The PREDICTS project—Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)—has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.

Finding a balance between strict protection and multiple use requires data on wildlife survival in human‐managed ecosystems. We examined the habitat use and species composition of mammals>2 kg in size inhabiting an agroforest ecosystem neighboring a park in the Peruvian Amazon. First, we recorded wildlife presence in fields, fallows, and forests within one settlement over a 9‐month period. Then we monitored wildlife presence over 21 months in 42 fields across a 65‐km transect, including remote and highly disturbed sites. We tested for correlations between the size and number of mammal species visiting fields and human activities measured at different scales. Hunting intensity more powerfully predicted the average biomass and species diversity observed in fields than did vegetation disturbance. The number of commercial hunters in the surrounding community had a stronger impact than did the individual field owner's hunting intensity. Large‐bodied species appeared only in remote farms neighboring uninhabited areas in the reserve, indicating that undisturbed forests act as sources for wildlife dispersing into agricultural regions. Farmers in these remote areas experience greater crop and livestock losses to wildlife, but by hunting large game they are able to offset losses with bushmeat gains. In more disturbed areas, crop losses exceeded bushmeat gains, although both occurred at negligible levels. Our case study suggests that large herbivores, large carnivores, and most primates are unlikely to persist in multiple‐use zones in Amazonian forests unless hunting is effectively restricted. Even highly disturbed agroforests are not empty of wildlife, however, but are inhabited by a suite of adaptable, fast‐reproducing species able to withstand human activity ( e.g., brown agoutis [   Dasyprocta variegata ], armadillos [  Dasypus novemcinetus ], and red brocket deer [  Mazama gauazoubira ] ). These “weedy” species may not be of immediate concern to conservation biologists, and they will not attract tourists. But they have both economic and ecological value and deserve to be taken into account in management decisions.

Aim The elevational gradients of species richness have been well documented; however, studies about species turnover (i.e. beta diversity) in such gradients are limited. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between species turnover and elevation in rodents, and particularly to assess two assumptions at the local scale: (1) species turnover is higher at an intermediate elevation; and (2) turnover decreases at higher elevations as a result of species with larger elevational ranges; and a third assumption at a regional scale; (3) beta diversity changes positively with the size of the elevational range. LocationWe selected 13 studies from the literature that evaluated the relationship between elevation and species richness in rodents, which include diverse sites around the world. MethodsWe constructed presence/absence matrices of species occurring at 500-m intervals, in order to measure spatial species turnover, using Whittaker's ( β w ) and Lennon's ( β sim ) indices for pairwise comparisons between each pair of elevation intervals along the gradient (local scale), and for each elevational gradient (regional scale). The relationship between species turnover and elevation at the local scale was evaluated with a LOWESS (locally weighted sums of squares) regression analysis, to determine if the overall trend was linear or curvilinear. The expected distribution of species turnover along the elevational gradients under a mid-domain null model was evaluated for both indices, and the predicted values were statistically compared with the observed species turnover. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship at the regional scale. ResultsOnly one gradient showed spatial autocorrelation. At the local scale, species turnover showed the highest values at an intermediate elevation, which varied between 1000 and 2500 m depending on the particular mountain, for both indices. LOWESS analysis showed a curvilinear trend for most of the gradients, with nonsignificant regression results. The expected distribution of species turnover by the null mid-domain model showed a U-shaped pattern for β w , while no change (zero values) was predicted with β sim . Observed and predicted species turnover were statistically different. A positive and significant linear relationship was found at the regional scale. ConclusionsOur results suggest that the presence of clearly defined species assemblages is reflected in the variation of turnover with elevation. Accordingly, (1) a common increment of species turnover around mid-elevations along the gradients was found for the rodents studied, whether measured independently ( β sim ) or not ( β w ), of species richness; (2) the trend was dependent on the size of the gradient: it was evident only for elevational gradients exceeding 1900 m; (3) some gradients did not show an increase in the elevational range of species at higher elevations, contrary to Stevens' rule expectations; (4) the expected species turnover distribution significantly contrasted with the empirical results, confirming that...

