15 research outputs found
Conservation status of a recently described endemic land snail, Candidula coudensis, from the Iberian Peninsula
Research ArticleWe assessed the distribution, population size and conservation status of Candidula coudensis,
a recently described endemic land snail from Portugal. From March 2013 to April
2014, surveys were carried out in the region where the species was described. We found an
extent of occurrence larger than originally described, but still quite small (13.5 km2). The
species was found mainly in olive groves, although it occurred in a variety of other habitats
with limestone soils, including grasslands, scrublands and stone walls. Minimum population
estimate ranged from 110,000–311,000 individuals. The main identified potential threats to
the species include wildfires, pesticides and quarrying. Following the application of IUCN
criteria, we advise a conservation status of either “Least Concern” or “Near-threatened”
under criterion D (restricted population)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Ecological implications of fine-scale fire patchiness and severity in tropical savannas of northern Australia
Research ArticleUnderstanding fine-scale fire patchiness
has significant implications for
ecological processes and biodiversity
conservation. It can affect local
extinction of and recolonisation by
relatively immobile fauna and poorly
seed-dispersed flora in fire-affected
areas. This study assesses fine-scale fire
patchiness and severity, and associated
implications for biodiversity, in north
Australian tropical savanna systems.
We used line transects to sample
burning patterns of ground layer
vegetation in different seasons and
vegetation structure types, within the
perimeter of 35 fires that occurred
between 2009 and 2011. We evaluated
two main fire characteristics: patchiness
(patch density and mean patch length)
and severity (inferred from char and
scorch heights, and char and ash
proportions). The mean burned area of ground vegetation was 83 % in the
early dry season (EDS: May to July)
and 93 % in the late dry season (LDS:
August to November). LDS fires were
less patchy (smaller and fewer
unburned patches), and had higher fire
severity (higher mean char and scorch
heights, and twice the proportion of
ash) than EDS fires. Fire patchiness
varied among vegetation types,
declining under more open canopy
structure. The relationship between
burned area and fire severity depended
on season, being strongly correlated in
the EDS and uncorrelated in the LDS.
Simulations performed to understand
the implications of patchiness on the
population dynamics of fire-interval
sensitive plant species showed that
small amounts of patchiness
substantially enhance survival. Our
results indicate that the ecological
impacts of high frequency fires on firesensitive
regional biodiversity
elements are likely to be lower than
has been predicted from remotely
sensed studies that are based on
assumptions of homogeneous burninginfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio