Endemic bird areas of the world: priorities for biodiversity conservation
Abstract
The volume is broadly split into two main sections. The firsts consists of seven introductory chapters: biodiversity and priority setting; identifying endemic bird areas; global analyses; the prioritization of endemic brid areas; the conservation relevance of endemic bird areas; endemic bird areas as targets for conservation action; and regional introductions. The second, and larger part of the text looks at the endemic bird areas in detail. The section is split into six subsections, by region: North and Central America; Africa, Europe and the Middle East; continental Asia; SE Asian Islands, New Guinea and Australia; and the Pacific Islands. Within each regional subsection the endemic areas are detailed, providing information on : general characteristics; restricted-range species; threats and conservation; and location maps.
... Together, the islands of the Halmahera support a highly unique, well-isolated biota, and are generally united together as a single biogeographic province within the Wallacean region (Monk et al., 1997;Stattersfield et al., 1998;Wikraman ayake et al., 2002). The various small oceanic islands situated off western Halmahera (such as Ternate, Tidore, and Kayoa) are of geologically recent, volcanic origin (Monk et al., 1997), and seem to have faunas derived from Halmahera-Bacan. ...
... The various small oceanic islands situated off western Halmahera (such as Ternate, Tidore, and Kayoa) are of geologically recent, volcanic origin (Monk et al., 1997), and seem to have faunas derived from Halmahera-Bacan. The more southerly island of Obi and its satellites (including the islands of Bisa and Obilatu) share many restricted-range bird species with the Halmahera Group and are often included within this biogeographic province (e.g., Stattersfield et al., 1998;Wikramanayake et al., 2002). However, our ongoing studies of Moluccan mammals reveal that the mammal faunas of the Halmahera and Obi island groups are biogeographically similar but somewhat divergent, and that Morotai is also distinctive within the northern Moluccas. ...
... Deforestation and mining (especially nickel mining) are the most pressing conservation threats to restrictedrange species in the North Moluccas (Stattersfield et al., 1998;Brooks et al., 1999;Poulsen & Lambert, 2000;Wikramanayake et al., 2002). Human occupation in the region extends back to 35,000 BP , and throughout this time people undoubtedly cleared some forested areas in Morotai for gardens and settlements, especially in coastal areas. ...
... A generally positive relationship between abundance and geographic area suggests rare species are especially vulnerable to extirpation (Kattan 1992, Gaston & Blackburn 2000. Against this general pattern we note that several species recognised by Stattersfield et al. (1998) as East Andes of Ecuador endemics, and at least formerly considered Vulnerable or Near Threatened based on their restricted ranges (IUCN 2016(IUCN , 2023, are among the more commonly detected species of forest interior at San José de Sumaco (e.g., Ecuadorian Piedtail Phlogophilus hemileucurus, Pink-throated Brilliant Heliodoxa gularis and Phylloscartes gualaquizae). ...
... Second, the site lies near the western margin of the North Amazon (Napo) area (Haffer 1974, Cracraft 1985, and among the range-restricted taxa present are both Napo endemic forms with sister species confined to the adjacent lowland Inambari area (e.g., Fulvous Antshrike Frederickena fulva, Dusky Spinetail Synallaxis moesta, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus calopterus), and East Andean endemic taxa with sister lineages in foothill and highland areas outside Amazonia including the Pacific slope (e.g., Heliodoxa gularis, Orange-eared Tanager Chlorochrysa calliparaea, Pipreola chlorolepidota; Stattersfield et al. 1998, Hazzi et al. 2018. Sympatry in taxa representative of distantly related Andean and Amazonian centres of endemism indicates a compound history (Haffer 1974, Cracraft 1985, Stattersfield et al. 1998, Hazzi et al. 2018 Third, whilst the San José de Sumaco avifauna is dominated by widespread Lower tropical species, it also includes a set of range-restricted Hill tropical or Upper tropical species (sensu Stotz et al. 1996; Fig. 7) that are confined to a narrow elevational band below the distribution of subtropical ('cloud') forests (e.g., Heliodoxa gularis, Pipreola chlorolepidota, Phyllomyias gualaquizae) and at least formerly considered Vulnerable or Near Threatened (IUCN 2016(IUCN , 2023. ...
... Second, the site lies near the western margin of the North Amazon (Napo) area (Haffer 1974, Cracraft 1985, and among the range-restricted taxa present are both Napo endemic forms with sister species confined to the adjacent lowland Inambari area (e.g., Fulvous Antshrike Frederickena fulva, Dusky Spinetail Synallaxis moesta, Golden-winged Tody-Flycatcher Poecilotriccus calopterus), and East Andean endemic taxa with sister lineages in foothill and highland areas outside Amazonia including the Pacific slope (e.g., Heliodoxa gularis, Orange-eared Tanager Chlorochrysa calliparaea, Pipreola chlorolepidota; Stattersfield et al. 1998, Hazzi et al. 2018. Sympatry in taxa representative of distantly related Andean and Amazonian centres of endemism indicates a compound history (Haffer 1974, Cracraft 1985, Stattersfield et al. 1998, Hazzi et al. 2018 Third, whilst the San José de Sumaco avifauna is dominated by widespread Lower tropical species, it also includes a set of range-restricted Hill tropical or Upper tropical species (sensu Stotz et al. 1996; Fig. 7) that are confined to a narrow elevational band below the distribution of subtropical ('cloud') forests (e.g., Heliodoxa gularis, Pipreola chlorolepidota, Phyllomyias gualaquizae) and at least formerly considered Vulnerable or Near Threatened (IUCN 2016(IUCN , 2023. The congruent foothill distributions of these taxa, each Appendix 1, excluding 16 long-distance migrant species) by 'centre of abundance' categories (median, continent-wide elevational range as given by Stotz et al. 1996). ...
We present the results of an eight-year avifaunal survey and review historical collections assembled by the Olalla family at San José de Sumaco, a humid-forested locality lying at c.950 m elevation in the east Andean foothills of Orellana province, Ecuador. Notably high species richness is reported from a restricted area of upland terra firme forest, and our appendix lists 477 species considered documented, with conservation status according to IUCN, evidence and relative abundance. An additional 49 species have been reported from the site, but without documentation. Noteworthy records of 43 species are detailed, including poorly known, range-restricted taxa and those of conservation concern. Twenty-two species are regarded as either Near Threatened or Vulnerable by IUCN. Lowland (Amazonian) species dominate the avifauna, but it also includes a set of range-restricted, Andean species of which several are considered Near Threatened or Vulnerable at national or global scales (e.g., Napo Sabrewing Campylopterus villaviscensio, Fiery-throated Fruiteater Pipreola chlorolepidota, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet Phylloscartes gualaquizae). We report the presence of three obligate bamboo specialist species. We clarify the geographic position of the Olalla collecting locality San José de Sumaco using archival material and by reconstructing the collectors' itinerary. We list noteworthy elevational records for 89 species of which 80 are upper-elevation records of lowland (Amazonian species). While mainly Amazonian, the avifauna is discussed in relation to its biogeography indicating historical connections to both Andean and Amazonian centres of diversification. We conclude that the lower slopes of Volcan Sumaco host a distinctive, species-rich avian assemblage that is threatened immediately by deforestation and potentially by climate change, and we stress its importance for conservation and continued study.
