Conservation status assessment and a new method for establishing conservation priorities for freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida) in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River drainage

1. The freshwater mussel (Unionida) fauna of the Yangtze River is among the most diverse on Earth. In recent decades, human activities have caused habitat degradation in the river, and previous studies estimated that up to 80% of the mussel species in the Yangtze River are Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction. However, a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of the conservation status of this fauna has yet to be completed.
2. This study evaluated the conservation status of the 69 recognized freshwater mussel species in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, using the criteria published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). A new method for prioritizing species for conservation was then developed and applied termed Quantitative Assessment of Species for Conservation Prioritization (QASCP), which prioritizes species according to quantifiable data on their distribution and population status, life history, and recovery importance and potential.
3. IUCN assessments showed that 35 (51%) species in the study region are Threatened or Near Threatened (11 Endangered, 20 Vulnerable, 4 Near Threatened). In addition, 16 species (23%) could not be assessed owing to data deficiency. Key threats to the freshwater mussel biodiversity of the Yangtze River include pollution, habitat loss and fragmentation, loss of access to host fish, and overharvesting of mussels and their host fish. The genera Aculamprotula, Gibbosula, Lamprotula, Pseudodon, Ptychorhynchus, and Solenaia were identified as particularly threatened.
4. Data availability allowed QASCP assessment of 44 species. Only Solenaia carinata, regionally Endangered under IUCN criteria, achieved the highest QASCP rank, i.e. First Priority. The five species assessed as Second Priority were considered either regionally Endangered (one), Vulnerable (three), or Data Deficient (one) under IUCN criteria. The 23 Third Priority species were assessed as regionally Endangered (two), Vulnerable (15), Near Threatened (two), or Least Concern (four).

     

Selecting and ranking areas for conservation of Aegla (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) in southern South America integrating biogeography,phylogeny and assessments of extinction risk

1. The rapid degradation of freshwater habitats in southern South America may cause the extinction of the endemic species of Aegla, as well as other freshwater species and components of riverside environments related to them. Information on the distribution of species and their conservation status is essential for developing conservation strategies.
2. The updated distribution of Aegla in its southernmost distribution was analysed in order to prioritize freshwater ecoregions, applying biogeographical, phylogenetic and conservation status and complementarity approaches.
3. The distributions of the species of Aegla were delineated on maps and plotted against freshwater ecoregions. A data matrix of areas versus species was constructed and a taxon–area cladogram was created. Ecoregions were ranked, based on their species richness and using a complementarity criterion, to create a list of those considered important for conservation. The conservation status of Aegla species was assessed on the basis of the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to produce a decreasing order of the risk of species extinction. These assessments were combined to define a consensus ranking of the priority areas for conservation.
4. The areas of maximum species richness and endemicity, and consequently highest priority of conservation, were the Lower Parana and Patagonia ecoregions. The Cuyan Desaguadero and Mar Chiquita Salinas Grandes ecoregions were the areas of second priority, and the Chaco and Lower Uruguay ecoregions were the areas with the third priority for conservation. Ten out of the 20 species analysed fall within the threat categories of the IUCN. Sixty per cent of the species of Aegla analysed have at least one population contained in protected areas.
5. The results obtained may be used to design strategies for implementing conservation policies on freshwater species, generate biogeographical atlases and contribute to selecting Ramsar sites.

     

A phylogenetic perspective on biodiversity patterns of Afrotropical freshwater crabs (Crustacea,Decapoda, Potamonautidae)

1. Evolutionary‐based measures of biodiversity play an increasingly important role in theoretical conservation biology, complementing more traditional methods such as patterns of species richness and endemicity.
2. To date, very few studies have used evolutionary data to assess patterns of biodiversity in the Afrotropical region, particularly for freshwater invertebrate taxa.
3. In the present study, the monophyletic Afrotropical freshwater crab family Potamonautidae was used to investigate how phylogenetic data can be combined with other metrics to help develop conservation plans for regional and species‐based conservation efforts.
4. The Afrotropical freshwater crabs make an exceptional group to demonstrate the utility of a phylogeny‐based approach to conservation, as there have recently been a number of phylogenetic studies on this family, the IUCN Red List conservation status is available for almost every species, and accurate distributional range data are available for all species.
5. The conservation priority of this fauna is assessed in relation to the Afrotropical freshwater ecoregions using three traditional measures of biodiversity and two phylogenetic diversity metrics.
6. The results of Evolutionarily Distinct Globally Endangered and Heightened Evolutionary Distinctiveness and Globally Endangered analyses identify both the freshwater crab species and the areas of high conservation priority in the Afrotropical region.

     

Understanding the life histories of amphidromous fish by integrating otolith‐derived growth reconstructions,post‐larval migrations and reproductive traits

1. Amphidromy is the most prevalent type of diadromous migration. Despite this, the conservation and management of amphidromous species is exceptionally challenging because this life history type, with larval development in a pelagic habitat (usually marine) and adult development in fresh water, is poorly resolved.
2. The chronological properties of otoliths, together with a spatial and temporal analysis of post‐larval migration traits and adult reproductive traits, were used to reconstruct the life history of a widespread, yet declining amphidromous galaxiid, Galaxias maculatus, and to explore relationships between marine and freshwater life phases.
3. A wide range of post‐larval migration traits were observed over the peak migratory period. Post‐larvae were smaller and younger at inward migration late in the migration season (November) and were derived from winter spawning events. Earlier migrants (September) were larger, older and derived from autumn spawning events.
4. Age estimates confirmed that G. maculatus is largely an annual species, but back‐calculated hatch dates showed that spawning times are more extensive than previously known.
5. Growth reconstructions revealed that winter‐hatched larvae were faster growing during marine and freshwater life and attained sexual maturity at a younger age than autumn‐hatched fish. However, no differences in body size or reproductive investment were detected between autumn‐ and winter‐hatched larvae.
6. The first 50 days of marine growth were inter‐dependent, indicating that early larval growth may be the critical link to understanding intra‐ and inter‐annual recruitment variations of inward migrating post‐larvae. Furthermore, growth after 60 days of larval life propagated through to adult freshwater development, highlighting linkages between late marine and adult freshwater life.
7. This study highlights the value of studying the marine and freshwater life phases of amphidromous species in tandem. This interconnected understanding must ultimately be achieved for the conservation and management of species with this poorly understood life history type.

     

Living on the edge: Traits of freshwater fish species at risk in Canada

1. The native ranges of many species in North America reach their northern extent in southern Canada, which results in several aquatic species with core populations found farther south being assessed as at risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and receiving protection under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).
2. To determine traits that predict at‐risk status for freshwater fishes in Canada a classification and regression tree analysis was performed using a suite of ecological and life‐history traits, and the species’ distributions in Canada.
3. Range‐edge distribution in Canada was a significant predictor of a species assessed as at risk by COSEWIC and to be listed as at risk under SARA. Other predictive traits included Balon reproductive guild, reproductive age/maximum age ratio, and lifespan. Species with economic value were also not likely to be assessed as at risk by COSEWIC. Analyses showed greater inconsistency in listing status under SARA than COSEWIC assessment, and a bias toward not listing species, despite predicted at‐risk status, was evident.
4. The predictive models may prove useful in making future conservation decisions and highlight species that should have their status (re)assessed.

