Ecological criteria for evaluating candidate sites for marine reserves

Several schemes have been developed to help select the locations of marine reserves. All of them combine social, economic, and biological criteria, and few offer any guidance as to how to prioritize among the criteria identified. This can imply that the relative weights given to different criteria are unimportant. Where two sites are of equal value ecologically; then socioeconomic criteria should dominate the choice of which should be protected. However, in many cases, socioeconomic criteria are given equal or greater weight than ecological considerations in the choice of sites. This can lead to selection of reserves with little biological value that fail to meet many of the desired objectives. To avoid such a possibility, we develop a series of criteria that allow preliminary evaluation of candidate sites according to their relative biological values in advance of the application of socioeconomic criteria. We include criteria that,. while not strictly biological, have a strong influence on the species present or ecological processes. Out scheme enables sites to be assessed according to their biodiversity, the processes which underpin that diversity, and the processes that support fisheries and provide a spectrum of other services important to people. Criteria that capture biodiversity values include biogeographic representation, habitat representation and heterogeneity, and presence of species or populations of special interest (e.g., threatened species). Criteria that capture sustainability of biodiversity and fishery values include the size of reserves necessary to protect viable habitats, presence of exploitable species, vulnerable life stages, connectivity among reserves, links among ecosystems, and provision of ecosystem services to people. Criteria measuring human and natural threats enable candidate sites to be eliminated from consideration if risks are too great, but also help prioritize among sites where threats can be mitigated by protection. While our criteria can be applied to the design of reserve networks, they also enable choice of single reserves to be made in the context of the attributes of existing protected areas. The overall goal of our scheme is to promote the development of reserve networks that will maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning at large scales. The values of eco-system goods and services for people ultimately depend on meeting this objective.

Conservation assessments and Red Listing of the endemic Moroccan flora (monocotyledons)

Morocco constitutes an important centre of plant diversity and speciation in the Mediterranean Basin. However, numerous species are threatened by issues ranging from human activities to global climatic change. In this study, we present the conservation assessments and Red Listing of the endemic Moroccan monocotyledons according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and categories. For each species, we include basic taxonomic information, local names and synonyms, uses, a distribution map, extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, population size and trend, a description of habitats and ecological requirements, and a discussion of the threats affecting the species and habitats. We assessed the threatened status of the endemic Moroccan monocotyledons at the species level (59 species) using the IUCN Red List criteria and categories (Version 3.1). This study shows the high extinction risk to the Moroccan monocotyledon flora, with 95% of threatened species (20% Critically Endangered, 50% Endangered, 25% Vulnerable) and only 5% not threatened (2% Near Threatened and 3% Least Concern). The flora is thus of conservation concern, which is poorly recognized, both nationally and internationally. The study presents the first part and so far the only national IUCN Red Data List for a large group of Moroccan plants, and thus provides an overview of the threatened Moroccan flora. This IUCN Red List is an important first step towards the recognition of the danger to Moroccan biodiversity hotspots, conservation of threatened species and the raising of public awareness at national and international levels.

A survey of endangered, threatened, rare, status undetermined, peripheral, and unique mammals of the southeastern national forests and grasslands /

Cover title: Endangered, threatened and unique mammals of the southern national forests.

Endangered and threatened species of Illinois : status and distribution /

Includes bibliographical references (v. 1, p. 106-116; v. 2, p. 106-114) and indexes.

Endangered and threatened species of Illinois : status and distribution /

Includes bibliographical references (v.1, p. 101-115) and indexes.