... Se extienden desde los 17ºS-28ºS y los 67ºO-63ºO siendo característico el bosque siempre verde que no supera los 15 m. (Stattersfield et al., 1998). Se presentan en sectores montañosos vinculados a las sierras subandinas, extendiéndose en forma discontinua en las provincias de Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán y Catamarca. ...
... Se presentan en sectores montañosos vinculados a las sierras subandinas, extendiéndose en forma discontinua en las provincias de Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán y Catamarca. El clima es cálido y húmedo a sub-húmedo, la temperatura y humedad varían con la latitud, la altitud (400 a 3000 msnm.), el relieve y la exposición de las laderas, dando origen a diferentes especies vegetales (Olson et al., 2000;Stattersfield, 1998;Daniele y Natenzon, 1994). Las sierras conforman una barrera orográfica a los vientos húmedos del anticiclón del Atlántico sur. ...
... Las sierras conforman una barrera orográfica a los vientos húmedos del anticiclón del Atlántico sur. La precipitación anual es del orden de los 900-1000 mm (Burkart et al., 1999), pudiendo superar los 2500 mm año -1 (Stattersfield, 1998) ...
La evapotranspiración (ET) y la Fracción evaporativa (FE) son variables de funcionamiento de los ecosistemas difíciles de estimar, debido a los múltiples factores que las afectan y a su alta variabilidad espacial y temporal. En esta tesis se obtiene y analiza la ET y FE en diferentes escalas espaciales y temporales, en los sistemas de producción dominantes de las regiones fitogeográficas de Monte y de Chaco Árido, en la provincia de La Rioja. Posteriormente, se analiza su comportamiento en relación a los canopeos, los factores ambientales y de manejo. A escala de predio se seleccionaron dos sitios pilotos, uno representativo de la agricultura bajo riego en el oasis del oeste de la provincia de La Rioja, en zonas con relieve de valles (Sitio piloto 1), y otro de la principal pastura implantada en secano (Sitio piloto 2) y soporte vital para la producción ganadera de la región de secano de la provincia de La Rioja. En cada uno de los sitios se relevaron atributos estructurales y funcionales de los canopeos, usando métricas de campo (fenología, fenometría y productividad) y a través de índices de vegetación remotamente sensados, para comprender su dinámica estacional, su comportamiento productivo, y su respuesta a factores ambientales. A escala de predio, la dinámica y magnitud de la ET y FE, se determinaron utilizando el sistema micrometeorologico “eddy covariance”, que mide estas variables a escala de paisaje y con una alta resolución temporal. Estos datos sirvieron, además, para evaluar un modelo de estimación regional de la FE, obtenida remotamente a partir de información de índices de vegetación y temperatura de superficie del sensor MODIS, y utilizando el método triangular, que no necesita datos meteorológicos de superficie. Estas herramientas permitieron describir satisfactoriamente la variabilidad espacial y temporal de la ET y FE a escala de predio y regional, considerando las principales coberturas de interés y los principales impulsores ambientales de la misma; y generar modelos de estimación satelital. Finalmente, se propusieron bases metodológicas para implementar modelos de estimación a escala regional y pequeña escalas de agricultura.
... Because the global distribution of biodiversity is highly uneven (e.g., Hole et al., 2011;Mittermeier et al., 2011), broad-scale conservation approaches (also known as conservation networks) are prioritized at the regional and landscape scales are being prioritized to prevent or mitigate the impacts of human-induced environmental problems on biodiversity and ecosystems. The three major important conservation targets related to my PhD work are Biodiversity Hotspots , Endemic Bird Areas (Stattersfield et al., 1998), and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) (IUCN, 2016). The first two targets essentially comprise of the popularly known Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in Africa BirdLife International, 2004). ...
... Among these biomes, the Somali-Masai biome harbors the largest biome-restricted species richness in Ethiopia, while most endemic species are restricted to the Ethiopian highlands (e.g., , especially the mountaintop habitats, also known as alpine habitats (Töpfer and Gedeon, 2020). Among 39 Endemic Bird Areas in Africa, three are in Ethiopia, including the Jubba and Shabeelle valleys, the South Ethiopia highlands and the Central Ethiopia highlands (Stattersfield et al., 1998;. The magnitude and origin of environmental threats can be regional or global, and thus the combination of site-based (IBAs) and broad-scale (biomes, Endemic Bird Areas and biodiversity hotspots) approaches is used to conserve birds and their habitats ). ...
Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is my own work and that the work has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. I certify that where reference has been made to the work of others in this thesis, appropriate credit has been given. Erklärung Ich erkläre hiermit, dass es sich bei dieser Arbeit um meine eigene Arbeit handelt und dass die Arbeit nicht für einen anderen Abschluss oder eine andere berufliche Qualifikation eingereicht wurde. Ich versichere, dass in dieser Arbeit auf die Arbeit anderer Personen Bezug genommen wurde und dass diese in angemessener Weise erwähnt wurde. Bonn: __________________ ____________ iv Acknowledgements
... These include several rangerestricted species that qualify the region as an Endemic Bird Area (EBA 021: South Central American Pacific Slope). More than 50% of the EBA's range-restricted bird species are abundant in the forests around the Golfo Dulce (BirdLife International, 2023;Stattersfield et al., 1998). These forests are classified as tropical lowland wet forests and form the most common natural vegetation type in the study area . ...
Habitat loss and degradation are key drivers of the current biodiversity crisis. Most research focuses on the question of which traits allow species to persist in degraded habitats. We asked whether a species' trophic position or niche width influences the resilience of species in degraded habitats and to what extent habitat degradation affects trophic interactions between species. We used nitrogen isotope ratios (15 N: 14 N, expressed as δ 15 N value) to quantify and compare trophic positions and niche widths of understory birds inhabiting old-growth and young secondary forests in the Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica. We found that a species' trophic position rather than its trophic niche width determined its persistence in secondary forests. Species feeding at lower trophic levels in old-growth forests were less likely to persist in secondary forests than those occupying a higher trophic position in old-growth forests. This pattern is likely induced by the occurrence of relatively large-bodied habitat specialists with a flexible and high-trophic level diet in secondary forests. These habitat specialists likely caused generalist bird species to lower their trophic position relative to conspecifics in old-growth forests. Regarding trophic niche widths, species in secondary forests tend to have larger niche widths than old-growth forest species. However, as old-growth forest specialists and generalists did not differ in their niche widths, no systematic effect of trophic niche width on species persistence after forest disturbance was found. This is the first study that shows a systematic effect of trophic position on the persistence of a wide range of bird species in a disturbed forest ecosystem. It therefore provides important insights into species' responses to habitat degradation and the conservation value of secondary forests. To improve habitat quality for old-growth forest birds and facilitate avian seed dispersal, the creation of large contiguous forest patches should be prioritised when implementing reforestation measures.
