Assessing in-situ conservation status of threatened medicinal vascular plants in central China / 中国中药杂志

It is of great significance to carry out scientific investigation of threatened species and assess their in-situ conservation status in order to guide the conservation and management of these species within a region. In this study, we explored and assessed the biodiversity and in-situ conservation status of the threatened medicinal vascular plants(TMVPs) in central China. The results showed that there were 276 TMVPs in central China, including 18 critically endangered(CR), 77 endangered(EN), and 181 vulnerable(VU) species. Of which, 222 TMVPs were distributed in 49 national nature reserves, with an in-situ conservation rate of 80.43%. And the in-situ conservation rate of CR, EN and NR species were 83.33%, 77.92% and 81.22%, respectively. The complementary algorithm was used to select the nine national nature reserves with the highest protection and complementary contribution to the TMVPs. The cumulative protection contribution rate of these nine nature reserves was 81.98%. Fifty-four TMVPs were distributed outside of national nature reserves, while mainly distributed within 10 hotspot counties including Badong county, Hubei province, Sangzhi county, Hunan province, Jianghua Yao Autonomous county, Hunan province and so on. In general, TMVPs are well protected by the national nature reserves in central China. However, there are still some conservation gaps. It is necessary to carry out further field investigation on the species with conservation gaps and identify the gap areas, so as to provide scientific guidance for the optimization of the conservation of TMVPs in this region.

Biología reproductiva de Brycon henni (Teleostei: Bryconidae) y estrategias de conservación para los ríos Nare y Guatapé, cuenca del río Magdalena, Colombia / Reproductive biology of Brycon henni (Teleostei: Bryconidae) and conservation strategies for the Nare and Guatapé rivers, Magdalena River Basin, Colombia

Resumen: Los peces pueden modificar características de sus historias de vida a través de mecanismos evolutivos para asegurar el mantenimiento de sus poblaciones en respuesta a los cambios ambientales y/o la presión de la pesca. Se estudió la biología reproductiva de B. henni en los ríos Nare y Guatapé, sistema Río Magdalena, Colombia, y se presentan sugerencias para la conservación de la especie. Se realizaron diez muestreos de campo entre octubre 2007 y febrero 2012, en períodos de lluvia, sequía, transición de lluvia a sequía y transición de seco a lluvia. Se recolectaron 848 especímenes, 360 hembras, 441 machos y 47 indeterminados. Los machos predominaron en las capturas, con una proporción de sexos de 1.00: 0.82 se desvió significativamente de la distribución teórica 1: 1. La talla media de captura para el total de individuos estudiados fue de 121.5 mm de LE (38.5-304.0 mm), siendo para las hembras de 133.1 (53.5-304.0) mm de LE y para los machos de 116.9 mm de LE (38.5-232.5). Con base en la evolución mensual del índice gonadosomático (IGS) y la proporción de individuos maduros, la temporada de desove se produce durante los períodos de incremento del nivel del agua durante la temporada de lluvias. Los menores valores de IHS que coinciden con los valores máximos del IGS sugieren la transferencia de sustancias hepáticas durante la maduración del ovario. La talla media de madurez sexual (L50) para los individuos de B. henni se alcanzó en las hembras a los 171.5 mm de LE y en los machos a los 132.6 mm de LE. La fecundidad fluctuó entre 655 y 8 213 ovocitos/hembra (media= 2 072; DE= 1 648) y la fecundidad relativa fue de 16.13 ovocitos / g de peso total (DS= 5.9). El diámetro de los oocitos fue de 1.24 mm (SD= 0.23). Se observó un desarrollo similar en los ovocitos, lo que sugiere un desove masivo concentrado en cortos períodos de tiempo. La protección de quebradas y hábitats ribereños es prioritaria, y se deben crear áreas protegidas como las reservas naturales fluviales para garantizar la supervivencia de esta especie. Deben desarrollarse actividades de educación ambiental y descontaminación hídrica. Para las poblaciones naturales de B. henni se recomienda establecer una talla mínima de captura de 270 mm de LE (300 mm de LT), combinada con períodos de veda durante los períodos de reproducción de la especie.

Abstract: Fish can modify features of their life histories through evolutionary mechanisms to ensure the maintenance of their populations in response to environmental changes and/or fishing pressure. The reproductive biology of characid fish B. henni, in the Nare and Guatapé Rivers, Magdalena River Basin, Colombia was studied, and suggestions for conservation are presented. Ten field samplings were carried out between October 2007 and February 2012, in periods of rain, dry, transition from rain to dry and transition from dry to rain. A total of 848 specimens were collected, 360 of which were females, 441 males and 47 indeterminate. Males predominated in the catches, and the sex ratio of 1.00: 0.82 deviated significantly from the theoretical distribution 1:1. The average size captured for the total number of individuals studied was 121.5 mm SL (38.5-304.0 mm), with 133.1 mm SL for females (53.5-304.0), and 116.9 mm SL (38.5-232.5) for males. Based on the monthly variation of the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the proportion of mature specimens, the spawning season occurs during periods of highest water levels in the rainy season. The lower values of hepatosomatic index HSI that coincide with the maximum values of the GSI, suggest that liver substances are transferred during the maturation of the ovary. The mean size at sexual maturity (L50) of B. henni was 171.5 mm SL in females, and 132.6 mm SL in males. The fecundity varied from 655 to 8 213 oocytes/female (mean= 2 072, SD= 1 648) and relative fecundity was 16.1 oocytes / g of total weight (SD= 5.9). The diameter of the oocytes was 1.24 mm (SD= 0.23). A similar development was observed in all oocytes, suggesting massive spawning activity concentrated in short periods of time. The protection of creeks and riparian habitats is a conservation priority, and protected areas such as fluvial nature reserves should be created to guarantee the survival of this species. Environmental education activities, along with water decontamination should be developed. For natural populations of B. henni is recommended to establish a minimum catch size of 270 mm SL (300 mm TL) combined with closed fishing seasons during periods of reproduction. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (3): 1105-1119. Epub 2017 September 01.

Comparison of two mammalian surveys made with camera traps in southeastern Brazil, focusing the abundance of wild mammals and domestic dogs / Comparação entre duas amostragens de mamíferos feitas com armadilhas fotográficas no sudeste do Brasil, com foco na abundância de mamíferos silvestres e cães domésticos

Sampling allows assessing the impact of human activities on mammal communities. It is also possible to assess the accuracy of different sampling methods, especially when the sampling effort is similar. The present study aimed at comparing two mammalian surveys carried out over a three-year interval, in terms of sampling effort, capture success, abundance of domestic dogs, impact of human activities, and relative biomass using camera traps, in the Serra do Japi Biological Reserve and surroundings, located in Jundiaí, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The total richness recorded was 13 species, one domestic and 12 wild mammals. Sampling effort in both surveys was similar, but capture success and number of captures differed. The abundance of wild mammals and dogs did also differ between surveys. There was a highly significant correlation between abundance of wild mammals and capture effort for the survey performed in 2006/2007, but not for the survey performed in 2009/2010. The difference between samples may be related to human disturbance, since the number of domestic mammals photographed was higher in the second survey, three years after the first survey. Despite being a reserve, the area is still under pressure from urbanization, biological invasion, environmental degradation, and hunting, which may reduce the abundance of wild mammals.

Uma das formas de avaliar o impacto das atividades humanas nas comunidades de mamíferos e ter maior conhecimento e acurácia sobre o método utilizado é realizar amostragens, proporcionando a comparação do método, principalmente quando o esforço amostral é semelhante. O presente estudo visou a comparar dois levantamentos de mamíferos realizados na mesma área com três anos de intervalo, quanto aos seguintes aspectos: esforço amostral, sucesso de captura, abundância de cães domésticos, presença de atividades humanas e biomassa relativa das espécies. A riqueza total obtida nos dois períodos de amostragem foi de 13 espécies, sendo 12 espécies selvagens e uma de animal doméstico. O esforço de amostragem para as duas pesquisas foi semelhante, porém o sucesso de captura foi diferente, quando comparados entre si. A abundância de mamíferos selvagens e cães também mostrou diferenças entre os dois períodos. A correlação entre a abundância de mamíferos selvagens e o esforço de captura provou ser altamente significativa para a amostragem realizada em 2006/2007, mas não foi significativa para a realizada em 2009/2010. A diferença entre as amostras pode estar ligada à perturbação humana nesse ambiente, já que o número de animais domésticos fotografados foi maior após três anos de amostragem. Apesar de ser uma área de conservação, também está sujeita a pressões, como especulação imobiliária, invasões, destruição e caça, o que pode estar diminuindo a abundância das espécies selvagens listadas neste trabalho.

Alimentación de mamíferos de caza en los «aguajales» de la Reserva Nacional de Pacaya-Samiria (Iquitos, Perú)

El presente trabajo contiene información relacionada a los mamíferos de caza que habitan los aguajales de los bosques inundables de la Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria y su interrelación con las plantas alimenticias. Está basado en censos por transectos en aguajales de origen reciente y aguajales semi-eutrofizados. Fueron registrados 24 especies de mamíferos de caza haciendo uso de los aguajales; de ellas, los primates fueron los más representativos y de mayor abundancia en ambos tipos de aguajales. Entre los primates, el fraile (Saimiri boliviensis E. Geoffroy & R. de Blainville) y el machín negro (Cebus apella Linnaeus) fueron los más abundantes en aguajales de origen reciente (350 individuos/km² y 90 individuos/km², respectivamente), mientras que el machín blanco (Cebus albifrons Humboldt) fue el más abundante en aguajales semi-eutrofizados (90 individos/km²). En términos de biomasa, los ungulados tuvieron la mayor biomasa y estuvieron representados por el pecarí labiado (Tayassu pecari Link) con 825 kg/km² y el tapir (Tapirus terrestris Linnaeus) con 126,6 kg/km². Finalmente, en los aguajales fueron registradas 16 especies de plantas alimenticias, la mayoría habitando en los aguajales semi-eutrofizados; de ellas, el aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.), la shapaja (Scheelea cephalotes Poepp. Ex Mart) y los renacos (Ficus spp.), constituyeron los recursos alimenticios más importantes, de cuyos frutos y semillas se alimentaron alrededor de 14 especies de mamíferos de caza.

This report contains information related to the game mammals that inhabit the palm swamps (aguajales) of the flooded forests of the Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria and their interrelation with the food plants. It is based on censuses by transects in aguajales of recent origin and semi-eutrophic aguajales. 24 species of game mammals were registered making uses of the aguajales; of them, the primates were the most representative and the great abundance in both aguajales types. Among the primates, the Squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis E. Geoffroy & R. de Blainville) and the brown capuchin monkey (Cebus apella Linnaeus) were the most abundant in aguajales of recent origin (350 individuals/km² and 90 individuals/km², respectively), while the white-fronted capuchin monkey (Cebus albifrons Humboldt) it was the most abundant in aguajal semi-eutrofizado (90 individuals/km²). In terms of biomass, the ungulates had the biggest biomass and they were represented by the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari Link) with 825 kg/km² and the tapir (Tapirus terrestris Linnaeus) with 126,6 kg/km². Finally, 16 species of food plants were registered in aguajales, most of them inhabiting semi-eutrophic aguajales; of those the aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.), the shapaja (Scheelea cephalotes Poepp. Ex Mart) and the renacos (Ficus spp.) constituted the most important food resources of whose fruits and seeds fed around 14 species of game mammals.