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Li KJ, Liu XF, Yang L, Shen SK. Alpine Rhododendron population contractions lead to spatial distribution mismatch with their pollinators under climate change. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171832. [PMID: 38521263 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171832] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The effect of global climate change on plant-pollinator interaction is not limited to changes in phenology and richness within communities but also includes the spatial mismatch caused by the inconsistency of geographical distribution changes. Subsequently, the pollinator interaction network may be remodeled or even disrupted. In this study, we simulated the suitable habitat niche of 15 Rhododendron species and their eight pollinator species as well as their overlapping versus geographical mismatch under the current and three future climate change scenarios in 2090s, using MaxEnt. Results showed that the suitable habitat of all Rhododendron species would decrease in 2090s. In particular, 10, 8, and 13 Rhododendron-pollinator assemblages would have a reduced spatial match region under the climate change scenarios, mainly due to the contraction of the suitable habitat of Rhododendron species. The results provide novel insights into the response of plant-pollinator interactions to global warming, useful to prioritize conservation actions of alpine plant ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun-Ji Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Transboundary Ecosecurity of Southwest China, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao-Fei Liu
- Institute of international river and eco-security Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Transboundary Ecosecurity of Southwest China, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China
| | - Shi-Kang Shen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Transboundary Ecosecurity of Southwest China, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China.
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2
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Rocha CMC, Sampaio CLS. A review of the knowledge of reef fish in the Southwest Atlantic. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 182:105769. [PMID: 36272222 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105769] [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: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reef environments are rapidly transforming worldwide, and these changes are causing major impacts to the reef ecosystem. Scientific knowledge is strategic for marine conservation and management in these scenarios. Aiming to contribute to this subject, a systematic review from 1967 to 2020 was conducted, in order to identify gaps in studies regarding reef fish species, ecosystem components and processes. Multidisciplinary sciences concerning reef fish have been rising, mainly in the fields of basic biology and ecology. Besides that, phase shifts and ecosystem services were absent terms in the analyzes of co-occurrence. Research in the ethnosciences needs to be increased, and will improve access to local ecological knowledge, which can be used as a tool to address issues in reef environments. Socio-ecological systems are components of this landscape that has had few publications. The participation in the elaboration of public policies can be a new avenue to foster the biodiversity of reef environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cacilda M C Rocha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Conservação nos Trópicos, Instituto de Biologia e Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Av. Lourival Melo Mota - Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, 57072-900, AL, Brazil; Laboratório de Ictiologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Av. Beira Rio, Centro Histórico, Penedo, 57200-000, AL, Brazil.
| | - Cláudio L S Sampaio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Conservação nos Trópicos, Instituto de Biologia e Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Av. Lourival Melo Mota - Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, 57072-900, AL, Brazil; Laboratório de Ictiologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Av. Beira Rio, Centro Histórico, Penedo, 57200-000, AL, Brazil.
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3
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Harford AJ, Bartolo RE, Humphrey CL, Nicholson JD, Richardson DL, Rissik D, Iles M, Dambacher JM. Resolving ecosystem complexity in ecological risk assessment for mine site rehabilitation. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 319:115488. [PMID: 35982549 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115488] [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: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs) are important tools for supporting evidence-based decision making. However, most ERA frameworks rarely consider complex ecological feedbacks, which limit their capacity to evaluate risks at community and ecosystem levels of organisation. METHOD We used qualitative mathematical modelling to add additional perspectives to previously conducted ERAs for the rehabilitation of the Ranger uranium mine (Northern Territory, Australia) and support an assessment of the cumulative risks from the mine site. Using expert elicitation workshops, separate qualitative models and scenarios were developed for aquatic and terrestrial systems. The models developed in the workshops were used to construct Bayes Nets that predicted whole-of-ecosystem outcomes after components were perturbed. RESULTS The terrestrial model considered the effect of fire and weeds on established native vegetation that will be important for the successful rehabilitation of Ranger. It predicted that a combined intervention that suppresses both weeds and fire intensity gave similar response predictions as for weed control alone, except for lower levels of certainty to tall grasses and fire intensity in models with immature trees or tall grasses. However, this had ambiguous predictions for short grasses and forbs, and tall grasses in models representing mature vegetation. The aquatic model considered the effects of magnesium (Mg), a key solute in current and predicted mine runoff and groundwater egress, which is known to adversely affect many aquatic species. The aquatic models provided support that attached algae and phytoplankton assemblages are the key trophic base for food webs. It predicted that shifts in phytoplankton abundance arising from increase in Mg to receiving waters, may result in cascading effects through the food-chain. CONCLUSION The qualitative modelling approach was flexible and capable of modelling both gradual (i.e. decadal) processes in the mine-site restoration and the comparatively more rapid (seasonal) processes of the aquatic ecosystem. The modelling also provides a useful decision tool for identifying important ecosystem sub-systems for further research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Harford
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia.
