Endemism of lineages lies at the core of understanding variation in community composition among geographic regions because it reflects how speciation,extinction,and dispersal have influenced current distributions.Here...Endemism of lineages lies at the core of understanding variation in community composition among geographic regions because it reflects how speciation,extinction,and dispersal have influenced current distributions.Here,we investigated geographic patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism of angiosperm genera across the world.We identify centers of paleo-endemism and neo-endemism of angiosperm genera,and show that they are mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere in tropical and subtropical regions,particularly in Asia and Australia.Different categories of phylogenetic endemism centers can be differentiated using current climate conditions.Current climate,historical climate change,and geographic variables together explained~80%of global variation in taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism,while 42-46%,1%,and 15%were independently explained by these three types of variables,respectively.Thus our findings show that past climate change,current climate,and geography act together in shaping endemism,which are consistent with the findings of previous studies that higher temperature and topographic heterogeneity promote endemism.Our study showed that many centers of phylogenetic endemism of angiosperms,including regions in Amazonia,Venezuela,and west-central tropical Africa that have not previously been identified as biodiversity hotspots,are missed by taxon-based measures of endemism,indicating the importance of including evolutionary history in biodiversity assessment.展开更多
Nepal is located in the central part of the greater Himalayan range with a unique series of mountain chains formed by recent mountain building geological events. As one of the youngest mountains in the world it contri...Nepal is located in the central part of the greater Himalayan range with a unique series of mountain chains formed by recent mountain building geological events. As one of the youngest mountains in the world it contributes to diversity of plants and also provided barriers to and corridors through which plants migrated during the ice ages. The higher altitudinal variation with the high mountains, deep river valleys and lowland plains combine with the effects of the summer monsoon and dry winter result with an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems including flora and fauna in a relatively small land area. The existing checklists for Nepal record some 6000 species of flowering plants and about 530 ferns. However, the botanical experts estimate that numbers may go up to 7000 when the poorly known remote regions are fully explored. The information on plant endemism in Nepal Himalaya is not adequately known as Nepal is still struggling to complete long awaited Flora of Nepal project. Endemic species are confined to specific areas and are the first to be affected by land use and other global changes. We sought to explore the spatial distribution of endemic plant species in Nepal in relation to the consequences associated with climatic and geologic changes over time in the region with the help of published literature. It was found that the endemism showed marked spatial variation between open moist habitat and dry inner valleys, the former with higher endemism. The updated records showed 312 flowering plant species to be endemic to Nepal with higher endemism around the elevation of 3800e4200 m at sea level. The recent human population explosion, intensified deforestation, habitat fragmentation and modern day environmental changes are posing greater threats to endemic plant in Nepal. The conservation status and threats to these peculiar species are unknown. Nevertheless, environmental degradation and high poverty rates create a potent mix of threats to biodiversity in this landscape.展开更多
Iran supports a great share of exotic and/or endemic plant genera and species. The genus Fritillaria(Liliaceae) is a precious part of this botanical richness with 19 species, of which 10 are endemic to the country. Ho...Iran supports a great share of exotic and/or endemic plant genera and species. The genus Fritillaria(Liliaceae) is a precious part of this botanical richness with 19 species, of which 10 are endemic to the country. However, signs are mounting that the country is truly at a crossroads when it comes to preservation of this national wealth. In this regard, an effective conservation strategy should thoroughly consider the classification of Fritillaria, as conservation practices are compromised by knowledge gaps in systematics and taxonomy. As published studies on Fritillaria in Iran have been sporadic and limited in scope, the aim of this review is to provide information necessary to help bridge these information gaps.Our objective is to facilitate increased understanding of the geographic, taxonomic, cytogenetic and phylogenetic status of Iranian Fritilloria, which is vital to meeting the goal of sustainable conservation of the genus in Iran and neighboring areas.展开更多
Orchid diversity provides a unique opportunity to further our understanding of biotic and abiotic factors linked to patterns of richness,endemism,and phylogenetic endemism in many regions.However,orchid diversity is c...Orchid diversity provides a unique opportunity to further our understanding of biotic and abiotic factors linked to patterns of richness,endemism,and phylogenetic endemism in many regions.However,orchid diversity is consistently threatened by illegal trade and habitat transformation.Here,we identified areas critical for orchid conservation in the biogeographic province of Megamexico.For this purpose,we evaluated orchid endemism,phylogenetic diversity,and phylogenetic endemism within Megamexico and characterized orchid life forms.Our results indicate that the majority of the regions with the highest estimates of endemism and phylogenetic endemism are in southern Mexico and northern Central America,mostly located on the Pacific side of Megamexico.Among the most important orchid lineages,several belong to epiphytic lineages such as Pleurothallidinae,Laeliinae and Oncidiinae.We also found that species from diverse and distantly related lineages converge in montane forests where suitable substrates for epiphytes abound.Furthermore,the southernmost areas of phylogenetic diversity and endemism of Megamexico are in unprotected areas.Thus,we conclude that the most critical areas for orchid conservation in Megamexico are located in southern Mexico and northern Central America.We recommend that these areas should be given priority by the Mexican system of natural protected areas as complementary conservation areas.展开更多
