Ecology, Evolution and Landscape Science publications

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100 articles every ecologist should read
(Macmillan Publishers, 2018) Courchamp, F.; Bradshaw, C.
Reading scientific articles is a valuable and major part of the activity of scientists. Yet, with the upsurge of currently available articles and the increasing specialization of scientists, it becomes difficult to identify, let alone read, important papers covering topics not directly related to one's own specific field of research, or that are older than a few years. Our objective was to propose a list of seminal papers deemed to be of major importance in ecology, thus providing a general 'must-read' list for any new ecologist, regardless of particular topic or expertise. We generated a list of 544 papers proposed by 147 ecology experts (journal editorial members) and subsequently ranked via random-sample voting by 368 of 665 contacted ecology experts, covering 6 article types, 6 approaches and 17 fields. Most of the recommended papers were not published in the highest-ranking journals, nor did they have the highest number of mean annual citations. The articles proposed through the collective recommendation of several hundred experienced researchers probably do not represent an 'ultimate', invariant list, but they certainly contain many high-quality articles that are undoubtedly worth reading-regardless of the specific field of interest in ecology-to foster the understanding, knowledge and inspiration of early-career scientists.
Open Access
A Case Study for the Recovery of Authentic Microbial Ancient DNA from Soil Samples
(MDPI, 2022) Pérez, V.; Liu, Y.; Hengst, M.B.; Weyrich, L.S.
High Throughput DNA Sequencing (HTS) revolutionized the field of paleomicrobiology, leading to an explosive growth of microbial ancient DNA (aDNA) studies, especially from environmental samples. However, aDNA studies that examine environmental microbes routinely fail to authenticate aDNA, examine laboratory and environmental contamination, and control for biases introduced during sample processing. Here, we surveyed the available literature for environmental aDNA projects—from sample collection to data analysis—and assessed previous methodologies and approaches used in the published microbial aDNA studies. We then integrated these concepts into a case study, using shotgun metagenomics to examine methodological, technical, and analytical biases during an environmental aDNA study of soil microbes. Specifically, we compared the impact of five DNA extraction methods and eight bioinformatic pipelines on the recovery of microbial aDNA information in soil cores from extreme environments. Our results show that silica-based methods optimized for aDNA research recovered significantly more damaged and shorter reads (<100 bp) than a commercial kit or a phenol–chloroform method. Additionally, we described a stringent pipeline for data preprocessing, efficiently decreasing the representation of low-complexity and duplicated reads in our datasets and downstream analyses, reducing analytical biases in taxonomic classification.
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A common boundary between distinct northern and southern morphotypes in two unrelated Tasmanian rainforest species
(C S I R O Publishing, 2000) Barnes, R.; Jordan, G.; Hill, R.; McCoull, C.
The variation in selected leaf morphological traits was examined across the geographic ranges of two Tasmanian rainforest species, Tasmannia lanceolata (Poiret) A.C.Smith and Eucryphia milliganii Hook.f. Comparisons of field- and glasshouse-grown plants for both species showed that there is strong genetic control of all the morphological characters measured. Two distinct morphotypes, occupying similar areas of Tasmania, were identified in each species. The geographic boundary between the morphotypes is similar in both species and runs more or less east–west, separating each species into northern and southern forms. Southern E. milliganii differs from the northern form in having ovate leaves with dense marginal trichomes and a pubescent abaxial leaf lamina. A new subspecies, E. milliganii ssp. pubescens, is described to encompass this intra-specific variation in southern Tasmania. Southern T. lanceolata has encrypted stomata, contrasting with the superficial stomata of the northern form, but is not considered sufficiently different to warrant separate taxonomic status. The boundary is difficult to explain in terms of modern environmental factors. A past period of significantly different climate from the present, perhaps combined with anthropogenic fire regimes, may have enabled allopatric differentiation within each species.
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A comparative study of survival, recruitment and population growth in two translocated populations of the threatened greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis)
(CSIRO Publishing, 2020) Berris, K.K.; Cooper, S.J.B.; Breed, W.G.; Berris, J.R.; Carthew, S.M.
Context: Translocations have been widely used to re-establish populations of threatened Australian mammalian species. However, they are limited by the availability of sites where key threats can be effectively minimised or eliminated. Outside of ‘safe havens’, threats such as exotic predators, introduced herbivores and habitat degradation are often unable to be completely eliminated. Understanding how different threats affect Australian mammal populations can assist in prioritising threat-management actions outside of safe havens. Aims: We sought to determine whether translocations of the greater bilby to two sites in the temperate zone of South Australia could be successful when human-induced threats, such as prior habitat clearance, historic grazing, the presence of feral cats and European rabbits, could not be completely eliminated. Methods: Greater bilbies were regularly cage trapped at two translocation sites and a capture–mark–recapture study was used to determine survival, recruitment and population growth at both sites. Key results: Our study showed that bilbies were successfully translocated to an offshore island with a previous history of grazing and habitat clearance, but which was free of exotic predators. At a second site, a mainland exclosure with feral cats and European rabbits present, the bilby population declined over time. Adult bilbies had similar survival rates in both populations; however, the mainland bilby population had low recruitment rates and low numbers of subadults despite high adult female fecundity. Conclusions: The results indicated that past grazing and habitat clearance did not prevent the bilby population on the offshore island establishing and reaching a high population density. In the mainland exclosure, the low recruitment is probably due to feral cats predating on subadult bilbies following pouch emergence. Implications: The results demonstrated that the bilby, an ecologically flexible Australian marsupial, can be successfully translocated to sites with a history of habitat degradation if exotic predators are absent. At the mainland exclosure site, threat mitigation for bilbies should focus on control or eradication of the feral cats. The control of European rabbits without control of feral cats could lead to prey-switching by feral cats, further increasing predation pressure on the small bilby population.
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A comparison of growth responses between two species of Potamogeton with contrasting canopy architecture
(Elsevier Science BV, 2001) Cenzato, D.; Ganf, G.
Open Access
A comparison of stomatal traits between contemporary and fossil leaves of Melaleuca quinquenervia: Do they reflect climate variation?
(Elsevier, 2019) Hill, K.E.; Barr, C.; Tibby, J.; Hill, R.S.; Watling, J.R.
Stomatal traits have been shown to vary in predictableways in response to environmental change inmany plant species. As a consequence, stomatal traits in fossil leaves are sometimes used as proxies for past CO2 and climate. Herewe investigate the influence of temperature, rainfall and CO2 on stomatal traits in plant cuticle fine details of Melaleuca quinquenervia.We use both modern and fossil leaves deposited over the last c. 7500 years to evaluate the effect of CO2, and modern leaves for climate variables. We found a significant negative relationship between stomatal size and density across both modern and fossil leaves of M. quinquenervia. However, wewere unable to find any relationship between stomatal traits and CO2 across a range from 260 to 380 ppm. We were unable to find any robust relationships between stomatal traits and either evaporation or temperature using the modern dataset. Apogeotropic roots account for the lack of stomatal anatomy response to evaporation in sites that experiences inundation.Weconclude that stomatal size is a highly plastic trait in this species and changes do not necessarily reflect functional changes in the leaves.
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A comparison of the morphology, gas space anatomy and potential for internal aeration in Phragmites australis under variable and static water regimes
(Elsevier Science BV, 2002) White, S.; Ganf, G.
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A comprehensive assessment of diversity loss in a well-documented tropical insect fauna: almost half of Singapore’s butterfly species extirpated in 160 years
(Elsevier, 2020) Theng, M.; Jusoh, W.F.A.; Jain, A.; Huertas, B.; Tan, D.J.X.; Tan, H.Z.; Kristensen, N.P.; Meier, R.; Chisholm, R.A.
Insects as a group are suffering rapid declines in many parts of the world but are also poorly studied relative to vertebrate taxa. Comprehensive assessments of insect declines must account for both detected and undetected species. We studied extirpations among butterflies, a particularly well-known insect group, in the highly developed and biologically well-surveyed island city-state of Singapore. Building on existing butterfly species lists, we collated museum and naturalist records over the last two centuries and used statistical models to estimate the total extirpation rate since the first major collections in 1854. In addition, we compiled a set of traits for each butterfly species and explored how they relate to species discovery and extirpation. With a database of 413 native species, 132 (32%) of which are recorded as extirpated in Singapore, we used a statistical model to infer that, in addition, 104 unknown species (95% CI 60–162) were likely extirpated before they were ever discovered, suggesting a total extirpation rate of 46% (41–51%). In the trait analyses, we found that butterfly species that were discovered later were weakly associated with rarer larval host plants and smaller wingspans, while species that persisted for longer were weakly associated with higher larval host plant abundance and lower forest-dependence. This exercise is one of the first to offer a holistic estimate of extirpations for a group of insects by accounting for undetected extirpations. It suggests that extirpations among insects, specifically in the tropics, may be higher than naïve estimates based only on known records.
