Journal Information

Most often read

14140
Understanding Brazil’s catastrophic fires: Causes, consequences and policy needed to prevent future tragedies
Vânia R. Pivello, Ima Vieira, Alexander V. Christianini, Danilo Bandini Ribeiro, Luciana da Silva Menezes, Christian Niel Berlinck, Felipe P.L. Melo, José Antonio Marengo, ... Gerhard E. Overbeck
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:233-55
14140
Highlights

  • Fire incidence in Brazil increased in 2019−2020, with unprecedented magnitude in the Pantanal.

  • Fire effects vary according to the evolutionary history of the affected ecosystem.

  • A drier climate and land use changes increase the risk of wildfires throughout Brazil.

  • Poor governance further exacerbates the risk and damage of wildfires.

  • Fire policies must be improved by collaboration among different sectors of the society.

Open access
6129
Collaborative management as a way to enhance Araucaria Forest resilience
Mario M. Tagliari, Carolina Levis, Bernardo M. Flores, Graziela D. Blanco, Carolina T. Freitas, Juliano A. Bogoni, Ghislain Vieilledent, Nivaldo Peroni
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:131-42
6129
Highlights

  • Top-down restrictive measures are the basis of Araucaria Forest System conservation

  • Bottom-up collaborative management could favor keystone plant Araucaria angustifolia

  • Top-down model had negative feedback that dampens the system limiting its resilience

  • Bottom-up model had positive feedback expanding the system and its general resilience

  • Collaborative management could maintain the Araucaria Forests System in the long term

Open access
5835
COVID-19 pandemic as a learning path for grounding conservation policies in science
Renata Pardini, Diana Bertuol-Garcia, Beatriz Demasi Araújo, João Pedro Mesquita, Beatriz Moraes Murer, Marcella do Carmo Pônzio, Fernando Silvério Ribeiro, Mariana Laganaro Rossi, Paulo Inácio Prado
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:109-14
5835
Highlights

  • The pandemic brought to light diverse issues concerning the science-policy interface.

  • These issues are particularly relevant for conservation science and practice.

  • To tackle them requires recognizing that science is not value-free.

  • Science should be immersed in processes that include conflict mediation to set goals.

  • To that end, it is vital to change science policies and training.

Open access
5765
Most Mexican hummingbirds lose under climate and land-use change: Long-term conservation implications
David A. Prieto-Torres, Laura E. Nuñez Rosas, Daniela Remolina Figueroa, María del Coro Arizmendi
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:487-99
5765
Highlights

  • Global climate and land-use changes will have a serious impact on individual species and communities of hummingbirds.

  • Existing protected areas showed an important reduction of surface across the species distribution and hotspot areas for future.

  • A large proportion of “safe places” does not match the areas targeted for agriculture expansion in future scenarios.

  • It is imperative that policy-makers promote policies that are resilient to both threats as soon as possible.

Open access
5653
Conservation biology: four decades of problem- and solution-based research
Carlos Roberto Fonseca, Gustavo B. Paterno, Demétrio L. Guadagnin, Eduardo M. Venticinque, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Gislene Ganade, Jean Paul Metzger, Johannes Kollmann, ... Wolfgang W. Weisser
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:121-30
5653
Highlights

  • Conservation biology literature is dominated by problem-based research.

  • Solution-based papers are becoming more common along the last four decades.

  • Solution-to-problem word ratio suggests greater concern with conservation action.

  • Higher emphasis on solution-based research can advance biodiversity conservation.

Open access
5632
Bird Conservation in Brazil: Challenges and practical solutions for a key megadiverse country
Pedro Ferreira Develey
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:171-8
5632
Highlights

  • Brazil is among the three countries with the highest diversity of bird species in the Americas, but it is the first in number of threatened birds with 166 species.

  • Greatest number of endangered species are recorded in the Atlantic Forest.

  • 79,500 ha of new areas officially protect the most endangered bird species in Brazil.

  • 30-40,000 Brazilian birdwatchers generating information for bird conservation.

Open access
5564
Land-use changes lead to functional loss of terrestrial mammals in a Neotropical rainforest
Marcelo Magioli, Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros Ferraz, Adriano Garcia Chiarello, Mauro Galetti, Eleonore Zulnara Freire Setz, Adriano Pereira Paglia, Nerea Abrego, Milton Cezar Ribeiro, Otso Ovaskainen
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:161-70
5564
Highlights

  • Mammal richness and body mass are directly and negatively affected by deforestation.

