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The plastid genome (plastome) is highly conserved in both gene order and content and has a lower mutation rate than the nuclear genome. However, the plastome is more variable in heterotrophic plants. To date, most such studies have investigated just a few species or only holoheterotrophic groups, and few have examined plastome evolution in recently derived lineages at an early stage of transition from autotrophy to heterotrophy. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary dynamics of plastomes in the monophyletic and recently derived Pedicularis sect. Cyathophora (Orobanchaceae). We obtained 22 new plastomes, 13 from the six recognized species of section Cyathophora, six from hemiparasitic relatives and three from autotrophic relatives. Comparative analyses of gene content, plastome structure and selection pressure showed dramatic differences among species in section Cyathophora and in Pedicularis as a whole. In comparison with autotrophic relatives and other Pedicularis spp., we found that the inverted repeat (IR) region in section Cyathophora had expansions to the small single-copy region, with a large expansion event and two independent contraction events. Moreover, NA(D)H dehydrogenase, accD and ccsA have lost function multiple times, with the function of accD being replaced by nuclear copies of an accD-like gene in Pedicularis spp. The ccsA and ndhG genes may have evolved under selection in association with IR expansion/contraction events. This study is the first to report high plastome variation in a recently derived lineage of hemiparasitic plants and therefore provides evidence for plastome evolution in the transition from autotrophy to heterotrophy.
Xin Li; Jun-Bo Yang; Hong Wang; Yu Song; Richard T Corlett; Xin Yao; De-Zhu Li; Wen-Bin Yu. Plastid NDH Pseudogenization and Gene Loss in a Recently Derived Lineage from the Largest Hemiparasitic Plant Genus Pedicularis (Orobanchaceae). Plant and Cell Physiology 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleXin Li, Jun-Bo Yang, Hong Wang, Yu Song, Richard T Corlett, Xin Yao, De-Zhu Li, Wen-Bin Yu. Plastid NDH Pseudogenization and Gene Loss in a Recently Derived Lineage from the Largest Hemiparasitic Plant Genus Pedicularis (Orobanchaceae). Plant and Cell Physiology. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXin Li; Jun-Bo Yang; Hong Wang; Yu Song; Richard T Corlett; Xin Yao; De-Zhu Li; Wen-Bin Yu. 2021. "Plastid NDH Pseudogenization and Gene Loss in a Recently Derived Lineage from the Largest Hemiparasitic Plant Genus Pedicularis (Orobanchaceae)." Plant and Cell Physiology , no. : 1.
Consumption of fleshy fruits by frugivorous animals, which then disperse the seeds inside, is a key ecological process, particularly in forests. Fruit is an easy food to consume but is nutritionally dilute so specialist frugivores need adaptations for efficient location, harvest, and digestion. High dependence on fleshy fruits has evolved in many bird and mammal groups, as well as some reptiles and fish, and consumption by different animals can have widely different consequences for plant fitness. Plants can choose among frugivores by evolving physical (size, color etc.) and chemical traits that match corresponding frugivore traits, but there is little evidence for reciprocal co-evolution. Seed dispersal networks show similar characteristics to other ecological interaction networks, including great variation in how many interactions each species is involved in, a modular structure in which groups of species interact mostly with each other, and nestedness, so specialists interact mostly with generalists. Dependence of seed dispersal on vertebrates makes it vulnerable to human impacts, including hunting, and habitat clearance, fragmentation, and degradation. Larger vertebrates, which consume larger fruits and disperse more seeds longer distances, are most vulnerable and have been widely eliminated, reducing the ability of plant populations to respond to climate change.
Richard T. Corlett. Frugivory and Seed Dispersal. Plant-Animal Interactions 2021, 175 -204.
AMA StyleRichard T. Corlett. Frugivory and Seed Dispersal. Plant-Animal Interactions. 2021; ():175-204.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard T. Corlett. 2021. "Frugivory and Seed Dispersal." Plant-Animal Interactions , no. : 175-204.
Protected areas are the backbone of biodiversity conservation but vulnerable to climate change. Thailand has a large and well-planned protected area system, covering most remaining natural vegetation. A statistically derived global environmental stratification (GEnS) was used to predict changes in bioclimatic conditions across the protected area system for 2050 and 2070, based on projections from three CMIP5 earth system models and two representative concentration pathways (RCPs). Five bioclimatic zones were identified composed of 28 strata. Substantial spatial reorganization of bioclimates is projected in the next 50 years, even under RCP2.6, while under RCP8.5 the average upward shift for all zones by 2070 is 328–483 m and the coolest zone disappears with two models. Overall, 7.9–31.0% of Thailand’s land area will change zone by 2070, and 31.7–90.2% will change stratum. The consequences for biodiversity are less clear, particularly in the lowlands where the existing vegetation mosaic is determined largely by factors other than climate. Increasing connectivity of protected areas along temperature and rainfall gradients would allow species to migrate in response to climate change, but this will be difficult in much of Thailand. For isolated protected areas and species that cannot move fast enough, more active, species-specific interventions may be necessary.
