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Mutillod C, Buisson É, Mahy G, Jaunatre R, Bullock JM, Tatin L, Dutoit T. Ecological restoration and rewilding: two approaches with complementary goals? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:820-836. [PMID: 38346335 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
As we enter the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) and address the urgent need to protect and restore ecosystems and their ecological functions at large scales, rewilding has been brought into the limelight. Interest in this discipline is thus increasing, with a large number of conceptual scientific papers published in recent years. Increasing enthusiasm has led to discussions and debates in the scientific community about the differences between ecological restoration and rewilding. The main goal of this review is to compare and clarify the position of each field. Our results show that despite some differences (e.g. top-down versus bottom-up and functional versus taxonomic approaches) and notably with distinct goals - recovery of a defined historically determined target ecosystem versus recovery of natural processes with often no target endpoint - ecological restoration and rewilding have a common scope: the recovery of ecosystems following anthropogenic degradation. The goals of ecological restoration and rewilding have expanded with the progress of each field. However, it is unclear whether there is a paradigm shift with ecological restoration moving towards rewilding or vice versa. We underline the complementarity in time and in space of ecological restoration and rewilding. To conclude, we argue that reconciliation of these two fields of nature conservation to ensure complementarity could create a synergy to achieve their common scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Mutillod
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Élise Buisson
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Gregory Mahy
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
- Université de Liège, Biodiversité et Paysage, 27 Avenue Maréchal Juin, Gembloux, 5030, Belgique
| | - Renaud Jaunatre
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INRAE, UR LESSEM, St-Martin-d'Hères, F-38402, France
| | - James M Bullock
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, OX10 8BB, Wallingford, UK
| | - Laurent Tatin
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Thierry Dutoit
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
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Andreozzi CL, Dawson TE, Kitzes J, Merenlender AM. Influence of microclimate and forest management on bat species faced with global change. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14246. [PMID: 38445689 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Climate refugia, areas where climate is expected to remain relatively stable, can offer a near-term safe haven for species sensitive to warming temperatures and drought. Understanding the influence of temperature, moisture, and disturbance on sensitive species is critical during this time of rapid climate change. Coastal habitats can serve as important refugia. Many of these areas consist of working forestlands, and there is a growing recognition that conservation efforts worldwide must consider the habitat value of working lands, in addition to protected areas, to effectively manage large landscapes that support biodiversity. The sensitivity of forest bats to climate and habitat disturbance makes them a useful indicator taxon. We tested how microclimate and forest management influence habitat use for 13 species of insectivorous bats in a large climate refugium in a global biodiversity hotspot. We examined whether bat activity during the summer dry season is greater in forests where coastal fog provides moisture and more stable temperatures across both protected mature stands and those regularly logged. Acoustic monitoring was conducted at a landscape scale with 20 study sites, and generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the influence of habitat variables. Six species were positively associated with warmer nighttime temperature, and 5 species had a negative relationship with humidity or a positive relationship with climatic moisture deficit. Our results suggest that these mammals may have greater climate adaptive capacity than expected, and, for now, that habitat use may be more related to optimal foraging conditions than to avoidance of warming temperatures and drought. We also determined that 12 of the 13 regionally present bat species were regularly detected in commercial timberland stands. Because forest bats are highly mobile, forage over long distances, and frequently change roosts, the stewardship of working forests must be addressed to protect these species.
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Grants
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
- Researcher Starter Grant, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley
- Bob Berry Scholarship Fund
- Carol Baird Fund
- Save the Redwoods League
- Forestry Endowment Fund, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley
- Oliver Lyman Wildlife and Fisheries Fund
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L Andreozzi
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Todd E Dawson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Justin Kitzes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adina M Merenlender
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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Fragnière Y, Champoud L, Küffer N, Braillard L, Jutzi M, Wohlgemuth T, Kozlowski G. Cliff-edge forests: Xerothermic hotspots of local biodiversity and models for future climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17196. [PMID: 38404209 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17196] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Cliffs are remarkable environments that enable the existence of microclimates. These small, isolated sites, decoupled from the regional macroclimate, play a significant role in maintaining species biodiversity, particularly in topographically homogeneous landscapes. Our study investigated the microclimate of south-exposed forests situated at the edge of sandstone cliffs in the western part of the North Alpine Foreland Basin in Switzerland and its role in local forest community composition. Using direct measurements from data loggers, as well as vegetation analyses, it was possible to quantify the microclimate of the cliff-edge forests and compare it with that of the surrounding forests. Our results highlighted the significant xerothermic and more variable nature of the cliff-edge forest microclimate, with a mean soil temperature up to 3.72°C warmer in the summer, higher annual (+28%) and daily (+250%) amplitudes of soil temperature, which frequently expose vegetation to extreme temperatures, and an 83% higher soil drying rate. These differences have a distinct influence on forest communities: cliff-edge forests are significantly different from surrounding forests. The site particularities of cliff edges support the presence of locally rare species and forest types, particularly of Scots pine. Cliff edges must therefore be considered microrefugia with a high conservation value for both xerothermic species and flora adapted to more continental climates. Moreover, the microclimate of cliff-edge forests could resemble the future climate in many ways. We argue that these small areas, which are already experiencing the future climate, can be seen as natural laboratories to better answer the following question: what will our forests look like in a few decades with accelerated climate change?
