Conservation Status

The present conservation status of the endemic fleshwater fish of Spain is reviewed and compared with a former list made in 1986. Ten taxa (species and subspecies) are exclusively endemic to Spanish waters, 13 are lberian endemics (Spain and Portugal), while three other species are also found in neighbouring European (France and Italy) or African (Algeria) countries. Endemic species belong to the families Clupeidae (33% of the native taxa), Cyprinidae (87%), Cobitidae (100%) and Cyprinodontidae (100%). A greater part of the endemic fish fauna is threatened, since three taxa are endangered, five vulnerable, seven rare and two insufficiently known.

Two specimens of Peplidium maritimum (L.f.) Asch. (Scrophulariaceae / Phrymaceae) are recorded from the Indian Ocean coastline of Kenya, representing the first record of this species and genus for the Flora of Tropical East Africa. The generic key for the Flora volume is revised to accommodate this addition and a description is provided, together with notes on its distribution, habitat requirements and conservation status. The first Kenyan records of Limnophila indica (L.) Druce and Lindernia zanzibarica Eb.Fisch. & Hepper are also noted.

Recently, a molecular phylogeny based on four mtDNA gene regions has been estimated for 17 species and subspecies of Aegla freshwater crabs from Chile. With this phylogenetic hypothesis and information on geographic distribution, environmental conditions, habitat requirements, and population abundance, Chilean aeglids were assessed for conservation status based on the criteria included in the IUCN Red List Categories (2001). Aegla concepcionensis and Aegla expansa qualify as ''Extinct in the Wild'' and nine other taxa fall within the threatened category: three as ''Critically Endangered'' (A. laevis laevis, A. papudo and A. spectabilis) and six as ''Vulnerable'' (A. alacalufi, A. bahamondei, A. cholchol, A. hueicollensis, A. laevis talcahuano and A. manni). Six hydrographic regions within temperate Chile were ranked for conservation priority using species richness, and phylogenetic and genetic diversity indices. The hydrographic region made up of the Tucapel, Imperial, and Tolte´n Basins was found to rank highest in terms of conservation priorities. Conservation of this region and the regions ranging between the Aconcagua and Mataquito Basins, and the Valdivia and Maullı´n Basins, would preserve almost all the Aegla diversity present in Chile.

Geonoma orbignyana is a common understory palm, whose leaves are used as foliage in Colombia. This palm has been used for more than 30 years; but there is no information about its life history or conservation status. Our objective was to characterize the life history of this palm and population dynamics of a natural population as a first step to assess the effect of leaf harvesting. More than 1600 palms were monitored from June 1999 to March 2000; we measured growth, mortality, and reproductive success. Population dynamics were evaluated using a Lefkovitch matrix model, and elasticity analysis. Results indicate that G. orbignyana grows at a rate of 1.98 ± 0.047 leaves/year, the palm has a long lifespan, and growth and reproduction are related to light conditions in the forest. The density of this palm is high (108–311 palms/100 m2), which is explained in part by its capacity to continue growing after damage, and to respond to the frequent gap formation in the forest. The population is growing (λ = 1.074, CI = [1.046–1.099]). Survival transitions account for 77% of population growth, a value that is higher compared to other understory plants. Because of the high density, the recovery capacity of these palms, and the correlations found between individual and population performances with forest dynamics, we hypothesize that G. orbignyana behaves as an opportunistic species taking advantage of forest gaps. This palm is a promising non-timber forest product (NTFP) with a high profile for further exploitation, although we recommend that harvesting regimens should consider time of recovery and forest dynamics. Without these considerations mortality could increase in all classes, which will compromise population persistence. Further studies should accurately estimate the recovery time after defoliation as well as to characterize forest dynamics identifying its most important features for population growth.

Most of the available data on declining populations of amphibians pertain to frogs and, to a lesser extent, salamanders. In keeping with their generally less understood biology, the population trends and conservation status of caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) are also much less known. We reviewed reports of threats to and declines of populations of caecilians. Despite a lack of field-study details (e.g., localities, dates, and sampling methods) and quantitative data, there are several recent reports of threats to and declines and extinctions of caecilians. A range of causal explanations (habitat loss, pollution, chytridiomycosis, and scientific collecting) for these perceived declines have been proposed but little or no associated evidence has been given. Although caecilians are often considered rare and thought to require pristine habitat, published, quantitative data demonstrate that at least some species can occur in high abundance in disturbed, synanthropic environments. Few estimates of caecilian population parameters have been made and very few field methods have been tested, so the assumed rarity of any taxa remains inadequately demonstrated. Distribution and taxonomic data are also inadequate. Because they are generally poorly known and often cryptic, caecilians can be overlooked in standard faunal surveys, meaning that lack of opportunistic collection over several years might not represent evidence of decline. The conservation status of most species must be considered data deficient. More precise assessments will require a substantial increase in all areas of caecilian research, especially those involving new fieldwork. Future reports of caecilian conservation biology need to be explicit and more quantitative.