BACKGROUND Melioidosis,an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei(B.pseudomallei),occurs endemically in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia and is a serious opportunistic infection associated with a h...BACKGROUND Melioidosis,an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei(B.pseudomallei),occurs endemically in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia and is a serious opportunistic infection associated with a high mortality rate.CASE SUMMARY A 58-year-old woman presented with scattered erythema on the skin of her limbs,followed by fever and seizures.B.pseudomallei was isolated successively from the patient’s urine,blood,and pus.Magnetic resonance imaging showed abscess formation involving the right forehead and the right frontal region.Subsequently,abscess resection and drainage were performed.The patient showed no signs of relapse after 4 months of follow-up visits post-treatment.CONCLUSION We present here a unique case of multi-systemic melioidosis that occurs in nonendemic regions in a patient who had no recent travel history.Hence,it is critical to enhance awareness of melioidosis in non-endemic regions.展开更多
Gaoligong Mountain(hereafter,GLGM)is located at the intersection of Myanmar and China’s Yunnan Province and Xizang Zizhiqu,and spans three globally significant biodiversity hotspots:the Himalayas,Indo-Burma,and the M...Gaoligong Mountain(hereafter,GLGM)is located at the intersection of Myanmar and China’s Yunnan Province and Xizang Zizhiqu,and spans three globally significant biodiversity hotspots:the Himalayas,Indo-Burma,and the Mountains of Southwest China.Although surveys of mammals in this ecologically important region have a long history,there is no comprehensive systematic checklist and distribution account of the mammals of GLGM.Here,we compiled a mammal species checklist of GLGM based on thorough field investigations and literature reviews.We also examined specimen collections and applied camera trapping surveys to explore the region’s mammal diversity and distribution patterns.We recorded 212 mammal species in nine orders,33 families,and 119 genera,which accounts for 30.5%of China’s mammal species,and a high proportion of nationally protected(50)and globally threatened(29)species.Mammal species richness showed a symmetrical unimodal curve along the elevation gradient,peaking at intermediate elevations(2000 to 2500 m above sea level(asl)),and increasing generally from south to north,slightly higher in the east slope than in the west.Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed three distinct elevational assemblages(<900 m asl.,900-3500 m asl.,and>3500 m asl)and significant south-to-north variation,but no substantial differences between the east and west slopes.The GLGM present a unique conservation value due to the high proportions of rare and endangered mammal species,complex faunal composition,high endemism,and being the distribution boundary for many species.This study is an important phased account of mammal diversity in GLGM and makes a prospect for future research.展开更多
Savanna, semi-deserts, and hot deserts characterize the Saharo-Arabian region, which includes Morocco, Mauretania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emira...Savanna, semi-deserts, and hot deserts characterize the Saharo-Arabian region, which includes Morocco, Mauretania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, southern Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India. Its neighboring regions, the Sudano-Zambezian region belonging to the Paleotropical Kingdom and the Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian regions included in the Holarctic Kingdom, share a large portion of their flora with the Saharo-Arabian region. Despite the widespread acknowledgment of the region's global importance for plant diversity, an up to date list of the Saharo-Arabian endemics is still unavailable. The available data are frequently insufficient or out of date at both the whole global and the national scales. Therefore, the present study aims at screening and verifying the Saharo-Arabian endemic plants and determining the phytogeographical distribution of these taxa in the Egyptian flora. Hence, a preliminary list of 429 Saharo-Arabian endemic plants in Egypt was compiled from the available literature. Indeed, by excluding the species that were recorded in any countries or regions outside the Saharo-Arabian region based on different literature, database reviews, and websites, the present study has reduced this number to 126 taxa belonging to 87 genera and 37 families. Regarding the national geographic distribution, South Sinai is the richest region with 83 endemic species compared with other eight phytogeographic regions in Egypt, followed by the Isthmic Desert(the middle of Sinai Peninsula, 53 taxa). Sahara regional subzone(SS1) distributes all the 126 endemic species, Arabian regional subzone(SS2) owns 79 taxa, and Nubo-Sindian subzone(SS3) distributes only 14 endemics. Seven groups were recognized at the fourth level of classification as a result of the application of the two-way indicator species analysis(TWINSPAN) to the Saharo-Arabian endemic species in Egypt, i.e., Ⅰ Asphodelus refractus group, Ⅱ Agathophora alopecuroides var. papillosa group, Ⅲ Anvillea garcinii group, Ⅳ Reseda muricata group, V Agathophora alopecuroides var. alopecuroides group, Ⅵ Scrophularia deserti group, and Ⅶ Astragalus schimperi group. It's crucial to clearly define the Saharo-Arabian endemics and illustrate an updated verified database of these taxa for a given territory for providing future management plans that support the conservation and sustainable use of these valuable species under current thought-provoking devastating impacts of rapid anthropogenic and climate change in this region.展开更多
