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Amphibians Conservation in Italy: the Contribution of the WWF Oases Network P

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Amphibians Conservation in Italy: the Contribution of the WWF Oases Network P This article was downloaded by: [b-on: Biblioteca do conhecimento online UP] On: 24 January 2013, At: 11:34 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Italian Journal of Zoology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tizo20 Amphibians conservation in Italy: The contribution of the WWF Oases network P. Bombi a , M. D'Amen a , D. Salvi b , M. A. Bologna a , F. Marcone c , C. Maggio c & A. Canu c a Università di Roma Tre, Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Rome, Italy b CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Portugal c WWF Oasi, Rome, Italy Version of record first published: 06 Dec 2011. To cite this article: P. Bombi , M. D'Amen , D. Salvi , M. A. Bologna , F. Marcone , C. Maggio & A. Canu (2012): Amphibians conservation in Italy: The contribution of the WWF Oases network, Italian Journal of Zoology, 79:2, 287-295 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2011.623722 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Italian Journal of Zoology, June 2012; 79(2): 287–295 Amphibians conservation in Italy: The contribution of the WWF Oases network P. B OM B I 1*,M.D’AMEN1,D.SALVI2,M.A.BOLOGNA1,F.MARCONE3,C.MAGGIO3, &A.CANU3 1Università di Roma Tre, Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Rome, Italy, 2CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Portugal, and 3WWF Oasi, Rome, Italy (Received 17 May 2011; accepted 29 August 2011) Abstract Amphibians have emerged as a major conservation concern because of the global decline in their numbers in recent decades. Notwithstanding, they are often neglected in conservation planning respects to other less threatened vertebrate groups. In Italy, few studies have analyzed the effectiveness of amphibian protection regimes. The main aim of this paper is to estimate the contribution of the WWF oases network to amphibians conservation in Italy. Moreover, we conducted a prioritization of this network and we individuated additional areas that should be protected for implementing an oases role. We assembled the largest and most up-to-date dataset available for amphibians in the WWF oases, and we adopted a spatial approach based on gap and irreplaceability analyses. Our results provide a critical assessment of the oases importance for amphibians conservation. Many species that are completely uncovered by oases protection have been identified, and new areas suitable for filling the conservation gap have been recognized. We recommend designation of new reserves in these areas to help guarantee amphibian conservation. Moreover, we identified those oases that ensure the representation of the largest number of species. In this light, Monte Arcosu appeared to be the most important site for the achievement of the current degree of species representation. Together with six other oases that obtained high irreplaceability scores, Monte Arcosu represents a priority for the preservation of amphibian diversity. Specific initiatives should be primarily implemented in these oases, guaranteeing that highly irreplaceable sites will maintain their crucial role in the future. Keywords: protected areas, amphibians, Italy, gap analysis, irreplaceability Introduction factors, acting synergistically, have been cited as potential causes of such declines, including: habitat Amphibians are an important component of loss and degradation, climate change, increase of biodiversity that recently came into view as a global UV-B radiation, introduction of invasive species, conservation priority because of their worldwide pollution, over-exploitation, and emerging infectious decline (Stuart et al. 2004; Wake & Vredenburg diseases (e.g., Alford & Richards 1999; Alford et al. 2008; D’Amen & Bombi 2009). Since 1970, pre- 2001; Kiesecker et al. 2001; Collins & Storfer 2003; Downloaded by [b-on: Biblioteca do conhecimento online UP] at 11:34 24 January 2013 cipitous amphibian population reductions have been Daszak et al. 2003; Stuart et al. 2004). The latest observed worldwide and scientists documented assessment of the Status of the World’s Vertebrates several extinction events, especially of tropical reports that 41% of amphibian species are threat- mountain species, in Central and South America ened (Baillie et al.2010). Amphibians have the (e.g., Pounds et al.1999; Young et al. 2001; Ron highest proportion of threatened species among the et al. 2003). Many amphibian populations are char- vertebrate groups, but also the highest proportion of acterized by natural wide fluctuations (Pechmann Data Deficient species and the lowest proportion of et al. 1991), but recent declines were far more Least Concern species (Baillie et al.2010). In Italy, widespread and severe than would be expected Andreone and Luiselli (2000) assessed the threats under normal conditions of demographic variation to amphibian populations on the basis of natural (Pounds et al. 1997; Green 2003). A number of *Correspondence: Pierluigi Bombi, Università di Roma Tre, Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146. Rome, Italy. Email: [email protected] ISSN 1125-0003 print/ISSN 1748-5851 online © 2012 Unione Zoologica Italiana http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2011.623722 288 P. Bombi et al. history parameters. Moreover, it has been evidenced with high species richness, species of national and that habitat loss and climate change had comparable community interest, rare and endemic species, and importance as major causes of recent population habitats and species most threatened both at national disappearances in Italy (D’Amen & Bombi 2009; and international levels. D’Amen et al. 2010a). The main aim of this paper is to estimate the Notwithstanding their imperiled status, amphib- extent to which the network of WWF oases con- ians are relatively neglected in conservation stud- tributes to protecting the amphibian species in Italy. ies with respect to other less threatened taxonomic More specifically, our work aspires to give an answer groups (Brito 2008) and they are often ignored in to the following key questions: (i) how many, and conservation planning (Rodrigues et al. 2004; Pawar which species are protected by the oases network? et al. 2007). If compared with other European coun- (ii) Which oases give the largest contribution to tries, the Italian amphibian fauna is highly diverse amphibians protection? (iii) Which additional areas and has a high percentage of endemic and/or threat- should be protected for implementing the oases role? ened species (Gasc et al.1997; Bologna 2004; Temple To do this, we evidenced on the one hand the cur- & Cox 2009). In Italy, few studies have analyzed rent gaps of conservation, in terms of species that the effectiveness of amphibians protection regime. are not, or insufficiently represented into the oases Maiorano et al. (2006, 2007) evaluated the capa- network (Jennings 2000). On the other hand, we bility of Italian national parks and Natura 2000 calculated the contribution of each oasis for rep- sites to conserve terrestrial vertebrates in the cur- resenting the current set of species. In addition rent conditions. D’Amen et al. (2010b) analyzed to analyze amphibian species richness, we adopted the long-term efficacy of the same set of protected a spatial approach based on the principle of irre- areas for amphibian conservation under two climate placeability (Pressey et al. 1994; Coetzee et al. change scenarios for the mid of 21st century. These 2009) for measuring the contribution of individ- studies evidenced that, similarly to other European ual oases. Such a framework allowed us to iden- regions (e.g., Dimitrakopoulos et al. 2004; Araújo tify priorities for the conservation of amphibians et al. 2007), existing protected areas in Italy are in Italy, both in terms of critical species and of insufficient to conserve current patterns of bio- key sites. This could help to optimize the allo- diversity. The ensemble of nationally designated cation of limited conservation funds to priority parks and Natura 2000 sites does not represent the areas, limiting the investments in areas where con- entire set of protected areas available for biodiversity servation initiatives have an high probability to be conservation. inefficient. More than 100 additional sites across Italy, known as “oases”, are protected by WWF under differ- ent conservation regimes. Such network of oases Materials and methods represents the main instrument of WWF for the Dataset conservation of Italian biodiversity. These sites are
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