1
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Hughes LJ, Morton O, Scheffers BR, Edwards DP. The ecological drivers and consequences of wildlife trade. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 98:775-791. [PMID: 36572536 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife trade is a key driver of extinction risk, affecting at least 24% of terrestrial vertebrates. The persistent removal of species can have profound impacts on species extinction risk and selection within populations. We draw together the first review of characteristics known to drive species use - identifying species with larger body sizes, greater abundance, increased rarity or certain morphological traits valued by consumers as being particularly prevalent in trade. We then review the ecological implications of this trade-driven selection, revealing direct effects of trade on natural selection and populations for traded species, which includes selection against desirable traits. Additionally, there exists a positive feedback loop between rarity and trade and depleted populations tend to have easy human access points, which can result in species being harvested to extinction and has the potential to alter source-sink dynamics. Wider cascading ecosystem repercussions from trade-induced declines include altered seed dispersal networks, trophic cascades, long-term compositional changes in plant communities, altered forest carbon stocks, and the introduction of harmful invasive species. Because it occurs across multiple scales with diverse drivers, wildlife trade requires multi-faceted conservation actions to maintain biodiversity and ecological function, including regulatory and enforcement approaches, bottom-up and community-based interventions, captive breeding or wildlife farming, and conservation translocations and trophic rewilding. We highlight three emergent research themes at the intersection of trade and community ecology: (1) functional impacts of trade; (2) altered provisioning of ecosystem services; and (3) prevalence of trade-dispersed diseases. Outside of the primary objective that exploitation is sustainable for traded species, we must urgently incorporate consideration of the broader consequences for other species and ecosystem processes when quantifying sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam J. Hughes
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield South Yorks S10 2TN Sheffield UK
| | - Oscar Morton
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield South Yorks S10 2TN Sheffield UK
| | - Brett R. Scheffers
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611 USA
| | - David P. Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield South Yorks S10 2TN Sheffield UK
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2
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Phukuntsi MA, Dalton DL, Mwale M, Selier J, Cebekhulu T, Sethusa MT. Genetic patterns in three South African specialist antelope species: Threats, conservation management and their implications. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Metlholo Andries Phukuntsi
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- Department of Environment, Water and Earth Sciences Tshwane University of Technology Pretoria South Africa
| | - Desire Lee Dalton
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- School of Health and Life Sciences Teesside University Middlesbrough UK
| | - Monica Mwale
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
| | - Jeanetta Selier
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Durban South Africa
| | - Thando Cebekhulu
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
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3
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Rogan MS, Distiller G, Balme GA, Pitman RT, Mann GKH, Dubay SM, Whittington-Jones GM, Thomas LH, Broadfield J, Knutson T, O'Riain MJ. Troubled spots: Human impacts constrain the density of an apex predator inside protected areas. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2551. [PMID: 35094452 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Effective conservation requires understanding the processes that determine population outcomes. Too often, we assume that protected areas conserve wild populations despite evidence that they frequently fail to do so. Without large-scale studies, however, we cannot determine what relationships are the product of localized conditions versus general patterns that inform conservation more broadly. Leopards' (Panthera pardus) basic ecology is well studied but little research has investigated anthropogenic effects on leopard density at broad scales. We investigated the drivers of leopard density among 27 diverse protected areas in northeastern South Africa to understand what conditions facilitate abundant populations. We formulated 10 working hypotheses that considered the relative influence of bottom-up biological factors and top-down anthropogenic factors on leopard density. Using camera-trap survey data, we fit a multi-session spatial capture-recapture model with inhomogenous density for each hypothesis and evaluated support using an information theoretic approach. The four supported hypotheses indicated that leopard density is primarily limited by human impacts, but that habitat suitability and management conditions also matter. The proportion of camera stations that recorded domestic animals, a proxy for the extent of human impacts and protected area effectiveness, was the only predictor variable present in all four supported models. Protected areas are the cornerstone of large felid conservation, but only when the human-wildlife interface is well managed and protected areas shelter wildlife populations from anthropogenic impacts. To ensure the long-term abundance of large carnivore populations, reserve managers should recognize the ineffectiveness of "paper parks" and promote contiguous networks of protected areas that offer leopards and other large mammal populations greater space and reduced human impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Rogan
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Panthera, New York, New York, USA
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, the Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Greg Distiller
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for Statistics in Ecology, the Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Guy A Balme
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Panthera, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ross T Pitman
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Panthera, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gareth K H Mann
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Panthera, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shannon M Dubay
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Panthera, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Joleen Broadfield
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Panthera, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - M Justin O'Riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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4
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Palfrey R, Oldekop JA, Holmes G. Privately protected areas increase global protected area coverage and connectivity. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:730-737. [PMID: 35393602 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01715-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Privately protected areas (PPAs) are increasing in number and extent. Yet, we know little about their contribution to conservation and how this compares to other forms of protected area (PA). We address this gap by assessing the contribution of 17,561 PPAs to the coverage, complementarity and connectivity of existing PA networks in 15 countries across 5 continents. We find that PPAs (1) are three times more likely to be in biomes with <10% of their area protected than are other PA governance types and twice as likely to be in areas with the greatest human disturbance; (2) that they protect a further 1.2% of key biodiversity areas; (3) that they account for 3.4% of land under protection; and (4) that they increase PA network connectivity by 7.05%. Our results demonstrate the unique and significant contributions that PPAs can make to the conservation estate and that PPAs deserve more attention, recognition and resources for better design and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan A Oldekop
- Global Development Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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5
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Groce JE, Cook CN. Maintaining landholder satisfaction and management of private protected areas established under conservation agreements. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 305:114355. [PMID: 34953226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Permanent protection of biodiversity on private lands is achieved through various mechanisms around the world. In Australia, conservation covenants are widely used to dedicate private lands to biodiversity conservation. The permanency of covenants necessitates similarly long-term commitment by landholders to meet and maintain the conservation obligations under the covenant. To better understand the effectiveness of conservation covenants as a tool for on-going environmental stewardship, we examined the relationship between landholders' initial motivations to covenant, their current perspectives on covenants and their management practices. We compared two groups of covenantors, those who initiated a covenant (original signees) and those who acquired a property with a covenant already in place (successive owners). We found the motivations and views of original signees and successive owners were similar overall, showing strong pro-environmental perspectives, and the majority of landholders were continuing to undertake management activities for the benefit of biodiversity. A small portion of respondents were dissatisfied with the covenant mechanism or covenant provider. This group tended to include successive owners and landholders who covenanted for regulatory reasons or financial incentives. Fewer dissatisfied landholders were actively managing the covenanted land compared to those who were satisfied. Considering the impending increase in successive owners as aging covenantors transfer ownership of their properties, the growing potential for covenants required under regulatory arrangements, and decreasing support within covenanting programs, this study identifies a risk that the satisfaction of landholders may decrease over time. Recognizing and addressing the challenges faced by landholders can bolster the commitment to covenant obligations and the longevity of covenants as a mechanism for positive conservation outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Groce
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Carly N Cook
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
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6
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Bedoya-Durán MJ, Murillo-García OE, Branch LC. Factors outside privately protected areas determine mammal assemblages in a global biodiversity hotspot in the Andes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
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7
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Bingham HC, Fitzsimons JA, Mitchell BA, Redford KH, Stolton S. Privately Protected Areas: Missing Pieces of the Global Conservation Puzzle. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.748127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protected areas are an essential component of global conservation efforts. Although extensive information is available on the location of protected areas governed by governments, data on privately protected areas remain elusive at the global level. These are areas governed by private individuals and groups—ranging from families to religious institutions to companies—that meet IUCN's definition of a protected area: a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. As the world's governments prepare to adopt a new post-2020 global biodiversity framework to guide conservation over the next decade, we argue that, without complete data on privately protected areas, they do so without a vital piece of the puzzle.