Ceramics objects are the most common artifacts found during excavation of archaeological sites and often depicts cultural habits and manufacturing technologies of the culture. The determination of macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the ceramic objects such as the ceramic porosity, addition of tempers in the clay, main chemical components and the trace elements present in the ceramic can reveal many aspects about the manufacturing processes used by the culture, its degree of development, the provenance of the raw materials and the exchange networks. Also the radiography can help to investigate the manufactured processes, the size of the tempers used and the conservation status of the artifacts. In this present work two non-destructive techniques, radiography and PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) were used to characterize one set of thirty-six pre-Hispanic ceramic pieces from the Chimu Culture conserved in the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE/USP). The PIXE analyses performed in the external beam setup at LAMFI (Laboratório de Análise de Materiais por Feixes Iônicos) allowed measure the principal chemical elements such as Al, Si, K, Ti, Fe and Ca, present in this group of pieces. X-ray imagings allowed identify the manufacture processes, the granularity of the tempers used, as well as the similarity and the differences between the pieces studied.

Larvae of almost all of the 5,680 species of the insect order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are dependent on freshwater habitats. Both larvae and adults are predators. The order is relatively well studied, and the actual number of species may be close to 7,000. Many species have small distributional ranges, and are habitat specialists, including inhabitants of alpine mountain bogs, seepage areas in tropical rain forests, and waterfalls. They are often successfully used as indicators for environmental health and conservation management. The highest diversity is found in flowing waters in rain forests of the tropics, the Oriental and Neotropical regions being the most speciose. This paper discusses diversity, summarises the biogeography of dragonflies in the different biogeographical regions and gives the total number of species and genera per family per biogeographical region. Examples are given of areas of particular diversity, in terms of areas of endemism, presence of ancient lineages or remarkable recent radiations but no well-based review of areas with high endemism of dragonflies is available so far. The conservation status of dragonflies is briefly discussed. Species confined to small remnants of forest in the tropics are most under threat of extinction by human activities.

The aims of this paper are to describe the state of the environmental knowledge of the terrestrial National Parks (NPs) in Italy and to assess their conservation status and their efficacy to deal with the pressures of land changes. We collected and analysed data regarding land units, vegetation series, old-growth forests, Important Plant Areas (IPAs) and changes in landscape conservation status, to provide a systemic overview of the condition of the NPs and to verify their effectiveness against pressures and impacts induced by human activities. Moreover, NPs were organised according to the ecoregional setting for a multi-scale interpretation of biodiversity baselines and indicators. The results highlight the essential role of NP system for biodiversity conservation in Italy. The long-term protection regime proved to be particularly effective as a means of conserving ageing forest communities, threatened vascular plants and contrasting threats posed by human-induced changes. However, this work points out the need for more detailed scientific data for a comprehensive assessment of the representativeness and effectiveness of the NP system.

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered species and typically inhabits steppes and open woodland of Central Europe and the Balkans. Knowledge about its distribution and status in the southern part of its range is scanty. Distribution of the species in Bulgaria over two periods (1950-1989 and 1990-2008) and recent status of 90 colonies in three model regions (mountain region, Sofia field and Thracian valley) are evaluated in the paper. Data on 254 UTM squares inhabited by S. citellus during the first period and 212 UTM squares inhabited during the second period were available, but these data could not be compared because of the different survey methods used. S. citellus colonies in southwestern Bulgaria may be already extinct and population decline is supposed to take place at the southwestern periphery of the species' distribution range. About 30% out of 90 investigated colonies have disappeared, 28% are vulnerable and only 42% are stable. The biggest part of the extinct colonies was found in the Sofia field and Mountain region. Pastures are the most frequently occupied land use type (72%) in Bulgaria and major threats for the S. citellus population include pasture degradation, building up, intensification of agriculture, interruption of biological corridors and flooding. The S. citellus population in Bulgaria has been probably declining and current status of the species is unfavourable. The S. citellus conservation status in Bulgaria should be enhanced and the species should be included in the new Red Book of Animals in Bulgaria in the category "vulnerable" and should be protected according to the national biodiversity legislation.

