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Woinarski JCZ, Garnett ST, Zander KK. Social valuation of biodiversity relative to other types of assets at risk in wildfire. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14230. [PMID: 38111965 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14230] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Environmental crises, such as wildfires, can cause major losses of human life, infrastructure, biodiversity, and cultural values. In many such situations, incident controllers must make fateful choices about what to protect-and hence what to abandon. With an online representative survey of >2000 adult Australians, we investigated social attitudes to this dilemma. We used best-worst scaling to assess preferences across a set of 11 assets representing human life, infrastructure, biodiversity, and cultural values. Survey respondents overwhelmingly prioritized a single human life (best-worst score of 6647 out of possible score ranging from -10695 to 10695), even if that choice resulted in extinction of other species. Inanimate (replaceable) objects were accorded lowest priority (best-worst scores of -4655 for a shed and -3242 for a house). Among biodiversity assets, respondents prioritized protecting a population of the iconic koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) (best-worst score of 1913) ahead of preventing the extinction of a snail (score -329) and a plant species (-226). These results variably support current policy in that they emphasize the importance the community places on protection of human life, but results diverged from conventional practice in rating some biodiversity assets ahead of infrastructure. The preference for protecting a population of koalas ahead of action taken to prevent the extinction of an invertebrate and plant species corroborates previous research reporting biases in the way people value nature. If noncharismatic species are not to be treated as expendable, then the case for preventing their extinction needs to be better made to the community. Given the increasing global incidence of high-severity wildfires, further sampling of societal preferences among diverse asset types is needed to inform planning, policy, and practice relating to wildfire. Other preemptive targeted management actions (such as translocations) are needed to conserve biodiversity, especially noniconic species, likely to be imperiled by catastrophic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Z Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Stephen T Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Kerstin K Zander
- Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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2
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Greenler SM, Lake FK, Tripp W, McCovey K, Tripp A, Hillman LG, Dunn CJ, Prichard SJ, Hessburg PF, Harling W, Bailey JD. Blending Indigenous and western science: Quantifying cultural burning impacts in Karuk Aboriginal Territory. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2973. [PMID: 38616644 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2973] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The combined effects of Indigenous fire stewardship and lightning ignitions shaped historical fire regimes, landscape patterns, and available resources in many ecosystems globally. The resulting fire regimes created complex fire-vegetation dynamics that were further influenced by biophysical setting, disturbance history, and climate. While there is increasing recognition of Indigenous fire stewardship among western scientists and managers, the extent and purpose of cultural burning is generally absent from the landscape-fire modeling literature and our understanding of ecosystem processes and development. In collaboration with the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, we developed a transdisciplinary Monte Carlo simulation model of cultural ignition location, frequency, and timing to simulate spatially explicit cultural ignitions across a 264,399-ha landscape within Karuk Aboriginal Territory in northern California. Estimates of cultural ignition parameters were developed with Tribal members and knowledge holders using existing interviews, historical maps, ethnographies, recent ecological studies, contemporary maps, and generational knowledge. Spatial and temporal attributes of cultural burning were explicitly tied to the ecology of specific cultural resources, fuel receptivity, seasonal movement patterns, and spiritual practices. Prior to colonization, cultural burning practices were extensive across the study landscape with an estimated 6972 annual ignitions, averaging approximately 6.5 ignitions per Indigenous fire steward per year. The ignition characteristics we document align closely with data on historical fire regimes and vegetation but differ substantially from the location and timing of contemporary ignitions. This work demonstrates the importance of cultural burning for developing and maintaining the ecosystems present at the time of colonization and underscores the need to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities to restore ecocultural processes in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skye M Greenler
- Oregon State University College of Forestry, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Frank K Lake
- U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Arcata, California, USA
| | - William Tripp
- Karuk Tribe, Department of Natural Resources, Orleans, California, USA
| | | | - Analisa Tripp
- Karuk Tribe, Department of Natural Resources, Orleans, California, USA
| | | | | | - Susan J Prichard
- University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Paul F Hessburg
- University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Seattle, Washington, USA
- U.S. Forest Service PNW Research Station, Wenatchee, Washington, USA
| | - Will Harling
- Mid Klamath Watershed Council, Orleans, California, USA
| | - John D Bailey
- Oregon State University College of Forestry, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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3
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Xu MD, Dong WJ, Long XZ, Yang XW, Han XY, Cui LY, Tong Q. Impact of wildfire ash on skin and gut microbiomes and survival of Rana dybowskii. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 474:134729. [PMID: 38805811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Climate change and human activities escalate the frequency and intensity of wildfires, threatening amphibian habitats and survival; yet, research on these impacts remains limited. Wildfire ash alters water quality, introduces contaminants, and may disrupt microbial communities, impacting gut and skin microbiota; however, the effects on gut and skin microbiota remain unclear. Rana dybowskii were exposed to five concentrations (0 g L-1, 1.25 g L-1, 2.5 g L-1, 5 g L-1, and 10 g L-1) of aqueous extracts of wildfire ashes (AEAs) for 30 days to assess AEAs' metal content, survival, and microbiota diversity via Illumina sequencing. Our results showed that the major elements in ash were Ca > K > Mg > Al > Fe > Na > Mn, while in AEA they were K > Ca > Na > Mg > As > Al > Cu. A significant decrease in amphibian survival rates with increased AEA concentration was shown. The beta diversity analysis revealed distinct shifts in microbiota composition. Notably, bacterial genera associated with potential health risks showed increased abundance in skin microbiota, emphasising the potential for ash exposure to affect amphibian health. Functional prediction analyses revealed significant shifts in metabolic pathways related to health and disease, indicating that wildfire ash exposure may influence amphibian health through changes in microbial functions. This study highlights the urgent need for strategies to mitigate wildfire ash impacts on amphibians, as it significantly alters microbiota and affects their survival and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-da Xu
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China
| | - Wen-Jing Dong
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China
| | - Xin-Zhou Long
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China
| | - Xue-Wen Yang
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China
| | - Xiao-Yun Han
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China
| | - Li-Yong Cui
- Jiamusi Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry Sciences, Jiamusi 154002, China
| | - Qing Tong
- School of Biology and Agriculture, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, China; Jiamusi Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry Sciences, Jiamusi 154002, China.
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Lucas-Borja ME, Zhou G, Zema DA, Delgado-Baquerizo M. Fostering biodiversity research in post-fire biology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171985. [PMID: 38537829 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171985] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
The impacts of wildfire on vegetation and soil erosion have been studied for decades aiming to bring back ecosystems after fire perturbance. However, the influence of fires on above and belowground biodiversity remains far less understood. Biodiversity is critical for supporting ecosystem function, and this data scarcity is hampering managers in adopting effective practices for a proper restoration of burned ecosystems. This limitation could be overcome by future research that should focus post-fire diversity of plants and soil biota, by (i) analysing the environmental factors driving post-fire evolutionary trends; (ii) exploring their interrelations across different spatial and temporal scales; (iii) identifying the variability across fires of different severities and frequency; (iv) ascertaining the post-fire response of individual plant species and soil taxa to fire with or without application of post-fire restoration actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, de Montes y Biotecnologia, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, 02071 Albacete, Spain; Instituto Botánico, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain.
| | - Guiyao Zhou
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Demetrio Antonio Zema
- Department AGRARIA, "Mediterranea" University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, I-89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Seville, Spain
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Doherty TS, Macdonald KJ, Nimmo DG, Santos JL, Geary WL. Shifting fire regimes cause continent-wide transformation of threatened species habitat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316417121. [PMID: 38648477 PMCID: PMC11067043 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316417121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Human actions are causing widespread increases in fire size, frequency, and severity in diverse ecosystems globally. This alteration of fire regimes is considered a threat to numerous animal species, but empirical evidence of how fire regimes are shifting within both threatened species' ranges and protected areas is scarce, particularly at large spatial and temporal scales. We used a big data approach to quantify multidecadal changes in fire regimes in southern Australia from 1980 to 2021, spanning 415 reserves (21.5 million ha) and 129 threatened species' ranges including birds, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, and frogs. Most reserves and threatened species' ranges within the region have experienced declines in unburnt vegetation (≥30 y without fire), increases in recently burnt vegetation (≤5 y since fire), and increases in fire frequency. The mean percentage of unburnt vegetation within reserves declined from 61 to 36% (1980 to 2021), whereas the mean percentage of recently burnt vegetation increased from 20 to 35%, and mean fire frequency increased by 32%, with the latter two trends primarily driven by the record-breaking 2019 to 2020 fire season. The strongest changes occurred for high-elevation threatened species, and reserves of high elevation, high productivity, and strong rainfall decline, particularly in the southeast of the continent. Our results provide evidence for the widely held but poorly tested assumption that threatened species are experiencing widespread declines in unburnt habitat and increases in fire frequency. This underscores the imperative for developing management strategies that conserve fire-threatened species in an increasingly fiery future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Kristina J. Macdonald
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC3125, Australia
| | - Dale G. Nimmo
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW2640, Australia
- Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW2640, Australia
| | - Julianna L. Santos
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC3010, Australia
| | - William L. Geary
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC3125, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC3010, Australia
- Biodiversity Strategy and Planning Branch, Biodiversity Division, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, East Melbourne, VIC3002, Australia
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Harrison ME, Deere NJ, Imron MA, Nasir D, Adul, Asti HA, Aragay Soler J, Boyd NC, Cheyne SM, Collins SA, D’Arcy LJ, Erb WM, Green H, Healy W, Hendri, Holly B, Houlihan PR, Husson SJ, Iwan, Jeffers KA, Kulu IP, Kusin K, Marchant NC, Morrogh-Bernard HC, Page SE, Purwanto A, Ripoll Capilla B, de Rivera Ortega OR, Santiano, Spencer KL, Sugardjito J, Supriatna J, Thornton SA, Frank van Veen FJ, Yulintine, Struebig MJ. Impacts of fire and prospects for recovery in a tropical peat forest ecosystem. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2307216121. [PMID: 38621126 PMCID: PMC11047076 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307216121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled fires place considerable burdens on forest ecosystems, compromising our ability to meet conservation and restoration goals. A poor understanding of the impacts of fire on ecosystems and their biodiversity exacerbates this challenge, particularly in tropical regions where few studies have applied consistent analytical techniques to examine a broad range of ecological impacts over multiyear time frames. We compiled 16 y of data on ecosystem properties (17 variables) and biodiversity (21 variables) from a tropical peatland in Indonesia to assess fire impacts and infer the potential for recovery. Burned forest experienced altered structural and microclimatic conditions, resulting in a proliferation of nonforest vegetation and erosion of forest ecosystem properties and biodiversity. Compared to unburned forest, habitat structure, tree density, and canopy cover deteriorated by 58 to 98%, while declines in species diversity and abundance were most pronounced for trees, damselflies, and butterflies, particularly for forest specialist species. Tracking ecosystem property and biodiversity datasets over time revealed most to be sensitive to recurrent high-intensity fires within the wider landscape. These megafires immediately compromised water quality and tree reproductive phenology, crashing commercially valuable fish populations within 3 mo and driving a gradual decline in threatened vertebrates over 9 mo. Burned forest remained structurally compromised long after a burn event, but vegetation showed some signs of recovery over a 12-y period. Our findings demonstrate that, if left uncontrolled, fire may be a pervasive threat to the ecological functioning of tropical forests, underscoring the importance of fire prevention and long-term restoration efforts, as exemplified in Indonesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E. Harrison
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, LeicesterLE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas J. Deere
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, CanterburyCT2 7NR, United Kingdom
| | - Muhammad Ali Imron
- Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta55281, Indonesia
| | - Darmae Nasir
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Adul
- Yayasan Borneo Nature Indonesia, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Hastin Ambar Asti
- Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta55281, Indonesia
| | - Joana Aragay Soler
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas C. Boyd
- Department of Modern Languages, University of Wales Aberystwyth, AberystwthSY23 1DE, United Kingdom
| | - Susan M. Cheyne
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, OxfordOX3 0BP, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah A. Collins
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, PlymouthPL4 8AA, United Kingdom
| | - Laura J. D’Arcy
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Tremough Innovation Centre, PenrynTR10 9TA, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy M. Erb
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14850
| | - Hannah Green
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, PlymouthPL4 8AA, United Kingdom
| | - William Healy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Hendri
- Yayasan Borneo Nature Indonesia, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Brendan Holly
- Environmental Studies, Centre College, Danville, KY40422
| | - Peter R. Houlihan
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA90095-1496
| | - Simon J. Husson
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Tremough Innovation Centre, PenrynTR10 9TA, United Kingdom
| | - Iwan
- Yayasan Borneo Nature Indonesia, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Karen A. Jeffers
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, OxfordOX3 0BP, United Kingdom
| | - Ici P. Kulu
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Kitso Kusin
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Nicholas C. Marchant
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX13 5QL, United Kingdom
| | - Helen C. Morrogh-Bernard
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Susan E. Page
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, LeicesterLE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Ari Purwanto
- Yayasan Borneo Nature Indonesia, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Bernat Ripoll Capilla
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Tremough Innovation Centre, PenrynTR10 9TA, United Kingdom
| | - Oscar Rodriguez de Rivera Ortega
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, ExeterEX4 4QF, United Kingdom
| | - Santiano
- Yayasan Borneo Nature Indonesia, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Katie L. Spencer
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, CanterburyCT2 7NR, United Kingdom
| | - Jito Sugardjito
- Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources Management, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta12520, Indonesia
- Faculty of Biology, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta12520, Indonesia
| | - Jatna Supriatna
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Depok16424, Indonesia
| | - Sara A. Thornton
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, LeicesterLE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - F. J. Frank van Veen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Yulintine
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands, University of Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya73112, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Matthew J. Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, CanterburyCT2 7NR, United Kingdom
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Feng X, Peterson AT, Aguirre-López LJ, Burger JR, Chen X, Papeş M. Rethinking ecological niches and geographic distributions in face of pervasive human influence in the Anthropocene. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38597328 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Species are distributed in predictable ways in geographic spaces. The three principal factors that determine geographic distributions of species are biotic interactions (B), abiotic conditions (A), and dispersal ability or mobility (M). A species is expected to be present in areas that are accessible to it and that contain suitable sets of abiotic and biotic conditions for it to persist. A species' probability of presence can be quantified as a combination of responses to B, A, and M via ecological niche modeling (ENM; also frequently referred to as species distribution modeling or SDM). This analytical approach has been used broadly in ecology and biogeography, as well as in conservation planning and decision-making, but commonly in the context of 'natural' settings. However, it is increasingly recognized that human impacts, including changes in climate, land cover, and ecosystem function, greatly influence species' geographic ranges. In this light, historical distinctions between natural and anthropogenic factors have become blurred, and a coupled human-natural landscape is recognized as the new norm. Therefore, B, A, and M (BAM) factors need to be reconsidered to understand and quantify species' distributions in a world with a pervasive signature of human impacts. Here, we present a framework, termed human-influenced BAM (Hi-BAM, for distributional ecology that (i) conceptualizes human impacts in the form of six drivers, and (ii) synthesizes previous studies to show how each driver modifies the natural BAM and species' distributions. Given the importance and prevalence of human impacts on species distributions globally, we also discuss implications of this framework for ENM/SDM methods, and explore strategies by which to incorporate increasing human impacts in the methodology. Human impacts are redefining biogeographic patterns; as such, future studies should incorporate signals of human impacts integrally in modeling and forecasting species' distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Feng
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | | | | | - Joseph R Burger
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40502, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA
| | - Monica Papeş
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
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Bardales R, Boron V, Passos Viana DF, Sousa LL, Dröge E, Porfirio G, Jaramillo M, Payán E, Sillero-Zubiri C, Hyde M. Neotropical mammal responses to megafires in the Brazilian Pantanal. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17278. [PMID: 38655695 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17278] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The increasing frequency and severity of human-caused fires likely have deleterious effects on species distribution and persistence. In 2020, megafires in the Brazilian Pantanal burned 43% of the biome's unburned area and resulted in mass mortality of wildlife. We investigated changes in habitat use or occupancy for an assemblage of eight mammal species in Serra do Amolar, Brazil, following the 2020 fires using a pre- and post-fire camera trap dataset. Additionally, we estimated the density for two naturally marked species, jaguars Panthera onca and ocelots Leopardus pardalis. Of the eight species, six (ocelots, collared peccaries Dicotyles tajacu, giant armadillos Priodontes maximus, Azara's agouti Dasyprocta azarae, red brocket deer Mazama americana, and tapirs Tapirus terrestris) had declining occupancy following fires, and one had stable habitat use (pumas Puma concolor). Giant armadillo experienced the most precipitous decline in occupancy from 0.431 ± 0.171 to 0.077 ± 0.044 after the fires. Jaguars were the only species with increasing habitat use, from 0.393 ± 0.127 to 0.753 ± 0.085. Jaguar density remained stable across years (2.8 ± 1.3, 3.7 ± 1.3, 2.6 ± 0.85/100 km2), while ocelot density increased from 13.9 ± 3.2 to 16.1 ± 5.2/100 km2. However, the low number of both jaguars and ocelots recaptured after the fire period suggests that immigration may have sustained the population. Our results indicate that the megafires will have significant consequences for species occupancy and fitness in fire-affected areas. The scale of megafires may inhibit successful recolonization, thus wider studies are needed to investigate population trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Bardales
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
| | - Valeria Boron
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
- The Living Planet Centre, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) UK, Woking, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Lara L Sousa
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Egil Dröge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
| | | | | | - Esteban Payán
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, New York, USA
| | - Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Matthew Hyde
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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9
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Fernández-García V, Franquesa M, Kull CA. Madagascar's burned area from Sentinel-2 imagery (2016-2022): Four times higher than from lower resolution sensors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169929. [PMID: 38199348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Madagascar is one of the most burned regions in the world, to the point that it has been called the 'Isle of fire' or the 'Burning Island'. An accurate characterization of the burned area (BA) is crucial for understanding the true situation and impacts of fires on this island, where there is an active scientific debate on how fire affects multiple environmental and socioeconomic aspects, and how fire regimes should be in a complex context with differing interests. Despite this, recent advances have revealed that BA in Madagascar is poorly characterised by the currently available global BA products. In this work, we present, validate, and explore a BA database at 20 m spatial resolution for Madagascar covering the period 2016-2022. The database was built based on 75,010 Sentinel-2 images using a two-phase BA detection algorithm. The validation with independent long-term reference units showed Dice coefficients ≥79 %, omission errors ≤24 %, commission errors ≤18 %, and a relative bias ≥ - 8 %. An intercomparison with other available global BA products (GABAM, FireCCI51, C3SBA11, or MCD64) demonstrated that our product (i) exhibits temporal consistency, (ii) represents a significant accuracy improvement, as it reduces BA underestimations by about eightfold, (iii) yields BA estimates four times higher, and (iv) shows enhanced capability in detecting fires of all sizes. The observed BA spatial patterns were heterogeneous across the island, with 32 % of the grasslands burning annually, in contrast to other land cover types such as the dense tropical forest where <2 % burned every year. We conclude that the BA characterization in Madagascar must be addressed using imagery at spatial resolution higher than MODIS or Sentinel-3 (≥250 m), and temporal resolution higher than Landsat (16 days) to deal with cloudiness, the rapid attenuation of burn scars signals, and small fire patches.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Fernández-García
- Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, Université de Lausanne, Géopolis, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland; Ecology, Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de León, León 24071, Spain.
| | - M Franquesa
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPE-CSIC), Zaragoza 50059, Spain
| | - C A Kull
- Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, Université de Lausanne, Géopolis, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
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10
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Schuck LK, Neely WJ, Buttimer SM, Moser CF, Barth PC, Liskoski PE, Caberlon CDA, Valiati VH, Tozetti AM, Becker CG. Effects of grassland controlled burning on symbiotic skin microbes in Neotropical amphibians. Sci Rep 2024; 14:959. [PMID: 38200064 PMCID: PMC10781984 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50394-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change has led to an alarming increase in the frequency and severity of wildfires worldwide. While it is known that amphibians have physiological characteristics that make them highly susceptible to fire, the specific impacts of wildfires on their symbiotic skin bacterial communities (i.e., bacteriomes) and infection by the deadly chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, remain poorly understood. Here, we address this research gap by evaluating the effects of fire on the amphibian skin bacteriome and the subsequent risk of chytridiomycosis. We sampled the skin bacteriome of the Neotropical species Scinax squalirostris and Boana leptolineata in fire and control plots before and after experimental burnings. Fire was linked with a marked increase in bacteriome beta dispersion, a proxy for skin microbial dysbiosis, alongside a trend of increased pathogen loads. By shedding light on the effects of fire on amphibian skin bacteriomes, this study contributes to our broader understanding of the impacts of wildfires on vulnerable vertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Schuck
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-750, Brazil.
