Genome size is positively correlated with extinction risk in herbaceous angiosperms.

Angiosperms with large genomes experience nuclear-, cellular-, and organism-level constraints that may limit their phenotypic plasticity and ecological niche, which could increase their risk of extinction. Therefore, we test the hypotheses that large-genomed species are more likely to be threatened with extinction than those with small genomes, and that the effect of genome size varies across three selected covariates: life form, endemism, and climatic zone. We collated genome size and extinction risk information for a representative sample of angiosperms comprising 3250 species, which we analyzed alongside life form, endemism, and climatic zone variables using a phylogenetic framework. Genome size is positively correlated with extinction risk, a pattern driven by a signal in herbaceous but not woody species, regardless of climate and endemism. The influence of genome size is stronger in endemic herbaceous species, but is relatively homogenous across different climates. Beyond its indirect link via endemism and climate, genome size is associated with extinction risk directly and significantly. Genome size may serve as a proxy for difficult-to-measure parameters associated with resilience and vulnerability in herbaceous angiosperms. Therefore, it merits further exploration as a useful biological attribute for understanding intrinsic extinction risk and augmenting plant conservation efforts.

Conservation planning for retention, not just protection.

Most protected area (PA) planning aims to improve biota representation within the PA system, but this does not necessarily achieve the best outcomes for biota retention across regions when we also consider habitat loss in areas outside the PA system. Here, we assess the implications that different PA expansion strategies can have on the retention of species habitat across an entire region. Using retention of forest habitat for Colombia's 550 forest-dependent bird species as our outcome variable, we found that when a minimum of 30% of each species' habitat was included in the PA system, a pattern of PA expansion targeting areas at highest deforestation risk (risk-prevention) led to the retention, on average, of 7.2% more forest habitat per species by 2050 than did a pattern that targeted areas at lowest risk (risk-avoidance). The risk-prevention approach cost more per km2 of land conserved, but it was more cost-effective in retaining habitat in the landscape (50%-69% lower cost per km2 of avoided deforestation). To have the same effectiveness preventing habitat loss in Colombia, the risk-avoidance approach would require more than twice as much protected area, costing three times more in the process. Protected area expansion should focus on the contributions of PAs to outcomes not only within PA systems themselves, but across entire regions.

La mayor parte de la planificación de áreas protegidas (AP) tiene como objetivo mejorar la representación de la biota dentro del sistema de AP, pero esto no necesariamente logra los mejores resultados para la retención de biota a nivel de paisaje cuando también consideramos la pérdida de hábitat en áreas fuera del sistema de AP. Aquí evaluamos las implicaciones que diferentes estrategias de expansión de AP pueden tener en la retención del hábitat de las especies en toda una región. Utilizando la retención de hábitat forestal para las 550 especies de aves dependientes de bosque de Colombia como nuestra variable de resultado, encontramos que cuando un mínimo del 30% del hábitat de cada especie es incluido en el sistema de AP, se observó que un patrón de expansión de AP dirigido a áreas con mayor riesgo de deforestación (prevención de riesgos) condujo a la retención, en promedio, de un 7.2% más de hábitat por especie para 2050 que un patrón enfocado en áreas con menor riesgo (evasión de riesgos). El enfoque de prevención de riesgos costó más por km2 de tierra conservada, pero fue más rentable para retener el hábitat en el paisaje (entre un 50% y un 69% menos costo por km2 de deforestación evitada). Para tener la misma eficacia en la prevención de la pérdida de hábitat en Colombia, el enfoque de evasión de riesgos requeriría más del doble de área protegida, lo que costaría tres veces más en el proceso. La expansión de las AP debería centrarse en las contribuciones de las AP a los resultados no sólo dentro de los propios sistemas de AP, sino en regiones enteras.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence and phylogenetic relationship analysis of Eomecon chionantha, one species unique to China.

