Heringer, G. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

Use of a citizen science tool for the determination of biological invasions in urban areas

Urban environments are critical points for biological invasions because these areas are susceptible to a greater number of environmental disturbances. Because they are densely populated ecosystems, urban environments present a unique opportunity for the involvement of society in the management of invasive exotic species. Similarly, citizen science offers opportunities to conduct research in the field of ecology together with society. The objective of our study was to analyze the occurrence of exotic species in urban areas recorded on iNaturalist and determine whether citizen science applications are good data sources for research projects in invasion ecology. Specifically, we evaluated whether richness and composition of the exotic species community in the cities registered on the iNaturalist platform were explained by socioeconomic and environmental factors. We also verified whether richness of the exotic species in cities registered on the iNaturalist platform were similar to the richness of the exotic species community in the region where the city is located using data collected only by researchers. We obtained 38,374 occurrences of 265 invasive species covering 2,057 cities in 72 countries. Occurrence records were concentrated in North America, Western Europe and Oceania, and there were no data for cities in most of Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and West Asia. Socioeconomic and environmental factors were important determinants of the richness of exotic species in urban areas of the world and were important determinants of the richness of exotic species in natural environments. Urban hotspots of invasive exotic species were different from those for ecosystems in general.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Identifying priority connectivity in a tropical forest hotspot severely affected by land use changes

The probability that a propagule reaches a certain location where it can establish and persist is affected by the distance from the source. Fragmented landscapes often promote the isolation of habitats that hinder or impede the movement of species that affect their range distribution, even when environmental conditions are adequate. Studies that assess the connectivity of the landscape are essential to ensure that ecological conservation planning covers all vital processes that occur on a landscape scale. Based on the classification of land cover in the Rio Doce Basin - RDB, we used a habitat / non-habitat approach to assess RDB connectivity for tree species. Based on circuit theory, we built 6 surface models of resistance based on habitat and non-habitat areas. We performed the analysis using the GIS plug-in and Linkage Mapper to generate lest cost path maps. The RDB is very fragmented, but still has functionally connected regions. The west to nothwestern and southeastern portions of the basin are well-connected and demand conservation practices, while the center-north of the basin and the far southwest are regions with greater resistance to connectivity as a result of strong anthropic pressures that reduce forests, requiring intervention through restoration projects avoiding loss due to lack of connectivity. In addition, land reclamation projects in degraded areas must also be organized in the Linhares region, as it is inserted in a region of very high biodiversity with a high level of endemism and a high number of threatened species.

ecology↗