• Energy Research

The critically endangered helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) is under threat around its Southeast Asian range due to hunting and habitat loss. Dependant on primary rainforest habitats, the species is thought to be highly sensitive to habitat disturbance. Compounding this is the threat of climate change where equatorial ecosystems, such as those found on Borneo, are predicted to increase in temperature and precipitation. It is therefore important to identify whether the species’ suitable habitats, both now and in the future, are protected from further anthropogenic disturbance. In this study we used species distribution models to assess the extent of suitable habitat for R. vigil across Borneo, an island which has undergone rapid deforestation in recent years, and a stronghold for the species. Using 302 R. vigil occurrence records, four environmental and three land-use cover variables, we modelled R. vigil current habitat suitability, and two future projections under climate change scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for 2041–2060. Our results suggest that a quarter of Borneo's landmass is currently suitable for R. vigil. However, there is a steep decline in the predicted suitable habitat from 335,963 km2 (current scenario) to 73,170 km2 (future RCP 4.5), to 54,839 km2 (future RCP 8.5). Our model predicts that the amount of suitable habitat protected by current protected areas (PAs) and the planned Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative will increase under future climate change, with the HoB protecting > 65 % of R. vigil suitable habitat across all projections. This is likely worsened by future land-use change not included in these models, which is a limitation to our study. We therefore encourage the connectivity of lowland PAs, and the continuation of HoB targets to prevent further decline of R. vigil habitat around Borneo. This study provides the first species-specific spatial assessment of the critically endangered helmeted hornbill distribution in response to climate change across current and planned protected regions in Borneo.

Southeast (SE) Asia holds high regional biodiversity and endemism levels but is also one of the world's most threatened regions. Local, regional and global threats could have severe consequences for the future survival of many species and the provision of ecosystem services. In the face of myriad pressing environmental problems, we carried out a research prioritisation exercise involving 64 experts whose research relates to conservation biology and sustainability in SE Asia. Experts proposed the most pressing research questions which, if answered, would advance the goals of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in SE Asia. We received a total of 333 questions through three rounds of elicitation, ranked them (by votes) following a workshop and grouped them into themes. The top 100 questions depict SE Asia as a region where strong pressures on biodiversity interact in complex and poorly understood ways. They point to a lack of information about multiple facets of the environment, while exposing the many threats to biodiversity and human wellbeing. The themes that emerged indicate the need to evaluate specific drivers of biodiversity loss (wildlife harvesting, agricultural expansion, climate change, infrastructure development, pollution) and even to identify which species and habitats are most at risk. They also suggest the need to study the effectiveness of practice-based solutions (protected areas, ecological restoration), the human dimension (social interventions, organisational systems and processes and, the impacts of biodiversity loss and conservation interventions on people). Finally, they highlight gaps in fundamental knowledge of ecosystem function. These 100 questions should help prioritise and coordinate research, conservation, education and outreach activities and the distribution of scarce conservation resources in SE Asia.

Abstract not available.