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The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.

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Recent conservation plans for long-distance Neotropical migrant birds have emphasized the importance of understanding the ecology and threats facing a species throughout its life cycle, including migration and overwintering periods. To better understand the ecology of Broad-winged Hawks (Buteo platypterus) during the nonbreeding period, we followed the movements of 14 hawks from 2 breeding populations during July 2014-April 2019 to their overwintering sites. Three juvenile and 8 adult female Broad-winged Hawks were satellite-tracked from Pennsylvania, USA, and 3 adults (2 females and 1 male) were tracked from Alberta. Canada. We documented pre-migratory movements (post-breeding) of 4 of the 14 individuals. Adults initiated fall migration on [bar.x] = 25 August [+ or -] 16.38 d and 2 of the 3 juveniles began fall migration on [bar.x] = 20 August [+ or -] 2 d. Adults had 1-12 ([bar.x] = 5.0 [+ or -] 3.5) stopovers in autumn that lasted for 1-24 d and juveniles had 2-5 ([bar.x] = 3.0 [+ or -] 1.7) stopovers that lasted 2-51 d. Adults from Pennsylvania spent the overwintering period in Nicaragua, Brazil, Peru, and Colombia (n = 8) whereas those from Alberta wintered in Suriname, Venezuela, and Bolivia (n = 3). The distance traveled on autumn migration was greater for Alberta birds ([bar.x]= 10,021 [+ or -] 866 km, n = 3) than for Pennsylvania birds ([bar.x] = 7,925 [+ or -] 1,631 km, n = 8). Migration distance and overwintering region varied by geographic origin with age but with some overlap between the 2 distinct geographic breeding populations. Broad-winged Hawks appear to follow a hybrid time--energy minimization strategy during fall and spring migrations with (1) energy minimization in North America, and (2) time minimization in Mexico and Central America. Stopover frequency, duration, and migration rate support this hypothesis. Received 11 July 2019. Accepted 18 February 2020. Key words: pre-migratory movements, raptor, satellite telemetry, stopover, travel rates, wintering areas Los planes de conservación recientes para aves migratorias neolropicales de larga distancia han cnfaüzado la importancia de entender la ecología y amenazas en enfrenta una especie a lo largo de su ciclo de vida, incluidas la migración y el periodo de invernada. Para entender mejor la ecología del gavilán Buteo platypterus durante el periodo no-reproductivo, seguimos los movimientos de 14 individuos de 2 poblaciones reproductivas durante julio 2014-abril 2019 a sus sitios de invernada. Tres juveniles y 8 adultos (2 hembras y 1 macho) fueron rastreados desde Pennsylvania, EUA, y 3 adultos (2 hembras y 1 macho) fueron rastreados desde Alberta, Canadá. Documentamos movimientos premigratorios (posreproductivos) de 4 de los 14 individuos. Los adultos iniciaron la migración otoñal en [bar.x] = 25 agosto [+ ó -] 16.38 d y 2 de 3 juveniles comenzaron su migración otoñal en [bar.x] = 20 agosto [+ ó -] 2 d. Los adultos tuvieron 1-12 ([bar.x] = 5.0 [+ ó -] 3.5) paradas de descanso en otoño que duraron de 1-24 d y los juveniles tuvieron 2-5 ([bar.x] = 3.0 [+ ó -] 1.7) paradas que duraron 2-51 d. Los adultos de Pennsylvania pasaron el periodo de invernada en Nicaragua, Brasil, Perú y Colombia (n = 8) mientras que aquellos de Alberta pasaron el invierno en Surinam, Venezuela y Bolivia (n = 3). La distancia de víaje en la migración de otoño fue mayor para las aves de Alberta ([bar.x] = 10,021 [+ ó -] 866 km. n = 3) que para las de Pennsylvania ([bar.x] = 7,925 [+ ó -] 1,631 km, n = 8). La distancia de migración y sitio de invernada variaron por origen geográfico según la edad, aunque con cierto traslape entre las 2 poblaciones reproductivas geográficamente diferentes. Estos gavilanes parecen seguir una estrategia híbrida de minmización de tiempo-energía durante sus migraciones de otoño y primavera con (1) minimización de energía en Norteamérica y (2) minimización de tiempo en México y Centroamérica. La frecuencia y duración de paradas de descanso, y la tasa de migración, apoyan esta hipótesis. Palabras clave: áreas de invernada, movimientos premigratorios, parada de descanso, rapaz, tasa de traslado, telemetría de satélite, Neotropical migrant birds have been the subject of conservation concern in recent decades due to the many threats occurring throughout the annual cycle, including migration, nonbreeding, and breeding periods (Greenberg [...]

For animals that produce species‐specific audible sounds, environmental recordings combined with automated acoustic monitoring software (passive acoustic monitoring [PAM]) may be an effective monitoring tool because it allows audio data from many, widely distributed autonomous recording units (ARUs) to be processed in a relatively short period of time. Males of many insect species produce loud, species‐specific mating songs, yet acoustic insects have received less attention from PAM relative to vertebrates.We evaluated the use of PAM to monitor, Roeseliana roeselii (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), an acoustic insect that has expanded its range to Alberta, Canada, far outside its naturalized North American range. We analysed environmental recordings from ARUs: (1) at two control sites known to be occupied by R. roeselii and (2) across Alberta established by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) to search for new populations.PAM successfully detected R. roeselii at the two control sites, but not at any of the 73 ABMI sites that we analysed. Despite the failure to detect new locations of R. roeselii, our analysis of ABMI environmental recordings detected several other species of acoustic insects, including Orchelimum gladiator, Gryllus sp. and Allonemobius spp.Our results add to the growing body of work showing the feasibility of using PAM for acoustic insects. We make suggestions for how to maximize the effectiveness of this monitoring tool for the conservation and management of singing insects in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]