1
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Wilson KL, Sawyer AC, Potapova A, Bailey CJ, LoScerbo D, Sweeney-Bergen EK, Hodgson EE, Pitman KJ, Seitz KM, Law LK, Warkentin L, Wilson SM, Atlas WI, Braun DC, Sloat MR, Tinker MT, Moore JW. The role of spatial structure in at-risk metapopulation recoveries. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2898. [PMID: 37303288 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Metapopulations are often managed as a single contiguous population despite the spatial structure underlying their local and regional dynamics. Disturbances from human activities can also be spatially structured with mortality impacts concentrated to just a few local populations among the aggregate. Scale transitions between local and regional processes can generate emergent properties whereby the whole system can fail to recover as quickly as expected for an equivalent single population. Here, we draw on theory and empirical case studies to ask: what is the consequence of spatially structured ecological and disturbance processes on metapopulation recoveries? We suggest that exploring this question could help address knowledge gaps for managing metapopulations including: Why do some metapopulations recover quickly while others remain collapsed? And, what risks are unaccounted for when metapopulations are managed at aggregate scales? First, we used model simulations to examine how scale transitions among ecological and disturbance conditions interact to generate emergent metapopulation recovery outcomes. In general, we found that the spatial structure of disturbance was a strong determinant of recovery outcomes. Specifically, disturbances that unevenly impacted local populations consistently generated the slowest recoveries and highest conservation risks. Ecological conditions that dampened metapopulation recoveries included low dispersal, variable local demography, sparsely connected habitat networks, and spatially and temporally correlated stochastic processes. Second, we illustrate the unexpected challenges of managing metapopulations by examining the recoveries of three USA federally listed endangered species: Florida Everglade snail kites, California and Alaska sea otters, and Snake River Chinook salmon. Overall, our results show the pivotal role of spatial structure in metapopulation recoveries whereby the interplay between local and regional processes shapes the resilience of the whole system. With this understanding, we provide guidelines for resource managers tasked with conserving and managing metapopulations and identify opportunities for research to support the application of metapopulation theory to real-world challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle L Wilson
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance, Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexandra C Sawyer
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anna Potapova
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Colin J Bailey
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniella LoScerbo
- Cooperative Resource Management Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, School of Resource & Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Elissa K Sweeney-Bergen
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emma E Hodgson
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kara J Pitman
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Karl M Seitz
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lauren K Law
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Luke Warkentin
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Samantha M Wilson
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - William I Atlas
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Douglas C Braun
- Cooperative Resource Management Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, School of Resource & Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - M Tim Tinker
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Jonathan W Moore
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Cooperative Resource Management Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, School of Resource & Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Salomon AK, Okamoto DK, Wilson ḴBJ, Tommy Happynook H, Mack WA, Allan Davidson SH, Guujaaw G, L Humchitt WWH, Happynook TM, Cox WC, Gillette HF, Christiansen NS, Dragon D, Kobluk HM, Lee LC, Tinker MT, Silver JJ, Armitage D, McKechnie I, MacNeil A, Hillis D, Muhl EK, Gregr EJ, Commander CJC, Augustine A. Disrupting and diversifying the values, voices and governance principles that shape biodiversity science and management. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220196. [PMID: 37246378 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
With climate, biodiversity and inequity crises squarely upon us, never has there been a more pressing time to rethink how we conceptualize, understand and manage our relationship with Earth's biodiversity. Here, we describe governance principles of 17 Indigenous Nations from the Northwest Coast of North America used to understand and steward relationships among all components of nature, including humans. We then chart the colonial origins of biodiversity science and use the complex case of sea otter recovery to illuminate how ancestral governance principles can be mobilized to characterize, manage and restore biodiversity in more inclusive, integrative and equitable ways. To enhance environmental sustainability, resilience and social justice amid today's crises, we need to broaden who benefits from and participates in the sciences of biodiversity by expanding the values and methodologies that shape such initiatives. In practice, biodiversity conservation and natural resource management need to shift from centralized, siloed approaches to those that can accommodate plurality in values, objectives, governance systems, legal traditions and ways of knowing. In doing so, developing solutions to our planetary crises becomes a shared responsibility. This article is part of the theme issue 'Detecting and attributing the causes of biodiversity change: needs, gaps and solutions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne K Salomon
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Daniel K Okamoto
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32303, USA
| | | | - Hiininaasim Tommy Happynook
- Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2Y2
| | | | | | - Gidansda Guujaaw
- Haida Nation, Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada V0T 1S1
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Dianna Dragon
- Che:k:tles7et'h' Nation, Kyuquot, British Columbia, Canada VOP 1J0
| | - Hannah M Kobluk
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Lynn C Lee
- Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site, 60 Second Beach Road, Skidegate, British Columbia, Canada V0T 1S1
| | - M Tim Tinker
- Nhydra Ecological Consulting, 11 Parklea Drive, Head of St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada B3Z 2G6
| | - Jennifer J Silver
- Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Derek Armitage