... La importancia de conservar las selvas se debe a que son hábitat de especies endémicas que requieren protección como: el loro tamaulipeco (Amazona viridigenalis), el cuervo de Tamaulipas (Corvus imparatus), la garganta amarilla de Altamira (Geothlypis flavovelata), y el picogordo carmesí (Rhodothraupis celaeno; Stattersfield et al. 1998); o están amenazadas como: el jaguar (Pantera onca), el ocelote (Leopardus pardalis), el jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi), o el coatí (Nasua narica). ...
... Jammu & Kashmir has a vast protected area network comprising four national parks, 14 wildlife sanctuaries, 16 conservation reserves, and 16 wetland reserves, including five Ramsar sites, accounting for 11.31% of the total area coverage (J&K Department of Wildlife Protection, 2023). Jammu & Kashmir lies in the West Himalayan Endemic Bird Area, EBA 128 (Rahmani et al. 2012), and it has 11 Restricted Range species (Stattersfield et al. 1998). The region is a migratory corridor for Central Asian and Eastern European birds to enter India, passing through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (Ali & Ripley 1987). ...
This paper presents a comprehensive checklist of bird species found in Jammu & Kashmir, India,based on a meticulous collation of ornithological literature, specimen collections, online and published sources with photographic evidence, call recordings, and sightdocumentation supported by detailed field notes. Jammu & Kashmir has 592 species of birds belonging to 21 orders and 88 families. Of these, 326 species have beenincluded in the checklist based on museum specimens, 555 based on media and six species. drawn from well-documented sight records. Seven species reported fromJammu & Kashmir are endemic to western Himalaya. Twenty-five species are classified as globally threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Additionalunconfirmed records are also discussed in Appendix A.
... Jammu & Kashmir has a vast protected area network comprising four national parks, 14 wildlife sanctuaries, 16 conservation reserves, and 16 wetland reserves, including five Ramsar sites, accounting for 11.31% of the total area coverage (J&K Department of Wildlife Protection, 2023). Jammu & Kashmir lies in the West Himalayan Endemic Bird Area, EBA 128 (Rahmani et al. 2012), and it has 11 Restricted Range species (Stattersfield et al. 1998). The region is a migratory corridor for Central Asian and Eastern European birds to enter India, passing through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (Ali & Ripley 1987). ...
A checklist is the fundamental metric of the biodiversity of an area. This research paper presents a comprehensive checklist of bird species found in Jammu & Kashmir, India, based on a meticulous collation of ornithological literature, specimen collections, online and published sources with photographic evidence, call recordings, and sight documentation supported by detailed field notes. Jammu & Kashmir has 592 species of birds belonging to 21 orders and 88 families. Of these, 326 species have been included in the checklist based on museum specimens, 555 as media records, and six species drawn from well-documented published works. Seven species reported from Jammu & Kashmir are endemic to western Himalaya. Twenty-five species are classified as globally threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Additional unconfirmed records are also discussed in Appendix A.
... Since the islands of Sangihe and Talaud were identified as an Endemic Bird Area more than 30 years ago (Bibby et al. 1992), the biological importance of both islands, but particularly Sangihe, has only increased. With taxonomic revisions the number of bird species endemic to the latter has risen from three-Sangihe Hanging-parrot Loriculus catamene, Cerulean Flycatcher and Elegant Sunbird Aethopyga duyvenbodei-in 1998 (Stattersfield et al. 1998) to ten in 2023, through the addition of Sangihe Scops Owl Otus collari, Sangihe Lilac Kingfisher, Sangihe Dwarf Kingfisher, Sangihe Pitta Erythropitta caeruleitorques, Sangihe Whistler Coracornis sanghirensis, Sangihe Golden Bulbul Hypsipetes platenae and Sangihe White-eye Zosterops nehrkorni (HBW & BirdLife International 2022). With habitat loss as the particular threat, only the owl is not on the IUCN Red List: the dwarf kingfisher, whistler, flycatcher, bulbul and white-eye are Critically Endangered, pitta and sunbird Endangered, and lilac kingfisher and hanging-parrot Near Threatened. ...
... This result points out that the taxonomic tradition of using poorly conceived subspecies in ornithology (Remsen 2010, Burbrink et al. 2022 can generate spurious biogeographical patterns. Assessing the impact of taxonomic approaches on patterns of diversity and endemicity is relevant because it might have profound impacts, not only on biogeographical studies but also on conservation biology, because areas with endemic species represent unique places that have high conservation priority (Stattersfield et al. 1998, BirdLife International 2023. ...
Identifying endemic species and the areas of endemism delimited by them is central to biogeography. However, the impact of distinct taxonomic approaches on these patterns is often neglected. We investigated how three different taxonomic approaches impact the patterns of bird endemism in the Cerrado. The first two approaches (at species and subspecies levels) were based on traditional taxonomy based on the biological species concept. The third approach was based on a revised alternative taxonomy that sought to identify evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). In this third approach, after identifying the endemic taxa using traditional taxonomy, we revised their validity, removing biologically meaningless entities. We then detected the areas of endemism delimited by these endemic taxa under the three taxonomic approaches. We found that traditional taxonomy at the species level underestimated bird endemism by ignoring some ESUs that were considered subspecies. In contrast, traditional taxonomy at the subspecies level overestimated bird endemism, leading to the recognition of spurious areas of endemism because several of the purported endemic subspecies were taxonomic artefacts. The revised taxonomy provided a more refined picture of patterns of avian endemism in the Cerrado, suggesting that the use of ESUs improves the results of biogeographical analysis.
... They are among the most diverse groups of vertebrates in tropical forests and because of their high local diversity and abundance, they are involved in key ecological processes such as arthropod control, pollination, and seed dispersal (Sekercioglu, 2006). The North-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is part of two global biodiversity hotspots (the eastern Himalaya and Indo-Burmese biodiversity hotspots) (Mittermeier et al., 2004) as well as two 'Endemic Bird Areas' (the Eastern Himalaya and the Assam Plains) (Stattersfield et al., 1998). Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) (26°54'-27°16' N and 92°36'-93°09'E) with a total area of 862km2 is located in the foothills of Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot in the East Kameng District of Western Arunachal Pradesh at the junction of the Palaearctic and Indo-Malayan zoogeographic realms. ...
