Capacity building and not expert endorsements overcomes limited taxonomic expertise: Adeyanju et al. (2017) revisited

Local species checklists are important tools for biodiversity research and conservation. However, limited taxonomic expertise can lead to species misidentifications, thereby reducing confidence in such checklists. Decline in taxonomic expertise is implicated in the taxonomic impediment – extinction of species before they are discovered and described. Global consensus for reducing the decline in taxonomic expertise and consequent taxonomic impediment and species misidentification is capacity building and provision of reliable easy-to-use guides. However, untrained local biologists under pressure to publish results of field surveys may boycott species identification best practices. Here, I use a recent scenario to highlight the plight and responsibility of local biologists in the species identification process.Keywords: Tropical biologists, Nigeria, bats, capacity buildin

The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/ taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems

The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems

Diurnal variation and evaluation of physico-chemical properties of the Ikpoba River, Southern Nigeria

This study was carried out to evaluate the magnitude of diurnal variation of physicochemical parameters and potability of the Ikpoba River. Water samples were taken from stations 1 and 2 within the Reservoir and station 3 downstream. Water quality parameters showed significant diurnal, seasonal and spatial variations. In the dry season, transparency was lowest at 12 midnight, while turbidity peaked at 6 p.m. The pH was more alkaline towards mid-night, and more acidic during rainy season. Alkalinity was highest at 12 noon, while chloride peaked at 12 mid-night. NO3, SO4, DO, BOD5, Na, K, Ca and Mg had higher mean values in the dry season. The heavy metals, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Cr showed significant (P<0.05) diurnal variation in the dry season, while Cu, Mn, Cd and Cr were not detected in the rainy season. Zn, Fe and Pb had higher mean concentrations in the rainy season. Spatially, TDS showed significant variation (P<0.05), being highest in station 1 and lowest in station 3 during the dry season. NO3, PO4, DO, Ca and Mg showed significant spatial differences during the dry season. The DO was significantly higher (P<0.05) in station 3 than in stations 1 and 2 in both seasons. Ca was significantly higher (P<0.01) within the Reservoir than in station 3. Zn and Cu were significantly higher within the Reservoir, while Pb had the highest concentration in station 3. pH, BOD, Fe, Pb and Cd did not meet the Federal Ministry of Environment regulatory standards for drinking water. Diurnally, the worse case scenario for noncompliance occurred at 6 p.m., and spatially at station 3. Surveillance of drinking-water quality is therefore recommended for the Ikpoba River and other sources of community potable water supplies to avert possible health hazards. An understanding of diurnal and seasonal variability in environmental sensitivities is imperative in water quality control and assurance during data acquisition.Key words: Diurnal, seasonal variation; water quality, regulatory standards, Ikpoba River, southern Nigeri

Fruit bat migration matches green wave in seasonal landscapes

Migrating grazers and carnivores respond to seasonal changes in the environment and often match peaks in resource abundance. However, it is unclear if and how frugivorous animals use phenological events to time migration, especially in the tropics.The straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum), Africa’s most gregarious fruit bat, forms large seasonal colonies throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. We hypothesized that aggregations of E. helvum match the timing of their migration with phenologies of plant growth or precipitation.Using monthly colony counts from across much of the species’ range, we matched peak colony size to landscape phenologies and explored the variation among colonies matching the overall closest phenological event.Peak colony size was closest to the peak instantaneous rate of green-up, and sites with closer temporal matching were associated with higher maximum greenness, short growing season, and larger peak colony size. Eidolon helvum seem to time their migrations to move into highly seasonal landscapes to exploit short-lived explosions of food and may benefit from collective sensing to time migrations.The link between rapid changes in colony size and phenological match may also imply potential collective sensing of the environment. Overall decreasing bat numbers along with various threats might cause this property of large colonies to be lost.Remote sensing data, although, indirectly linked to fruiting events, can potentially be used to globally describe and predict the migration of frugivorous species in a changing world.publishe

Ecological countermeasures to prevent pathogen spillover and subsequent pandemics.

