DOCSLIB.ORG

Multi-Island Endemicity: Phylogeography and Conservation of Coelus Pacificus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Darkling Beetles On

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Multi-Island Endemicity: Phylogeography and Conservation of Coelus Pacificus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Darkling Beetles On GENETICS Multi-Island Endemicity: Phylogeography and Conservation of Coelus pacificus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Darkling Beetles on the California Channel Islands 1,2 1 3 STYLIANOS CHATZIMANOLIS, LEIGH A. NORRIS, AND MICHAEL S. CATERINO Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/103/5/785/10857 by guest on 30 September 2021 Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 103(5): 785Ð795 (2010); DOI: 10.1603/AN10037 ABSTRACT The California Channel Islands have been the focus of multiple conservation studies on charismatic vertebrates and plant species, but very few studies have focused on insects. In this study we examined the phylogeography of Coelus pacificus Fall (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), a dune- inhabiting darkling beetle, endemic to the islands. Our aim in this study is to decipher the relationships between C. pacificus and the congeneric species Coelus ciliatus Eschscholtz that is distributed on the mainland, to examine the biogeographic relationships of the islands and augment the conservation efforts on the islands with insect data. We sequenced 235 specimens of Coelus for the cytochrome oxidase I mitochondrial gene. We performed phylogenetic analyses to assess the historical relation- ships of the different species and islands. We also examined the connectedness of the islands by using pairwise ⌽st and hierarchical analysis of molecular variance to test alternate hypotheses of geograph- ical structure. Based on the phylogenetic analyses, C. pacificus is a valid, multi-island endemic species. Haplotypes were grouped into two clades: one clade composed of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and San Nicolas; and the other clade composed of Santa Catalina and San Clemente. The highest haplotypic diversity was observed in San Clemente and San Nicolas islands, but all islands had unique haplotypes. Two haplotypes morphologically indistinguishable from C. pacificus formed a sister clade to C. ciliatus, suggesting either an ancient hybridization event or cryptic speciation. The California Channel Islands should be managed on a system wide basis, at least for some of the organisms or habitats and each islandÕs population requires separate management to protect genetic integrity. KEY WORDS Coleoptera, conservation genetics, island relationships, multi-island endemic, Tenebrionidae Islands hold a key role in studies on evolutionary group of eight islands off the coast of southern Cali- (Gillespie and Roderick 2002) and conservation biol- fornia, have attracted considerable attention from ogy (Whittaker 1998, New 2008). The Galapagos and conservation biologists. However, the targets of these Hawaiian islands are prime examples of oceanic is- efforts have been almost entirely plants and verte- lands having a plethora of insect endemics (Howarth brates. The insect faunas of these islands, despite and Ramsay 1991, DeSalle 2001, Funk and Wagner showing considerable endemicity, are still poorly 2001) that currently face severe extinction threats due known and have not attracted signiÞcant conserva- to invasive animals and plants (Gurevitch and Padilla tion efforts. 2004, Causton et al. 2006, Liebherr and Kruschelnycky The California Channel Islands have been tradi- 2007) and habitat loss (Gagne´ 1988). Chown et al. tionally divided into northern (San Miguel, Santa (2008) also have documented the impact of climate Cruz, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa) and southern (San change on the insect faunas of southern oceanic is- Nicolas, Santa Barbara, San Clemente, and Santa lands. Mediterranean island systems have served as Catalina) groups (Fig. 1). The geological history of the models for assessing conservation risk due to over- islands is not clear. The Þrst emergence of island population and invasive species, where insects such masses occurred in the Miocene (17Ð13 MYA; Hall as butterßies and darkling beetles have Þgured prom- 2002), whereas