Considering the increased anthropogenic impacts,species with a limited range and low detectability often lack fundamental information and conservation actions,placing them at a high risk of endangerment.The Chinting a...Considering the increased anthropogenic impacts,species with a limited range and low detectability often lack fundamental information and conservation actions,placing them at a high risk of endangerment.The Chinting alpine toad Scutiger chintingensis is a rare mountain amphibian endemic to the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in China.Within its whole distribution range,only three known populations(Wolong,Emei,and Wawu)exist and no recent population status report has been documented for this species over the past two decades.From 2020 to 2023,we investigated the species distribution,and assessed the risk factors for the main populations.We recorded this species in all distribution areas,and updated a new distribution site with a lower elevation limit.The relative population density was 0.024±0.012 ind./m^(2)on Mount Emei,whereas only 0.008±0.017 ind./m^(2)on Mount Wawu.No significant difference was observed in the number of individuals between the two populations;however,the relative population density was significantly different.Sewage and waste discharge resulting from the construction of scenic areas,as well as disturbances from tourism,were the primary anthropogenic factors that influenced the survival of this species.Our results provide the updated information on the distribution and population status of the Chinting alpine toad,and suggest that unrecorded populations,as well as a wider elevation range,may exist for this species.Our findings emphasise the importance of timely updates of species distribution and population information and offer a basis for the future conservation of endangered amphibians.展开更多
Much of the world's biodiversity lies in heterogeneous mountain areas with their diverse environments.As an example,Iranian montane ranges are highly diverse,particularly in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical re...Much of the world's biodiversity lies in heterogeneous mountain areas with their diverse environments.As an example,Iranian montane ranges are highly diverse,particularly in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical region.Understanding plant diversity patterns with increasing elevation is of high significance,not least for conservation planning.We studied the pattern of species richness,Shannon diversity,endemic richness,endemics ratio,and richness of life forms along a 3900 m elevational transect in Mount Palvar,overlooking the Lut Desert in Southeast Iran.We also analyzed the effect of environmental variables on species turnover along the vertical gradient.A total of 120 vegetation plots(10 m×10 m)were sampled along the elevational transect containing species and environmental data.To discover plant diversity pattern along the elevational gradient,generalized additive model(GAM)was used.Non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)was applied for illustrating the correlation between species composition and environmental variables.We found hump-shaped pattern for species richness,Shannon diversity,endemic richness,and species richness of different life forms,but a monotonic increasing pattern for ratio of endemic species from low to high elevations.Our study confirms the humped pattern of species richness peaking at intermediate elevations along a complete elevational gradient in a semi-arid mountain.The monotonic increase of endemics ratio with elevation in our area as a case study is consistent with global increase of endemism with elevation.According to our results,temperature and precipitation are two important climatic variables that drive elevational plant diversity,particularly in seasonally dry areas.Our study suggests that effective conservation and management are needed for this low latitude mountain area along with calling for long-term monitoring for species redistribution.展开更多
The scientific community faces the challenge of measuring progress toward biodiversity targets and indices have been traditionally used.However,recent inventories in secondary tropical mountain forests using tradition...The scientific community faces the challenge of measuring progress toward biodiversity targets and indices have been traditionally used.However,recent inventories in secondary tropical mountain forests using traditional biodiversity indices have yielded results that are indistinct with primary ones.This shows the need to develop complementary indices that goes beyond species count but integrates the distribution and conservation status of the species.This study developed endemicity and conservation importance index for tropical forest that incorporated the distribution and conservation status of the species.These indices were applied to Mt.Natoo,a remnant primary mossy forest in Buguias,Benguet,Philippines,that resulted to endemicity index of 81.07 and conservation importance index of 42.90.Comparing these with secondary forest sites with comparable Shannon-Wiener,Simpson,Evenness and Margalef’s indices,our endemicity and conservation indices clearly differentiates primary forest(our study site)with higher values from secondary forests with much lower values.Thus,we are proposing these indices for a direct but scientifically-informed identification of specific sites for conservation and protection in tropical forests.Additionally,our study documented a total of 168 vascular plant species(79 endemic and 12 locally threatened species)in Mt.Nato-o.Majority are of tropical elements for both generic and species levels with some temperate elements that could be attributed to the site's high elevation and semi-temperate climate.These are important baseline information for conservation plans and monitoring of tropical mossy forests.展开更多
The article presents the biology of flowering and the daily dynamics of flowering of two species from the Lamiaceae family: ph. anisochila va ph. sogdiana of the distribution out in the Nuratau Mountains range.
This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belo...This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belonging to 34 taxonomic families were found. Endemism has an important presence in the streams on both islands, especially regarding Trichoptera and Coleoptera. The overall status of freshwater macroinvertebrates is rather uncertain as recent data on these communities are scarce and focused on a limited number of sites. Overexploitation of aquifers and the diversion of natural water flows for irrigation have resulted in the drying up of numerous natural streams, inevitably endangering the fauna that inhabits them. A reduction in number and abundance of endemic and sensitive species was observed in the majority of the sampled streams resulting in a lower ecological rating. Therefore, it is proposed that the protection of streams of high conservation value is essential to conserve freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna native to the Canary Islands.展开更多
Appendicitis bilharzia is a very rare condition and we report 3 cases of this pathology that sense clinical and biological similarities with bacterial appendicitis. The etiological diagnosis was exclusively histopatho...Appendicitis bilharzia is a very rare condition and we report 3 cases of this pathology that sense clinical and biological similarities with bacterial appendicitis. The etiological diagnosis was exclusively histopathological, this allowed to highlight eggs of Schistosome in the appendicular wall in the three patients. The surgical treatment was supplemented by a specific medical treatment based on praziquantel. The surgical suites were simple for 2 patients, complicated by superficial parietal suppuration in a patient.展开更多
Hynobiids are exclusively in Asia. China is the main distribution of hynobiids,and has many rich species because of the diversity of habitat. In present paper,the introduction on the systematic taxonomy of Chinese end...Hynobiids are exclusively in Asia. China is the main distribution of hynobiids,and has many rich species because of the diversity of habitat. In present paper,the introduction on the systematic taxonomy of Chinese endemic genera (Protohynobius,Batrachuperus,Liua,Pachyhynobius and Pseudohynobius) in Hynobiidae will improve the understanding on these genera.展开更多
Molecular phylogenetic studies have become a major area of interest in plant systematics, and their impacts on historical biogeographic hypotheses are not to be disregarded. In Brazil, most historical biogeographic st...Molecular phylogenetic studies have become a major area of interest in plant systematics, and their impacts on historical biogeographic hypotheses are not to be disregarded. In Brazil, most historical biogeographic studies have relied on animal phylogenies, whereas plant biogeographic studies have largely lacked a phylogenetic component, having a limited utility for historical biogeography. That country, however, is of great importance for most biogeographic studies of lowland tropical South America, and it includes areas from a number of biogeographic regions of the continent. Important biogeographic reports have been published as part of phylogenetic studies, taxonomic monographs, and regional accounts for small areas or phytogeographic domains, but the available information is subsequently scattered and sometimes hard to find. In this paper we review some relevant angiosperm biogeographic studies in Brazil. Initially we briefly discuss the importance of other continents as source areas for the South American flora. Then we present a subdivision of Brazil into phytogeographic domains, and we cite studies that have explored the detection of biogeographic units (areas of endemism) and how they are historically related among those domains. Examples of plant taxa that could be used to test some biogeographic hypotheses are provided throughout, as well as taxa that exemplify several patterns of endemism and disjunction in the Brazilian angiosperm flora.展开更多
We review the fossil history of seed plant genera that are now endemic to eastern Asia. Although the majority of eastern Asian endemic genera have no known fossil record at all, 54 genera, or about 9%, are reliably kn...We review the fossil history of seed plant genera that are now endemic to eastern Asia. Although the majority of eastern Asian endemic genera have no known fossil record at all, 54 genera, or about 9%, are reliably known from the fossil record. Most of these are woody (with two exceptions), and most are today either broadly East Asian, or more specifically confined to Sino-Japanese subcategory rather than being endemic to the Sino-Himalayan area. Of the "eastern Asian endemic" genera so far known from the fossil record, the majority formerly occurred in Europe and/or North America, indicating that eastern Asia served as a late Tertiary or Quaternary refugium for taxa. Hence, many of these genera may have originated in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere and expanded their ranges across continents and former sea barriers when tectonic and climatic conditions allowed, leading to their arrival in eastern Asia. Although clear evidence for paleoendemism is provided by the gymnosperms Amentotaxus, Cathaya, Cephalotaxus, Cunninghamia, Cryptomeria, Glyptostrobus, Ginkgo, Keteleeria, Metasequoia, Nothotsuga, Pseudolarix, Sciadopitys, and Taiwania, and the angiosperms Cercidiphyllum, Choerospondias, Corylopsis, Craigia, Cyclocarya, Davidia, Dipelta, Decaisnea, Diplopanax, Dipteronia, Emmenopterys, Eucommia, Euscaphis, Hemiptelea, Hovenia, Koelreuteria, Paulownia, Phellodendron, Platycarya, Pteroceltis, Rehderodendron, Sargentodoxa, Schizophragma, Sinomenium, Tapiscia, Tetracentron, Toricellia, Trapella, and Trochodendron, we cannot rule out the possibility that neoendemism plays an important role especially for herbaceous taxa in the present-day flora of Asia, particularly in the Sino-Himalayan region. In addition to reviewing paleobotanical occurrences from the literature, we document newly recognized fossil occurrences that expand the geographic and stratigraphic ranges previously known for Dipelta, Pteroceltis, and Toricellia.展开更多
Hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is a serious global public health problem.The infection may be transmitted through sexual intercourse,parenteral contact or from an infected mother to the baby at birth and,if contracte...Hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is a serious global public health problem.The infection may be transmitted through sexual intercourse,parenteral contact or from an infected mother to the baby at birth and,if contracted early in life,may lead to chronic liver disease,including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.On the basis of the HBV carrier rate,the world can be divided in 3 regions of high,medium and low endemicity.The major concern is about high endemicity countries,where the most common route of infection remains vertical transmission from mother to child.Screening of all pregnant women and passive immunization with human hepatitis B immunoglobulin are not affordable for many developing countries.The infection rate can be reduced by modifying behavior,improving individual education,testing all blood donations,assuring asepsis in clinical practice and screening all pregnant women.However,availability of a safe and efficacious vaccine and adoption of appropriate immunization strategies are the most effective means to prevent HBV infection and its consequences.The unsolved problem for poorest countries,where the number of people currently infected is high,is the cost of the vaccine.A future challenge is to overcome the social and economic hurdles of maintaining and improving a prevention policy worldwide to reduce the global burden of the disease.展开更多
A disease transmission model of SI type with stage structure is formulated. The stability of disease free equilibrium, the existence and uniqueness of an endemic equilibrium, the existence of a global attractor are in...A disease transmission model of SI type with stage structure is formulated. The stability of disease free equilibrium, the existence and uniqueness of an endemic equilibrium, the existence of a global attractor are investigated.展开更多
文摘Endemism of lineages lies at the core of understanding variation in community composition among geographic regions because it reflects how speciation,extinction,and dispersal have influenced current distributions.Here,we investigated geographic patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism of angiosperm genera across the world.We identify centers of paleo-endemism and neo-endemism of angiosperm genera,and show that they are mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere in tropical and subtropical regions,particularly in Asia and Australia.Different categories of phylogenetic endemism centers can be differentiated using current climate conditions.Current climate,historical climate change,and geographic variables together explained~80%of global variation in taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism,while 42-46%,1%,and 15%were independently explained by these three types of variables,respectively.Thus our findings show that past climate change,current climate,and geography act together in shaping endemism,which are consistent with the findings of previous studies that higher temperature and topographic heterogeneity promote endemism.Our study showed that many centers of phylogenetic endemism of angiosperms,including regions in Amazonia,Venezuela,and west-central tropical Africa that have not previously been identified as biodiversity hotspots,are missed by taxon-based measures of endemism,indicating the importance of including evolutionary history in biodiversity assessment.
