Journal ArticleDOI
The Fate of the Amazonian Areas of Endemism
TLDR
In this paper, the authors identified eight such areas in the Brazilian Amazon: TapajXing´ u, and Bel´ (all in Brazil), Rondˆ (mostly in Brazil); and portions of Napo, Imeri, Guiana, and Inambari.Abstract:
Amazonia is the largest and most diverse of the tropical forest wilderness areas. Recent compilations indicate at least 40,000 plant species, 427 mammals, 1294 birds, 378 reptiles, 427 amphibians, and around 3,000 fishes. Not homogeneous in its plant and animal communities, it is an archipelago of distinct areas of endemism separated by the major rivers. Biogeographic studies of terrestrial vertebrates have identified eight such areas in the Brazilian Amazon: TapajXing´ u, and Bel´ (all in Brazil); Rondˆ (mostly in Brazil); and portions of Napo, Imeri, Guiana, and Inambari. They range in size from more than 1.7 million km 2 (Guiana) to 199,211 km 2 (BelForest loss in each ranges from 2% to 13% of their area, except for Xingu (nearly 27% lost) and Bel´ (now only about one-third of its forest remains). Napo, Imeri, and Guiana have >40% of their lands in protected areas, Inambari, RondTapaj´ os, and Xingu between 20% and 40%, and Bel´ <20%. Strictly protected areas in each, however, are limited—from 0.28% to 11.7%. Areas of endemism should be the basic geographic unit for the creation of conservation corridors of contiguous protected areas, providing broad connectivity on both margins and within the interior of areas of endemism. The aim is to build a conservation system that is large and resilient enough to circumvent global changes, accommodate improved living standards for local populations, conserve biodiversity, and safeguard the ecological services forests and rivers provide. Elected leaders are now realizing that the traditional economy based on cattle ranching and logging is unsustainable. Deforestation proceeds apace, but the federal government is implementing the Protected Areas Programme for Amazonia, which seeks to protect 50 million ha, and a number of state governments are now active in creating protected areas and incorporating appropriate conservation measures in their development plans.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Biogeographical regionalisation of the Neotropical region
TL;DR: A biogeographic regionalisation of the Neotropical region is proposed as a hierarchical classification of sub-regions, dominions, provinces and districts that seeks to provide universality, objectivity and stability, such that it can be applied when describing distributional areas of particular taxa or comparing different biogeographical analyses.
Journal ArticleDOI
Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests can double biodiversity loss from deforestation
Jos Barlow,Jos Barlow,Jos Barlow,Gareth D. Lennox,Joice Ferreira,Erika Berenguer,Alexander C. Lees,Alexander C. Lees,Ralph Charles Mac Nally,James Robertson Thomson,James Robertson Thomson,Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz,Julio Louzada,Julio Louzada,Victor H. F. Oliveira,Victor H. F. Oliveira,Luke Parry,Luke Parry,Ricardo R. C. Solar,Ima Célia Guimarães Vieira,Luiz E. O. C. Aragão,Luiz E. O. C. Aragão,Rodrigo Anzolin Begotti,Rodrigo Fagundes Braga,Thiago Moreira Cardoso,Raimundo Cosme de Oliveira,Carlos Souza,Nárgila G. Moura,Nárgila G. Moura,Sâmia Nunes,João V. Siqueira,Renata Pardini,Juliana M. Silveira,Juliana M. Silveira,Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello,Ruan Carlo Stulpen Veiga,Adriano Venturieri,Toby A. Gardner,Toby A. Gardner +38 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a large data set of plants, birds and dung beetles (1,538, 460 and 156 species, respectively) sampled in 36 catchments in the Brazilian state of Para.
Journal ArticleDOI
A palaeobiogeographic model for biotic diversification within Amazonia over the past three million years
Camila C. Ribas,Camila C. Ribas,Alexandre Aleixo,Afonso César Rodrigues Nogueira,Cristina Yumi Miyaki,Joel Cracraft +5 more
TL;DR: The history of Psophia, in combination with new geological evidence, provides the strongest direct evidence supporting a role for river dynamics in Amazonian diversification, and the absence of such a roles for glacial climate cycles and refugia.
Journal ArticleDOI
Global Conservation Significance of Ecuador's Yasuní National Park
Margot Bass,Matt Finer,Clinton N. Jenkins,Clinton N. Jenkins,Holger Kreft,Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia,Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia,Shawn F. McCracken,Nigel C. A. Pitman,Peter H. English,Kelly Swing,Gorky Villa,Anthony Di Fiore,Christian C. Voigt,Thomas H. Kunz +14 more
TL;DR: Yasuní has outstanding global conservation significance due to its extraordinary biodiversity and potential to sustain this biodiversity in the long term because of its large size and wilderness character, and likelihood of maintaining wet, rainforest conditions while anticipated climate change-induced drought intensifies in the eastern Amazon.
Journal ArticleDOI
Conservation Value of Remnant Riparian Forest Corridors of Varying Quality for Amazonian Birds and Mammals
TL;DR: Investigation of the effects of corridor width and degradation status of 37 riparian forest sites on bird and mammal species richness in a hyper-fragmented forest landscape surrounding Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil found broad trends emerged depending on species life histories and their sensitivity to disturbance.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Beyond opportunism: Key principles for systematic reserve selection
Robert L. Pressey,Christopher J. Humphries,Chris Margules,R. I. Vane-Wright,Paul H. Williams +4 more
TL;DR: Some basic principles for conservation planning are emerging from recent systematic procedures for reserve selection, and these principles will help to link intention and practice.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Future of the Brazilian Amazon
William F. Laurance,Mark A. Cochrane,Scott Bergen,Philip M. Fearnside,Patricia Delamônica,Christopher Barber,Sammya D'Angelo,Tito Fernandes +7 more
TL;DR: The authors developed two computer models that integrate spatial data on deforestation, logging, mining, highways and roads, navigable rivers, vulnerability to wildfires, protected areas, and existing and planned infrastructure projects, in an effort to predict the condition of Brazilian Amazonian forests by the year 2020.
Journal ArticleDOI
DIVERSIFICATION OF RAINFOREST FAUNAS: An Integrated Molecular Approach
TL;DR: The current major hypotheses are outlined, predictions relevant to integrated molecular approaches are developed, and the current evidence is evaluated, focusing on central African, Australian, and South American systems.
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