From 2005 to 2007 we had the enriching, yet demanding, experience of teaching Indigenous Australian studies together at the Koori Centre, University of Sydney. We each taught a number of different units of study including a large survey course, Introduction to Indigenous Australia, to local and international students. In the last few years of the Howard government it was no

We provide a list of the amphibians from the Isalo Massif, southern-central Madagascar with data on their ecology and acoustics. Although this area is constituted by a xeric sandstone massif crossed by canyons and extended savannah-like grasslands, the number of discovered frog species turned out to be high (21). This is the highest number of amphibian species ever found at a western locality of Madagascar. The number of species known to be endemic from this area is at least five (Mantella expectata, Gephyromantis azzurrae, G. corvus, Mantidactylus noralottae, and Scaphiophryne gottlebei), with some other taxa (Boophis occidentalis, B. cf. periegetes, Mantidactylus sp. aff. ulcerosus), that are possibly Isalo-endemic too. This high endemicity level indicates the refuge effect played by the massif during repeated climatic changes, and the specialisation of these species to the peculiar canyon-habitat. Two sympatric species of Gephyromantis (G. azzurrae and G. corvus) evolved independently, likely for adaptation to two different aspects of the canyons (narrow or open). Part of the massif is currently managed as a national park, which is the most visited protected area of Madagascar. The remaining part of the massif is still unprotected and is threatened by the repeated fires and by the ongoing exploitation for sapphire mining. Two species, Mantella expectata and Scaphiophryne gottlebei, are captured for pet-trade, and considerations are provided regarding their conservation status.

The numbers of mature specimens of all extant cycad taxa in the wild, in public gardens and in private collections were estimated from a census carried out during 1991 and 1992. The data for the wild plants and those in public gardens appear to be comprehensive and reasonably accurate for most cycad genera except Cycas and Zamia. A low frequency of responses from private collectors has resulted in a sign$cant underestimate of the number of specimens in private ownership. Abundance in the wild is extremely variable but, with some important exceptions, positively correlated with numbers in cultivation, where large numbers of plants are held by a relatively small number of owners. Revisions of the previously listed conservation status for each taxon are suggested on the basis of wild number estimates in view of the lack of detailed population studies. Well-maintained and correctly accessioned cycad collections are important ex situ genetic resources of educational, research and conservation value; several botanic gardens are presently involved in cycad conservation projects. A major revision of the earlier threatened species assignments is proposed, in which taxa are placed into extinct, critical, endangered, vulnerable and safe/low-risk categories on the basis of the wild number estimates obtained in the census. These assignments are based on species numbers in view of the lack of data at the population level.

Well-supported, congruent phylogeographic and biogeographic patterns permit the development of a priori phylogeographic and distributional predictions. In the southeastern Coastal Plain of the United States, the common discovery of east-west disjunctions (phylogeographic breaks and species' distributional boundaries) suggests that similar disjunctions should occur in codistributed taxa. Despite the near ubiquity of these disjunctions, the most recent morphological analyses of the flatwoods salamander, Ambystoma cingulatum , indicate that none occur in this low-vagility, Coastal Plain endemic. We conducted molecular and morphological analyses to test whether the flatwoods salamander is an exception to this common biogeographic pattern. Assessing geographic variation in this species is also an important management tool for this threatened, declining amphibian. We demonstrate that flatwoods salamanders, as predicted by comparisons to codistributed taxa, are polytypic with a major disjunction at the Apalachicola River. This drainage is a common site for east-west phylogeographic breaks, probably because repeated marine embayments during the Pliocene and Pleistocene interglacials generated barriers to gene flow. Based on mitochondrial DNA, morphology, and allozymes, we recognize two species of flatwoods salamanders -Ambystoma cingulatum to the east of the Apalachicola drainage and Ambystoma bishopi to the west. Given this increased diversity, the conservation status of these two taxa may warrant re-evaluation. More generally, these results emphasize that in the absence of taxon-specific data, established comparative patterns can provide strong expectations for designing management units for unstudied species of conservation concern. P values less than 0.05 from tests for sexual dimorphism within each taxon are reported in parentheses in the female columns. These values are italicized if they are also significant after sequential Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Three bishopi are not included in these analyses because we lacked data on sex.

The Halda River of Bangladesh has immense importance as it is the only natural spawning ground of major carp fishes. In the present survey, the overall fish distribution and biodiversity from the upper portion of Halda River along with its two tributaries were studied. The sampling stations were Nazirhat Bridge, Sattarghat Bridge and Garduara. Fishes were collected directly from sampling stations two times in a month during the period of January to December, 2012. The species diversity was analyzed using the following diversity indices:

The author of the last published systematic review of Cacajao recognized 2 subspecies of black-headed uakaris (black uakaris): Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus and C. m. ouakary. As a result of a series of black uakari surveys and collecting expeditions to several tributaries of the Rio Negro and of morphological and molecular analyses of museum specimens and specimens we collected during field expeditions, we reassess their taxonomy. We describe a newly discovered species of black uakari from the Rio Aracá, a left bank tributary of the Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brazil. We also show that ouakary is a junior synonym of melanocephalus and provide a new name and a new description for Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus in the Pico da Neblina region of Brazil and Venezuela. Based on genetic, morphological, and ecological evidence, we propose that there are 3 species of black uakaris. We named the Rio Aracá species Cacajao Int J Primatol (Ayres uakari) in honor of the late José Márcio Ayres, a pioneer in uakari research and conservation. We named the Neblina black uakari Cacajao hosomi, after the Yanomami word for uakaris. The new taxonomic arrangement provided here implies that the conservation status of black uakaris needs to be reassessed.

The growth of the Finnish wolf (Canis lupus) population during the last years has highlighted people's contradictory attitudes toward wolves. The supranational conservation objectives brought on by Finland's membership in the European Union (EU) and the regional application of the official policy on wolves have led to conflicts. This article is based on the preparation process of the wolf management plan in Finland. As a part of the process, a nationwide hearing was arranged in 2004. Fear of wolves is widespread and even more common in areas with low wolf population. People living in areas where wolves occur feel that they can no longer influence decision making which affects them and that the authorities, conservationists, and the EU do not listen to their opinions. Numerous requests have been made for the legislation and its interpretation, and concessions to these requests would promote consensus and increase tolerance for wolves. Proposed changes include reforming the damage compen-sation system and formulating a clearer interpretation of the conservation status of wolves. However, it seems impossible to create a policy that would be universally supported. As the wolf question has become more central in environmental policy, the conservation and management of the species have become more complicated, and the cooperation between various interest groups has declined. The wolf conflict could be mitigated by compromises, but because the conflict is value-based, solutions are illusive.

This contribution focuses on the diversity, population and conservation aspects of fishes in one of the large freshwater body of Madhya Pradesh, ‘Harsi reservoir’. The extensive survey was conducted from April, 2005 to March, 2007. A total of 51 species were recorded belonging to 33 genera, 16 families and 7 orders. As far as the fishes under different orders are concerned, order Cypriniformes consists of 15 genera belonging to 3 families, Siluriformes of 10 genera to 6 families, Perciformes of 3 genera to 3 families, Osteoglossiformes and Synbranchiformes of 2 genera each to singular family and Clupeiformes and Beloniformes of 1 genus each, to single family. The analysis showed that 07 and 04 fish species, as endangered by two different mode of classification. Apart from the Indian Major Carps, certain threatened species viz., Chitala chitala, Tor tor, Ompok bimaculatus and Eutropiichthys vacha were recorded from the reservoir. A sisorid, Gagata sexualis has been reported for the first time from this region. The study confirms that this freshwater body may prove congineal for conservation of regional fish diversity, especially for local and endangered fish species.

The distribution and relative density of smooth-coated otters Lutra perspicillata Geoffroy were studied along a 425 km stretch of Chambal river within the National Chambal Sanctuary, Central India, between 1988 and 1992. Sample sites of l km were surveyed every 5 km. The study revealed that the distribution of otters along the river is patchy and largely restricted to the upper reaches. During the 1988 survey, 36% of sites were found with otter signs but only 24% in 1992. Recent increases in disturbance along the river due to construction of road bridges and mining activities might have put pressure on the population. Most of the positive sites (66%) were found on rocky banks, followed by clay banks (19%), banks with shoreline vegetation and marsh (11%) and sandy banks (3%). During intensive monitoring of four radio-implanted otters, c. 78% locations were made on rocky banks, 19% on banks with shoreline vegetation and marsh, with <3% on sandy banks and < 1% on clay banks, indicating greater preference for rocky banks owing to the greater availability of den sites. As a conservation measure, monitoring of the otter population should be done regularly and restrictions on cultivation, grazing and mining along the banks should be imposed within the Sanctuary limits, especially in the identified stretches.

