Hasil untuk "General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution"

H. Tenkanen, E. Di Minin, V. Heikinheimo et al.

Social media data is increasingly used as a proxy for human activity in different environments, including protected areas, where collecting visitor information is often laborious and expensive, but important for management and marketing. Here, we compared data from Instagram, Twitter and Flickr, and assessed systematically how park popularity and temporal visitor counts derived from social media data perform against high-precision visitor statistics in 56 national parks in Finland and South Africa in 2014. We show that social media activity is highly associated with park popularity, and social media-based monthly visitation patterns match relatively well with the official visitor counts. However, there were considerable differences between platforms as Instagram clearly outperformed Twitter and Flickr. Furthermore, we show that social media data tend to perform better in more visited parks, and should always be used with caution. Based on stakeholder discussions we identified potential reasons why social media data and visitor statistics might not match: the geography and profile of the park, the visitor profile, and sudden events. Overall the results are encouraging in broader terms: Over 60% of the national parks globally have Twitter or Instagram activity, which could potentially inform global nature conservation.

Simon Pooley, Maan Barua, William Beinart et al.

In a world of shrinking habitats and increasing competition for natural resources, potentially dangerous predators bring the challenges of coexisting with wildlife sharply into focus. Through interdisciplinary collaboration among authors trained in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, we reviewed current approaches to mitigating adverse human–predator encounters and devised a vision for future approaches to understanding and mitigating such encounters. Limitations to current approaches to mitigation include too much focus on negative impacts; oversimplified equating of levels of damage with levels of conflict; and unsuccessful technical fixes resulting from failure to engage locals, address hidden costs, or understand cultural (nonscientific) explanations of the causality of attacks. An emerging interdisciplinary literature suggests that to better frame and successfully mitigate negative human–predator relations conservation professionals need to consider dispensing with conflict as the dominant framework for thinking about human–predator encounters; work out what conflicts are really about (they may be human–human conflicts); unravel the historical contexts of particular conflicts; and explore different cultural ways of thinking about animals. The idea of cosmopolitan natures may help conservation professionals think more clearly about human–predator relations in both local and global context. These new perspectives for future research practice include a recommendation for focused interdisciplinary research and the use of new approaches, including human‐animal geography, multispecies ethnography, and approaches from the environmental humanities notably environmental history. Managers should think carefully about how they engage with local cultural beliefs about wildlife, work with all parties to agree on what constitutes good evidence, develop processes and methods to mitigate conflicts, and decide how to monitor and evaluate these. Demand for immediate solutions that benefit both conservation and development favors dispute resolution and technical fixes, which obscures important underlying drivers of conflicts. If these drivers are not considered, well‐intentioned efforts focused on human–wildlife conflicts will fail.

Yebao Wang, Wenhao Liu, Chuntao Chen et al.

Typhoons pose a significant threat to China’s coastal regions, resulting in substantial economic losses and casualties. Understanding the vulnerability of these areas to typhoon stress is crucial for effective disaster management and risk mitigation. This study assesses the vulnerability of China’s coastal provinces to typhoon disasters by integrating three key factors: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability. The primary methodologies employed are the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. A comprehensive risk assessment framework is developed using 17 indicators, with AHP applied for indicator weighting and GIS used for spatial analysis and visualization of vulnerability patterns. The findings indicate considerable spatial variation in vulnerability, with southern provinces such as Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan exhibiting high vulnerability due to frequent typhoons, dense populations, and lower adaptive capacity. Southeastern regions, like Fujian and Zhejiang, show moderate to high vulnerability, while northern provinces such as Jiangsu, Hebei, and parts of Shandong and Liaoning experience lower vulnerability, attributed to reduced exposure and stronger disaster preparedness systems. These results underscore the importance of targeted disaster management strategies tailored to the specific vulnerabilities of each region.

Leena Riekkola, Simon Childerhouse, Rochelle Constantine et al.