Fifty-two species of birds belonging to 29 families were recorded in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, India. The highest number of species belonged to the family Muscicapidae with eight, Accipitridae, Bucerotidae, Columbidae, Phasianidae, and Pycnonotidae each with three species, while Ardeidae, Campephagidae, Falconidae, Megalaimidae, Phylloscopidae and Scolopacidae with two species each. The remaining seventeen families viz., Alcedinidae, Charadriidae, Chloropseidae, Coraciidae, Corvidae, Dicruridae, Eurylaimidae, Irenidae, Laniidae, Locustellidae, Motacillidae, Oriolidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Picidae, Strigidae, Sturnidae, and Vangidae with one species were recorded. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) conservation status of two species (Rhyticeros undulatus and Buceros bicornis), is categorised under VU (Vulnerable), two species Vanellus duvaucelii and Treron phayrei under NT (Near Threatened) while the remaining are categorized under LC (Least Concern).
... It is noteworthy that both Western Ghats and Sri Lanka have separately been recognized by the BirdLife International as endemic bird areas owing to their high conservation importance for endemic avifauna (Stattersfield et al., 1998). Further, they have separately been identified among the global 200 ecoregions, identified as priority ecoregions for the conservation of a representative sample of the global biodiversity (Olson and Dinerstein, 1998), namely, south Western Ghats moist forests and Sri Lanka moist forests, as spatial conservation priorities representing the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome of the Indomalayan realm (Olson et al., 2001). ...
... This chapter discusses the making of such a biodiversity and endemicity within this unique island of Sri Lanka. endemic-rich ecosystems under imminent threat are selected (Myers et al., 2000;; Endemic Bird Areas (Bibby et al., 1992;Stattersfield et al., 1998) and Global 200 Ecoregions were identified based on the representativeness (Olson and Dinerstein, 1998); Tropical Wilderness Areas aimed at maintaining evolutionary process (McCloskey and Spalding, 1989) and Megadiversity Nations, countries that are unusually rich in biodiversity (Mittermeier et al., 1997). ...
... Initial approaches to identify such areas sought hotspots of various aspects of biodiversity such as species richness or endemism. [17][18][19][20] Other approaches highlight the protection of areas that will limit further impacts of global change on biodiversity, for example by identifying remaining ecologically intact ecosystems 21 or sites of high irrecoverable carbon storage. 22,23 Prioritization approaches that focus on more than one objective often combine different conservation goals such as protecting biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services. ...
Establishing and maintaining protected areas (PAs) is a key action in delivering post-2020 biodiversity targets. PAs often need to meet multiple objectives, ranging from biodiversity protection to ecosystem service provision and climate change mitigation, but available land and conservation funding is limited. Therefore, optimizing resources by selecting the most beneficial PAs is vital. Here, we advocate for a flexible and transparent approach to selecting PAs based on multiple objectives, and illustrate this with a decision support tool on a global scale. The tool allows weighting and prioritization of different conservation objectives according to user-specified preferences as well as real-time comparison of the outcome. Applying the tool across 1,346 terrestrial PAs, we demonstrate that decision makers frequently face trade-offs among conflicting objectives, e.g., between species protection and ecosystem integrity. Nevertheless, we show that transparent decision support tools can reveal synergies and trade-offs associated with PA selection, thereby helping to illuminate and resolve land-use conflicts embedded in divergent societal and political demands and values.
... The PEC went through four major waves of deforestation, the first three occurred between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, and the last started after 1975, during the establishment of the Proálcool Program (Brazilian Alcohol Program) [23]. The PEC is home to the highest number of globally threatened species in the Americas [26,28,35,36]. Large mammals are currently extinct in the PEC (e.g., Puma Puma concolor, Jaguar Panthera onca, White-lipped Peccary Tayassu pecari, Brazilian Tapir Tapirus terrestris, Giant Ant-eater Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Gray Brocket Mazama gouazoubira), and at least half of its mediumsized mammals have disappeared over the last 500 years [29,37,38]. ...
Large forested tracts are increasingly rare in the tropics, where conservation managers are often presented with the challenge of preserving biodiversity in small and isolated fragments. The Atlantic Forest is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots, jeopardized by habitat loss and fragmentation. The Pernambuco Endemism Center (PEC) is the most degraded of the Atlantic Forest regions and because of the dramatic levels of deforestation, fragmentation, and ongoing species losses, studies on the distribution and configuration of the PEC’s forest cover are necessary. However, across dynamic tropical landscapes, investigating changes over time is essential because it may reveal trends in forest quality attributes. Here, we used Google Earth Engine to assess land use and land cover data from MapBiomas ranging from 1985 to 2020 to calculate current landscape metrics and to reveal for the first time the spatiotemporal dynamics of the PEC’s forests. We identified a forest cover area that ranged from 571,661 ha in 1985 to 539,877 ha in 2020, and about 90% of the fragments were smaller than 10 ha. The average fragment size was about 11 ha, and only four fragments had more than 5,000 ha. Deforestation was mostly concentrated in northern Alagoas, southern Pernambuco, and non-coastal Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. On average, borders represented 53.6% of the forests from 1985 to 2020, and younger forests covered 52.3% of the area in 2017, revealing a vegetation rejuvenation process 2.5 times higher than in total Atlantic Forest. In 2017, older forest cores in fragments larger than 1000 ha (i.e., higher-quality habitats) represented only 12% of the remaining forests. We recommend that the amount of forest cover alone may poorly assist conservation managers, and our results indicate that ensuring legal protection and increasing surveillance of the PEC’s few last higher-quality habitats is urgently needed.
... We developed a hierarchical community model [30,31] to estimate co-abundance variation, and niche overlap indices among ecologically similar bird species along an elevation gradient in the Albertine Rift ecoregion in east-central Africa. The Albertine Rift is a biodiversity hotspot [32,33] supporting more bird species than elsewhere on the African continent [34], and has been designated as a globally important ecoregion for bird conservation [35]. Our study examines factors and processes that determine the distribution and abundance of birds in this highly diverse but poorly studied area and improves our understanding of coexistence mechanisms of potentially competing species. ...
