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Brookes G, Smyth SJ. Risk-appropriate regulations for gene-editing technologies. GM Crops Food 2024; 15:1-14. [PMID: 38215017 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2023.2293510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
This paper explores the scope for the newly emerging technologies, based on gene editing (GE) contributing to addressing the global challenges that we face. These challenges relate to food security, climate change and biodiversity depletion. In particular, it examines the science and evidence behind the most appropriate forms of agricultural production to meet these challenges, the targets set in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) agreed to at the end of 2022 and the possible role of GE technologies in contributing to meeting these targets. It then examines the most risk-appropriate regulatory environment required to best facilitate the adoption of GE technology, drawing on the experiences of the impact of regulatory systems for other innovations used in agricultural and food production systems such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stuart J Smyth
- College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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2
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Sanmartín G, Sánchez-Adriá IE, Prieto JA, Estruch F, Randez-Gil F. Bioprospecting of sourdough microbial species from artisan bakeries in the city of Valencia. Food Microbiol 2024; 120:104474. [PMID: 38431320 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
This work describes the characterization of an artisanal sourdough set of bakeries located in the city of Valencia. Culture-dependent and -independent analyses detected Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kazachstania humilis as dominant species. Nevertheless, specific technological parameters, including backslopping temperature, dough yield, or the addition of salt affected microbial counting, LAB/Yeast ratio, and gassing performance, favouring the appearance of several species of Lactobacillus sp., Limosilactobacillus pontis or Torulaspora delbrueckii as additional players. Sourdough leavening activity was affected positively by yeast counts and negatively by the presence of salt. In addition, the predominance of a particular yeast species appeared to impact the dynamics of CO2 release. Seven important flavour-active compounds (ethyl acetate, 1-hexanol, 2-penthylfuran, 3-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3-hexadiene, 2-octen-1-ol, nonanal and 1-nonanol) were detected in all samples and together with 3-methyl butanol and hexyl acetate represented more than the 53% of volatile abundancy in nine of the ten sourdoughs analysed. Even so, the specific microbial composition of each sample influenced the volatile profile. For example, the occurrence of K. humilis or S. cerevisiae as dominant yeast influenced the composition of major alcohol species, while F. sanfranciscensis and L. pontis positively correlated with aldehydes and octanoic acid content. In addition, relevant correlations could be also found among different technological parameters and between these, volatile compounds and microbial species. Overall, our study emphasises on how differences in technological parameters generate biodiversity in a relatively small set of artisan sourdoughs providing opportunities for excellence and quality baking products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Sanmartín
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Los Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Agustín Escardino, 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isabel E Sánchez-Adriá
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Los Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Agustín Escardino, 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jose A Prieto
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Los Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Agustín Escardino, 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Estruch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Francisca Randez-Gil
- Department of Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Los Alimentos, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Agustín Escardino, 7, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain.
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Morandi S, Silvetti T, Lopreiato V, Piccioli-Cappelli F, Trevisi E, Brasca M. Biodiversity and antibiotic resistance profile provide new evidence for a different origin of enterococci in bovine raw milk and feces. Food Microbiol 2024; 120:104492. [PMID: 38431334 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Enterococci are widely distributed in dairy sector. They are commensals of the gastrointestinal tract of animals, thus, via fecal contamination, could reach raw milk and dairy products. The aims of this study were: 1) to investigate the enterococcal diversity in cow feces and milk samples and 2) to evaluate the antibiotic resistance (AR) of dairy-related enterococci and their ability to transfer resistance genes. E. faecalis (59.9%), E. faecium (18.6%) and E. lactis (12.4%) were prevalent in milk, while E. faecium (84.2%) and E. hirae (15.0%) were dominant in bovine feces. RAPD-PCR highlighted a high number of Enterococcus biotypes (45 from milk and 37 from feces) and none of the milk strains exhibited genetic profiles similar to those of feces biotypes. A high percentage of enterococci isolated from milk (71%) were identified as multidrug resistant and resistance against streptomycin and tetracycline were widespread among milk strains while enterococci from feces were commonly resistant to linezolid and quinupristin/dalfopristin. Only E. faecalis strains were able to transfer horizontally the tetM gene to Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis. Our results indicated that Enterococcus biotypes from milk and bovine feces belong to different community and the ability of these microorganisms to transfer AR genes is strain-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Morandi
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), Italian National Research Council, Milan, Italy.
| | - Tiziana Silvetti
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), Italian National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Lopreiato
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Palatucci 13, Messina, 98168, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Piccioli-Cappelli
- Department of Animal Sciences, Food and Nutrition (DIANA), Alimentari e Ambientali, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, 29122, Italy
| | - Erminio Trevisi
- Department of Animal Sciences, Food and Nutrition (DIANA), Alimentari e Ambientali, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, 29122, Italy
| | - Milena Brasca
- Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), Italian National Research Council, Milan, Italy
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Dufek MI, Larrea DD, Damborsky MP, Mulieri PR. Diversity response of necrophagous dipteran communities and their functional groups to an anthropization gradient. Acta Trop 2024; 253:107164. [PMID: 38431136 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The anthropization process exerts a profound effect on ecosystems, causing alterations in biodiversity, habitat structure, and species composition, ultimately disrupting the delicate balance of natural environments. The aim of the present study was to explore the ecological dynamics of necrophagous Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae flies along an anthropization gradient. This research investigated alpha and beta diversity patterns to unravel the impact of human-induced environmental changes on these insect communities and also assesses the dynamics of functional groups in relation to their impact on medical and forensic fields. Five distinct habitats, ranging from urban to forested areas, were surveyed in two Departments in the Province of Chaco, Argentina. Necrophagous flies were collected using van Someren-Rydon canopy traps across three seasons. Two main functional groups were analyzed: oviparous flies (Calliphoridae) and larviparous flies (Sarcophagidae). Results indicated a significant negative correlation between Sarcophagidae species richness and anthropization, whereas Calliphoridae showed increased abundance in highly anthropized sites. The combined assemblage of Calliphoridae+Sarcophagidae exhibited significant relationships across all community parameters evaluated. Beta diversity analysis revealed turnover as the main process shaping dipteran communities along the anthropization gradient, with spatial species replacement dominating. This underscores the importance of interspecific spatial segregation in dipteran community composition. In conclusion, this study enhances our understanding of the ecological adaptations of necrophagous dipterans to anthropogenic disturbances. The observed shifts in diversity and abundance have implications for forensic investigations and public health, emphasizing the need for nuanced monitoring and conservation strategies. This research contributes valuable insights into the intricate ecological interactions of these insect communities within changing ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Ignacio Dufek
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral (CECOAL-CONICET-UNNE), Provincial Route No.5 KM 2.5, Corrientes, Argentina; Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Biología de los Artrópodos, Libertad Street 5470, Corrientes, Argentina.
| | - Dario Daniel Larrea
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Biología de los Artrópodos, Libertad Street 5470, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Miryam Pieri Damborsky
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Biología de los Artrópodos, Libertad Street 5470, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Pablo Ricardo Mulieri
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN), Angel Gallardo Street 470, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Wang R, Li X, Lv F, He J, Lv R, Wei L. Sesame bacterial wilt significantly alters rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure, function, and metabolites in continuous cropping systems. Microbiol Res 2024; 282:127649. [PMID: 38402727 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial wilt is the leading disease of sesame and alters the bacterial community composition, function, and metabolism of sesame rhizosphere soil. However, its pattern of change is unclear. Here, the purpose of this study was to investigate how these communities respond to three differing severities of bacterial wilt in mature continuously cropped sesame plants by metagenomic and metabolomic techniques, namely, absence (WH), moderate (WD5), and severe (WD9) wilt. The results indicated that bacterial wilt could significantly change the bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere soil of continuously cropped sesame plants. The biomarker species with significant differences will also change with increasing disease severity. In particular, the gene expression levels of Ralstonia solanacearum in the WD9 and WD5 treatments increased by 25.29% and 33.61%, respectively, compared to those in the WH treatment (4.35 log10 copies g-1). The occurrence of bacterial wilt significantly altered the functions of the bacterial community in rhizosphere soil. KEEG and CAZy functional annotations revealed that the number of significantly different functions in WH was greater than that in WD5 and WD9. Bacterial wilt significantly affected the relative content of metabolites, especially acids, in the rhizosphere soil, and compared with those in the rhizosphere soil from WH, 10 acids (including S-adenosylmethionine, N-acetylleucine, and desaminotyrosine, etc.) in the rhizosphere soil from WD5 or WD9 significantly increased. In comparison, the changes in the other 10 acids (including hypotaurine, erucic acid, and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid, etc.) were reversed. The occurrence of bacterial wilt also significantly inhibited metabolic pathways such as ABC transporter and amino acid biosynthesis pathways in rhizosphere soil and had a significant impact on two key enzymes (1.1.1.11 and 2.6.1.44). In conclusion, sesame bacterial wilt significantly alters the rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure, function, and metabolites. This study enhances the understanding of sesame bacterial wilt mechanisms and lays the groundwork for future prevention and control strategies against this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqing Wang
- Soil Fertilizer and Resource Environment Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 602, Nanlian Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330200, PR China; Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System for the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China; National Engineering Technology Research Center for Red Soil Improvement, PR China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment Yichun, PR China.
| | - Xinsheng Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330200, PR China
| | - Fengjuan Lv
- Soil Fertilizer and Resource Environment Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 602, Nanlian Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330200, PR China; Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System for the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China; National Engineering Technology Research Center for Red Soil Improvement, PR China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment Yichun, PR China
| | - Junhai He
- Soil Fertilizer and Resource Environment Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 602, Nanlian Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330200, PR China; Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System for the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China; National Engineering Technology Research Center for Red Soil Improvement, PR China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment Yichun, PR China
| | - Rujie Lv
- Soil Fertilizer and Resource Environment Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 602, Nanlian Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330200, PR China; Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System for the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China; National Engineering Technology Research Center for Red Soil Improvement, PR China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment Yichun, PR China
| | - Lingen Wei
- Soil Fertilizer and Resource Environment Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 602, Nanlian Road, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330200, PR China; Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System for the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China; National Engineering Technology Research Center for Red Soil Improvement, PR China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment Yichun, PR China.
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Tang Z, Sng KTH, Zhang Y, Carrasco LR. Climate change market-driven poleward shifts in cropland production create opportunities for tropical biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration. Sci Total Environ 2024; 923:171198. [PMID: 38438043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Although the impacts of climate change on the yields of crops have been studied, how these changes will result in the eventual realized crop production through market feedbacks has received little attention. Using a combination of attainable yield predictions for wheat, rice, maize, soybean and sugarcane, computable general equilibrium and land rent models, we project market impacts and crop-specific land-use change up to 2100 and the resulting implications for carbon and biodiversity. The results show a general increase in crop prices in tropical regions and a decrease in sub-tropical and temperate regions. Land-use change driven by market feedbacks generally amplify the effects of climate change on yields. Wheat, maize and sugarcane are projected to experience the most expansion especially in Canada and Russia, which also present the highest potential for habitat conversion-driven carbon emissions. Conversely, Latin America presents the highest extinction potential for birds, mammals and amphibians due to cropland expansion. Climate change is likely to redistribute agricultural production, generating market-driven land-use feedback effects which could, counterintuitively, protect global biodiversity by shifting global food production towards less-biodiverse temperate regions while creating substantial restoration opportunities in the tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Tang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore,14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Keith T H Sng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore,14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yuchen Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore,14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - L Roman Carrasco
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore,14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore.
