Search

Research on island species–area relationships (ISAR) has expanded to incorporate functional (IFDAR) and phylogenetic (IPDAR) diversity. However, relative to the ISAR, we know little about IFDARs and IPDARs, and lack synthetic global analyses of variation in form of these three categories of island diversity–area relationship (IDAR). Here, we undertake the first comparative evaluation of IDARs at the global scale using 51 avian archipelagic data sets representing true and habitat islands. Using null models, we explore how richness-corrected functional and phylogenetic diversity scale with island area. We also provide the largest global assessment of the impacts of species introductions and extinctions on the IDAR. Results show that increasing richness with area is the primary driver of the (non-richness corrected) IPDAR and IFDAR for many data sets. However, for several archipelagos, richness-corrected functional and phylogenetic diversity changes linearly with island area, suggesting that the dominant community assembly processes shift along the island area gradient. We also find that archipelagos with the steepest ISARs exhibit the biggest differences in slope between IDARs, indicating increased functional and phylogenetic redundancy on larger islands in these archipelagos. In several cases introduced species seem to have ‘re-calibrated’ the IDARs such that they resemble the historic period prior to recent extinctions. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Aim Adaptive radiation, in which successful lineages proliferate by exploiting untapped niche space, provides a popular but potentially misleading characterization of evolution on oceanic islands. Here we analyse the respective roles of members of in situ diversified vs. non-diversified lineages in shaping the main ecosystems of an archipelago to explore the relationship between evolutionary and ecological ‘success’. Location Canary Islands. Taxon Vascular plants. Methods We quantified the abundance/rarity of the native flora according to the geographical range (number of islands where present and geographical extent of the range), habitat breadth (climatic niche) and local abundance (cover) using species distribution data based on 500 × 500 m grid cells and 2000 vegetation inventories located all over the archipelago. Results Species of diversified lineages have significantly smaller geographic ranges, narrower climatic niches and lower local abundances than those of non-diversified lineages. Species rarity increased with the degree of diversification. The diversified Canarian flora is mainly comprised by shrubs. At both archipelagic and island level, the four core ecosystems (Euphorbia scrub, thermophilous woodlands, laurel forest and pine forest) were dominated by non-diversified lineages species, with diversified lineages species providing

World Wildlife Fund-United States ( WWF ) is promoting an ecoregional framework internationally as a new hierarchical approach to organizing and prioritizing conservation efforts. We assessed WWF ecoregions against existing frameworks: (1) the Dasmann-Udvardy ( World Conservation Union [IUCN] ) Biogeographical Representation Framework, (2) the Bailey Ecoregional Framework ( U.S. Forest Service), and (3) the hotspot approach, as exemplified by the BirdLife Endemic Bird Area Approach and the WWF-IUCN Centres of Plant Diversity Program. We examined the genealogy of the schemes from three perspectives: methodological explicitness, transparency and repeatability, and whether the WWF-ecoregions system improves on existing schemes. We considered Indonesia as a case study and assessed the efficacy of each system in the Indonesian context. The existing planning frameworks achieved their objective; in general had explicit, transparent, and repeatable methods; and, in the case of the Dasmann-Udvardy system, attained an institutional reality in Indonesia. The central purpose of the WWF-ecoregions framework is the same as the 25-year-old Dasmann-Udvardy system, and at the coarsest spatial scales it relies on similar spatial delineators ( biomes and faunal regions). The WWF methodology, however, employs a gestalt approach to defining ecoregion boundaries. In the Indonesian context the resulting map appears problematic both in terms of the underlying rationale of the ecoregion approach and in terms of apparent conflict with preexisting protected-area design. We suggest, insofar as refined planning frameworks are needed, that an alternative route that builds on rather than competes with existing approaches would be to combine at the mesoscale the landform delineators that characterize the Bailey ecoregion system with the existing macroscale ecoclimatic and biogeographic delineators of the Dasmann-Udvardy system. We question the investment in developing and promoting the WWF-ecoregion scheme in Indonesia when the existing Dasmann-Udvardy system, used in conjunction with hotspot studies, provides a seemingly adequate system and when the reserve system itself is under considerable pressure.El Fondo Mundial para la Vida Silvestre ( WWF ) de los Estados Unidos está promoviendo internacionalmente un marco de trabajo ecoregional como una nueva aproximación jerárquica a la organización y priorización de los esfuerzos de conservación. Evaluamos las ecoregiones de WWF contra marcos de trabajo existentes: 1) el marco de trabajo de representación Biogeográfica de la Dasmann-Udvardy ( Unión Mundial para la Conservación ( IUCN ), el marco de trabajo ecoregional Bailey (Servicio Forestal de USA) y 3) la aproximación de la regiones problemáticas ejemplificado por la estrategia de Áreas para Aves Endémicas y el programa de centros para la diversidad de plantas de WWF/IUCN. Examinamos la genealogía de los esquemas desde tres perspectivas: nivel de claridad en la metodología, transparencia y repetibilidad y si el sistema de ecoregiones de la WWF mejora los esquemas existentes. Consideramos a Indonesia como un caso de estudio y evaluamos la eficacia de cada sistema en el contexto de Indonesia. Los planes de trabajo existentes alcanzaron su objetivo; en general tuvieron métodos explícitos, transparentes y repetibles; y en el caso del sistema Dasmann-Udvardy alcanzó una realidad institucional en Indonesia. El propósito central de los marcos de trabajo de las ecoregiones de WWF es el mismo que el sistema de hace 25 años de Dasmann-Udvardy y a nivel de escalas espaciales amplias está basado en delineadores espaciales similares ( biomasa y regiones faunísticas). Sin embargo, la metodología de WWF emplea una metodología de configuración de elementos separados (gestalt) para definir los límites de las ecoregiones. En el contexto de Indonesia, los mapas resultantes parecen ser problemáticos tanto en términos de la racionalidad subyacente de la metodología de ecoregión y en términos de un aparente conflicto con los diseños de las áreas protegidas existentes. Sugerimos que hasta el momento se necesitan planes refinados de marco de trabajo. Una ruta alternativa que construya, y no que compita con las metodologías existentes sería la combinación a nivel de mesoescala de los delineadores de contornos que caracterizan el sistema de ecoregión Bailey con la macroescala ecoclimática existente y los delineadores biogeográficos del sistema Dasmann-Udvardy, usados en conjunción con los estudios de regiones problemáticas. Esto provee un sistema aparentemente adecuado cuando el sistema de reservas se encuentra bajo una considerable presión.