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Fragnière
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Luca Champoud
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Küffer
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Luc Braillard
- Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Jutzi
- Info Flora, the National Data and Information Center on the Swiss Flora, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Kozlowski
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
- Natural History Museum Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Weerasena L, Shier D, Tonkyn D, McFeaters M, Collins C. A sequential approach to reserve design with compactness and contiguity considerations. Ecol Modell 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2023.110281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Ranius T, Widenfalk LA, Seedre M, Lindman L, Felton A, Hämäläinen A, Filyushkina A, Öckinger E. Protected area designation and management in a world of climate change: A review of recommendations. AMBIO 2023; 52:68-80. [PMID: 35997987 PMCID: PMC9666604 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01779-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is challenging conservation strategies for protected areas. To summarise current guidance, we systematically compiled recommendations from reviews of scientific literature (74 reviews fitting inclusion criteria) about how to adapt conservation strategies in the face of climate change. We focussed on strategies for designation and management of protected areas in terrestrial landscapes, in boreal and temperate regions. Most recommendations belonged to one of five dominating categories: (i) Ensure sufficient connectivity; (ii) Protect climate refugia; (iii) Protect a few large rather than many small areas; (iv) Protect areas predicted to become important for biodiversity in the future; and (v) Complement permanently protected areas with temporary protection. The uncertainties and risks caused by climate change imply that additional conservation efforts are necessary to reach conservation goals. To protect biodiversity in the future, traditional biodiversity conservation strategies should be combined with strategies purposely developed in response to a warming climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ranius
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lina A. Widenfalk
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
- Greensway AB, Ulls väg 24A, 75651 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Meelis Seedre
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 49, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
- Forest Department, Ministry of the Environment of Estonia, Narva mnt 7a, 15172 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Ly Lindman
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Adam Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 49, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Aino Hämäläinen
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Filyushkina
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik Öckinger
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Johnson CA, Drever CR, Kirby P, Neave E, Martin AE. Protecting boreal caribou habitat can help conserve biodiversity and safeguard large quantities of soil carbon in Canada. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17067. [PMID: 36224283 PMCID: PMC9556649 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21476-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Boreal caribou require large areas of undisturbed habitat for persistence. They are listed as threatened with the risk of extinction in Canada because of landscape changes induced by human activities and resource extraction. Here we ask: Can the protection of habitat for boreal caribou help Canada meet its commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change? We identified hotspots of high conservation value within the distribution of boreal caribou based on: (1) three measures of biodiversity for at risk species (species richness, unique species and taxonomic diversity); (2) climate refugia or areas forecasted to remain unchanged under climate change; and, (3) areas of high soil carbon that could add to Canada's greenhouse gas emissions if released into the atmosphere. We evaluated the overlap among hotspot types and how well hotspots were represented in Canada's protected and conserved areas network. While hotspots are widely distributed across the boreal caribou distribution, with nearly 80% of the area falling within at least one hotspot type, only 3% of the distribution overlaps three or more hotspots. Moreover, the protected and conserved areas network only captures about 10% of all hotspots within the boreal caribou distribution. While the protected and conserved areas network adequately represents hotspots with high numbers of at risk species, areas occupied by unique species, as well as the full spectrum of areas occupied by different taxa, are underrepresented. Climate refugia and soil carbon hotspots also occur at lower percentages than expected. These findings illustrate the potential co-benefits of habitat protection for caribou to biodiversity and ecosystem services and suggest caribou may be a good proxy for future protected areas planning and for developing effective conservation strategies in regional assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A. Johnson
- grid.34428.390000 0004 1936 893XEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Canada ,grid.86715.3d0000 0000 9064 6198Department of Applied Geomatics, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1 Canada
| | | | - Patrick Kirby
- grid.34428.390000 0004 1936 893XEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Erin Neave
