Fertilizer trees, the nitrogen-fixing legumes, such as gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) and tephrosia (Tephrosia spp.) have been used to improve soil fertility for higher crop yields in nitrogen deficient soils. Many studies have focused on how these fertilizer trees improve maize yield, but there has been a dearth of information on the effect of fertilizer tree species on cotton growth and yield. A study was undertaken for two cropping seasons (2012/13 and 2013/14) with the objective of assessing IRM 81 cotton growth and yield responses to tephrosia and/or gliricidia biomass with or without inorganic fertilizer application. Boll opening significantly varied (P < 0.0001) with treatments and early boll opening was observed in plots where only inorganic fertilizer was applied. Higher lint yield (mean of 1397 kg/ha) was obtained in the second cropping season than in the first cropping season (480 kg/ha) and the application of gliricidia biomass with fertilizer gave the highest lint yield (2121 kg/ha). The lowest lint and seed yields were obtained from plots where tephrosia biomass only was applied. It is concluded that the use of gliricidia biomass with inorganic fertilizer improved cotton yields. The high amount of gliricidia biomass (due to prolific coppicing) applied contributed to higher cotton lint yields with reduced rates of inorganic fertilizer application, making gliricidia-cotton intercropping a cost-effective option to smallholder farmers.

The influence of tree and stand variables, debarking intensity, and precipitation on the caliper of cork produced by a tree and on the evolution of cork caliper between consecutive cork extractions was researched. A total of 370 cork samples were collected in 23 permanent plots distributed across the cork production area in Portugal, covering a period from 1984 to 2010. Cork growth was evaluated using the cork growth index (cgi), defined as the radial width of the first eight complete years of cork growth after stripping. The differences in mean cgi at plot level between two consecutive cork growth periods (cgp) were assessed using nonparametric tests. A mixed model approach was used due to the nested structure of the data for modelling cgi value at tree level. The cgi of two consecutive cork extractions is linearly related at tree level. At plot level, the mean value of cgi decreased in 5 out of the 23 plots and increased in 2 plots for α = 0.05. The number of debarked branches and the variation of precipitation between two cgp were the variables that explained the largest part of the cgi evolution. However, significance of plot random parameters indicates that other variables are involved in the tree cgi evolution, pointing out to the need of further research. Tree size and precipitation during the cgp are related to the individual tree cgi. The effect of increasing stand density and debarking intensity on cork growth was not clear. Long term research based on permanent plot measurements and research trials is needed to clarify the impact of tree competition and debarking intensity.

Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry systems has attracted worldwide attention following the recognition of agroforestry as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. However, little is known about carbon stocks in poplar–maize intercropping systems in arid regions of China. This study was conducted in the temperate desert region of northwestern China, a region with large area of poplar–maize intercropping systems. The objective of this study was to assess biomass production and carbon stock under three poplar–maize intercropping systems (configuration A, 177 trees ha−1; configuration B, 231 trees ha−1; and configuration C, 269 trees ha−1). We observed a significant difference in the carbon stock of poplar trees between the three configurations, with the highest value of 36.46 t ha−1 in configuration C. The highest carbon stock of maize was achieved in configuration B, which was significantly higher than configuration A. The grain yield was highest in configuration A, but there was no significant difference from the other two configurations. In the soil system (0–100 cm depth), the total carbon stock was highest in configuration C (77.37 t ha−1). The results of this study suggest that configuration C is the optimum agroforestry system in terms of both economic benefits and carbon sequestration.

Carpotroche brasiliensis is a dioecious tree species native of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. Due to medical and industrial use of the oil extracted from its seeds, C. brasiliensis has a great potential for cultivation as non-timber forest product in agroforestry systems. This study was conducted with the objective to analyze the leaf dimensions of male and female adult trees and seedlings of C. brasiliensis. Two hypotheses were tested: (a) leaf dimensions do not differ between male and female adult genotypes; and (b) it is possible to develop single regression models for predicting leaf area (LA) from dimensional variables encompassing male and female adult genotypes and seedlings. LA, leaf length (L) and maximum leaf width (W) were measured in leaves collected from seven male and seven female adult genotypes and three seedling lots. The feasibility of using a single model for leaves of males and females, and seedlings and adults, was tested by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The prediction errors (PE) for each of the regression models were calculated from the cross-validation method. The average values of L, W and LA were, respectively, 136, 142 and 457 % higher in adults than in seedlings, and the average values of leaf shapes (L:W) of seedlings were intermediate between the average values of L:W of adult males and females. The average values of L did not differ between adult males and females, but significant differences were observed between males and females for W, LA and L:W (both p < 0.01, nested ANOVA). The mean L:W values of adult males and females, and seedlings, indicate that leaf shape should be used as a criterion for sex differentiation in this species. It was not possible to develop single models encompassing adult males and females, and seedlings; but high accurate predictive models of LA from L × W measurements were developed for adult males (R2 = 0.98, PE = 0.69, n = 350), adult females (R2 = 0.98, PE = 0.01, n = 350), and seedlings (R2 = 0.99, PE = 6.80, n = 150).

Coral reefs of the world face rapid degradation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and marine protected areas (MPAs) are a commonly applied solution. Nevertheless, coral reefs continue to decline worldwide, raising questions about the adequacy of management and protection efforts. We argue that expanding the range of MPA targets to also include degraded reefs (i.e. 'DR-MPA'), could help reverse this trend. This approach requires new ecological criteria for MPA design, siting, and management. Rather than focusing solely on preserving healthy reefs, the proposed approach focuses on the potential for biodiversity recovery and renewal of ecosystem services. The new criteria highlight sites with the highest potential for recovery, the greatest resistance to future threats (e.g., temperature and acidification) and the largest contribution to connectivity of MPA networks. The DR-MPA approach is not a substitute for traditional MPA selection criteria; it is rather a complimentary framework when traditional approaches are inadequate. We believe that the DR-MPA approach can help to: 1. Enhance the natural, or restoration-assisted, recovery of degraded reefs and their ecosystem services, 2. Increase the total reef area available for protection, 3. Promote more resilient and better-connected MPA networks, and 4. More effectively contribute to improved conditions for human communities dependent on these ecosystem services.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

The North Atlantic right whale (NARW) (Eubalaena glacialis) is one of the world's most threatened whales. It came close to extinction after nearly a millennium of exploitation and currently persists as a population of only approximately 500 individuals. Setting appropriate conservation targets for this species requires an understanding of its historical population size, as a baseline for measuring levels of depletion and progress toward recovery. This is made difficult by the scarcity of records over this species’ long whaling history. We sought to estimate the preexploitation population size of the North Atlantic right whale and understand how this species was distributed across its range. We used a spatially explicit data set on historical catches of North Pacific right whales (NPRWs) (Eubalaena japonica) to model the relationship between right whale relative density and the environment during the summer feeding season. Assuming the 2 right whale species select similar environments, we projected this model to the North Atlantic to predict how the relative abundance of NARWs varied across their range. We calibrated these relative abundances with estimates of the NPRW total prewhaling population size to obtain high and low estimates for the overall NARW population size prior to exploitation. The model predicted 9,075–21,328 right whales in the North Atlantic. The current NARW population is thus <6% of the historical North Atlantic carrying capacity and has enormous potential for recovery. According to the model, in June–September NARWs concentrated in 2 main feeding areas: east of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and in the Norwegian Sea. These 2 areas may become important in the future as feeding grounds and may already be used more regularly by this endangered species than is thought.

Una Estimación Espacialmente Explícita de la Abundancia Previa a la Caza de la Ballena Franca del Atlántico Norte en Peligro de Extinción

La ballena franca del Atlántico Norte (BFAN) (Eubalaena glacialis) es una de las ballenas más amenazadas del mundo. Su extinción estuvo próxima después de casi un milenio de explotación y actualmente persiste una población de aproximadamente 500 individuos. El establecimiento de objetivos de conservación apropiados para esta especie requiere del entendimiento del tamaño histórico de la población como la línea base para la medida de los niveles de disminución y el progreso hacia la recuperación. Esto se dificulta por la escasez de registros sobre la larga historia de la caza de esta especie. Buscamos estimar el tamaño poblacional previo a la explotación de la ballena franca del Atlántico Norte y entender cómo se distribuía esta especie a lo largo de su extensión. Usamos un conjunto de datos espacialmente explícitos sobre las capturas históricas de las ballenas francas del Pacífico Norte (BFPN) (Eubalaena japonica) para modelar la relación entre la densidad relativa de ballenas francas y el ambiente durante la temporada de verano de alimentación. Cuando asumimos que las dos especies de ballenas francas seleccionan ambientes similares, pudimos proyectar este modelo hacia el Atlántico Norte y así poder predecir cómo la abundancia relativa de las BFAN varió a lo largo de su extensión. Calibramos estas abundancias relativas con los estimados del tamaño poblacional total previo a la caza de las BFPN y así obtener estimados altos y bajos para el tamaño poblacional general de las BFAN previo a la explotación. El modelo predijo la existencia de 9, 075 – 21, 328 ballenas francas en el Atlántico Norte. La población actual de BFAN es entonces <6 % a la capacidad de carga histórica del Atlántico Norte, por lo que tiene un potencial enorme para la recuperación. De acuerdo al modelo, entre junio y septiembre, las BFAN se concentraron en dos áreas de alimentación principales: al este de los Grandes Bancos de Terranova y en el Mar de Noruega. Estas dos áreas pueden volverse importantes en el futuro como sitios de alimentación y puede que ya sean usadas por esta especie de manera más regular de lo que se cree.

Adaptations for foraging in the complex airspaces of forest interiors may make bat species in the Asian tropics particularly susceptible to forest loss. However, ecomorphological analysis of Vietnamese bat assemblages challenges the hypothesis that, due to their greater vagility, cave-roosting bats are less vulnerable to habitat fragmentation than foliage-roosting species. Of the 13 most highly adapted forest-interior species in our study, eight were cave-roosting members of the Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae and had wing morphologies closely resembling five foliage-roosting members of the Murininae and Kerivoulinae—species typically thought to have low vagility. Overall, both cave-roosting and foliage-roosting bats exhibited a wide range of flight indices and species' wing designs corresponded with preferred foraging habitats, suggesting that foraging strategy may outweigh roost preference as a determinant of bat wing morphology and flight performance. Consequently, where such variation occurs, cave-roosting bat ensembles are likely to include species with low vagility and similar sensitivity to habitat fragmentation. This could have important conservation implications as Asian karst formations support high cave densities and important bat diversity yet increasingly represent forest refugia in anthropogenic landscapes. We, therefore, advocate greater consideration of species vagility in determining conservation priorities for the region's bat fauna.

Sự thích nghi với việc kiếm ăn dưới những tán rừng rậm rạp có thể khiến cho những loài dơi chuyên sống trong những cánh rừng nhiệt đới ở Châu Á rất dễ bị tổn thương trước tình trạng mất rừng. Khi môi trường sống bị chia cắt, giả thuyết đặt ra là các loài dơi chuyên làm tổ dưới tán rừng được xem có tính linh hoạt thấp hơn sẽ dễ bị tác động hơn so với những loài dơi chuyên làm tổ trong hang động, song kết quả phân tích về hình thái sinh thái của nhiều loài dơi ở Việt Nam lại cho kết quả không giống vậy. Trong số 13 loài dơi chuyên kiếm ăn dưới tán rừng được nghiên cứu, tám loài thuộc hai họ Rhinolophidae và Hipposideridae làm tổ trong hang động và có hình thái cánh tương tự với những loài chuyên làm tổ dưới tán cây thuộc hai phân họ Murininae và Kerivoulinae—những loài điển hình có tính linh hoạt thấp. Nhìn chung, các loài dơi làm tổ trong hang động hay dưới tán rừng đều có khoảng chỉ số bay và cấu tạo cánh thay đổi, phù hợp với nơi kiếm ăn ưa thích, nên cách thức kiếm ăn có lẽ đóng vai trò quan trọng hơn nơi làm tổ trong việc tạo hình cánh và phương thức bay của các loài dơi. Sự hiện diện của những điều kể trên cho thấy các đàn dơi làm tổ trong hang động có thể bao gồm những loài có tính linh hoạt thấp và cũng dễ bị tổn thương khi môi trường sống bị chia cắt. Thông tin này có ý nghĩa quan trọng trong công tác bảo tồn bởi vì các khu vực có kiến tạo đá vôi ở Châu Á không chỉ có nhiều hang động và chứa đựng mức độ đa dạng dơi cao mà còn đóng vai trò là nơi trú ngụ còn sót lại của nhiều loài sống trong rừng tại những cảnh quan chịu sự tác động của con người. Do vậy, chúng tôi khuyến nghị cần phải tập trung nhiều hơn vào sự linh động của loài khi xác định những thứ tự ưu tiên bảo tồn đối với các loài dơi trong khu vực.

A growing body of literature has demonstrated significant biodiversity losses for many taxa when forest is converted to oil palm. However, no studies have directly investigated changes to biodiversity throughout the oil palm life cycle, in which oil palm matures for 25–30 yr before replanting. This process leads to major changes in the oil palm landscape that likely influence species assemblages and ecosystem function. We compare frog assemblages between mature (21–27-yr old) and recently replanted (1–2-yr old) oil palm in Sumatra, Indonesia. Across eighteen 2.25-ha oil palm plots, we found 719 frogs from 14 species. Frog richness was 31 percent lower in replanted oil palm (nine species) than mature oil palm (13 species). Total frog abundance was 47 percent lower in replanted oil palm, and frog assemblage composition differed significantly between the two ages of oil palm. The majority of frog species were disturbance-tolerant, although we encountered four forest-associated frog species within mature oil palm despite a distance of 28 km between our study sites and the nearest extensive tract of forest. Although it is clear that protection of forest is of paramount importance for the conservation of tropical fauna, our results indicate that management decisions within tropical agricultural landscapes also have a profound impact on biodiversity. Practices such as staggered replanting or maintenance of connectivity among mature oil palm patches could help maintain frog diversity in the oil palm landscape.

Semakin banyak publikasi (tulisan ilmiah) yang menyebutkan bahwa terjadi kehilangan biodiversitas yang nyata, ketika hutan dikonversi menjadi perkebunan kelapa sawit. Namun belum ada studi yang langsung ditujukan untuk meneliti perubahan biodiversitas sepanjang siklus hidup kelapa sawit, yakni selama periode 25–30 tahun sebelum akhirnya kelapa sawit tersebut dilakukan penanaman ulang (replanting). Proses tersebut akan mengakibatkan perubahan besar tata ruang di dalam perkebunan kelapa sawit yang mungkin akan mempengaruhi keragaman jenis organisme dan fungsi dari ekosistem. Kami membandingkan keragaman katak pada areal kelapa sawit menghasilkan (TM) (umur 21–27 tahun) dengan areal kelapa sawit yang belum menghasilkan (TBM) bekas tanam ulang (ex replanting) (umur 1–2 tahun) di Sumatra, Indonesia. Dari pengamatan yang dilakukan pada 18 petak pengamatan, masing-masing seluas 2.25 ha kelapa sawit, kami menemukan 719 ekor katak dari 14 jenis katak. Kekayaan jenis katak 31 persen lebih rendah pada areal kelapa sawit TBM bekas tanam ulang (9 jenis) dibandingkan dengan pada areal kelapa sawit TM (13 jenis). Total kelimpahan jenis katak 47 persen lebih rendah pada areal tanaman kelapa sawit TBM bekas tanam ulang, dan komposisi kumpulan katak berbeda nyata antara kedua lokasi pengamatan tersebut. Sebagian besar jenis katak tersebut adalah jenis yang toleran terhadap gangguan lingkungan. Walaupun demikian, kami juga menjumpai 4 jenis katak yang berasosiasi dengan habitat hutan, di dalam areal kelapa sawit TM, meskipun jarak antara tempat studi kami dengan hamparan hutan terdekat minimum 28 km. Walaupun jelas bahwa perlindungan hutan adalah hal yang paling penting untuk melindungi keberadaan binatang (fauna) di daerah tropis, namun hasil penelitian kami menunjukkan bahwa keputusan pengelolaan tata ruang pertanian juga dapat memberikan dampak yang besar di dalam biodiversitas fauna tersebut. Praktek pengelolaan perkebunan seperti pengaturan giliran tanam ulang atau perbedaan panjang masa produksi kelapa sawit dapat membantu pengelolaan diversitas katak di dalam perkebunan kelapa sawit.

The mobility and dispersal of organisms affect population genetics and dynamics, and consequently affect persistence and the risk of extinction. Thus, it is important to understand how organisms move in the fragmented landscapes in order to manage populations and predict the effects of habitat changes on species persistence. This study evaluated the functional connectivity of an orchid bee (Eulaema atleticana Nemésio, 2009) with a high fidelity to forest habitats in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Corridor by analyzing genetic diversity, spatial genetic structure, and gene flow estimated from microsatellite and mitochondrial markers. Genetic diversity was not correlated with area of the forest fragments, or with forest isolation. At the mosaic scale, Eulaema atleticana showed no significant or low genetic differentiation, indicating genetic homogeneity among forest fragments. A previous field study indicated that Eulaema atleticana was one of the most sensitive Euglossina bees to forest fragmentation but the present molecular analyses demonstrates that current gene flow is sufficient to maintain genetic variability at the mosaic scale.

A mobilidade e dispersão dos organismos afetam a genética e a dinâmica de população e, consequentemente, afeta a persistência e o risco de extinção local e regional. Assim, é importante entender como os organismos estão se movimentando na paisagem fragmentada quando se pretende manejar populações e prever os efeitos de mudanças ambientais na persistência das espécies. Este estudo avaliou a conectividade funcional de uma espécie de abelhas das orquídeas (Eulaema atleticana Nemésio, 2009) com alta fidelidade ao habitat florestado no Corredor Central da Mata Atlântica, através da análise da diversidade genética, da estruturação genética e do fluxo gênico estimados a partir de marcadores microssatélites e mitocondriais. A diversidade genética não apresentou correlação com área do fragmento, bem como com medidas de isolamento do fragmento. Na escala do mosaico, Eulaema atleticana apresentou diferenciação genética não significativa ou muito pequena, indicando homogeneidade genética entre os fragmentos de floresta. Em estudos prévios, Eulaema atleticana mostrou ser uma das espécies de abelhas Euglossina mais sensíveis à fragmentação, em contrapartida, o presente estudo demonstra que fluxo gênico corrente é suficiente para manter a variabilidade genética na escala do mosaico.

The wildlife trade is a lucrative industry involving thousands of animal and plant species. The increasing use of the internet for both legal and illegal wildlife trade is well documented but there is evidence that trade may be emerging on new online technologies such as social media. We carry out the first systematic survey of trade on an international social-media website, using the orchid trade as a case study. We analyzed an online community consisting of 150 orchid focused groups on a large social media website, using social network analysis. Closely linked communities were found reflecting language groups, with most trade occurring in a community of English-speaking and Southeast Asian groups. In addition we randomly sampled 30 groups to assess the prevalence of trade in cultivated and wild plants. We found that 8.9% of posts contained trade, 22–46% of which was in wild-collected orchids. Although total numbers of trade posts are relatively small, the high proportion of wild plants for sale supports calls for better monitoring of social media for trade in wild-collected plants.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Many conservation actions are justified on the basis of managing biodiversity. Biodiversity, in terms of species richness is largely the product of rare species. This is problematic because the intensity of sampling needed to characterise communities, patterns of rarity or justify the use of surrogates has biased sampling in favour of space over time. However, environmental fluctuations interacting with community dynamics leads to temporal variations in where and when species occur, potentially affecting conservation planning by generating uncertainty about results of species distribution modelling (including range determinations), selection of surrogates for biodiversity and the proportion of biodiversity comprised of rare species. To have confidence in the evidence base for conservation actions we must consider whether temporal replication is necessary to produce broad inferences. Using c 20 years macrofaunal data from tidal flats in two harbours, we explored variation in the identity of rare, common, restricted-range and widespread species over time and space. Over time, rare taxa were more likely to increase in abundance or occurrence than to remain rare or disappear, and to exhibit temporal patterns. Space-time congruency in ranges (i.e., spatially widespread taxa were also temporally widespread) was only observed where samples were collected across an environmental gradient. 15% of the taxa in both harbours changed over time from being spatially restricted range to widespread. Our findings suggest rare species can provide stability against environmental change, as the majority are not random transients, but that selection of biodiversity surrogates requires temporal validation. Importantly, rarity needs to be considered both spatially and temporally, with species that occur randomly over time likely to play a different role in ecosystem functioning than those exhibiting temporal structure (e.g., seasonality). Moreover, the presence of temporal structure would offer the opportunity to place management and conservation activities within windows of maximum opportunity.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

We examined the associations between geography, biodiversity, national spending on conservation, governance and cultural traits. Cultural traits and social metrics of modernization correlate positively with national spending on conservation. Further, we show the global distribution of this spending culture is poorly aligned with the distribution of biodiversity. Specifically, biodiversity increases towards the tropics where cultures tend to spend less on conservation, and have higher collectivism, formalized and hierarchical leadership, and weaker governance. Consequently, nations lacking social traits frequently associated with modernization, environmentalism, and conservation spending have the largest component of the Earth's biodiversity. This has significant implications for setting policies and priorities for resource management given that biological diversity is rapidly disappearing and cultural traits change slowly. Therefore, we suggest that natural resource management adapt to and utilize characteristics of existing social organization rather than wait for or promote social values associated with conservation spending. Supporting bio-cultural traditions, engaging leaders to increase conservation commitments, cross-national efforts that complement attributes of cultures, and avoiding interference with nature may work best to conserve nature in collective and hierarchical societies. Spending in modernized nations may be a symbolic response to a symptom of economic development and environmental degradation, and must therefore, be accountable for conservation impact.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Conservation actions need to be prioritised, often taking into account species’ extinction risk. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List provides an accepted objective framework for the assessment of extinction risk, but field data to apply the IUCN Red List criteria are often limited. Information collected through remote sensing can inform these assessments, and forests are perhaps the best-studied habitat type for use in this approach. Using an open-access 30 m resolution map of tree cover and its change between 2000 and 2012, the extent of forest cover and loss within the distributions of 11,186 forest-dependent amphibians, birds and mammals worldwide was assessed. Sixteen species have experienced sufficiently high rates of forest loss to be considered at elevated extinction risk under Red List criterion A, owing to inferred rapid population declines. This number would increase to 23 if data deficient species (i.e., those with insufficient information previously to apply the Red List criteria) were included. Some 484 species (855 if data deficient species are included) may be considered at elevated extinction risk under Red List criterion B2, owing to restricted areas of occupancy resulting from little forest cover remaining within their ranges. This would increase the proportion of species of conservation concern by 32.8% for amphibians, 15.1% for birds and 24.7% for mammals. Central America, the Northern Andes, Madagascar, the Eastern Arc forests in Africa and the islands of South-East Asia are hotspots for these species. The analyses illustrate the utility of satellite imagery for global extinction risk assessment and measurement of progress towards international environmental agreement targets. We highlight areas for which subsequent analyses could be performed on satellite image data in order to improve our knowledge of extinction risk of species.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

The use and importance of reintroduction as a conservation tool to return a species to its historical range from which it has been extirpated will increase as climate change and human development accelerate habitat loss and population extinctions. Although the number of reintroduction attempts has increased rapidly over the past 2 decades, the success rate is generally low. As a result of population differences in fitness-related traits and divergent responses to environmental stresses, population performance upon reintroduction is highly variable, and it is generally agreed that selecting an appropriate source population is a critical component of a successful reintroduction. Conservation genomics is an emerging field that addresses long-standing challenges in conservation, and the potential for using novel molecular genetic approaches to inform and improve conservation efforts is high. Because the successful establishment and persistence of reintroduced populations is highly dependent on the functional genetic variation and environmental stress tolerance of the source population, we propose the application of conservation genomics and transcriptomics to guide reintroduction practices. Specifically, we propose using genome-wide functional loci to estimate genetic variation of source populations. This estimate can then be used to predict the potential for adaptation. We also propose using transcriptional profiling to measure the expression response of fitness-related genes to environmental stresses as a proxy for acclimation (tolerance) capacity. Appropriate application of conservation genomics and transcriptomics has the potential to dramatically enhance reintroduction success in a time of rapidly declining biodiversity and accelerating environmental change.

El Papel de la Genómica y los Transcriptomas en la Selección de Poblaciones Fuente para Reintroducción

El uso y la importancia de la reintroducción como herramienta de conservación para regresar a las especies a su extensión histórica de la que han sido extirpadas incrementarán conforme el cambio climático y los establecimientos humanos aceleren la pérdida de hábitat y la extinción de poblaciones. Aunque el número de intentos de reintroducción ha incrementado en las últimas dos décadas, la tasa de éxitos es generalmente baja. Como resultado de las diferencias poblacionales en los caracteres relacionados con la adecuación y las respuestas divergentes a los estreses ambientales, el desempeño poblacional tras la reintroducción es altamente variable y es un acuerdo general que la selección de una población fuente adecuada es un componente crítico de la reintroducción exitosa. La genómica de la conservación es un campo emergente que se enfoca en los retos de larga duración que enfrenta la conservación. El potencial para utilizar estrategias novedosas de genética molecular para informar y mejorar los esfuerzos de conservación es alto. Ya que el establecimiento exitoso y la persistencia de las poblaciones reintroducidas es altamente dependiente de la variación genética funcional y la tolerancia al estrés ambiental de la población fuente, proponemos la aplicación de la genómica de la conservación y los transcriptomas para guiar las prácticas de reintroducción. Específicamente, proponemos usar loci funcionales a nivel genoma para estimar la variación genética de las poblaciones fuente. Este estimado puede usarse para predecir el potencial de adaptación de la población. También proponemos usar evaluaciones por perfiles de transcripción para medir la respuesta de expresión a los estreses ambientales de los genes relacionados con la adecuación como sustitutos de la capacidad de aclimatación (tolerancia). La aplicación adecuada de la genómica de la conservación y los transcriptomas tiene el potencial de mejorar dramáticamente el éxito de reintroducción en tiempos de declinación crítica de la biodiversidad y de cambios ambientales acelerados.

