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The First Five Years In 1998 Animal Conservation was launched to provide a new forum for rapid publication of scientifically rigorous studies of conservation biology. It was hoped that articles would draw from a variety of disciplines, ranging from genetics to population biology to behavioural ecology to palaeobiology. Five years on, it is hard to believe that the editorial that accompanied the first issue felt the need to remind people that conservation biology had indeed come of age as a mainstream biological science. The subject is widely taught at universities, fills about a dozen excellent textbooks, and underpins our understanding of a wide variety of high-profile problems from impacts of climate change to loss of biodiversity and management of endangered species and habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities are one of the main threats to species living in human‐dominated landscapes and can promote behavioral changes in birds. This paper presents a novel approach to test how a migratory species responds to habitat alterations occurring in nesting territories during winter, when the species is absent. From 2000 to 2016, we collated territory and nest monitoring data for the endangered Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus in the north of Spain, to test the effects of overwinter habitat alterations (OHA) around breeding territories on the species reproductive output. We monitored 70 different nest sites and observed OHA around the nesting area in 39 cases. Probability of switching to another nesting site almost tripled after OHA. Pairs that switched experienced substantially decreased breeding success and avoided reusing the nest for 4.8 ± 4.64 years. The presence of determinate landscape elements that provide screening, such as forest patches, increased nest reoccupancy probability after OHA by more than 0.3, to 0. 55 (compared to 0.24 when no screening was present). We also found that the distance and the situation of the OHA were critical factors explaining reproduction probabilities at nest sites. Our results demonstrate how OHA can strongly impact the breeding behavior of long‐lived species. This highlights the need to examine the long‐term impact of OHA rather than focusing only on disturbances during sensitive periods, as is often the case with habitual mitigation measures. Anthropogenic activities are one of the main threats to species living in human‐dominated landscapes and can promote behavioural changes in birds. We found that overwinter habitat alterations (OHA), mainly forestry activities, around the nest sites increase habitual nest abandonment probability respecting to those which did not suffer OHA and, in a second step, the situation of OHA reduce reproduction probability and ultimately, productivity of those pairs which switched nest. Therefore it is necessary to adopt management measures that guarantee the persistence (i.e. use of forest patches which act as a screen between OHA and nest site increase reoccupancy probability) and reproduction of species (i.e. avoiding those OHA located in front of the nest sites). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disturbance of wildlife by ecotourism has become a major concern in the last decades. In the Mediterranean, sea‐based tourism and related recreational activities are increasing rapidly, especially within marine protected areas (MPAs) hosting emblematic biodiversity. We investigated the impact of ecotourism in the Scandola MPA (UNESCO World Heritage Site, Corsica island), on the population of a conservation flagship, the Osprey Pandion haliaetus. Over the 37‐year study period, tourists flow increased sharply. Osprey breeding performance initially increased, but then dropped for pairs nesting within the MPA compared to those breeding elsewhere in Corsica. We examined several hypotheses that could explain such reduction in breeding performance. Recent osprey breeding failures in the MPA are not caused by food scarcity. Using underwater fish surveys, we showed that fish consumed by ospreys were more numerous within the MPA. Focal observation at nests revealed that the overall number of boat passages within 250 m of osprey nests were three times higher inside the MPA compared to a control area. Elevated boat traffic significantly modified osprey time‐budgets, by decreasing prey provisioning rate by males, and increasing time spent alarming and flying off the nest in females. This caused stress, and corticosterone levels in chick feathers were three times higher in high‐traffic areas compared to places with lower touristic flow in Corsica, the Balearic Islands and Italy. Overall, our integrative, long‐term study demonstrates the negative impact of sea‐based ecotourism on the Corsican osprey population. This stresses the worldwide importance of rigorously implementing sustainable ecotourism, within well‐enforced MPAs. Sea‐based ecotourism is impacting an emblematic species, the Osprey Pandion haliaetus, at a UNESCO World Heritage site. This paper presents an integrative multi‐decadal study of ospreys within the Scandola Marine Protected Area, Corsica, Mediterranean. We found significant impact of ecotourism on osprey population dynamics within the marine protected area, with declining breeding performance and elevated chick stress hormones. We also showed that the decline in the osprey population was not due to lack of prey, but due to increased disturbance by boat traffic. Our study stresses the worldwide importance of rigorously implementing sustainable ecotourism within well‐enforced Marine Protected Areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how the diversity of invasive species is geographically distributed and identifying the major drivers of that pattern is a relevant challenge as regards invasion biology. The aim of this paper was, therefore, to identify and characterize those areas colonized by a high number of alien species as a means to provide directional indications that can be used to minimize the potential negative effects that the alien species may have on host ecosystems. This is done by applying spatially explicit predictive modeling in order to explain the diversity of vertebrate alien species in Spain. The relative importance of the different factors was assessed using variation partitioning. Our results showed that the main factor as regards predicting the distribution of alien species was the anthropogenic variable, and that this was followed by abiotic variables. The other significant predictor of alien species was the number of native species, which had a positive relationship with the number of alien species. This accord with the 'the rich get richer' acceptance hypothesis, which predicts a higher number of alien species in areas with high native species diversity. In this study, we detected actual conflict areas (ACAs), which have high-medium values for the number of both native and alien species. Many of the ACAs identified some overlap with protected areas, which further aggravate the problem as these areas are often the home to endangered species which may be adversely affected by the emergence of alien species. This signifies that eradication, control or mitigation programs should be carried out to reduce the undesirable impact of alien species in these areas. However, other areas of conflict also appeared in unprotected areas near to big cities, where monitoring and preventive measures are necessary to avoid the release of new species and their subsequent spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild meat is an important source of dietary protein and fat for many indigenous peoples in Amazonia. However, rates of wildlife harvest are often unsustainable, threatening not only biodiversity but also the food security of indigenous peoples. During the last decades, Ecuadorian Amazonia has undergone profound socioeconomic changes which have significantly altered peoples' livelihood strategies. Little is known, however, how such changes have affected wildlife hunting. Based on data from a household survey, this paper analyzes the socioeconomic drivers of wildlife hunting among indigenous peoples in Pastaza, in the Ecuadorian Amazonia. The results of a random-effect tobit analysis reveal that, wealthier households which have higher shares of off-farm and non-farm employment tend to harvest smaller amounts of wild meat. A probable explanation to this is that having a permanent and well-paid job implies an increased opportunity cost of time, leading to a decrease in the time spent hunting and, therefore, decreased wildlife harvests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Read the Feature Paper: Mapping the potential extinction debt of butterflies in a modern city: implications for conservation priorities in urban landscapes Other Commentaries on this paper: Extinction debt at different spatial scales Response from the authors: From ecological pessimism to conservation chance: reviving living dead in changing landscapes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on biodiversity conflicts and dispute management approaches. It cites the Moray Firth Seal Management Plan (MFSMP) which is a conflict management scheme that integrates the use of lethal predator control as a management strategy. It also notes a paper by J. R. A. Butler which argues that fishery stakeholder perceptions are a significant obstacle to the advancement of MFSMP. Moreover, it indicates the potential of seal-salmon fishery conflict to benefit from the MFSMP.

The author discusses biodiversity conflicts and management approaches. He cites a paper which explores the evidence for the existence of problem individuals among the seal population responsible for disproportional impact on salmon. He also mentions the use of lethal control in conflict management of predatory mammals. Moreover, the author notes the need to recognize the conflict's existence, as well as the equal legitimacy of the diverse dimensions along which the dispute can be expressed.

Read the Feature Paper: Mammal and bird species held in zoos are less endemic and less threatened than their close relatives not held in zoos Commentaries on this Feature Paper: Zoos have yet to unveil their full conservation potential; Ex situ conservation planning is more complicated than prioritizing the keeping of threatened species in zoos [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Read the Feature Paper: Protected areas and insect conservation: questioning the effectiveness of Natura 2000 network for saproxylic beetles in Italy Other Commentaries on this paper: Institutional vertebratism hampers insect conservation generally; not just saproxylic beetle conservation Response from the authors: Possible directions in the protection of the neglected invertebrate biodiversity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Read the Feature Paper: Understanding heterogeneous preference of tourists for big game species: implications for conservation and management Commentaries on this Feature Paper: To use tourism as a conservation tool, first study tourists; The Big 5 and conservation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Evaluating indices of conservation success: a comparative analysis of outcome- and output-based indices," by C. Howe and E. J. Milner-Gulland in the 2012 issue of "Animal Conservation."

Species occur in sympatric assemblages, bound together by ecological relationships and interspecific interactions. Borneo and Sumatra host some of the richest assemblages of biota worldwide. The region, however, faces the highest global deforestation rates, which seriously threaten its unique biodiversity. We used a large camera trap dataset that recorded data for 70 terrestrial species of mammals and birds, to explore the drivers of regional species richness patterns. Using a multi‐scale, multivariate modelling framework which quantified the main environmental factors associated with patterns of biodiversity, while simultaneously assessing individual relationships of each species, we determined the ecological drivers of sampled biodiversity, and their contributions to community assemblages. We then mapped predicted species richness, evaluated the effectiveness of protected areas in securing biodiversity hotspots, performed gap analysis to highlight biodiverse areas lacking protection and compared our predictions with species richness maps produced by using IUCN range layers. Finally, we investigated the performance of each species as an indicator of sampled biodiversity. We demonstrate that biodiversity in Borneo and Sumatra is primarily affected by gradients of ecological and anthropogenic factors, and only marginally by topographic and spatial factors. In both islands, species are primarily associated with elevational gradients in vegetation and climate, leading to altitudinal zonation in niche separation as a major factor characterizing the islands' biodiversity. Species richness was highest in north‐eastern Borneo and in western Sumatra. We found that most predicted biodiversity hotspots are not formally protected in either island; only 9.2 and 18.2% of the modelled species richness occurred within protected areas in Borneo and Sumatra, respectively. We highlighted that our prediction for Borneo performed better than, and differed drastically from, the IUCN species richness layer, while for Sumatra our modelled species richness layer and the IUCN one were similar, and both showed low predictive power. Our analysis suggests that common and generalist carnivores are the most effective indicators of sampled biodiversity and have high potential as focal, umbrella or indicator species to assist multi‐species vertebrate conservation planning. Understanding existing drivers and patterns of biodiversity is critical to support the development of effective community conservation strategies in this rapidly changing region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining gene flow among fragmented habitat patches is critical for the long‐term persistence of wild species. Landscape genetics tools are often used to understand the impact of landscape features on gene flow among fragmented populations. The ability to detect the relationship between gene flow and landscape depends on the power of the genetic tools used, which increases with the number of genotyped loci. Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) based methods allow genotyping of a high number of loci but are challenging to implement for non‐invasive samples, which are commonly used in conservation genetics research. Here we assess the impact of landscape heterogeneity on jungle cat (Felis chaus) movement using genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers obtained from fecal samples, using a methylation‐based DNA (MBD) enrichment method. We successfully genotyped 20 jungle cat individuals at 2246 SNP loci and compared our results to a previous study that used microsatellite markers and 93 individuals. Our results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the MBD enrichment approach with fecal samples in generating genome‐wide data for endangered and cryptic species of conservation concern. Our landscape analyses revealed that roads and human‐dominated land‐use negatively impact jungle cat movement in central India. We explicitly quantified the uncertainty in our analyses and concluded that several thousand SNPs from fewer individuals provide more power than tens of microsatellites from more individuals, in quantifying the effects of landscape on gene flow. Our results provide insight into the impacts of anthropogenic habitat modification on an often‐ignored small carnivore species. Insights on connectivity for such species can help policymakers and wildlife managers move beyond connectivity contingent on charismatic species to devise holistic landscape‐level management plans for multiple carnivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a commentary to the paper "Old Growth (OG) and Secondary Forest (SF) Site Occupancy by Nocturnal Birds in a Neotropical Landscape," by M. Sberze, M. Cohn-Haft and G. Ferraz. The author says the conservation of tropical forest biodiversity depends on the capacity of human-modified landscapes to maintain tropical forest species. She stresses the importance of understanding background variation within each of the forest types to evaluate SF-OG similarity. She also points out the need to determine conservation limits in SF.