- grid.34428.390000 0004 1936 893XEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Amanda E. Martin
- grid.34428.390000 0004 1936 893XEnvironment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Canada ,grid.34428.390000 0004 1936 893XDepartment of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 Canada
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Hansen AJ, Mullan K, Theobald DM, Robinson N, East A, Powell S. Informing conservation decisions to target private lands of highest ecological value and risk of loss. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2612. [PMID: 35366043 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2612] [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: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Natural habitats on private lands are potentially important components of national biodiversity conservation strategies, yet they are being rapidly lost to development. Conservation easements and other means of protecting these habitats have expanded in use and will be most effective if they target private lands of highest biodiversity value and risk of loss. We developed a Biodiversity Conservation Priority Index (BCPI) based on ecological value and risk of habitat loss for remaining areas of natural vegetation cover (NVC) in the northwestern United States and addressed two questions: (1) Which remaining NVC on private lands is the highest priority for biodiversity conservation based on ecological value and risk of development? And (2) are conservation easements in NVC placed preferentially in locations of high biodiversity conservation priority? Drawing on the concept of ecological integrity, we integrated five metrics of ecological structure, function, and composition to quantify ecological value of NVC. These included net primary productivity, species richness, ecosystem type representation, imperiled species range rarity, and connectivity among "Greater Wildland Ecosystems." Risk of habitat loss was derived from analysis of biophysical and sociodemographic predictors of NVC loss. Ecological value and risk of loss were combined into the BCPI. We then analyzed spatial patterns of BCPI to identify the NVC highest in biodiversity conservation priority and examined the relationship between BCPI and conservation easement status. We found that BCPI varied spatially across the study area and was highest in western and southern portions of the study area. High BCPI was associated with suburban and rural development, roads, urban proximity, valley bottom landforms, and low intensity of current development. Existing conservation easements were distributed more towards lower BCPI values than unprotected NVC at both the study area and region scales. The BCPI can be used to better inform land use decision making at local, regional, and potentially national scales in order to better achieve biodiversity goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Hansen
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Katrina Mullan
- Department of Economics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | | | | | - Alyson East
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Scott Powell
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
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Carroll C, Rohlf DJ, Epstein Y. Mainstreaming the Ambition, Coherence, and Comprehensiveness of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework Into Conservation Policy. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.906699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity are finalizing a new Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to more effectively guide efforts by the world’s nations to address global loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Each party is required to mainstream the new framework and its component targets into national conservation strategies. To date, such strategies have been criticized as largely aspirational and lacking clear linkages to national policy mechanisms, which has contributed to the world’s general failure to meet the Convention’s previous targets. We use the United States and European Union as examples to compare and contrast opportunities and barriers for mainstreaming the GBF more effectively into policy. The European Union and United States have unique relationships to the Convention, the former being the only supranational party and the latter, having signed but never ratified the treaty, adopting Convention targets on an ad hoc basis. The contrasting conservation policy frameworks of these two polities illustrate several conceptual issues central to biodiversity conservation and demonstrate how insights from the GBF can strengthen biodiversity policy even in atypical contexts. We focus on three characteristics of the GBF which are essential if policy is to effectively motivate and guide efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss: comprehensiveness, coherence, and ambition. Statutes in both the United States and European Union provide a strong foundation for mainstreaming the GBF’s comprehensiveness, coherence, and ambition, but policy development and implementation falls short. We identify six common themes among the reforms needed to successfully achieve targets for reversing biodiversity loss: broadening conservation focus to all levels of biodiversity, better coordinating conservation strategies that protect sites and landscapes with those focused on biodiversity elements (e.g., species), coordinating biodiversity conservation with efforts to safeguard ecosystem services including ecosystem-based climate mitigation and adaptation, more coherent scaling of targets from global to local extents, adoption of a more ambitious vision for recovery of biodiversity, and development of effective tracking and accountability mechanisms.