Abstract Long‐term monitoring programs based on individual identification have provided a sound basis for monitoring the status of endangered and recovering species. However, the impact of such research needs to be understood relative to the benefit gained. Here, we present a case study of a population that has been studied using genetic monitoring since 1995, the New Zealand southern right whale (Eubalaena australis; tohorā). Tissue samples for genetic monitoring were collected using a remote biopsy system, an approach used widely in marine mammal research. Under most ethical frameworks, this is considered a minor impact of short duration, but perceived or potential impact limits sampling of some demographic classes (e.g., calves). We used data collected during surveys from 2020 to 2022 to measure short‐term behavioral impact of biopsy sample collection, with 748 responses collected over 52 days in the field from 524 individual whales. Biopsy sampling was overwhelmingly of minimal impact: the majority (90%) of biopsy responses were classified as either ‘no response’ (46%, n = 341) or ‘weak response’ (44%, n = 326). This study also supports previous work that calves do not show a greater reaction to biopsy sampling than adults. The behavior of the whales prior to being approached for biopsy sampling significantly affected the response elicited, but there was no measurable cumulative impact of multiple sampling, based on within‐year (n = 113) or between‐year (n = 21) comparisons. Genetic data from this monitoring project has been used to revise the conservation status of the population, to demonstrate the effectiveness of conservation polices and to understand circumpolar stock structure. Overall, this study confirms that biopsy sampling is a minimally invasive, data‐rich collection method that provides a wealth of information for conservation and management of whales. It typically causes only a minor, short‐term behavioral disturbance with wounds that, based on other studies, heal quickly and without discernible adverse health effects.

K. Gaston, R. Fuller

Andrew S. Maurer, J. Seminoff, M. B. Burford Reiskind et al.

Outside of short, infrequent visits to reproductive habitats, sea turtle lifespans are largely spent in foraging areas. Supporting imperilled populations in an era of biodiversity declines and environmental change requires improvements in the understanding of foraging distributions, plus the migratory corridors that connect foraging and reproductive habitats. This study evaluates the migratory strategies and foraging geography of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Western Atlantic. The post‐nesting migrations of 22 females were tracked via satellite telemetry from Long Island, Antigua, during 2016–2019, and a state‐space model was utilized to estimate true turtle locations from Argos satellite fixes. Model output was used to characterize migratory routes and home ranges occupied during non‐migratory inter‐nesting and foraging periods. Hawksbill migrations (N = 19) resulted in displacements to foraging areas ranging 7–2300 km. Foraging geography varied considerably—whereas eight turtles remained in the immediate vicinity of Antigua and Barbuda (470 km) to locations such as The Bahamas and Nicaragua. Inter‐nesting core home ranges (50% utilization distributions) ranged from 7 to 72 km2, while foraging core areas ranged from 7 to 46 km2. These results add to evidence suggesting that, broadly, post‐nesting hawksbills forage in neritic habitats throughout the Wider Caribbean, including several high‐use areas. Short displacements to foraging habitats relatively nearby to nesting beaches appear to be the most common migratory behaviour, but individuals in a single population may exhibit various migratory strategies, resulting in basin‐wide connectivity between nesting and foraging sites. Given that a single individual or nesting population may inhabit several management jurisdictions, an idealized scenario for regional hawksbill conservation would entail data sharing between managers at linked nesting areas, foraging habitats and migratory corridors such that policies to protect key habitats and mitigate human impacts are designed and evaluated based on best‐available science.

V. Talla, Veronika Mrazek, J. Höglund et al.

The clouded apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) used to have a wide distribution in Fennoscandia. Recent population declines have, however, led to regional extinctions and in Sweden it is currently one of the most endangered butterflies, confined to three geographically separated metapopulations: Blekinge, Roslagen and Västernorrland. Especially the Blekinge population has declined dramatically and few imagines have been observed during recent census efforts (< 10 in some localities). The clouded apollo is subject to a species action plan which includes both habitat restorations and captive breeding to produce individuals for release and reintroductions. Here, we apply whole-genome resequencing of clouded apollo individuals collected in the three natural populations and the captive population in Sweden and apply population genomic approaches to get a better understanding of the genetic structure and levels of genetic diversity in the species. We find that the clouded apollo populations in the different geographic regions have similar, but comparatively low levels of genetic diversity and we find evidence for significant genetic differentiation between the northernmost population and the populations in southern Sweden. Additional analysis, including previously available mitochondrial data, unveil that a bi-directional re-colonization of Fennoscandia after the latest glacial maximum most likely is the explanation for the considerable differentiation between some Swedish populations. Finally, we find evidence for population sub-structure in one of the Swedish populations. The results provide insights into the genetic consequences of population size declines and fragmentation in general and provide important information for direct conservation actions for the clouded apollo in Sweden in particular.

Jared D. Hall, Heather A. Mathewson, Shaun L. Oldenburger et al.

