Catarina C. Ferreira, PhD

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Senior Conservation Scientist at Environment Canada

Climate change threatens natural landscapes through shifting distribution and abundance of species and attendant change in the structure and function of ecosystems. However, it remains unclear how climate-mediated variation in species’ environmental niche space may lead to large-scale fragmentation of species distributions, altered meta-population...

The PREDICTS project—Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)—has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used t...

Prey species develop anti-predatory strategies as a response to minimising the risk of being predated. However, how the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) adapts to different predator pressure is not fully known. Here, we studied the adap-tive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different terrestrial predation pressure. To...

Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species’ distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and mar...

Field-based research is fundamental to improving our understanding of how human impact on biological systems can be recognized, mitigated, or averted. However, the role of empirical field-based research has lost weight in recent decades relative to other analyzes. Nevertheless, important analytical instruments that help set national and global prio...

This manual has been produced through the European Commission (EC) service contract ‘Identification, Assessment, Sharing and Dissemination of Best Practices for Humane Management of Invasive Alien Species’ (07.027746/2019/812504/SER/ENV.D.2.). The aim of this project was to provide support for the management of vertebrate invasive alien species (ve...

This European Red List of Hoverflies is an output of the Hoverfly Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, funded by the European Commission Service Contract ‘Status assessment of European Hoverflies (Syrphidae) – European Red List of Hoverflies (EU and pan-Europe)’ (No. 07.0202/2018/792937/SER/ENV.D.2).

Despite their environmental and economic significance, pollinator conservation efforts to date have been dominated by activities related to bees and butterflies. Fortunately, in 2018, the European Union (EU) launched a comprehensive Pollinators Initiative to extend action to all main pollinator groups. However, given their unusually diverse life-hi...

Biodiversity is dramatically declining worldwide due to the complex processes that include interactions among threats. Studies investigating how multiple drivers (inter)act to influence spatio-temporal shifts in species distribution ranges, which are among the most anticipated changes in biodiversity in the future, are still scarce in the scientifi...

This chapter summarizes the central problems and potential solutions that emerged from this book to address the knowledge–implementation gap in conservation science. On the knowledge production side, more incentives and training for multi- and interdisciplinary research and increased co-production with stakeholders outside of academia are required...

Narrowing the knowledge-implementation gap is an essential step for conservation to achieve impact in an effective and timely manner. To do so requires an understanding of this “gap” and the processes, challenges, and enablers that are associated with it. For conservation science, these reflections and scholarship have only gained traction in the p...

Sustained monitoring of biological diversity is central to conservation biology as a discipline, allowing the evaluation of species and ecosystem conservation status, biological responses to environmental and policy changes, and conservation action. In this chapter, we look at the knowledge–implementation gap through the lens of biodiversity monito...

Complete summary of the scientific knowledge currently available on closing of the knowledge-implementation gap in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Describes interdisciplinary and innovative uses of knowledge sources and knowledge mobilization practices to halt biodiversity loss under human-driven global environmental change. Essential re...

This is an ancillary publication to ‘IUCN SSC HSG/CPSG (2022). European Hoverflies: Moving from Assessment to Conservation Planning. Conservation Planning Specialist Group, Apple Valley, MN, USA.’ It analyses the findings of the original publication with policy makers in mind as a specific target audience. This publication is available online only.

Mountain ecotones have the potential to cause multiple patterns in divergence, from simple barrier effects to more fundamental ecological divergence. Most work in mountain ecotones in North America has focused on reinforcement between refugial populations, making prediction of how mountains impact species that are not restricted to separate glacial...

This report presents the proposal for an EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (EU-PoMS), based on the findings of an expert group of 21 people from 12 European countries. The EU-PoMS delivers of a cost-effective Core Scheme, which includes the most relevant taxa, is able to detect changes in the status of pollinators, has EU-wide coverage, and uses stan...

With unprecedented losses in biodiversity, the need for stronger environmental policy has emerged as a conservation priority. Yet recovery planning for imperiled species remains a cumbersome, slow legislative process. In the present article, we examine features of recovery planning for species listed under Canada's Species at Risk Act to determine...

