Iguana b&w text Conservation of the Indonesian Herpetofauna Indonesia is an archipelagic nation com- posed of some 17,000 islands of varying sizes and geological origins, and with marked differences in flora and fauna. Indonesia is considered one of the Earth’s megadiversity centers. According to the Biodiversity Action Plan for Indonesia, 16% of all amphibian and reptilian species occur in Indonesia, a total of over 1,100 species. New research activities, launched in the last few years, indicate that these figures may be significantly higher than generally assumed. Herpetological research in Indonesia, however, has not progressed at a rate comparable to that of neighboring coun- tries. In the last 70 years, 762 new taxa have been described from southeastern Asia, of which only 262 were from Indonesia. In general, the herpetofauna of Indonesia is poorly understood com- pared to the herpetofauna of neighboring countries. Moreover, geographic distribu- tion patterns for many species are poorly known. In view of the alarming rate of forest loss, measures for more effective protection of the herpetofauna of Indonesia are urgently required. The IUCN Red List status of virtually all Indonesian species remains unknown, and no action plans have been formu- lated. ISKANDAR AND ERDELEN (2006. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 4:60–87) provided an overview of the herpetofauna as part of Indonesia’s biodi- versity, outlined the history of herpeto- logical research in the region, and identi- fied major gaps in our knowledge of the Indonesian herpetofauna. The latter addressed the contents and shortcomings of compilations of lists of protected or threatened species by national and inter- national authorities and major threats to the Indonesian herpetofauna, and pro- posed measures for better long-term con- servation. Rangeland Management and a Tallgrass Prairie Herpetofauna The Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma have changed dramatically in the past 30 years, largely due to conversion from nat- ural tallgrass prairie to cattle rangeland. Because the effects of fire and grazing on the herpetofauna are poorly understood, WILGERS ET AL. (2006. Herpetologica 62:378–388) examined how different land management practices, such as cat- tle stocking rates and seasonal burning, affected amphibians and reptiles. Fourteen herpetofaunal surveys docu- mented the number of individuals, envi- ronmental conditions, and community dynamics, including the probabilities of local extinction or permanent emigra- tion. Land-use practices during the study were traditional season-long stocking during the first 10 years, burning pas- tures in alternate years. In 1999, land management practice changed to inten- sive early cattle stocking, combined with annual burning. Data suggested that burn frequencies and cattle stocking affected the herpetofauna, with rates of species loss higher during years of burn- ing than in non-burn years. Forest Fragmentation and Community Structure in Costa Rica Habitat fragmentation is one of the most serious threats to biodiversity. The increasing conversion of land to agricul- tural uses in Costa Rica has greatly reduced forested area, and has more than doubled the number of forest fragments in some areas. Reptiles and amphibians occur at high densities in the Neotropics, but we know little about their responses to land-use changes. BELL AND DONNELLY (2006. Conservation Biology 20:1750–1760) examined community and population structure of frogs and lizards in the fragmented landscape sur- rounding La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica to better understand the effects of forest fragmentation. Nine frag- ments, ranging in area from 1–7 ha, were compared to an 1,100-ha area in the pre- serve. Community structure of frogs and lizards in forest fragments differed signif- icantly from that of the intact forest com- munity. Lizard density was higher and frog density was lower in forest fragments than in continuous forest, and 25% of species found in continuous forest were not observed in fragmented forest. Species composition and relative abun- dance varied among sites according to fragment size. The extent of isolation and habitat variables did not affect species richness, composition, or nesting. The authors concluded that small populations 128 IGUANA • VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2007 CONSERVATION RESEARCH REPORTS C O N S E R V A T I O N R E S E A R C H R E P O R T S The Great Plains Skink (Eumeces obsoletus) is one of many prairie-dwelling species affected by land management practices. SU ZA N N E L. C O LL IN S, C N A H The endangered Giant River Terrapin (Batagur baska) is one of many Indonesian reptiles about which very little is known. C H R IS T A B A K A , D V M IGUANA • VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2007 129 are threatened by edge effects, and that preservation of large reserves is crucial for the preservation of reptiles and amphib- ians in La Selva and in other fragmented habitats. The Pigeon Paradox Conservation of urban nature is rarely discussed, yet, as ecosystems continue to shrink and change due to urbanization, conservation will increasingly rely on urban habitats to preserve natural com- munities. DUNN ET AL. (2006. Conservation Biology 20:1814–1816) refer to this phenomenon as the “pigeon paradox.” Based on assertions that cur- rent conservation action is insufficient, people are more likely to take conserva- tion action when they have direct experi- ences with the natural world, and humans in the future will experience nature primarily through contact with urban wildlife, the authors concluded that providing opportunities for children living in cities to experience nature is essential, as the future of conservation will depend largely on the urban culture. To meet this need, societies must restore urban ecosystems, improve access to urban nature, and carefully consider the costs and benefits linked to how we por- tray non-native and “pestiferous” urban species (such as “pigeons”). Climate Change and Herpetofaunal Declines ARAÚJO ET AL. (2006. Journal of Biogeography 33:1712–1728) explored the relationship between current European distributions of amphibian and reptilian species and potential impacts of climatic warming by asking what proportion of species are projected to lose and gain suitable climate space; whether species projections vary accord- ing to taxonomic, spatial, or environ- mental properties; and what climate fac- tors might be driving projections of loss or gain in suitable environments. Distributions were projected into the future using five climate-change scenar- ios for 2050, and projections were made according to two extreme assumptions: species have unlimited dispersal ability or species have no dispersal ability. Many species were projected to expand distri- butions if dispersal is unlimited, mainly because warming in the cooler northern ranges of species creates new opportuni- ties for colonization. If species are unable to disperse, then most species