropiadamente. Se requieren métodos robustos para identificar las especies DD con mayor probabilidad de ser reclasificadas en alguna de las categorías en la Lista Roja UICN con datos suficientes. Diseñamos un método reproducible para ayudar a que los evaluadores de la lista roja prioricen la reevaluación de especies DD y lo probamos con 6,887 especies DD de mamíferos, reptiles, anfibios, peces y Odonata (libélulas y caballitos del diablo). Para cada una de las especies DD en estos grupos, calculamos la probabilidad de ser clasificadas en una categoría con datos suficientes si fuera reevaluada hoy a partir de covariables que miden el conocimiento disponible (e.g., número de registros de ocurrencia o artículos publicados disponibles), sustitutos de conocimiento (e.g., extensión del rango de distribución) y características de la especie ((e.g., nocturnidad); calculamos el cambio en tal probabilidad desde la última reevaluación a partir del incremento en el conocimiento disponible (e.g., registros de ocurrencia nuevos); y determinamos si las especies podrían calificar como amenazadas con base en pérdidas de hábitat recientes a partir de mapas globales de cobertura de suelo recientes. Identificamos 1,907 especies con una probabilidad >0.5 de ser reclasificados en una categoría con datos suficientes; 624 especies cuya probabilidad aumentó en >0.25 desde la última evaluación, y 77 especies que podrían ser reclasificadas como casi en peligro con base en la pérdida de hábitat. Combinando estos 3 elementos, nuestros resultados proporcionaron una lista de especies probablemente con datos suficientes de tal modo que la exhaustividad y la representatividad de la Lista Roja de la UICN pueden ser mejoradas.

A comprehensive review on Saraca asoca (Fabaceae) - Historical perspective, traditional uses, biological activities, and conservation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Saraca asoca (Roxb.)W.J.de Wilde, (Fabaceae) is a plant of significant medicinal value in traditional Indian medicine, with a long history of use in the treatment of gynaecological disorders and other ailments, and is held in high esteem. This plant has long existed in Indian tradition and is revered as sacred. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work aimed to explore the taxonomic revision of Saraca asoca from ancient times to the present and to evaluate the ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological information associated with traditional use and develop a roadmap for conservative strategies of species. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study draws on a comprehensive range of herbal, traditional, ethnobotanical, and ethnopharmacological information, including ancient Ayurvedic textbooks and various databases, using a single keyword or a combination of multiple keywords. RESULTS: This review establishes a roadmap for understanding the traditional history of medicinal plants, particularly Saraca, and highlights the transfer of traditional knowledge from pharmacopoeias, materia medica, and classical textbooks over many centuries. The study also emphasises the importance of conservation strategies to protect Saraca as a valuable resource for healthcare and suggests that more research is needed to systematically evaluate its phytochemical, pharmacological, and clinical properties, as well as to develop safety, pharmacology, and toxicology reports for traditional formulations. CONCLUSIONS: In light of this study, S. asoca could be considered an important source of potential herbal drugs. The review concludes with a call for further research and conservation efforts to protect Saraca and other traditional medicinal plants for the benefit of current and future generations.

Empirical assessment of species vulnerability for biodiversity conservation: A case study on Chalan beel of Bangladesh.

The study was conducted to assess the current biodiversity in Chalan beel, Natore district, Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through stratified random sampling and analyzed through a combination of descriptive statistical and mathematical techniques. The Shannon-Weiner and Margalef richness indices were used to quantify the biodiversity of birds, and fauna. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index was 2.097, 0.944, and 1.510 for the fish, bird, and other faunal communities, respectively. The Species Ability to Forestall Extinction (S.A.F.E.) index was used to enumerate threatened status among native birds and other faunal species in Chalan beel areas and the IUCN conservation status was assessed simultaneously. The most threatened community was birds, which comprised 28.12% of critically endangered species. According to the weighted perception index, 90.0% of respondents agreed with positive statements, and 89.0% agreed with negative statements, regarding the effects of natural disasters on biodiversity and the significance of the factors was justified through the multinomial logit model. The reasons for the depletion of fish and waterfowl were identified according to farmers' responses, and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) was used to rank the causes of depletion according to intensity. This study identified the overall biodiversity status of Chalan beel as a representative wetland to assist policymakers in conservation.

More losers than winners: investigating Anthropocene defaunation through the diversity of population trends.

The global-scale decline of animal biodiversity ('defaunation') represents one of the most alarming consequences of human impacts on the planet. The quantification of this extinction crisis has traditionally relied on the use of IUCN Red List conservation categories assigned to each assessed species. This approach reveals that a quarter of the world's animal species are currently threatened with extinction, and ~1% have been declared extinct. However, extinctions are preceded by progressive population declines through time that leave demographic 'footprints' that can alert us about the trajectories of species towards extinction. Therefore, an exclusive focus on IUCN conservation categories, without consideration of dynamic population trends, may underestimate the true extent of the processes of ongoing extinctions across nature. In fact, emerging evidence (e.g. the Living Planet Report), reveals a widespread tendency for sustained demographic declines (an average 69% decline in population abundances) of species globally. Yet, animal species are not only declining. Many species worldwide exhibit stable populations, while others are even thriving. Here, using population trend data for >71,000 animal species spanning all five groups of vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fishes) and insects, we provide a comprehensive global-scale assessment of the diversity of population trends across species undergoing not only declines, but also population stability and increases. We show a widespread global erosion of species, with 48% undergoing declines, while 49% and 3% of species currently remain stable or are increasing, respectively. Geographically, we reveal an intriguing pattern similar to that of threatened species, whereby declines tend to concentrate around tropical regions, whereas stability and increases show a tendency to expand towards temperate climates. Importantly, we find that for species currently classed by the IUCN Red List as 'non-threatened', 33% are declining. Critically, in contrast with previous mass extinction events, our assessment shows that the Anthropocene extinction crisis is undergoing a rapid biodiversity imbalance, with levels of declines (a symptom of extinction) greatly exceeding levels of increases (a symptom of ecological expansion and potentially of evolution) for all groups. Our study contributes a further signal indicating that global biodiversity is entering a mass extinction, with ecosystem heterogeneity and functioning, biodiversity persistence, and human well-being under increasing threat.

