Cecilia Montauban, Ivana Budinski, Paul W Webala, Theresa M Laverty, Iroro Tanshi, Laura Torrent, Eric Bakwo-Fils, Peter J Taylor, Adam Kane, Ara Monadjem
{"title":"Underrepresentation of bats in Africa's protected areas.","authors":"Cecilia Montauban, Ivana Budinski, Paul W Webala, Theresa M Laverty, Iroro Tanshi, Laura Torrent, Eric Bakwo-Fils, Peter J Taylor, Adam Kane, Ara Monadjem","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70108","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biodiversity is severely threatened globally, with habitat loss and other human pressures accelerating species extinctions. Protected areas (PAs) are a critical conservation tool; however, their effectiveness in safeguarding many taxa, such as bats, remains unclear. Using georeferenced occurrence records and species distribution models (SDMs) for 263 sub-Saharan African bat species, we evaluated the coverage of bats in 7875 terrestrial PAs. Eighty-nine percent of bat species were recorded in at least 1 PA, yet 28 species, including 5 threatened and 15 data deficient species, were absent from all PAs. Species with large extents of occurrence were represented in more PAs, and fruit bats occupied significantly more PAs than clutter, edge, or open-air insectivorous foragers. The SDMs revealed high species richness in some undersurveyed areas, particularly in West and Central Africa and the Albertine Rift, emphasizing the need for targeted surveys. Our findings underscore critical data deficiencies related to bat conservation and stress the urgency of integrating bats into broader conservation planning. More surveys, enhanced data-sharing, and tailored conservation strategies are needed to improve bat representation in PAs and safeguard their ecological roles in Africa's biodiverse landscapes.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70108"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emily A Gregg, Georgia E Garrard, Sarah A Bekessy, Alexander M Kusmanoff, Jen K Martin, Matthew J Selinske, Lindall R Kidd, Jennifer A Robinson
{"title":"Barriers to public engagement with biodiversity conservation.","authors":"Emily A Gregg, Georgia E Garrard, Sarah A Bekessy, Alexander M Kusmanoff, Jen K Martin, Matthew J Selinske, Lindall R Kidd, Jennifer A Robinson","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Addressing biodiversity loss requires public engagement and action, including changes to individual consumption habits, support for on-the-ground conservation actions, and advocacy for government action and policy change. Conservation organizations are increasingly focused on encouraging probiodiversity attitudes and behaviors through interventions, such as education programs and marketing campaigns. Yet, motivating public audiences to change their behavior or become more active participants in conservation remains a challenge. We used a strategic communication approach to conceptualize barriers to public engagement with conservation and explored how these barriers manifest differently across audiences based on their current level of engagement (e.g., aware vs. active). The psychological, social, and structural barriers discussed are lack of knowledge, misaligned values, low self-efficacy, low personal or social relevance, and limiting structural context. These barriers are recognized across conservation science, behavioral science, and social change literature. Many different communication approaches may be used to overcome these barriers, including raising awareness, working with values, social norming, strategic calls to action, social mobilization, and advocacy. Regardless of the approach, understanding individual behaviors, audience types, and their social context is key to supporting biodiversity conservation actions and positive social change.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70078"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144625539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriel Laufer, Noelia Gobel, Ignacio Alcántara, Nadia Kacevas, Sofia Cortizas
{"title":"Effects of biological invasions and habitat degradation on amphibian populations in Cerro Largo, Uruguay.","authors":"Gabriel Laufer, Noelia Gobel, Ignacio Alcántara, Nadia Kacevas, Sofia Cortizas","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrates globally due to a range of stressors. In this study spanning 11 years and covering 61 Pampas ponds in Cerro Largo Department, Uruguay, we aimed to evaluate the combined effect of the invasion of the American bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeiana) and the loss of environmental heterogeneity on native anuran assemblages. We conducted annual breeding season sampling for which we recorded native anuran species presences and abundances across different ponds. Additionally, we documented bullfrog invasion history and abundance and key environmental and climatic variables. We measured pond heterogeneity, which is influenced by variations in livestock grazing intensity and historical human use of native forests. We used generalized linear mixed models to predict richness and abundance of native anurans. We recorded 18 native amphibian species across the ponds, with declines in both richness and abundance as bullfrog invasion intensified. Models showed that ponds could lose up to 40% of amphibian species and 50% of amphibian abundance within 10 years of bullfrog invasion. Although environmental heterogeneity, particularly microhabitat edge diversity, attenuates these impacts, it is insufficient to halt this process. Among the most affected native anuran species were 3 highly aquatic-associated species. Our results highlight stressor effects across a broad spatiotemporal scale through an integrative approach, which we recommend for future research. Our findings underscore the threat of invasions to amphibian conservation. By examining the combined impacts of biological invasions and environmental heterogeneity, we have advanced understanding of how global change drives amphibian declines. Urgent control measures are needed to eradicate and prevent invasions in amphibian breeding sites and to preserve and restore these habitats, the focus of which should be microhabitat diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70107"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144616593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alys R Young, Hugh F Davies, Margaret L Ayre, Alana Brekelmans, Brett A Bryan, Jane Elith, Kate Hadden, Mavis Kerinaiua, David A Keith, Donna L Lewis, Kinjia M Munkara-Murray, Sarah Ryan, Michaela Spencer, Emily Nicholson
{"title":"Applying the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology to classify, describe, and map ecosystems based on regional data and Indigenous knowledge.","authors":"Alys R Young, Hugh F Davies, Margaret L Ayre, Alana Brekelmans, Brett A Bryan, Jane Elith, Kate Hadden, Mavis Kerinaiua, David A Keith, Donna L Lewis, Kinjia M Munkara-Murray, Sarah Ryan, Michaela Spencer, Emily Nicholson","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70099","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effective ecosystem conservation for biodiversity and human well-being relies on accurate information. Consistent approaches to classifying, describing, and assessing ecosystems can improve understanding of ecological processes, threats, and management. We explored how the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Ecosystem Typology-a global classification framework based on ecosystem function-could support the development of a classification of ecosystems for the Tiwi Islands, Australia, by incorporating scientific information and Indigenous Tiwi knowledge to facilitate environmental management and conservation. We synthesized ecosystem information from previous research, field data, reports, and Tiwi knowledge authorities to develop a classification, descriptions, and a map of 14 terrestrial ecosystem types. These ecosystem types were defined and described based on ecological processes and were broader yet largely congruent with existing vegetation classifications. Including functional properties accounted for variation in the vegetation physiognomy exhibited by dynamic and disturbance-prone ecosystems, such as savannas. Because we considered Tiwi knowledge authorities and the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology, our inventory included ecosystem types that were typically omitted from previous classifications, which should allow for more comprehensive assessments and management. Relating the new ecosystem typology to the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology will facilitate comparisons among similar ecosystems, regarding, for example, effective threat abatement options. Describing the biota and processes opens new avenues for monitoring. More collaborative work is needed to explore how Western scientific ecosystem inventories operate alongside and in connection with management of Tiwi murrakupuni enacted by Tiwi people. Given the ongoing loss of biodiversity, ecosystem management must draw on information across domains, scales, and knowledge systems. We demonstrated an approach to this task and provided socioecologically relevant ecosystem information.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70099"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144607733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mu-Ming Lin, Richard A Fuller, In-Ki Kwon, Kisup Lee, Simba Chan, Wangwang Qiu, Yat-Tung Yu, Chi-Yeung Choi
{"title":"Downlisting and recovery of species assessed by the IUCN.","authors":"Mu-Ming Lin, Richard A Fuller, In-Ki Kwon, Kisup Lee, Simba Chan, Wangwang Qiu, Yat-Tung Yu, Chi-Yeung Choi","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70103","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the increasing number of species assessed for extinction risk by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (163,040 species as of 2024), only about 1 in 1,000 have been downlisted due to genuine population improvement. Although this rare conservation achievement has been widely celebrated in several recent cases, some other downlisting decisions have met with controversy. A primary role of the IUCN is to assess extinction risk. In this role, it must maintain its independence and not be influenced by the public outcry that may occur when a high-profile species is downlisted, even if well-established conservation programs may be disrupted or abandoned as a result. We explored the potential positive and negative consequences of downlisting for conservation efforts through case studies of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis), saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica), and black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor), which has recently been proposed for downlisting. Although downlisting can enable more effective use of limited resources, these cases highlight potential risks, including weakened legal backing, diversion of resources away from the species, and declining public and political support. The relatively unquestioned downlisting of the saiga antelope illustrates how early and inclusive engagement of local experts, assessors, donors, and other stakeholders can help ensure that decisions are effectively communicated and implemented without jeopardizing species recovery. The IUCN Green Status of Species assessment is a complementary tool to the IUCN Red List and offers a useful measure of conservation progress, which can help decision makers ensure that downlisting does not undermine long-term conservation efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70103"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144607734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ugo Eichler Vercillo, Silvio Marchini, Matheus Felipe Barbosa Bahia Fritzsons, José Luiz de Andrade Franco
{"title":"Coexistence and habitat restoration planning for the reintroduction of Spix's macaw.","authors":"Ugo Eichler Vercillo, Silvio Marchini, Matheus Felipe Barbosa Bahia Fritzsons, José Luiz de Andrade Franco","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is one of the world's most endangered species. Native to the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil-a region marked by significant socioeconomic vulnerability-the species was considered extinct in the wild in 2000. A reintroduction project, however, returned it to its natural habitat in 2022. The long-term success of this reintroduction hinges on meticulous planning that promotes the coexistence of the birds with the local community and addresses the species' ecological requirements. This planning should be grounded in evidence derived from both scientific research and local knowledge. Moreover, it must adopt a participatory approach, given its explicit aim to generate benefits not only for the Spix's macaw but also for the human communities sharing its habitat. We devised a participatory planning process aimed at creating and implementing a theory of change for fostering human-Spix's macaw coexistence and restoring the species' habitat. Drawing on the results of a socioeconomic survey conducted from 2022 to 2023, we convened a workshop in 2024 that brought together representatives from the research, conservation, governmental, and local community sectors. Participants identified the 7 key human-Spix's macaw interactions and considered the positive and negative impacts of these interactions on the macaws and local communities: Caatinga restoration, tourism, extensive livestock farming, hunting and capture, wildlife management, deforestation, and the reintroduction. Fifty-seven drivers underlying these interactions were identified at the workshop, and participants proposed 51 targeted actions to address these drivers and foster positive changes in the interactions. The outcomes of the workshop are intended to guide local territorial development centered on conservation to contribute to a more sustainable future for one of the most emblematic species in global biodiversity conservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70105"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144599626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Insights from equitable governance assessments in conservation areas around the world.","authors":"Naira Dehmel, Kate Schreckenberg, Phil Franks, Nikoleta Jones, Francesca Booker, Cosmas Lambini, Ruth Pinto, Alejandra Cely-Gómez, Ishmael Chaukura, Donald Chilengwe Chikumbi, Phanith Chou, Ioli Christopoulou, Retche P Colegado, Juliana Echeverri, Emelda Miyanda Hachoofwe, Kalyan Hou, Corinne Samantha Julie, Reuben Lendira, Rodgers Lubilo, Bertille Mayen, Joyce Nyaruai Mbataru, Teresa Morales, Nguyen Viet Dung, Vincent Oduka Oluoch, Jean-Aimé Razafindra-Paul, Natalie J Robinson, Constance M Schéré, Samwel Shaba, Medard Twinamatsiko","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70101","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Global policy commitments to ensure that protected and conserved areas (PCAs) are equitably governed have increased interest in empirically assessing and analyzing social equity. Although numerous assessments have been conducted in individual PCAs, there is limited empirical insight into equity as a multidimensional concept beyond the site level. We investigated the distributional, procedural, and recognitional equity challenges associated with the governance of PCAs and determined whether the identified challenges differed according to governance type and actor group. We conducted a meta-level analysis of equitable governance assessments conducted at 37 PCAs in 19 countries that form part of the new SAGE (Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity) database. SAGE is a participatory tool for site-level actors to systematically discuss and assess equity dynamics at their PCAs. We found a large variation in assessment results across the sites. Mitigating the negative impacts of conservation on local communities was most often identified as the biggest challenge. In general, equity assessments tended to be slightly more positive for PCAs governed by and with Indigenous Peoples and local communities than those governed purely by government agencies. Evaluations of different actors often revealed substantial differences in opinion on specific governance issues. In particular, evaluations of PCA decision-makers tended to be more positive than those of PCA users. As an early-stage exploration of the growing SAGE database, our findings provide proof of concept that tools for assessing and improving PCA governance gain value from taking multidimensional approaches and need to consider different actors' views. Although the growing SAGE database holds potential for further insights on how equity is perceived across governance types, ecosystems, and geographical regions, the primary objective of SAGE needs to remain understanding and advancing equity at the site level.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70101"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144567253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining critical assumptions in global conservation practice.","authors":"Kendra Opatovsky, Brian Pentz, Philip A Loring","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70102","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The ability of conservation practitioners to design and implement successful conservation projects and scale up positive outcomes depends in large part on their ability to make accurate assumptions about the social and ecological contexts in which their projects operate. To understand the types of assumptions characterizing conservation practice and strategy, we examined 300 assumptions identified by conservation practitioners in project workshops at The Nature Conservancy, a large environmental nongovernmental organization, as being critical to the success of their conservation projects. We identified 7 conservation assumption themes (public attitudes and perceptions; capacity and resources; economic and behavioral factors; government, politics, and policy; impacts and scalability; knowledge and evidence; and organizational or internal factors), which primarily relate to the human dimensions of conservation (e.g., values, human behavior, relationships, policy, and politics). The conservation assumptions focused predominantly on project-level and place-based matters, rather than on the root causes of conservation problems. For people- and equity-centered conservation approaches, our findings suggest that conservation teams should systematically engage with areas of elevated uncertainty and should especially focus on axiomatic assumptions made about the broader contexts in which conservation projects operate. These insights can inform effective project design and adaptive learning and can directly improve project success.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70102"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Beatriz Mendes, Jens Mogens Olesen, Manuel Nogales, Patricia Marrero, Javier Romero, Concepción Nieves, Ruben Heleno
{"title":"Urbanization of seed dispersal networks.","authors":"Sara Beatriz Mendes, Jens Mogens Olesen, Manuel Nogales, Patricia Marrero, Javier Romero, Concepción Nieves, Ruben Heleno","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rapid urban expansion is affecting the composition of wild communities and creating novel ecosystems worldwide. Seed dispersal is key for ecosystem persistence, particularly in fragmented landscapes. However, generalizations regarding the impacts of urbanization are still difficult due to the lack of studies encompassing the urban matrix. We examined the seed dispersal networks in natural forests and urban areas in Tenerife Island to explore the effects of urbanization on seed dispersal. For 1 year, we observed frugivory events and identified seeds in animal feces in natural forests and urban areas of the island. We also conducted transect surveys in each area to assess the abundance of fleshy fruits and frugivorous animals. We identified 150 interactions between 83 plant and 18 animal species in the forest and 89 interactions between 41 plant and 9 animal species in urban areas. The urban matrix supported half the species richness of fleshy-fruited plants and frugivorous animals relative to the forest. Urbanization simplified seed dispersal networks, reducing interaction diversity. Novel interactions dominated the urban seed dispersal network, where non-native plants were highly used by native frugivores, accounting for 61% of the interactions (vs. 15% in the forest). Eight frugivore species (42% of the frugivores) likely maintained the functional connectivity between these habitats, potentially facilitating the spread of non-native species from urban areas (where non-native species are more common) into the forests due to their generalist and flexible diets. Six frugivorous species (32%) completely avoided urban areas, which acted as barriers to dispersal, likely hindering the dispersal of many plants across urban landscapes. Our results underscore the importance of promoting the use of native plants as ornamentals, enhancing habitat connectivity between forests and urban areas, and preventing the introduction of non-native fleshy-fruited plants. Ultimately, these findings highlight the need for sustainable urban planning and active stakeholder engagement to protect the seed dispersal service.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70097"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cindy M Hurtado, Gonçalo Curveira-Santos, Alvaro Garcia-Olaechea, Robyn Appleton, Cristian Barros-Diaz, Txomin Hermosilla, Diego J Lizcano, Jaime Salas, Diego Balbuena, Zoila Vega-Guarderas, Ana Benítez-López, Angela Brennan, A Cole Burton
{"title":"Importance of connectivity for carnivore richness and occupancy in fragmented biodiversity hotspots.","authors":"Cindy M Hurtado, Gonçalo Curveira-Santos, Alvaro Garcia-Olaechea, Robyn Appleton, Cristian Barros-Diaz, Txomin Hermosilla, Diego J Lizcano, Jaime Salas, Diego Balbuena, Zoila Vega-Guarderas, Ana Benítez-López, Angela Brennan, A Cole Burton","doi":"10.1111/cobi.70096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Structural connectivity affects wildlife movement between habitat patches, contributing to the persistence of wildlife populations and their resilience to human-induced and environmental changes. However, its importance to wildlife population persistence remains unclear, particularly in fragmented landscapes, where there are additional co-occurring threats and varying protected area coverage (PAC). Using South American carnivore assemblages and fragmented tropical forests as a case study, we assessed the relative effect of structural connectivity on carnivore persistence in fragmented landscapes after accounting for PAC, and the efficacy of single-species connectivity approaches for protecting the habitat of multiple species. We applied a multiscale Bayesian modeling framework to camera-trapping data from 567 cameras in 23 landscapes in the Tumbesian region of Ecuador and Peru. We tested the landscape-scale effects of habitat amount, connectivity, human density, and protected area status on carnivore richness and mean occupancy and the fine-scale effects of forest cover, distance to roads, and hunting on carnivore site occupancy. In 41,861 camera days of sampling, we obtained 5267 independent detections of 12 carnivores across all landscapes. Connectivity, habitat amount, and PAC had a positive effect on carnivore richness, emphasizing that large and well-connected landscapes of natural habitat with greater PAC sustain more species-rich carnivore communities. Mean site occupancy across the carnivore community was positively associated with forest cover at the fine scale and connectivity at the landscape scale. This last relationship varied by species, with occupancy of forest-dependent mesocarnivores being most positively associated with higher connectivity. Our results highlight that increasing connectivity can improve the persistence of vulnerable carnivore populations, even in landscapes with varied amount of PAC. Furthermore, conservation planning to increase connectivity should take a multispecies approach because single-species approaches are unlikely to meet the needs of diverse communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":10689,"journal":{"name":"Conservation Biology","volume":" ","pages":"e70096"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}