Feral cats have been directly responsible for the extinction of numerous species on islands worldwide, including endemic species of mammals, birds and reptiles. The diet of feral cats in the main habitats of the Canary Islands, as generally occurred on oceanic islands, is mainly composed of introduced mammals, and native species of birds, reptiles and insects. The impact of feral cat upon the endangered species was assessed by evaluating their relative abundance in the cats’ diet and by considering their current conservation status. A total of 68 different preys were identified at species level in all studies carried out in the Canary Islands (5 mammals, 16 birds, 15 reptiles and 32 invertebrates). From all the species preyed by feral cats in the Canary Islands, only four of them are considered threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: one endemic bird Saxicola dacotiae and three endemic giant lizards, Gallotia simonyi, Gallotia intermedia, and Gallotia gomerana. Although some efforts on management control have been carried out, it is necessary to enforce these conservation activities on those areas of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro where giant lizards are still present. Furthermore some local areas where endangered bird species are highly predated should be protected. Nevertheless, it is important to take into account the presence of other introduced species such as rats, mice or rabbits in order to avoid problems derived from the hyperpredation process and mesopredator release effect.

The archives of species range polygons developed under comprehensive assessments of the conservation status of species, such as the IUCN's Global Assessments, are a significant resource in the analysis of biodiversity for conservation planning. Species range polygons obtained from these studies are known to exhibit omissions (because of knowledge gaps) and imprecision in their boundaries. In this work, we present a method to refine those species range polygons in order to create more realistic representations of species geographic ranges. Using range polygons of four species of mammals in South America and environmental variables at a 1 km resolution, combined with a set of GIS algorithms, a procedure was developed to map the confidence that sub-polygon elements belong to a logical species range. The confidence map is then used as a weight for a Mahalanobis typicality empirical modelling procedure to generate a map of species-weighted typicalities that is then thresholded to generate the refined species range map. Methods for variable selection and quality assessment of the refined range are also included in the procedure. Analysis using independent validation data shows the power of this methodology to redefine species ranges in a more biophysically reasonable way. The quality of the final-range map depends on the habitat suitability threshold used to define the species range. The report of quality assessment produced is useful for identifying not only the threshold that produces the highest match to the original expert range but also for flagging those ranges with higher discrepancies, facilitating the identification of ranges that need further revision.

1. Agri-environment schemes (AESs) are designed to create landscape-scale improvements in biodiversity. While the specific aims of AESs do not always include the enhancement of species of conservation concern, associated conservation strategies, such as the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, often rest on the assumption that AESs enhance environmental conditions and thereby improve the conservation status of target species. However, there is little evidence for the general efficacy of AESs in this respect.

Mangroves are considered as the most significant components of the coastal ecosystem and among the most productive and biologically complex ecosystems on the planet. Assessment of mangrove species plays a critical role in the preservation and protection of the mangroves forest. The study aimed to assess the mangrove species in Pilar, Siargao Island. The belt transect was employed with a dimension of modified 10 m x 12 m and was installed per quadrat. Eight mangrove species were identified under four familie s, and these are B. sexanguela, C. decandra, R. apiculata, R. mucronata, A. alba, A. marina, L. littorea, and X. granatum. One species, C. decandra is categorized by the IUCN as a near-threatened state. Results from the mangroves vegetation structure show that R. apiculata got the highest relative frequency (26.32%), density (35.46%), and dominance (55.08%) therefore; it has the highest importance value (116.85%). This further implies that R. apiculata is the most important and acclimated mangrove species in the study area. The species diversity in Pilar, Siargao Island falls under very low diversity (H'=1.63) which might be attributed to some human-related disturbances. Thus, further consideration in future planning and conservation to increase the resiliency of the mangrove ecosystem is needed.