Epimediumlongnanense (Berberidaceae), a new species from Gansu, China.

Epimediumlongnanense, a new species of Epimedium (Berberidaceae) from Longnan Prefecture, Gansu Province, China, is here proposed and illustrated. E.longnanense has large flowers with petals possessing long spur and obvious basal lamina, and thus should be grouped into series Davidianae. The species closely resembles E.flavum of ser. Davidianae in morphology. However, it can be easily distinguished by its elongated rhizome (vs. compact), trifoliolate leaves (vs. five leaflets, sometimes trifoliolate), pale pink or purplish-red inner sepals with 6-8 × 2-3 mm (vs. pale sulphur-yellow, ca. 11 × 4 mm).

Priorities for conserving the world's terrestrial mammals based on over-the-horizon extinction risk.

Three major axes of global change put the world's mammal biodiversity at risk: climate change, human population growth, and land-use change.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 In some parts of the world the full effects of these threats on species will only be felt in decades to come, yet conservation emphasizes species currently threatened with extinction, by threats that have already occurred. There have been calls for conservation to become more proactive by anticipating and protecting species that may not yet be threatened, but have a high chance of becoming threatened in the future.3,6,8,10,12,13,14 We refer to this as "over-the-horizon" extinction risk, and we identify such species among the world's nonmarine mammals by considering not only the severity of increase in threats faced by each species, but also the way each species' biology confers sensitivity or robustness to threats. We define four future risk factors based on species' biology and projected exposure to severe change in climate, human population, and land use. We regard species with two or more of these risk factors as especially vulnerable to future extinction risk.10,15,16,17,18,19 Our models predict that by 2100 up to 1,057 (20%) of nonmarine mammal species will have combinations of two or more future risk factors. These species will be particularly concentrated in two future risk hotspots in sub-Saharan Africa and southern/eastern Australia. Proactively targeting species with over-the-horizon extinction risk could help to future-proof global conservation planning and prevent a new wave of mammal species from becoming threatened with extinction by the end of this century.

Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae.

Among conifer families, Podocarpaceae is the second largest, with amazing diversity and functional traits, and it is the dominant Southern Hemisphere conifer family. However, comprehensive studies on diversity, distribution, systematic and ecophysiological aspects of the Podocarpaceae are sparse. We aim to outline and evaluate the current and past diversity, distribution, systematics, ecophysiological adaptations, endemism, and conservation status of podocarps. We analyzed data on the diversity and distribution of living and extinct macrofossil taxa and combined it with genetic data to reconstruct an updated phylogeny and understand historical biogeography. Podocarpaceae today contains 20 genera and approximately 219 taxa (201 species, 2 subspecies, 14 varieties and 2 hybrids) placed in three clades, plus a paraphyletic group/grade of four distinct genera. Macrofossil records show the presence of more than 100 podocarp taxa globally, dominantly from the Eocene-Miocene. Australasia (New Caledonia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Malesia) is the hotspot of living podocarps diversity. Podocarps also show remarkable adaptations from broad to scale leaves, fleshy seed cones, animal dispersal, shrubs to large trees, from lowland to alpine regions and rheophyte to a parasite (including the only parasitic gymnosperm-Parasitaxus) and a complex pattern of seed and leaf functional trait evolution.

Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq.

Climate is a vital factor that shapes habitat suitability for many species across space and time. Gazella subgutturosa (Goitered gazelle) is a globally vulnerable mammal already extinct in some areas of Armenia and Georgia and is highly threatened in other areas of its distribution. In this study, new data were gathered for 33 locations in north-eastern Iraq, and then together with literature data, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) were used to explore the geographical distribution of the gazelle under current and future climate change scenarios. We studied the relationship between seven climate variables and 43 occurrence records to predict habitat suitability of the gazelle under the current climate, and also under four future climate scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 for both 2050 and 2080). Annual precipitation and isothermality had the most influence on the distribution of Gazella subgutturosa. The most suitable habitat in both the current and future scenarios was located in north-eastern Iraq close to the Iranian border near the Zagros Mountains. There was no difference in habitat suitability for the gazelle inside Iraqi Protected Areas (PAs) compared to outside the PAs. Using the occurrence records and IUCN Red List national assessments, we found Iraqi Goitered gazelle populations to be classified as Endangered (EN). Our results suggest urgent conservation planning is needed to save this species, including the establishment of new PAs. These results contribute new baseline information, which was currently missing Goitered gazelle in about Iraq, to the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group, which will hopefully aid with future global assessments and conservation.