The Current Conservation Efforts and Future Prospects for the Endangered Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana ibex) in Sudan

A comprehensive action plan for the conservation of the endangered species, the Nubian ibex in Sudan, can be developed by gaining a thorough understanding of their current status, conservation strategy, and relevant laws and regulations, as well as raising awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species. The Nubian ibex is listed as an endangered species on The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, highlighting the need for further research on population conservation efforts due to insufficient population data. To address this knowledge gap, a questionnaire was conducted with various stakeholders, including police officers, researchers, and lecturers, representing a diverse range of organizations and universities. The findings revealed that hunting is the primary factor contributing to endangerment. Mammals account for 80% of endangered species, while reptiles comprise less than one-tenth. Research centers are recognized as the main governing body, and 85% of participants are concerned about the declining population. Hunting accounted for less than half of the threats to the ibex population in Sudan, while habitat loss made up a quarter. Mining, climate change, human activity, and agriculture were also identified as risks. However, there were no plans, strategies, procedures, or measures in place to conserve the Nubian ibex. There were also no initiatives to preserve its biodiversity, and awareness about endangered species was lacking. Although participants believed that laws were effective in protecting the ibex, no licenses were issued for its conservation, and annual surveys were not conducted. Additionally, there were no recorded instances of Mukhalfat related to the Nubian ibex. In light of these findings, we propose various conservation measures to address these challenges. These measures include the implementation of laws and regulations, conducting annual surveys to monitor population trends, protecting habitats, establishing breeding and releasing programs, launching awareness campaigns, undertaking rehabilitation efforts, enhancing research efforts, and developing comprehensive conservation strategies. Additionally, it is crucial to foster cooperation among wildlife institutes to ensure the effective implementation of these conservation measures.

Potential Risk of Hybridization in Ex Situ Collections of Two Endangered Species of Sinojackia Hu （Styracaceae）

Spontaneous hybridization in ex situ facilities can undermine the genetic integrity of ex situ collections and potentially contaminate open-pollinated seeds or seedlings destined for the reintroduction of endangered plant species into the wild. In the present study, the potential risk of hybridization between two endangered Chinese endemic species, namely Sinojackia xylocarpa Hu and S. rehderiana Hu, which are naturally allopatric species but were conserved ex situ in Wuhan Botanical Garden （WBG）, Wuhan, China, were investigated over three consecutive years from 2003 to 2005. The entire overlapping flowering period of the two species was 14-20 d and the two species shared the same pollinator insects during the entire flowering season in WBG. The floral isolation between the two species was not an issue in the ex sltu collection at WBG. The results suggest an opportunity for pollen transfer between species and a potential risk of genetic Introgression and loss of genetic identity of open-pollinated seeds produced in the ex sltu Collection of these two endangered species. An artificial reciprocal cross between S xylocarpa and S. rehderlana confirmed that the two congener species could readily set seeds, indicating no post-pollination barriers to hybridization and the importance of spatial isolation as a barrier to inter-specific crossing. Therefore, to manage these crossable species with overlapping flowering times and shared pollination vectors in ex situ facilities, spatial isolation should be carefully considered to minimize the possibility of spontaneous hybridization.

Differential water use strategies among selected rare and endangered species in West Ordos Desert of China

Aims West Ordos Desert(WOD)in Inner Mongolia of China is charac-terized by unique geographical and ecological features to avoid the direct invasion of Quaternary Continental Glaciation,so it hosts many endangered relic species such as Tetraena mongol-ica,Ammopiptanthus mongolicus and Potaninia mongolica from Tertiary.However,how these plants utilize available water sources remains unknown.The objective of this study was to investigate the water utilization strategies of selected rare and endangered plant species in WOD by comparing hydrogen isotope ratios between their xylem water and possible water sources following four rainfall events of varying-intensities.Methods We measured the hydrogen isotope ratios of xylem water from T.mongolica,A.mongolicus and P.mongolica and an accom-panying species Sarcozygium xanthoxylum and potential water sources(including precipitation and soil water in different soil layers from 0 to 150 cm)over 9 days following each of four varying-intensity rainfall events during the summer of 2012.And then calculated the percentage utilization of potential water sources by each species after each rainfall events using the linear mixing model.We also made the measurements of soil moisture and root biomass in favor of interpretation of plant water use strategies.Important Findings Tetraena mongolica,A.mongolicus and S.xanthoxylum primarily relied on deep soil water,whereas P.mongolica depended predomi-nantly on rainwater.These rare and endangered desert plants had differential utilizations of available water sources,so some com-petition for limited water existed among some species.Tetraena mongolica had a competitive relationship in absorption of soil moisture with the same family species S.xanthoxylum,suggesting that T.mongolica and S.xanthoxylum should be restored separately at different areas in the WOD.Overall,this study provides a better understanding of water use strategies of these four plants and scien-tific evidence for protecting rare and endangered plants,maintain-ing regional species diversity,and developing effective vegetation restoration plans in the WOD.