Niche theory predicts that ecologically similar species can coexist through multidimensional niche partitioning. However, owing to the challenges of accounting for both abiotic and biotic processes in ecological niche modelling, the underlying mechanisms that facilitate coexistence of competing species are poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated potential mechanisms underlying the coexistence of ecologically similar bird species in a biodiversity-rich transboundary montane forest in east-central Africa by computing niche overlap indices along an environmental elevation gradient, diet, forest strata, activity patterns and within-habitat segregation across horizontal space. We found strong support for abiotic environmental habitat niche partitioning, with 55% of species pairs having separate elevation niches. For the remaining species pairs that exhibited similar elevation niches, we found that within-habitat segregation across horizontal space and to a lesser extent vertical forest strata provided the most likely mechanisms of species coexistence. Coexistence of ecologically similar species within a highly diverse montane forest was determined primarily by abiotic factors(e.g. environmental elevation gradient) that characterize the Grinnellian niche and secondarily by biotic factors (e.g. vertical and horizontal segregation within habitats) that describe the Eltonian niche. Thus, partitioning across multiple levels of spatial organization is a key mechanism of coexistence in diverse communities.
... Endemism is known as ecological state of a taxa confined to specific geographic location or area, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone or habitat type. Restrictedrange or endemic bird species with limited geographical ranges and small population sizes are of great conservation concern (Stattersfield et al., 1998). A total of 72 species of birds are endemic to India, constituting about 5.5% of the country's bird diversity (Praveenet al., 2019). ...
In the present chapter, a total of 244 species of birds belonging to 136 genera under 18 orders and 53 families have been reported as significant component of the fauna of the agroecosystem of India. The agriculture avifauna is mostly comprised of passerine birds (123 species), compared to non-passerine species (121 species). The most dominant family is Alaudidae represented by 16 species, followed by Muscicapidae and Motacillidae (13 species each). Analysis of the data revealed that agroecosystem support the occurrence of a number of passerine birds such as, wagtails, pipits, larks, warblers and mynas, and most of these birds play a significant role in insect control. Of the five feeding guilds, insectivores are dominated with 106 species (43.4%) followed by omnivore with 54 species (22.13%), 54 carnivores (19.7%), 34 granivore (13.9%) and 2 species of nectarivores. Among the granivores only 21 species cause serious damage to the agroecosystems of the country.
... The Southern Andean Yungas is located along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains spanning southwestern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina (Olson et al., 2001), between 800 and 2500 m.a.s.l. but may reach heights around 3000 m.a.s.l (Stattersfield et al., 1998). The topography forms a barrier to moist air from the Atlantic causing orographic precipitation and the existence of a rich plant community stratified by altitude. ...
... Consequently, many tropical forest species are declining, particularly in restricted areas, such as oceanic islands (Alroy 2017). This is particularly true of birds, with more than 600 globally threatened species (Stattersfield et al. 1998;Ricketts et al. 2005) and more than 90% of species extinctions having occurred on islands (Johnson and Stattersfield 1990;Banko et al. 2013). ...
The Forest Thrush (FT), Turdus lherminieri, is a secretive, ground-dwelling forest bird species of conservation concern, endemic to only four Caribbean islands. Factors influencing habitat selection and abundance by FT have been seldom documented so far. We assessed variation in the presence and abundance of FT in various forested habitats in Guadeloupe. To that end, we deployed 5-camera-trap arrays over 14 days on 24 different survey stations resulting in 1680 trap days. We observed FT more frequently at camera trap stations where rainforest dominated, with local abundance declining with increasing canopy openness. Furthermore, temperature was the most important factor affecting the presence of FT at our study sites. FT was essentially diurnal, with some activity at dawn and dusk. We document for the first-time spatial co-occurrence between FT and potential mammal predators. FT co-occurred positively with rats and negatively with cats. Although FT is globally listed as near threatened by IUCN, the species the species appeared to be relatively abundant in Guadeloupe, possibly as a consequence of the suspension of hunting since 2014 and/or the almost total protection of the Guadeloupe tropical rainforest. We recommend the use of camera traps to improve knowledge for the conservation status of the species in other part of its area of distribution and to provide additional information on the potential impact of exotic predatory mammals.
... Adicionalmente, existirían alrededor de 45 especies de los bosques montanos que también se registran en los páramos. De estas últimas, 13 son aves migratorias, nueve son aves con rangos de distribución restringidos (Stattersfield et al., 1998) y cinco están consideradas como especies amenazadas, incluyendo a la recientemente descubierta estrella de garganta azul (Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus). Nuestro conocimiento de las aves altoandinas todavía presenta vacíos importantes sobre su historia natural y el rol que desempeñan en el funcionamiento y el mantenimiento de los ecosistemas de los páramos. ...
Páramo es un concepto complejo: un ecosistema, un bioma, un paisaje, un área geográfica, una zona de vida, un espacio de producción e inclusive un estado del clima. También es un territorio en disputa y un elemento fundamental de la cultura y la historia. Los páramos ecuatorianos han experimentado un constante cambio durante las últimas décadas. Su paisaje, su extensión, su vegetación, su fauna y su población se han visto alterados y con ellos la percepción que se tiene de los páramos.Este libro es una exploración para entender cómo y por qué el páramo ha cambiado, y cuáles son las consecuencias de este cambio. Creemos que parte de la riqueza del libro está precisamente en presentar no solo conocimientos, sino posiciones, todo lo cual enriquece las discusiones y las perspectivas.
... The study region lies between 8°S-7°N and 8°E-18°E within the western half of the Guineo-Congolian regional centre of endemism (White 1983) (Figure 1). This area includes three of the BirdLife International-designated Endemic Bird Areas: the Cameroon and Gabon lowlands, the Gabon-Cabinda Coast, and the Cameroon Mountains (Stattersfield et al. 1998, http://datazone.birdlife.org/ eba/results?reg=14&cty=0). ...
Understanding the distribution and extent of suitable habitats is critical for the conservation of endangered and endemic taxa. Such knowledge is limited for many Central African species, including the rare and globally threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas , one of only two species in the family Picathartidae endemic to the forests of Central Africa. Despite growing concerns about land-use change resulting in fragmentation and loss of forest cover in the region, neither the extent of suitable habitat nor the potential species’ distribution is well known. We combine 339 (new and historical) occurrence records of Grey-necked Picathartes with environmental variables to model the potential global distribution. We used a Maximum Entropy modelling approach that accounted for sampling bias. Our model suggests that Grey-necked Picathartes distribution is strongly associated with steeper slopes and high levels of forest cover, while bioclimatic, vegetation health, and habitat condition variables were all excluded from the final model. We predicted 17,327 km ² of suitable habitat for the species, of which only 2,490 km ² (14.4%) are within protected areas where conservation designations are strictly enforced. These findings show a smaller global distribution of predicted suitable habitat forthe Grey-necked Picathartes than previously thought. This work provides evidence to inform a revision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status, and may warrant upgrading the status of the species from “Near Threatened” to “Vulnerable”.
