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Predicting the effects of climate change on future freshwater fish diversity at global scale Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2021-01-22 Ana Manjarrés-Hernández; Cástor Guisande; Emilio García-Roselló; Juergen Heine; Patricia Pelayo-Villamil; Elisa Pérez-Costas; Luis González-Vilas; Jacinto González-Dacosta; Santiago R. Duque; Carlos Granado-Lorencio; Jorge M. Lobo
The aim of the present study was to predict future changes in biodiversity attributes (richness, rarity, heterogeneity, evenness, functional diversity and taxonomic diversity) of freshwater fish species in river basins around the world, under different climate scenarios. To do this, we use a new methodological approach implemented within the ModestR software (NOO3D) which allows estimating simple species
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Suitability of contract-based nature conservation in privately-owned forests in Germany Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-12-17 Laura Demant; Erwin Bergmeier; Helge Walentowski; Peter Meyer
The successful implementation of contract-based nature conservation in privately-owned forests requires a framework of reasonable operational measures. Our study aimed at developing such a framework by; 1) defining forest conservation objects including structures, processes, and habitat types, 2) assessing their conservation value based on the need for, and worthiness of, protection, 3) reviewing the
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Number and distribution of large old ginkgos in east China: Implications for regional conservation Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-12-01 Jie Liu; Ruo-Yan Jiang; Guang-Fu Zhang
Large old ginkgos (LOGs), having important ecological, cultural and historical values, are widely distributed in China. However, little is known regarding their quantity and tree-habitat quality in the mesoscale distribution. Here, the quantity, spatial distribution and conservation status of Ginkgo biloba L. older than 100 years in Jiangsu Province, east China were examined using ArcGIS software and
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Illegal capture and internal trade of wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Sri Lanka Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-11-03 T. G. Supun Lahiru Prakash; W. A. A. D. Upul Indrajith; A. M. C. P. Aththanayaka; Suranjan Karunarathna; Madhava Botejue; Vincent Nijman; Sujan Henkanaththegedara
The illegal wildlife trade is considered one of the major threats to global biodiversity. Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) have been highly valued by various cultures for use in religious and spiritual contexts, as a draft animal, and more recently, as a tourist attraction. Thus, the demand for captive elephants is high. Wild Asian elephants are taken from the wild, often illegally, to maintain these
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Does public information about wolf (Canis lupus) movements decrease wolf attacks on hunting dogs (C. familiaris)? Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-10-23 Mari Tikkunen; Ilpo Kojola
The threat that wolves (Canis lupus) pose to hunting dogs is one reason why Finnish hunters have negative attitudes towards wolves and one of the potential motivations for the illegal killing of wolves. During 2010–2017, wolves killed an average of 38 dogs (range 24–50) per year in Finland. Most of the attacks (91%) were directed at hunting dogs during the hunting season. To decrease the risk of attacks
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Mapping Rocky Mountain ridged mussel beds with preliminary identification of overlapping Eurasian watermilfoil within the Canadian range Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-09-23 Joy Wade; Craig Stephen; Colin Robertson
The Rocky Mountain ridged mussel (Gonidea angulata) is a bivalve species whose Canadian range is limited to the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. In 2019, conflicts between habitat protection for the mussel and potential habitat alteration to control the invasive Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) (milfoil), led to a decision to maintain the status of the mussels as Special Concern under
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Floristic composition and plant diversity in distribution areas of native species congeneric with Betula halophila in Xinjiang, northwest China Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-09-18 Jihong Huang; Zhongjun Guo; Suying Tang; Wei Ren; Guangming Chu; Liping Wang; Ling Zhao; Ruoyun Yu; Yue Xu; Yi Ding; Runguo Zang
Betula halophila, a wild plant with extremely small populations, is endemic to Xinjiang, northwest China. Its wild populations have declined severely in the field. Understanding the patterns of floristic composition where congeneric species of B. halophila are distributed and their determinants is a necessary step to restore the wild populations. Based on literature records, specimen information, shared
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Differential responses of prairie rodents to edge effects from recreational trails Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-09-10 Cameron M. Shorb; Laur A. Freymiller; Daniel L. Hernandez
Edge effects are a common phenomenon in which an ecological variable changes with respect to distance from a habitat edge. Recreational trails may constitute a habitat edge for prairie rodents because of high human presence, high predator presence, or limited shelter compared to the prairie core. Despite the prevalence of trails in conservation parcels, their effect on wildlife distribution remains
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Threats from wildlife trade: The importance of genetic data in safeguarding the endangered Four-eyed Turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata) Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-09-10 Minh Duc Le; Timothy E.M. McCormack; Ha Van Hoang; Ha Thuy Duong; Truong Quang Nguyen; Thomas Ziegler; Hanh Duc Nguyen; Hanh Thi Ngo
