Biology subjects

Velasquez-Tibata, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Velasquez-Tibata, J..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Operationalizing site-level conservation for migratory birds across the Americas flyways

Conserving migratory birds effectively requires full annual cycle strategies that identify where on-the-ground efforts can have the greatest impact. Here, we present a hemispheric spatial framework to identify priority areas for 112 migratory bird species across the Americas. Building on full annual cycle prioritizations, we defined finer-scale spatial planning units that reflect differences in migratory and congregational behaviors between shorebirds and landbirds. We compiled population data for each planning unit and focal species and applied conservation planning tools to design area-efficient portfolios of sites and landscapes that secure 10% of each species population within the Americas flyways. The resulting minimum area portfolios include 175 shorebird sites and 80 landbird landscapes optimized to meet the species-specific 10% representation targets across breeding, non-breeding, and passage seasons. We also identified a broader set of complementary solutions, ranked by an importance score, to provide decision-makers with flexible options for strategic resource allocation. This framework provides the scientific foundation for the Americas Flyways Initiative (AFI), which aims to catalyze investment in nature-based solutions and bird-friendly infrastructure to enhance the conservation of migratory birds and strengthen the resilience of the Americas flyways by 2050.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

Ghostbusting the national bird checklist: integrative evidence shows that Pionus fuscus does not occur in Colombia

Natural history collections underpin our understanding of species distributions, yet some historical records remain embedded in modern avifaunal checklists despite limited documentation and no independent verification. One such case concerns the Dusky Parrot Pionus fuscus in Colombia: although reported from specimens collected by Melbourne A. Carriker Jr. in 1942 in the Serrania de Perija, the species has not been observed in the country for nearly eight decades yet continues to be included in national checklists and conservation assessments. We reassessed the validity of this record by applying a multi-evidence framework integrating historic archival reconstruction, specimen-based morphological comparisons, climatic niche analyses, biogeographic limit assessment and contemporary survey-effort data. Historical documentation and morphological evidence based on high-resolution specimen images and associated curatorial records demonstrate that the Carriker specimens correspond to Pionus chalcopterus, not P. fuscus. Climatic niche analyses reveal minimal environmental overlap between P. chalcopterus and P. fuscus, and place the Perija locality within the climatic niche of P. chalcopterus, while regional biogeography and extensive modern birdwatching coverage provide no support for the occurrence of P. fuscus in Perija. Together, these concordant lines of evidence demonstrate that P. fuscus does not occur in Colombia. Our findings support its removal from national bird lists and conservation assessments and highlight how integrated, multi-evidence reassessments of historical records strengthen ornithological baselines, improve biogeographic inference and ensure that conservation priorities rest on verifiable evidence.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

Prioritizing ecological connectivity among protected areas in Colombia using a functional approach for birds

Ecological connectivity among protected areas (PAs) is essential to improve biodiversity conservation and management effectiveness in the long term under global change. Developing strategic plans and identifying spatial priorities are practical actions for establishing and strengthening interconnected networks of PAs. In Colombia, this planning is fundamental to conserve its extraordinary bird diversity in the face of multiple threats, including climate change and deforestation. We develop a connectivity model focused on multiple bird species to identify critical sites to preserve the ecological connections among PAs in Colombia. Based on land cover data and expert knowledge, we created movement resistance surfaces and modeled Least-Cost Corridors among terrestrial PAs for 26 forest-dependent species. We also used circuit and least-cost models to locate conservation priorities and restoration opportunities, estimating the potential gain in connectivity with the Equivalent Connected Area (ECA) index. We found 581,531 km2 belonging to corridors among PAs for all focal species. Priority sites for movement within corridors covered 212,551 km2 and were predominantly located across Andean and Amazonian forests. Restoration opportunities covered 79,203 km2 and were concentrated in agricultural lands of the Andes and Caribbean regions. Restoring these areas could increase the national forest cover by 7% and connectivity by 14%. Our results provide a national-level assessment of functional connectivity priorities to maintain and improve the interconnections among PAs. This assessment could guide efforts related to conservation, restoration, and implementation of management tools that facilitate the movement of native species across transformed lands. These actions are crucial to meet the targets outlined in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to achieve well-connected systems of PAs during this decade and until 2050.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

A data-driven geospatial workflow to improve mapping species distributions and assessing extinction risk under the IUCN Red List.

Species distribution maps are essential for assessing extinction risk and guiding conservation efforts. Here, we developed a data-driven, reproducible geospatial workflow to map species distributions and evaluate their conservation status consistent with the guidelines and criteria of the IUCN Red List. Our workflow follows five automated steps to refine the distribution of a species starting from its Extent of Occurrence (EOO) to Area of Habitat (AOH) within the species range. The ranges are produced with an Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation procedure, using presence and absence points derived from primary biodiversity data. As a case-study, we mapped the distribution of 2,273 bird species in the Americas, 55% of all terrestrial birds found in the region. We then compared our produced species ranges to the expert-drawn IUCN/BirdLife range maps and conducted a preliminary IUCN extinction risk assessment based on criterion B (Geographic Range). We found that our workflow generated ranges with fewer errors of omission, commission, and a better overall accuracy within each species EOO. The spatial overlap between both datasets was low (28%) and the expert-drawn range maps were consistently larger due to errors of commission. Their estimated Area of Habitat (AOH) was also larger for a subset of 741 forest-dependent birds. We found that incorporating geospatial data increased the number of threatened species by 52% in comparison to the 2019 IUCN Red List. Furthermore, 103 species could be placed in threatened categories (VU, EN, CR) pending further assessment. The implementation of our geospatial workflow provides a valuable alternative to increase the transparency and reliability of species risk assessments and improve mapping species distributions for conservation planning and decision-making.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2018

BioModelos: a collaborative online system to map species distributions

Information on species distribution is recognized as a crucial input for biodiversity conservation and management. To that end, considerable resources have been dedicated towards increasing the quantity and availability of species occurrence data, boosting their use in species distribution modeling and online platforms for their dissemination. Currently, those platforms face the challenge of bringing biology into modeling by making informed decisions that result in meaningful models. Here we describe BioModelos, a modeling approach supported by an online system and a core team, whereby a network of experts contributes to the development of species distribution models by assessing the quality of occurrence data, identifying potentially limiting environmental variables, establishing species accessible areas and validating qualitatively modeling predictions. Models developed through BioModelos become publicly available once validated by experts, furthering their use in conservation applications. This approach has been implemented in Colombia since 2013 and it currently consist of a network of nearly 500 experts that collaboratively contribute to enhance the knowledge on the distribution of a growing number of species and where it has aided the development of several decision support products such as national risk assessments and biodiversity compensation manuals. BioModelos is an example of operationalization of an essential biodiversity variable at a national level through the implementation of a research infrastructure that enhances the value of open access species data.

ecology↗