Open Access
A concise guide to developing and using quantitative models in conservation management
(Wiley, 2019) García-Díaz, P.; Prowse, T.A.A.; Anderson, D.P.; Lurgi, M.; Binny, R.N.; Cassey, P.
Quantitative models are powerful tools for informing conservation management and decision-making. As applied modeling is increasingly used to address conservation problems, guidelines are required to clarify the scope of modeling applications and to facilitate the impact and acceptance of models by practitioners. We identify three key roles for quantitative models in conservation management: (a) to assess the extent of a conservation problem; (b) to provide insights into the dynamics of complex social and ecological systems; and, (c) to evaluate the efficacy of proposed conservation interventions. We describe 10 recommendations to facilitate the acceptance of quantitative models in conservation management, providing a basis for good practice to guide their development and evaluation in conservation applications. We structure these recommendations within four established phases of model construction, enabling their integration within existing workflows: (a) design (two recommendations); (b) specification (two); (c) evaluation (one); and (d) inference (five). Quantitative modeling can support effective conservation management provided that both managers and modelers understand and agree on the place for models in conservation. Our concise review and recommendations will assist conservation managers and modelers to collaborate in the development of quantitative models that are fit-for-purpose, and to trust and use these models appropriately while understanding key drivers of uncertainty.
Open Access
A conserved tooth resorption mechanism in modern and fossil snakes.
(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2023) LeBlanc, A.R.H.; Palci, A.; Anthwal, N.; Tucker, A.S.; Araújo, R.; Pereira, M.F.C.; Caldwell, M.W.
Whether snakes evolved their elongated, limbless bodies or their specialized skulls and teeth first is a central question in squamate evolution. Identifying features shared between extant and fossil snakes is therefore key to unraveling the early evolution of this iconic reptile group. One promising candidate is their unusual mode of tooth replacement, whereby teeth are replaced without signs of external tooth resorption. We reveal through histological analysis that the lack of resorption pits in snakes is due to the unusual action of odontoclasts, which resorb dentine from within the pulp of the tooth. Internal tooth resorption is widespread in extant snakes, differs from replacement in other reptiles, and is even detectable via non-destructive μCT scanning, providing a method for identifying fossil snakes. We then detected internal tooth resorption in the fossil snake Yurlunggur, and one of the oldest snake fossils, Portugalophis, suggesting that it is one of the earliest innovations in Pan-Serpentes, likely preceding limb loss.
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A continental and consistent water mapping product from Geoscience Australia: South Australia applications of WOfS
(Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Government of South Australia, 2016) Raja Segaran, R.; Turner, D.P.; Hunt, G.; Lewis, M.; Clarke, K.; NRM Science Conference 2016 (13 Apr 2016 - 15 Apr 2016 : Adelaide, South Australia)
Open Access
A Critical Comparison of Conventional, Certified, and Community Management of Tropical Forests for Timber in Terms of Environmental, Economic, and Social Variables
(Wiley, 2017) Burivalova, Z.; Hua, F.; Koh, L.; Garcia, C.; Putz, F.
Tropical forests are crucial in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services, but at the same time, they are major sources of revenue and provide livelihoods for forest-dependent people. Hopes for the simultaneous achievement of conservation goals and poverty alleviation are therefore increasingly placed on forests used for timber extraction. Most timber exploitation is carried out unsustainably, which causes forest degradation. Two important mechanisms have emerged to promote sustainable forest management: certification and community-based forest management (CFM). We synthesize the published information about how forest certification and CFM perform in terms of environmental, social, and economic variables. With the caveat that very few published studies meet the standards for formal impact evaluation, we found that certification has substantial environmental benefits, typically achieved at a cost of reduced short-term financial profit, and accompanied by some improvement to the welfare of neighboring communities. We found that the economic and environmental benefits of CFM are understudied, but that the social impacts are controversial, with both positive and negative changes reported. We identify the trade-offs that likely caused these conflicting results and that, if addressed, would help both CFM and certification deliver the hoped-for benefits.
Open Access
A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks
(WILEY, 2022) Camaiti, M.; Evans, A.R.; Hipsley, C.A.; Hutchinson, M.N.; Meiri, S.; Anderson, R.O.; Slavenko, A.; Chapple, D.G.
