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Mancini G, Santini L, Cazalis V, Akçakaya HR, Lucas PM, Brooks TM, Foden W, Di Marco M. A standard approach for including climate change responses in IUCN Red List assessments. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14227. [PMID: 38111977 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is a central tool for extinction risk monitoring and influences global biodiversity policy and action. But, to be effective, it is crucial that it consistently accounts for each driver of extinction. Climate change is rapidly becoming a key extinction driver, but consideration of climate change information remains challenging for the IUCN. Several methods can be used to predict species' future decline, but they often fail to provide estimates of the symptoms of endangerment used by IUCN. We devised a standardized method to measure climate change impact in terms of change in habitat quality to inform criterion A3 on future population reduction. Using terrestrial nonvolant tetrapods as a case study, we measured this impact as the difference between the current and the future species climatic niche, defined based on current and future bioclimatic variables under alternative model algorithms, dispersal scenarios, emission scenarios, and climate models. Our models identified 171 species (13% out of those analyzed) for which their current red-list category could worsen under criterion A3 if they cannot disperse beyond their current range in the future. Categories for 14 species (1.5%) could worsen if maximum dispersal is possible. Although ours is a simulation exercise and not a formal red-list assessment, our results suggest that considering climate change impacts may reduce misclassification and strengthen consistency and comprehensiveness of IUCN Red List assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giordano Mancini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin,", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin,", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Victor Cazalis
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - H Reşit Akçakaya
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, New York, USA
- IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), Gland, Switzerland
| | - Pablo M Lucas
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin,", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), Gland, Switzerland
- World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), University of The Philippines Los Baños, Los Baños, Philippines
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Wendy Foden
- Cape Research Centre, South African National Parks, Cape Town, South Africa
- Global Change Biology Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Moreno Di Marco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin,", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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2
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Bachman SP, Brown MJM, Leão TCC, Nic Lughadha E, Walker BE. Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:797-808. [PMID: 38437880 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
More than 70% of all vascular plants lack conservation status assessments. We aimed to address this shortfall in knowledge of species extinction risk by using the World Checklist of Vascular Plants to generate the first comprehensive set of predictions for a large clade: angiosperms (flowering plants, c. 330 000 species). We used Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) to predict the extinction risk of all angiosperms using predictors relating to range size, human footprint, climate, and evolutionary history and applied a novel approach to estimate uncertainty of individual species-level predictions. From our model predictions, we estimate 45.1% of angiosperm species are potentially threatened with a lower bound of 44.5% and upper bound of 45.7%. Our species-level predictions, with associated uncertainty estimates, do not replace full global, or regional Red List assessments, but can be used to prioritise predicted threatened species for full Red List assessment and fast-track predicted non-threatened species for Least Concern assessments. Our predictions and uncertainty estimates can also guide fieldwork, inform systematic conservation planning and support global plant conservation efforts and targets.
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3
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de Lima RAF, Dauby G, de Gasper AL, Fernandez EP, Vibrans AC, Oliveira AAD, Prado PI, Souza VC, F de Siqueira M, Ter Steege H. Comprehensive conservation assessments reveal high extinction risks across Atlantic Forest trees. Science 2024; 383:219-225. [PMID: 38207046 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq5099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Biodiversity is declining globally, yet many biodiversity hotspots still lack comprehensive species conservation assessments. Using multiple International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria to evaluate extinction risks and millions of herbarium and forest inventory records, we present automated conservation assessments for all tree species of the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, including ~1100 heretofore unassessed species. About 65% of all species and 82% of endemic species are classified as threatened. We rediscovered five species classified as Extinct on the IUCN Red List and identified 13 endemics as possibly extinct. Uncertainties in species information had little influence on the assessments, but using fewer Red List criteria severely underestimated threat levels. We suggest that the conservation status of tropical forests worldwide is worse than previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato A F de Lima
- Tropical Botany, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, Netherlands
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias, 11, 13418-900 Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Gilles Dauby
- Botanique et Modélisation de l'Architecture des Plantes et des Végétations (AMAP), Université de Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, INRAE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - André L de Gasper
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua Antônio da Veiga, 140, 89030-903 Blumenau, Brazil
| | - Eduardo P Fernandez
- Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora (IUCN SSC Brazil Plant Red List Authority), Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Pacheco Leão, 915, 22460-030 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexander C Vibrans
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua São Paulo, 3250, 89030-000 Blumenau, Brazil
| | - Alexandre A de Oliveira
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, 321, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo I Prado
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, 321, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vinícius C Souza
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias, 11, 13418-900 Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Marinez F de Siqueira
- Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora (IUCN SSC Brazil Plant Red List Authority), Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Pacheco Leão, 915, 22460-030 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente 225, 22451-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hans Ter Steege
- Tropical Botany, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, Netherlands
- Quantitative Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, Netherlands
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Boonman CCF, Serra-Diaz JM, Hoeks S, Guo WY, Enquist BJ, Maitner B, Malhi Y, Merow C, Buitenwerf R, Svenning JC. More than 17,000 tree species are at risk from rapid global change. Nat Commun 2024; 15:166. [PMID: 38167693 PMCID: PMC10761716 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44321-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Trees are pivotal to global biodiversity and nature's contributions to people, yet accelerating global changes threaten global tree diversity, making accurate species extinction risk assessments necessary. To identify species that require expert-based re-evaluation, we assess exposure to change in six anthropogenic threats over the last two decades for 32,090 tree species. We estimated that over half (54.2%) of the assessed species have been exposed to increasing threats. Only 8.7% of these species are considered threatened by the IUCN Red List, whereas they include more than half of the Data Deficient species (57.8%). These findings suggest a substantial underestimation of threats and associated extinction risk for tree species in current assessments. We also map hotspots of tree species exposed to rapidly changing threats around the world. Our data-driven approach can strengthen the efforts going into expert-based IUCN Red List assessments by facilitating prioritization among species for re-evaluation, allowing for more efficient conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coline C F Boonman
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Josep M Serra-Diaz
- Department of Ecology and Evolution and Eversource Energy Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, Silva, Nancy, France
| | - Selwyn Hoeks
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wen-Yong Guo
- Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Brian J Enquist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Brian Maitner
- Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, England, UK
- Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Cory Merow
- Department of Ecology and Evolution and Eversource Energy Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Robert Buitenwerf
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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5
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Henry EG, Santini L, Butchart SHM, González-Suárez M, Lucas PM, Benítez-López A, Mancini G, Jung M, Cardoso P, Zizka A, Meyer C, Akçakaya HR, Berryman AJ, Cazalis V, Di Marco M. Modelling the probability of meeting IUCN Red List criteria to support reassessments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17119. [PMID: 38273572 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Comparative extinction risk analysis-which predicts species extinction risk from correlation with traits or geographical characteristics-has gained research attention as a promising tool to support extinction risk assessment in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, its uptake has been very limited so far, possibly because existing models only predict a species' Red List category, without indicating which Red List criteria may be triggered. This prevents such approaches to be integrated into Red List assessments. We overcome this implementation gap by developing models that predict the probability of species meeting individual Red List criteria. Using data on the world's birds, we evaluated the predictive performance of our criterion-specific models and compared it with the typical criterion-blind modelling approach. We compiled data on biological traits (e.g. range size, clutch size) and external drivers (e.g. change in canopy cover) often associated with extinction risk. For each specific criterion, we modelled the relationship between extinction risk predictors and species' Red List category under that criterion using ordinal regression models. We found criterion-specific models were better at identifying threatened species compared to a criterion-blind model (higher sensitivity), but less good at identifying not threatened species (lower specificity). As expected, different covariates were important for predicting extinction risk under different criteria. Change in annual temperature was important for criteria related to population trends, while high forest dependency was important for criteria related to restricted area of occupancy or small population size. Our criteria-specific method can support Red List assessors by producing outputs that identify species likely to meet specific criteria, and which are the most important predictors. These species can then be prioritised for re-evaluation. We expect this new approach to increase the uptake of extinction risk models in Red List assessments, bridging a long-standing research-implementation gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne G Henry
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
| | - Luca Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Stuart H M Butchart
- BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Manuela González-Suárez
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Pablo M Lucas
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ana Benítez-López
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Giordano Mancini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Martin Jung
- Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation Group, Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management Programme, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Faculty of Sciences, CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Sciences, CHANGE - Institute for Global Change and Sustainability, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alexander Zizka
- Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Carsten Meyer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences and Geography, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - H Reşit Akçakaya
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, USA
- IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), Gland, Switzerland
| | | | - Victor Cazalis
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Moreno Di Marco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
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6