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Iain McKechnie
- Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2Y2
| | - Aaron MacNeil
- Ocean Frontier Institute, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2
| | - Dylan Hillis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2Y2
| | - Ella-Kari Muhl
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Edward J Gregr
- Institute for Resources Environment, and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
- Scitech Environmental Consulting 2136 Napier St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5L 2N9
| | - Christian J C Commander
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32303, USA
| | - Arianna Augustine
- Stz'uminus Nation, 1041-B Trunk Rd, Duncan, British Columbia, Canada V9L 2S4
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3
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Kreiner JM, Booker TR. Disentangling the genetic consequences of demographic change. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:278-280. [PMID: 36440474 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Quantifying the impact of human activity on the capacity of populations to persist is paramount to conservation biology, as numerous species and populations have already been driven to or beyond the brink of extinction. Those populations that persist are often a sobering example of the evolutionary power of human-disturbance, such as the loss of tusks in African elephants resulting from ivory harvesting (Campbell-Staton et al., 2021) and rapid life-history evolution in northern Atlantic cod in response to fisheries (Olsen et al., 2004). These evolutionary responses reflect a delicate interplay between demographic and selective processes (e.g., evolutionary rescue: Bell & Gonzalez, 2009; Gomulkiewicz & Holt, 1995), both of which can modify genetic variation for fitness. While quantifying fitness remains a difficult challenge, generalizable insights into the evolutionary consequences of population collapse can be provided in systems with independent demographic shifts in response to human activity. Unfortunately, such was the case for sea otter populations across its range in the 18th and 19th centuries, where the fur-trade had catastrophic, range-wide effects on sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations. In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Beichman et al. (2022) combine a population genomic spatiotemporal data set and theoretical simulations not only to quantify past demographic change in response to sea otter exploitation, but also to understand the consequences of population collapse on species persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Kreiner
- Department of Botany, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tom R Booker
- Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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4
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Beichman AC, Kalhori P, Kyriazis CC, DeVries AA, Nigenda-Morales S, Heckel G, Schramm Y, Moreno-Estrada A, Kennett DJ, Hylkema M, Bodkin J, Koepfli KP, Lohmueller KE, Wayne RK. Genomic analyses reveal range-wide devastation of sea otter populations. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:281-298. [PMID: 34967471 PMCID: PMC9875727 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The genetic consequences of species-wide declines are rarely quantified because the timing and extent of the decline varies across the species' range. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a unique model in this regard. Their dramatic decline from thousands to fewer than 100 individuals per population occurred range-wide and nearly simultaneously due to the 18th-19th century fur trade. Consequently, each sea otter population represents an independent natural experiment of recovery after extreme population decline. We designed sequence capture probes for 50 Mb of sea otter exonic and neutral genomic regions. We sequenced 107 sea otters from five populations that span the species range to high coverage (18-76×) and three historical Californian samples from ~1500 and ~200 years ago to low coverage (1.5-3.5×). We observe distinct population structure and find that sea otters in California are the last survivors of a divergent lineage isolated for thousands of years and therefore warrant special conservation concern. We detect signals of extreme population decline in every surviving sea otter population and use this demographic history to design forward-in-time simulations of coding sequence. Our simulations indicate that this decline could lower the fitness of recovering populations for generations. However, the simulations also demonstrate how historically low effective population sizes prior to the fur trade may have mitigated the effects of population decline on genetic health. Our comprehensive approach shows how demographic inference from genomic data, coupled with simulations, allows assessment of extinction risk and different models of recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabel C. Beichman
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Pooneh Kalhori
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Christopher C. Kyriazis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Amber A. DeVries
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Sergio Nigenda-Morales
- National Laboratory of Genomics for Biodiversity, Unit of Advanced Genomics (LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36824, Mexico
| | - Gisela Heckel
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education), Ensenada, Baja California 22860, Mexico
| | - Yolanda Schramm
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Autonomous University of Baja California), Ensenada, Baja California 22860, Mexico
| | - Andrés Moreno-Estrada
- National Laboratory of Genomics for Biodiversity, Unit of Advanced Genomics (LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36824, Mexico
| | - Douglas J. Kennett
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Mark Hylkema
- Cultural Resources Program Manager and Tribal Liaison/Archaeologist, Santa Cruz District, California State Parks, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - James Bodkin
- Retired, Alaska Science Center, US Geological Survey, Anchorage Alaska, 99503, USA
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, George Mason University, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., 20008, USA
- ITMO University, Computer Technologies Laboratory, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Kirk E. Lohmueller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program in Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robert K. Wayne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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5
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Eby R, Rosso S, Copriviza J, Scoles R, Gideon Y, Mancino J, Mayer K, Yee J, Wasson K. Sea otters in a California estuary: Detecting temporal and spatial dynamics with volunteer monitoring. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ron Eby
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Watsonville California USA