were pro- jected to lose range, mainly in southwest- ern Europe, where dry conditions were projected to increase. The authors sug- gested that the impact of increasing tem- peratures on amphibian and reptilian species might be less deleterious than pre- viously postulated. However, the ability of species to cope with climatic warming may be offset by projected decreases in the availability of water, particularly for amphibians. Limited dispersal ability may further increase the vulnerability of amphibians and reptiles to changes in cli- mate. Island Differences in Komodo Dragons Species inhabiting archipelagos are often characterized by high levels of interpop- ulation divergence (e.g., size-related traits). This divergence may, in turn, influence life history. To facilitate better management and conservation of the Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), JESSOP ET AL. (2007. Biological Conservation 135:247–255) identified demographic differences between two island populations in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. Comparison of data col- lected from dragon populations inhabit- ing Rinca Island and the much smaller Gili Motang Island indicated that between 1994 and 2004, the Komodo Dragon population on Gili Motang sig- nificantly decreased its mean body mass, body condition, and relative abundance. These results suggest that the numerically small Gili Motang population was oscil- lating downward; in contrast, the Rinca Island population had been relatively sta- ble. These results emphasize the necessity for managers of this priority conservation species to understand further the inher- ent functional differences among dragon populations to develop island-specific management units. Current manage- ment practices instigated by Komodo National Park management ignore small- CONSERVATION RESEARCH REPORTS Costa Rican lizards, such as this Black Iguana (Ctenosaura similis), which benefit from breaks in forest canopies that provide effec- tive basking sites, often increase in numbers in response to forest fragmentation. G A D P ER R Y Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana) are common urban species both where the species is native and in areas, such as southern Florida, where it has been introduced. A LB ER TO L O PE Z Many European reptiles, such as this Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis) are expected to expand their ranges in response to global warming. G U N TH ER K Ö H LE R island dragon populations and thus run the risk of being unable to detect adverse effects for populations that are potentially most prone to decline. Dim Future for Fiji’s Endemic Crested Iguana The Fijian Crested Iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) was not described until 1981, but it appears to be secure on only one small island sanctuary. HARLOW ET AL. (2007. Oryx 41:44–50) surveyed 17 islands in western Fiji with historical records of Crested Iguanas, and found that iguanas were “extremely rare or extinct” on all of those islands. Iguanas were recorded on four of the surveyed islands, but the authors suggested that all of these populations are small and con- tinuing to decline, primarily due to ongoing forest habitat destruction by fire and goat grazing and the introduction of feral cats. Most distressing were the repeated surveys of the cat-free, uninhab- ited island of Monuriki, where a popula- tion estimate of 40–80 iguanas in 1998 had decreased by a factor of four in 2003 — so low that an estimate was no longer possible. The authors indicated that these data should spur the government of Fiji to instigate immediate conservation action on behalf of the nation’s most famous wildlife icon. Effects of Agricultural Practices on Wood Turtles In North America, the spatio-temporal scale of deforestation has resulted in a 94% decrease in temperate forests within 360 years. Despite the enormous scale of this disturbance, agriculture is so perva- sive in modern society that its impacts are highly underappreciated. SAUMURE ET AL. (2007. Biological Conservation 135:581–591) investigated the impact of current agricultural practices on a distur- bance-dependent species in southern Québec, Canada. Of 30 Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) followed via radio- telemetry, 20% died as a result of agricul- tural activities. Anthropogenic mortality estimates for adults and juveniles in 1998 were 0.10 and 0.18, respectively. For 1999, these values were 0.13 and 0.17, respectively. Of those turtles that sur- vived, many had injuries inflicted by agricultural machinery. Sub-lethal muti- lation rates for adults were 90 ± 3% in both years, whereas the maximum fre- quency for juveniles was 57%. The cut- ting height of disc mowers increased to 100 mm increases harvest yields, reduces wear on machinery, and decreases soil erosion. A by-product of such a change in cutting height is that turtle mortality and injury rates should be reduced, as Wood Turtle carapace height is < 87 mm. Without changes in agricultural prac- tices, this population will be extirpated. Conserving New Zealand’s Diurnal Geckos Visually cryptic, long-lived, diurnal Green Geckos (Naultinus) were a signifi- cant component of natural ecosystems throughout much of New Zealand prior to human settlement about 1800 years ago. Since then, habitat modification and introduced mammalian predators have threatened many populations, making their survival a conservation priority. HARE ET AL. (2007. Journal of Herpetology 41:81–93) pooled data col- lected over a 25-year period on the pop- ulation of N. manukanus on mammal- free Stephens Island and determined that it is female-biased (1:1.7), a trend evident from birth, that sexual maturity occurs at approximately four years of age, and that 71% of females reproduce annually. These geckos are strictly diurnal, arbo- real, and opportunistic thermoregulators. Movements are limited, averaging 0.6 m per day, characteristic of a sit-and-wait foraging strategy. These data provide a context for developing conservation management plans for increasingly threatened populations of geckos in the genus Naultinus. 130 IGUANA • VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2007 CONSERVATION RESEARCH REPORTS Demographic differences between two island populations of Komodo Dragons (Varanus komodoensis) in Komodo National Park, Indonesia emphasize the necessity for man- agers of this priority conservation species to develop island-specific management units. JO E W A SI LE W SK I Populations of the Fijian Crested Iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) were found on only four of 17 islands in western Fiji on which iguanas had been documented in the past. PE TE R S . H A R LO W Marlborough Green Geckos (Naultinus manukanus) on mammal-free Stephens Island off New Zealand are visually cryptic, long-lived, strictly diurnal, arboreal, and opportunistic thermoregulators. JE N N IF ER G ER M A N O Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) are vul- nerable to common agricultural practices. SU ZA N N E L. C O LL IN S, C N A H