Search

The village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) is a common colonial nesting bird widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. It is known to weave its nests from leaf strips from a variety of tree species (mainly coconuts trees, oil palm trees) associated with human settlement areas, grasses, and other available plants. In this regard, this bird was considered a pest for its impact on different economic activities. Although extensive literature is already available on the parasitic role of village weavers, there is still a lack of analytical data that outlines which tree species are used for nesting and in what proportion, as well as the related implications in terms of economic impacts. Here, we carried out the first comprehensive arrangement of trees used by this species for nesting in Southern Nigeria (West Africa), checking for possible different impacts on stakeholders. In April 2021, we searched for village weaver nesting in 95 sites in 77 communities from 24 local government areas in Southern Nigeria, during 14 field surveys. Within each site, we collected GPS coordinates and counted the number of active nests, nesting birds and occupied trees. We recorded a total of 5,776 nests and 2,140 birds in 94 plants belonging to 23 tree species selected for nesting. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis; n = 45) was the most used tree species, as 2,990 (51.77%) nests and 873 (40.79%) birds were recorded. Our results indicate the preference for nesting on trees used by stakeholders belonging to agricultural (palm farmers), touristic (operators) and energy (gas flare stations) sectors with economic implications about the conflict with this pest species.

A body plan (bauplan) is a suite of morphological characters shared by phylogenetically related animals at some point during their development. Despite its value, the bauplan concept is still rarely employed to characterize functional groups in community ecology. Here, we examine habitat use and spatio-temporal activity correlates of an entire seven-species community of lizards with different bauplans. The study was carried out in three locations in central Italy, encompassing a complex landscape with a patchy mosaic of a wide variety of habitats and microclimates. We tested four hypotheses regarding niche breadth, habitat use, and activity patterns. The first hypothesis, niche complementarity, in which species with similar body shapes should non-randomly partition available habitats, was not supported. By contrast, the hypotheses that larger bodied species should have a wider niche breadth, that slower species should inhabit habitat types of higher cover, and species inhabiting open sunny habitats should exhibit more seasonally variable activity patterns, were all supported by the data. Sympatric lizard communities in our study area were clearly organized by autecological constraints and eco-physiological attributes. Key words: Sauria, Western Green Lizard, Lacerta bilineata, Common Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis, Italian Wall Lizard, Podarcis siculus, Mediterranean House Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus, Common Wall Gecko, Tarentola mauritanica, Italian Slow Worm, Anguis veronensis, Italian Three-toed Skink, Chalcides chalcides, Mediterranean, resource partitioning, bauplan, autecological constraints, eco-physiological attributes. Un plan de construction (bauplan) est un ensemble de caractères morphologiques qu'ont en commun, à un moment ou un autre de leur développement, des animaux phylogénétiquement apparentés. Malgré sa valeur, le concept de plan de construction demeure rarement employé pour caractériser les groupes fonctionnels en écologie des communautés. Nous examinons des corrélats de l'utilisation d'habitats et de l'activité spatiotemporelle de l'ensemble d'une communauté de sept espèces de lézards présentant différents plans de construction. L'étude a été menée en trois sites du centre de l'Italie couvrant un paysage complexe caractérisé par une mosaïque parcellaire d'habitats et de microclimats très variés. Nous avons vérifié quatre hypothèses concernant la largeur de niche, l'utilisation d'habitats et les motifs d'activité. La première hypothèse, de complémentarité des niches, selon laquelle des espèces aux formes de corps semblables devraient se partager les habitats disponibles de manière non aléatoire, n'est pas appuyée par les observations. En revanche, les hypothèses selon lesquelles la largeur de niche d'espèces à plus grands corps devrait être plus grande, les espèces plus lentes devraient habiter des types d'habitats au couvert plus important et les motifs d'activité d'espèces vivant dans des habitats ouverts ensoleillés devraient présenter de plus importantes variations saisonnières sont toutes appuyées par les données. Les communautés de lézards sympatriques dans la région d'étude étaient clairement organisées en fonction de contraintes autoécologiques et d'attributs écophysiologiques. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : sauriens, lézard vert occidental, Lacerta bilineata, lézard des murailles, Podarcis muralis, lézard des ruines, Podarcis siculus, gecko verruqueux, Hemidactylus turcicus, tarente de Maurétanie, Tarentola mauritanica, orvet de Vérone, Anguis veronensis, seps tridactyle, Chalcides chalcides, Méditerranée, partage des ressources, plan de construction, contraintes autoécologiques, attributs écophysiologiques., Introduction In evolutionary biology, a suite of characters shared by a group of phylogenetically related animals at some point during their development is defined as body plan or 'bauplan' (Woodger [...]

