Herps patterns liceo_mar2011

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Diversity Patterns and the Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles

in the Philippines

Arvin C. DiesmosNational Museum of the Philippines

Mae Lowe L. DiesmosUniversity of Santo Tomas

Rafe M. BrownUniversity of Kansas

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Taylor’s Igorot Frog Rana igorotaBalbalasang-Balbalan Natural Park, Luzon Island. March 2000. Photo by RMB.

Rediscoveries

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Philippine Flat-headed Frog Barbourula busuangensis Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island. January 2002. Photo by ACD.

Rediscoveries

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Rediscoveries

Mindanao Caecilian Ichthyophis mindanaoensis Mt. Kitanglad, Mindanao Island. April 2003. Photo by ACD.

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Rediscoveries

Philippine Forest Turtle Siebenrockiella leytensis Dumaran, Palawan Island. April 2002. Photo by ACD.

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New Discoveries

Southern Luzon Limestone Frog Platymantis biakBiak-Na-Bato National Park, Luzon Island. January 2009. Photo by ACD.

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New Discoveries

Southern Luzon Limestone Forest Gecko Gekko carusadensisBiak-Na-Bato National Park, Luzon Island. March 2010. Photo by ACD.

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New Discoveries

Northern Sierra Madre Forest Monitor Lizard Varanus bitatawaIsabela Province, Luzon Island. April 2005. Photo by ACD.

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New Discoveries

Northern Sierra Madre Forest Monitor Lizard Varanus bitatawaIsabela Province, Luzon Island. April 2005. Photo by ACD.

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EndemicNon-endemic

Brown & Diesmos 2002; Brown, Diesmos & Alcala 2008.

Introduction Methods Results & Discussion Conclusions

New Species Discoveries

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Morphological (traditional techniques)


New Species Discoveries

Bioacoustics

Genetics

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Asian amphibian diversity & endemism: Present

Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA; www.globalamphibians.org); Stuart et al. 2008.

Timor

Pakistan

Singapore

Taiwan

Napal

Laos

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Indonesia

China

0 100 200 300

endemicsnonendemics

Nepal

0 100 200 300


Philippines

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http://www.globalamphibians.org

http://www.globalamphibians.org

Projected diversity and endemism

endemicsnonendemics

Nepal

Brown & Diesmos 2002; Brown 2004; Brown, Diesmos & Alcala 2008.

Timor

Pakistan

Singapore

Taiwan

Napal

Laos

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Indonesia

China

0 100 200 3000 100 200 300

Nepal


Philippines

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Projected diversity and endemism

endemicsnonendemics

Nepal

Brown & Diesmos 2002; Brown 2004; Brown, Diesmos & Alcala 2008.

Timor

Pakistan

Singapore

Taiwan

Napal

Laos

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Indonesia

China

0 100 200 3000 100 200 300

Nepal


Philippines

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The primary cause of biodiversity loss and extinction of species in

the Tropics.

e.g., Simberloff 1986; Wilson 1988; Whitmore & Sayer 1992; Myers et al. 2000; Laurance & Peres 2006.

Habitat loss/DeforestationIntroduction Methods Results & Discussion Conclusions

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Legal and illegal logging.Image by RM Brown, Mt. Busa, Sarangani Province, Mindanao, 1993.

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Intensive and extensive kaingin farming.Image by AC Diesmos, San Mariano, Isabela Province, Luzon, 2006.

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Destructive mining is the greatest threat to remaining forests.

Image from flickr.com/photos/storm-crypt/.18

ForestOriginal & secondary (natural) forest

DENR 2003; FAO 2007; Conservation International Philippines GIS Program.


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1990–2000 2000–2005

Philippines 2.8 2.1Indonesia 1.7 2.0Cambodia 1.1 2.0Malaysia 0.4 0.7Thailand 0.7 0.4

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2007.

Deforestation rates (%) among selected Southeast Asian countries


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How does habitat destruction impact herpetofaunal biodiversity?

