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Habitat Preferences of Caucasian Rock Agama Paralaudakia caucasia (Sauria: Agamidae) in Urban and Natural Habitats in Northeastern Iran

Hosseinian Yousefkhani S. S., Aliabadian M., Zuffi M. A. L.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2018

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Vol. 66, nr 1

48--56

EN

In this study, we chose 61 plots along three randomly placed transects in urban and natural areas to examine Paralaudakia caucasia habitat preferences. Ten habitat characteristics found to affect the lizard occurrence were recorded in both habitat types. Based on ANOVA, distance to farmland, height of vegetation cover, percentage of cover of human structures, and slope orientation are significantly different between presence and absence plots. Using Principal Component Analysis, we found that the distance to farmland was the main factor predicted species presence in natural habitats. In urban habitats, the percentage of human structures was more important than other factors in predicting P. caucasia presence. The species is more abundant in regions with a low percentage of human-made structures. Other informative factors for species presence were distance from farmland and distance between refuges for urban and natural populations, respectively. Urban populations of P. caucasia appear to prefer areas outside of the city center, far from human structures, whereas natural populations appear to prefer areas away from villages where they may find higher densities of safe refuges. Isolated rocks in both urban and natural areas have an important role in predicting species presence acting because they act as refuges.

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Land Use and Land Cover Change in Protected Areas : Using Remote Sensing to Survey Suitable Habitats of Brown Bear Ursus arctos

Farashi A., Parvian N., Najafabadi M. S.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2016

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Vol. 64, nr 3

420--430

EN

In recent years, brown bear Ursus arctos populations in Iran have experienced a clear trend of reduction and the species is now officially listed as threatened under provincial legislation. Anthropogenic habitat alteration and increasing human access to previously remote landscapes are potential source of stress for this species in Iran. Therefore, land cover changes in the Chelcheli protected area were mapped for 1991–2013 using time sequential Landsat TM and ETM at 30 meters resolution. Moreover, Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling was used to investigate habitat selection of brown bear. The results showed that suitable patches overlapped with forest areas (Hyrcanian forest) and rivers. Our results also indicate that the brown bear habitat suitability is negatively influenced by human disturbance (e.g., roads, settlements). Increased human disturbance in brown bear habitat in recent decades may cause bears to avoid the disturbed areas. Therefore, the management plans should focus on reducing the human infrastructures around brown bear habitat. A suggestion is to place the core secure areas for brown bear inside the suitable habitat close to rivers where the human access is restricted. Promoting awareness of biodiversity conservation among tourism should also be one of the major focuses of management plans.

3

The Relative Influence of Environmental and Human Factors on Seed Plant Richness at the Province Scale in China

Li G., Guo K., Liu C., Liu Y., Song C., Du S.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2015

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Vol. 63, nr 2

184--197

EN

Seed plant diversity is under threat due to human over-exploitation and changes in land use. There is a need to identify regions where seed plant diversity is most at risk and establish nature reserves to protect the most important species. This study collected province scale seed plant richness data and corresponding environmental, social and, economic data in China in order to assess the impact of environmental and socio-economic factors on seed plant diversity and to quantify the relative importance of climate, human disturbance, and habitat heterogeneity on the distribution of seed plant diversity. A downscaling model was established to map the spatial distribution of seed plant diversity at a 1-km resolution. The results showed that temperature and precipitation seasonality, potential evapotranspiration, humidity index, altitude range, and gross domestic product were important determinants of seed plant diversity. The relative contribution of temperature seasonality was the most important factor (explaining 29.9–36.2% of the variation). Climate, human disturbance, and habitat heterogeneity explained much of the seed plant richness and density variation (about 69.4–71.9%). A scale-down model explained 72% of seed plant richness variation and showed that the center of seed plant species diversity was mainly located in the southeast area of China in the Qing-Tibet Plateau, Yun-Gui Plateau, Hengduan Mountain region, middle of the Sichuan Basins, Taiwan island, and Hainan island. This study improves our understanding of biodiversity hotspot regions and is a useful tool for biodiversity conservation policy and nature reserve management in China.

4

Does hydro-electric project development causes land use-land cover change at landscape level? A case study of temperate forest of Western Himalaya

Jolli V.

Journal of Water and Land Development

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2012

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no. 16 [I-VI]

17-22

EN

Human induce land use change is among the major driver of biodiversity loss. The large scale development projects like hydro-electric projects (HEP) will likely to bring about changes at landscape level. Hydro-electric Projects development in India has fastened in the last decade especially in Indian Himalayan Region. The Himalaya being the biodiversity hotspot could have negatively impacted by HEP development. I used remote sensing technology to investigate the ongoing construction of Parvati Hydro-electric Project (PHEP) development and its influence on land use change. I choose 2005 as base year and compared it with 2010 scene. The analysis showed that dense and open forest decreased during PHEP construction. While settlement area grew by 85%, scrub area increased around PHEP construction site. New category degraded forest was added in the 2010. The study showed that PHEP has caused significant changes in Sainj valley since the development of PHEP. There is an urgent need to address the issue of HEP development in fragile mountain ecosystem otherwise it will cause irreparable loss in the nature and environment.

PL

Działalność człowieka, wywołująca zmiany użytkowania gruntów, jest jednym z głównych czynników, powodujących ograniczanie różnorodności biologicznej. Inwestycje o dużej skali, jak elektrownia wodna, najprawdopodobniej spowodują zmiany w przestrzeni. Rozwój elektrowni wodnych w Indiach następuje szczególnie intensywnie w rejonie Himalajów. Istnieją uzasadnione obawy, że na tym obszarze, mającym tak duże walory przyrodnicze, mogą wystąpić szczególnie zagrożenia ekologiczne. W pracy przedstawiono zastosowanie teledetekcji do monitorowania ewentualnych zmian w krajobrazie. Porównywano dane z 2010 r., po wybudowaniu elektrowni, z obrazami uzyskanymi w 2005 r., przyjętym jako referencyjny. Analizy wykazały, że obszary leśne znacznie się zmniejszyły. Liczba ludności zwiększyła się o 85%, co spowodowało zabudowę terenu wokół elektrowni. Ponadto zauważono degradację lasów. Duże zmiany wystąpiły w dolinie Sainy. Występuje konieczność rozważnej lokalizacji elektrowni wodnych, analizy oddziaływania elektrowni w fazie budowy i eksploatacji. Bez szczegółowych planów i analiz ich budowa może spowodować niepowetowane straty w przyrodzie i środowisku.