Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot

Autores
Cabral, Hugo; Romero Muñoz, Alfredo; Santana, Diego J.; Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian; Nori, Javier; Piatti, Liliana; Torres, Ricardo Marcelo; Chavez, Ruben; Andrade Díaz, Soledad María; Baumann, Mathias; Kuemmerle, Tobias
Año de publicación
2025
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Aim: Agricultural expansion into tropical forests causes massive biodiversity loss. However, existing knowledge about these losses is heavily biased towards rainforests, as well as towards birds and mammals. Focusing on the South American Chaco, a global hotspot of deforestation and defaunation, we assessed how agriculture-driven deforestation impacted snake distribution and, thereby, snake communities. Location: Chaco ecoregion. Methods: We compiled a rich snake occurrence dataset and used it together with satellite-based, annual land-cover maps for 1985–2020 to build time-calibrated species distribution models. This yielded temporally and spatially detailed reconstructions of snake distributions, allowing us to identify winners (increase in suitable habitat) and losers (habitat decline) of land-use change. Further, we assessed changes in geographic patterns of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Results: We could model 72 of 142 snake species occurring in the Chaco. Among these, surprisingly, we identified more winners (35) than losers (14). We caution, however, that we were unable to model many specialist species as these were data-deficient. Among functional guilds, semiarboreal and semifossorial species were among the most negatively affected, while most of the winning species were terrestrial, generalist species. Importantly, although some species gained habitat, our analyses revealed a general decline in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic snake diversity in the Chaco (more than 75% of all snake communities), suggesting biotic homogenisation. Main Conclusion: Our study uncovers an erosion of snake diversity due to agricultural expansion in the Chaco, with many snakes likely being more threatened than currently appreciated. At the community level, land-use changes and habitat loss are driving biotic homogenisation across snake communities, with potentially major knock-on effects on ecosystem functioning and integrity as key functional snakes are lost. Overall, our study underscores the urgency for conservation planning and action in the world's tropical dry forests, many of which are changing rapidly.
Fil: Cabral, Hugo. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; Brasil
Fil: Romero Muñoz, Alfredo. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Fil: Santana, Diego J.. Negaunee Integrative Research Center and Keller Science Action Center; Estados Unidos
Fil: Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina
Fil: Nori, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina
Fil: Piatti, Liliana. Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso;
Fil: Torres, Ricardo Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina
Fil: Chavez, Ruben. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Fil: Andrade Díaz, Soledad María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Freie Universität Berlin; Alemania
Fil: Baumann, Mathias. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Fil: Kuemmerle, Tobias. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Materia
Biodiversity change
Habitat loss
Habitat transformation
Herptiles 
Reptiles
Tropical dry forests 
Woodlands and savannas
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/291215
Acceder
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation HotspotCabral, HugoRomero Muñoz, AlfredoSantana, Diego J.Leynaud, Gerardo CristhianNori, JavierPiatti, LilianaTorres, Ricardo MarceloChavez, RubenAndrade Díaz, Soledad MaríaBaumann, MathiasKuemmerle, TobiasBiodiversity changeHabitat lossHabitat transformationHerptiles ReptilesTropical dry forests Woodlands and savannashttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Aim: Agricultural expansion into tropical forests causes massive biodiversity loss. However, existing knowledge about these losses is heavily biased towards rainforests, as well as towards birds and mammals. Focusing on the South American Chaco, a global hotspot of deforestation and defaunation, we assessed how agriculture-driven deforestation impacted snake distribution and, thereby, snake communities. Location: Chaco ecoregion. Methods: We compiled a rich snake occurrence dataset and used it together with satellite-based, annual land-cover maps for 1985–2020 to build time-calibrated species distribution models. This yielded temporally and spatially detailed reconstructions of snake distributions, allowing us to identify winners (increase in suitable habitat) and losers (habitat decline) of land-use change. Further, we assessed changes in geographic patterns of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Results: We could model 72 of 142 snake species occurring in the Chaco. Among these, surprisingly, we identified more winners (35) than losers (14). We caution, however, that we were unable to model many specialist species as these were data-deficient. Among functional guilds, semiarboreal and semifossorial species were among the most negatively affected, while most of the winning species were terrestrial, generalist species. Importantly, although some species gained habitat, our analyses revealed a general decline in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic snake diversity in the Chaco (more than 75% of all snake communities), suggesting biotic homogenisation. Main Conclusion: Our study uncovers an erosion of snake diversity due to agricultural expansion in the Chaco, with many snakes likely being more threatened than currently appreciated. At the community level, land-use changes and habitat loss are driving biotic homogenisation across snake communities, with potentially major knock-on effects on ecosystem functioning and integrity as key functional snakes are lost. Overall, our study underscores the urgency for conservation planning and action in the world's tropical dry forests, many of which are changing rapidly.Fil: Cabral, Hugo. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Romero Muñoz, Alfredo. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; AlemaniaFil: Santana, Diego J.. Negaunee Integrative Research Center and Keller Science Action Center; Estados UnidosFil: Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Nori, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Piatti, Liliana. Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso;Fil: Torres, Ricardo Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Chavez, Ruben. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; AlemaniaFil: Andrade Díaz, Soledad María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Freie Universität Berlin; AlemaniaFil: Baumann, Mathias. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; AlemaniaFil: Kuemmerle, Tobias. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; AlemaniaWiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc2025-10-16info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/291215Cabral, Hugo; Romero Muñoz, Alfredo; Santana, Diego J.; Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian; Nori, Javier; et al.; Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Diversity and Distributions; 31; 10; 16-10-2025; 1-141366-9516CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ddi.70105info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/ddi.70105info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2026-08-25T14:48:44Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/291215instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982026-08-25 14:48:44.981CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
title Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
spellingShingle Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
Cabral, Hugo
Biodiversity change
Habitat loss
Habitat transformation
Herptiles 
Reptiles
Tropical dry forests 
Woodlands and savannas
title_short Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
title_full Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
title_fullStr Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
title_full_unstemmed Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
title_sort Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Cabral, Hugo
Romero Muñoz, Alfredo
Santana, Diego J.
Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian
Nori, Javier
Piatti, Liliana
Torres, Ricardo Marcelo
Chavez, Ruben
Andrade Díaz, Soledad María
Baumann, Mathias
Kuemmerle, Tobias
author Cabral, Hugo
author_facet Cabral, Hugo
Romero Muñoz, Alfredo
Santana, Diego J.
Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian
Nori, Javier
Piatti, Liliana
Torres, Ricardo Marcelo
Chavez, Ruben
Andrade Díaz, Soledad María
Baumann, Mathias
Kuemmerle, Tobias
author_role author
author2 Romero Muñoz, Alfredo
Santana, Diego J.
Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian
Nori, Javier
Piatti, Liliana
Torres, Ricardo Marcelo
Chavez, Ruben
Andrade Díaz, Soledad María
Baumann, Mathias
Kuemmerle, Tobias
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Biodiversity change
Habitat loss
Habitat transformation
Herptiles 
Reptiles
Tropical dry forests 
Woodlands and savannas
topic Biodiversity change
Habitat loss
Habitat transformation
Herptiles 
Reptiles
Tropical dry forests 
Woodlands and savannas
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Aim: Agricultural expansion into tropical forests causes massive biodiversity loss. However, existing knowledge about these losses is heavily biased towards rainforests, as well as towards birds and mammals. Focusing on the South American Chaco, a global hotspot of deforestation and defaunation, we assessed how agriculture-driven deforestation impacted snake distribution and, thereby, snake communities. Location: Chaco ecoregion. Methods: We compiled a rich snake occurrence dataset and used it together with satellite-based, annual land-cover maps for 1985–2020 to build time-calibrated species distribution models. This yielded temporally and spatially detailed reconstructions of snake distributions, allowing us to identify winners (increase in suitable habitat) and losers (habitat decline) of land-use change. Further, we assessed changes in geographic patterns of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Results: We could model 72 of 142 snake species occurring in the Chaco. Among these, surprisingly, we identified more winners (35) than losers (14). We caution, however, that we were unable to model many specialist species as these were data-deficient. Among functional guilds, semiarboreal and semifossorial species were among the most negatively affected, while most of the winning species were terrestrial, generalist species. Importantly, although some species gained habitat, our analyses revealed a general decline in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic snake diversity in the Chaco (more than 75% of all snake communities), suggesting biotic homogenisation. Main Conclusion: Our study uncovers an erosion of snake diversity due to agricultural expansion in the Chaco, with many snakes likely being more threatened than currently appreciated. At the community level, land-use changes and habitat loss are driving biotic homogenisation across snake communities, with potentially major knock-on effects on ecosystem functioning and integrity as key functional snakes are lost. Overall, our study underscores the urgency for conservation planning and action in the world's tropical dry forests, many of which are changing rapidly.
