scholarly journals Modification of landscape as promoter of change in structure and taxonomic diversity of reptile´s communities: an example in tropical landscape in the central region of Mexico

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Berriozabal-Islas ◽  
Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista ◽  
Raciel Cruz-Elizalde ◽  
Uriel Hernández-Salinas

The degree of species loss was assessed by comparing the structure of communities and species diversity of reptiles from three different environments, one natural (tropical evergreen forest [TEF]) and two modified (shaded coffee plantation [SCP] and grazing area [GA]) from the mid portion of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico. The results showed 29 species, 18 in TEF, 13 in SCP and 12 in GA. According to the abundance of each species, the reptile structure for TEF and SCP was similar and they both differed from GA, while the diversity (effective number of species) was the highest for TEF. The percentage of number of species from TEF accounted for 28% more species than SCP and GA, which indicated a species loss of about 70% in disturbed environments. The values of beta diversity were the highest between TEF and GA, followed by SCP and GA and to a lesser degree between TEF and SCP, which indicates that TEF showed a high number of exclusive species. Our results suggest that carrying out long-term studies that include richness and diversity in environments with different levels of disturbance, in addition to including characteristics of natural history, might enhance the development of more efficient conservation strategies for these species.

Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2657 (1) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
URI OMAR GARCÍA-VÁZQUEZ ◽  
LUIS CANSECO-MÁRQUEZ ◽  
JOSÉ LUIS AGUILAR-LÓPEZ

A new species of Lepidophyma is described from the Sierra Negra in southern Puebla. This new species is known only from the type locality and is characterized by a combination of several characters (number of dorsal scales, total of femoral pores, number of lateral tubercles, number the dorsal interwhorls separated the whorls, number of the paravertebral rows, number of the toe lamellae and number of gulars). It lives between rocks in remnants of Tropical Evergreen Forest. The description of this new species increases the number of species in the genus to 19.


Author(s):  
G.A. Sadyrova ◽  
◽  
T.A. Bazarbaeva ◽  
D.K. Bayzhigitov ◽  
S.M. Jamilova ◽  
...  

This article presents results of long-term studies of the meadow flora of the Ketpen-Temerlik ridge within Kazakhstan and China. The article presents an analysis of the meadow floristic complex of the Ketpen-Temerlik ridge. The taxonomic diversity of species composition of meadow floristic complex, biomorphological analysis of life forms of meadow species, and also the belonging of meadow species to different geographical types of areas. A detailed floristic analysis of meadow flora made it possible to identify 624 species of vascular plants belonging to 230 genera and 47 families. According to the main taxonomic groups of plants, the meadow flora is represented by the Magnoliophyta department, which accounts for 82.2% of the total species composition, and only an insignificant percentage is in the Liliopsida department, 17.1%. The ratio of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants in meadow flora is 1: 4.8. The total number of monocotyledons covers 107 species or 17.1% of the total number of species, there are 517 species of dicotyledonous plants or 82.2%. Analysis of the largest families of meadow flora made it possible to identify 16 largest families by the largest number of species, which contain 504 species. Analysis of the species richness of the genera of flora are: Potentilla, Carex, Ranunculus, Taraxacum, Astragalus, Silene, Veronica. The leading genus of meadow flora accounts for 25.1%. The article considers a boreal nature of the meadow flora. The article reveals a large presence among the meadow flora of Ketpen-Temerlik of mountainous middle asian species with an area limited to the territories of Mountainous Middle Asia.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 194008291982999
Author(s):  
Adrian Leyte-Manrique ◽  
Buelna-Chontal Abel Antonio ◽  
Torres-Díaz Miguel Alejandro ◽  
Christian Berriozabal-Islas ◽  
Carlos Alberto Maciel-Mata

Amphibians and reptiles are two groups of vertebrates that are sensitive to changes in their environment. These changes are mostly caused by human activities, which affect the abundance, composition, and distribution of these vertebrates. In this study, we compare the richness and taxonomic diversity of herpetofauna between undisturbed environments (tropical deciduous forest = TDF) and disturbed environments (corn fields = CF) near the towns of Urireo (URI) and San Nicolas de los Agustinos (SNA) in Salvatierra, Guanajuato. We recorded a total of 19 species in the two locations (4 amphibian and 15 reptile species). At the URI locality, 12 species were recorded in CF and 10 in TDF. At the SNA locality, eight species were recorded in CF and seven species in TDF. In addition, we found that overall taxonomic distinctness was greater at URI than SNA across both types of vegetation, with the highest diversity found in TDF of URI. Seven of the 19 species recorded are current allocated to some protection category of NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010: Lithobates neovolcanicus, Kinosternon integrum, Sceloporus grammicus, Lampropeltis polyzona, Masticophis mentovarius, Salvadora bairdi, and Thamnophis melanogaster differing from other mechanisms such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Environmental Vulnerability Score. Our results suggest that carrying out long-term studies that include diversity and taxonomic distinctness in environments with different levels of disturbance, in addition to including characteristics of natural history, might enhance the development of more efficient conservation strategies for these vertebrates.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manabu Sakamoto ◽  
Michael J Benton ◽  
Chris Venditti