文摘Nepal is located in the central part of the greater Himalayan range with a unique series of mountain chains formed by recent mountain building geological events. As one of the youngest mountains in the world it contributes to diversity of plants and also provided barriers to and corridors through which plants migrated during the ice ages. The higher altitudinal variation with the high mountains, deep river valleys and lowland plains combine with the effects of the summer monsoon and dry winter result with an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems including flora and fauna in a relatively small land area. The existing checklists for Nepal record some 6000 species of flowering plants and about 530 ferns. However, the botanical experts estimate that numbers may go up to 7000 when the poorly known remote regions are fully explored. The information on plant endemism in Nepal Himalaya is not adequately known as Nepal is still struggling to complete long awaited Flora of Nepal project. Endemic species are confined to specific areas and are the first to be affected by land use and other global changes. We sought to explore the spatial distribution of endemic plant species in Nepal in relation to the consequences associated with climatic and geologic changes over time in the region with the help of published literature. It was found that the endemism showed marked spatial variation between open moist habitat and dry inner valleys, the former with higher endemism. The updated records showed 312 flowering plant species to be endemic to Nepal with higher endemism around the elevation of 3800e4200 m at sea level. The recent human population explosion, intensified deforestation, habitat fragmentation and modern day environmental changes are posing greater threats to endemic plant in Nepal. The conservation status and threats to these peculiar species are unknown. Nevertheless, environmental degradation and high poverty rates create a potent mix of threats to biodiversity in this landscape.
基金Tarbiat Modares University (TMU)Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands of Iran (RIFRI) for providing financial support
文摘Iran supports a great share of exotic and/or endemic plant genera and species. The genus Fritillaria(Liliaceae) is a precious part of this botanical richness with 19 species, of which 10 are endemic to the country. However, signs are mounting that the country is truly at a crossroads when it comes to preservation of this national wealth. In this regard, an effective conservation strategy should thoroughly consider the classification of Fritillaria, as conservation practices are compromised by knowledge gaps in systematics and taxonomy. As published studies on Fritillaria in Iran have been sporadic and limited in scope, the aim of this review is to provide information necessary to help bridge these information gaps.Our objective is to facilitate increased understanding of the geographic, taxonomic, cytogenetic and phylogenetic status of Iranian Fritilloria, which is vital to meeting the goal of sustainable conservation of the genus in Iran and neighboring areas.
基金The study was carried out with the support of CONACyT,which awarded an M.Sc.scholarship to BEGR(CVU935962)through the Instituto de Ecología,A.C.
文摘Orchid diversity provides a unique opportunity to further our understanding of biotic and abiotic factors linked to patterns of richness,endemism,and phylogenetic endemism in many regions.However,orchid diversity is consistently threatened by illegal trade and habitat transformation.Here,we identified areas critical for orchid conservation in the biogeographic province of Megamexico.For this purpose,we evaluated orchid endemism,phylogenetic diversity,and phylogenetic endemism within Megamexico and characterized orchid life forms.Our results indicate that the majority of the regions with the highest estimates of endemism and phylogenetic endemism are in southern Mexico and northern Central America,mostly located on the Pacific side of Megamexico.Among the most important orchid lineages,several belong to epiphytic lineages such as Pleurothallidinae,Laeliinae and Oncidiinae.We also found that species from diverse and distantly related lineages converge in montane forests where suitable substrates for epiphytes abound.Furthermore,the southernmost areas of phylogenetic diversity and endemism of Megamexico are in unprotected areas.Thus,we conclude that the most critical areas for orchid conservation in Megamexico are located in southern Mexico and northern Central America.We recommend that these areas should be given priority by the Mexican system of natural protected areas as complementary conservation areas.
