Assessing the conservation status of tree species declining in productive landscapes: the case of Eucalyptus argophloia

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
R. J. Fensham ◽  
B. Laffineur ◽  
M. McVeigh
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Conservation Assessment ◽  
The Past ◽  
Remnant Vegetation ◽  
Productive Landscapes

Eucalyptus argophloia is a species with a small geographic range occurring in a productive landscape with a subhumid climate. The past distribution of the species was assessed from remnant vegetation and standing paddock trees. The species grows in three specific vegetation types within its geographic range, and based on densities in remnant vegetation and reduction of habitat, it is estimated that the population has been reduced by 94.2%. There is very little regeneration of the species including on ungrazed roadsides, and further decline of the species is expected. The species can be categorised under IUCN Red Listing criteria as Critically Endangered. The present study provides a method for using habitat association, population decline and stand structure for conservation assessment of threatened tree species in productive landscapes.

scholarly journals Historical decline and probable extinction of the Jamaican Golden SwallowTachycineta euchrysea euchrysea

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
GARY R. GRAVES
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Small Region ◽  
The Past ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Mammalian Predators ◽  
Aerial Insectivores ◽  
Cockpit Country ◽  
Strong Concern

SummaryThe endemic Jamaican subspecies of the Golden SwallowTachycineta euchrysea euchryseahas been rare and locally distributed since its discovery in 1847. By the 1950s, its geographic range had contracted to a small region along the northern frontier of Cockpit Country. The last unequivocal sight records occurred in the early 1980s, raising strong concern about the swallow’s conservation status. I conducted an island-wide search for the swallow from 1994 through 2012. Standardised censuses of aerial insectivores at 1,281 sites, including the last redoubts of the Golden Swallow in Trelawny Parish, revealed no evidence of the species. These surveys and the absence of documented sight records during the past three decades suggest that the Jamaican race of the Golden Swallow is close to extinction if not already extinct. The cause of the population decline is unknown but is most likely linked to chronic predation by introduced mammalian predators, particularly the arboreal black ratRattus rattus.

scholarly journals Conservation Status of the Chilean Woodstar Eulidia yarrellii

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristián F. Estades ◽  
Juan Aguirre ◽  
Martín A. H. Escobar ◽  
Jorge A. Tomasevic ◽  
María Angélica Vukasovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Studies ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
The Past ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Competition Pressure ◽  
Stable Populations

AbstractWe assessed the conservation status of the Chilean Woodstar Eulidia yarrellii, a small hummingbird endemic to a few desert valleys of northern Chile and southern Peru. Although no population studies had been conducted, this rare species was presumed to have undergone a severe population decline during the past decades. Fieldwork in Chile produced a population estimate for September 2003 of 1,539 individuals (929–2,287; 90% CI), located in just two valleys: Azapa and Vitor. There was no evidence of stable populations elsewhere. Our observations tend to confirm the hypothesis of a past decline and evidence points to three main factors driving that trend: (1) Most natural habitat has disappeared and the species relies mostly on artificial resources for feeding and nesting. (2) The start of heavy use of pesticides in the Azapa valley in the 1960s in order to control the Mediterranean fruit fly and other crop pests coincides with the last reports describing the species as abundant. (3) The irruption in the last two decades of the Peruvian Sheartail Thaumastura cora has apparently exerted serious competition pressure on the species. These findings support the classification of the species as globally Endangered. We describe the main lines of action of the recently approved Recovery Plan for the Chilean Woodstar.

scholarly journals Impact of long and short-term conservation periods on structure of English yew (Taxus baccata L.) in Arasbaran forests, Iran

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 7) ◽  
pp. 272-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajad Ghanbari ◽  
Kiomars Sefidi ◽  
Matthew Aghai
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Taxus Baccata ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Reference Tree ◽  
Evans Index

Yew (Taxus baccata L.) is one of the most important and threatened tree species in the Arasbaran region of northwestern Iran. To understand the natural stand structure of yew forests to inform forest management, we assessed the structural characteristics and composition of yew communities using the nearest neighbour and full callipering method at three sites with different conservation histories. Within a one-hectare sampling area, tree species identity, diameter, height, and crown diameter were measured. In each of these sampling areas, 56 sample points were surveyed in a 25 m × 25 m grid for tree species identity, diameter, height, and distance from reference to neighbour trees. To quantify the structural characteristics in areas of different conservation status, some indices were calculated including mingling, distance between reference tree and its nearest neighbouring trees, diameter and height differentiation, uniform angle, and Clark-Evans index. Results revealed that four species – hornbeam (68%), maple (8%), yew (7%), and oak (5.2%) – composed 88% of the tree species. The majority of trees had a short distance (2–3 m) between neighbours. The mean diameter differentiation index for long-term and short-term conservation areas was 0.59 and 0.06, respectively. The uniform angle index showed that there was no class value = “1” at all three sites. In the long-term enclosed area, Clark-Evans index was 1.18. In short-term enclosed areas, it was less than 1 (0.82). At all sites, yew trees were in the least vital class. We conclude that enclosing affects the yew stand structure, specifically in long-term periods of enclosure.

A New Species of Eugenia subg. Pseudeugenia (Myrtaceae, Myrteae) from Brazilian Atlantic Forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-543
Author(s):  
Karinne Sampaio Valdemarin ◽  
Jair Eustáquio Quintino Faria ◽  
Fiorella Fernanda Mazine ◽  
Vinicius Castro Souza
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Forest Vegetation ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Diagnostic Features ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Lowland Forests ◽  
A New Species

Abstract—A new species of Eugenia from the Atlantic forest of Brazil is described and illustrated. Eugenia flavicarpa is restricted to the Floresta de Tabuleiro (lowland forests) of Espírito Santo state and is nested in Eugenia subg. Pseudeugenia. Considering all other species of the subgenus that occur in forest vegetation types of the Atlantic forest phytogeographic domain, Eugenia flavicarpa can be distinguished mainly by the combination of smooth leaves with indumentum on both surfaces, with two marginal veins, usually ramiflorous inflorescences, pedicels 4.5‐9.7 mm long, flower buds 3.5‐4 mm in diameter, and by the calyx lobes that are 2‐3 mm long with rounded to obtuse apices. Morphological analyses were performed to explore the significance of quantitative diagnostic features between the new species and the closely related species, Eugenia farneyi. Notes on the habitat, distribution, phenology, and conservation status of Eugenia flavicarpa are provided, as well as a key for all species of Eugenia subg. Pseudeugenia from forest vegetation of the Atlantic forest phytogeographic domain.

Langfristige Entwicklung von zwei Waldgesellschaften im Białowieża-Urwald

2008 ◽  
Vol 159 (4) ◽  
pp. 80-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bogdan Brzeziecki ◽  
Feliks Eugeniusz Bernadzki
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Structural Parameters ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Strong Trend ◽  
Long Term Study

The results of a long-term study on the natural forest dynamics of two forest communities on one sample plot within the Białowieża National Park in Poland are presented. The two investigated forest communities consist of the Pino-Quercetum and the Tilio-Carpinetum type with the major tree species Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula sp., Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Carpinus betulus. The results reveal strong temporal dynamics of both forest communities since 1936 in terms of tree species composition and of general stand structure. The four major tree species Scots pine, birch, English oak and Norway spruce, which were dominant until 1936, have gradually been replaced by lime and hornbeam. At the same time, the analysis of structural parameters indicates a strong trend towards a homogenization of the vertical stand structure. Possible causes for these dynamics may be changes in sylviculture, climate change and atmospheric deposition. Based on the altered tree species composition it can be concluded that a simple ≪copying≫ (mimicking) of the processes taking place in natural forests may not guarantee the conservation of the multifunctional character of the respective forests.

Old-growth forest reserves in Slovenia: the past, present, and future

2012 ◽  
Vol 163 (6) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Nagel ◽  
Jurij Diaci ◽  
Dusan Rozenbergar ◽  
Tihomir Rugani ◽  
Dejan Firm
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Forest Reserves ◽  
The Past ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Remnants ◽  
Basic Characteristics

Old-growth forest reserves in Slovenia: the past, present, and future Slovenia has a small number of old-growth forest remnants, as well as many forest reserves approaching old-growth conditions. In this paper, we describe some of the basic characteristics of these old-growth remnants and the history of their protection in Slovenia. We then trace the long-term development of research in these old-growth remnants, with a focus on methodological changes. We also review some of the recent findings from old-growth research in Slovenia and discuss future research needs. The conceptual understanding of how these forests work has slowly evolved, from thinking of them in terms of stable systems to more dynamic and unpredictable ones due to the influence of natural disturbances and indirect human influences. In accordance with this thinking, the methods used to study old-growth forests have changed from descriptions of stand structure to studies that address natural processes and ecosystem functions.

Orchestrated Flowering and Interspecific Facilitation: Key Factors in the Maintenance of the Main Pollinator of Coexisting Threatened Species of Andean Wax Palms (Ceroxylon spp.)

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-299
Author(s):  
Javier Carreño-Barrera ◽  
Luis Alberto Núñez-Avellaneda ◽  
Maria José Sanín ◽  
Artur Campos D. Maia
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Flower Visiting

Solitary, dioecious, and mostly endemic to Andean cloud forests, wax palms (Ceroxylon Bonpl. ex DC. spp.) are currently under worrisome conservation status. The establishment of management plans for their dwindling populations rely on detailed biological data, including their reproductive ecology. As in the case of numerous other Neotropical palm taxa, small beetles are assumed to be selective pollinators of wax palms, but their identity and relevance in successful fruit yield were unknown. During three consecutive reproductive seasons we collected data on population phenology and reproductive and floral biology of three syntopic species of wax palms native to the Colombian Andes. We also determined the composition of the associated flower-visiting entomofauna, quantifying the extent of the role of individual species as effective pollinators through standardized value indexes that take into consideration abundance, constancy, and pollen transport efficiency. The studied populations of C. parvifrons (Engel) H. Wendl., C. ventricosum Burret, and C. vogelianum (Engel) H. Wendl. exhibit seasonal reproductive cycles with marked temporal patterns of flower and fruit production. The composition of the associated flower-visiting entomofauna, comprised by ca. 50 morphotypes, was constant across flowering seasons and differed only marginally among species. Nonetheless, a fraction of the insect species associated with pistillate inflorescences actually carried pollen, and calculated pollinator importance indexes demonstrated that one insect species alone, Mystrops rotundula Sharp, accounted for 94%–99% of the effective pollination services for all three species of wax palms. The sequential asynchronous flowering of C. parvifrons, C. ventricosum, and C. vogelianum provides an abundant and constant supply of pollen, pivotal for the maintenance of large populations of their shared pollinators, a cooperative strategy proven effective by high fruit yield rates (up to 79%). Reproductive success might be compromised for all species by the population decline of one of them, as it would tamper with the temporal orchestration of pollen offer.

Beyond the austerity-driven hypothesis: Political economic theses on penality and the recent prison population decline

2021 ◽  
pp. 147737082110006
Author(s):  
José A. Brandariz
Keyword(s):  
Prison Population ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
The Past ◽  
Economic Forces ◽  
Global North ◽  
Economic Perspectives ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Spending Cuts

In what might be called the ‘austerity-driven hypothesis’, a consistent strand of literature has sought to explain the prison downsizing witnessed in many jurisdictions of the global north over the past decade by referring to the financial crisis of the late 2000s to early 2010s and its effects in terms of public spending cuts. Since this economic phase is essentially over, whereas the (moderate) decarceration turn is still ongoing, there are good reasons to challenge this hypothesis. This article delves into the non-economic forces that are fostering a prison population decline that, 10 years on, is becoming the new ‘penal normal’. The article thereby aims to spark a dialogue not only with the scholarship exploring the prison downsizing but also with certain theoretical frameworks that have played a key role in examining the punitive turn era. Additionally, the article contributes to the conversation on the need to reframe materialist readings on penality in a ‘non-reductionist’ fashion. By revisiting heterodox theses and scrutinizing the impact of recent penal changes on traditional materialist accounts, the article joins the collective endeavour seeking to update political economic perspectives on punishment and the penal field.

scholarly journals Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
Adi Zweifler (Zvifler) ◽  
Michael O’Leary ◽  
Kyle Morgan ◽  
Nicola K. Browne
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Reef Complex ◽  
Sediment Input

Increasing evidence suggests that coral reefs exposed to elevated turbidity may be more resilient to climate change impacts and serve as an important conservation hotspot. However, logistical difficulties in studying turbid environments have led to poor representation of these reef types within the scientific literature, with studies using different methods and definitions to characterize turbid reefs. Here we review the geological origins and growth histories of turbid reefs from the Holocene (past), their current ecological and environmental states (present), and their potential responses and resilience to increasing local and global pressures (future). We classify turbid reefs using new descriptors based on their turbidity regime (persistent, fluctuating, transitional) and sources of sediment input (natural versus anthropogenic). Further, by comparing the composition, function and resilience of two of the most studied turbid reefs, Paluma Shoals Reef Complex, Australia (natural turbidity) and Singapore reefs (anthropogenic turbidity), we found them to be two distinct types of turbid reefs with different conservation status. As the geographic range of turbid reefs is expected to increase due to local and global stressors, improving our understanding of their responses to environmental change will be central to global coral reef conservation efforts.

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