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Swati U, D'Souza S, Aravind PS, Muni RK, Rajamani N. A comprehensive database of squirrel distribution and occurrence in South Asia. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e109946. [PMID: 38312334 PMCID: PMC10838086 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e109946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Squirrels of South Asia (SOSA) database compiles comprehensive distribution and occurrence information on all squirrel species that occur in this region (34 species). These 34 squirrel species, including tree, flying and ground squirrels, represent 14% of global sciurid diversity. The database collates curated data from various sources such as museums, literature, primary fieldwork, citizen science and social media platforms and covers the entire distributional ranges of the target species, including countries in Central Asia and Southeast Asia when required. The SOSA database enhances our understanding of squirrel distribution, population dynamics and their conservation needs in South Asia by consolidating information. It aims to be a valuable resource for researchers, conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts. New information As of March 2023, the database comprises over 40,000 records of 34 species in over 30 countries globally. Spending an average of 334 hours on each species, more than 20 data collectors put in over 10,000 hours to gather, curate and build this database. The database has resulted in novel records of species occurrence in regions and countries that are poorly represented in currently available global data repositories. The current version which has been made public via GBIF comprises of 1187 records of all 34 species across multiple sources. This is a subset of the SOSA database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udayraj Swati
- IISER Tirupati, Tirupati, IndiaIISER TirupatiTirupatiIndia
| | - Senan D'Souza
- IISER Tirupati, Tirupati, IndiaIISER TirupatiTirupatiIndia
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7
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Ramírez-Verdugo P, Tapia A, Forest F, Scherson RA. Evolutionary diversity of the endemic genera of the vascular flora of Chile and its implications for conservation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287957. [PMID: 37406022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a direct consequence of global change, both natural and human-induced, a high percentage of biodiversity is now under threat worldwide. This has urged conservation planners to formulate and/or improve existing strategies to preserve species and their ecosystems. In this context, the present study focuses on two strategies using phylogeny-based measures of biodiversity to account for the processes that led to the biodiversity patterns observed today. It will contribute additional information that can aid decision-making regarding the assignment of threat status for some species, thus strengthening measures currently in use and facilitate the allocation of often scarce conservation resources. The Evolutionarily Distinct (ED) index prioritises species that are on long branches of the tree of life with few descendants, and the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) index integrates evolutionary history with IUCN Red List threat status of species. It has been used mostly in animal groups, but since the threats faced by many plants have not been evaluated, it has been more difficult to compile for plants worldwide. Here, we apply the EDGE metric to species of the endemic genera of Chile. However, more than 50% of the endemic flora of the country are still lacking official threat status. We thus used an alternative measure (Relative Evolutionary Distinctness-RED), based on a range-weighted phylogenetic tree, which uses geographic ranges to adjust branch lengths, and calculate ED. The RED index was shown to be a suitable measure, yielding similar results compared to EDGE, at least for this group of species. Given the urgency to halt biodiversity loss and the time it would take to evaluate all species, we propose that this index is used to set conservation priorities until we can calculate EDGE for these unique endemic species. This would allow guiding decision-making until we can gather more data to assess and assign conservation status to new species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Ramírez-Verdugo
- Herbario VALPL y Laboratorio de Botánica, Departamento de Ciencias y Geografía, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
- Jardín Botánico Nacional, Viña del Mar, Chile
- Laboratorio de Evolución y Sistemática, Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexis Tapia
- Departamento de Matemática, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Félix Forest
- Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa A Scherson
- Laboratorio de Evolución y Sistemática, Departamento de Silvicultura y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Walker BE, Leão TCC, Bachman SP, Lucas E, Nic Lughadha E. Evidence-based guidelines for automated conservation assessments of plant species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e13992. [PMID: 36047690 PMCID: PMC10092660 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Assessing species' extinction risk is vital to setting conservation priorities. However, assessment endeavors, such as those used to produce the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, have significant gaps in taxonomic coverage. Automated assessment (AA) methods are gaining popularity to fill these gaps. Choices made in developing, using, and reporting results of AA methods could hinder their successful adoption or lead to poor allocation of conservation resources. We explored how choice of data cleaning type and level, taxonomic group, training sample, and automation method affect performance of threat status predictions for plant species. We used occurrences from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to generate assessments for species in 3 taxonomic groups based on 6 different occurrence-based AA methods. We measured each method's performance and coverage following increasingly stringent occurrence cleaning. Automatically cleaned data from GBIF performed comparably to occurrence records cleaned manually by experts. However, all types of data cleaning limited the coverage of AAs. Overall, machine-learning-based methods performed well across taxa, even with minimal data cleaning. Results suggest a machine-learning-based method applied to minimally cleaned data offers the best compromise between performance and species coverage. However, optimal data cleaning, training sample, and automation methods depend on the study group, intended applications, and expertise.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eve Lucas
- Royal Botanic GardensKewRichmond, Surrey, TW9 3AEUK
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Marshall CAM, Dabo J, Mensah M, Ekpe P, Hawthorne WD. Implications for conservation assessment from flux in the botanical record over 20 years in southwest Ghana. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9775. [PMID: 36713481 PMCID: PMC9873867 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