Innovative techniques, such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, are now promoting broader biodiversity monitoring at unprecedented scales, because of the reduction in time, presumably lower cost, and methodological efficiency. Our goal was to assess the efficiency of established inventory techniques (live‐trapping grids, pitfall traps, camera trapping, mist netting) as well as eDNA for detecting Amazonian mammals. For terrestrial small mammals, we used 32 live‐trapping grids based on Sherman and Tomahawk traps (total effort of 10,368 trap‐nights); in addition to 16 pitfall traps (1,408 trap‐nights). For bats, we used mist nets at 8 sites (4,800 net hours). For medium and large mammals, we used 72 camera trap stations (5,208 camera‐days). We identified vertebrate and mammal taxa based on eDNA analysis (12S region, with V05 and Mamm01 markers) from water samples, including a total of 11 3‐km transects for stagnant water sampling and seven small streams for running water sampling. A total of 106 mammal species were recorded. Building on sample‐based rarefaction and extrapolation curves, both trapping grids and pitfall were successful, recording 91.16% and 82.1% of the expected species for these techniques (~22 and ~9 species), and 16.98% and 6.60% of the total recorded mammal species, respectively. Mist nets recorded 83.2% of the expected bat species (~48), and 34.91% of the total recorded species. Camera trapping recorded 99.2% of the predicted large‐ and medium‐sized species (~31), and 33.02% of the total recorded species. eDNA recorded 75.4% of the expected mammal species for this technique (~68), and 47.0% of the total recorded species. eDNA resulted in a useful tool that saves on effort and reduces sampling costs. This study is among the first to show the large potential of eDNA metabarcoding for assessing Amazonian mammal communities, providing, in combination with conventional techniques, a rapid overview of mammal diversity with broad applications to monitoring, management and conservation. By including appropriate genetic markers and updated reference databases, eDNA metabarcoding method can be extended to the whole vertebrate community.

Despite several efforts to quantify the effectiveness of forest certification in developing sustainable use of forest resources, there is little evidence that certified forests are more effective in conserving fauna than non‐certified managed forest. To evaluate the impact of forest certification on the fauna, we compared the biodiversity in reference sites (n = 23), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified management sites (n = 24) and non‐FSC management sites (n = 20) in the Tahuamanu region of Peru, during the dry season of 2017. Specifically, we determined if the acoustic space used (ASU), soundscapes composition, and the bird richness and composition significantly varied among the three management types. Variation in ASU was best explained by management type and mean ASU in the FSC sites was significantly greater than the reference and non‐FSC sites, possibly suggesting greater richness of acoustically active species. An ordination analysis of the soundscapes showed that there was a significant difference among the three management types. There was greater dissimilarity in soundscape composition between the FSC and non‐FSC sites, and greater overlap between FSC and reference sites. Bird identifications resulted in 11,300 detections of 226 bird species. Bird species richness and composition were not significantly different among the management types, indicating, in this context, that birds may not be the best indicators of different management strategies. The weak discrimination by the bird community is likely due to their dispersal ability, undisturbed primary forest matrix, and the occurrence of bamboo patches. The differences in ASU among the management types were most likely due to differences in acoustically active insects, which may be more sensitive to changes in microhabitat differences. Our findings correspond with the conclusions of other studies that certified forests can maintain levels of fauna biodiversity similar to those of undisturbed primary forest in the Amazon region.

ResumenLa deforestación y la fragmentación de los bosques son unas de las amenazas más importantes para la supervivencia de los murciélagos en el Perú. Sin embargo, se conoce muy poco sobre el impacto de estas en sitios o lugares por encima de los 500 m de altitud. En este estudio, considerando la escala de paisaje, analicé las respuestas de los murciélagos (Chiroptera) a la fragmentación en un paisaje perturbado en Pozuzo (Región Pasco). En ese sentido, considerando el rol de los murciélagos como indicadores de perturbación del hábitat, planteé dos hipótesis. Una primera predicción se refirió a que muestras de paisajes altamente fragmentados y con mayor cantidad de bordes presentarán una mayor abundancia de especies frugívoras que prosperan en hábitats perturbados (Stenodermatinae y Carollinae). La segunda predicción se refería a que muestras de paisaje con una mayor cobertura de bosque deberían tener una mayor abundancia de murciélagos del gremio animalívoro (Phyllostominae), ya que estos son sensibles a las perturbaciones y suelen ser más abundantes en bosques maduros y en buen estado de conservación. Encontré evidencia apoyando la predicción sobre el gremio animalívoro pero apoyo parcial para la predicción sobre los frugívoros. Se resalta la importancia de la conservación de los fragmentos de bosque para asegurar la supervivencia de los murciélagos y de los servicios que estos prestan, en especial para la regeneración del bosque en paisajes tropicales modificados por las actividades humanas.Palabras claves: murciélagos; fragmentación; bosques tropicales; bosque siempreverde subandino del suroeste de la Amazonía; paisajes modificados por el hombre; conservación; Pozuzo; Perú. AbstractForest fragmentation and deforestation are among the major threats to Peruvian bats conservation. Unfortunately, information about the effects of these threats above 500 m elevation is lacking. In this study, I assessed bat responses to fragmentation in Pozuzo (Pasco) at a landscape scale approach. I evaluate two hypotheses regarding the role of bats as indicators of habitat disturbance. The first prediction says that landscapes highly disturbed will show higher abundances of habitat generalist species such as frugivorous bats belonging to the subfamilies Stenodermatinae and Carollinae. The second prediction regards that landscapes with greater forest cover will show higher abundance of habitat specialist species such as animalivorous bat species belonging to the subfamily Phyllostominae, a guild sensitive to forest disturbance. I found evidence supporting the animalivorous hypothesis but it was partial to the frugivorous hypothesis. This study highlights the importance of forest fragments to bat conservation in human-modified landscapes.

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