Eomecon chionantha Hance, an endemic species in China, has a long medical history in Chinese ethnic minority medicine and is known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, studies of E. chionantha are lacking. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the E. chionantha chloroplast genome and determined the taxonomic position of E. chionantha in Papaveraceae via phylogenetic analysis. In addition, we determined molecular markers to identify E. chionantha at the molecular level by comparing the chloroplast genomes of E. chionantha and its closely related species. The complete chloroplast genomic information indicated that E. chionantha chloroplast DNA (178,808 bp) contains 99 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs. Meanwhile, we were able to identify a total of 54 simple sequence repeats through our analysis. Our findings from the phylogenetic analysis suggest that E. chionantha shares a close relationship with four distinct species, namely Macleaya microcarpa, Coreanomecon hylomeconoides, Hylomecon japonica, and Chelidonium majus. Additionally, using the Kimura two-parameter model, we successfully identified five hypervariable regions (ycf4-cemA, ycf3-trnS-GGA, trnC-GCA-petN, rpl32-trnL-UAG, and psbI-trnS-UGA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the complete chloroplast genome of E. chionantha, providing a scientific reference for further understanding of E. chionantha from the perspective of the chloroplast genome and establishing a solid foundation for the future identification, taxonomic determination and evolutionary analysis of this species.

Reptile Identification for Endemic and Invasive Alien Species Using Transfer Learning Approaches.

The Canary Islands are considered a hotspot of biodiversity and have high levels of endemicity, including endemic reptile species. Nowadays, some invasive alien species of reptiles are proliferating with no control in different parts of the territory, creating a dangerous situation for the ecosystems of this archipelago. Despite the fact that the regional authorities have initiated actions to try to control the proliferation of invasive species, the problem has not been solved as it depends on sporadic sightings, and it is impossible to determine when these species appear. Since no studies for automatically identifying certain species of reptiles endemic to the Canary Islands have been found in the current state-of-the-art, from the Signals and Communications Department of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria University (ULPGC), we consider the possibility of developing a detection system based on automatic species recognition using deep learning (DL) techniques. So this research conducts an initial identification study of some species of interest by implementing different neural network models based on transfer learning approaches. This study concludes with a comparison in which the best performance is achieved by integrating the EfficientNetV2B3 base model, which has a mean Accuracy of 98.75%.

Who will name new plant species? Temporal change in the origins of taxonomists in China.

Discovery rates of new plant species need to be accelerated because many species will be extinct before they are formally described. Current studies have focused on where new species may occur and their characteristics. However, who will actually discover and describe these new species has received limited attention. Here, we used 31 576 vascular plant species distributed and described in China as a case study to explore the temporal patterns of the nationalities of the taxonomists. We found that most recently described species are endemic species, and there has been an increasing proportion of species descriptions by resident Chinese taxonomists over time. The proportion of species described by resident taxonomists reached an average of 80.8% between 1977 and 2018. By contrast, species discoveries by non-resident experts, often non-endemic species, showed signs of levelling off. Our study underscores an urgent need for training of, support for and collaboration with resident taxonomists in megadiverse countries with a high potential of discovering undescribed plant species.

The diversification of Caribbean Buxus in time and space: elevated speciation rates in lineages that accumulate nickel and spreading to other islands from Cuba in non-obligate ultramafic species.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The genus Buxus has high levels of endemism in the Caribbean flora, with ~50 taxa. In Cuba, 82 % grow on ultramafic substrates and 59 % are nickel (Ni) accumulators or Ni hyperaccumulators. Hence it is an ideal model group to study if this diversification could be related to adaptation to ultramafic substrates and to Ni hyperaccumulation. METHODS: We generated a well-resolved molecular phylogeny, including nearly all of the Neotropical and Caribbean Buxus taxa. To obtain robust divergence times we tested for the effects of different calibration scenarios, and we reconstructed ancestral areas and ancestral character states. Phylogenetic trees were examined for trait-independent shifts in diversification rates and we used multi-state models to test for state-dependent speciation and extinction rates. Storms could have contributed to Cuba acting as a species pump and to Buxus reaching other Caribbean islands and northern South America'. KEY RESULTS: We found a Caribbean Buxus clade with Mexican ancestors, encompassing three major subclades, which started to radiate during the middle Miocene (13.25 Mya). Other Caribbean islands and northern South America were reached from ~3 Mya onwards. CONCLUSIONS: An evolutionary scenario is evident in which Buxus plants able to grow on ultramafic substrates by exaptation became ultramafic substrate endemics and evolved stepwise from Ni tolerance through Ni accumulation to Ni hyperaccumulation, which has triggered species diversification of Buxus in Cuba. Storms could have contributed to Cuba acting as a species pump and to Buxus reaching other Caribbean islands and northern South America'.