At best, conservation decisions can only be made using the data available at the time. For plants and especially in the tropics, natural history collections remain the best available baseline information upon which to base conservation assessments, in spite of well-documented limitations in their taxonomic, geographic, and temporal coverage. We explore the extent to which changes to the plant biological record over 20 years have changed our conception of the conservation importance of 931 plant taxa, and 114 vegetation samples, recorded in forest reserves of the southwest Ghana biodiversity hotspot. 36% of species-level assessments changed as a result of new distribution data. 12% of species accepted in 2016 had no assessment in 1996: of those, 20% are new species publications, 60% are new records for SW Ghana, and 20% are taxonomic resolutions. Apparent species ranges have increased over time as new records are made, but new species publications are overwhelmingly of globally rare species, keeping the balance of perceived rarity in the flora constant over 20 years. Thus, in spite of considerable flux at the species record level, range size rarity scores calculated for 114 vegetation samples of the reserves in 1996 and 2016 are highly correlated with each other: r(112) = 0.84, p < .0005, and showed no difference in mean score over 20 years: paired t(113) = -0.482, p = .631. This consistency in results at the area level allows for worthwhile conservation priority setting over time, and we argue is the better course of action than taking no action at all.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Patrick Ekpe
- Ghana Herbarium, Department of Plant & Environmental BiologyUniversity of GhanaLegonGhana
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10
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Peruzzi L, Dolci D, Chiarucci A. Potential climatic and elevational range shifts in the Italian narrow endemic Bellevalia webbiana (Asparagaceae) under climate change scenarios. NATURE CONSERVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.50.91265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The Webb’s hyacinth (Bellevalia webbiana Parl., Asparagaceae) is an Italian narrow endemic species, listed as Endangered (EN A2c) in the IUCN Global Red List of Threatened Species. The range of this bulbous perennial herb is restricted to two disjunct areas of Central Italy, separated by the mountain ridge of Northern Apennine. To evaluate the impact of climate change on this species, we used Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) to predict future potential distribution under different scenarios, through Maximum entropy algorithm. The estimated potential distribution highlights the vulnerability of Webb’s hyacinth to the effects of climate change. The current potential Area Of Occupancy (AOO) (992 2×2 km cells) is forecast to dramatically decrease in the range 2041–2100, under the scenarios SSP3-7.0 (2070 = –249, 2100 = –682) and SSP5-8.5 (2070 = –372, 2100 = –948). In all future scenarios, the predicted potential distribution shifts towards higher elevations, located in the two main areas in which the species currently occurs. This could imply a loss of the current genetic differentiation documented at the population level. To overcome these problems, in addition to assisted colonization, an ex situ conservation programme should be planned.
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11
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Climate change causes rapid collapse of a keystone shrub from insular Alpine ecosystems. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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12
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The likely extinction of hundreds of palm species threatens their contributions to people and ecosystems. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1710-1722. [PMID: 36163257 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01858-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Protecting nature's contributions to people requires accelerating extinction risk assessment and better integrating evolutionary, functional and used diversity with conservation planning. Here, we report machine learning extinction risk predictions for 1,381 palm species (Arecaceae), a plant family of high socio-economic and ecological importance. We integrate these predictions with published assessments for 508 species (covering 75% of all palm species) and we identify top-priority regions for palm conservation on the basis of their proportion of threatened evolutionarily distinct, functionally distinct and used species. Finally, we explore palm use resilience to identify non-threatened species that could potentially serve as substitutes for threatened used species by providing similar products. We estimate that over a thousand palms (56%) are probably threatened, including 185 species with documented uses. Some regions (New Guinea, Vanuatu and Vietnam) emerge as top ten priorities for conservation only after incorporating machine learning extinction risk predictions. Potential substitutes are identified for 91% of the threatened used species and regional use resilience increases with total palm richness. However, 16 threatened used species lack potential substitutes and 30 regions lack substitutes for at least one of their threatened used palm species. Overall, we show that hundreds of species of this keystone family face extinction, some of them probably irreplaceable, at least locally. This highlights the need for urgent actions to avoid major repercussions on palm-associated ecosystem processes and human livelihoods in the coming decades.
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Youngblood JP, Cease AJ, Talal S, Copa F, Medina HE, Rojas JE, Trumper EV, Angilletta MJ, Harrison JF. Climate change expected to improve digestive rate and trigger range expansion in outbreaking locusts. ECOL MONOGR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Arianne J. Cease
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
- School of Sustainability Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
| | - Stav Talal
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
| | - Fernando Copa
- Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno Santa Cruz Bolivia
| | | | - Julio E. Rojas
- Departamento de Campañas Fitosanitarios Dirección de Protección Vegetal, SENAVE Paraguay
| | | | | | - Jon F. Harrison
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
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14
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More than half of data deficient species predicted to be threatened by extinction. Commun Biol 2022; 5:679. [PMID: 35927327 PMCID: PMC9352662 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03638-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is essential for practical and theoretical efforts to protect biodiversity. However, species classified as “Data Deficient” (DD) regularly mislead practitioners due to their uncertain extinction risk. Here we present machine learning-derived probabilities of being threatened by extinction for 7699 DD species, comprising 17% of the entire IUCN spatial datasets. Our predictions suggest that DD species as a group may in fact be more threatened than data-sufficient species. We found that 85% of DD amphibians are likely to be threatened by extinction, as well as more than half of DD species in many other taxonomic groups, such as mammals and reptiles. Consequently, our predictions indicate that, amongst others, the conservation relevance of biodiversity hotspots in South America may be boosted by up to 20% if DD species were acknowledged. The predicted probabilities for DD species are highly variable across taxa and regions, implying current Red List-derived indices and priorities may be biased. Data Deficient species are more likely to be at extinction risk than previously thought across multiple taxonomic groups.