| | - Renee E Bartolo
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | - Chris L Humphrey
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | - Jaylen D Nicholson
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | | | - David Rissik
- BMT Australia, PO Box 203, Spring Hill, QLD, 4004, Australia
| | - Michelle Iles
- Energy Resources Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
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4
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Hill MJ, White JC, Biggs J, Briers RA, Gledhill D, Ledger ME, Thornhill I, Wood PJ, Hassall C. Local contributions to beta diversity in urban pond networks: Implications for biodiversity conservation and management. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Hill
- School of Applied Sciences University of Huddersfield Huddersfield UK
| | - James C. White
- Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Jeremy Biggs
- Freshwater Habitats Trust Bury Knowle House Headington, Oxford UK
| | - Robert A. Briers
- School of Applied Sciences Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh UK
| | - David Gledhill
- Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment School of Environment and Life Sciences University of Salford Salford UK
| | - Mark E. Ledger
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
| | | | - Paul J. Wood
- Centre for Hydrological and Ecosystem Science, Geography and Environment Loughborough University Loughborough UK
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5
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Dittami SM, Arboleda E, Auguet JC, Bigalke A, Briand E, Cárdenas P, Cardini U, Decelle J, Engelen AH, Eveillard D, Gachon CMM, Griffiths SM, Harder T, Kayal E, Kazamia E, Lallier FH, Medina M, Marzinelli EM, Morganti TM, Núñez Pons L, Prado S, Pintado J, Saha M, Selosse MA, Skillings D, Stock W, Sunagawa S, Toulza E, Vorobev A, Leblanc C, Not F. A community perspective on the concept of marine holobionts: current status, challenges, and future directions. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10911. [PMID: 33665032 PMCID: PMC7916533 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-microbe interactions play crucial roles in marine ecosystems. However, we still have very little understanding of the mechanisms that govern these relationships, the evolutionary processes that shape them, and their ecological consequences. The holobiont concept is a renewed paradigm in biology that can help to describe and understand these complex systems. It posits that a host and its associated microbiota with which it interacts, form a holobiont, and have to be studied together as a coherent biological and functional unit to understand its biology, ecology, and evolution. Here we discuss critical concepts and opportunities in marine holobiont research and identify key challenges in the field. We highlight the potential economic, sociological, and environmental impacts of the holobiont concept in marine biological, evolutionary, and environmental sciences. Given the connectivity and the unexplored biodiversity specific to marine ecosystems, a deeper understanding of such complex systems requires further technological and conceptual advances, e.g., the development of controlled experimental model systems for holobionts from all major lineages and the modeling of (info)chemical-mediated interactions between organisms. Here we propose that one significant challenge is to bridge cross-disciplinary research on tractable model systems in order to address key ecological and evolutionary questions. This first step is crucial to decipher the main drivers of the dynamics and evolution of holobionts and to account for the holobiont concept in applied areas, such as the conservation, management, and exploitation of marine ecosystems and resources, where practical solutions to predict and mitigate the impact of human activities are more important than ever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon M Dittami
- Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Roscoff, France
| | - Enrique Arboleda
- FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Roscoff, France
| | | | - Arite Bigalke
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Bioorganic Analytics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Enora Briand
- Laboratoire Phycotoxines, Ifremer, Nantes, France
| | - Paco Cárdenas
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulisse Cardini
- Integrative Marine Ecology Dept, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy
| | - Johan Decelle
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRA, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Damien Eveillard
- Laboratoire des Sciences Numériques de Nantes (LS2N), Université de Nantes, CNRS, Nantes, France
| | - Claire M M Gachon
- Scottish Marine Institute, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah M Griffiths
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ehsan Kayal
- FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Roscoff, France
| | | | - François H Lallier
- Adaptation and Diversity in the Marine Environment, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Roscoff, France
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, United States of America
| | - Ezequiel M Marzinelli
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, Australia
| | | | - Laura Núñez Pons
- Section Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy
| | - Soizic Prado
- Molecules of Communication and Adaptation of Microorganisms (UMR 7245), National Museum of Natural History, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - José Pintado
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, CSIC, Vigo, Spain
| | - Mahasweta Saha
- Benthic Ecology, Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany.,Marine Ecology and Biodiversity, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Marc-André Selosse
