Biology subjects

Rodriguez, J. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Rodriguez, J. P..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Global threat abatement potential for terrestrial vertebrates

1.AimThe Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric was developed to support setting and measuring progress towards science-based targets for species conservation, in alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The STAR metric quantifies the potential reduction in species global extinction risk achievable through actions to abate threats (START) and restore habitat (STARR). The STAR metric is used across multiple sectors to assess contributions to nature-positive species outcomes and implement action for biodiversity. Here we present a substantially enhanced global estimate of START for terrestrial vertebrates. Developed in response to user demand, this work integrates advancements in methodology and data quality, increased spatial resolution, and addition of reptile species. LocationGlobal Time PeriodCurrent Major taxa studiedTerrestrial vertebrates MethodsSTART was estimated at 1km2 resolution for 9,100 species of threatened and Near Threatened birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, using IUCN Red List assessments (version 2025-1) and area of habitat (AOH) maps generated using an advanced data-driven methodology and satellite-derived land-cover data. AOH maps were validated using a two-stage protocol using species observation data. ResultsThe six countries with the highest estimated START scores, and therefore the largest individual potential to reduce global extinction risk via tackling threats nationally were Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia (each contributing over 5% of global estimated START). The threat with the greatest individual potential to reduce extinction risk was annual and perennial non-timber crops (21.2% of global START). Main conclusionsTargeted actions to tackle a few high-impact threats in a few discrete locations, and cumulative effort across multiple areas with lower individual potential, are both required to meaningfully reduce species extinction risk through threat abatement. This global scale estimation of START enables consistent scoping of conservation opportunity over large areas and provides the critical initial data to support planning and action.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2024

Spatiotemporal dynamics of EEG microstate networks over the first two years of life: A multi-cohort longitudinal study

The first two years of life are marked by rapid development of large-scale brain networks that support emerging cognition and behavior. Magnetic-resonance approaches have revealed much about largescale networks in sleep, but very little is known about functional network dynamics in awake, behaving infants during this period of substantial development. Microstates are brief instances of distinct spatial topographies of largescale neural activity measured with electroencephalography (EEG) that offer a novel approach to studying whole-brain network dynamics at sub-second scale in awake infants by capturing their temporally coherent brain activity. While emerging literature is leveraging microstate dynamics in adults to understand mature largescale network function, developmental trajectories during networks rapid construction in infancy remain uncharacterized. In this study, we leveraged longitudinal resting-state EEG data from 854 infants across two geoculturally diverse cohorts to explore largescale network development through EEG microstates over the first two years of life. We provide evidence for conserved emergence of various network configurations (microstate classes A-G) through infancy across cohorts using data-driven clustering analyses. We also demonstrate significant longitudinal changes in microstate dynamics during this period, characterized by more numerous and more rapid transitions between largescale configurations, especially over early infancy. While patterns of sensory microstate development were largely consistent between cohorts, higher-order cognitive microstates showed context-specific developmental trends. Together these results provide novel insights into how large-scale brain networks functionally develop and organize across the first two years of life.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Preventing extinctions post-2020 requires recovery actions and transformative change

Stopping human-induced extinctions will require strong policy commitments that comprehensively address threats to species. In 2021, a new Global Biodiversity Framework will be agreed by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Here we investigate how the suggested targets could contribute to reducing threats to threatened vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants, and assess the importance of a proposed target to implement recovery actions for threatened species. We find that whilst many of the targets benefit species, extinction risk for over one third of threatened species would not be reduced sufficiently without a target on recovery actions, including ex situ conservation, reintroductions and other species-specific interventions. A median of 41 threatened species per country require such actions, and they are found in most countries of the world. To prevent future extinctions, policy commitments must include recovery actions for the most threatened species in addition to broader transformative change.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Status of the pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus in Los Roques National Park, Southern Caribbean

Information on the status of the pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus across its global distribution range is needed to plan and implement effective conservation interventions at both the national and regional level. Knowledge on the species distribution and abundance on the southernmost edge of its range was limited to qualitative data gathered in the 1980s. In 2014, we started using local ecological knowledge and extensive surveys to assess the status of the pillar coral in Archipelago Los Roques National Park, Venezuela; also evaluating the species representativeness within the MPA according to the level of protection established by the parks zoning. Between 2014 and 2016, we recorded over 1,000 colonies-the highest abundance reported to date for the species- within 14 different habitat types. Disease, bleaching and partial mortality prevalence were below 4%. Size frequency distribution was uni-modal for the MPA and dominated by medium size colonies (40cm -70cm height) suggesting potential for intrinsic population growth. However, the structure of size classes varied among reefs (Pseudo-F=2.70, p=0.03), indicating asynchronous dynamics mostly driven by reef-scale processes. Overall, our results indicate that Los Roques could be a stronghold for the species. But, to maintain the conservation value for coral reefs and the pillar coral, the MPAs zoning designation needs to be urgently revised and the extension of its high-protection zones expanded to increase habitat redundancy as well as the singular habitats composed by thickets of Acropora cervicornis and mounds of Madracis sp. This work confirms the species as extant in one of the four localities within its national range in Venezuela. However, further research on genetic diversity and connectivity among reefs within the MPA is needed to estimate effective population size and assess viability.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

United States wildlife and wildlife product imports from 2000-2014

The global wildlife trade network is a massive system that has been shown to threaten biodiversity conservation, introduce non-native species and pathogens, and cause chronic animal welfare concerns. Despite its scale and impact, comprehensive characterization of the global wildlife trade is hampered by data that are limited in their temporal or taxonomic scope and detail. To help fill this gap, we present data on 15 years of the importation of wildlife and their derived products into the United States (2000-2014), originally collected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. We curated and cleaned the data and added taxonomic information to improve data usability. These data include > 2 million wildlife or wildlife product shipments, representing > 60 biological classes and > 3.2 billion live organisms. These data will be broadly useful to both scientists and policymakers seeking to better understand the volume, sources, biological composition, and potential risks of the global wildlife trade.

ecology↗