We measured the terminal velocity of helicopter-like fruit from the Dipterocarpaceae family and present a model predicting the terminal velocities for all dipterocarp species in the Malesiana region. A ballistic model of seed dispersal using the observed terminal velocities predicted dispersal distances of 17–77 m under normal atmospheric conditions. These data are of applied use in parametizing models of species coexistence, forest regeneration and habitat connectivity in Southeast Asian tropical forests.

Kami telah melakukan pengiraan untuk menguji halaju terminal (terminal velocity) pada buah dari keluarga Dipterocarpaceae di Malaysia dan membentangan kertas kerja ini bagi tujuan untuk menunjukkan keputusan yang telah diperolehi. Dengan menggunakan Model Ballistik, penyebaran biji melalui pemerhatian halaju terminal (terminal velocitiy), penyebaran biji mampu dilakukan pada jarak 17m hingga 77m dalam keadaan cuaca yang normal. Data-data yang dihasilkan dari penelitian ini dapat digunakan untuk menguji “species coexistence”, pertumbuhan semula hutan dan pertalian habitat (habitat connectivity) Hutan Tropika di Asia Tenggara.

The contribution of the legume community to the nitrogen cycle during natural forest regeneration remains poorly understood. We systematically assessed the changes in abundance and nodulation status of all legumes, across taxa and plant types, in a forest succession gradient in the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our results clearly show that symbiotic N2 fixation is downregulated during late successional stages.

La contribution de la communauté des légumineuses au cycle d'azote dans la régénération des forêts naturelles reste mal comprise. Nous avons systématiquement évalué les changements dans l'abondance et l’état de la nodulation de toutes les légumineuses, de différents taxons et types végétales, dans un gradient de succession dans la province Equateur en RD Congo. Nos résultats montrent clairement que la fixation symbiotique de N2 est régulée à la baisse dans les étapes ultérieures de succession.

The relationships between floristic patterns and environmental variation in tropical savannas have been the focus of many studies worldwide. However, important aspects of these relationships, such as the role of geographic distance in structuring plant communities, have received little attention. We investigated the individual and combined influences of substrate, climatic, and spatial factors on the floristic-structural dissimilarity between two savanna physiognomies in the core region of Brazilian savannas: one on plain relief with deep soils and another on steep relief with shallow rocky soils. Ten 1-ha plots were sampled in each physiognomy. We modeled species abundance using multiple linear models and variance partitioning. Our results indicated that spatial processes that are intrinsically related to species variation have negligible effects on floristic variation. The most important predictors in our models were related to soil characteristics (mainly nutrient availability) and topography (relief and elevation). Consequently, the substrate component exhibited the greatest power (14%) in explaining the floristic-structural variation in the overall variance partitioning. Our results provide the first demonstration of the individual and combined contributions of substrate, climatic, and spatial factors to the occurrence and abundance of woody species in the most diverse and threatened savanna in the world. We also provide evidence that neutral processes might not be strong predictors of vegetation structure where savanna substrates differ greatly; instead, community structure may be primarily regulated by environmental filters.