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15
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Levin MO, Meek JB, Boom B, Kross SM, Eskew EA. Using publicly available data to conduct rapid assessments of extinction risk. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael O. Levin
- Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York New York USA
| | - Jared B. Meek
- Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York New York USA
| | - Brian Boom
- New York Botanical Garden Bronx New York USA
| | - Sara M. Kross
- Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York New York USA
| | - Evan A. Eskew
- Department of Biology Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma Washington USA
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16
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Bridging the research-implementation gap in IUCN Red List assessments. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:359-370. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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17
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Texier N, Dauby G, Bidault E, Lowry PP, Ikabanga DU, Stévart T. An efficient method for defining plant species under High Conservation Value (HCV) criterion 1 based on the IUCN Red List criteria: A case study using species endemic to Gabon. J Nat Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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18
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Zizka A, Silvestro D, Vitt P, Knight TM. Automated conservation assessment of the orchid family with deep learning. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:897-908. [PMID: 32841461 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments are essential for prioritizing conservation needs but are resource intensive and therefore available only for a fraction of global species richness. Automated conservation assessments based on digitally available geographic occurrence records can be a rapid alternative, but it is unclear how reliable these assessments are. We conducted automated conservation assessments for 13,910 species (47.3% of the known species in the family) of the diverse and globally distributed orchid family (Orchidaceae), for which most species (13,049) were previously unassessed by IUCN. We used a novel method based on a deep neural network (IUC-NN). We identified 4,342 orchid species (31.2% of the evaluated species) as possibly threatened with extinction (equivalent to IUCN categories critically endangered [CR], endangered [EN], or vulnerable [VU]) and Madagascar, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and several oceanic islands as priority areas for orchid conservation. Orchidaceae provided a model with which to test the sensitivity of automated assessment methods to problems with data availability, data quality, and geographic sampling bias. The IUC-NN identified possibly threatened species with an accuracy of 84.3%, with significantly lower geographic evaluation bias relative to the IUCN Red List and was robust even when data availability was low and there were geographic errors in the input data. Overall, our results demonstrate that automated assessments have an important role to play in identifying species at the greatest risk of extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Zizka
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, P.O. Box 9517, Leiden, 2300RA, the Netherlands
| | - Daniele Silvestro
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Ch. de Musee 10, Switzerland
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Center, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, Gothenburg, 405 30, Sweden
| | - Pati Vitt
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, U.S.A
| | - Tiffany M Knight
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
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19
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Does Phytogeography Change with Shifts in Geopolitics? The Curious Case of Cycads in the United States. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12120445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The United States is currently home to five native cycad species. We provide a discussion on these five cycad species to illuminate how evolutionary and geopolitical processes influence phytogeography and published checklists of threatened plants. The number of threatened species in need of protection within any given country is a product of speciation that is contingent with evolutionary processes. However, this number may change instantaneously along with shifting of geopolitical boundaries brought about by armed conflict between rival states and multilateral negotiations. There are five contemporary cycad species within the United States, and the various historical bilateral and multilateral agreements that have generated this list are reviewed. Three of these five cycad species are threatened and in need of urgent protection. A discussion on the history of United States cycads as a microcosm of worldwide conservation issues is presented, with a focus on how federal conservation endeavors of individual nations may influence the world’s biodiversity crisis.