Nirunrut Pomoim; Robert Zomer; Alice Hughes; Richard Corlett. The Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected-Area System under Climate Change. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2868 .
AMA StyleNirunrut Pomoim, Robert Zomer, Alice Hughes, Richard Corlett. The Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected-Area System under Climate Change. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (5):2868.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNirunrut Pomoim; Robert Zomer; Alice Hughes; Richard Corlett. 2021. "The Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected-Area System under Climate Change." Sustainability 13, no. 5: 2868.
Biodiversity science in China has seen rapid growth over recent decades, ranging from baseline biodiversity studies to understanding the processes behind evolution across dynamic regions such as the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We review research, including species catalogues, biodiversity monitoring, the origins, distributions, maintenance, and threats to biodiversity, biodiversity-related ecosystem function and services, and species and ecosystems' responses to global change. Next, we identify priority topics, offer suggestions and priorities for future biodiversity research in China. These priorities include 1) the ecology and biogeography of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and surrounding mountains, and that of subtropical and tropical forests across China; 2) marine and inland aquatic biodiversity, and 3) effective conservation and management to identify and maintain synergies between biodiversity and socio-economic development to fulfil China's vision for becoming an ecological civilization. In addition, we propose three future strategies: 1) translate advanced biodiversity science into practice for biodiversity conservation; 2) strengthen capacity building and application of advanced technology, including high-throughput sequencing, genomics, and remote sensing; 3) strengthen and expand international collaborations. Based on the recent rapid progress of biodiversity research, China is well-positioned to become a global leader in biodiversity research in the near future.
Xiangcheng Mi; Gang Feng; Yibo Hu; Jian Zhang; Lei Chen; Richard T Corlett; Alice C Hughes; Stuart Pimm; Bernhard Schmid; Suhua Shi; Jens-Christian Svenning; Keping Ma. The global significance of biodiversity science in China: an overview. National Science Review 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleXiangcheng Mi, Gang Feng, Yibo Hu, Jian Zhang, Lei Chen, Richard T Corlett, Alice C Hughes, Stuart Pimm, Bernhard Schmid, Suhua Shi, Jens-Christian Svenning, Keping Ma. The global significance of biodiversity science in China: an overview. National Science Review. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiangcheng Mi; Gang Feng; Yibo Hu; Jian Zhang; Lei Chen; Richard T Corlett; Alice C Hughes; Stuart Pimm; Bernhard Schmid; Suhua Shi; Jens-Christian Svenning; Keping Ma. 2021. "The global significance of biodiversity science in China: an overview." National Science Review , no. : 1.
Kingsly C. Beng; Richard T. Corlett. Corrigendum to “Identifying the mechanisms that shape fungal community and metacommunity patterns in Yunnan, China” [Fungal Ecol. 42 (2019) 100862]. Fungal Ecology 2021, 50, 101044 .
AMA StyleKingsly C. Beng, Richard T. Corlett. Corrigendum to “Identifying the mechanisms that shape fungal community and metacommunity patterns in Yunnan, China” [Fungal Ecol. 42 (2019) 100862]. Fungal Ecology. 2021; 50 ():101044.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKingsly C. Beng; Richard T. Corlett. 2021. "Corrigendum to “Identifying the mechanisms that shape fungal community and metacommunity patterns in Yunnan, China” [Fungal Ecol. 42 (2019) 100862]." Fungal Ecology 50, no. : 101044.
SummaryRubber plantations expanded in Southeast Asia at the expense of tropical forests. Projected future demand will likely be met by plantations in New Guinea and West Africa. A new study attempts to reconcile this rubber expansion with biodiversity conservation.
Richard T. Corlett. Conservation Biology: Finding Space for Both Crops and Nature. Current Biology 2020, 30, R1073 -R1075.
AMA StyleRichard T. Corlett. Conservation Biology: Finding Space for Both Crops and Nature. Current Biology. 2020; 30 (19):R1073-R1075.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard T. Corlett. 2020. "Conservation Biology: Finding Space for Both Crops and Nature." Current Biology 30, no. 19: R1073-R1075.
Protected areas are the backbone of biodiversity conservation but are fixed in space and vulnerable to anthropogenic climate change. Myanmar is exceptionally rich in biodiversity but has a small protected area system. This study aimed to assess the potential vulnerability of this system to climate change. In the absence of good biodiversity data, we used a spatial modeling approach based on a statistically derived bioclimatic stratification (the Global Environmental Stratification, GEnS) to understand the spatial implications of projected climate change for Myanmar’s protected area system by 2050 and 2070. Nine bioclimatic zones and 41 strata were recognized in Myanmar, but their representation in the protected area system varied greatly, with the driest zones especially underrepresented. Under climate change, most zones will shift upslope, with some protected areas projected to change entirely to a new bioclimate. Potential impacts on biodiversity include mountaintop extinctions of species endemic to isolated peaks, loss of climate specialists from small protected areas and those with little elevational range, and woody encroachment into savannas and open forests as a result of both climate change and rising atmospheric CO2. Myanmar needs larger, better connected, and more representative protected areas, but political, social, and economic problems make this difficult.