     

The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (West and Central Africa)

1. The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (ECA), especially of coastal and pelagic fishes, is of concern owing to a number of threats including overharvesting, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change combined with inadequate policy responses, legislation, and enforcement.
2. This study provides the first comprehensive documentation of the presence, status, and level of extinction risk, based on IUCN Red List assessment methodology, for more than 1800 marine species, including all taxonomically described marine vertebrates (marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, fishes); complete clades of selected marine invertebrates (sea cucumbers, cone snails, cephalopods, lobsters, reef‐building corals); and marine plants (mangroves, seagrasses).
3. Approximately 8% of all marine species assessed in the ECA are in threatened categories, while 4% are listed as Near Threatened, 73% are Least Concern, and 15% are Data Deficient. Fisheries and overharvesting are the biggest threats to living marine resources in the ECA, with 87% of threatened species across all taxonomic groups affected by both large‐ and small‐scale targeted fisheries, excessive capture as by‐catch, or unsustainable harvest.
4. The results of this study will transform the current state of knowledge and increase capacity for regional stakeholders to identify and enact marine conservation and research priorities, as a number of species are identified as having high conservation and/or research priorities in the region.
5. Through the process of marine species data collection and risk assessments conducted over the past 5 years, several key conservation actions and research needs are identified to enable more effective conservation of marine biodiversity in the ECA, including increased governance, multilateral collaboration, taxonomic training, and improved reporting of fisheries catch and effort.

     

The representativeness of protected areas for Amazonian fish diversity under climate change

1. The Amazon basin has been subjected to extreme climatic events and according to climate change projections this hydrosystem could face changes in the natural dynamic of flood cycles that support the feeding and reproduction of many fish species, threatening aquatic biodiversity.
2. Protected areas (PAs) are the main tools used to safeguard the biodiversity in the long term; however, they are fixed areas that could be subject to climate change, questioning their future efficiency in protecting biodiversity.
3. The Amazon basin currently benefits from a relatively high level of protection as 52% of its catchment area is under the form of true PAs or indigenous lands. However, the capacity of these PAs to protect freshwater biodiversity remains unclear as they have generally been assessed with little regard to freshwater ecosystems and their hydrological connectivity. Here, the aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of PAs in representing the Amazon fish fauna under current and future climatic conditions.
4. A macroecological approach was used to estimate the minimum size of the geographical range needed by each species to achieve long-term persistence, by a combined function of range size and body size, two ecological traits known to influence species extinction risk.
5. In future the Amazon basin could risk losing 2% of its freshwater fish fauna owing to unsuitable climatic conditions, with a further 34% adversely affected. The present Amazon network of PAs will cover the minimum required range for species persistence for more than 60% of the freshwater fish species analysed under the future climate scenario. However, more than 25% of the future susceptible species are currently concentrated in large tributaries and in the central-lower Amazon floodplain where few PAs occur, highlighting the lack of appropriate conservation actions for these specific water bodies.

     

Living in an amphidromous world: Perspectives on the management of fish passage from an island nation

1. Amphidromy is a form of migratory life history typified by the reproduction of fish in freshwater environments, the early downstream dispersal of post‐hatch larvae to marine environments, and the return of small‐bodied young juveniles to freshwater environments for growth to adulthood. Island freshwater fish communities are frequently dominated by fish species with amphidromous life histories.
2. Amphidromous life cycles leave fish communities highly susceptible to habitat modification and disruptions to connectivity across marine and freshwater environments. This means that managing waterway connectivity is fundamental to their conservation; however, the unique and often geographically restricted amphidromous communities that characterize many small island nations have received little consideration in the development of strategies for the management of fish passage.
3. The ecology and locomotory capabilities of amphidromous species are often poorly studied, partly because their small size at migratory life stages renders current state‐of‐the‐art in situ biotelemetry methods unsuitable. The small size of fish also means that seemingly small obstructions can severely impede migrations.
4. The steps necessary to advance the management of fish passage for island fish communities are: curating and maintaining barrier inventories; evaluating barrier permeability; developing effective barrier mitigation options; and prioritizing restoration and conservation efforts.
5. New methods for understanding the ecology and locomotory capabilities and behaviour of amphidromous fishes are required to advance the management of fish passage for island fish communities. Fish passage solutions that imitate natural streams, such as those promoted in new guidelines in New Zealand, may be the most effective way of improving waterway connectivity; however, integrated approaches to freshwater fish conservation that account for meta‐population dynamics, in combination with the management of fish passage, are necessary to optimize conservation outcomes for amphidromous species.

     

Assessing conservation priorities of endemic freshwater fishes in the Tropical Andes region

1. Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas for sustaining species and identifying priority sites for their conservation is vital for decision making, particularly for freshwater fishes in South America, the global centre of freshwater fish diversity. Several conservation planning studies have used threatened freshwater fishes or species that are vulnerable to climate change as conservation targets, but none has included both in priority‐setting analysis.
2. The objectives of this study were to identify gaps in the coverage of the existing protected areas in representing the endemic freshwater fishes of the Tropical Andes region, and to identify conservation priority areas that adequately cover threatened species and species vulnerable to climate change.
3. Data on 648 freshwater fishes from the Tropical Andes were used to identify gaps in the protected area coverage, and to identify conservation priority sites under three scenarios: (i) prioritize threatened species; (ii) prioritize species that are vulnerable to climate change; and (iii) prioritize both threatened species and species vulnerable to climate change.
4. A total of 571 species (88% of all species) were not covered by any protected areas; most of them are restricted to ≤10 catchments. To represent both threatened species and species vulnerable to climate change in the third scenario, 635 catchments were identified as priority areas, representing 26.5% of the study area. The number of irreplaceable catchments for this scenario is 475, corresponding to 22.5% of the total area.
5. The results of this study could be crucial for designing strategies for the effective protection of native fish populations in the Tropical Andes, and for planning proactive climate adaptation. It is hoped that the identification of priority areas, particularly irreplaceable catchments, will help to guide conservation and management decisions in the Andean region.

     

Freshwater mussels in Mediterranean-climate regions: Species richness,conservation status,threats, and Conservation Actions Needed

1. The five global Mediterranean-climate regions are experiencing alarming rates of freshwater biodiversity loss. Although freshwater mussels are recognized as important functional components in aquatic ecosystems, and are among the most threatened faunal groups globally, there has been no synthesis of the plight of this group within these regions.
2. Data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List were reviewed to compare the conservation status, threats, and conservation actions needed for freshwater mussel species occurring in Mediterranean-climate regions (med-mussels) with those of other freshwater mussel species globally. The first comprehensive catalogue of med-mussel species was compiled using existing taxonomic literature.
3. There are 41 med-mussel species, 30 of which occur in the Mediterranean basin. Many regions have just a single species, and regions where multiple species occur generally only have between one and four species per river basin. Med-mussel species are almost twice as likely to be ‘Imperilled’, are affected by 2.4 times more threats, and require 3.5 times more conservation actions than non-med mussels. In many cases, the exact threats have not been identified.
4. In combination with low species richness, this level of imperilment means that Mediterranean-climate regions are at risk of losing the benefits that mussels provide to broader ecosystem functioning. The conservation of med-mussels can be improved by increasing our knowledge of species distributions, including the identification of cryptic species and significant management units, through population genetic work. In addition, recognizing the potential of ‘novel’ habitats and refuge areas could augment the management of this important functional group.

     

Extinction risk and conservation of marine bony shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico

1. Understanding the conservation status of species is important for prioritizing the allocation of resources to redress or reduce biodiversity loss. Regional organizations that manage threats to the marine biodiversity of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico seek to delineate conservation priorities.
2. This process can be usefully informed by extinction risk assessments conducted under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria: a widely used, objective method to communicate species‐specific conservation needs. Prior to the recent Red List initiatives summarized in this study, the conservation status was known for just one‐quarter of the 1360 Greater Caribbean marine bony shorefishes. During 10 Red List workshops, experts applied data on species' distributions, populations, habitats, and threats in order to assign an extinction risk category to nearly 1000 shorefishes that range in the Greater Caribbean. As conservation is mostly implemented at national and local levels, two more workshops assessed the Gulf of Mexico populations of 940 shorefishes using the regional Red List guidelines.
3. About 5% of these shorefishes are globally or regionally threatened, including 6% of Greater Caribbean endemics and 26% of Gulf endemics. About 9% of the species are Data Deficient. Species‐richness analyses show that the highest numbers of threatened species endemic to the Greater Caribbean are found in Belize, Panama, and the Cayman Islands. The most pervasive threats to the threatened and Near Threatened species are overexploitation, habitat degradation, and predation by the invasive lionfish. Half of the threatened species are experiencing multiple threats that are likely to amplify extinction risk.
4. Recommended actions, in addition to conducting diversity surveys in lesser explored areas, include improving fishery management, reducing habitat degradation, and controlling lionfish populations.

     

The native South American crayfishes (Crustacea,Parastacidae): state of knowledge and conservation status

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Evidence of fish spillover from freshwater protected areas in lakes of eastern Ontario

1. Research has identified numerous conservation benefits attributed to the use of marine protected areas (MPAs), yet comparatively less is known about the effectiveness of freshwater protected areas (FPAs).
2. This study assessed multiple long‐standing (>70 years active) intra‐lake FPAs in three lakes in eastern Ontario, Canada, to evaluate their potential conservation benefits. These FPAs were intended initially to protect exploited populations of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède, 1802)), but since their establishment no empirical data have been collected to evaluate the effectiveness of FPAs for protecting bass or the broader fish community.
3. A comparative biological census of fish species abundance, biomass and species richness was conducted using snorkelling surveys within FPAs, along the bordering transition zones, and in more distant non‐protected areas of the lake that had similar habitats to the FPAs.
4. In general, the FPAs yielded benefits that were most obvious (in terms of abundance and biomass) for the focal protected species (i.e. largemouth bass) as well as several shiner species. Largemouth bass and shiner abundance and biomass were highest in the FPA, lowest in the distant non‐protected areas, and intermediate in the transition zone. Species richness was also highest in the FPAs in two of the three lakes.
5. Collectively, these results support the use of FPAs as a viable and effective conservation strategy that extends beyond simply limiting the exploitation of a target species. Beyond the benefits afforded to fish within the FPA, evidence of spillover in adjacent areas was also observed, which is promising. Additional research is needed on the effectiveness of FPAs in a variety of regions and water‐body types facing various threats in an effort to understand when, where and how to best use FPAs to benefit aquatic biodiversity.

     

Conservation of migratory fishes in the Amazon basin

1. The Amazon basin hosts the Earth's highest diversity of freshwater fish. Fish species have adapted to the basin's size and seasonal dynamics by displaying a broad range of migratory behaviour, but they are under increasing threats; however, no study to date has assessed threats and conservation of Amazonian migratory fishes.
2. Here, the available knowledge on the diversity of migratory behaviour in Amazonian fishes is synthesized, including the geographical scales at which they occur, their drivers and timing, and life stage at which they are performed.
3. Migratory fishes are integral components of Amazonian society. They contribute about 93% (range 77–99%) of the fisheries landings in the basin, amounting to ~US$436 million annually.
4. These valuable fish populations are mainly threatened by growing trends of overexploitation, deforestation, climate change, and hydroelectric dam development. Most Amazonian migratory fish have key ecological roles as apex predators, ecological engineers, or seed-dispersal species. Reducing their population sizes could induce cascading effects with implications for ecosystem stability and associated services.
5. Conserving Amazonian migratory fishes requires a broad portfolio of research, management, and conservation actions, within an ecosystem-based management framework at the basin scale. This would require trans-frontier coordination and recognition of the crucial importance of freshwater ecosystems and their connectivity.
6. Existing areas where fishing is allowed could be coupled with a chain of freshwater protected areas. Management of commercial and subsistence species also needs fisheries activities to be monitored in the Amazonian cities and in the floodplain communities to allow assessments of the status of target species, and the identification of management units or stocks. Ensuring that existing and future fisheries management rules are effective implies the voluntary participation of fishers, which can be achieved by increasing the effectiveness and coverage of adaptive community-based management schemes.