We investigated the frequencies of sympatric small mammal species in 12 habitat-types located in the extreme south of the Italian peninsula (Calabria) using trapping techniques. Ten species were detected with Apodemus sylvaticus, the most abundant species. The assemblages of small mammal species recorded in the 12 selected habitat types revealed clear ecological and biogeographical patterns in the extreme southern tip of the Italian peninsula. Ecologically, we observed a clear dissimilarity between a guild of species linked to thermo-xerophilous habitat types and a comparable guild of mesophilous species linked to forest and sciaphilous habitat types. The differences among communities inhabiting in different habitat types also emerged in rarefaction curves, DCA analysis and Whittaker plots. Thus, all these sets of analyses were consistent in their interpretation of the variation of small mammal community structure along the gradient (β-diversity) among habitat types. From a biogeographical point of view, this is an apparent expression of a clear North–South gradient pattern that was already observed at the species level with Calabria being characterized by a strong impoverishment in species’ richness and diversity (“peninsula effect”). However, this rationale has been based so far on indirect data of small mammals preyed upon and recorded in owl’s pellets: the fact that a similar pattern was obtained also using small mammals recorded by traps indicates that the results were robust and generalizable. Ecological factors at the local scale and biogeographical factors at the peninsular scale could explain the community patterns that we observed in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: South Sudan's recent recovery from armed conflict presents an opportunity to address critical conservation issues affecting the country's biodiversity. The protection of the vast Sudd wetlands is vital for the conservation of many different species and habitats and to ensure the continuity and improvement of the lives of human communities living in it. Animal–human conflict, particularly from crocodiles, poses a significant threat to the adequate protection of the Sudd wetlands. Crocodile attacks have resulted in mortality rates ranging from 50% to 100%. To mitigate these conflicts, changing human behaviour through environmental education is key. This can also improve attitudes towards biodiversity conservation, aligning future development with conservation needs. We conducted interviews with fishers to understand resident people's perception of crocodiles. Crocodiles are seen as a threat because they restrict movement along water bodies, attack livestock and humans, and damage fishing equipment. Attitudes are complex, nuanced, and sometimes polarised within communities. They are feared and hated but also valued for their meat and skin. Some interviewees believe that consuming crocodile meat can improve longevity, sexual potency, and protect against witchcraft. While there is a consensus on the need to destroy crocodile breeding habitats, there is also support for establishing protected areas in the Sudd wetlands. Crocodile sanctuaries would help reduce illegal hunting and protect the species, especially with the growing human population and economic development after the civil war. The nuanced attitudes revealed in certain questions provide a valuable foundation for raising awareness and designing more targeted promotional campaigns. Conflicts between human populations and Nile crocodiles are widespread with crocodiles posing significant threats to fisherfolk and riverine communities across r-Saharan Africa. Hundreds of deadly attacks take place annually, and mortality rates may range from 50% to 100%. Attitudes and perceptions towards crocodiles were studied using structured questionnaires among fisherfolk along the River Nile and the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan. Local communities used crocodiles for their meat and skin/leather trades. The meat is regarded to enhance longevity, sexual potency, and protection against witchcraft. Crocodiles are perceived as a main threat to lives and livelihoods as they restrict people's freedom of movement along water bodies, attack livestock and humans, and devastate fishing equipment. To assess whether responses were influenced by the intensity of crocodile threats, published data on fatal crocodile attacks on humans and livestock were analysed using Generalised Linear Models (GLMs). This analysis indicated a direct link between the number of crocodile attacks and human attitudes. Crocodiles were generally feared and hated, and there was the agreement of the need to destroy breeding habitats. However, some attitudes were complex and nuanced as highlighted by the agreement of local communities on the need to destroy Nile Crocodile breeding habitats on the one hand and the need to establish crocodile sanctuaries as the the preferred strategy to mitigate risks and conflict on the other hand. There is a need for the creation of a crocodile sanctuary in the Sudd wetlands to minimise the risks of illegal hunting and to buffer the increasing pressure on crocodiles due to human population growth and economic upturn after the civil war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of human activities across natural environments is now well known. This includes agricultural activities that effectively render many former natural environments sterile habitats for animals. Very often, what remains of the natural habitat are hedgerows that serve as habitat or pathways for movement between habitats for many species, including reptiles. In this study, we describe population changes in the western green lizard, Lacerta bilineata, in a hedgerow system in western France. The results are derived from a univariate diversity analysis of photographic data to identify individual lizards over a 4-year study period. Lizards were sighted from March April to October early November but there was a midsummer gap in sightings during July–August. The annual presence of individual lizards was low, both between and within years, but based on the diversity analysis, the overall stability of the population was high. Female numbers varied and were highest in 2020, but juveniles were highest in 2023; the numbers of males present each year were approximately the same. Individual lizards that were present before the midsummer gap were mostly absent after the midsummer gap and were replaced by new individuals. Incidences of autotomy were low in males and juveniles and were not recorded in females. In general, the results suggest that the lizards move through hedgerow systems but remain in a specific section for reproduction from March to July. Through this study, we also highlight the importance of univariate diversity formulas to obtain robust results in investigations of the demographic aspects of animal populations that are easy to monitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation is one of the main threats to biodiversity in Africa. In this article, we highlight the importance of conserving the Guinean forests of West Africa, which are rich in biodiversity and endemism but threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. The size of forest patches is critical, with larger fragments containing more species than smaller ones. The protection of intact, dense forest patches is vital for any conservation strategy in West Africa, but improving the management of forests that are already used for logging and hunting is also essential. Community forests (CFs) can play a crucial role in conservation, especially if there is a substantial network that can promote ecological connectivity. However, biomonitoring in CFs remains a challenge due to inadequate resources. By developing standardised, easy-to-apply and inexpensive methods for biomonitoring, communities can be involved in biomonitoring instead of relying solely on scientists and expensive equipment. We present a monitoring framework here where we suggest local communities should become the main agents for biomonitoring in their own forests; we highlight a five-step scheme. The importance of the various CFs in terms of conservation should be made through a combination of accurate, standardised face-to-face interviews with selected persons in the target communities and biomonitoring be based on the RAPELD scheme. The latter will be implemented after specifically training local 'wise' persons. We are proposing a kind of 'citizen science' scheme, applied to enhance the ability of local communities to monitor their own biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. A survey of eight local earthen hand-dug ponds located within the freshwater swamps of a Niger Delta area (southern Nigeria) was conducted over a period of 3 months. A total of 4,313 fishes representing 19 species from 12 families were recorded.

