The amphibians and reptiles of Luzon Island, Philippines, VIII: the herpetofauna of Cagayan and Isabela Provinces, northern Sierra Madre Mountain Range
The amphibians and reptiles of Luzon Island, Philippines, VIII: the herpetofauna of Cagayan and Isabela Provinces, northern Sierra Madre Mountain Range

Author: Rafe M. Brown

Publisher: PenSoft Publishers LTD

Published: 2013-02-07

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 9546426695

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Long celebrated for its more than 7,100 islands, the Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia that shares only with Madagascar the distinction of having been designated as both a Megadiverse Nation and a Global Biodiversity Conservation Hotspot. The terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the northeastern Philippines, specifically Luzon Island, has been the subject of intense interest since the first historical explorations. Historically, numerous works considered the biodiversity of Luzon as ?depauperate? in the sense that they was presumed to contain a reduced number of species shared with a continental mainland source. This view has persisted until recently, when a renewed interest in faunistic studies of the northern Philippines has produced a series of notable discoveries, drawing attention to high levels of species diversity and endemism in the northern reaches of the archipelago. We provide the first report on the herpetological biodiversity (amphibians and reptiles) of the northern Sierra Madre Mountain Range, northeast Luzon Island, Philippines. We combine new and historical data, and the results of recent fieldwork, to highlight at least 101 species present in this unique region of the archipelago. Not only is this fauna largely endemic (approximately 70%), but also our results add to a nascent body of literature suggesting that the northern portions of the archipelago may be substantially more diverse than currently appreciated.

Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World
Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World

Author: Christopher Lever

Publisher:

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 9780198507710

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This book describes how the various alien reptiles and amphibians now living in the wild throughout the world were first introduced, how they subsequently became naturalized, their present distribution and status in those countries to which they were introduced, and their ecological and socio-economic impact on the native biota and local economies. Many species have had a more or less neutral impact, being neither beneficial nor harmful. However, several have had a positive ecological or socio-economic impact, while some such as the cane toad, have had an extremely destructive effect.The criteria for inclusion of a species are that it should have been imported from its natural range to a new country by human agency--either accidentally or deliberately--and that it should currently be established in the wild in self-maintaining and self-perpetuating populations unsupported by and independent of mankind.

Alien Reptiles and Amphibians
Alien Reptiles and Amphibians

Author: Fred Kraus

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-12-19

Total Pages: 571

ISBN-13: 1402089465

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Transportation of species to areas outside their native ranges has been a feature of human culture for millennia. During this time such activities have largely been viewed as beneficial or inconsequential. However, it has become increasingly clear that human-caused introductions of alien biota are an ecological disruption whose consequences rival those of better-known insults like chemical pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Indeed, the irreversible nature of most alien-species int- ductions makes them less prone to correction than many other ecological problems. Current reshuffling of species ranges is so great that the present era has been referred to by some as the “Homogocene” in an effort to reflect the unique mag- tude of the changes being made. These alien interlopers often cause considerable ecological and economic d- age where introduced. Species extinctions, food-web disruptions, community alte- tions, ecosystem conversion, changes in nutrient cycling, fisheries collapse, watershed degradation, agricultural loss, building damage, and disease epidemics are among the destructive – and frequently unpredictable – ecological and economic effects that invasive alien species can inflict. The magnitude of these damages c- tinues to grow, with virtually all environments heavily used by humans now do- nated by alien species and many “natural” areas becoming increasingly prone to alien invasion as well. Attention to this problem has increased in the past decade or so, and efforts to prevent or limit further harm are gaining wider scientific and political acceptance.