Institution
NatureServe
Nonprofit•Arlington, Virginia, United States•
About: NatureServe is a nonprofit organization based out in Arlington, Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Biodiversity & Threatened species. The organization has 73 authors who have published 164 publications receiving 19282 citations. The organization is also known as: NatureServe, Inc..
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TL;DR: The first global assessment of amphibians provides new context for the well-publicized phenomenon of amphibian declines and shows declines are nonrandom in terms of species' ecological preferences, geographic ranges, and taxonomic associations and are most prevalent among Neotropical montane, stream-associated species.
Abstract: The first global assessment of amphibians provides new context for the well-publicized phenomenon of amphibian declines. Amphibians are more threatened and are declining more rapidly than either birds or mammals. Although many declines are due to habitat loss and overutilization, other, unidentified processes threaten 48% of rapidly declining species and are driving species most quickly to extinction. Declines are nonrandom in terms of species' ecological preferences, geographic ranges, and taxonomic associations and are most prevalent among Neotropical montane, stream-associated species. The lack of conservation remedies for these poorly understood declines means that hundreds of amphibian species now face extinction.
3,616 citations
TL;DR: The first global assessment of amphibians provides new context for the well-publicized phenomenon of amphibian declines and shows declines are nonrandom in terms of species' ecological preferences, geographic ranges, and taxonomic associations and are most prevalent among Neotropical montane, stream-associated species.
Abstract: Using information on Brazilian species, Pimenta et al . assert that we overestimated the number of threatened amphibians. This claim, based on a misunderstanding of the IUCN-The World Conservation Union Red List criteria and a strongly evidentiary attitude to listing species, almost certainly
1,594 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that a recent mass extinction associated with pathogen outbreaks is tied to global warming, and it is proposed that temperatures at many highland localities are shifting towards the growth optimum of Batrachochytrium, thus encouraging outbreaks.
Abstract: As the Earth warms, many species are likely to disappear, often because of changing disease dynamics. Here we show that a recent mass extinction associated with pathogen outbreaks is tied to global warming. Seventeen years ago, in the mountains of Costa Rica, the Monteverde harlequin frog (Atelopus sp.) vanished along with the golden toad (Bufo periglenes). An estimated 67% of the 110 or so species of Atelopus, which are endemic to the American tropics, have met the same fate, and a pathogenic chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) is implicated. Analysing the timing of losses in relation to changes in sea surface and air temperatures, we conclude with 'very high confidence' (> 99%, following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC) that large-scale warming is a key factor in the disappearances. We propose that temperatures at many highland localities are shifting towards the growth optimum of Batrachochytrium, thus encouraging outbreaks. With climate change promoting infectious disease and eroding biodiversity, the urgency of reducing greenhouse-gas concentrations is now undeniable.
1,528 citations
Conservation International1, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources2, Sapienza University of Rome3, Texas A&M University4, Instituto Superior Técnico5, University of Cambridge6, Zoological Society of London7, Arizona State University8, Columbia University9, National Scientific and Technical Research Council10, Wildlife Conservation Society11, Imperial College London12, National University of Tucumán13, University of Tasmania14, University of the Philippines Los Baños15, Earthwatch Institute16, University of Edinburgh17, Drexel University18, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais19, Global Environment Facility20, University of Alberta21, Smithsonian Institution22, Université de Sherbrooke23, University of Virginia24, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources25, University of Calgary26, James Cook University27, NatureServe28, University of St Andrews29, Australian National University30, University of Montana31, General Post Office32, University of Otago33, Field Museum of Natural History34, Wildlife Institute of India35, Tokyo Woman's Christian University36, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration37, University of Aberdeen38, University of the Witwatersrand39, University of Oxford40, University Centre in Svalbard41, Norwegian Polar Institute42, Copenhagen Zoo43, San Diego State University44, University of Alaska Fairbanks45, Manchester Metropolitan University46, National Autonomous University of Mexico47, University of Kent48, City University of New York49, Victoria University of Wellington50, California Academy of Sciences51, Mote Marine Laboratory52, Osmania University53, White Oak Conservation54, Aaranyak55, University of California, Davis56, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi57, University of Stirling58
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status and distribution of the world's mammals, including marine mammals, using data collected by 1700+ experts, covering all 5487 species.
Abstract: Knowledge of mammalian diversity is still surprisingly disparate, both regionally and taxonomically. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status and distribution of the world's mammals. Data, compiled by 1700+ experts, cover all 5487 species, including marine mammals. Global macroecological patterns are very different for land and marine species but suggest common mechanisms driving diversity and endemism across systems. Compared with land species, threat levels are higher among marine mammals, driven by different processes (accidental mortality and pollution, rather than habitat loss), and are spatially distinct (peaking in northern oceans, rather than in Southeast Asia). Marine mammals are also disproportionately poorly known. These data are made freely available to support further scientific developments and conservation action.
1,383 citations
Michael R. Hoffmann1, Craig Hilton-Taylor2, Ariadne Angulo2, Monika Böhm3 +170 more•Institutions (81)
TL;DR: Though the threat of extinction is increasing, overall declines would have been worse in the absence of conservation, and current conservation efforts remain insufficient to offset the main drivers of biodiversity loss in these groups.
Abstract: Using data for 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we present an assessment of the status of the world's vertebrates. One-fifth of species are classified as Threatened, and we show that this figure is increasing: On average, 52 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year. However, this overall pattern conceals the impact of conservation successes, and we show that the rate of deterioration would have been at least one-fifth again as much in the absence of these. Nonetheless, current conservation efforts remain insufficient to offset the main drivers of biodiversity loss in these groups: agricultural expansion, logging, overexploitation, and invasive alien species.
1,333 citations
Authors
Showing all 73 results
| Name | H-index | Papers | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas M. Brooks | 71 | 215 | 33724 |
| Graham J. Edgar | 68 | 271 | 17508 |
| Bruce E. Young | 31 | 55 | 14506 |
| Ana D. Davidson | 26 | 36 | 2698 |
| Healy Hamilton | 24 | 43 | 4018 |
| Jennifer J. Swenson | 21 | 48 | 2029 |
| Patrick J. Comer | 18 | 41 | 1811 |
| Don Faber-Langendoen | 15 | 30 | 1425 |
| Giovanni Rapacciuolo | 14 | 23 | 872 |
| Lawrence L. Master | 14 | 14 | 1929 |
| Bruce A. Stein | 14 | 15 | 2528 |
| Marcos D. Robles | 11 | 16 | 574 |
| Patrick J. McIntyre | 11 | 17 | 1982 |
| Miguel Fernandez | 10 | 14 | 915 |
| Carmen Josse | 9 | 15 | 591 |