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Riggio J, Foreman K, Freedman E, Gottlieb B, Hendler D, Radomille D, Rodriguez R, Yamashita T, Kioko J, Kiffner C. Predicting wildlife corridors for multiple species in an East African ungulate community. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265136. [PMID: 35381018 PMCID: PMC8982851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife corridors are typically designed for single species, yet holistic conservation approaches require corridors suitable for multiple species. Modelling habitat linkages for wildlife is based on several modelling steps (each involving multiple choices), and in the case of multi-species corridors, an approach to optimize single species corridors to few or a single functional corridor for multiple species. To model robust corridors for multiple species and simultaneously evaluate the impact of methodological choices, we develop a multi-method approach to delineate corridors that effectively capture movement of multiple wildlife species, while limiting the area required. Using wildlife presence data collected along ground-based line transects between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks, Tanzania, we assessed species-habitat association in both ensemble and stacked species distribution frameworks and used these to estimate linearly and non-linearly scaled landscape resistances for seven ungulate species. We evaluated habitat suitability and least-cost and circuit theory-based connectivity models for each species individually and generated a multi-species corridor. Our results revealed that species-habitat relationships and subsequent corridors differed across species, but the pattern of predicted landscape connectivity across the study area was similar for all seven species regardless of method (circuit theory or least-cost) and scaling of the habitat suitability-based cost surface (linear or non-linear). Stacked species distribution models were highly correlated with the seven species for all model outputs (r = 0.79 to 0.97), while having the greatest overlap with the individual species least-cost corridors (linear model: 61.6%; non-linear model: 60.2%). Zebra was the best single-species proxy for landscape connectivity. Overall, we show that multi-species corridors based on stacked species distribution models achieve relatively low cumulative costs for savanna ungulates as compared to their respective single-species corridors. Given the challenges and costs involved in acquiring data and parameterizing corridor models for multiple species, zebra may act as a suitable proxy species for ungulate corridor conservation in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Riggio
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Katie Foreman
- Department of Environmental Studies, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ethan Freedman
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Becky Gottlieb
- The School for Field Studies, Center for Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
| | - David Hendler
- Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, United States of America
| | - Danielle Radomille
- Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ryan Rodriguez
- Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Thomas Yamashita
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, United States of America
| | - John Kioko
- The School for Field Studies, Center for Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
| | - Christian Kiffner
- The School for Field Studies, Center for Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
- Junior Research Group Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
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Doxa A, Kamarianakis Y, Mazaris AD. Spatial heterogeneity and temporal stability characterize future climatic refugia in Mediterranean Europe. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:2413-2424. [PMID: 34981617 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Climate plays a major role in shaping biodiversity patterns over time and space, with ongoing changes leading to the reorganization of ecosystems, which challenges conservation initiatives. Identifying areas that could serve as possible climate change refugia for future biodiversity is, thus, critical for both conservation and management. Here, we identify potential future climatic refugia within the Euro-Mediterranean biome, which is a global biodiversity hotspot, while accounting for multiple emission climate change projections over the next 50 years. We developed two metrics of climatic variability: temporal stability and spatial heterogeneity. We then used a systematic conservation planning approach to identify climate-based priority areas. While we used a climate-based, species-neutral methodology, we deliberately implemented low climatic velocity thresholds, so that the identified climatic refugia would even be compatible with the needs of species with low dispersal capacity, such as plants. Our projections showed that future climatic refugia would be more frequently observed in mid-altitudes, for gradients with steep elevations, and mainly in the eastern part of the Euro-Mediterranean biome, with possible conflicts with existing land uses and future conservation implications. Climatic, land use, and topography results indicated that only a limited number of refugia would be hosted by high elevation habitats (>1500 m), raising possible concerns about the biodiversity of Mediterranean mountain regions. Our analyses show that the current network of protected areas captures future climatic refugia disproportionally, despite their importance for safeguarding present and future biodiversity in the Mediterranean. Key climatic refugia could limit the impacts of future climate change on biodiversity in mid-altitude and mountainous regions, and should be included in management guidelines for a climate-ready conservation design in the Mediterranean biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aggeliki Doxa
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Yiannis Kamarianakis
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Antonios D Mazaris
