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Thomas H, Ward MS, Simmonds JS, Taylor MFJ, Maron M. Poor compliance and exemptions facilitate ongoing deforestation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14354. [PMID: 39163736 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Many nations are struggling to reduce deforestation, despite having extensive environmental protection laws in place and commitments to international agreements that address the biodiversity and climate crises. We developed a novel framework to quantify the extent to which contemporary deforestation is being captured under national and subnational laws. We then applied this framework to northern Australia as a case study, a development and deforestation hotspot with ecosystems of global significance. First, deforestation may be compliant under all relevant legislation, either through assessment and approval or because of exemptions in the legislation. Second, deforestation may be compliant under at least one relevant law, but not all. Third, there may be no evidence of deforestation assessment or exemption from assessment, despite their apparent requirement, which could mean the deforestation is potentially noncompliant. Finally, deforestation may occur in an area or under circumstances that are beyond the intended scope of any relevant legislation. All deforestation that we analyzed was hypothetically covered by one or more laws. However, 65% of deforestation was potentially noncompliant with at least one law. Because multiple laws could be relevant to a given clearing event, the majority of clearing was still compliant with at least one law, but of these events, only a small proportion was explicitly approved (19%). The remaining were permitted under various exemptions. Of all the legislation we analyzed, most of the exempt clearing occurred under one subnational law and most potentially noncompliant clearing occurred under one national law. Our results showed that even a nation with a suite of mature environmental protection laws is falling well short of achieving international commitments regarding deforestation. Our framework can be used to pinpoint the pathways of policy change required for nations to align local laws with these international accords.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Thomas
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michelle S Ward
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- WWF-Aus, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jeremy S Simmonds
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2rog Consulting, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Martin F J Taylor
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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2
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Metaxas A, Anglin CD, Cross A, Drazen J, Haeckel M, Mudd G, Smith CR, Smith S, Weaver PPE, Sonter L, Amon DJ, Erskine PD, Levin LA, Lily H, Maest AS, Mestre NC, Ramirez-Llodra E, Sánchez LE, Sharma R, Vanreusel A, Wheston S, Tunnicliffe V. Comparing environmental impacts of deep-seabed and land-based mining: A defensible framework. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17334. [PMID: 38780465 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are interlinked and must be addressed jointly. A proposed solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and thus mitigating climate change, is the transition from conventional combustion-engine to electric vehicles. This transition currently requires additional mineral resources, such as nickel and cobalt used in car batteries, presently obtained from land-based mines. Most options to meet this demand are associated with some biodiversity loss. One proposal is to mine the deep seabed, a vast, relatively pristine and mostly unexplored region of our planet. Few comparisons of environmental impacts of solely expanding land-based mining versus extending mining to the deep seabed for the additional resources exist and for biodiversity only qualitative. Here, we present a framework that facilitates a holistic comparison of relative ecosystem impacts by mining, using empirical data from relevant environmental metrics. This framework (Environmental Impact Wheel) includes a suite of physicochemical and biological components, rather than a few selected metrics, surrogates, or proxies. It is modified from the "recovery wheel" presented in the International Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration to address impacts rather than recovery. The wheel includes six attributes (physical condition, community composition, structural diversity, ecosystem function, external exchanges and absence of threats). Each has 3-5 sub attributes, in turn measured with several indicators. The framework includes five steps: (1) identifying geographic scope; (2) identifying relevant spatiotemporal scales; (3) selecting relevant indicators for each sub-attribute; (4) aggregating changes in indicators to scores; and (5) generating Environmental Impact Wheels for targeted comparisons. To move forward comparisons of land-based with deep seabed mining, thresholds of the indicators that reflect the range in severity of environmental impacts are needed. Indicators should be based on clearly articulated environmental goals, with objectives and targets that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Metaxas
- Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - C D Anglin
- Anglin & Associates Consulting, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A Cross
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
- EcoHealth Network, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
| | - J Drazen
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - M Haeckel
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - G Mudd
- Environmental Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - C R Smith
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - S Smith
- Blue Globe Solutions Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - L Sonter
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - D J Amon
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- SpeSeas, D'Abadie, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - P D Erskine
- Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - L A Levin
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - H Lily
- Independent Legal Consultant, Canterbury, Kent, UK
| | - A S Maest
- Buka Environmental, Telluride, Colorado, USA
| | - N C Mestre
- Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA)-Infrastructure Network in Aquatic Research (ARNET), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | | | - L E Sánchez
- Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - R Sharma
- National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India
| | - A Vanreusel
- Marine Biology Research Group Ghent University Krijgslaan, Ghent, Belgium
| | - S Wheston
- Tembusu-Sustainability & Risk Management, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland
| | - V Tunnicliffe
- Department of Biology/School Earth & Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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3
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Ang L, Hernández-Rodríguez E, Cyriaque V, Yin X. COVID-19's environmental impacts: Challenges and implications for the future. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 899:165581. [PMID: 37482347 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Strict measures have curbed the spread of COVID-19, but waste generation and movement limitations have had an unintended impact on the environment over the past 3 years (2020-2022). Many studies have summarized the observed and potential environmental impacts associated with COVID-19, however, only a few have quantified and compared the effects of these unintended environmental impacts; moreover, whether COVID-19 policy stringency had the same effects on the main environmental topic (i.e., CO2 emissions) across the 3 years remains unclear. To answer these questions, we conducted a systematic review of the recent literature and analyzed the main findings. We found that the positive environmental effects of COVID-19 have received more attention than the negative ones (50.6 % versus 35.7 %), especially in emissions reduction (34 % of total literature). Medical waste (14.5 %) received the highest attention among the negative impacts. Although global emission reduction, especially in terms of CO2, has received significant attention, the positive impacts were temporary and only detected in 2020. Strict COVID-19 policies had a more profound and significant effect on CO2 emissions in the aviation sector than in the power and industry sectors. For example, compared with 2019, international aviation related CO2 emissions dropped by 59 %, 49 %, and 25 % in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, while industry related ones dropped by only 3.16 % in 2020. According to our developed evaluation matrix, medical wastes and their associated effects, including the persistent pollution caused by antibiotic resistance genes, heavy metals and microplastics, are the main challenges post the pandemic, especially in China and India, which may counteract the temporary environmental benefits of COVID-19. Overall, the presented results demonstrate methods to quantify the environmental effects of COVID-19 and provide directions for policymakers to develop measures to address the associated environmental issues in the post-COVID-19 world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leeping Ang
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspuele 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Enrique Hernández-Rodríguez
- Institut de Recherche sur les Forets, Université du Quebec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada
| | - Valentine Cyriaque
- Eau Terre Environnement, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 490 rue de la couronne, Québec, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - Xiangbo Yin
- Eau Terre Environnement, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, 490 rue de la couronne, Québec, Québec G1K 9A9, Canada.