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van der Lee GH, Polling M, van der Laan I, Kodde L, Verdonschot RCM. From DNA to diagnostics: A case study using macroinvertebrate metabarcoding to assess the effectiveness of restoration measures in a Dutch stream. Sci Total Environ 2024; 923:171413. [PMID: 38442754 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Stream ecosystems are under pressure due to multiple stressors. Restoration measures can halt further degradation and improve their ecological status. However, assessment of the effectiveness of the implemented measures is often insufficient because of logistic and financial constraints. DNA-metabarcoding has been proposed to scale up sample processing, although its application as a diagnostic tool has received less attention. The aim of our study was to evaluate if DNA-metabarcoding of stream macroinvertebrates can be used to compute a stressor-specific index to assess the effectiveness of a stream restoration project. For this purpose, we sampled the upstream, restored, and downstream section of a recently restored lowland stream in the Netherlands. At each site, we applied three different methods of macroinvertebrate identification: morphological identification of bulk samples (morphology), DNA-metabarcoding of the same bulk samples (DNA) and metabarcoding of eDNA extracted from the water (eDNA). First, we compared the community composition identified by each method. The communities identified by morphology and DNA were highly similar, whereas the communities generated by the eDNA differed. Second, we analysed whether the identification methods could be used to assess the effectiveness of the restoration project, focussing on a stressor-specific index for flow as the restoration measures aimed at improving flow conditions. Both the morphology and bulk DNA samples indicated improved flow conditions in the restored section of the stream (i.e., less stress from the reduction or absence of flow than in the unrestored sections). Contrary, the eDNA-water samples did not differentiate the amount of stress throughout the catchment, although applying recent developments in eDNA sampling could lead to more robust results. In conclusion, this study forms proof of concept that DNA from bulk samples can be utilized to assess the effectiveness of restoration measures, showing the added value of this approach for water managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gea H van der Lee
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Marcel Polling
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Iris van der Laan
- Waterschap de Dommel, Bosscheweg 56, 5283 WB Boxtel, the Netherlands
| | - Linda Kodde
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ralf C M Verdonschot
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Mo L, Zanella A, Squartini A, Ranzani G, Bolzonella C, Concheri G, Pindo M, Visentin F, Xu G. Anthropogenic vs. natural habitats: Higher microbial biodiversity pays the trade-off of lower connectivity. Microbiol Res 2024; 282:127651. [PMID: 38430888 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Climate change and anthropogenic disturbances are known to influence soil biodiversity. The objectives of this study were to compare the community composition, species coexistence patterns, and ecological assembly processes of soil microbial communities in a paired setting featuring a natural and an anthropogenic ecosystem facing each other at identical climatic, pedological, and vegetational conditions. A transect gradient from forest to seashore allowed for sampling across different habitats within both sites. The field survey was carried out at two adjacent strips of land within the Po River delta lagoon system (Veneto, Italy) one of which is protected within a natural preserve and the other has been converted for decades into a tourist resort. The anthropogenic pressure interestingly led to an increase in the α-diversity of soil microbes but was accompanied by a reduction in β-diversity. The community assembly mechanisms of microbial communities differentiate in natural and anthropic ecosystems: for bacteria, in natural ecosystems deterministic variables and homogeneous selection play a main role (51.92%), while stochastic dispersal limitation (52.15%) is critical in anthropized ecosystems; for fungi, stochastic dispersal limitation increases from 38.1% to 66.09% passing from natural to anthropized ecosystems. We are on calcareous sandy soils and in more natural ecosystems a variation of topsoil pH favors the deterministic selection of bacterial communities, while a divergence of K availability favors stochastic selection. In more anthropized ecosystems, the deterministic variable selection is influenced by the values of SOC. Microbial networks in the natural system exhibited higher numbers of nodes and network edges, as well as higher averages of path length, weighted degree, clustering coefficient, and density than its equivalent sites in the more anthropically impacted environment. The latter on the other hand presented a stronger modularity. Although the influence of stochastic processes increases in anthropized habitats, niche-based selection also proves to impose constraints on communities. Overall, the functionality of the relationships between groups of microorganisms co-existing in communities appeared more relevant to the concept of functional biodiversity in comparison to the plain number of their different taxa. Fewer but functionally more organized lineages displayed traits underscoring a better use of the resources than higher absolute numbers of taxa when those are not equally interconnected in their habitat exploitation. However, considering that network complexity can have important implications for microbial stability and ecosystem multifunctionality, the extinction of complex ecological interactions in anthropogenic habitats may impair important ecosystem services that soils provide us.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzi Mo
- School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
| | - Augusto Zanella
- Department Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, Italy.
| | - Andrea Squartini
- Department Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals, Environment, University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, Italy.
| | - Giulia Ranzani
- Department Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, Italy.
| | - Cristian Bolzonella
- Department Land Environment Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Concheri
- Department Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals, Environment, University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, Italy.
| | - Massimo Pindo
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige 38098, Italy.
| | - Francesca Visentin
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy.
| | - Guoliang Xu
- School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
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Schlenker A, Brauns M, Fink P, Lorenz AW, Weitere M. Long-term recovery of benthic food webs after stream restoration. Sci Total Environ 2024; 923:171499. [PMID: 38453075 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The assessment of restoration success often neglects trophic interactions within food webs, focusing instead on biodiversity and community structure. Here, we analysed the long-term recovery of food web structure based on stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of benthic invertebrates and quantified responses of food web metrics to time since restoration. The samples derived from twelve restored sites with different restoration ages, sampled annually from 2012 to 2021, and covering an investigation period of up to 28 years after restoration for the whole catchment. Temporal developments of the restored sites were compared to the development of two near-natural sites. The restoration measures consisted of the cessation of sewage inflow and morphological restoration of the channels. As a clear and consistent result over almost all sites, trophic similarity (proportion of co-existing species occupying similar trophic niches) increased with time since restoration, and reached values of near-natural sites, suggesting an increase in the stability and resilience of the food webs. Surprisingly, resource diversity decreased at most restored sites within 10 years after restoration, probably due to the removal of wastewater-derived resources, and a shift towards leaf litter as the dominant resource following the regrowth of the riparian vegetation. Food chain length showed no consistent pattern over time at the different sites both increasing and decreasing with time since restoration. Overall, restoration had clear effects on the food web structure of stream ecosystems. While some effects such as the increase in trophic similarity were consistent at almost all sites, others such as response of the food chain length were context dependent. The study demonstrates the potential of utilizing food web metrics, particularly trophic similarity, in restoration research to achieve a more holistic understanding of ecosystem recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Schlenker
- Department River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Mario Brauns
- Department River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Fink
- Department River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, 39114, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Armin W Lorenz
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Faculty for Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Markus Weitere
- Department River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstraße 3a, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
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Gols R, Barden A, Ozden Ö. A comparison of butterfly communities in irrigated and non-irrigated Mediterranean farmlands. Sci Total Environ 2024; 922:171247. [PMID: 38423333 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Irrigation is considered a form of agricultural intensification and is of significant importance in arid and semi-arid regions, such as those in the Mediterranean basin. This region differs substantially from temperate ones, in terms of climate, land-use policies and types of agricultural systems. Therefore, how biodiversity is affected by agricultural intensification may also differ substantially from countries in north-western Europe. We investigated the effect of irrigation on butterfly diversity and abundance at two different spatial scales in an agricultural region in northern Cyprus, an area representative of typical lowland agricultural practices of the Eastern Mediterranean. We investigated how local field-scale management (irrigated vs rain-fed) and the proportion of irrigated land at a larger scale of 0.25 km2 affected the abundance and diversity of butterflies and herbaceous plant species. Butterflies and herbaceous plants were surveyed in field boundaries adjacent to agricultural fields located in paired plots that had contrasting levels of irrigation. Butterflies in the field boundaries along agricultural fields were strongly positively affected by irrigation in the adjacent fields both in terms of abundance and species diversity, whereas the effect of irrigation at the larger scale of the 0.25-km2 plot was less prominent. Species composition of butterflies and plants did not correlate. However, plant abundance and alpha diversity of the vegetation in the field boundaries correlated with both abundance and alpha diversity of the butterflies when the abundance of plants was relatively low, in particular, when grasses were omitted from the data set. Crop species associated with irrigated fields contributed to the observed patterns. Comparing the results of this study with those reported for temperate regions in northwestern Europe reveals that the effectiveness of management schemes on biodiversity depend on biogeographical region, highlighting the risk of making broad assumption on the effectiveness of management strategies on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieta Gols
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Özge Ozden
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
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11
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Thomson-Laing G, Howarth JD, Atalah J, Vandergoes MJ, Li X, Pearman JK, Fitzsimons S, Moy C, Moody A, Shepherd C, McKay N, Wood SA. Sedimentary ancient DNA reveals the impact of anthropogenic land use disturbance and ecological shifts on fish community structure in small lowland lake. Sci Total Environ 2024; 922:171266. [PMID: 38417515 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater fish biodiversity and abundance are decreasing globally. The drivers of decline are primarily anthropogenic; however, the causative links between disturbances and fish community change are complex and challenging to investigate. We used a suite of sedimentary DNA methods (droplet digital PCR and metabarcoding) and traditional paleolimnological approaches, including pollen and trace metal analysis, ITRAX X-ray fluorescence and hyperspectral core scanning to explore changes in fish abundance and drivers over 1390 years in a small lake. This period captured a disturbance trajectory from pre-human settlement through subsistence living to intensive agriculture. Generalized additive mixed models explored the relationships between catchment inputs, internal drivers, and fish community structure. Fish community composition distinctly shifted around 1350 CE, with the decline of a sensitive Galaxias species concomitant with early land use changes. Total fish abundance significantly declined around 1950 CE related to increases in ruminant bacterial DNA (a proxy for ruminant abundance) and cadmium flux (a proxy for phosphate fertilizers), implicating land use intensification as a key driver. Concurrent shifts in phytoplankton and zooplankton suggested that fish communities were likely impacted by food web dynamics. This study highlights the potential of sedDNA to elucidate the long-term disturbance impacts on biological communities in lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Thomson-Laing
- Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street, The Wood, Nelson 7010, New Zealand; School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6012, New Zealand.
| | - Jamie D Howarth
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
| | - Javier Atalah
- Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street, The Wood, Nelson 7010, New Zealand
| | | | - Xun Li
- GNS Science, 1 Fairway Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt 5011, New Zealand
| | - John K Pearman
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
| | - Sean Fitzsimons
- School of Geography, University of Otago, 360 Leith Street, North Dunedin, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Chris Moy
- Department of Geology, University of Otago, 360 Leith Street, North Dunedin, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Adelaine Moody
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
| | - Claire Shepherd
- GNS Science, 1 Fairway Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt 5011, New Zealand
| | - Nicholas McKay
- School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Susanna A Wood
- Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street, The Wood, Nelson 7010, New Zealand
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12
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Zhao J, Yu L, Newbold T, Shen X, Liu X, Hua F, Kanniah K, Ma K. Biodiversity responses to agricultural practices in cropland and natural habitats. Sci Total Environ 2024; 922:171296. [PMID: 38423324 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Largely driven by agricultural pressures, biodiversity has experienced great changes globally. Exploring biodiversity responses to agricultural practices associated with agricultural intensification can benefit biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. However, the effects of agricultural practices may also extend to natural habitats. Moreover, agricultural impacts may also vary with geographical region. We analyze biodiversity responses to landscape cropland coverage, cropping frequency, fertiliser and yield, among different land-use types and across geographical regions. We find that species richness and total abundance generally respond negatively to increased landscape cropland coverage. Biodiversity reductions in human land-use types (pasture, plantation forest and cropland) were stronger in tropical than non-tropical regions, which was also true for biodiversity reductions with increasing yield in both human and natural land-use types. Our results underline substantial biodiversity responses to agricultural practices not only in cropland but also in natural habitats, highlighting the fact that biodiversity conservation demands a greater focus on optimizing agricultural management at the landscape scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqiao Zhao
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Le Yu
- Department of Earth System Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Institute for Global Change Studies, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Ministry of Education Ecological Field Station for East Asian Migratory Birds, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Tim Newbold
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaoli Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Key Laboratory of Target Cognition and Application Technology (TCAT), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Beijing 100190, China; Key Laboratory of Network Information System Technology (NIST), Aerospace Information Research Institute, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Fangyuan Hua
- Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Kasturi Kanniah
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA), Research Institute for Sustainable Environment (RISE) and Tropical Map Research Group, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor 81310, Malaysia
| | - Keping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
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13
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Raz S, Hila S, Assaf S. Ecological, social and economic benefits of organic olive farming outweigh those of intensive and traditional practices. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171035. [PMID: 38382606 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Olive farming has vastly intensified across the Mediterranean basin recently. This ongoing process has detrimental social and environmental outcomes, but it also represents a unique opportunity to study the impacts of intensification and identify solutions for sustainable management of this iconic and culturally important crop. This interdisciplinary study jointly explores the ecological, social, and economic consequences of olive farming intensification, to identify solutions for sustainable agriculture. During 2017-2019 we conducted ecological, social and economic surveys in 50 olive groves plots, each representing different intensification levels (super-intensive, intensive, organic, extensive, and traditional olive groves) and plots with natural vegetation as ecological control. Birds and plants were sampled to assess biodiversity under each intensity level. Landscape preference was assessed using an online survey (n = 299) targeting the general public, featuring representative images for the different intensity levels. Data on yield, revenue, profit, and costs in the olive groves was collected from farmers for two seasons (n = 44). Our results demonstrated a trade-off between economic and socio-ecological benefits. Intensive and super-intensive groves maximize the economic values at the expense of the socio-ecological values, whereas the opposite is true for traditional groves. However, within this gradient we found few opportunities to promote sustainable olive farming. Organic groves demonstrated an optimal solution, with an economic value similar to intensive plots, rich biodiversity and high appreciation by people. On the other hand, extensive olive farming represented a non-sustainable situation, in which socio-ecological values were similar or lower than organic groves, while yield and profit were the lowest found in this study. Traditional groves were the most appreciated landscape, hosting bird and plant communities similar to nearby plots with natural vegetation. Building on these results we highlight several policy directions that can help reconcile olive production, biodiversity conservation and social values to conserve this important cultural landscape sustainably.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Raz
- Human and Biodiversity Research Lab, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
| | - Segre Hila
- Agroecology & Nature Conservation Lab, Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Volcani center, Rishon Le'Zion 7505101, Israel.
| | - Shwartz Assaf
- Human and Biodiversity Research Lab, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
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He F, Sun J, Wan JSH, Nawaz M, Javed Q, Pan L, Khattak WA, Bo Y, Xiang Y, Ren G, Lin X, Du D. Microplastics and cadmium affect invasion success by altering complementarity and selection effects in native community. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171135. [PMID: 38402976 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The diversity-invasibility hypothesis predicts that native plant communities with high biodiversity should be more resistant to invasion than low biodiversity communities. However, observational studies have found that there is often a positive relationship between native community diversity and invasibility. Pollutants were not tested for their potential to cause this positive relationship. Here, we established native communities with three levels of diversity (1, 2 and 4 species) and introduced an invasive plant [Symphyotrichum subulatum (Michx.) G. L. Nesom] to test the effects of different pollutant treatments (i.e., unpolluted control, microplastics (MPs) alone, cadmium (Cd) alone, and their combination) on the relationship between native community diversity and community invasibility. Our results indicate that different MPs and Cd treatments altered the invasibility of native communities, but this effect may depend on the type of pollutant. MPs single treatment reduced invasion success, and the degree of reduction increased with increasing native community diversity (Diversity 2: - 14.1 %; Diversity 4: - 63.1 %). Cd single treatment increased the aboveground biomass of invasive plants (+ 40.2 %) and invasion success. The presence of MPs inhibited the contribution of Cd to invasion success. Furthermore, we found that the complementarity and selection effects of the native community were negatively correlated with invasion success, and their relative contributions to invasion success also depended on the pollutant type. We found new evidence of how pollutants affect the relationship between native community diversity and habitat invasibility, which provides new perspectives for understanding and managing biological invasions in the context of environmental pollution. This may contribute to promoting the conservation of biodiversity, especially in ecologically sensitive and polluted areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng He
- School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Jianfan Sun
- School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
| | - Justin S H Wan
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Mohsin Nawaz
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Qaiser Javed
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Linxuan Pan
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Wajid Ali Khattak
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Yanwen Bo
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Yan Xiang
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Guangqian Ren
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Xin Lin
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Daolin Du
- Jingjiang College, Institute of Enviroment and Ecology, School of Emergency Management, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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15
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Nawrath M, Fürst K, Hutchins M, Seifert-Dähnn I. Milder, wilder, drier: Understanding preferences for urban nature-based solutions in China. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171148. [PMID: 38401726 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Nature-based solutions have gained recognition for their potential to address urban environmental challenges, particularly in rapidly urbanising countries such as China. However, financial and spatial constraints hinder their widespread adoption. Here we explore urban residents' preferences for nature-based solutions targeting stormwater management, urban heat island reduction, and biodiversity support through monetary, time, and space contributions. We carried out three choice experiment surveys with 1536 Chinese respondents, employing three payment vehicles: willingness to pay (WTP), willingness to contribute time (WTCT), and a novel metric, willingness to contribute space (WTCS). The WTCS metric assesses individuals' willingness to voluntarily convert sealed surfaces on private land into greenspace. We found strong preferences for temperature and flooding reduction across all payment vehicles, reflecting substantial challenges of urban heat islands and flooding in China. Additionally, we reveal a preference for moderate greenspace management intensity, highlighting the potential for biodiversity benefits through reduced management intensities. The introduction of the WTCS payment vehicle expands the methodological toolkit for choice experiments and offers a novel approach to assess citizen support for nature-based solutions. These findings have practical implications for designing effective nature-based solutions programs to address urban environmental challenges and meet the preferences of urban residents in China and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Nawrath
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Kathinka Fürst
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael Hutchins
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK; Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
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16
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Bradshaw C, Iburg S, Morys C, Sköld M, Pusceddu A, Ennas C, Jonsson P, Nascimento FJA. Effects of bottom trawling and environmental factors on benthic bacteria, meiofauna and macrofauna communities and benthic ecosystem processes. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171076. [PMID: 38382611 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Soft sediment marine benthic ecosystems comprise a diverse community of bacteria, meiofauna and macrofauna, which together support a range of ecosystem processes such as biogeochemical cycling. These ecosystems are also fishing grounds for demersal species that are often caught using bottom trawling. This fishing method can have deleterious effects on benthic communities by causing injury or mortality, and through alteration of sediment properties that in turn influence community structure. Although the impacts of bottom trawling on macrofauna are relatively well studied, less is known about the responses of meiofauna and bacteria to such disturbances, or how bottom trawling impacts benthic ecosystem processes. Quantifying trawling impacts against a background of natural environmental variability is also a challenge. To address these questions, we examined effects of bottom trawling and a range of environmental variables (e.g. water chemistry and physical and biochemical surface sediment properties) on a) bacterial, meiofaunal and macrofaunal community structure and b) benthic ecosystem processes (nutrient fluxes, extracellular enzyme activities and carbon turnover and degradation rates). We also investigated the link between the benthic macrofauna community and the same ecosystem processes. While there was a significant effect of bottom trawling intensity on macrofaunal community structure, the same was not seen for bacterial or meiofaunal community composition, which were more affected by environmental factors, such as surface sediment properties. The labile component of the surface sediment carbon pool was higher at highly trawled sites. Carbon degradation rates, extracellular enzyme activities, oxygen fluxes and some nutrient fluxes were significantly affected by trawling, but ecosystem processes were also strongly linked to the abundance of key bioturbators (Macoma balthica, Halicryptus spinulosus, Scoloplos armiger and Pontoporeia femorata). Although benthic ecosystems were affected by a combination of trawling and natural variability, disentangling these showed that the anthropogenic effects were clearest on the larger component of the community, i.e. macrofauna composition, and on ecosystem processes related to sedimentary carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Bradshaw
- Stockholm University, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Sven Iburg
- Stockholm University, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudia Morys
- Stockholm University, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mattias Sköld
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lysekil, Sweden
| | - Antonio Pusceddu
- University of Cagliari, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Claudia Ennas
- University of Cagliari, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Patrik Jonsson
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lysekil, Sweden
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17
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Zhang M, Fan S, Li X, Li Y, Li K, Xu Y, Dong L. Supporting function of vegetation in urban riparian ecological corridors for ground-dwelling faunal diversity in Beijing, China. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171150. [PMID: 38395166 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Rapid global urbanization has resulted in increased biodiversity problems, particularly the loss of ground-dwelling fauna in urban areas. Urban riparian corridors are an important green infrastructure for biodiversity conservation, in which urban vegetation plays an essential role. The influence of urban vegetation on ground-dwelling faunal diversity is poorly understood. In this study, we used camera traps to collect the species, functional and phylogenetic diversity of ground-dwelling fauna in the Wenyu River-North Canal riparian corridor in Beijing, and analyzed the effects of the vegetation structure and plant community composition on the diversity and community composition of ground-dwelling animals. A plant-ground dwelling animal interaction network was also built to investigate the food supply of plants for ground-nesting animals. We found that at the vegetation structure level, the high connectivity within a radius of 2000 m and the homogeneous distribution within a radius of 1000 m of vegetation patches had generally positive effects on ground-dwelling animals, and shrublands exhibited a supportive role for mammals in riparian corridors. At the plant community level, tall herbs were instrumental in increasing the willingness of ground-dwelling animals to stay in and pass through the area. Native plants were the main plant food resource for ground-dwelling animals. Given the significant effects of vegetation on ground-dwelling fauna, we advocate that habitat conservation and food supply for ground-dwelling animals be supported through appropriate plant landscape planning and design strategies in ecological corridors in urban areas in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Zhang
- College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Laboratory of Beijing Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing, China; National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing, China.
| | - Shuxin Fan
- College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Laboratory of Beijing Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing, China; National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaolu Li
- College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Laboratory of Beijing Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing, China; National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing, China.
| | - Yitong Li
- College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Laboratory of Beijing Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing, China; National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Li
- College of Landscape Architecture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China.
| | - Yiding Xu
- Landscape Architecture and Landscape Research Branch, China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Li Dong
- College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Laboratory of Beijing Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing, China; National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing, China.
