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Jablonski D, Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Simonov E, Šoltys K, Meiri S. A new, rare, small-ranged, and endangered mountain snake of the genus Elaphe from the Southern Levant. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4839. [PMID: 36964263 PMCID: PMC10038995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30878-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Elaphe Fitzinger, 1833 includes 17 species of charismatic, large-sized, non-venomous, Eurasian snakes. In the Western Palearctic, the genus is represented by three species from the Elaphe quatuorlineata group ranging from the Apennine peninsula to Central Asia. The southernmost population of this group is distributed in the mountains of the Southern Levant, with more than 400 km gap to other Elaphe populations. This population has been known to science for only 50 years and is virtually unstudied due to its extreme rarity. We studied these snakes' morphological and genetic variation from the three countries where they are known to occur, i.e., Israel (Hermon, the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights), Lebanon, and Syria. We used nine mitochondrial and nuclear genes, complete mitogenome sequences, and a comprehensive morphological examination including published data, our own field observations, and museum specimens, to study its relationship to other species in the group. The three currently recognized species of the group (E. quatuorlineata, E. sauromates, E. urartica), and the Levant population, form four deeply divergent, strongly supported clades. Three of these clades correspond to the abovementioned species while the Southern Levant clade, which is genetically and morphologically distinct from all named congeners, is described here as a new species, Elaphe druzei sp. nov. The basal divergence of this group is estimated to be the Late Miocene with subsequent radiation from 5.1 to 3.9 Mya. The revealed biogeography of the E. quatuorlineata group supports the importance of the Levant as a major center of endemism and diversity of biota in Eurasia. The new species is large-sized and is one of the rarest snakes in the Western Palearctic. Because of its small mountain distribution range, in an area affected by land use and climate change, the new Elaphe urgently needs strict protection. Despite political issues, we hope this will be based on the cooperation of all countries where the new species occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jablonski
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | | | - Evgeniy Simonov
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Katarína Šoltys
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Shai Meiri
- The School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Understanding China's political will for sustainability and conservation gains. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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The Importance of Nest Box Placement for Barn Owls (Tyto alba). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12202815. [PMID: 36290200 PMCID: PMC9597710 DOI: 10.3390/ani12202815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nest boxes have been used for years to increase breeding bird numbers for conservation and also in biological pest control projects. Barn owls (Tyto alba) have been used as biological pest control agents for rodents for years, and since nest boxes are costly for growers there is a need to determine whether nest box placement can increase the occupation of nest boxes and breeding success. We studied whether barn owl breeding in agricultural areas varied in nest boxes located on trees, poles located in the shade, and poles in the sun. The occupation of nest boxes was highest in nest boxes located on trees, followed by poles in the shade, and finally poles in the sun. In comparison, the number of fledglings was highest for nest boxes on poles in the sun followed by poles in the shade in the first half of the breeding season, whereas more nestlings were fledged in nest boxes on trees in the second part of the breeding season, which is most likely due to the higher internal temperatures in the nest boxes located in the sun. Interestingly, all the nest boxes’ internal temperatures were lower than the ambient temperatures but were much lower on trees than those on poles, most likely due to the trees providing better protection from the heat. It is therefore important to not only consider the placement of nest boxes, but how occupation and breeding success may vary seasonally.
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Roberson LA, Beyer HL, O'Hara C, Watson JEM, Dunn DC, Halpern BS, Klein CJ, Frazier MR, Kuempel CD, Williams B, Grantham HS, Montgomery JC, Kark S, Runting RK. Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:6206-6216. [PMID: 34488246 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine species are declining at an unprecedented rate, catalyzing many nations to adopt conservation and management targets within their jurisdictions. However, marine species and the biophysical processes that sustain them are naive to international borders. An understanding of the prevalence of cross-border species distributions is important for informing high-level conservation strategies, such as bilateral or regional agreements. Here, we examined 28,252 distribution maps to determine the number and locations of transboundary marine plants and animals. More than 90% of species have ranges spanning at least two jurisdictions, with 58% covering more than 10 jurisdictions. All jurisdictions have at least one transboundary species, with the highest concentrations of transboundary species in the USA, Australia, Indonesia, and the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. Distributions of mapped biodiversity indicate that overcoming the challenges of multinational governance is critical for a much wider suite of species than migratory megavertebrates and commercially exploited fish stocks-the groups that have received the vast majority of multinational management attention. To effectively protect marine biodiversity, international governance mechanisms (particularly those related to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on Migratory Species, and Regional Seas Organizations) must be expanded to promote multinational conservation planning, and complimented by a holistic governance framework for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie A Roberson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hawthorne L Beyer
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Casey O'Hara
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Daniel C Dunn
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Benjamin S Halpern
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Carissa J Klein
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Melanie R Frazier
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Caitlin D Kuempel
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brooke Williams
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hedley S Grantham
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Jamie C Montgomery
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Salit Kark
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rebecca K Runting
- School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Jablonski D, Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Meiri S, Maza E, Kukushkin OV, Chirikova M, Pirosová A, Jelić D, Mikulíček P, Jandzik D. Morphological and genetic differentiation in the anguid lizard Pseudopus apodus supports the existence of an endemic subspecies in the Levant. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e60800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The Levant represents one of the most important reptile diversity hotspots and centers of endemism in the Western Palearctic. The region harbored numerous taxa in glacial refugia during the Pleistocene climatic oscillations. Due to the hostile arid conditions in the warmer periods they were not always able to spread or come into contact with populations from more distant regions. One large and conspicuous member of the Levantine herpetofauna is the legless anguid lizardPseudopus apodus. This species is distributed from the Balkans to Central Asia with a portion of its range running along the eastern Mediterranean coast. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, microsatellite genotypes, and morphology show that populations in this region differ from the two named subspecies and presumably had a long independent evolutionary history during the Quaternary. Here we describe the Levantine population as a new subspecies and present biogeographic scenarios for its origin and diversification. The new subspecies is genetically highly diverse, and it forms a sister lineage toPseudopusfrom the remaining parts of the range according to mtDNA. It is the largest-bodied of the three subspecies, but occupies the smallest range.