     

Selecting areas with rare and restricted fish species in mountain streams of Southern Brazil

1. The delimitation of conservation units may be supported by information on compositional (taxonomic), functional, and phylogenetic diversity of a given locality or region. In this context, systematic conservation planning and key biodiversity areas are promising approaches for biodiversity protection.
2. Factors such as species representativeness and exclusivity may be used to identify geographical distribution patterns and select relevant areas for conservation at a local scale.
3. This study aims to identify areas with rare and restricted fish species in mountain streams in Southern Brazil, using a method that unites ecological and biogeographical approaches.
4. Seven river basins and 152 mountain streams in Southern Brazil were sampled to obtain data on the occurrence and abundance of 115 fish species. The rarity status of each species was determined and endemicity analysis was used to find areas of restricted species (ARS) with three cell sizes.
5. Using larger cells, continuous areas were identified and supported by a higher proportion of rare fish species. Using smaller cells, discontinuous areas were identified within each of the river basins, where rare and endemic fish species occur. Most of the smaller areas relevant for protecting fish fauna were located outside of conservation units.
6. Fundamental areas were selected for the protection of fish species in mountain streams in Southern Brazil. Both the method proposed and the areas with rare and restricted fish species identified may be used to support systematic conservation planning and to delimit new priority areas for conservation.

     

The vulnerability of fish and macroinvertebrate species with bioactive potential in a Mediterranean marine protected area

1. A high percentage of marine animals produce bioactive compounds that may play a leading role in the discovery of future compounds and drugs of marine origin. However, commercial fishing and other human activities leading to sea warming and pollution may affect these marine animals, even putting them in danger of extinction.
2. To date, no comprehensive studies have evaluated the conservation status of Mediterranean species with bioactive potential, which is crucial to better understanding of how these species cope with the impacts of human activity.
3. The study reviewed the bioactive potential and vulnerability of 833 fish and macro-invertebrate species inhabiting the marine protected area of Cap de Creus and surrounding areas. The most active taxa found were Porifera (49 out of 59 species; 83.0%) and Tunicata (17 out of 27 species; 63.0%). The most vulnerable species were Chondrichthyes (eight out of nine species) and Porifera (nine out of 12 species), which together account for over 75% of species classified as such.
4. Results emphasize the need to introduce specific management measures that protect vulnerable species with bioactive potential as this is a valuable component of marine ecosystems, as well as a potential source of molecules with pharmacological properties beneficial for human health.
5. Marine protected areas can contribute to preserving marine species of medical interest and achieving their sustainable use in the marine biotechnology industry.

     

Taxonomic and geographical representation of freshwater environmental DNA research in aquatic conservation

1. Freshwater macro‐organismic environmental DNA (eDNA) is gaining increasing popularity in detecting invasive species, assessing community assemblages, and in mapping the distribution of taxa that are rare or otherwise difficult to monitor. The objectives of this article are to review the targets of published freshwater eDNA research in relation to aquatic conservation with a focus on geographic regions covered, as well as the habitats and species investigated.
2. The analysis of 272 peer‐reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2018 revealed that 57% of the 238 primary research papers have a focus on conservation science, mostly addressing invasive and endangered species, followed by 23% papers investigating methodological developments and 11% biodiversity surveys also using eDNA metabarcoding. A strong geographical pattern emerged, with Africa, South America, and the tropics being under‐represented. Taxonomic coverage was dominated by 123 fish species, followed by 29 amphibian and 28 mollusc species. Freshwater arthropods (27 taxa) were under‐represented in relation to their estimated species richness.
3. Taxonomic bias towards certain species such as fishes observed in freshwater eDNA research is pervasive in biodiversity research and conservation sciences, and thus is not surprising. Geographical representation was biased, with a few industrialized countries from the Northern Hemisphere contributing 72% of the studies. Both findings parallel biases known from other research areas, such as marine eDNA analysis, taxonomy, or invasion biology.
4. The application of eDNA in freshwater conservation will benefit from the development of general standards and guidelines that are necessary to integrate freshwater macrobial eDNA techniques in existing monitoring frameworks. To aid future freshwater conservation, our suggestions are to harmonize eDNA methods for comparable and easier implementation worldwide, and to increase international cooperation and funding for under‐represented geographical regions and neglected taxa. This is especially crucial for the known biodiversity hotspots in developing countries where rapid changes occur to freshwater habitats and biodiversity.

