Priority areas for conservation of and research focused on terrestrial vertebrates

Effective conservation policies require comprehensive knowledge of biodiversity. However, knowledge shortfalls still remain, hindering possibilities to improve decision making and built such policies. During the last 2 decades, conservationists have made great efforts to allocate resources as efficiently as possible but have rarely considered the idea that if research investments are also strategically allocated, it would likely fill knowledge gaps while simultaneously improving conservation actions. Therefore, prioritizing areas where both conservation and research actions could be conducted becomes a critical endeavor that can further maximize return on investment. We used Zonation, a conservation planning tool and geographical distributions of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles to suggest and compare priority areas for conservation and research of terrestrial vertebrates worldwide. We also evaluated the degree of human disturbance in both types of priority areas by describing the value of the human footprint index within such areas. The spatial concordance between priority conservation and research areas was low: 0.36% of the world's land area. In these areas, we found it would be possible to protect almost half of the currently threatened species and to gather information on nearly 42% of data-deficient (DD) species. We also found that 6199 protected areas worldwide are located in such places, although only 35% of them have strict conservation purposes. Areas of consensus between conservation and research areas represent an opportunity for simultaneously conserving and acquiring knowledge of threatened and DD species of vertebrates. Although the picture is not the most encouraging, joint conservation and research efforts are possible and should be fostered to save vertebrate species from our own ignorance and extinction.Fil: Nori, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Loyola, Rafael. Universidade Federal de Goiás; BrasilFil: Villalobos, Fabricio. Instituto de Ecología, A. C. Red de Biología Evolutiva. Laboratorio de Macroecología Evolutiva; Méxic

Exploring patterns in macroecological traits using sequential phylogenetic eigenvector regression

Diferentes métodos han sido propuestos para evaluar el grado de señal filogenética (autocorrelación) en los rasgos macroecológicos. Estos métodos son útiles para desarrollar maneras alternativas de evitar el problema de la falta de independencia entre especies y, actualmente, han demostrado ser importantes para inferir la velocidad de evolución de un rasgo al compararlo con modelos evolutivos alternativos, tales como el movimiento Browniano o el proceso Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU). Recientemente, desarrollamos un método llamado Curva de Señal-Representación Filogenética (PSR, por sus siglas en inglés), una expansión de la regresión de autovectores filogenéticos (PVR, por sus siglas en inglés) propuesto en 1998, que consiste en estimar diferentes coeficientes de determinación mediante la regresión de un rasgo de interés contra los autovectores extraídos de una matriz de distancias filogenéticas. El primer modelo únicamente utiliza los primeros de estos autovectores como variable explicativa, el segundo modelo utiliza tanto los primeros como los segundos autovectores y así sucesivamente. Posteriormente, los coeficientes de determinación resultantes son graficados contra los autovalores acumulados y la forma de esta curva es relacionada con modelos evolutivos determinando la variación del rasgo (i.e. un patrón lineal es esperado bajo movimiento Browniano). Aquí, aplicamos la curva PSR para estudiar los patrones de variación interespecífica en la talla corporal y tamaño de área de distribución de los carnívoros a nivel mundial y comparamos dichas curvas con aquellas simuladas bajo diferentes modelos de evolución. Nuestros resultados apoyan inequívocamente nuestras expectativas basadas en estudios previos acerca de la talla corporal presentando una fuerte señal filogenética, aproximada por un patrón OU con baja restricción, mientras el tamaño de área de distribución es más variable y mejor ajustado por un modelo nulo sugiriendo la ausencia de señal filogenética.A number of methods have been proposed to estimate the level of phylogenetic signal (autocorrelation) in macroecological traits. These methods are useful to devise alternative ways to circumvent the problem of lack of independence among species and, recently, they have also proved valuable to infer how fast a trait has evolved in comparison with alternative evolutionary models, such as a Brownian motion or Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Recently, we developed a method called phylogenetic signal-representation (PSR) curve, an expansion of the phylogenetic eigenvector regression (PVR) proposed in 1998, which consists in estimating different coefficients of determination by regressing a trait of interest on the eigenvectors extracted from a phylogenetic distance matrix. The first model uses only the first of these eigenvectors as an explanatory variable; the second model uses both the first and the second and so on. After, the resultant coefficients of determination are plotted against the cumulative eigenvalues, and the shape of this curve is related to evolutionary models driving trait variation (i.e., a linear pattern is expected under Brownian evolution). Here, we used the PSR curve to study patterns of interspecific variation in Carnivora body size and geographical range size, and compared them with simulated curves under distinct evolutionary processes. Our results unequivocally support our expectations based on previous studies that body size has a strong phylogenetic signal, approximated by an OU pattern with low restraining force, whereas geographic range size is more labile and better fits the null expectations (i.e., absence of phylogenetic signal)