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20
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Panter CT, Clegg RL, Moat J, Bachman SP, Klitgård BB, White RL. To clean or not to clean: Cleaning open‐source data improves extinction risk assessments for threatened plant species. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Connor T. Panter
- Ecology, Conservation and Zoonosis Research and Enterprise, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences University of Brighton Brighton East Sussex United Kingdom
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond Surrey United Kingdom
| | | | - Justin Moat
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond Surrey United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Rachel L. White
- Ecology, Conservation and Zoonosis Research and Enterprise, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences University of Brighton Brighton East Sussex United Kingdom
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21
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Nic Lughadha E, Bachman SP, Leão TCC, Forest F, Halley JM, Moat J, Acedo C, Bacon KL, Brewer RFA, Gâteblé G, Gonçalves SC, Govaerts R, Hollingsworth PM, Krisai‐Greilhuber I, Lirio EJ, Moore PGP, Negrão R, Onana JM, Rajaovelona LR, Razanajatovo H, Reich PB, Richards SL, Rivers MC, Cooper A, Iganci J, Lewis GP, Smidt EC, Antonelli A, Mueller GM, Walker BE. Extinction risk and threats to plants and fungi. PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET 2020; 2:389-408. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.10146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven P. Bachman
- Conservation Science Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | | | - Félix Forest
- Analytical Methods Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | - John M. Halley
- Laboratory of Ecology Department of Biological Applications & Technology University of Ioannina Ioannina Greece
| | - Justin Moat
- Bioinformatics and Spatial Analysis Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | - Carmen Acedo
- Department of Biodiversity and Environment Management Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences Campus of Vegazana University of León León Spain
| | - Karen L. Bacon
- Botany & Plant Sciences School of Natural Sciences National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Ryan F. A. Brewer
- Conservation Science Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | - Gildas Gâteblé
- Equipe ARBOREAL Institut Agronomique néo‐Calédonien Mont‐Dore New Caledonia
| | - Susana C. Gonçalves
- Centre for Functional Ecology Department of Life Sciences University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
| | - Rafaël Govaerts
- Bioinformatics and Spatial Analysis Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | | | - Irmgard Krisai‐Greilhuber
- Mycology Research Group Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Elton J. Lirio
- Departamento de Botânica Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | | | - Raquel Negrão
- Conservation Science Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | - Jean Michel Onana
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Conservation of Plants Faculty of Science University of Yaoundé I & National Herbarium of Cameroon Yaoundé Cameroon
| | - Landy R. Rajaovelona
- Conservation Science Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
- Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre Antananarivo Madagascar
| | - Henintsoa Razanajatovo
- Conservation Science Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
- Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre Antananarivo Madagascar
| | - Peter B. Reich
- Department of Forest Resources University of Minnesota St. Paul MN USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | | | | | - Amanda Cooper
- Bioinformatics and Spatial Analysis Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
- Department of Biological Sciences Royal HollowayUniversity of London Egham UK
| | - João Iganci
- Instituto de Biologia Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pelotas Pelotas Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Botânica Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Gwilym P. Lewis
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
| | - Eric C. Smidt
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Brazil
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Gregory M. Mueller
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action Chicago Botanic Garden Chicago IL USA
| | - Barnaby E. Walker
- Conservation Science Department Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond UK
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22
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23
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BDcleaner: A workflow for cleaning taxonomic and geographic errors in occurrence data archived in biodiversity databases. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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24
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Bachman S, Walker BE, Barrios S, Copeland A, Moat J. Rapid Least Concern: towards automating Red List assessments. Biodivers Data J 2020; 8:e47018. [PMID: 32025186 PMCID: PMC6992691 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.8.e47018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM (hereafter the Red List) is an important global resource for conservation that supports conservation planning, safeguarding critical habitat and monitoring biodiversity change (Rodrigues et al. 2006). However, a major shortcoming of the Red List is that most of the world's described species have not yet been assessed and published on the Red List (Bachman et al. 2019Eisenhauer et al. 2019). Conservation efforts can be better supported if the Red List is expanded to achieve greater coverage of mega-diverse groups of organisms such as plants, fungi and invertebrates. There is, therefore, an urgent need to speed up the Red List assessment and documentation workflow. One reason for this lack of species coverage is that a manual and relatively time-consuming procedure is usually employed to assess and document species. A recent update of Red List documentation standards (IUCN 2013) reduced the data requirements for publishing non-threatened or 'Least Concern' species on the Red List. The majority of the required fields for Least Concern plant species can be found in existing open-access data sources or can be easily calculated. There is an opportunity to consolidate these data and analyses into a simple application to fast-track the publication of Least Concern assessments for plants. There could be as many as 250,000 species of plants (60%) likely to be categorised as Least Concern (Bachman et al. 2019), for which automatically generated assessments could considerably reduce the outlay of time and valuable resources for Red Listing, allowing attention and resources to be dedicated to the assessment of those species most likely to be threatened. New information We present a web application, Rapid Least Concern, that addresses the challenge of accelerating the generation and documentation of Least Concern Red List assessments. Rapid Least Concern utilises open-source datasets, such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and Plants of the World Online (POWO) through a simple web interface. Initially, the application is intended for use on plants, but it could be extended to other groups, depending on the availability of equivalent datasets for these groups. Rapid Least Concern users can assess a single species or upload a list of species that are assessed in a batch operation. The batch operation can either utilise georeferenced occurrence data from GBIF or occurrence data provided by the user. The output includes a series of CSV files and a point map file that meet the minimum data requirements for a Least Concern Red List assessment (IUCN 2013). The CSV files are compliant with the IUCN Red List SIS Connect system that transfers the data files to the IUCN database and, pending quality control checks and review, publication on the Red List. We outline the knowledge gap this application aims to fill and describe how the application works. We demonstrate a use-case for Rapid Least Concern as part of an ongoing initiative to complete a global Red List assessment of all native species for the United Kingdom Overseas Territory of Bermuda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Bachman