A checklist of the Orchidaceae of Timor is presented, with emphasis on the eastern half of the island (East Timor), based on historical herbarium collections and recent botanical explorations. This list comprises 38 genera with 66 species, including 15 new genera and 32 new species records for this island. Moreover, four new species are described: Bulbophyllum sundaicum, Habenaria ankylocentron, Habenaria cauda-porcelli, and Pterostylis timorensis. Of these, we consider the finding of a new species of Pterostylis to be especially noteworthy, because this species seems to be more closely related to certain Australian members of the genus than to the Malesian ones, suggesting earlier contacts of Timor with Australia. Four new synonyms are proposed: Calanthe veratrifolia var. timorensis J.J.Sm. (C. triplicata), Habenaria cornuta Span. (H. giriensis), H. grandis Benth. ex Ridl. (Peristylus goodyeroides), and H. mutica Span. (H. elongata).

Ornithological surveys were carried out in the remnant forests of the island of Negros, in the central Philippines, over five weeks in the summer of 1991. From this work it is concluded that, without the implementation of immediate conservation measures, the global extinction of four bird species is likely to occur in the near future. These are Negros Fruit-dove Ptilinopus arcanus, Negros Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba keayi, Writhed-billed Hornbill Aceros waldeni and White-throated Jungle-flycatcher Khinomyias albigularis. Another four species restricted to the lowlands of Negros and the adjacent island of Panay, Visayan Tarictic Hornbill Penelopides panini, White-winged Cuckoo-shrike Coracina ostenta, Flame-templed Babbler Stachyris speciosa and Visayan Flowerpecker Dicaeum (australe) haematostictum, must be considered under extreme threat, and the endemic Negros Striped-babbler Stachyris nigrorum is under considerable pressure. A further twelve species listed as globally threatened are also in serious danger of extinction on Negros. This paper details the results of fieldwork and presents our conclusions and suggestions for conservation, which must include the direct preservation of the last fragments of lowland forest on the island.

A revision of the genus Vitex is presented for the Flora Malesiana region excluding New Guinea. A key to all 16 species and two subspecies for the Flora Malesiana is provided. Descriptions are given of species, notes on ecology, distribution, local uses, vernacular names and conservation status are given for all species from the Flora Malesiana region which were not included in the species treatment for New Guinea, and those that were included in the latter treatment are usually expanded. Vitex medusaecalyx H. J. Lam, V. siamica F. N. Williams and V. vestita Wall. ex Walp. are lectotypified in this paper and 18 names are placed into synonymy for the first time. Seven names are treated as doubtful names and 35 names are excluded from the present definition of the genus.

Degradation of wood, being a natural process, leads to destruction of wooden objects of historic and cultural value, resulting in loss of cultural heritage. Wood can survive centuries or even thousands of years, if kept in an environment, which limits microbial activity. In an unfavourable environment physical, chemical and morphological modifications of wood also take place as a result of biodegradation. It is important to know the type of degradation and how the processes influence material properties if wooden items are to be properly preserved.

Ichthyofauna in the Hellenic freshwaters is quite diverse consisted of 161 species (including 28 non-natives), out of the 546 native species in Pan-European level. However, the status of many aquatic ecosystems is currently degraded as a result of a variety of anthropogenic impacts. This has direct reflection on the conservation status of the indigenous and native fish species whose populations are in many cases declining in favor of the invasive ones. Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) is probably the most dominant invasive species and currently is considered as naturalized in about 26 lake and river basins. Its successful adaptation and proliferation is mainly attributed to its dual reproductive mode (allogynogenetic and gonochoristic), the opportunistic-omnivorous feeding habits and the ability to withstand and flourish in adverse ecological conditions. Accordingly, it exerts competitive, as well as destructive effects upon the indigenous fish species (sperm parasitism, antagonism for food, spawning grounds and spawning substrates) and therefore, efforts are needed to sustain a relative balance of the populations. This review aims to critically discuss the status of C. gibelio in Greece, the intrinsic causes of establishment and the observed impacts on ecosystems. Finally, reasonable actions are proposed related to exploitation of C. gibelio stocks and a path model for the protection of native fish species and their ecosystems.

