The snake communities in Asian tropical forests are relatively unknown, with most studies focusing on species lists. We investigated species composition, relative abundance, and community ecology of snakes in a mature secondary hilly forest area in the Quan Son District, northern Vietnam. To our knowledge, it is one of the few field investigations focused on snake community structure to have been undertaken within the Indo-Burma Hotspot, which is one of the most biologically important regions on the planet. We surveyed snakes along random transects in forests during two time periods (10-12 d), between 500 and 1,350 m elevation. In 361.8 h of surveys, we encountered 19 species, with a clear altitudinal separation in snake assemblages and numbers. Encounter frequencies dropped with elevation but had a peak at the intermediate elevation of 600-699 m. We therefore observed a Mid Domain Effect in our snake community in terms of both species richness and number of individuals observed. Of the 19 recorded species (including one Pythonidae, 11 Colubridae, two Elapidae, one Pseudaspididae, three Viperidae, and one Xenodermidae), 78.9% were exclusively or primarily terrestrial, 42.1% were semiarboreal, and 21% were semiaquatic (with some species belonging to two guild categories). We also present new natural history observations of snakes in the region. We discuss the importance of our findings relative to other similar studies conducted in South America and Africa, in addition to those in Vietnam and SouthEast Asia.
Tag: biodiversity conservation
Cross-Border Multi-Stakeholder Platform of Tana-Kipini-Laga Badana Bushland and Seascape, Kenya-Somali Border
The Horn of Africa, particularly the eastern Africa region, covering the coastal strip of Kenya, Somalia Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti have a historical context characterised by conflict and insecurity. Periodic mass migration and break down of law and order has weakened the grassroots’ institutional fabric, thus threatening not only peoples’ livelihoods but also the sustainability of natural systems. In line with the state of the region, the Biodiversity Management Program (BMP) of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) of the Horn of Africa was established to promote sustainable biodiversity conservation in the Tana-Kipini-Laga Badana Bushland and Seascape—a cross-border landscape of the extreme southern part of Somalia and north-eastern Kenya.
The current state of knowledge of shea butter tree (Vitellaria paradoxa c.f.gaertner.) for nutritional value and tree improvement in west and central africa
Vitellaria paradoxa (C.F.Gaertn.) is a multi-purpose tree species distributed in a narrow band across sub-Saharan Africa. The species is integrated into cropping and agroforestry systems as a nutritional and economic resource, which provides a range of environmental services. Integration of the species into land-use systems provides an essential source of livelihoods and income for local populations. The economic potential of the shea butter tree derives from its edible products, which also serve cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. To understand the current state of knowledge about V. paradoxa, this paper summarizes information about the ecology, population structure, and genetic diversity of the species, also considering compositional variation in the pulp and kernels, management practices, and efforts towards its domestication. Despite the great potential of the shea butter tree, there are some gaps in the understanding of the genetics of the species. This review presents up-to-date information related to the species for further domestication and breeding purposes. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Multi-stakeholder platforms for cross-border biodiversity conservation and landscape governance in East Africa: Perspectives and outlook
This working paper considers the role of multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP) for cross-border biodiversity conservation and landscape governance in East Africa. This paper draws on the MSP literature to assess the challenges and opportunities of using MSPs for managing terrestrial biodiversity resources in transboundary landscapes. Specifically, institutional linkages are investigated alongside success factors for MSP implementation and outcomes through five case examples. We find MSPs to be critical engagement tools in enhancing the fit between institutions and ecosystems that span multiple jurisdictions and sectors. However, we also note several challenges that limit their performance. The analysis suggests the following conditions to support the effectiveness of MSPs: 1) institutional linkages at all levels; 2) skilled facilitation and willingness of stakeholders to share power; 3) strong science-policy linkages; and 4) equitable and sustainable financing mechanisms. While MSPs may help promote species protection in areas devoid of collaborative decision-making processes, there remain research gaps related to the optimal governance structures for, and monitoring and evaluation of MSPs. Addressing these gaps will be fruitful to curb the extinction crisis in the sub-region and beyond.
