A team of experts has created the first database of field studies on the impacts of invasive plants on native species, communities and ecosystems in Europe.
The dataset comprises 266 peer-reviewed publications reporting 4,259 field studies on 104 invasive species across 29 European countries. It is the first harmonised database of its kind at continental scale, and is freely accessible to the scientific community for future studies. Notably, one third of the studies focused on just five species that invade several central European countries.
Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) in a garden in Brastad, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden.
The comprehensive database indicates that invasive plants impact other plants, animals and microbes, all trophic levels (herbivores, parasites, plants, pollinators, predators, omnivores, decomposers and symbionts) and numerous ecosystem processes.
Map of locations (red dots) of field studies on the ecological impacts of invasive plant species in Europe. Credit: Vilà et al.
More than half of the studies were conducted in temperate and boreal forests and woodlands and temperate grasslands. Major knowledge gaps are found in Baltic and Balkan countries, in desert and semi-arid shrublands, subtropical forests and high mountains.
Prof. Montserrat Vilà, coordinator of this task, highlights that the database provides information on whether the invasive species increase, decrease or have a neutral effect on the ecological variable of study. This allows investigation into the circumstances in which the invader has contrasting effects.
Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). Credit: Guptaele via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The database will be updated as new field studies on the ecological impacts of invasive species are published. “We hope for more studies on species that are still locally rare and with restricted distribution,” Prof. Montserrat Vilà says, “this database is of interest for academic, management and policy-related purposes.”
Vilà M, Trillo A, Castro-Díez P, Gallardo B, Bacher S (2024) Field studies of the ecological impacts of invasive plants in Europe. NeoBiota 90: 139-159. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.90.112368
There has been an increasing need to support the exchange of research related to the conservation and sustainable management of estuarine ecosystems by means of new-age technologies and approaches.
Where freshwater rivers meet seas and oceans lies a scientifically intriguing and ecologically important type of ecosystem. As estuarine ecosystems provide various and diverse services to humanity and the planet at large, including food security and natural buffers and filters in the events of storms and water pollution, there has been an increasing need to facilitate and support the exchange of research findings and ideas related to their conservation and sustainable management by means of new-age technology and novel approaches.
This is how a team of renowned and passionate scientists, headed by Dr. Soufiane Haddout (Ibn Tofail University, Morocco), took the decision to launch a brand new open-access, peer-reviewed scholarly, aptly titled Estuarine Management and Technologies. They explain the rationale behind the journal in a new editorial, published to mark the official launch of the journal.
Having already worked closely with the scientific publisher and technology provider Pensoft on the fine touches of the concept of the new academic title, the team opted to use Pensoft’s publishing platform of ARPHA. As a result, the new journal provides a seamless, end-to-end publishing experience, encompassing all stages between manuscript submission and article publication, indexation, dissemination and permanent archiving.
Within the collaboration between the journal’s and Pensoft’s teams, Estuarine Management and Technologies will take advantage of various services offered by the ARPHA platform, including full-text automated export in machine-readable and minable JATS-XML format to over 60 relevant databases for scientific literature and data; semantically enriched and multimedia-friendly publications accessible in HTML; and rich statistics about the outreach and usage of each published article and its elements (e.g. figures and tables), including views, downloads, online mentions, and citations.
The publishing platform’s in-house indexing team will continue their close work with the journal’s editors to ensure that the scholarly outlet retains highest quality and integrity, so that it covers the criteria for indexation at additional key databases that require individual evaluation. In the meantime, ARPHA’s technical and editorial teams will provide technical and customer support to authors, editors and reviewers. The marketing and promotion team of ARPHA will be also joining forces with the journal to boost the visibility and image of the new academic title.
During the launch phase, content accepted for publication following double-blinded peer review will be made public right away for free to both authors and readers, where the journal will be operating under a continuous publication model.
Estuarine Management and Technologies welcomes studies from a wide spectrum of disciplines, including physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and hydrology, with a focus on interdisciplinarity, multifaceted approaches and holistic perspectives.