Wildlife trade has been considered one of the largest threats to biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Many vertebrates, such as pangolins, elephants and turtles have been heavily hunted as a result of high demand from emerging markets in China and other countries in the region. In Vietnam, over-exploitation of turtles over several decades to supply the international trade has extirpated numerous populations
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Dataset of occurrences and ecological traits of amphibians from Upper Paraguay River Basin, central South America Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-09-02 Matheus Oliveira Neves; Hugo Cabral; Mariana Pedrozo; Vanda Lucia Ferreira; Mário Ribeiro Moura; Diego José Santana
There are many gaps in our biodiversity knowledge, especially in highly diverse regions such as the Neotropics. Basic information on species occurrence and traits are scattered throughout different literature sources, which makes it difficult to access data and ultimately delays advances in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. We provide species occurrence and trait data for amphibian species
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Distribution modelling of the Pudu deer (Pudu puda) in southern Chile Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-08-28 Nelson Colihueque; Aldo Arriagada; Andrea Fuentes
The Pudu deer (Pudu puda) is endemic to the temperate rainforest of Chile and Argentina and currently faces serious conservation problems related to habitat loss. However, studies undertaken on this species are not sufficient to identify suitable areas for conservation purposes across its distribution range. In order to estimate the current and future distribution of the Pudu deer in southern Chile
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The extent of the illegal trade with terrestrial vertebrates in markets and households in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-08-18 Katharina Kasper; Jonas Schweikhard; Max Lehmann; Cara Leonie Ebert; Petra Erbe; Sengdeuane Wayakone; Truong Q. Nguyen; M. D. Le; Thomas Ziegler
Wildlife is one of the most important food resources in rural areas and popular among all social layers of Lao PDR. Numerous vertebrate species are sold at the local markets, but a comprehensive understanding of people’s involvement and their impact on survival of local populations remains insufficient. This study provides the first interdisciplinary assessment using a questionnaire-based survey approach
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Snakes and ladders: A review of ball python production in West Africa for the global pet market Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-07-28 Lauren A. Harrington; Jennah Green; Patrick Muinde; David W. Macdonald; Mark Auliya; Neil D'Cruze
The ball python (Python regius) is the most traded, CITES listed, live animal exported from Africa. Recent studies have raised concerns as to whether production methods in Africa are sustainable, humane and compliant with legislation. To aid future management we explored export patterns, using the CITES and U.S. LEMIS database, for live ball pythons from across their range in West Africa to identify
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Evaluation and sensitivity analysis of the ecosystem service functions of haze absorption by green space based on its quality in China Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-07-21 Ping Zhang; Ning Wang; Lianwei Yang; Xin Zhang; Qi Liu
Evaluation of the ecosystem service functions of haze absorption by green space is important for controlling haze. In this study, the ecosystem service functions of haze absorption by green space in China in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2018 are analyzed based on green space quality and sensitivity using a geographic information system (GIS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
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Betting the farm: A review of Ball Python and other reptile trade from Togo, West Africa Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-07-01 Neil D'Cruze; Lauren A. Harrington; Délagnon Assou; Jennah Green; David W. Macdonald; Delphine Ronfot; Gabriel Hoinsoudé Segniagbeto; Mark Auliya
Our review of the CITES trade database confirmed that the ball python is the most exported species by Togo; with 1,657,814 live individuals – comprising 60% of all live reptiles – reported by importing countries since 1978 (almost 55,000 annually since 1992). In total, 99% of the ball pythons legally exported from Togo under CITES were intended for commercial use, presumably as exotic pets. Since the
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Revised criteria system for a national assessment of threatened habitats in Germany Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-07-01 Stefanie Heinze; Peter Finck; Ulrike Raths; Uwe Riecken; Axel Ssymank
The Red List of threatened habitat types in Germany was first published in 1994 and it is updated approximately every ten years. In 2017 the third version was published by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. In the course of the revision, the criteria system was also extended. In doing so, an attempt was made to find a compromise between the consideration of international developments
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Polypores, Agrobacterium and ivy damage on Hungarian ancient trees Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-06-18 Márton Takács; Ágnes Szénási; Ákos Malatinszky
Ancient trees are important habitats, confer vital ecological roles and function as cultural legacies. Old trees with large girth are keystone structures in various ecosystems. We aim to present which species amongst the greatest Hungarian trees (and some other phanerophyte plants) are damaged by polypores (the most important agents of wood decay), Agrobacterium tumefaciens (usually causing root tumour)
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Legacies of past land use challenge grassland recovery – An example from dry grasslands on ancient burial mounds Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-06-04 Balázs Deák; Orsolya Valkó; Csaba Albert Tóth; Ágnes Botos; Tibor József Novák