- National Museum of Natural History, Département Systématique et Evolution, Paris, France.,Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Derek Skillings
- Philosophy Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States of America
| | - Willem Stock
- Laboratory of Protistology & Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Shinichi Sunagawa
- Dept. of Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Eve Toulza
- IHPE, Univ. de Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, UPDV, Perpignan, France
| | - Alexey Vorobev
- CEA - Institut de Biologie François Jacob, Genoscope, Evry, France
| | - Catherine Leblanc
- Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Roscoff, France
| | - Fabrice Not
- Adaptation and Diversity in the Marine Environment, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Roscoff, France
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6
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Van der Biest K, Meire P, Schellekens T, D'hondt B, Bonte D, Vanagt T, Ysebaert T. Aligning biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in spatial planning: Focus on ecosystem processes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:136350. [PMID: 32050402 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Although the consideration of socio-economic demands with biodiversity conservation is now high on the environmental policy agenda, it is not yet standard practice in spatial planning. This is argued to be related, among others, to a lack of awareness among stakeholders and practitioners of the underpinning role of ecosystem functioning and biodiversity to support human well-being. Meanwhile, there is mounting critique on the absolute focus of biodiversity conservation on static properties such as species and habitats. The establishment of more ecologically sensible objectives that include ecosystem processes besides species and habitats is put forward as a more effective way of environmental conservation. Methodological approaches increasingly consider ecosystem processes. However, the processes that are included mostly relate to aspects of biodiversity such as dispersal and productivity, and rarely do they include abiotic mechanisms that underlie biodiversity. We here report on the development of a method that integrates two principles which we identify as key to advance the integration of ecosystem services with biodiversity conservation in planning practice: (1) consider the variety of ecosystem processes, biotic as well as abiotic, that support biodiversity and ecosystem services, and (2) link the ecosystem processes to biodiversity and to socio-economic benefits to identify the common ground between seemingly conflicting objectives. The methodology uses a stepwise approach and is based on an extensive review of available knowledge on ecosystem functioning, expert consultation and stakeholder involvement. We illustrate how the methodology supports the setting of strategic goals to accomplish a healthy coastal ecosystem in Belgium, and exemplify how this may affect spatial plans. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how including processes opens opportunities to align biodiversity and ecosystem services and how this increases chances to provide long-term benefits for biodiversity and human well-being. The paper may provide inspiration to advance current spatial planning approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrien Van der Biest
- Ecosystem Management Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Patrick Meire
- Ecosystem Management Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | | - Bram D'hondt
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dries Bonte
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Tom Ysebaert
- Ecosystem Management Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University & Research, Yerseke, Netherlands; NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Yerseke, Netherlands
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7
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Western D, Tyrrell P, Brehony P, Russell S, Western G, Kamanga J. Conservation from the inside‐out: Winning space and a place for wildlife in working landscapes. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Tyrrell
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- South Rift Association of Landowners Nairobi Kenya
| | - Peadar Brehony
- Department of Geography University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | | | - Guy Western
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- South Rift Association of Landowners Nairobi Kenya
| | - John Kamanga
- South Rift Association of Landowners Nairobi Kenya
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8
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Gastauer M, Caldeira CF, Ramos SJ, Trevelin LC, Jaffé R, Oliveira G, Vera MPO, Pires E, Santiago FLDA, Carneiro MAC, Coelho FTA, Silva R, Souza-Filho PWM, Siqueira JO. Integrating environmental variables by multivariate ordination enables the reliable estimation of mineland rehabilitation status. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 256:109894. [PMID: 31989973 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite the wide variety of variables commonly employed to measure the success of rehabilitation, the assessment and subsequent definition of indicators of environmental rehabilitation status are not simple tasks. The main challenges are comparing rehabilitated sites with target ecosystems as well as integrating individual environmental and eventually collinear variables into a single tractable measure for the state of a system before effective indicators that track rehabilitation may be modeled. Furthermore, a consensus is lacking regarding which and how many variables need to be surveyed for a reliable estimation of rehabilitation status. Here, we propose a multivariate ordination to integrate variables related to ecological processes, vegetation structure, and community diversity into a single estimation