“One crucial aspect of estuarine management is the sustainable use of resources to balance conservation with human needs. Striking this delicate equilibrium requires a holistic understanding of the intricate web of ecological interactions within estuarine environments. Advanced technologies, such as isotopic techniques, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, can provide insights into the biodiversity of estuarine ecosystems with unprecedented precision,”
explain Dr Haddout and his colleagues in the opening editorial.
Amongst the unique features of the new journal are several additional publication types, such as Expert View, Video Paper, Rapid Communication, Mini Review and Estuarine Scientists, where these have been added to traditional publication outputs (e.g. Research Paper, Review Paper, Data Paper) to foster collaboration between researchers and other stakeholders in the field.
The journal is also running an annual Trailblazing Talent in Estuarine Management and Technologies award intended to recognise and encourage young scientists and engineers at the forefront of cutting-edge research in estuarine management and technologies. Nominations and applications are currently open.
Estuarine Management and Technologies also welcomes applications for guest editors in order to further expand the journal and its immediate expert network.
“I am delighted to see the Estuarine Management and Technologies journal already live on the ARPHA platform. We are confident that this particularly important, yet so far quite overlooked area of study will greatly benefit from this highly promising journal,”
says Prof. Lyubomir Penev, CEO and founder of Pensoft and ARPHA.
“I am pleased to announce the launch of the Estuarine Management and Technologies journal on ARPHA, a decision rooted in our commitment to advancing the field. We believe that this strategic partnership will not only enhance the visibility and accessibility of our journal, but will also foster collaboration and innovation within the estuarine management and technologies community. We expect this alliance to be a catalyst for scholarly excellence, providing a robust platform for researchers and practitioners to share insights, address challenges, and propel the field forward. Together with ARPHA, we are confident in the positive impact our journal will have on shaping the future of estuarine management and technologies.”
says Dr. Soufiane Haddout, Editor-in-Chief and founder, Estuarine Management and Technologies.
***
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The intricate world beneath our feet holds secrets that are only now being unveiled, as researchers embark on a groundbreaking project to explore the hidden diversity of forest leaf litter beetles in Taiwan.
Forest leaf litter, often likened to terrestrial coral reefs, supports an astonishing variety of life. Among the myriad arthropods dwelling in this ecosystem, beetles emerge as the most common and speciose group. Despite their abundance, our understanding of leaf litter beetles remains limited due to the challenges posed by their sheer numbers, small sizes, and high local endemism.
Unlocking the Mystery with DNA Barcoding
To overcome these challenges, a team of researchers has initiated the Taiwanese Leaf Litter Beetles Barcoding project. Leveraging DNA barcoding, the project aims to create a comprehensive reference library for these elusive beetles. DNA barcoding, a technique using short mitochondrial fragments, accelerates the analysis of entire faunas and aids in the identification of species. The goal is to provide a valuable resource for researchers, ecologists, conservation biologists, and the public.
DNA voucher collection. Hu et al.
A Collaborative Journey with Taxonomists
The success of the Taiwanese Leaf Litter Beetles Barcoding project hinges on the invaluable contribution of taxonomists, who play a pivotal role in this groundbreaking research. Recognizing the specialized knowledge required for precise genus and species identifications, the researchers diligently consulted with specialists for each family represented in the extensive dataset.
In cases where these taxonomic experts provided crucial assistance, they were not merely acknowledged but offered co-authorship, acknowledging the significant commitment and expertise they bring to the project. Many taxonomists devote their entire lives to the meticulous study of specific beetle groups, and this collaboration underscores the importance of their dedication. The researchers emphasize the fairness of extending co-authorship to these taxonomic experts, acknowledging their indispensable role in advancing our understanding of Taiwan’s leaf litter beetle fauna.
Larva of Oodes (Lachnocrepis) japonicus. Hu et al.
Rich Beetle Diversity in Taiwan
Taiwan, nestled in the western Pacific, boasts a rich biodiversity resulting from its location at the crossroads of the Oriental and Palearctic biogeographical regions. Beetles, with over 7,700 recorded species belonging to 119 families, stand out as a particularly diverse insect order on the island. Despite this wealth of species, taxonomic research on beetles in Taiwan has been fragmented, and the study of leaf litter beetles has relied heavily on collections from past decades.