Aim: Limb- reduced squamates are a convenient model system to investigate macroevolu-tionary trends in morphology. Here, we provide morphological, ecological and literature data on all known species of limb- reduced skinks (Scincidae) and their relatives, represent-ing one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of limb- reduced squamates.Location: Global.Ta xo n: Skinks (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Limb- reduced forms.Methods: Morphological data were sourced from the primary literature, spanning a period of over 150 years. Linear body measurements were averaged across all values in the literature, preserving proportionality to body length. For digits and presacral vertebrae, we used maximum recorded counts. Ecological and biogeographical data were sourced from habitat assessments in the primary literature, online databases and field guides. Literature data were sorted according to type of study. To exemplify the applicability of the database, we used Markov-chain ordered models to estimate the evolutionary frequency of limb reduction and loss in skinks.Results: We find evidence of limb reduction and loss in a total of 394 species world-wide, representing ~23% of all skink species, and ~30% of genera. The distribution of limb- reduced and limbless forms differs from that of fully limbed forms, as they are present in all biogeographic realms with the almost complete exclusion of the Americas. We estimate that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times in skinks, and that loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times.Main conclusions: The dataset captures a broad spectrum of morphological and ecological variation in a large, globally distributed taxonomic group. It establishes a widely applicable definition of limb reduction based on limb proportions as a reference for future studies. Such an extensive collection of morphological and ecological data can pave the way for investigations of dramatic morphological transitions and their ecological drivers at a global and local scale.
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A description and evaluation of Malundwe Mountain Forest in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
(TAWIRI, 2007) Collett, L.; Hawkins, D.; Kidung'ho, C.; Marwa, W.; Norton, G.W.; Sixth Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Scientific Conference (TAWIRI) (3 Dec 2007 - 6 Dec 2007 : Arusha, Tanzania); Keyyu, J.D.; Kakengi, V.
The forest atop Malundwe Mountain in the center of Mikumi National Park was first described in the scientific literature by Lovett and Norton in 1985. The results of their preliminary survey classified this forest as Eastern Arc submontane forest. Until the current study, there have only been a few brief visits and scouting surveys to this isolated forest and it has remained virtually undescribed. Yet the Malundwe Forest is potentially of great scientific and conservation importance. It is a representative example of the Eastern Arc forest habitats recognized collectively as one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots. It is the only known Eastern Arc forest to have been under full National Park protection for over 40 years. As a result the forest is almost entirely undisturbed by human activities. Because the forest is within the center of a national park, about 20 km from the park boundary, it is surrounded by undisturbed and protected habitats. Fire is the only likely human derived influence on the forest and may affect forest edges. Of equal importance, Malundwe Mountain and the surrounding habitats are the confluence of three watersheds and thus contribute to three important water catchments serving the Wami, Ruvu and Ruaha River systems. The Malundwe forest is at one of the head waters for both the Wami and Ruvu rivers and is potentially a major contributor to the Ruaha-Rufiji system. In this paper, we report the preliminary results of two years of biodiversity surveys and GIS mapping of this forest using standard transect and survey techniques conducted in close collaboration with scientists and wildlife managers in Tanzania. We present these results and discuss the size, composition, importance of this forest in the biogeographical context of the catchments and the nearby forests of the Udzungwa and Uluguru Mountains.
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A diverse fern flora including macrofossils with in situ spores from the Late Eocene of southern New Zealand
(ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, 2015) Homes, A.; Cieraad, E.; Lee, D.; Raine, J.; Conran, J.
Three types of fossil fern fronds bearing sporangia with in situ spores are described from the late Eocene Pikopiko Fossil Forest, southern New Zealand. They are referable to the extant fern genus Thelypteris subgenus Cyclosorus (Thelypteridaceae) and an extinct fern of uncertain affinity. The matching of Thelypteris (Cyclosorus) macrofossils to the spore form taxon Laevigatosporites ovatus is recognised for the first time. Five additional fern taxa, including another probable Blechnum, are distinguished on the basis of sterile foliage. The Pikopiko site is one of the richest known Cenozoic fern floras globally and the diversity and abundance of ferns (eight fern macrofossil parataxa and 20 miospore types) implies that ferns dominated the evergreen, tall forest understorey as in modern New Zealand rainforests. At least 40% of modern New Zealand fern families are represented in this 35 Ma flora and the discovery of fronds with in situ spores of a type recorded throughout the Cenozoic in New Zealand supports a long history for some fern genera in the region. The abundance of ferns, epiphyllous fungi on many leaves and the presence of palms is evidence for warm humid conditions in Late Eocene New Zealand. Keywords New Zealand; Fossil ferns; Blechnum; Thelypteris; Pikopiko fossil forest; Late Eocene
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A field and laboratory investigation of kerb side inlet pits using four media types
(Elsevier, 2019) Sapdhare, H.; Myers, B.; Beecham, S.; Brien, C.; Pezzaniti, D.; Johnson, T.