| | - Susan Rosso
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Watsonville California USA
| | - John Copriviza
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Watsonville California USA
| | - Robert Scoles
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Watsonville California USA
| | - Yohn Gideon
- Elkhorn Slough Safari Moss Landing California USA
| | | | - Karl Mayer
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey California USA
| | - Julie Yee
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Kerstin Wasson
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Watsonville California USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
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6
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Hale JR, Laidre KL, Jeffries SJ, Scordino JJ, Lynch D, Jameson RJ, Tim Tinker M. Status, trends, and equilibrium abundance estimates of the translocated sea otter population in Washington State. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R. Hale
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington 1122 NE Boat Street Seattle 98105 WA USA
| | - Kristin L. Laidre
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington 1122 NE Boat Street Seattle 98105 WA USA
| | - Steven J. Jeffries
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Science Program, Marine Mammal Investigations 7801 Phillips Road SW Lakewood 98498 WA USA
| | - Jonathan J. Scordino
- Makah Fisheries Management, Marine Mammal Program 150 Resort Drive Neah Bay 98357 WA USA
| | - Deanna Lynch
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Fish and Wildlife Office 510 Desmond Drive, Suite 102 Lacey 98503 WA USA
| | - Ronald J. Jameson
- United States Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center 7801 Folsom Boulevard, Suite 101 Sacramento 95826 CA USA
| | - M. Tim Tinker
- Nhydra Ecological Consulting, Head of St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia
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7
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Gorra TR, Garcia SCR, Langhans MR, Hoshijima U, Estes JA, Raimondi PT, Tinker MT, Kenner MC, Kroeker KJ. Southeast Alaskan kelp forests: inferences of process from large-scale patterns of variation in space and time. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20211697. [PMID: 35042419 PMCID: PMC8767212 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans were considered external drivers in much foundational ecological research. A recognition that humans are embedded in the complex interaction networks we study can provide new insight into our ecological paradigms. Here, we use time-series data spanning three decades to explore the effects of human harvesting on otter-urchin-kelp trophic cascades in southeast Alaska. These effects were inferred from variation in sea urchin and kelp abundance following the post fur trade repatriation of otters and a subsequent localized reduction of otters by human harvest in one location. In an example of a classic trophic cascade, otter repatriation was followed by a 99% reduction in urchin biomass density and a greater than 99% increase in kelp density region wide. Recent spatially concentrated harvesting of otters was associated with a localized 70% decline in otter abundance in one location, with urchins increasing and kelps declining in accordance with the spatial pattern of otter occupancy within that region. While the otter-urchin-kelp trophic cascade has been associated with alternative community states at the regional scale, this research highlights how small-scale variability in otter occupancy, ostensibly due to spatial variability in harvesting or the risk landscape for otters, can result in within-region patchiness in these community states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torrey R. Gorra
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Sabrina C. R. Garcia
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Michael R. Langhans
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Umihiko Hoshijima
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - James A. Estes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Pete T. Raimondi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - M. Tim Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Michael C. Kenner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Kristy J. Kroeker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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8
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Eisaguirre JM, Williams PJ, Lu X, Kissling ML, Beatty WS, Esslinger GG, Womble JN, Hooten MB. Diffusion modeling reveals effects of multiple release sites and human activity on a recolonizing apex predator. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:34. [PMID: 34193294 PMCID: PMC8247183 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00270-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reintroducing predators is a promising conservation tool to help remedy human-caused ecosystem changes. However, the growth and spread of a reintroduced population is a spatiotemporal process that is driven by a suite of factors, such as habitat change, human activity, and prey availability. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are apex predators of nearshore marine ecosystems that had declined nearly to extinction across much of their range by the early 20th century. In Southeast Alaska, which is comprised of a diverse matrix of nearshore habitat and managed areas, reintroduction of 413 individuals in the late 1960s initiated the growth and spread of a population that now exceeds 25,000. METHODS Periodic aerial surveys in the region provide a time series of spatially-explicit data to investigate factors influencing this successful and ongoing recovery. We integrated an ecological diffusion model that accounted for spatially-variable motility and density-dependent population growth, as well as multiple population epicenters, into a Bayesian hierarchical framework to help understand the factors influencing the success of this recovery. RESULTS Our results indicated that sea otters exhibited higher residence time as well as greater equilibrium abundance in Glacier Bay, a protected area, and in areas where there is limited or no commercial fishing. Asymptotic spread rates suggested sea otters colonized Southeast Alaska at rates of 1-8 km/yr with lower rates occurring in areas correlated with higher residence time, which primarily included areas near shore and closed to commercial fishing. Further, we found that the intrinsic growth rate of sea otters may be higher than previous estimates suggested. CONCLUSIONS This study shows how predator recolonization can occur from multiple population epicenters. Additionally, our results suggest spatial heterogeneity in the physical environment as well as human activity and management can influence recolonization processes, both in terms of movement (or motility) and density dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Eisaguirre
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
- United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK, USA.