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4
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Yin X, Martineau C, Samad A, Fenton NJ. Out of site, out of mind: Changes in feather moss phyllosphere microbiota in mine offsite boreal landscapes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1148157. [PMID: 37089542 PMCID: PMC10113616 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1148157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant-microbe interactions play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological services in boreal forest biomes. Mining for minerals, and especially the emission of heavy metal-enriched dust from mine sites, is a potential threat to biodiversity in offsite landscapes. Understanding the impacts of mining on surrounding phyllosphere microbiota is especially lacking. To investigate this, we characterized bacterial and fungal communities in the phyllosphere of feather moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid). Mitt in boreal landscapes near six gold mine sites at different stages of the mine lifecycle. We found that (1) both mining stage and ecosystem type are drivers of the phyllosphere microbial community structure in mine offsite landscapes; (2) Bacterial alpha diversity is more sensitive than fungal alpha diversity to mining stage, while beta diversity of both groups is impacted; (3) mixed and deciduous forests have a higher alpha diversity and a distinct microbial community structure when compared to coniferous and open canopy ecosystems; (4) the strongest effects are detectable within 0.2 km from operating mines. These results confirmed the presence of offsite effects of mine sites on the phyllosphere microbiota in boreal forests, as well as identified mining stage and ecosystem type as drivers of these effects. Furthermore, the footprint was quantified at 0.2 km, providing a reference distance within which mining companies and policy makers should pay more attention during ecological assessment and for the development of mitigation strategies. Further studies are needed to assess how these offsite effects of mines affect the functioning of boreal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangbo Yin
- NSERC-UQAT Industrial Chair in Northern Biodiversity in a Mining Context, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
- Centre d’Étude de la Forêt, Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts (IRF), Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Xiangbo Yin,
| | - Christine Martineau
- NSERC-UQAT Industrial Chair in Northern Biodiversity in a Mining Context, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Abdul Samad
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Nicole J. Fenton
- NSERC-UQAT Industrial Chair in Northern Biodiversity in a Mining Context, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
- Centre d’Étude de la Forêt, Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts (IRF), Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
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5
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Shumway N, Saunders MI, Nicol S, Fuller RA, Ben-Moshe N, Iwamura T, Kim SW, Murray NJ, Watson JEM, Maron M. Exploring the risks and benefits of flexibility in biodiversity offset location in a case study of migratory shorebirds. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14031. [PMID: 36349513 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity offsets aim to counterbalance the residual impacts of development on species and ecosystems. Guidance documents explicitly recommend that biodiversity offset actions be located close to the location of impact because of higher potential for similar ecological conditions, but allowing greater spatial flexibility has been proposed. We examined the circumstances under which offsets distant from the impact location could be more likely to achieve no net loss or provide better ecological outcomes than offsets close to the impact area. We applied a graphical model for migratory shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway as a case study to explore the problems that arise when incorporating spatial flexibility into offset planning. Spatially flexible offsets may alleviate impacts more effectively than local offsets; however, the risks involved can be substantial. For our case study, there were inadequate data to make robust conclusions about the effectiveness and equivalence of distant habitat-based offsets for migratory shorebirds. Decisions around offset placement should be driven by the potential to achieve equivalent ecological outcomes; however, when considering more distant offsets, there is a need to evaluate the likely increased risks alongside the potential benefits. Although spatially flexible offsets have the potential to provide more cost-effective biodiversity outcomes and more cobenefits, our case study showed the difficulty of demonstrating these benefits in practice and the potential risks that need to be considered to ensure effective offset placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Shumway
- Centre for Policy Futures, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Megan I Saunders
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Queensland Bioscience Precinct, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sam Nicol
- Queensland Ecosciences Precinct, CSIRO Land and Water, Dutton Park, Queensland, Australia
| | - Richard A Fuller
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Noam Ben-Moshe
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Takuya Iwamura
- Department F.-A. Forel for Aquatic and Environmental Sciences and Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sun W Kim
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Murray
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Global Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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6
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Yin X, Martineau C, Fenton NJ. How big is the footprint? Quantifying offsite effects of mines on boreal plant communities. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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7
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Mayfield HJ, Bird J, Cox M, Dutson G, Eyre T, Raiter K, Ringma J, Maron M. Guidelines for selecting an appropriate currency in biodiversity offset transactions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 322:116060. [PMID: 36058076 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
When designing biodiversity offset transactions, selecting the appropriate currency for measuring losses and gains to biodiversity is crucial. Poorly designed currencies reduce the likelihood that the proposed offset will sufficiently compensate for the development impact on the affected biota. We present a framework for identifying appropriate offset currencies for terrestrial biodiversity features, either vegetation communities or particular species. The guidelines were developed based on a review of issues and solutions presented in the existing literature, including government policies and guidance. We assert that while benchmark-based condition scores provide a suitable offset transaction currency for vegetation communities, this approach is also commonly applied to individual species based on the often-unproven assumption that vegetation quality is a proxy for the value of a site to that species. We argue that species are better served by species-specific currencies based on either species abundance, or the suitability and amount of the habitat available. For species where it is practical and meaningful to measure the abundance on site, an abundance-based currency using either directly observable or proxy indicators is the most representative measure of the net impact on the species. In other instances, such as when species are difficult to locate, or not reliably present on site, a currency based on the quality and amount of habitat is preferable. The habitat-quality component should be measured relative to its value for the species, with the most important attributes weighted accordingly. Ensuring the currency used in biodiversity offset transactions is practical to measure, and relevant to the species or vegetation community is an important step in minimising the net biodiversity losses from unavoidable impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen J Mayfield
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Jeremy Bird
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Michelle Cox
- NSW Department of Planning and Environment, Sydney, Australia
| | - Guy Dutson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Biodiversity Solutions, Narara, Australia
| | - Teresa Eyre
- Queensland Herbarium, Department of Environment and Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Keren Raiter
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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8
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Siqueira-Gay J, Sánchez LE. Considering counterfactual scenarios in conservation planning: Perspectives from a biodiverse mining area in the Atlantic Forest. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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9
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Mu H, Li X, Wen Y, Huang J, Du P, Su W, Miao S, Geng M. A global record of annual terrestrial Human Footprint dataset from 2000 to 2018. Sci Data 2022; 9:176. [PMID: 35440581 PMCID: PMC9018937 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01284-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Footprint, the pressure imposed on the eco-environment by changing ecological processes and natural landscapes, is raising worldwide concerns on biodiversity and ecological conservation. Due to the lack of spatiotemporally consistent datasets of Human Footprint over a long temporal span, many relevant studies on this topic have been limited. Here, we mapped the annual dynamics of the global Human Footprint from 2000 to 2018 using eight variables that reflect different aspects of human pressures. The accuracy assessment revealed a good agreement between our mapped results and the previously developed datasets in different years. We found more than two million km2 of wilderness (i.e., regions with Human Footprint values below one) were lost over the past two decades. The biome dominated by mangroves experienced the most significant loss (i.e., above 5%) of wilderness, likely attributed to intensified human activities in coastal areas. The derived annual and spatiotemporally consistent global Human Footprint can be a fundamental dataset for many relevant studies about human activities and natural resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Mu
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xuecao Li
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing for Agri-Hazards, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Yanan Wen
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jianxi Huang
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing for Agri-Hazards, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Peijun Du
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 221100, China
| | - Wei Su
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing for Agri-Hazards, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shuangxi Miao
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing for Agri-Hazards, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Mengqing Geng
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