Identifying science-policy consensus regions of high biodiversity value and institutional recognition
Under unsustainable rates of global biodiversity loss, there is urgent need to improve area-based conservation interventions and focus on regions with the highest conservation value. Efficient conservation plans require knowledge of the most important biodiversity areas, but several global prioritization maps show incongruent definition of these areas, slowing down global conservation efforts. We developed a framework to systematically identify and combine areas of high biodiversity value from published spatial prioritization maps. We retrieved 63 articles presenting prioritization maps (out of 5137 screened) and grouped these into three separate clusters based on their underlying methodology and input data, using Multivariate Component Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components. By combining these maps, weighted according to their cluster characteristics, we generated a map of scientific-consensus regions with the highest overlap of independently generated biodiversity priorities. We also created a map of policy-consensus, representing regions with the highest potential to attract the interest of the international conservation organizations. While regions with the highest science-policy biodiversity consensus value are mostly located in the tropics, we found several regions in temperate areas. Alarmingly, less than one third of the top-ranked science-policy consensus regions are currently protected. Thus, there is high potential for targeting area-based conservation interventions in regions that represent consensus priorities for biodiversity conservation and have high potential for policy support. Securing these areas should be a strategic priority for implementing the post-2020 Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as focusing on other areas will lead to trade-offs among multiple biodiversity objectives. © 2021
Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact
Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species’ recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard. © 2021 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology
Prevalence of sustainable and unsustainable use of wild species inferred from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Unsustainable exploitation of wild species represents a serious threat to biodiversity and to the livelihoods of local communities and Indigenous peoples. However, managed, sustainable use has the potential to forestall extinctions, aid recovery, and meet human needs. We analyzed species-level data for 30,923 species from 13 taxonomic groups on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species to investigate patterns of intentional biological resource use. Forty percent of species (10,098 of 25,009 species from 10 data-sufficient taxonomic groups) were used. The main purposes of use were pets, display animals, horticulture, and human consumption. Intentional use is currently contributing to elevated extinction risk for 28–29% of threatened or near threatened (NT) species (2752–2848 of 9753 species). Intentional use also affected 16% of all species used (1597–1631 of 10,098). However, 72% of used species (7291 of 10,098) were least concern, of which nearly half (3469) also had stable or improving population trends. The remainder were not documented as threatened by biological resource use, including at least 172 threatened or NT species with stable or improving populations. About one-third of species that had use documented as a threat had no targeted species management actions to directly address this threat. To improve use-related red-list data, we suggest small amendments to the relevant classification schemes and required supporting documentation. Our findings on the prevalence of sustainable and unsustainable use, and variation across taxa, can inform international policy making, including the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. © 2021 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology
Ten people-centered rules for socially sustainable ecosystem restoration
As the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins, there remains insufficient emphasis on the human and social dimensions of restoration. The potential that restoration holds for achieving both ecological and social goals can only be met through a shift toward people-centered restoration strategies. Toward this end, this paper synthesizes critical insights from a special issue on “Restoration for whom, by whom” to propose actionable ways to center humans and social dimensions in ecosystem restoration, with the aim of generating fair and sustainable initiatives. These rules respond to a relative silence on socio-political issues in di Sacco et al.’s “Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits” on socio-political issues and offer complementary guidance to their piece. Arranged roughly in order from pre-intervention, design/initiation, implementation, through the monitoring, evaluation and learning phases, the 10 people-centered rules are: (1) Recognize diversity and interrelations among stakeholders and rightsholders’; (2) Actively engage communities as agents of change; (3) Address socio-historical contexts; (4) Unpack and strengthen resource tenure for marginalized groups; (5) Advance equity across its multiple dimensions and scales; (6) Generate multiple benefits; (7) Promote an equitable distribution of costs, risks, and benefits; (8) Draw on different types of evidence and knowledge; (9) Question dominant discourses; and (10) Practice inclusive and holistic monitoring, evaluation, and learning. We contend that restoration initiatives are only tenable when the issues raised in these rules are respectfully addressed.
Multi-stakeholder platforms for cross-border biodiversity conservation and landscape management in the Horn of Africa
Without a formal governance system, cross-border MSPs can effectively serve as a de-facto governance mechanism, bringing together stakeholders in decision-making, planning and execution.
Drivers of Biodiversity Conservation in Sacred Groves: A Comparative Study of Three Sacred Groves in Southwest Nigeria
Globally, sacred groves represent a traditional form of community-based conservation system, recognized for their capacity to preserve areas that are of cultural and religious importance to local people. In most cases, the entire community takes on a watchdog role to guard against encroachment and unauthorized access either by its members or outsiders who might desecrate such sites. Our paper investigates the effects of different governance arrangements on three sacred groves in southwest Nigeria⎯Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove (UNESCO World Heritage Site); Idanre Hills (Nigerian National Monument) and Igbo-Olodumare (local cultural site)⎯on their socio-economic and religio-cultural benefits and contribution to biodiversity conservation. Using a mixed-methods design of a semi-structured questionnaire (n=167), key informant interviews (n=2), and focus groups (n=7), we collected data from local community members, traditional priests, sacred grove devotees and tourism officials. We found that customary institutions have guided reverence for sacralized spaces and wise utilization of their unique resources. The growing recognition of sacred groves has paved the way for socioeconomic rewards for individuals and government as cultural tourism increases. We found that the involvement of formal institutions alongside customary institutions in sacred grove management reinforces compliance with conservation laws within the sacred groves, especially where traditional norms are weak or may be disregarded. We discuss the implications of these observations and offer suggestions to improve community engagement, uphold traditional ecological knowledge, and develop ecotourism within the groves. We conclude that the co-existence of community-based conservation through a system of established traditional norms and prohibitions as well as formal government legislation and management, offers assurance for the long-term preservation of sacred groves and their biodiversity.