Due to large-scale agricultural intensification, grasslands are often restricted to habitat islands in human-transformed landscapes. There are approximately half a million ancient burial mounds built by nomadic steppic tribes in the Eurasian steppe and forest steppe zones, which act as habitat islands for dry grassland vegetation. Land use intensification, such as arable farming and afforestation by
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Stimulating collective action to preserve High Nature Value farming in post-transitional settings. A comparative analysis of three Slovenian social-ecological systems Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-05-22 Ilona Rac; Luka Juvančič; Emil Erjavec
The main research challenge of this paper is to gain a better understanding of collective action to preserve High Nature Value (HNV) farming in the specific setting of post-transitional EU Member States of Central and Eastern Europe, which we explore using Slovenia as a model country. We apply the Social-ecological Systems (SES) framework and combine participatory and action research in considering
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A preliminary assessment of bacteria in “ranched” ball pythons (Python regius), Togo, West Africa Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-05-13 Neil D'Cruze; Jodie Bates; Délagnon Assou; Delphine Ronfot; Emma Coulthard; Gabriel Hoinsoudé Segniagbeto; Mark Auliya; David Megson; Jennifer Rowntree
Captive reptiles are routinely identified as reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and reports of reptile-associated infections relating to some species are well documented (e.g., salmonellosis). Currently, relatively little is known about the epidemiology and bacteria of ball pythons. We carried out a survey of ball python farms in Togo, West Africa to assess the presence of any potentially pathogenic
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Snake oil and pangolin scales: insights into wild animal use at “Marché des Fétiches” traditional medicine market, Togo Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-05-11 Neil D'Cruze; Délagnon Assou; Emma Coulthard; John Norrey; David Megson; David W. Macdonald; Lauren A. Harrington; Delphine Ronfot; Gabriel H. Segniagbeto; Mark Auliya
Traditional medicine beliefs are culturally important in some West African communities, where there is a thriving domestic consumer demand for wild animal derivatives. Yet, such practices can threaten the conservation of wild populations and negatively impact animal welfare. To identify those species most likely to be affected, we investigated wildlife derivative trade at the largest fetish market
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Transformative learning and grassroots climate adaptation: case studies in Vietnam’s Mekong delta Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-05-04 Nguyen Minh Quang; Joop de Wit
This paper aims to understand how T-learning helps communities achieve better sustainability outcomes. On the basis of an intensive literature review and field research conducted in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, the paper proposes a substantial linkage between T-learning and sustainability. It first outlines the environmental changes in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, which appear to serve as “disorienting
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Use of underpasses by animals on a fenced expressway in a suburban area in western Poland Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-04-24 Agnieszka Ważna; Agnieszka Kaźmierczak; Jan Cichocki; Jacek Bojarski; Grzegorz Gabryś
Expressways act as barriers to animals that block free movement in their habitats, especially when the roads are continuously fenced to prevent collisions between animals and vehicles. Various types of animal passages have been repeatedly studied in terms of their utility, albeit rather less frequently in the suburban environment. We conducted our research in a section of the fenced expressway S3 connecting
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Rocky pine forests in the High Coast Region in Sweden: structure, dynamics and history Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-03-27 Jennie Sandström; Mattias Edman; Bengt Gunnar Jonsson
Almost all forests in Sweden are managed and only a small fraction are considered natural. One exception is low productive forests where, due to their limited economical value, natural dynamics still dominate. One example is the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests occurring on rocky and nutrient-poor hilltops. Although these forests represent a regionally common forest type with a high degree
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Environmental stress in Parnassius apollo reflected through wing geometric morphometrics in a historical collection with a possible connection to habitat degradation Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-03-18 Martin Štefánik; Peter Fedor
Monitoring climate changes and habitat degradation in threatened species without negative impact to the populations can pose a considerable challenge. A rare chance to test the morphological response of wing shape and size to environmental factors on the mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo) collected from 1938 to 1968 at a single location – Strečno mountain pass, N Slovakia presented itself in a historical
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Do both habitat and species diversity provide cultural ecosystem services? A trial using geo-tagged photos Nat. Conserv. (IF 1.58) Pub Date : 2020-03-18 Takeshi Osawa; Yusuke Ueno; Takaaki Nishida; Jun Nishihiro
Conservation for both biodiversity and ecosystem services are an important issue worldwide. However, knowledge of their relationship remains limited. As habitat structure is strongly related to regional biodiversity, we studied cultural ecosystem services by using habitat structure as a proxy for biodiversity. Specifically, we used human preference, assessed by using photos with location information
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