Butterfly diversity in a tropical urban habitat (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea)

<p>Butterflies are important pollinators and indicators of environmental health. Habitat destruction and fragmentation caused by developmental activities and poor natural resource management are the main reasons for the drastic decline of butterfly populations throughout the world, and prompt the need for effective conservation management. We assessed the diversity, richness, seasonal distribution and conservation priorities of butterflies in an inner-city parkland habitat (University of Dhaka, Bangladesh) and investigated the biotic, and abiotic factors affecting butterfly diversity. A total of 93 species from 5 families were recorded from January to December 2014. Nymphalidae and Papilionidae were the most and least dominant families in terms of species number. Butterflies across families generally selected nectar plants randomly, although some showed preference towards herbs. Spatial interpolation of butterfly richness indicated that the most suitable area was around Curzon Hall, an area containing different types of vegetation. Precipitation was the only abiotic factor with a significant relationship with butterfly species richness. The establishment of green areas with complex structural vegetation will improve microclimatic conditions for butterflies, promoting healthier urban ecosystems, and the conservation of butterflies and other associated species in inner-city areas.</p

Species traits and variables - data table

Species trait data and environmental variables used for analysis of correlates of extinction risk in 1,139 squamate reptiles. For each species, data on extinction risk, range size, reproductive mode and output, body size, trophic group, biogeographical realm and island endemism is given. In addition, the file holds environmental data extracted across each species' range from spatial data layers on climate, net primary productivity (NPP) and human pressures (population density, human appropriation of NPP, accessibility, etc.)

Composite phylogeny of squamate reptiles

Non-dated composite phylogeny of squamate reptiles (1,139 species + Sphenodon punctatus as outgroup) as used in our analysis of extinction risk correlates of squamate reptiles. This zip file contains the data file holding the phylogeny in text format, and a Word document describing how the phylogeny was constructed, as well as literature citations

the distributions of all reptile species

the polygonal and points (buffered or modeled to produce MCPs and alpha hulls as described in the methods) for all reptile specie

Assessing the Cost of Global Biodiversity and Conservation Knowledge

<div><p>Knowledge products comprise assessments of authoritative information supported by standards, governance, quality control, data, tools, and capacity building mechanisms. Considerable resources are dedicated to developing and maintaining knowledge products for biodiversity conservation, and they are widely used to inform policy and advise decision makers and practitioners. However, the financial cost of delivering this information is largely undocumented. We evaluated the costs and funding sources for developing and maintaining four global biodiversity and conservation knowledge products: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, Protected Planet, and the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. These are secondary data sets, built on primary data collected by extensive networks of expert contributors worldwide. We estimate that US$160 million (range: US$116–204 million), plus 293 person-years of volunteer time (range: 278–308 person-years) valued at US$14 million (range US$12–16 million), were invested in these four knowledge products between 1979 and 2013. More than half of this financing was provided through philanthropy, and nearly three-quarters was spent on personnel costs. The estimated annual cost of maintaining data and platforms for three of these knowledge products (excluding the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems for which annual costs were not possible to estimate for 2013) is US$6.5 million in total (range: US$6.2–6.7 million). We estimated that an additional US$114 million will be needed to reach pre-defined baselines of data coverage for all the four knowledge products, and that once achieved, annual maintenance costs will be approximately US$12 million. These costs are much lower than those to maintain many other, similarly important, global knowledge products. Ensuring that biodiversity and conservation knowledge products are sufficiently up to date, comprehensive and accurate is fundamental to inform decision-making for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Thus, the development and implementation of plans for sustainable long-term financing for them is critical.</p></div

Categories, subcategories and funding sources classification used to categorise costs.

<p>Categories, subcategories and funding sources classification used to categorise costs.</p

Development status of the four knowledge products included in this study.

<p>A brief description of each knowledge product is available in [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0160640#pone.0160640.ref007" target="_blank">7</a>].</p

Sources of funding (midpoints of estimates) until 2013 for all knowledge products.

<p>Others include multilateral donors and financial institutions.</p

Sources of funding (midpoints of estimates) invested until 2013 for each knowledge product.

<p>Sources of funding (midpoints of estimates) invested until 2013 for each knowledge product.</p

Overall funds (midpoints) and volunteer days invested in the four knowledge products between 1979 and 2013, and annual cost in 2013.

<p>The mid-point is the equidistant point between the maximum and minimum values. Full details are available in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0160640#pone.0160640.s004" target="_blank">S4 Table</a>.</p