Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens

19 pages, 11832 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Ecological Gaps of Lardizabala biternata: Implications for Ex Situ Conservation in a Global Biodiversity Hotspot

by Leonardo D. Fernández, Carlos Zamora-Manzur, Italo F. Treviño-Zevallos and Jaime Herrera

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030031 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Lardizabala biternata is an endemic vine and the sole species of the monotypic genus Lardizabala, distributed across central–southern Chile and producing edible fruits traditionally harvested from wild populations. Despite its cultural relevance, potential agronomic value, and evolutionary singularity, its conservation status remains [...] Read more.

Lardizabala biternata is an endemic vine and the sole species of the monotypic genus Lardizabala, distributed across central–southern Chile and producing edible fruits traditionally harvested from wild populations. Despite its cultural relevance, potential agronomic value, and evolutionary singularity, its conservation status remains poorly understood because of incomplete distributional knowledge and historical nomenclatural inconsistencies. Here, we conducted a preliminary record-based spatial conservation assessment of L. biternata using a taxonomically and geographically curated occurrence database integrated with Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), Extent of Occurrence (EOO), Area of Occupancy (AOO), overlap analyses with Chile’s protected-area network (SNASPE) and the Chilean Winter Rainfall–Valdivian Forests biodiversity hotspot, and ecological representativeness assessments based on mapped vegetation-class units. Our analyses revealed substantial spatial and ecological conservation gaps. Most documented occurrence records were located outside protected areas, while KDE-derived occurrence-record density patterns were concentrated within the biodiversity hotspot, a region characterized by high endemism and intense anthropogenic pressure. Although EOO indicated a relatively broad geographic extent, AOO indicated restricted occupancy based on documented records. In addition, several mapped vegetation-class units intersecting the 95% KDE-derived occurrence-record density area lacked formal conservation coverage entirely. Together, these findings suggest that L. biternata may warrant greater conservation attention than previously recognized. This study provides the first integrated record-based spatial conservation assessment of the species and establishes a baseline framework for future conservation evaluations, ecological studies, and ex situ conservation strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ex Situ Conservation and Research of Endemic Plants in Extreme Environments: Adaptation, Ecology, and Conservation)

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23 pages, 2510 KB

Open AccessArticle

Public Awareness and Engagement with Botanic Gardens Across the Arab Region: A Baseline Survey and Verified Institutional Inventory

by Mohamed M. Hassona, Abdulrahman A. Al-Hammadi and Fatima S. Al-Khulaifi

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030030 - 3 Aug 2026

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Abstract

The Arab world has produced almost no published data on public awareness of botanic gardens, despite having 53 institutions registered with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) across 16 of the 22 League of Arab States (LAS) member states. Between October 2024 and December [...] Read more.

The Arab world has produced almost no published data on public awareness of botanic gardens, despite having 53 institutions registered with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) across 16 of the 22 League of Arab States (LAS) member states. Between October 2024 and December 2025, we administered an 18-item bilingual (Arabic and English) online questionnaire across the 22 LAS member states via paid Facebook advertising, complemented by an institutional inventory from BGCI GardenSearch and an Arabic–French–English triangulation that identified 16 additional non-BGCI operational institutions. Pearson and Spearman correlations between BGCI count and 6 awareness indicators were computed for the 13 countries with n ≥ 10. The survey returned 613 valid responses from all 22 nationalities. Among respondents in this Facebook-recruited sample, 87.4% had heard of botanic gardens (95% CI 84.6–89.8) and 98.9% considered them important for conservation, although only 63.5% reported familiarity with their conservation role. Local awareness ranged from 30% (Palestine) to 100% (Sudan, Lebanon). No BGCI–awareness correlation reached p < 0.05; Q5 recognition reached marginal significance (Spearman ρ = 0.525, p = 0.065). We did not detect a statistically significant association between BGCI institutional count and country-level awareness indicators. Because this analysis rests on only 13 countries, the absence of a significant correlation should not be read as evidence that no association exists. The 35-point gap between affirmation of conservation importance and functional familiarity marks the most actionable target for science communication. We disclose the limitations of Facebook-based recruitment and gender imbalance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Designing Nature in Cities: Revitalizing Botanical and Historical Gardens for Biodiversity and Public Engagement)

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24 pages, 31593 KB

Open AccessArticle

The University Campus as a Living Botanical Garden: Floristic Inventory, Botany Teaching and Plant Conservation at the Tulcán Campus, Universidad del Cauca, Colombia

by Luis Eduardo López-Vargas, Diego Macías-Suárez, Diego J. Macías-Pinto and Laura I. López-Botina

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030029 - 28 Jul 2026

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Abstract

University campuses with native vegetation function as living botanical gardens, biodiversity laboratories and curated plant collections, sharing core missions with formal botanical institutions: floristic inventory, in situ and ex situ plant conservation, scientific interpretation, environmental education and biodiversity stewardship. Against this backdrop, limited [...] Read more.

University campuses with native vegetation function as living botanical gardens, biodiversity laboratories and curated plant collections, sharing core missions with formal botanical institutions: floristic inventory, in situ and ex situ plant conservation, scientific interpretation, environmental education and biodiversity stewardship. Against this backdrop, limited plant awareness—the tendency to overlook and undervalue plants in one’s surroundings—remains a structural challenge in botany teaching. This article proposes the floristic inventory of the Tulcán campus (Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia) as the core of a pedagogical strategy that operates the campus as a non-formal botanical educational institution. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was applied: (1) ecological inventory across 25 systematic field trips during 2025; (2) educational design with faculty validation; and (3) a pilot with 142 undergraduate students of Biology and Environmental Engineering. We recorded 160 species in 65 families (83% native, including endemic and threatened taxa); designed a four-component strategy (cooperative field research, biocultural connection, applied plant ecology, interpretive trails); and observed a descriptive performance gradient favouring field-immersive courses, together with qualitative patterns consistent with limited plant awareness. The Tulcán campus can be intentionally managed as a living botanical garden delivering inventory, conservation, interpretation and education functions. Full article

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14 pages, 8166 KB

Open AccessArticle

Tradition Beyond the Hotspot: Biocultural Conservation and Medicinal Plant Diversity in the Ilha Grande National Park, Brazil

by Silvia Beatriz Bürger Tinelli, Regiane Quesada Bertão, Joyner David Anaya Miranda, Ezilda Jacomassi, Zilda Cristiani Gazim, Odair Alberton and Arquimedes Gasparotto Junior

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030028 - 22 Jul 2026

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Abstract

The Ilha Grande National Park region (Brazil) holds one of the most diverse traditional knowledge repositories among Atlantic Forest conservation areas. This study describes the current composition of the medicinal plant knowledge, its taxonomic breadth, and its relevance for conservation. In 2026, this [...] Read more.

The Ilha Grande National Park region (Brazil) holds one of the most diverse traditional knowledge repositories among Atlantic Forest conservation areas. This study describes the current composition of the medicinal plant knowledge, its taxonomic breadth, and its relevance for conservation. In 2026, this inventory documented 47 species from 33 botanical families cited across a sample of 4 remaining traditional healers. About 27.7% of these specimens are wild/native to nature and 72.3% are cultivated, reflecting both historic management and the residents’ long tradition in household plant acclimatization. The collection includes 25 species of herbs and 11 species of trees, as well as 9 shrubs and 2 climbers. Quantitative analysis at the category level revealed that gastrointestinal disorders had the highest consensus index (ICF = 0.375) after interviews, taxonomic revision, data grouping, and standardizing nomenclature based on the British National Formulary. The results reveal a severe risk of information erosion and a limited representation of younger generations among practitioners, underscoring the need for targeted safeguarding. Strengthening national partnerships, developing cooperative cultivation networks, and improving scientific validation records are proposed as key strategies to enhance the biocultural preservation value of this traditional heritage. Overall, the Ilha Grande healer knowledge serves as an important scientific, educational, and pharmacological resource and plays a central role in advancing the preservation of Brazil’s medicinal plant diversity. Full article

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14 pages, 41125 KB

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The Making of a Flagship: Nile Lechwe Kobus megaceros in Rome’s Giardino Zoologico

by Spartaco Gippoliti and Dario Fraschetti

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030027 - 8 Jul 2026

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Abstract

Antelopes are a crucial part of Western fascination with African ecosystems but are generally well behind other charismatic species. The Nile lechwe Kobus megaceros is a threatened antelope endemic to the Sudd Swamps in Southern Sudan and to neighbouring Ethiopia. It is currently [...] Read more.

Antelopes are a crucial part of Western fascination with African ecosystems but are generally well behind other charismatic species. The Nile lechwe Kobus megaceros is a threatened antelope endemic to the Sudd Swamps in Southern Sudan and to neighbouring Ethiopia. It is currently managed as an ex-situ population by both the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquaria) and the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria). Currently, more than thirty European institutions keep the species, while in the 1990s only a handful of European zoos kept it. The foundations of this success story lay partially on the initiatives carried out in the last decades of the 20th century by the staff of the Giardino Zoologico di Roma (now Bioparco), where the species had been kept since 1959 and where in the 1990s one of the then largest European breeding groups of this species was formed. This paper aims to gather all the data, both from published and unpublished sources, on the management and development of this species in the Giardino Zoologico di Roma in the second half of the twentieth century, and to highlight the research, education, and conservation initiatives started by ungulate curator Elisabetta Falchetti. The history of post-World War II Nile lechwe populations in zoos is also discussed. The ex-situ initiatives on the Nile lechwe are also discussed in light of its potential role as a flagship species for the conservation of the wetland ecosystems of South Sudan, which are often overlooked in the education messages conveyed by zoos. This case study illustrates how ex-situ populations may integrate a scientific perspective with a broader cultural and environmental vision so that zoological gardens enhance their conservation message behind the usual flagship species. Full article

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15 pages, 15828 KB

Open AccessArticle

Does Size Matter? Population and Patch Size Effects on Fitness Components in Pinguicula gracilis

by Hugo David Gallardo-Sánchez, Ricardo Quirino-Olvera, Jorge Armando Verduzco-Martínez, Omar Horacio Sol-Torres, Fátima Yedith Camacho-Sánchez and Miguel Angel Reyes-López

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030026 - 1 Jul 2026

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Abstract

Butterworts (Pinguicula spp.) are carnivorous plants often restricted to small, isolated populations in mountainous microclimates, making them vulnerable to inbreeding and demographic decline. In Mexico, the global hotspot for Pinguicula diversity (>50 species, 90% endemic), conservation is limited by scarce data on [...] Read more.

Butterworts (Pinguicula spp.) are carnivorous plants often restricted to small, isolated populations in mountainous microclimates, making them vulnerable to inbreeding and demographic decline. In Mexico, the global hotspot for Pinguicula diversity (>50 species, 90% endemic), conservation is limited by scarce data on population biology, demography, and vulnerability. This study provides the first population size estimate for the endemic P. gracilis and evaluates how patch and population size influence biological fitness components across three localities in northeastern Mexico. Using a multi-component fitness framework and statistical models, we found that smaller populations and patches exhibit significantly reduced reproductive fitness, particularly in fruit set and seed quality. Patch size showed strong positive correlations with fruit production (r = 0.45–0.53), while isolation negatively affected seed output (r = −0.48). These results highlight the role of landscape structure in shaping fitness components, with patch size influencing reproductive effort and connectivity determining reproductive success. Our findings provide the first germplasm and population baseline for P. gracilis and a framework to identify vulnerable populations, prioritize conservation actions, and guide restoration strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ex Situ Conservation and Research of Endemic Plants in Extreme Environments: Adaptation, Ecology, and Conservation)

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24 pages, 5074 KB

Open AccessArticle

Is Distance a Reward? Using Operant Conditioning Integrating Negative and Positive Reinforcement to Reduce Aggression in Tigers (Panthera tigris) Under Human Care

by Kevin Silveira Squarelli, Cristiane Schilbach Pizzutto and Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2026, 7(3), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg7030025 - 30 Jun 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1846

Abstract

Managing tigers (Panthera tigris) under human care poses significant risks, particularly with individuals exhibiting aggressive behaviors. Although operant conditioning is widely recommended, structured protocols for reducing aggression in large carnivores remain scarce in the literature. This study investigated the efficacy of [...] Read more.

Managing tigers (Panthera tigris) under human care poses significant risks, particularly with individuals exhibiting aggressive behaviors. Although operant conditioning is widely recommended, structured protocols for reducing aggression in large carnivores remain scarce in the literature. This study investigated the efficacy of a constructional approach, using negative reinforcement as a methodological bridge to positive reinforcement in three adult tigers with a history of generalized aggression. The intervention was based on functional distance applied through negative reinforcement by the trainer’s withdrawal as a consequence of the desired behavior, where the researcher’s presence acted as a functional stimulus and strategic retreat was contingent upon micro-behaviors of calmness. This methodology allowed the animals to exert control over the social interaction, facilitating a systematic transition to positive reinforcement and strengthening voluntary approximation. The results indicated a significant reduction in agonistic responses and a rapid transition toward cooperative behaviors. This work provides detailed evidence on how the constructional approach can overcome food refusal and establish a secure training foundation. We conclude that the protocol offers a replicable methodological framework for managing aggression in wild animals initially resistant to traditional methods, promoting safety and welfare through structured behavioral interactions. Full article

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J. Zool. Bot. Gard., Volume 7, Issue 3 (September 2026) – 7 articles

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