ContextThe conversion of natural land for agriculture is a crippling threat to biodiversity. The effect of this conversion can be minimised by understanding the habitat requirements of local species and incorporating them into agricultural landscapes. Insectivorous bats, which have been shown to control a number of agricultural insect pests, exhibit species-specific responses to the surrounding landscape, tied closely to their morphology and foraging mode. The activity and distribution patterns of bats are therefore influenced by the landscape characteristics. ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine which features in the landscape surrounding rice fields influence the activity levels of insectivorous bats, and at what scales they were most influential.MethodsWe collected acoustic recordings to determine activity levels of seven bat sonotypes in rice fields surrounded by a variety of landcover types in the Nagaon district of Assam, India. Using this, we determined the most important set of features in the surrounding landscape, and the scales at which they were most predictive, for each sonotype. ResultsOur results suggest that variables related to tree cover are the most important predictors of bat activity in rice fields. Distance to nearest forest, area of forest within 1km, distance to nearest forest edge, and landscape heterogeneity influenced all five of the analysed bat sonotypes. Also important were the amount of urban land within 1km, which exerted a negative effect on the activity of one sonotype, and moonlight activity, which negatively influenced the activity levels of one sonotype. ConclusionOur results demonstrate that when in rice fields, bat activity is most influenced by presence and proximity of trees. Increasing tree cover in agricultural landscapes will increase bat activity and likely the level of pest control.

This report addresses the construction of carbon fibre wing boxes and the problems associated with using carbon fibre sheets rather than individual carbon fibre tapes. In the case that the wing boxes are developable surfaces the lay up of carbon fibre sheets is straightforward, since the fibres can follow the contours of the surface without any need for shearing or extension of the fibres. To further expand the potential design space for the wing boxes, this report investigates the lay up of sheets over non-developable surfaces where some shearing of the sheet is required to achieve the desired results. In this report, three analytical approaches are considered, driven by the results from numerical studies on different surface geometries. Each of the approaches offers insights as to the type of geometric perturbations achievable when constrained by a maximum shear angle.

The extinction of iconic species such as the dodo and the deforestation of Easter Island are emblematic of the transformative impact of human colonization of many oceanic islands, especially those in the tropics and subtropics. Yet, the interaction of prehistoric and colonial-era colonists with the forests and forest resources they encountered can be complex, varies between islands, and remains poorly understood. Long-term ecological records (e.g., fossil pollen) provide the means to understand these human impacts in relation to natural change and variability pre- and postcolonization. Here we analyze paleoecological archives in forested landscapes of the Canary Islands and Cabo Verde, first colonized approximately 2,400 to 2,000 and 490 y ago, respectively. We demonstrate sensitivity to regional climate change prior to human colonization, followed by divergent but gradual impacts of early human settlement. These contrast with more rapid transformation in the colonial era, associated with significant increases in anthropogenic pressures. In the Canary Islands, at least two native tree taxa became extinct and lowland thermophilous woodlands were largely converted to agricultural land, yet relictual subtropical laurel forests persisted with limited incursion of nonnative species. In Cabo Verde, in contrast, thermophilous woodlands were depleted and substituted by open landscapes and introduced woodlands. Differences between these two archipelagos reflect the changing cultural practices and societal interactions with forests and illustrate the importance of long-term data series in understanding the human footprint on island ecosystems, information that will be critically important for current and future forest restoration and conservation management practices in these two biodiversity hotspots.

A Railway Traffic Management problem can be defined as forecasting fu- ture progression of trains, identifying conflicts where two or more trains compete for available infrastructure, investigating options for resolution of conflicts, re-planning train schedules to minimise the impact on sy- stem performance. Performance management of complex networks is a problem common to a number of industries and applications. There has been much work over many decades on modelling the generation and optimisation of railway timetables. Much of this focuses on relatively simple railways and services and is therefore quite straightforward. Main line railways have a number of features that introduce significant com- plexity. Traditionally the problem of re-planning a timetable in near real time to manage and recover from service perturbations and disruption is simplified to help arrive at a solution in an acceptable amount of time, but this then can have unintended consequences which can amplify rat- her than reduce the disruption in the network. Resonate are interested in looking at different strategies / models / techniques for dealing with the problem, the likely strengths and risks of these, and how they might be adapted to improve existing solutions. The study group participants undertook a brief survey of recent literature on modelling train delays and found machine learning approaches, network models and a statisti- cal approach to defining the efficiency of a station in dissipating delays which are worthy of further consideration. We then explored total of nine modelling approaches during the study group. The approaches fell broadly into two groups: those that sought to understand the pro- pagation of delays (Approaches 1 to 6) and those that sought to offer strategies for minimising delays (Approaches 8 and 9). Approach 7 pro- poses a way of understanding the propagation of delays and using that to evaluate candidate policy decisions. There are a number of promising approaches here which provide useful lines of enquiry, many suitable for expansion beyond the simple railways modelled, to include variable train speeds, junctions and intersections, temporal differences in usage, such as tidal flows in and out of cities, and resource constraints.