Fil: Cabral, Hugo. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; Brasil
Fil: Romero Muñoz, Alfredo. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Fil: Santana, Diego J.. Negaunee Integrative Research Center and Keller Science Action Center; Estados Unidos
Fil: Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina
Fil: Nori, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina
Fil: Piatti, Liliana. Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso;
Fil: Torres, Ricardo Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina
Fil: Chavez, Ruben. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Fil: Andrade Díaz, Soledad María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Freie Universität Berlin; Alemania
Fil: Baumann, Mathias. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
Fil: Kuemmerle, Tobias. Humboldt-universitat Zu Berlin. Geography Department.; Alemania
description Aim: Agricultural expansion into tropical forests causes massive biodiversity loss. However, existing knowledge about these losses is heavily biased towards rainforests, as well as towards birds and mammals. Focusing on the South American Chaco, a global hotspot of deforestation and defaunation, we assessed how agriculture-driven deforestation impacted snake distribution and, thereby, snake communities. Location: Chaco ecoregion. Methods: We compiled a rich snake occurrence dataset and used it together with satellite-based, annual land-cover maps for 1985–2020 to build time-calibrated species distribution models. This yielded temporally and spatially detailed reconstructions of snake distributions, allowing us to identify winners (increase in suitable habitat) and losers (habitat decline) of land-use change. Further, we assessed changes in geographic patterns of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Results: We could model 72 of 142 snake species occurring in the Chaco. Among these, surprisingly, we identified more winners (35) than losers (14). We caution, however, that we were unable to model many specialist species as these were data-deficient. Among functional guilds, semiarboreal and semifossorial species were among the most negatively affected, while most of the winning species were terrestrial, generalist species. Importantly, although some species gained habitat, our analyses revealed a general decline in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic snake diversity in the Chaco (more than 75% of all snake communities), suggesting biotic homogenisation. Main Conclusion: Our study uncovers an erosion of snake diversity due to agricultural expansion in the Chaco, with many snakes likely being more threatened than currently appreciated. At the community level, land-use changes and habitat loss are driving biotic homogenisation across snake communities, with potentially major knock-on effects on ecosystem functioning and integrity as key functional snakes are lost. Overall, our study underscores the urgency for conservation planning and action in the world's tropical dry forests, many of which are changing rapidly.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-10-16
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
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info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/291215
Cabral, Hugo; Romero Muñoz, Alfredo; Santana, Diego J.; Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian; Nori, Javier; et al.; Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Diversity and Distributions; 31; 10; 16-10-2025; 1-14
1366-9516
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/291215
identifier_str_mv Cabral, Hugo; Romero Muñoz, Alfredo; Santana, Diego J.; Leynaud, Gerardo Cristhian; Nori, Javier; et al.; Diversity Loss and Homogenization in Snake Communities in a Deforestation Hotspot; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Diversity and Distributions; 31; 10; 16-10-2025; 1-14
1366-9516
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
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info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/ddi.70105
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
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repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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