Using MiddRAD-seq data to develop polymorphic microsatellite markers for an endangered yew species

Microsatellites are highly polymorphic markers which have been used in a wide range of genetic studies.In recent years, various sources of next-generation sequencing data have been used to develop new microsatellite loci, but compared with the more common shotgun genomic sequencing or transcriptome data, the potential utility of RAD-seq data for microsatellite ascertainment is comparatively under-used.In this study, we employed MiddRAD-seq data to develop polymorphic microsatellite loci for the endangered yew species Taxus florinii. Of 8,823,053 clean reads generated for ten individuals of a population, 94,851(~1%) contained microsatellite motifs. These corresponded to 2993 unique loci, of which 526(~18%) exhibited polymorphism. Of which, 237 were suitable for designing microsatellite primer pairs, and 128 loci were randomly selected for PCR validation and microsatellite screening. Out of the 128 primer pairs, 16 loci gave clear, reproducible patterns, and were then screened and characterized in 24 individuals from two populations. The total number of alleles per locus ranged from two to ten(mean=4.875), and within-population expected heterozygosity from zero to 0.789(mean = 0.530),indicating that these microsatellite loci will be useful for population genetics and speciation studies of T. florinii. This study represents one of few examples to mine polymorphic microsatellite loci from ddRAD data.

Biobanking efforts and new advances in male Fertility preservation for rare and endangered species

Understanding and sustaining biodiversity is a multi-disciplinary science that benefits highly from the creation of organized and accessible collections of biomaterials （Genome Resource Banks）. Large cryo-collections are invaluable tools for understanding, cataloging, and protecting the genetic diversity of the world＇s unique animals and plants. Specifically, the systematic collection and preservation of semen from rare species has been developed significantly in recent decades with some biobanks now being actively used for endangered species management and propagation （including the introduction of species such as the black-footed ferret and the giant panda）. Innovations emerging from the growing field of male fertility preservation for humans, livestock species, and laboratory animals are also becoming relevant to the protection and the propagation of valuable domestic and wild species. These new approaches extend beyond the ＂classical＂ methods associated with sperm freezing to include testicular tissue preservation combined with xenografting or in vitro culture, all of which have potential for rescuing vast amounts of unused germplasm. There also are other options under development that are predicted to have a high impact within the next decade （stem cell technologies, bio-stabilization of sperm cells at ambient temperatures, and the use of genomics tools）. However, biobanking efforts and new fertility preservation strategies have to expand the way beyond mammalian species, which will offer knowledge and tools to better manage species that serve as valuable biomedical models or require assistance to reverse endangerment.

Endangered species and nature conservation: science issues and challenges

The issues and challenges facing us in ensuring the survival of as many species and ecosystems as possible call fora renewed research focus to address how to improve management strategies and policy making now and into thefuture. The key issues to be addressed by activities of the International Union of Forest Research Organization’s(IUFRO) Task Force on Endangered Species and Nature Conservation include such issues as: (i) preventing speciesfrom being listed by maintaining species populations at sufficient levels that they do not require listing;(ii) recoveringthreatened and endangered species;(iii) developing management practices and strategies;(iv) balancingactions affecting suites of threatened or endangered species;(v) developing conservation strategies for specieswithout definitive taxonomic treatments;(vi) dealing with global change;(vii) dealing with invasive species;and(viii) restoring critical habitats.

Geographical differences of leaf traits of the endangered plant Litsea coreana Levl.var.sinensis and its relationship with climate

Seventeen morphological and anatomical characteristics of the leaves were selected from five natural populations to explore the variation in leaf traits of Lits ea core ana var.sinensis and the effects of geographical environment on these variations.Nested analysis of variance,multiple comparisons,principal component analysis(PCA),and correlation analysis were conducted to explore the variations within and between populations and their correlation with geographical and climatic factors.Significant differences in the 17 leaf traits were observed within and among populations.On average,the relative contribution of within population variation to total variation was 24.8%,which was lower than among population variation(54.6%).The average differentiation coefficient of the traits was 65.8%,and the average coefficient of variation 11.8%,ranging from6.7%for main vein thickness to 21.4%for petiole length.The PC A results showed that morphological characteristics were divided into two categories,and the level of variation was greater than that of leaf anatomy.Most of the leaf traits were significantly correlated with geography and climate and showed a gradual variation with longitude,latitude,and altitude.In areas with high temperatures,less rainfall,and strong seasonal rainfall,the leaves are larger,longer and thicker.This study shows that variations in leaf traits of L.coreana var.sinensis mainly come from variations among populations.The level of trait differentiation among populations is high and the level of variation within populations low.These findings help further understand leaf morphological characteristics of this species and can provide a valuable reference for the protection and sustainable utilization of this natural resource.

A Plan to Save the Species China hopes to draw more attention to endangered species by selecting regional representatives

Always plainly dressed and amiable, Ji Xianlin wouldn’t be given a second glance in a crowd. Yet looks can be deceiving. He was the country’s leading scholar of

ENDANGERED SPECIES——From VOA Speial English

这是一篇有关物种与环保的科普文章,它为我们展示了人们在保护野生濒危物种和发展优良物种方面所作的探索,如:杂交繁殖的增强抗病抗灾能力,采取手段严禁偷猎,人工繁殖珍稀物种,设立自然保护区,解决自然保护与经济发展间的冲突,协调人类与大自然之间的关系等等。随着人类社会的发展,动植物保护已成为一项越来越艰巨的任务。相信篇文章能令人有所启示。

First Successful Nesting of Black Oystercatchers among Endangered California Least Terns along the West Coast of North America

A pair of Black Oystercatchers(Haematopus bachmani)established a nest in June 2022 at“Tern Town”,an island located in Hayward,California along the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay.This is the first documented occurrence of oystercatchers successfully nesting and fledgling young in association with California Least Terns.The island provides nesting habitat for three special status species.Since 2015,and for a total of six breeding seasons,the endangered California Least Tern(Sternula antillarum browni),the threatened Western Snowy Plover(Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus)and species-of-special-concern Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger),have nested successfully,in association with American Avocet(Recurvirostra americana)and Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus).We collected shells near the oystercatcher nest to assess their diet.Diet data showed the oystercatchers foraged on,in decreasing order of abundance,Japanese Little-necked Clams(Ruditapes philippinarum),Ribbed Mussels(Geukensia demissa),Bent-nose Clams(Macoma nasuta),Limpets(Patellogastropoda sp.)and Bay Mussels(Mytilus edulis).This new report on breeding Black Oystercatchers indicates that managing habitat for California Least Tern,Western Snowy Plover,and Black Skimmer can also benefit Black Oystercatcher.This site-specific information on breeding Black Oystercatchers supports recovery plan tasks that are consistent with managing habitat for California Least Tern,Western Snowy Plover and Black Skimmer.

Tropical Climates May Be Suitable for Endangered Desert Tortoise Exhibits, Rescues, Adoptions

Governmental, educational, environmental and other nonprofit organizations have placed efforts on conservation action for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). While federal and state institutions have focused on the desert tortoise in its native habitat of the southwestern United States, there are other conservation groups whose work has been dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, rescue, placement and adoption of the desert tortoise in civilian homes and neighborhoods as well as sanctuaries, reserves and exhibits. AWAKE Community (AWAKE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to natural wildlife habitats and endangered species, has focused its research on desert tortoises in captivity. The California Turtle and Tortoise Club (CTTC), the official adoption arm of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), has provided instruction on methods of care for desert tortoises raised in captivity including housing, feeding, sexing, health and hibernation for both adults and hatchlings. AWAKE’s research has been aimed at benefiting and supplementing the guidelines provided by CTTC, specifically for coastal climates. AWAKE’s research has also aimed to provide insight to be considered for expanding adoption possibilities to other locations, specifically tropical climates, as adoption needs for desert tortoises have increased. This manuscript presents an analysis of one coastal and one tropical climate that can serve as a basis for: 1) understanding and evaluating climate in both existing and potential habitats for desert tortoise adoptions, rescues and exhibits, 2) providing insight and special instruction for desert tortoise adoptions in coastal communities, and 3) expanding awareness around desert tortoise needs in captivity.