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Wesley J Neely
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Shannon M Buttimer
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and One Health Microbiome Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Camila F Moser
- Programa de Pos-Graduacão em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Priscila C Barth
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-750, Brazil
| | - Paulo E Liskoski
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-750, Brazil
| | - Carolina de A Caberlon
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-750, Brazil
| | - Victor Hugo Valiati
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-750, Brazil
| | - Alexandro M Tozetti
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, 93022-750, Brazil.
| | - C Guilherme Becker
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and One Health Microbiome Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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11
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Cunningham CX, Williamson GJ, Nolan RH, Teckentrup L, Boer MM, Bowman DMJS. Pyrogeography in flux: Reorganization of Australian fire regimes in a hotter world. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17130. [PMID: 38273509 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17130] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Changes to the spatiotemporal patterns of wildfire are having profound implications for ecosystems and society globally, but we have limited understanding of the extent to which fire regimes will reorganize in a warming world. While predicting regime shifts remains challenging because of complex climate-vegetation-fire feedbacks, understanding the climate niches of fire regimes provides a simple way to identify locations most at risk of regime change. Using globally available satellite datasets, we constructed 14 metrics describing the spatiotemporal dimensions of fire and then delineated Australia's pyroregions-the geographic area encapsulating a broad fire regime. Cluster analysis revealed 18 pyroregions, notably including the (1) high-intensity, infrequent fires of the temperate forests, (2) high-frequency, smaller fires of the tropical savanna, and (3) low-intensity, diurnal, human-engineered fires of the agricultural zones. To inform the risk of regime shifts, we identified locations where the climate under three CMIP6 scenarios is projected to shift (i) beyond each pyroregion's historical climate niche, and (ii) into climate space that is novel to the Australian continent. Under middle-of-the-road climate projections (SSP2-4.5), an average of 65% of the extent of the pyroregions occurred beyond their historical climate niches by 2081-2100. Further, 52% of pyroregion extents, on average, were projected to occur in climate space without present-day analogues on the Australian continent, implying high risk of shifting to states that also lack present-day counterparts. Pyroregions in tropical and hot-arid climates were most at risk of shifting into both locally and continentally novel climate space because (i) their niches are narrower than southern temperate pyroregions, and (ii) their already-hot climates lead to earlier departure from present-day climate space. Such a shift implies widespread risk of regime shifts and the emergence of no-analogue fire regimes. Our approach can be applied to other regions to assess vulnerability to rapid fire regime change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calum X Cunningham
- Fire Centre, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Grant J Williamson
- Fire Centre, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Rachael H Nolan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lina Teckentrup
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthias M Boer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David M J S Bowman
- Fire Centre, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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12
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Bhagwat T, Kuemmerle T, Soofi M, Donald PF, Hölzel N, Salemgareev A, Stirnemann I, Urazaliyev R, Baumann M, Kamp J. A novel, post-Soviet fire disturbance regime drives bird diversity and abundance on the Eurasian steppe. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17026. [PMID: 37962145 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17026] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Many grassland ecosystems and their associated biodiversity depend on the interactions between fire and land-use, both of which are shaped by socioeconomic conditions. The Eurasian steppe biome, much of it situated in Kazakhstan, contains 10% of the world's remaining grasslands. The break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, widespread land abandonment and massive declines in wild and domestic ungulates led to biomass accumulation over millions of hectares. This rapid fuel increase made the steppes a global fire hotspot, with major changes in vegetation structure. Yet, the response of steppe biodiversity to these changes remains unexplored. We utilized a unique bird abundance dataset covering the entire Kazakh steppe and semi-desert regions together with the MODIS burned area product. We modeled the response of bird species richness and abundance as a function of fire disturbance variables-fire extent, cumulative burned area, fire frequency-at varying grazing intensity. Bird species richness was impacted negatively by large fire extent, cumulative burned area, and high fire frequency in moderately grazed and ungrazed steppe. Similarly, overall bird abundance was impacted negatively by large fire extent, cumulative burned area and higher fire frequency in the moderately grazed steppe, ungrazed steppe, and ungrazed semi-deserts. At the species level, the effect of high fire disturbance was negative for more species than positive. There were considerable fire legacy effects, detectable for at least 8 years. We conclude that the increase in fire disturbance across the post-Soviet Eurasian steppe has led to strong declines in bird abundance and pronounced changes in community assembly. To gain back control over wildfires and prevent further biodiversity loss, restoration of wild herbivore populations and traditional domestic ungulate grazing systems seems much needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejas Bhagwat
- Department of Conservation Biology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Conservation Biogeography Lab, Geography Department, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environment Systems (IRI THESys), Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mahmood Soofi
- Department of Conservation Biology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Conservation Biogeography Lab, Geography Department, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
- CSIRO, Land and Water, Darwin, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | | | - Norbert Hölzel
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Albert Salemgareev
- Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan (ACBK), Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Ingrid Stirnemann
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ruslan Urazaliyev
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan (ACBK), Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Matthias Baumann
- Conservation Biogeography Lab, Geography Department, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Kamp
- Department of Conservation Biology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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13
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Pagadala T, Alam MA, Maxwell TMR, Curran TJ. Measuring flammability of crops, pastures, fruit trees, and weeds: A novel tool to fight wildfires in agricultural landscapes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167489. [PMID: 37778547 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167489] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Fires on agricultural land account for 8-11 % of the total number of fires that occur globally. These fires burn through various crops, pastures, and native vegetation on farms, causing economic and environmental losses. Fire management on farms will be aided by understanding the flammability of plant species as this would allow the design of low-flammability agricultural landscapes, but flammability data on large numbers of agricultural species are lacking. Many crop and vegetable species are assumed to be low in flammability, but this has rarely been tested. Therefore, we examined the shoot and whole-plant flammability of 47 plant taxa commonly grown on farms in Canterbury, New Zealand, which included many globally common temperate agricultural crops. We demonstrated that most of the agricultural species were low to very low in flammability, with many of them (24 taxa; 51 %) not igniting in the experimental burning. Among different crop types, fruit crops and cereals had significantly higher flammability, while taxa categorized as vegetable crops, grazing herbs, pasture grasses, pasture legumes, and weeds were lower in flammability. We further showed that taxa with lower moisture content, higher retention of dead material and faster moisture loss rates were higher in flammability. The strong variation of flammability between the studied taxa suggests that the selection of suitable low flammability species and strategic redesign of agricultural landscapes with fire-retardant planting can be a useful tool to reduce fire hazards and impacts of wildfires in agricultural landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmayi Pagadala
- Department of Pest-management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Md Azharul Alam
- Department of Pest-management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | - Thomas M R Maxwell
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Timothy J Curran
- Department of Pest-management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Christchurch, New Zealand
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14
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de Souza DG, Ramalho WP, de Arruda FV, Camarota F, da Cunha HF. Fire seasonality plays a limited role in the reproduction of Anacardium humile A. St.-Hil. in a tropical savanna. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:1196-1204. [PMID: 37823877 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13583] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic fires are an increasing threat to tropical savannas and their plant populations. In the Brazilian Cerrado, human-made fires at the end of the dry season are replacing natural fires at the beginning of the dry season. Critically, these late burns occur under more intense climate variables. Here, we aimed to understand the potential role of fire seasonality on individuals of Anacardium humile, a widespread Cerrado species of cultural and economic importance. We conducted two prescribed burnings, one at the beginning of the dry season (early burning) and one at the end of the dry season (late burning) when climate variables were remarkably different. We assessed the reproductive responses of A. humile individuals over 4 years and compared individuals from the fire treatments with those from an unburned area (control). The reproductive phenology of A. humile varied over time and was influenced by climate variables. The seasons of different burning had similar impacts on the reproductive phenology of A. humile, and this impact lasted for at least 4 years. While A. humile populations do not depend on fire for reproduction, they produced more flowers and fruits for up to 2 years with the fire treatments. We provide empirical evidence of the role of climate variables on the phenology of A. humile and demonstrate the importance of considering the role of time after fire events. The similar responses of A. humile to fire seasonality show that Cerrado fire management can be more complex than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- D G de Souza
- Departmento Técnico, Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e de Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), Goiás, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil
| | - W P Ramalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação, Instituto Federal Goiano, Campus Rio Verde, Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil
| | - F V de Arruda
- Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - F Camarota
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - H F da Cunha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil
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15
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Ayars J, Kramer HA, Jones GM. The 2020 to 2021 California megafires and their impacts on wildlife habitat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2312909120. [PMID: 37983516 PMCID: PMC10691208 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312909120] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fire activity during 2020 to 2021 in California, USA, was unprecedented in the modern record. More than 19,000 km2 of forest vegetation burned (10× more than the historical average), potentially affecting the habitat of 508 vertebrate species. Of the >9,000 km2 that burned at high severity, 89% occurred in large patches that exceeded historical estimates of maximum high-severity patch size. In this 2-y period, 100 vertebrate species experienced fire across >10% of their geographic range, 16 of which were species of conservation concern. These 100 species experienced high-severity fire across 5 to 14% of their ranges, underscoring potentially important changes to habitat structure. Species in this region are not adapted to high-severity megafires. Management actions, such as prescribed fires and mechanical thinning, can curb severe fire behavior and reduce the potential negative impacts of uncharacteristic fires on wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessalyn Ayars
- United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, NM87102
- Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87131
| | - H. Anu Kramer
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI53706
| | - Gavin M. Jones
- United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, NM87102
- Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87131
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16
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Zahed M, Bączek-Kwinta R. The Impact of Post-Fire Smoke on Plant Communities: A Global Approach. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3835. [PMID: 38005732 PMCID: PMC10674613 DOI: 10.3390/plants12223835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Smoke is one of the fire-related cues that can alter vegetation communities' compositions, by promoting or excluding different plant species. For over 30 years, smoke-derived compounds have been a hot topic in plant and crop physiology. Research in this field was initiated in fire-prone areas in Australia, South Africa and some countries of both Americas, mostly with Mediterranean-type climates. Then, research extended to regions with moderate climates, like Central European countries; this was sometimes determined by the fact that in those regions, extensive prescribed or illegal burning (swailing) occurs. Hence, this review updates information about the effects of smoke compounds on plant kingdoms in different regions. It also focuses on research advances in the field of the physiological effects of smoke chemicals, mostly karrikins, and attempts to gather and summarize the current state of research and opinions on the roles of such compounds in plants' lives. We finish our review by discussing major research gaps, which include issues such as why plants that occur in non-fire-prone areas respond to smoke chemicals. Have recent climate change and human activities increased the risk of wildfires, and how may these affect local plant communities through physiologically active smoke compounds? Is the response of seeds to smoke and smoke compounds an evolutionarily driven trait that allows plants to adapt to the environment? What can we learn by examining post-fire smoke on a large scale?
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahboube Zahed
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in Gorgan, Basij Square, Pardis No. 2, Gorgan 49189-43464, Iran
| | - Renata Bączek-Kwinta
- Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Seed Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, ul. Podłuzna 3, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
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17
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Radeloff VC, Mockrin MH, Helmers D, Carlson A, Hawbaker TJ, Martinuzzi S, Schug F, Alexandre PM, Kramer HA, Pidgeon AM. Rising wildfire risk to houses in the United States, especially in grasslands and shrublands. Science 2023; 382:702-707. [PMID: 37943916 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade9223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Wildfire risks to homes are increasing, especially in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where wildland vegetation and houses are in close proximity. Notably, we found that more houses are exposed to and destroyed by grassland and shrubland fires than by forest fires in the United States. Destruction was more likely in forest fires, but they burned less WUI. The number of houses within wildfire perimeters has doubled since the 1990s because of both housing growth (47% of additionally exposed houses) and more burned area (53%). Most exposed houses were in the WUI, which grew substantially during the 2010s (2.6 million new WUI houses), albeit not as rapidly as before. Any WUI growth increases wildfire risk to houses though, and more fires increase the risk to existing WUI houses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker C Radeloff
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Miranda H Mockrin
- Northern Research Station, US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Catonsville, MD 21228, USA
| | - David Helmers
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Amanda Carlson
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Todd J Hawbaker
- US Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Lakewood, CO 80225, USA
| | - Sebastian Martinuzzi
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Franz Schug
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Patricia M Alexandre
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - H Anu Kramer
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Anna M Pidgeon
- SILVIS Lab, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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18
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Jones GM, Goldberg JF, Wilcox TM, Buckley LB, Parr CL, Linck EB, Fountain ED, Schwartz MK. Fire-driven animal evolution in the Pyrocene. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:1072-1084. [PMID: 37479555 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Fire regimes are a major agent of evolution in terrestrial animals. Changing fire regimes and the capacity for rapid evolution in wild animal populations suggests the potential for rapid, fire-driven adaptive animal evolution in the Pyrocene. Fire drives multiple modes of evolutionary change, including stabilizing, directional, disruptive, and fluctuating selection, and can strongly influence gene flow and genetic drift. Ongoing and future research in fire-driven animal evolution will benefit from further development of generalizable hypotheses, studies conducted in highly responsive taxa, and linking fire-adapted phenotypes to their underlying genetic basis. A better understanding of evolutionary responses to fire has the potential to positively influence conservation strategies that embrace evolutionary resilience to fire in the Pyrocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin M Jones
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA.
| | - Joshua F Goldberg
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA
| | - Taylor M Wilcox
- National Genomics Center for Fish and Wildlife Conservation, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT 59801, USA
| | - Lauren B Buckley
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Catherine L Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L3 5TR, UK; Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits 2050, South Africa
| | - Ethan B Linck
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Emily D Fountain
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Michael K Schwartz
- National Genomics Center for Fish and Wildlife Conservation, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT 59801, USA
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19
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Quesnel Seipp K, Maurer T, Elias M, Saksa P, Keske C, Oleson K, Egoh B, Cleveland R, Nyelele C, Goncalves N, Hemes K, Wyrsch P, Lewis D, Chung MG, Guo H, Conklin M, Bales R. A multi-benefit framework for funding forest management in fire-driven ecosystems across the Western U.S. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 344:118270. [PMID: 37354586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Forests across the Western U.S. face unprecedented risk due to historic fire exclusion, environmental degradation, and climate change. Forest management activities like ecological thinning, prescribed burning, and meadow restoration can improve landscape resilience. Resilient forests are at a lower risk of high-intensity wildfires, drought, insects, and other disturbances and provide a wide range of benefits to ecosystems and communities. However, insufficient funding limits implementation of critically needed management. To address this challenge, we propose a multi-benefit framework that leverages the diverse benefits of forest management to engage a suite of stakeholders in sharing project costs. We take a three-pronged approach to develop our conceptual model: examining existing frameworks for environmental project implementation, conducting a literature review of forest management benefits, and evaluating case studies. Through our framework, we describe the steps to engage partners, starting by identifying benefits that could accrue to potential public and private beneficiaries, and moving through an iterative and collaborative process of valuing benefits, which can accrue over different spatial and temporal scales, in close consultation with potential beneficiaries themselves. The aim of this approach is to stack funding streams associated with each valued benefit to fully fund a given forest management project. The multi-benefit framework has the potential to unlock new sources of funding to meet the exceptional challenges of climate and wildfire disturbances. We apply the framework to dry forests of the Western U.S., but opportunities exist for expanding and modifying this approach to any geography or ecosystem where management provides multiple benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tessa Maurer
- Blue Forest Conservation, 5960 S Land Park Dr #1387, Sacramento, CA, 95822, USA
| | - Micah Elias
- Blue Forest Conservation, 5960 S Land Park Dr #1387, Sacramento, CA, 95822, USA; University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Phil Saksa
- Blue Forest Conservation, 5960 S Land Park Dr #1387, Sacramento, CA, 95822, USA
| | - Catherine Keske
- University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Kirsten Oleson
- University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 2500 Campus Rd, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Benis Egoh
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Rachael Cleveland
- University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 2500 Campus Rd, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Charity Nyelele
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Nicolas Goncalves
- University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Kyle Hemes
- Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Peter Wyrsch
- Blue Forest Conservation, 5960 S Land Park Dr #1387, Sacramento, CA, 95822, USA
| | - David Lewis
- University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 2500 Campus Rd, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Min Gon Chung
- University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Han Guo
- University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Martha Conklin
- University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Roger Bales
- University of California Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
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20
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Komatsu S, Kimura T, Rehman SU, Yamaguchi H, Hitachi K, Tsuchida K. Proteomic Analysis Reveals Salt-Tolerant Mechanism in Soybean Applied with Plant-Derived Smoke Solution. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13734. [PMID: 37762035 PMCID: PMC10530690 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Salt stress of soybean is a serious problem because it reduces plant growth and seed yield. To investigate the salt-tolerant mechanism of soybean, a plant-derived smoke (PDS) solution was used. Three-day-old soybeans were subjected to PDS solution under 100 mM NaCl for 2 days, resulting in PDS solution improving soybean root growth, even under salt stress. Under the same condition, proteins were analyzed using the proteomic technique. Differential abundance proteins were associated with transport/formaldehyde catabolic process/sucrose metabolism/glutathione metabolism/cell wall organization in the biological process and membrane/Golgi in the cellular component with or without PDS solution under salt stress. Immuno-blot analysis confirmed that osmotin, alcohol dehydrogenase, and sucrose synthase increased with salt stress and decreased with additional PDS solution; however, H+ATPase showed opposite effects. Cellulose synthase and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase increased with salt and decreased with additional PDS solution. Furthermore, glycoproteins decreased with salt stress and recovered with additional treatment. As mitochondrion-related events, the contents of ATP and gamma-aminobutyric acid increased with salt stress and recovered with additional treatment. These results suggest that PDS solution improves the soybean growth by alleviating salt stress. Additionally, the regulation of energy metabolism, protein glycosylation, and cell wall construction might be an important factor for the acquisition of salt tolerance in soybean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Setsuko Komatsu
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Fukui University of Technology, Fukui 910-8505, Japan;
| | - Taiki Kimura
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Fukui University of Technology, Fukui 910-8505, Japan;
| | - Shafiq Ur Rehman
- Department of Biology, University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan;
| | - Hisateru Yamaguchi
- Department of Medical Technology, Yokkaichi Nursing and Medical Care University, Yokkaichi 512-8045, Japan;
| | - Keisuke Hitachi
- Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan; (K.H.); (K.T.)
| | - Kunihiro Tsuchida
- Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan; (K.H.); (K.T.)