Kerb side inlets with adjacent leaky wells are an emerging tool to harvest stormwater and to reduce runoff volumes and peak flow rates. This is achieved by collecting the first flush runoff into kerb side storages and infiltrating this water into the surrounding soil, thereby also reducing stormwater pollutant loadings. The hydraulic performance of the kerb side inlet, filter media and surrounding soil are key factors in the performance of these systems. However, no field or laboratory data are currently available for the hydraulic performance of a kerb side tree inlet pit. In this study, 12 tree inlet pits were constructed and filled with various media types including gravel, water treatment solids (a recycled waste product), sandy loam and clay to examine (1) leaky well infiltration rates (2) emptying times of the wells and (3) the well capacity (runoff storage volume) before and after runoff filtering through the wells. Using a laboratory model, the water harvesting performance of the kerb side inlet plate was also examined for various road longitudinal slopes. Using the field and laboratory data, simulation of the well performance was undertaken using the Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation (MUSIC) to assess the capacity of these systems to reduce runoff volumes at the residential street scale. It was hypothesised that the type of filter media used in leaky well systems has a significant impact on the infiltration rate, regardless of the native soil type through which the stormwater eventually infiltrates. The results showed that the infiltration rates of systems filled with gravel were significantly higher than for the other media types, and this was followed by water treatment solids, sandy loam and clay. The results of the MUSIC modelling indicated that 2.8% of the mean annual runoff volume in the catchment could be harvested by the systems at the case study site. It was found that selection of high infiltration rate media and regular maintenance are the key factors for maintaining long-term performance of these systems.
Open Access
A fresh look at cladarosymblema narrienense, a tetrapodomorph fish (sarcopterygii: Megalichthyidae) from the carboniferous of Australia, illuminated via X-ray tomography
(PeerJ, 2021) Clement, A.M.; Cloutier, R.; Lu, J.; Perilli, E.; Maksimenko, A.; Long, J.
Background: The megalichthyids are one of several clades of extinct tetrapodomorph fish that lived throughout the Devonian–Permian periods. They are advanced “osteolepidid-grade” fishes that lived in freshwater swamp and lake environments, with some taxa growing to very large sizes. They bear cosmine-covered bones and a large premaxillary tusk that lies lingually to a row of small teeth. Diagnosis of the family remains controversial with various authors revising it several times in recent works. There are fewer than 10 genera known globally, and only one member definitively identified from Gondwana. Cladarosymblema narrienense Fox et al. 1995 was described from the Lower Carboniferous Raymond Formation in Queensland, Australia, on the basis of several well-preserved specimens. Despite this detailed work, several aspects of its anatomy remain undescribed. Methods: Two especially well-preserved 3D fossils of Cladarosymblema narrienense, including the holotype specimen, are scanned using synchrotron or micro-computed tomography (µCT), and 3D modelled using specialist segmentation and visualisation software. New anatomical detail, in particular internal anatomy, is revealed for the first time in this taxon. A novel phylogenetic matrix, adapted from other recent work on tetrapodomorphs, is used to clarify the interrelationships of the megalichthyids and confirm the phylogenetic position of C. narrienense. Results: Never before seen morphological details of the palate, hyoid arch, basibranchial skeleton, pectoral girdle and axial skeleton are revealed and described. Several additional features are confirmed or updated from the original description. Moreover, the first full, virtual cranial endocast of any tetrapodomorph fish is presented and described, giving insight into the early neural adaptations in this group. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the monophyly of the Megalichthyidae with seven genera included (Askerichthys, Cladarosymblema, Ectosteorhachis, Mahalalepis, Megalichthys, Palatinichthys, and Sengoerichthys). The position of the megalichthyids as sister group to canowindrids, crownward of “osteolepidids” (e.g.,Osteolepis and Gogonasus), but below “tristichopterids” such as Eusthenopteron is confirmed, but our findings suggest further work is required to resolve megalichthyid interrelationships.
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A future 1.2 ºC increase in ocean temperature alters the quality of mangrove habitats for marine plants and animals
(Elsevier, 2019) Walden, G.; Noirot, C.; Nagelkerken, I.