  • Vulnerable ecological functions lose prevalence with land-use change.

  • Persistent ecological functions are benefitted by increasing anthropogenic land-use.

  • Five out of ten ecological functions lose prevalence in human-modified landscapes.

  • The loss of ecological functions might compromise the persistence of forest remnants.

Open access
5461
Combined impacts of climate and land use change and the future restructuring of Neotropical bat biodiversity
Fernando Gonçalves, Lilian P. Sales, Mauro Galetti, Mathias M. Pires
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:454-63
5461
Highlights

  • The expansion of bat habitat generalists coupled with range contraction of bat habitat specialist will homogenize the Neotropical bat communities.

  • Warm-adapted bat species might expand their ranges towards higher altitudes, while mountain-top specialists will run out of suitable climate.

  • Monitoring programs will be important to track species that are predicted to become extinct and also the projected range expansion of sanguivorous bats.

  • The most effective way to protect Neotropical bat species will be increasing landscape connectivity and safeguarding the refugia highlighted here.

Open access
5311
Beyond patch size: The impact of regional context and habitat quality on three endangered primates
Carmen Galán-Acedo, Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez, Colin A. Chapman
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:207-15
5311
Highlights

  • Primate responses to forest patch size and quality vary among species and regions.

  • Patch size is the best predictor of two species in two different regions.

  • Patch quality (vegetation attributes) better predicts primates in two regions.

  • Conservation outcomes can improve if considering both patch size and quality.

Open access
5249
To graze or not to graze: A core question for conservation and sustainable use of grassy ecosystems in Brazil
Rodrigo Baggio, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Giselda Durigan, Valério D. Pillar
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:256-66
5249
Highlights

  • Grassy ecosystems in South America have developed under grazing by large herbivores until the Early Holocene.

  • The grassy biomes need grazing animals and/or fire to maintain their biodiversity and ecological characteristics.

  • Grazing in the Legal Reserve can represent a social process with benefits for land users and biodiversity conservation.

  • Knowledge on grazing in Brazil’s grassy ecosystems should be developed by researchers and stakeholders.

Open access
5224
Legislation and pollination: Recommendations for policymakers and scientists
Juliana Hipólito, Jeferson Coutinho, Thiago Mahlmann, Thymon Brian Rocha Santana, William E. Magnusson
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:1-9
5224
Highlights

  • Public awareness policies needs to be more comprehensive and interdisciplinary.

  • Brazilian scientists should be consulted and participate in proposing laws.

  • Non bee pollinators must be considered in protective policies.

  • Brazilian largest biome has the lower number of pollinator-policies.

  • Policies on biodiversity protection in cities and on long-term monitoring are necessary.

Open access
5122
Challenges and perspectives for the Brazilian semi-arid coast under global environmental changes
M.O. Soares, C.C. Campos, P.B.M. Carneiro, H.S. Barroso, R.V. Marins, C.E.P. Teixeira, M.O.B. Menezes, L.S. Pinheiro, ... T.M. Garcia
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:267-78
5122
Highlights

  • Changes in the Brazilian semi-arid coast reveal key questions to advance research.

  • Changes in the semi-arid coast can have consequences in the ecological stability and connectivity.

  • Modifications of the coastal dynamics can impact structure and function of adjacent marine ecosystems.

  • Semi-arid coast community dynamics under ongoing climate change should be monitored.

  • Beaches and nearshore mangroves erosion contrast with mangrove expansion inland.

Open access
5008
Differential effects of fire on the occupancy of small mammals in neotropical savanna-gallery forests
Tania Marisol González, Juan David González-Trujillo, Alberto Muñoz, Dolors Armenteras
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:179-88
5008
Highlights

  • Fire has a strong impact in structuring the community of non-volant small mammals.

  • Fire may restrict and promote the occurrence of different mammal species.

  • Vegetation attributes have a fundamental role in the occupancy by small mammals.

  • Fire might disrupt gallery forests’ functioning affecting keystone interactions.

Open access
4984
Species distribution model reveals only highly fragmented suitable patches remaining for giant armadillo in the Brazilian Cerrado
Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros Ferraz, Bruna Gomes de Oliveira, Nina Attias, Arnaud Leonard Jean Desbiez
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:43-52
4984
Highlights

  • Probability of giant armadillo presence was associated with forests and savannas.

