Data capturing multiple axes of tree size and shape, such as a tree's stem diameter, height and crown size, underpin a wide range of ecological research—from developing and testing theory on forest ...structure and dynamics, to estimating forest carbon stocks and their uncertainties, and integrating remote sensing imagery into forest monitoring programmes. However, these data can be surprisingly hard to come by, particularly for certain regions of the world and for specific taxonomic groups, posing a real barrier to progress in these fields. To overcome this challenge, we developed the Tallo database, a collection of 498,838 georeferenced and taxonomically standardized records of individual trees for which stem diameter, height and/or crown radius have been measured. These data were collected at 61,856 globally distributed sites, spanning all major forested and non‐forested biomes. The majority of trees in the database are identified to species (88%), and collectively Tallo includes data for 5163 species distributed across 1453 genera and 187 plant families. The database is publicly archived under a CC‐BY 4.0 licence and can be access from: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6637599. To demonstrate its value, here we present three case studies that highlight how the Tallo database can be used to address a range of theoretical and applied questions in ecology—from testing the predictions of metabolic scaling theory, to exploring the limits of tree allometric plasticity along environmental gradients and modelling global variation in maximum attainable tree height. In doing so, we provide a key resource for field ecologists, remote sensing researchers and the modelling community working together to better understand the role that trees play in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle.
Trees vary enormously in the size and shape of their crowns, and accurately capturing this incredible variation in tree architecture underpins numerous lines of ecological research. To facilitate this work, we compiled the Tallo database ‐ the world's largest open access collection of trees for which stem diameter, height and crown size have been measured. Tallo includes 498,838 georeferenced records from 61,856 sites and 5,163 tree species. This new database represents a key resource for field ecologists, remote sensing researchers and the modelling community working together to better understand the role that trees play in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle.
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AIM: To assess the future climatic suitability of European catchments for freshwater species and the future utility of the current network of protected areas. LOCATION: Europe. METHODS: Using ...recently updated catchment‐scale species data and climate projections from multiple climate models, we assessed the climate change threat by the 2050s for 1648 European freshwater plants, fishes, molluscs, odonates, amphibians, crayfish and turtles for two dispersal scenarios and identified hotspots of change at three spatial scales: major river basins, countries and freshwater ecoregions. We considered both common species and the often overlooked rare species. To set our findings within the context of current and future conservation networks, we evaluated the coverage of freshwater biodiversity by Europe's protected area network. RESULTS: Six per cent of common and 77% of rare species are predicted to lose more than 90% of their current range. Eight fish species and nine mollusc species are predicted to experience 100% range loss under climate change. As the most species‐rich group, molluscs are particularly vulnerable due to the high proportion of rare species and their relatively limited ability to disperse. Furthermore, around 50% of molluscs and fish species will have no protected area coverage given their projected distributions. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: We identified the species most at threat due to projected changes in both catchment suitability and representation within the European protected area network. Our findings suggest an urgent need for freshwater management plans to facilitate adaptation to climate change.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aim
We aimed to test whether contributions of individual species (SCBD) and contributions of single sites (LCBD) to overall beta diversity can be predicted by species metrics and species ...characteristics and also by community metrics and ecological variables, respectively.
Location
A mainland‐island landscape in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest domain.
Methods
Dung beetles were sampled along 100 sampling units within four large forest fragments. We partitioned beta diversity into SCBD and LCBD aiming to explore their relationships to species and site characteristics, respectively. We then used a combination of multivariate methods and beta regression analyses to examine patterns in SCBD and LCBD. The occupancy, total abundance, niche position, niche breadth and biological traits of species were used as predictor variables for SCBD values. Community metrics, environmental and spatial variables, and temporal patterns in the beta diversity components of turnover and nestedness were used as predictor variables for LCDB values.
Results
We found that SCBD was strongly related to various species characteristics, such as occupancy, abundance and niche position, but was not related to biological traits of species and niche breadth. In particular, occupancy and its quadratic term showed a very strong unimodal relationship with SCBD, suggesting that intermediate species in terms of site occupancy contribute most to beta diversity. LCBD was mostly explained by variation in species richness, with a negative relationship being detected. Litter height and large‐scale spatial variables were also important in explaining variation in LCBD.
Main conclusions
SCBD and LCBD were highly predictably related to species occupancy and species richness, respectively. Environmental conditions and large‐scale spatial variables also correlated with LCBD values. Understanding the determinants of SCBD and LCBD may thus hold a key to various general ecological, bioassessment and conservation issues. Protecting sites with high LCBD values may be a suitable approach to practical biodiversity conservation.
