Evaluación de la comunidad de murciélagos (orden: chiroptera) en función de sus gremios alimenticios y edades reproductivas en distintos hábitats de la Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini

The present research was made at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station (TBS) which partially belongs to the Biosphere Yasuní Reserve. Doctor Jaime Guerra captured, identified and released bats as part of his studies of mammals. Bats were captured by mist nets which were placed at understory level in four different habitats; Mineral Lick, Terra Firme Forest, Varzea Forest and Tiputini River. This work represents the evaluation of data collected during seven years (twice a year). The state of conservation of each species was determined and also an analysis of abundance and diversity was made. The community structure was determined for each habitat considering reproductive age and feeding groups. 77 species which belonged to 6 families were identified. Based on ecological index it was determined that the TBS has a high diversity of bats. Also, most of the species are in the category of “Low concern” which indicates a good conservation state. The community structure varied on each habitat because of the feeding groups, sex and reproductive state of each species. Females had a high number of the individual captured, and most of them had an active reproductive state (lactating and pregnant) and the habitat with the greatest number of species was the Mineral Lick.Este estudio fue realizado en la Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini, que es parte de la Reserva de Biosfera Yasuní. El doctor Jaime Guerra capturó, identificó y después liberó a los murciélagos como parte de sus estudios de mamíferos. Los murciélagos fueron capturados a través de redes de niebla, colocadas a nivel del sotobosque, en 4 distintos hábitats; Saladero, Bosque Terra Firme, Bosque, Varzea y Río Tiputini. Este trabajo representa la evaluación de 7 años de colección de datos (2 veces al año), a partir de los cuales se determinó el estado de conservación de cada especie, y se realizó un análisis de la abundancia y diversidad de los murciélagos de la Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini. Además, se determinó la estructura de la comunidad en cada uno de los cuatro hábitats muestreados, en función de la edad reproductiva y los gremios alimenticios. Se encontraron 77 especies pertenecientes a las 6 familias. A través de los índices de ecológicos se pudo determinar que existe una alta diversidad dentro de EBT. Además, la mayoría de especies se encuentran en la categoría “Preocupación menor”, lo que es indicativo de un buen estado de conservación. La estructura de la comunidad varió en cada uno de los hábitats, y esto dependió de los gremios alimenticios, el sexo y el estado reproductivo de cada especie. Se capturaron mayor cantidad de hembras, especialmente en estado reproductivo activo (lactante y embarazo) y el hábitat con mayor número de especies fue saladero

Red List assessment of amphibian species of Ecuador: A multidimensional approach for their conservation.

Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, but faces severe pressures and threats to its natural ecosystems. Numerous species have declined and require to be objectively evaluated and quantified, as a step towards the development of conservation strategies. Herein, we present an updated National Red List Assessment for amphibian species of Ecuador, with one of the most detailed and complete coverages for any Ecuadorian taxonomic group to date. Based on standardized methodologies that integrate taxonomic work, spatial analyses, and ecological niche modeling, we assessed the extinction risk and identified the main threats for all Ecuadorian native amphibians (635 species), using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Our evaluation reveals that 57% (363 species) are categorized as Threatened, 12% (78 species) as Near Threatened, 4% (26 species) as Data Deficient, and 27% (168 species) as Least Concern. Our assessment almost doubles the number of threatened species in comparison with previous evaluations. In addition to habitat loss, the expansion of the agricultural/cattle raising frontier and other anthropogenic threats (roads, human settlements, and mining/oil activities) amplify the incidence of other pressures as relevant predictors of ecological integrity. Potential synergic effects with climate change and emergent diseases (apparently responsible for the sudden declines), had particular importance amongst the threats sustained by Ecuadorian amphibians. Most threatened species are distributed in montane forests and paramo habitats of the Andes, with nearly 10% of them occurring outside the National System of Protected Areas of the Ecuadorian government. Based on our results, we recommend the following actions: (i) An increase of the National System of Protected Areas to include threatened species. (ii) Supporting the ex/in-situ conservation programs to protect species considered like Critically Endangered and Endangered. (iii) Focalizing research efforts towards the description of new species, as well as species currently categorized as Data Deficient (DD) that may turn out to be threatened. The implementation of the described actions is challenging, but urgent, given the current conservation crisis faced by amphibians