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Carver S, Convery I, Hawkins S, Beyers R, Eagle A, Kun Z, Van Maanen E, Cao Y, Fisher M, Edwards SR, Nelson C, Gann GD, Shurter S, Aguilar K, Andrade A, Ripple WJ, Davis J, Sinclair A, Bekoff M, Noss R, Foreman D, Pettersson H, Root-Bernstein M, Svenning JC, Taylor P, Wynne-Jones S, Featherstone AW, Fløjgaard C, Stanley-Price M, Navarro LM, Aykroyd T, Parfitt A, Soulé M. Guiding principles for rewilding. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1882-1893. [PMID: 33728690 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There has been much recent interest in the concept of rewilding as a tool for nature conservation, but also confusion over the idea, which has limited its utility. We developed a unifying definition and 10 guiding principles for rewilding through a survey of 59 rewilding experts, a summary of key organizations' rewilding visions, and workshops involving over 100 participants from around the world. The guiding principles convey that rewilding exits on a continuum of scale, connectivity, and level of human influence and aims to restore ecosystem structure and functions to achieve a self-sustaining autonomous nature. These principles clarify the concept of rewilding and improve its effectiveness as a tool to achieve global conservation targets, including those of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Finally, we suggest differences in rewilding perspectives lie largely in the extent to which it is seen as achievable and in specific interventions. An understanding of the context of rewilding projects is the key to success, and careful site-specific interpretations will help achieve the aims of rewilding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Carver
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Ian Convery
- National School of Forestry, University of Cumbria, UK
| | - Sally Hawkins
- Institute of Science, Natural Resources and Outdoor Studies, University of Cumbria, UK
| | - Rene Beyers
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Yue Cao
- Institute for National Parks, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mark Fisher
- Wildland Research Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Cara Nelson
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, USA
| | - George D Gann
- The Institute for Regional Conservation, Delray Beach, Florida, USA
- Society for Ecological Restoration, Washington, D.C., USA
| | | | - Karina Aguilar
- Agencia Metropolitana de Bosques Urbanos del AMG, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Angela Andrade
- Commission for Ecosystem Management, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
- Conservation International Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
| | - William J Ripple
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - John Davis
- The Rewilding Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Anthony Sinclair
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marc Bekoff
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Reed Noss
- Florida Institute for Conservation Science, Melrose, Florida, USA
| | - Dave Foreman
- The Rewilding Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Hanna Pettersson
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Meredith Root-Bernstein
- UMR CESCO, CNRS, Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Taylor
- Wildland Research Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Laetitia M Navarro
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Alison Parfitt
- Wildland Research Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Michael Soulé
- Society for Conservation Biology, Washington, D.C., USA
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12
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Carroll C, Ray JC. Maximizing the effectiveness of national commitments to protected area expansion for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem carbon under climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3395-3414. [PMID: 33852186 PMCID: PMC8360173 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Global commitments to protected area expansion should prioritize opportunities to protect climate refugia and ecosystems which store high levels of irrecoverable carbon, as key components of an effective response to biodiversity loss and climate change. The United States and Canada are responsible for one-sixth of global greenhouse gas emissions but hold extensive natural ecosystems that store globally significant above- and below-ground carbon. Canada has initiated a process of protected area network expansion in concert with efforts at reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and acknowledged nature-based solutions as a key aspect of climate change mitigation. The US, although not a party to global biodiversity conventions, has recently committed to protecting 30% of its extent by 2030 and achieving the UNFCCC Paris Agreement's mitigation targets. The opportunities afforded by these dual biodiversity conservation and climate commitments require coordinated national and regional policies to ensure that new protected areas maximize biodiversity-focused adaptation and nature-based mitigation opportunities. We address how global commitments can best inform national policy initiatives which build on existing agency mandates for regional planning and species conservation. Previous analyses of global conservation priorities under climate change have been tenuously linked to policy contexts of individual nations and have lacked information on refugia due to limitations of globally available datasets. Comparison and synthesis of predictions from a range of recently developed refugia metrics allow such data to inform planning despite substantial uncertainty arising from contrasting model assumptions and inputs. A case study for endangered species planning for old-forest-associated species in the US Pacific Northwest demonstrates how regional planning can be nested hierarchically within national biodiversity-focused adaptation and nature-based mitigation strategies which integrate refugia, connectivity, and ecosystem carbon metrics to holistically evaluate the role of different land designations and where carbon mitigation and protection of biodiversity's resilience to climate change can be aligned.
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13
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Oakes LE, Cross MS, Zavaleta ES. Rapid assessment to facilitate climate‐informed conservation and nature‐based solutions. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Oakes
- Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx New York USA
- Department of Earth System Science Stanford University Stanford California USA
| | | | - Erika S. Zavaleta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California‐Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
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14
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Pawlett
- Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
| | | | - Jerry W Knox
- Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
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