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8
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Palfrey R, Oldekop J, Holmes G. Conservation and social outcomes of private protected areas. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1098-1110. [PMID: 33210742 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Government administered protected areas (PAs) have dominated conservation strategies, discourse, and research, yet private actors are increasingly managing land for conservation. Little is known about the social and environmental outcomes of these privately protected areas (PPAs). We searched the global literature in English on PPAs and their environmental and social outcomes and identified 412 articles suitable for inclusion. Research on PPAs was geographically skewed; more studies occurred in the United States. Environmental outcomes of PPAs were mostly positive (89%), but social outcomes of PPAs were reported less (12% of all studies), and these outcomes were more mixed (65% positive). Private protected areas increased the number or extent of ecosystems, ecoregions, or species covered by PAs (representativeness) and PA network connectivity and effectively reduced deforestation and restored degraded lands. Few PPA owners reported negative social outcomes, experienced improved social capital, increased property value, or a reduction in taxes. Local communities benefited from increased employment, training, and community-wide development (e.g., building of schools), but they reported reduced social capital and no significant difference to household income. The causal mechanisms through which PPAs influence social and environmental outcomes remain unclear, as does how political, economic, and social contexts shape these mechanisms. Future research should widen the geographical scope and diversify the types of PPAs studied and focus on determining the casual mechanisms through which PPA outcomes occur in different contexts. We propose an assessment framework that could be adopted to facilitate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Oldekop
- Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, U.K
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9
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Mariyam D, Puri M, Harihar A, Karanth KK. Benefits Beyond Borders: Assessing Landowner Willingness-to-Accept Incentives for Conservation Outside Protected Areas. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.663043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Unplanned land-use change surrounding protected areas (PAs) can lead to degradation and fragmentation of wildlife habitats, thereby placing tremendous pressure on PAs especially in tropical countries. Incentivizing the expansion of habitats beyond PAs will not only benefit wildlife but also has the potential to create livelihood opportunities for marginalized communities living adjacent to PAs. Our study explored landowners’ willingness to participate in an incentive-based, wildlife-friendly land-use program using a discrete choice modeling approach. We surveyed 699 landowners living in 287 villages within a five-kilometer buffer around Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks in India. We found that landowners preferred wildlife-friendly land-use over their ongoing farming practices. Landowners preferred short-term programs, requiring enrolling smaller parcels of land for wildlife-friendly land-use, and offering higher payment amounts. Landowners with larger landholdings, a longer history of living next to the PA, and growing fewer commercial crops were more likely to prefer enrolling large parcels of land. Landowners who grew more commercial crops were likely to prefer long term programs. We also estimated the average monetary incentive to be INR 64,000 (US$ 914) per acre per year. Wildlife-friendly land use, in developing economies like India with shrinking wildlife habitats and expanding infrastructural developments, could supplement rural incomes and potentially expand habitat for wildlife, thereby being a promising conservation strategy.
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10
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Louw AJ, Pienaar EF, Shrader AM. The biological, social, and political complexity of conserving oribi antelope Ourebia ourebi in South Africa. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The endangered oribi antelope Ourebia ourebi is highly dependent on privately owned lands for its continued survival in South Africa. Despite the fact that conserving oribi may result in costs to farmers in the form of land use restrictions and pressures from illegal hunting, there is evidence that South African farmers are willing to conserve oribi on their lands. However, to date, no research has been conducted to examine farmers’ understanding of how to manage their lands for oribi or their motivations for conserving this species. We conducted 50 in-depth interviews with private landowners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to investigate why farmers are willing to protect oribi, their perceptions of the threats to the species, and their understanding of how land should be managed to benefit oribi. Respondents’ willingness to conserve oribi was driven primarily by an affinity for the species and wildlife in general. Respondents perceived illegal taxi hunting to be the greatest threat to oribi. Taxi hunts are organized, illegal hunting events that involve multiple participants and packs of dogs, who hunt at night on farms without the permission or knowledge of farmers. Although some respondents managed their lands specifically to benefit oribi, most were unsure which land management practices would support oribi conservation efforts. Farmers require legal support to more effectively conserve oribi. In addition, they would benefit from outreach and awareness programs on how to manage their lands for oribi.