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10
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Hua T, Zhao W, Cherubini F, Hu X, Pereira P. Continuous growth of human footprint risks compromising the benefits of protected areas on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
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11
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Siqueira-Gay J, Santos D, Nascimento WR, Souza-Filho PWM, Sánchez LE. Investigating Changes Driving Cumulative Impacts on Native Vegetation in Mining Regions in the Northeastern Brazilian Amazon. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 69:438-448. [PMID: 35013793 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-021-01578-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Developing conservation strategies to mitigate cumulative impacts requires the understanding of historic land use and land cover changes at the regional scale. By using a multisensory and multitemporal approach, we identified the major changes driving cumulative impacts on native vegetation in northeastern Amazon. Comparing two regions, one with mining as the key driver and another where mining is associated with other industrial activities (cellulose), we explore the land use and land cover historic dynamics and derive implications for the assessment of cumulative impacts. Transitions of forest cover to pastureland, silviculture, and urban expansion were mapped in detail over a 20-year period, revealing that silviculture growth cleared more forests than pastureland expansion when associated with pulp mill activities and kaolin mining. In contrast, in a region with gold and iron mining, pastureland expansion was more relevant, clearing mainly areas surrounding new roads. This research shows that the interplay of major mining and industrial investments can produce cumulative losses of native vegetation, depending on the associated industries and infrastructure required for the project development. Our findings emphasize that the definition of spatial and temporal boundaries for the assessment of cumulative impacts must consider different trends in impact accumulation and changes in their spatial distribution over time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diogo Santos
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Pará, Brazil
- Geosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Pará, Pará, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Walfir M Souza-Filho
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Pará, Brazil
- Geosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Pará, Pará, Brazil
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12
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Simmonds JS, Hase A, Quétier F, Brownlie S, Maron M, Possingham HP, Souquet M, zu Ermgassen SOSE, ten Kate K, Costa HM, Sonter LJ. Aligning ecological compensation policies with the Post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to achieve real net gain in biodiversity. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy S. Simmonds
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | - Amrei Hase
- Independent Consultant Cape Town South Africa
| | | | | | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | - Hugh P. Possingham
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- The Nature Conservancy Brisbane Australia
| | | | - Sophus O. S. E. zu Ermgassen
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Canterbury UK
| | | | - Hugo M. Costa
- Wildlife Conservation Society Mozambique Program Maputo Mozambique
| | - Laura J. Sonter
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
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13
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The Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve Is Partially Effective in Mitigating Human Pressures. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land11010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Protected areas play significant roles in protecting biodiversity by mitigating human activities. As an indicator for human activities, the human footprint (HF) can be used to assess the effectiveness of protected areas. We developed a HF dataset for the Sanjiangyuan region in China after localizing the global HF model. Then we used it to assess the effectiveness of Sanjiangyuan nature reserve (SNR) in mitigating human pressures. Our results suggest that the HF value for the Sanjiangyuan region was generally low from 1995 to 2015, with a fluctuating increasing trend. The SNR is partially effective in mitigating human pressures. For 2005–2010, the HF values decreased both within and outside the reserve with more decreases for the outside. For the three functional zones of the SNR, our results show that the HF values decreased during 2005–2010 for all of them, with the largest decrease in the experimental area, and increased during 2010–2015, with the lowest increase in the core areas. The results we obtained are consistent with ecological indicator-based assessments. It is a challenge for the government to balance conservation and development in establishing Sanjiangyuan National Park.
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14
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Cross SL, Bradley HS, Tudor EP, Craig MD, Tomlinson S, Bamford MJ, Bateman PW, Cross AT. A life‐of‐mine approach to fauna monitoring is critical for recovering functional ecosystems to restored landscapes. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie L. Cross
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Holly S. Bradley
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Emily P. Tudor
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Michael D. Craig