A recent study in Nature Communications used ecological niche modelling (ENM) to project suitable habitat for dinosaurs during the latest stages of the Cretaceous Period (83-66 million years [Myr] ago) from detailed climate data, apparently refuting the hypothesis that dinosaurs were in a long-term decline before the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction event. However, we note here that: 1) suitable habitat does not necessarily equate to taxonomic diversity (i.e., number of species); and 2) lack of a decline in diversity across time intervals is not evidence against a gradual decline in net speciation through time – diversity and net speciation measure two separate things. Diversity measures the number of species within discrete time intervals, while phylogenetically inferred net speciation measures the dynamic relationship between speciation and extinction through time. Additionally, net speciation is estimated in a model framework that accounts for statistically undesired effects of shared ancestry, whereas diversity is not. Thus, diversity and net speciation are not directly comparable, and a lack of a decline in diversity does not necessarily refute a decline in net speciation through time.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
K. K. Holoborodko ◽  
V. O. Makhina ◽  
K. S. Buchnieva ◽  
O. E. Pakhomov

Floodplain valley of the Dnieper river midstream is a unique natural complex, having a great bìogeographical, ecological, environmental, historical and recreational values. In 1990, the Natural reserve «Dniprovsko-Orilsky» was established within the area. The Natural reserve «Dniprovsko-Orilsky» is environmentally protected site within the Dnipropetrovsk region, Dnipropetrovsk oblast, Ukraine. This reserve occupies part of the Dnieper river valley and marshy and reedy banks of Protovch river (existing bed of Oril river). It was created by Regulation of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of 15 September 1990, No. 262, based on common zoological and ornitological Nature reserves «Taromskì plavni» and «Obukhovskie zaplavy». On the territory of the Natural reserve «Dniprovsko-Orilsky», they were registered 32 Lepidoptera species listed in the List of Threatened Species at different categories (5 species in IUCN Red List ; 18 in Red Data Book of Ukraine; 7 in European Red List of plants and animals endangered on a global scale; 31 in Red Book of Dnipropetrovsk oblast). The main scientific materials were author’s collections from area of research and materials of entomological funds, Department of Zoology and Ecology, Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University (mostly Memorial Collection of V. O. Barsov). Field surveys covered all the ecosystems basic on size and degree of protection. The author’s researches have conducted over the past decade during annual expeditions to the Reserve. Taxonomic structure of the complex is quite diverse, and represented by all the major families of higher millers and rhopalocera, having protectedstatus. In relation to taxonomy, this complex formed by representatives of five superfamilies (Zyganoidea, Noctuoidea, Bombycoidea, Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea) from 11 families (Zygaenidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Noctuidae Arctiidae Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Satyridae, Lycaenidae). High taxonomic diversity can be explained by unique geographical location of the reserve in azonal conditions of the Dnieper river valley. Such location allows to enter different zoogeographic Lepidoptera groups on the reserve territory. Zoogeographic analysis of species protected within the reserve territory selected 7 basic groups. It was found that most of the globally rare species have Mediterranean origin (39 %); species of Palearctic origin are in second place (22 %); Western Palearctic and Ponto-Kazakh types of areas are same of number of species, and come third (11 %); and others come 17 % (European, Euro-Siberian, and Holarctic). This fauna component is specific due to presence of so-called «northern» species that make up 40 % (representatives of Palearctic, Western Palearctic, Euro-Siberian, European and Holarctic groups). Their existence within the reserve territory is only possible due to development of boreal valley ecosystems. High taxonomic diversity can be explained by unique geographical location of the reserve in azonal conditions of the Dnieper river valley. Such location allows to enter different zoogeographic Lepidoptera groups on the reserve territory. Zoogeographic analysis of species protected within the reserve territory selected 7 basic groups. It was found that most of the globally rare species have Mediterranean origin (39 %); species of Palearctic origin are in second place (22 %); Western Palearctic and Ponto-Kazakh types of areas are same of number of species, and come third (11 %); and others come 17 % (European, Euro-Siberian, and Holarctic). This fauna component is specific due to presence of so-called «northern» species that make up 40 % (representatives of Palearctic, Western Palearctic, Euro-Siberian, European and Holarctic groups). Their existence within the reserve territory is only possible due to development of boreal valley ecosystems.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
VOLKER SALEWSKI ◽  
LUIS SCHMIDT

