Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened
Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function is critical on national and global scales. However, while only a fraction of the global biodiversity is known, its current decline is unprecedented, making biodiversity hotspots a conservation priority. The Sierra Gorda Biodiversity Reserve (SGBR) in C...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419309527 |
| _version_ | 1818310720368934912 |
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| author | Axel Eduardo Rico-Sánchez Andrea Sundermann Eugenia López-López Martin Jonatan Torres-Olvera Sarah Ashley Mueller Phillip Joschka Haubrock |
| author_facet | Axel Eduardo Rico-Sánchez Andrea Sundermann Eugenia López-López Martin Jonatan Torres-Olvera Sarah Ashley Mueller Phillip Joschka Haubrock |
| author_sort | Axel Eduardo Rico-Sánchez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function is critical on national and global scales. However, while only a fraction of the global biodiversity is known, its current decline is unprecedented, making biodiversity hotspots a conservation priority. The Sierra Gorda Biodiversity Reserve (SGBR) in Central Mexico is known for its rich biodiversity. It is an example of the juxtaposition between species discovery and extinction: aquatic species richness is mostly unknown as no efforts have investigated aquatic communities so far, but are already anthropogenically stressed. We hypothesized that invasive species are already well established in various protected areas and investigated this by assessing the threat of invasive species that are already established within the SGBR on the native biodiversity. By combining field sampling with peer-reviewed literature and local reports, we identify the presence of various non-native species in SGBR. Among these non-native species identified were opportunistic predatory fish and potentially-pathogen transmitting molluscs, but also, a habitat engineer capable of modifying ecosystem functions. Moreover, we highlight that these species were introduced despite legislation and without any knowledge among authorities. As a result, we underline the necessity to describe native species, control invasive and prevent the introduction of further non-native species. If accelerated action is not taken, we risk losing a considerable amount of described and unknown freshwater biota. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:50:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3398a211d92746ef904412ee9f386c6c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:50:33Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-3398a211d92746ef904412ee9f386c6c2022-12-21T23:54:42ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942020-06-0122Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatenedAxel Eduardo Rico-Sánchez0Andrea Sundermann1Eugenia López-López2Martin Jonatan Torres-Olvera3Sarah Ashley Mueller4Phillip Joschka Haubrock5Laboratorio de Evaluación de la Salud de los Ecosistemas Acuáticos, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México, MexicoSenckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyLaboratorio de Evaluación de la Salud de los Ecosistemas Acuáticos, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México, MexicoLaboratorio de Integridad Biótica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Ejido Bolaños, Querétaro, MexicoSenckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Frankfurt am Main, GermanySenckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany; University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic; Corresponding author. Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany.Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function is critical on national and global scales. However, while only a fraction of the global biodiversity is known, its current decline is unprecedented, making biodiversity hotspots a conservation priority. The Sierra Gorda Biodiversity Reserve (SGBR) in Central Mexico is known for its rich biodiversity. It is an example of the juxtaposition between species discovery and extinction: aquatic species richness is mostly unknown as no efforts have investigated aquatic communities so far, but are already anthropogenically stressed. We hypothesized that invasive species are already well established in various protected areas and investigated this by assessing the threat of invasive species that are already established within the SGBR on the native biodiversity. By combining field sampling with peer-reviewed literature and local reports, we identify the presence of various non-native species in SGBR. Among these non-native species identified were opportunistic predatory fish and potentially-pathogen transmitting molluscs, but also, a habitat engineer capable of modifying ecosystem functions. Moreover, we highlight that these species were introduced despite legislation and without any knowledge among authorities. As a result, we underline the necessity to describe native species, control invasive and prevent the introduction of further non-native species. If accelerated action is not taken, we risk losing a considerable amount of described and unknown freshwater biota.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419309527AnthropoceneBiodiversity lossFreshwaterInvasive speciesMexicoNature reserve |
| spellingShingle | Axel Eduardo Rico-Sánchez Andrea Sundermann Eugenia López-López Martin Jonatan Torres-Olvera Sarah Ashley Mueller Phillip Joschka Haubrock Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened Global Ecology and Conservation Anthropocene Biodiversity loss Freshwater Invasive species Mexico Nature reserve |
| title | Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened |
| title_full | Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened |
| title_fullStr | Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened |
| title_short | Biological diversity in protected areas: Not yet known but already threatened |
| title_sort | biological diversity in protected areas not yet known but already threatened |
| topic | Anthropocene Biodiversity loss Freshwater Invasive species Mexico Nature reserve |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419309527 |
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