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, United Kingdom Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew London United Kingdom
| | - Barnaby Eliot Walker
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, United Kingdom Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew London United Kingdom
| | - Sara Barrios
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, United Kingdom Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew London United Kingdom
| | - Alison Copeland
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda, Hamilton, Bermuda Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda Hamilton Bermuda
| | - Justin Moat
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, United Kingdom Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew London United Kingdom
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25
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Walker BE, Leão TCC, Bachman SP, Bolam FC, Nic Lughadha E. Caution Needed When Predicting Species Threat Status for Conservation Prioritization on a Global Scale. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:520. [PMID: 32411173 PMCID: PMC7199234 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Barnaby E. Walker
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Barnaby E. Walker
| | | | | | - Friederike C. Bolam
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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26
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Stévart T, Dauby G, Lowry PP, Blach-Overgaard A, Droissart V, Harris DJ, Mackinder BA, Schatz GE, Sonké B, Sosef MSM, Svenning JC, Wieringa JJ, Couvreur TLP. A third of the tropical African flora is potentially threatened with extinction. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaax9444. [PMID: 31799397 PMCID: PMC6867875 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax9444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Preserving tropical biodiversity is an urgent challenge when faced with the growing needs of countries. Despite their crucial importance for terrestrial ecosystems, most tropical plant species lack extinction risk assessments, limiting our ability to identify conservation priorities. Using a novel approach aligned with IUCN Red List criteria, we conducted a continental-scale preliminary conservation assessment of 22,036 vascular plant species in tropical Africa. Our results underline the high level of extinction risk of the tropical African flora. Thirty-three percent of the species are potentially threatened with extinction, and another third of species are likely rare, potentially becoming threatened in the near future. Four regions are highlighted with a high proportion (>40%) of potentially threatened species: Ethiopia, West Africa, central Tanzania, and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our approach represents a first step toward data-driven conservation assessments applicable at continental scales providing crucial information for sustainable economic development prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Stévart
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Africa & Madagascar Department, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, USA
- Herbarium et Bibliothèque de Botanique Africaine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
- Botanic Garden Meise, Nieuwelaan 38, BE-1860 Meise, Belgium
| | - G. Dauby
- AMAP Lab, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Laboratoire d’Évolution biologique et Écologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- FRB–CESAB 5, rue de l’École de Médecine, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - P. P. Lowry
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Africa & Madagascar Department, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, USA
| | - A. Blach-Overgaard
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - V. Droissart
- AMAP Lab, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - D. J. Harris
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
| | - B. A. Mackinder
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - G. E. Schatz
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Africa & Madagascar Department, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, USA
| | - B. Sonké
- Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Higher Teachers' Training College B.P. 047, University of Yaounde I
| | - M. S. M. Sosef
- Botanic Garden Meise, Nieuwelaan 38, BE-1860 Meise, Belgium
| | - J.-C. Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - J. J. Wieringa
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, Netherlands
| | - T. L. P. Couvreur
- DIADE, IRD, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Corresponding author.
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27
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Le Roux JJ, Hui C, Castillo ML, Iriondo JM, Keet JH, Khapugin AA, Médail F, Rejmánek M, Theron G, Yannelli FA, Hirsch H. Recent Anthropogenic Plant Extinctions Differ in Biodiversity Hotspots and Coldspots. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2912-2918.e2. [PMID: 31447372 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
During the Anthropocene, humans are changing the Earth system in ways that will be detectable for millennia to come [1]. Biologically, these changes include habitat destruction, biotic homogenization, increased species invasions, and accelerated extinctions [2]. Contemporary extinction rates far surpass background rates [3], but they seem remarkably low in plants [4, 5]. However, biodiversity is not evenly distributed, and as a result, extinction rates may vary among regions. Some authors have contentiously argued that novel anthropic habitats and human-induced plant speciation can actually increase regional biodiversity [6, 7]. Here, we report on one of the most comprehensive datasets to date, including regional and global plant extinctions in both biodiversity hotspots (mostly from Mediterranean-type climate regions) and coldspots (mostly from Eurasian countries). Our data come from regions covering 15.3% of the Earth's surface and span over 300 years. With this dataset, we explore the trends, causes, and temporal dynamics of recent plant extinctions. We found more, and faster accrual of, absolute numbers of extinction events in biodiversity hotspots compared to coldspots. Extinction rates were also substantially higher than historical background rates, but recent declines are evident. We found higher levels of taxonomic uniqueness being lost in biodiversity coldspots compared to hotspots. Causes of plant extinctions also showed distinct temporal patterns, with agriculture, invasions, and urbanization being significant drivers in hotspots, while hydrological disturbance was an important driver in coldspots. Overall, plant extinctions over the last three centuries appear to be low, with a recent (post-1990) and steady extinction rate of 1.26 extinctions/year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes J Le Roux
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Cang Hui
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa; Theoretical Ecology Group, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa; African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town 7945, South Africa
| | - Maria L Castillo
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - José M Iriondo
- Biodiversity and Conservation Area, Rey Juan Carlos University, Móstoles 28933, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jan-Hendrik Keet
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Anatoliy A Khapugin
- Joint Directorate of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve and National Park "Smolny," 430011, Republic of Mordovia, Saransk, Dachnyi Lane 4, Russia; Tyumen State University, 625023, Tyumen, Bolshevistskaya Street 6, Russia
| | - Frédéric Médail
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE. Technopôle de l'Arbois-Méditerranée, BP 80, 13 545 Aix-en-Provence Cedex 4, France
| | - Marcel Rejmánek
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Genevieve Theron
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Florencia A Yannelli
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Heidi Hirsch
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa.