A relação entre padrões florísticos e variação ambiental tem sido amplamente investigada nas savanas tropicais. Contudo, importantes aspectos dessa relação foram pobremente estudados, como o papel da distância geográfica na estruturação de comunidades de plantas. Aqui, nós investigamos a influência concomitante e individual de fatores edáficos, climáticos e espaciais sobre a dissimilaridade florístico-estrutural entre duas fitofisionomias savânicas do Cerrado (cada uma com 10 amostras de 1 ha): uma sobre relevo plano e solos profundos e outra sobre relevo íngreme e solos rasos com afloramentos de rocha. Nós modelamos os padrões de abundância das espécies usando regressões lineares múltiplas e partição de variância. Nossos resultados indicaram que processos espaciais que são intrinsecamente relacionados à variação das espécies tem influência desprezível sobre a variação florística. Nos nossos modelos, os mais importantes preditores foram relacionados aos solos (principalmente disponibilidade de nutrientes) e à topografia (relevo e altitude). Consequentemente, o componente edáfico explicou a maioria (14%) da variação florístico-estrutural na partição de variância como um todo. Nossos resultados tornaram claro, pela primeira vez para a mais diversa e ameaçada savana do mundo, a contribuição concomitante e individual de fatores edáficos, climáticos e espaciais para os padrões de ocorrência e de abundância de espécies lenhosas; além disso, nós fornecemos evidências de que quando os substratos são muito diferentes, processos neutros não podem ser um forte preditor nas savanas; em vez disso, a regulação da estrutura da comunidade pode ser primariamente atribuída a filtros ambientais.

Few studies have successfully monitored community-wide phenological patterns in seasonally flooded Amazonian várzea forests, where a prolonged annual flood pulse arguably generates the greatest degree of seasonality of any low-latitude ecosystem on Earth. We monitored the vegetative and reproductive plant phenology of várzea (VZ) floodplain and adjacent terra firme (TF) forests within two contiguous protected areas in western Brazilian Amazonia, using three complementary methods: monthly canopy observations of 1056 individuals (TF: 556, VZ: 500), twice monthly collections from 0.5-m2 litterfall traps within two 100-ha plots (1 TF, 1 VZ; 96 traps per plot), and monthly ground surveys of residual fruit-fall along transect-grids within each 100-ha plot (12 km per plot). Surveys encompassed the entire annual flood cycle and employed a floating trap design to cope with fluctuating water levels. Phenology patterns were generally similar in both forest types. Leaffall peaked during the aquatic phase in várzea forest and the dry season in terra firme. Flowering typically followed leaffall and leaf flush, extending into the onset of the terrestrial phase and rainy season in várzea and terra firme, respectively. Abiotic seed dispersal modes were relatively more prevalent in várzea than terra firme; the main contrast in fruiting seasonality was more likely a result of differences in community composition and relative abundance of seed dispersal modes than differences within individual genera. We emphasize the difficulty in distinguishing the role of the flood pulse from other seasonal environmental variables without multiannual data or spatially replicated studies across the spectrum of Amazonian forest types.

Poucos estudos monitoraram com sucesso a fenologia de toda a comunidade de plantas em florestas de várzea na Amazônia, onde um pulso anual de inundação bastante prolongado gera um dos padrões de sazonalidade mais intensos em quaisquer ecossistemas terrestres de baixa latitude. Nós monitoramos a fenologia vegetativa e reprodutiva de plantas lenhosas em florestas de várzea (VZ) e terra firme (TF) em duas áreas protegidas contíguas na Amazônia brasileira ocidental, através de três métodos complementares: observações mensais das copas de 1.056 árvores e cipós lenhosos (TF: 556, VZ: 500), coletas quinzenais através de armadilhas de serapilheira (0,5 m2) inseridas em duas parcelas de 100-ha (1 TF, 1 VZ, 96 armadilhas por parcela), e levantamentos mensais da queda residual de frutos no solo ao longo de uma grade de transectos dentro de cada parcela de 100-ha (12 km por parcela). Estas abordagens abrangeram todo o ciclo anual de inundação, empregando um desenho inovador de armadilhas flutuantes para lidar com as flutuações no nível da água. Os padrões fenológicos destes tipos de florestas geralmente se semelharam. A queda de folhas atingiu um pico durante a fase aquática na floresta de várzea, enaquanto que na terra firme isto occoreu na época seca. As florações tipicamente seguiram a queda de folhas maduras e o rebrotamento de folhas novas, estendendo-se até o início da fase terrestre e a estação chuvosa na várzea e terra firme, respectivamente. Modos abióticos de dispersão de sementes foram mais predominantes na várzea do que na terra firme; o principal contraste na sazonalidade de frutos entre os dois tipos florestais provavelmente resulta de diferenças na composição florística do que diferenças entre populações no mesmo gênero. Destacamos a dificuldade em distinguir o papel do pulso anual de inundação de outras variáveis ambientais sazonais na ausência de dados supra-anuais ou estudos replicados espacialmente em todo o espectro de tipos de floresta na Amazônia.