Larvae of Lagriascutellaris (OTU174) associated with adults by DNA. Hu et al.
The current dataset, based on specimens collected in the Huisun Recreation Forest Area in 2019–2021, comprises 4,629 beetles representing 334 species candidates from 36 families. The DNA barcoding approach has not only allowed for efficient species identification but has also provided a glimpse into the intricate world of beetle larvae, enhancing our understanding of their biology and ecological roles. This comprehensive dataset marks a significant step forward in unraveling the mysteries of Taiwan’s diverse beetle fauna.
Project Goals, Progress, and Future Outlook
The Taiwanese Leaf Litter Beetles Barcoding project is dedicated to a three-fold mission: conducting an extensive study of leaf litter beetles, documenting their diversity in Taiwan, and providing a reliable tool for quick identification. The researchers have published the first set of DNA barcodes, unveiling taxonomic insights such as the description of a new species and several newly recorded taxa.
Map of the samples collected in 2019–2023. Hu et al.
While the dataset is geographically limited to a single forest reserve in central Taiwan, it efficiently demonstrates the challenges of studying subtropical and tropical leaf litter beetle faunas. The integration of DNA barcoding and morphology proves instrumental in unraveling the mysteries of this species-diverse ecosystem. Looking ahead, the team plans to expand their sampling across Taiwan, covering diverse regions, altitudinal zones, and forest types.
Continuous updates to the DNA barcode dataset will serve as a valuable resource for future studies, maintaining a balanced approach that recognizes DNA barcoding as an efficient complement to traditional taxonomic methods.
Research article:
Hu F-S, Arriaga-Varela E, Biffi G, Bocák L, Bulirsch P, Damaška AF, Frisch J, Hájek J, Hlaváč P, Ho B-H, Ho Y-H, Hsiao Y, Jelínek J, Klimaszewski J, Kundrata R, Löbl I, Makranczy G, Matsumoto K, Phang G-J, Ruzzier E, Schülke M, Švec Z, Telnov D, Tseng W-Z, Yeh L-W, Le M-H, Fikáček M (2024) Forest leaf litter beetles of Taiwan: first DNA barcodes and first insight into the fauna. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 71(1): 17-47. https://doi.org/10.3897/dez.71.112278
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In the depths of Ecuador’s wilderness, scientists have unveiled the presence of two new tarantula species from the slopes of the Andes in the western part of the country.
In the depths of Ecuador’s wilderness, scientists have unveiled the presence of two new tarantula species. Researchers of Universidad San Francisco de Quito found them on trees on the slopes of the Andes in the western part of the country.
Meet Ecuador’s newest tarantulas
One of them was found in late February 2023, 1.5 m above the forest floor in the foothill evergreen forest of the Cordillera Occidental . Just discovered, it is already seriously threatened as people use its habitat for mining and agriculture. Its scientific name reflects this vulnerability: the tarantula is called Psalmopoeus chronoarachne, from the Greek words for “time” and “spider.”
Psalmopoeus chronoarachne.
“The compound word refers to the adage that these spiders could ‘have their time counted’ or reduced by impactful anthropogenic activities. The name addresses conservation concerns about the survival and prevalence of spider species in natural environments,” they write in their paper, which was just published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
The other newly discovered tarantula has an even more curious name: Psalmopoeus satanas. “It is appropriately named because the initial individual that was collected had an attitude!” says researcher Roberto J. León-E, who first spotted it in a bamboo fence in San José de Alluriquín. The spider immediately exhibited defensive behavior; “this behavior then transformed into fleeing, where the spider made quick sporadic movements, nearly too fast to see.”
Psalmopoeus satanas.
It was the first tarantula he ever caught.
“The members of the Mygalomorphae Research Group in the Laboratory of Terrestrial Zoology at Universidad San Francisco de Quito grew very fond of this individual during its care, in spite of the individual’s bad temperament and sporadic attacks (reason for the nickname),” he writes in the paper.
