An Evaluation of Marine Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in the Context of Spatial Conservation Prioritization

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) are sites identified as globally important for bird species conservation. Marine IBAs are one of the few comprehensive multi-species datasets available for the marine environment, and their use in conservation planning will likely increase as countries race to protect 10% of their territorial waters by 2020. We tested 15 planning scenarios for Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone to guide best practice on integrating marine IBAs into spatial conservation prioritization. We found prioritizations based solely on habitat protection failed to protect IBAs, and prioritizations based solely on IBAs similarly failed to meet basic levels of habitat representation. Further, treating all marine IBAs as irreplaceable sites produced the most inefficient plans in terms of ecological representativeness and protection equality. Our analyses suggest that marine spatial planners who wish to use IBAs treat them like any other conservation feature by assigning them a specific protection target

Measuring Global Trends in the Status of Biodiversity: Red List Indices for Birds

The rapid destruction of the planet's biodiversity has prompted the nations of the world to set a target of achieving a significant reduction in the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010. However, we do not yet have an adequate way of monitoring progress towards achieving this target. Here we present a method for producing indices based on the IUCN Red List to chart the overall threat status (projected relative extinction risk) of all the world's bird species from 1988 to 2004. Red List Indices (RLIs) are based on the number of species in each Red List category, and on the number changing categories between assessments as a result of genuine improvement or deterioration in status. The RLI for all bird species shows that their overall threat status has continued to deteriorate since 1988. Disaggregated indices show that deteriorations have occurred worldwide and in all major ecosystems, but with particularly steep declines in the indices for Indo-Malayan birds (driven by intensifying deforestation of the Sundaic lowlands) and for albatrosses and petrels (driven by incidental mortality in commercial longline fisheries). RLIs complement indicators based on species population trends and habitat extent for quantifying global trends in the status of biodiversity. Their main weaknesses are that the resolution of status changes is fairly coarse and that delays may occur before some status changes are detected. Their greatest strength is that they are based on information from nearly all species in a taxonomic group worldwide, rather than a potentially biased subset. At present, suitable data are only available for birds, but indices for other taxonomic groups are in development, as is a sampled index based on a stratified sample from all major taxonomic groups

Geographical origin of dabbling ducks wintering in Iberia: Sex differences and implications for pair formation

Los humedales ibéricos naturales y antropógenos del sur de Europa son bien conocidos por sustentar a un gran número de aves migratorias acuáticas del Palaearctico en cada invierno. Sin embargo, la información sobre el origen geográfico de los patos de humedal que pasan el invierno en estos espacios es escasa y se limita principalmente a datos de sonar. Aquí, hemos utilizado marcadores isotópicos para determinar el origen geográfico de machos y hembras de Pintails septentrional, Anas acuta y Anas crecca euroasiática en Extremadura, en el interior de la península Ibérica, sitio clave para invernar los patos de humedal. Además, hemos instalado seis etiquetas GPSGSM en Pintails septentrional para complementar los datos derivados del análisis de isótopos estables. La mayoría (> 70%) de los Pintails septentrional, dentro del primer año calendario, fueron asignados a regiones situadas por encima de los 55° N, volando 2600-5600 km desde sus regiones de procedencia a Extremadura. Los valores promedio de δ2Hf variaron significativamente entre macho y hembra de Pintails septentrional, sugiriendo que los sexos tienen diferentes orígenes geográficos. Los datos de los adultos etiquetados Pintails septentrional apoyan los datos isotópicos, un macho volando más de 5000 km de la costa de la mar Pechora (Rusia). La mayoría (> 70%) de los Teal euroasiáticos, dentro del primer año calendario, fueron asignados a la región situada entre 48° y 60° N y viajaron 1500-4500 km para llegar en Extremadura. Los machos y hembras de Cerceta euroasiáticos mostraron diferencias marginales en valores promedio de δ2Hf. En patos de humedal migratorios, el emparejamiento se produce normalmente en las zonas de invernada, y los patos en su primer invierno pueden reproducirse en la primavera siguiente. Para Pintails septentrional, la formación de parejas en Extremadura podría suceder entre individuos con diferentes orígenes geográficos, lo que podría contribuir a la variabilidad genética de su descendencia.Natural and anthropogenic Iberian wetlands in southern Europe are well known for supporting large numbers of migratory Palaearctic waterbirds each winter. However, information on the geographical origin of dabbling ducks overwintering in these wetlands is scarce and mostly limited to data from ringing recoveries. Here, we used intrinsic isotopic markers to determine the geographical origin of male and female Northern Pintails Anas acuta and Eurasian Teal Anas crecca in Extremadura, inland Iberia, a key site for overwintering dabbling ducks. Additionally, we fitted six Northern Pintails with GPSGSM tags to complement the data derived from stable isotope analysis. Most (> 70%) first calendar-year Northern Pintails were assigned to regions above 55°N, flying 2600–5600 km from their main natal regions to Extremadura. Mean values of δ2Hf varied significantly between male and female Northern Pintails, suggesting that the sexes had different geographical origins. Data from tagged adult Northern Pintails supported the isotopic data, one male flying more than 5000 km to the coast of the Pechora Sea (Russia). Most (> 70%) first calendar-year Eurasian Teal were assigned to the region between 48° and 60°N, travelling 1500–4500 km to arrive in Extremadura. Male and female Eurasian Teal showed marginal differences in mean values of δ2Hf. In migratory dabbling ducks, pairing typically occurs on the wintering grounds, and ducks in their first winter can breed the following spring. For Northern Pintails, pair formation in Extremadura could occur between individuals with different geographical origins, which could contribute to the genetic variability of their offspring.Trabajo patrocinado por: Junta de Extremadura. Proyecto PRI 09C128 Gobierno de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Ayuda GR10174 Confederación Hidrográfica del Guadiana (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente). Ayuda financierapeerReviewe