Animal diets may vary spatially or temporally as resource availability vary. Diets of species with extensive geographic ranges often span multiple habitats, thus their diets may vary accordingly. Temporal diet variation is rarely explored because most diet studies are short term; this is problematic for long-lived species where individuals may persist as prey availability changes. We analyzed diet variation in Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin (Schoepf, 1793)), which inhabits nearly 70 000 km of United States Atlantic coastline, spanning 16.5[degrees]N latitude and 27.4[degrees]W longitude and four K[delta]ppen climatic zones, and Bermuda. We explored spatially or temporally Diamondback Terrapin diet variation, including populations from Atlantic salt marshes, an Everglades mangrove swamp, the Texas Gulf Coast, and a Caribbean golf course pond. We found remarkably high levels of similarity, indicating that although diets vary according to local prey availability, they are broadly similar at lower taxonomic resolution. Even short-term studies may be sufficient to accurately characterize diets of Diamondback Terrapins. These results are surprising given the geographic range sampled in this study and indicate that Diamondback Terrapin diets are conservative, reflecting local prey availability. Such diets apparently allow Diamondback Terrapins to exploit their extensive range and may allow Diamondback terrapin populations to persist as local prey species wax and wane. Key words: Malaclemys terrapin, Diamondback Terrapins, feeding, comparative, Reptilia, foraging, testudines, habitat. Resume: Les regimes alimentaires d'animaux peuvent varier dans l'espace et le temps selon les variations de la disponibilite des ressources. Les especes caracterisees par de vastes aires de repartition traversent souvent de multiples habitats, leurs regimes alimentaires pouvant varier en consequence. Les variations temporelles des regimes alimentaires sont rarement examinees parce que la plupart des etudes des regimes alimentaires sont de courte duree, ce qui pose probleme pour les especes longevives dont les individus peuvent persister au fil des variations de la disponibilite de proies. Nous analysons les variations du regime alimentaire chez la tortue diamant (Malaclemys terrapin (Schoepff, 1793)), qui occupe pres de 70 000 km de cote le long du littoral atlantique des Etats-Unis, couvrant 16,5[degrees]N de latitude et 27,4[degrees]O de longitude et quatre zones climatiques de Koppen, et les Bermudes. Nous examinons les variations spatiales et temporelles du regime alimentaire de ces tortues dans des populations de marais sales atlantiques, d'un marais a mangrove des Everglades, de la cote texane du golfe du Mexique et d'un etang de terrain de golf dans les Caraibes. Nous constatons des degres remarquablement forts de similitude qui indiquent que, bien que les regimes alimentaires varient selon la disponibilite locale de proies, a une resolution taxonomique plus faible, ils sont generalement semblables. Meme des etudes de courte duree pourraient suffire pour caracteriser avec exactitude les regimes alimentaires de tortues diamants. Ces resultats sont etonnants au vu de l'ampleur de l'aire geographique echantillonnee dans l'etude et indiquent que les regimes alimentaires des tortues diamants sont conservateurs, refletant la disponibilite locale de proies. De tels regimes alimentaires permettraient aux tortues diamants d'exploiter leur vaste aire de repartition et pourraient permettre aux populations de tortues diamants de persister au fil des fluctuations des especes de proies locales. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: Malaclemys terrapin, tortues diamant, alimentation, comparative, reptiles, approvisionnement, testudines, habitat., Introduction Diets of members of a population may vary temporally or spatially due to different nutritional needs or availability of resources. Species with large geographic ranges typically have different diets [...]