No solamente los rumores y las referencias de agricultores y cazadores, también diversos medios de comunicación y bases de datos internacionales hablan de la introducción de S. floridanus en España, conejo mucho mayor que los autóctonos y capacitado para subir a los árboles-lo que se achacaba al hecho de que podría tratarse de un conejo americano,...

This Red List is a summary of the conservation status of the European species of mosses, liverworts and hornworts, collectively known as bryophytes, evaluated according to IUCN’s Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional Level. It provides the first comprehensive, region-wide assessment of bryophytes and it identifies those s...

The European Red List is a review of the status of European species according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the regional level – in order that appropriate conservation action can be taken to improve their status. This publication is a summary of the conservation status of...

With unprecedented losses in biodiversity, the need for stronger environmental policy has emerged as a conservation priority. Yet, recovery planning for imperiled species remains a cumbersome and slow legislative process. Herein we examine complexities in recovery planning for species listed under Canada’s Species-At-Risk Act to determine which fac...

Leporid VH genes used in the generation of their primary antibody repertoire exhibit highly divergent lineages. For the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) four VHa lineages have been described, the a1, a2, a3 and a4. Hares (Lepus spp.) and cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) express one VHa lineage each, the a2L and the a5, respectively, along...

Cambridge Core - Natural Resource Management, Agriculture, Horticulture and forestry - Rewilding - edited by Nathalie Pettorelli

Information regarding species’ status at a regional scale is instrumental for effective conservation planning. Some regions of southwestern Europe, such as Portugal, albeit included in the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, lack a detailed assessment of the distribution patterns of several taxonomic groups, such as carnivores. Moreover, informatio...

Updated Iberian distributions of the carnivore species occurring (currently or historically) in Portugal. Dots represent UTM 10x10-km cells with confirmed (black) or unconfirmed (dark red) presence records in Portugal compiled in this study (see Methods for further details), together with presence records in Spain (light blue) from the latest mamma...

Scientific literature on mammalian terrestrial carnivores in Portugal from 1789 until November 2015 (n = 755 studies). Note: Relevant studies were identified using several search engines, including Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com), ISI Web of Knowledge / Web of Science (WoS, www.wokinfo.com), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO,...

Classification of Portuguese Municipalities for each carnivore species according to two possible categories for historical presence records (after 2000): No records (0) and with records (1). (XLSX)

Classification of each UTM 10x10-km cell for each species into the three possible categories according to current presence records (after 2000): No records (0), Confirmed (C) and Unconfirmed (U) presence. (XLSX)

The Atlas of Mammals of Portugal compiles the most up-to-date and finest-resolution distribution database of Portuguese terrestrial and marine mammals (except bats) across the country (mainland and islands) and its Exclusive Economic Zone. The inclusion of marine mammals, which are often left out of mammal atlases, is of particular relevance in thi...

Context Humans have introduced lagomorph species in areas outside their native ranges for their meat, fur or value as game species. Assessing the rate of success of lagomorph introductions is vital to address the ecological damage they may cause. Cases of failed lagomorph introductions in apparently suitable areas may also shed light on mechanisms...

Please, see the full version here: https://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/how-canada-can-attract-international-talent-and-improve-knowledge-exchange/

This dataset has been used for the analysis presented in the paper C.A. Ríos-Saldaña, M. Delibes-Mateos, C. Ferreira, Are fieldwork studies being relegated to second place in conservation science?, Glob. Ecol. Conserv. 14 (2018) e00389. Those data results from searching, in Thomson Scientific’s Web of Knowledge database, the “Biodiversity and Cons...

The collection of biological information, including data gathered in the field, is fundamental to improve our understanding of how human impacts on biological systems can be recognized, mitigated or averted. However, the role of empirical field research has faded appreciably in the past decades with sobering implications. Indeed, important instrume...

Atlas of Portuguese mammals, providing an update of their Iberian distribution

We argue that dismissal of scientific papers due to editorial misconduct is a growing point of contention between scientists and academic publishers. Hence, a system that helps researchers guide their choices on where to publish based on criteria related to transparent editorial practices is highly desirable. We hereby propose the creation of an on...

Lagoviruses belong to the Caliciviridae family. They were first recognized as highly pathogenic viruses of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) that emerged in the 1970-1980s, namely, rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV), according to the host specie...

