1
|
Williams J, Pettorelli N, Hartmann AC, Quinn RA, Plaisance L, O'Mahoney M, Meyer CP, Fabricius KE, Knowlton N, Ransome E. Decline of a distinct coral reef holobiont community under ocean acidification. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:75. [PMID: 38627822 PMCID: PMC11022381 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01683-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbes play vital roles across coral reefs both in the environment and inside and upon macrobes (holobionts), where they support critical functions such as nutrition and immune system modulation. These roles highlight the potential ecosystem-level importance of microbes, yet most knowledge of microbial functions on reefs is derived from a small set of holobionts such as corals and sponges. Declining seawater pH - an important global coral reef stressor - can cause ecosystem-level change on coral reefs, providing an opportunity to study the role of microbes at this scale. We use an in situ experimental approach to test the hypothesis that under such ocean acidification (OA), known shifts among macrobe trophic and functional groups may drive a general ecosystem-level response extending across macrobes and microbes, leading to reduced distinctness between the benthic holobiont community microbiome and the environmental microbiome. RESULTS We test this hypothesis using genetic and chemical data from benthic coral reef community holobionts sampled across a pH gradient from CO2 seeps in Papua New Guinea. We find support for our hypothesis; under OA, the microbiome and metabolome of the benthic holobiont community become less compositionally distinct from the sediment microbiome and metabolome, suggesting that benthic macrobe communities are colonised by environmental microbes to a higher degree under OA conditions. We also find a simplification and homogenisation of the benthic photosynthetic community, and an increased abundance of fleshy macroalgae, consistent with previously observed reef microbialisation. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate a novel structural shift in coral reefs involving macrobes and microbes: that the microbiome of the benthic holobiont community becomes less distinct from the sediment microbiome under OA. Our findings suggest that microbialisation and the disruption of macrobe trophic networks are interwoven general responses to environmental stress, pointing towards a universal, undesirable, and measurable form of ecosystem changed. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jake Williams
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Nathalie Pettorelli
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Aaron C Hartmann
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robert A Quinn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Laetitia Plaisance
- Laboratoire Evolution Et Diversité Biologique, CNRS/UPS, Toulouse, France
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013, USA
| | - Michael O'Mahoney
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013, USA
| | - Chris P Meyer
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013, USA
| | | | - Nancy Knowlton
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013, USA
| | - Emma Ransome
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Travers SK, Dorrough J, Shannon I, Val J, Scott ML, Moutou CJ, Oliver I. The importance of expert selection when identifying threatened ecosystems. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14151. [PMID: 37489269 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14151] [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: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Identifying threatened ecosystem types is fundamental to conservation and management decision-making. When identification relies on expert judgment, decisions are vulnerable to inconsistent outcomes and can lack transparency. We elicited judgements of the occurrence of a widespread, critically endangered Australian ecosystem from a diverse pool of 83 experts. We asked 4 questions. First, how many experts are required to reliably conclude that the ecosystem is present? Second, how many experts are required to build a reliable model for predicting ecosystem presence? Third, given expert selection can narrow the range opinions, if enough experts are selected, do selection strategies affect model predictions? Finally, does a diverse selection of experts provide better model predictions? We used power and sample size calculations with a finite population of 200 experts to calculate the number of experts required to reliably assess ecosystem presence in a theoretical scenario. We then used boosted regression trees to model expert elicitation of 122 plots based on real-world data. For a reliable consensus (90% probability of correctly identifying presence and absence) in a relatively certain scenario (85% probability of occurrence), at least 17 experts were required. More experts were required when occurrence was less certain, and fewer were needed if permissible error rates were relaxed. In comparison, only ∼20 experts were required for a reliable model that could predict for a range of scenarios. Expert selection strategies changed modeled outcomes, often overpredicting presence and underestimating uncertainty. However, smaller but diverse pools of experts produced outcomes similar to a model built from all contributing experts. Combining elicited judgements from a diverse pool of experts in a model-based decision support tool provided an efficient aggregation of a broad range of expertise. Such models can improve the transparency and consistency of conservation and management decision-making, especially when ecosystems are defined based on complex criteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K Travers
