From roads to biobanks: Roadkill animals as a valuable source of genetic data.

To protect biodiversity we must understand its structure and composition including the bacteria and microparasites associated with wildlife, which may pose risks to human health. However, acquiring this knowledge often presents challenges, particularly in areas of high biodiversity where there are many undescribed and poorly studied species and funding resources can be limited. A solution to fill this knowledge gap is sampling roadkill (animals that die on roads as a result of collisions with circulating vehicles). These specimens can help characterize local wildlife and their associated parasites with fewer ethical and logistical challenges compared to traditional specimen collection. Here we test this approach by analyzing 817 tissue samples obtained from 590 roadkill vertebrate specimens (Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia) collected in roads within the Tropical Andes of Ecuador. First, we tested if the quantity and quality of recovered DNA varied across roadkill specimens collected at different times since death, exploring if decomposition affected the potential to identify vertebrate species and associated microorganisms. Second, we compared DNA stability across taxa and tissues to identify potential limitations and offer recommendations for future work. Finally, we illustrate how these samples can aid in taxonomic identification and parasite detection. Our study shows that sampling roadkill can help study biodiversity. DNA was recovered and amplified (allowing species identification and parasite detection) from roadkill even 120 hours after death, although risk of degradation increased overtime. DNA was extracted from all vertebrate classes but in smaller quantities and with lower quality from amphibians. We recommend sampling liver if possible as it produced the highest amounts of DNA (muscle produced the lowest). Additional testing of this approach in areas with different environmental and traffic conditions is needed, but our results show that sampling roadkill specimens can help detect and potentially monitor biodiversity and could be a valuable approach to create biobanks and preserve genetic data.

First national assessment of wildlife mortality in Ecuador: An effort from citizens and academia to collect roadkill data at country scale.

Ecuador has both high richness and high endemism, which are increasingly threatened by anthropic pressures, including roads. Research evaluating the effects of roads remains scarce, making it difficult to develop mitigation plans. Here, we present the first national assessment of wildlife mortality on roads that allow us to (1) estimate roadkill rates per species, (2) identify affected species and areas, and (3) reveal knowledge gaps. We bring together data from systematic surveys and citizen science efforts to present a dataset with 5010 wildlife roadkill records from 392 species, and we also provide 333 standardized corrected roadkill rates calculated on 242 species. Systematic surveys were reported by ten studies from five Ecuadorian provinces, revealing 242 species with corrected roadkill rates ranging from 0.03 to 171.72 ind./km/year. The highest rates were for the yellow warbler Setophaga petechia in Galapagos (171.72 ind./km/year), the cane toad Rhinella marina in Manabi (110.70 ind./km/year), and the Galapagos lava lizard Microlophus albemarlensis (47.17 ind./km/year). Citizen science and other nonsystematic monitoring provided 1705 roadkill records representing all 24 provinces in Ecuador and 262 identified species. The common opossum Didelphis marsupialis, the Andean white-eared opossum Didelphis pernigra, and the yellow warbler Setophaga petechia were more commonly reported (250, 104, and 81 individuals, respectively). Across all sources, we found 15 species listed as "Threatened" and six as "Data Deficient" by the IUCN. We recommend stronger research efforts in areas where the mortality of endemic or threatened species could be critical for populations, such as in Galapagos. This first country-wide assessment of wildlife mortality on Ecuadorian roads represents contributions from academia, members of the public, and government, underlining the value of wider engagement and collaboration. We hope these findings and the compiled dataset will guide sensible driving and sustainable planning of infrastructure in Ecuador and, ultimately, contribute to reduce wildlife mortality on roads.

Ecuador tiene gran riqueza y alto endemismo de especies, mismas que están amenazadas por presiones antrópicas como las carreteras. Sin embargo, la investigación en este campo es escasa, dificultando el desarrollo de planes de mitigación. Presentamos la primera evaluación nacional de mortalidad de fauna silvestre en carreteras que nos permite 1) estimar tasas de atropellamiento por especies, 2) identificar especies y áreas afectadas, y 3) revelar vacíos de información. Compilamos datos de estudios sistemáticos y esfuerzos de ciencia ciudadana en Ecuador para presentar una base de datos que comprende 5010 registros de atropellamientos correspondientes a 392 especies, también proveemos 333 tasas de atropellamiento estandarizadas para 242 especies. Monitoreos sistemáticos fueron reportados por diez estudios de cinco provincias del Ecuador, revelando 242 especies con una tasa de mortalidad que varía entre 0.03 y 171.72 ind./km/año. Las tasas de atropellamiento más altas correspondieron a la reinita amarilla Setophaga petechia en Galápagos (171.72 ind./km/año), el sapo de la caña Rhinella marina in Manabí (110.70 ind./km/año), y la lagartija de lava de Galápagos Microlophus albemarlensis (47.17 ind./km/año). La ciencia ciudadana y monitoreos no sistemáticos proporcionaron 1705 registros representando a las 24 provincias de Ecuador y a 262 especies identificadas. La zarigüeya común Didelphis marsupialis, la zarigüeya orejiblanca andina Didelphis pernigra y la reinita amarilla Setophaga petechia fueron las más reportadas (250, 104 y 81 individuos respectivamente). Considerando todas las fuentes de datos encontramos 15 especies clasificadas como amenazadas y seis como datos insuficientes por la UICN. Recomendamos mayores esfuerzos de investigación en áreas donde la mortalidad de especies endémicas o amenazadas puede ser crítica para las poblaciones, como en Galápagos. Esta primera evaluación de mortalidad silvestre en carreteras ecuatorianas representa contribuciones de varios sectores, incluidos la academia, ciudadanía y el gobierno, resaltando el valor de una mayor participación y colaboración. Esperamos que estos hallazgos y la base de datos guíen la planificación sostenible de infraestructuras viales en Ecuador y contribuyan a reducir la mortalidad animal en las carreteras por medio de una conducción vehicular más cautelosa.

Current and future suitable habitat areas for Nasuella olivacea (Gray, 1865) in Colombia and Ecuador and analysis of its distribution across different land uses.

Nasuella olivacea is an endemic mammal from the Andes of Ecuador and Colombia. Due to its rarity, aspects about its natural history, ecology and distribution patterns are not well known, therefore, research is needed to generate knowledge about this carnivore and a first step is studying suitable habitat areas. We performed Ecological Niche Models and applied future climate change scenarios (2.6 and 8.5 RCP) to determine the potential distribution of this mammal in Colombia and Ecuador, with current and future climate change conditions; furthermore, we analysed its distribution along several land covers. We found that N. olivacea is likely to be found in areas where no records have been reported previously; likewise, climate change conditions would increase suitable distribution areas. Concerning land cover, 73.4% of N. olivacea potential distribution was located outside Protected Areas (PA), 46.1% in Forests and 40.3% in Agricultural Lands. These findings highlight the need to further research understudied species, furthering our understanding about distribution trends and responses to changing climatic conditions, as well as informig future PA designing. These are essential tools for supporting wildlife conservation plans, being applicable for rare species whose biology and ecology remain unknown.

The highest altitudinal record of the Mountain coati Nasuella olivacea (Gray, 1865) for Ecuador.

The Mountain coati Nasuella olivacea is a species of carnivorous mammal, several aspects of its ecology and natural history remain unknown. In Ecuador, its presence is reported in high Andean forest and paramo between 1,300 and 3,700 m a.s.l., being rare over 3,200 m. In this work, I present the extension of its altitudinal limit for Ecuador to 3,862 m a.s.l.; in addition, I report an event of a possible interaction between Tremarctos ornatus and N. olivacea.

Efecto de atributos paisajísticos en los patrones de presencia de Ateles fusciceps en el noroccidente ecuatoriano / Landscape attributes effects on Ateles fusciceps presence patterns in northwestern Ecuador

Este trabajo evalúa el efecto que tienen ciertas variables paisajísticas (ríos, tierras agropecuarias, áreas antrópicas y bosque nativo) en los patrones de presencia del mono araña, Ateles fusciceps, en el noroccidente ecuatoriano. Se utilizaron registros geográficos de Ateles fusciceps tomados en campo y de estudios previos. Se evaluó el efecto de la proximidad de cada variable por medio de la prueba T de Student. Posteriormente mediante regresiones logísticas y por medio del Criterio de Información de Akaike (AIC) se seleccionaron los mejores modelos y se identificaron las variables más importantes. Se observó que tierras agropecuarias y zonas antrópicas tienen un efecto negativo para este primate, pues los puntos de presencia se encontraron alejados de éstas. Se evidencia también que Ateles fusciceps prefiere sitios cercanos a bosque, resultado que corrobora investigaciones previas, sin embargo también se encuentra una asociación con ríos, resultado que no ha sido reportado en estudios anteriores. Se encontraron dos modelos importantes para predecir patrones de presencia de este primate, el primero compuesto por: bosque nativo, ríos y zonas antrópicas (AICw=0.48), mientras que el segundo abarca: bosque nativo, ríos, zonas antrópicas y tierras agropecuarias (AICw=0.34). Estos resultados servirán de base para futuros análisis, dirigidos a la conservación de A. fusciceps.

In this work, I investigate the effect of some landscape variables (rivers, agricultural lands, anthropic areas and native forest) on the presence patterns of spider monkey, Ateles fusciceps, in the northwestern Ecuador. Geographical records collected in field and others from previous studies were used to conduct this study. Effects of proximity of each variable to presence of A. fusciceps were assessed with Student T tests. The best model and the most important variables were identified using logistic regressions and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The results showed that agricultural lands and anthropic zones were from the primate presence points, suggesting a negative effect on A. fusciceps. I also found that A. fusciceps prefers sites near rivers, this observation has not been reported in previous studies. Two important models were found to predict the presence of A. fusciceps, the first one was composed by three variables: native forest, rivers and anthropic areas (AICw= 0.48) and the second model was composed by the four variables: native forest, rivers, anthropic areas and agricultural lands (AICw= 0.34). The results of this work will contribute a basis for future studies aimed on A. fusciceps conservation.