Capturing expert knowledge for threatened species assessments: a case study using NatureServe conservation status ranks

Assessments for assigning the conservation status of threatened species that are based purely on subjective judgements become problematic because assessments can be influenced by hidden assumptions, personal biases and perceptions of risks, making the assessment process difficult to repeat. This can result in inconsistent assessments and misclassifications, which can lead to a lack of confidence in species assessments. It is almost impossible to Understand an expert's logic or visualise the underlying reasoning behind the many hidden assumptions used throughout the assessment process. In this paper, we formalise the decision making process of experts, by capturing their logical ordering of information, their assumptions and reasoning, and transferring them into a set of decisions rules. We illustrate this through the process used to evaluate the conservation status of species under the NatureServe system (Master, 1991). NatureServe status assessments have been used for over two decades to set conservation priorities for threatened species throughout North America. We develop a conditional point-scoring method, to reflect the current subjective process. In two test comparisons, 77% of species' assessments using the explicit NatureServe method matched the qualitative assessments done subjectively by NatureServe staff. Of those that differed, no rank varied by more than one rank level under the two methods. In general, the explicit NatureServe method tended to be more precautionary than the subjective assessments. The rank differences that emerged from the comparisons may be due, at least in part, to the flexibility of the qualitative system, which allows different factors to be weighted on a species-by-species basis according to expert judgement. The method outlined in this study is the first documented attempt to explicitly define a transparent process for weighting and combining factors under the NatureServe system. The process of eliciting expert knowledge identifies how information is combined and highlights any inconsistent logic that may not be obvious in Subjective decisions. The method provides a repeatable, transparent, and explicit benchmark for feedback, further development, and improvement. (C) 2004 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Status of Endangered and Threatened Sand Area Species of the Illinois Flora

This study was undertaken to determine the distribution and habitat requirements of many of the endangered and threatened plant species associated with the sand deposits of Illinois. Approximately 70 species of endangered and threatened plants are known to grow in these deposits. The habitat fidelity and natural community types were determined for 40 of these species that are restricted to these glacial drift sand habitats. Plant community types, associated species, moisture requirements, and other data concerning each of the plant species were determined by reviewing the pertinent literature, searching the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Database, through discussions with botanists and natural heritage biologists, examination of herbarium specimens, and our studies of the vegetation of the Illinois sand deposits. Throughout the course of these studies, most of the nature preserves, state parks, and identified natural areas in the sand regions were visited on numerous occasions and vegetation surveys undertaken. The information presented in this paper could allow rare plant conservation in Illinois to become more proactive by encouraging the selection of sites where in situ conservation efforts could be conducted by state, local, and nongovernmental organizations.

The taxonomic status of the endangered thin-spined porcupine, Chaetomys subspinosus (Olfers, 1818), based on molecular and karyologic data

Background: The thin-spined porcupine, also known as the bristle-spined rat, Chaetomys subspinosus (Olfers, 1818), the only member of its genus, figures among Brazilian endangered species. In addition to being threatened, it is poorly known, and even its taxonomic status at the family level has long been controversial. The genus Chaetomys was originally regarded as a porcupine in the family Erethizontidae, but some authors classified it as a spiny-rat in the family Echimyidae. Although the dispute seems to be settled in favor of the erethizontid advocates, further discussion of its affinities should be based on a phylogenetic framework. In the present study, we used nucleotide-sequence data from the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and karyotypic information to address this issue. Our molecular analyses included one individual of Chaetomys subspinosus from the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil, and other hystricognaths. Results: All topologies recovered in our molecular phylogenetic analyses strongly supported Chaetomys subspinosus as a sister clade of the erethizontids. Cytogenetically, Chaetomys subspinosus showed 2n = 52 and FN = 76. Although the sexual pair could not be identified, we assumed that the X chromosome is biarmed. The karyotype included 13 large to medium metacentric and submetacentric chromosome pairs, one small subtelocentric pair, and 12 small acrocentric pairs. The subtelocentric pair 14 had a terminal secondary constriction in the short arm, corresponding to the nucleolar organizer region (Ag-NOR), similar to the erethizontid Sphiggurus villosus, 2n = 42 and FN = 76, and different from the echimyids, in which the secondary constriction is interstitial. Conclusion: Both molecular phylogenies and karyotypical evidence indicated that Chaetomys is closely related to the Erethizontidae rather than to the Echimyidae, although in a basal position relative to the rest of the Erethizontidae. The high levels of molecular and morphological divergence suggest that Chaetomys belongs to an early radiation of the Erethizontidae that may have occurred in the Early Miocene, and should be assigned to its own subfamily, the Chaetomyinae.