Global climate stressors, like ocean warming and acidification, contribute to the erosion of structural complexity in marine foundation habitats by promoting the growth of low-relief turf, increasing grazing pressure on structurally complex marine vegetation, and by directly affecting the growth and survival of foundation species. Because mangrove roots are woody and their epibionts are used to ever-changing conditions in highly variable environments, mangrove habitats may be more resilient to global change stressors than other marine foundation species. Using a large-scale mesocosm experiment, we examined how ocean warming and acidification, under a reduced carbon emission scenario, affect the composition and structural complexity of mangrove epibiont communities and the use of mangrove habitat by juvenile fishes. We demonstrate that even a modest increase in seawater temperature of 1.2 °C leads to the homogenisation and flattening of mangrove root epibiont communities. Warming led to a 24% increase in the overall cover of algal epibionts on roots but the diversity of the epibiont species decreased by 33%. Epibiont structural complexity decreased owing to the shorter stature of weedy algal turfs which prospered under elevated temperature. Juvenile fishes showed alterations in mangrove habitat use with ocean warming and acidification, but these were independent of changes to the root epibiont community. We reveal that the quality of apparently resilient mangrove habitats and their perceived value as habitat for associated fauna are still vulnerable under a globally reduced carbon emission scenario.
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A georeferenced implementation of weighted endemism
(Wiley, 2015) Guerin, G.; Ruokolainen, L.; Lowe, A.; Isaac, N.
Summary Areas of endemism are conservation priorities and indicators of biogeographical processes, representing concentrations of range‐restricted biodiversity. While the term endemism describes geographical range restriction, the technical definition has often been re‐worked. Categorical definitions are increasingly replaced by weighting of species according to range sizes. In various contexts, range sizes have been estimated by the number of occupied map grid cells, the latitudinal or longitudinal range of point locations, or the area of a polygon surrounding point locations. Existing implementations of weighted endemism use the number of occupied grid cells to estimate range. However, this represents area of occupancy (AOO), not extent of occurrence (EOO). We developed endemism calculations that include strictly geographical (georeferenced) interpretations of range (‘span’ and ‘area’), and compared them to cell frequency‐based measures. We compared species weights and endemism scores for 330 004 records of 3083 vascular plant species in 14 328 plots (Biological Survey of South Australia). We provide a self‐contained R function that calculates endemism using alternative range weights and integrates point data with automatically generated rasters. A parallel function tests for deviance from the expected (null) distribution, given observed species richness (nonparametric significance test; outlier metrics). Species range weights based on grid cell frequency (AOO) versus georeferenced ‘span’ and ‘area’ (EOO) are conceptually different and were poorly correlated for the same data set, resulting in differences in the classification of grid cells as outliers from expected endemism. For example, the correlation (Kendall's τ) between endemism based on geographical ‘span’ and cell frequency was just 0·57, when partialling out the influence of species richness, potentially leading to contrasting conservation priorities over 8% or 46 000 km2 of the state of South Australia. Weighting endemism by georeferenced range estimates provides an alternative approach that more explicitly highlights restriction in EOO, generates differences in endemism metrics and requires only georeferenced species records. This approach need not replace existing implementations, but provides an alternative measure of range‐restricted biodiversity. The functions provide efficient calculation of species ranges (with or without geographical outlier exclusion) and weighted endemism with novel implementation of significance tests and outlier detection, in the R environment.
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A giant armoured skink from Australia expands lizard morphospace and the scope of the Pleistocene extinctions
(The Royal Society Publishing, 2023) Thorn, K.M.; Fusco, D.A.; Hutchinson, M.N.; Gardner, M.G.; Clayton, J.L.; Prideaux, G.J.; Lee, M.S.Y.
There are more species of lizards and snakes (squamates) alive today than any other order of land vertebrates, yet their fossil record has been poorly documented compared with other groups. Here, we describe a gigantic Pleistocene skink from Australia based on extensive material that includes much of the skull and postcranial skeleton, and spans ontogenetic stages from neonate to adult. Tiliqua frangens substantially expands the known ecomorphological diversity of squamates. At approximately 2.4 kg, it was more than double the mass of any living skink, with an exceptionally broad, deep skull, squat limbs and heavy, ornamented body armour. It probably filled the armoured herbivore niche that land tortoises (testudinids), absent from Australia, occupy on other continents. Tiliqua frangens and other giant Plio-Pleistocene skinks suggest that small-bodied groups that dominate vertebrate biodiversity might have lost their largest and often most morphologically extreme representatives in the Late Pleistocene, expanding the scope of these extinctions.

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