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18
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Liu B, Liu Z, Li C, Yu H, Wang H. Geographical distribution and ecological niche dynamics of Crassostrea sikamea (Amemiya, 1928) in China's coastal regions under climate change. Sci Total Environ 2024; 920:171061. [PMID: 38373453 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Global climate change drives species redistribution, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem heterogeneity. The Kumamoto oyster, Crassostrea sikamea (Amemiya, 1928), one of the most promising aquaculture species because of its delayed reproductive timing, was once prevalent in southern China. In this study, an ensemble species distribution model was employed to analyze the distribution range shift and ecological niche dynamics of C. sikamea along China's coastline under the current and future climate scenarios (RCP 2.6-8.5 covering 2050 s and 2100 s). The model results indicated that the current habitat distribution for C. sikamea consists of a continuous stretch extending from the coastlines of Hainan Province to the northern shores of Jiangsu Province. By the 2050 s, the distribution range will stabilize at its southern end along the coast of Hainan Province, while expanding northward to cover the coastal areas of Shandong Province, showing a more dramatic trend of contraction in the south and invasion in the north by the 2100 s. In RCP8.5, the southern end retracts to the coasts of Guangdong, whereas the northern end covers all of China's coastal areas north of 34°N. C. sikamea can maintain relatively stable ecological niche characteristics, while it may occupy different ecological niche spaces under future climate conditions. Significant niche expansion will occur in lower temperature. We concluded C. sikamea habitats are susceptible to climate change. The rapid northward expansion of C. sikamea may open new possibilities for oyster farming in China, but it will also have important consequences for the ecological balance and biodiversity of receiving areas. It's imperative that we closely examine and strategize to address these repercussions for a win-win situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingxian Liu
- Department of Marine Organism Taxonomy & Phylogeny, Institute of Oceanology, Chine Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Zhenqiang Liu
- Department of Marine Organism Taxonomy & Phylogeny, Institute of Oceanology, Chine Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Cui Li
- Department of Marine Organism Taxonomy & Phylogeny, Institute of Oceanology, Chine Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Haolin Yu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Marine Organism Taxonomy & Phylogeny, Institute of Oceanology, Chine Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
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19
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Peyhardi J, Laroche F, Mortier F. Pólya-splitting distributions as stationary solutions of multivariate birth-death processes under extended neutral theory. J Theor Biol 2024; 582:111755. [PMID: 38354766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Multivariate count distributions are crucial for the inference of ecological processes underpinning biodiversity. In particular, neutral theory provides useful null distributions allowing the evaluation of adaptation or natural selection. In this paper, we build a broader family of multivariate distributions: the Polya-splitting distributions. We show that they emerge naturally as stationary distributions of a multivariate birth-death process. This family of distributions is a consistent extension of non-zero sum neutral models based on a master equation approach. It allows considering both total abundance of the community and relative abundances of species. We emphasize that this family is large enough to encompass various dependence structures among species. We also introduce the strong closure under addition property that can be useful to generate nested multi-level dependence structures. Although all Pólya splitting distributions do not share this property, we provide numerous example verifying it. They include the previously known example with independent species, and also new ones with alternative dependence structures. Overall, we advocate that Polya-splitting distribution should become a part of the classic toolbox for the analysis of multivariate count data in ecology, providing alternative approaches to joint species distribution framework. Comparatively, our approach allows to model dependencies between species at the observation level, while the classical JSDM's model dependencies at the latent process strata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Peyhardi
- IMAG, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Fabien Laroche
- MR DYNAFOR, INP de Toulouse, INRAE, Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - Frédéric Mortier
- CIRAD, UPR Forêts et Sociétés, F-34398 Montpellier, France; Environmental Justice Program, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., United States of America
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20
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Liu Y, Hogan JA, Lichstein JW, Guralnick RP, Soltis DE, Soltis PS, Scheiner SM. Biodiversity and productivity in eastern US forests. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314231121. [PMID: 38527197 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314231121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite experimental and observational studies demonstrating that biodiversity enhances primary productivity, the best metric for predicting productivity at broad geographic extents-functional trait diversity, phylogenetic diversity, or species richness-remains unknown. Using >1.8 million tree measurements from across eastern US forests, we quantified relationships among functional trait diversity, phylogenetic diversity, species richness, and productivity. Surprisingly, functional trait and phylogenetic diversity explained little variation in productivity that could not be explained by tree species richness. This result was consistent across the entire eastern United States, within ecoprovinces, and within data subsets that controlled for biomass or stand age. Metrics of functional trait and phylogenetic diversity that were independent of species richness were negatively correlated with productivity. This last result suggests that processes that determine species sorting and packing are likely important for the relationships between productivity and biodiversity. This result also demonstrates the potential confusion that can arise when interdependencies among different diversity metrics are ignored. Our findings show the value of species richness as a predictive tool and highlight gaps in knowledge about linkages between functional diversity and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Liu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - J Aaron Hogan
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | | | - Robert P Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Douglas E Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Pamela S Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
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21
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Liu YY, Cao JL, Kan SL, Wang PH, Wang JL, Cao YN, Wang HW, Li JM. Phylogenomic analyses sheds new light on the phylogeny and diversification of Corydalis DC. in Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains and adjacent regions. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 193:108023. [PMID: 38342159 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
The Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains (HHM), a renowned biodiversity hotspot of the world, harbors the most extensive habitats for alpine plants with extraordinary high levels of endemism. Although the general evolution pattern has been elucidated, the underlying processes driving spectacular radiations in many species-rich groups remain elusive. Corydalis DC. is widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere containing more than 500 species, with high diversity in HHM and adjacent regions. Using 95 plastid genes, 3,258,640 nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and eight single-copy nuclear genes (SCNs) generated from genome skimming data, we reconstructed a robust time-calibrated phylogeny of Corydalis comprising more than 100 species that represented all subgenera and most sections. Molecular dating indicated that all main clades of Corydalis began to diverge in the Eocene, with the majority of extant species in HHM emerged from a diversification burst after the middle Miocene. Global pattern of mean divergence times indicated that species distributed in HHM were considerably younger than those in other regions, particularly for the two most species-rich clades (V and VI) of Corydalis. The early divergence and the recent diversification of Corydalis were most likely promoted by the continuous orogenesis and climate change associated with the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Our study demonstrates the effectivity of phylogenomic analyses with genome skimming data on the phylogeny of species-rich taxa, and sheds lights on how the uplift of QTP has triggered the evolutionary radiations of large plant genera in HHM and adjacent regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yan Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Jia-Liang Cao
- College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Sheng-Long Kan
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China; Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Peng-Hang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Jun-Li Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Ya-Nan Cao
- College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Hong-Wei Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Jia-Mei Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
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22
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Cahill AE, Meglécz E, Chenuil A. Scientific history, biogeography, and biological traits predict presence of cryptic or overlooked species. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:546-561. [PMID: 38049930 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Genetic data show that many nominal species are composed of more than one biological species, and thus contain cryptic species in the broad sense (including overlooked species). When ignored, cryptic species generate confusion which, beyond biodiversity or vulnerability underestimation, blurs our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes and may impact the soundness of decisions in conservation or medicine. However, very few hypotheses have been tested about factors that predispose a taxon to contain cryptic or overlooked species. To fill this gap, we surveyed the literature on free-living marine metazoans and built two data sets, one of 187,603 nominal species and another of 83 classes or phyla, to test several hypotheses, correcting for sequence data availability, taxon size and phylogenetic relatedness. We found a strong effect of scientific history: the probability of a taxon containing cryptic species was highest for the earliest described species and varied among time periods potentially consistently with an influence of prevailing scientific theories. The probability of cryptic species being present was also increased for species with large distribution ranges. They were more frequent in the north polar and south polar zones, contradicting previous predictions of more cryptic species in the tropics, and supporting the hypothesis that many cryptic species diverged recently. The number of cryptic species varied among classes, with an excess in hydrozoans and polychaetes, and a deficit in actinopterygians, for example, but precise class ranking was relatively sensitive to the statistical model used. For all models, biological traits, rather than phylum, appeared responsible for the variation among classes: there were fewer cryptic species than expected in classes with hard skeletons (perhaps because they provide good characters for taxonomy) and image-forming vision (in which selection against heterospecific mating may enhance morphological divergence), and more in classes with internal fertilisation. We estimate that among marine free-living metazoans, several thousand additional cryptic species complexes could be identified as more sequence data become available. The factors identified as important for marine animal cryptic species are likely important for other biomes and taxa and should aid many areas in biology that rely on accurate species identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Cahill
- Biology Department, Albion College, 611 East Porter St., Albion, MI, 49224, USA
| | - Emese Meglécz
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Station Marine d'Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, Marseille, 13007, France
| | - Anne Chenuil
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Station Marine d'Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, Marseille, 13007, France
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23
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Pinheiro FL, Eltink E, Paes-Neto VD, Machado AF, Simões TR, Pierce SE. Interrelationships among Early Triassic faunas of Western Gondwana and Laurasia as illuminated by a new South American benthosuchid temnospondyl. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:726-743. [PMID: 38240478 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
The End-Permian Mass Extinction marked a critical turning point in Earth's history, and the biological recovery that followed the crisis led to the emergence of several modern vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. Even considering the importance of the Early Triassic biotic recovery for the evolution of modern faunas and floras, our knowledge of this event is still hindered by the sparse sampling of crucial geological formations. This leaves our understanding of Early Triassic ecosystems fundamentally biased toward productive and historically well-explored geological units. Recent surveys in poorly known Gondwanan localities, such as those within the Sanga do Cabral Formation in southern Brazil, have unveiled insights into Early Triassic terrestrial ecosystems, shedding light on a diverse and previously unknown tetrapod fauna. Here, we report the discovery of a new temnospondyl genus and species in the Lower Triassic Sanga do Cabral Formation. The new taxon can be confidently assigned to the Benthosuchidae, a stereospondyl clade with a distribution previously restricted to the East European Platform. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the relationship of the new genus to the trematosaurian lineage, being closely related to the genus Benthosuchus. Our results raise questions about the biogeographical history of stereospondyls after the End-Permian Mass Extinction and suggest a potential connection between Russian and South American Early Triassic faunas. Further investigations are needed to thoroughly explore the potential dispersal routes that may explain this seemingly unusual biogeographical pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe L Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Estevan Eltink
- Colegiado de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Senhor do Bonfim, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Voltaire D Paes-Neto
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Arielli F Machado
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tiago R Simões
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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24