General QuestionIntroduction Methods Results & Discussion Conclusions

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Describe the patterns of distribution of amphibians and reptiles in terms of biogeography, elevation, and habitat preference

Objectives

Correlate the observed patterns with species richness, endemicity, distribution of threatened species and their habitats


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Habitat data: based on Forest Management Bureau (2003) and FAO (2007)

Amphibians and reptiles: Global Amphibian Assessment (www.globalamphibians.org); Global Reptile Assessment (unpublicized); HerpWatch Philippines (www.herpwatch.org); literature; own field data


Topography: based on Forest Management Bureau (2003); NAMRIA maps; literature

Databases

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http://www.herpwatch.org

http://www.herpwatch.org


Data Analyses Gradient analysis; non-metric

multidimensional scaling, NMDS (PC-ORD) Parametric and non-parametric tests:

ANOVA, χ2 , correlation, regression (JMP ver. 5.1)

Excluded marine & introduced species

McCune & Mefford 1999; MjM Software, Oregon, USA; SAS Institute, NC, USA; <www.iucnredlist.org>

Conservation status of species from IUCN (2010)

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Results & Discussion

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Patterns of Distribution 1Biogeography


Inger 1954; Heaney 1985; Brown & Diesmos 2002, 2009.26

Patterns of Distribution 1

Herpetofauna is generally distributed according to paleo-islands: Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex (PAIC)

Biogeography



PAICPleistocene Aggregate Island Complex

Inger 1954; Heaney 1985; Brown & Diesmos 2002, 2009.


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PAICPleistocene Aggregate Island Complex



Centers of biodiversity & endemism

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3

45

6

78

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Inger 1954; Heaney 1985; Ong et al. 2002; Brown & Diesmos 2002, 2009.29


Biogeography


Brown & Diesmos 2002; Brown & Guttman 2002; Evans et al. 2003; Esselstyn et al. 2008; Brown & Diesmos, 2009.


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Biogeography


Brown & Diesmos 2002; Brown & Guttman 2002; Evans et al. 2003; Esselstyn et al. 2008; Brown & Diesmos, 2009.

Significant exceptions: dispersal events have also occurred INTO, WITHIN, and OUT OF the Philippines well before the Pleistocene and PAIC landmass formations (i.e., Eocene or Oligocene, > 30 million years ago)


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WITHIN The Philippines

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INTO & OUT OF The Philippines

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More ancient dispersal events

Blackburn et al. 2010.35









Richness & geography

Species richness

*(r = 0.18, df = 209, p = 0.008)

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Richness & geography

Species richness

*(r = 0.18, df = 209, p = 0.008)

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

150

300

0


Patterns of Distribution 3Richness vs. elevation

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

150

300

0



Reptiles

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

150

300

0



ReptilesAmphibians

40

0

100

200

300

400

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Non-endemic

Endemic

Elevation

No

. o

f sp

ecie

s


Endemicity vs. elevationPatterns of Distribution 3

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Stratified distribution pattern in elevation

Diesmos et al. 2002; image by AC Diesmos, Mt. Mayon, Albay Province, Luzon, 2004.


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Species A

Species B

Species C

Species D

Species E

Species F

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Species A

Species B

Species C

Species D

Species E

Species F

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0

20

40

60

0 500 1000 2000

Direct development

Oviparous

1500

Elevation

No

. o

f sp

ecie

s


Reproductive mode vs. elevationPatterns of Distribution 4

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Elevation

Species(direct developers)

0 500 1000 1500

Direct development vs. elevationIntroduction Methods Results & Discussion Conclusions

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Elevation

Species(direct developers)

0 500 1000 1500

Direct development vs. elevationIntroduction Methods Results & Discussion Conclusions

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Direct Developers

Platymantis

Philautus

Oreophryne


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Ecological variablesPatterns of Distribution 5

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Taxa & ecological variablesPatterns of Distribution 5

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0

100

200

300

400

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Elevation

No

. o

f sp

ecie

s

Endemics

Threatenedspecies


Threatened & endemic speciesPatterns of Distribution 6

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0


Patterns of Distribution 7Richness vs. elevation per PAIC

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0



Luzon

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0



LuzonMindanao

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0



LuzonMindanaoWest Visayas

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0



LuzonMindanaoWest VisayasMindoro

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0



LuzonMindanaoWest VisayasMindoroPalawan

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ForestOriginal & secondary (natural) forest

DENR 2003; FAO 2007; Conservation International Philippines GIS Program.


