Land | Special Issue : In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity

Research

18 pages, 2521 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Endemic Species Conservation Hotspots Based on Species Distribution Models in Swat Region, Hindu Kush Pakistan

by Shawkat Ali, Haidar Ali, Omid Ghadirian Baharanchi, Hassan Sher and Rasoul Yousefpour

Land 2024, 13(6), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060737 - 24 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1609

Abstract

For the effective conservation of plant species, it is imperative to manage habitat loss and fragmentation by establishing a protected area network that comprehensively encompasses their habitat. In this study, we identified the suitable habitats for some endemic plant species in the Swat [...] Read more.

For the effective conservation of plant species, it is imperative to manage habitat loss and fragmentation by establishing a protected area network that comprehensively encompasses their habitat. In this study, we identified the suitable habitats for some endemic plant species in the Swat District, Pakistan, to conduct a thorough analysis of proposed protected areas (hotspot areas). Utilizing data from a recent botanical survey, environmental parameters from World-Clim, and various other sources, we determined the habitat of each species using the MaxEnt species distribution model. The modeled habitat suitability for each species were combined to generate maps illustrating endemic richness (hotspots), as well as to prioritize areas based on conservation value and habitat suitability. Future climate projections spanning from 2000 to 2050 were acquired from the WorldClim database Nineteen bioclimatic variables were assessed, incorporating data from three global climate models: CCSM4, HadGEM2-AO, and MPI-ESM-LR. We modeled seven endemic species from the Swat District and, by combining their maps, found three hotspot areas which show more environmental suitability under future climatic conditions. The future model forecasts a significant decrease in population density by the year 2050. Currently, these species exhibit their highest density along the eastern and southern borders of the valley, particularly in the Karakar, Elum border, Mankial Kalam, and Gabral Kalam areas. The anticipated alterations in density and distribution could have a considerable impact not only on the tree species but also on the associated sub flora. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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22 pages, 7532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Spatial Coverage of the Greater Sage-Grouse Umbrella to Conserve Sagebrush-Dependent Species Biodiversity within the Wyoming Basins

by Cameron L. Aldridge, D. Joanne Saher, Julie A. Heinrichs, Adrian P. Monroe, Matthias Leu and Steve E. Hanser

Land 2024, 13(1), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010123 - 22 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2012

Abstract

Biodiversity is threatened due to land-use change, overexploitation, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change, altering ecosystem functioning around the globe. Protecting areas rich in biodiversity is often difficult without fully understanding and mapping species’ ecological niche requirements. As a result, the umbrella species concept [...] Read more.

Biodiversity is threatened due to land-use change, overexploitation, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change, altering ecosystem functioning around the globe. Protecting areas rich in biodiversity is often difficult without fully understanding and mapping species’ ecological niche requirements. As a result, the umbrella species concept is often applied, whereby conservation of a surrogate species is used to indirectly protect species that occupy similar ecological communities. One such species is the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), which has been used as an umbrella to conserve other species within the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem. Sagebrush-steppe ecosystems within the United States have experienced drastic loss, fragmentation, and degradation of remaining habitat, threatening sagebrush-dependent fauna, resulting in west-wide conservation efforts to protect sage-grouse habitats, and presumably other sagebrush wildlife. We evaluated the effectiveness of the greater sage-grouse umbrella to conserve biodiversity using data-driven spatial occupancy and abundance models for seven sagebrush-dependent (obligate or associated) species across the greater Wyoming Basins Ecoregional Assessment (WBEA) area (345,300 km²) and assessed overlap with predicted sage-grouse occurrence. Predicted sage-grouse habitat from empirical models only partially (39–58%) captured habitats identified by predicted occurrence models for three sagebrush-obligate songbirds and 60% of biodiversity hotspots (richness of 4–6 species). Sage-grouse priority areas for conservation only captured 59% of model-predicted sage-grouse habitat, and only slightly fewer (56%) biodiversity hotspots. We suggest that the greater sage-grouse habitats may be partially effective as an umbrella for the conservation of sagebrush-dependent species within the sagebrush biome, and management actions aiming to conserve biodiversity should directly consider the explicit mapping of resource requirements for other taxonomic groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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18 pages, 6805 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Wetland Conservation Gaps in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas: A Case Study in Zhengzhou, China

by Chang Liu, Yongge Hu, Assemgul Taukenova, Guohang Tian and Bo Mu

Land 2023, 12(1), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010221 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1911

Abstract

Exploring protected area (PA) siting from a biodiversity perspective is critical in mitigating human impacts on ecosystems. This paper used the MaxEnt model to predict the geographic distribution patterns of wetland species in Zhengzhou and the environmental factors affecting species’ habitat selection. Environmental [...] Read more.

Exploring protected area (PA) siting from a biodiversity perspective is critical in mitigating human impacts on ecosystems. This paper used the MaxEnt model to predict the geographic distribution patterns of wetland species in Zhengzhou and the environmental factors affecting species’ habitat selection. Environmental variables were screened by correlation analysis to avoid affecting the prediction results due to overfitting of the model. The AUC value of the training set of the model ROC curve was above 0.8, and the prediction accuracy was high. The prediction results showed that the only nature reserve in Zhengzhou, Yellow River Wetland Nature Reserve, currently covers only 10.25% of the total area of the high suitability areas for plants and 17.54% of the high suitability habitat areas for waterfowl in the whole area of Zhengzhou. The potential suitability areas of wetland species outside the reserve can provide a basis for site selection for wetland conservation planning in Zhengzhou. It was found that the geographic distribution of wetland species in Zhengzhou is constrained by the distribution of water bodies, bioclimatic variables, land cover, and population density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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33 pages, 6045 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of the Analysis Time Series and Multispectral Images for the Estimation of the Conditions of the Vegetation Covers of the Natural Areas of Southern Spain

by Federico Benjamín Galacho-Jiménez, Pablo Quesada-Molina, David Carruana-Herrera and Sergio Reyes-Corredera

Land 2023, 12(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010042 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2146

Abstract

It has been scientifically proven that climate change is a reality. In subarid Mediterranean limates, this fact is observed in the irregular distribution of rainfall, resulting in alternating periods of more or less prolonged drought with episodes of torrential rains concentrated in short [...] Read more.

It has been scientifically proven that climate change is a reality. In subarid Mediterranean limates, this fact is observed in the irregular distribution of rainfall, resulting in alternating periods of more or less prolonged drought with episodes of torrential rains concentrated in short periods of time. We have selected 11 natural areas in southern Spain, where we will observe these circumstances and where a series of ecosystems composed of vegetation covers of a high ecological value are found. We start from the question of whether these climatic circumstances are really deteriorating them. For this study, we propose a method that combines three analysis techniques: the design of the time series, the application of vegetation indices, and the use of techniques analysis of changes in land use. From the combination of these techniques in the period from 1997 to 2021, we have observed that there have been a dynamic of changes in land use that has maintained its original characteristics by more than 70%, so it is possible to affirm that the adaptation of ecosystems to climatic conditions has occurred satisfactorily. However, this general statement shows some particularities which are those that we will show in this work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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16 pages, 2494 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Climate Change Exposure for the Adaptation of Conservation Management: The Importance of Scale in Mountain Landscapes

by Mónica Gómez-Vadillo, Mario Mingarro, Guim Ursul and Robert J. Wilson

Land 2022, 11(11), 2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11112052 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1635

Abstract

Vulnerability of mountain ecosystems to climate change depends on the capacity of topographic variation to provide heterogeneous microclimates and rates of climatic change. Accurate methods are therefore needed to assess climate at spatial resolutions relevant to ecological responses and environmental management. Here, we [...] Read more.

Vulnerability of mountain ecosystems to climate change depends on the capacity of topographic variation to provide heterogeneous microclimates and rates of climatic change. Accurate methods are therefore needed to assess climate at spatial resolutions relevant to ecological responses and environmental management. Here, we evaluate a mechanistic microclimate model (30 m resolution; Microclima) and mesoclimate data (1 km; CHELSA) against in situ temperatures, finding that both capture (whilst somewhat underestimating) variation well in observed ground-level maxima along a mountain ridge in 2011-13. We apply the models to estimate ecological exposure to recent temperature changes for four mountain areas of the Iberian Peninsula, based on analogous and non-analogous monthly maxima in 1980–1989 versus 2010–2019. The microclimate model revealed fine-resolution exposure to non-analogous conditions that were concealed in mesoclimate data, although whether exposure was greater at the micro- or mesoscale (and hence the types of organisms or management decisions affected) depended on the topographic context of each mountain range. Habitat type influenced microclimatic exposure, and hence may provide opportunities for conservation adaptation. These results suggest that mechanistic models are potentially useful tools to assess exposure to climate change at spatial resolutions that permit understanding and management of biodiversity responses in mountain ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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15 pages, 2773 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Identification of Priority Forest Conservation Areas for Critically Endangered Lemur Species of Madagascar

by Virginia E. García Millán, David Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Amanda Martin Oncina, Aristide Andrianarimisa, Lalatiana O. Randriamiharisoa, Gabriel Martorell-Guerrero, Antonio Bóveda and Dania Abdul Malak

Land 2022, 11(9), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11091455 - 1 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2883

Abstract

Forests have extraordinary importance for the conservation of endemic species in Madagascar. However, they are disappearing fast due to a number of pressures, notably unsustainable agricultural practices leading to aggravated status of biodiversity. Here, we used a number of ecological and spatial criteria [...] Read more.