... Perú. Estas áreas son conocidas por su alto nivel de endemismo de especies de flora (Madsen, 2002), de 55 aves y ocho mamíferos endémicos (Stattersfield et al., 1998). Aguirre et al. (2006) describe las formaciones de bosques secos del Ecuador y se enlistan las especies de árboles y arbustos que crecen en estos bosques (a partir de 3 m de altura). ...
Los bosques secos del Ecuador están distribuidos al centro y sur de la región occidental
de los Andes entre 0 – 1 000 m s.n.m. A pesar de su alta diversidad y compleja dinámica de
estos los ecosistemas forestales, se conoce poco de sus rasgos funcionales, especialmente de
los rasgos anatómicos de la madera, y sus procesos de adaptación en bosque seco in situ. Por
ello, este estudio caracterizó anatómicamente a 22 especies forestales y determinó su densidad
básica a 600 y 1 200 m s.n.m. Con la ayuda de un barreno de Pressler se obtuvieron dos núcleos
de madera de 5 cm de longitud de 8 árboles por especie. Estos núcleos permitieron determinar
la densidad básica de la madera y las características anatómicas cuantitativas y cualitativas.
Adicionalmente, se determinó los cambios en las variables con análisis de componentes
principales y gráficos de correlación. Los resultados mostraron que, a 600 m s.n.m. las especies
tienen densidad baja, alto contenido de humedad, mayor área de lumen y diámetro de vasos,
menor densidad de vasos, mayor conductividad específica, vasos solitarios, y parénquima
apotraqueal y paratraqueal. Mientras que, a 1 200 m s.n.m. las especies tienen alta densidad,
menor contenido de humedad, mayor densidad de vasos, menor área de lumen y diámetro de
vasos, menor conductividad, vasos agrupados y parénquima escaso. Este estudio demostró que
a diferente altitud la anatomía de la madera varía. Se consideró que estas variaciones están
principalmente influidas por las diferencias de temperatura y humedad relativa entre sitios. Este
tipo de investigaciones permite conocer la adaptabilidad y resiliencia de especies forestales en
distintas condiciones climáticas, ya que los rasgos anatómicos de la madera pueden ser
indicadores biológicos de sitio. Por ello, es necesario ampliar estos estudios, para contribuir a
la generación de conocimiento de especies más resilientes al cambio global.
Palabras clave: Anatomía de la madera, rasgos funcionales, densidad básica de la madera,
altitud, análisis cuantitativo y cualitativo, caducifolio.
... Unlike its larger island neighbours Sumatra and Borneo, it has no modern checklist of birds, and the only recent field guide (Eaton et al. 2021) and bird atlas (Winnasis et al. 2020) also serve much of the rest of Indonesia. However, the biodiversity of Java is of considerable importance: although the island forms part of the Greater Sunda biogeographical region ("Sundaland") and shares many species with the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo, it is also a centre of endemism in its own right (Stattersfield et al. 1998); indeed, greater taxonomic scrutiny in the twenty-first century has shown this endemism to be far more pronounced than was previously apparent (del Hoyo and Collar 2014, Eaton et al. 2021. Much of Java is montane, concentrated in the tropical forests flanking the island's many volcanoes; owing to the declining west-east rainfall gradient across the island however the highest endemism and overall biodiversity are concentrated in the west (Whitten et al. 1997). ...
There is serious concern for the future of a wide range of birds in Java and elsewhere in Indonesia due to both loss of habitat and trapping for the cagebird trade (the so-called “Asian Songbird Crisis”). Despite this concern, few data on presence and abundance of key species exist. We provide such data on 184 bird species from over two years of biodiversity surveys from 37 sites on 12 mountains in West and Central Java. Many of these species are heavily traded, endemic, and globally threatened. Several of the threatened endemics, notably Javan Trogon and Javan Cochoa, were often recorded, in terms of both geographical spread and numerical abundance. Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Spotted Crocias, and Orange-spotted Bulbul, believed to be threatened by trapping for the songbird trade, appear to remain fairly widespread. By contrast, Brown-cheeked Bulbul, Chestnut-backed (Javan) Scimitar-babbler, Javan Oriole, and especially Javan Blue-flycatcher, recorded on just a single occasion, and Javan Green Magpie, which we failed to record with certainty, now appear to be extremely rare. Our encounter rates, while not pinned to specific mountains for security reasons, represent an important baseline against which future changes in abundance can be gauged.
Our study addresses the urgent need to identify and prioritise threatened species in Vietnam for conservation and recovery. With a focus on Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically Endangered species with high levels of endemicity (> 50% of their global range occurs in Vietnam), we conducted a comprehensive analysis of key species for conservation prioritisation, IUCN Green Status Assessment, and recovery strategies within the Vietnamese landscape. By integrating data on provincial hotspots and protected areas as key conservation sites, we established a robust framework to assess key species richness, threats, and conservation needs. We identified 203 key species across 12 taxonomic classes, establishing a viable list of wildlife recovery priorities. Habitat loss and exploitation were identified as primary threats to key species; alarmingly, only 38% of these key species had > 50% of their range within protected areas, emphasizing urgent conservation needs that extend beyond current protected area boundaries. Our findings hold significance for guiding conservation strategies, resource allocation, and policy decisions in relation to Vietnam's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and inform measurable species prioritisation goals under Target 4 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). By pinpointing species and regions that require immediate attention, our study provides essential guidance for policymakers, conservationists, and resource managers/donors. Acting on these insights will enhance the effectiveness of conservation efforts and ensure the long-term sustainability of wildlife as a vital natural heritage.
Bird observations were conducted in all six islands within the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines in May 2017, March 2018 and August 2019. Purposive sampling technique using digital cameras, binoculars and spotting scopes were used to document the bird species and to assess their population. A total of 44 species were observed including the IUCN Vulnerable Grey Imperial Pigeon Ducula pickeringii (Cassin, 1854), the near-threatened Mantanani Scops Owl Otus mantananensis (Sharpe, 1892) and the Philippine Megapode Megapodius cumingii (Dillwyn, 1853). Baguan Island recorded the highest number of species (38) followed by Taganak Island with 25 species, Boan Island with 21 species, Great Bakkungan and Lihiman Islands has 18 species each, while the island with the least number of species observed was Langaan (14). Among the islands, only Baguan retained mature beach forest. Locals in Boan Island were observed keeping native birds as pets. The presence of these restricted-range bird species as well as the updated baseline data, provide significant contribution in defining priority islands for avian conservation. Additional surveys are recommended in the area particularly in the relatively undisturbed Baguan Island during migratory season.