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009 Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences Murdoch University South Street, Murdoch WA 6150 Australia
| | - Sean Tomlinson
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences University of Adelaide North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000 Australia
| | - Michael J. Bamford
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009 Australia
- Bamford Consulting Ecologists 23 Plover Way, Kingsley WA 6026 Australia
| | - Philip W. Bateman
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia
| | - Adam T. Cross
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia
- EcoHealth Network 1330 Beacon St, Suite 355a, Brookline MA 02446 U.S.A
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15
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Davison CW, Rahbek C, Morueta-Holme N. Land-use change and biodiversity: Challenges for assembling evidence on the greatest threat to nature. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:5414-5429. [PMID: 34392585 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Land-use change is considered the greatest threat to nature, having caused worldwide declines in the abundance, diversity, and health of species and ecosystems. Despite increasing research on this global change driver, there are still challenges to forming an effective synthesis. The estimated impact of land-use change on biodiversity can depend on location, research methods, and taxonomic focus, with recent global meta-analyses reaching disparate conclusions. Here, we critically appraise this research body and our ability to reach a reliable consensus. We employ named entity recognition to analyze more than 4000 abstracts, alongside full reading of 100 randomly selected papers. We highlight the broad range of study designs and methodologies used; the most common being local space-for-time comparisons that classify land use in situ. Species metrics including abundance, distribution, and diversity were measured more frequently than complex responses such as demography, vital rates, and behavior. We identified taxonomic biases, with vertebrates well represented while detritivores were largely missing. Omitting this group may hinder our understanding of how land-use change affects ecosystem feedback. Research was heavily biased toward temperate forested biomes in North America and Europe, with warmer regions being acutely underrepresented despite offering potential insights into the future effects of land-use change under novel climates. Various land-use histories were covered, although more research in understudied regions including Africa and the Middle East is required to capture regional differences in the form of current and historical land-use practices. Failure to address these challenges will impede our global understanding of land-use change impacts on biodiversity, limit the reliability of future projections and have repercussions for the conservation of threatened species. Beyond identifying literature biases, we highlight the research priorities and data gaps that need urgent attention and offer perspectives on how to move forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Davison
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Rahbek
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Global Mountain Biodiversity, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Naia Morueta-Holme
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Cross SL, Cross AT, Tomlinson S, Clark-Ioannou SM, Nevill PG, Bateman PW. Mitigation and management plans should consider all anthropogenic disturbances to fauna. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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17
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Using the IUCN Red List to map threats to terrestrial vertebrates at global scale. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:1510-1519. [PMID: 34462602 PMCID: PMC8560638 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01542-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Anthropocene is characterized by unparalleled human impact on other species, potentially ushering in the sixth mass extinction. Yet mitigation efforts remain hampered by limited information on the spatial patterns and intensity of the threats driving global biodiversity loss. Here we use expert-derived information from the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List on threats to 23,271 species, representing all terrestrial amphibians, birds and mammals, to generate global maps of the six major threats to these groups: agriculture, hunting and trapping, logging, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Our results show that agriculture and logging are pervasive in the tropics and that hunting and trapping is the most geographically widespread threat to mammals and birds. Additionally, current representations of human pressure underestimate the overall pressure on biodiversity, due to the exclusion of threats such as hunting and climate change. Alarmingly, this is particularly the case in areas of the highest biodiversity importance.
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18
