Hung Out to Dry: Choice of Priority Ecoregions for Conserving Threatened Neotropical Anurans Depends on Life-History Traits

Abstract

BackgroundIn the Neotropics, nearly 35% of amphibian species are threatened by habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and habitat split; anuran species with different developmental modes respond to habitat disturbance in different ways. This entails broad-scale strategies for conserving biodiversity and advocates for the identification of high conservation-value regions that are significant in a global or continental context and that could underpin more detailed conservation assessments towards such areas.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe identified key ecoregion sets for anuran conservation using an algorithm that favors complementarity (beta-diversity) among ecoregions. Using the WWF's Wildfinder database, which encompasses 700 threatened anuran species in 119 Neotropical ecoregions, we separated species into those with aquatic larvae (AL) or terrestrial development (TD), as this life-history trait affects their response to habitat disturbance. The conservation target of 100% of species representation was attained with a set of 66 ecoregions. Among these, 30 were classified as priority both for species with AL and TD, 26 were priority exclusively for species with AL, and 10 for species with TD only. Priority ecoregions for both developmental modes are concentrated in the Andes and in Mesoamerica. Ecoregions important for conserving species with AL are widely distributed across the Neotropics. When anuran life histories were ignored, species with AL were always underrepresented in priority sets.Conclusions/SignificanceThe inclusion of anuran developmental modes in prioritization analyses resulted in more comprehensive coverage of priority ecoregions–especially those essential for species that require an aquatic habitat for their reproduction–when compared to usual analyses that do not consider this life-history trait. This is the first appraisal of the most important regions for conservation of threatened Neotropical anurans. It is also a first endeavor including anuran life-history traits in priority area-selection for conservation, with a clear gain in comprehensiveness of the selection process.

Applying Niche-Based Models to Predict Endangered-Hylid Potential Distributions: Are Neotropical Protected Areas Effective Enough?

“…[23,30]. Nevertheless, no study so far has addressed the effectiveness of the Neotropical network of protected areas in representing threatened amphibians (but see [31]), although a comprehensive set of areas for the conservation of threatened anurans has been recently proposed for the entire region (see [3]). …”

As espécies brasileiras endêmicas de Campylopus Brid. (Bryophyta) estão ameaçadas? Uma análise usando modelagem para avaliar os seus estados de conservação

“…Há grandes evidências de que as mudanças climáticas são uma das maiores ameaças à diversidade de espécies (Loyola et al 2008), e de acordo com Whittaker et al (2001), fatores climáticos exercem papel fundamental sobre a distribuição das espécies em grandes escalas geográficas.…”

Reproductive biology of a bromeligenous frog endemic to the Atlantic Forest: Aparasphenodon arapapa Pimenta, Napoli and Haddad, 2009 (Anura: Hylidae)

“…Furthermore, additional attention has been dedicated to specific reproductive modes since they respond differently to habitat disturbance and deserve a different conservation approach. As pointed out by Loyola et al (2008) and Silva et al (2012) conservation assessments for the Atlantic Forest should include aspects of amphibian life history. Aparasphenodon arapapa is an endemic species from the Atlantic Forest, with a specific and rare reproductive mode and its populations and conservation status deserve attention.…”