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21
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Russo NJ, Davies AB, Blakey RV, Ordway EM, Smith TB. Feedback loops between 3D vegetation structure and ecological functions of animals. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1597-1613. [PMID: 37419868 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems function in a series of feedback loops that can change or maintain vegetation structure. Vegetation structure influences the ecological niche space available to animals, shaping many aspects of behaviour and reproduction. In turn, animals perform ecological functions that shape vegetation structure. However, most studies concerning three-dimensional vegetation structure and animal ecology consider only a single direction of this relationship. Here, we review these separate lines of research and integrate them into a unified concept that describes a feedback mechanism. We also show how remote sensing and animal tracking technologies are now available at the global scale to describe feedback loops and their consequences for ecosystem functioning. An improved understanding of how animals interact with vegetation structure in feedback loops is needed to conserve ecosystems that face major disruptions in response to climate and land-use change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Russo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachel V Blakey
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Elsa M Ordway
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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22
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O'Keefe FR, Dunn RE, Weitzel EM, Waters MR, Martinez LN, Binder WJ, Southon JR, Cohen JE, Meachen JA, DeSantis LRG, Kirby ME, Ghezzo E, Coltrain JB, Fuller BT, Farrell AB, Takeuchi GT, MacDonald G, Davis EB, Lindsey EL. Pre-Younger Dryas megafaunal extirpation at Rancho La Brea linked to fire-driven state shift. Science 2023; 381:eabo3594. [PMID: 37590347 DOI: 10.1126/science.abo3594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
The cause, or causes, of the Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions have been difficult to establish, in part because poor spatiotemporal resolution in the fossil record hinders alignment of species disappearances with archeological and environmental data. We obtained 172 new radiocarbon dates on megafauna from Rancho La Brea in California spanning 15.6 to 10.0 thousand calendar years before present (ka). Seven species of extinct megafauna disappeared by 12.9 ka, before the onset of the Younger Dryas. Comparison with high-resolution regional datasets revealed that these disappearances coincided with an ecological state shift that followed aridification and vegetation changes during the Bølling-Allerød (14.69 to 12.89 ka). Time-series modeling implicates large-scale fires as the primary cause of the extirpations, and the catalyst of this state shift may have been mounting human impacts in a drying, warming, and increasingly fire-prone ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Robin O'Keefe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Regan E Dunn
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elic M Weitzel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Michael R Waters
- Center for the Study of the First Americans, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Lisa N Martinez
- Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wendy J Binder
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John R Southon
- Department of Earth System Science, University California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Joshua E Cohen
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, Pace University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie A Meachen
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Larisa R G DeSantis
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Matthew E Kirby
- Department of Geological Sciences, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Elena Ghezzo
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Venice, Italy
- Department of Earth Sciences, University Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Joan B Coltrain
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Benjamin T Fuller
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR 5563, CNRS, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Aisling B Farrell
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gary T Takeuchi
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Glen MacDonald
- Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Edward B Davis
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Venice, Italy
- Department of Earth Sciences, University Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Emily L Lindsey
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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23
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Brantley EM, Jones AG, Hodson AM, Brown JW, Pogue MG, Suazo MM, Parmenter RR. Short-term effects of a high-severity summer wildfire on conifer forest moth (Lepidoptera) communities in New Mexico, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:606-617. [PMID: 37452672 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvad068] [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: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Forest fires in North America are becoming larger in area and burning with higher severity as a result of climate change and land management practices. High-severity, stand-replacement fires can inflict major changes to forest insect communities, potentially extirpating many species through altered post-fire habitat resources. We assessed forest-dwelling macrolepidopteran moth communities in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests during the first year after the 2011 Las Conchas fire in New Mexico, USA. We deployed blacklight traps in replicated burned and unburned stands during June, July, and August in 2012. We collected 9,478 individuals, representing 211 species and 8 families. Noctuidae (124 species) and Geometridae (53) comprised the majority of the taxa, followed by Erebidae (21), Sphingidae (5), Notodontidae (3), Lasiocampidae (2), Saturniidae (2), and Drepanidae (1). Moth communities (species composition and abundances) in each forest type (mixed conifer vs. ponderosa pine) were statistically distinguishable, but shared 56.4% (119) of observed species. Overall, compared to unburned forests, post-fire moth communities in both forest types had significantly lower numbers of individuals, species richness and diversity, and lower evenness in ponderosa pine forests. As expected, categorizing moth taxa by larval host plant taxa revealed that reductions of moth populations following fire were associated with the elimination or reduction of available larval host plants (particularly conifers, oaks, and junipers). We predict that future moth community succession will likely parallel the overall transformation from a forested landscape to a montane meadow/grassland ecosystem, with continued reduction in tree-feeding species and increasing dominance by forb/grass-feeding species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen M Brantley
- Valles Caldera National Preserve, National Park Service, Jemez Springs, NM 87025, USA
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of the South, Sewanee, TN 37383, USA
| | - Arden G Jones
- Valles Caldera National Preserve, National Park Service, Jemez Springs, NM 87025, USA
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of the South, Sewanee, TN 37383, USA
| | - Alicia M Hodson
- Valles Caldera National Preserve, National Park Service, Jemez Springs, NM 87025, USA
- U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - John W Brown
- U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Michael G Pogue
- Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA/ARS, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Martina M Suazo
- Valles Caldera National Preserve, National Park Service, Jemez Springs, NM 87025, USA
| | - Robert R Parmenter
- Valles Caldera National Preserve, National Park Service, Jemez Springs, NM 87025, USA
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, Division of Arthropods, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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24
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Magerl A, Gingrich S, Matej S, Cunfer G, Forrest M, Lauk C, Schlaffer S, Weidinger F, Yuskiw C, Erb K. The Role of Wildfires in the Interplay of Forest Carbon Stocks and Wood Harvest in the Contiguous United States During the 20th Century. GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES 2023; 37:e2023GB007813. [PMID: 38439941 PMCID: PMC10909529 DOI: 10.1029/2023gb007813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Wildfires and land use play a central role in the long-term carbon (C) dynamics of forested ecosystems of the United States. Understanding their linkages with changes in biomass, resource use, and consumption in the context of climate change mitigation is crucial. We reconstruct a long-term C balance of forests in the contiguous U.S. using historical reports, satellite data, and other sources at multiple scales (national scale 1926-2017, regional level 1941-2017) to disentangle the drivers of biomass C stock change. The balance includes removals of forest biomass by fire, by extraction of woody biomass, by forest grazing, and by biomass stock change, their sum representing the net ecosystem productivity (NEP). Nationally, the total forest NEP increased for most of the 20th century, while fire, harvest and grazing reduced total forest stocks on average by 14%, 51%, and 6%, respectively, resulting in a net increase in C stock density of nearly 40%. Recovery from past land-use, plus reductions in wildfires and forest grazing coincide with consistent forest regrowth in the eastern U.S. but associated C stock increases were offset by increased wood harvest. C stock changes across the western U.S. fluctuated, with fire, harvest, and other disturbances (e.g., insects, droughts) reducing stocks on average by 14%, 81%, and 7%, respectively, resulting in a net growth in C stock density of 14%. Although wildfire activities increased in recent decades, harvest was the key driver in the forest C balance in all regions for most of the observed timeframe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Magerl
- Institute of Social EcologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Simone Gingrich
- Institute of Social EcologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Sarah Matej
- Institute of Social EcologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Geoff Cunfer
- Department of HistoryUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Matthew Forrest
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für NaturforschungFrankfurt am MainGermany
| | - Christian Lauk
- Institute of Social EcologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | - Florian Weidinger
- Institute of Social EcologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Cody Yuskiw
- College of LawUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | - Karl‐Heinz Erb
- Institute of Social EcologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
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25
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Ullah G, Ibrahim M, Nawaz G, Khatoon A, Jamil M, Rehman SU, Ali EA, Tariq A. Plant-Derived Smoke Mitigates the Inhibitory Effects of the Auxin Inhibitor 2,3,5-Triiodo Benzoic Acid (TIBA) by Enhancing Root Architecture and Biochemical Parameters in Maize. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2604. [PMID: 37514219 PMCID: PMC10383894 DOI: 10.3390/plants12142604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate and compare the effects of plant-derived smoke (PDS) and auxin (IAA and IBA) on maize growth under the application of 2,3,5-triiodo benzoic acid (TIBA). For this purpose, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), each at a concentration of 10 ppm, along with PDS at a ratio of 1:500 (v/v) were used alone and in combination with 10 ppm of TIBA. The results indicate that the germination percentage (%) of maize seeds was enhanced under IAA, IBA and PDS treatment. However, IAA and IBA resulted in reduced germination when applied in combination with TIBA. Importantly, the germination percentage (%) was improved by PDS under TIBA treatment. The analysis of seedling height, length of leaves, and number of primary, seminal and secondary/lateral roots showed improvement under individual treatments of IAA and IBA, PDS and PDS + TIBA treatment, while these values were reduced under IAA + TIBA and IBA + TIBA application. Chlorophyll content, total soluble sugars and antioxidative enzymatic activity including POD and SOD increased in seedlings treated with PDS alone or both PDS and TIBA, while in seedlings treated with IAA and TIBA or IBA and TIBA, their levels were decreased. APX and CAT responded in the opposite way-under IAA, IBA and PDS treatment, their levels were found to be lower than the control (simple water treatment), while TIBA treatment with either IAA, IBA or PDS enhanced their levels as compared to the control. These results reveal that PDS has the potential to alleviate the inhibitory effects of TIBA. This study highlights the role of PDS in preventing TIBA from blocking the auxin entry sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulfan Ullah
- Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 2600, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ibrahim
- Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 2600, Pakistan
| | - Ghazala Nawaz
- Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 2600, Pakistan
| | - Amana Khatoon
- Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 2600, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Jamil
- Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 2600, Pakistan
| | - Shafiq Ur Rehman
- Department of Biology, The University of Haripur, Haripur 2262, Pakistan
| | - Essam A Ali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
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26
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Michel A, Johnson JR, Szeligowski R, Ritchie EG, Sih A. Integrating sensory ecology and predator-prey theory to understand animal responses to fire. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1050-1070. [PMID: 37349260 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Fire regimes are changing dramatically worldwide due to climate change, habitat conversion, and the suppression of Indigenous landscape management. Although there has been extensive work on plant responses to fire, including their adaptations to withstand fire and long-term effects of fire on plant communities, less is known about animal responses to fire. Ecologists lack a conceptual framework for understanding behavioural responses to fire, which can hinder wildlife conservation and management. Here, we integrate cue-response sensory ecology and predator-prey theory to predict and explain variation in if, when and how animals react to approaching fire. Inspired by the literature on prey responses to predation risk, this framework considers both fire-naïve and fire-adapted animals and follows three key steps: vigilance, cue detection and response. We draw from theory on vigilance tradeoffs, signal detection, speed-accuracy tradeoffs, fear generalization, neophobia and adaptive dispersal. We discuss how evolutionary history with fire, but also other selective pressures, such as predation risk, should influence animal behavioural responses to fire. We conclude by providing guidance for empiricists and outlining potential conservation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Michel
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jacob R Johnson
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Richard Szeligowski
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Euan G Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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27
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Fischer S, Edwards AC, Garnett ST, Whiteside TG, Weber P. The interaction between land-use change and fire regimes, directly and indirectly, affects the urban avian assemblages of Darwin, Australia. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10239. [PMID: 37404695 PMCID: PMC10316125 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction between environmental stressors may be a greater threat to biota than any individual ecological threat on its own. Land-use change and inappropriate fire regimes are known to pose great challenges to biodiversity conservation worldwide. Despite much research being conducted into their singular impacts on ecosystems, very few have investigated how their interaction may be affecting the biota of a region. We used data from surveys in 1998/2000 and 2019/2020 to compare the feeding guild assemblages of bird communities in different habitats within the greater Darwin region. By compiling two sets of spatial data, land-use change, and fire history mapping, we were able to investigate their interaction and impact on the avian assemblages in the Darwin urban area. Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) we found that an increase in urbanization significantly affected fire occurrence across study sites. Furthermore, we found that the interaction between land-use change and fire regimes had a significant effect on species that primarily feed on fruit. We conclude that while an increase in urbanization did not directly affect the avian assemblages, the impact of land-use change on the fire regimes indirectly impacted urban bird community structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fischer