The necessity to restore rainforest habitats degraded by anthropogenic fires is widely recognized, however, research on restoration approaches has mainly centred on the recovery of forest structural complexity. There is insufficient evidence on the efficacy of restoration methods in the recovery of the faunal diversity and features linked to key ecosystem functions. We assessed the taxonomic diversity and functional trait structure of bird assemblages in undisturbed primary forest and fire-affected habitats undergoing natural regeneration, as well as areas of assisted natural regeneration, in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. We compiled bird occurrence data from point-count sampling, and obtained morphological traits for all species in our assemblages using measurements taken from wild birds and museum specimens. We found marked differences in species composition between primary forest habitats and regenerating forest, with similarity increasing over time since perturbation. Taxonomic diversity was higher in primary forest, and similar between the two restoration approaches. Functional diversity was lower in assisted naturally regenerated habitats, although separate analyses within dietary guilds revealed no differences across habitats. Among desired restoration outcomes, tree species diversity was the leading positive driver of avian species diversity, fern coverage exerted negative effects, while canopy cover had a positive but weak influence. Our findings underscore the importance of preventing anthropogenic fires in tropical rainforest since their impacts on ecological processes are not easily reversed, as shown by the lack of improvement in avian diversity metrics under assisted naturally regeneration in relation to natural regeneration. We stress the need to document both floral and faunal recovery in order to aid informed decision-making on restoration methods. This work was supported by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, National Geographic Society (WW-086EC-17, 4472), the British Ecological society (EA17/1169) and Christ Church College, University of Oxford. Measurement of morphological traits was funded by Natural Environment Research Council grant nos. NE/I028068/1 and NE/P004512/1 (J.A.T.). info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Research Article Aim: Palaeoecological data provide an essential long-term perspective of ecological change and its drivers in oceanic islands. However, analysing the effects of multi-scalar and potentially co-occurring disturbances is particularly challenging in dry islands. Here, we aim to identify the ecological consequences of the integrated impacts of a regional drying trend, volcanic eruptions and human mass migrations in a spatially constrained environment—a small, dry oceanic island in Macaronesia. Location: Brava Island, Republic of Cabo Verde. Taxa: Terrestrial vegetation and fungi. Methods: We use palaeoecological analyses applied to a caldera soil profile that dates back to 9700 cal yr BP (calibrated years before the present). Analyses include pollen (vegetation history), non-pollen palynomorphs (changes in fern and fungal communities), grain-size distribution, loss-on- ignition and geochemistry (sedimentology and erosion regimes), microscopic tephra shards (volcanic ash deposition) and charcoal (fire regime). Results: A regional drying trend after c. 4000 cal yr BP caused increased erosion but had limited immediate impacts on highland grassland vegetation. The expansion of fern-rich woody scrubland was contemporaneous with significant deposition of volcanic ash and erosion between 1800 and 650 cal yr BP. About 300 cal yr BP, exogenous plants expanded, grazing and fires increased, and there was a decrease of native vegetation cover. Main conclusions: Throughout the Holocene, highland vegetation in Brava was characterized by the presence of open landscapes dominated by herbaceous species (e.g. Poaceae, Forsskaolea), with some presence of woody native taxa (e.g. Ficus, Dodonaea). A regional drying trend was a driver of erosion since the Mid Holocene but did not have an immediate influence on highland vegetation. Tephra deposition is a possible driver of vegetation change. Inter-island mass migration after volcanic events in Fogo Island c. 1680 CE potentially triggered land use change and intensification, causing a reduction of native vegetation in Brava info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Aim Long‐term ecological data provide a stepped frame of island ecosystem transformation after successive waves of human colonization, essential to determine conservation and management baselines. However, the timing and ecological impact of initial human settlement on many islands is still poorly known. Here, we report analyses from a 4800‐year sedimentary sequence from Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), with the goal of disentangling forest responses to natural fire from early human pressure on the island. Location La Calderilla, a volcanic maar caldera at 1,770 m a.s.l. on Gran Canaria. Taxon Plants and fungi. Methods A core from the caldera infill was analysed for sediment properties, pollen, micro‐ and macrocharcoal, with radiocarbon and biochronology dating. Fossil data were statistically zoned and interpreted with the help of cross‐correlation and ordination analyses. Surface samples and a pollen–vegetation training set were used as modern analogues for vegetation reconstruction. Results Before human settlement (4,800–2,000 cal. yr bp), pine (Pinus canariensis) pollen dominated. Extensive dry pine forests characterized the highlands, although with temporary declining phases, followed by prompt (sub‐centennial scale) recovery. Towards 2,280 cal. yr bp there was a shift to open vegetation, marked by an increase in coprophilous spores. Coincidental with independent evidence of human settlement in the pine belt (2,000–470 cal. yr bp) there was a decline of pine and a peak in charcoal. Following historic settlement (470–0 cal. yr bp), pollen producers from anthropogenic habitats, secondary vegetation and coprophilous fungi increased in abundance, reflecting higher pressure of animal husbandry and farming. Modern moss polsters reflect extensive reforestation since 1950 ce (Common Era). Main conclusions From 4,800 cal. yr bp, the pristine vegetation covering the Gran Canaria highlands was a mosaic of dry pine forests and open vegetation. The pine forests sustained intense fires, which may well have promoted habitat diversity. Human interference was initiated around 2,280 cal. yr bp probably by recurrent cultural firing and animal husbandry, triggering a steady trend of forest withdrawal and expansion of grasses and scrubs, until the final disappearance of the pine forest locally in the 20th century. Grasslands were found to be of ancient cultural origin in the summit areas of Gran Canaria, although they underwent an expansion after the Castilian Conquest.

