Tehlike altındaki neurergus crocatus cope, 1862 (Hakkari Benekli Semenderi)'un ekolojisi ve korunması

Neurergus crocatus, Hakkari Spotted Newt, inhabits southeast Turkey, northern Iraq and Northwest Iran. This newt is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN Red List of Threatened species. Despite the species being under threat, there is almost no data about its life history, exact distribution range, ecology, and population status. During this study, extensive field surveys were carried out across the potential range of N. crocatus and data about distribution, habitat, water quality, population size and threats were collected. Field studies were carried out during the daytime using Visual Encounter Survey in the present and potential distribution areas during the active period of the newt in April–July between 2010 and 2017. During the 34 field studies carried out in Turkey, Iran and Iraq, 69 localities were surveyed, and species-specific evidence was found in 28 localities. A total of 536 salamanders, many larvae and egg clutches were observed in these localities. The Distribution Area of N. crocatus was calculated as 17,842.14 km2 by the Minimum Convex Polygon method covering all localities. The maximum linear distance of the Species Distribution Area is 185.70 km. Clustering is observed since the Nearest Neighbor Distances Index of the localities in the Distribution Area is 0.389459 1. The species is distributed in Southeastern Anatolia and Northern Zagros Mountains at an altitude of 646–2249 m above sea level. During our field studies, the total body length of 413 individuals (214 ♂♂ and 199 ♀♀) was measured and the samples were released to the area right after. The total body length of females ranged from 11.9 to 19.2 cm (Avg.= 15.36±1.10, n=199) and of males ranged from 11.0 to 15.7 cm (Avg.= 13.51±0.82, n=214). The average total body length of females is greater than that of males. Mean total body length values differed significantly between the sexes (Student t-test; t= 18.752, df= 411, P0.05). Sexual size and shape dimorphism was observed between males and females. Using the "Mark-Recapture" method, population size estimation was applied for only some Iranian populations using the Lincoln-Petersen Index. It is the first time that population size estimation information was provided for the species. Within the scope of this study, the physicochemical properties of water samples belonging to 37 localities were examined; 28 localities where the species was found, and 9 localities where the species was not found during the field study. The values obtained from the water analysis of aquatic habitats samples compared with the relevant literature shows the waters in which the species is found are generally classified as first quality (very good) and none of the parameters are within the toxic range. In addition, to measure the effect of water physicochemical parameters on the presence of the species in the aquatic habitat, Present/Absent localities were analyzed with Binary Logistic Regression in terms of water parameters. According to the results of the analysis, it has been determined that the water physicochemical parameters do not affect the presence of the species. Threat factors observed in the habitats of the species during the study were; habitat degradation and habitat loss, drought and climate change, environmental pollution, superstitions and the collection of salamanders for scientific, commercial or personal collection purposes. In the light of this information, appropriate conservation strategies and action plans were suggested for species.Neurergus crocatus, Hakkari Benekli Semenderi, Türkiye'nin güneydoğusu, Kuzey Irak ve İran'ın batısında dağlarda dağılış göstermektedir. Bu tür IUCN Kırmızı Listesinde Duyarlı kategorisinde yer almaktadır. Hakkari Benekli semenderi tehlike altında olmasına rağmen, türün yaşam öyküsü, kesin dağılım alanı, ekolojisi ve populasyon durumu hakkında neredeyse hiçbir veri yoktur. Bu çalışma süresince, N. crocatus'un potansiyel dağılış alanı boyunca kapsamlı saha araştırmaları yapılmış ve dağılış, habitat, su kalitesi, populasyon büyüklüğü ve tehditler hakkında veriler toplanılmıştır. Arazi çalışmaları 2010–2017 yılları arasında Nisan–Temmuz aylarında hayvanın aktif olduğu dönem boyunca mevcut ve potansiyel dağılış alanlarında, Görsel Araştırma Tekniği (GAT) ile gündüzleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Türkiye, İran ve Irak'ta, yürütülen 34 arazi çalışması süresi boyunca 69 lokalite araştırılmış ve 28 lokalite de türe ait bulgulara rastlanılmıştır. Bu lokalitelerde toplam 536 semender, çok sayıda larva ve yumurta kitlesi gözlemlenmiştir. N. crocatus 'un yayılış alanı (EOO) tüm lokalitelerini kapsayan Minimum Dışbükey Çokgeni (MCP) yöntemi ile17,842.14 km2 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Tür yayılış alanının maksimum doğrusal mesafesi 185.70 km'dir. Yayılış Alanındaki lokalitelerin birbirine olan en yakın komşu mesafe indeksi (Nearest Neighbour Distances Index) 0.389459 1 olduğundan kümeleme görülmektedir. Türün bulunduğu lokaliteler Güneydoğu Anadolu ve Kuzey Zagros Sıradağları'nda deniz seviyesinden 646–2249 m aralığında yükseklikte bulunmaktadır. Arazi çalışmaları süresince toplam 413 bireye ait total vücut boyu (214 ♂♂ ve 199 ♀♀) ölçülmüş ve hemen sonrasında örnekler doğaya serbest bırakılmıştır. Yapılan ölçümlere göre dişilerin total boy uzunluğu 11.9 ile 19.2 cm (Ort.= 15.36±1.10, n=199) ve erkeklerin ise 11.0 ile 15.7 cm (Ort.= 13.51±0.82, n=214) arasında değişmektedir. Dişilerin ortalama total boy uzunlukları erkeklerden daha büyüktür. Ortalama total boy uzunlukları cinsiyetler arasında önemli fark göstermiştir (Student t-test; t= 18.752, df= 411, P0.05). Erkek ve dişi arasında eşeysel boyut ve şekil dimorfizmi gözlemlenmiştir. "Markala-Tekrar Yakala" yöntemi ile, popülasyon büyüklüğü tahmini Lincoln-Petersen İndeksi kullanarak sadece bazı İran popülasyonları için uygulanmıştır ve ilk kez tür için popülasyon bilgisi sağlamıştır. Bu çalışma kapsamında farklı noktalardan elde edilen toplam 37 lokaliteye ait su örneğinin fizikokimyasal özellikleri incelenmiştir; 28 lokalite türün bulunduğu ve 9 lokalite arazi çalışması sırasında türe rastlanmadığı ve yok diye belirtilen lokalitelerdir. Su analizi sonucu türün bulunduğu habitatlardan elde edilen değerler ilgili literatürler ile kıyaslandığında sular genelde 1. kalite (çok iyi) olarak sınıflandırılmıştır ve parametrelerden hiçbiri toksik aralıkta yer almamaktadır. Ayrıca bu parametrelerin türün suda bulunmasında etkisini ölçmek için Var- Yok lokalitelerini su parametreleri açısından İkili Lojistik Regresyon ile analizi yapılmıştır. Bu analiz sonuçlarına göre sudaki parametrelerin türün o suda bulunup bulunmamasını etkilemediği tespit edilmiştir. Çalışma süresince türün bulunduğu habitatlarda gözlemlenen tehdit faktörleri; habitat bozulması ve kaybı, kuraklık ve olası iklim değişikliği, çevre kirliliği, batıl inançlar ve semenderlerin bilimsel, ticari veya koleksiyon amaçlı toplanması olarak belirtilmiştir. Bu bilgiler ışığında uygun koruma stratejileri ve eylem planı önerisinde bulunulmuştur

