Challenges and opportunities for assessing trends of amphibians with heterogeneous data – a call for better metadata reporting

Nature Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 58, P. 31 - 60

Published: Jan. 31, 2025

Over the last decades, worldwide decline of amphibian populations has become a major concern researchers and conservationists. Studies have reported diversity trends, with some species strongly declining, others remaining stable still increasing. However, only few been monitored annually for long period time by specific monitoring programmes. Instead, there are many heterogeneous datasets that contain observations amphibians from professional surveys as well diverse citizen science other voluntary surveys. The use these data brings number challenges, raising concerns about their validity in ecological research conservation. We assessed to what extent such occurrence can provide information on status trends contrasting different approaches overcoming challenges data, using German state Saxony an example. effects processing decisions infer absences, survey method statistical model (generalised linear mixed-effect [GLMM] versus occupancy-detection model) compared expert opinions (Red Lists). mainly led similar annual occupancy estimates, newts being exception. Annual estimates were typically less certain when attempting account methods, which could be explained missing values methods. Separate models drift fence reduced uncertainty probability GLMM models, but remained high models. For both strong peaks troughs occurred several species, not biologically plausible. Some align periods lower sampling effort probably caused shifts locations or target amongst years. Only three ( Bufotes viridis , Hyla arborea Pelophylax esculentus ) trend results consistent opinions. most inconsistencies appeared approaches, indicating assessments sensitive analytical choices. While proved useful taxa, our highlight complexity them amphibians. recommend better harmonisation collection metadata documentation, including explicit absence and, if available, abundance enable more robust future.

Language: Английский

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Identifying Ecological Corridors of the Bush Cricket Saga pedo in Fragmented Landscapes

Insects, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(3), P. 279 - 279

Published: March 6, 2025

The bush cricket Saga pedo, listed as Vulnerable globally by the IUCN and included in Annex IV of EU Habitats Directive, is a parthenogenetic species highly sensitive to environmental changes, facing threats from forest expansion agricultural intensification. S. pedo prefers dry, open habitats with sparse vegetation, its pronounced thermo-heliophily makes it an indicator xerothermic habitats. In many areas Italy, including Northern Apennines (Piedmont), semi-natural grasslands are fragmented. Open have been reduced small, isolated patches surrounded forests due abandonment agropastoral activities. Consequently, occurrence habitat related quality availability suitable ecological connectivity. We developed spatial Bayesian framework identify for pedo. Using inverse probability occurrence, we derived corridors among patches. Our findings indicate that connectivity intensive cultivation but favored 10-50% woody tree cover, suggesting sustainable land management crucial supporting species. Given extinction risk faces, urge local administrations maintain improve guarantee network identified.

Language: Английский

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Expert identification blitz: A rapid high value approach for assessing and improving iNaturalist identification accuracy and data precision and confidence

Plants People Planet, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 16, 2025

Societal Impact Statement Citizen science data are increasingly used in research and conservation, so assessing improving accuracy is important. We recruited 50 experts to review a dataset of Western Australian plant records from iNaturalist. Across three weeks, almost 11,000 received at least one identification. Of the 7,000 initially identified species level, 92% were correctly identified. Building these banks expert‐curated images crucial for biodiverse regions with many endemic threatened species, without comprehensive Flora, as reliably‐identified occurrence that supplement herbarium vouchers help define distributions better inform conservation assessments. Summary now make up significant portion global biodiversity records. The utility strongly depends on identification accuracy, which varies across taxa, underscoring importance expert engagement. large iNaturalist vascular Southwest Australia case study, organising three‐week event assess enhance precision confidence. Before event, Research Grade comprised 48% our species‐level had an rate 97%, while 52% marked needs ID, 89% confirmed have been accurately led net increase 250% dataset, 183 new recorded focal regions. This collaboration between citizen scientists provides way quantify error rates downstream statistical analysis improves uncertain or incorrect identifications. It contributes growing collection confidently photographs flora, serve valuable resources learning about their local flora collecting further data. process vital component virtuous cycle, continually world's hotspots. Our approach globally applicable any requiring only selection region manageable recruitment relevant regional experts.

Language: Английский

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A global citizen science effort via iNaturalist reveals food webs of large predatory rove beetles

Food Webs, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. e00399 - e00399

Published: April 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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