Hunting as a method to control high density small mammal populations

Table A presents the number of presence records, target group, beta-multiplier, and feature types used for the top MaxEnt models developed for each species. Table B describes the number of suitable patches and mean patch size for boreal forest species under current and future climate projections (2050, 2080), within the current distribution of the...

http://sciencepolicy.ca/news/inter-and-transdisciplinary-research-programs-are-essential-protecting-biodiversity-canada

The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is a keystone species from the Iberian Peninsula where viral diseases have played a prominent role in regulating their populations. Coccidiosis, a parasitic disease caused primarily by Eimeria spp., is also thought to have important negative effects. However, few studies have investigated the impact of cocc...

Available at: http://sciencepolicy.ca/news/strengthening-scientific-collaboration-between-europe-and-canada-researchers-point-view

Figure S1: Database schema. Diversity data in yellow, GIS data in green and Catalogue of Life data in blue. The diversity tables datasource, study, site, measuredtaxon and diversitymeasurement follow the structure described in ‘Methods’ in the main text and in Hudson et al. (2014): a datasource is associated with one or more study records, each of...

The PREDICTS project—Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)—has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used t...

The PREDICTS project—Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)—has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used t...

Manual de trabajo del Programa de Conservación Ex-situ del Lince Ibérico que contiene las descripciones, los protocolos y las medidas para asegurar un correcto manejo de los ejemplares de lince ibérico pertenecientes al programa de cría en cautividad.

We conducted a comprehensive review of the scientific literature (N=755) focusing on carnivore species, and wolves in particular (N=260), to analyze several publication metrics such as date of publication, type of publication, research topic and exclusiveness of the publication focus on one or more species. For the wolf, those publication metrics w...

Temperatures and body weights of lizards during lab experiments Preferred temepratures measured and body mass measurements of individuals of the five lizard species used during lab experiments. The first excel folder include the raw data and the second one varialbe explanation.

Knowledge regarding species status and distribution at a regional scale is crucial for an effective management and conservation of biodiversity. Portugal, located in the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, still lacks a detailed assessment of the distribution patterns of its carnivores, and the little information available is scattered and often bi...

The climatic oscillations that have occurred in the last few million years have strongly affected species distribution ranges. Highly divergent genetic lineages arose, some of which correspond to recognized subspecies that currently occupy small geographical areas. Understanding the implications of the genetic differences between these subspecies i...

The climatic oscillations that have occurred in the last few million years have strongly affected species distribution ranges. Highly divergent genetic lineages arose, some of which correspond to recognized subspecies that currently occupy small geographical areas. Understanding the implications of the genetic differences between these subspecies i...

Peer review is pivotal to science and academia, as it represents a widely accepted strategy for ensuring quality control in scientific research. Yet, the peer-review system is poorly adapted to recent changes in the discipline and current societal needs. We provide historical context for the cultural lag that governs peer review that has eventually...

The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is a keystone species from the Iberian Peninsula where viral diseases have played a prominent role in regulating their populations. Coccidiosis, a parasitic disease caused primarily by Eimeria spp., is also thought to have important negative effects. However, few studies have investigated the impact of cocc...

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/20/12/14-0517_article

Biodiversity conflicts arise when the interests of different stakeholders over common resources compete. Typically, the more parties involved, the more complex situations become. Resolution of biodiversity conflicts requires an understanding of the ecological, social and economic factors involved, in other words the interests and priorities of each...

Background/Question/Methods There is a rich body of theory exploring predator-prey interactions, especially in relation to the role of predators on prey population dynamics. Likewise, many field studies have examined predator-prey interactions in the context of prey population growth or decline under predation mortality. However, the link between...

The E uropean rabbit O ryctolagus cuniculus was designated as a protected species in S pain and P ortugal following sharp declines in many populations. The ongoing decline highlights the need to implement cost‐effective management strategies for this staple prey and important small game species of Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems. Habitat managemen...

In Mediterranean ecosystems, the European rabbit is a keystone species that has declined dramatically, with profound implications for conservation and manage-ment. Predation and disease acting on juveniles are con-sidered the likely causes. In the field, these processes are managed by removing predators, increasing cover to reduce predation risk an...

Biogeographical diversity is central to the trophic ecology of predators. Understanding the biogeographical trophic patterns of generalist predators, such as the red fox Vulpes vulpes, is particularly challenging because of their wide distributions, broad trophic spectra and high ecological plasticity, which often generate conflicts with humans. We...

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a high-profile prey, native from the Iberian Peninsula, the only region in the world where the two rabbit subspecies (O. cuniculus algirus and O. cuniculus cuniculus) currently co-exist in natural conditions. In this area, this important prey represents a keystone species and ecosystem engineer of Medi...

http://drrf-sraa.azores.gov.pt/areas/cinegetica/Documents/Livro_O_Coelho_bravo_2012.pdf

In Mediterranean ecosystems, rabbits are a key prey species for many predators, such as the Iberian lynx, which is threatened with extinction and has gone extinct locally in several regions of its historical distribution range. One of these regions is Serra da Malcata Nature Reserve, Portugal, which is also currently proposed as a potential site fo...

The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a high‐profile prey, native from the Iberian Peninsula, the only region in the world where the two rabbit subspecies (O.c. algirus and O.c. cuniculus) currently co‐exist. In this area this important prey represents a keystone species and ecosystem engineer of Mediterranean landscapes, being also the most h...

Genetic differentiation among hybridizing taxa reflects a complex mixture of factors, including the formation of reproductive isolating barriers and traits that reduce either the probability (prezygotic barriers) or fitness (postzygotic barriers) of interspecific fertilizations. The two European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) subspecies, which...

This paper discusses the controversial management decisions made by policy-makers worldwide regarding poisoning campaigns aimed to control small mammal populations, often considered harmful economic pests. Aside from considerations re-garding the biological consequences of these campaigns, we argue that when society rejects all values of science an...

The Iberian lynx is the most endangered cat in the world. At present, this felid is only found in Mediterranean forests and scrublands of southern Spain, restricted to two populations, Doñana and eastern Sierra Morena. However, these two isolated populations alone are not sufficient to support this emblematic species in the long-term. Natural expan...

Genetic differentiation among hybridizing taxa reflects a complex mixture of factors, including the formation of reproductive isolating barriers and traits that reduce either the probability (prezygotic barriers) or fitness (postzygotic barriers) of interspecific fertilizations. The two European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) subspecies, which hybr...

En la Península Ibérica se han descrito dos linajes diferentes de conejo de monte que corresponden a las subespecies Oryctolagus cuniculus algirus y O.c. cuniculus . Después de un largo periodo de aislamiento, actualmente cada subespecie ocupa una distribución geográfica bien definida pero solapándose a lo largo de una franja de contacto donde exis...

Context. The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a keystone species from the Iberian Peninsula that has suffered a strong decline in Spain during the past decades. Data on historical and current population trends in Portugal are virtually non-existent. Aims. To investigate changes in rabbit abundance at the national level so as to inform conserv...

La pérdida de hábitat favorable está considerada como una de las causas principales del declive de numerosas especies, como el conejo de monte. Para fomentar la recuperación de las poblaciones de esta especie, incluso antes de la irrupción de la última enfermedad viral, ya se consideraba necesaria la gestión del hábitat (ej. construcción de refugio...

During the last decades wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations have been progressively declining in the Iberian Peninsula as a result of several factors, namely habitat deterioration. Hence, habitat management has become one of the most commonly used management techniques to restore wild rabbit populations. To test the efficacy of some of...

We conducted a field experiment in SW Spain to test the efficacy of a myxomatosis vaccine, a viral disease strongly affecting wild rabbit populations, by assessing individual survival and antibody seroprevalence of monthly live-trapped, vaccinated (N=466) and unvaccinated (N=558) juvenile wild rabbits, between April and October 2007. Eight percent...

A survey of the Iberian lynx was conducted in Portugal between January 2002 and November 2003 in order to define lynx status and distribution baselines. Intensive search for lynx scats, scat DNA analysis, and camera trapping were used in areas of potential lynx presence. Over 4,200km were investigated during a global searching effort of 1,975 man-h...

From the first half of the 20th century onwards, the Portuguese Iberian lynx population was distributed in three major nuclei: Sado Valley, Malcata and Contenda-Barrancos. In the following decades these areas were subjected to a process that culminated in the specie’s considerable regression, probably as consequence of a major allocation of potenti...