Distribution, conservation status and proposed measures for preservation of Radiodiscus microgastropods in Chile

PeerJ

article

Gonzalo A. Collado¹  Rodrigo B. Salvador³  Marcela Vidal¹  Fernanda Parra Aravena¹  Vannia Delgado¹  Cristian Torres-Díaz¹ 

[1] Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Bío-Bío;Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad and Cambio Global, Universidad del Bío-Bío;Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa;Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway;The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway

关键词: Conservation biology;    Endangered species;    IUCN Red List;    Land snails;    Micromollusks;    NatureServe;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.14027

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

The genus Radiodiscus includes minute terrestrial snails occurring throughout the American continent. We assessed the conservation status of eight poorly known Chilean Radiodiscus species using the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and NatureServe categories and criteria. Under the IUCN guidelines the species were assessed using the Criterion B of geographic range, which considers the extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) as subcriteria. For NatureServe we used these two parameters plus the number of occurrences, ecological viability, and threats. Considering species rarity and possible sampling bias, we also used ecological niche modeling to determine climate and environmental tolerances and predict potential species distributions analyzing bioclimatic and geographical layers. Radiodiscus australis, R. coarctatus and R. quillajicola were listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN and NatureServe standards; R. coppingeri, R. flammulatus, R. magellanicus and R. villarricensis as Endangered by both methods; while R. riochicoensis as Endangered by IUCN standards and Vulnerable by NatureServe standards. Niche modeling results indicated that Radiodiscus species respond to different environmental conditions and that the predicted distribution areas contain suitable habitats beyond the current ranges, which may be helpful for future management plans. Nature-based sport tourism, forestry activities, urbanization, roads, pollution, mining, forest fires, livestock, volcanism, tsunamis, soil erosion and introduced species are among the major threats affecting these snails. Based on the low number of occurrences and the threats identified, the most at-risk species are R. coarctatus and R. quillajicola (one record), R. australis (two records) and R. villarricensis (three records); the latter two lacking occurrences within protected areas. Compiling our findings, we propose a list of actions to preserve Chilean Radiodiscus species.

【 授权许可】

CC BY