Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201

The Theory of Island Biogeography

The Mekong River Basin, site of the biggest inland fishery in the world, is undergoing massive hydropower development. Planned dams will block critical fish migration routes between the river's downstream floodplains and upstream tributaries. Here we estimate fish biomass and biodiversity losses in numerous damming scenarios using a simple ecological model of fish migration. Our framework allows detailing trade-offs between dam locations, power production, and impacts on fish resources. We find that the completion of 78 dams on tributaries, which have not previously been subject to strategic analysis, would have catastrophic impacts on fish productivity and biodiversity. Our results argue for reassessment of several dams planned, and call for a new regional agreement on tributary development of the Mekong River Basin.

Trading-off Fish Biodiversity, Food Security and Hydropower in the Mekong River Basin

/pdf/tadpoles-the-biology-of-anuran-larvae-1srxbfb0hr.pdf

Tadpoles: the biology of anuran larvae

Ecosystem resilience depends on functional redundancy (the number of species contributing similarly to an ecosystem function) and response diversity (how functionally similar species respond differently to disturbance). Here, we explore how land-use change impacts these attributes in plant communities, using data from 18 land-use intensity gradients that represent five biomes and > 2800 species. We identify functional groups using multivariate analysis of plant traits which influence ecosystem processes. Functional redundancy is calculated as the species richness within each group, and response diversity as the multivariate within-group dispersion in response trait space, using traits that influence responses to disturbances. Meta-analysis across all datasets showed that land-use intensification significantly reduced both functional redundancy and response diversity, although specific relationships varied considerably among the different land-use gradients. These results indicate that intensified management of ecosystems for resource extraction can increase their vulnerability to future disturbances.

Land-use intensification reduces functionalredundancy and response diversity in plantcommunities

Edition accompagnee de planches gravees, representant les types de tous les genres, les caracteres distinctifs des divers groupes et les modifications de structure sur lesquelles repose cette classification

Le Règne animal distribué d'après son organisation, pour servir de base à l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction à l'anatomie comparée. Les arachnides. Atlas

The amphibian fauna of the Kingdom of Morocco was traditionally regarded as poor and closely related to its European counterpart. However, an increase in research during the last decades revealed a considerable degree of endemism amongst Moroccan amphibians, as well as phenotypic and genotypic inter- and intraspecific divergence. Despite this increase in knowledge, a comprehensible overview is lacking while several systematic issues have remained unresolved. We herein present a contemporary overview of the distribution, taxonomy and biogeography of Moroccan amphibians. Fourteen fieldtrips were made by the authors and colleagues between 2000 and 2012, which produced a total of 292 new distribution records. Furthermore, based on the results of the present work, we (i) review the systematics of the genus Salamandra in Morocco, including the description of a new subspecies from the Rif- and Middle Atlas Mountains, Salamandra algira splendens ssp. nov.; (ii) present data on intraspecific morphological variability of Pelobates varaldiiand Pleurodeles waltl in Morocco; (iii) attempt to resolve the phylogenetic position of Bufo brongersmai and erect a new genus for this species, Barbarophryne gen. nov.; (iv) summarize and assess the availability of tadpole-specific characteristics and bioacoustical data, and (v) summarize natural history data.

Review of the systematics, distribution, biogeography and natural history of Moroccan amphibians

The mtDNA work was funded by grant CGL2009-11663/BOS from the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia, Spain. S.C. is a member of the Grup de Recerca Emergent of the Generalitat de Catalunya: 2009SGR1462.

http://molevol.cmima.csic.es/carranza/pdf/SalamandraGISWouter_2010.pdf

Biogeography and contemporary climatic differentiation among Moroccan Salamandra algira

The genus Salamandra Laurenti, 1768 is distributed throughout most of continental Europe and is also present in Corsica, some parts of Turkey, Iran, Israel, Syria, Morocco, Algeria and, with less certainty, in Sicily and Tunisia (Arnold, 2002; Bons and Geniez, 1996; Degani, 1996; Klewen, 1991; Schleich et al., 1996; Thiesmeier, 2004; Thorn, 1968; Turrisi and Vaccaro, 1998). Salamandra has a very patchy distribution in North Africa, where it is restricted to a few humid or sub-humid forested regions in Morocco and Algeria (fig. 1; see also Donaire-Barroso and Bogaerts, 2003 and Thiesmeier, 2004). One such area is the Beni Snassen massif, situated in northeast Morocco (locality 5 in fig. 1). The presence of Salamandra algira Bedriaga, 1883 in this locality was reported for the first time by Melhhaoui and Chavanon (1989). After this first record, based on an observation made by a student of some larvae in Jbel Ouartass, there have not been further records for the last 16 years in either its original locality or in other places of the Beni Snassen. As a result of this, this locality was not included in some publications (Schleich et al., 1996; Salvador, 1996). The Beni Snassen massif is very important from

http://molevol.cmima.csic.es/carranza/pdf/SalamandraBeni.pdf

Rediscovery of Salamandra algira Bedriaga, 1883 from the Beni Snassen massif (Morocco) and phylogenetic relationships of North African Salamandra

Climate characteristics appear to play a key role in filtering organisms based on their biological traits. If this trait filtering by climate indeed occurs, it should have effects on the composition, dynamics, taxonomic relatedness and co-occurrence patterns of local assemblages, regardless of the taxonomic group considered. This preliminary study aimed to assess the extent to which environmental variables might determine these patterns in local communities and to evaluate whether the ultimate cross-taxon congruence relationships are consistent across, or dependent on, the selected region. To this end, we studied the bryophyte, macrophyte, macroinvertebrate, and amphibian communities in two clusters of temporary wetlands on the NE Iberian Peninsula under mesothermal and semiarid climates. We observed effects of environmental filtering, with the communities differing between the climatic regions not only in their compositions but also in their dynamics and taxonomic relatedness patterns. Although the cross-taxon congruence in terms of species richness was high in the mesothermal climate, most of the congruent relationships were disrupted in the semiarid environment. Overall, because climate-dependent patterns appear to prevail over climate-consistent ones, we suggest that the use of surrogate taxa may be of limited value when aiming to assess wetland biodiversity across large areas.

Environmental filtering determines community patterns in temporary wetlands: a multi-taxon approach

The composition of Urodela assemblages is regulated by macro- and microclimatic conditions and by the interactions established between ecologically analogous species. Species of the North African Urodela are distributed unevenly; some species have large ranges whereas others occur in fragmented populations or in restricted ranges. We examined the niches occupied by these species to determine the factors that regulate their range patterns. The niches were examined at two spatial levels; regionally, using climatic and vegetation cover data, and locally by studying the selection of aquatic habitats. Our results indicate that Salamandra algira (North African fire salamander) and North African Pleurodeles species are segregated along a thermal and vegetation cover axis, although with considerable overlap. The fragmentation observed in the distribution of the North African Urodela is caused by prevailing arid conditions in the region. The three Pleurodeles species appear under similar climate condition...

Daniel Escoriza

Papers

Review of the systematics, distribution, biogeography and natural history of Moroccan amphibians

Biogeography and contemporary climatic differentiation among Moroccan Salamandra algira

Rediscovery of Salamandra algira Bedriaga, 1883 from the Beni Snassen massif (Morocco) and phylogenetic relationships of North African Salamandra

Environmental filtering determines community patterns in temporary wetlands: a multi-taxon approach

Niche Partitioning at Local and Regional Scale in the North African Salamandridae