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Ferrarini A, Celada C, Gustin M. Waterbird Species Are Highly Sensitive to Wetland Traits: Simulation-Based Conservation Strategies for the Birds of the Sicilian Wetlands (Italy). Biology (Basel) 2024; 13:242. [PMID: 38666854 PMCID: PMC11048633 DOI: 10.3390/biology13040242] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we (a) formulated a general hypothesis about how wetland (functional and structural) traits influence avian diversity, (b) turned this hypothesis into a non-parametric Bayesian network, (c) disentangled the direct and indirect effects of the variables influencing waterbird species, and (d) simulated the changes expected to the levels of avian diversity as a result of numerous counterfactual and management scenarios. We applied our framework to the Sicilian wetlands as a whole; then, we downscaled simulations locally to a wetland of particular interest (Pantano Bruno). We found that (1) waterbird species are highly sensitive to wetland traits; (2) wetland traits have both direct and indirect effects upon alpha avian diversity; (3) the direct and indirect effects of wetland traits can be contrasting; (4) water level fluctuations (benefit), diversions (cost), and salinity (cost) are key factors for waterbird conservation; (5) these wetlands have the potential for hosting a level of alpha avian diversity that is double the baseline (from 19 to 38 species); (6) these wetlands are prone to ecological collapse if all traits deteriorate (from 19 to 6 species per wetland); and (7) the ecological information gained at the regional scale can be properly downscaled to the local scale to make inferences on single wetlands.
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Castillo JM, Gallego-Tévar B, Grewell BJ. Wrack Burial Limits Germination and Establishment of Yellow Flag Iris ( Iris pseudacorus L.). Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:1510. [PMID: 37050136 PMCID: PMC10096986 DOI: 10.3390/plants12071510] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Seed burial under wrack, mats of water-transported plant debris, can limit recruitment of seedlings in wetlands. In a greenhouse experiment, we studied the effects of wrack burial (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 cm depths) on germination and emergence of the macrophyte Iris pseudacorus, native to Europe, Mediterranean Basin, and western Asia, that has invaded wetlands in nearly every global ecozone. We recorded the percentages of germinating, senescent, and quiescent seeds and evaluated seedling establishment and growth relative to substrate environmental variables. Seedling emergence of I. pseudacorus was reduced from >80% in controls without burial to <40% even at minimal wrack depths of 1 cm. Few I. pseudacorus seedlings were able to emerge from wrack burial of up to 8 cm in depth. We also found greater numbers of both quiescent seeds and germinated seeds that did not emerge from wrack burial. Reduced seedling emergence and increased seed quiescence with wrack burial were primarily explained by a reduction in daily temperature variation within the substrate. No senescent seedlings were observed with any depth of wrack burial. In view of our results, the management of I. pseudacorus invasion will be a long-term challenge, requiring continued control due to persistent seeds in wrack-buried seed banks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M. Castillo
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Ap. 1095, 41080 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Blanca Gallego-Tévar
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Ap. 1095, 41080 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Brenda J. Grewell
- USDA-ARS, Invasive Species & Pollinator Health Research Unit, Department of Plant Sciences MS-4, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Wilmoth JL, Schaefer JK, Schlesinger DR, Roth SW, Hatcher PG, Shoemaker JK, Zhang X. The role of oxygen in stimulating methane production in wetlands. Glob Chang Biol 2021; 27:5831-5847. [PMID: 34409684 PMCID: PMC9291790 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4 ), a potent greenhouse gas, is the second most important greenhouse gas contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide (CO2 ). The biological emissions of CH4 from wetlands are a major uncertainty in CH4 budgets. Microbial methanogenesis by Archaea is an anaerobic process accounting for most biological CH4 production in nature, yet recent observations indicate that large emissions can originate from oxygenated or frequently oxygenated wetland soil layers. To determine how oxygen (O2 ) can stimulate CH4 emissions, we used incubations of Sphagnum peat to demonstrate that the temporary exposure of peat to O2 can increase CH4 yields up to 2000-fold during subsequent anoxic conditions relative to peat without O2 exposure. Geochemical (including ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, X-ray absorbance spectroscopy) and microbiome (16S rDNA amplicons, metagenomics) analyses of peat showed that higher CH4 yields of redox-oscillated peat were due to functional shifts in the peat microbiome arising during redox oscillation that enhanced peat carbon (C) degradation. Novosphingobium species with O2 -dependent aromatic oxygenase genes increased greatly in relative abundance during the oxygenation period in redox-oscillated peat compared to anoxic controls. Acidobacteria species were particularly important for anaerobic processing of peat C, including in the production of methanogenic substrates H2 and CO2 . Higher CO2 production during the anoxic phase of redox-oscillated peat stimulated hydrogenotrophic CH4 production by Methanobacterium species. The persistence of reduced iron (Fe(II)) during prolonged oxygenation in redox-oscillated peat may further enhance C degradation through abiotic mechanisms (e.g., Fenton reactions). The results indicate that specific functional shifts in the peat microbiome underlie O2 enhancement of CH4 production in acidic, Sphagnum-rich wetland soils. They also imply that understanding microbial dynamics spanning temporal and spatial redox transitions in peatlands is critical for constraining CH4 budgets; predicting feedbacks between climate change, hydrologic variability, and wetland CH4 emissions; and guiding wetland C management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared L. Wilmoth