Thazin Nwe; Robert J. Zomer; Richard T. Corlett. Projected Impacts of Climate Change on the Protected Areas of Myanmar. Climate 2020, 8, 99 .
AMA StyleThazin Nwe, Robert J. Zomer, Richard T. Corlett. Projected Impacts of Climate Change on the Protected Areas of Myanmar. Climate. 2020; 8 (9):99.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThazin Nwe; Robert J. Zomer; Richard T. Corlett. 2020. "Projected Impacts of Climate Change on the Protected Areas of Myanmar." Climate 8, no. 9: 99.
William J. Sutherland; Sergio Ticul Alvarez‐Castañeda; Tatsuya Amano; Roberto Ambrosini; Philip Atkinson; John M. Baxter; Alexander L. Bond; Philip J. Boon; Katherine L. Buchanan; Jos Barlow; Giuseppe Bogliani; Olivia M. Bragg; Mark Burgman; Marc W. Cadotte; Michael Calver; Steven J. Cooke; Richard Corlett; Vincent Devictor; John G. Ewen; Martin Fisher; Guy Freeman; Edward Game; Brendan J. Godley; Christian Gortázar; Ian R. Hartley; David L. Hawksworth; Keith A. Hobson; Ming‐Lun Lu; Berta Martín‐López; Keping Ma; Antonio Machado; Dirk Maes; Marco Mangiacotti; Dominic J. McCafferty; Victoria Melfi; Sanjay Molur; Allen J. Moore; Stephen D. Murphy; Darren Norris; Alexander P.E. Van Oudenhoven; Jennifer Powers; Eileen C. Rees; Mark W. Schwartz; Ilse Storch; Claire Wordley. Ensuring tests of conservation interventions build on existing literature. Conservation Biology 2020, 34, 781 -783.
AMA StyleWilliam J. Sutherland, Sergio Ticul Alvarez‐Castañeda, Tatsuya Amano, Roberto Ambrosini, Philip Atkinson, John M. Baxter, Alexander L. Bond, Philip J. Boon, Katherine L. Buchanan, Jos Barlow, Giuseppe Bogliani, Olivia M. Bragg, Mark Burgman, Marc W. Cadotte, Michael Calver, Steven J. Cooke, Richard Corlett, Vincent Devictor, John G. Ewen, Martin Fisher, Guy Freeman, Edward Game, Brendan J. Godley, Christian Gortázar, Ian R. Hartley, David L. Hawksworth, Keith A. Hobson, Ming‐Lun Lu, Berta Martín‐López, Keping Ma, Antonio Machado, Dirk Maes, Marco Mangiacotti, Dominic J. McCafferty, Victoria Melfi, Sanjay Molur, Allen J. Moore, Stephen D. Murphy, Darren Norris, Alexander P.E. Van Oudenhoven, Jennifer Powers, Eileen C. Rees, Mark W. Schwartz, Ilse Storch, Claire Wordley. Ensuring tests of conservation interventions build on existing literature. Conservation Biology. 2020; 34 (4):781-783.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWilliam J. Sutherland; Sergio Ticul Alvarez‐Castañeda; Tatsuya Amano; Roberto Ambrosini; Philip Atkinson; John M. Baxter; Alexander L. Bond; Philip J. Boon; Katherine L. Buchanan; Jos Barlow; Giuseppe Bogliani; Olivia M. Bragg; Mark Burgman; Marc W. Cadotte; Michael Calver; Steven J. Cooke; Richard Corlett; Vincent Devictor; John G. Ewen; Martin Fisher; Guy Freeman; Edward Game; Brendan J. Godley; Christian Gortázar; Ian R. Hartley; David L. Hawksworth; Keith A. Hobson; Ming‐Lun Lu; Berta Martín‐López; Keping Ma; Antonio Machado; Dirk Maes; Marco Mangiacotti; Dominic J. McCafferty; Victoria Melfi; Sanjay Molur; Allen J. Moore; Stephen D. Murphy; Darren Norris; Alexander P.E. Van Oudenhoven; Jennifer Powers; Eileen C. Rees; Mark W. Schwartz; Ilse Storch; Claire Wordley. 2020. "Ensuring tests of conservation interventions build on existing literature." Conservation Biology 34, no. 4: 781-783.