Montañas: cómo se definen y su importancia para la biodiversidad y la humanidad

Las montañas cubren un 12% de la superficie terrestre y un 23% del territorio de México. Tomando como base lo anterior, el objetivo es poner al alcance de los lectores una definición actual y objetiva de lo que es una montaña, así como informarles de manera simple acerca de su importancia biológica como guardianas de la biodiversidad y proveedoras de servicios ecosistémicos. Para esto, realizamos una búsqueda documental sobre el tema ecología de montaña. Nuestro principal interés es que se reconozcan a las montañas como sitios prioritarios para la conservación debido a los múltiples beneficios que suministran a la humanidad. Desafortunadamente, muchas de las montañas en el mundo y en México se encuentran bajo diferentes amenazas

Insufficient protection and intense human pressure threaten islands worldwide

The small size, degree of isolation, and particular evolutionary processes occurring in islands make them highly diverse and an essential target for conservation. For the same characteristics, they are also extremely vulnerable to human-mediated disturbances. During the last centuries, nearly 80% of species extinctions have occurred on islands. While there is information on the human threats, level of protection, and conservation importance of islands, an integrative picture combining these aspects and aimed at determining conservation priorities to inform decision-making is still missing. Here, we jointly analyzed these three aspects producing a worldwide island conservation assessment based on terrestrial vertebrates. Considering the Aichi target of >17% of protection and all protected area categories, we found that 5397 islands, encompassing a quarter of the worldwide island area, face high human modification and have a low level of protection, with 33% of them showing extreme levels of human modification. Also, if we were to consider the new threshold of protected area coverage proposed to accurately protect the world's biodiversity and ecosystems (Nature Needs Half initiative), 77% of the world's islands would face this dramatic scenario. Furthermore, most large islands harboring the highest number of threatened vertebrates are found on this critical situation (low protection and high human modification). Based on the analysis of these conservation scenarios, we identified potential priority islands that provide opportunities to improve island conservation worldwide. The mbest opportunities are located in 58 islands with a low level of protection and human modification, which harbor more than 5 threatened vertebrates’ species and are located in different regions of the world.Fil: Nori, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Villalobos Camacho, Crisoforo Fabricio. Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología. Instituto de Ecología; MéxicoFil: Osorio Olvera, Luis Alfredo. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Loyola, Rafael. Universidade Federal de Goiás; Brasi

Modelo de valoración financiera por suma de partes para empresas de capital abierto en Costa Rica

Proyecto de graduación (Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas. Enfasis en Finanzas) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Escuela de Administración de Empresas, 2015En el medio nacional actual no se dispone de un instrumento que le permita a las empresas realizar valoración financiera mediante el uso de información de compañías comparables. Con el fin de satisfacer este vacío, se procede a diseñar un Modelo de Valoración Financiera por suma de partes que permita conocer el valor actual y futuro de la acción de una empresa de capital abierto. Para ello, se analiza el caso de Florida Ice and Farm Company, empresa objetivo del presente Estudio, cuya información financiera permita la aplicación y análisis del Modelo diseñado. Asimismo, se realiza la selección de compañías comparables para cada una de las unidades de negocio que posee la empresa objetivo, con el fin de elegir a los referentes comerciales óptimos que posibiliten la ejecución de un análisis de naturaleza comparativa y que den a conocer la posición financiera de la compañía en correspondencia a otras del sector. Finalmente se plantea una propuesta a futuro, mediante la cual se pretende llevar a cabo la colocación y divulgación de la herramienta diseñada y asegurar su disponibilidad para el público nacional. El presente Estudio busca servir de aporte al medio empresarial nacional, a través del diseño de un Modelo de valoración financiera por suma de partes para empresas de capital abierto en Costa Rica.Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Administración de Empresa

Phylogenetic structure of geographical co-occurrence among New World Triatominae species, vectors of Chagas disease