most of the islands as known today inently (Dennis et al. 2008, Fattorini 2008, Dapporto were uplifted in the Pliocene between 5Ð2.5 MYA and Dennis 2009). The California Channel Islands, a (Hall 2002). Jacobs et al. (2004) indicated that due to the movement of the PaciÞc plate, early island masses 1 Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University rotated away from the San Diego area to their current of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Ave., Department 2653, position between 17 and 12 MYA. Ward and Valensise Chattanooga, TN 37403. (1994, 1996 cited in Jacobs et al. (2004) hypothesized 2 Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected]. 3 Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Museum of that terrace deposits in Palos Verde peninsula and San Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Rd., Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Nicolas island strongly suggest that their Þrst emer- 0013-8746/10/0785Ð0795$04.00/0 ᭧ 2010 Entomological Society of America 786 ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 103, no. 5 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/103/5/785/10857 by guest on 30 September 2021 Fig. 1. Map of the California Channel Islands showing the location of unique haplotypes of C. pacificus. Squares correspond to haplotype CP1 that is shared between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa. Stars indicate the location of haplotypes CP8 and CP9 on San Nicolas island. See text for details. gence from the sea was only Ϸ1 MYA. San Nicolas, that the remote location and the ownership status of most of San Miguel, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara were most of the islands would protect them from human thought to be completely resubmerged 0.5 MYA (Ved- impact, most islands face or faced in the recent past der and Howell 1980). Finally, during the last glacial extreme human environmental pressures. Numerous maximum (18,000Ð17,000 YA) when the sea level introduced species of vertebrates (e.g., feral goats, dropped considerably, the northern Channel Islands deer, elk, pigs, sheep, and even bison) and plants were united into one land mass (Santarosae) that was (European grasses, fennel [Foeniculum vulgare only 6 km from the mainland (Wenner and Johnson Miller], and ice plant [Carpobrotus edulis (L.)] are 1980). In the past, it has been hypothesized that the among the worst) and historic cattle and sheep ranch- islands had a land bridge with the mainland (based ing have all taken their toll (Powell 1994, Junak et al. mainly on some surprising faunal elements, e.g., mam- 1995, Wetterer et al. 2000, Knowlton et al. 2007, Ram- moths) but the underwater topography of the Santa sey et al. 2009). Many of these threats have been or are Barbara Channel is not consistent with any emergent being eliminated, especially the feral grazers, but connection (Junger and Johnson 1980, Wenner and many remain. Although actual human use of the is- Johnson 1980). lands remains very low, the impacts on many islands Management of the Channel Islands is complex. have not been critically evaluated. Most of the islands are currently administered by Complex geopolitical factors make conservation Channel Islands National Park (CINP). These include and restoration ecology choices on the California Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, San Miguel and Channel Islands difÞcult. Any decision to be effective Santa Barbara. Santa Cruz Island is jointly managed by must be adopted by all parties involved and any con- CINP and the Nature Conservancy, whereas San servation effort that affects species distributed on all Miguel Island is owned by the U.S. Navy but admin- islands must be coordinated with all aforementioned istered by CINP. The U.S. Navy has large military organizations. The current conservation effort on the installations on two islands, San Clemente and San islands is focused on a few charismatic vertebrates Nicolas, and access to these islands is restricted. Santa (Pergams et al. 2000, Roemer and Wayne 2003, Eggert Catalina is the only island with a permanent civilian et al. 2004, Delaney and Wayne 2005, Kohlmann et al. population and is a popular tourist area, but a large part 2005, Millus et al. 2007) and plants (Furches et al. 2009, of the island is managed by the Catalina