文摘BACKGROUND Melioidosis,an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei(B.pseudomallei),occurs endemically in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia and is a serious opportunistic infection associated with a high mortality rate.CASE SUMMARY A 58-year-old woman presented with scattered erythema on the skin of her limbs,followed by fever and seizures.B.pseudomallei was isolated successively from the patient’s urine,blood,and pus.Magnetic resonance imaging showed abscess formation involving the right forehead and the right frontal region.Subsequently,abscess resection and drainage were performed.The patient showed no signs of relapse after 4 months of follow-up visits post-treatment.CONCLUSION We present here a unique case of multi-systemic melioidosis that occurs in nonendemic regions in a patient who had no recent travel history.Hence,it is critical to enhance awareness of melioidosis in non-endemic regions.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFC2602500,2022YFC2601200)Major Science and Technique Programs in Yunnan Province(202102AA310055)+6 种基金Science and Technology Basic Resources Investigation Program of China(2021FY100200)Project for Talent and Platform of Science and Technology in Yunnan Province Science and Technology Department(202205AM070007)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32000304)Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects(202101AT070294)Chinese Academy of Sciences“Light of West China”Program and Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program Young Talent Project(XDYC-QNRC-2022-0379 to Q.L.)Chinese Academy of Sciences“Light of West China”Program(292021000004 to X.Y.L.)Yunnan Provincial Youth Talent Support Program(YNWR-QNBJ-2020-127 to X.Y.L.)。
文摘Gaoligong Mountain(hereafter,GLGM)is located at the intersection of Myanmar and China’s Yunnan Province and Xizang Zizhiqu,and spans three globally significant biodiversity hotspots:the Himalayas,Indo-Burma,and the Mountains of Southwest China.Although surveys of mammals in this ecologically important region have a long history,there is no comprehensive systematic checklist and distribution account of the mammals of GLGM.Here,we compiled a mammal species checklist of GLGM based on thorough field investigations and literature reviews.We also examined specimen collections and applied camera trapping surveys to explore the region’s mammal diversity and distribution patterns.We recorded 212 mammal species in nine orders,33 families,and 119 genera,which accounts for 30.5%of China’s mammal species,and a high proportion of nationally protected(50)and globally threatened(29)species.Mammal species richness showed a symmetrical unimodal curve along the elevation gradient,peaking at intermediate elevations(2000 to 2500 m above sea level(asl)),and increasing generally from south to north,slightly higher in the east slope than in the west.Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed three distinct elevational assemblages(<900 m asl.,900-3500 m asl.,and>3500 m asl)and significant south-to-north variation,but no substantial differences between the east and west slopes.The GLGM present a unique conservation value due to the high proportions of rare and endangered mammal species,complex faunal composition,high endemism,and being the distribution boundary for many species.This study is an important phased account of mammal diversity in GLGM and makes a prospect for future research.
文摘Savanna, semi-deserts, and hot deserts characterize the Saharo-Arabian region, which includes Morocco, Mauretania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, southern Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India. Its neighboring regions, the Sudano-Zambezian region belonging to the Paleotropical Kingdom and the Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian regions included in the Holarctic Kingdom, share a large portion of their flora with the Saharo-Arabian region. Despite the widespread acknowledgment of the region's global importance for plant diversity, an up to date list of the Saharo-Arabian endemics is still unavailable. The available data are frequently insufficient or out of date at both the whole global and the national scales. Therefore, the present study aims at screening and verifying the Saharo-Arabian endemic plants and determining the phytogeographical distribution of these taxa in the Egyptian flora. Hence, a preliminary list of 429 Saharo-Arabian endemic plants in Egypt was compiled from the available literature. Indeed, by excluding the species that were recorded in any countries or regions outside the Saharo-Arabian region based on different literature, database reviews, and websites, the present study has reduced this number to 126 taxa belonging to 87 genera and 37 families. Regarding the national geographic distribution, South Sinai is the richest region with 83 endemic species compared with other eight phytogeographic regions in Egypt, followed by the Isthmic Desert(the middle of Sinai Peninsula, 53 taxa). Sahara regional subzone(SS1) distributes all the 126 endemic species, Arabian regional subzone(SS2) owns 79 taxa, and Nubo-Sindian subzone(SS3) distributes only 14 endemics. Seven groups were recognized at the fourth level of classification as a result of the application of the two-way indicator species analysis(TWINSPAN) to the Saharo-Arabian endemic species in Egypt, i.e., Ⅰ Asphodelus refractus group, Ⅱ Agathophora alopecuroides var. papillosa group, Ⅲ Anvillea garcinii group, Ⅳ Reseda muricata group, V Agathophora alopecuroides var. alopecuroides group, Ⅵ Scrophularia deserti group, and Ⅶ Astragalus schimperi group. It's crucial to clearly define the Saharo-Arabian endemics and illustrate an updated verified database of these taxa for a given territory for providing future management plans that support the conservation and sustainable use of these valuable species under current thought-provoking devastating impacts of rapid anthropogenic and climate change in this region.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271737,32071544)the Interdisciplinary Innovation Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)“Light of West China”Program(xbzg-zdsys-202207)+1 种基金the Shenzhen Zhilan Foundation(2021070451A)Nature Science Foundation of Sichuan Province(2022NSFSC0125).
