During the terrestrial survey of the “Our Planet Reviewed” project in Papua New Guinea we created a bridge between biodiversity research, capacity building and nature conservation. The scientific aim of the project was to estimate, for the first time, the biological diversity generated by altitudinal turnover of insect species. The project was set up by the Natural History Museums of Brussels (RBINS) and Paris (MNHN), the NGO Pro-Natura International, the French IRD and, as local partners, the New Guinea Binatang Research Center (BRC) and the University of Papua New Guinea. Half of the core scientific team (ca 50 persons) was made of local research assistants and the other half of international biodiversity experts. Local research assistants (called paraecologists and parataxomists) were recruited in local communities, trained by BRC and supervized by the international experts. Locals were involved in sample collection, sample pre-sorting and received training and salary. This not only speeded up sample collection, but simultaneously supported nature conservation as the locals had means of income other than from commercial logging. We also paid land-use fees to land owners as compensation for collecting plants and animals in their forest plots. Conservation initiatives by local communities were further supported by funds from private sponsors raised by BRC. Funds were also collected to allow local scientists to visit overseas laboratories and to participate to international conferences. To summarize, large-scale biotic surveys are not only essential to understand the functioning of complex tropical ecosystems where biodiversity is highest but can also be important drivers of capacity building and nature conservation. Associated movie: “In the treetops of Papua New Guinea”. Director: Maurice Leponce. Author: Maurice Leponce & Gildas Corgnet, 2015, HD, 16min
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Polar ecosystems support a distinctive, cold-adapted biodiversity that faces significant threats from rapid environmental changes and escalating human impacts. To effectively manage and conserve these living resources, multi-scale data on connectivity and adaptation are essential. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are most effective when designed as interconnected networks that account for both functional diversity and connectivity within and among species. In this study, 607 individuals from ten Trematomus species were analyzed through ddRAD sequencing, yielding thousands of genomic markers to examine patterns of divergence and connectivity on the Southern Ocean shelf, both within and between species. Genomic SNPs showing evidence of selection, identified as "outlier loci," were further analyzed to explore potential local adaptations to varying environmental conditions. Population structure analyses of four species — T. loennbergii, T. eulepidotus, T. scotti, and T. newnesi — indicate extensive dispersal across the Weddell Sea and along the West Antarctic coast, likely facilitated by the Weddell Sea Gyre and the Antarctic Coastal Current. A genetic discontinuity was detected near the Filchner Trough in several species, likely due to the strong outflow from the Filchner-Ronne ice shelf, which may isolate the trough region from the broader Weddell Sea habitat. Additionally, evidence of previously unrecognized cryptic diversity was observed in T. eulepidotus and T. loennbergii. These findings contribute to our understanding of diversity, connectivity, and adaptation on the Southern Ocean shelf, a critical foundation for conservation amid unprecedented global change.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