Plant colonization of islands may be limited by the availability of symbionts, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which have limited dispersal ability compared to ectomycorrhizal and ericoid (EEM) as well as orchid mycorrhizal (ORC) fungi. We tested for such differential island colonization within contemporary angiosperm floras worldwide. We found evidence that AM plants experience a stronger mycorrhizal filter than other mycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal (NM) plant species, with decreased proportions of native AM plant species on islands relative to mainlands. This effect intensified with island isolation, particularly for non-endemic plant species. The proportion of endemic AM plant species increased with island isolation, consistent with diversification filling niches left open by the mycorrhizal filter. We further found evidence of humans overcoming the initial mycorrhizal filter. Naturalized floras showed higher proportions of AM plant species than native floras, a pattern that increased with increasing isolation and land-use intensity. This work provides evidence that mycorrhizal fungal symbionts shape plant colonization of islands and subsequent diversification., Delavaux et al. uses global plant databases to examine how the types of mycorrhizal fungi influence the colonization of plants on islands. Their results show that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis limits plant species’ establishment on islands more than other mycorrhizal associations, and that this initial filter of AM plant species impacts diversification and plant invasion risks.

Accelerating ecosystem disruption Oceanic islands are among the most recent areas on Earth to have been colonized by humans, in many cases in just the past few thousand years. Therefore, they are important laboratories for the study of human impacts on natural vegetation and biodiversity. Nogué et al. provide a quantitative palaeoecological study of 27 islands around the world, focusing on pollen records of vegetation composition before and after human arrival. The authors found a consistent pattern of acceleration of vegetation turnover after human invasion, with median rates of change increasing by a factor of six. These changes occurred regardless of geographical and ecological features of the island and show how rapidly ecosystems can change and how island ecosystems are set on new trajectories. Science , this issue p. 488

Author(s): Fernandez-Palacios, Jose Maria; Whittaker, Robert J. | Abstract: Recent work in island biogeography has shown that back-colonization (‘boomerang’ events) from islands to continents have occurred more frequently than previously understoodWe report possibly the earliest inference of this pattern, by John Ball and Joseph Dalton Hooker in a book published in 1878.

Tropical dry islands are currently facing major challenges derived from anthropogenic and climatic pressures. However, their trajectories of environmental change, which could provide relevant information applicable to biodiversity conservation, remain understudied. This is mainly due to poor micro-fossil preservation and irregular sediment deposition. Multi-proxy palaeoecological analyses spanning decades to 1000s of years can add perspective as to how vegetation, fungal communities, and the fauna responded to previous natural and anthropogenic disturbances. In Sao Nicolau, Cabo Verde, we used palaeoecological methods to analyse a highland soil profile (1000 m asl) dated to 5900 cal yr BP. We analysed how vegetation (abundances in pollen of native and introduced species, and leaf wax n-alkanes), ferns and fungal communities (abundance of non-pollen palynomorphs) varied over time in relation to fire (charcoal concentration) and erosion regimes (grain sizes and elemental composition). Between 5000 and 400 cal yr BP the highlands held native woody taxa such as Euphorbia tuckeyana, Dracaena draco subsp. caboverdeana, and Ficus, taxa that can be used for future reforestation programmes. From 400 cal yr BP to the present day, replacement of native taxa by introduced and cultivated taxa (Pinus, Eucalyptus, Asystasia, Opuntia) has occurred. Vegetation burning and grazing caused loss of vegetation and erosion, acting as conjoined drivers of scrubland degradation. This dataset helps to set historically contextualised restoration goals such as the re-introduction of native species, monitoring of recently introduced species and control of free grazing. This can serve as a model system for the conservation of tropical dry islands' biodiversity.

Rwanda being one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, a large proportion of its native vegetation has been converted into agriculture and settlements, leading to the extensive loss and degradation of natural habitats, with significance for birds as well as other taxa. Despite this, tangible success has been attained in the conservation of mountain gorillas thanks to the high priority afforded to this species and the vigorous protection of its habitats. This article reviews the current conservation approaches in Rwanda, and their effectiveness in addressing threats to the country’s avifauna. Drawing lessons from the conservation of the mountain gorilla approach, and with reference to the principles of Systematic Conservation Planning, this paper argues that the creation of more reserves complementing existing protected areas, the development of bird-related tourism, and a multilevel collaboration of stakeholders at national and regional level, in which the public play a strong role, are crucial for the long-term conservation of birds. The aim of this analysis is both to provide policy options for Rwanda and to suggest an approach to conservation practice for wider application that is scalable and transferable within a developing country context.

The destruction of forest for agricultural expansion has created a vast estate of human-modified land in tropical regions. One group of organisms that are particularly vulnerable to the loss of forest habitat are insectivorous birds. Despite this, few conservation strategies have been identified for this group in human-modified landscapes. We survey the use of 104 isolated trees by insectivorous birds in rural Assam, India. We used an information theoretic model comparison approach to determine the important variables driving insectivorous bird diversity within these isolated trees. Our work demonstrates that the conservation of large trees in human-modified landscapes may play an important role in maintaining bird diversity and ecological function beyond the forest edge. More specifically, we found that isolated Ficus trees hold assemblages with particularly high insectivore abundance, richness and functional diversity when compared to other isolated fruit and large trees. We argue that, where present, Ficus trees should be actively conserved in human-modified landscapes to maintain the composition of insectivore communities in a “Ficus first” strategy.