文摘Considering the increased anthropogenic impacts,species with a limited range and low detectability often lack fundamental information and conservation actions,placing them at a high risk of endangerment.The Chinting alpine toad Scutiger chintingensis is a rare mountain amphibian endemic to the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in China.Within its whole distribution range,only three known populations(Wolong,Emei,and Wawu)exist and no recent population status report has been documented for this species over the past two decades.From 2020 to 2023,we investigated the species distribution,and assessed the risk factors for the main populations.We recorded this species in all distribution areas,and updated a new distribution site with a lower elevation limit.The relative population density was 0.024±0.012 ind./m^(2)on Mount Emei,whereas only 0.008±0.017 ind./m^(2)on Mount Wawu.No significant difference was observed in the number of individuals between the two populations;however,the relative population density was significantly different.Sewage and waste discharge resulting from the construction of scenic areas,as well as disturbances from tourism,were the primary anthropogenic factors that influenced the survival of this species.Our results provide the updated information on the distribution and population status of the Chinting alpine toad,and suggest that unrecorded populations,as well as a wider elevation range,may exist for this species.Our findings emphasise the importance of timely updates of species distribution and population information and offer a basis for the future conservation of endangered amphibians.
文摘Much of the world's biodiversity lies in heterogeneous mountain areas with their diverse environments.As an example,Iranian montane ranges are highly diverse,particularly in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical region.Understanding plant diversity patterns with increasing elevation is of high significance,not least for conservation planning.We studied the pattern of species richness,Shannon diversity,endemic richness,endemics ratio,and richness of life forms along a 3900 m elevational transect in Mount Palvar,overlooking the Lut Desert in Southeast Iran.We also analyzed the effect of environmental variables on species turnover along the vertical gradient.A total of 120 vegetation plots(10 m×10 m)were sampled along the elevational transect containing species and environmental data.To discover plant diversity pattern along the elevational gradient,generalized additive model(GAM)was used.Non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)was applied for illustrating the correlation between species composition and environmental variables.We found hump-shaped pattern for species richness,Shannon diversity,endemic richness,and species richness of different life forms,but a monotonic increasing pattern for ratio of endemic species from low to high elevations.Our study confirms the humped pattern of species richness peaking at intermediate elevations along a complete elevational gradient in a semi-arid mountain.The monotonic increase of endemics ratio with elevation in our area as a case study is consistent with global increase of endemism with elevation.According to our results,temperature and precipitation are two important climatic variables that drive elevational plant diversity,particularly in seasonally dry areas.Our study suggests that effective conservation and management are needed for this low latitude mountain area along with calling for long-term monitoring for species redistribution.
文摘The scientific community faces the challenge of measuring progress toward biodiversity targets and indices have been traditionally used.However,recent inventories in secondary tropical mountain forests using traditional biodiversity indices have yielded results that are indistinct with primary ones.This shows the need to develop complementary indices that goes beyond species count but integrates the distribution and conservation status of the species.This study developed endemicity and conservation importance index for tropical forest that incorporated the distribution and conservation status of the species.These indices were applied to Mt.Natoo,a remnant primary mossy forest in Buguias,Benguet,Philippines,that resulted to endemicity index of 81.07 and conservation importance index of 42.90.Comparing these with secondary forest sites with comparable Shannon-Wiener,Simpson,Evenness and Margalef’s indices,our endemicity and conservation indices clearly differentiates primary forest(our study site)with higher values from secondary forests with much lower values.Thus,we are proposing these indices for a direct but scientifically-informed identification of specific sites for conservation and protection in tropical forests.Additionally,our study documented a total of 168 vascular plant species(79 endemic and 12 locally threatened species)in Mt.Nato-o.Majority are of tropical elements for both generic and species levels with some temperate elements that could be attributed to the site's high elevation and semi-temperate climate.These are important baseline information for conservation plans and monitoring of tropical mossy forests.
文摘The article presents the biology of flowering and the daily dynamics of flowering of two species from the Lamiaceae family: ph. anisochila va ph. sogdiana of the distribution out in the Nuratau Mountains range.
文摘This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belonging to 34 taxonomic families were found. Endemism has an important presence in the streams on both islands, especially regarding Trichoptera and Coleoptera. The overall status of freshwater macroinvertebrates is rather uncertain as recent data on these communities are scarce and focused on a limited number of sites. Overexploitation of aquifers and the diversion of natural water flows for irrigation have resulted in the drying up of numerous natural streams, inevitably endangering the fauna that inhabits them. A reduction in number and abundance of endemic and sensitive species was observed in the majority of the sampled streams resulting in a lower ecological rating. Therefore, it is proposed that the protection of streams of high conservation value is essential to conserve freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna native to the Canary Islands.
文摘Appendicitis bilharzia is a very rare condition and we report 3 cases of this pathology that sense clinical and biological similarities with bacterial appendicitis. The etiological diagnosis was exclusively histopathological, this allowed to highlight eggs of Schistosome in the appendicular wall in the three patients. The surgical treatment was supplemented by a specific medical treatment based on praziquantel. The surgical suites were simple for 2 patients, complicated by superficial parietal suppuration in a patient.