The Herpetofauna of Iran: Checklist of Taxonomy, Distribution and Conservation Status

WOS: 000368218100002We present an annotated checklist for a total 241 reptiles and 22 amphibians including 5 frogs, 9 toads, 7 newts and salamanders, 1 crocodile, 1 worm lizard, 148 lizards, 79 snakes and 12 turtles and tortoises, includes the most scientific literature up to August 2014 and also based on several field surveys conducted in different Provinces of Iran from 2009 to 2014. We present an up-to-dated checklist of reptiles and amphibians in Iran. We provide a comprehensive listing of taxonomy, names, distribution and conservation status of all amphibians and reptiles of Iran. This checklist includes all recognized named taxa, English names for classes, orders, families, species, subspecies along with Persian names for species, including indication of native and introduced species. For the first time we report two non-native introduced reptiles from natural habitats of Iran. Of the total 22 species of amphibians in Iran, 6 (27.2%) are endemic and of the total 241 species of reptiles, 55 (22.8%) are endemic. Of the 22 amphibians species in Iran, 3 (13%) are Critically Endangered, 2 (9%) are Vulnerable and of the 241 reptile species 3 (1.2%) are Critically Endangered, 4 (1.6%) are Endangered and 10 (4.1%) are Vulnerable. Accordingly, this paper combines significant aspects of taxonomy, common names, conservation status and distribution of the Iranian herpetofauna

A global-scale screening of non-native aquatic organisms to identify potentially invasive species under current and future climate conditions

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147868Science of the Total Environment78814786

A global-scale screening of non-native aquatic organisms to identify potentially invasive species under current and future climate conditions

The threat posed by invasive non-native species worldwide requires a global approach to identify which introduced species are likely to pose an elevated risk of impact to native species and ecosystems. To inform policy, stakeholders and management decisions on global threats to aquatic ecosystems, 195 assessors representing 120 risk assessment areas across all six inhabited continents screened 819 non-native species from 15 groups of aquatic organisms (freshwater, brackish, marine plants and animals) using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. This multi-lingual decision-support tool for the risk screening of aquatic organisms provides assessors with risk scores for a species under current and future climate change conditions that, following a statistically based calibration, permits the accurate classification of species into high-, medium- and low-risk categories under current and predicted climate conditions. The 1730 screenings undertaken encompassed wide geographical areas (regions, political entities, parts thereof, water bodies, river basins, lake drainage basins, and marine regions), which permitted thresholds to be identified for almost all aquatic organismal groups screened as well as for tropical, temperate and continental climate classes, and for tropical and temperate marine ecoregions. In total, 33 species were identified as posing a ‘very high risk’ of being or becoming invasive, and the scores of several of these species under current climate increased under future climate conditions, primarily due to their wide thermal tolerances. The risk thresholds determined for taxonomic groups and climate zones provide a basis against which area-specific or climate-based calibrated thresholds may be interpreted. In turn, the risk rankings help decision-makers identify which species require an immediate ‘rapid’ management action (e.g. eradication, control) to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts, which require a full risk assessment, and which are to be restricted or banned with regard to importation and/or sale as ornamental or aquarium/fishery enhancement