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Open Access Biodiversity Research

Collection published: 25 May 2010

Last updated: 23 May 2011

To celebrate 2010 as the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity and the importance of sharing our knowledge of the diversity of the natural world, we present a cross journal thematic series of open access biodiversity research. This selection highlights leading research from the disciplines of genetics and evolution of species richness, to conservation and biodiversity informatics.

BMC Ecology expands scope BMC Ecology 2010, 10:16
BMC Ecology has always been open to a wide range of topics from biodiversity research and in this 2010 International Year of Biodiversity we are keen to emphasise biodiversity studies within the scope of the journal.

Rescued chimpanzees
BMC Ecology 2010, 10:2
The geographic origins of 46 chimpanzees who found refuge at the Limbe Wildlife Centre are traced by genotyping, indicating that hunting and the smuggling of live animals is widespread throughout Cameroon.

Metazoa living without oxygen
BMC Biology 2010, 8:30
An expedition to a deep sea hypersaline anoxic basin in the Mediterranean has discovered the first multicellular animals that live and reproduce in the absence of oxygen.

		Database Extracting scientific articles from a large digital archive: BioStor and the Biodiversity Heritage Library Roderic DM Page BMC Bioinformatics 2011, 12:187 (23 May 2011) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Review Current models broadly neglect specific needs of biodiversity conservation in protected areas under climate change Mungla Sieck, Pierre L Ibisch, Kirk A Moloney, Florian Jeltsch BMC Ecology 2011, 11:12 (3 May 2011) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Florian Jeltsch and colleagues review current models of biodiversity conservation and surprisingly find that they do not adequately incorporate factors such as predation, competition and habitat fragmentation thereby reducing the value of these models in protecting threatened areas.
		Question and Answer Q&A: What is biodiversity? Anne E Magurran BMC Biology 2010, 8:145 (15 December 2010) Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary As the UN International Year of Biodiversity comes to a close, Anne Magurran asks what biodiversity is, why it matters, and what are the different ways in which we measure it.
		Research article Cross-taxon congruence and environmental conditions Carolina Toranza, Matías Arim BMC Ecology 2010, 10:18 (16 July 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Despite the importance of environmental conditions on diversity patterns across birds and mammals in the Brazilian Cerrado, other factors are needed to fully explain the observed cross-taxon congruence such as biogeographic or trophic interactions.
		Editorial BMC Ecology embraces biodiversity research Hans Zauner BMC Ecology 2010, 10:16 (4 June 2010) Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary BMC Ecology has always been open to a wide range of topics from biodiversity research and in this 2010 International Year of Biodiversity we are keen to emphasise biodiversity studies within the scope of the journal.
		Research article Two behavioural traits promote fine-scale species segregation and moderate hybridisation in a recovering sympatric fur seal population Melanie L Lancaster, Simon D Goldsworthy, Paul Sunnucks BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:143 (14 May 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Research article The world's richest tadpole communities show functional redundancy and low functional diversity: ecological data on Madagascar's stream-dwelling amphibian larvae Axel Strauß, Erik Reeve, Roger-Daniel Randrianiaina, Miguel Vences, Julian Glos BMC Ecology 2010, 10:12 (12 May 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Commentary Diversity lost: are all Holarctic large mammal species just relict populations? Michael Hofreiter, Ian Barnes BMC Biology 2010, 8:46 (21 April 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Studies comparing ancient and modern DNA have revealed a loss of genetic diversity in the large mammal species that survived the Pleistocene extinctions.
		Research article The first metazoa living in permanently anoxic conditions Roberto Danovaro, Antonio Dell'Anno, Antonio Pusceddu, Cristina Gambi, Iben Heiner, Reinhardt Møbjerg Kristensen BMC Biology 2010, 8:30 (6 April 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| 2 comments \| F1000 Biology \| Editor’s summary An expedition to a deep sea hypersaline anoxic basin in the Mediterranean has discovered the first multicellular animals that live and reproduce in the absence of oxygen.
		Research article Molecular evidence for a diverse green algal community growing in the hair of sloths and a specific association with Trichophilus welckeri (Chlorophyta, Ulvophyceae) Milla Suutari, Markus Majaneva, David P Fewer, Bryson Voirin, Annette Aiello, Thomas Friedl, Adriano G Chiarello, Jaanika Blomster BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:86 (30 March 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary A diverse community of green algal species gives sloth fur a green coloration and whilst some algal species are acquired from the surroundings, one species, Trichophilus welckeri, appears to be retained as a symbiont.