Myanmar is botanically rich and floristically diverse: one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. However, Myanmar is still very unevenly explored, and until a plant checklist was published in 2003, relatively little work was done on its flora. This checklist included 11,800 species of spermatophytes in 273 families. Since this checklist was published, the botanical exploration of Myanmar has accelerated and there have been many additional publications. We therefore surveyed the literature of taxonomic contributions to Myanmar’s vascular flora over the last 20 years (2000–2019) and compiled a list of new and newly described taxa. Our list includes 13 genera, 193 species, 7 subspecies, 19 varieties, and 2 forms new to science; and 3 families, 34 genera, 347 species, 4 subspecies, 7 varieties, and 1 form newly recorded in Myanmar. Altogether, they represent 91 families and 320 genera. Most of the new discoveries belong to 15 families, with more than 25% (146 taxa) belonging to Orchidaceae. These new discoveries are unevenly distributed in the country, with about 41% of the newly discovered species described from Kachin State in northeast Myanmar. This reflects the incompleteness of our current knowledge of the flora of Myanmar and the urgent need for a greatly expanded effort. The completion of the flora of Myanmar requires more fieldwork from north to south, taxonomic studies on new and existing collections, and some mechanism that both coordinates the efforts of various international institutions and initiatives and encourages continued international cooperation. In addition, producing modern taxonomic treatments of the flora of Myanmar requires the participation of experts on all vascular plant families and genera. There is also an urgent need to attract young scientists to plant taxonomy, to work on inventories, identification, nomenclature, herbarium work, and comparative studies.
Bin Yang; Min Deng; Ming-Xia Zhang; Aung Zaw Moe; Hong-Bo Ding; Mya Bhone Maw; Pyae Pyae Win; Richard T. Corlett; Yun-Hong Tan. Contributions to the flora of Myanmar from 2000 to 2019. Plant Diversity 2020, 42, 292 -301.
AMA StyleBin Yang, Min Deng, Ming-Xia Zhang, Aung Zaw Moe, Hong-Bo Ding, Mya Bhone Maw, Pyae Pyae Win, Richard T. Corlett, Yun-Hong Tan. Contributions to the flora of Myanmar from 2000 to 2019. Plant Diversity. 2020; 42 (4):292-301.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBin Yang; Min Deng; Ming-Xia Zhang; Aung Zaw Moe; Hong-Bo Ding; Mya Bhone Maw; Pyae Pyae Win; Richard T. Corlett; Yun-Hong Tan. 2020. "Contributions to the flora of Myanmar from 2000 to 2019." Plant Diversity 42, no. 4: 292-301.
Vegetation in tropical Asia is highly diverse due to large environmental gradients and heterogeneity of landscapes. This biodiversity is threatened by intense land use and climate change. However, despite the rich biodiversity and the dense human population, tropical Asia is often underrepresented in global biodiversity assessments. Understanding how climate change influences the remaining areas of natural vegetation is therefore highly important for conservation planning. Here, we used the adaptive Dynamic Global Vegetation Model version 2 (aDGVM2) to simulate impacts of climate change and elevated CO2 on vegetation formations in tropical Asia for an ensemble of climate change scenarios. We used climate forcing from five different climate models for representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. We found that vegetation in tropical Asia will remain a carbon sink until 2099, and that vegetation biomass increases of up to 28% by 2099 are associated with transitions from small to tall woody vegetation and from deciduous to evergreen vegetation. Patterns of phenology were less responsive to climate change and elevated CO2 than biomes and biomass, indicating that the selection of variables and methods used to detect vegetation changes is crucial. Model simulations revealed substantial variation within the ensemble, both in biomass increases and in distributions of different biome types. Our results have important implications for management policy, because they suggest that large ensembles of climate models and scenarios are required to assess a wide range of potential future trajectories of vegetation change and to develop robust management plans. Furthermore, our results highlight open ecosystems with low tree cover as most threatened by climate change, indicating potential conflicts of interest between biodiversity conservation in open ecosystems and active afforestation to enhance carbon sequestration.
Simon Scheiter; Dushyant Kumar; Richard T. Corlett; Camille Gaillard; Liam Langan; Ralph Sedricke Lapuz; Carola Martens; Mirjam Pfeiffer; Kyle W. Tomlinson. Climate change promotes transitions to tall evergreen vegetation in tropical Asia. Global Change Biology 2020, 26, 5106 -5124.
AMA StyleSimon Scheiter, Dushyant Kumar, Richard T. Corlett, Camille Gaillard, Liam Langan, Ralph Sedricke Lapuz, Carola Martens, Mirjam Pfeiffer, Kyle W. Tomlinson. Climate change promotes transitions to tall evergreen vegetation in tropical Asia. Global Change Biology. 2020; 26 (9):5106-5124.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimon Scheiter; Dushyant Kumar; Richard T. Corlett; Camille Gaillard; Liam Langan; Ralph Sedricke Lapuz; Carola Martens; Mirjam Pfeiffer; Kyle W. Tomlinson. 2020. "Climate change promotes transitions to tall evergreen vegetation in tropical Asia." Global Change Biology 26, no. 9: 5106-5124.