Birds use individually consistent temperature cues to time their migration departure

A fundamental question in migration biology is how birds decide when to start their journey, given that arriving too early or too late in a variable environment reduces individual fitness. Internal circannual regulation, and predictable cues such as photoperiod, prepare birds for migration, while variable external cues such as temperature and wind are thought to fine-tune departure times; however, this has not been demonstrated at the key point where an individual animal decides to start its migration. In theory, environmental cues correlated between departure and arrival sites allow informed departure decisions. For 48 satellite-tracked Asian houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii, a medium-distance migrant with climatic connectivity between wintering and breeding areas, each tracked across multiple years, spring departure was under individually-consistent temperature conditions, with greater individual repeatability than for photoperiod or wind. Individuals occupied a range of wintering sites latitudinally spanning 1,200 km, but departed from more northerly latitudes at lower temperatures. These individual departure decisions produced earlier mean population-level departure and arrival dates in warmer springs. Phenological adjustments were fully compensatory, as individuals arrived on the breeding grounds under similar temperature conditions each year. Individuals’ autumn departure decisions were also highly repeatable relative to temperature, but were less distinct than for spring, likely due to relaxed time constraints to leave breeding grounds or reach wintering sites, and use of autumn wind as a supplementary departure cue. Here we have shown that individual-level departure decisions informed by local temperatures can pre-adapt a population to adjust its population-level phenology in response to annual variability in springs timings without genetic change in reaction thresholds

Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), has spread rapidly around the world, raising concerns for threatened species conservation and biosecurity risks associated with the global pet bird trade. BFDV has been reported in several wild parrot populations, but data is lacking for many taxa and geographical areas with high parrot endemism. This data deficit impedes the development of strategies to mitigate the threats posed by BFDV. We aimed to advance understanding of BFDV distribution in many data deficient areas and determine phylogenetic and biogeographic associations of the virus from five parrot species in Africa, the Indian Ocean islands, Asia and Europe. BFDV was detected in eight countries where it was not known to occur previously, indicating the virus is more widely distributed than currently recognised. We document for the first time the presence of BFDV in wild populations of the highly traded and invasive Psittacula krameri within its native range in Asia and Africa. BFDV was detected among introduced 15 P. krameri on the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and the Seychelles, raising concerns for island endemic species in the region. Examination of the phylogenetic relationships between viral sequences, including those detected among wild-sourced parrots seized from illegal trade in Western Africa, revealed likely pathways of transmission between populations. A close degree of phylogenetic relatedness between viral variants from geographically distant populations suggests recent introductions, likely driven by global trade. These findings highlight the need for effective regulation of international trade in live parrots, particularly in regions with high parrot endemism or vulnerable taxa where P. krameri could act as a reservoir host