Forests have extraordinary importance for the conservation of endemic species in Madagascar. However, they are disappearing fast due to a number of pressures, notably unsustainable agricultural practices leading to aggravated status of biodiversity. Here, we used a number of ecological and spatial criteria to identify and prioritise unprotected forest areas for the conservation of the eight critically endangered species of lemur belonging to the Lemuridae family in Madagascar. By combining spatial information layers on the distribution areas of the studied lemurs, forest extension and conservation status, and potential human impacts (such as roads, human settlements and agriculture lands), it was possible to identify the most appropriate sites for the expansion of the conservation areas of critically endangered lemur species. Seven new sites, totalling over 33,000 ha, were identified as priority sites for the protection of those species. All of them were adjacent to or inside (just one site) existing protected areas (PAs), which likely makes their protection both feasible and socioeconomically efficient by enlarging those PAs. Legally protecting these sites would not only take Madagascar one little step ahead for meeting oncoming global biodiversity targets for 2030 but could also make a substantial contribution to the mid-term survival of the studied lemur species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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21 pages, 777 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Measurement of the Threatened Biodiversity Existence Value Output: Application of the Refined System of Environmental-Economic Accounting in the Pinus pinea Forests of Andalusia, Spain

by Pablo Campos, José L. Oviedo, Alejandro Álvarez and Bruno Mesa

Land 2022, 11(7), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11071119 - 21 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1834

Abstract

Are we able to determine the existence value output generated for society through the preservation of wild species threatened with extinction? In this article we defend the theory that the service of preserving threatened species with risk of extinction is an existence value [...] Read more.

Are we able to determine the existence value output generated for society through the preservation of wild species threatened with extinction? In this article we defend the theory that the service of preserving threatened species with risk of extinction is an existence value output with a hidden transaction price if it can be established that there are consumer or state willingness to pay an additional tax above the government total cost to avoid an increase in one threatened species in relation to the number recorded at the opening of the accounting period. This output is estimated by adding the total cost and the additional consumer tax which the consumers state that they are willing to pay through a choice experiment survey. Our refined monetary System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (rSEEA) extends the existence value output concept and valuation principles recommended by the United Nations. In this paper, this rSEEA was applied to Pinus pinea forests in protected as well as non-protected areas of Andalusia, Spain in 2010. The results show that the net value added from protected areas is 40% higher than that from non-protected areas. It is incidental that the environmental benefits in both areas coincide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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14 pages, 2343 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Protected Area Effectiveness in the Scientific Literature: A Decade-Long Bibliometric Analysis

by Javier Martínez-Vega and David Rodríguez-Rodríguez

Land 2022, 11(6), 924; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11060924 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3269

Abstract

Protected areas (PAs) aim to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services in the long term. Despite remarkable growth in the area covered by PAs in recent years, biodiversity trends still show worrisome outcomes. Here, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of scientific articles [...] Read more.

Protected areas (PAs) aim to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem services in the long term. Despite remarkable growth in the area covered by PAs in recent years, biodiversity trends still show worrisome outcomes. Here, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of scientific articles focusing on the ecological effectiveness of PAs that were published in the 2010–2019 decade using Scopus in order to show the latest publication trends in that research field. After three consecutive screenings, we analyzed a final census sample of 76 articles that used semiexperimental research designs. We assessed 3 thematic variables (i.e., related to ecological effectiveness) and 13 bibliometric variables through descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation tests, and Kruskal–Wallis difference tests. Our results demonstrate the growing size of research teams working on this topic, broader international collaboration, and greater length of the articles published on this subject. During that decade, the number of normalized citations (+28%) and the mean field-weighted citation impact (FWCI) of the set of reviewed articles (33% higher than expected) increased. We also observed an increase in open access publications (+13%). However, this mode of publication did not ensure more citations. Finally, we observed a positive correlation between the number of normalized citations and the inclusion of Supplementary Data in the articles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In Situ Conservation Tools to Mitigate Impacts from Global Change on Biodiversity)

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