In the last 50 years, intensive agriculture has replaced large tracts of rainforests. Such changes in land use are driving niche-based ecological processes that determine local community assembly. However, little is known about the relative importance of these anthropogenic niche-based processes, in comparison to climatic niche-based processes and spatial processes such as dispersal limitation. In this study, we use a variation partitioning approach to determine the relative importance of land-use change (ranked value of forest loss), climatic variation (temperature and precipitation), and distance between transects, on bird beta diversity at two different spatial scales within the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Our results show that the drivers of local community assembly are scale dependent. At the larger spatial scale, distance was more important than climate and land use for bird species composition, suggesting that dispersal limitation over the Palk Strait, which separates the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, is the main driver of local community assembly. At the smaller scale, climate was more important than land use, suggesting the importance of climatic niches. Therefore, to conserve all species in a biodiversity hotspot, it is important to consider geographic barriers and climatic variation along with land-use change.
Rachakonda Sreekar; Lian Pin Koh; Christos Mammides; Richard Corlett; Salindra Dayananda; Uromi Goodale; Sarath W. Kotagama; Eben Goodale. Drivers of bird beta diversity in the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot are scale dependent: roles of land use, climate, and distance. Oecologia 2020, 193, 801 -809.
AMA StyleRachakonda Sreekar, Lian Pin Koh, Christos Mammides, Richard Corlett, Salindra Dayananda, Uromi Goodale, Sarath W. Kotagama, Eben Goodale. Drivers of bird beta diversity in the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot are scale dependent: roles of land use, climate, and distance. Oecologia. 2020; 193 (4):801-809.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRachakonda Sreekar; Lian Pin Koh; Christos Mammides; Richard Corlett; Salindra Dayananda; Uromi Goodale; Sarath W. Kotagama; Eben Goodale. 2020. "Drivers of bird beta diversity in the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot are scale dependent: roles of land use, climate, and distance." Oecologia 193, no. 4: 801-809.
The Anthropocene is marked by twin crises: climate change and biodiversity loss. Climate change has tended to dominate the headlines, reflecting, in part, the greater complexity of the biodiversity crisis. Biodiversity itself is a difficult concept. Land plants dominate the global biomass and terrestrial arthropods probably dominate in terms of numbers of species, but most of the Tree of Life consists of single-celled eukaryotes, bacteria, and archaea. Wild plants provide a huge variety of products and services to people, ranging from those that are species-specific, such as food, medicine, and genetic resources, to many which are partly interchangeable, such as timber and forage for domestic animals, and others which depend on the whole community, but not on individual species, such as regulation of water supply and carbon sequestration. The use of information from remote sensing has encouraged a simplified view of the values of nature's contributions to people, but this does not match the way most people value nature. We can currently estimate the proportion of species threatened by human impacts only for a few well-assessed groups, for which it ranges from 14% (birds) to 63% (cycads). Less than 8% of land plants have been assessed, but it has been estimated that 30–44% are threatened, although there are still few (0.2%) well-documented extinctions. Priorities for improving protection of biodiversity include: improving the inventory, with surveys focused on geographical areas and taxonomic groups which are under-collected; expanding the protected area system and its representativeness; controlling overexploitation; managing invasive species; conserving threatened species ex situ; restoring degraded ecosystems; and controlling climate change. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP26 meetings, both postponed to 2021, will provide an opportunity to address both crises, but success will require high ambition from all participants.
Richard T. Corlett. Safeguarding our future by protecting biodiversity. Plant Diversity 2020, 42, 221 -228.
AMA StyleRichard T. Corlett. Safeguarding our future by protecting biodiversity. Plant Diversity. 2020; 42 (4):221-228.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard T. Corlett. 2020. "Safeguarding our future by protecting biodiversity." Plant Diversity 42, no. 4: 221-228.
Hunting and deforestation are the two biggest threats to vertebrates in Southeast Asia. In the last 50 years, monoculture rubber plantations replaced large areas of tropical rainforests in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. We set up camera traps at 109 stations (57 in forest reserves and 52 in rubber plantations) to determine the distribution of mammal species in Menglun, Xishuangbanna. We also interviewed 37 experienced hunters (mean age: 54) in the study area to understand their perceptions of species abundance trends. We used hierarchical multispecies occupancy modelling to determine the effect of distance to village, distance to forest edge and elevation on mammal occupancy after accounting for imperfect detection. We used non‐parametric tests for the rank data to evaluate perceived species trends. Using a combination of historical literature (1954–1985), hunter interviews, direct observations and camera‐trap surveys, we only recorded 56% (15 out of 27) of the medium‐to‐large sized (>1 kg) mammal species known previously from the study region. Interviews suggested that current population densities of all extant mammal species are below historical levels. Our camera traps captured 11 mammal species in the forest reserve and only two species in rubber plantations. Low capture rates (10 captures) in rubber mean we could only determine mammal occupancy in forests. Environmental variables did not affect community level mammal occupancy in forests, but common muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) and the northern pig‐tailed macaque (Macaca leonina) avoided forest edges. At the time of the survey, hunting was still prevalent in the region. Therefore, conservation interventions that end both hunting and deforestation are urgently needed to stabilize and increase mammal populations in the region.