		Research article Environmental distribution of prokaryotic taxa Javier Tamames, Juan Abellán, Miguel Pignatelli, Antonio Camacho, Andrés Moya BMC Microbiology 2010, 10:85 (22 March 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article Mitochondrial evidence for multiple radiations in the evolutionary history of small apes Van Ngoc Thinh, Alan R Mootnick, Thomas Geissmann, Ming Li, Thomas Ziegler, Muhammad Agil, Pierre Moisson, Tilo Nadler, Lutz Walter, Christian Roos BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:74 (12 March 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary A more complete view of the long disputed evolutionary and biogeographic history of gibbons is available based on an analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b that permits estimation of divergence ages.
		Research article Traditional agroecosystems as conservatories and incubators of cultivated plant varietal diversity: the case of fig (Ficus carica L.) in Morocco Hafid Achtak, Mohammed Ater, Ahmed Oukabli, Sylvain Santoni, Finn Kjellberg, Bouchaib Khadari BMC Plant Biology 2010, 10:28 (18 February 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Research article Trapped in the extinction vortex? Strong genetic effects in a declining vertebrate population Donald Blomqvist, Angela Pauliny, Mikael Larsson, Lars-Åke Flodin BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:33 (2 February 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article Tracing the origins of rescued chimpanzees reveals widespread chimpanzee hunting in Cameroon Lora Ghobrial, Felix Lankester, John A Kiyang, Akih E Akih, Simone de Vries, Roger Fotso, Elizabeth L Gadsby, Peter D Jenkins, Mary K Gonder BMC Ecology 2010, 10:2 (22 January 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary The geographic origins of 46 chimpanzees who found refuge at the Limbe Wildlife Centre are traced by genotyping, indicating that hunting and the smuggling of live animals is widespread throughout Cameroon.
		Research Invasions, DNA barcodes, and rapid biodiversity assessment using ants of Mauritius M Alex Smith, Brian L Fisher Frontiers in Zoology 2009, 6:31 (10 December 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research Towards a comprehensive barcode library for arctic life - Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada Xin Zhou, Sarah J Adamowicz, Luke M Jacobus, R Edward DeWalt, Paul DN Hebert Frontiers in Zoology 2009, 6:30 (10 December 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article Temporal development and collapse of an Arctic plant-pollinator network Clementine Pradal, Jens M Olesen, Carsten Wiuf BMC Ecology 2009, 9:24 (4 December 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Research Scratchpads: a data-publishing framework to build, share and manage information on the diversity of life Vincent S Smith, Simon D Rycroft, Kehan T Harman, Ben Scott, David Roberts BMC Bioinformatics 2009, 10(Suppl 14):S6 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Scratchpads, a new social networking tool for natural history researchers and enthusiasts, links information from disparate sources, encourages data sharing, and promotes the ultimate goal of describing and synthesising all facets of the diversity of life.
		Research Towards a data publishing framework for primary biodiversity data: challenges and potentials for the biodiversity informatics community Vishwas S Chavan, Peter Ingwersen BMC Bioinformatics 2009, 10(Suppl 14):S2 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article A remarkable diversity of bone-eating worms (Osedax; Siboglinidae; Annelida) Robert C Vrijenhoek, Shannon B Johnson, Greg W Rouse BMC Biology 2009, 7:74 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Twelve additional evolutionary lineages of Osedax worms significantly expand the known diversity of this genus of mouthless marine bone-eaters, and date the split from their siboglinid relatives to between 20 and 45 million years ago.
		Research article Impacts of feral horses on a desert environment Stacey D Ostermann-Kelm, Edward A Atwill, Esther S Rubin, Larry E Hendrickson, Walter M Boyce BMC Ecology 2009, 9:22 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary The formation of multiple trails by free-ranging horses in a Californian desert reduces vegetation cover and compacts soils, but, together with horse feces, increases native plant diversity.
		Research article Massively parallel tag sequencing reveals the complexity of anaerobic marine protistan communities Thorsten Stoeck, Anke Behnke, Richard Christen, Linda Amaral-Zettler, Maria J Rodriguez-Mora, Andrei Chistoserdov, William Orsi, Virginia P Edgcomb BMC Biology 2009, 7:72 (3 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary High-throughput parallel tag sequencing combined with a novel bioinformatic pipeline detects a rich diversity of protists in two contrasting anoxic marine environments, finding many taxon groups missed by previous clone-based surveys.

		Database Extracting scientific articles from a large digital archive: BioStor and the Biodiversity Heritage Library Roderic DM Page BMC Bioinformatics 2011, 12:187 (23 May 2011) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Review Current models broadly neglect specific needs of biodiversity conservation in protected areas under climate change Mungla Sieck, Pierre L Ibisch, Kirk A Moloney, Florian Jeltsch BMC Ecology 2011, 11:12 (3 May 2011) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Florian Jeltsch and colleagues review current models of biodiversity conservation and surprisingly find that they do not adequately incorporate factors such as predation, competition and habitat fragmentation thereby reducing the value of these models in protecting threatened areas.
		Question and Answer Q&A: What is biodiversity? Anne E Magurran BMC Biology 2010, 8:145 (15 December 2010) Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary As the UN International Year of Biodiversity comes to a close, Anne Magurran asks what biodiversity is, why it matters, and what are the different ways in which we measure it.
		Research article Cross-taxon congruence and environmental conditions Carolina Toranza, Matías Arim BMC Ecology 2010, 10:18 (16 July 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Despite the importance of environmental conditions on diversity patterns across birds and mammals in the Brazilian Cerrado, other factors are needed to fully explain the observed cross-taxon congruence such as biogeographic or trophic interactions.
		Editorial BMC Ecology embraces biodiversity research Hans Zauner BMC Ecology 2010, 10:16 (4 June 2010) Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary BMC Ecology has always been open to a wide range of topics from biodiversity research and in this 2010 International Year of Biodiversity we are keen to emphasise biodiversity studies within the scope of the journal.
		Research article Two behavioural traits promote fine-scale species segregation and moderate hybridisation in a recovering sympatric fur seal population Melanie L Lancaster, Simon D Goldsworthy, Paul Sunnucks BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:143 (14 May 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Research article The world's richest tadpole communities show functional redundancy and low functional diversity: ecological data on Madagascar's stream-dwelling amphibian larvae Axel Strauß, Erik Reeve, Roger-Daniel Randrianiaina, Miguel Vences, Julian Glos BMC Ecology 2010, 10:12 (12 May 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Commentary Diversity lost: are all Holarctic large mammal species just relict populations? Michael Hofreiter, Ian Barnes BMC Biology 2010, 8:46 (21 April 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Studies comparing ancient and modern DNA have revealed a loss of genetic diversity in the large mammal species that survived the Pleistocene extinctions.
		Research article The first metazoa living in permanently anoxic conditions Roberto Danovaro, Antonio Dell'Anno, Antonio Pusceddu, Cristina Gambi, Iben Heiner, Reinhardt Møbjerg Kristensen BMC Biology 2010, 8:30 (6 April 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| 2 comments \| F1000 Biology \| Editor’s summary An expedition to a deep sea hypersaline anoxic basin in the Mediterranean has discovered the first multicellular animals that live and reproduce in the absence of oxygen.
		Research article Molecular evidence for a diverse green algal community growing in the hair of sloths and a specific association with Trichophilus welckeri (Chlorophyta, Ulvophyceae) Milla Suutari, Markus Majaneva, David P Fewer, Bryson Voirin, Annette Aiello, Thomas Friedl, Adriano G Chiarello, Jaanika Blomster BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:86 (30 March 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary A diverse community of green algal species gives sloth fur a green coloration and whilst some algal species are acquired from the surroundings, one species, Trichophilus welckeri, appears to be retained as a symbiont.
		Research article Environmental distribution of prokaryotic taxa Javier Tamames, Juan Abellán, Miguel Pignatelli, Antonio Camacho, Andrés Moya BMC Microbiology 2010, 10:85 (22 March 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article Mitochondrial evidence for multiple radiations in the evolutionary history of small apes Van Ngoc Thinh, Alan R Mootnick, Thomas Geissmann, Ming Li, Thomas Ziegler, Muhammad Agil, Pierre Moisson, Tilo Nadler, Lutz Walter, Christian Roos BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:74 (12 March 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary A more complete view of the long disputed evolutionary and biogeographic history of gibbons is available based on an analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b that permits estimation of divergence ages.
		Research article Traditional agroecosystems as conservatories and incubators of cultivated plant varietal diversity: the case of fig (Ficus carica L.) in Morocco Hafid Achtak, Mohammed Ater, Ahmed Oukabli, Sylvain Santoni, Finn Kjellberg, Bouchaib Khadari BMC Plant Biology 2010, 10:28 (18 February 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Research article Trapped in the extinction vortex? Strong genetic effects in a declining vertebrate population Donald Blomqvist, Angela Pauliny, Mikael Larsson, Lars-Åke Flodin BMC Evolutionary Biology 2010, 10:33 (2 February 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article Tracing the origins of rescued chimpanzees reveals widespread chimpanzee hunting in Cameroon Lora Ghobrial, Felix Lankester, John A Kiyang, Akih E Akih, Simone de Vries, Roger Fotso, Elizabeth L Gadsby, Peter D Jenkins, Mary K Gonder BMC Ecology 2010, 10:2 (22 January 2010) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary The geographic origins of 46 chimpanzees who found refuge at the Limbe Wildlife Centre are traced by genotyping, indicating that hunting and the smuggling of live animals is widespread throughout Cameroon.
		Research Invasions, DNA barcodes, and rapid biodiversity assessment using ants of Mauritius M Alex Smith, Brian L Fisher Frontiers in Zoology 2009, 6:31 (10 December 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research Towards a comprehensive barcode library for arctic life - Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada Xin Zhou, Sarah J Adamowicz, Luke M Jacobus, R Edward DeWalt, Paul DN Hebert Frontiers in Zoology 2009, 6:30 (10 December 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article Temporal development and collapse of an Arctic plant-pollinator network Clementine Pradal, Jens M Olesen, Carsten Wiuf BMC Ecology 2009, 9:24 (4 December 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed
		Research Scratchpads: a data-publishing framework to build, share and manage information on the diversity of life Vincent S Smith, Simon D Rycroft, Kehan T Harman, Ben Scott, David Roberts BMC Bioinformatics 2009, 10(Suppl 14):S6 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Scratchpads, a new social networking tool for natural history researchers and enthusiasts, links information from disparate sources, encourages data sharing, and promotes the ultimate goal of describing and synthesising all facets of the diversity of life.
		Research Towards a data publishing framework for primary biodiversity data: challenges and potentials for the biodiversity informatics community Vishwas S Chavan, Peter Ingwersen BMC Bioinformatics 2009, 10(Suppl 14):S2 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central
		Research article A remarkable diversity of bone-eating worms (Osedax; Siboglinidae; Annelida) Robert C Vrijenhoek, Shannon B Johnson, Greg W Rouse BMC Biology 2009, 7:74 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Twelve additional evolutionary lineages of Osedax worms significantly expand the known diversity of this genus of mouthless marine bone-eaters, and date the split from their siboglinid relatives to between 20 and 45 million years ago.
		Research article Impacts of feral horses on a desert environment Stacey D Ostermann-Kelm, Edward A Atwill, Esther S Rubin, Larry E Hendrickson, Walter M Boyce BMC Ecology 2009, 9:22 (10 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary The formation of multiple trails by free-ranging horses in a Californian desert reduces vegetation cover and compacts soils, but, together with horse feces, increases native plant diversity.
		Research article Massively parallel tag sequencing reveals the complexity of anaerobic marine protistan communities Thorsten Stoeck, Anke Behnke, Richard Christen, Linda Amaral-Zettler, Maria J Rodriguez-Mora, Andrei Chistoserdov, William Orsi, Virginia P Edgcomb BMC Biology 2009, 7:72 (3 November 2009) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary High-throughput parallel tag sequencing combined with a novel bioinformatic pipeline detects a rich diversity of protists in two contrasting anoxic marine environments, finding many taxon groups missed by previous clone-based surveys.