Based on literature review and malacological collections, 168 native freshwater bivalve and five invasive species have been recorded for 52 hydrographic regions in South America. The higher species richness has been detected in the South Atlantic, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Amazon Brazilian hydrographic regions. Presence or absence data were analysed by Principal Coordinate for Phylogeny-Weighted. The lineage Veneroida was more representative in hydrographic regions that are poorer in species and located West of South America. The Mycetopodidae and Hyriidae lineages were predominant in regions that are richest in species toward the East of the continent. The distribution of invasive species Limnoperna fortunei is not related to species richness in different hydrographic regions there. The species richness and its distribution patterns are closely associated with the geological history of the continent. The hydrographic regions present distinct phylogenetic and species composition regardless of the level of richness. Therefore, not only should the richness be considered to be a criterion for prioritizing areas for conservation, but also the phylogenetic diversity of communities engaged in services and functional aspects relevant to ecosystem maintenance.
Silviculture is among the human activities that contribute most to fragmentation and habitat loss. The comprehension of the effects of such activity on the environment is crucial for conservation. Here, we assessed the effects of silviculture on the local distribution of Contomastix vacariensis, an endemic lizard from southern Brazil. We used a single‐season occupancy model in a Bayesian framework to estimate the occupancy probability of the species in 69 sites with different distances from silviculture areas. Our data showed a low probability of occupancy of C. vacariensis within a distance smaller than 1000 m from silviculture areas, while detection probability was negatively influenced by wind speed. This is the first work to demonstrate a gradual negative effect of exotic silviculture in lizards, which may be more intense inside planted areas and decrease as the distance from the exotic plantation increases. Such results may help delimit the size of conservation areas and management of exotic silviculture species within these areas. Studies with similar methods, considering the distance from the effects of environmental impacts, can be a helpful tool to make predictions based on the projected growth of silviculture in natural areas supporting threatened species.
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