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Lino JB, Laurino IRA, Longo PADS, Santos CSG, Motta FDS, Francini-Filho RB, Pereira-Filho GH. Proxies to detect hotspots of invertebrate biodiversity on rhodolith beds across the Southwestern Atlantic. Mar Environ Res 2024; 196:106431. [PMID: 38442590 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Rhodolith beds are known worldwide to host high biodiversity to several taxa. Despite their importance, few ecological data explored the influence of rhodolith features and environmental variables on associated biodiversity, a gap that has been hampering the mapping of diversity hotspots and priority areas for conservation. In this study, we investigated large-scale spatial variations of rhodolith beds and their associated fauna, using annelid polychaetes as a biological model. We aimed to identify proxies, based on rhodolith features and environmental variables, to detect biodiversity hotspots across Southwestern Atlantic beds, laying the groundwork for mapping priority areas for conservation. With this goal, we sampled a total of 136 rhodolith nodules across seven sites with beds under distinct latitudes, depths, distances from the mainland coast of Brazil, and rhodolith densities. For each nodule sampled, we measured the volume, diameter, and mass of sediment trapped, as well as the attributes of the associated polychaetes (abundance, richness, diversity, and composition). Our results revealed a complex network of collinearities and synergisms between the rhodolith features and the majority of the polychaetes attributes (i.e., abundance, diversity, and composition). Polychaete richness, in contrast, can be explained by the combination of two proxies: (1) rhodolith nodule diameter and (2) distance of the rhodolith bed from the mainland coast. Nearshore rhodolith beds and larger nodules were associated with higher values of richness. Additionally, rhodoliths with a hollow morphology were also associated with higher values of polychaete richness. These results suggest that nearshore rhodolith beds with large and hollow nodules could be priority areas for conservation. However, further multi-taxa studies using our framework are still needed to explore other regions and scales, delineating more comprehensive proxies for predicting ecological patterns of the rhodoliths associated fauna and to identify priorities for conservation across Southwestern Atlantic beds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline Barreto Lino
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça 144, Santos, 110-070, Brazil
| | - Ivan Rodrigo Abrão Laurino
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça 144, Santos, 110-070, Brazil
| | - Pedro Augusto Dos Santos Longo
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça 144, Santos, 110-070, Brazil
| | - Cinthya Simone Gomes Santos
- Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua: Professor Marcos Waldemar de Freitas Reis, s/n, Campus do Gragoatá, Bloco M, Sala 416, São Domingos, Niterói, RJ, CEP 24210-201, Brazil
| | - Fabio Dos Santos Motta
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça 144, Santos, 110-070, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo B Francini-Filho
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Conservação Marinha, Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, São Sebastião, SP, 11612-109, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Henrique Pereira-Filho
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Carvalho de Mendonça 144, Santos, 110-070, Brazil.
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25
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Thompson R, Delville Y, Lattin C. Why biodiversity matters in the lab. Horm Behav 2024; 160:105509. [PMID: 38401333 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yvon Delville
- University of Texas at Austin, United States of America
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26
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Zeiss R, Briones MJI, Mathieu J, Lomba A, Dahlke J, Heptner LF, Salako G, Eisenhauer N, Guerra CA. Effects of climate on the distribution and conservation of commonly observed European earthworms. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14187. [PMID: 37768192 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Belowground biodiversity distribution does not necessarily reflect aboveground biodiversity patterns, but maps of soil biodiversity remain scarce because of limited data availability. Earthworms belong to the most thoroughly studied soil organisms and-in their role as ecosystem engineers-have a significant impact on ecosystem functioning. We used species distribution modeling (SDMs) and available data sets to map the spatial distribution of commonly observed (i.e., frequently recorded) earthworm species (Annelida, Oligochaeta) across Europe under current and future climate conditions. First, we predicted potential species distributions with commonly used models (i.e., MaxEnt and Biomod) and estimated total species richness (i.e., number of species in a 5 × 5 km grid cell). Second, we determined how much the different types of protected areas covered predicted earthworm richness and species ranges (i.e., distributions) by estimating the respective proportion of the range area. Earthworm species richness was high in central western Europe and low in northeastern Europe. This pattern was mainly associated with annual mean temperature and precipitation seasonality, but the importance of predictor variables to species occurrences varied among species. The geographical ranges of the majority of the earthworm species were predicted to shift to eastern Europe and partly decrease under future climate scenarios. Predicted current and future ranges were only poorly covered by protected areas, such as national parks. More than 80% of future earthworm ranges were on average not protected at all (mean [SD] = 82.6% [0.04]). Overall, our results emphasize the urgency of considering especially vulnerable earthworm species, as well as other soil organisms, in the design of nature conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romy Zeiss
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria J I Briones
- Departamento de Ecologia y Biologia Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Jérome Mathieu
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université de Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Angela Lomba
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Jessica Dahlke
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Laura-Fiona Heptner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gabriel Salako
- Soil Zoology Division, Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany
- Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Carlos A Guerra
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
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27
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Albers HJ, Chang CH, Dissanayake STM, Helmstedt KJ, Kroetz K, Dilkina B, Zapata-Mor An I, Nolte C, Ochoa-Ochoa LM, Spencer G. Anticipating anthropogenic threats in acquiring new protected areas. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14176. [PMID: 37668112 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity continues to decline despite protected area expansion and global conservation commitments. Biodiversity losses occur in existing protected areas, yet common methods used to select protected areas ignore postimplementation threats that reduce effectiveness. We developed a conservation planning framework that considers the ongoing anthropogenic threats within protected areas when selecting sites and the value of planning for costly threat-mitigating activities (i.e., enforcement) at the time of siting decisions. We applied the framework to a set of landscapes that contained the range of possible correlations between species richness and threat. Accounting for threats and implementing enforcement activities increased benefits from protected areas without increasing budgets. Threat information was valuable in conserving more species per spending level even without enforcement, especially on landscapes with randomly distributed threats. Benefits from including threat information and enforcement were greatest when human threats peaked in areas of high species richness and were lowest where human threats were negatively associated with species richness. Because acquiring information on threats and using threat-mitigating activities are costly, our findings can guide decision-makers regarding the settings in which to pursue these planning steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi J Albers
- Department of Economics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Charlotte H Chang
- Department of Biology and Environmental Analysis Program, Pomona College, Claremont, California, USA
- David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program, Society for Conservation Biology, Washington, DC, USA
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Kate J Helmstedt
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kailin Kroetz
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Resources for the Future, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Bistra Dilkina
- Department of Computer Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Christoph Nolte
- Department of Earth & Environment, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Leticia M Ochoa-Ochoa
- Departamento de Biolog´ıa Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
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28
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Lin L, Liu Y, Yan Y, Kang B. Optimizing efficiency and resilience of no-take marine protected areas for fish conservation under climate change along the coastlines of China Seas. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14174. [PMID: 37650435 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is one of the major threats to coastal fish biodiversity, and optimization of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) is imminent. We predicted fish redistribution under climate change in coastal China Seas with joint species distribution modeling and prioritized areas for conservation with Zonation, for which we used core area zonation (CAZ) and additive benefit function (ABF). Based on our results, we devised an expansion plan of no-take MPAs. Under climate change, fish were redistributed northward along the coast. These redistributions were segmented by the Yangtze River estuary and its adjacent waters, indicating a possible biogeographical barrier. Under CAZ and ABF, significantly more fish habitat was conserved than under random prioritization (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = -0.36 and -0.62, respectively). The ABF better represented areas with higher species richness, whereas CAZ better represented core habitats for species with narrow distributions. Without accounting for species redistribution, the expanded MPAs were mainly distributed in the northwest of the South China Sea, the East China Sea, the north of the Yellow Sea, and the west of the Bohai Sea. When accounting for species redistribution, the proposed MPAs were mainly distributed in the north of the Bohai Sea and southwest of the Yellow Sea, corresponding to the northern species redistributions. These MPAs conserved less habitat for fishes at present but protected more and better quality habitat for fishes in 2050 and 2100 than those MPAs that did not account for species redistribution, indicating improved fish conservation under climate change. Incorporating species redistribution and trade-offs between areas with high species richness and areas that contain habitats for rare species are suggested to address coastal fish conservation under climate change. This work provides valuable information for fish conservation and is a precursor to systematic conservation planning along the coastlines of China Seas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Lin
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
| | - Yang Yan
- College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
| | - Bin Kang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
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29
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Gerstner BE, Blair ME, Bills P, Cruz-Rodriguez CA, Zarnetske PL. The influence of scale-dependent geodiversity on species distribution models in a biodiversity hotspot. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2024; 382:20230057. [PMID: 38342213 PMCID: PMC10859231 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2023.0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Improving models of species' distributions is essential for conservation, especially in light of global change. Species distribution models (SDMs) often rely on mean environmental conditions, yet species distributions are also a function of environmental heterogeneity and filtering acting at multiple spatial scales. Geodiversity, which we define as the variation of abiotic features and processes of Earth's entire geosphere (inclusive of climate), has potential to improve SDMs and conservation assessments, as they capture multiple abiotic dimensions of species niches, however they have not been sufficiently tested in SDMs. We tested a range of geodiversity variables computed at varying scales using climate and elevation data. We compared predictive performance of MaxEnt SDMs generated using CHELSA bioclimatic variables to those also including geodiversity variables for 31 mammalian species in Colombia. Results show the spatial grain of geodiversity variables affects SDM performance. Some variables consistently exhibited an increasing or decreasing trend in variable importance with spatial grain, showing slight scale-dependence and indicating that some geodiversity variables are more relevant at particular scales for some species. Incorporating geodiversity variables into SDMs, and doing so at the appropriate spatial scales, enhances the ability to model species-environment relationships, thereby contributing to the conservation and management of biodiversity. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth E. Gerstner
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife,
- Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program,
| | - Mary E. Blair
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrick Bills
- Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research (ICER),
- Institute for Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution, and Macrosystems (IBEEM), and
| | - Cristian A. Cruz-Rodriguez
- Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Av. Paseo de Bolívar No. 16-20, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal. Montréal (QC), Canada
| | - Phoebe L. Zarnetske
- Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program,
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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30
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Lausch A, Selsam P, Pause M, Bumberger J. Monitoring vegetation- and geodiversity with remote sensing and traits. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2024; 382:20230058. [PMID: 38342219 PMCID: PMC10859235 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2023.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Geodiversity has shaped and structured the Earth's surface at all spatio-temporal scales, not only through long-term processes but also through medium- and short-term processes. Geodiversity is, therefore, a key control and regulating variable in the overall development of landscapes and biodiversity. However, climate change and land use intensity are leading to major changes and disturbances in bio- and geodiversity. For sustainable ecosystem management, temporal, economically viable and standardized monitoring is needed to monitor and model the effects and changes in vegetation- and geodiversity. RS approaches have been used for this purpose for decades. However, to understand in detail how RS approaches capture vegetation- and geodiversity, the aim of this paper is to describe how five features of vegetation- and geodiversity are captured using RS technologies, namely: (i) trait diversity, (ii) phylogenetic/genese diversity, (iii) structural diversity, (iv) taxonomic diversity and (v) functional diversity. Trait diversity is essential for establishing the other four. Traits provide a crucial interface between in situ, close-range, aerial and space-based RS monitoring approaches. The trait approach allows complex data of different types and formats to be linked using the latest semantic data integration techniques, which will enable ecosystem integrity monitoring and modelling in the future. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Lausch
- Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 4, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Department of Architecture, Facility Management and Geoinformation, Institute for Geoinformation and Surveying, Bauhausstraße 8, 06846 Dessau, Germany
| | - Peter Selsam
- Department of Monitoring and Exploration Technologies, and
| | - Marion Pause
- Department of Architecture, Facility Management and Geoinformation, Institute for Geoinformation and Surveying, Bauhausstraße 8, 06846 Dessau, Germany
| | - Jan Bumberger
- Department of Monitoring and Exploration Technologies, and
- Research Data Management-RDM, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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31
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Vernygora OV, Sperling FAH, Dupuis JR. Toward transparent taxonomy: an interactive web-tool for evaluating competing taxonomic arrangements. Cladistics 2024; 40:181-191. [PMID: 37824277 DOI: 10.1111/cla.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Informative and consistent taxonomy above the species level is essential to communication about evolution, biodiversity and conservation, and yet the practice of taxonomy is considered opaque and subjective by non-taxonomist scientists and the public alike. While various proposals have tried to make the basis for the ranking and inclusiveness of taxa more transparent and objective, widespread adoption of these ideas has lagged. Here, we present TaxonomR, an interactive online decision-support tool to evaluate alternative taxonomic classifications. This tool implements an approach that quantifies the criteria commonly used in taxonomic treatments and allows the user to interactively manipulate weightings for different criteria to compare scores for taxonomic groupings under those weights. We use the butterfly taxon Argynnis to demonstrate how different weightings applied to common taxonomic criteria result in fundamentally different genus-level classifications that are predominantly used in different continents and geographic regions. These differences are objectively compared and quantified using TaxonomR to evaluate the kinds of criteria that have been emphasized in earlier classifications, and the nature of the support for current alternative taxonomic arrangements. The main role of TaxonomR is to make taxonomic decisions transparent via an explicit prioritization scheme. TaxonomR is not a prescriptive application. Rather, it aims to be a tool for facilitating our understanding of alternative taxonomic classifications that can, in turn, potentially support global harmony in biodiversity assessments through evidence-based discussion and community-wide resolution of historically entrenched taxonomic tensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana V Vernygora
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, S225 Ag Science Center North, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Felix A H Sperling
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Julian R Dupuis
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, S225 Ag Science Center North, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
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32
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Taglialegna A. Inactive vents, active producers. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:187. [PMID: 38355763 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01022-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
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33
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Littleford-Colquhoun B, Kartzinel TR. A CRISPR-based strategy for targeted sequencing in biodiversity science. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13920. [PMID: 38153158 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Many applications in molecular ecology require the ability to match specific DNA sequences from single- or mixed-species samples with a diagnostic reference library. Widely used methods for DNA barcoding and metabarcoding employ PCR and amplicon sequencing to identify taxa based on target sequences, but the target-specific enrichment capabilities of CRISPR-Cas systems may offer advantages in some applications. We identified 54,837 CRISPR-Cas guide RNAs that may be useful for enriching chloroplast DNA across phylogenetically diverse plant species. We tested a subset of 17 guide RNAs in vitro to enrich plant DNA strands ranging in size from diagnostic DNA barcodes of 1,428 bp to entire chloroplast genomes of 121,284 bp. We used an Oxford Nanopore sequencer to evaluate sequencing success based on both single- and mixed-species samples, which yielded mean chloroplast sequence lengths of 2,530-11,367 bp, depending on the experiment. In comparison to mixed-species experiments, single-species experiments yielded more on-target sequence reads and greater mean pairwise identity between contigs and the plant species' reference genomes. But nevertheless, these mixed-species experiments yielded sufficient data to provide ≥48-fold increase in sequence length and better estimates of relative abundance for a commercially prepared mixture of plant species compared to DNA metabarcoding based on the chloroplast trnL-P6 marker. Prior work developed CRISPR-based enrichment protocols for long-read sequencing and our experiments pioneered its use for plant DNA barcoding and chloroplast assemblies that may have advantages over workflows that require PCR and short-read sequencing. Future work would benefit from continuing to develop in vitro and in silico methods for CRISPR-based analyses of mixed-species samples, especially when the appropriate reference genomes for contig assembly cannot be known a priori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethan Littleford-Colquhoun
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Tyler R Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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34
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Miller SN, Beier P, Suzart de Albuquerque F. A test of Conserving Nature's Stage: protecting a diversity of geophysical traits can also support a diversity of species at a landscape scale. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2024; 382:20230063. [PMID: 38342207 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2023.0063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Conserving Nature's Stage (CNS) is a concept from conservation planning that promotes the protection of areas encompassing a broad range of enduring geophysical traits to provide long-term habitat for diverse species. The efficacy of using enduring geophysical characteristics as surrogates for biodiversity, independent of non-geophysical features and when considering finer resolution area selections, has yet to be investigated. Here, we evaluated CNS using 33 fine-scale inventories of vascular plant, non-vascular plant, invertebrate or vertebrate species from 13 areas across three continents. For each inventory, we estimated a continuous multidimensional surrogate defined from topographic and soil estimates of the surveyed plots. We assessed surrogate effectiveness by comparing the species representation of surrogate selected plots to the representation from plots picked randomly and using species information. We then used correlation coefficients to assess the link between the performance and qualities of the inventories, surroundings and surrogates. The CNS surrogate showed positive performance for 24 of the 33 inventories, and among these tests, represented 28 more species than random and 83% of the total number of species on average. We also found a small number of weak correlations between performance and environmental variability, as well as qualities of the surrogate. Our study demonstrates that prioritizing areas for a variety of geophysical characteristics will, in most cases, promote the representation of species. Our findings also point to areas for future research that might enhance CNS surrogacy. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Miller
- School of Biology and Ecology, Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5751, USA
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff,AZ 86011-5018, USA
| | - Paul Beier
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff,AZ 86011-5018, USA
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Fabio Suzart de Albuquerque
- School of Applied Sciences and Arts, College of IntegrativeSciences and Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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35
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Hagen S, Nolte C, Chang Y, Morgan S, Boccaletti G, Reddy SMW. Understanding variation in impacts from private protected areas across regions and protection mechanisms to inform organizational practices. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14225. [PMID: 38328897 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Private land protection is an important and growing tool to address biodiversity loss and climate change. Thus, better empirical evidence on the effectiveness of private land protection and organizational practices, such as targeting of lands for protection and choice of protection mechanism (i.e., fee simple land acquisition and conservation easements), is needed. We addressed this gap by estimating the impacts of The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) (a large nongovernmental organization with relatively decentralized management) conservation land acquisitions and easements from 1988 to 2016 in three regions of the United States (Mid-Atlantic, New England and New York, and California). We estimated impact in terms of avoided conversion by comparing natural land cover on 3179 protected parcels with matched unprotected parcels. Nineteen of 21 ecoregional plans used threats of agriculture and development to identify priorities for protection. When regions and protection mechanisms were pooled, on average there was no evidence of avoided conversion from 1988 to 2016. Accounting for mechanisms, TNC land acquisitions avoided conversion and easements did not. TNC's easements on parcels acquired by conservation partners did avoid conversion. Limitations of these results include focus on a single measure of impact, inability to capture future avoided conversion, and low land cover change accuracy in California. Our results suggest that private land protection managers who seek to avoid land conversion in the near to medium term should increase focus on areas with higher threats. Special attention should be paid to strengthening accountability and the role of partners, improving or clarifying how easements are used, and facilitating the flow of resources to work with the greatest potential impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hagen
- LANDFIRE Team, North America Region, The Nature Conservancy, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Illinois Field Office, The Nature Conservancy, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Christoph Nolte
- Department of Earth & Environment, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Faculty of Computing and Data Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yuhe Chang
- Department of Earth & Environment, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Seth Morgan
- Chief Conservation Office, The Nature Conservancy, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Sheila M W Reddy
- Chief Conservation Office, The Nature Conservancy, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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36
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Vasilita C, Feng V, Hansen AK, Hartop E, Srivathsan A, Struijk R, Meier R. Express barcoding with NextGenPCR and MinION for species-level sorting of ecological samples. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13922. [PMID: 38240168 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The use of DNA barcoding is well established for specimen identification and large-scale biodiversity discovery, but remains underutilized for time-sensitive applications such as rapid species discovery in field stations, identifying pests, citizen science projects, and authenticating food. The main reason is that existing express barcoding workflows are either too expensive or can only be used in very well-equipped laboratories by highly-trained staff. We here show an alternative workflow combining rapid DNA extraction with HotSHOT, amplicon production with NextGenPCR thermocyclers, and sequencing with low-cost MinION sequencers. We demonstrate the power of the approach by generating 250 barcodes for 285 specimens within 6 h including specimen identification through BLAST. The workflow required only the following major equipment that easily fits onto a lab bench: Thermocycler, NextGenPCR, microplate sealer, Qubit, and MinION. Based on our results, we argue that simplified barcoding workflows for species-level sorting are now faster, more accurate, and sufficiently cost-effective to replace traditional morpho-species sorting in many projects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vivian Feng
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aslak Kappel Hansen
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
| | - Emily Hartop
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amrita Srivathsan
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robin Struijk
- Molecular Biology Systems B.V., Goes, The Netherlands
| | - Rudolf Meier
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Berlin, Germany
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37
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Christensen RVK, Bentsen NS. Discourse developments within the public agenda on Danish nature management 2016-2021: Animal welfare ethics as a barrier to rewilding projects. Ambio 2024; 53:637-652. [PMID: 38070061 PMCID: PMC10920536 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01964-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Prompted by the increasing public focus on environmental policy and the continuous inability of States to reach environmental targets agreed upon in the context of the United Nations and the European Union, we explore the development of discourses within the Danish public agenda regarding nature management 2016-2021. This is done through a mixed-methods framework of discourse analysis and structural topic modeling based on documents from the Danish Parliament's Environmental committee 2016-2021, estimating topic prevalence, and analyzing the discourses within each topic, resulting in a qualitative overview of 21 identified topics and their associated discourses and an overview of how the different topic proportions changed over time. A shift in the public agenda was found: a change from discussions about untouched forest focused on trade-offs between timber extraction and biodiversity, to a discussion about different understandings of animal welfare in the context of large grazers in nature national parks in Denmark.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niclas Scott Bentsen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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38
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Zhao X, Wang J, Liu Q, Du W, Yang S, Cai P, Ni J. Multifunctionality promotes the prosperity of riverine planktonic diatoms in plateau. Environ Res 2024; 246:118148. [PMID: 38191040 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Interpreting the biogeographic distribution and underlying mechanisms of functional traits not only contributes to revealing the spatiotemporal dynamics of species biodiversity but also helps to maintain ecological stability during environmental variations. However, little is known about the functional profiles of diatom communities over large river systems. Herein, we provided the first blueprints about the spatiotemporal distributions and driving forces of functional traits for both planktonic and sedimentary diatoms over the 6030 km continuum of the Yangtze River, with the help of the high-throughput sequencing and functional identification. By investigating the 28 functional traits affiliated into five categories, we found that planktonic diatom functions showed clearer landform-heterogeneity patterns (ANOSIM R = 0.336) than sedimentary functions (ANOSIM R = 0.172) along the river, represented by life-forms and ecological-guilds prominent in water-plateau as well as cell-sizes and life-forms particularly in sediment-plateau. Planktonic diatom functions also displayed higher richness and network complexity in plateau (richness: 58.70 ± 9.30, network edges: 65) than in non-plateau regions (23.82 ± 13.16, 16), promoting the stability and robustness of diatom functions against the high-radiation and low-temperature plateau environment. Environmental selection (mainly exerted by PAR, UV, and Tw) played crucial roles in determining the functional variations of planktonic diatoms (explaining 80.5%) rather than sedimentary diatoms (14.5%) between plateau and non-plateau regions. Meanwhile, planktonic diatom traits within life-forms were identified to be well responsive to the ecological environment quality (r = 0.56-0.60, P < 0.001) in the Yangtze. This study provided comprehensive insights into the multifunctionality of diatoms and their responses to environmental disturbance and environment quality, which helps to develop effective strategies for maintaining ecological stability in changing river environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Zhao
- School of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, PR China
| | - Jiawen Wang
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China; College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China.