Ultrahigh foraging rates of Baikal seals make tiny endemic amphipods profitable in Lake Baikal.

Understanding what, how, and how often apex predators hunt is important due to their disproportionately large effects on ecosystems. In Lake Baikal with rich endemic fauna, Baikal seals appear to eat, in addition to fishes, a tiny (<0.1 g) endemic amphipod Macrohectopus branickii (the world's only freshwater planktonic species). Yet, its importance as prey to seals is unclear. Globally, amphipods are rarely targeted by single-prey feeding (i.e., nonfilter-feeding) mammals, presumably due to their small size. If M. branickii is energetically important prey, Baikal seals would exhibit exceptionally high foraging rates, potentially with behavioral and morphological specializations. Here, we used animal-borne accelerometers and video cameras to record Baikal seal foraging behavior. Unlike the prevailing view that they predominantly eat fishes, they also hunted M. branickii at the highest rates (mean, 57 individuals per dive) ever recorded for single-prey feeding aquatic mammals, leading to thousands of catches per day. These rates were achieved by gradual changes in dive depth following the diel vertical migration of M. branickii swarms. Examining museum specimens revealed that Baikal seals have the most specialized comb-like postcanine teeth in the subfamily Phocinae, allowing them to expel water while retaining prey during high-speed foraging. Our findings show unique mammal-amphipod interactions in an ancient lake, demonstrating that organisms even smaller than krill can be important prey for single-prey feeding aquatic mammals if the environment and predators' adaptations allow high foraging rates. Further, our finding that Baikal seals directly eat macroplankton may explain why they are so abundant in this ultraoligotrophic lake.

Demographic changes in an Atlantic Forest primate community following a yellow fever outbreak.

We investigated demographic changes in three primate species (Alouatta guariba, Sapajus nigritus, and Callithrix flaviceps) at the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural-Feliciano Miguel Abdala, Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, following a yellow fever outbreak (YFO) by comparing their population sizes before (2015) and after the outbreak (2017-2018), and by monitoring the size, composition, and reproductive status of groups from 2017 to 2021. Comparisons of pre- and post-YFO census data indicate the A. guariba population declined by 86.6%, from an estimated minimum of 522 individuals to 70 individuals. However, by October 2021, the population had grown to at least 86 individuals, with an adult sex ratio (N = 53) that was female-biased (0.61). Eleven of the 13 groups being monitored systematically were reproductively active with high survivorship to 12 months of age. S. nigritus declined by 40%, from 377 to 226 individuals. The sex ratio of 33 adult S. nigritus is also female-biased (0.71), and at least 8 of 15 groups being monitored are reproductively active. C. flaviceps declined by 80%, from 85 individuals to the 15-17 individuals observed from 2017 to 2021. The female-biased adult sex ratio and presence of infants and juveniles in the A. guariba and S. nigritus groups are encouraging signs, but there is still great concern, especially for C. flaviceps. Continued monitoring of the demographics of these primates is needed as their persistence appears to still be at risk.

New host and locality records of helminths' infection of seven lizards from Morocco.

Morocco has a great diversity of reptiles; more than 26% of the herpetofauna species are considered to be endemic. Nevertheless, there is little information available on helminth parasites of Moroccan lizards. The purpose of this article is to establish a helminth list using non-invasive methods for natural populations of seven lizard species: Acanthodactylus maculatus, Chalcides mionecton, Chalcides montanus, Chalcides polylepis, Quedenfeldtia moerens, Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus, and Tarentola mauritanica. For each species, prevalence and intensity of infection were given as well as their relationship to some determinant parameters (sex, age class, size, altitude, and seasons). Four species of nematodes, Parapharyngodon micipsae, Pharyngodon mamillatus, Spauligodon auziensis, Thelandros alatus, and unassigned Spauligodon were found. Mean helminth intensity for the seven lizard species was 7.3 ± 16.2 SD (range = 1-92 in infected lizards), with total infection prevalence of 5.6%. Mixed infections were observed in Chalcides montanus and Chalcides polylepis co-infected by Pharyngodon mamillatus and Spauligodon sp. Furthermore, the intensity of infection by nematodes were significantly different among the seven studied species. The nematode infection in Chalcides mionecton were related to sex, host size, and altitude; in Chalcides polylepis to the host age; in Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus to elevation, age, and host size; and in Tarentola Mauritanica to age, body size, seasons, and altitude. In conclusion, our study provides data about nine new host and locality records and the effect of some determinant factors on host parasitism.

Cryptic genetic divergence of the red dwarf rasbora, Microrasbora rubescens, in and around Inle Lake: implications for the origin of endemicity in the ancient lake in Myanmar.

Inle Lake, an ancient lake located in the Shan Plateau of Myanmar, is a biogeographically attractive region with high fish endemism. Some endemic species inhabit the lake as well as the surrounding areas. The genetic and ecological relationships between populations in the lake and surrounding areas provide important insights into the process underlying ichthyofaunal formation in Inle Lake. In this study, the authors focused on red dwarf rasbora Microrasbora rubescens, an endemic genus and species in this region, and estimated its population structure and evolutionary scenario based on genome-wide polymorphism, mtDNA and geometric morphometric analyses using samples from Inle Lake and three areas surrounding the lake. The results showed that M. rubescens comprises at least three genetically divergent lineages (Inle, Heho and Hopong) with distinct geographic structures consistent with nuclear and mtDNA data. In contrast, there was no clear regional differentiation in morphology. The divergence time estimation based on mtDNA suggests that the Hopong lineage diverged at 2.7 Ma and the Inle and Heho lineages diverged at 1.9 Ma - consistent with the nuclear DNA results. The deep divergence observed in the endemic species supports the ancient history of ichthyofaunal development in this region. The distinct regional differentiation and morphological conservatism of this species might have been shaped by niche conservatism in stagnant water environments that limit dispersal and morphological diversification. Future comprehensive genetic and morphological analyses and comparisons for other native species should reveal the geographic and ecological processes that shaped the ichthyofauna in this region.

Bioactivities and phenolic composition of Limonium boitardii Maire and L. cercinense Brullo & Erben (Plumbaginaceae): two Tunisian strict endemic plants.

Limonium genus is traditionally used in North Africa for disease treatment and in cosmetic. This study investigates for the first time the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and enzyme inhibitory activities of two Tunisian endemic plants, L. boitardii and L. cercinense. Analysis of phenolic compounds was carried out by using RP-HPLC. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity (antiradical, reducing and total antioxidant activities), tyrosinase and α-glucosidase, collagenase inhibition activities were determined. Inhibiting of NO release in LPS-stimulated macrophages was assessed. L. cercinense exhibited strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In the tyrosinase and α-glucosidase inhibitor activity tests, the two species were highly active, especially L. cercinense. High total phenolic and flavonoid contents were recorded in L. cercinense and myricitrin, myricetin, myricetin 3-O-ß-D-galatopyranoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside and rutin were the main phenolics in both species. The results obtained render L. boitardii and L. cercinense as valuable new natural sources for cosmetic and pharmacological applications.

Evolutionary history of the Pelasgus minnows (Teleostei: Leuciscidae), an ancient endemic genus from the Balkan Peninsula.

The Balkans are one of the European biodiversity hotspots, hosting outstandingly rich, yet threatened, flora and fauna. This region hosts one of the richest endemic freshwater ichthyofauna in Europe, including several genera occurring exclusively here. One of these is the genus of the primary freshwater minnows Pelasgus, which was designated only in 2007. The genus is one of the most ancient genera of the family Leuciscidae and comprises seven small-bodied species, inhabiting slower, well-vegetated courses of rivers. This work is the first molecular multilocus phylogeny of the genus, based on one mitochondrial and three nuclear markers. In total, 305 individuals across almost entire distribution range of the genus were analysed. We inferred the evolutionary history of the species by comparing the results of our calibrated multilocus coalescent species-tree to palaeogeological events. The diversification of the genus started in the early Miocene and continued through to the beginning of Pleistocene. We identified the regions of the oldest colonization by Pelasgus, the drainages of the ancient lakes Ohrid and Prespa, and the southernmost part of the Peloponnese, hosting Pelasgus minutus, P. prespensis and P. laconicus, respectively. We showed that P. prespensis is not endemic to Lake Prespa, as previously thought; it occurs also in the Albanian River Devoll. This corroborates the emerging opinion that the endemic taxa of ancient lakes evolved within larger-scale historic drainages and not only within the lakes. Our results showed that the species with the most recent common ancestor of the early Pliocene origin, P. thesproticus, P. epiroticus, P. stymphalicus and P. marathonicus, have neighbouring distribution ranges. Pelasgus epiroticus is especially interesting, not only for its pronounced genetic diversity with a geographic pattern, but also for being found at three localities within the native distribution range of P. stymphalicus as a result of a translocation. At two of these localities, we identified hybrids between the two species, and at one of them, the genetically pure native species was not found at all. This points to a threat of the loss of the native ichthyofauna due to unintentional translocations.