| | - Perry J Williams
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Xinyi Lu
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michelle L Kissling
- United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK, USA
- Present address: Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - William S Beatty
- United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK, USA
- Present address: U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI, USA
| | | | - Jamie N Womble
- Southeast Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network, National Park Service, Juneau, AK, USA
- Glacier Bay Field Station, National Park Service, Juneau, AK, USA
| | - Mevin B Hooten
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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9
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Smith JG, Tomoleoni J, Staedler M, Lyon S, Fujii J, Tinker MT. Behavioral responses across a mosaic of ecosystem states restructure a sea otter-urchin trophic cascade. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2012493118. [PMID: 33836567 PMCID: PMC7980363 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012493118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Consumer and predator foraging behavior can impart profound trait-mediated constraints on community regulation that scale up to influence the structure and stability of ecosystems. Here, we demonstrate how the behavioral response of an apex predator to changes in prey behavior and condition can dramatically alter the role and relative contribution of top-down forcing, depending on the spatial organization of ecosystem states. In 2014, a rapid and dramatic decline in the abundance of a mesopredator (Pycnopodia helianthoides) and primary producer (Macrocystis pyrifera) coincided with a fundamental change in purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) foraging behavior and condition, resulting in a spatial mosaic of kelp forests interspersed with patches of sea urchin barrens. We show that this mosaic of adjacent alternative ecosystem states led to an increase in the number of sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) specializing on urchin prey, a population-level increase in urchin consumption, and an increase in sea otter survivorship. We further show that the spatial distribution of sea otter foraging efforts for urchin prey was not directly linked to high prey density but rather was predicted by the distribution of energetically profitable prey. Therefore, we infer that spatially explicit sea otter foraging enhances the resistance of remnant forests to overgrazing but does not directly contribute to the resilience (recovery) of forests. These results highlight the role of consumer and predator trait-mediated responses to resource mosaics that are common throughout natural ecosystems and enhance understanding of reciprocal feedbacks between top-down and bottom-up forcing on the regional stability of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua G Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060;
| | - Joseph Tomoleoni
- Santa Cruz Field Station, Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
| | - Michelle Staedler
- Department of Conservation Research, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA 93940
| | - Sophia Lyon
- Santa Cruz Field Station, Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
| | - Jessica Fujii
- Department of Conservation Research, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA 93940
| | - M Tim Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
- Santa Cruz Field Station, Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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10
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Kone DV, Tinker MT, Torres LG. Informing sea otter reintroduction through habitat and human interaction assessment. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea otters Enhydra lutris have been absent from Oregon, USA, following their extirpation over a century ago. Stakeholder groups and native tribes are advocating for reintroduction to restore historic populations. We investigated the potential for successful reintroduction by: (1) estimating expected equilibrium sea otter densities as a function of habitat variables to assess sea otter habitat in Oregon; and (2) spatially relating areas of high expected densities to human activities (e.g. fisheries, recreation, vessel activity, protected areas) to anticipate potential disturbance or fishery resource competition. We estimated that 4538 (1742-8976; 95% CI) sea otters could exist in Oregon, with higher expected abundance (N = 1551) and densities (x̄ = 2.45 km-2) within the southern region. Most core habitat areas (97%), representing clusters of high expected densities, overlapped with some form of human activity. While commercial shipping and tow lanes overlapped little (1%) with core habitat areas, recreational activities (58%) and fisheries (76%) had a higher degree of overlap, posing higher disturbance risk. We anticipate higher resource competition potential with the commercial red sea urchin fishery (67% of harvest areas) than the commercial Dungeness crab fishery (9% of high-catch crabbing grounds). Our study presents the first published carrying capacity estimate for sea otters in Oregon and can provide population recovery targets, focus attention on ecological and socioeconomic considerations, and help to inform a recovery plan for a resident sea otter population. Our findings suggest current available habitat may be sufficient to support a sea otter population, but resource managers may need to further investigate and consider whether current human activities might conflict with reestablishment in Oregon, if plans for a reintroduction continue.
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Affiliation(s)
- DV Kone
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
- California Ocean Science Trust, 1111 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607, USA
| | - MT Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - LG Torres
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
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