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Lisarow, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Josh Dorrough
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Merimbula, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian Shannon
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Paramatta, NSW, Australia
| | - James Val
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Buronga, NSW, Australia
| | - Mitchell L Scott
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Paramatta, NSW, Australia
| | - Claudine J Moutou
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Paramatta, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian Oliver
- New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, Lisarow, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tierney DA. Linking restoration to the
IUCN
red list for ecosystems: A case study of how we might track the Earth's ecosystems. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Tierney
- Conservation and Restoration Science Department of Planning and Environment Parramatta New South Wales 2150 Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Noss RF, Cartwright JM, Estes D, Witsell T, Elliott G, Adams D, Albrecht M, Boyles R, Comer P, Doffitt C, Faber‐Langendoen D, Hill J, Hunter WC, Knapp WM, Marshall ME, Singhurst J, Tracey C, Walck J, Weakley A. Improving species status assessments under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and implications for multispecies conservation challenges worldwide. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1715-1724. [PMID: 34057264 PMCID: PMC9292301 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite its successes, the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) has proven challenging to implement due to funding limitations, workload backlog, and other problems. As threats to species survival intensify and as more species come under threat, the need for the ESA and similar conservation laws and policies in other countries to function efficiently has grown. Attempts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to streamline ESA decisions include multispecies recovery plans and habitat conservation plans. We address species status assessment (SSA), a USFWS process to inform ESA decisions from listing to recovery, within the context of multispecies and ecosystem planning. Although existing SSAs have a single-species focus, ecosystem-based research can efficiently inform multiple SSAs within a region and provide a foundation for transition to multispecies SSAs in the future. We considered at-risk grassland species and ecosystems within the southeastern United States, where a disproportionate number of rare and endemic species are associated with grasslands. To initiate our ecosystem-based approach, we used a combined literature-based and structured World Café workshop format to identify science needs for SSAs. Discussions concentrated on 5 categories of threats to grassland species and ecosystems, consistent with recommendations to make shared threats a focus of planning under the ESA: (1) habitat loss, fragmentation, and disruption of functional connectivity; (2) climate change; (3) altered disturbance regimes; (4) invasive species; and (5) localized impacts. For each threat, workshop participants identified science and information needs, including database availability, research priorities, and modeling and mapping needs. Grouping species by habitat and shared threats can make the SSA process and other planning processes for conservation of at-risk species worldwide more efficient and useful. We found a combination of literature review and structured discussion effective for identifying the scientific information and analysis needed to support the development of multiple SSAs. Article impact statement: Species status assessments can be improved by an ecosystem-based approach that groups imperiled species by shared habitats and threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reed F. Noss
- Florida Institute for Conservation Science and Southeastern Grasslands InitiativeMelroseFloridaUSA
| | | | - Dwayne Estes
- Southeastern Grasslands InitiativeAustin Peay State UniversityClarksvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Theo Witsell
- Southeastern Grasslands InitiativeAustin Peay State UniversityClarksvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Gregg Elliott
- Southeastern Grasslands InitiativeAustin Peay State University, K Gregg ConsultingClarksvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Daniel Adams
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceCookevilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Matthew Albrecht
- Center for Conservation and Sustainable DevelopmentMissouri Botanical GardenSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Ryan Boyles
- U.S. Geological SurveySoutheast Climate Adaptation Science CenterRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Chris Doffitt
- Natural Areas RegistryLouisiana Department of Wildlife & FisheriesPinevilleLouisianaUSA
| | | | - JoVonn Hill
- Mississippi Entomological MuseumMississippi State UniversityStarkvilleMississippiUSA
| | - William C. Hunter
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNational Wildlife Refuge SystemAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Wesley M. Knapp
- North Carolina Natural Heritage ProgramAshevilleNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Jason Singhurst
- Texas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentNongame and Rare Species ProgramAustinTexasUSA
| | | | - Jeffrey Walck
- Department of BiologyMiddle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboroTennesseeUSA
| | - Alan Weakley
- North Carolina Botanical GardenUniversity of North Carolina, and Southeastern Grasslands InitiativeChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
|
6
|
Borthagaray AI, Soutullo A, Carranza A, Arim M. A modularity-based approach for identifying biodiversity management units. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL 2018. [DOI: 10.1186/s40693-018-0072-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
7
|
Habitat conservation in Italy: the state of the art in the light of the first European Red List of Terrestrial and Freshwater Habitats. RENDICONTI LINCEI-SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12210-018-0688-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|
8
|
Affiliation(s)
- Chloe F. Sato
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Acton ACT 2601 Australia
| | - David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Acton ACT 2601 Australia
- National Environment Science Program, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society; Strine Natural Whouni; Canberra ACT 2601
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Jeanmougin M, Dehais C, Meinard Y. Mismatch between Habitat Science and Habitat Directive: Lessons from the French (Counter) Example. Conserv Lett 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Jeanmougin
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO - UMR7204), Sorbonne Universités-MNHN-CNRS-UPMC; Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle; CP135, 43 rue Buffon 75005 Paris France
| | | | - Yves Meinard
- Université Paris-Dauphine; PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR [7243], LAMSADE 75016 FRANCE
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Gigante D, Foggi B, Venanzoni R, Viciani D, Buffa G. Habitats on the grid: The spatial dimension does matter for red-listing. J Nat Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2016.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
11
|
Swan KD, McPherson JM, Seddon PJ, Moehrenschlager A. Managing Marine Biodiversity: The Rising Diversity and Prevalence of Marine Conservation Translocations. Conserv Lett 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly D. Swan
- Centre for Conservation Research; Calgary Zoological Society; Calgary Canada
| | - Jana M. McPherson
- Centre for Conservation Research; Calgary Zoological Society; Calgary Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby Canada
| | - Philip J. Seddon
- Department of Zoology; University of Otago; Dunedin New Zealand
- Bird Section Chair; IUCN Species Survival Commission Reintroduction Specialist Group
| | - Axel Moehrenschlager
- Centre for Conservation Research; Calgary Zoological Society; Calgary Canada
- Chair; IUCN Species Survival Commission Reintroduction Specialist Group
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Brooks TM, Butchart SH, Cox NA, Heath M, Hilton-Taylor C, Hoffmann M, Kingston N, Rodríguez JP, Stuart SN, Smart J. Harnessing biodiversity and conservation knowledge products to track the Aichi Targets and Sustainable Development Goals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2015.1075903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
13
|
Abstract
AbstractBiodiversity offsetting involves the balancing of biodiversity loss in one place (and at one time) by an equivalent biodiversity gain elsewhere (an outcome referred to as No Net Loss). The conservation science literature has chiefly addressed the extent to which biodiversity offsets can serve as a conservation tool, focusing on the technical challenges of its implementation. However, offsetting has more profound implications than this technical approach suggests. In this paper we introduce the concept of policy frames, and use it to identify four ways in which non-human nature and its conservation are reframed by offsetting. Firstly, offsetting reframes nature in terms of isolated biodiversity units that can be simply defined, measured and exchanged across time and space to achieve equivalence between ecological losses and gains. Secondly, it reframes biodiversity as lacking locational specificity, ignoring broader dimensions of place and deepening a nature–culture and nature–society divide. Thirdly, it reframes conservation as an exchange of credits implying that the value of non-human nature can be set by price. Fourthly, it ties conservation to land development and economic growth, foreshadowing and bypassing an oppositional position. We conclude that by presenting offsetting as a technical issue, the problem of biodiversity loss due to development is depoliticized. As a result the possibility of opposing and challenging environmental destruction is foreclosed, and a dystopian future of continued biodiversity loss is presented as the only alternative.
Collapse
|