Abstract Banding data are commonly used to estimate vital rates for migratory game bird management. We used white‐winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) banding data to estimate molt and hatch chronology in Texas. We used Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's long‐term, state‐wide banding data (71,675 banded individuals) from 1 June to 15 August 2007–2016 to investigate primary feather molt and hatching in white‐winged doves in Texas. We estimated primary feather molt and used individual recapture data to determine reliability of models predicting primary feather molt rates. For hatching, we used primary feather molt scores of captured hatch‐year doves to backdate to an estimated hatch date. Our modeling predicted mean after‐hatch‐year primary feather molt rate of 13.21 ± 0.93 days. We predicted 95% of adult white‐winged doves began molting between 7 April to 8 July and completed molt between 17 August to 17 November. Across all years, white‐winged doves hatched as early as 6 January and as late as 27 July, with 95% of all hatching occurring between 22 March and 18 June and peaking on 4 May. Primary feather molt initiation peaked 16 days after the peak of hatching, suggesting that white‐winged doves delay the onset of primary molt until reproductive activity slows. Secondary data collected during banding operations on migratory game birds may be used to understand additional life processes without the requirement to initiate additional survey efforts.

Mi Hae Jeon, Mi Hae Jeon, Jinyoung Jung et al.

Increase in river discharge and seasonal primary production and decline in sea ice coverage in the Arctic Ocean in summer can significantly affect the distribution and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM). This study aimed to enhance the current available knowledge about the impacts of environmental changes on the characteristics of DOM in the rapidly changing Arctic Ocean. Seawater samples were collected from the western Arctic Ocean during the summer of 2019 and analyzed for fluorescent DOM (FDOM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) content in conjunction with biophysical properties. We identified two humic-like (C1 and C2) and one protein-like (C3) components using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix coupled with parallel factor (EEM–PARAFAC) analysis. Remarkably high intensities of humic-like FDOM were found in the upper halocline layer (32 &lt; salinity &lt; 33.5 psu, at depths between 50–200 m) with high inorganic nutrient concentrations and low N* values, indicating that the humic-like FDOM was supplied from the shelf sediment. Furthermore, shoaling of the upper halocline layer brought high levels of humic-like FDOM to the euphotic zone, resulting in an increased probability of photodegradation of humic-like FDOM due to exposure to solar radiation in the surface layer. Tryptophan-like FDOM was positively correlated with river water fraction (friver) and riverine DOC but not with chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and heterotrophic bacterial abundance, indicating river discharge as a potential additional source of tryptophan-like FDOM. The correlation coefficients between tryptophan-like FDOM and river water parameters (friver and riverine DOC) differed across the Chukchi Sea, Chukchi Borderland, and East Siberian Sea, implying that the influence of river discharge on tryptophan-like FDOM is region-dependent. An increase in river discharge in future might lead to a greater supply of tryptophan-like FDOM, impacting the dynamics of DOM cycling in the western Arctic Ocean.

Yinqiu Ji, C. C. Baker, V. Popescu et al.

Protected areas are key to meeting biodiversity conservation goals, but direct measures of effectiveness have proven difficult to obtain. We address this challenge by using environmental DNA from leech-ingested bloodmeals to estimate spatially-resolved vertebrate occupancies across the 677 km2 Ailaoshan reserve in Yunnan, China. From 30,468 leeches collected by 163 park rangers across 172 patrol areas, we identify 86 vertebrate species, including amphibians, mammals, birds and squamates. Multi-species occupancy modelling shows that species richness increases with elevation and distance to reserve edge. Most large mammals (e.g. sambar, black bear, serow, tufted deer) follow this pattern; the exceptions are the three domestic mammal species (cows, sheep, goats) and muntjak deer, which are more common at lower elevations. Vertebrate occupancies are a direct measure of conservation outcomes that can help guide protected-area management and improve the contributions that protected areas make towards global biodiversity goals. Here, we show the feasibility of using invertebrate-derived DNA to estimate spatially-resolved vertebrate occupancies across entire protected areas. Invertebrate-derived eDNA (iDNA) is an emerging tool for taxonomic and spatial biodiversity monitoring. Here, the authors use metabarcoding of leech-derived iDNA to estimate vertebrate occupancy over an entire protected area, the Ailaoshan Nature Reserve, China.

