Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Catherine B. Pringle, Richard Meissner, Reinette Biggs, Claudia Pahl-Wostl, Sabine Stuart-Hill, Nadia Sitas
Summary: We examined the social processes supporting collaborative water governance transformation in the uMngeni catchment, South Africa. Using Holling's adaptive cycle, we analyzed the role of learning, power, agency, and structure in each phase of the uMngeni Ecological Infrastructure Partnership (UEIP). The conservation phase had strong control power and institutional structure, limiting new ideas and reinforcing single-loop learning. The release phase, triggered by a shock, weakened control power, allowing new ideas and enabling double-loop learning. The reorganization phase saw the emergence of protean power, enhancing agency and leading to the formation of collaborative institutions. Triple-loop learning was evident in the exploitation phase as more innovative institutions emerged. The adaptive cycle and the four processes of learning, power, agency, and structure provide valuable insights for promoting sustainable and collaborative water governance.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
O. Wootton, C. M. Shackleton
Summary: Rural communities heavily depend on invasive alien plant species (IAPS) for both ecosystem services and disservices. These IAPS may be assimilated into local belief systems, but their cultural assimilation in the Wild Coast region is still relatively limited.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Luke Rostant, J. Agard, E. Devenish-Nelson, L. Beddoe, N. Nathai-Gyan, H. Nelson
Summary: This article reports on a 3-year study of the densities of the Trinidadian red-brocket deer at four different sites in Trinidad, with an increase in density observed during a hunting moratorium.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew Whitworth
Summary: Using observations from cell phones and social media, two separate predation events by the elusive Greater Grison on its largest known prey, the Paca, are reported. The diurnal predation of the nocturnal cavity dwelling rodent suggests that Grison targets the burrows of such species as a hunting strategy.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maria S. Vorontsova, Kurt B. Petersen, Patrick Minx, Taylor M. Aubuchon-Elder, M. Cinta Romay, Edward S. Buckler, Elizabeth A. Kellogg
Summary: The genus Andropogon sensu lato is polyphyletic. This study adjusts its classification and reestablishes the genus Anatherum. Plastome phylogeny and morphological diversity were assessed to understand the evolutionary history and distinguishing features of Andropogon sensu lato.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dmitry M. Atopkin, Yana I. Ivashko, Vladimir V. Besprozvannykh, Alexandr E. Zhokhov
Summary: New morphological and molecular data on Lissorchiidae trematodes from fish in the Russian Far East were generated. Four new species were established based on molecular data and morphological characteristics. The study confirmed the previous classification results of Lissorchiidae and provided the first molecular data on Asymphylotrema macrocetabulum.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Giulia Perina, Ana I. Camacho, Melissa Danks, Nicole White, Michelle T. Guzik
Summary: Fifteen species of the Gondwanan genus Atopobathynella from four countries have been described. The position of the genus within the family and its species relationships are controversial. The arid zones of Western Australia have been recognized as a hotspot for subterranean fauna, and sampling was conducted in the Pilbara region. Two new species, Atopobathynella yarriensis sp. nov. and A. degreyensis sp. nov., were described and supported by molecular and morphological data.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Claudia Munera-Roldan
Summary: Protected areas are important in addressing resource nexus challenges and achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the context of climate change. However, there is criticism that the establishment of protected areas for long-term conservation often relies on political, economic, and scientific assumptions, limiting alternative options for the future. Adapting protected areas to climate change requires innovative approaches and critical examination of conservation strategies.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2023)
Letter
Biodiversity Conservation
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong, Dana Lepofsky, Alex C. Mcalvay, Kelsey Leonard, Patrick Morgan Ritchie, Natasha Lyons, Michael Blake
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tais Sonetti-Gonzalez, Maria Mancilla Garcia, Maria Tengo, Daiana C. M. Tourne, Fabio de Castro, Celia R. T. Futemma
Summary: The vulnerability of the Amazon has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the dismantlement of environmental protection policies in Brazil. However, local initiatives focused on sustainable production, conservation, and improving local people's lives have emerged, building resilience in the face of disruptions. Women play a significant role in these initiatives, but their actions and voices are often overlooked. This article explores women's experiences in the Amazon and their perspectives on regional transformation, highlighting the importance of inclusive and sustainable approaches.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Taryn Pereira, Kira Erwin
Summary: This article discusses the role of environmental justice social movements in transdisciplinary research and proposes some suggestions for bridging the gap between academia and activism.