Island Con- McEachern et al. 2009, Wallace and Helenurm 2009), servancy (CIC). Even though it seems on the outset whereas the insect fauna remains largely ignored. September 2010 CHATZIMANOLIS ET AL.: MULTI-ISLAND ENDEMICITY OF C. pacificus 787 However, any large-scale habitat conservation deci- the genus, and based on principal component analysis sions need to consider insect populations (Fonseca (PCA) of morphometric data argued that C. pacificus 2009), because many vertebrate or plant umbrella was adequately separated from other species, but a species (Lambeck 1997) do not adequately reßect study of the historical relationships of these species insect distributions and habitat needs (Kerr 1997, Ru- was not undertaken. More recently, Chatzimanolis binoff 2001). Very little is known about the status of and Caterino (2008) studied the phylogeography of C. insect species on the California Islands or about the ciliatus but the sample of C. pacificus that was used was potential threats they face. Powell (1994) and Ru- insufÞcient to make conclusions about their relation- binoff and Powell (2004) have studied the distribution ship. In general, multi-island endemic species are few patterns of moths on the islands, and Miller and Miller on the Channel Islands. Most endemic species are (1985) gave a detailed record of beetles on Santa single island endemics that are minimally differenti- Barbara island. More recently, M.S.C. et al. (in prep- ated from species on the mainland or on other islands aration) studied the distribution patterns and phylo- (Miller 1985). Most of those that do occur on multiple Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/103/5/785/10857 by guest on 30 September 2021 geography of four beetles on the California Channel islands are distributed on multiple northern or south- Islands. However, our current collecting efforts ern islands, but rarely both (Miller 1985). Further- (M.S.C. et al., unpublished) have revealed dozens of more, studies of other beetle species have shown that beetle species not previously documented from the the northern islands and many of the southern islands islands with unknown conservation status.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Biology and Conservation of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago Seabird Community
    Biology and Conservation of the Juan Fernández Archipelago Seabird Community Peter Hodum and Michelle Wainstein Dates: 29 December 2001 – 29 March 2002 Participants: Dr. Peter Hodum California State University at Long Beach Long Beach, CA USA Dr. Michelle Wainstein University of Washington Seattle, WA USA Erin Hagen University of Washington Seattle, WA USA Additional contributors: 29 December 2001 – 19 January 2002 Brad Keitt Island Conservation Santa Cruz, CA USA Josh Donlan Island Conservation Santa Cruz, CA USA Karl Campbell Charles Darwin Foundation Galapagos Islands Ecuador 14 January 2002 – 24 March 2002 Ronnie Reyes (student of Dr. Roberto Schlatter) Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Objectives 3 Research on the pink-footed shearwater 3 Breeding population estimates 4 Reproductive biology and behavior 6 Foraging ecology 7 Competition and predation 8 The storm 9 Research on the Juan Fernández and Stejneger’s petrels 10 Population biology 10 Breeding biology and behavior 11 Foraging ecology 14 Predation 15 The storm 15 Research on the Kermadec petrel 16 Community Involvement 17 Public lectures 17 Seabird drawing contest 17 Radio show 18 Material for CONAF Information Center 18 Local pink-footed shearwater reserve 18 Conservation concerns 19 Streetlights 19 Eradication and restoration 19 Other fauna 20 Acknowledgements 20 Figure 1. Satellite tracks for pink-footed shearwaters 22 Appendices (for English translations please contact P. Hodum or M. Wainstein) A. Proposal for Kermadec petrel research 23 B. Natural history materials left with Information Center 24 C. Proposal for a local shearwater reserve 26 D. Contact information 32 2 INTRODUCTION Six species of seabirds breed on the Juan Fernández Archipelago: the pink-footed shearwater (Puffinus creatopus), Juan Fernández petrel (Pterodroma externa), Stejneger’s petrel (Pterodroma longirostris), Kermadec petrel (Pterodroma neglecta), white-bellied storm petrel (Fregetta grallaria), and Defilippe’s petrel (Pterodroma defilippiana).
    [Show full text]
  • Species at Risk on Department of Defense Installations
    Species at Risk on Department of Defense Installations Revised Report and Documentation Prepared for: Department of Defense U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Submitted by: January 2004 Species at Risk on Department of Defense Installations: Revised Report and Documentation CONTENTS 1.0 Executive Summary..........................................................................................iii 2.0 Introduction – Project Description................................................................. 1 3.0 Methods ................................................................................................................ 3 3.1 NatureServe Data................................................................................................ 3 3.2 DOD Installations............................................................................................... 5 3.3 Species at Risk .................................................................................................... 6 4.0 Results................................................................................................................... 8 4.1 Nationwide Assessment of Species at Risk on DOD Installations..................... 8 4.2 Assessment of Species at Risk by Military Service.......................................... 13 4.3 Assessment of Species at Risk on Installations ................................................ 15 5.0 Conclusion and Management Recommendations.................................... 22 6.0 Future Directions.............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Broad Beach Dunes\6 March 08 Biological Assessment 30732
    Biological Resources Assessment 30732 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California Prepared By: Robert A. Hamilton Daniel S. Cooper Wayne R. Ferren Cristina P. Sandoval, Ph. D. Prepared For: Malibu Bay Company 23705 West Malibu Road, Suite D-2 Malibu, CA 90265 Attention: David Reznick March 6, 2008 Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................. ....................... iii Introduction ....................................... ..........................1 Methods ............................................ ........................2 Site Visits ........................................ .....................3 Results............................................ ..........................5 Analysis of Historical Aerial Imagery . .......................5 Current Ecological Communities/Geomorphological Features ...............7 Wildlife Observations.............................. ....................11 Special Status Species ............................. ...........................12 Species Observed On or Flying Over the Project Site .......................12 Species Potentially Occurring On or Near the Project Site ...................14 Recommendations for Delineating a Dune ESHA on the Project Site ...............16 Recommendations for Preserving and Enhancing the Biological Integrity of Preserved Areas .............................................. ..................17 Summary and Conclusion ............................. .......................22 i Figures 1 Regional Location ................................ .....................1
    [Show full text]
  • San Nicolas Island Restoration Project, California
    San Nicolas Island Restoration Project, California OUR MISSION To protect the Critically Endangered San Nicolas Island Fox, San Nicolas Island Night Lizard, and large colonies of Brandt’s Cormorants from the threat of extinction by removing feral cats. OUR VISION Native animal and plant species on San Nicolas Island reclaim their island home and are thriving. THE PROBLEM For years, introduced feral cats competed with foxes for resources and directly preyed on seabirds and lizards. THE SOLUTION WHY IS SAN NICOLAS In 2010, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Island Conservation, Institute IMPORTANT? for Wildlife Studies, The Humane Society of the United States, and the Montrose Settlement Restoration Program completed the removal and relocation of feral cats to • HOME TO THE ENDEMIC, the permanent, fully enclosed Fund For Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona, California. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SAN NICOLAS ISLAND THE RESULTS FOX AND FEDERALLY ENDANGERED ISLAND NIGHT Native populations of Critically Endangered San Nicolas Island Foxes (as listed by the LIZARD International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and Brandt’s Cormorants are no • ESSENTIAL NESTING longer at risk of competition and direct predation, and no sign of feral cats has been HABITAT FOR LARGE detected since June 2010. POPULATIONS OF SEABIRD San Nicolas Island This 14,569-acre island, located SPECIES 61 miles due west of Los Angeles, is the most remote of the eight islands in the Channel Island • HOSTS EXPANSIVE Archipelago. The island is owned and managed by ROOKERIES OF SEA LIONS the U.S. Navy. The island is the setting for Scott AND ELEPHANT SEALS O’Dell’s prize-winning 1960 novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins.
    [Show full text]
  • Changes in the Insect Fauna of a Deteriorating Riverine Sand Dune
    ., CHANGES IN THE INSECT FAUNA OF A DETERIORATING RIVERINE SAND DUNE COMMUNITY DURING 50 YEARS OF HUMAN EXPLOITATION J. A. Powell Department of Entomological Sciences University of California, Berkeley May , 1983 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION 4 HISTORY OF ENTOMOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS 7 INSECT FAUNA 10 Methods 10 ErRs s~lected for compar"ltive "lnBlysis 13 Bio1o~ica1 isl!lnd si~e 14 Inventory of sp~cies 14 Endemism 18 Extinctions 19 Species restricted to one of the two refu~e parcels 25 Possible recently colonized species 27 INSECT ASSOCIATES OF ERYSIMUM AND OENOTHERA 29 Poll i n!ltor<'l 29 Predqt,.n·s 32 SUMMARY 35 RECOm1ENDATIONS FOR RECOVERY ~4NAGEMENT 37 ACKNOWT.. EDGMENTS 42 LITERATURE CITED 44 APPENDICES 1. T'lbles 1-8 49 2. St::ttns of 15 Antioch Insects Listed in Notice of 75 Review by the U.S. Fish "l.nd Wildlife Service INTRODUCTION The sand dune formation east of Antioch, Contra Costa County, California, comprised the largest riverine dune system in California. Biogeographically, this formation was unique because it supported a northern extension of plants and animals of desert, rather than coastal, affinities. Geologists believe that the dunes were relicts of the most recent glaciation of the Sierra Nevada, probably originating 10,000 to 25,000 years ago, with the sand derived from the supratidal floodplain of the combined Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. The ice age climate in the area is thought to have been cold but arid. Presumably summertime winds sweeping through the Carquinez Strait across the glacial-age floodplains would have picked up the fine-grained sand and redeposited it to the east and southeast, thus creating the dune fields of eastern Contra Costa County.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is the Importance of Islands to Environmental Conservation?
    Environmental Conservation (2017) 44 (4): 311–322 C Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2017 doi:10.1017/S0376892917000479 What is the importance of islands to environmental THEMATIC SECTION Humans and Island conservation? Environments CHRISTOPH KUEFFER∗ 1 AND KEALOHANUIOPUNA KINNEY2 1Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland and 2Institute of Pacifc Islands Forestry, US Forest Service, 60 Nowelo St. Hilo, HI, USA Date submitted: 15 May 2017; Date accepted: 8 August 2017 SUMMARY islands of the world’s oceans, we cover both islands close to continents and others isolated far out in the oceans, and the This article discusses four features of islands that make full range from small to very large islands. Small and isolated them places of special importance to environmental islands represent unique cultural and biological values and the conservation. First, investment in island conservation environmental challenges of insularity in its most pronounced is both urgent and cost-effective. Islands are form. However, as we will demonstrate, all islands and island threatened hotspots of diversity that concentrate people share enough come concerns to consider them together unique cultural, biological and geophysical values, (Baldacchino 2007; Royle 2008; Gillespie & Clague 2009; and they form the basis of the livelihoods of Baldacchino & Niles 2011; Royle 2014). millions of islanders. Second, islands are paradigmatic Islands are hotspots of cultural, biological and geophysical places of human–environment relationships. Island diversity, and as such they form the basis of the livelihoods livelihoods have a long tradition of existing within of millions of islanders (Menard 1986; Nunn 1994; Royle spatial, ecological and ultimately social boundaries 2008; Gillespie & Clague 2009; Royle 2014; Kueffer et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Island Views Volume 3, 2005 — 2006
    National Park Service Park News U.S. Department of the Interior The official newspaper of Channel Islands National Park Island Views Volume 3, 2005 — 2006 Tim Hauf, www.timhaufphotography.com Foxes Returned to the Wild Full Circle In OctobeR anD nOvembeR 2004, The and November 2004, an additional 13 island Chumash Cross Channel in Tomol to Santa Cruz Island National Park Service (NPS) released 23 foxes on Santa Rosa and 10 on San Miguel By Roberta R. Cordero endangered island foxes to the wild from were released to the wild. The foxes will be Member and co-founder of the Chumash Maritime Association their captive rearing facilities on Santa Rosa returned to captivity if three of the 10 on The COastal portion OF OuR InDIg- and San Miguel Islands. Channel Islands San Miguel or five of the 13 foxes on Santa enous homeland stretches from Morro National Park Superintendent Russell Gal- Rosa are killed or injured by golden eagles. Bay in the north to Malibu Point in the ipeau said, “Our primary goal is to restore Releases from captivity on Santa Cruz south, and encompasses the northern natural populations of island fox. Releasing Island will not occur this year since these Channel Islands of Tuqan, Wi’ma, Limuw, foxes to the wild will increase their long- foxes are thought to be at greater risk be- and ‘Anyapakh (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, term chances for survival.” cause they are in close proximity to golden Santa Cruz, and Anacapa). This great, For the past five years the NPS has been eagle territories.
    [Show full text]
  • Our Sea of Islands Our Livelihoods Our Oceania
    Status and potential of locally-managed marine areas in the South Pacific: meeting natureOur conservation Sea of and Islands sustainable livelihood targets throughOur wide-spread Livelihoods implementation of LMMAs Our Oceania Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape: a catalyst for implementation of ocean policy Cristelle Pratt and Hugh Govan November 2010 This document was compiled by Cristelle Pratt and Hugh Govan. Part Two of the document was also reviewed by Andrew Smith, Annie Wheeler, Anthony Talouli, Bernard O’Callaghan, Carole Martinez, Caroline Vieux, Catherine Siota, Colleen Corrigan, Coral Pasisi, David Sheppard, Etika Rupeni, Greg Sherley, Jackie Thomas, Jeff Kinch, Kosi Latu, Lindsay Chapman, Maxine Anjiga, Modi Pontio, Olivier Tyack, Padma Lal, Pam Seeto, Paul Anderson, Paul Lokani, Randy Thaman, Samasoni Sauni, Sandeep Singh, Scott Radway, Sue Taei, Tagaloa Cooper, and Taholo Kami at the 2nd Marine Sector Working Group Meeting held in Apia, Samoa, 5–7 April 2010. Photography © Stuart Chape TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE – Toward a Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape: A Policy Analysis 5 1.0 Introduction 7 2.0 Context and scope for a Pacific Oceanscape Framework 9 3.0 Instruments – our ocean policy environment 11 3.1 Pacific Plan and Pacific Forum Leaders communiqués 15 3.2 The Pacific Islands Regional Oceans Policy (PIROP) 18 3.3 Synergies with PIROP 18 3.3.1 Relevant international and regional instruments and arrangements 18 3.3.2 Relevant national and non-governmental initiatives 20 4.0 Institutional Framework for Pacific Islands
    [Show full text]
  • Little Islands, Big Strides
    Subsistence and commercial fishing, expanding tourism and coastal development are among the stressors facing ecosystems in Micronesia. A miracle in a LITTLE ISLANDS, conference room Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia — Conservationist BIG STRIDES Bernd Cordes experienced plenty of physical splendor during a ten-day Inspired individuals and Western donors trip to Micronesia in 2017, his first visit to the region in six years. Irides- built a modern conservation movement in cent fish darted out from tropical corals. Wondrous green islands rose Micronesia. But the future of reefs there is from the light blue sea. Manta rays as tenuous as ever. zoomed through the waves off a beach covered in wild coconut trees. But it was inside an overheated By Eli Kintisch conference room on the island of Pohnpei that Cordes witnessed Palau/FSM Profile 1 perhaps the most impressive sight on his trip. There, on the nondescript premises of the Micronesia Con- servation Trust, or MCT, staff from a dozen or so environmental groups operating across the region attended a three-day session led by officials at MCT, which provides $1.5 million each year to these and other groups. Cordes wasn’t interested, per se, in the contents of the discussions. After all, these were the kind of optimistic PowerPoint talks, mixed with sessions on financial reporting and compliance, that you might find at a meeting between a donor and its grantees anywhere in the world. Yet in that banality, for Cordes, lay the triumph. MCT funds projects Most households in the Federated States of Micronesia rely on subsistence fishing.
    [Show full text]
  • New Hope for Threatened Iguanas of Cabritos Island
    New Hope for Threatened Iguanas of Cabritos Island islandconservation.org /new-hope-threatened-iguanas-cabritos-island/ Island Conservation 11/1/2017 Some Good News for Caribbean Species: Threatened Iguanas Can Now Safely Breed on Cabritos Island For release on Nov. 1 Contact: Sally Esposito, Island Conservation, [email protected], (706) 969-2783 The Critically Endangered Ricord’s Iguana and the Vulnerable Rhinoceros Iguana can once again thrive on Cabritos Island, Dominican Republic after the successful removal of a suite of invasive species. After extensive monitoring by a team of international organizations, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic, SOH Conservation, and Island Conservation confirmed Cabritos Island’s native iguanas are poised for recovery following the successful removal of introduced, damaging (invasive) donkeys, feral cats, and cows from the island. The effort began in 2013 with the training of a local field team in island restoration techniques. Since then, the Critically Endangered[1] Ricord’s and Vulnerable Rhinoceros’ Iguanas have gone through multiple breeding seasons where the invasive species populations were greatly reduced or absent, and evidence of recovery is everywhere. Wesley Jolley, Cabritos Project Manager at Island Conservation said: Today, the island is filled with juvenile iguanas scurrying about, a sight rarely seen when invasive species were present. Native vegetation is also thriving. Now, Cabritos Island is the only place on Earth where the Critically Endangered Ricord’s Iguana can roam free from the threat of feral cats, donkeys and cows. These threatened iguanas survive as four populations, with three in the Southwest of the Dominican Republic and one in Haiti.
    [Show full text]
  • Why Juan Fernández?
    THE JUAN FERNÁNDEZ ARCHIPELAGO A RACE AGAINST TIME TO SAFEGUARD ISLAND LIFE Island Conservation’s mission is to prevent extinctions by removing invasive species from islands. Our Juan Fernández Program aims to restore native island ecosystems that promote the sustainable development of the local community. Through the removal of invasive alien species (IAS)1, we will prevent extinctions, build capacity, and improve human livelihoods in the archipelago. WHY JUAN FERNÁNDEZ? ISOLATION ENDEMISM EXTINCTION RESILIENCE The islands grew from volcanic The land that comprises the According to IUCN2 Red List Invasive alien species (IAS) activity six million years ago archipelago is home to over criteria, 89 native plant and are the leading threat to and emerged 700 km off the 900 plant and animal species; six native bird species are a prosperous archipelago. Chilean coast. Native species 64% are endemic, found only threatened with extinction. Removing IAS will restore developed and flourished in here. Many species are highly Nine plant species can no balance to the ecosystem the unique conditions of this vulnerable to invasive species longer be found in native by protecting threatened remote paradise. that have been inadvertently forests. native species and the natural introduced since European resources that island residents discovery. depend on. TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES TAKING ACTION ISLAND CONSERVATION LOCAL CAPACITY Close collaboration with local partners Island Conservation (IC) is ideally Our partners in the archipelago have a and agencies allows us to conduct positioned to add conservation value history of controlling invasive species. research and lay much of the by designing and implementing IAS By complementing their knowledge and groundwork necessary to restore the eradications; our strong ties to the local skills, we are working together towards island ecosystems.
    [Show full text]
  • Gregg Howald CV
    CAREER ASPIRATIONS Gregg To implement, catalyze and inspire biodiversity conservation through sustainable partnerships for the benefit of wildlife and people. Howald PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW > Building conservation programs. Over 20 years of experience protecting threatened species by building multi‐lateral/transboundary partnerships focused on the restoration of island ecosystems in the temperate and tropical Pacific. > Building and sustaining long term public‐private partnerships by bringing industry, government, scientists and NGOs together under national and international policy frameworks to conserve threatened species. > Effectively communicating the science of conservation and environmental issues in support of complex environmental compliance processes (eg. NEPA; FIFRA), controversial public consultation, media and advocacy. > Applying the science of ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment for toxin based invasive species management projects. > Catalyzing the innovation of new, more effective and safer conservation tools to facilitate larger, more complex, or currently unattainable restoration actions. > Mentoring the next generation of conservationists through collaborative working relationships and sharing of expertise internationally. EXPERIENCE 2010‐Present Island Conservation (IC) North America Regional Director > Develop and implement a strategic plan for IC in North America. > Build and maintain partnerships with a diverse group of First Nations, government, funders, NGO, corporate and landowner stakeholders to implement
    [Show full text]