G. Khomeriki, G. Meladze, Nana Nadareishvili et al.

The policy of stimulating regional development is based on local potential, one of the main components of which is population: its number, nature of reproduction, structure, and social-economic conditions (employment, standard of living, and so on).The present research aimed to study the issues of Georgia's demographic potential: population dynamics, natural movement, migration, gender and age structure, labour force, and standard of living of the population. The study of the demographic potential of Georgia is a long-term task of the authors, the first geographical object of which is the study area of ​​the present article - eastern Georgia and, in particular, the regions of Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli (not including Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, but including self-governing city Rustavi) and Shida Kartli. The research adopts a geographical approach, focusing on a unified vision of the issue, and studies regional differences. The research results outline the demographic situation in the study area and the modern trends that reflect the peculiarities of the demographic potential of eastern Georgia. These include the following: a) the decline in the absolute number of population has slowed down in the last decade due to reduced emigration; b) according to the latest statistics, in eastern Georgia as a whole, natural increase is negative (-0.4 percent), but higher than the national average (-1.1%); c) the process of population ageing in eastern Georgia has been generally outlined, the dynamics of which are different between the regions - in Kvemo Kartli, due to the relatively high natural increase, it is developing relatively slowly than in other regions; d) the share of women in gender structure is reduced (50.9 percent) compared to the country's average rate (52.3 percent), while in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, contrary to the general rule, The share of men exceeds that of women; d) Georgians make up 75 percent of the ethnic structure of the study region, followed by Azerbaijanis (19.7 percent), the principal part of the latter concentrated in Kvemo Kartli, which, in, turn, determines a number of peculiarities of the demographic behaviour of the population in this region; e) a large part of the population of eastern Georgia is mostly employed in traditional, non-commercial and partly commercial agriculture, due to which a higher share of self-employed (41.6 percent) was registered in the study area compared to the average in the country (31.9 percent); f) unemployment (18 percent of the economically active population), low income and low purchasing power remain the main social-economic issues. In the last decade, as in the whole of Georgia, signs of improvement were noted in the social-economic situation in the study area, though the COVID-19 pandemic partially slowed this trend.

Jiahao Liu, Jiahao Liu, Jiahao Liu et al.

A 51-day experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of diurnal temperature fluctuations (DTF) on growth performance, energy metabolism, stress response and gut microbiota of juvenile mud crab Scylla paramamosain. One control and three fluctuation groups were set up, i.e., constant (28 ± 0°C) (CT), slight (SF) (28 ± 2°C), medium (MF) (28 ± 4°C), and large (LF) (28 ± 6°C) DTF. The survival rate tended to decrease with the intensification of DTF, the survival of rate of CT, SF, MF and LF were 80.6 ± 3.9%, 75.0 ± 6.8%, 33.3 ± 6.8%, and 30.6 ± 10.4% respectively. The crab in SF and MF had a shorter, but LF had a longer molt interval compared with the crab in the CT group. Cortisol, blood glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (T-CHO) and triglyceride (TG) levels peaked in the LF group. The exacerbation of DTF caused a dramatic increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and impacted the antioxidant capacity of juvenile crabs. The relative expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (ampk), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) and heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) genes was significantly increased in MF group. The expression of Ribosomal protein S6 kinase (s6k) and Mechanistic target of rapamycin (tor) genes was significantly up-regulated in the SF group (P&lt; 0.05) but large DTF caused a decrease in the relative expression of a large number of functional genes. DTF affected the structure and function of gut microbes. The bacterial community changed with the intensification of DTF and alpha diversity continued to rise. Five biomarkers were identified, where Rhodobacterales and Rhodobacterac were significantly more abundant in the CT group, Campylobacterales,Vibrionales and erysipelotrichales were more abundant in the SF, MF and LF groups. In addition, SF also enhanced gut microbes interactions compared with other treatments. These results suggest that drastic environmental DTF reduced the growth and survival of young mud crabs, and the effect was mediated by energy metabolism, antioxidant pathways and gut microbes.