Knowledge about a species' conservation status and funding for its preservation: Analysis

Using a species’ population to measure its conservation status, this note explores how an increase in knowledge about this status would change the public’s willingness to donate funds for its conservation. This is done on the basis that the relationship between the level of donations and a species’ conservation status satisfies stated general mathematical properties. This level of donation increases, on average, with greater knowledge of a species’ conservation status if it is endangered, but falls if it is secure. Game theory and other theory is used to show how exaggerating the degree of endangerment of a species can be counterproductive for conservation.

Mark-recapture may reveal more about ecology than about population trends: Demography of a threatened ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) population

Since European settlement in Australia, the geographical range of ghost bats (Macroderma gigas) has contracted northwards. Ghost bats are thought to occur in disjunct populations with little interpopulation migration, raising concerns over the current status and future viability of the southernmost colony, which has also been threatened by mining activity. To address these concerns, demographic parameters of the southernmost colony were estimated from a mark-recapture study conducted during 1975-1981. Female bats gave birth to a single young in late spring, but only 40% (22-70%, 95% CI) of females bred in their second year, increasing to 93% (87-97%, 95% CI) for females greater than or equal to 2 years old. Sixty-five percent of juveniles caught were female. Annual adult survival ranged between 0.57-0.77 for females and 0.43-0.66 for males, and was lowest over winter-spring and greatest in autumn-winter. Juvenile survival for the first year ranged between 0.35-0.46 for females and 0.29-0.42 for males. Adult survival varied among seasons, was negatively associated with rainfall, but was not associated with temperature beyond being lower in late winter. Poor survival may result from the inferior daytime roosts that bats must use if water seepage forces them to leave their normal roosts. Although these age-specific rates of fecundity and survival suggested a declining population, mark-recapture estimates of the population trend indicated stability over the study period. Counts at daytime roosts also suggested a population decline, but were considered unreliable because of an increasing tendency of bats to avoid detection. It is therefore likely that some assumptions in estimating survival were violated. These results provide a caution against the uncritical use of population projections derived from mark-recapture estimates of demographic parameters, and the use of untested indices as the basis for conservation decisions.

Conservation status assessment of the amphibians and reptiles of Uruguay

The native species of amphibians and reptiles of Uruguay were categorized according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Out of 47 amphibian species, seven are listed as Critically Endangered (CR), five as Endangered (EN), one as Vulnerable (VU), three as Near Threatened (NT), and two as Data Deficient (DD); the remaining species are considered to be Least Concern (LC). Among the 64 species of reptiles evaluated, one is listed as Critically Endangered (CR), seven as Endangered (EN), two as Vulnerable (VU), one as Near Threatened (NT) and seven as Data Deficient (DD); the rest are considered to be Least Concern (LC). The use of these results as an additional criterion in the definition of protected areas in Uruguay will contribute towards the conservation of the aforementioned threatened species and their associated ecosystems.

Bionomics, cryopreservation of gametes and captive breeding behaviour of threatened hillstream cyprinid, garra surendranathanii(shaji, arun & easa, 1996)

Garra surendranathanii is a hill stream cyprinid endemic to Kerala. According to IUCN based classification, G. surendranathanii is grouped under the threatened category. This endemic fish is having highly restricted and fragmented distribution and reported only from 5 river systems viz. Chalakudy, Periyar, Pamba, Achenkoil and Bharathapuzha. Categorization of this fish as a potential ornamental candidate can invariably add more pressure on the threat status of this particular species. Hence, this species is considered as one which requires foremost attention for conservation. Hitherto, no infomiation is available on the bionomics, resource characteristics and any conservation attempts of G. surendranathanii. Studies on detailed life history traits and development of captive breeding technique are indispensable for successful fishery management.The present study was undertaken with the following obj ectives: To study the Length-weight relationship and condition factor to ascertain the relationship between length and weight and general wellbeing ofthe fish To study the age and growth to understand the age composition of the exploited stock, age at first maturation and life span of the species. To study the reproductive biology of G. surendranathanii to gain insights in the process of gametogenesis, spawning, sex ratio, fecundity and other related aspects which are essential for developing captive breeding technology of this species. To develop captive breeding technology and cryopreservation ofgametes of G. surendranathanii for conservation