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Affiliation(s)
- AJ Louw
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - EF Pienaar
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green Street, Athens, GA 30602-2152, USA
| | - AM Shrader
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
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11
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McNellie MJ, Oliver I, Dorrough J, Ferrier S, Newell G, Gibbons P. Reference state and benchmark concepts for better biodiversity conservation in contemporary ecosystems. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6702-6714. [PMID: 33090598 PMCID: PMC7756865 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Measuring the status and trends of biodiversity is critical for making informed decisions about the conservation, management or restoration of species, habitats and ecosystems. Defining the reference state against which status and change are measured is essential. Typically, reference states describe historical conditions, yet historical conditions are challenging to quantify, may be difficult to falsify, and may no longer be an attainable target in a contemporary ecosystem. We have constructed a conceptual framework to help inform thinking and discussion around the philosophical underpinnings of reference states and guide their application. We characterize currently recognized historical reference states and describe them as Pre-Human, Indigenous Cultural, Pre-Intensification and Hybrid-Historical. We extend the conceptual framework to include contemporary reference states as an alternative theoretical perspective. The contemporary reference state framework is a major conceptual shift that focuses on current ecological patterns and identifies areas with higher biodiversity values relative to other locations within the same ecosystem, regardless of the disturbance history. We acknowledge that past processes play an essential role in driving contemporary patterns of diversity. The specific context for which we design the contemporary conceptual frame is underpinned by an overarching goal-to maximize biodiversity conservation and restoration outcomes in existing ecosystems. The contemporary reference state framework can account for the inherent differences in the diversity of biodiversity values (e.g. native species richness, habitat complexity) across spatial scales, communities and ecosystems. In contrast to historical reference states, contemporary references states are measurable and falsifiable. This 'road map of reference states' offers perspective needed to define and assess the status and trends in biodiversity and habitats. We demonstrate the contemporary reference state concept with an example from south-eastern Australia. Our framework provides a tractable way for policy-makers and practitioners to navigate biodiversity assessments to maximize conservation and restoration outcomes in contemporary ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan J. McNellie
- Department of Planning, Industry and EnvironmentScience, Economics and Insights DivisionWagga WaggaNSWAustralia
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyThe Australian National UniversityActonACTAustralia
| | - Ian Oliver
- Department of Planning, Industry and EnvironmentScience, Economics and Insights DivisionGosfordNSWAustralia
| | - Josh Dorrough
- Department of Planning, Industry and EnvironmentScience, Economics and Insights DivisionMerimbulaNSWAustralia
| | | | - Graeme Newell
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and PlanningArthur Rylah Institute for Environmental ResearchHeidelbergVic.Australia
| | - Philip Gibbons
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyThe Australian National UniversityActonACTAustralia
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12
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Clements HS, Biggs R, Cumming GS. Cross-scale and social-ecological changes constitute main threats to private land conservation in South Africa. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 274:111235. [PMID: 32823084 PMCID: PMC7434693 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Conserving biodiversity in the long term will depend in part on the capacity of Protected Areas (PAs) to cope with cross-scale, social-ecological disturbances and changes, which are becoming more frequent in a highly connected world. Direct threats to biodiversity within PAs and their interactions with broader-scale threats are both likely to vary with PA spatial and management characteristics (e.g., location, dependence on ecotourism revenues, governmental support). Private Land Conservation Areas (PLCAs) are interesting case study systems for assessing cross-scale threats to PAs and their determinants. Despite the growing number of PLCAs around the world, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the long-term capacity of these privately owned areas to conserve biodiversity. Their potential impermanence is commonly raised as a key concern. To better understand the threats to which different types of PLCAs are likely to be vulnerable, we asked 112 PLCA landholders in South Africa what they perceived as the top threats to their PLCAs. Landowners identified direct threats to the biodiversity within their PLCAs (e.g., poaching, extreme weather, inappropriate fire regimes, alien species) as well as describing broader socio-economic threats (e.g., regional crime, national legislation and politics, global economic recessions), which were noted to interact across scales. We found support for the hypothesis that patterns in the perceived multi-scale threats to a PLCA correspond with its management and spatial characteristics, including its remoteness, dependence on ecotourism or hunting revenues, and richness of megafaunal species. Understanding the threats to which different PLCAs may be vulnerable is useful for developing more nuanced, targeted strategies to build PLCA resilience to these threats (for example, by strengthening the capacity of self-funded PLCAs to cope with the threat of economic downturns through more innovative financial instruments or diversified revenue streams). Our findings highlight the importance of considering interactions between broad-scale socio-economic changes and direct threats to biodiversity, which can influence the resilience of PAs in ways that are not anticipated by more traditional, discipline-specific consideration of direct threats to the biodiversity within their boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley S Clements