| | - Qingxiang Liu
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Wenran Du
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China; College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Shanqing Yang
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Pinggui Cai
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China; College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Jinren Ni
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China
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39
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Rampling EE, Zu Ermgassen SOSE, Hawkins I, Bull JW. Achieving biodiversity net gain by addressing governance gaps underpinning ecological compensation policies. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14198. [PMID: 37811729 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity compensation policies have emerged around the world to address the ecological harms of infrastructure expansion, but historically compliance is weak. The Westminster government is introducing a requirement that new infrastructure developments in England demonstrate they achieve a biodiversity net gain (BNG). We sought to determine the magnitude of the effects of governance gaps and regulator capacity constraints on the policy's potential biodiversity impacts. We collated BNG information from all new major developments across six early-adopter councils from 2020 to 2022. We quantified the proportion of the biodiversity outcomes promised under BNG at risk of noncompliance, explored the variation in strategies used to meet developers' biodiversity liabilities, and quantified the occurrence of simple errors in the biodiversity metric calculations. For large developments and energy infrastructure, biodiversity liabilities frequently met within the projects' development footprint. For small developments, the purchase of offsets was most common. We estimated that 27% of all biodiversity units fell into governance gaps that exposed them to a high risk of noncompliance because they were associated with better-condition habitats delivered on-site that were unlikely to be monitored or enforced. More robust governance mechanisms (e.g., practical mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement) would help ensure the delivery of this biodiversity on-site. Alternatively, more biodiversity gains could be delivered through off-site biodiversity offsetting. For the latter case, we estimated that the demand for offsets could rise by a factor of 4; this would substantially increase the financial contributions from developers for conservation activities on private land. Twenty-one percent of development applications contained a simple recurring error in their BNG calculations. One-half of these applications were approved by councils, which may indicate under-resourcing in council development assessments. Our findings demonstrate that resourcing and governance shortfalls risk undermining the policy's effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Rampling
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Sophus O S E Zu Ermgassen
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
- Nature-positive Hub, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Isobel Hawkins
- Nature-positive Hub, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joseph W Bull
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
- Nature-positive Hub, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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40
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Schrodt F, Vernham G, Bailey J, Field R, Gordon JE, Gray M, Hjort J, Hoorn C, Hunter Jr. ML, Larwood J, Lausch A, Monge-Ganuzas M, Miller S, van Ree D, Seijmonsbergen AC, Zarnetske PL, Daniel Kissling W. The status and future of essential geodiversity variables. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2024; 382:20230052. [PMID: 38342208 PMCID: PMC10859226 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2023.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Rapid environmental change, natural resource overconsumption and increasing concerns about ecological sustainability have led to the development of 'Essential Variables' (EVs). EVs are harmonized data products to inform policy and to enable effective management of natural resources by monitoring global changes. Recent years have seen the instigation of new EVs beyond those established for climate, oceans and biodiversity (ECVs, EOVs and EBVs), including Essential Geodiversity Variables (EGVs). EGVs aim to consistently quantify and monitor heterogeneity of Earth-surface and subsurface abiotic features, including geology, geomorphology, hydrology and pedology. Here we assess the status and future development of EGVs to better incorporate geodiversity into policy and sustainable management of natural resources. Getting EGVs operational requires better consensus on defining geodiversity, investments into a governance structure and open platform for curating the development of EGVs, advances in harmonizing in situ measurements and linking heterogeneous databases, and development of open and accessible computational workflows for global digital mapping using machine-learning techniques. Cross-disciplinary collaboration and partnerships with governmental and private organizations are needed to ensure the successful development and uptake of EGVs across science and policy. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Schrodt
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Grant Vernham
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Joseph Bailey
- Department of Biology, Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge Campus, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB1 1PT, UK
| | - Richard Field
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - John E. Gordon
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY169AL, UK
| | - Murray Gray
- Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Jan Hjort
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu 90570, Finland
| | - Carina Hoorn
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1000 GG, The Netherlands
| | - Malcom L. Hunter Jr.
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Maine, USA
| | - Jonathan Larwood
- Strategy and Governance, Natural England, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 8YY, UK
| | - Angela Lausch
- Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Saxony 04318, Germany
| | - Manu Monge-Ganuzas
- Geoheritage Commission, Spanish Geological Society, Busturia, Biscay 48350, Spain
| | - Stephanie Miller
- School of Biology and Ecology; Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5751, USA
| | - Derk van Ree
- Geo-engineering, Deltares, Delft 2600 MH, The Netherlands
- Environmental Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Faculteit der Betawetenschappen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arie Christoffel Seijmonsbergen
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1090 GE, The Netherlands
| | - Phoebe L. Zarnetske
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1312, USA
| | - W. Daniel Kissling
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1090 GE, The Netherlands
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41
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Robinson JM, Breed AC, Camargo A, Redvers N, Breed MF. Biodiversity and human health: A scoping review and examples of underrepresented linkages. Environ Res 2024; 246:118115. [PMID: 38199470 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence supports the connections between exposure to environmental typologies(such as green and blue spaces)and human health. However, the mechanistic links that connect biodiversity (the variety of life) and human health, and the extent of supporting evidence remain less clear. Here, we undertook a scoping review to map the links between biodiversity and human health and summarise the levels of associated evidence using an established weight of evidence framework. Distinct from other reviews, we provide additional context regarding the environment-microbiome-health axis, evaluate the environmental buffering pathway (e.g., biodiversity impacts on air pollution), and provide examples of three under- or minimally-represented linkages. The examples are (1) biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples' health, (2) biodiversity and urban social equity, and (3) biodiversity and COVID-19. We observed a moderate level of evidence to support the environmental microbiota-human health pathway and a moderate-high level of evidence to support broader nature pathways (e.g., greenspace) to various health outcomes, from stress reduction to enhanced wellbeing and improved social cohesion. However, studies of broader nature pathways did not typically include specific biodiversity metrics, indicating clear research gaps. Further research is required to understand the connections and causative pathways between biodiversity (e.g., using metrics such as taxonomy, diversity/richness, structure, and function) and health outcomes. There are well-established frameworks to assess the effects of broad classifications of nature on human health. These can assist future research in linking biodiversity metrics to human health outcomes. Our examples of underrepresented linkages highlight the roles of biodiversity and its loss on urban lived experiences, infectious diseases, and Indigenous Peoples' sovereignty and livelihoods. More research and awareness of these socioecological interconnections are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M Robinson
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
| | - Andrew C Breed
- Epidemiology and One Health Section, Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia; School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld, Australia
| | | | - Nicole Redvers
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
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Barnes RSK, Hamylton SM, Borburgh L. Microscale dispersion of intertidal seagrass macrofauna. Mar Environ Res 2024; 196:106385. [PMID: 38309245 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies of dispersion of intertidal seagrass-associated macrobenthos in subtropical Moreton Bay, Queensland, showed that patchiness characterised its assemblage abundance with scale-invariant magnitude across areas ranging from >8000 to 0.1 m2. Those studies were here continued across the smaller scales (down to 0.014 m2) arguably more relevant to the dominant 2-10 mm long animals, using 16 replicate blocks of 5x5 contiguous 0.0024 m2 cores nested within the previously studied site. At microscales ≥0.09 m2, the earlier congruence of conclusions derived from patchiness indices and spatial autocorrelation broke down. At >0.014 m2, adjacent points (cores) no longer together formed larger spatial units of related abundance (i.e. showed no autocorrelation), but point abundances were still highly disparate (as reflected in patchiness indices). Congruent indications of patchiness only manifested at 0.014 m2 spatial scales. Assemblage dispersion pattern was partly consequent on one microgastropod (Pseudoliotia) occurring superabundantly in scattered 0.0024 m2 hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S K Barnes
- School of the Environment & Centre for Marine Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia; Department of Zoology & Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Sarah M Hamylton
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Liz Borburgh
- School of the Environment & Centre for Marine Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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Zhang L, Gao J, Zhao R, Wang J, Hao L, Wang M. Forb stability, dwarf shrub stability and species asynchrony regulate ecosystem stability along an experimental precipitation gradient in a semi-arid desert grassland. Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2024; 26:378-389. [PMID: 38442014 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Precipitation pattern changes may affect plant biodiversity, which could impact ecosystem stability. However, the effects of changes in precipitation regime on ecosystem stability and their potential mechanisms are still unclear. We conducted a 3-year field manipulation experiment with five precipitation treatments (-40%, -20%, 0% (CK), +20% and +40% of ambient growing season precipitation) in a semi-arid desert grassland to examine the effects of precipitation alterations on functional group stability, species asynchrony, and diversity, and the underlying mchanisms of ecosystem stability using structural equation modelling. Alterations in precipitation had different effects on community biomass and functional group biomass. Moreover, ecosystem stability was mainly driven by forb stability (path coefficient = 0.79). Changes in precipitation had significant effects on soil dissolved inorganic N (P < 0.01) further affecting ecosystem stability through species asynchrony (path coefficient = 0.25). Dwarf shrubs had a stabilizing effect on ecosystem stability (path coefficient = 0.32), mainly via deep roots. Ecosystem stability tended to be lower in the -40% (4.72) and +40% (2.74) precipitation treatments. The common reduction in species asynchrony and stability of forb and dwarf shrub functional groups resulted in lower ecosystem stability under the -40% treatment. The lower stability under the +40% treatment might be ascribed to unimproved dwarf shrub stability. Higher dwarf shrub and forb stability contributed to higher ecosystem stability under normal precipitation changes (±20% treatments) and CK. Species diversity was not a crucial driver of ecosystem stability. Our results indicate that precipitation alteration can regulate ecosystem stability via functional group stability (e.g. forb stability, dwarf shrub stability) and species asynchrony in a semiarid desert grassland.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Zhang
- College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - J Gao
- College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - R Zhao