G. Huang; R. Sreekar; N. Velho; Richard Corlett; R.‐C. Quan; K. W. Tomlinson. Combining camera‐trap surveys and hunter interviews to determine the status of mammals in protected rainforests and rubber plantations of Menglun, Xishuangbanna, SW China. Animal Conservation 2020, 23, 689 -699.
AMA StyleG. Huang, R. Sreekar, N. Velho, Richard Corlett, R.‐C. Quan, K. W. Tomlinson. Combining camera‐trap surveys and hunter interviews to determine the status of mammals in protected rainforests and rubber plantations of Menglun, Xishuangbanna, SW China. Animal Conservation. 2020; 23 (6):689-699.
Chicago/Turabian StyleG. Huang; R. Sreekar; N. Velho; Richard Corlett; R.‐C. Quan; K. W. Tomlinson. 2020. "Combining camera‐trap surveys and hunter interviews to determine the status of mammals in protected rainforests and rubber plantations of Menglun, Xishuangbanna, SW China." Animal Conservation 23, no. 6: 689-699.
Conserving biodiversity in the face of ever-increasing human pressure is hampered by our lack of basic information on species occurrence, distribution, abundance, habitat requirements, and threats. Obtaining this information requires efficient and sensitive methods capable of detecting and quantifying true occurrence and diversity, including rare, cryptic and elusive species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging technique that can increase our ability to detect and quantify biodiversity, by overcoming some of the challenges of labor-intensive traditional surveys. The application of eDNA in ecology and conservation has grown enormously in recent years, but without a concurrent growth in appreciation of its strengths and limitations. In many situations, eDNA may either not work, or it may work but not provide the information needed. Problems with (1) imperfect detection, (2) abundance quantification, (3) taxonomic assignment, (4) eDNA spatial and temporal dynamics, (5) data analysis and interpretation, and (6) assessing ecological status have all been significant. The technique has often been used without a careful evaluation of the technical challenges and complexities involved, and a determination made that eDNA is the appropriate method for the species or environment of interest. It is therefore important to evaluate the scope and relevance of eDNA-based studies, and to identify critical considerations that need to be taken into account before using the approach. We review and synthesize eDNA studies published to date to highlight the opportunities and limitations of utilizing eDNA in ecology and conservation. We identify potential ways of reducing limitations in eDNA analysis, and demonstrate how eDNA and traditional surveys can complement each other.
Kingsly C. Beng; Richard T. Corlett. Applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) in ecology and conservation: opportunities, challenges and prospects. Biodiversity and Conservation 2020, 29, 2089 -2121.
AMA StyleKingsly C. Beng, Richard T. Corlett. Applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) in ecology and conservation: opportunities, challenges and prospects. Biodiversity and Conservation. 2020; 29 (7):2089-2121.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKingsly C. Beng; Richard T. Corlett. 2020. "Applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) in ecology and conservation: opportunities, challenges and prospects." Biodiversity and Conservation 29, no. 7: 2089-2121.
Richard T. Corlett; Richard B. Primack; Vincent Devictor; Bea Maas; Varun Goswami; Amanda E. Bates; Lian Pin Koh; Tracey J. Regan; Rafael Loyola; Robin J. Pakeman; Graeme Cumming; Anna Pidgeon; David Johns; Robin Roth. Impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on biodiversity conservation. Biological Conservation 2020, 246, 108571 -108571.
AMA StyleRichard T. Corlett, Richard B. Primack, Vincent Devictor, Bea Maas, Varun Goswami, Amanda E. Bates, Lian Pin Koh, Tracey J. Regan, Rafael Loyola, Robin J. Pakeman, Graeme Cumming, Anna Pidgeon, David Johns, Robin Roth. Impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on biodiversity conservation. Biological Conservation. 2020; 246 ():108571-108571.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard T. Corlett; Richard B. Primack; Vincent Devictor; Bea Maas; Varun Goswami; Amanda E. Bates; Lian Pin Koh; Tracey J. Regan; Rafael Loyola; Robin J. Pakeman; Graeme Cumming; Anna Pidgeon; David Johns; Robin Roth. 2020. "Impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on biodiversity conservation." Biological Conservation 246, no. : 108571-108571.