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition, Stellenbosch University, 19 Jonkershoek Road, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
| | - Reinette Biggs
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition, Stellenbosch University, 19 Jonkershoek Road, Matieland, 7602, South Africa; Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Graeme S Cumming
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia; DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, Percy FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
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13
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Curveira‐Santos G, Sutherland C, Santos‐Reis M, Swanepoel LH. Responses of carnivore assemblages to decentralized conservation approaches in a South African landscape. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Curveira‐Santos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - Chris Sutherland
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Margarida Santos‐Reis
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - Lourens H. Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
- African Institute for Conservation Ecology Levubu South Africa
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14
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Stears K, Shrader AM. Coexistence between wildlife and livestock is contingent on cattle density and season but not differences in body size. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236895. [PMID: 32735578 PMCID: PMC7394405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies on the coexistence of wildlife with livestock have focused primarily on similar-sized species. Furthermore, many of these studies have used dietary overlap as a measure of potential competition between interacting species and thus lack the important link between dietary overlap and any negative effects on a particular species–a prerequisite for competition. Consequently, the mechanisms that drive interspecific interactions between wildlife and cattle are frequently overlooked. To address this, we used an experimental setup where we leveraged different cattle stocking rates across two seasons to identify the drivers of interspecific interactions (i.e. competition and facilitation) between smaller-bodied oribi antelope and cattle. Using direct foraging observations, we assessed dietary overlap and grass regrowth, and also calculated oribi nutritional intake rates. Ultimately, we found that cattle compete with, and facilitate, smaller-bodied oribi antelope through bottom-up control. Specifically, cattle facilitated oribi during the wet season, irrespective of cattle stocking density, because cattle foraging produced high-quality grass regrowth. In contrast, during the dry season, cattle and oribi did not co-exist in the same areas (i.e. no direct dietary overlap). Despite this, we found that cattle foraging at high densities during the previous wet season reduced the dry season availability of oribi’s preferred grass species. To compensate, oribi expanded their dry season diet breadth and included less palatable grass species, ultimately reducing their nutritional intake rates. Thus, cattle competed with oribi through a delayed, across-season habitat modification. We show that differences in body size alone may not be able to offset competitive interactions between cattle and wildlife. Finally, understanding the mechanisms that drive facilitation and competition are key to promoting co-existence between cattle and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keenan Stears
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America
- South African Environmental Observation Network, Ndlovu Node, Scientific Services, Kruger National Park, Phalaborwa, South Africa
- University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Adrian M. Shrader
- University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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15
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Parker K, De Vos A, Clements HS, Biggs D, Biggs R. Impacts of a trophy hunting ban on private land conservation in South African biodiversity hotspots. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kim Parker
- Department of Environmental ScienceRhodes University Makhanda South Africa
| | - Alta De Vos
- Department of Environmental ScienceRhodes University Makhanda South Africa
| | - Hayley S. Clements
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition (CST), Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
- Department of Geosciences and GeographyUniversity of Helsinki FI‐00014 Helsinki Finland
| | - Duan Biggs
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition (CST), Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
- Department of Conservation Ecology and EntomologyStellenbosch University Matieland South Africa
| | - Reinette Biggs
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition (CST), Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University Sweden
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16
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De Vos A, Clements HS, Biggs D, Cumming GS. The dynamics of proclaimed privately protected areas in South Africa over 83 years. Conserv Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alta De Vos
- Department of Environmental Science Rhodes University Grahamstown South Africa
| | - Hayley S. Clements
- Centre for Complex Systems in Transition Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - Duan Biggs
- Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology Stellenbosch University Matieland South Africa
| | - Graeme S. Cumming
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Australia
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
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