The species, which can be found in in the north of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes at about 900 m above sea level, is facing serious threats as its habitat is degraded, ever declining, and severely fragmented by cropland and mining concessions and expanding urban and agricultural territories.
Critically endangered: threats to tarantula survival
“It is important to consider that the areas in which these arthropods live are not under legal protection. The implementation of protected areas in these localities is essential to maintain the remaining population of these endangered species and to encourage research on the remaining undescribed or unknown tarantula species in the area,” says Pedro Peñaherrera-R, who led the research on these animals.
Mining concessions in Ecuador.Credit José Manuel Falcón-Reibán
This makes the region highly vulnerable to both legal and illegal mining operations that extract metals such as copper, silver, and gold, introducing pollutants to its ecosystems.
The implementation of stricter regulations and penalties for illegal mining or other extracting-related activities, including specimen smuggling, might help these species survive. Likewise, the engaging and educating of local communities about the importance of biodiversity conservation is essential to avoid further extinction.
“We encourage future work by Ecuadorian and international researchers, organisations, and governments to effectively understand the reality about the threat of tarantula smuggling and the required conservation status of each species in the country.” Says Roberto J. León-E.
Overview of the ecosystem of both species. Credit Naia Andrade Hoeneisen
“It is essential to consider the potential loss of both P. chronoarachne and P. satanas and the ecological consequences that would result from their extinctions. These species may serve essential roles in the stratified micro-ecosystems in their respective areas,” the researchers write in their paper.
The dark side: illegal trade in wild tarantulas
Illegal trade in wild tarantulas as pets is also a latent threat, not only to these two species, but to Ecuadorian tarantulas in general. Many tarantula species can be found for sale online on various websites and Facebook groups. “During the writing of this article and the publication of another article, we found that a species that we described (Neischnocolus cisnerosi) is currently in the illegal pet trade!” says Pedro Peñaherrera-R.
After studying papers on wild-caught pet-trade specimens, the researchers conclude that the issue has been going on for more than 30 years in the country. “Although this series of publications encouraged research on Ecuadorian tarantulas previously ignored for centuries, they also functioned as catalysts within the exotic pet-trade hobby, aiding in obtaining these species and further encouraging people to collect undescribed species,” says Pedro Peñaherrera-R with concern.
Original source:
Peñaherrera-R. P, León-E. RJ (2023) On Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 (Araneae, Theraphosidae) species and tarantula conservation in Ecuador. ZooKeys 1186: 185-205. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1186.108991
Dikow, an esteemed entomologist specialising in Diptera and cybertaxonomy, is the new Editor-in-Chief of the leading scholarly journal in systematic zoology and biodiversity
Esteemed entomologist specialising in true flies (order Diptera) and cybertaxonomy, Dr Torsten Dikow was appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of the leading open-access peer-reviewed journal in systematic zoology and biodiversity ZooKeys.
Today, Dikow is a Research Entomologist and Curator of Diptera and Aquatic Insects at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Washington, DC, USA), where his research interests encompass the diversity and evolutionary history of the superfamily Asiloidea – or asiloid flies – comprising curious insect groups, such as the assassin flies / robber flies and the mydas flies. Amongst an extensive list of research publications, Dikow’s studies on the diversity, biology, distribution and systematics of asiloid flies include the description of 60 species of assassin flies alone, and the redescription of even more through comprehensive taxonomic revisions.
During his years as a postdoc at the Field Museum (Illinois, USA), Dikow was earnestly involved in the broader activities of the Encyclopedia of Life through its Biodiversity Synthesis Center (BioSynC) and the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). There, he would personally establish contacts with smaller natural history museums and scientific societies, and encourage them to grant digitisation permissions to the BHL for in-copyright scientific publications. Dikow is a champion of cybertaxonomic tools and making biodiversity data accessible from both natural history collections and publications. He has been named a Biodiversity Open Data Ambassador by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Dikow is no stranger to ZooKeys and other journals published by the open-access scientific publisher and technology provider Pensoft. For the past 10 years, he has been amongst the most active editors and a regular author and reviewer at ZooKeys, Biodiversity Data Journal and African Invertebrates.