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Research Institute for the Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin UniversityDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
| | - Andrew C. Edwards
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Research Institute for the Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin UniversityDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
| | - Stephen T. Garnett
- Faculty of Science and Technology, EIE EnvironmentCharles Darwin UniversityDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
| | - Timothy G. Whiteside
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising ScientistDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
| | - Patrice Weber
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Research Institute for the Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin UniversityDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
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28
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Cantley JT, Jordon-Thaden IE, Roche MD, Hayes D, Kate S, Martine CT. A Foundational Population Genetics Investigation of the Sexual Systems of Solanum (Solanaceae) in the Australian Monsoon Tropics Suggests Dioecious Taxa May Benefit from Increased Genetic Admixture via Obligate Outcrossing. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12112200. [PMID: 37299179 DOI: 10.3390/plants12112200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Solanum section Leptostemonum is an ideal lineage to test the theoretical framework regarding proposed evolutionary benefits of outcrossing sexual systems in comparison to cosexuality. Theoretically, non-cosexual taxa should support more genetic diversity within populations, experience less inbreeding, and have less genetic structure due to a restricted ability to self-fertilize. However, many confounding factors present challenges for a confident inference that inherent differences in sexual systems influence observed genetic patterns among populations. This study provides a foundational baseline of the population genetics of several species of different sexual systems with the aim of generating hypotheses of any factor-including sexual system-that influences genetic patterns. Importantly, results indicate that dioecious S. asymmetriphyllum maintains less genetic structure and greater admixture among populations than cosexual S. raphiotes at the same three locations where they co-occur. This suggests that when certain conditions are met, the evolution of dioecy may have proceeded as a means to avoid genetic consequences of self-compatibility and may support hypotheses of benefits gained through differential resource allocation partitioned across sexes. Arguably, the most significant finding of this study is that all taxa are strongly inbred, possibly reflective of a shared response to recent climate shifts, such as the increased frequency and intensity of the region's fire regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Cantley
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
- Biology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Ingrid E Jordon-Thaden
- Biology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Morgan D Roche
- Biology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Daniel Hayes
- Biology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Stephanie Kate
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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Forti LR, Travassos MLDO, Coronel-Bejarano D, Miranda DF, Souza D, Sabino J, Szabo JK. Posts Supporting Anti-Environmental Policy in Brazil are Shared More on Social Media. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 71:1188-1198. [PMID: 36443526 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01757-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Weakening environmental laws supported by disinformation are currently of concern in Brazil. An example of disinformation is the case of the "firefighter cattle". Supporters of this idea believe that by consuming organic mass, cattle decrease the risk of fire in natural ecosystems. This statement was cited by a member of the Bolsonaro government in response to the unprecedented 2020 fires in the Pantanal, as well as in support of a new law that enables extensive livestock in protected areas of this biome. By suggesting that grazing benefits the ecosystem, the "firefighter cattle" argument supports the interests of agribusiness. However, it ignores the real costs of livestock production on biodiversity. We analysed the social repercussion of the "firefighter cattle" by analysing public reactions to YouTube, Facebook, and Google News posts. These videos and articles and the responses to them either agreed or disagreed with the "firefighter cattle". Supportive posts were shared more on social media and triggered more interactions than critical posts. Even though many netizens disagreed with the idea of "firefighter cattle", it has gone viral, and was used as a tool to strengthen anti-environmental policies. We advocate that government institutions should use resources and guidelines provided by the scientific community to raise awareness. These materials include international reports produced by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We need to curb pseudoscience and misinformation in political discourse, avoiding misconceptions that threaten natural resources and confuse global society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Rodriguez Forti
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia: Teoria, Aplicações e Valores, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Av. Francisco Mota, 572 - Costa e Silva, 59625-900, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
| | - Magno Lima de Oliveira Travassos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia: Teoria, Aplicações e Valores, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Conservação e Manejo da Biodiversidade, Universidade Católica do Salvador, Av. Prof. Pinto de Aguiar, 2589 - Pituaçu, CEP: 41740-090, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Diana Coronel-Bejarano
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia: Teoria, Aplicações e Valores, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Diego Fernandes Miranda
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia: Teoria, Aplicações e Valores, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - David Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia: Teoria, Aplicações e Valores, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - José Sabino
- Brazilian Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - BPBES, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Judit K Szabo
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 668 - Campus de Ondina, CEP: 40170-115, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- College of Engineering, IT and Environment, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, 0909, Australia
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Stillman AN, Wilkerson RL, Kaschube DR, Siegel RB, Sawyer SC, Tingley MW. Incorporating pyrodiversity into wildlife habitat assessments for rapid post-fire management: A woodpecker case study. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2853. [PMID: 36995347 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Spatial and temporal variation in fire characteristics-termed pyrodiversity-are increasingly recognized as important factors that structure wildlife communities in fire-prone ecosystems, yet there have been few attempts to incorporate pyrodiversity or post-fire habitat dynamics into predictive models of animal distributions and abundance to support post-fire management. We use the black-backed woodpecker-a species associated with burned forests-as a case study to demonstrate a pathway for incorporating pyrodiversity into wildlife habitat assessments for adaptive management. Employing monitoring data (2009-2019) from post-fire forests in California, we developed three competing occupancy models describing different hypotheses for habitat associations: (1) a static model representing an existing management tool, (2) a temporal model accounting for years since fire, and (3) a temporal-landscape model which additionally incorporates emerging evidence from field studies about the influence of pyrodiversity. Evaluating predictive ability, we found superior support for the temporal-landscape model, which showed a positive relationship between occupancy and pyrodiversity and interactions between habitat associations and years since fire. We incorporated the new temporal-landscape model into an RShiny application to make this decision-support tool accessible to decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Stillman
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Rodney B Siegel
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, California, USA
| | | | - Morgan W Tingley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Carrasco J, Mahaluf R, Lisón F, Pais C, Miranda A, de la Barra F, Palacios D, Weintraub A. A firebreak placement model for optimizing biodiversity protection at landscape scale. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 342:118087. [PMID: 37196613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
A solution approach is proposed to optimize the selection of landscape cells for inclusion in firebreaks. It involves linking spatially explicit information on a landscape's ecological values, historical ignition patterns and fire spread behavior. A firebreak placement optimization model is formulated that captures the tradeoff between the direct loss of biodiversity due to the elimination of vegetation in areas designated for placement of firebreaks and the protection provided by the firebreaks from losses due to future forest fires. The optimal solution generated by the model reduced expected losses from wildfires on a biodiversity combined index due to wildfires by 30% relative to a landscape without any treatment. It also reduced expected losses by 16% compared to a randomly chosen solution. These results suggest that biodiversity loss resulting from the removal of vegetation in areas where firebreaks are placed can be offset by the reduction in biodiversity loss due to the firebreaks' protective function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Carrasco
- University of Chile, Industrial Engineering Department, Santiago, Chile; Complex Engineering System Institute - ISCI, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Rodrigo Mahaluf
- University of Chile, Industrial Engineering Department, Santiago, Chile; Complex Engineering System Institute - ISCI, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Fulgencio Lisón
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Lab, Departamento de Zoología, Fac. Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Conservación, Departamento de Ciencias Forestales y Medioambiente, Fac. Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
| | - Cristobal Pais
- Complex Engineering System Institute - ISCI, Santiago, Chile; University of California Berkeley, IEOR Department, Berkeley, USA.
| | - Alejandro Miranda
- Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Conservación, Departamento de Ciencias Forestales y Medioambiente, Fac. Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; University of Chile, Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR(2)), Santiago, Chile.
| | - Felipe de la Barra
- University of Chile, Industrial Engineering Department, Santiago, Chile.
| | - David Palacios
- University of Chile, Industrial Engineering Department, Santiago, Chile; Complex Engineering System Institute - ISCI, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Andrés Weintraub
- University of Chile, Industrial Engineering Department, Santiago, Chile; Complex Engineering System Institute - ISCI, Santiago, Chile.
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32
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Heard GW, Bolitho LJ, Newell D, Hines HB, Norman P, Willacy RJ, Scheele BC. Drought, fire, and rainforest endemics: A case study of two threatened frogs impacted by Australia's "Black Summer". Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10069. [PMID: 37214614 PMCID: PMC10197140 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Deepening droughts and unprecedented wildfires are at the leading edge of climate change. Such events pose an emerging threat to species maladapted to these perturbations, with the potential for steeper declines than may be inferred from the gradual erosion of their climatic niche. This study focused on two species of amphibians-Philoria kundagungan and Philoria richmondensis (Limnodynastidae)-from the Gondwanan rainforests of eastern Australia that were extensively affected by the "Black Summer" megafires of 2019/2020 and the severe drought associated with them. We sought to assess the impact of these perturbations by quantifying the extent of habitat affected by fire, assessing patterns of occurrence and abundance of calling males post-fire, and comparing post-fire occurrence and abundance with that observed pre-fire. Some 30% of potentially suitable habitat for P. kundagungan was fire affected, and 12% for P. richmondensis. Field surveys revealed persistence in some burnt rainforest; however, both species were detected at a higher proportion of unburnt sites. There was a clear negative effect of fire on the probability of site occupancy, abundance and the probability of persistence for P. kundagungan. For P. richmondensis, effects of fire were less evident due to the limited penetration of fire into core habitat; however, occupancy rates and abundance of calling males were depressed during the severe drought that prevailed just prior to the fires, with the reappearance of calling males linked to the degree of rehydration of breeding habitat post-fire. Our results highlight the possibility that severe negative impacts of climate change for montane rainforest endemics may be felt much sooner than commonly anticipated under a scenario of gradual (decadal-scale) changes in mean climatic conditions. Instead, the increased rate of severe stochastic events places these narrow range species at a heightened risk of extinction in the near-term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey W. Heard
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research NetworkUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Liam J. Bolitho
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityLismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - David Newell
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityLismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Harry B. Hines
- Department of Environment and ScienceQueensland Parks and Wildlife Service and PartnershipsBellbowrieQueenslandAustralia
- Queensland MuseumSouth BrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Patrick Norman
- Climate Action BeaconGriffith UniversityGold CoastQueenslandAustralia
| | - Rosalie J. Willacy
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityLismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ben C. Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and SocietyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
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33
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Fear generalization and behavioral responses to multiple dangers. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:369-380. [PMID: 36428124 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Animals often exhibit consistent-individual differences (CIDs) in boldness/fearfulness, typically studied in the context of predation risk. We focus here on fear generalization, where fear of one danger (e.g., predators) is correlated with fear of other dangers (e.g., humans, pathogens, moving vehicles, or fire). We discuss why fear generalization should be ecologically important, and why we expect fear to correlate across disparate dangers. CIDs in fear are well studied for some dangers in some taxa (e.g., human fear of pathogens), but not well studied for most dangers. Fear of some dangers has been found to correlate with general fearfulness, but some cases where we might expect correlated fears (e.g., between fear of humans, familiar predators, and exotic predators) are surprisingly understudied.
