Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Heba Bedair, Kamal Shaltout, Marwa Waseem. A. Halmy
Summary: The Mediterranean Basin is the world's second richest hotspot for plant diversity and an important location for endemic species. However, there is currently no up-to-date list of Mediterranean endemics. This study aimed to create a preliminary list of Mediterranean endemic taxa in Egypt and determine their habitats and distribution.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jan Perret, Oceane Cobelli, Adrien Taudiere, Julien Andrieu, Yildiz Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Jamila Ben Souissi, Guillaume Besnard, Gabriele Casazza, Pierre-Andre Crochet, Thibaud Decaens, Francoise Denis, Philippe Geniez, Michael Loizides, Frederic Medail, Vanina Pasqualini, Claudia Speciale, Vincent Battesti, Pierre Chevaldonne, Christophe Lejeusne, Franck Richard
Summary: The study examines the distribution of biodiversity research efforts within the Mediterranean Basin hotspot and suggests rebalancing sampling efforts towards poorly known regions and using molecular data to refine hotspot definition.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Valentina Lucia Astrid Laface, Carmelo Maria Musarella, Agostino Sorgona, Giovanni Spampinato
Summary: The study analyzed the population structure and dynamics of the precious endemic species Salvia ceratophylloides in the suburban environments of Reggio Calabria, Southern Italy, and identified that disturbance factors directly affect the demographic viability and structure of populations, with different populations structured differently based on the level of anthropogenic disturbances.
Article
Plant Sciences
Moises Guardiola, Llorenc Saez
Summary: This study calculated taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics for the endemic flora of the Balearic Islands and identified spatial patterns and environmental factors that explain the endemism. Hotspots of species and phylogenetic endemism were identified, and gaps in the protected areas were highlighted. This study demonstrates the importance of considering both taxonomic and phylogenetic information in conservation planning.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marwan Cheikh Albassatneh, Marcial Escudero, Anne-Christine Monnet, Juan Arroyo, Gianni Baccheta, Francesca Bagnoli, Panayotis Dimopoulos, Arndt Hampe, Agathe Leriche, Frederic Medail, Toni Nikolic, Loic Ponger, Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin, Bruno Fady
Summary: The study aims to understand tree biodiversity patterns in the Mediterranean and provide indicators for better forest protection. High phylogenetic diversity and endemism were found in Southern Spain, Cyprus, some Aegean islands, and eastern Sicily, highlighting these areas as high priority targets for European tree flora conservation.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Justin Merondun, Elizabeth M. Kierepka, Aaron B. A. Shafer, Dennis L. Murray
Summary: The study found that the eastern wolf in south-central Canada faces competition threats from gray wolves and coyote-like canids, with limited advantageous niche space, requiring conservation measures to maintain the survival of the population. The research also suggests that competitive disadvantage can limit species' recovery efforts, hence necessitating management measures to promote ecological differentiation between groups.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nawal Shrestha, Achyut Tiwari, Prakash Kumar Paudel
Summary: The rate of species extinction has accelerated due to human-induced global changes, and establishing protected areas is a viable solution. Systematic conservation planning has maximized conservation output, but more focus is needed on non-charismatic species and phylogenetic diversity for better ecosystem health and risk prevention of extinction.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cataldo Pierri, Frine Cardone, Giuseppe Corriero, Tamara Lazic, Federico Quattrocchi, Giorgio Alabiso, Michele Gristina
Summary: Illegal wildlife trade, including seahorses used in traditional Chinese medicine and as ornamental fish, poses a serious threat to biodiversity globally. A study in the Mediterranean Sea found a significant decrease in the population of Hippocampus guttulatus at Mar Piccolo di Taranto, with illegal and legal fishing activities identified as key factors driving the decline. The study highlights the urgent need for stronger measures to combat illegal poaching and protect endangered seahorse populations.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Salvatore Pasta, Alessandro Silvestre Gristina, Leonardo Scuderi, Laurence Fazan, Corrado Marceno, Riccardo Guarino, Viviane Perraudin, Gregor Kozlowski, Giuseppe Garfi
Summary: Ptilostemon greuteri is an endangered and poorly studied woody plant species in the Mediterranean Basin, particularly endemic to Sicily, Italy. This study aims to investigate and conserve the species by providing updated information on its distribution, conservation status, biology, and ecological requirements. Field surveys and drone imagery were used to estimate the range of the populations, refine the conservation status assessment, and update the distribution pattern. Preliminary results suggest that local topographic and mesoclimatic factors play a key role in the persistence and survival of P. greuteri.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Betty Karina Guzman Valqui, Antonio Garcia-Bravo, Elvis Eduardo Allauja Salazar, Ivan Alexander Mejia Castillo, Cristobal Torres Guzman, Segundo Manuel Oliva Cruz
Summary: This study highlights the rich endemic species of woody flora and tetrapod fauna in the inter-Andean Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest of Maran similar to ' on valley (ISDTFM) in Peru, while emphasizing the threats they face and the limited conservation efforts. This information is crucial for prioritizing conservation and protection measures in the face of increasing threats from agriculture, development, and extraction activities.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hamid Moazzeni, Mohammad Mahmoodi, Mohammad Jafari, Gerald M. Schneeweiss, Jalil Noroozi
Summary: Although the mountains in South-West Asia are a global biodiversity hotspot, the biodiversity in the alpine and subnival zones is still poorly understood. This study analyzed morphological and molecular data to reveal the restricted distribution of Aethionema umbellatum in southwestern Iran, while populations from central and western Iran belong to new species, A. alpinum and A. zagricum, respectively. The study emphasizes the importance of conservation efforts in the poorly known alpine flora of the Irano-Anatolian region.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Iraj Hashemzadeh Segherloo, Fariborz Ghojoghi, Seyedeh Narjes Tabatabaei, Eric Normandeau, Cecilia Hernandez, Eric Hallerman, Brian Boyle, Louis Bernatchez
Summary: Based on genetic analysis of Rutilus populations from the southeast and southwest Caspian Sea and the Aras River, it was found that populations in different areas are closely related but highly differentiated. The Bayes factor delimitation test supported the existence of three populations of Rutilus in the studied area, and three hybrid individuals were detected.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexey A. Kotov, Derek J. Taylor
Summary: The Daphnia longispina complex contains several key freshwater species, and this study identified a new species, Daphnia japonica sp. nov. Recognizing the local and subalpine diversity in this group is crucial due to ongoing anthropogenic disturbance and its potential impacts on introductions, local extirpations, and hybridization.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ernst R. Swartz, Pedro H. N. Braganca, Johannes L. Rall, Skhumbuzo P. Kubheka, Paulette Bloomer, Paul H. Skelton, Albert Chakona
Summary: Pseudobarbus quathlambae is a cyprinid minnow found in the Upper Orange River system and the Mzimkhulu River system in South Africa. Recent discoveries have expanded its geographical range, but the species' survival is uncertain due to threats from non-native fishes and the construction of large dams. Genetic analysis shows significant differentiation and geographic structuring among the remnant populations, indicating their unique evolutionary units.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Naoko T. Fujito, Zachary R. Hanna, Michal Levy-Sakin, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Pui-Yan Kwok, John P. Dumbacher, Jeffrey D. Wall
Summary: The study found that potential hybrids with intermediate plumage morphology are a mixture of pure barred owls, F1 hybrids, and F1 x barred owl backcrosses. While the spotted owl experienced a population bottleneck during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, their population sizes have rebounded without historical evidence of decline between 100-10,000 years ago. Genetic separation between western and eastern barred owls has been found to have occurred thousands of years ago, challenging the previous assumption of a more recent divergence.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)