DOCSLIB.ORG

Downloaded from 392 on 15/07/2019

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Downloaded from 392 on 15/07/2019 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.20.427508; this version posted January 21, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Title: Characterising the spatio-temporal threats, conservation hotspots, and conservation 2 gaps for the most extinction-prone bird family (Aves: Rallidae). 3 4 Authors: Lucile Lévêquea*, Jessie C. Buettela,b, Scott Carvera, Barry W. Brooka,b 5 ([email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]) 6 7 a School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 8 7001, Australia 9 b ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), Australia 10 11 *corresponding author: [email protected], School of Natural Sciences, University 12 of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. (Ph:) +61 473 446 744 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.20.427508; this version posted January 21, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 13 ABSTRACT 14 With thousands of vertebrate species now threatened with extinction, there is an urgent need 15 to understand and mitigate the causes of wildlife collapse. As distinct evolutionary clades can 16 follow different routes to endangerment, there is value in taxon-specific analyses when 17 assessing species’ vulnerability to threats and identifying gaps in conservation actions. Rails 18 (Aves: Rallidae), being the most extinction-prone bird Family globally, and with one third of 19 extant rail species now threatened or near-threatened, are an emphatic case in point. Yet even 20 for this well-studied group, there is uncertainty in our understanding of what factors might be 21 causing this vulnerability, whether the current threats are consistent with those that led to 22 recent extinctions, and ultimately, what conservation actions might be necessary to mitigate 23 further losses. Here, we undertook a global synthesis of the temporal and spatial threat 24 patterns for Rallidae and determined conservation priorities and gaps. We found two key 25 pathways in the threat pattern for rails. One follows the same trajectory as extinct rails, where 26 island endemic and flightless rails are most threatened, mainly due to invasive predators. The 27 second, created by the recent diversification of anthropogenic activities, involves continental 28 rails (generally in the Neotropics), threatened most commonly by agriculture, natural-system 29 modifications and residential and commercial development. Conservation efforts around 30 most-at-risk species should be adapted according to the most relevant geographic scale 31 (bioregions or countries), and principal locality type of the population (continental or island 32 endemic). Indonesia, the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Cuba were the 33 priority countries identified by our classification system incorporating species’ unique 34 evolutionary features and level of endangerment, but also among the countries that lack 35 conservation actions the most. Future efforts should predominantly target improvements in 36 ecosystem protection and management, as well as ongoing research and monitoring. 37 Forecasting the impacts of climate change on island endemic rails and disentangling the bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.20.427508; this version posted January 21, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 38 specific roles of extrinsic and intrinsic traits (like flightlessness), will be particularly valuable 39 avenues of research for improving our forecasts of rail vulnerability. 40 41 42 INTRODUCTION 43 Up to a million species are now threatened with extinction, with many more predicted within 44 the next decade (IPBES, 2019). Along with the unprecedent decline in avifauna abundance, 45 including in once common species (e.g. in North America, Rosenberg et al., 2019) the need 46 to understand and mitigate the causes of these biotic contractions is urgent if we wish to avert 47 a major loss of species and ecosystem integrity this century. As the vulnerability to different 48 threats varies across taxa (e.g., between different bird families; Owens & Bennett, 2000), 49 there is value in taxon-specific analyses to inform conservation policy and decision making. 50 This has been done for several bird groups including ducks, geese and swans (Green, 1996), 51 sea birds (Croxall et al., 2012; Spatz et al., 2014; Dias et al., 2019) and parrots (Olah et al., 52 2016), but gaps exist for many bird taxa, including the rail family. 53 Rails (Aves: Rallidae) are a widespread bird family, ecologically diverse and 54 inhabiting most habitats worldwide. They are also the most extinction-prone bird family, with 55 54 to 92% of all species going extinct after their first contact with humans during the mid- 56 Holocene (representing between 200 and 2,000 estimated extinct species; Steadman, 1995; 57 Curnutt & Pimm, 2001) They went through a second wave of extinction starting in the 16th 58 century when European settlers spread worldwide. In this recent extinction wave, they were 59 once again the most represented bird family in the extinct species assemblage (15%, 24 60 species; BirdLife International, 2018). Five rails have gone extinct in the last 100 years 61 (Hypotaenidia pacifica, Porphyrio paepae, Zapornia palmeri, Hypotaenidia wakensis, and bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.20.427508; this version posted January 21, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 62 Hypotaenidia poeciloptera) and the most recent extinction event was recognised in 1994 63 (IUCN, 2019). 