“Publishing taxonomic revisions and species descriptions in an open-access, innovative journal to make data digitally accessible is one way we taxonomists can and need to add to the biodiversity knowledge base. ZooKeys has been a journal in support of this goal since day one. I am excited to lend my expertise and enthusiasm to further this goal and continue the development to publish foundational biodiversity research, species discoveries, and much more in the zoological field,”
ZooKeys is a peer-reviewed, open-access, rapidly disseminated journal launched to accelerate research and free information exchange in taxonomy, phylogeny, biogeography and evolution of animals. ZooKeys aims to apply the latest trends and methodologies in publishing and preservation of digital materials to meet the highest possible standards of the cybertaxonomy era.
ZooKeys publishes papers in systematic zoology containing taxonomic/faunistic data on any taxon of any geological age from any part of the world with no limit to manuscript size. To respond to the current trends in linking biodiversity information and synthesising the knowledge through technology advancements, ZooKeys also publishes papers across other taxon-based disciplines, such as ecology, molecular biology, genomics, evolutionary biology, palaeontology, behavioural science, bioinformatics, etc.
Imagine having access to all the two billion biological collections of the world from your desktop! Not only to browse, but to search with artificial intelligence. We recently published a paper where we envisage what might be possible, such as searching all specimen labels for a person’s signature, studying the patterns of butterflies’ wings, or reconstructing a historic expedition.
Numbers of digital images from biodiversity collections are increasing exponentially. Herbariums have led the way with tens of millions of images available, but images of pinned insects will soon overtake plants.
Numbers of accessible images of specimens are increasing exponentially. Plants lead the way, but insects are increasing at the fastest rate. This graph was created from snapshots of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and is undoubtedly an underestimate of the actual number of specimens for which images exist. See how this was created in Groom et al. (2023).
At one time, if you wanted access to biological collections, you had to travel. Now we are used to visiting collections online, where we can view images of specimens and their details on our desktops. Nevertheless, biological collection images are still dispersed and this limits their effective use, not just for people, but also for computers. One of the promises of making specimens digital is being able to apply machine learning to these images. Yet the real benefits of machine access to specimens can only be realised through massive access to collection images and the ability to apply these techniques to hundreds of collections and millions of specimens.
Imagine examining collections globally for the variation and evolution of wing coloration in butterflies, or studying the size and shape of leaves in research that transverses habitats and gradients of latitude and altitude.
In our paper in Biodiversity Data Journal, we examined some of the numerous uses for machine learning in digital collections. These include an enormous potential to extract traits of organisms, from the size and shape of different organs, to their colours, patterns, and phenology. Imagine examining collections globally for the variation and evolution of wing coloration in butterflies, or studying the size and shape of leaves in research that transverses habitats and gradients of latitude and altitude. We would not only be able to study the intricacies of evolution, but also practical subjects, such as the mechanics of pollination in insects, adaptations to drought in plants, and adaptations to weediness in invasive species.
Machine access to these images will also provide an unparalleled view of the history of the biological sciences, the specimens used to describe species, the evidence for evolution, the people involved and institutions that contributed. Such transparency may reveal some amazing stories of scientific exploration, but will undoubtedly also shed light on some of the less exemplary actions of colonialism. Yet if we are to redress the injustices of the past we need to have a balanced view of collections, and we should do this openly.
Specimen labels provide numerous clues to their history often in the form of stamps and emblems. ABR0000013433048 Meise Botanic Garden (CC-BY-SA 4.0). B USCH0030719, A.C. Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina (public domain). CE00809288, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (public domain). D USCH0030719, University of South Carolina (public domain). EE00919066, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (public domain). FBR0000017682725, Meise Botanic Garden (CC-BY-SA 4.0). GP00605317, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (CC-BY 4.0). H LISC036829, Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (CC-BY-NC 4.0). l PC0702930, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (CC-By 4.0). J same specimen as (B). K PC0702930 Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (CC-BY 4.0). L101178648, Missouri Botanical Garden (CC-BY-SA 4.0).
