Effect of Myxoma Virus Species Jump on Iberian Hare Populations.

The myxoma virus species jump from European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) has raised concerns. We assess the decline suffered by Iberian hare populations on the Iberian Peninsula and discuss the association between the effect of myxomatosis and the average abundance index, which we estimated by using hunting bags.

Using species distribution modeling to generate relative abundance information in socio-politically unstable territories: Conservation of Felidae in the central-western region of Mexico.

The distribution range and population abundance of species provide fundamental information on the species-habitat relationship required for management and conservation. Abundance inherently provides more information about the ecology of species than do occurrence data. However, information on abundance is scarce for most species, mainly at large spatial scales. The objective of this work was, therefore, to provide information regarding the population status of six wild felids inhabiting territories in Mexico that are inaccessible or politically unstable. This was done using species distribution models derived from occurrence data. We used distribution data at a continental scale for the wild felids inhabiting Mexico: jaguar (Panthera onca), bobcat (Lynx rufus), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), cougar (Puma concolor), margay (Leopardus wiedii), and jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) to predict environmental suitability (estimated by both Maxent and the distance to niche centroid, DNC). Suitability was then examined by relating to a capture rate-based index, in a well-monitored area in central western Mexico in order to assess their performance as proxies of relative abundance. Our results indicate that the environmental suitability patterns predicted by both algorithms were comparable. However, the strength of the relationship between the suitability and relative abundance of local populations differed across species and between algorithms, with the bobcat and DNC, respectively, having the best fit, although the relationship was not consistent in all the models. This paper presents the potential of implementing species distribution models in order to predict the relative abundance of wild felids in Mexico and offers guidance for the proper interpretation of the relationship between suitability and population abundance. The results obtained provide a robust information base on which to outline specific conservation actions and on which to examine the potential status of endangered species inhabiting remote or politically unstable territories in which on-field monitoring programs are not feasible.

The method matters. A comparative study of biologging and camera traps as data sources with which to describe wildlife habitat selection.

Habitat use is a virtually universal activity among animals and is highly relevant as regards designing wildlife management and conservation actions. This has led to the development of a great variety of methods to study it, of which resource selection functions combined with biologging-derived data (RSF) is the most widely used for this purpose. However this approach has some constraints, such as its invasiveness and high costs. Analytical approaches taking into consideration imperfect detection coupled with camera trap data (IDM) have, therefore, emerged as a non-invasive cost-effective alternative. However, despite the fact that both approaches (RSF and IDM) have been used in habitat selection studies, they should also be comparatively assessed. The objective of this work is consequently to assess them from two perspectives: explanatory and predictive. This has been done by analyzing data obtained from camera traps (60 sampling sites) and biologging (17 animals monitored: 7 red deer Cervus elaphus, 6 fallow deer Dama dama and 4 wild boar Sus scrofa) in the same periods using IDM and RSF, respectively, in Doñana National Park (southern Spain) in order to explain and predict habitat use patterns for three studied species. Our results showed discrepancies between the two approaches, as they identified different predictors as being the most relevant to determine species intensity of use, and they predicted spatial patterns of habitat use with a contrasted level of concordance, depending on species and scale. Given these results and the characteristics of each approach, we suggested that although partly comparable interpretations can be obtained with both approaches, they are not equivalent but rather complementary. The combination of data from biologging and camera traps would, therefore, appear to be suitable for the development of an analytical framework with which to describe and characterise the habitat use processes of wildlife.

The wildlife-livestock interface on extensive free-ranging pig farms in central Spain during the "montanera" period.

The effective management of shared pathogens between wild ungulates and livestock requires the understanding of the processes of interaction between them. In this work, we studied the interspecific frequency of interaction (ifreq) and its spatiotemporal pattern between wild and domestic ungulates that coexist in free-ranging farms. For this purpose, 6 red deer, 6 wild boar, 8 Iberian pigs and 3 cattle were monitored using GPS devices during the "montanera" period (the period in which Iberian pigs are maintained in extensive conditions to feed on acorn). The ifreq was quantified for two spatiotemporal windows: 30 m - 10 min, for inferring potential direct interactions (short window), and 30 m - 12 days for indirect interactions (large window). Secondly, the variation in the ifreq was modelled with regard to 2 temporal (time of the day and week of the year) and 4 environmental factors (distance to water, distance to vegetation cover, Quercus density and distance to feeding points). The interactions at the short window were scarce (N = 13); however, they were very frequent at the large one (N = 37,429), with the red deer as the species with the greatest involvement in the interactions. Models showed that the time of the day and distance to water were the variables that best predicted the ifreq and they were conditioned by differences in the activity pattern of the targeted species. Food resource availability also predicted the ifreq, especially at the short window and between wild species. The results presented here highlight the role that wild ungulates may play in the transmission of pathogens to extensive livestock in general and pigs in particular and show the epidemiological risk of certain areas, periods of time and management practices (for wildlife and livestock) as well as providing useful information in the prevention of the transmission of shared pathogens.