Embryo culture is an efficient way to conserve a medicinally important endangered forest tree species Strychnos potatorum

The present study reports a protocol for germination of Strychnos potatorum （ver. Tel. Chilla） using zygotic embryo culture as an embryo rescue method. A 100% germination rate was obtained by culturing the embryos on full-strength Murashige and Skoog＇s medium （MS） containing 20 g/L sucrose in comparison to McCown and Lloyd＇s Woody Plant Medium （WPM）. Germination rates decreased when the sucrose concentration was lower or higher than 20 g·L-1 . WPM/MS medium containing glucose at levels 30, 20, 15 g·L-1 showed a smaller percentage of germination and at quarter strength, WPM/MS medium with glucose did not respond. Multiple shoot formation was found at 1.0 2.0 mg/L BAP; 3.0 mg/L Kn; 2.0 mg/L TDZ on MS medium with 20 g·L-1 sucrose. Germination rates improved when the embryos were placed upright （vertically） in the medium. The in vitro germinated seedlings were acclimatized in a walk-in-chamber and maintained in the green house with the survival rate of 65% 75%. These plants were transferred to the field and were found to be phenotypically normal, healthy and similar to donor plants. This protocol will be useful to overcome seed dormancy and for rapid multiplication and conservation of S. potatorum using zygotic embryo culture.

Lacoste Launches Its First Operation to Safeguard Endangered Crocodile Species

In 1927, when René Lacoste chose the crocodile as his emblem, he had not imagined that 80 years later, millions of people would bear this logo. He could also not imagine that the crocodile would be

Endophytic bacteria associated with endangered plant Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen in an arid land： diversity and plant growth-promoting traits

Ferula spp. are traditional medicinal plants found in arid land. Large-scale excavation for extracting bioactive compounds from the plants in arid regions of Xinjiang over the last few years has, however, significandy decreased their distributions. Due to the urgent need for preservation of these plant resources, along with the need of searching for alternative source of the useful metabolites, it is important to screen the endophytic microbial resources associated with the plant Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen. In the study, a total of 125 endophytic bacteria belonging to 3 phyla, 13 orders, 23 families, and 29 genera were isolated based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing data. Among the different isolates, three strains isolated from roots were potential novel species of the genera Porphyrobacter, Paracoccus and draycofatopsis. In this study, 79.4% and 57.1% of the total isolates were capable of producing indole-3-acetic acid （IAA） and siderophore, respectively. And, 40.6% of the strains inhibit the growth of fungal pathogen Afternaria alternata, 17.2% and 20.2% strains were positive for antagonism against Vertidllium dahlia 991 and V. dahlia 7, respectively. These results demonstrated that E sinkiangensis is a rich reservoir of endophytic bacterial resources with potential for production of biologically important functions such as plant growth-promoting factors.

Ecological features of Aconitum balfourii (Bruhl) Muk.-an endangered medicinal plant in the northwest Himalaya

Aconitum balfourii （Bruhl） Muk. （Ranunculaceae） is an en- dangered medicinal plant. Natural populations were surveyed in the northwest Himalaya for population estimation and evaluation of elite germplasm. Vegetation sampling of quadrats was conducted using the vertical belt transect method in areas supporting A. balfourii. Plant den- sity and relative dominance ofA. balfourii were low compared with other alpine species. Threat status was determined on a site-by-site basis as well as for entire western Himalaya..4. balfourii was generally classified as endangered on the basis of geographic distribution and critically en- dangered on the basis of abundance. We found the natural geographic distribution of.4. balfourii to be diminishing due to habitat destruction. Immediate corrective management measures are needed for sustainable utilization and long-term conservation of the species in the wild.

Biodiversity and conservation in the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau (Qinghai-Xizang Plateau) is a unique biogeographic region in the world, where various landscapes, altitudinal belts, alpine ecosystems, and endangered and endemic species have been developed. A total of 26 altitudinal belts, 28 spectra of altitudinal belts, 12,000 species of vascular plant, 5,000 species of epiphytes, 210 species of mammals, and 532 species of birds have been recorded. The plateau is also one of the centers of species formation and differentiation in the world. To protect the biodiversity of the plateau, about 80 nature reserves have been designated, of which 45 are national or provincial, covering about 22% of the plateau area. Most of the nature reserves are distributed in the southeastern plateau. Recently, the Chinese government has initiated the Natural Forests Protection Project of China, mainly in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. No logging policies have been made and implemented for these areas.