This is the final version. Available on open access from Nature Research via the DOI in this record. Substantial global attention is focused on how to reduce the risk of future pandemics. Reducing this risk requires investment in prevention, preparedness, and response. Although preparedness and response have received significant focus, prevention, especially the prevention of zoonotic spillover, remains largely absent from global conversations. This oversight is due in part to the lack of a clear definition of prevention and lack of guidance on how to achieve it. To address this gap, we elucidate the mechanisms linking environmental change and zoonotic spillover using spillover of viruses from bats as a case study. We identify ecological interventions that can disrupt these spillover mechanisms and propose policy frameworks for their implementation. Recognizing that pandemics originate in ecological systems, we advocate for integrating ecological approaches alongside biomedical approaches in a comprehensive and balanced pandemic prevention strategy.National Science FoundationDefense Advanced Research Projects AgencyNational Institutes of HealthNatural Environment Research Council (NERC)Cornell Center for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and ResponseMontpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute On Transition

Ecological countermeasures to prevent pathogen spillover and subsequent pandemics

Substantial global attention is focused on how to reduce the risk of future pandemics. Reducing this risk requires investment in prevention, preparedness, and response. Although preparedness and response have received significant focus, prevention, especially the prevention of zoonotic spillover, remains largely absent from global conversations. This oversight is due in part to the lack of a clear definition of prevention and lack of guidance on how to achieve it. To address this gap, we elucidate the mechanisms linking environmental change and zoonotic spillover using spillover of viruses from bats as a case study. We identify ecological interventions that can disrupt these spillover mechanisms and propose policy frameworks for their implementation. Recognizing that pandemics originate in ecological systems, we advocate for integrating ecological approaches alongside biomedical approaches in a comprehensive and balanced pandemic prevention strategy.ISSN:2041-172

Transforming Practice: Checklists for Delivering Change

Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Delivering a revolution in evidence use requires a cultural change across society. For a wide range of groups (practitioners, knowledge brokers, organisations, organisational leaders, policy makers, funders, researchers, journal publishers, the wider conservation community, educators, writers, and journalists), options are described to facilitate a change in practice, and a series of downloadable checklists are provided.Copyright © 2022 Tatsuya Amano, Longji Bako, Marina Best, Nicolas Boenisch, Philipp Boersch-Supan, Des Browne, Yvonne Buckley, Mark Burgman, Marc W. Cadotte, Stefano Canessa, Samantha H. Cheng, Alec P. Christie, Geoffroy Citegetse, Carly N. Cook, Steven J. Cooke, Gemma Cranston, Lynn V. Dicks, Angelita De la Luz, Iain Dickson, Harriet Downey, Johanna Eklund, Nafeesa Esmail, Paul J. Ferraro, Alison Field, Martin Fisher, Robert Freckleton, Winifred Frick, H. Charles J. Godfray, Matthew J. Grainger, Rhys Green, Mark Hancock, Victoria Hemming, Jonathan Hughes, Robyn Irvine, Hazel A. Jackson, Kaylene E. Keller, Julia Koricheva, Charles Latrémouille, Marissa McBride, Angela R. McLean, Tom McPherson, William H. Morgan, Matt Muir*, Nibedita Mukherjee, David O’Brien, Nancy Ockendon, Danni Parks, Silviu Petrovan, Maud Quinzin, Nicola Randall, Ali Mohammad Rezaie, Dilys Roe, David Rose, Libby Rumpff, Ullrika Sahlin, Nick Salafsky, Stefan Schindler, Tom Sheldon, Ashley T. Simkins, Rebecca K. Smith, Jonathan Spencer, William J. Sutherland, Iroro Tanshi, Nigel G Taylor, Eleanor R. Tew, Des B.A. Thompson, Ann Thornton, Paul Tinsley-Marshall, Thomas B. White, Kate Willott Jeremy D. Wilson, Bonnie C. Wintle, Thomas A. Worthington, Hiromi Yamashita, Lindsay C. Young

The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses

International audienceSub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species' population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate 'intactness scores': the remaining proportion of an 'intact' reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region's major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/ taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems