| 1. |
- Ralimanana, H., et al.
(författare)
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Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 378:6623
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Madagascar’s unique biota is heavily affected by human activity and is under intense threat. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the conservation status of Madagascar’s terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by presenting data and analyses on documented and predicted species-level conservation statuses, the most prevalent and relevant threats, ex situ collections and programs, and the coverage and comprehensiveness of protected areas. The existing terrestrial protected area network in Madagascar covers 10.4% of its land area and includes at least part of the range of the majority of described native species of vertebrates with known distributions (97.1% of freshwater fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals combined) and plants (67.7%). The overall figures are higher for threatened species (97.7% of threatened vertebrates and 79.6% of threatened plants occurring within at least one protected area). International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments and Bayesian neural network analyses for plants identify overexploitation of biological resources and unsustainable agriculture as the most prominent threats to biodiversity. We highlight five opportunities for action at multiple levels to ensure that conservation and ecological restoration objectives, programs, and activities take account of complex underlying and interacting factors and produce tangible benefits for the biodiversity and people of Madagascar.
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| 2. |
- Kehoe, Laura, et al.
(författare)
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Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable
- 2019
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 364:6438, s. 341-
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 3. |
- Antonelli, Alexandre, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity : Evolution, distribution, and use
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 378:6623, s. 962-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Madagascar's biota is hyperdiverse and includes exceptional levels of endemicity. We review the current state of knowledge on Madagascar's past and current terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by compiling and presenting comprehensive data on species diversity, endemism, and rates of species description and human uses, in addition to presenting an updated and simplified map of vegetation types. We report a substantial increase of records and species new to science in recent years; however, the diversity and evolution of many groups remain practically unknown (e.g., fungi and most invertebrates). Digitization efforts are increasing the resolution of species richness patterns and we highlight the crucial role of field- and collections-based research for advancing biodiversity knowledge and identifying gaps in our understanding, particularly as species richness corresponds closely to collection effort. Phylogenetic diversity patterns mirror that of species richness and endemism in most of the analyzed groups. We highlight humid forests as centers of diversity and endemism because of their role as refugia and centers of recent and rapid radiations. However, the distinct endemism of other areas, such as the grassland-woodland mosaic of the Central Highlands and the spiny forest of the southwest, is also biologically important despite lower species richness. The documented uses of Malagasy biodiversity are manifold, with much potential for the uncovering of new useful traits for food, medicine, and climate mitigation. The data presented here showcase Madagascar as a unique " living laboratory" for our understanding of evolution and the complex interactions between people and nature. The gathering and analysis of biodiversity data must continue and accelerate if we are to fully understand and safeguard this unique subset of Earth's biodiversity.
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| 4. |
- Sigmund, G., et al.
(författare)
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Addressing chemical pollution in biodiversity research
- 2023
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 29:12, s. 3240-3255
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change, biodiversity loss, and chemical pollution are planetary-scale emergencies requiring urgent mitigation actions. As these "triple crises" are deeply interlinked, they need to be tackled in an integrative manner. However, while climate change and biodiversity are often studied together, chemical pollution as a global change factor contributing to worldwide biodiversity loss has received much less attention in biodiversity research so far. Here, we review evidence showing that the multifaceted effects of anthropogenic chemicals in the environment are posing a growing threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. Therefore, failure to account for pollution effects may significantly undermine the success of biodiversity protection efforts. We argue that progress in understanding and counteracting the negative impact of chemical pollution on biodiversity requires collective efforts of scientists from different disciplines, including but not limited to ecology, ecotoxicology, and environmental chemistry. Importantly, recent developments in these fields have now enabled comprehensive studies that could efficiently address the manifold interactions between chemicals and ecosystems. Based on their experience with intricate studies of biodiversity, ecologists are well equipped to embrace the additional challenge of chemical complexity through interdisciplinary collaborations. This offers a unique opportunity to jointly advance a seminal frontier in pollution ecology and facilitate the development of innovative solutions for environmental protection.
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| 5. |
- Cavender, J. C., et al.