We investigate the development of flow-induced small-amplitude high-frequency oscillations occurring in a rigid fluid-conveying channel with a section of the upper wall replaced by a taut elastic sheet. We consider an axially nonuniform base state, caused by a negative transmural pressure (internal minus external), which results in the sheet bending inward, and then examine the evolution of oscillatory perturbations about this state. Due to the curvature of the base state, any normal displacement of the sheet will lead to a change in the axial stretching of the sheet, which is an order of magnitude higher than would be the case for perturbations to a uniform sheet. This stretching provides an additional restoring force that can be dominant. We derive a modified tube law to describe the wall mechanics with this additional effect and combine it with an existing fluid model to obtain a complete description of the system. At leading order, we obtain a one-dimensional eigenvalue problem for the frequencies and mode shapes of the oscillatory perturbations. The nonlinear interaction between the perturbations and the base-state curvature manifests itself as an additional integral term in the eigenvalue problem, corresponding to the total axial stretching in the wall. The normal modes are neutrally stable at leading order, and their slow growth or decay is determined by considering the global energy budget of the system. The stability of the system can be expressed in terms of a critical Reynolds number of the mean flow through the channel. We explain the behavior of the system as two key dimensionless parameters F and K are varied. These quantify the dimensionless axial tension and base-state curvature effects, respectively. Numerical simulations are used to identify distinct flow regimes in parameter space, which we explore further in detail using asymptotic analysis. This reveals that at large K, i.e., strong base-state curvature effects, the leading-order axial profiles of the modes are forced to adjust in order to eliminate the need for significant stretching in the wall. This has the effect of stabilizing both the fundamental and, to a lesser extent, the first harmonic modes, which results in the first harmonic becoming the most unstable mode.

An appreciation of how some species are becoming more common despite unprecedented anthropogenic pressures could offer key insights for mitigating the global biodiversity crisis. Research to date has largely focused on declining species, while species that are becoming more common have received relatively little attention. Macro-moths in Great Britain are well-studied and species-rich, making them an ideal group for addressing this knowledge gap. Here, we examine changes in 51 successful species between 1968 and 2016 using 4.5 million occurrence records and a systematic monitoring dataset. We employ 3D graphical analysis to visualise long-term multidimensional trends in prevalence (abundance and range) and use vector autoregression models to test whether past values of local abundance are useful for predicting changes in the extent of occurrence. The responses of Anthropocene winners are heterogeneous, suggesting multiple drivers are responsible. Changes in range and local abundance frequently occur intermittently through time, demonstrating the value of long-term, continuous monitoring. There is significant diversity among the winners themselves, which include widespread generalists, habitat specialists, and recent colonists. We offer brief discussion of possible causal factors and the wider ecosystem implications of these trends.

Mountain regions are unusually biodiverse, with especially rich aggregations of small-30 ranged species that form centers of endemism. Mountains play an array of important roles for Earth's biodiversity, and impact neighboring lowlands through biotic interchange, changes in regional climate, and nutrient run-off. The high biodiversity of certain mountains reflects the interplay of multiple evolutionary mechanisms: enhanced speciation rates with unique opportunities for co-existence and persistence of lineages, shaped by long-term climatic changes 35 interacting with topographically dynamic landscapes. High diversity in most tropical mountains is tightly linked to bedrock geology, notably areas comprising mafic and ultramafic lithologies—rock types rich in magnesium and poor in phosphate that present special requirements for plant physiology. Mountain biodiversity bears the signature of deep-time evolutionary and ecological processes, a history worth preserving in the face of contemporary environmental changes.

International audience; The increase in species richness with island area (ISAR) is a well-established global pattern, commonly described by the power model, the parameters of which are hypothesized to vary with system isolation and to be indicative of ecological process regimes. We tested a structural equation model of ISAR parameter variation as a function of taxon, isolation, and archipelago configuration, using a globally distributed dataset of 151 ISARs encompassing a range of taxa and archipelago types. The resulting models revealed a negative relationship between ISAR intercept and slope as a function of archipelago species richness, in turn shaped by taxon differences and by the amount and disposition of archipelago area. These results suggest that local-scale (intra-archipelago) processes have a substantial role in determining ISAR form, obscuring the diversity patterns predicted by island theory as a function of archipelago isolation. These findings have implications for the use and interpretation of ISARs as a tool within biogeography, ecology, and conservation.

Cabo Verde was the first tropical archipelago colonized by Europeans. Historians have suggested that the first colonizers initiated archipelago-wide ecosystem degradation, loss of vegetation cover, and erosion. However, the human–environment interactions that led to the archipelago's current environmental status remain poorly understood. Here, we report the first palaeoecological study of past vegetation change and disturbance regimes for Cabo Verde. We present a 2130-yr old sediment sequence from a volcanic caldera (Cova de Paul) located at ~1200 m asl on Santo Antao Island, for which we analyzed fossil pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), charcoal, silica bodies, and grain size distribution. Our analyses do not show evidence of the presence of temperate, tropical or subtropical forests growing on the summits of Santo Antao in pre-human times. The pollen record shows that scrubland and grasslands dominated the highlands and underwent compositional changes ca. 1850 and 1300 cal yr BP. These shifts overlap with erosion phases and are linked to intensified seasonality. Steady rates of sedimentation marked the period 1230 to ca. 350 cal yr BP, but an increase in charcoal concentrations indicate a drying phase. Increases in regional and local fire, peaks of coprophilous fungi and the presence of New World crop pollen (Zea mays) are interpreted as the onset of Portuguese settlement of the highlands after 450 BP. Sustained erosion between ca. 350 and 100 cal yr BP indicate soil degradation, and the pollen record shows the increase in introduced herbaceous taxa (Rosaceae, Centaurea, Verbenaceae) and exotic tree taxa (e.g. Pinus), while shifting abundances of coprophilous fungi indicate changes in land-use. The record shows stabilization of soils in the last century due to recent afforestation of the highlands. Further palaeoecological studies have the potential to provide further detail of the long-term dynamics of Cabo Verde ecosystems and to inform conservation initiatives.

Aims: Quantifying β‐diversity (differences in the composition of communities) is central to many ecological studies. There are many β‐diversity metrics, falling mostly into two approaches: variance‐based (e.g., the Sørensen index), or diversity partitioning (e.g., additive β‐diversity). The former cannot be used when species–sites matrices are unavailable (which is often the case in island biogeography in particular) and only species richness data are provided. Recently, efforts have been made to partition additive β‐diversity, a metric calculated using only α‐diversity and γ‐diversity, into nestedness and turnover components (termed here “richness‐only β‐diversity partitioning”). We set out to test whether this form of β‐diversity partitioning generates interpretable results, comparable with metrics based on species incidence β‐diversity partitioning. Location: Global. Time period: Present day. Major taxa studied: Multiple taxa. Methods: We first provide a brief review of β‐diversity partitioning methods, with a particular focus on the development of richness‐only β‐diversity partitioning. Second, we use 254 empirical incidence matrices (provided with the paper) sourced from the literature to measure turnover and nestedness using incidence β‐diversity partitioning, comparing the resulting values with those calculated using richness‐only β‐diversity. Results: We provide an account of the emergence of β‐diversity partitioning, with particular reference to the analysis of richness‐only datasets, and to the definition and usage of the relevant metrics. Analytically, we report weak correlations between turnover and nestedness calculated using the two different approaches. We show that this is because identical values of α‐diversity and γ‐diversity can correspond to incidence matrices with a range of different structures. Main conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the use of richness‐only β‐diversity partitioning to measure turnover and nestedness is problematic and can produce patterns unrelated to conventional measures of turnover and nestedness. We therefore recommend that more accurate definitions are adopted for these terms in future studies.

The species–area relationship (SAR) constitutes one of the most general ecological patterns globally. A number of different SAR models have been proposed. Recent work has shown that no single model universally provides the best fit to empirical SAR datasets: multiple models may be of practical and theoretical interest. However, there are no software packages available that a) allow users to fit the full range of published SAR models, or b) provide functions to undertake a range of additional SAR‐related analyses. To address these needs, we have developed the R package ‘sars’ that provides a wide variety of SAR‐related functionality. The package provides functions to: a) fit 20 SAR models using non‐linear and linear regression, b) calculate multi‐model averaged curves using various information criteria, and c) generate confidence intervals using bootstrapping. Plotting functions allow users to depict and scrutinize the fits of individual models and multi‐model averaged curves. The package also provides additional SAR functionality, including functions to fit, plot and evaluate the random placement model using a species–sites abundance matrix, and to fit the general dynamic model of oceanic island biogeography. The ‘sars’ R package will aid future SAR research by providing a comprehensive set of simple to use tools that enable in‐depth exploration of SARs and SAR‐related patterns. The package has been designed to allow other researchers to add new functions and models in the future and thus the package represents a resource for future SAR work that can be built on and expanded by workers in the field.

Aims: The general dynamic model (GDM) of oceanic island biogeography predicts how biogeographical rates, species richness and endemism vary with island age, area and isolation. Here, we used a simulation model to assess whether the isolation‐related predictions of the GDM may arise from low‐level process at the level of individuals and populations. Location: Hypothetical volcanic oceanic islands. Methods: Our model considers (a) an idealized island ontogeny, (b) metabolic constraints and (c) stochastic, spatially explicit and niche‐based processes at the level of individuals and populations (plant demography, dispersal, competition, mutation and speciation). Isolation scenarios involved varying the distance to mainland and the dispersal ability of the species pool. Results: For all isolation scenarios, we obtained humped temporal trends for species richness, endemic richness, proportion of endemic species derived from within‐island radiation, number of radiating lineages, number of species per radiating lineage and biogeographical rates. The proportion of endemics derived from mainland–island differentiation and of all endemics steadily increased over time. Extinction rates of endemic species peaked later than for non‐endemic species. Species richness and the number of endemics derived from mainland–island differentiation decreased with isolation as did rates of colonization, mainland–island differentiation and extinction. The proportion of all endemics and of radiated endemics, the number of radiated endemics, of radiating lineages, and of species per radiating lineage and the within‐island radiation rate all increased with isolation. Main conclusions: Our results lend strong support to most of the isolation‐related GDM predictions. New insights include an increasing proportion of endemics, particularly those arising from mainland–island differentiation, across isolation scenarios, as well as extinction trends of endemics differing from the overall extinction rates, with a much later peak. These results demonstrate how simulation models focusing on low ecological levels provide tools to assess biogeographical‐scale predictions and to develop more detailed predictions for further empirical tests.

Mountains contribute disproportionately to the terrestrial biodiversity of Earth, especially in the tropics, where they host hotspots of extraordinary and puzzling richness. With about 25% of all land area, mountain regions are home to more than 85% of the world’s species of amphibians, birds, and mammals, many entirely restricted to mountains. Biodiversity varies markedly among these regions. Together with the extreme species richness of some tropical mountains, this variation has proven challenging to explain under traditional climatic hypotheses. However, the complex climatic characteristics of rugged mountain regions differ fundamentally from those of lowland regions, likely playing a key role in generating and maintaining diversity. With ongoing global changes in climate and land use, the role of mountains as refugia for biodiversity may well come under threat.

Aim Island biogeography focuses on understanding the processes that underlie a set of well-described patterns on islands, but lacks a unified theoretical framework for integrating these processes. The recently proposed General Dynamic Model (GDM) of oceanic island biogeography promises a step towards this goal. Here, we present an analysis of causality within the GDM, and investigate its potential for the further development of island biogeographical theory. Further, we extend the GDM to include subduction-based island arcs and continental fragment islands. Location Based on conceptual analysis and a simulation of oceanic islands. Methods We describe the causal relationships between evolutionary and ecological processes implied by the GDM, implement them as a computer simulation, and use this to simulate two alternative geological scenarios. Results The dynamics of species richness and rates of evolutionary processes in simulations derived from the mechanistic assumptions of the GDM corresponded broadly to those initially suggested, with the exception of trends in extinction rates. Expanding the model to incorporate different scenarios of island ontogeny and isolation revealed sensitivity of evolutionary dynamics on attributes of island geology. Main conclusions We argue that the General Dynamic Model of oceanic island biogeography has the potential to form a unified framework of island biogeography, integrating geological, ecological and evolutionary processes. Our simulations highlight how the geological dynamics of distinct island types are predicted to lead to markedly different evolutionary dynamics. This sets the stage for a more predictive theory incorporating the processes governing temporal dynamics of species diversity on islands.

Aims The present-day biogeography of European amphibians has been hypothesized to have arisen from range expansion and recolonization of the northern part of the continent from southern late Pleistocene refugia, such that northern species generally possess large ranges while southerly species are mostly small-ranged. Here we test the hypothesis that these patterns are likely to be underpinned by biological traits associated with dispersal ability. We do this by analysing data for anurans and urodeles, the two main groups of European amphibians. Location Europe. Methods We built a database of biological traits (body size, fecundity, life span, habitat specialization) of European amphibians, excluding island endemics. We mapped the basic macroecological patterns of range size and position, and analysed the causal pathways for range size using structural equation models (SEMs). Results Amphibian species with a small range size are largely restricted to areas in southern Europe associated with putative Pleistocene refugia. Those present in northern Europe are exclusively large-ranged species whose distributions extend all the way from southern Europe. SEMs explained 54% of range size variation for anurans, with long life span and high fecundity being influential explanatory variables, and explained 61% of range size variation within urodeles, with measures of species fecundity being influential. Main conclusions Species that have successfully recolonized the north following deglaciation have the largest ranges for both groups of amphibians. These large-ranged species generally possess traits that indicate the potential for rapid range expansion, with differences apparent in the balance of traits between anurans and urodeles. The traits linked to northern distributions (and large range size) appear to be a mix of r and K traits, indicating that intermediate life-history strategies have proved to be optimal for range expansion into northern regions. These results integrate species biology with geographical history in explaining present-day patterns of species distribution, range size and diversity.

The general dynamic model of oceanic island biogeography (GDM) has added a new dimension to theoretical island biogeography in recognizing that geological processes are key drivers of the evolutionary processes of diversification and extinction within remote islands. It provides a dynamic and essentially non-equilibrium framework generating novel predictions for emergent diversity properties of oceanic islands and archipelagos. Its publication in 2008 coincided with, and spurred on, renewed attention to the dynamics of remote islands. We review progress, both in testing the GDM's predictions and in developing and enhancing ecological-evolutionary understanding of oceanic island systems through the lens of the GDM. In particular, we focus on four main themes: (i) macroecological tests using a space-for-time rationale; (ii) extensions of theory to islands following different patterns of ontogeny; (iii) the implications of GDM dynamics for lineage diversification and trait evolution; and (iv) the potential for downscaling GDM dynamics to local-scale ecological patterns and processes within islands. We also consider the implications of the GDM for understanding patterns of non-native species diversity. We demonstrate the vitality of the field of island biogeography by identifying a range of potentially productive lines for future research.

Aim The relationship between species number and area is of fundamental importance in macroecology and conservation science, yet the implications of different means of quantitative depiction of the relationship remain contentious. We set out (1) to establish the variation in form of the relationship between two distinct methods applied to the same habitat island datasets, (2) to explore the relevance of several key dataset properties for variation in the parameters of these relationships, and (3) to assess the implications for application of the resulting models. Locations Global. Methods Through literature search we compiled 97 habitat island datasets. For each we analysed the form of the island species–area relationship (ISAR) and several versions of species accumulation curve (SAC), giving priority to a randomized form (Ran-SAC). Having established the validity of the power model, we compared the slopes (z-values) between the ISAR and the SAC for each dataset. We used boosted regression tree and simulation analyses to investigate the effect of nestedness and other variables in driving observed differences in z-values between ISARs and SACs. Results The Ran-SAC was steeper than the ISAR in 77% of datasets. The differences were primarily driven by the degree of nestedness, although other variables (e.g. the number of islands in a dataset) were also important. The ISAR was often a poor predictor of archipelago species richness. Main conclusions Slopes of the ISAR and SAC for the same data set can vary substantially, revealing their non-equivalence, with implications for applications of species–area curve parameters in conservation science. For example, the ISAR was a poor predictor of archipelagic richness in datasets with a low degree of nestedness. Caution should be employed when using the ISAR for the purposes of extrapolation and prediction in habitat island systems.