The tropical niche conservatism (TNC) hypothesis is one of the most prominent evolutionary hypotheses that has been supported as an explanation for the diversity gradients of several animal taxa, mainly vertebrates. However, the validity of TNC for less-known taxa such as disease vectors is not clear. Here, we test predictions of TNC in driving the geographical co-occurrence among triatomine species, vector insects of Chagas disease. We aim to infer the relative effects of ecological and evolutionary processes in determining triatomine species richness at broad spatial scales. Location: America. Taxon: Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Methods: We gathered distributional, phylogenetic and climatic information for 63 triatomine species. We apply the phylogenetic field (PF) framework based on the phylogenetic structure of species co-occurrences, considering their climatic preferences. We defined PFs of species by estimating the phylogenetic structure of species co-occurrence within a focal species’ range. Likewise, climatic conditions within focal species’ ranges were defined as their preferred climates. We applied a spatial-phylogenetic statistical framework to evaluate geographical variation of species’ co-occurrence and tested the significance of PFs based on biogeographically informed null models. Results: Phylogenetic fields of 17 out of 59 triatomine species showed a trend from overdispersed to clustered, coincident with tropical to subtropical–temperate climate. Triatomines co-occur with more closely related species in temperate areas and more distantly related species in tropical areas. Temperature seasonality was inversely related to the phylogenetic structure of co-occurrence within species ranges. Main conclusions: Geographical co-occurrence among triatomine species revealed a tropical to subtropical–temperate gradient from overdispersed to clustered PFs and a correspondence between the type of climate in which these species are found and their PFs. Phylogenetic structure within triatomine ranges is explained by their evolutionary history. Our study provides a methodological framework to evaluate the New World triatomine geographical co-occurrence patterns under a phylogenetic perspective and our results make an important contribution to the understanding of the broad-scale biodiversity patterns in Triatominae.Fil: Ceccarelli, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Justi, Silvia A.. Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center; Estados Unidos. Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Entomology Branch; Estados UnidosFil: Rabinovich, Jorge Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Diniz Filho, José Alexandre F.. Universidade Federal de Goiás; BrasilFil: Villalobos, Fabricio. Universidade Federal de Goiás; Brasil. Instituto de Ecología; Méxic

Alpha and beta phylogenetic diversities jointly reveal ant community assembly mechanisms along a tropical elevational gradient

Despite the long-standing interest in the organization of ant communities across elevational gradients, few studies have incorporated the evolutionary information to understand the historical processes that underlay such patterns. Through the evaluation of phylogenetic α and β-diversity, we analyzed the structure of leaf-litter ant communities along the Cofre de Perote mountain in Mexico and evaluated whether deterministic- (i.e., habitat filtering, interspecific competition) or stochastic-driven processes (i.e., dispersal limitation) were driving the observed patterns. Lowland and some highland sites showed phylogenetic clustering, whereas intermediate elevations and the highest site presented phylogenetic overdispersion. We infer that strong environmental constraints found at the bottom and the top elevations are favoring closely-related species to prevail at those elevations. Conversely, less stressful climatic conditions at intermediate elevations suggest interspecific interactions are more important in these environments. Total phylogenetic dissimilarity was driven by the turnover component, indicating that the turnover of ant species along the mountain is actually shifts of lineages adapted to particular locations resembling their ancestral niche. The greater phylogenetic dissimilarity between communities was related to greater temperature differences probably due to narrow thermal tolerances inherent to several ant lineages that evolved in more stable conditions. Our results suggest that the interplay between environmental filtering, interspecific competition and habitat specialization plays an important role in the assembly of leaf-litter ant communities along elevational gradients

Scale of population synchrony confirms macroecological estimates of minimum viable range size

Global ecosystems are facing a deepening biodiversity crisis, necessitating robust approaches to quantifying species extinction risk. The lower limit of the macroecological relationship between species range and body size has long been hypothesized as an estimate of the relationship between the minimum viable range size (MVRS) needed for species persistence and the organismal traits that affect space and resource requirements. Here, we perform the first explicit test of this assumption by confronting the MVRS predicted by the range-body size relationship with an independent estimate based on the scale of synchrony in abundance among spatially separated populations of riverine fish. We provide clear evidence of a positive relationship between the scale of synchrony and species body size, and strong support for the MVRS set by the lower limit of the range-body size macroecological relationship. This MVRS may help prioritize first evaluations for unassessed or data-deficient taxa in global conservation assessments

GlobTherm, a global database on thermal tolerances for aquatic and terrestrial organisms

CITATION: Bennett, J. M., et al. 2018. GlobTherm, a global database on thermal tolerances for aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Scientific Data, 5:180022, doi:10.1038/sdata.2018.22.The original publication is available at https://www.nature.comHow climate affects species distributions is a longstanding question receiving renewed interest owing to the need to predict the impacts of global warming on biodiversity. Is climate change forcing species to live near their critical thermal limits? Are these limits likely to change through natural selection? These and other important questions can be addressed with models relating geographical distributions of species with climate data, but inferences made with these models are highly contingent on non-climatic factors such as biotic interactions. Improved understanding of climate change effects on species will require extensive analysis of thermal physiological traits, but such data are both scarce and scattered. To overcome current limitations, we created the GlobTherm database. The database contains experimentally derived species’ thermal tolerance data currently comprising over 2,000 species of terrestrial, freshwater, intertidal and marine multicellular algae, plants, fungi, and animals. The GlobTherm database will be maintained and curated by iDiv with the aim to keep expanding it, and enable further investigations on the effects of climate on the distribution of life on Earth.https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata201822Publisher's versio