The author reflects on the need for optimal conservation strategies in addressing the global biodiversity crisis. He mentions that since conservation biology is a crisis discipline by definition and is characterized by subjectivity, quantitative techniques have been developed to allow objective prioritization of conservation strategies for systematic techniques. However, he points out that less exploration has been done in optimization methods for conservation strategies, aside from site selection.

The author comments on the paper "An Evaluation of Camera Traps for Inventorying Large and Medium Sized Terrestrial Rainforest Mammals." A standard survey design appropriate for estimating jaguar and ocelot abundance has been used by the researchers to obtain records of occurrence for all species during two surveys. The author agrees with the researchers that camera traps are a powerful new tool in the quest for better methods to monitor components of biodiversity.

Monitoring of forest biodiversity and habitats is an important part of forest conservation, but due to the impossible task of monitoring all species, indicator species are frequently used. However, reliance on an incorrect indicator of valuable habitat can reduce the efficiency of conservation efforts. Birds are often used as indicators as they are charismatic, relatively easy to survey, and because we often have knowledge of their habitat and resource requirements. In the Swedish government's environmental quality goals, there are a number of bird species identified as being associated with 'older' and 'high natural value' forests. Here we evaluate the occurrence of four of these indicator species using data from 91 production forest stands and 10 forest reserves in southern Sweden. The bird species assessed are willow tit Poecile montanus, coal tit Periparus ater, European crested tit Lophophanes cristatus and Eurasian treecreeper Certhia familiaris. For the production stands assessed, these indicator species exhibited no significant preferences regarding forest composition and structure, indicating a wider range of habitat associations than expected. These species frequently showed territorial behavior in forest stands <60 and even 40 years of age; much younger than the 120‐year threshold for 'older forest' as defined by governmental environmental goals. As almost 80% of the production stands ≥10 years old included at least one of the four indicator species, this raises questions regarding the suitability of these species as indictors of forests of high conservational value in southern Sweden. Notably, besides the four species assessed here, none of the additional indicator taxa identified by the government, were recorded in the 10 reserves. This outcome may reflect the difficulties involved in finding bird indicator species indicative of high natural values in this region. Our results highlight the importance of coupling bird surveys with quantified assessments of proximate vegetation cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of the Earth's surface that experiences a naturally dark environment at night is rapidly declining with the introduction of artificial light. Biological impacts of this change have been documented from genes to ecosystems, and for a wide diversity of environments and organisms. The likely severity of these impacts depends heavily on the relationship between the distribution of artificial night‐time lighting and biodiversity. Here, we carry out a global assessment of the overlap between areas of conservation priority and the most recent atlas of artificial skyglow. We show that of the world's Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), less than a third have completely pristine night‐time skies, about a half lie entirely under artificially bright skies and only about a fifth contain no area in which night‐time skies are not polluted to the zenith. The extent of light pollution of KBAs varies by region, affecting the greatest proportion of KBAs in Europe and the Middle East. Statistical modelling revealed associations between light pollution within KBAs and associated levels of both gross domestic product and human population density. This suggests that these patterns will worsen with continued economic development and growth in the human population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm monoculture is the most rapidly increasing large‐scale crop in Amazonia due to favourable environmental conditions and incentives from executives and governing authorities. In this study we assessed the effects of oil palm plantations on Odonata assemblages in Amazonia streams. We hypothesized that (1) the expansion of oil palm plantations over the natural landscape affects the habitat structure and physicochemical properties of streams at different scales (50 m, 500 m and 1000 m) and (2) oil palm plantations affect the species composition of Odonata assemblages, leading to the replacement of forest specialist species by non‐forest specialists. A total of 22 streams were sampled which were distributed throughout a landscape comprising areas of oil palm plantations Elaeis guineensis Jacq. to streams located inside large forest remnants. The expansion of oil palm monoculture affected the physicochemical properties of the water and habitat of the streams. A larger amount of woody debris was observed within streams surrounded by a greater amount of forest, whereas streams with a greater area of surrounding oil palm had higher pH values and anthropogenic infrastructures (e.g. roads). As expected, the Odonata community was affected by a replacement of forest specialist species with non‐forest specialist species. To mitigate this impact, we suggest increasing the area of native riparian corridors along streams that flow through oil palm plantations. Orthemis discolor (photo) is a species of the family of dragonflies known as Libellulidae. It is found in Central America, North America and South America. In general, the organisms of this species are considered habit generalist, as it presents a wide range of living conditions. The IUCN status of the O. discolor is less worrying, with no immediate threat to the species' survival and the population is stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the effects of wind farms on bats are widely studied, effects of small wind turbines ( SWTs, here <25 m hub height) remain understudied. SWTs are installed in a wider range of habitats compared to wind farms and their effect on wildlife can therefore be different. While single SWTs can adversely affect bat activity in their immediate vicinity, they are often installed in clusters, and to date, no data are available on whether installation of more than one turbine increases the likelihood of adverse effects on bats. Here, we test whether (1) SWT installations affect the activity of two species of bat (the common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus and soprano pipistrelle P. pygmaeus) on a landscape scale (here defined as up to 500 m from SWTs) and (2) such an effect is stronger when multiple (2-4) SWTs are installed. We show that, after accounting for potentially confounding effects (e.g. variation in habitat and weather), (1) mean P. pipistrellus activity is lower at 0-100 m compared to 200-500 m from SWTs and (2) the effect on P. pygmaeus activity tends to be similar and stronger in multiple SWT sites, although evidence for the latter is limited. We conclude that in some cases, adverse effects of SWTs on bat activity may be measurable over longer spatial scales (within 100 m) than previously thought. However, combined with earlier findings, it is likely that the bulk of such effects operate within relative close proximity of SWTs (<25 m). Moreover, although these effects may be species-specific, with, for example, P. pygmaeus potentially more strongly affected by multiple SWT sites, this requires further data. These findings are highly relevant to decision-making aimed at minimizing any adverse effects of wind turbines, specifically single- versus multiple SWT developments, on wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When seeking to conserve data-poor species, we need to decide how to allocate research effort, especially when threats are substantial and pressing. Our study provides guidance for sampling marine fishes that are particularly difficult to find - those species that are cryptic or rare and or where little information exists on local distribution (data-poor). We used our experience searching for seahorses ( Hippocampus spp.) in Thailand to evaluate two search strategies for marine conservation: (1) determining relative abundance and (2) searching for presence/absence with detection probabilities. Our fieldwork indicated that using the presence/absence framework was more likely to lead to inferences that seahorses could be found in the site than when using the relative abundance framework. This realization would support a commonsense approach, where presence/absence with detection probabilities is centrally important to marine conservation planning for cryptic and or data-poor marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition for critical resources is one of the key mechanisms through which invasive species impact on native communities. Among birds, the widely introduced ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri locally affects cavity-nesting communities through competition for suitable tree cavities, although it remains unclear to what extent such competition translates into population declines of native species. Here, we studied the potential for nest site competition between ring-necked parakeets and the native scops owl Otus scops, a small nocturnal migratory raptor, by comparing the spatial distribution of the nest site locations of the raptor before (2002) and after (2015) the parakeet invasion. Pre-invasion nesting sites of scops owls (2002) strongly coincided with those selected by ring-necked parakeets, but although both parakeet and scops owl populations increased during the study period, this was no longer true for 2015. Ring-necked parakeets took over several cavities formerly occupied by scops owls, and land-use data suggest that because of the higher overall breeding densities in 2015, scops owls were forced to occupy suboptimal breeding habitats to minimize nest site competition with invasive parakeets. Ring-necked parakeets start breeding early in the season, a behaviour enabling them to secure the best nest sites first, before the owls return from their wintering grounds. Our study highlights that locally observed competition not necessarily impacts on population dynamics of competing species and thus warns against uncritical extrapolation of smaller scale studies for assessing invasive species risks at larger spatial scales. Nonetheless, given the increasing number of studies demonstrating its competitive capacities, monitoring of ring-necked parakeet populations is prudent and mitigation measures (such as mounting of man-made nest-boxes, which are used by scops owls, but not by parakeets) may be justified when the parakeets are likely to invade areas harbouring cavity-nesters of conservation concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation corridors can attract threatened wildlife via habitat enhancement and foraging opportunities, leading to collisions with vehicles. But wildlife may also be attracted to energy-dense food products that are spilled or discarded from moving vehicles, which is rarely studied. Therefore, we quantified train-spilled attractants in Banff and Yoho National Parks, Canada, where agricultural products (hereafter, grain) are transported along 134 km of railway and may contribute to wildlife mortality. We measured grain deposition from 2012 to 2015 at 19 sites and assessed the performance of three structures developed to measure spilled grain. We then modeled grain deposition with respect to four types of spatial and temporal variables: those related to grain shipment, physical habitat characteristic, train-related characteristics and variables specific to the study site. Grain was spilled at a mean rate of 1.64 g m−2 day−1 ( sd = 3.60) from April to October ( n = 3 years) and 1.52 ( sd = 2.37) from November to March ( n = 1 year). Extrapolating annual deposition across the study area yielded enough grain (110 tons) to provide 4.77 × 108 kcal of gross energy, which is equivalent to the average annual caloric needs of 42-54 grizzly bears Ursus arctos horribilis; the regional population is estimated at 50-73 animals. Much of this energy will not be accessible or available to bears; however, their attraction to it could contribute to rising and unsustainable rates of mortality. Models explained 9-31% of the variance in deposition for each grain type, primarily via coarse temporal variables of shipping rates and month. The absence of more specific predictive variables suggests that mitigation should target broader policies, such as prompt reporting and repair of leaky hopper cars, and limits to train stoppage in protected areas. We encourage more global assessment of the under-studied issue of food attractants spilled by vehicles along transportation corridors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many key questions remain unresolved about how biodiversity responds to temporal increases in native vegetation cover resulting from extensive restoration efforts. We quantified occupancy and colonization probability of old growth, regrowth and planted woodland patches by arboreal marsupials within Australian agricultural landscapes subject to woodland restoration over an 11-year period. Our analyses focused on the common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula and common ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus. We found strong evidence of a gradient in occupancy levels ranging from highest in old growth woodland, approaching zero in plantings, with regrowth woodland intermediate between these two broad types of vegetation structure. Plantings were not occupied by either species at the outset of our investigation and were rarely colonized throughout the subsequent 10 years. We hypothesize that a lack of shelter sites in large old hollow-bearing trees is one of the key factors limiting the occurrence of plantings by cavity-dependent arboreal marsupials, suggesting a lag between planting establishment and the time required for plantings to become suitable habitat. We found the probability of colonization was positively related to the amount of vegetation cover in the surrounding landscape. Unexpectedly, colonization probability was not influenced by a temporal increase in woody vegetation cover surrounding a patch. A paucity of relationships between patch colonization and the temporal change in vegetation cover may be explained by the fact that most of the increased vegetation cover in our study landscapes over the past decade has resulted from establishment of plantings which are generally not suitable nesting habitat for arboreal marsupials. Our findings have key management implications such as emphasizing the value of old growth woodland for arboreal marsupials and of targeting restoration efforts around old growth and regrowth woodland patches, and the flawed notion of biodiversity offsets that allow replantings to compensate for clearing old growth woodland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In biodiversity-rich landscapes that are developing rapidly, it is generally impossible to delineate land use and prioritize conservation actions in relation to the full variability of species and their responses to anthropogenic activity. Consequently, conservation policy often focuses on protecting habitat used by a few flagship, indicator or umbrella species like tigers Panthera tigris and Asian elephants Elephas maximus, which potentially leaves out species that do not share these habitat preferences. We demonstrate an empirical approach that clustered 14 mammals into surrogate groups that reflect their unique conservation needs. We surveyed a 787 km2 multiple-use area in the Shencottah Gap of the Western Ghats, India, using foot surveys and camera-trap surveys. Using ecological niche factor analysis, we generated indices of species prevalence (marginality and tolerance) and habitat preferences (factor correlations to marginality axis). We then clustered species by both of the above index types to reveal four clusters based on prevalence and four clusters based on habitat preference. Most clusters contained at least one threatened species. Low-prevalence lion-tailed macaques Macaca silenus and tigers were strongly associated with closed forests and low human disturbance. But elephants, sloth bears Melursus ursinus and gaur Bos gaurus were more tolerant of anthropogenic impact, and sloth bears and gaur preferred open forests and grasslands. Dhole Cuon alpinus and sambar Rusa unicolor were associated with highly anthropogenic habitat (farmland, cash crop and forestry plantations) with high human use. Thus, reliance on flagship species for conservation planning can both underestimate and overestimate the ability of other species to persist in multiple-use