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Vallejos MAV, Padial AA, Vitule JRS, Monteiro-Filho ELDA. Effects of crowding due to habitat loss on species assemblage patterns. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2020; 34:405-415. [PMID: 31773785 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial animals are negatively affected by habitat loss, which is assessed on a landscape scale, whereas secondary effects of habitat loss, such as crowding, are usually disregarded. Such impacts are inherently hard to address and poorly understood, and there is a growing concern that they could have dire consequences. We sampled birds throughout a deforestation process to assess crowding stress in an adjacent habitat remnant in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Crowding is expected of highly mobile taxa, especially given the microhabitat heterogeneity of Neotropical forests, and we hypothesized that the arrival of new individuals or species in refuges shifts assemblage patterns. We used point counts to obtain bird abundances in a before-after-control-impact design sampling of a deforestation event. Temporal changes in taxonomic and functional diversity were examined with metrics used to assess alpha and beta diversity, turnover of taxonomic and functional similarity, and taxonomic and functional composition. Over time increased abundance of some species altered the Simpson index and affected the abundance-distribution of traits in the habitat remnant. Taxonomic composition and functional composition changed in the remnant, and thus bird assemblages changed over time. Taxonomic and functional metrics indicated that fugitives affected resident assemblages in refuges, and effects endured >2 years after the deforestation processes had ceased. Dissimilarity of taxonomic composition between pre- and postdeforestation assemblages increased, whereas functional composition reverted to preimpact conditions. We found that ecological disruptions resulted from crowding and escalated into disruptions of species' assemblages and potentially compromising ecosystem functioning. It is important to consider crowding effects of highly mobile taxa during impact assessments, especially in large-scale infrastructure projects that may affect larger areas than is assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - André Andrian Padial
- Laboratório de Análise e Síntese em Biodiversidade, Departamento de Botânica. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Coronel Francisco Heráclito dos Santos, 100, CEP: 81530-000, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Jean Ricardo Simões Vitule
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental, Setor de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Coronel Francisco Heráclito dos Santos, 100, CEP, 81530-000, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Emygdio Leite de Araujo Monteiro-Filho
- Laboratório de Biologia e Ecologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Zoologia, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Coronel Francisco Heráclito dos Santos, 100, CEP, 81530-000, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia, Av. Nina, 523, CEP, 11990-000, Cananéia, São Paulo, Brazil
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19
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Landres P, Hahn BA, Biber E, Spencer DT. Protected area stewardship in the Anthropocene: integrating science, law, and ethics to evaluate proposals for ecological restoration in wilderness. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Landres
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, USDA Forest ServiceRocky Mountain Research Station Missoula MT 59801 U.S.A
| | - Beth A. Hahn
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, USDA Forest ServiceRocky Mountain Research Station Missoula MT 59801 U.S.A
| | - Eric Biber
- Berkeley School of LawUniversity of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720 U.S.A
| | - Daniel T. Spencer
- Environmental StudiesThe University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
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20
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Weir D, McQuillan D, Francis RA. Civilian science: the potential of participatory environmental monitoring in areas affected by armed conflicts. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2019; 191:618. [PMID: 31493019 PMCID: PMC6731190 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7773-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Legal and policy initiatives to address the environmental dimensions of armed conflicts and their impact on people, ecosystems and sustainable development are highly dependent on the availability of environmental data from conflict-affected areas. Socio-political and security conditions in these areas often impede data collection, while traditional models of post-conflict environmental assessments are limited in scope. In response, an increasing range of actors is utilising remote sensing and open source data collection to identify and estimate health and ecological risks during and after conflicts. This paper considers the role of participatory citizen science methodologies in complementing both remote monitoring and post-conflict assessments. It examines existing models and mechanisms for environmental data collection and utilisation in conflict contexts, and the extent to which the core values and principles of citizen science are transferable. We find that 'civilian science' is feasible and could be well-suited to conflict conditions. In addition to addressing gaps in data collection, it may also empower communities affected by environmental degradation, enhance their environmental human rights, supplement the often limited monitoring capacity of governmental agencies and facilitate cooperation and peacebuilding. The paper concludes by proposing methodological approaches for three common forms of environmental degradation associated with armed conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug Weir
- The Conflict and Environment Observatory, The Chapel, Scout Road, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 5HZ, UK
| | - Dan McQuillan
- Department of Computing, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK
| | - Robert A Francis
- Department of Geography, King's College London, Strand Campus, Bush House (North East Wing), 30 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK.