(författare)
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Distribution and ecology of dictyostelids in Madagascar
- 2021
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Ingår i: Phytotaxa. - : Magnolia Press. - 1179-3155 .- 1179-3163. ; 505:2, s. 176-186
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Samples for isolation of dictyostelid cellular slime molds were obtained from 20 collecting sites at 18 localities in south central and southeastern Madagascar during May 2009. At least thirty species of dictyostelids representing seven genera were recovered from 52 samples of soil/humus. This total included 17 species described as new to science, 13 species already known from various localities throughout the world, and four isolates that remain unidentified. Fourteen of the new species isolated from these samples are members of the whorl-branched, light-spored genus Heterostelium (formerly Polysphondylium). The overall level of species richness of dictyostelids in Madagascar is greater than what is known for all of mainland Africa sampled to date. Levels of biodiversity in Madagascar were higher for mesic than for xeric vegetation types, and each of the newly described species of Heterostelium appeared to have a limited distribution among the localities sampled.
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| 6. |
- Perrigo, Allison L., et al.
(författare)
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Additional new species suggest high dictyostelid diversity on Madagascar
- 2020
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Ingår i: Mycologia. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0027-5514 .- 1557-2536. ; 112:5, s. 1026-1042
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dictyostelids are a monophyletic group of sorocarp-forming social amoebae in the major eukaryotic division Amoebozoa. Members of this taxon, which is made up of almost 200 described species, are common in terrestrial soils globally. Still, the alpha diversity is not well known in many areas, and new species are frequently recovered. The highest species richness is found in the tropics. Here, five new species are described from soil samples collected in Madagascar. These species-Cavenderia basinodulosa, C. canoespora, Heterostelium radiatum, H. versatile, andRaperostelium stabile-are described based on both morphological characteristics and molecular data, with sequence data from the rDNA small subunit (SSU). The five new species are morphologically disparate, ranging from relatively small, robust taxa such asR. stabileto taxa with variable morphologies such as the largerH. radiatumandH. versatileand the yellow-tinted and irregularly branched speciesC. canoesporaandC. basinulosa. These new species, together with earlier work where 13 other species were described from the island, suggest that there is a range of genetically diverse and highly morphologically variable dictyostelid taxa occurring on Madagascar, suggesting biogeographic patterns even within these very small organisms.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Perrigo, Allison L., et al.
(författare)
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What's on your boots : an investigation into the role we play in protist dispersal
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 39:5, s. 998-1003
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- D. M. Wilkinson (2010, Journal of Biogeography, 37, 393–397) suggested that anthropogenic dispersal is an understudied and potentially important factor in terrestrial protist biogeography. We investigated human footwear as a potential vector of dictyostelids, a diverse group of amoebae that includes both geographically restricted and cosmopolitan species. Eighteen pairs of boots were examined and dictyostelids were isolated from nearly all samples larger than 5.0 g. In total, six dictyostelid isolates were recovered, corresponding to four species –Dictyostelium minutum, D. sphaerocephalum, D. leptosomopsis and a new species, Polysphondylium sp. 1. Myxogastrid amoebae and acrasid-like aggregations were also observed. Thus anthropogenic dispersal of naked amoebae appears to occur. The possible role of variations in dictyostelid fruiting body morphologies in dispersal potential is also discussed. These results support Wilkinson’s proposal and suggest that dictyostelids may be a useful group with which to study anthropogenic dispersal of terrestrial protists.
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| 10. |
- Puruleia, A., et al.
(författare)
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Rediscovery of the lost skink Proscelotes aenea and implications for conservation
- 2023
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - 2045-2322. ; 13:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biodiversity loss is recognized as a grand challenge of the twenty-first century but ascertaining when a species is "lost" can be incredibly difficult-since the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. This may be a relatively easy task for large and conspicuous animals, but extremely difficult for those living hidden lives or at low population sizes. We showcase this challenge by focusing on Africa's montane skink, Proscelotes aenea (Barbour & Loveridge 1928). In this study, we embarked on a year-long intensive survey to find this fossorial species in Lumbo, Northern Mozambique, the only remaining location where it may still occur but was recorded for the last time over 100 years ago. We located the species already after 20 days of intensive and targeted searching by five members of our team. The finding allowed us to describe, for the first time, details on the biology and ecology of the species, alongside photos and videos of live specimens (including a pregnant female), and to sequence DNA from the species, which we used to infer the phylogenetic placement. Our combined 12S and 16S phylogenetic analysis weakly suggest that the genus Proscelotes may not be monophyletic and therefore requires further phylogenetic work and potentially taxonomic revision. We also gathered evidence of a possible decrease in population abundance and, based on the species' ecology, we identified urbanization as a potential key threat, which could lead to the local or global extirpation of the species. We call for urgent conservation actions that help protect the future of the montane skink, and additional surveys to map its full distribution. As countries now work towards implementing the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, our study demonstrates the need for proper investments in biodiversity inventories and monitoring in order to halt species extinctions by 2030.
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