Encountering extreme weather during migration: individual strategies and their consequences

The way that animal populations respond to changing weather conditions is a major focus of current research, fuelled by the need to predict the future consequences of climatic changes. Severe weather events can provide valuable opportunities to uncover the mechanisms through which weather influences population demography but opportunities to track individual responses to such events are rare. Senner et al. report on an exceptional opportunity to address this issue, when their detailed studies of a migratory shorebird population were interrupted by an extreme weather event that coincided with spring migration, a key period in the annual cycle of migratory species. Through tracking of individuals across the migratory range, Senner et al. show that, while individual schedules were severely disrupted by the harsh weather, with many individuals undertaking reverse migrations and experiencing delayed breeding, breeding success was unaffected. This study highlights the complexities involved in predicting the ecological consequences of extreme weather events, and the key role of behavioural flexibility in mitigating the costs to individuals

[Letter] Present and future biodiversity risks from fossil fuel exploitation

Currently, human society is predominantly powered by fossil fuels—coal, oil and natural gas—yet also ultimately depends on goods and services provided by biodiversity. Fossil fuel extraction impacts biodiversity indirectly through climate change and by increasing accessibility, and directly through habitat loss and pollution. In contrast to the indirect effects, quantification of the direct impacts has been relatively neglected. To address this, we analyse the potential threat to > 37,000 species and > 200,000 protected areas globally from the locations of present and future fossil fuel extraction in marine and terrestrial environments. Sites that are currently exploited have higher species richness and endemism than unexploited sites, whereas known future hydrocarbon activities will predominantly move into less biodiverse locations. We identify 181 ‘high‐risk’ locations where oil or gas extraction suitability coincides with biodiversity importance, making conflicts between extraction and conservation probable. In total, protected areas are located on US$3‐15 trillion of unexploited hydrocarbon reserves, posing challenges and potentially opportunities for protected area management and sustainable financing

The implications for conservation of a major taxonomic revision of the world’s birds

A recent comprehensive revision of the taxonomy that underpins the global IUCN Red List for birds led to an increase of 10.7% (over 1000 species) in the number of recognized bird species. We assessed the implications for conservation of this revision by (1) comparing extinction risk between newly recognized and unrevised species, (2) calculating the extent to which newly recognized species’ ranges are covered by Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and protected areas, and (3) identifying new hotspots of extinction risk, where high numbers of newly recognized threatened species intersect areas of low protected area coverage. Unexpectedly, newly recognized species derived from taxonomic division (splitting) were on average significantly less threatened in terms of their IUCN global threat categories than species whose taxonomic status remained unchanged, despite their significantly smaller mean range size. Newly recognized species listed as globally threatened had higher average coverage of their ranges by IBAs and protected areas than their pre-revision ‘parents’, although 25 and 21 species had no coverage by IBAs or protected areas respectively. The absolute number of globally threatened species increased slightly overall, particularly in Java and the Philippines, already recognized as hotspots of extinction risk, and in eastern Amazonia, which emerged as a new hotspot of extinction risk. All three regions have low levels of protection and should be prioritized for expansion of the protected area network. Our results suggest that while major taxonomic revisions may lead to an increase in the absolute number of species requiring conservation attention, they do not necessarily lead to a rise in average extinction risk, a decrease in the coverage of species’ ranges by site-level conservation designations or a significant increase in the number of priority areas for conservation investment

Global Trends in the Status of Bird and Mammal Pollinators

Biodiversity is declining, with direct and indirect effects on ecosystem func-tions and services that are poorly quantified. Here, we develop the first globalassessment of trends in pollinators, focusing on pollinating birds and mam-mals. A Red List Index for these species shows that, overall, pollinating birdand mammal species are deteriorating in status, with more species movingtoward extinction than away from it. On average, 2.5 species per year havemoved one Red List category toward extinction in recent decades, represent-ing a substantial increase in the extinction risk across this set of species. Thismay be impacting the delivery of benefits that these species provide to people.We recommend that the index be expanded to include taxonomic groups thatcontribute more significantly to pollination, such as bees, wasps, and butter-flies, thereby giving a more complete picture of the state of pollinating speciesworldwide