- High Meadows Environmental InstitutePrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
| | - Jeffra K. Schaefer
- Department of Environmental SciencesRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | | | - Spencer W. Roth
- Department of Environmental SciencesRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | | | - Julie K. Shoemaker
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryOld Dominion UniversityNorfolkVAUSA
| | - Xinning Zhang
- High Meadows Environmental InstitutePrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
- Department of GeosciencesPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNJUSA
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McKenna OP, Mushet DM, Kucia SR, McCulloch‐Huseby EC. Limited shifts in the distribution of migratory bird breeding habitat density in response to future changes in climate. Ecol Appl 2021; 31:e02428. [PMID: 34318972 PMCID: PMC9285366 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Grasslands, and the depressional wetlands that exist throughout them, are endangered ecosystems that face both climate and land-use change pressures. Tens of millions of dollars are invested annually to manage the existing fragments of these ecosystems to serve as critical breeding habitat for migratory birds. The North American Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) contains millions of depressional wetlands that produce between 50% and 80% of the continent's waterfowl population. Previous modeling efforts suggested that climate change would result in a shift of suitable waterfowl breeding habitat from the central to the southeast portion of the PPR, an area where over half of the depressional wetlands have been drained. The implications of these projections suggest a massive investment in wetland restoration in the southeastern PPR would be needed to sustain waterfowl populations at harvestable levels. We revisited these modeled results indicating how future climate may impact the distribution of waterfowl-breeding habitat using up-to-date climate model projections and a newly developed model for simulating prairie-pothole wetland hydrology. We also presented changes to the number of "May ponds," a metric used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to estimate waterfowl breeding populations and establish harvest regulations. Based on the output of 32 climate models and two emission scenarios, we found no evidence that the distribution of May ponds would shift in the future. However, our results projected a 12% decrease to 1% increase in May pond numbers when comparing the most recent climate period (1989-2018) to the end of the 21st century (2070-2099). When combined, our results suggest areas in the PPR that currently support the highest densities of intact wetland basins, and thus support the largest numbers of breeding-duck pairs, will likely also be the places most critical to maintaining continental waterfowl populations in an uncertain future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen P. McKenna
- U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center8711 37th Street SEJamestownNorth Dakota58401USA
| | - David M. Mushet
- U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center8711 37th Street SEJamestownNorth Dakota58401USA
| | - Samuel R. Kucia
- U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center8711 37th Street SEJamestownNorth Dakota58401USA
| | - Elyssa C. McCulloch‐Huseby
- U.S. Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center8711 37th Street SEJamestownNorth Dakota58401USA
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Zhang Y, Shen J. Wetland Restoration Planning Approach Based on Interval Fuzzy Linear Programming under Uncertainty. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:9549. [PMID: 34574471 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
When planning wetland restoration projects, the planting area allocation and the costs of the restoration measures are two major issues faced by decision makers. In this study, a framework based on the interval fuzzy linear programming (IFLP) method is introduced for the first time to plan wetland restoration projects. The proposed framework can not only effectively deal with interval and fuzzy uncertainties that exist in the planning process of wetland restorations but also handle trade-offs between ecological environment benefits and economic cost. This framework was applied to a real-world wetland restoration planning problem in the northeast of China to verify its validity and examine the credibility of the constraints. The optimized results obtained from the framework that we have developed indicate that higher ecological and social benefits can be obtained with optimal restoration costs after using the wetland restoration decision-making framework. The optimal restoration measure allocation schemes obtained by IFLP under different credibility levels can help decision makers generate a range of alternatives, which can also provide decision suggestions to local managers to generate a satisfactory decision-making plan. Furthermore, a comparison was made between the IFLP model and ILP model in this study. The comparison results indicate that the IFLP model provides more information regarding ecological environment and economic trade-offs between the system objective, certainty, and reliability. This framework provides managers with an effective way to plan wetland restoration projects, while transference of the model may help solve similar problems.