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0 40 80 120

Jolo–Tawitawi

Mindanao

Camiguin

Gigante

West Visayas

Palawan

Romblon–Sibuyan

Mindoro

Luzon

Babuyan

Batanes

Number of species

Predicted

extinctions

Numbers of species predicted to become extinct with current habitat loss


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0 40 80 120

Jolo–Tawitawi

Mindanao

Camiguin

Gigante

West Visayas

Palawan

Romblon–Sibuyan

Mindoro

Luzon

Babuyan

Batanes

Number of species

Predicted

extinctions 19–55%

Numbers of species predicted to become extinct with current habitat loss


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Rank PAIC Predicted extinct

1 West Visayas 55.1% (42 species)2 Mindoro 41.2% (38 species)3 Gigante 36.1% (3 species)4 Batanes 33.7% (5 species)5 Luzon 33.5% (38 species)

Top PAICs with highest proportions and numbers of predicted species extinctions


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SynopsisIntroduction Methods Results & Discussion Conclusions

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Biogeography is generally understood but recent studies indicate high complexity and needs resolution through fine-scaled studies


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Low elevation habitats are species-rich


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Low elevation habitats are species-rich Species influenced by distribution of key

microhabitats and other environmental variables


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Low elevation habitats are species-rich Species influenced by distribution of key

microhabitats and other environmental variables

Hotspots of herpetofaunal conservation: West Visayas, Mindoro, Batanes, Gigantes


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ResultsIntroduction Methods Discussion Conclusions

Conservation Implications

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Significant implications to current conservation management efforts because of heavy focus on protection of high-elevation forests and intact (pristine) habitats


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Significant implications to current conservation management efforts because of heavy focus on protection of high-elevation forests and intact (pristine) habitats


➡ Palawan Strategic Environment Plan (SEP)➡ National Integrated Protected Areas System

(NIPAS)

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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0




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Elevation

Richness

500 1000 1500 2000

100

200

0




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Conservation Implications Significant implications to current

conservation management efforts because of heavy focus on protection of high-elevation forests and intact (pristine) habitats➡ Palawan Strategic Environment Plan (SEP)➡ National Integrated Protected Areas System

(NIPAS)

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Conservation Implications Significant implications to current

conservation management efforts because of heavy focus on protection of high-elevation forests and intact (pristine) habitats➡ Palawan Strategic Environment Plan (SEP)➡ National Integrated Protected Areas System

(NIPAS)

Conservation efforts should embrace protection of remaining natural habitats and ecological restoration

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Hotspots cannot afford to lose more habitat. A critical threshold has already been reached, especially in the Western Visayas and Mindoro, and in small island centers of endemism of Batanes and Gigante island groups.


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Hotspots cannot afford to lose more habitat. A critical threshold has already been reached, especially in the Western Visayas and Mindoro, and in small island centers of endemism of Batanes and Gigante island groups.

Lack of basic survey, natural history information, and autecological data undermines our ability to accurately assess conservation status of many species.


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Thank you very much!• Liceo de Cagayan University• Funding and logistical support: Rufford Small Grant for

Nature Conservation, National University of Singapore, Turtle Survival Alliance, Conservation International Philippines, National Museum of the Philippines, University of Kansas, US National Science Foundation

• Permits: Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (DENR)• Valuable advice from: Angel Alcala • Numerous colleagues from the Philippines and US• Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines• Our families

Acknowledgments

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Documents

Herps patterns liceo_mar2011