There are 1,001 species of bats, almost a persecuted because people are ignorant of the life history of bats and their role in ecosystems, while in other areas quarter of which are globally threatened. The Chiroptera Specialist Group of IUCN's Species Survival Commission bats are overexploited for food. There is also a general lack of information about the distribution, status, biology has produced two Action Plans examining conservation issues for all species and detailing recommendations and ecology of many species. This review examines some of the more general issues relating to bat conservation. for action to conserve the most threatened species and habitats. These Plans are aimed principally at key decision It provides information on bat faunas of all countries worldwide, and on the most threatened species. It high-makers as well as organisations and individuals who are promoting bat conservation issues. The underlying lights the priority areas where action is needed immediately at a global, regional or national level. It highlights threat to bats is pressure on resources from increasing human populations that leads to the loss or modification in particular the global importance of islands and caves for bats. of foraging habitats and roosts. Bats frequently have a negative public image that influences the response to the problems of rabies and vampire bats in Latin America

Malaysia has approximately 15,000 species of vascular plants. Its flora is distributed between two major geographical regions; Peninsular Malaysia on mainland Asia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Peninsular Malaysia has over 8,300 plant species and Sabah and Sarawak in a recent estimate have about 12,000 species. Total species endemism for Peninsular Malaysia is about 30%; its tree endemism is 26.3%. For Sabah and Sarawak, the endemism level is higher, recently revised figures gave a tree species endemism of 42.1%. Malaysia has recently published its national strategy for plant conservation, which now forms the basis of conservation activities for the country. Since 2004, we have been running a project entitled "Conservation Monitoring of Rare and Threatened Plants of Peninsular Malaysia", in which conservation status assessment is scored for a number of families. Results of the assessment of 458 taxa included 46.1% in some threat category. Detailed conservation studies are in progress for 33 species of threatened plants. Initial work on these species include spatial distribution studies at regional level based on herbarium records, and at a more local level, population studies to determine demography of populations. Regular phenological observations were also made for many of the species.

Four weeks of fieldwork in the forests of Mindoro, Philippines, in 1991 has elucidated the status of the six bird species endemic to the island. Of these, Ducula mindorensis and Otus mindorensis are high-altitude species with restricted ranges and in need of active conservation in the medium term. Three of the four lowland species, Gallicolumba platenae, Centropus steerii and Penelopides mindorensis are under immediate threat of extinction through forest clearance and fragmentation, while the fourth, Dicaeum retrocinctum, is not under immediate threat but is certainly at risk of extinction in the long term. Whilst deforestation is an enormous problem across the entire Philippines, Mindoro is the smallest centre of endemism with the least forest cover after the Sulu Islands. Extinctions are believed inevitable within the next 10 years unless concerted action is urgently taken. The Halcon range must receive attention in order to conserve the montane species, but more urgent by far is the preservation of lowland forest remnants, concentrating on central-west Mindoro. 10,196 295-381

En el Ecuador, la degradación de los páramos es un proceso continuo e incontrolable. Sin embargo, no se sabe qué parte de los páramos se encuentra en qué estado de conservación. En este estudio se hace un primer intento de cuantificar las superficies de diferentes páramos en el país y de determinar su estado de conservación. Mediante una interpretación de imágenes satelitales se diferenciaron diferentes tipos de páramo, según su estructura general y se evaluaron las áreas transformadas y/o degradadas. En toda la superficie de páramos de pajonal, que son los más extendidos y probablemente los más impactados por intervención humana, se hizo una evaluación ecológica rápida de sitios representativos para ver el estado de conservación, mediante un estudio de vegetación, suelo, fauna y uso de la tierra. Utilizando los resultados de los sitios se hizo una extrapolación muy general del estado de conservación hacia toda el área de páramo de pajonal. Se puede concluir que la gran mayoría de los páramos de pajonal en el Ecuador muestran señales de intervención por actividades humanas, y que en el área interandina es difícil encontrar un páramo en estado natural. Probablemente más de tres cuartos de toda el área originalmente ocupada por páramos está actualmente modificada o transformada por actividades humanas, estando las pocas áreas que permanecen en realmente buen estado de conservación en el flanco amazónico de la Cordillera oriental y en el extremo norte y sur del país.

De present an overview of the distribution and conservation status of the endemic freshwater fish of Asia. Within that review they use data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ to conduct an analysis of the conservation status of those endemic fish species. Their analysis is incorrect and provides a very misleading impression of the level of threat to Asian freshwater fish and to freshwater fish at the global scale. The errors stem from a misinterpretation of the data presented on the IUCN Red List. The sources of errors are discussed below and the opportunity is taken to clarify what the information on the IUCN Red List represents.

Although the guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is the most abundant wild ungulate in arid environments of South America, it has been experiencing a steady population decline since European colonization. The main causes of population declines are related to habitat disturbance, ...