of rehabilitation status. As a case, we employed a curated set of 32 environmental variables retrieved from nonrevegetated, rehabilitating and reference sites associated with iron ore mines from the Urucum Massif, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. By integrating this set of environmental variables into a single estimation of rehabilitation status, the proposed multivariate approach is straightforward and able to adequately address collinearity among variables. The proposed methodology allows for the identification of biases towards single variables, surveys or analyses, which is necessary to rank environmental variables regarding their importance to the assessment. Furthermore, we show that bootstrapping permitted the detection of the minimum number of environmental variables necessary to achieve reliable estimations of the rehabilitation status. Finally, we show that the proposed variable integration enables the definition of case-specific environmental indicators for more rapid assessments of mineland rehabilitation. Thus, the proposed multivariate ordination represents a powerful tool to facilitate the diagnosis of rehabilitating sites worldwide provided that sufficient environmental variables related to ecological processes, diversity and vegetation structure are gathered from nonrehabilitated, rehabilitating and reference study sites. By identifying deviations from predicted rehabilitation trajectories and providing assessments for environmental agencies, this proposed multivariate ordination increases the effectiveness of (mineland) rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Gastauer
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
| | | | - Sílvio Junio Ramos
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | | | - Rodolfo Jaffé
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Oliveira
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Mabel Patricia Ortiz Vera
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Pará, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, Guamá, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Eder Pires
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | | | | | - Felipe Tadashi Asoa Coelho
- Vale - Diretoria de Ferrosos Centro Oeste, Rua Cabral, 1555, Centro, Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rosilene Silva
- Vale - Diretoria de Ferrosos Centro Oeste, Rua Cabral, 1555, Centro, Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - José-Oswaldo Siqueira
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, Belém, Pará, Brazil
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9
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Munro NT, McIntyre S, Macdonald B, Cunningham SA, Gordon IJ, Cunningham RB, Manning AD. Returning a lost process by reintroducing a locally extinct digging marsupial. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6622. [PMID: 31179166 PMCID: PMC6542348 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The eastern bettong (Bettongia gaimardi), a medium-sized digging marsupial, was reintroduced to a predator-free reserve after 100 years of absence from the Australian mainland. The bettong may have the potential to restore temperate woodlands degraded by a history of livestock grazing, by creating numerous small disturbances by digging. We investigated the digging capacity of the bettong and compared this to extant fauna, to answer the first key question of whether this species could be considered an ecosystem engineer, and ultimately if it has the capacity to restore lost ecological processes. We found that eastern bettongs were frequent diggers and, at a density of 0.3–0.4 animals ha−1, accounted for over half the total foraging pits observed (55%), with echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), birds and feral rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) accounting for the rest. We estimated that the population of bettongs present dug 985 kg of soil per ha per year in our study area. Bettongs dug more where available phosphorus was higher, where there was greater basal area of Acacia spp. and where kangaroo grazing was less. There was no effect on digging of eucalypt stem density or volume of logs on the ground. While bettong digging activity was more frequent under trees, digging also occurred in open grassland, and bettongs were the only species observed to dig in scalds (areas where topsoil has eroded to the B Horizon). These results highlight the potential for bettongs to enhance soil processes in a way not demonstrated by the existing fauna (native birds and echidna), and introduced rabbit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola T Munro
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sue McIntyre
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Ben Macdonald
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Saul A Cunningham
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Iain J Gordon
- Division of Tropical Environments and Societies, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, QLD, Australia.,James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Ross B Cunningham
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Adrian D Manning
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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10
