Uvaria botryoides (Annonaceae), a new species from Angola

Uvaria botryoides Paiva, a new species from Angola is described and illustrated. The species distribution is mapped, and its conservation status assessed. It is compared to all species of the genus Uvaria that occur in Angola and a key to Angolan species is presented

The conservation and ecology of the British Virgin Islands endemic tree, Vachellia anegadensis

Numerous island species have gone extinct and many extant, but threatened, island endemics require ongoing monitoring of their conservation status. Until recently the small tree, Vachellia anegadensis, was thought to occur only on the limestone island of Anegada in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and was assessed as Critically Endangered (CR). However, in 2008 it was discovered on the volcanic island of Fallen Jerusalem approximately 35 km from Anegada. To re-assess its conservation status and inform conservation interventions, we determined the distribution, genetic population structure, dependency on pollinators, suitable habitat and current threats of V. anegadensis. We showed V. anegadensis to be locally widespread on Anegada and sporadic on Fallen Jerusalem. We established that geographical location does not predict genetic differentiation amongst populations. We found that V. anegadensis produces more seeds when visited by animal pollinators, primarily butterflies. Introduced animals and disturbance by humans are the main threats to V. anegadensis indicating that in situ conservation is crucial for its long-term survival. Due to the newly discovered population on Fallen Jerusalem, we reassessed V. anegadensis as Endangered (EN)

Potential benefits to breeding seabirds of converting abandoned coconut plantations to native habitats after invasive predator eradication

On many Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, colonization by humans brought invasive species, native vegetation destruction, and coconut plantations, leading to the decimation of seabird populations. The coconut industry on oceanic islands has since crashed, leaving the legacy of altered, impoverished ecosystems. Many island restoration projects eradicate invasive species, particularly rats, with the goal of restoring seabird-driven ecosystems. However, in the absence of converting abandoned plantations to habitat conducive to breeding seabirds, seabird-driven ecosystems may not fully recover after rat eradication. Here we quantify and, by resource selection function, confirm seabird habitat selection within the Chagos Archipelago, before estimating the potential difference in breeding abundance following rat eradication with and without active management of abandoned plantations. Using Ile du Coin as our primary example, we estimate that following rat eradication, but without plantation conversion, this island could potentially support 4,306 (±93) pairs of breeding seabird; if restored to habitat representative of associated rat-free islands, 138,878 (±1,299) pairs. If 1 km2 of plantation is converted to produce 0.5 km2 each of native forest and savanna, it could theoretically support 319,762 (±2,279) breeding pairs—more than the entire archipelago at present. Our research indicates that when setting restoration goals in the Chagos Archipelago, at least 55% of the restored habitat should be composed of native forest and savanna in order to support a viable seabird community. Our research enhances the prospects of successfully restoring seabird islands across the tropical landscape with wider benefits to native biodiversity

Bacterial community composition over a dry winter in meso- and eutrophic Portuguese water bodies

In order to investigate the bacterial diversity in a number of rivers, reservoirs and lakes in northern and central Portugal during the winter of 2004/5 (atypically dry), we applied molecular methodologies, namely denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis with primers targeting fractions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Environmental parameters such as pH, conductivity, inorganic nutrients, total suspended solids and chlorophyll a were determined in order to characterize the trophic status of the studied water bodies. We found water bodies with oligotrophic to hypereutrophic characteristics. Organisms belonging to the Bacteroidetes and Alphaproteobacteria were found at the highest pH environment. Bacteroidetes were also related to high nutrient concentrations. Verrucomicrobia were associated with the most oligotrophic reservoir and low pH values. Actinobacteria were present in all samples from lakes and reservoirs, indicating its preference for lentic water bodies. Cyanobacteria dominance was related to high pH and conductivity levels. In general the conductivity values recorded in winter 2005 were the highest over recent years and chlorophyll a also reached very high levels. The data emphasize an enhanced risk of eutrophication for the studied water bodies, especially in the subsequent months when the temperature rises

Tropical Important Plant Areas, plant species richness and conservation in the British Virgin Islands.

The global loss of biodiversity is a pressing and urgent issue and halting loss is the focus of many international agreements and targets. However, data on species distribution, threats and protection are limited and sometimes lacking in many parts of the world. The British Virgin Islands (BVI), part of the Puerto Rican Bank Floristic Region in the Caribbean Biodiversity Hotspot, is rich in plant diversity and regional endemism. Despite the established network of National Parks in the BVI and decades of botanical data from international collaboration between the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands, there was a need for consolidated data on species distribution across the archipelago and national lists for threatened and rare plants of conservation concern. The process of identifying the network of 18 Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAs) in the BVI, completed in 2018, delivered national lists and accurate data for all 35 Species of Conservation Concern. These data (3688 georeferenced records) are analysed here to reveal species distribution across the archipelago, within the TIPAs network and the National Parks System. The TIPAs network contained all 35 Species of Conservation Concern and 91% of all the records, as expected. Ten out of the 21 National Parks had one or more of the species present. Most species occur across the archipelago, while some are restricted range and/or endemics. These new data will help management of plant conservation efforts and resources in the BVI, contributing to the revision of the Protected Areas System Plan and local environmental policies and have relevance to the wider Caribbean Region