Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha
Abstract In addition to protecting species, conservation also includes the maintenance of evolutionary processes, but this aspect is often overlooked. Nesospiza buntings provide a good case study of the need to conserve evolutionary processes. They are endemic to the South Atlantic Tristan da Cunha...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s095927090800004x 2024-03-03T08:45:49+00:00 Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha Ryan, Peter G. 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095927090800004x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095927090800004X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Bird Conservation International volume 18, issue 1, page 20-29 ISSN 0959-2709 1474-0001 Nature and Landscape Conservation Animal Science and Zoology Ecology journal-article 2008 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s095927090800004x 2024-02-08T08:38:21Z Abstract In addition to protecting species, conservation also includes the maintenance of evolutionary processes, but this aspect is often overlooked. Nesospiza buntings provide a good case study of the need to conserve evolutionary processes. They are endemic to the South Atlantic Tristan da Cunha archipelago, and traditionally have been treated as two species, with each having different subspecies on Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands. Both species are listed as Vulnerable because of their small ranges (<20 km 2 ) and the threat posed by the possible introduction of alien organisms such as mice or rats. The two species differ markedly in size, especially bill size, related to dietary differences. However, recent research suggests that morphological diversity evolved independently on Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands, necessitating a revision of the taxonomy within the genus. I recommend that five taxa be recognized, with two endemic to Nightingale and three to Inaccessible Island. N. wilkinsi and N. questi on Nightingale are well-defined species, but there is considerable hybridization between taxa on Inaccessible Island. These three taxa may be incipient species, but are perhaps best treated as subspecies: N. acunhae acunhae, N. a. dunnei and N. a. fraseri ( nom. nov. ). All three species qualify as threatened, with N. acunhae and N. questi Vulnerable and N. wilkinsi Endangered. With fewer than 200 individuals, N. wilkinsi has one of the smallest natural populations of any bird. A reassessment of its population size is a conservation priority, following the 2001 storm that damaged many Phylica trees on Nightingale Island. Improved biosecurity quarantine measures are also needed for Nightingale Island. Care should be taken not to disrupt the natural processes occurring among bunting taxa on Inaccessible Island. Article in Journal/Newspaper Inaccessible Island Inaccessible Islands Cambridge University Press Tristan ENVELOPE(140.900,140.900,-66.735,-66.735) Inaccessible Island ENVELOPE(166.350,166.350,-77.650,-77.650) Inaccessible Islands ENVELOPE(-46.666,-46.666,-60.583,-60.583) Bird Conservation International 18 1 20 29 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Animal Science and Zoology Ecology |
spellingShingle |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Animal Science and Zoology Ecology Ryan, Peter G. Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha |
topic_facet |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Animal Science and Zoology Ecology |
description |
Abstract In addition to protecting species, conservation also includes the maintenance of evolutionary processes, but this aspect is often overlooked. Nesospiza buntings provide a good case study of the need to conserve evolutionary processes. They are endemic to the South Atlantic Tristan da Cunha archipelago, and traditionally have been treated as two species, with each having different subspecies on Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands. Both species are listed as Vulnerable because of their small ranges (<20 km 2 ) and the threat posed by the possible introduction of alien organisms such as mice or rats. The two species differ markedly in size, especially bill size, related to dietary differences. However, recent research suggests that morphological diversity evolved independently on Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands, necessitating a revision of the taxonomy within the genus. I recommend that five taxa be recognized, with two endemic to Nightingale and three to Inaccessible Island. N. wilkinsi and N. questi on Nightingale are well-defined species, but there is considerable hybridization between taxa on Inaccessible Island. These three taxa may be incipient species, but are perhaps best treated as subspecies: N. acunhae acunhae, N. a. dunnei and N. a. fraseri ( nom. nov. ). All three species qualify as threatened, with N. acunhae and N. questi Vulnerable and N. wilkinsi Endangered. With fewer than 200 individuals, N. wilkinsi has one of the smallest natural populations of any bird. A reassessment of its population size is a conservation priority, following the 2001 storm that damaged many Phylica trees on Nightingale Island. Improved biosecurity quarantine measures are also needed for Nightingale Island. Care should be taken not to disrupt the natural processes occurring among bunting taxa on Inaccessible Island. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ryan, Peter G. |
author_facet |
Ryan, Peter G. |
author_sort |
Ryan, Peter G. |
title |
Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha |
title_short |
Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha |
title_full |
Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha |
title_fullStr |
Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha |
title_full_unstemmed |
Taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in Nesospiza buntings on Tristan da Cunha |
title_sort |
taxonomic and conservation implications of ecological speciation in nesospiza buntings on tristan da cunha |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095927090800004x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095927090800004X |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(140.900,140.900,-66.735,-66.735) ENVELOPE(166.350,166.350,-77.650,-77.650) ENVELOPE(-46.666,-46.666,-60.583,-60.583) |
geographic |
Tristan Inaccessible Island Inaccessible Islands |
geographic_facet |
Tristan Inaccessible Island Inaccessible Islands |
genre |
Inaccessible Island Inaccessible Islands |
genre_facet |
Inaccessible Island Inaccessible Islands |
op_source |
Bird Conservation International volume 18, issue 1, page 20-29 ISSN 0959-2709 1474-0001 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s095927090800004x |
container_title |
Bird Conservation International |
container_volume |
18 |
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1 |
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20 |
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29 |
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1792501468327051264 |