Cryptic diversity in a vagile Hawaiian moth group suggests complex factors drive diversification.

Allopatric speciation should be the dominant model of diversification across archipelagos because islands naturally promote isolation. It also follows that ecologically similar, vagile species should be more resistant to this kind of isolation due to dispersal and unifying selection. In a closely-related group of endemic Hawaiian hawkmoths, we found confounding patterns of inter-island connectivity and speciation that did not correlate with vagility, ecological specialization, or island age. Speciation occurred both in allopatric and sympatric taxa, with only the oldest and youngest islands fostering single-island endemic species. The intermediately-sized, central islands supported a combination of endemic and more widely-occurring lineages, suggesting no clear pattern leading to the current diversity in Hawaii. While some species are relatively common, others are apparently extinct or very rare, even on the same island. Further research into the specific mechanisms for these patterns in Hyles may prove broadly informative for understanding both cladogenesis and improving conservation planning. Our study identifies one new species endemic to Kauai and unique mitochondrial lineages in H. perkinsi, which may prove to be new species.

Recent hybrid speciation at the origin of the narrow endemic Pulmonaria helvetica.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hybridization is known to drive plant speciation through the establishment of homoploid or allopolyploid hybrid species. Here we investigate the origin of Pulmonaria helvetica, a narrow endemic species described across a restricted area of Switzerland that was entirely covered by ice during the last glacial maximum. This species presents an original number of chromosomes (2n = 24) and morphological traits suggestive of a hybrid origin. METHODS: We sequenced a plastid locus and 1077 double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA (ddRAD) loci in 67 individuals from across the distribution range of P. helvetica and candidate progenitor species growing in the same area. Assignment of genotypes to main genetic clusters within and among taxa using STRUCTURE tested whether P. helvetica represents a genetically differentiated lineage and addressed the hypothesis of its hybrid origin. Comparative ecological modelling further addressed possible niche differentiation among taxa. KEY RESULTS: Pulmonaria helvetica was highlighted as a genetically homogeneous species distinct from co-occurring taxa. Consistent with a scenario of hybrid speciation, it presented clear evidence of balanced admixture between Pulmonaria officinalis (2n = 16) and Pulmonaria mollis s.l. (2n = 18, 22), which was also highlighted as a maternal progenitor based on plastid sequences. Limited genetic structure within the maternal progenitor is consistent with an origin of P. helvetica through either homoploid hybridization with considerable karyotype changes or via complex scenarios of allopolyploidy involving a dysploid taxon of P. mollis s.l. Comparative niche modelling indicated non-significant ecological differences between P. helvetica and its progenitors, supporting intrinsic factors resulting from hybridization as main drivers of speciation. CONCLUSIONS: Hybridization appears as a major process having promoted the postglacial origin of the narrow endemic P. helvetica, suggesting hybrid speciation as an effective process that rapidly produces new species under climate changes.

Assessing species reintroduction sites based on future climate suitability for food resources.

The reintroduction of a species that is extinct in the wild demands caution because reintroduction locations may be associated with threats, such as hunting, poor-quality habitat, and climate change. This is the case for Cyanopsitta spixii (Spix's Macaw), which has been extinct in the wild since 2000. The few living individuals were created in captivity and will be used in a reintroduction project within the species' original distribution area, the Caatinga domain (Brazil). Because the occurrence records for this bird are old and inaccurate, we investigated the current and future environmental suitability of the 14 plant species used by C. spixii as resource. These plants are key elements for the long-term reestablishment of the species in the wild, so the use of models helps in the assessment of the effects of climate change on the availability of these resources for the species and informs selection of the best places for reintroduction. We based our models of environmental suitability on 19 bioclimatic variables and nine physical soil and topography variables. Climate projections were created for the present and for the year 2070 with an optimistic (SSP2-4.5) and a pessimistic (SSP5-8.5) climate scenario. Both future climate scenarios lead to a reduction in area of environmental suitability that overlapped for all the plant species: 33% reduction for SSP2-4.5 and 63% reduction for SSP5-8.5. If our projections materialize, climate change could thus affect the distribution of key resources, and the maintenance of C. spixii would depend on restoration of degraded areas, especially riparian forests, and the preservation of already existing natural areas. The Caatinga domain is very threatened by habitat loss and, for the success of this reintroduction project, the parties involved must act to protect the species and the resources it uses.

Evaluación de los Sitios de Reintroducción de Especies con base en la Futura Idoneidad Climática para los Recursos Alimenticios Resumen La reintroducción de una especie que se encuentra extinta en vida libre exige precaución pues las localidades de reintroducción pueden estar asociadas con amenazas como la cacería, hábitats de mala calidad y el cambio climático. Éste es el caso para Cyanopsitta spixii (Guacamaya de Spix), que ha estado extinta en vida libre desde el 2000. Los pocos individuos vivos nacieron en cautiverio y se usarán para un proyecto de reintroducción dentro del área original de distribución de la especie: el dominio Caatinga (Brasil). Ya que los registros de la presencia de esta ave son viejos e imprecisos, investigamos la idoneidad ambiental actual y a futuro de 14 especies de plantas que C. spixii usa como recurso. Estas plantas son elementos importantes para el restablecimiento a largo plazo de las especies en vida silvestre, así que el uso de modelos asiste en la evaluación de los efectos del cambio climático sobre la disponibilidad de recursos para la especie e informa la selección de los mejores lugares para la reintroducción. Basamos nuestros modelos de la idoneidad ambiental en 19 variables bioclimáticas y 9 variables físicas del suelo y la topografía. Las proyecciones climáticas fueron creadas para el presente y para el año 2070 con un escenario climático optimista (SSP2-4.5) y uno pesimista (SSP5-8.5) Ambos escenarios climáticos futuros llevan a una reducción en el área de idoneidad ambiental sobrepuesta para todas las especies de plantas: 33% de reducción para SSP2-4.5 y 63% de reducción para SSP5-8.5. Si nuestras proyecciones se materializan, el cambio climático podría entonces afectar la distribución de los recursos importantes, por lo que la conservación de C. spixii dependería de la restauración de las áreas degradadas, especialmente los bosques riparios y la preservación de las áreas naturales existentes. El dominio Caatinga se encuentra muy amenazado por la pérdida del hábitat y, para el éxito de este proyecto de reintroducción, las partes involucradas deben actuar para proteger a la especie y los recursos que utiliza.

Improving species status assessments under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and implications for multispecies conservation challenges worldwide.

Despite its successes, the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) has proven challenging to implement due to funding limitations, workload backlog, and other problems. As threats to species survival intensify and as more species come under threat, the need for the ESA and similar conservation laws and policies in other countries to function efficiently has grown. Attempts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to streamline ESA decisions include multispecies recovery plans and habitat conservation plans. We address species status assessment (SSA), a USFWS process to inform ESA decisions from listing to recovery, within the context of multispecies and ecosystem planning. Although existing SSAs have a single-species focus, ecosystem-based research can efficiently inform multiple SSAs within a region and provide a foundation for transition to multispecies SSAs in the future. We considered at-risk grassland species and ecosystems within the southeastern United States, where a disproportionate number of rare and endemic species are associated with grasslands. To initiate our ecosystem-based approach, we used a combined literature-based and structured World Café workshop format to identify science needs for SSAs. Discussions concentrated on 5 categories of threats to grassland species and ecosystems, consistent with recommendations to make shared threats a focus of planning under the ESA: (1) habitat loss, fragmentation, and disruption of functional connectivity; (2) climate change; (3) altered disturbance regimes; (4) invasive species; and (5) localized impacts. For each threat, workshop participants identified science and information needs, including database availability, research priorities, and modeling and mapping needs. Grouping species by habitat and shared threats can make the SSA process and other planning processes for conservation of at-risk species worldwide more efficient and useful. We found a combination of literature review and structured discussion effective for identifying the scientific information and analysis needed to support the development of multiple SSAs. Article impact statement: Species status assessments can be improved by an ecosystem-based approach that groups imperiled species by shared habitats and threats.

Mejoramiento de la Evaluación del Estado de una Especie bajo el Acta de Especies en Peligro de los Estados Unidos y Sus Consecuencias para los Retos de la Conservación Multiespecie a Nivel Mundial Resumen A pesar de su éxito, el Acta de Especies en Peligro de los E.U.A. (AEP) ha sido un reto de implementación por las limitaciones en su financiamiento, el retraso en la carga de trabajo y otros problemas. Conforme se intensifican las amenazas a la supervivencia de las especies y más especies resultan amenazadas, aumenta la necesidad de que la AEP y las políticas similares de otros países funcionen efectivamente. Los intentos por parte del Servicio Estadounidense de Pesca y Fauna (SEPF) para optimizar las decisiones de la AEP incluyen planes multiespecie de recuperación y planes de conservación de hábitat (PRH). Abordamos la evaluación del estado de las especies (EEE), un proceso del SEPF para orientar las decisiones del AEP desde el listado hasta la recuperación, dentro del contexto de la planeación multiespecie y de ecosistemas. Aunque las EEE existentes tienen un enfoque sobre una única especie, la investigación basada en el ecosistema puede orientar eficientemente a múltiples EEE dentro de una región y proporcionar una base para la transición a las EEE multiespecie en el futuro. Consideramos a las especies y los ecosistemas en riesgo de los pastizales del sureste de los Estados Unidos, en donde un número desproporcionado de especies raras y endémicas está asociado con los pastizales. Para iniciar nuestra estrategia basada en el ecosistema, usamos un formato de taller de World Café estructurado y basado en la literatura para identificar la necesidad de tener EEE. Las discusiones se centraron en cinco categorías de amenazas para las especies y ecosistemas de los pastizales, consistentes con las recomendaciones para volver a las amenazas compartidas un foco de la planeación bajo la AEP: (1) pérdida del hábitat, fragmentación y disrupción de la conectividad funcional; (2) cambio climático; (3) regímenes alterados de perturbación; (4) especies invasoras; y (5) impactos localizados. Para cada amenaza, los participantes del taller identificaron las necesidades científicas y de información, incluyendo la disponibilidad de bases de datos, prioridades de la investigación y necesidades de modelado y mapeado. La agrupación de las especies por hábitat y amenaza compartida puede hacer más eficientes y útiles el proceso de EEE y otros procesos de planeación de la conservación de especies en riesgo a nivel mundial. Encontramos una combinación de revisiones bibliográficas y discusiones estructuradas para identificar la información y el análisis necesarios para respaldar el desarrollo de múltiples EEE.

Do Endemic Soil Fauna Species Deserve Extra Protection for Adverse Heavy Metal Conditions?

The concept of Ecotoxicological Species Sensitivity Distributions, as used in EU and US, to derive environmental standards for contaminants, starts from the assumption that by protecting the majority of species (95% confidence interval) all species will be protected. Nevertheless, 5% of the species outside the confidence interval might become harmed; half of it being the most sensitive for the particular compound tested. With respect to protection of rare endemic species it is not clear, however, if contamination is a driving factor for endemicity. The aim of this paper is to explore whether endemic and rare species deserve extra protection from adverse environmental conditions. To this end, a brief overview of the various forms of endemism, their relation to environmental stress factors and the distribution of endemic species is discussed. Further, the sensitivities of these species towards environmental stress factors are analysed, in order to conclude if and how endemic species could be better protected against environmental stress factors. This was achieved by specifically focusing on the potential impacts of metalliferous soils, mining, the treatment of mined soil and the storage of treated mine waste. It is concluded that at present there are some signals about specific sensitivities, but the database is much too small for a definite conclusion about adverse environmental factors as a threat to endemic species. The data gap has to be filled in with experimental tests with endemic species. This is hampered by the protection status of these endemic, rare species. Recommendations and derived activities are proposed to address this.

Helminth communities of endemic cyprinoids of the Apennine Peninsula, with remarks on ectoparasitic monogeneans, and a description of four new Dactylogyrus Diesing, 1850 species.