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Liu J, Yong DL, Choi CY, Gibson L. Transboundary Frontiers: An Emerging Priority for Biodiversity Conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:679-690. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Nadal J, Ponz C, Margalida A, Pennisi L. Ecological markers to monitor migratory bird populations: Integrating citizen science and transboundary management for conservation purposes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 255:109875. [PMID: 32063321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Countries share responsibility for the management and conservation of migratory bird species. However, a limited understanding of population dynamics hampers the implementation of harvest and transboundary management. Age-ratios and population density can be useful indicators to assess population dynamics to improve management and conservation actions. Here, the dynamics of an Atlantic population of Common quail Coturnix coturnix, using 32,508 quail samples and 4814 hunter questionnaires over a 20-year period (1996-2016) served as a comparative study for examining age-ratio patterns related to different geographic zones, population density and weather parameters. Results show that age-ratios varied over zones and years, specifically age-ratio 1 (AR1), used as an index of late breeding attempts, varied from 0.1 to 0.21. Age-ratio 2 (AR2), a surrogate of central recruitment, varied from 0.16 to 0.66. Finally, age-ratio 3 (AR3), used as an indicator of the population's annual breeding success, varied from 3.69 to 6.68. Age-ratio is linked to internal and external factors (i.e. effect of rainfall, variations over time and density-dependent relationships) depicting how quail age groups make segregated migration in time and space. Quail age groups perform a complex pattern of migration because of entwined changes in abundance, migration routes and timing, influencing population connectivity and dynamics. Our findings highlight the relevance of citizen science and transboundary agreements to improve management and conservation measures of migrant species. Administrations and policy-makers in developed and developing countries must coordinate efforts to engage hunters in a participatory management systems to achieve sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Nadal
- Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain.
| | - Carolina Ponz
- Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain; Institute for Game and Wildlife Research, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain; Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Pennisi
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, USA
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Dufresnes C, Mazepa G, Jablonski D, Sadek RA, Litvinchuk SN. A river runs through it: tree frog genomics supports the Dead Sea Rift as a rare phylogeographical break. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Phylogeographical breaks can be viewed as regional hotspots of diversity where the genetic integrity of incipient species is put to the test. We focus on an understudied species transition from the Middle East, namely the Dead Sea Rift in the Levant region, which presumably divided the tree frogs Hyla savignyi and H. felixarabica. Combining multilocus genetic analyses (mitochondrial DNA and RAD-sequencing) with ecological niche modelling, we test whether the rift effectively acts as a biogeographical barrier preventing this pair from admixing and merging. The answer is yes: despite weak signs of introgression, all parapatric populations were assigned to either species without cyto-nuclear discordance. Yet, the projected distributions under present and glacial conditions largely overlapped in the area, meaning their current parapatric ranges do not represent an ecological transition. Instead, we hypothesize that H. savignyi and H. felixarabica are maintained apart by limited opportunities for dispersal across the barren Jordan Valley, combined with advanced reproductive isolation. Therefore, the Dead Sea Rift may represent a rare phylogeographical break, and we encourage international efforts to assess its contribution to the rich biodiversity of the Middle East.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Dufresnes
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Glib Mazepa
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Norbyvägen, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniel Jablonski
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova, Mlynská dolina, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Riyad A Sadek
- Biology Department, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Spartak N Litvinchuk
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky pr. 4, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, Dagestan State University, Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia
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Hanson T. Biodiversity conservation and armed conflict: a warfare ecology perspective. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1429:50-65. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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