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Transboundary conservation is playing an increasingly important role in maintaining ecosystem integrity and halting biodiversity loss caused by anthropogenic activities. However, lack of information ...on species distributions in transboundary regions and understanding of the threats in these areas impairs conservation. We developed a spatial conservation plan for the transboundary areas between Yunnan province, southwestern China, and neighboring Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam in the Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot. To identify priority areas for conservation and restoration, we determined species distribution patterns and recent land‐use changes and examined the spatiotemporal dynamics of the connected natural forest, which supports most species. We assessed connectivity with equivalent connected area (ECA), which is the amount of reachable habitat for a species. An ECA incorporates the presence of habitat in a patch and the amount of habitat in other patches within dispersal distance. We analyzed 197,845 locality records from specimen collections and monographs for 21,004 plant and vertebrate species. The region of Yunnan immediately adjacent to the international borders had the highest species richness, with 61% of recorded species and 56% of threatened vertebrates, which suggests high conservation value. Satellite imagery showed the area of natural forest in the border zone declined by 5.2% (13,255 km2) from 1995 to 2018 and monoculture plantations increased 92.4%, shrubland 10.1%, and other cropland 6.2%. The resulting decline in connected natural forest reduced the amount of habitat, especially for forest specialists with limited dispersal abilities. The most severe decline in connectivity was along the Sino‐Vietnamese border. Many priority areas straddle international boundaries, indicating demand and potential for establishing transboundary protected areas. Our results illustrate the importance of bi‐ and multilateral cooperation to protect biodiversity in this region and provide guidance for future conservation planning and practice.
Planeación de la Conservación en las Fronteras de China con Myanmar, Laos y Vietnam
Resumen
La conservación transfronteriza cada vez juega un papel más importante en la preservación de la integridad del ecosistema y en el freno a la pérdida local de la biodiversidad causada por las actividades antropogénicas. Sin embargo, la falta de información sobre la distribución de las especies en las regiones transfronterizas y de la comprensión de las amenazas en estas áreas obstaculiza la conservación. Desarrollamos un plan de conservación espacial para las áreas transfronterizas entre la provincia de Yunnan, al suroeste de China, y los países vecinos Myanmar, Laos y Vietnam localizadas en el punto caliente de biodiversidad Indo‐Burma. Para identificar las áreas prioritarias para la conservación y la restauración, determinamos los patrones de distribución de las especies y los recientes cambios en el uso de suelo y examinamos las dinámicas espaciotemporales del bosque natural conectado, el cual mantiene a la mayoría de las especies. Evaluamos la conectividad con el área equivalente conectada (AEC), que es la cantidad de hábitat accesible para una especie. Un AEC incorpora la presencia del hábitat en un fragmento y la cantidad de hábitat en otros fragmentos dentro de la distancia de dispersión. Analizamos 197,845 registros de localidades desde colecciones de especímenes y monografías para 21,004 especies de plantas y de vertebrados. La región de Yunnan inmediatamente adyacente a las fronteras internacionales tuvo la riqueza de especies más alta con el 61% de las especies registradas y el 56% de los vertebrados amenazados, lo que sugiere un elevado valor de conservación. Las imágenes satelitales mostraron que el área del bosque natural en la zona fronteriza declinó en un 5.2% (13,255 km2) entre 1995 y 2018 y que los sembradíos de monocultivos incrementaron en un 92.4%, los matorrales en un 10.1% y otras tierras de cultivo en un 6.2%. La declinación resultante en el bosque natural conectado redujo la cantidad del hábitat, especialmente para los especialistas del bosque con habilidades limitadas de dispersión. La declinación más grave en la conectividad ocurrió a lo largo de la frontera entre China y Vietnam. Muchas áreas prioritarias atraviesan las fronteras internacionales, lo que indica una demanda y un potencial para el establecimiento de áreas protegidas transfronterizas. Nuestros resultados ejemplifican la importancia de la cooperación bi‐ y multilateral para proteger la biodiversidad en esta región y proporciona información para la planeación y práctica de la conservación en el futuro.
中国及其毗邻缅甸、老挝和越南边境上的保护规划
跨境保护在维持生态系统完整和阻止人类活动引起的生物多样性丧失方面起着重要的作用。然而, 跨境区域的物种分布信息和所受威胁的认识都很匮乏, 这不利于进一步的保护。在印‐缅生物多样性热点地区, 我们为中国云南省及其毗邻的缅甸, 老挝和越南的跨境区域提供了一个空间保护计划。通过分析物种分布格局, 近期土地利用变化以及为大多数物种提供了生境的天然林的连通性时空动态, 我们识别了该跨境区域的保护和恢复优先区。我们利用等同连接面积(ECA)指数来评估连通性。该指数可以测量一个物种在其扩散距离范围内可以到达的总的生境数量。我们从标本和专著中收集了21,004个植物和脊椎动物物种并分析了197,845条分布记录, 结果显示云南省边境地区具有最高的物种丰富度, 61%的已记录的物种和56%的受威胁脊椎动物分布在云南边境地区, 这表明边境地区具有高的保护价值。卫星影像分析显示, 从1995至2018年, 跨境区域天然林面积减少了5.2% (13,255 km2), 而单一种植的人工林面积增加了92.4%, 灌丛面积增加了10.1%, 农田面积增加了6.2%。由此引起的连通的天然林面积的下降减少了生境数量, 这对扩散能力较弱的森林特化物种的影响尤为明显。中‐越边境上的连通性下降最为严重。许多优先区跨越了国界线, 这表明了建立跨境保护地的需求和潜力。我们的结果阐明了双边或多边合作保护生物多样性的重要性, 同时也为该跨境区域未来的保护规划和实践提供了指导。
Article impact statement: Species distribution pattern and connectivity change call for transboundary conservation on China's borders with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.
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Biodiversity hotspots, such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF), are expected to be more affected by climate change. Three distinct areas of past climatic refugia occur in the BAF, Pernambuco, ...Bahia, and São Paulo, that will likely be impacted differently by climate change. To estimate the distribution of mammal assemblages in response to climate change, we built individual species distribution models for all medium and large size mammals of the BAF under past (21 kya), current and future projected climatic conditions. We evaluated changes in predicted species distribution, richness and endemism. To understand the evolutionary history of these regions, we also calculated current phylogenetic diversity. We observed high mammal richness in refugia Bahia and São Paulo, and centers of endemism congruent with refugia areas. Phylogenetic diversity revealed different evolutionary histories within each refugium, and that ecological diversity may be preserved even in areas of lower species richness (Pernambuco refugium). Most species contracted its original distribution, and endemicity varied under all future scenarios, being most impacted by a higher increase in mean annual temperature. It was projected that up to 32% of species will lose 95% of their climatic spaces and up to 73% of species will lose half of it by 2100. Our major results highlight the widespread and negative impacts of climate change on mammal distribution. Biodiversity loss due to climate change can be buffered by both reducing deforestation and prompting restoration projects. Yet, we reinforce that the action window to achieve this goal is closing rapidly.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Ensuring the effectiveness of protected areas (PAs) has become a top-priority conservation action. Without management plans to define clear conservation goals and actions, PAs risk failing to protect ...biodiversity. Yet, management plans are insufficiently detailed or absent for several PAs worldwide. Although biodiversity knowledge is a cornerstone to guide the creation of PAs, we still lack information on its impact on long-term management. Thus, to better understand how biodiversity inventories might bias the management of protected areas, we investigate how these plans relate to the number of threatened species in PAs. Thus, we mapped 10,407 records corresponding to 1,395 threatened flora species in 863 PAs of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest under different jurisdictions and found that PAs with management plans hold twice the number of threatened flora species than those without such plans. Additionally, we found no support for the idea that larger PAs or those under higher anthropic pressure are more likely to have management plans, suggesting that management plans represent a proxy for the attention that PAs receive that goes far beyond necessity. We suggest two major reasons for this result. First, better-studied PAs are more likely to receive public funds to establish their management plans. Second, PAs with management plans and well-defined conservation goals may attract more studies. Both reasons may act synergistically, and we provide guidance on how managers and scientists should overcome these biases.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Wild Profusiontells the fascinating story of biodiversity conservation in Indonesia in the decade culminating in the great fires of 1997-98--a time when the country's environment became a point of ...concern for social and environmental activists, scientists, and the many fishermen and farmers nationwide who suffered from degraded environments and faced accusations that they were destroying nature. Celia Lowe argues that biodiversity, in 1990s Indonesia, implied a particular convergence of nature, nation, science, and identity that made Indonesians' mapping of the concept distinct within transnational practices of nature conservation at the time.
Lowe recounts the efforts of Indonesian biologists to document the species of the Togean Islands, to "develop" Togean people, and to turn this archipelago off the coast of Sulawesi into a national park. Indonesian scientists aspired to a conservation biology that was both internationally recognizable and politically effective in the Indonesian context. Simultaneously, Lowe describes the experiences of Togean Sama people who had their own understandings of nature and nation. To place Sama and scientist into the same conceptual frame, Lowe studies Sama ideas in the context of transnational thought rather than local knowledge.
In tracking the practice of conservation biology in a postcolonial setting,Wild Profusionexplores what in nature can count as important and for whom.
Aim
This study aimed to investigate the distribution patterns of plant diversity in Kenya, how climatic fluctuations and orogeny shaped them, and the formation of its β‐diversity.
Location
Kenya, ...East Africa.
Taxon
Angiosperms.
