Forest cover mediates large and medium-sized mammal occurrence in a critical link of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor

Understanding Multi-Scale and Multi-Species Habitat Selection by Mammals in the Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot

Human-induced habitat loss and fragmentation threaten biodiversity in the Eastern Himalayas, a crucial part of the Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot. This study examines the distribution of 10 mammal species in Arunachal Pradesh using a multi-scale ensemble modeling approach, integrating Generalized Linear Models (GLM), Generalized Additive Models (GAM), and MaxEnt to assess habitat suitability. By analyzing 57 environmental predictor variables across multiple spatial scales, we found that elevation is a key determinant for carnivores such as the dhole and the Asiatic golden cat, while herbivores like the northern red muntjac and the mainland serow prefer broadleaf forests. Species distributions showed distinct patterns, with most carnivores concentrated in the south, except for the widely distributed yellow-throated marten. Dhole and leopard cat preferred elevated broadleaf forests, while the Asiatic golden cat favored mixed forests. Herbivores like the northern red muntjac and mainland serow were found at higher elevations, whereas the Indian wild pig preferred grasslands and degraded habitats near human settlements. While protected areas (PAs) exhibited higher species richness, significant suitable habitats also exist outside these regions, underscoring the need for landscape-level conservation strategies. Precipitation seasonality and human population density emerged as significant predictors, highlighting the influence of climatic and anthropogenic factors on habitat suitability. Our findings emphasize the necessity of conserving large, connected landscapes to mitigate human-induced pressures and climate change impacts on these species. By combining spatial modeling with ecological insights, this study provides a framework for prioritizing conservation efforts. Future research should expand data collection across broader temporal and geographic scales and incorporate climate change projections to anticipate species distribution shifts. These findings are critical for guiding effective conservation planning and habitat management in this ecologically rich yet vulnerable region.

Mapping climate adaptation corridors for biodiversity-A regional-scale case study in Central America

Climate adaptation corridors are widely recognized as important for promoting biodiversity resilience under climate change. Central America is part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, but there have been no regional-scale analyses of potential climate adaptation corridors in Central America. We identified 2375 potential corridors throughout Central America that link lowland protected areas (≤ 500 m) with intact, high-elevation forests (≥ 1500 m) that represent potential climate change refugia. Whereas we found potential corridors in all Central American countries, potential corridors in Panama, Belize, and Honduras were most protected (medians = 64%, 49%, and 47%, respectively) and potential corridors in El Salvador were least protected (median = 10%). We also developed a corridor priority index based on the ecological characteristics and protected status of potential corridors and their associated start and end points. Compared to low- and medium-priority corridors, high-priority corridors (n = 160; top 7% of all corridors) were generally more protected, forested, and distributed across wider elevational gradients and more Key Biodiversity Areas, but also generally linked larger lowland protected areas to target areas that were larger, more protected, and spanned wider elevational gradients. For example, based on median values, high-priority corridors were 9% more protected and overlapped with 2-3 more Key Biodiversity Areas than low- and medium-priority corridors. Although high-elevation targets spanned considerably wider elevational gradients than lowland protected areas (medians = 695 vs. 142 m, respectively) and thus may be more likely to support refugia, they were considerably smaller than lowland protected areas (medians = 11 vs. 50 km2 respectively) and mostly unprotected (median = 4% protection). This initial, regional assessment can help prioritize locations for finer-scale research, conservation, and restoration activities in support of climate adaptation corridors throughout Central America and highlights the need for greater conservation of potential high-elevation refugia.

Land use and land cover changes implications on biodiversity in the Owabi catchment of Atwima Nwabiagya North District, Ghana

This paper examined land use and land cover (LULC) change and implications to biodiversity in the Owabi catchment of Atwima Nwabiagya North District in Ghana from 1991 to 2021 using remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS), with participatory methods such as interviews and questionnaires with a sample size of 200 participants. The use of supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm in QGIS was employed to generate LULC maps of 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021. Molusce Plugin in QGIS was applied to predict probabilities of LULC changes in 10 years (2021-2031). The results showed that high-density forest has disappeared from 1991 to 2021 while built-up has increased and remained the most dominant LULC from 2011 to 2021. There is a continual decline in the number of plant and animal species in and around the Owabi catchment. This can be attributed to the decline of high-density forests and increased built-up in the study area through human actions. The study identified the influence of human activities as the key forces of LULC change to biodiversity loss. This problem stemmed from the taste for housing and trading activities in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area which has resulted in an increasing demand for settlement because of its closeness to Kumasi and its environs. The study recommends that stringent preventive measures should be developed and enforced by various stakeholders including the Forestry Commission, Ghana Water Company Limited, Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the District/Municipal Assemblies to safeguard the forest from human activities. This recommendation will help these agencies to keep abreast with changes in LULC in the various communities and factors such as changes during the planning of the communities.