Publications by authors named "Birthe Linden"

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species' population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate 'intactness scores': the remaining proportion of an 'intact' reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region's major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.

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South Africa has six species of primates, three of which are bushbabies (family Galagidae). Very little information is available on their parasites due to the lack of longitudinal studies, although Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Amblyomma hebraeum and Haemaphysalis elliptica were previously reported from the brown greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) in South Africa. During 2014-2019, 83 O.

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As road infrastructure networks rapidly expand globally, especially in the tropics, previously continuous habitats are being fragmented, resulting in more frequent wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC). Primates are widespread throughout many sub-/tropical countries, and as their habitats are fragmented, they are increasingly at risk of WVC. We created the Global Primate Roadkill Database (GPRD), the largest available standardized database of primate roadkill incidents.

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Article Synopsis
  • Forest fragmentation poses a significant threat to primate populations, particularly for species like the samango monkey, leading to increased chances of local extinction.
  • This study utilized genetic testing methods to analyze how fragmentation affects the genetic diversity and structure of samango monkey populations in northern South Africa’s Soutpansberg mountain range.
  • Findings reveal that current genetic isolation and reduced gene flow among mountain populations may hinder their long-term survival, highlighting the impact of both natural and human-induced habitat changes.
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Article Synopsis
  • The samango monkey is the only forest-dwelling primate in South Africa and faces threats from deforestation and land-use changes.
  • This species belongs to the Cercopithecus nictitans group, which has debated subspecies classifications based mainly on fur color, lacking genetic research.
  • The study aims to clarify samango monkey subspecies and their distributions in South Africa, identifying three distinct genetic entities that require separate conservation efforts.
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