Claire K. Yung, Adele K. Morrison, Andrew McC. Hogg

The upwelling of cold water from the depths of the Southern Ocean to its surface closes the global overturning circulation and facilitates uptake of anthropogenic heat and carbon. Upwelling is often conceptualised in a zonally averaged framework as the result of isopycnal flattening via baroclinic eddies. However, upwelling is zonally non-uniform and occurs in discrete hotspots near topographic features. The mechanisms that facilitate topographically confined eddy upwelling remain poorly understood and thus limit the accuracy of parameterisations in coarse-resolution climate models.Using a high-resolution global ocean sea-ice model, we calculate spatial distributions of upwelling transport and energy conversions associated with barotropic and baroclinic instability, derived from a thickness-weighted energetics framework. We find that five major topographic hotspots of upwelling, covering less than 30% of the circumpolar longitude range, account for up to 76% of the southward eddy upwelling transport. The conversion of energy into eddies via baroclinic instability is highly spatially correlated with upwelling transport, unlike the barotropic energy conversion, which is also an order of magnitude smaller than the baroclinic conversion. This result suggests that eddy parameterisations that quantify baroclinic energy conversions could be used to improve the simulation of upwelling hotspots in climate models. We also find that eddy kinetic energy maxima are found on average 110 km downstream of upwelling hotspots in accordance with sparse observations. Our findings demonstrate the importance of localised mechanisms to Southern Ocean dynamics.

Minkyoung Kim, Jeomshik Hwang, Guebuem Kim et al.

The East Sea (also known as the Japan Sea; hereafter, EJS) is a semi-enclosed marginal sea surrounded by the Korean Peninsula, Russia, and the Japanese Islands. The EJS is connected to the Pacific through shallow straits. Thus, the EJS has its own thermohaline circulation and the characteristic biogeochemistry. The deep overturning circulation plays a critical role in carbon cycling including absorption of atmospheric CO2 and its sequestration into the interior of the sea. The turnover time of the deep EJS (&gt;1000 m) is ~ hundred years and probably varies depending on physical climate forcing. Thus, the effect of climate change on oceanic processes may be more easily detected in the EJS. In this paper, we summarize the current understanding of carbon cycling in the EJS. We focus especially on the Ulleung Basin in the southwestern EJS, from which more extensive data are available. Notable features of carbon cycling in the EJS include the following: primary productivity and the export/production ratio are higher than in the adjacent Pacific; the EJS is a net sink of atmospheric CO2 and anthropogenic CO2 content is ~1% of the dissolved inorganic carbon inventory; dissolved inorganic carbon in the sea interior is mostly supplied by organic matter decomposition rather than CaCO3 dissolution and thus, the deep waters are vulnerable to acidification; N:P molar ratio of the deep waters is ~13, lower than the Redfield ratio; concentration of dissolved organic carbon is significantly higher than in the oceans; and sediment resuspension and lateral transport is an important component of sinking particulate organic carbon (POC) flux. Another important feature is the temporal trends observed for the last few decades. For example, pH, calcium carbonate saturation status, and dissolved oxygen concentration in the sea interior have decreased, whereas dissolved inorganic carbon and likely, the inventory of anthropogenic CO2 have increased. These temporal trends have an implication on better understanding of the processes occurring more slowly in the oceans. Brief suggestions for future research that will improve our understanding of carbon cycling and its variability are provided at the end of the paper.