Summary Identifying the fate of birds’ nests and the causes of breeding failure is often crucial for the development of conservation strategies for threatened species. However, collecting these data by repeatedly visiting nests might itself contribute to nest failure or bias. To solve this dilemma, automatic cameras have increasingly been used as a time-efficient means for nest monitoring. Here, we consider whether the use of cameras itself may influence hatching success of nests of the Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa at two long-term study sites in northern Germany. Annually between 2013 and 2019, cameras were used to monitor godwit nests. In 2014 and 2019, nests were randomly equipped with cameras or not, and nest survival checked independently of the cameras. Nest-survival models indicated that survival probabilities varied between years, sites and with time of the season, but were unaffected by the presence of cameras. Even though predation is the main cause of hatching failure in our study system, we conclude that predators did not learn to associate cameras with food either when the cameras were initially installed or after they had been used for several years. Cameras were thus an effective and non-deleterious tool to collect data for conservation in this case. As other bird species may react differently to cameras at their nests, and as other sets of predators may differ in their ability to associate cameras with food, the effect of cameras on breeding success should be carefully monitored when they are used in a new study system.


Mammalia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 70 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Brugière ◽  
Bakary Magassouba ◽  
Amidou Sylla ◽  
Halimou Diallo ◽  
Mamadou Sow

AbstractThe Republic of Guinea is thought to contain the largest population of common hippopotamus in West Africa. However, no systematic field survey has been carried out recently and the information available is limited to informal observations. To clarify the status of the common hippopotamus in Guinea, we carried out a biannual population survey along the section of the Niger River (the largest river in Guinea) within the Haut Niger National Park. We counted 93 hippopotamuses in 28 groups in the dry season and 77 hippopotamuses in 23 groups in the wet season. Mean group size and number of neonates did not change between the seasons. Hippopotomuses were more numerous along the river sections bordering uncultivated floodplains. This underlines the significance of this habitat (which is used as a grazing area) for conservation of this species. Haut Niger National Park is the most important protected area in Guinea for conservation of the common hippopotamus. Hippopotamus-human and -cattle conflicts in terms of floodplain use in the park's buffer zone should be closely monitored. Floodplain conversion to rice fields represents one of the most important threats to the long-term conservation of hippopotamus populations in Guinea.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 509 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
SHAHID NAWAZ LANDGE ◽  
RAJENDRA D. SHINDE

Ischaemum mistryi, a new species from the Sub-Tropical evergreen forest of Tilari Ghat, Maharashtra, India, is described and illustrated. This grass is unique with its leaves drooping, mostly congregated near the base, basal sheath villous, culms compressed at the base, lower glume of the sessile spikelet linear-lanceolate to oblongish tapering and slightly curled upwards, without a sub-apical ridge, nodules absent (if present 2–4 obscure) on its keels, and upper lemma of sessile spikelet bi-partite. Morphologically it is somewhat similar to I. mangaluricum, I. travancorense and I. barbatum. We provided a table of its detailed comparison with close species as mentioned above. According to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, we have assessed this new species as Critically Endangered (CR). The photo plates and illustration of the grass are given to facilitate its proper identification. A short discussion is also provided at the end.


2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bauer ◽  
M. Schiess-Meier ◽  
D.R. Mills ◽  
M. Gusset

In many African countries, large carnivores such as lions (Panthera leo (L., 1758)) are under serious threat through conflict with people, declining prey abundance, and exposure to disease. Spoor and prey count surveys were used to determine temporal and spatial variation in lion density in Khutse Game Reserve (KGR), Botswana, and the adjacent communal grazing area. Estimated lion density in KGR for the period September 2008 – June 2010 was 41% lower than for the period June 2007 – August 2008 (1.02 vs. 1.72 lions/100 km2). Prior to this population crash in mid-2008, estimated lion density in the communal grazing area (1.21 lions/100 km2) was 30% lower than inside KGR. The relative abundance of the three most abundant, preferred prey species of lions occurring in KGR decreased from 2001 to 2008 by 50%–79%. Based on two prey biomass estimates, the lion population in KGR was below the potential carrying capacity of the habitat after the crash in mid-2008. These results suggest that there could be a human-caused population sink around KGR, which might be strong enough to threaten the long-term survival of lions in the area; particularly if this edge effect is intensified by prey depletion and disease outbreaks, which might have caused the sudden decline in the lion population.


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