Global environmental and social change are pushing wildfire activity and impact beyond known trajectories. Here, we conducted a targeted review to distill five wildfire challenges that we argue form opportunities for their governance (research aim 1). We exemplified our arguments by drawing from the case of Cyprus (research aim 2), a small island country in the south-east European Mediterranean Basin at risk of extreme wildfire impact. Findings indicate that burning for social and ecological resource benefits, innovative management paradigms and anticipatory governance systems offer actionable solutions to the wildfire paradox and the limits of suppression. Local adaptive institutions and a reconceptualisation of wildfire as a risk and process beyond technocratic interpretations are necessary to account for broader social conditions shaping wildfire regimes and community impact. Governance systems that accommodate collective action have proven suitable to address multiple wildfire complexities linked with different socio-economic systems and values. A systematic literature review, policy review, and qualitative data collection on wildfire management in Cyprus track back to the initial framing. Our case study offers insights for tackling wildfires with actionable steps through overarching governance systems, and illustrates the potential for change in thinking of and acting on wildfire in flammable landscapes globally.
Protected areas are important for biodiversity conservation as they offer suitable habitats and protection from anthropogenic activities that harm wildlife. Establishing additional protected areas such as National parks, Wildlife sanctuaries, and Biosphere reserves reduces the threat to a species compared to non-protected areas. Before designating an area as protected, it’s crucial to identify which species are threatened and require urgent conservation efforts. The present study was undertaken in the Bani Wildlife Sanctuary, which falls in the western Himalayas, from March 2021 to February 2022 to compile an avifaunal checklist of the sanctuary. The checklist was created by conducting systematic field surveys and opportunistic bird sightings. A total of 135 bird species belonging to 45 families were recorded during the present study. The family Muscicapidae, represented by 17 species, dominates the list. Our study confirmed that the Bani Wildlife Sanctuary supports a rich avifaunal community with three species Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus, Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichi, and Bearded Vulture Gypus barbatus classified as Threatened in the global Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Designating protected areas remains a core strategy in biodiversity conservation. Despite high endemism, mon-tane forests across the island of Java are under-represented in Indonesia's protected area network. Here, we document the montane biodiversity of Gunung Slamet, an isolated volcano in Central Java, and provide evidence to support its increased protection. During September-December , we surveyed multiple sites for birds, primates, terrestrial mammals, reptiles, amphibians and vegetation. Survey methods included transects, camera traps and targeted searches at six sites, at altitudes of -, m. We used species distribution models for birds and mammals of conservation concern to identify priority areas for protection. We recorded bird species ( globally threatened), mammals (five globally threatened) and reptiles and amphibians (two endemic). Our species distribution models showed considerable cross-taxon congruence between important areas on Slamet's upper slopes, generally above , m. Particularly important were records of the en-demic subspecies of the Endangered Javan laughingthrush Garrulax rufifrons slamatensis, not recorded in the wild since , the Endangered Javan gibbon Hylobates moloch and Javan surili Presbytis comata, and the Vulnerable Javan lutung Trachypithecus auratus and Javan leopard Panthera pardus melas. Recent forest loss has been modest, at least km of continuous forest remain above m, and our surveys show that forest habitats are in good condition. However, the mountain is widely used by trappers and hunters. Given its importance for biodiversity conservation,
Önemli Doğa Alanı (ÖDA) kriterleri, bu güne kadar geliştirilmiş en bütüncül ve kolayca uygulanabilen korunan alan tanımlama yöntemi olarak kabul edilmektedir ve 2005 yılı içinde IUCN tarafından bu kriterlerin tüm ülkelerin boşluk analizi çalışmalarında kullanılabilmesi için bir rehber yayınlanmıştır (IUCN 2005). ÖDA kriterleri dört bölümden oluşmaktadır: (i) Nesli tehlike alında olan türler; (ii) Dar yayılışlı türler; (iii) Yoğunlaşan türler; (iv) Biyoma endemik türler. Bu kriterlerden ilki-nesli tehlike altındaki türler-Margules & Pressey (2000)'de yapılan tanımlamaya göre hassas alanları (vulnerable sites) diğer üç kriter ise, benzersiz alanları (irreplacable sites) tanımlamaktadır. ÖDA yaklaşımı, Doğa Derneği araştırma birimi tarafından 2003 yılında dünyada ilk defa Türkiye'de test edilmiştir ve kriterleri sağlayan alanlar www.sifiryokolus.org adresinde yayınlanmaktadır. Bu güne kadar Türkiye'deki farklı canlı grupları esas alınarak 266 ÖDA belirlenmiştir. Gerek Türkiye'deki koruma alanlarının ÖDA kriterleri ışığında gözden geçirilmesi, gerekse ülkemizin AB ile bütünleşme sürecinde yeni koruma alanlarının belirlenmesi için ÖDA yaklaşımı ve kriterleri önemli bir olanak sunmaktadır.
ABSTRACT Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) criteria are considered as the most comprehensive and practical method for selection of protected areas to date and IUCN launched guidelines for the application of these criteria to undertake national gap analysis (IUCN 2005). The KBA criteria comprise the groups: (i) Globally threatened species; (ii) Restricted-range species; (iii) Congregations of species that concentrate in large numbers at particular sites during some stage in their life cycle; (iv) Biome-restricted assemblages. The first of these four criteria addresses vulnerability, while the latter three cover different components of irreplaceability following Margules and Pressey (2000). The KBA approached has been for the for the first time tested in Turkey by Doğa Derneği and the list of sites has been published at www.sifiryokolus.org. 266 KBAs have been identified to date using various species groups. The KBA approach provides and excellent starting point for both assessing the exiting protected areas and selection for new sites during the European Union accession process.
Analizamos morfometría, plumaje, voces y especímenes para estudiar la taxonomía de varios tapaculos de altas elevaciones del género Scytalopus de la Cordillera Oriental de Colombia y la Cordillera de Mérida de Venezuela. Dada la ausencia de algún carácter diagnóstico en voz, plumaje o morfometría, proponemos tratar a S. infasciatus como un sinónimo subjetivo más joven de S. griseicollis. S. fuscicauda y S. meridanus son indistinguibles en su morfología, pero proponemos tratar a S. fuscicauda como una subespecie de S. meridanus debido a posibles pequeñas diferencias en la introducción de sus cantos, las cuales requieren mayor investigación. Como sus nombres fueron publicados contemporáneamente, proponemos la prioridad de S. meridanus sobre S. fusciacuda. S. meridanus y S. griseicollis (cada uno, como redefinidos) son vocalmente distinguibles, soportando su tratamiento como especies distintas. Describimos S. griseicollis gilesi subsp. nov. de la Serranía de los Yariguíes. La nueva subespecie difiere de S. g. griseicollis en su plumaje más oscuro, la frecuencia acústica más baja de los llamados y cola más larga. La recientemente descubierta población de S. spillmanni en la Cordillera Oriental difiere de las poblaciones ecuatorianas en su tarso más corto y canto más lento, cumpliendo los requerimientos de algunos, pero no todos, los conceptos de subespecie. Con la situación de las poblaciones de S. griseicollis, S. meridanus y S. spillmanni clarificada, es evidente que dos poblaciones de Scytalopus de la zona montana baja de la ladera occidental de la Cordillera Oriental y los Andes de Venezuela esperan ser descritas formalmente. Otro taxón sin describir, aparentemente relacionado con S. griseicollis o S. meridanus, se encuentra en la Serranía de Perijá. Se presentan notas sobre la variación geográfica en S. latrans y Myornis senilis en la Cordillera Oriental. Se discuten conceptos de especie y subespecie propuestos para poblaciones alopátricas.