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Vaca RA, Rodiles-Hernández R, Ochoa-Gaona S, Taylor-Aquino NE, Obregón-Viloria R, Díaz-García DA, Navarrete-Gutiérrez DA. Evaluating and supporting conservation action in agricultural landscapes of the Usumacinta River Basin. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 230:392-404. [PMID: 30296677 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.09.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing recognition that ecosystems and their services need to be managed at landscape scale and greater. The development of landscape-scale conservation strategies need to incorporate information from multiple sources. In this study, we combine various research tools to link landscape patterns with production units and systems in the Usumacinta River Basin, and inform the discussion of key questions around decision-making related to conservation action and policy in Southern Mexico. A typology based on policy-relevant farmer characteristics (land tenure, farm size, source of income, farming system) differentiated between farmers (traditional vs. cattle ranching) with different motivations that determine how management affects landscape configuration. Five main types of traditional farming systems were identified that combine different forms of land use and vary in their degree of land intensification. Major fragmentation and decrease in connectivity coincided spatially with floodplains dominated by large-scale commercial farms that specialize in livestock production. Traditional practices within large units with low-sloped high quality land were also seen to be intensive; however the presence of trees was notable throughout these units. Policies that promote livestock farming are among the principle causes motivating deforestation. Land intensification by traditional farmers decreased as the landscape became increasingly rugged. Traditional farmers are the focus of initiatives developed by the Biological Corridor project which seeks to increase forest cover and landscape connectivity. These initiatives have shown high levels of rural participation (10,010 farmers benefited from 27,778 projects involving 95,374 ha of land) and acceptance (producers carried out more than one project and several types of projects during the first eight years of work). Strong action is still required to take on the segment of large-scale ranchers. Changes in the structure of land tenure over the past decade are highlighted that could have a profound impact on conservation policies and programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl A Vaca
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, 29290 San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Rocío Rodiles-Hernández
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, 29290 San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Susana Ochoa-Gaona
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, Adaptación Humana y Manejo de Recursos Naturales en Ecosistemas Tropicales, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Av. Rancho Polígono 2(a), Ciudad Industrial, Lerma 24500, Campeche, Campeche, Mexico.
| | - Nathaline E Taylor-Aquino
- Corredor Biológico, Calz de Pipila 65, Barrio de Fátima, 29264, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Rafael Obregón-Viloria
- Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, Liga Periférico Insurgentes Sur 4903, Parques del Pedregal, Tlalpan 14010, DF, Mexico.
| | - Daniela A Díaz-García
- Corredor Biológico, Calz de Pipila 65, Barrio de Fátima, 29264, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
| | - Darío A Navarrete-Gutiérrez
- Laboratorio de Análisis de Información Geográfica y Estadística, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, 29290 San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.
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11
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Brehony P, Bluwstein J, Lund JF, Tyrrell P. Bringing back complex socio-ecological realities to the study of CBNRM impacts: a response to Lee and Bond (2018). J Mammal 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peadar Brehony
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jevgeniy Bluwstein
- Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Friis Lund
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Tyrrell
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- South Rift Association of Land Owners, Nairobi, Kenya
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12
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Clement S, Standish RJ. Novel ecosystems: Governance and conservation in the age of the Anthropocene. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 208:36-45. [PMID: 29247883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Meeting conservation objectives in an era of global environmental change has precipitated debate about where and how to intervene. Ecological and social values of novel ecosystems are particularly contested. Governance has a role to play, but this role is underexplored. Here, we critically review the novel ecosystems literature to identify challenges that fall within the realm of governance. Using a conceptual framework for analysing adaptive governance, we consider how governance could help address five challenges. Specifically, we argue that reforming governance can support the re-framing of policy objectives for ecosystems where transformation is likely, and in doing so, it could highlight the tensions between the emergence of novel ecosystems on the one hand and cultural expectations about how ecosystems should look on the other. We discuss the influence of power, authority and administrative competence on conservation efforts in times of environmental change. We consider how buffering can address translational mismatch between conventional conservation policy and modern ecological reality. This review provides insights into how governance reform could enable more adaptive responses to transformative changes, such as novel ecosystems, while remaining committed to achieving conservation outcomes. Indeed, at their best, adaptive responses would encompass the reality of ecological transformation while being sympathetic to concerns about undesirable outcomes. Connections between researchers in the fields of governance, ecology and conservation could help to achieve these twin aims. We provide examples of governance and policy-making techniques that can support context-specific governance reform that supports more effective conservation in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Clement
- Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, Roxby Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Rachel J Standish
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
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13
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Hart SP, Usinowicz J, Levine JM. The spatial scales of species coexistence. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:1066-1073. [PMID: 29046584 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0230-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how species diversity is maintained is a foundational problem in ecology and an essential requirement for the discipline to be effective as an applied science. Ecologists' understanding of this problem has rapidly matured, but this has exposed profound uncertainty about the spatial scales required to maintain species diversity. Here we define and develop this frontier by proposing the coexistence-area relationship-a real relationship in nature that can be used to understand the determinants of the scale-dependence of diversity maintenance. The coexistence-area relationship motivates new empirical techniques for addressing important, unresolved problems about the influence of demographic stochasticity, environmental heterogeneity and dispersal on scale-dependent patterns of diversity. In so doing, this framework substantially reframes current approaches to spatial community ecology. Quantifying the spatial scales of species coexistence will permit the next important advance in our understanding of the maintenance of diversity in nature, and should improve the contribution of community ecology to biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P Hart
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Jacob Usinowicz
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan M Levine
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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14
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Middleton BA, Boudell J, Fisichelli NA. Using management to address vegetation stress related to land-use and climate change. Restor Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beth A. Middleton
- Wetlands and Aquatic Research Center; U.S. Geological Survey; Lafayette LA 70506 U.S.A
| | - Jere Boudell
- Department of Biology; Clayton State University; Morrow GA 30260 U.S.A
| | - Nicholas A. Fisichelli
- Forest Ecology Program; Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park; Winter Harbor ME 04693 U.S.A
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15
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Hanford JK, Crowther MS, Hochuli DF. Effectiveness of vegetation-based biodiversity offset metrics as surrogates for ants. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:161-171. [PMID: 27357951 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity offset schemes are globally popular policy tools for balancing the competing demands of conservation and development. Trading currencies for losses and gains in biodiversity value at development and credit sites are usually based on several vegetation attributes combined to yield a simple score (multimetric), but the score is rarely validated prior to implementation. Inaccurate biodiversity trading currencies are likely to accelerate global biodiversity loss through unrepresentative trades of losses and gains. We tested a model vegetation multimetric (i.e., vegetation structural and compositional attributes) typical of offset trading currencies to determine whether it represented measurable components of compositional and functional biodiversity. Study sites were located in remnant patches of a critically endangered ecological community in western Sydney, Australia, an area representative of global conflicts between conservation and expanding urban development. We sampled ant fauna composition with pitfall traps and enumerated removal by ants of native plant seeds from artificial seed containers (seed depots). Ants are an excellent model taxon because they are strongly associated with habitat complexity, respond rapidly to environmental change, and are functionally important at many trophic levels. The vegetation multimetric did not predict differences in ant community composition or seed removal, despite underlying assumptions that biodiversity trading currencies used in offset schemes represent all components of a site's biodiversity value. This suggests that vegetation multimetrics are inadequate surrogates for total biodiversity value. These findings highlight the urgent need to refine existing offsetting multimetrics to ensure they meet underlying assumptions of surrogacy. Despite the best intentions, offset schemes will never achieve their goal of no net loss of biodiversity values if trades are based on metrics unrepresentative of total biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne K Hanford
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Mathew S Crowther
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Dieter F Hochuli
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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16
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Morales-Reyes Z, Pérez-García JM, Moleón M, Botella F, Carrete M, Donázar JA, Cortés-Avizanda A, Arrondo E, Moreno-Opo R, Jiménez J, Margalida A, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Evaluation of the network of protection areas for the feeding of scavengers in Spain: from biodiversity conservation to greenhouse gas emission savings. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zebensui Morales-Reyes
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada; Universidad Miguel Hernández; Avda. de la Universidad s/n 03202 Elche Alicante Spain
| | - Juan M. Pérez-García
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada; Universidad Miguel Hernández; Avda. de la Universidad s/n 03202 Elche Alicante Spain
| | - Marcos Moleón
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station-CSIC; C/Americo Vespucio s/n La Cartuja 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Francisco Botella
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada; Universidad Miguel Hernández; Avda. de la Universidad s/n 03202 Elche Alicante Spain
| | - Martina Carrete
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station-CSIC; C/Americo Vespucio s/n La Cartuja 41092 Sevilla Spain
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems; Pablo de Olavide University; Ctra. de Utrera, km 1 41013 Sevilla Spain
| | - José A. Donázar
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station-CSIC; C/Americo Vespucio s/n La Cartuja 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Ainara Cortés-Avizanda
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station-CSIC; C/Americo Vespucio s/n La Cartuja 41092 Sevilla Spain
- Infraestruturas de Portugal Biodiversity-Chair; CIBIO-InBIO Centro de Investigacão em Biodiversidade e Recursos Geneticos da Universidade do Porto Campus Agrário de Vairão Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7; 4485-661 Vairão Portugal
- CEABN/InBio; Centro de Ecologia Aplicada “Professor Baeta Neves”; Instituto Superior de Agronomia; Universidade de Lisboa; Tapada da Ajuda 1349-017 Lisboa Portugal
| | - Eneko Arrondo
- Department of Conservation Biology; Doñana Biological Station-CSIC; C/Americo Vespucio s/n La Cartuja 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Rubén Moreno-Opo
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group; University Complutense of Madrid; C/José Antonio Novais, 2 28049 Madrid Spain
| | - José Jiménez
- Institute of Research in Game Resources; CSIC; Ronda de Toledo 12 13071 Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Department of Animal Science; Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering; University of Lleida; Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure 191 25198 Lleida Spain
- Division of Conservation Biology; Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Baltzerstrasse 6 CH-3012 Bern Switzerland
| | - José A. Sánchez-Zapata
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada; Universidad Miguel Hernández; Avda. de la Universidad s/n 03202 Elche Alicante Spain
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17
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Bradby K, Keesing A, Wardell-Johnson G. Gondwana Link: connecting people, landscapes, and livelihoods across southwestern Australia. Restor Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Keith Bradby
- Gondwana Link Ltd; PO Box 5276 Albany WA 6332 Australia
| | | | - Grant Wardell-Johnson
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, School of Science; Curtin University; GPO Box U1987 Perth WA 6845 Australia
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18
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Watson JEM, Darling ES, Venter O, Maron M, Walston J, Possingham HP, Dudley N, Hockings M, Barnes M, Brooks TM. Bolder science needed now for protected areas. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:243-8. [PMID: 26486683 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Recognizing that protected areas (PAs) are essential for effective biodiversity conservation action, the Convention on Biological Diversity established ambitious PA targets as part of the 2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. Under the strategic goal to "improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity," Target 11 aims to put 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine regions under PA status by 2020. Additionally and crucially, these areas are required to be of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative, and well-connected and to include "other effective area-based conservation measures" (OECMs). Whereas the area-based targets are explicit and measurable, the lack of guidance for what constitutes important and representative; effective; and OECMs is affecting how nations are implementing the target. There is a real risk that Target 11 may be achieved in terms of area while failing the overall strategic goal for which it is established because the areas are poorly located, inadequately managed, or based on unjustifiable inclusion of OECMs. We argue that the conservation science community can help establish ecologically sensible PA targets to help prioritize important biodiversity areas and achieve ecological representation; identify clear, comparable performance metrics of ecological effectiveness so progress toward these targets can be assessed; and identify metrics and report on the contribution OECMs make toward the target. By providing ecologically sensible targets and new performance metrics for measuring the effectiveness of both PAs and OECMs, the science community can actively ensure that the achievement of the required area in Target 11 is not simply an end in itself but generates genuine benefits for biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E M Watson
- Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, 10460, U.S.A
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Emily S Darling
- Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, 10460, U.S.A
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, U.S.A
| | - Oscar Venter
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Joe Walston
- Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, 10460, U.S.A
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Nigel Dudley
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- University of Northern British Columbia, School of Ecosystem Sciences and Management, Prince George, Canada
- Equilibrium Research, 47 The Quays, Cumberland Road, Bristol, BS1 6UQ, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Hockings
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Megan Barnes
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland
- World Agroforestry Center, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