     

Going,going, gone? Loss of genetic diversity in two critically endangered Australian freshwater fishes,Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis and Chlamydogobius squamigenus,from Great Artesian Basin springs at Edgbaston,Queensland, Australia

1. Artesian springs are particularly sensitive freshwater ecosystems, characterized by specialized flora and fauna which, owing to their isolation, are often endemic. Thus, protection of spring habitats and endemic spring biota is important for biodiversity conservation, particularly because human impacts such as invasive species, habitat destruction, and fragmentation can have such devastating effects.
2. This study investigated the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic diversity and structure of two critically endangered (IUCN) freshwater fish species: red‐finned blue‐eye Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis, and Edgbaston goby Chlamydogobius squamigenus, with the aim of assisting management agencies to establish relocated populations that conserve the genetic integrity and evolutionary potential of both species.
3. 2862 bp from multiple mtDNA genes were amplified from 111 red‐finned blue‐eye individuals (17 from the 1990s and 94 from 2010), and a 660 bp segment of mtDNA cytochrome b was amplified from 111 Edgbaston goby individuals (from 2010). In total, 14 concatenated mtDNA haplotypes were identified in red‐finned blue‐eye and three cytb haplotypes were identified in Edgbaston goby.
4. Overall assessment of the genetic diversity and structure of the endemic fish fauna from the Edgbaston springs revealed low levels of diversity in both species and a loss of haplotypes in red‐finned blue‐eye over time. In addition, both species displayed significant genetic structure: at the spring scale for red‐finned blue‐eye and at the spring group scale for Edgbaston goby. It is concluded that without the appropriate management of relocated populations, such as considering genetic structure and diversity and selecting high quality habitats, these species are at a severe risk of losing evolutionary potential and becoming extinct. This study provides a valuable example for conservation managers of the contribution that population genetic studies can make regarding the adaptive management of endangered species.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of extinction risk and conservation criteria for assessing fish species in the lower La Plata River basin,South America

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Freshwater conservation planning informed and validated by public participation: The Ebro catchment,Spain, as a case study

1. Freshwater ecosystems generally lack adequate protection. In this regard, defining clear and objective conservation criteria through public participation is extremely important, as it can greatly enhance the feasibility of the conservation plans by building credibility, salience, and legitimacy.
2. This article presents an exercise of systematic freshwater conservation planning informed and validated by public participation using river protected areas (RPAs) in the Ebro catchment, Spain, as a case study. A public participation process was performed to define the conservation criteria that RPAs should meet, resulting in a detailed list of conservation features and constraints that were poorly covered by the present network of RPAs in Spain.
3. The present network of RPAs failed to adequately protect aquatic biodiversity, as 48% of the taxa did not meet the conservation target, including seven species of vulnerable invertebrates and three of vulnerable fish. marxan was used to identify a minimum set of additional areas that would help to meet the conservation target by adequately representing all conservation features and by increasing the efficiency of the network of protected areas. When marxan was run without restrictions, none of the present RPAs was selected, suggesting that the current network of RPAs is not efficiently meeting the conservation demands expressed through public participation.
4. Overall, this study shows that combining public participation and systematic conservation planning could result in more efficient and enhanced protection of freshwater ecosystems by integrating a wide variety of conservation preferences into the design of RPAs. Also, according to the results, having detailed and updated information on the distribution of invasive and endangered species, as well as increasing the frequency and spatial extension of ecological monitoring, are key to meeting the public demands of enhanced freshwater biodiversity protection and the preservation of sites with high ecological value.