K. Malone, Elisabeth B. Webb, Doreen Mengel et al.

Secretive marsh birds, including rails and bitterns, have experienced widespread population declines due to the loss of wetland habitat on which they depend. Because of their cryptic behavior, secretive marsh birds are challenging to study and information on their habitat requirements is limited, especially across the full annual cycle. Quantifying habitat associations throughout the annual cycle and at broad geographic scales can advance a more comprehensive approach for secretive marsh bird conservation. The goal of this study was to quantitatively synthesize results from empirical studies that examined species-habitat relationships of secretive marsh birds in the North American Mississippi Flyway to identify general patterns and information gaps that can guide future management and conservation efforts. We performed a meta-analysis and incorporated results from 40 studies that quantitatively assessed habitat associations of American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), King Rail (Rallus elegans), Sora (Porzana carolina), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), and Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis). Most studies examined breeding season habitat, whereas only 13% reported on habitat use during migration and none during winter. At landscape scales, breeding marsh birds were positively associated with amount of wetlands, especially in the Great Lakes region, and negatively associated with amount of urban land cover, particularly for American Bittern. At the local scale, breeding marsh birds were positively associated with cattail coverage (Typha spp) and other robust emergent vegetation. Overall, marsh birds were negatively associated with woody wetland vegetation, although effects were weaker in the Prairie region and varied among species. During autumn migration, moistsoil vegetation coverage was important for rails in the lower Midwest. The habitat use patterns we identified across studies provide a general characterization of marsh bird breeding habitat to aid in landscape-level multi-species conservation efforts. Our study also highlights the immediate research needs for full annual cycle conservation of secretive marsh bird habitat in North America: specifically, information during winter and migration. Associations entre l'habitat et les oiseaux de marais discrets dans la voie migratoire du Mississippi : une méta-analyse RÉSUMÉ. Les oiseaux de marais dits discrets, notamment les râles et les butors, ont connu une baisse généralisée de leurs populations en raison de la perte des milieux humides dont ils dépendent. Compte tenu de leur comportement cryptique, les oiseaux de marais discrets sont difficiles à étudier et les informations sur leurs besoins en matière d'habitat sont limitées, en particulier sur l'ensemble du cycle annuel. La quantification des associations avec l'habitat tout au long du cycle annuel et à de vastes échelles géographiques peut faire progresser une approche plus exhaustive de la conservation de ces oiseaux de marais. L'objectif de la présente étude était de réaliser une synthèse quantitative des résultats d'études empiriques qui ont examiné les relations entre les oiseaux de marais discrets et l'habitat dans la voie de migration nord-américaine du Mississippi, afin de déterminer les tendances générales et les lacunes en matière d'information qui pourraient guider les futures activités de gestion et de conservation. Nous avons effectué une méta-analyse et intégré les résultats de 40 études ayant évalué de façon quantitative les associations avec l'habitat du Butor d'Amérique (Botaurus lentiginosus), du Petit Blongios (Ixobrychus exilis), du Râle élégant (Rallus elegans), de la Marouette de Caroline (Porzana carolina), du Râle de Virginie (Rallus limicola) et du Râle jaune (Coturnicops noveboracensis). La plupart des études se sont penchées sur l'habitat pendant la saison de reproduction, tandis que seulement 13 % ont fait état de l'utilisation de l'habitat pendant la migration et aucune pendant l'hiver. À l'échelle du paysage, les oiseaux de marais nicheurs étaient positivement associés à la quantité de milieux humides, surtout dans la région des Grands Lacs, et négativement associés à la quantité de milieux urbains, surtout pour le Butor d'Amérique. À l'échelle locale, les oiseaux de marais nicheurs étaient positivement associés au couvert de quenouilles (Typha spp.) et d'autres espèces végétales émergentes robustes. Dans l'ensemble, les oiseaux de marais étaient associés négativement à la végétation ligneuse de milieux humides, bien que les effets aient été plus faibles dans la région des Prairies et aient varié selon les espèces. Pendant la migration automnale, le couvert végétal de sols humides était important pour les râles dans le Midwest inférieur. Les tendances de l'utilisation de l'habitat que nous avons déterminées à partir des études permettent d'avoir une caractérisation générale de l'habitat de reproduction des oiseaux de marais pour guider les efforts de conservation multi-espèces au plan du paysage. Notre étude met Correspondent author: Kristen M Malone, 301 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, Columbia, MO , United States, 65211, malonekm@missouri.edu Avian Conservation and Ecology 16(2): 12 http://www.ace-eco.org/vol16/iss2/art12/ également en évidence les besoins immédiats en matière de recherche pour la conservation de l'habitat d'oiseaux de marais discrets en Amérique du Nord durant le cycle annuel complet, en particulier les informations pendant l'hiver et la migration.

K. Umbers, R. Slatyer, N. Tatarnic et al.

The true biodiversity of Australia’s alpine and subalpine endemics is unknown. Genetic studies to date have focused on sub-regions and restricted taxa, but even so, indicate deep divergences across small geographic scales and therefore that the bulk of biodiversity remains to be discovered. We aimed to study the phylogeography of the Australian Alps by focusing on the skyhoppers (Kosciuscola), a genus of five species of flightless grasshoppers whose combined distributions both span the region and are almost exclusively contained within it. Our sampling covered 650 km on the mainland and several sites in Tasmania with total of 260 specimens used to reconstruct a robust phylogeny of Koscisucola. Phylogenies were based on single nucleotide polymorphism data generated from double-digested restriction-associated DNA sequencing. Skyhoppers diverged around 2 million years ago and have since undergone complex diversification seemingly driven by climatic oscillations throughout the Pleistocene. We recovered not 5 but 14 clades indicating the presence of many unknown species. Our results support conspicuous geographic features as genetic breaks; e.g. the Murray Valley, and inconspicuous ones; e.g. between the Bogong High Plains and Mt Hotham. Climate change is progressing quickly in the region and its impact, particularly on snow, could have severe consequences for the skyhoppers’ overwinter survival. The true diversity of skyhoppers highlights that biodiversity loss in the Alps as a result of climate change is likely to be far greater than what can be estimated based on current species numbers and that management including small geographical scales is key.