landscapes; protecting flagship species would only protect species with similar habitat preferences. For species that avoid human impacts more than the flagship species, core habitat must be protected from human disturbance. For more tolerant species, conservation in anthropogenic habitat may hinge on policies that bolster coexistence with humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predators have been considered to be good surrogates for measuring biodiversity, and raptors, in particular, have been proposed and used as biodiversity surrogates. This assumption is based on the general idea of concordance between two taxonomic groups that showed a similar spatial/temporal structure, with the aim of using one of the groups as a surrogate of the other. If a surrogate can be identified, then inferences can be made and conservation strategies can be established about the other. Assemblage concordance measures the degree of relationship between the composition patterns shown by two groups of organisms. In this study, we evaluated the effect of spatial and environmental variability on the degree of assemblage concordance between top-order predators (i.e. raptors), as the surrogate group, and vascular plants, reptiles, birds and mammals, as target groups. We also examined the potential causes of assemblage concordance and the degree to which the surrogate assemblage can predict community structure in the desert of southern Baja California Peninsula. Levels of assemblage concordance varied in all cross-taxon comparisons. We found that the concordance between raptors and birds may be due a combination of their similar responses to environmental gradients and trophic interactions, whereas other patterns of assemblage concordance are more likely derived from interactions between groups. We found low predictability and that no particular taxonomic group significantly predicted all the other groups. The low and shifting levels of assemblage concordance, in terms of environmental and spatial variables, suggest that raptors are poor biodiversity surrogates in this desert ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is a natural process and the dominant disturbance shaping plant and animal communities in many coniferous forests of the western US. Given that fire size and severity are predicted to increase in the future, it has become increasingly important to understand how wildlife responds to fire and post-fire management. The Angora Fire burned 1243 hectares of mixed conifer forest in South Lake Tahoe, California. We conducted avian point counts for the first 3 years following the fire in burned and unburned areas to investigate which habitat characteristics are most important for re-establishing or maintaining the native avian community in post-fire landscapes. We used a multi-species occurrence model to estimate how avian species are influenced by the density of live and dead trees and shrub cover. While accounting for variations in the detectability of species, our approach estimated the occurrence probabilities of all species detected including those that were rare or observed infrequently. Although all species encountered in this study were detected in burned areas, species-specific modeling results predicted that some species were strongly associated with specific post-fire conditions, such as a high density of dead trees, open-canopy conditions or high levels of shrub cover that occur at particular burn severities or at a particular time following fire. These results indicate that prescribed fire or managed wildfire which burns at low to moderate severity without at least some high-severity effects is both unlikely to result in the species assemblages that are unique to post-fire areas or to provide habitat for burn specialists. Additionally, the probability of occurrence for many species was associated with high levels of standing dead trees indicating that intensive post-fire harvest of these structures could negatively impact habitat of a considerable proportion of the avian community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of native habitats into forest plantations for industrial purposes frequently has negative consequences for biodiversity. We evaluated the impact of eucalypt plantations on native bats in a Mediterranean area, taking Portugal as a case study. We compared the overall bat activity, species richness and Kuhl's bat P ipistrellus kuhlii (the most abundant bat species in the area) activity between eucalypt plantations and native montado habitat, and examined the influence of stand, landscape and survey variables within plantations on the response variables. A set of 11 plantation stands, three landscape and two survey variables were employed as predictor variables using a zero-inflated Poisson generalized linear mixed model. Hawking and generalist bats of the genus P ipistrellus were the most frequently detected species. Bat activity, species richness and P . kuhlii activity were higher in native montado than in any of the eucalypt stands. Mature eucalypt plantations showed the highest bat activity, while clear-cut areas showed the lowest. Generally, within eucalypt stands, complex high-level vegetation structure, from the ground level up to 3 m high, and proximity to water points were associated with higher levels of bat and P . kuhlii activity and species richness. The results suggest that in order to promote bat diversity and activity in exotic eucalypt plantations in the Mediterranean region, it is important to provide a high density of water points, maintain plots of mature plantations and promote understorey clutter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patch size affects abundance and diversity of mammal species, but there is little information on threshold regarding this relationship or relating it to functional diversity. Therefore, we aimed with this study to (1) evaluate if the functional diversity of medium- and large-sized mammal assemblages can be explained by patch size; (2) if this relationship is positive, evaluate whether it is linear (neutral hypothesis) or has critical thresholds (threshold hypothesis); (3) propose specific conservation strategies for each situation. We used primary and secondary mammal database for different forest remnants sizes in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome. We calculated functional diversity (FD), using an ecologically meaningful set of traits: body mass and locomotion form, behavioral and dietary traits, and environmental sensitivity of species. We compared linear models with threshold models using Akaike information criterion (AIC). FD values increased with patch size, possibly associated with the high complexity and heterogeneity of larger areas. The threshold model better explained the pattern between FD values and patch sizes than the linear one (delta AIC = 35.8), confirming our threshold hypothesis. Two thresholds (at 60 and 2050 ha) were identified. Our results highlight the need of compliance with the Brazilian Forest Code for assemblages in fragments lower than 60 ha. For assemblages in fragments between the two thresholds whose FD values significantly increased with patch size, we recommend improvements in conservation planning. For assemblages in fragments bigger than 2050 ha, we suggest the establishment of new protected areas, or at least, the maintenance of the existent ones. Our approach can serve as the basis for analysis with other taxonomic groups and ecosystems, increasing chances of maintaining faunal ecological functions, and improving species conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragmentation and isolation may have detrimental effects on the viability of populations. Xerothermic grasslands, which are extra-zonal analogues of steppes, are among Europe's most endangered natural environments. Information about connectivity between the remaining habitat patches is critical for effective conservation planning. However, very little is known about the actual levels of isolation of individual xerothermic patches at the inter-regional and local scale. In this study, 16 microsatellite loci were used to investigate genetic diversity, structuring, effective sizes ( Ne), and connectivity among populations of the weevil C entricnemus leucogrammus at various geographic scales. Analysis of 22 populations from three geographic regions, differing in the time of origin and the degree of geographic isolation of the populations, showed that the isolated populations from northern Poland showed the least variability, whereas those from central Poland and