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Recent Trends in Research on the Genetic Diversity of Plants: Implications for Conservation. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11040062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Genetic diversity and its distribution, both within and between populations, may be determined by micro-evolutionary processes, such as the demographic history of populations, natural selection, and gene flow. In plants, indices of genetic diversity (e.g., k, h and π) and structure (e.g., FST) are typically inferred from sequences of chloroplast markers. Given the recent advances and popularization of molecular techniques for research in population genetics, phylogenetics, phylogeography, and ecology, we adopted a scientometric approach to compile evidence on the recent trends in the use of cpDNA sequences as markers for the analysis of genetic diversity in botanical studies, over the years. We also used phylogenetic modeling to assess the relative contribution of relatedness or ecological and reproductive characters to the genetic diversity of plants. We postulated that genetic diversity could be defined not only by microevolutionary factors and life history traits, but also by relatedness, so that species more closely related phylogenetically would have similar genetic diversities. We found a clear tendency for an increase in the number of studies over time, confirming the hypothesis that the advances in the area of molecular genetics have supported the accumulation of data on the genetic diversity of plants. However, we found that the vast majority of these data have been produced by Chinese authors, and refer specifically to populations of Chinese plants. Most of the data on genetic diversity have been obtained for species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category NE (Not Evaluated), which indicates a relative lack of attention on threatened species. In general, we observed very high FST values in the groups analyzed and, as we focused primarily on species that have not been evaluated by the IUCN, the number of plant species that are threatened with extinction may be much greater than that indicated by the listing of this organization. We also found that the number of haplotypes (k) was influenced by the type of geographic distribution of the plant, while haplotype diversity (h) was affected by the type of flower, and the fixation index (FST), by the type of habitat. The plant species most closely-related phylogenetically have similar levels of genetic diversity. Overall, then, it will important to consider phylogenetic dependence in future studies that evaluate the effects of life-history traits on plant genetic diversity.
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Nic Lughadha E, Walker BE, Canteiro C, Chadburn H, Davis AP, Hargreaves S, Lucas EJ, Schuiteman A, Williams E, Bachman SP, Baines D, Barker A, Budden AP, Carretero J, Clarkson JJ, Roberts A, Rivers MC. The use and misuse of herbarium specimens in evaluating plant extinction risks. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 374:20170402. [PMID: 30455216 PMCID: PMC6282085 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Herbarium specimens provide verifiable and citable evidence of the occurrence of particular plants at particular points in space and time, and are vital resources for assessing extinction risk in the tropics, where plant diversity and threats to plants are greatest. We reviewed approaches to assessing extinction risk in response to the Convention on Biological Diversity's Global Strategy for Plant Conservation Target 2: an assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species by 2020. We tested five alternative approaches, using herbarium-derived data for trees, shrubs and herbs in five different plant groups from temperate and tropical regions. All species were previously fully assessed for the IUCN Red List. We found significant variation in the accuracy with which different approaches classified species as threatened or not threatened. Accuracy was highest for the machine learning model (90%) but the least data-intensive approach also performed well (82%). Despite concerns about spatial, temporal and taxonomic biases and uncertainties in herbarium data, when specimens represent the best available evidence for particular species, their use as a basis for extinction risk assessment is appropriate, necessary and urgent. Resourcing herbaria to maintain, increase and disseminate their specimen data is essential to guide and focus conservation action.This article is part of the theme issue 'Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Eve J Lucas
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE, UK
| | | | | | | | - David Baines
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE, UK
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE
| | - Amy Barker
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Malin C Rivers
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Richmond TW9 3BW, UK
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