The coastal intertidal ecosystem of the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, one of the largest and most important in West Africa, sustains a considerable proportion of the migratory shorebird ...populations of the East Atlantic Flyway and operates as a nursery area for benthic fish in the region. The macrozoobenthos in these mudflats constitute the main food source for both groups so that spatial and temporal variation in their abundance and community composition is likely to influence the abundance and distribution of fish and birds. In this study we described the spatial and temporal dynamics in the density, biomass, and community composition of macrozoobenthos across six intertidal flats in three islands of the Bijagós Archipelago. Overall, the Bijagós Archipelago was characterised by a highly species-rich macrozoobenthic community, with ca. 88 taxa identified across all sites, reaching a mean density of 1871 ± 58.3 ind.m-2 (mean ± SE) and mean biomass of 5.65 ± 0.41 g of AFDM.m-2 (ash-free dry mass per m2), values much lower than what was described for nearby intertidal areas, namely the Band d’Arguin, Mauritania. Density and biomass of major macrozoobenthos classes (Bivalvia, Polychaeta, Malacostraca and Gastropoda) differed across sites and months, displaying an overall increase in density towards the final months of the dry season (March and April). Similarly, community composition also differed significantly between sites and throughout the season. The site with most distinct community composition (Adonga) supported low diversity and high abundance of a few bivalve species, whilst other two sites that hosted the most diverse communities, were also the most similar between them (Anrumai and Abu). These spatial and temporal patterns constitute an important baseline to improve knowledge of this intertidal ecosystem and will contribute towards a better understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of their consumers.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The coastal intertidal ecosystem of the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, one of the largest and most important in West Africa, sustains a considerable proportion of the migratory shorebird ...populations of the East Atlantic Flyway and operates as a nursery area for benthic fish in the region. The macrozoobenthos in these mudflats constitute the main food source for both groups so that spatial and temporal variation in their abundance and community composition is likely to influence the abundance and distribution of fish and birds. In this study we described the spatial and temporal dynamics in the density, biomass, and community composition of macrozoobenthos across six intertidal flats in three islands of the Bijagós Archipelago. Overall, the Bijagós Archipelago was characterised by a highly species-rich macrozoobenthic community, with ca. 88 taxa identified across all sites, reaching a mean density of 1871 ± 58.3 ind.m-2 (mean ± SE) and mean biomass of 5.65 ± 0.41 g of AFDM.m-2 (ash-free dry mass per m2), values much lower than what was described for nearby intertidal areas, namely the Band d'Arguin, Mauritania. Density and biomass of major macrozoobenthos classes (Bivalvia, Polychaeta, Malacostraca and Gastropoda) differed across sites and months, displaying an overall increase in density towards the final months of the dry season (March and April). Similarly, community composition also differed significantly between sites and throughout the season. The site with most distinct community composition (Adonga) supported low diversity and high abundance of a few bivalve species, whilst other two sites that hosted the most diverse communities, were also the most similar between them (Anrumai and Abu). These spatial and temporal patterns constitute an important baseline to improve knowledge of this intertidal ecosystem and will contribute towards a better understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of their consumers.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Food distribution and abundance can affect intra- and inter-dietary variation in non-human primates, influencing feeding ecology and altering behaviour. Natural and/or human-induced actions can ...influence the dynamics between primates and the environment, with associated impacts on socio-ecology and demography. This relationship in anthropogenic landscapes, however, is poorly understood. Here, we use DNA metabarcoding to obtain high resolution dietary diversity data, and multivariate generalised linear models to investigate variation in the diet of this threatened primate. We characterise the diet of the western red colobus (
Piliocolobus badius
) in both the better preserved Gola Rainforest National Park (GRNP, Sierra Leone), and in the fragmented forests of Cantanhez National Park (CNP, Guinea-Bissau), and evaluate biological, ecological and temporal differences. Dietary plant species richness was high in both protected areas, and the type of plants consumed varied significantly across seasons, space, and time. Although we identify dependence on a few key plants, red colobus in CNP consumed a higher average number of plant taxa than in GRNP, and 11% of the diet consisted of cultivated foods (e.g. mango). This is the first time a molecular approach has been used to investigate red colobus diet, and reveal dietary flexibility in degraded forests. Predicting the consequences of dietary change on long-term population persistence, however, remains a significant knowledge gap. Nevertheless, our results provide critical information to inform targeted regional conservation planning and implementation.
As the COVID‐19 pandemic continues to affect societies across the world, the ongoing economic and social disruptions are likely to present fundamental challenges for current and future biodiversity ...conservation.
We review the literature for outcomes of past major societal, political, economic and zoonotic perturbations on biodiversity conservation, and demonstrate the complex implications of perturbation events upon conservation efforts. Building on the review findings, we use six in‐depth case studies and the emerging literature to identify positive and negative outcomes of the COVID‐19 pandemic, known and anticipated, for biodiversity conservation efforts around the world.
A number of similarities exist between the current pandemic and past perturbations, with experiences highlighting that the pandemic‐induced declines in conservation revenue and capacity, livelihood and trade disruptions are likely to have long‐lasting and negative implications for biodiversity and conservation efforts.
Yet, the COVID‐19 pandemic also brought about a global pause in human movement that is unique in recent history, and may yet foster long‐lasting behavioural and societal changes, presenting opportunities to strengthen and advance conservation efforts in the wake of the pandemic. Enhanced collaborations and partnerships at the local level, cross‐sectoral engagement, local investment and leadership will all enhance the resilience of conservation efforts in the face of future perturbations. Other actions aimed at enhancing resilience will require fundamental institutional change and extensive government and public engagement and support if they are to be realised.
The pandemic has highlighted the inherent vulnerabilities in the social and economic models upon which many conservation efforts are based. In so doing, it presents an opportunity to reconsider the status quo for conservation, and promotes behaviours and actions that are resilient to future perturbation.
A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract The Corubal (Guinea-Bissau) is a wild but underexplored river in West Africa. This study underscores the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to fill biodiversity knowledge gaps in ...the region. We filtered large water volumes at 11 sites along the watershed, amplified multiple molecular markers, and performed high PCR (polymerase chain reaction) replication and in-depth sequencing. We recorded 2589 amplicon sequence variants, with accumulation curves indicating the need for additional sampling to achieve a thorough survey. The taxonomic assignments were constrained by the scarcity of genomic resources. We recorded 125 species of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, including 21 new to the country, predominantly fish (61.9%). Surprisingly, crocodiles were not detected, despite their known presence. There were 11 imperiled species, two of which are Critically Endangered (Western chimpanzee and the mussel Pleiodon ovatus). Our findings support the conservation importance of the Corubal, provide a baseline for future monitoring, and highlight the challenges and opportunities of eDNA surveys in remote tropical rivers.
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