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34
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Social consequences of rapid environmental change. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:337-345. [PMID: 36473809 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
While direct influences of the environment on population growth and resilience are well studied, indirect routes linking environmental changes to population consequences are less explored. We suggest that social behavior is key for understanding how anthropogenic environmental changes affect the resilience of animal populations. Social structures of animal groups are evolved and emergent phenotypes that often have demographic consequences for group members. Importantly, environmental drivers may directly influence the consequences of social structure or indirectly influence them through modifications to social interactions, group composition, or group size. We have developed a framework to study these demographic consequences. Estimating the strength of direct and indirect pathways will give us tools to understand, and potentially manage, the effect of human-induced rapid environmental changes.
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35
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Moritz MA, Batllori E, Bolker BM. The role of fire in terrestrial vertebrate richness patterns. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:563-574. [PMID: 36773965 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Productivity is strongly associated with terrestrial species richness patterns, although the mechanisms underpinning such patterns have long been debated. Despite considerable consumption of primary productivity by fire, its influence on global diversity has received relatively little study. Here we examine the sensitivity of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity (amphibians, birds and mammals) to fire, while accounting for other drivers. We analyse global data on terrestrial vertebrate richness, net primary productivity, fire occurrence (fraction of productivity consumed) and additional influences unrelated to productivity (i.e., historical phylogenetic and area effects) on species richness. For birds, fire is associated with higher diversity, rivalling the effects of productivity on richness, and for mammals, fire's positive association with diversity is even stronger than productivity; for amphibians, in contrast, there are few clear associations. Our findings suggest an underappreciated role for fire in the generation of animal species richness and the conservation of global biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max A Moritz
- University of California Cooperative Extension, Oakland, California, USA
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Enric Batllori
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benjamin M Bolker
- Departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Powell LL, Vaz Pinto P, Mills MSL, Baptista NL, Costa K, Dijkstra KDB, Gomes AL, Guedes P, Júlio T, Monadjem A, Palmeirim AF, Russo V, Melo M. The last Afromontane forests in Angola are threatened by fires. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:628-629. [PMID: 36941346 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02025-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luke L Powell
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratorio Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Biodiversity Initiative, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - Pedro Vaz Pinto
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratorio Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- Fundação Kissama, Luanda, Angola
| | - Michael S L Mills
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ninda L Baptista
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratorio Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação da Huíla (ISCED-Huíla), Lubango, Angola
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerllen Costa
- Fundação Kissama, Luanda, Angola
- National Geographic, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Amândio Luís Gomes
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Ciências Naturais da Universidade Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola
| | - Patricia Guedes
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratorio Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | | | - Ara Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ana Filipa Palmeirim
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratorio Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | | | - Martim Melo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratorio Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal.
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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Zhang Y, Qin Q, Zhu Q, Sun X, Bai Y, Liu Y. Stable isotopes in tree rings record physiological trends in Larix gmelinii after fires. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2023:tpad033. [PMID: 36928744 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fire is an important regulator of ecosystem dynamics in boreal forests, and especially has a complicated association with growth and physiological processes of fire-tolerant tree species. Stable isotope ratios in tree rings are used extensively in eco-physiological studies for evaluating the impact of past environmental (e.g., drought, air pollution) factors on tree growth and physiological processes. Yet, such studies based on carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios in tree rings are rarely conducted on fire effect, especially not well explored for fire-tolerant trees. In this study, we investigated variations in basal area increment and isotopes of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. before and after three moderate fires (different fire years) at three sites across the Great Xing'an Mountains, Northeastern China. We found that the radial growth of L. gmelinii trees has significantly declined after the fires across study sites. Following the fires, a simultaneous increase in δ13C and δ18O has strengthened the link between the two isotopes. Further, fires have significantly enhanced the 13C-derived intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) and largely altered the relationships between δ13C, δ18O, iWUE and climate (temperature and precipitation). A dual-isotope conceptual model revealed that an initial co-increase in δ13C and δ18O in the fire year can be mainly attributed to a reduction in stomatal conductance with a constant photosynthetic rate. However, this physiological response would shift to different patterns over post-fire time between sites, which might be partly related to spring temperature. This study is beneficial to better understand, in a physiological perspective, how fire-tolerant tree species adapt to a fire-prone environment. We also remind that the limitation of model assumptions and constraints may challenge model applicability and further inferred physiological response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujian Zhang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Qianqian Qin
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Zhu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Xingyue Sun
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Yansong Bai
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Yanhong Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Forest Resources and Ecosystem Process, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
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38
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Bastos JR, Capellesso ES, Vibrans AC, C. M. Marques M. Human impacts, habitat quantity and quality affect the dimensions of diversity and carbon stocks in subtropical forests: a landscape-based approach. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
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Tälle M, Öckinger E, Löfroth T, Pettersson LB, Smith HG, Stjernman M, Ranius T. Land sharing complements land sparing in the conservation of disturbance-dependent species. AMBIO 2023; 52:571-584. [PMID: 36565407 PMCID: PMC9849535 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01820-1] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Alteration of natural disturbances in human-modified landscapes has resulted in many disturbance-dependent species becoming rare. Conservation of such species requires efforts to maintain or recreate disturbance regimes. We compared benefits of confining efforts to habitats in protected areas (a form of land sparing) versus integrating them with general management of production land (a form of land sharing), using two examples: fire in forests and grazing in semi-natural grasslands. We reviewed empirical studies from the temperate northern hemisphere assessing effects of disturbances in protected and non-protected areas, and compiled information from organisations governing and implementing disturbances in Sweden. We found advantages with protection of areas related to temporal continuity and quality of disturbances, but the spatial extent of disturbances is higher on production land. This suggests that an approach where land sparing is complemented with land sharing will be most effective for preservation of disturbance-dependent species in forests and semi-natural grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Tälle
- 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
| | - Therese Löfroth
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lars B. Pettersson
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Henrik G. Smith
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Stjernman
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thomas Ranius
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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40
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Deli S, Néstor F, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Jens-Christian S. Addressing challenges for large-scale trophic rewilding. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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41
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Weeks J, Miller JED, Steel ZL, Batzer EE, Safford HD. High‐severity fire drives persistent floristic homogenization in human‐altered forests. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- JonahMaria Weeks
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California‐Davis Davis California USA
| | - Jesse E. D. Miller
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California‐Davis Davis California USA
- Department of Biology Stanford University Palo Alto California USA
| | - Zachary L. Steel
- Department of Environmental, Science and Management University of California‐Berkeley Berkeley California USA
- USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Evan E. Batzer
- Department of Plant Sciences University of California‐Davis Davis California USA
| | - Hugh D. Safford
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California‐Davis Davis California USA
- Vibrant Planet Incline Village Nevada USA
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42
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Giuliano C, Lacourse T. Holocene fire regimes, fire‐related plant functional types, and climate in south‐coastal British Columbia forests. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Camille Giuliano
- Department of Biology and Centre for Forest Biology University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
| | - Terri Lacourse
- Department of Biology and Centre for Forest Biology University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
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43
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Luo D, Maheshwari A, Danielescu A, Li J, Yang Y, Tao Y, Sun L, Patel DK, Wang G, Yang S, Zhang T, Yao L. Autonomous self-burying seed carriers for aerial seeding. Nature 2023; 614:463-470. [PMID: 36792743 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05656-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Aerial seeding can quickly cover large and physically inaccessible areas1 to improve soil quality and scavenge residual nitrogen in agriculture2, and for postfire reforestation3-5 and wildland restoration6,7. However, it suffers from low germination rates, due to the direct exposure of unburied seeds to harsh sunlight, wind and granivorous birds, as well as undesirable air humidity and temperature1,8,9. Here, inspired by Erodium seeds10-14, we design and fabricate self-drilling seed carriers, turning wood veneer into highly stiff (about 4.9 GPa when dry, and about 1.3 GPa when wet) and hygromorphic bending or coiling actuators with an extremely large bending curvature (1,854 m-1), 45 times larger than the values in the literature15-18. Our three-tailed carrier has an 80% drilling success rate on flat land after two triggering cycles, due to the beneficial resting angle (25°-30°) of its tail anchoring, whereas the natural Erodium seed's success rate is 0%. Our carriers can carry payloads of various sizes and contents including biofertilizers and plant seeds as large as those of whitebark pine, which are about 11 mm in length and about 72 mg. We compare data from experiments and numerical simulation to elucidate the curvature transformation and actuation mechanisms to guide the design and optimization of the seed carriers. Our system will improve the effectiveness of aerial seeding to relieve agricultural and environmental stresses, and has potential applications in energy harvesting, soft robotics and sustainable buildings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danli Luo
- Morphing Matter Lab, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Jiaji Li
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yue Yang
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ye Tao
- School of Art and Archeology, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lingyun Sun
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dinesh K Patel
- Morphing Matter Lab, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Guanyun Wang
- Morphing Matter Lab, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Shu Yang
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Teng Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
- BioInspired Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
| | - Lining Yao
- Morphing Matter Lab, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Abstract
There is growing awareness of pollinator declines worldwide. Conservation efforts have mainly focused on finding the direct causes, while paying less attention to building a systemic understanding of the fragility of these communities of pollinators. To fill this gap, we need operational measures of network resilience that integrate two different approaches in theoretical ecology. First, we should consider the range of conditions compatible with the stable coexistence of all of the species in a community. Second, we should address the rate and shape of network collapse once this safe operational space is exited. In this review, we describe this integrative approach and consider several mechanisms that may enhance the resilience of pollinator communities, chiefly rewiring the network of interactions, increasing heterogeneity, allowing variance, and enhancing coevolution. The most pressing need is to develop ways to reduce the gap between these theoretical recommendations and practical applications. This perspective shifts the emphasis from traditional approaches focusing on the equilibrium states to strategies that allow pollination networks to cope with global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Bascompte
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Marten Scheffer
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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45
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Lindenmayer DB, Bowd EJ, Gibbons P. Forest restoration in a time of fire: perspectives from tall, wet eucalypt forests subject to stand-replacing wildfires. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210082. [PMID: 36373929 PMCID: PMC9661950 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildfires have the potential to add considerably to the already significant challenge of achieving effective forest restoration in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. While fire can sometimes promote forest restoration (e.g. by creating otherwise rare, early successional habitats), it can thwart it in others (e.g. by depleting key patch types and stand structures). Here we outline key considerations in facilitating restoration of some tall wet temperate forest ecosystems and some boreal forest ecosystems where the typical fire regime is rare high-severity stand-replacing fire. Some of these ecosystems are experiencing altered fire regimes such as increased fire extent, severity and/or frequency. Achieving good restoration outcomes in such ecosystems demands understanding fire regimes and their impacts on vegetation and other elements of biodiversity and then selecting ecosystem-appropriate management interventions. Potential actions range from doing nothing (as the ecosystem already maintains full post-fire regenerative capacity) to interventions prior to a conflagration like prescribed burning to limit the risks of high-severity fire, excluding activities that impair post-fire recovery (e.g. post-fire logging), and artificial seeding where natural regeneration fails. The most ecologically effective actions will be ecosystem-specific and context-specific and informed by knowledge of the ecosystem in question (such as plant life-history attributes) and inter-relationships with attributes like vegetation condition at the time it is burnt (e.g. young versus old forest). This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Elle J. Bowd
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Philip Gibbons
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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46
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Bracewell SA, Barros TL, Mayer-Pinto M, Dafforn KA, Simpson SL, Johnston EL. Contaminant pulse following wildfire is associated with shifts in estuarine benthic communities. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120533. [PMID: 36341829 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Novel combinations of climatic conditions due to climate change and prolonged fire seasons have contributed to an increased occurrence of "megafires". Such large-scale fires pose an unknown threat to biodiversity due to the increased extent and severity of burn. Assessments of wildfires often focus on terrestrial ecosystems and effects on aquatic habitats are less documented, particularly in coastal environments. In a novel application of eDNA techniques, we assessed the impacts of the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires on the diversity of estuarine benthic sediment communities in six estuaries in NSW, Australia, before and after the fires. Estuaries differed in area of catchment burnt (0-92%) and amount of vegetative buffer that remained post-fire between burnt areas and waterways. We found greater dissimilarities in the composition and abundance of eukaryotic and bacterial sediment communities in estuaries from burnt catchments with no buffer compared to those with an intact buffer or from unburnt catchments. Shifts in composition in highly burnt catchments were associated with increased concentrations of nutrients, carbon, including fire-derived pyrogenic carbon, and copper, which was representative of multiple highly correlated trace metals. Changes in the relative abundances of certain taxonomic groups, such as sulfate-reducing and nitrifying bacterial groups, in the most impacted estuaries indicate potential consequences for the functioning of sediment communities. These results provide a unique demonstration of the use of eDNA to identify wildfire impacts on ecological communities and emphasize the importance of vegetative buffers in limiting wildfire-associated impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Bracewell
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Thayanne L Barros
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mariana Mayer-Pinto
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine A Dafforn
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Stuart L Simpson
- CSIRO Land and Water, Tharawal Country, Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, NSW, 2232, Australia
| | - Emma L Johnston
- Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Laboratory, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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47
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Wu MY, Forcina G, Low GW, Sadanandan KR, Gwee CY, van Grouw H, Wu S, Edwards SV, Baldwin MW, Rheindt FE. Historic samples reveal loss of wild genotype through domestic chicken introgression during the Anthropocene. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010551. [PMID: 36656838 PMCID: PMC9851510 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Human activities have precipitated a rise in the levels of introgressive gene flow among animals. The investigation of conspecific populations at different time points may shed light on the magnitude of human-mediated introgression. We used the red junglefowl Gallus gallus, the wild ancestral form of the chicken, as our study system. As wild junglefowl and domestic chickens readily admix, conservationists fear that domestic introgression into junglefowl may compromise their wild genotype. By contrasting the whole genomes of 51 chickens with 63 junglefowl from across their natural range, we found evidence of a loss of the wild genotype across the Anthropocene. When comparing against the genomes of junglefowl from approximately a century ago using rigorous ancient-DNA protocols, we discovered that levels of domestic introgression are not equal among and within modern wild populations, with the percentage of domestic ancestry around 20-50%. We identified a number of domestication markers in which chickens are deeply differentiated from historic junglefowl regardless of breed and/or geographic provenance, with eight genes under selection. The latter are involved in pathways dealing with development, reproduction and vision. The wild genotype is an allelic reservoir that holds most of the genetic diversity of G. gallus, a species which is immensely important to human society. Our study provides fundamental genomic infrastructure to assist in efforts to prevent a further loss of the wild genotype through introgression of domestic alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Yue Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giovanni Forcina
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gabriel Weijie Low
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Keren R. Sadanandan
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Chyi Yin Gwee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hein van Grouw
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Tring, United Kingdom
| | - Shaoyuan Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, Chin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Scott V. Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Maude W. Baldwin
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Frank E. Rheindt
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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48
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Luo Y, Zhang Z, Naidu R, Zhang X, Fang C. Raman imaging of microplastics and nanoplastics released from the printed toner powders burned by a mimicked bushfire. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 849:157686. [PMID: 35908713 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157686] [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: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic contamination is a growing global concern, but the characterisation approaches for microplastics are limited so far, and even more lacking for nanoplastics. As another public concern, bushfire has the potential to exacerbate the negative ecological effects of plastic waste. We thus study the release of microplastics and nanoplastics from toner powers printed on a paper sheet following a mimicked bushfire. The results show that, along the fire frontier, there is a charred area first, then a cindered area towards mineralisation via a full combustion. We find that, depending on the extent of burning, the printed toner powers containing microplastics can melt to aggregate, or crack to break down to nanoplastics, which are well characterised by mass spectrometry and Raman imaging combined with algorithms. Overall, the results shed new light on the microplastics and nanoplastics once affected by bushfire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Luo
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Zixing Zhang
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Ravi Naidu
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Xian Zhang
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
| | - Cheng Fang
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
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49
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Yang X, Liu RT, Shao MA, Wei XR, Li TC, Chen MY, Li ZY, Dai YC, Gan M. Short-term effects of wildfire on soil arthropods in a semi-arid grassland on the Loess Plateau. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:989351. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.989351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fires lead to dramatic shifts in ecosystems and have a large impact on the biota. Soil organisms, especially soil fauna, are often used as indicators of environmental change. At present, minimal attention has been paid to using soil fauna as an indicator of environmental change after a fire. Here, a field survey of burnt herbaceous vegetation in semi-arid areas was conducted to determine the response of soil arthropods to fire and their short–term recovery after fire. Overall, the abundance and biomass of soil arthropods was more sensitive to fire than the number of groups. The number of soil arthropod groups, especially the dominant groups (mites and springtails), was not significantly affected by wildfires. At the unburned site, soil arthropod abundance showed significant seasonal shifts that may be related to the vegetation properties, temperature, and precipitation caused by seasonal changes. In contrast, soil arthropods at the burnt sites showed a delayed recovery and had only reached 56%–82%, 17%–54%, and 91%–190% of the biomass in the unburnt forest at the 3, 6, and 9 months after the burning event. Our findings of soil arthropod abundance changes in the present study suggest that fire-induced changes in soil and vegetation properties (e.g., AN, LT, and VC) were crucial factors for the changes in soil arthropod abundance in this semi-arid grassland. We conclude that fire disturbance reduces the seasonal sensitivity of soil arthropods by altering their habitat. This study furthers our understanding of wildfire impact recovery by documenting the short-term temporal dynamics of soil arthropods.
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Słowiński M, Obremska M, Avirmed D, Woszczyk M, Adiya S, Łuców D, Mroczkowska A, Halaś A, Szczuciński W, Kruk A, Lamentowicz M, Stańczak J, Rudaya N. Fires, vegetation, and human-The history of critical transitions during the last 1000 years in Northeastern Mongolia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155660. [PMID: 35526637 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155660] [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: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fires are natural phenomena that impact human behaviors, vegetation, and landscape functions. However, the long-term history of fire, especially in the permafrost marginal zone of Central Asia (Mongolia), is poorly understood. This paper presents the results of radiocarbon and short-lived radionuclides (210Pb and 137Cs) dating, pollen, geochemical, charcoal, and statistical analyses (Kohonen's artificial neural network) of sediment core obtained from Northern Mongolia (the Khentii Mountains region). Therefore, we present the first high-resolution fire history from Northern Mongolia covering the last 1000 years, based on a multiproxy analysis of peat archive data. The results revealed that most of the fires in the region were likely initiated by natural factors, which were probably related to heatwaves causing prolonged droughts. We have demonstrated the link between enhanced fires and "dzud", a local climatic phenomenon. The number of livestock, which has been increasing for several decades, and the observed climatic changes are superimposed to cause "dzud", a deadly combination of droughts and snowy winter, which affects fire intensity. We observed that the study area has a sensitive ecosystem that reacts quickly to climate change. In terms of changes in the vegetation, the reconstruction reflected climate variations during the last millennium, the degradation of permafrost and occurrence of fires. However, more sites with good chronologies are needed to thoroughly understand the spatial relationships between changing climate, permafrost degradation, and vegetation change, which ultimately affect the nomadic societies in the region of Central and Northern Mongolia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Słowiński
- Past Landscape Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organisation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Milena Obremska
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dashtseren Avirmed
- Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Michał Woszczyk
- Biogeochemistry Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Saruulzaya Adiya
- Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Dominika Łuców
- Past Landscape Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organisation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Mroczkowska
- Past Landscape Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organisation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Geology and Geomorphology, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Halaś
- Past Landscape Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organisation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Witold Szczuciński
- Geohazards Research Unit, Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kruk
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
| | - Mariusz Lamentowicz
- Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna Stańczak
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Rudaya
- PaleoData Lab, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
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