Species exposed to anthropogenic climate change can acclimate, adapt, move, or be extirpated. It is often assumed that movement will be the dominant response, with populations tracking their climate envelopes in space, but the numerous species restricted to specialized substrates cannot easily move. In warmer regions of the world, such edaphic specialists appear to have accumulated in situ over millions of years, persisting despite climate change by local movements, plastic responses, and genetic adaptation. However, past climates were usually cooler than today and rates of warming slower, while edaphic islands are now exposed to multiple additional threats, including mining. Modeling studies that ignore edaphic constraints on climate change responses may therefore give misleading results for a significant proportion of all taxa.
Richard T. Corlett; Kyle W. Tomlinson. Climate Change and Edaphic Specialists: Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object? Trends in Ecology & Evolution 2020, 35, 367 -376.
AMA StyleRichard T. Corlett, Kyle W. Tomlinson. Climate Change and Edaphic Specialists: Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object? Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 2020; 35 (4):367-376.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRichard T. Corlett; Kyle W. Tomlinson. 2020. "Climate Change and Edaphic Specialists: Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object?" Trends in Ecology & Evolution 35, no. 4: 367-376.
Limiting climate change to less than 2°C is the focus of international policy under the climate convention (UNFCCC), and is essential to preventing extinctions, a focus of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The post‐2020 biodiversity framework drafted by the CBD proposes conserving 30% of both land and oceans by 2030. However, the combined impact on extinction risk of species from limiting climate change and increasing the extent of protected and conserved areas has not been assessed. Here we create conservation spatial plans to minimize extinction risk in the tropics using data on 289 219 species and modeling two future greenhouse gas concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and 8.5) while varying the extent of terrestrial protected land and conserved areas from <17% to 50%. We find that limiting climate change to 2°C and conserving 30% of terrestrial area could more than halve aggregate extinction risk compared with uncontrolled climate change and no increase in conserved area.
Lee Hannah; Patrick R. Roehrdanz; Pablo A. Marquet; Brian J. Enquist; Guy Midgley; Wendy Foden; Jon C. Lovett; Richard Corlett; Derek Corcoran; Stuart H. M. Butchart; Brad Boyle; Xiao Feng; Brian Maitner; Javier Fajardo; Brian J. McGill; Cory Merow; Naia Morueta‐Holme; Erica A. Newman; Daniel S. Park; Niels Raes; Jens‐Christian Svenning. 30% land conservation and climate action reduces tropical extinction risk by more than 50%. Ecography 2020, 43, 943 -953.
AMA StyleLee Hannah, Patrick R. Roehrdanz, Pablo A. Marquet, Brian J. Enquist, Guy Midgley, Wendy Foden, Jon C. Lovett, Richard Corlett, Derek Corcoran, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Brad Boyle, Xiao Feng, Brian Maitner, Javier Fajardo, Brian J. McGill, Cory Merow, Naia Morueta‐Holme, Erica A. Newman, Daniel S. Park, Niels Raes, Jens‐Christian Svenning. 30% land conservation and climate action reduces tropical extinction risk by more than 50%. Ecography. 2020; 43 (7):943-953.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLee Hannah; Patrick R. Roehrdanz; Pablo A. Marquet; Brian J. Enquist; Guy Midgley; Wendy Foden; Jon C. Lovett; Richard Corlett; Derek Corcoran; Stuart H. M. Butchart; Brad Boyle; Xiao Feng; Brian Maitner; Javier Fajardo; Brian J. McGill; Cory Merow; Naia Morueta‐Holme; Erica A. Newman; Daniel S. Park; Niels Raes; Jens‐Christian Svenning. 2020. "30% land conservation and climate action reduces tropical extinction risk by more than 50%." Ecography 43, no. 7: 943-953.
Research Highlights: The reasons for persistence of forest fragments in human-dominated landscapes have rarely been examined, despite their importance in biodiversity and ecosystem services. We determined these reasons for forest fragments on collective land in Xishuangbanna prefecture, southwest China. Background and Objectives: Reconciling economic development with biodiversity conservation has been a major challenge in China’s small tropical land area, where local realities have often been in conflict with national policies. In Xishuangbanna, much of China’s most biodiverse forest area has been replaced by cash crops in recent decades, but numerous small forest fragments remain on collective land. Our objective was to find out why these fragments have not been cleared. Methods: We used a combination of semi-structured interviews with 600 households in 69 villages representing nine ethnic groups and information from key informants. Results: Overall, 64% of individual households retained forest fragments on the land allocated to them, and 93% of villages retained larger areas managed as a collective forest. Most (71%) interviewees said that fragments on their own land were on sites of low agricultural value and were retained as fuelwood sources. They were also often (33%) underplanted with crops and supplied other forest products. All interviewees attributed the retention of collective forests to policy restrictions on clearance, with most (96%) mentioning cultural and religious uses and many recognizing environmental benefits. Most were also used as sources of wild edible plants (61%) and other forest products. Many said these collective forests had shrunk over time, particularly in areas suitable for profitable cultivation. Conclusions: China’s new ecological redline policy will protect most larger patches of forest in Xishuangbanna, but the smaller fragments on land allocated to individual households are also of conservation value, particularly in areas with no other forest. Some form of compensation scheme is needed to encourage their continued retention.