Bionomics, Resource Characteristics And Distribution Of The Threatened Freshwater Fishes Of Kerala

The previous faunistic studies were concentrated.on the taxonomical and zoogeo— graphical aspects. These studies contributed to many new additions to the fish fauna of Kerala meanwhile many species described earlier are reported missing in recent years. Many fish species were collected only once or twice by scientists. Detailed information on distribution, habitat, feeding habits, reproduction, population size, etc. are available only with regard to a very few fish species. A meaningful assessment on the biodiversity status of the majority of freshwater fishes cannot be done for want of sufficient data base and therefore, no suitable conservation and management programmes are forthcoming for the protection and preservation of the unique fish germplasm resources of Kerala. The present study was conceptualised and undertaken mostly aiming at bridging these gaps by generating an authentic data base on the distribution, resource characteristics and bionomics of the threatened fishes inhabiting the rivers of Kerala. Osteobrama bakeri (Day) is an endemic fish having a very highly restricted and fragmented distribution in Periyar, Chalakudy, Kabini, Kallada and Meenachil rivers of Kerala. This belongs to vulnerable category and is locally known as Mullanpaval which is valued as food fish. Besides, due to its vibrant and attractive colouration and easiness for domestication, it has great potential for being propagated as an ornamental fish. Hitherto, no information is available on the bionomics and resource characteristics of this species. Studies on detailed life history traits are indispensable for fishery management, development of captive breeding technique and implementation of various conservation programmes. In the present study, a pioneer attempt is also made to investigate the life history traits, resource characteristics, proximate composition, etc. of O.baken'.

Socioeconomic correlates of global mammalian conservation status

The main causes of biodiversity decline are related to human use of resources, which is ultimately triggered by the socioeconomic decisions made by individuals and nations. Characterizing the socioeconomic attributes of areas in which biodiversity is most threatened can help us identify decisions and conditions that promote the presence or absence of threats and potentially suggest more sustainable strategies. In this study we explored how diverse indicators of social and economic development correlate with the conservation status of terrestrial mammals within countries explicitly exploring hypothesized linear and quadratic relationships. First, comparing countries with and without threatened mammals we found that those without threatened species are a disparate group formed by European countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with little in common besides their slow population growth and a past of human impacts. Second, focusing on countries with threatened mammals we found that those with a more threatened mammalian biota have mainly rural populations, are predominantly exporters of goods and services, receive low to intermediate economic benefits from international tourism, and have medium to high human life expectancy. Overall, these results provide a comprehensive characterization of the socioeconomic profiles linked to mammalian conservation status of the world's nations, highlighting the importance of transborder impacts reflected by the international flux of goods, services and people. Further studies would be necessary to unravel the actual mechanisms and threats that link these socioeconomic profiles and indicators with mammalian conservation. Nevertheless, this study presents a broad and complete characterization that offers testable hypotheses regarding how socioeconomic development associates with biodiversity.

Description of two new species of Avicularia Lamarck 1818 and redescription of Avicularia diversipes (C. L. Koch 1842) (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae)-three possibly threatened Brazilian species

Avicularia diversipes (C. L. Koch 1842) known previously only from its original description is redescribed along with Avicularia sooretama sp. nov. and Avicularia gamba sp. nov. The three species are endemic to Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. With other Avicularia species, they share a procurved anterior eye row, slender embolus and medially folded spermathecae, whereas they have unusual characters, such as a very long and spiraled embolus (A. diversipes) and spermathecae with multilobular apex (A. sooretama sp. nov.). Furthermore, the three species lack a tibial apophysis in males and share a distinctive color pattern ontogeny that is not known in any other Avicularia species. The conservation status of the three species is discussed, especially with respect to endemism, illegal trafficking and habitat destruction. The creation of protected areas in southern State of Bahia, Brazil, is recommended, as well as the inclusion of these species in IUCN and CITES lists. Appendices with figures and species information are presented to facilitate correct specimen identification by custom officers, in order to limit illegal traffic.