Mountainous regions play a crucial role in shaping genetic differentiation among organisms. Climate change and topographical complexity are considered as the most important processes influencing the diversification of these areas. We used two tree frog species, Boana polytaenia and Boana bandeirantes to access how such biogeographical factors shaped their evolutionary history in the highly biodiverse Brazilian mountain range Serra do Espinhaço, that comprises two main mountain chains (Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira). We investigate whether the patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation were related to Pleistocene climate shifts and/or climate dynamics through elevational gradients in the mountains. We used a multilocus dataset comprising mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences from both species. We assessed the genealogical relationships of lineages, population structure, changes in effective population sizes over time, time of divergence of lineages, climatic suitability through time with ecological niche modeling and whether niche of linegaes are more or less similar than expected. Both species exhibited well-structured lineages in each of the mountain chains, B. polytaenia for Serra da Mantiqueira and B. bandeirantes for Serra do Mar. Diversification primarily occurred during the Middle Pleistocene, with glacial periods influencing B. polytaenia and interglacial periods favoring B. bandeirantes . The combination of Pleistocene climate changes and mountain topography influenced spatial distribution, leading to genetic variation among B. polytaenia complex species.
Various avian species such as Eurasian wryneck visit the Indian subcontinent from the Palearctic region during winter through different migratory flyways. However, information pertaining to migratory patterns of long-distance migrating forest birds to India is almost lacking. The current study documenting the sighting of Eurasian Wryneck with regard to its stopover site during migration and elevational range is the first photographic evidence from the state of Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya, India. In addition, the present study reports wintering and breeding distribution records of the species in Sikkim and India.
Accurate detection and quantification of regional vegetation trends are essential for understanding the dynamics of landscape ecology and vegetation distribution. We applied a comprehensive trend analysis to satellite data to describe geospatial changes in vegetation along the Pacific slope of Peru and northern Chile, from sea level to the continental divide, a region characterised by biologically unique and highly sensitive arid and semi-arid environments. Our statistical analyses show broad regional patterns of positive trends in EVI, called “greening”, alongside patterns of “browning”, where trends are negative between 2000 and 2020. The coastal plain and foothills, up 1000 m, contain notable greening of the coastal Lomas and newly irrigated agricultural lands occurring alongside browning trends related to changes in land use practices and urban development. Strikingly, the precordilleras show a distinct ‘greening strip’, which extends from approximately 6°S to 22°S, with an altitudinal trend, ascending from the tropical lowlands (170–780 m) in northern Peru to the subtropics (1000–2800 m) in central Peru and temperate zone (2600–4300 m) in southern Peru and northern Chile. We find that the geographical characteristics of the greening strip do not match climate zones previously established by Köppen and Geiger. Greening and browning trends in the coastal deserts and the high Andes lie within well defined climatic and life zones, producing variable but identifiable trends. However, the distinct Pacific slope greening presents an unexpected distribution with respect to the regional Köppen–Geiger climate and life zones. This work provides insights on understanding the effects of climate change on Peru’s diverse ecosystems in highly sensitive, biologically unique arid and semi-arid environments on the Pacific slope.
Many species are difficult to study either due to their rarity, elusiveness, difficult access to their area of occurrence, or any combination of these. This can be particularly problematic for threatened species. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a recently developed survey technique that has shown great potential in addressing this problem for species that communicate through vocalizations. However, the large amount of data it generates can be difficult to process manually. Here, we present an entirely automatic workflow to record and detect the vocalizations of a bird species that is both elusive (nocturnal) and restricted to difficult terrain in the most remote rainforests of an oceanic island: the recently discovered Principe Scops-Owl. Specifically, we evaluated (i) the performance of the workflow to monitor the presence of the owl, (ii) we assessed the most suitable time for monitoring it; and (iii) we examined the potential of this species to present detectable vocal individual signatures. For 12 days, we deployed omnidirectional recording stations (AudioMoth devices) in 72 points along 10 transects that were surveyed during one night at the same time by observers in the field. We trained TADARIDA, a machine learning software toolbox, to automatically detect owl calls. Results on the presence of the owl per site were similar for both methods. The automatic workflow showed that the owl is active during the whole night and the PAM recording setting should encompass at least the 21–23 h interval. Possibly, vocalizations had individual signatures—but the small sample size and temporal window prevented a definite conclusion. The automatic workflow developed here is an efficient method to monitor the Principe Scops-Owl and can be easily adapted for other elusive vocal species.
Accurate detection and quantification of regional vegetation trends is essential for understanding the dynamics of landscape ecology and vegetation distribution. We applied a comprehensive trend analysis to satellite data to describe geo-spatial changes in vegetation along the Pacific slope of Peru and northern Chile, from sea level to the continental divide, a region characterised by biologically unique and highly sensitive arid and semi-arid environments. Our statistical analyses show broad regional patterns of positive trends in EVI, called “greening” alongside patterns of “browning” where trends are negative between 2000 and 2020. The coastal plain and foothills, up 1000m, contain notable greening of the coastal Lomas and newly irrigated agricultural lands occurring alongside browning trends related to changes in land use practices and urban development. Strikingly, the precordilleras show a distinct ’greening strip’ which extends from approximately 6°S to 22°S, with an altitudinal trend; ascending from the tropical lowlands (170-780 m) in northern Peru, to the subtropics (1000-2800 m) in central Peru, and temperate zone (2600-4300 m) in southern Peru and northern Chile. We find that the geographical characteristics of the greening strip do not match climate zones previously established by Köppen and Geiger. Greening and browning trends in the coastal deserts and the high Andes lie within well defined climatic and life zones, producing variable but identifiable trends. However, the distinct Pacific slope greening presents an unexpected distribution with respect to the regional Köppen-Geiger climate and life zones. This work provides insights on understanding the effects of climate change on Peru’s diverse ecosystems in highly sensitive, biologically rich arid and semi-arid environments on the Pacific slope.
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