Jia-Qi Zhang; Christos Mammides; Richard T. Corlett. Reasons for the Survival of Tropical Forest Fragments in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Forests 2020, 11, 159 .
AMA StyleJia-Qi Zhang, Christos Mammides, Richard T. Corlett. Reasons for the Survival of Tropical Forest Fragments in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Forests. 2020; 11 (2):159.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJia-Qi Zhang; Christos Mammides; Richard T. Corlett. 2020. "Reasons for the Survival of Tropical Forest Fragments in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China." Forests 11, no. 2: 159.
The holly genus, Ilex, in the monogeneric Aquifoliaceae, is the largest woody dioecious genus (> 664 spp.), with a near‐cosmopolitan distribution in mesic environments. We constructed a phylogeny based on two nuclear genes, representing 177 species spread across the geographical range, and dated using macrofossil records. The five main clades had a common ancestor in the early Eocene; much earlier than previously suggested. Ilex originated in subtropical Asia and extant clades colonized South America by 30 Ma, North America by 23 Ma, Australia by 8 Ma, Europe by 6 Ma, and Africa by 4 Ma. South and North America were colonized multiple times. Ilex also reached Hawaii (10 Ma) and other oceanic islands. Macrofossil and pollen records show the genus has tracked mesic climates through time and space, and had a wider distribution before late Miocene global cooling. Our phylogeny provides a framework for studies in comparative ecology and evolution. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Xin Yao; Yu Song; Jun‐Bo Yang; Yun‐Hong Tan; Richard T. Corlett. Phylogeny and biogeography of the hollies ( Ilex L., Aquifoliaceae). Journal of Systematics and Evolution 2020, 59, 73 -82.
AMA StyleXin Yao, Yu Song, Jun‐Bo Yang, Yun‐Hong Tan, Richard T. Corlett. Phylogeny and biogeography of the hollies ( Ilex L., Aquifoliaceae). Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 2020; 59 (1):73-82.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXin Yao; Yu Song; Jun‐Bo Yang; Yun‐Hong Tan; Richard T. Corlett. 2020. "Phylogeny and biogeography of the hollies ( Ilex L., Aquifoliaceae)." Journal of Systematics and Evolution 59, no. 1: 73-82.
Spondias pinnata (Linn. f.) Kurz (Anacardiaceae) is widely distributed in tropical Asia, where it is commonly used as a vegetable and fruit, and is attracting increasing research attention. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and the cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities of the fruit peel essential oil of S. pinnata (EOSP), which has been consumed as a medicine and condiment in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. A total of 40 components were identified by Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC-MS), representing 95.19% of the EOSP, with furfural (17.14%), α-terpineol (13.09%), and ethyl benzoate (9.05%) as the main constituents. EOSP has moderate cytotoxic activity against five cancer cells and obvious antimicrobial activity against five pathogenic strains. In particular, EOSP (Minimal Inhibitory and Fungicidal Concentration, MIC and MFC, 16‒32 µg/mL) showed a 32-times higher inhibition effect against Aspergillus fumigatus than the positive control Tigecycline (MIC and MBC 512‒1024 µg/mL). EOSP also showed strong anti-inflammatory activity by significantly inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 cell lines at 0.08‰, with no effect on cell viability. These bioactivities of S. pinnata fruit peel validate its traditional uses and suggest that it could be a new source of natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents for food or medical industries.
Ren Li; Jing-Jing Yang; Xing-Zhen Song; Yuan-Fei Wang; Richard T. Corlett; You-Kai Xu; Hua-Bin Hu. Chemical Composition and the Cytotoxic, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Fruit Peel Essential Oil from Spondias pinnata (Anacardiaceae) in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Molecules 2020, 25, 343 .
AMA StyleRen Li, Jing-Jing Yang, Xing-Zhen Song, Yuan-Fei Wang, Richard T. Corlett, You-Kai Xu, Hua-Bin Hu. Chemical Composition and the Cytotoxic, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Fruit Peel Essential Oil from Spondias pinnata (Anacardiaceae) in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Molecules. 2020; 25 (2):343.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRen Li; Jing-Jing Yang; Xing-Zhen Song; Yuan-Fei Wang; Richard T. Corlett; You-Kai Xu; Hua-Bin Hu. 2020. "Chemical Composition and the Cytotoxic, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Fruit Peel Essential Oil from Spondias pinnata (Anacardiaceae) in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China." Molecules 25, no. 2: 343.