With such unparalleled access to collections, we could travel vicariously to times and places that are hard to reach in any other way. Fieldwork is expensive and time-consuming, and can’t provide the historic perspective of collections, let alone the geographic extent. Furthermore, digital resources have the potential to democratise collections, allowing anyone the opportunity to study these collections irrespective of location.
Is such a vision of integrated digital collections possible? It certainly is! The technologies already exist, not just for machine learning, but also to create the infrastructure to provide access to millions of digital images and their metadata. Initiatives, such as DiSSCo in Europe and iDigBio in the USA are moving in this direction. Yet, we conclude that the main challenge to realising this vision of the future is a sociopolitical one. Can so many institutions and funders work together to pool their resources? Can collections in rich countries share the sovereignty of their collections with the countries where many of the specimens originated?
If you too share the dream, we encourage you to support or contribute to initiatives working in this direction, whether through funding, collaboration, or sharing knowledge. If the full potential of digital collections is to be realised, we need to think big and work together.
Research article:
Groom Q, Dillen M, Addink W, Ariño AHH, Bölling C, Bonnet P, Cecchi L, Ellwood ER, Figueira R, Gagnier P-Y, Grace OM, Güntsch A, Hardy H, Huybrechts P, Hyam R, Joly AAJ, Kommineni VK, Larridon I, Livermore L, Lopes RJ, Meeus S, Miller JA, Milleville K, Panda R, Pignal M, Poelen J, Ristevski B, Robertson T, Rufino AC, Santos J, Schermer M, Scott B, Seltmann KC, Teixeira H, Trekels M, Gaikwad J (2023) Envisaging a global infrastructure to exploit the potential of digitised collections. Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e109439. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e109439
This new study not only presents new records of bee species in Serbia and confirms some old ones, but also provides additional information about European distribution.
Pollinators play a crucial role in our ecosystems by pollinating flowering plants and crops, contributing to the planetary and human well-being. During the past decade, the decline in insect pollinators has become a more and more disturbing issue that countless scientific and public communities are trying to tackle every day.
Published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, a new study aims to contribute to updating the knowledge on wild bee diversity in Serbia, necessary for determining conservation priorities and future endeavours at the national level, but also for improving the understanding of the status of European pollinators. The study is also making an attempt to upgrade the exciting data provided by the recently published checklist of European bees, European bees country records, and, focusing on Serbia, a preliminary list of 706 bee species.
Map of Serbia showing the localities where bee specimens were collected.
To do that, researchers used data from the implementation of the national project SPAS, and within the EU-funded project Safeguard. With the aim of monitoring the diversity and abundance of insect pollinators in Serbia, 54 sites were surveyed three times throughout the 2022 season.
The transect walks and pan traps used for the assessment led to the discovery of 312 bee species. Results show that 25 of these have not been previously recorded for Serbia. Furthermore, the study confirms the presence of 26 species, without any available records from the 21st century.
Graphic view of the number of species detected depending on the sampling methods A at all studied sites B at a subset of sites where both sampling methods were conducted.
The authors also share that 79 of the examined species were known only from literature-based data and six of the recorded species are considered threatened with 67 (10 newly recorded) assessed as Data Deficient in the European Red List of Bees. In addition, the study manages to achieve the goal of updating the current knowledge of bee species occurring in Serbia. By recording 25 new species, the Safeguard study successfully extends the national list with new recordings – from 706 to 731 species.
This new study not only presents new records of bee species in Serbia and confirms some old ones, but also provides additional information about European distribution, required for new assessment at the European level.
Research article:
Mudri-Stojnić S, Andrić A, Józan Z, Likov L, Tot T, Grković A, Vujić A (2023) New records for the wild bee fauna (Hymenoptera, Anthophila) of Serbia. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 96: 761-781. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.96.107595
A recent update introduced to the CMSY methodology used to assess the status of fish stocks has proven to more accurately predict the catch that a population can support than highly valued data-intensive models.