- School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
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19
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Ferreira SM, Greaver C, Knight GA, Knight MH, Smit IPJ, Pienaar D. Disruption of Rhino Demography by Poachers May Lead to Population Declines in Kruger National Park, South Africa. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127783. [PMID: 26121681 PMCID: PMC4488271 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The onslaught on the World's rhinoceroses continues despite numerous initiatives aimed at curbing it. When losses due to poaching exceed birth rates, declining rhino populations result. We used previously published estimates and growth rates for black rhinos (2008) and white rhinos (2010) together with known poaching trends at the time to predict population sizes and poaching rates in Kruger National Park, South Africa for 2013. Kruger is a stronghold for the south-eastern black rhino and southern white rhino. Counting rhinos on 878 blocks 3x3 km in size using helicopters, estimating availability bias and collating observer and detectability biases allowed estimates using the Jolly's estimator. The exponential escalation in number of rhinos poached per day appears to have slowed. The black rhino estimate of 414 individuals (95% confidence interval: 343-487) was lower than the predicted 835 individuals (95% CI: 754-956). The white rhino estimate of 8,968 individuals (95% CI: 8,394-9,564) overlapped with the predicted 9,417 individuals (95% CI: 7,698-11,183). Density- and rainfall-dependent responses in birth- and death rates of white rhinos provide opportunities to offset anticipated poaching effects through removals of rhinos from high density areas to increase birth and survival rates. Biological management of rhinos, however, need complimentary management of the poaching threat as present poaching trends predict detectable declines in white rhino abundances by 2018. Strategic responses such as anti-poaching that protect supply from illegal harvesting, reducing demand, and increasing supply commonly require crime network disruption as a first step complimented by providing options for alternative economies in areas abutting protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam M. Ferreira
- Scientific Services, SANParks, Skukuza, South Africa
- School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Cathy Greaver
- Scientific Services, SANParks, Skukuza, South Africa
| | | | - Mike H. Knight
- Park Planning and Development Division, SANParks, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | | | - Danie Pienaar
- Scientific Services, SANParks, Skukuza, South Africa
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20
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Wevill T, Florentine SK. An assessment of riparian restoration outcomes in two rural catchments in south-western Victoria: Focusing on tree and shrub species richness, structure and recruitment characteristics. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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21
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Radford J. The role of private conservation in saving biodiversity in Australia. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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22
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McGregor A, Coffey B, Deutsch C, Wescott G, Robinson J. What are the policy priorities for sustaining ecological processes? A case study from Victoria, Australia. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2011.00598.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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Prober SM, Dunlop M. Climate change: a cause for new biodiversity conservation objectives but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2011.00563.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Earl G, Curtis A, Allan C. Towards a duty of care for biodiversity. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2010; 45:682-696. [PMID: 20140433 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-010-9444-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2008] [Accepted: 01/12/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The decline in biodiversity is a worldwide phenomenon, with current rates of species extinction more dramatic than any previously recorded. Habitat loss has been identified as the major cause of biodiversity decline. In this article we suggest that a statutory duty of care would complement the current mix of policy options for biodiversity conservation. Obstacles hindering the introduction of a statutory duty of care include linguistic ambiguity about the terms 'duty of care' and 'stewardship' and how they are applied in a natural resource management context, and the absence of a mechanism to guide its implementation. Drawing on international literature and key informant interviews we have articulated characteristics of duty of care to reduce linguistic ambiguity, and developed a framework for implementing a duty of care for biodiversity at the regional scale. The framework draws on key elements of the common law 'duty of care', the concepts of 'taking reasonable care' and 'avoiding foreseeable harm', in its logic. Core elements of the framework include desired outcomes for biodiversity, supported by current recommended practices. The focus on outcomes provides opportunities for the development of innovative management practices. The framework incorporates multiple pathways for the redress of non-compliance including tiered negative sanctions, and positive measures to encourage compliance. Importantly, the framework addresses the need for change and adaptation that is a necessary part of biodiversity management.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Earl
- Institute for Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia
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