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Hamer AJ, Schmera D, Mahony MJ. Multi-species occupancy modeling provides novel insights into amphibian metacommunity structure and wetland restoration. Ecol Appl 2021; 31:e2293. [PMID: 33432692 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental goal of community ecology is to understand species-habitat relationships and how they shape metacommunity structure. Recent advances in occupancy modeling enable habitat relationships to be assessed for both common and rare species within metacommunities using multi-species occupancy models (MSOM). These models account for imperfect species detection and offer considerable advantages over other analytical tools commonly used for community analyses under the elements of metacommunity structure (EMS) framework. Here, we demonstrate that MSOM can be used to infer habitat relationships and test metacommunity theory, using amphibians. Repeated frog surveys were undertaken at 55 wetland sites in southeastern Australia. We detected 11 frog species from three families (Limnodynastidae, Myobatrachidae, and Pelodryadidae). The rarest species was detected at only one site whereas the most common species was detected at 42 sites (naive occupancy rate 0.02-0.76). Two models were assessed representing two competing hypotheses; the best-supported model included the covariates distance to the nearest site (connectivity), wetland area, presence of the non-native eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), proportion cover of emergent vegetation, an interaction term between Gambusia and emergent vegetation cover, and the proportion canopy cover over a site. Hydroperiod played no detectable role in metacommunity structure. We found species-habitat relationships that fit with current metacommunity theory: occupancy increased with wetland area and connectivity. There was a strong negative relationship between occupancy and the presence of predatory Gambusia, and a positive interaction between Gambusia and emergent vegetation. The presence of canopy cover strongly increased occupancy for several tree frog species, highlighting the importance of terrestrial habitat for amphibian community structure. We demonstrated how responses by amphibians to environmental covariates at the species level can be linked to occupancy patterns at the metacommunity scale. Our results have clear management implications: wetland restoration projects for amphibians and likely other taxa should maximize wetland area and connectivity, establish partial canopy cover, and eradicate Gambusia or provide aquatic vegetation to mitigate the impact of this non-native fish. We strongly advocate the use of MSOM to elucidate the habitat drivers behind animal occupancy patterns and to derive unbiased occupancy estimates for monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Hamer
- Centre for Ecological Research, GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, Klebelsberg K. u. 3, Tihany, H-8237, Hungary
- Centre for Ecological Research, Balaton Limnological Institute, Klebelsberg K. u. 3, Tihany, H-8237, Hungary
| | - Dénes Schmera
- Centre for Ecological Research, Balaton Limnological Institute, Klebelsberg K. u. 3, Tihany, H-8237, Hungary
| | - Michael J Mahony
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia
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Sharp SJ, Elgersma KJ, Martina JP, Currie WS. Hydrologic flushing rates drive nitrogen cycling and plant invasion in a freshwater coastal wetland model. Ecol Appl 2021; 31:e02233. [PMID: 33048393 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2233] [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: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Coastal wetlands intercept significant amounts of nitrogen (N) from watersheds, especially when surrounding land cover is dominated by agriculture and urban development. Through plant uptake, soil immobilization, and denitrification, wetlands can remove excess N from flow-through water sources and mitigate eutrophication of connected aquatic ecosystems. Excess N can also change plant community composition in wetlands, including communities threatened by invasive species. Understanding how variable hydrology and N loading impact wetland N removal and community composition can help attain desired management outcomes, including optimizing N removal and/or preventing invasion by nonnatives. By using a dynamic, process-based ecosystem simulation model, we are able to simulate various levels of hydrology and N loading that would otherwise be difficult to manipulate. We investigate in silico the effects of hydroperiod, hydrologic residence time, N loading, and the NH4+ : NO3- ratio on both N removal and the invasion success of two nonnative species (Typha × glauca or Phragmites australis) in temperate freshwater coastal wetlands. We found that, when residence time increased, annual N removal increased up to 10-fold while longer hydroperiods also increased N removal, but only when residence time was >10 d and N loading was >30 g N·m-2 ·yr-1 . N removal efficiency also increased with increasing residence time and hydroperiod, but was less affected by N loading. However, longer hydrologic residence time increased vulnerability of wetlands to invasion by both invasive plants at low to medium N loading rates where native communities are typically more resistant to invasion. This suggests a potential trade-off between ecosystem services related to nitrogen removal and wetland invasibility. These results help elucidate complex interactions of community composition, N loading and hydrology on N removal, helping managers to prioritize N removal when N loading is high or controlling plant invasion in more vulnerable wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J Sharp
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA
| | - Kenneth J Elgersma
- Department of Biology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50614, USA
| | - Jason P Martina
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, 78666, USA
| | - William S Currie
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA
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Hanford JK, Hochuli DF, Webb CE. Oviposition Behavior of Culex annulirostris (Diptera: Culicidae) Is Affected by the Recent Presence of Invasive Gambusia holbrooki (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae). J Med Entomol 2019; 56:1165-1169. [PMID: 30916306 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Constructed wetlands are popular tools for managing threatened flora and fauna in urban settings, but there are concerns that these habitats may increase mosquito populations and mosquito-related public health risks. Understanding the interactions occurring between mosquitoes of public health concern and co-occurring organisms is critical to informing management of these habitats to mitigate potential health risks and balance the multiple values of urban wetlands. This study examined how oviposition behavior of Culex annulirostris Skuse, the most important pest mosquito species associated with freshwater wetland habitats in Australia, is influenced by the presence of Gambusia holbrooki Girard, a widespread invasive fish. Water was collected from urban wetlands that are intensively managed to reduce G. holbrooki populations to assist conservation of locally threatened frogs, and adjacent unmanaged wetlands where G. holbrooki was abundant. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the oviposition response by Cx. annulirostris to water samples from these two habitats. Experiments were conducted on two occasions, once in February following draining and refilling of the urban wetlands, and repeated following a substantial rainfall event in March. The results clearly demonstrate that ovipositing mosquitoes were able to detect and avoid water derived from habitats containing fish, even in the absence of the fish themselves. Understanding how invasive species affect the behavior and spatial distribution of pest species such as Cx. annulirostris will enable future wetland design and management to maximize benefits of urban wetlands and minimize potential public health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne K Hanford
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dieter F Hochuli
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cameron E Webb
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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Xu T, Weng B, Yan D, Wang K, Li X, Bi W, Li M, Cheng X, Liu Y. Wetlands of International Importance: Status, Threats, and Future Protection. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:ijerph16101818. [PMID: 31121932 PMCID: PMC6571829 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16101818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The 2303 Wetlands of International Importance distribute unevenly in different continents. Europe owns the largest number of sites, while Africa has the largest area of sites. More than half of the sites are affected by three or four impact factors (55%). The most significant impact factors are pollution (54%), biological resources use (53%), natural system modification (53%), and agriculture and aquaculture (42%). The main affected objects are land area and environment of the wetlands, occurred in 75% and 69% of the sites, respectively. The types most affected by land area occupation are river wetlands and lake wetlands, the types with the greatest impact on environment are marine/coastal wetlands and river wetlands, the type with the greatest impact on biodiversity is river wetlands, the types most affected by water resources regulation are marsh wetlands and river wetlands, and the types most affected by climate change are lake wetlands and marine/coastal wetlands. About one-third of the wetland sites have been artificially reconstructed. However, it is found that the proportions of natural wetland sites not affected or affected by only one factor are generally higher than that of wetland sites both containing natural wetlands and human-made wetlands, while the proportions of wetland sites both containing natural wetlands and human-made wetlands affected by three or four factors are generally higher than that of natural wetland sites. Wetland sites in the UK and Ireland are least affected among all countries. Wetland management plans in different regions still have large space for improvement, especially in Africa and Asia. The protection and restoration of global wetlands can be carried out in five aspects, including management and policy, monitoring, restoration, knowledge, and funding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Baisha Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Denghua Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Kun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Xiangnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Wuxia Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
- College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Institute of Water Resources and Hydrology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Xiangjun Cheng
- China Highway Engineering Consultants Corporation Data Co., Ltd., Beijing 100089, China.
| | - Yinxue Liu
- School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK.
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Cai B, Zhang Y, Wang X, Li Y. An Optimization Model for a Wetland Restoration Project under Uncertainty. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15:E2795. [PMID: 30544647 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15122795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Restoring natural wetlands with conservation projects is an urgent task for human well-being. This paper introduces the Interval linear programming (ILP) method in wetland restoration projects for the first time and builds an optimization model. The purpose of the optimization model is to find an optimal restoration measures allocation pattern that can minimize the total investment in wetland restoration projects and obtain additional ecological environment and socio-economic benefits. The optimization model can also decrease the influence of interval uncertainty in the system by expressing the executed solution as interval numbers with an upper bound and a lower bound. The result of the optimization model for the wetland restoration project indicated a range of 6.84%–15.43% reduction on comparison with the original scheme which verified the effectiveness and validity of this optimization model. Our findings indicate that higher ecological and social benefits of wetland restoration projects can be achieved with lower restoration investment on the application of the reasonable and optimal restoration measures allocation pattern by the optimization model. The results of interval solutions can provide guidance for project managers to select a satisfactory decision-making plan by adjusting the decision variables in the interval solutions according to the practical situation. It can be seen that reeds were suggested to be planted over 46.75 km2, with the same lower bound and higher bound. Meanwhile, populus euphratica, and dryland willow were recommended to be planted in a mixed forest pattern within the interval of 30.54 km2 to 37.25 km2, and so forth. With the optimal solutions obtained from the model, the total project investment would be in the range of 2193.14 (104 CNY) to 2416.01 (104 CNY). Future improvements of our optimization model in wetland restoration projects should consider other kinds of uncertainties in the system such as stochastic uncertainties, fuzzy uncertainties, and integrated uncertainties.
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Schaffer-Smith D, Swenson JJ, Reiter ME, Isola JE. Quantifying shorebird habitat in managed wetlands by modeling shallow water depth dynamics. Ecol Appl 2018; 28:1534-1545. [PMID: 29694689 PMCID: PMC6123259 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Over 50% of Western Hemisphere shorebird species are in decline due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation. In some regions of high wetland loss, shorebirds are heavily reliant on a core network of remaining human-managed wetlands during migration journeys in the spring and fall. While most refuges have been designed and managed to match the habitat needs of waterfowl, shorebirds typically require much shallower water (<10 cm deep). Traditional static habitat modeling approaches at relatively coarse spatial and temporal resolution are insufficient to capture dynamic changes within this narrow water depth range. Our objectives were to (1) develop a method to quantify shallow water habitat distributions in inland non-tidal wetlands, and (2) to assess how water management practices affect the amount of shorebird habitat in Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. We produced water depth distributions and modeled optimal habitat (<10 cm deep) within 23 managed wetlands using high-resolution topography and fixed-point water depth records. We also demonstrated that habitat availability, specifically suitable water depth ranges, can be tracked from satellite imagery and high-resolution topography. We found that wetlands with lower topographic roughness may have a higher potential to provide shorebird habitat and that strategically reducing water levels could increase habitat extent. Over 50% of the wetlands measured provided optimal habitat across <10% of their area at the peak of migration in early April, and most provided a brief duration of shallow water habitat. Reducing water volumes could increase the proportion of optimal habitat by 1-1,678% (mean = 294%) compared to actual volumes measured at peak spring migration in 2016. For wetlands with a high habitat potential, beginning wetland drawdown earlier and extending drawdown time could dramatically improve habitat conditions at the peak of shorebird migration. Our approach can be adapted to track dynamic hydrologic changes at broader spatial scales as additional high-resolution topographic (e.g., lidar, drone imagery photogrammetry) and optical remote sensing data (e.g., planet imagery, drone photography) become available.
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Wen L, Saintilan N, Reid JRW, Colloff MJ. Changes in distribution of waterbirds following prolonged drought reflect habitat availability in coastal and inland regions. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:6672-6689. [PMID: 27777739 PMCID: PMC5058537 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Provision of suitable habitat for waterbirds is a major challenge for environmental managers in arid and semiarid regions with high spatial and temporal variability in rainfall. It is understood in broad terms that to survive waterbirds must move according to phases of wet–dry cycles, with coastal habitats providing drought refugia and inland wetlands used during the wet phase. However, both inland and coastal wetlands are subject to major anthropogenic pressures, and the various species of waterbird may have particular habitat requirements and respond individualistically to spatiotemporal variations in resource distribution. A better understanding of the relationships between occurrence of waterbirds and habitat condition under changing climatic conditions and anthropogenic pressures will help clarify patterns of habitat use and the targeting of investments in conservation. We provide the first predictive models of habitat availability between wet and dry phases for six widely distributed waterbird species at a large spatial scale. We first test the broad hypothesis that waterbirds are largely confined to coastal regions during a dry phase. We then examine the contrasting results among the six species, which support other hypotheses erected on the basis of their ecological characteristics. There were large increases in area of suitable habitat in inland regions in the wet year compared with the dry year for all species, ranging from 4.14% for Australian White Ibis to 31.73% for Eurasian Coot. With over half of the suitable habitat for three of the six species was located in coastal zones during drought, our study highlights the need to identify and conserve coastal drought refuges. Monitoring of changes in extent and condition of wetlands, combined with distribution modeling of waterbirds, will help support improvements in the conservation and management of waterbirds into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wen
- Water, Wetlands and Coastal Science New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage 59-61 Goulburn Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
| | - Neil Saintilan
- Department of Environmental Sciences Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2019 Australia
| | - Julian R W Reid
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
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Bartlam-Brooks HLA, Bonyongo MC, Harris S. How landscape scale changes affect ecological processes in conservation areas: external factors influence land use by zebra (Equus burchelli) in the Okavango Delta. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:2795-805. [PMID: 24101973 PMCID: PMC3790530 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Revised: 05/25/2013] [Accepted: 05/31/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Most large-bodied wildlife populations in sub-Saharan Africa only survive in conservation areas, but are continuing to decline because external changes influence ecological processes within reserves, leading to a lack of functionality. However, failure to understand how landscape scale changes influence ecological processes limits our ability to manage protected areas. We used GPS movement data to calculate dry season home ranges for 14 zebra mares in the Okavango Delta and investigated the effects of a range of landscape characteristics (number of habitat patches, mean patch shape, mean index of juxtaposition, and interspersion) on home range size. Resource utilization functions (RUF) were calculated to investigate how specific landscape characteristics affected space use. Space use by all zebra was clustered. In the wetter (Central) parts of the Delta home range size was negatively correlated with the density of habitat patches, more complex patch shapes, low juxtaposition of habitats and an increased availability of floodplain and grassland habitats. In the drier (Peripheral) parts of the Delta, higher use by zebra was also associated with a greater availability of floodplain and grassland habitats, but a lower density of patches and simpler patch shapes. The most important landscape characteristic was not consistent between zebra within the same area of the Delta, suggesting that no single foraging strategy is substantially superior to others, and so animals using different foraging strategies may all thrive. The distribution and complexity of habitat patches are crucial in determining space use by zebra. The extent and duration of seasonal flooding is the principal process affecting habitat patch characteristics in the Okavango Delta, particularly the availability of floodplains, which are the habitat at greatest risk from climate change and anthropogenic disturbance to the Okavango's catchment basin. Understanding how the factors that determine habitat complexity may change in the future is critical to the conservation of large mammal populations. Our study shows the importance of maintaining flood levels in the Okavango Delta and how the loss of seasonal floodplains will be compounded by changes in habitat configuration, forcing zebra to change their relative space use and enlarge home ranges, leading to increased competition for key resources and population declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hattie L A Bartlam-Brooks
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UG, United Kingdom
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