Environmental Diversity (ED) has been proposed as a potential biodiversity surrogate for use in spatial biodiversity planning. The concept is based on the premise that differences in species composition between areas are correlated with differences in environmental conditions. If this is true then sites selected to represent the full range of environmental conditions in an area should provide good coverage of species diversity. This is potentially significant for conservation planning because environmental data are more easily available while species distribution data are often incomplete, but empirical tests of ED have been inconclusive. We explored the value of ED as a biodiversity surrogate using species distribution data from South Africa, focusing on how implementation affects its performance. We used empirical distribution datasets for birds, butterflies, frogs, and reptiles as well as artificial species distributions and modeled distributions for butterflies. Our results show that the form of the underlying optimization model and the number of environmental variables have a significant effect on the performance of ED while the choice of heuristic procedures for selecting sites has no significant effect. We conclude that ED can perform well as a biodiversity surrogacy strategy if it is implemented correctly.
Invertebrates constitute a substantial proportion of terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity and are critical to ecosystem function. However, their inclusion in biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning and management has lagged behind better-known, more widely appreciated taxa. Significant progress in invertebrate surveys, systematics and bioindication, both globally and locally, means that their use in biodiversity monitoring and conservation is becoming increasingly feasible. Here we outline challenges and solutions to the integration of invertebrates into biodiversity management objectives and monitoring in protected areas in South Africa. We show that such integration is relevant and possible, and assess the relative suitability of seven key taxa in this context. Finally, we outline a series of recommendations for mainstreaming invertebrates in conservation planning, surveys and monitoring in and around protected areas.<p><strong>Conservation implications:</strong> Invertebrates constitute a substantial and functionally significant component of terrestrial biodiversity and are valuable indicators of environmental condition. Although consideration of invertebrates has historically been neglected in conservation planning and management, substantial progress with surveys, systematics and bioindication means that it is now both feasible and advisable to incorporate them into protected area monitoring activities.</p><p><strong>How to cite this article:</strong> McGeoch, M.A., Sithole, H., Samways, M.J., Simaika, J.P., Pryke, J.S., Picker, M., <em>et al</em>., 2011, ‘Conservation and monitoring of invertebrates in terrestrial protected areas’, <em>Koedoe</em> 53(2), Art. #1000, 13 pages. doi:10.4102/koedoe.v53i2.1000</p>
Charismatic invertebrates are popular subjects for citizen science but it is harder to engage the public in research on animals that are perceived as dangerous. Many successful citizen science projects exist in North America and Europe, but with the increased use of new technologies and social media, there is a greater capacity to expand citizen science to less developed regions. Baboon spiders are African members of the tarantula family. They are threatened by habitat loss and illegal harvesting for the pet trade, and conservation efforts are hampered by a lack of knowledge on their ecology. Here, we describe the Baboon Spider Atlas, a project combining traditional research with citizen science to map the diversity and distributions of baboon spiders (Araneae: Theraphosidae) in Southern Africa. Our project embraces the ‘fear factor’ associated with spiders to obtain photographic records from the public. The Baboon Spider Atlas has assembled the largest database of information on baboon spiders in Southern Africa and is providing novel insights into their biology. Distribution ranges have been extended and potential new species discovered. Preliminary results suggest that their distribution may be limited more by cold, wet climatic conditions than hot, dry conditions. Records for wandering adult females and immatures highlight a previously undocumented behaviour and challenges the notion that baboon spiders are sedentary animals. Ultimately, the project is generating the data needed for effective conservation and motivating further research that will provide a better understanding of baboon spider biology.
Inventories of invertebrate species are produced by a number of workers for protected areas in South Africa. The value of these inventories for the protected area management process was investigated using a questionnaire to protected area managers, and by examining a sample of published inventories. The questionnaire results indicate that species inventories are sought after, but that they are largely not used in the management process. Invertebrate species inventories have the potential to be useful in several stages of the protected area management process, but making inventories useful requires more than a list of species names. To make inventories more useful they should include estimates of inventory completeness or statistically rigorous estimates of relative species richness, information on spatial distribution of species richness within a protected area, or their design should target threatened and rare species or aim to identify potential indicator species. Protected area managers and scientists producing inventories should collaborate to ensure that the resultant information is most useful.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.