Linking morphological and molecular sources to disentangle the case of Xylodon australis.

The use of different sources of evidence has been recommended in order to conduct species delimitation analyses to solve taxonomic issues. In this study, we use a maximum likelihood framework to combine morphological and molecular traits to study the case of Xylodon australis (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) using the locate.yeti function from the phytools R package. Xylodon australis has been considered a single species distributed across Australia, New Zealand and Patagonia. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses were conducted to unmask the actual diversity under X. australis as well as the kinship relations respect their relatives. To assess the taxonomic position of each clade, locate.yeti function was used to locate in a molecular phylogeny the X. australis type material for which no molecular data was available using morphological continuous traits. Two different species were distinguished under the X. australis name, one from Australia-New Zealand and other from Patagonia. In addition, a close relationship with Xylodon lenis, a species from the South East of Asia, was confirmed for the Patagonian clade. We discuss the implications of our results for the biogeographical history of this genus and we evaluate the potential of this method to be used with historical collections for which molecular data is not available.

Addressing the diversity of Xylodon raduloides complex through integrative taxonomy.

In this study, the taxonomic diversity of the Xylodon raduloides species complex (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) is examined. Specimens were studied using an integrative taxonomic approach that includes molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses, and environmental niche comparisons. Four different species were found inside the Xylodon raduloides complex, with a biogeographic distribution pattern bound by geographic regions: Europe, North America, Patagonia, and Australia-New Zealand. Molecular, morphological, and environmental evidences delimit two lineages within this complex: a Northern Hemisphere clade with longer basidiospores and wider ranges in temperature and precipitation tolerance, and a Southern Hemisphere clade with smaller and more spherical basidiospores, and an isothermal and more humid climate preference. The integrative taxonomic approach used in this study demonstrates congruence between data sets and shows how morphological and environmental characteristics contribute to the differentiation of fungal species complexes. By combining various sources of taxonomic information, three new species are described: Xylodon laurentianus, X. novozelandicus, and X. patagonicus.

Multilocus phylogeny reveals taxonomic misidentification of the Schizoporaparadoxa (KUC8140) representative genome.

Schizoporaparadoxa, current name Xylodonparadoxus, is a white-rot fungus with certain useful biotechnological properties. The representative genome of Schizoporaparadoxa strain KUC8140 was published in 2015 as part of the 1000 Fungal Genomes Project. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses, based on three nuclear regions (ITS, LSU and rpb2), confirmed a misidentification of S.paradoxa strain KUC8140 which should be identified as Xylodonovisporus. This wrong identification explains the unexpected geographical distribution of S.paradoxa, since this species has a European distribution, whereas the strain KUC8140 was recorded from Korea, Eastern Asia.

Effect of Climate Change on Mediterranean Winter Ranges of Two Migratory Passerines.

We studied the effect of climate change on the distribution of two insectivorous passerines (the meadow pipit Anthus pratensis and the chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita) in wintering grounds of the Western Mediterranean basin. In this region, precipitation and temperature can affect the distribution of these birds through direct (thermoregulation costs) or indirect effects (primary productivity). Thus, it can be postulated that projected climate changes in the region will affect the extent and suitability of their wintering grounds. We studied pipit and chiffchaff abundance in several hundred localities along a belt crossing Spain and Morocco and assessed the effects of climate and other geographical and habitat predictors on bird distribution. Multivariate analyses reported a positive effect of temperature on the present distribution of the two species, with an additional effect of precipitation on the meadow pipit. These climate variables were used with Maxent to model the occurrence probabilities of species using ring recoveries as presence data. Abundance and occupancy of the two species in the study localities adjusted to the distribution models, with more birds in sectors of high climate suitability. After validation, these models were used to forecast the distribution of climate suitability according to climate projections for 2050-2070 (temperature increase and precipitation reduction). Results show an expansion of climatically suitable sectors into the highlands by the effect of warming on the two species, and a retreat of the meadow pipit from southern sectors related to rain reduction. The predicted patterns show a mean increase in climate suitability for the two species due to the warming of the large highland expanses typical of the western Mediterranean.