Forest restoration is an increasingly important tool to offset and indeed reverse global deforestation rates. One low cost strategy to accelerate forest recovery is conserving scattered native trees that persist across disturbed landscapes and which may act as seedling recruitment foci. Ficus trees, which are considered to be critically important components of tropical ecosystems, may be particularly attractive to seed dispersers in that they produce large and nutritionally rewarding fruit crops. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of remnant Ficus trees in inducing forest recovery compared to other common trees. We studied the sapling communities growing under 207 scattered trees, and collected data on seed rain for 55 trees in a modified landscape in Assam, India. We found that Ficus trees have more sapling species around them (species richness = 140.1 ± 9.9) than non-Ficus trees (79.5 ± 12.9), and significantly more saplings of shrub and large tree species. Sapling densities were twice as high under Ficus trees (median = 0.06/m2) compared to non-Ficus (0.03/m2), and seed rain densities of non-parent trees were significantly higher under Ficus trees (mean = 12.73 ± 3/m2/wk) than other fruit or non-zoochorous trees (2.19 ± 0.97/m2/wk). However, our regression model found that canopy area, used as a proxy for tree size, was the primary predictor of sapling density, followed by remnant tree type. These results suggest that large trees, and in particular large Ficus trees, may be more effective forest restoration agents than other remnant trees in disturbed landscapes, and therefore the conservation of these trees should be prioritized. Hindi Abstract वशविक वनोनमलन दर को अधोमख करन क लिए वन पनरदधार वासतविकता म एक तजी स बढता साधन ह। बिखर हए दशी पडो का सरकषण, जो कि विकषबध भदशय म बच हए ह और अकर निरमाण क कदर क रप म कारय कर सकत ह, वनो को तजी स सही हालत म लान की एक कम लागत की रणनीति ह। गलर परजाति क पड, विशष रप स बीज परसारको को आकरषित कर सकन वाल और उनम स व जो बड तथा पोषण की दषटि स लाभपरद फल उतपादित करत ह, उषणकटिबधीय पारिसथितिक ततर क अति महतवपरण घटक मान जात ह। यहा हमन वन पनरदधार उतपररण पर अनय साधारण और गलर परजाति क पडो क तलनातमक परभाव का मलयाकन किया ह। हमन भारत क असम राजय म एक रपातरित भदशय म २०७ बिखर हए पडो क नीच उगन वाल पौधो क समदायो का अधयन किया और ५५ पडो म बीज वषटि क तथय एकतर किय। हमन गर-गलर परजाति क पडो (परजाति परचरता=७९.५±१२.९) की तलना म गलर परजाति क पडो क नीच सारथक रप स अधिक (१४०.१±९.९) पौधो, झाडियो व बड पडो की परजातियो को उगत हए पाया। गर-गलर परजाति क पडो (मधयमान=०.०३/मी.२) की तलना म गलर परजाति क पडो क नीच उगन वाल पौधो का घनतव दो गना जयादा (०.०६/मी.२) था और गर-पतक पडो का बीज घनतव भी सारथक रप स फल या गर-जतपरकीरणित पडो (औसत=२.१९±०.९७/मी.२/सपताह) की तलना म गलर परजाति क पडो क नीच जयादा (१२.७३±३/मी.२/सपताह) पाया गया। हालाकि, हमार परतिगमन ततर न पाया कि बच हए पड परकार, पड आकार क एक परतिनिधि क रप म परयोग किय गए वितान कषतर क बाद, पौध घनतव का पराथमिक कारक थ। य परिणाम बतलात ह कि, बड पड और विशष रप स गलर परजाति क पड, समभवत: अधिक परभावी रप स विकषबध भदशय म वन पनरदधार अभिकरता हो सकत ह और इस कारण इन पडो का सरकषण पराथमिकता क आधार पर किया जाना चाहिय।

Aim: We undertook the largest comparative study to date of the form of the island species–area relationship (ISAR) using 207 habitat island datasets and 601 true island datasets. We also undertook analyses of (a) the factors influencing z‐ and c‐values of the power (log–log) model and (b) how z and c vary between different island types. Location:Global. Methods: We used an information theoretic approach to compare the fit of 20 ISAR models to 207 habitat island datasets. Model performance was ranked according to pre‐set criteria, including metrics of generality and efficiency. We also fitted the power (log–log) model to each dataset and analysed variation in parameter estimates and model fits as a function of key dataset characteristics using linear models and constrained analysis of principal coordinates. Results: The power (nonlinear) model provided the best fit to the most datasets, and was the highest ranked model overall. In general, the more complex models performed badly. Average z‐values were significantly lower for habitat island datasets than for true islands, and were higher for mountaintop and urban habitat islands than for other habitat island types. Average c‐values were significantly lower for oceanic islands, and significantly higher for inland water‐body islands, than for habitat islands. Values of z and c were related to dataset characteristics including the ratio of the largest to smallest island and the maximum and minimum richness values in a dataset. Main conclusions: Our multimodel comparisons demonstrated the nonlinear implementation of the power model to be the best overall model and thus to be a sensible choice for general use. As the z‐value of the log–log power model varied in relation to ecological and geographical properties of the study systems, caution should be employed when using canonical values for applied purposes.

The term meta-archipelago has been in use in cultural studies for some time, to refer to certain complex island areas in which the boundaries between conventionally recognised archipelagos are indistinct, although the concept also carries additional connotations. Use of the term in biogeography appears more recent and without effort to prescribe its meaning. We outline, from a biogeographical perspective, distinctions between meta-archipelagos and archipelagos and those islands not occurring within either collective grouping, highlighting that network analysis tools provide metrics for formal analytical purposes.

International audience; Species abundance distributions (SADs) are one of the most widely used tools in macroecology, and it has become increasingly apparent that many empirical SADs can best be described as multimodal. However, only a few SAD models have been extended to incorporate multiple modes and no software packages are available to fit multimodal SAD models. In this study, we present an extension of the gambin SAD model to multimodal SADs. We derive the maximum likelihood equations for fitting the bimodal gambin distribution and generalize this approach to fit gambin models with any number of modes. We present these new functions, along with additional functions to aid in the analysis of multimodal SADs, within an updated r package ("gambin"; version 2.4.0) that enables the fitting, plotting and evaluating of gambin models with any number of modes. We use a mixture of simulations and empirical datasets to test our new models, including tests of the sensitivity of the model parameters to the number of individuals and the number of species in a sample. We show that the new multimodal gambin models perform well under a variety of circumstances, and that the application of these new models to empirical SAD and other macroecological (e.g., species range size distributions) datasets can provide interesting insights. The updated software package is simple to use and provides straightforward yet flexible statistical analyses of multimodality in SAD-type datasets.

Through this editorial we seek your support and engagement as authors, readers and reviewers as we take the next steps in developing Frontiers of Biogeography as a leading international journal of biogeography and related subdisciplines. Here we make the case for submitting your next contribution to this journal: affordable, gold libre, open access, with the support of a disciplinarily-informed editorial and review team, which returns benefits to the biogeography community.