The fauna of the Apennine Peninsula is, in comparison to other southern European peninsulas, relatively species-poor regarding the number of endemic cyprinoid species. Nonetheless, the recent introduction of non-native species has significantly increased the total number of freshwater species in this region. Such invasive species may represent a threat to the native fauna, associated among other things with the introduction of non-native parasites with their original hosts.In the present study, we investigated endemic cyprinoid species for the presence of helminth parasites. A total of 36 ectoparasitic monogenean species and five endoparasitic helminth species were collected from ten cyprinoid species in five localities in northern Italy. Out of 20 Dactylogyrus species (gill monogeneans specific to cyprinoids), four were identified as new to science and herein described: Dactylogyrus opertus n. sp. and Dactylogyrus sagittarius n. sp. from Telestes muticellus, Dactylogyrus conchatus n. sp. from T. muticellus and Protochondrostoma genei, and Dactylogyrus globulatus n. sp. from Chondrostoma soetta. All new Dactylogyrus species appear to be endemic to the Apennine Peninsula; however, they share a common evolutionary history with the endemic Dactylogyrus parasitizing cyprinoids of the Balkans. This common origin of cyprinoid-specific parasites supports a historical connection between these two (currently separated) geographical regions.

Climatic dynamics and topography control genetic variation in Atlantic Forest montane birds.

Montane organisms responded to Quaternary climate change by tracking suitable habitat along elevational gradients. However, it is unclear whether these past climatic dynamics generated predictable patterns of genetic diversity in co-occurring montane taxa. To test if the genetic variation is associated with historical changes in the elevational distribution of montane habitats, we integrated paleoclimatic data and a model selection approach for testing the demographic history of five co-distributed bird species occurring in the southern Atlantic Forest sky islands. We found that changes in historical population sizes and current genetic diversity are attributable to habitat dynamics among time periods and the current elevational distribution of populations. Taxa with populations restricted to the more climatically dynamic southern mountain block (SMB) had, on average, a six-fold demographic expansion, whereas the populations from the northern mountain block (NMB) remained constant. In the current configuration of the southern Atlantic Forest montane habitats, populations in the SMB have more widespread elevational distributions, occur at lower elevations, and harbor higher levels of genetic diversity than NMB populations. Despite the apparent coupling of demographic and climatic oscillations, our data rejected simultaneous population structuring due to historical habitat fragmentation. Demographic modeling indicated that the species had different modes of differentiation, and varied in the timing of divergence and the degree of gene flow across mountain blocks. Our results suggest that the heterogeneous distribution of genetic variation in birds of the Atlantic Forest sky islands is associated with the interplay between topography and climate of distinct mountains, leading to predictable patterns of genetic diversity.

Secondary forest fragments offer important carbon and biodiversity cobenefits.

Tropical forests store large amounts of carbon and high biodiversity, but are being degraded at alarming rates. The emerging global Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) agenda seeks to limit global climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the growth of trees. In doing so, it may also protect biodiversity as a free cobenefit, which is vital given the massive shortfall in funding for biodiversity conservation. We investigated whether natural forest regeneration on abandoned pastureland offers such cobenefits, focusing for the first time on the recovery of taxonomic diversity (TD), phylogenetic diversity (PD) and functional diversity (FD) of trees, including the recovery of threatened and endemic species richness, within isolated secondary forest (SF) fragments. We focused on the globally threatened Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where commitments have been made to restore 1 million hectares under FLR. Three decades after land abandonment, regenerating forests had recovered ~20% (72 Mg/ha) of the above-ground carbon stocks of a primary forest (PF), with cattle pasture containing just 3% of stocks relative to PFs. Over this period, SF recovered ~76% of TD, 84% of PD and 96% of FD found within PFs. In addition, SFs had on average recovered 65% of threatened and ~30% of endemic species richness of primary Atlantic forest. Finally, we find positive relationships between carbon stock and tree diversity recovery. Our results emphasize that SF fragments offer cobenefits under FLR and other carbon-based payments for ecosystem service schemes (e.g. carbon enhancements under REDD+). They also indicate that even isolated patches of SF could help to mitigate climate change and the biodiversity extinction crisis by recovering species of high conservation concern and improving landscape connectivity.