64 As the magnitude, diversity and global reach of anthropogenic activities increase, 65 species can be impacted by an amplified range of pressures and stressors – the IUCN Red 66 List now references 38 different types of threats (IUCN, 2019). As an already extinction- 67 prone bird family, Rallidae could be particularly vulnerable to contemporary threats and 68 continue on their trajectory to extinction. Of the 144 recognised extant species of Rallidae, 13 69 are near-threatened and 35 are threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically endangered; 70 IUCN, 2019). To date, our understanding of historical threats and causes of extinctions in 71 rails has been limited and their pattern of endangerment has not been clearly characterised 72 either spatially (where extinct/threatened species are distributed) or temporally (with respect 73 to changes in threat patterns between extinct and contemporary species). Here we provide 74 the first such descriptive assessment for Rallidae. We have three main aims: i) characterise 75 the pattern of threats (historical and modern), focusing on four different spatial scales 76 (globally, on continents, for island endemics and between bioregions); ii) track the time 77 course of species’ conservation status (IUCN status) and gaps in conservation programs, and 78 iii) identify ‘conservation hotspots’ for rails by creating a ranking system using rails’ 79 conservation values and level of endangerment, so as to identify priority countries and 80 bioregions. 81 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.20.427508; this version posted January 21, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 82 METHODS 83 Database compilation 84 We compiled a database for all 144 species of extant rails (including 42 island endemic 85 species) using the 2019 version of the International Union for Conservation of Nature 86 (IUCN) Red List (IUCN, 2019) and the ‘Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of 87 the world’ (Taylor & van Perlo, 1998). We used the taxonomic classification followed by the 88 IUCN which included the rallid family of Sarothruridae (some authors consider it separate 89 from the Rallidae family, see Garcia-R. et al., 2014; Garcia-R et al., 2020). The Sarothruridae 90 family contains 15 species, including two threatened species, and is mostly present in the 91 Afrotropics. In preliminary analyses we evaluated the effect of excluding this group, finding 92 no major effect on results or their interpretations (except a minor effect of Threat rank of 93 countries, see Table S1) and, thus, elected to retain the Sarothruridae in the Rallidae family. 94 Species considered ‘Data deficient’ were excluded from the analysis (Table S2). Similarly, 95 the New Caledonian rail (Gallirallus lafresnayanus) and the Samoan moorhen (Pareudiastes 96 pacificus) are two ‘Critically endangered’ rail species that have not been seen with certainty 97 since the 19th century and are suspected to be extinct (IUCN, 2019); they were also excluded 98 from our analysis. We considered island endemic species as those restricted to one or a group 99 of adjacent islands. 100 101 Spatial and temporal patterns of threats 102 Using this database, we firstly described the number of threats impacting threatened species 103 for different spatial scales (globally, on continents, on islands). For our analysis of threat 104 diversity, we used the threats’ first sub-category as the level of threat (e.g., a rail being 105 impacted by sub-categories ‘5.1.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee
    Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories Compiled by S. Oldfield Edited by D. Procter and L.V. Fleming ISBN: 1 86107 502 2 © Copyright Joint Nature Conservation Committee 1999 Illustrations and layout by Barry Larking Cover design Tracey Weeks Printed by CLE Citation. Procter, D., & Fleming, L.V., eds. 1999. Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Disclaimer: reference to legislation and convention texts in this document are correct to the best of our knowledge but must not be taken to infer definitive legal obligation. Cover photographs Front cover: Top right: Southern rockhopper penguin Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome (Richard White/JNCC). The world’s largest concentrations of southern rockhopper penguin are found on the Falkland Islands. Centre left: Down Rope, Pitcairn Island, South Pacific (Deborah Procter/JNCC). The introduced rat population of Pitcairn Island has successfully been eradicated in a programme funded by the UK Government. Centre right: Male Anegada rock iguana Cyclura pinguis (Glen Gerber/FFI). The Anegada rock iguana has been the subject of a successful breeding and re-introduction programme funded by FCO and FFI in collaboration with the National Parks Trust of the British Virgin Islands. Back cover: Black-browed albatross Diomedea melanophris (Richard White/JNCC). Of the global breeding population of black-browed albatross, 80 % is found on the Falkland Islands and 10% on South Georgia. Background image on front and back cover: Shoal of fish (Charles Sheppard/Warwick
    [Show full text]
  • A Classification of the Rallidae
    A CLASSIFICATION OF THE RALLIDAE STARRY L. OLSON HE family Rallidae, containing over 150 living or recently extinct species T and having one of the widest distributions of any family of terrestrial vertebrates, has, in proportion to its size and interest, received less study than perhaps any other major group of birds. The only two attempts at a classifi- cation of all of the recent rallid genera are those of Sharpe (1894) and Peters (1934). Although each of these lists has some merit, neither is satisfactory in reflecting relationships between the genera and both often separate closely related groups. In the past, no attempt has been made to identify the more primitive members of the Rallidae or to illuminate evolutionary trends in the family. Lists almost invariably begin with the genus Rdus which is actually one of the most specialized genera of the family and does not represent an ancestral or primitive stock. One of the difficulties of rallid taxonomy arises from the relative homo- geneity of the family, rails for the most part being rather generalized birds with few groups having morphological modifications that clearly define them. As a consequence, particularly well-marked genera have been elevated to subfamily rank on the basis of characters that in more diverse families would not be considered as significant. Another weakness of former classifications of the family arose from what Mayr (194933) referred to as the “instability of the morphology of rails.” This “instability of morphology,” while seeming to belie what I have just said about homogeneity, refers only to the characteristics associated with flightlessness-a condition that appears with great regularity in island rails and which has evolved many times.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Zero-Carbon Energy Pathways Using Viable Mixes of Nuclear and Renewables ⇑ Sanghyun Hong A, Corey J.A
    Applied Energy 143 (2015) 451–459 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Applied Energy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/apenergy Global zero-carbon energy pathways using viable mixes of nuclear and renewables ⇑ Sanghyun Hong a, Corey J.A. Bradshaw a, Barry W. Brook a,b, a The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia b Centre for Energy Technology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia highlights A proper mix of nuclear power and renewables achieves sustainable energy future. A high nuclear share provides cost and land effectiveness compared to nuclear-free. Only-renewable mix will increase negative economic and environmental impacts. A deployment of advanced reactor technologies is essential to overcome limitations. article info abstract Article history: What are the most viable global pathways for a major expansion of zero-carbon emissions electricity Received 14 August 2014 sources given the diversity of regional technical, socio-political and economic constraints? We modelled Received in revised form 1 December 2014 a range of zero-emissions energy scenarios across nations that were designed to meet projected final Accepted 3 January 2015 energy demand in 2060, and optimised to derive the best globally aggregated results in terms of minimis- ing costs and land use (a surrogate for environmental impacts). We found that a delayed energy transition to a zero-emissions pathway will decrease investment costs (À$3,431 billion), but increase cumulative Keywords: CO emissions (additional 696 Gt). A renewable-only scenario would convert >7.4% of the global land area Decarbonisation 2 to energy production, whereas a maximum nuclear scenario would affect <0.4% of land area, including Energy systems Sustainable energy mining, spent-fuel storage, and buffer zones.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Critiques of Nuclear Energy William Hummel Pomona College
    Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont Pomona Senior Theses Pomona Student Scholarship 2012 Environmental Critiques of Nuclear Energy William Hummel Pomona College Recommended Citation Hummel, William, "Environmental Critiques of Nuclear Energy" (2012). Pomona Senior Theses. Paper 58. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/pomona_theses/58 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Pomona Student Scholarship at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in Pomona Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Environmental Critiques of Nuclear Energy William Yoshida Hummel In partial fulfillment of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Analysis, 2011-12 academic year, Pomona College, Claremont, California Readers: Professor David Menefee-Libey Professor Rick Hazlett Professor Susan McWilliams 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 3 Chapter 1: A New Energy Paradigm 4 Chapter 2: History of Nuclear Energy 10 Pre-1940: The foundations of nuclear energy 10 1940-1945: World War II and the Manhattan Project 13 1950-1957: Nuclear technology and the beginning of the arms race 17 1957-1979: The golden age of nuclear construction 19 1979-1986: Nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl 22 1986-2011: The modern nuclear era 27 2011: Fukushima and the future of nuclear energy 30 Chapter 3: The Environmentalist’s Perspective 38 Concern #1: Uranium mining 43 Concern #2: Radiation and meltdowns 56 Concern #3: Waste disposal 73 Concern #4: National security 83 Chapter 4: Emerging Nuclear Technology 95 Chapter 5: Moving Forward 106 2 Acknowledgments To David Menefee-Libey, who tried to warn me, but was still willing to help even after I ignored him.
    [Show full text]
  • Rail (Hypotaenidia Okinawae)
    Community Engagement with Wildlife Conservation in Japan: A Case Study of an Endangered Bird, the Okinawa Rail (Hypotaenidia okinawae) MADELEINE SBEGHEN University of Queensland ABSTRACT As host of the 2010 Nagoya Biodiversity Summit, Japan reaffi rmed its eff orts to conserve biodiversity for future generations. Rebuilding relationships with nature and strengthening conservation education are key priorities of Japan’s biodiversity conservation agenda to improve outcomes for threatened species and local communities. Th is paper examines community engagement with the critically endangered Okinawa Rail (Hypotaenidia okinawae), an endemic bird of the Yanbaru forests of northern Okinawa, with reference to the conservation context in Japan. Since discovery of the Okinawa Rail in 1981, communities in Yanbaru have developed a strong relationship with this species, recognising it as an important symbol of regional cultural identity and as a unique ecological asset that attracts visitors and underpins community events. Th is has translated into investment by government and community stakeholders in conservation education facilities and public awareness campaigns for To link to this article: the Okinawa Rail in Yanbaru. To improve the long-term value of facilities http://doi.org/10.21159/nvjs.09.01 to support science-based conservation eff orts in this Japanese context, it ISSN 2205-3166 could be advantageous to increase opportunities for social learning that New Voices in Japanese Studies is incorporate both educational and conservation goals, and which encourage an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal showcasing the work of stakeholder partnerships. Th e complex socio-economic and political context emerging scholars from Australia in Okinawa, and the signifi cant impact human activities have on the Okinawa and New Zealand with research interests in Japan.
    [Show full text]
  • A Trait Dataset for Taiwan's Breeding Birds
    Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e49735 doi: 10.3897/BDJ.8.e49735 Data Paper A trait dataset for Taiwan's breeding birds Pei-Yu Tsai‡, Chie-Jen Ko §,|, Chia Hsieh¶#, Yi-Ting Su , Ya-Jung Lu‡, Ruey-Shing Lin§, Mao-Ning Tuanmu¤ ‡ Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan § Endemic Species Research Institute, Jiji, Nantou, Taiwan | Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan ¶ BioSciences Department, Rice University, Houston, United States of America # Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan ¤ Thematic Center for Systematics and Biodiversity Informatics, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Corresponding author: Mao-Ning Tuanmu ([email protected]) Academic editor: Cynthia Parr Received: 30 Dec 2019 | Accepted: 08 May 2020 | Published: 19 May 2020 Citation: Tsai P-Y, Ko C-J, Hsieh C, Su Y-T, Lu Y-J, Lin R-S, Tuanmu M-N (2020) A trait dataset for Taiwan's breeding birds. Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e49735. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.8.e49735 Abstract Background Species traits affect how a species interacts with the environment and other species and thus determine the role of the species in an ecosystem. They affect not only population dynamics of a species across space and over time, but also community structure and function through their key role in the community assembly processes. Information on species traits is also highly relevant for conservation planning as they determine the adaptive ability of a species in the face of environmental changes. However, information on species traits is usually scarce and sparsely distributed amongst diverse types of literature and sources.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nuclear Option Why Is There a Differentiation Between the Nuclear Energy Policy of the Netherlands and Belgium?
    The Nuclear Option Why is there a differentiation between the nuclear energy policy of the Netherlands and Belgium? Name: Bo Snier (6012558) [email protected] th Date: June 20 , 2021. MA-Thesis History oF Politics and Society: Sustainability (GKMV17023) Supervisor: Dr. Hans Schouwenburg Words: 13578 1 Abstract The usage oF nuclear energy has been the subject oF much debate in the past and in the present. Even within the European Union, the use oF nuclear energy is not without complications. For eXample, Belgium is almost dependent on the use oF nuclear energy, while it is hardly used in the Netherlands. This distinction will be analyzed in this thesis, and an attempt will be made to provide an answer to the question: Why is there a diFFerentiation between the nuclear energy policy oF the Netherlands and Belgium? This matter was answered by looking at the trend that has been going on since Second World War and evaluating the actors involved in political and social debates using available source material. These actors are the government, environmental movements, the industrial sector, and scientists, in that order. According to the Findings, there is virtually little variation between Dutch and Belgian policies. The government in the Netherlands, however, made place For environmental groups and incorporated critical voices From scientists in the decision-making process. Although the Dutch government did not Follow the recommendations one-on-one, it did result in a shiFt in policy in Belgium, where these players had little or no impact on political processes; it even appeared that most scientists supported the use oF nuclear energy.
    [Show full text]
  • Nuclear Power
    NUCLEAR POWER Authors’ sources and citations for: WHY WE SHOULD SAY YES TO NUCLEAR POWER Sources and Citations for: A. Barry Brook’s main argument B. Ian Lowe’s rebuttal A. SOURCES & CITATIONS FOR BARRY BROOK’S MAIN ARGUMENT: The numbering matches the note-mark numbers printed throughout the text of Barry Brook’s main argument in the Nuclear Power book: 1. Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision, http://esa.un.org/unpp/p2k0data.asp 2. Lang, P. 2009. Does wind power reduce carbon emissions? http://wp.me/piCIJ-pE 3. Lang 2009. Does wind power reduce carbon emissions? http://wp.me/piCIJ-pE 4. For more information on this critical topic, read my website http://bravenewclimate.com, and references four, seven and 10 of the online “What to read next” section, although all 10 address this problem in various ways. 5. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/reactors.html 6. Energy Information Administration: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm 7. http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200704/000020070407A0057435.php 8. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf03.html 9. http://www.phyast.pitt.edu/~blc/book/chapter11.html 10. Energy system build rates and material inputs: http://wp.me/siCIJ-tcase4 11. Wind has a far larger footprint if large-scale energy storage, or fossil fuel backup from gas, is considered, see: http://www.isa.org.usyd.edu.au/publications/documents/ISA_Nuclear_Report.pdf 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2007.01.008 13.
    [Show full text]
  • Plastics and Waterbirds: Incidence and Impacts
    AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION OF Doc. AEWA/MOP 7.28 AFRICAN-EURASIAN MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS Agenda item: 20 Original: English 06 September 2018 7th SESSION OF THE MEETING OF THE PARTIES 04-08 December 2018, Durban, South Africa “Beyond 2020: Shaping flyway conservation for the future” PLASTICS AND WATERBIRDS: INCIDENCE AND IMPACTS (Compiled by Peter Ryan, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, South Africa, on behalf of RSPB) Background Through Resolution 6.9, the Meeting of the Parties recognised the potential impacts to migratory seabirds resulting from the ingestion of plastics, microplastics and other forms of marine litter (marine debris), recalled the CMS Resolutions 10.4 and 11.30 on marine debris, requiring Parties to work collectively and with the relevant Regional Seas Conventions on reducing the impacts of marine debris on migratory species and requested the Technical Committee, subject to the availability of financial and in-kind resources, in consultation with CMS, to assess any threats posed to migratory seabirds listed by AEWA from the ingestion of plastics, of microplastics and other forms of marine litter (marine debris) and to provide advice on appropriate responses in this regard to the Meeting of Parties. This task had required outsourcing and thanks to the generous funding provided by the Government of the Netherlands, the production of a review to assess the threats of plastics and microplastics to AEWA seabird populations was commissioned to RSPB and the BirdLife International Global Seabirds Programme, albeit late in the triennium. It was reviewed by the Technical and Standing Committees and approved for submission to MOP7 in August 2018.