In a paper published in the journal Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, the international team of researchers that shaped the improved CMSY++ model noted that its results better correspond with what is, in reality, the highest catch that a fish stock can support in the long-term, given that environmental conditions do not change much.
Now powered by an artificial neural network that has been trained with catch and biomass data of 400 stocks to identify plausible ranges of the initial and final state of the stocks being assessed, CMSY++ allows managers and scientists to input only catch data to estimate how much fish is left in a given stock and how much fishing pressure can be applied.
Schematic representation of the surplus production model used by CMSY, with indication of impaired recruitment due to small stock size, where FMSY is reduced linearly with decline in biomass.
Maximum sustainable catches or yield (MSY) is a concept developed in the 1950s by US fisheries scientist M.B. Schaefer who proposed that if fishers left in the water a biomass equivalent to at least 50 per cent of the unexploited fish population, that is, of the biomass it had before being commercially exploited, then the highest possible catches could be sustained over time.
“By comparing the results of CMSY++ to models that are considered superior because they require large amounts of initial data inputs, such as the Fox surplus-production model and the Stock Synthesis (SS3) age-structured model, we noticed that these models badly overpredicted the catch that a population can support when previous overfishing has reduced it to a small fraction of its natural size, as is the case with most exploited fish populations in the world.”
Dr. Rainer Froese, lead author of the study and a senior scientist at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research.
In other words, the model underlying the CMSY++ method fitted the observed data, while the predictions of the ‘gold standard’ models were too optimistic in estimating sustainable catches.
Examples of graphical output of CMSY++, here for European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in the eastern English Channel.
“These models tend to estimate the biomass required to produce maximum sustainable yields as less than half of unexploited biomass, which is lower than M.B. Schaefer originally proposed based on the widely observed S-shaped growth curve of unexploited populations or population size that the ecosystem would normally accommodate.
“This finding could explain the often-observed failure of fisheries managers to maintain or rebuild depleted stocks even when the predictions of the gold standard models were followed.”
Daniel Pauly, co-author of the study and principal investigator of the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia.
Research article:
Froese R, Winker H, Coro G, Palomares MLD, Tsikliras AC, Dimarchopoulou D, Touloumis K, Demirel N, Vianna GMS, Scarcella G, Schijns R, Liang C, Pauly D (2023) New developments in the analysis of catch time series as the basis for fish stock assessments: The CMSY++ method. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 53: 173-189. https://doi.org/10.3897/aiep.53.e105910
The database is a groundbreaking and pioneering initiative set to revolutionise our understanding of the rich biodiversity of Mindanao, the second-largest island group in the Philippines.
The Philippine Archipelago, with more than 7,100 islands, has one of the highest levels of endemism globally and is a hotspot for biodiversity conservation. Mindanao, the second largest group of islands in the country, is a treasure trove of terrestrial species, boasting one of the highest densities of unique flora and fauna on the planet. However, despite its ecological significance, comprehensive biodiversity records and data for the region have remained inaccessible until now.
The Mindanao Open Biodiversity Information (MOBIOS+) database aims to bridge these critical data gaps by compiling biodiversity information from the 21st century. This monumental undertaking seeks to enhance our understanding of Mindanao’s biodiversity trends, while establishing a database that is openly accessible to researchers and conservationists worldwide.
MOBIOS+ is the first of its kind and, currently, the most comprehensive attempt to create a consolidated database for the biodiversity of Mindanao based on publicly available literature. With a vast collection of biodiversity data, this database will be an invaluable resource to advance regional biodiversity research and analysis.
“It will further facilitate the identification of species and areas that require immediate conservation prioritisation and action, addressing the urgent challenges posed by our rapidly changing planet,” the researchers behind the project write in their data paper, published in the open-access, peer-reviewed Biodiversity Data Journal.
Team members of the MOBIOS+ consortium curating the dataset.
The MOBIOS+ database, available through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) platform, currently comprises an impressive 12,813 georeferenced specimen occurrences representing 1,907 unique taxa. These span across ten animal classes inhabiting terrestrial and freshwater environments within the Mindanao faunal region. The project aims to continuously update the species database, complementing on-ground biodiversity efforts in Mindanao.