Ukraine sustained a similar level of microsatellite variability and were moderately connected within regions. Very low effective sizes ( N e = 14-44) were estimated, and signatures of bottlenecks were detected in all populations. Effective sizes were generally higher in larger xerothermic patches, which constitute a good quality habitat, and in populations sampled in nature reserves, as opposed to unprotected turfs. Such information is useful for the design of conservation and management plans. As C . leucogrammus is characteristic of xerothermic and steppic habitats in central and eastern Europe, it may be considered an excellent target species for assessing the quality of xerothermic habitats as well as estimating and monitoring their connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the response of herpetofauna to different land uses is limited although important for land-use planning to support conservation in human-modified landscapes. Although transformation is dogmatically associated with extinction, species respond idiosyncratically to land-use change, and persistence of species in habitat fragments may depend on careful management of the human-modified matrix. We sampled herpetofauna over a vegetation-type gradient representative of regional land uses [old-growth forest, degraded forest, acacia woodland (i.e. new-growth forest), eucalyptus plantation and sugar cane cultivation] in the forest belt skirting the southeastern coast of Africa, part of a biodiversity hotspot hosting many endemic herpetofaunal species in a highly transformed landscape. We categorized species into trait-derived functional groups, and assessed abundance and richness of groups and compared community metrics along the gradient. We further assessed the capacity of environmental variables to predict richness and abundance. Overall, old-growth forest harbored the highest richness and abundance, and amphibians and reptiles responded similarly to the gradient. Richness was low in cultivation, and surprisingly, in degraded forest, but substantial in acacia woodland and plantation. Composition differed between natural vegetation types (forest, degraded forest) and anthropogenic types (plantation, cultivation), while acacia woodland grouped with the latter for amphibians and the former for reptiles. Functional group richness eroded along the gradient, a pattern driven by the sensitivity of fossorial/ground-dependent amphibians ( A2) and reptiles ( R2) and vegetation-dwelling amphibians ( A4) to habitat change. Variables describing temperature, cover and soil were good predictors of amphibian abundance, particularly of functional groups, but not for reptiles. Conserving forest and preventing degradation is important for forest herpetofaunal conservation, restoration and plantations have intermediate value, and cultivation is least beneficial. Our study demonstrates the utility of function-related assessments, beyond traditional metrics alone, for understanding community responses to transformation. Particularly, fossorial/ground-dependent amphibians and reptiles, and vegetation-dwelling amphibians should be closely monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited resources in conservation dictate the need for efficient means of assessing wildlife abundance. Body mass-day range scaling rules and empirical track counts were applied to an established formula to estimate a wide range of wildlife densities. Using the southern Kalahari ecosystem of Botswana as an example, I provide the first comprehensive density estimates for the mammalian wildlife community (>0.2 kg), including densities for several species previously unattainable by other methods. Among a subset of species, empirical day ranges from this area were consistently greater than those predicted using scaling rules modeled with species from diverse ecosystems. I applied a correction factor based on this discrepancy, which generated values congruent with independent density estimates from the area. Although accurate measures of day range are a practical constraint to estimating densities from track counts, the results suggest that modest efforts to obtain location-specific day range estimates for a subset of species can improve density estimates for others derived from general allometric relationships. Given the strength of track surveys to accumulate unbiased observations quickly, in environments where animal tracks are readily visible, this approach shows potential for the rapid assessment of wildlife abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystems are made up of various mutualistic and antagonistic plant and animal interactions. These interactions are subject to various global change phenomena such as land use change and habitat modification. While the effect of environmentally friendly farming practices on the taxonomic diversity of plants and animal species has been reported, it is uncertain whether these schemes provide benefit for species interaction networks. We compared insect-flower interaction networks by analyzing important web structure indices from organic and conventional vineyards and natural vegetation sites in five different localities in the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot. Average number of insect-flower interactions was higher in organic vineyards compared with conventional vineyards and natural sites. Abundance of flowering plants contributed significantly to explain the observed difference in number of interactions in the model. Other network indices were similar between the different land use types. Our results support the importance of less intensive farming for promoting biodiversity. Approaches such as organic farming are especially beneficial for important interaction networks that drive the process of maintaining biodiversity. The potential of well-managed vineyard ecosystems for promoting conservation of ecologically important insect-flower interactions is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pro-poor conservation strategies are touted as a panacea for achieving biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction, yet there remains limited evidence for success in achieving these dual objectives. Is this lack of evidence a sign that the approach is failing or an indicator that we are not capturing appropriate measures of success? In this review, we demonstrate that the lack of evidence for success in pro-poor conservation can be attributed to focusing on the bigger picture and overlooking the details. This has led to two fundamental flaws, (1) an ambiguous use of definitions and (2) inappropriate monitoring, both of which are compounded by limited understanding between traditional scientific disciplines and which render true conclusion of success impossible. Due to the current lack of evidence, pro-poor conservation risks basing decisions on belief rather than evidence, repeating mistakes and missing opportunities to replicate successes. We propose five key recommendations that will facilitate the identification of successful pro-poor conservation interventions and the conditions under which they work. Adoption of these recommendations will ensure pro-poor conservation is built on clear definitions and engages in meaningful participation with rigorous monitoring and reporting of outcomes, aiding replication and scaling up of pro-poor conservation successes in intelligent and evidence-based ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reintroductions are commonly used to restore the local biological diversity and/or save threatened taxa. In human-altered landscapes, we may expect that reintroduced species affect taxa already present. In Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (central Apennines, Italy), a 30% decline in the abundance of 'vulnerable' Apennine chamois (2005: c. 650 individuals, 2010: c. 450 individuals) has been recorded, whereas red deer (reintroduced in 1972-1987: 81 individuals) have greatly increased (2010: > 2500 individuals). We investigated space and diet overlaps between red deer and Apennine chamois, and their effects on foraging behaviour of the latter. We also compared the composition of grasslands with that recorded when the former were absent. In 2010-2011, we found out: (1) a great space (> 75%) and diet (> 90%) overlap between deer and chamois; (2) a significant increase of unpalatable plant species and a decreasing trend of the nutritious, most grazed species by chamois, in respect to when deer were absent; (3) irrespective from vegetation type, a significantly reduced bite rate of adult female chamois in patches used also by deer, compared with areas without deer. Our results suggest a negative effect of red deer on the availability of nutritious plant species in summer-autumn, possibly because of grazing and physical damage on the grassland caused by trampling. Environmental conditions and access to high-quality forage in the warm season influence the winter survival of offspring of mountain ungulates. Our results indicate that interspecific overlap in resource use with an increasing, reintroduced population can threaten rare taxa. Reintroductions of potentially competing species should be avoided in areas where populations of threatened taxa exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trees in farmland provide valuable ecosystem services that enhance agricultural productivity and income, as well as supporting biodiversity such as birds. A better understanding of the benefits of farmland trees for birds, specifically the relative value of native and exotic trees, is essential in developing effective management options, particularly within tropical regions with intense cultivation pressure. In farmland in central Uganda, neither total bird species richness nor richness of forest visitors (non-forest dependent) were related to any measures of tree cover, whereas richness of forest-dependent bird species showed a positive relationship with the number of native tree species. The density of 10 out of 17 forest-dependent bird species within farmland showed at least one significant relationship with measures of tree cover; variables relating to native trees typically had more, and stronger, positive effects on bird density than exotic trees. The combined density of 17 forest-dependent bird species on farmland was positively related to both the total number of native trees and number of large native trees. Increasing the density of forest-dependent bird species by 1 bird ha−1 within a farmland site is predicted to require c. one to two large native trees, or c. 30 native trees of all sizes, per ha. Despite comprising c. 40% of all trees, exotics exerted little positive influence on forest birds, possibly because these offer poorer resources in terms of foraging, nesting and shelter. While numerous previous studies in the tropics have considered the value, for birds, of tree cover in farmland, few have focused on tree size or species composition. This study suggests that the retention or planting of native trees is an important tool for conserving forest birds within farmland, will provide additional ecosystem services, and should be encouraged through, for example, agricultural development schemes, extension advice and demonstration farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general importance of dead wood in European beech forests for species requiring high amounts of decayed wood of large diameter has recently been demonstrated using a functional approach. However, the effect of veteran trees, particularly of living hollow trees with mould, on functional diversity, is less understood. These trees are known to be a habitat for a few endangered and specialized arthropods and epiphytes. Their ecological role as a complex habitat has been assumed, but not yet formally tested. We compared the richness and functional and phylogenetic diversity of saproxylic beetle assemblages of vital beech trees, habitat trees (i.e. trees with partial bark loss, broken crowns or sporocarps) and hollow trees with mould. As expected, the richness of red-listed species increased from vital trees to habitat trees to hollow trees. When we controlled for species richness using null models, both functional and phylogenetic diversity were higher for hollow trees than for habitat trees, which can be explained by the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. Single-trait analyses revealed that hollow trees promoted species requiring late decay stages, large diameters and shady habitats. This suggests that in beech forests, hollow trees not only promote the few specialists of hollow trees, but also play a superior role for species under pressure by current logging practices and as a keystone structure with high habitat diversity at one tree. We therefore urge forest managers and conservationists to monitor particularly the easy-to-identify hollow trees and the conspicuous species living in such trees, as useful umbrellas for a high-diversity dead-wood habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the species identity and local use of cetaceans on the Gilbert Islands, Republic of Kiribati. Working with the Kiribati Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development and Fisheries Division, we visited the islands of Tarawa, Tabiteuea ( North), Butaritari and Onotoa from June to July 2009, and collected 24 bones, bone fragments or teeth attributed to recent strandings. The mitochondrial DNA control region or cytochrome b was successfully amplified from 12 bones or bone fragments and used to identify four species: Mesoplodon sp. representing a new species or subspecies of beaked whale, the dense-beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris, Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris and the pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps. This is the first confirmed identification of the dense-beaked, Cuvier's and pygmy sperm whales from the Gilbert Islands. All specimens were reportedly used for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ' Big Five' charismatic megafauna concept is considered key for financial competitiveness of protected areas in South Africa. However, this Western colonial concept is also leading to an underappreciation of wider biodiversity and the recovery of other endangered species. This study assessed the heterogeneity of tourist preferences for big game species in Kwa Zulu- Natal, South Africa, using a choice experiment approach, employing latent class modelling, in order to identify tourists' segments not necessarily drawn to the Big Five. The latent class segmentation identified two segments for both international and national tourists, largely defined by socio-economic characteristics. Less experienced and wealthier tourists were mostly interested in charismatic megafauna, while more experienced, but lower income tourists showed preferences for a broader range of species. Exploring viewing preferences in this way illustrates the potential to realign conservation businesses to achieve biodiversity conservation objectives. In the short term, managing protected areas for the Big Five and other favourite species will continue to deliver significant financial benefits to local stakeholders, but policy makers should consider using financial mechanisms to subsidize conservation actions for less charismatic species and develop the biodiversity base of safari tourism in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost-effective conservation strategies are needed because resources for nature conservation are often limited. When areas of high biodiversity value rest on private land, voluntary participation of landowners to conservation should be sought. Voluntary programs are still rarely implemented and evaluated in their effectiveness in achieving conservation targets. From 2000 onwards, a conservation program was conducted to preserve raptor nests from forest clear-cutting in private lands of North Karelia ( Finland). Landowners were proposed to voluntarily set aside a forest buffer around nests of Accipiter gentilis, Buteo buteo and Pernis apivorus on their land. Participation was based on self-motivation, with no incentive involved. Participation to the program was extremely high (97% of 327 approached landowners during 2002-2006 joined). This positive attitude reduced nest losses as a result of forestry from 54% in the 1990s ( n = 327 known nests) to only 2% since the start of the program ( n = 519 nests). The voluntary action proved effective as a before-after-control-impact analysis showed that low-buffered nests (which had clear-cutting within 100 m; n = 48) had similar occupancy as high-buffered nests (no clear-cutting within 100 m; n = 144). Occupancy, however, decreased with shorter distance to the clear-cut within the 100 m radius, and thus as wide a buffer as possible is recommended to retain occupancy of a nest site. We conclude that voluntary-based approaches can be useful for cost-effective conservation and they should be considered more often in conservation practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphibians are rapidly declining worldwide, but recent studies have shown that their diversity may be heavily underestimated, and many new species have been recently reported from biodiversity hotspots. For successful conservation and management strategies to be implemented within such hotspots, a better understanding of the species diversity and their evolutionary relationships is required. We used three mitochondrial ( 16S, 12S and CO1) and two nuclear ( rag1 and rhodopsin) gene fragments to investigate the genetic diversity within the endemic Indirana genus from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. The species diversity within Indirana was found to be much higher than previously anticipated. Instead of the expected six species within this region, our analyses identified 11 clades with high (4.2-17.1%) sequence divergence. Each of these clades is likely to represent a distinct species. Particularly pronounced polyphyly was found within Indirana beddomii, which consisted of four highly supported monophyletic clades with high genetic divergence. Similarly, Indirana diplosticta was divided into two highly divergent monophyletic clades. We also report a new candidate species within the genus from Vellarimala in Kerala, which we believe is yet to be described. Our results suggest the existence of multiple unrecognized cryptic lineages within Indirana, all of which are likely to have more narrow distribution ranges and lower abundances than the taxonomic units into which they are currently assigned. Hence, the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN) Red List statuses of Indirana frogs are likely to be in need of substantial revision, and detailed genetic studies across the Western Ghats might uncover additional new candidate species from this poorly studied endemic genus. Together with several earlier amphibian studies describing cryptic species from tropics, our results highlight the importance of proper species identification efforts before it is possible to reliably determine the IUCN conservation status of tropical amphibians described on the basis of morphological criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often assumed that indicator species can act as surrogates for conservation of other taxa because the habitat characteristics that limit the distribution of indicators should also affect multiple co-occurring native species. However, this assumption is rarely explicitly tested. Here, we test whether four fish species are potential indicators of overall fish diversity in the Bear River drainage ( UT and WY, USA). We then examine whether biodiversity indicator relationships are driven by shared habitat associations among species by examining species-habitat models. We use these models to test for correlations between indicator species and common co-occurring species in predicted occurrence and density. Fish diversity was higher at sites with potential indicators than sites without, indicating that conservation aimed at any of these species is likely to affect a broad number of co-occurring taxa. However, with minor exceptions, habitat correlations were inconsistent between indicator and co-occurring species. Instead, most species showed idiosyncratic habitat relationships. Thus, while conservation of habitats containing indicator species is likely to positively affect the distribution of a minority of co-occurring taxa, they may have neutral (or even negative) effects on the distribution or abundance of a majority of other native taxa that are common to the region. These data suggest that reliance on indicator taxa in conservation can be misleading because they obscure important ecological information about affected non-target species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For planning practical measures aimed at biodiversity protection, conservation priorities must be identified at a local scale. Unfortunately, identifying local conservation priorities requires high-resolution data on species distribution, and these are often unavailable. Atlases of species distribution provide data for several groups of organisms in many different areas but are often too coarse in resolution to provide valuable information. We explored the possibility of cross-scale modelling species distributions and we clarified, for the first time, its effect on prioritization exercises. We used different modelling techniques for scaling down atlas data for Sardinian reptiles, validated the outcomes with detailed, field-sampled data, and compared conservation priorities deriving from atlas maps and downscaled models. Doing this, we obtained as a further result the identification of priority species and areas for future conservation strategies. Our results encourage us to experiment further with this approach. Through the downscaling procedure, we obtain high-resolution models with strong variations in predictive performances, although most of the models show satisfactory/excellent scores. This testifies that low-resolution data can be downscaled maintaining low rates of omission and commission errors. Increasing the resolution of distribution maps used for prioritization influences the spatial patterns of priority but does not modify the evaluation of species representation. Overall, we show that atlases can meet the large demand for distribution data by decision makers if appropriate downscaling procedures are adopted. In addition, we provide practical instruments for the conservation of reptiles in Sardinia by identifying priority species and areas that require strict management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian rainforests suffer from massive deforestation but remain less studied pantropically. Although Sri Lanka is a severely threatened biodiversity hot spot with high endemicity and unique conservation challenges, few have investigated how fauna respond to environmental perturbations caused by human modification of habitats. We investigated differences in the diversity and community composition of amphibians and butterflies in primary and selectively logged forests ( SLF), home gardens and plantations in the Sinharaja lowland tropical forest and surrounding areas. A Bayesian multi-model inference approach was then used to identify environmental variables that explained differences in richness and abundance patterns among sites. Amphibian species richness ( SPR) was highest in a forest habitat, and community composition differed between forest and disturbed habitats. In contrast, butterfly SPR increased with increasing disturbance. Butterfly diversity patterns were best explained by climatic variables, while structural habitat parameters were the best predictors of amphibian patterns. Based on research findings, the protection of primary forest habitats is essential for amphibian conservation. Regenerating SLF can be of high conservation value especially if substantial pristine habitat remains conserved in the landscape. Anthropogenic habitats at the periphery of forests require realistic management recommendations to support the species inhabiting, visiting or migrating through them. Different environmental predictors for butterflies and amphibians underscore the importance of including multiple indicator taxa in surveys that are intended to inform habitat management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study trials the Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) approach to conservation planning on a wide-ranging marine species. We used marine turtle nesting data to test the global thresholds and criteria devised for terrestrial systems and adapted to the marine environment. Data were collated for the Melanesian region and used in the first region-wide marine application of the KBA approach. Using the standard criteria, we tested a range of population thresholds to identify and delineate KBAs for five marine turtle species. A series of decision rules were devised during this analysis specific to marine turtles. The study showed that the standard KBA thresholds could be applied to marine turtles in Melanesia, with some modifications. Using the threshold of 10 breeding females, 54 preliminary marine turtle KBAs were identified and delineated for six Melanesian nations. A threshold of 1% of a species genetic stock aggregating at a site was trialled and showed that it made no difference to the identification of KBAs, with the exception of Lepidochelys olivacea. The study demonstrates that this approach to conservation planning, which is most suited to site-associated species, can also be applied to wide-ranging species displaying seasonal congregatory behaviour, such as marine turtles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]