Shoot multiplication and plant regeneration in Caragana fruticosa (Pall.) Besser

Different nutrient media can affect in vitro culturing proto- cols, and experimentation under varied growth conditions is valuable in plants where in vitro methods are in preliminary stages. We carried out the first in vitro propagation studies for the endangered species Caragana fruticosa （Fabaceae）. We evaluated various nulrient media for their im- pact on shoot elongation and axillary bud proliferation using different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine （BA） and n-naphthaleneacetic acid （NAA）. Shoot elongation was evaluated based on adventitious shoot primary culture and subculture regeneration from Caragana seedlings. Our goal was to improve both micropropagation and regeneration in C. fruticosa. MS nutrient media was superior to 1/2MS macronutrients, DKW, QL, and WPM for shoot elongation and axillary shoot prolifera- tion. Shoots grown on 1/2MS and WPM exhibited some chlorosis, and shoots on QL produced larger leavers than plants growing on normal medium. The shoot proliferation coefficient on MS media supplemented with 2.22 μM BA and 0.44μM BA ＋ 2.69 μM NAA was significantly higher than that with other treatments in the primary culture. Shoots on 2.22 μM BA showed a higher proliferation coefficient （3.17） than others in the subculture. Shoots were rooted on 1/2MS medium with the addition of different concentrations of NAA. The optimal concenWation for rooting was 0.27 μM NAA （74%）. Roots exhibited many stout and long root hairs. Survivl of established plentlets was 82% at 30 days after transfer to soil. Plants established in the green house showed normal growth and displayed no apparent morphological differences compared to stock plants.

Functional diversity of Cercidiphyllum japonicum, communities in the Shennongjia Reserve, central China

Functional diversity is significant to ecological processes of plant communities. We analyzed the variation of functional diversity of endangered species, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, communities along an elevational gradient in the Shennongjia Reserve, central China. Sixty plots of 10 9 20 m from 1,350 to 2,050 m were set up and species composition, traits and environmental variables were measured and recorded. These data were analyzed using five functional diversity indices, functional attribute diversity, modified functional attribute diversity, plot based functional diversity, community based functional diversity and Rao＇s functional diversity indices（Rao＇s index）,Functional diversities of C. japonicum communities were rich and varied greatly. Functional diversity declined nonlinearly with increasing elevation. Functional diversity was significantly correlated with species richness and heterogeneity. Elevation was a key environmental variable influencing functional diversity and species diversity. The five functional diversity indices were all effective for measuring functional diversity of communities. Functional diversity can be used as an indicator of conservation efficiency of endangered species such as C. japonicum.

Novel evidence from Taxus fuana forests for niche-neutral process assembling community

Background:Understanding the mechanisms underlying community assembly is helpful for conservation and restoration of communities, particularly those that contain rare and endangered species like Taxus fuana, which are endemic to the Western Himalayas. The niche (limiting similarity) vs. neutral (randomness) assembly of the T.fuana forest community in Gyirong County, Tibet, China, was investigated. The net relatedness index (NRI) was calculated using a phylogenetic tree. The phylogenetic characteristics of the community and its relationships with environment were analyzed.Results:The value of the mean NRI at the community level was less than-1.96, indicating that the phylogenetic structure was overdispersed;whereas majority of the NRIs at the tree, shrub, and herb layers were within-1.96 to1.96, indicating random dispersion. Environmental factors accounted for 44.38%, 46.52%, 24.04%, and 14.07%of the variation at the community level, tree, shrub, and herb layer, respectively. The phylogenetic structure at the community level and tree layer were significantly influenced by both topographic and soil factors, while shrub and herb layers tended to be affected by a single environmental factor.Conclusions:Community assembly of the T. fuana forest was simultaneously affected by niche and neutral processes, and their variations were closely related to the environment. Neutral process dominated community assembly in the shrub and herb layers. However, the interaction of limiting similarity and randomness played a dominant role at the community level and tree layer;and contributed to maintenance of biodiversity stability. The synergy of multiple environmental factors had a more obvious influence on community assembly than individual environmental factors, especially at the community level. These findings would help to understand the conservation of rare and endangered tree species, such as T. fuana, in the native community;and highlight the importance of random and non-random processes in assembly and biodiversity maintenance of alpine plant communities.