A body plan (= bauplan) is a suite of morphological characters shared by phylogenetically related animals at some point during their development. Despite its value, the bauplan concept is still rarely employed to characterize functional groups in community ecology. Here, we examine habitat use and spatio-temporal activity correlates of an entire seven-species community of lizards with different bauplans. The study was carried out in three locations in central Italy, encompassing a complex landscape with a patchy mosaic of a wide variety of habitats and microclimates. We tested four hypotheses regarding niche breadth, habitat use and activity patterns. The first hypothesis, niche complementarity, in which species with similar body shapes should non-randomly partition available habitats, was not supported. By contrast, the hypotheses that larger-bodied species should have a wider niche breadth, that slower species should inhabit habitat types of higher cover, and species inhabiting open sunny habitats should exhibit more seasonally variable activity patterns, were all supported by the data. Sympatric lizard communities in our study area were clearly organized by autecological constraints and eco-physiological attributes.
Tag: biodiversity
Effects of diverse mangrove management practices on forest structure, carbon dynamics and sedimentation in North Sumatra, Indonesia
For decades, mangrove forests have been under tremendous pressure due to deforestation and conversion. To sustainably manage the mangroves that remain, an ecosystem approach to management is essential. Two different management regimes – conservation and restoration – were assessed, looking at their respective effects on forest structure and carbon cycling capacity, when compared with degraded mangrove. We found that mangrove restoration enhanced tree density, while mangrove conservation was able to maintain species diversity. In terms of carbon budgets, aboveground carbon was lower in restored mangrove (79.40 ± 37.41 Mg C ha−1) when compared with conserved mangrove (92.26 ± 22.65 Mg C ha−1), but was almost double that found in degraded mangrove (39.89 ± 27.49 Mg C ha−1). Although conserved mangrove had higher aboveground carbon, lower amounts of soil carbon were found in conserved mangrove (127.49 ± 33.21 Mg C ha−1) than in restored and degraded mangrove (236.26 ± 20.33 Mg C ha−1 and 139.17 ± 25.44 Mg C ha−1, respectively). The elevation change was highest in degraded mangrove (41.7 ± 24.0 mm yr−1), followed by restored (20.7 ± 14.6 mm yr−1) and conserved mangrove (12.2 ± 3.9 mm yr−1). Carbon burial in conserved mangrove (1.20 ± 1.90 Mg C ha−2 yr−1) was double that of degraded mangrove (0.63 ± 0.60 Mg C ha−2 yr−1). Ultimately, we conclude that although a conserved mangrove is not always the end result of mangrove restoration and sustainable management, finding balance between structural development and ecosystem function is essential to serve different objectives, including biodiversity maintenance.
Taking the pulse of Earth’s tropical forests using networks of highly distributed plots
Tropical forests are the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. While better understanding of these forests is critical for our collective future, until quite recently efforts to measure and monitor them have been largely disconnected. Networking is essential to discover the answers to questions that transcend borders and the horizons of funding agencies. Here we show how a global community is responding to the challenges of tropical ecosystem research with diverse teams measuring forests tree-by-tree in thousands of long-term plots. We review the major scientific discoveries of this work and show how this process is changing tropical forest science. Our core approach involves linking long-term grassroots initiatives with standardized protocols and data management to generate robust scaled-up results. By connecting tropical researchers and elevating their status, our Social Research Network model recognises the key role of the data originator in scientific discovery. Conceived in 1999 with RAINFOR (South America), our permanent plot networks have been adapted to Africa (AfriTRON) and Southeast Asia (T-FORCES) and widely emulated worldwide. Now these multiple initiatives are integrated via ForestPlots.net cyber-infrastructure, linking colleagues from 54 countries across 24 plot networks. Collectively these are transforming understanding of tropical forests and their biospheric role. Together we have discovered how, where and why forest carbon and biodiversity are responding to climate change, and how they feedback on it. This long-term pan-tropical collaboration has revealed a large long-term carbon sink and its trends, as well as making clear which drivers are most important, which forest processes are affected, where they are changing, what the lags are, and the likely future responses of tropical forests as the climate continues to change. By leveraging a remarkably old technology, plot networks are sparking a very modern revolution in tropical forest science. In the future, humanity can benefit greatly by nurturing the grassroots communities now collectively capable of generating unique, long-term understanding of Earth’s most precious forests.
Preliminary evidence for domestication effects on the genetic diversity of Guazuma crinita in the Peruvian Amazon
Guazuma crinita, a fast-growing timber tree species, was chosen for domestication in the Peruvian Amazon because it can be harvested at an early age and it contributes to the livelihood of local farmers. Although it is in an early stage of domestication, we do not know the impact of the domestication process on its genetic resources. Amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) fingerprints were used to estimate the genetic diversity of G. crinita populations in different stages of domestication. Our objectives were (i) to estimate the level of genetic diversity in G. crinita using AFLP markers, (ii) to describe how the genetic diversity is distributed within and among populations and provenances, and (iii) to assess the genetic diversity in naturally regenerated, cultivated and semi-domesticated populations. We generated fingerprints for 58 leaf samples representing eight provenances and the three population types. We used seven selective primer combinations. A total of 171 fragments were amplified with 99.4% polymorphism at the species level. Nei’s genetic diversity and Shannon information index were slightly higher in the naturally regenerated population than in the cultivated and semi-domesticated populations (He = 0.10, 0.09 and 0.09; I = 0.19, 0.15 and 0.16, respectively). The analysis of molecular variation showed higher genetic diversity within rather than among provenances (84% and 4%, respectively). Cluster analysis (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) and principal coordinate analysis did not show correspondence between genetic and geographic distance. There was significant genetic differentiation among population types (Fst = 0.12 at p < 0.001). The sample size was small, so the results are considered as preliminary, pending further research with larger sample sizes. Nevertheless, these results suggest that domestication has a slight but significant effect on the diversity levels of G. crinita and this should be considered when planning a domestication program.
Hopes for Russia’s new forest code
Equitable and effective area-based conservation: towards the conserved areas paradigm
In 2018, the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted a decision on protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). It contains the definition of an OECM and related scientific and technical advice that has broadened the scope of governance authorities and areas that can be engaged and recognised in global conservation efforts. The voluntary guidance on OECMs and protected areas, also included in the decision, promotes the use of diverse, effective and equitable governance models, the integration of protected areas and OECMs into wider landscapes and seascapes, and mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation across sectors. Taken as a whole, the advice and voluntary guidance provides further clarity about the CBD Parties’ understanding of what constitutes equitable and effective area-based conservation measures within and beyond protected areas and provides standardised criteria with which to measure and report areas’ attributes and performance. This policy perspective suggests that this CBD decision represents further evidence of the evolution from the ‘new paradigm for protected areas’ to a broader ‘conserved areas paradigm’ that embodies good governance, equity and effective conservation outcomes and is inclusive of a diversity of contributions to conservation within and beyond protected areas.
Looking for indicator bird species in the context of forest fragmentation and isolation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia
In the context of Borneo’s drastic landscape fragmentation, we assessed the role of diverse forest and land uses—swidden agriculture, mixed garden, smallholder rubber and oil palm plantations—in determining (1) diversity levels and composition of bird species in different vegetation types; (2) the potential for bird species to act as indicators of habitat quality; and (3) the agricultural matrix’s contribution to preserving forest-dependent species. Field campaigns across West Kalimantan sites were conducted during both rainy and dry seasons, using mist nets and 10-min point count recordings along transects. We used four diversity indices, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and the Indicator Value index (IndVal) for our analysis. Our results endorsed the general trend found across the tropics of a significant reduction in bird species richness, from the complex natural and old secondary forest structures to the simplified monoculture habitats. We recorded 10,519 individuals across 214 bird species, representing almost 90% of Borneo’s lowland forest species. NMDS differentiated intact forest from forest fragments and land under different agriculture uses. Eighty percent of the bird species preferred an intact forest environment. Industrial oil palm sites were the most ‘avoided’ vegetation type. Using IndVal, we found six indicator species significantly associated with forest, three indicator species for depleted forest, one for mixed garden, and none for oil palm plantation. Farm-dependent species richness was strikingly low, and species had little conservation value as per IUCN standards; industrial oil palm plantations were poorest in bird species. Notable exceptions were traditional mixed gardens and old fallows associated with swidden agriculture, when in proximity to forest. These traditional agroforestry systems have higher conservation value than industrial and smallholder monoculture plantations, however, their long-term preservation is uncertain, and monitoring programs are lacking that can contribute to long-term biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service maintenance. More data are needed to determine the viable population sizes for the bird indicator species identified in our study. Such knowledge on population trends can be used to monitor habitat quality and health of forest agriculture landscape mosaics and improve the effectiveness of management, conservation and monitoring in future.
Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits
Urgent solutions to global climate change are needed. Ambitious tree-planting initiatives, many already underway, aim to sequester enormous quantities of carbon to partly compensate for anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which are a major cause of rising global temperatures. However, tree planting that is poorly planned and executed could actually increase CO2 emissions and have long-term, deleterious impacts on biodiversity, landscapes and livelihoods. Here, we highlight the main environmental risks of large-scale tree planting and propose 10 golden rules, based on some of the most recent ecological research, to implement forest ecosystem restoration that maximizes rates of both carbon sequestration and biodiversity recovery while improving livelihoods. These are as follows: (1) Protect existing forest first; (2) Work together (involving all stakeholders); (3) Aim to maximize biodiversity recovery to meet multiple goals; (4) Select appropriate areas for restoration; (5) Use natural regeneration wherever possible; (6) Select species to maximize biodiversity; (7) Use resilient plant material (with appropriate genetic variability and provenance); (8) Plan ahead for infrastructure, capacity and seed supply; (9) Learn by doing (using an adaptive management approach); and (10) Make it pay (ensuring the economic sustainability of the project). We focus on the design of long-term strategies to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises and support livelihood needs. We emphasize the role of local communities as sources of indigenous knowledge, and the benefits they could derive from successful reforestation that restores ecosystem functioning and delivers a diverse range of forest products and services. While there is no simple and universal recipe for forest restoration, it is crucial to build upon the currently growing public and private interest in this topic, to ensure interventions provide effective, long-term carbon sinks and maximize benefits for biodiversity and people.
A metric for spatially explicit contributions to science-based species targets
The Convention on Biological Diversity’s post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will probably include a goal to stabilize and restore the status of species. Its delivery would be facilitated by making the actions required to halt and reverse species loss spatially explicit. Here, we develop a species threat abatement and restoration (STAR) metric that is scalable across species, threats and geographies. STAR quantifies the contributions that abating threats and restoring habitats in specific places offer towards reducing extinction risk. While every nation can contribute towards halting biodiversity loss, Indonesia, Colombia, Mexico, Madagascar and Brazil combined have stewardship over 31% of total STAR values for terrestrial amphibians, birds and mammals. Among actions, sustainable crop production and forestry dominate, contributing 41% of total STAR values for these taxonomic groups. Key Biodiversity Areas cover 9% of the terrestrial surface but capture 47% of STAR values. STAR could support governmental and non-state actors in quantifying their contributions to meeting science-based species targets within the framework. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
Learning pathway: Course flows & blueprint
This course is a pivotal contribution to FAO’s vision of fostering a Better Environment, particularly focusing on Biodiversity for food and agriculture. Aligned with FAO’s strategic initiatives, the course is fortified by the approval of the FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Agricultural Sectors and the 2021-23 Action Plan, emphasizing the importance of targeted policies and practices for sustainable use, conservation, and restoration of ecosystems.