Diseases and invasive species have synergistic effects with other anthropogenic threats on the functional and phylogenetic diversity in Testudines and Crocodilia

Abstract

Understanding how multiple threats interact is crucial for the prioritization of conservation measures. Here, we investigate how interactions between six common threats (climate change, habitat disturbance, global trade, overconsumption, pollution, and emerging diseases/invasive species) affect the functional and phylogenetic diversity of 230 species of Testudines and 21 of Crocodilia. We classify two-way threat interactions into additive, synergistic, and antagonistic according to their effects on functional and phylogenetic diversity. Most threat interactions are antagonistic, the effect of threats jointly is lower than the sum of the effects of threats separately. However, we find that the interaction between emerging diseases or invasive species with other threats has synergistic and additive effects, meaning that the combined effects are greater or equal to the effects of threats separately. Our work can help target conservation strategies and detect key places to address multiple threats when they appear together.