  • In Mato Grosso do Sul, suitable habitat is heavily fragmented.

  • Less suitable altered habitat presents high resistance for travel and dispersal.

  • There are only 69 patches of suitable habitat ≥25 km2 in the region.

  • Populations surviving in these remnants could be declining or functionally extinct.

Open access
4953
Long-term contamination of the Rio Doce estuary as a result of Brazil’s largest environmental disaster
Fabrício Â. Gabriel, Amanda D. Ferreira, Hermano M. Queiroz, Ana Luisa S. Vasconcelos, Tiago O. Ferreira, Angelo F. Bernardino
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:417-28
4953
Highlights

  • Long-term (>4.2 years) contamination and ecological risks of the Rio Doce estuary.

  • Sediment metal(loid)s concentrations support a continued potential adverse biological effect.

  • Despite a decrease in metal(loid)s concentration, the chronic contamination is still above reference values.

  • The Rio Doce estuary works as a sink for tailings and a source of toxic metal(loid)s.

Open access
4912
Landscape ecology in the Anthropocene: an overview for integrating agroecosystems and biodiversity conservation
Juliana Silveira dos Santos, Pavel Dodonov, Júlia Emi F. Oshima, Felipe Martello, Andrelisa Santos de Jesus, Manuel Eduardo Ferreira, Carlos M. Silva-Neto, Milton Cezar Ribeiro, Rosane Garcia Collevatti
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:21-32
4912
Highlights

  • Agroecosystem management needs to be considered in landscape ecology studies.

  • Three components of heterogeneity are important to characterize agroecosystems.

  • Studies should include the economic gains provided by ecological farming practices.

  • Studies should include social and economic components of agricultural landscapes.

  • Fine spatial and temporal data are necessary to better characterize agroecosystems.

Open access
4878
Climate change and biological invasion as additional threats to an imperiled palm
Aline Cavalcante de Souza, Jayme Augusto Prevedello
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:216-24
4878
Highlights

  • Native and non-native congeneric species respond differently to climate change.

  • Climate change reduces environmental suitability for the native Euterpe edulis.

  • Climate change impacts on E. edulis are spatially heterogeneous.

  • Current and future overlap areas are concentrated mostly in the southeastern region.

  • Introduction of the non-native E. oleracea should be avoided.

Open access
4822
Factors influencing bat road casualties in a Neotropical savanna
Daniel de Figueiredo Ramalho, Débora Resende, Thiago Furtado de Oliveira, Rodrigo Augusto Lima Santos, Ludmilla Moura de Souza Aguiar
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:189-94
4822
Highlights

  • Estimation of over 4740 road-killed bats during a 5-year period.

  • Phyllostomidae bats were the most affected by roadkill in the study area.

  • Road casualties were more numerous during rainy season.

  • Collisions occurred 12 times more in four-lane highways than in two-lane ones.

  • Distance from water and presence of light were not significantly related to roadkill.

Open access
4758
Plant diversity conservation in highly deforested landscapes of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Julia R.S.A. Mangueira, Leandro T.A. Vieira, Thaís N. Azevedo, Ana Paula S. Sabino, Kátia M.P.M.B. Ferraz, Sílvio F.B. Ferraz, Débora C. Rother, Ricardo R. Rodrigues
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:69-80
4758
Highlights

  • Matrices influence plant diversity of inferior stratum, being higher in pastureland.

  • Time since abandonment positively influences plant diversity of the superior stratum.

  • Beta diversity is high at the studied highly deforested landscapes in Atlantic Forest.

  • In sugarcane matrix, richness and composition were explained by landscape structure.

  • In pastureland matrix, plant diversity was more related to landscape dynamic metrics.

Open access
4721
EcoLand: A multiscale niche modelling framework to improve predictions on biodiversity and conservation
Thadeu Sobral-Souza, Jessie Pereira Santos, Maria Eduarda Maldaner, Matheus S. Lima-Ribeiro, Milton Cézar Ribeiro
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 2021;19:362-8
4721
Highlights

  • Urge for combining local and broad scales to evaluate human impact on biodiversity.

  • A new niche modelling framework predicting the species richness at different scales.

  • Climate and landscape metrics joint uncover the land-use effect on species richness.

  • Landscape modification as the main driver of Atlantic butterfly richness decrease.

  • A guide for conservation actions based on predicted species richness combinations.

Open access
Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation