Herpetological misinformation and sensationalism: media framing on biological and ecological aspects of the golden lancehead (Bothrops insularis)

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  Herpetological misinformation and sensationalism: media framing on biological and ecological aspects of the golden lancehead (Bothrops insularis) Abstract The internet is currently one of the most important means of communication, which may include the circulation of misinformation. Snakes have always been a target of the sensationalist media, being pictured as scary and aggressive animals to be killed indiscriminately by humans. Such fear based on misinformation may compromise species conservation. Here, we address the spread of misinformation about Bothrops insularis and Queimada Grande Island in digital media, highlighting the negative impact on public perception and species conservation. The analysis of 230 online sources revealed that approximately 94% of them contained false information, many using sensationalist language, especially regarding the toxicity of the venom and the population density of the snake, as well as bringing contents that did not align with scientific d...

Scorpion assemblages in threatened Brazilian forests: The role of environmental factors in explaining beta-diversity patterns

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Scorpion assemblages in threatened Brazilian forests: The role of environmental factors in explaining beta-diversity patterns

Abstract

  1. A systematic understanding of the variation in species composition across time and space is urgently needed to protect threatened Brazilian forests.
  2. This study has disentangled the among-site variation in beta diversity among scorpion assemblages from the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest. We calculated the relative contribution of species replacement and differences in species richness in explaining the beta diversity in each forest, correlating such metrics with environmental characteristics. Finally, we estimated the relative site-specific contribution to identify potential environmental drivers determining unique combinations of species composition.
  3. The average among-site dissimilarity in scorpion assemblages was higher in the Caatinga than that in the Atlantic Forest. The differences in species composition among Caatinga sites were mainly due to the spatial replacement of species. Differences in species richness at the local scale explained most of the variation in species composition among Atlantic Forest sites.
  4. Environmental variables related to topography and land use partially explained the variation in among-site dissimilarity, species replacement, differences in species richness and the ecological uniqueness in terms of species composition in the Caatinga. Environmental variables describing topography and land use were also important in explaining differences in species richness and local contributions to the beta diversity among Atlantic Forest sites. The relative site-specific contribution to beta diversity was higher in Caatinga sites located in ecotonal zones and Atlantic Forest sites situated within conservation reserves.
  5. Using scorpions as biological models, we have demonstrated that the species composition does not vary in a consistent way between different forest types.
de Araujo Lira, A.F., de Moura, G.J.B. & Foerster, Stênio Ítalo Araújo (2023) Scorpion assemblages in threatened Brazilian forests: The role of environmental factors in explaining beta-diversity patterns. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 1–11. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12699