    [Show full text]
  • Ornithol. Sci. 18(2): 169-175
    Ornithol Sci 18: 169 – 175 (2019) REVIEW ARTICLE Preventing the extinction of the Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) through predator eradication and population augmentation Dean PORTELLI1 and Nicholas CARLILE2,# 1 Department of Environment and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 1120, Alice Springs, NT, 0871 Australia 2 Office of Environment and Heritage, P.O. Box 1967, Hurstville, NSW, 2220 Australia ORNITHOLOGICAL Abstract The Lord Howe Woodhen (Hypotaenidia sylvestris) is endemic to Lord Howe Island off the mid-east coast of Australia and came perilously close to extinc- SCIENCE tion as a result of hunting pressure and introduced predators. A recovery program was © The Ornithological Society implemented in the 1970s to reverse the decline of the species through eradicating of Japan 2019 introduced predators (pigs, cats and goats) and augmenting the population through an in situ captive-breeding program. In 1980, three wild breeding pairs were taken into captivity from Mount Gower. Over the four years of the captive-breeding program, 76 chicks were produced from the original founders and their progeny and an additional four chicks were artificially reared from eggs collected from a wild pair. Almost all woodhens were liberated across four release sites, but only 13% of released birds were resighted and numbers increased at only one of these sites and then declined. A captive-bred female that was released into the lowlands paired with a wild male (which had been temporarily held in captivity) and bred prolifically, leading to rapid population growth in the lowlands. The subpopulation on Mount Gower increased fivefold in the decade following the captive-breeding program, despite the removal of the three breeding pairs (which were released elsewhere) and receiving no aug- mentation from the captive-breeding program.
    [Show full text]
  • Eradication of the Mongoose Is Crucial for the Conservation of Three Endemic Bird Species in Yambaru, Okinawa Island, Japan
    Biol Invasions https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02503-w (0123456789().,-volV)(0123456789().,-volV) ORIGINAL PAPER Eradication of the mongoose is crucial for the conservation of three endemic bird species in Yambaru, Okinawa Island, Japan Tsutomu Yagihashi . Shin-Ichi Seki . Tomoki Nakaya . Katsushi Nakata . Nobuhiko Kotaka Received: 4 September 2020 / Accepted: 20 March 2021 Ó The Author(s) 2021 Abstract Okinawa Island, Japan, is a globally results showed that the distribution areas of these bird important biodiversity hotspot. Three endemic bird species have been recovering since the 2007 within the species, Okinawa rail (Hypotaenidia okinawae), Oki- small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) con- nawa woodpecker (Dendrocopos noguchii), and Oki- trolled area. The GAMM results showed that these nawa robin (Larvivora namiyei), are found only in the bird species were abundant in areas with fewer small Yambaru region of the northern part of Okinawa Indian mongooses and larger areas of hardwood Island. In order to conserve endemic species, it is forests. Thus, the mongoose had a negative impact important to determine the effect of alien species on not only on the flightless rails but also on the endemic species. We conducted playback surveys four woodpeckers and the robins. In recent years, most of times every three years from 2007 to 2016 to evaluate the old-growth forests have been designated as the recent distribution of these three forest-dwelling protected forests, and large-scale logging is no longer bird species during the breeding season. Then, the taking place in Yambaru. Eradication of the mongoose association between the numbers of detections of these is particularly important for the conservation of these three species with the invasive mongoose density and three endemic bird species.
    [Show full text]
  • A Bird's Eye View of Okinawa
    A Bird’s Eye View of Okinawa by HIH Princess Takamado, Honorary President ne of the most beautiful of the many O“must visit” places in Japan is the Ryukyu Archipelago. These islands are an absolute treasure trove of cultural, scenic and environmental discoveries, and the local people are known for their warmth and welcoming nature. Ikebana International is delighted to be able to host the 2017 World Convention in Okinawa, and I look forward to welcoming those of you who will be joining us then. 13 Kagoshima Kagoshima pref. Those who are interested in flowers are generally interested in the environment. In many cultures, flowers and birds go together, and so, Osumi Islands Tanega too, in my case. As well as being the Honorary President of Ikebana International, I am also the Yaku Honorary President of BirdLife International, a worldwide conservation partnership based in Cambridge, UK, and representing approximately 120 countries or territories. In this article, I Tokara Islands would like introduce to you some of the birds of Okinawa Island as well as the other islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago and, in so doing, to give you Amami a sense of the rich ecosystem of the area. Amami Islands Kikaiga One Archipelago, Six Island Tokuno Groups The Ryukyu Archipelago is a chain of islands Okinawa pref. Okino Erabu that stretches southwest in an arc from Kyushu (Nansei-shoto) to Chinese Taiwan. Also called the Nansei Islands, the archipelago consists of over 100 islands. Administratively, the island groups of Kume Okinawa Naha Osumi, Tokara and Amami are part of Kagoshima Prefecture, whilst the island groups Ryukyu Archipelago of Okinawa, Sakishima (consisting of Miyako Okinawa Islands and Yaeyama Islands), Yonaguni and Daito are part of Okinawa Prefecture.
    [Show full text]