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ibeth P. Alarcon, Paul Molina Abril, Maria Cristina Rios, Adrian Orihuela-Torres, Agustin Carrasco, Daniel Pacheco, Edison Juca, Ruth Arias, Carlos I. Espinosa, Leonardo Ordonez-Delgado, Hector Cadena-Ortiz, Boris A. Tinoco
Summary: Understanding the reproductive biology of birds is important for their conservation. This manuscript adds to the knowledge of the reproductive biology of bird species in Southern Ecuador by providing detailed information on previously undocumented and scarce species, as well as additional information on already documented species. It contributes to the development of better conservation strategies in the region.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Leonardo De Oliveira, Felipe Gobbi Grazziotin, Paola Maria Sanchez-Martinez, Mahmood Sasa, Oscar Flores-Villela, Ana Lucia Da Costa Prudente, Hussam Zaher
Summary: A new study reveals that goo-eating snakes have a unique venom delivery system that relies on their lower jaw instead of upper lip and maxillary glands. This change likely occurred in the ancestor of goo-eating snakes, possibly due to the loss of the embryonic posterior maxillary lamina.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Guillermo A. Reina-Rodriguez, Diego Bogarin, Yerlin Hernandez, Isabel Nicholls-Giraldo, Oscar A. Perez-Escobar
Summary: A new species of orchid, endemic to Buenaventura in Colombia, is described. It is morphologically similar to Ophidion alphonsianum but can be differentiated by its orbicular leaves, erect inflorescence, and upward curved epichile. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted to determine its appropriate genus placement and discuss the relationships between Luerella, Ophidion, and Phloeophila. The study found unresolved relationships and discordant topologies among these genera, but based on morphological differences and the lack of diagnostic features, the new species was classified in Ophidion.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tuliana O. Brunes, Felipe C. S. Pinto, Pedro P. G. Taucce, Marcus Thadeu T. Santos, Luciana B. Nascimento, Daniel C. Carvalho, Guilherme Oliveira, Santelmo Vasconcelos, Felipe S. F. Leite
Summary: Despite the difference in land coverage between mountains and lowlands, most species are found in mountains and foothills, which has been a challenge for biogeographers and evolutionary biologists.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew G. Hope, Kaitlyn M. Headlee, Zachary H. Olson, Ben J. Wiens
Summary: This study investigates the evolutionary history of northern bog lemmings using mitochondrial and nuclear genetic data. The findings reveal deep divergence and paraphyly between two recognized species. However, limited data hinders the interpretation of evolutionary processes in the southern range.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lukas Pola, Doubravka Velenska, Kseniia Marianna Prondzynska, Vojtech Hejduk, Ales Zika, Tomas Winkelhofer, Mohammad A. Abu Baker, Zuhair S. S. Amr, Jiri Smid
Summary: Until recently, it was believed that the gecko species Hemidactylus turcicus was the only one occurring in Jordan. However, further studies confirmed the presence of two more species - H. dawudazraqi and H. mindiae. To understand the distribution and genetic boundaries between these species, samples from across Jordan were collected and sequenced for identification using DNA barcoding. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of two previously unknown species - H. granosus and H. lavadeserticus, as well as the possibility of another undescribed species in Jordan. This study will provide important insights into the distribution and boundaries of Hemidactylus species in Jordan.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ricardo S. Rosa, Aline P. M. Medeiros, Antonio Felinto, Camila Brito, Erika F. C. Santana, Fernanda V. Albuquerque, Jonas A. Santos, Julio Lustosa, Katherine M. P. Viana, Marianna B. Silva, Rafael Menezes, Viviana Marquez Velasquez, Alexandre P. Marceniuk, Ronaldo Francini-Filho, Claudia R. Rocha, Luiz A. Rocha, Jesse M. Figueiredo-Filho
Summary: The study compiled the richness of marine teleost fishes from the tropical northeastern Brazilian coast. It presented a systematic list of 571 marine species across 98 families, with 516 species represented by voucher specimens. The study also reported new records, erroneous records, threatened species, and invasive species, providing a baseline for future research in fish systematics, biogeography, ecology, and conservation.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Congcong Wang, Limin Jiang, Lijian Liao, Zhishuai Qu, Santosh Kumar, Xiaozhong Hu
Summary: The subclass Cyrtophoria consists of morphologically specialized ciliates found in various aquatic and terrestrial habitats. This study investigated two cyrtophorian ciliates isolated from coastal waters of China, providing detailed morphometric data and improved diagnosis for one species, and describing a new species with specific morphological features. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed a close relationship between the new species and another previously identified species, supporting the monophyly of the genus Aegyria.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Amanda L. Grunwald, Terrence C. Demos, Yvette Ngueagni, Martin N. Tchamba, Ara Monadjem, Paul W. Webala, Julian C. Kerbis Peterhans, Bruce D. Patterson, Luis A. Ruedas
Summary: The Cameroon Volcanic Line is an important area for the study of small mammals. A new species of bat was discovered in the central region of Cameroon, but its conservation status is a concern due to the threats to its habitat.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