- College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - J Wang
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, China
| | - L Hao
- School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
| | - M Wang
- College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
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Robert A. Building references for nature conservation. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14202. [PMID: 37811723 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Conservation references have long been used in conservation biology to compare current biodiversity processes and states with past conditions. However, beyond the paucity of data for the construction of ancient, even prehuman, references, the relevance of these ancient references for studying ecosystems radically modified by human activities is questionable, particularly when the notions of conservation references and conservation objectives are confused and when several conservation ethics coexist that require distinct references. Because of this implicit heterogeneity in the nature of the references and their temporal baseline, conservation references not only have different meanings, but also deliver different messages. I propose establishing a common framework for conservation references to approach past biological systems and build comparable references between studies and projects. The selection of these references (distinct from conservation objectives) should be an early, explicit, standardized, and transparent milestone in any conservation process and these references should be based on state, pressure, or process dynamics, rather than fixed states. Finally, the importance of the diversity of temporal baselines used to build conservation references and to measure anthropogenic impacts should be recognized to understand the biodiversity crisis in its entirety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Robert
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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Katayama N, Fujita T, Ueta M, Morelli F, Amano T. Effects of human depopulation and warming climate on bird populations in Japan. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14175. [PMID: 37650391 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying biodiversity trends in economically developed countries, where depopulation, associated secondary succession, and climate warming are ongoing, provides insights for global biodiversity conservation in the 21st century. However, few studies have assessed the impacts of secondary succession and climate warming on species' population trends at a national scale. We estimated the population trends of common breeding bird species in Japan and examined the associations between the overall population trend and species traits with the nationwide bird count data on 47 species collected from 2009 to 2020. The overall population trend varied among species. Four species populations increased moderately, 18 were stable, and 11 declined moderately. Population trends for 13 species were uncertain. The difference in overall trends among the species was associated with their habitat group and temperature niche. Species with relatively low-temperature niches experienced more pronounced declines. Multispecies indicators showed a moderate increase in forest specialists and moderate declines in forest generalists (species that use both forests and open habitats) and open-habitat specialists. Forest generalists and open-habitat specialists also declined more rapidly at sites with more abandoned farmland. All species groups showed an accelerated decline or decelerated increase after 2015. These results suggest that common breeding birds in Japan are facing deteriorating trends as a result of nationwide changes in land use and climate. Future land-use planning and policies should consider the benefits of passive rewilding for forest specialists and active restoration measures (e.g., low-intensive forestry and agriculture) for nonforest specialists to effectively conserve biodiversity in the era of human depopulation and climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Katayama
- Division of Agroecosystem Management Research, Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences NARO, Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Taku Fujita
- The Nature Conservation Society of Japan, Chuo-ku, Japan
| | | | - Federico Morelli
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Tatsuya Amano
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Forister ML, Dyer LA, Gompert Z, Smilanich AM. Editorial overview: Global change biology (2023) - Novel perspectives on futures, mechanisms, and the human element of insect conservation in the Anthropocene. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2024; 62:101175. [PMID: 38272390 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L Forister
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, Biology Department, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557
| | - Lee A Dyer
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, Biology Department, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557
| | - Zachariah Gompert
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
| | - Angela M Smilanich
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, Biology Department, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557
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47
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Opatova V, Bourguignon K, Bond JE. Species delimitation with limited sampling: An example from rare trapdoor spider genus Cyclocosmia (Mygalomorphae, Halonoproctidae). Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13894. [PMID: 37971187 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The outcome of species delimitation depends on many factors, including conceptual framework, study design, data availability, methodology employed and subjective decision making. Obtaining sufficient taxon sampling in endangered or rare taxa might be difficult, particularly when non-lethal tissue collection cannot be utilized. The need to avoid overexploitation of the natural populations may thus limit methodological framework available for downstream data analyses and bias the results. We test species boundaries in rare North American trapdoor spider genus Cyclocosmia Ausserer (1871) inhabiting the Southern Coastal Plain biodiversity hotspot with the use of genomic data and two multispecies coalescent model methods. We evaluate the performance of each methodology within a limited sampling framework. To mitigate the risk of species over splitting, common in taxa with highly structured populations, we subsequently implement a species validation step via genealogical diversification index (gdi), which accounts for both genetic isolation and gene flow. We delimited eight geographically restricted lineages within sampled North American Cyclocosmia, suggesting that major river drainages in the region are likely barriers to dispersal. Our results suggest that utilizing BPP in the species discovery step might be a good option for datasets comprising hundreds of loci, but fewer individuals, which may be a common scenario for rare taxa. However, we also show that such results should be validated via gdi, in order to avoid over splitting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Opatova
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Kellie Bourguignon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Jason E Bond
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Risoli MC, Yusseppone MS, Defeo O, Lomovasky BJ. Assessing sandy beach macrofaunal assemblages across geographically diverse morphodynamic environments. Mar Environ Res 2024; 196:106407. [PMID: 38373377 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
While the physical characteristics of sandy beaches play a significant role in shaping the macrofaunal community features through morphodynamics, regional environmental factors may also account for deviations from the expected patterns. Here, we assess the concurrent effects of local morphodynamic factors and regional variables, such as sea surface temperature (SST), salinity, and chlorophyll-a (chl-a), on species richness and abundance of intertidal macrofaunal assemblages in four sandy beaches located along the estuarine gradient generated by the Río de la Plata (RdlP) in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Species richness was higher in dissipative beaches compared to intermediate ones, consistent with the predictions of the Swash Exclusion Hypothesis. However, this trend was not observed for total abundance, which significantly increased with chl-a. Both local and regional-scale environmental factors, such as salinity and chl-a, proved to be significant predictors in the arrangement of these communities. These results further support previous findings that highlight the critical role of the estuarine gradient of the RdlP in shaping life-history traits, population structure, and abundance of the resident intertidal macrofauna at both local and regional scales. The study underscores the importance of integrating environmental factors operating at different spatial scales to decipher community patterns in these physically-controlled environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Risoli
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMYC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CC 1260 (7600), Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - M S Yusseppone
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMYC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CC 1260 (7600), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - O Defeo
- Laboratorio de Ciencias del Mar (UNDECIMAR), Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - B J Lomovasky
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMYC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CC 1260 (7600), Mar del Plata, Argentina.
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Carroll C, Hoban S, Ray JC. Lessons from COP15 on effective scientific engagement in biodiversity policy processes. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14192. [PMID: 37768193 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted by parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022. The aftermath of these negotiations provides an opportunity to draw lessons as to how ecological and evolutionary science can more effectively inform policy. We examined key challenges that limit effective engagement by scientists in the biodiversity policy process, drawing parallels with analogous challenges within global climate negotiations. Biodiversity is multifaceted, yet represents only one framing for nature's contributions to people, complicating the nexus between evidence and values in development of the framework's targets. Processes generating biodiversity and driving its loss are multiscalar, challenging development of an evidence base for globally standardized targets. We illustrated these challenges by contrasting development of 2 key elements of the framework. The genetic diversity element of the framework's target 4 is directly related to the framework's primary goals, but its complexity required development of novel engagement skills. The target for protected areas was easily communicated but more indirectly related to biodiversity outcomes; evidence from ecological and social science was essential to communicating the context and limitations of this relationship. Scientists can strengthen the effectiveness of global agreements and address challenges arising from complexity, scaling, capacity limitations, and the interplay of science and values, if they can prioritize communication, consensus-building, and networking skills and engage throughout the process, from development of an evidence base to implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Carroll
- Klamath Center for Conservation Research, Orleans, California, USA
| | - Sean Hoban
- Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, USA
| | - Justina C Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Martini F, Kounnamas C, Goodale E, Mammides C. Examining the co-occurrences of human threats within terrestrial protected areas. Ambio 2024; 53:592-603. [PMID: 38273093 PMCID: PMC10920590 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01966-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Human threats to biodiversity are prevalent within protected areas (PAs), undermining their effectiveness in halting biodiversity loss. Certain threats tend to co-occur, resulting in amplified cumulative impact through synergistic effects. However, it remains unclear which threats are related the most. We analyzed a dataset of 71 human threats in 18 013 terrestrial PAs of the European Union's Natura 2000 network, using a Joint Species Distribution Modelling approach, to assess the threats' co-occurrence patterns and potential drivers. Overall, threats were more frequently correlated positively than negatively. Threats related to agriculture and urbanization were correlated strongly with most other threats. Approximately 70% of the variance in our model was explained by country-specific factors, indicating the importance of local drivers. Minimizing the negative impact of key threats can likely reduce the impact of related threats. However, more research is needed to understand better the relationships among threats and, importantly, their combined impact on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Martini
- Botany Department, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Constantinos Kounnamas
- Nature Conservation Unit, Frederick University, 7, Yianni Frederickou Street, Pallouriotissa, 1036, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Eben Goodale
- Department of Health and Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, 8 Chongwen Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Christos Mammides
- Nature Conservation Unit, Frederick University, 7, Yianni Frederickou Street, Pallouriotissa, 1036, Nicosia, Cyprus
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