The Middle Eastern Biodiversity Network: Generating and sharing knowledge for ecosystem management and conservation

Despite prevailing arid conditions, the diversity of terrestrial and freshwater biota in the Middle East is amazingly high and marine biodiversity is among the highest on Earth. Th roughout the Region, threats to the environment are moderate to severe. Despite the outstanding economic and ecological importance of biological diversity, the capacity in biodiversity-related research and academic education is inadequate. The "Middle Eastern Biodiversity Network" (MEBN), founded in 2006 by six universities and research institutes in Iran, Jordan, Germany, Lebanon and Yemen was designed to fi ll this gap. An integrated approach is taken to upgrade biodiversity research and education in order to improve regional ecosystem conservation and management capacities. A wide range of activities are carried out in the framework of the Network, including capacity building in biological collection management and professional natural history curatorship, developing university curricula in biodiversity, conducting scientifi c research, organising workshops and conferences on Middle Eastern biodiversity, and translating the results of biodiversity research into conservation and sustainable development. Keywords: Middle Eastern biodiversity, nature museums, biodiversity research, biodiversity education, biodiversity conservation, biodiversity network

Taxonomic revision of the genus Carasobarbus Karaman, 1971 (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae)

Representatives of the fish genus Carasobarbus Karaman, 1971 (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) from the Middle East and North Africa were previously placed in 14 different genus-group taxa (Barbellion, Barbus, Barynotus, Capoeta, Carasobarbus, Cyclocheilichthys, Kosswigobarbus, Labeobarbus, Luciobarbus, Pseudotor, Puntius, Systomus, Tor and Varicorhinus). The generic assignment of several species changed frequently, necessitating a re-evaluation of their taxonomic status. In this study, the genus Carasobarbus is revised based on comparative morphological examinations of about 1300 preserved specimens from collections of several museums and freshly collected material. The species Carasobarbus apoensis, C. canis, C. chantrei, C. exulatus, C. fritschii, C. harterti, C. kosswigi, C. luteus and C. sublimus form a monophyletic group that shares the following combination of characters: medium-sized barbels with a smooth last unbranched dorsal-fin ray, nine or 10 branched dorsal-fin rays and six branched anal fin-rays; scales large, shield-shaped, with many parallel radii; the lateral line containing 25 to 39 scales; the pharyngeal teeth hooked, 2.3.5-5.3.2 or 2.3.4-4.3.2; one or two pairs of barbels. The species are described in detail, their taxonomic status is re-evaluated and an identification key is provided. A lectotype of Systomus luteus Heckel, 1843 is designated. Carasobarbus Karaman, 1971, Kosswigobarbus Karaman, 1971, and Pseudotor Karaman, 1971 are subjective synonyms, and acting as First Reviser we gave precedence to the name Carasobarbus

The effects of climate change on biodiversity: Pressing issues and research priorities

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Haplotype network for the <i>Capoeta buhsei</i>, <i>Capoeta coadi</i>, and <i>Capoeta saadii</i> COI sequences.

<p>Clades labeled C, D, and E correspond to clades C, D, and E in the phylogenetic tree. These clades are not linked to clades A and B as the number of nucleotide differences exceeds the chosen connection limit (10 mutation steps).</p

Soqotra's Conservation Zoning Plan in the marine realm: Achievements, limitations and the way forward

International audienceThe Soqotra Conservation Zoning Plan (CZP) was developed through parallel participatory (democratic) and scientific (technocratic) processes, as part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded "Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Biodiversity of Soqotra Archipelago" project. The process took place before the advent of conservation planning software and the applied use of conservation genetics and ecosystem service concepts. The marine environment of the Soqotra Archipelago was virtually unknown to science when the project commenced. A few marine surveys had been completed in the Gulf of Aden, and even fewer around the islands. During the project, marine and coastal studies identified high numbers of species within all the major groups (e.g. fish, corals, molluscs etc.), unique and unusual assemblages and habitats, significant populations of focal species and endemics. The scientists were asked to use their combined knowledge to identify high priority areas for protection as either 'Nature Sanctuaries' (NS) or 'National Parks' (NP). Meanwhile, the coastal communities were consulted by project staff and asked to use their combined local knowledge to do the same. There was close agreement (~75 %) between the results of these parallel processes, and after further community consultations, the final draft CZP was legally gazetted in 2000. The majority of marine NS were within traditionally managed areas. A couple of marine NS have since been more formally established, and now attract tourists, while others have not. Changes have been detected in the status of marine communities; patterns of marine resource use and fishing effort have shifted; spawning and nursery grounds in coastal estuaries are heavily impacted near urban areas and; the effects of climate change are looming. This presentation will examine the implication of these changes for the CZP and make recommendations as to how best to now achieve effective management of the Soqotra Archipelago's marine realm

A plausible biogeographical scenario for the separation between the (a) eastern and (b) western lineages.

<p>A plausible biogeographical scenario for the separation between the (a) eastern and (b) western lineages.</p

Condensed cladogram obtained from LSU sequences using Maximum Parsimony/Bayesian analysis.

<p>Numbers above branches refer to bootstrap/posterior probability percentages; only values ≥ 50% are shown. “-” indicates that no bootstrap value was obtained from MP analysis as only a single sequence was included in the analysis.</p

Condensed cladogram obtained from COI sequences using Maximum Parsimony/Bayesian analysis.

<p>Numbers above branches refer to bootstrap/posterior probability percentages; only values ≥ 50% are shown. “-” indicates that no bootstrap value was obtained from MP analysis as only a single sequence was included in the analysis.</p

Haplotype network for the <i>Capoeta caelestis</i>, <i>Capoeta damascina</i>, and <i>C</i>. <i>umbla</i> COI sequences showing the number of nucleotide differences between haplotypes.

<p>Clades labeled A and B correspond to clades A and B in the phylogenetic tree.</p