基金Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China(30900138)Henan Univerisy of Science and Technology Doc-tor Foundation (09001367)~~
文摘Hynobiids are exclusively in Asia. China is the main distribution of hynobiids,and has many rich species because of the diversity of habitat. In present paper,the introduction on the systematic taxonomy of Chinese endemic genera (Protohynobius,Batrachuperus,Liua,Pachyhynobius and Pseudohynobius) in Hynobiidae will improve the understanding on these genera.
基金Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico(CNPqGrant No.200682/2006-7)the Integrative Life Sciences PhD Program from Virginia Common-wealth University for financial support
文摘Molecular phylogenetic studies have become a major area of interest in plant systematics, and their impacts on historical biogeographic hypotheses are not to be disregarded. In Brazil, most historical biogeographic studies have relied on animal phylogenies, whereas plant biogeographic studies have largely lacked a phylogenetic component, having a limited utility for historical biogeography. That country, however, is of great importance for most biogeographic studies of lowland tropical South America, and it includes areas from a number of biogeographic regions of the continent. Important biogeographic reports have been published as part of phylogenetic studies, taxonomic monographs, and regional accounts for small areas or phytogeographic domains, but the available information is subsequently scattered and sometimes hard to find. In this paper we review some relevant angiosperm biogeographic studies in Brazil. Initially we briefly discuss the importance of other continents as source areas for the South American flora. Then we present a subdivision of Brazil into phytogeographic domains, and we cite studies that have explored the detection of biogeographic units (areas of endemism) and how they are historically related among those domains. Examples of plant taxa that could be used to test some biogeographic hypotheses are provided throughout, as well as taxa that exemplify several patterns of endemism and disjunction in the Brazilian angiosperm flora.
基金supported in part by US National Science Foundation grants EAR 9220079,0174295INT 0074295 to SRM+4 种基金National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program No.2007CB411600)Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-YW-R-136) to CZDin part by Research Project of the National Museum of Nature of Science (20077005)the Monbusho Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (17540446) for KUsupported through SRM's participation in the NSF (NESCent)-sponsored Phytogeography of the Northern Hemisphere Working Group
文摘We review the fossil history of seed plant genera that are now endemic to eastern Asia. Although the majority of eastern Asian endemic genera have no known fossil record at all, 54 genera, or about 9%, are reliably known from the fossil record. Most of these are woody (with two exceptions), and most are today either broadly East Asian, or more specifically confined to Sino-Japanese subcategory rather than being endemic to the Sino-Himalayan area. Of the "eastern Asian endemic" genera so far known from the fossil record, the majority formerly occurred in Europe and/or North America, indicating that eastern Asia served as a late Tertiary or Quaternary refugium for taxa. Hence, many of these genera may have originated in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere and expanded their ranges across continents and former sea barriers when tectonic and climatic conditions allowed, leading to their arrival in eastern Asia. Although clear evidence for paleoendemism is provided by the gymnosperms Amentotaxus, Cathaya, Cephalotaxus, Cunninghamia, Cryptomeria, Glyptostrobus, Ginkgo, Keteleeria, Metasequoia, Nothotsuga, Pseudolarix, Sciadopitys, and Taiwania, and the angiosperms Cercidiphyllum, Choerospondias, Corylopsis, Craigia, Cyclocarya, Davidia, Dipelta, Decaisnea, Diplopanax, Dipteronia, Emmenopterys, Eucommia, Euscaphis, Hemiptelea, Hovenia, Koelreuteria, Paulownia, Phellodendron, Platycarya, Pteroceltis, Rehderodendron, Sargentodoxa, Schizophragma, Sinomenium, Tapiscia, Tetracentron, Toricellia, Trapella, and Trochodendron, we cannot rule out the possibility that neoendemism plays an important role especially for herbaceous taxa in the present-day flora of Asia, particularly in the Sino-Himalayan region. In addition to reviewing paleobotanical occurrences from the literature, we document newly recognized fossil occurrences that expand the geographic and stratigraphic ranges previously known for Dipelta, Pteroceltis, and Toricellia.
文摘Hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is a serious global public health problem.The infection may be transmitted through sexual intercourse,parenteral contact or from an infected mother to the baby at birth and,if contracted early in life,may lead to chronic liver disease,including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.On the basis of the HBV carrier rate,the world can be divided in 3 regions of high,medium and low endemicity.The major concern is about high endemicity countries,where the most common route of infection remains vertical transmission from mother to child.Screening of all pregnant women and passive immunization with human hepatitis B immunoglobulin are not affordable for many developing countries.The infection rate can be reduced by modifying behavior,improving individual education,testing all blood donations,assuring asepsis in clinical practice and screening all pregnant women.However,availability of a safe and efficacious vaccine and adoption of appropriate immunization strategies are the most effective means to prevent HBV infection and its consequences.The unsolved problem for poorest countries,where the number of people currently infected is high,is the cost of the vaccine.A future challenge is to overcome the social and economic hurdles of maintaining and improving a prevention policy worldwide to reduce the global burden of the disease.
基金This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (10171106)the Special Fund for Major State Basic Research Projects (G1999032805)
文摘A disease transmission model of SI type with stage structure is formulated. The stability of disease free equilibrium, the existence and uniqueness of an endemic equilibrium, the existence of a global attractor are investigated.