Diversity and distribution of species occurrence records across taxonomic groups included in the first version of the MOBIOS+ database. The diversity of species (percentage, %) according to class compared to the overall number of species recorded in the MOBIOS+ database (a); and the total number of species and the number of georeferenced occurrences per animal class (b).
Associate Professor Krizler Tanalgo of the Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory at the University of Southern Mindanao, the project leader behind MOBIOS+, shared his thoughts on this initiative, saying:
“We aim to democratise biodiversity information, making it readily available to researchers, policymakers, and conservation biologists. By doing so, we hope to facilitate well-informed decisions to address pressing environmental challenges, with a particular focus on the often underrepresented Mindanao region, which tends to receive limited attention in terms of research and funding.”
Distribution of biodiversity records across taxonomic groups from published papers.
“The MOBIOS+ database is not only a testament to the dedication of the scientific community, but also a beacon of hope for the future of biodiversity conservation in Mindanao and beyond. It will support researchers and conservationists in identifying species and areas that require immediate prioritisation and action, safeguarding the unique and fragile ecosystems of this extraordinary region.”
The Biodiversity Community Integrated Knowledge Library (BiCIKL) project, funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Action under grant agreement No 101007492, has supported the publication of this work. The work is part of a special collection supported by the project and looking to demonstrate the advantages and novel approaches in accessing and (re-)using linked biodiversity data.
Research article: Tanalgo KC, Dela Cruz KC, Agduma AR, Respicio JMV, Abdullah SS, Alvaro-Ele RJ, Hilario-Husain BA, Manampan-Rubio M, Murray SA, Casim LF, Pantog AMM, Balase SMP, Abdulkasan RMA, Aguirre CAS, Banto NL, Broncate SMM, Dimacaling AD, Fabrero GVN, Lidasan AK, Lingcob AA, Millondaga AM, Panilla KFL, Sinadjan CQM, Unte ND (2023) The MOBIOS+: A FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) database for Mindanao’s terrestrial biodiversity. Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e110016. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e110016
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You can find all contributions published in the “Linking FAIR biodiversity data through publications: The BiCIKL approach” article collection in the open-access, peer-reviewed Biodiversity Data Journal on: https://doi.org/10.3897/bdj.coll.209.
Measuring the extent and dynamics of the global biodiversity crisis is a challenging task that demands rapid, reliable and repeatable biodiversity monitoring data. Such data is essential for policymakers to be able to assess policy options effectively and accurately. To achieve this, however, there is a need to enhance the integration of biodiversity data from various sources, including citizen scientists, museums, herbaria, and researchers.
B-Cubed’s response
B-Cubed (Biodiversity Building Blocks for policy) hopes to tackle this challenge by reimagining the process of biodiversity monitoring, making it more adaptable and responsive.
B-Cubed’s approach rests on six pillars:
Improved alignment between policy and biodiversity data. Working closely with existing biodiversity initiatives to identify and meet policy needs.
Evidence base. Leveraging data cubes to standardise access to biodiversity data using the Essential Biodiversity Variables framework. These cubes are the basis for models and indicators of biodiversity.
Cloud computing environment. Providing users with access to the models in real-time and on demand.
Automated workflows. Developing exemplary automated workflows for modelling using biodiversity data cubes and for calculating change indicators.
Case studies. Demonstrating the effectiveness of B-Cubed’s tools.
Capacity building. Ensuring that the solutions meet openness standards and training end-users to employ them.
Pensoft’s role
Harnessing its experience in the communication, dissemination and exploitation of numerous EU projects, Pensoft focuses on maximising B-Cubed’s impact and ensuring the adoption and long-term legacy of its results. This encompasses a wide array of activities, ranging all the way from building the project’s visual and online presence to translating its results into policy recommendations. Pensoft also oversees B-Cubed’s data management by developing a Data Management Plan which ensures the implementation of the FAIR data principles and maximises the access to and re-use of the project’s research outputs.