Methods
We quantified patterns of turnover and nestedness components of phylogenetic β‐diversity for angiosperm species among neighbouring sites using a well‐resolved phylogenetic tree and extensive distribution records from public databases and other published sources. We applied clustering methods to delineate biota based on pairwise similarities among multiple sites and used a random assembly null model to assess the effects of species abundance distribution on phylogenetic β‐diversity.
Results
The phylogenetic turnover of the Kenyan flora, intersecting with the biodiversity hotspots Eastern Afromontane, Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa, and Horn of Africa, shows a non‐monotonic pattern along a latitudinal gradient that is strongly structured into volcanic and coastal areas. The other areas are mainly dominated by phylogenetic nestedness, even in the eastern part of the equatorial region parallel to the volcanic area. Phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic structure analyses explain the mechanism of the observed phylogenetic turnover and nestedness patterns. We identified five phytogeographical regions in Kenya: the Mandera, Turkana, Volcanic, Pan Coastal and West Highland Regions.
Conclusions
Variations in turnover gradient and coexistence are highly dependent on the regional biogeographical history resulting from climatic fluctuations and long‐lasting orogeny, which jointly shaped the biodiversity patterns of the Kenyan flora. The nestedness component dominated climatically unstable regions and is presumed to have been caused by heavy local species extinction and recolonization from the Volcanic Region. The high turnover component in climatically stable regions may have preserved old lineages and the prevalence of endemic species within narrow ranges.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
1. Habitat degradation leads to biodiversity loss and concomitant changes in ecosystem processes. Tropical river floodplains are highly threatened by land cover changes and support high biodiversity ...and important ecosystem services, but the extent to which changes in floodplain land cover affect fish biodiversity remains unknown. 2. We combined fish and environmental data collected in situ and satellite-mapped landscape features to evaluate how fish species with different ecological strategies and assemblage structures respond to deforestation in floodplains of the Amazon River. We surveyed 462 floodplain habitats distributed along a gradient of land cover, from largely forested to severely deforested. Rather than analyse only taxonomic metrics, we employed an integrative approach that simultaneously considers different aspects of fish biodiversity (i.e. β diversity and taxonomic and functional assemblage structure) to facilitate mechanistic interpretations of the influence of land cover. 3. Spatial patterns of fish biodiversity in the Amazon River floodplain were strongly associated with forest cover as well as local environmental conditions linked to landscape gradients. Several species and functional groups defined by life-history, feeding, swimming/microhabitat-use strategies were positively associated with forest cover. Other species, including some that would usually be considered habitat generalists and species directly dependent on autochthonous resources (e.g. planktivores), were most common in areas dominated by herbaceous vegetation or open water habitats associated with the opposite extreme of the forest cover gradient. β diversity and the degree of uniqueness of species combinations within habitats were also positively associated with forest cover. 4. Synthesis and applications. Our results demonstrating that spatial patterns of fish biodiversity are associated with forest cover, indicate that deforestation of floodplains of the Amazon River results in spatial homogenization of fish assemblages and reduced functional diversity at both local and regional scales. Floodplains world-wide have undergone major land cover changes, with forest loss projected to increase during the next decades. Conserving fish diversity in these ecosystems requires protecting mosaics of both aquatic habitats and floodplain vegetation, with sufficient forest cover being critically important.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NMLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Insects are among the most diverse and widespread animals across the biosphere and are well‐known for their contributions to ecosystem functioning and services. Recent increases in the frequency and ...magnitude of climatic extremes (CE), in particular temperature extremes (TE) owing to anthropogenic climate change, are exposing insect populations and communities to unprecedented stresses. However, a major problem in understanding insect responses to TE is that they are still highly unpredictable both spatially and temporally, which reduces frequency‐ or direction‐dependent selective responses by insects. Moreover, how species interactions and community structure may change in response to stresses imposed by TE is still poorly understood. Here we provide an overview of how terrestrial insects respond to TE by integrating their organismal physiology, multitrophic, and community‐level interactions, and building that up to explore scenarios for population explosions and crashes that have ecosystem‐level consequences. We argue that TE can push insect herbivores and their natural enemies to and even beyond their adaptive limits, which may differ among species intimately involved in trophic interactions, leading to phenological disruptions and the structural reorganization of food webs. TE may ultimately lead to outbreak–breakdown cycles in insect communities with detrimental consequences for ecosystem functioning and resilience. Lastly, we suggest new research lines that will help achieve a better understanding of insect and community responses to a wide range of CE.
Climate extremes including heatwaves are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity. Exposure of ectothermic insects to temperature extremes will potentially impact their survival, development, reproduction, and other ecological aspects which are reviewed here. The outcomes (positive, negative, or neutral) may influence species interactions and create conditions that lead to breakouts, breakdowns, or both over time.
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