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21
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Tulloch AI, Gordon A, Runge CA, Rhodes JR. Integrating spatially realistic infrastructure impacts into conservation planning to inform strategic environmental assessment. Conserv Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha I.T. Tulloch
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Camperdown New South Wales Australia
| | - Ascelin Gordon
- School of Global Urban and Social Studies RMIT University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Claire A. Runge
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Jonathan R. Rhodes
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
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22
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Kennedy CM, Oakleaf JR, Theobald DM, Baruch-Mordo S, Kiesecker J. Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:811-826. [PMID: 30629311 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
An increasing number of international initiatives aim to reconcile development with conservation. Crucial to successful implementation of these initiatives is a comprehensive understanding of the current ecological condition of landscapes and their spatial distributions. Here, we provide a cumulative measure of human modification of terrestrial lands based on modeling the physical extents of 13 anthropogenic stressors and their estimated impacts using spatially explicit global datasets with a median year of 2016. We quantified the degree of land modification and the amount and spatial configuration of low modified lands (i.e., natural areas relatively free from human alteration) across all ecoregions and biomes. We identified that fewer unmodified lands remain than previously reported and that most of the world is in a state of intermediate modification, with 52% of ecoregions classified as moderately modified. Given that these moderately modified ecoregions fall within critical land use thresholds, we propose that they warrant elevated attention and require proactive spatial planning to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem function before important environmental values are lost.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James R Oakleaf
- Global Lands Program, The Nature Conservancy, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | | | | | - Joseph Kiesecker
- Global Lands Program, The Nature Conservancy, Fort Collins, Colorado
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23
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Sonter LJ, Ali SH, Watson JEM. Mining and biodiversity: key issues and research needs in conservation science. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1926. [PMID: 30518573 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mining poses serious and highly specific threats to biodiversity. However, mining can also be a means for financing alternative livelihood paths that, over the long-term, may prevent biodiversity loss. Complex and controversial issues associated with mining and biodiversity conservation are often simplified within a narrow frame oriented towards the negative impacts of mining at the site of extraction, rather than posed as a series of challenges for the conservation science community to embrace. Here, we synthesize core issues that, if better understood, may ensure coexistence between mining and conservation agendas. We illustrate how mining impacts biodiversity through diverse pathways and across spatial scales. We argue that traditional, site-based conservation approaches will have limited effect in preventing biodiversity loss against an increasing mining footprint, but opportunities to improve outcomes (e.g. through long-term strategic assessment and planning) do exist. While future mineral supply is uncertain, projections suggest demand will grow for many metals and shift mining operations towards more dispersed and biodiverse areas. Initiating dialogue between mining companies, policy-makers and conservation organizations is urgent, given the suite of international agendas simultaneously requiring more minerals but less biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Sonter
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia .,School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, VT 05405, USA
| | - Saleem H Ali
- Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, VT 05405, USA.,Department of Geography and Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, University of Delaware, DE 19716, USA
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.,School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, NY 10460, USA
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24
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Loock DJE, Williams ST, Emslie KW, Matthews WS, Swanepoel LH. High carnivore population density highlights the conservation value of industrialised sites. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16575. [PMID: 30410114 PMCID: PMC6224568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34936-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
As the environment becomes increasingly altered by human development, the importance of understanding the ways in which wildlife interact with modified landscapes is becoming clear. Areas such as industrial sites are sometimes presumed to have little conservation value, but many of these sites have areas of less disturbed habitats around their core infrastructure, which could provide ideal conditions to support some species, such as mesocarnivores. We conducted the first assessments of the density of serval (Leptailurus serval) at the Secunda Synfuels Operations plant, South Africa, using camera trap surveys analysed within a spatially explicit capture recapture framework. We show that servals occurred at densities of 76.20-101.21 animals per 100 km², which are higher than previously recorded densities for this species, presumably due to high abundance of prey and the absence of persecution and/or competitor species. Our findings highlight the significant conservation potential of industrialised sites, and we suggest that such sites could help contribute towards meeting conservation goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan J E Loock
- Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 930, South Africa.
| | - Samual T Williams
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE), Hoedspruit, 1380, South Africa.
| | - Kevin W Emslie
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Wayne S Matthews
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, Pretoria, 0003, South Africa
| | - Lourens H Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
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25
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Shackelford N, Standish RJ, Ripple W, Starzomski BM. Threats to biodiversity from cumulative human impacts in one of North America's last wildlife frontiers. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:672-684. [PMID: 29068083 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Land-use change is the largest proximate threat to biodiversity yet remains one of the most complex to manage. In British Columbia (BC), where large mammals roam extensive tracts of intact habitat, continued land-use development is of global concern. Extant mammal diversity in BC is unrivalled in North America owing, in part, to its unique position at the intersection of alpine, boreal, and temperate biomes. Despite high conservation values, understanding of cumulative ecological impacts from human development is limited. Using cumulative-effects-assessment (CEA) methods, we assessed the current human footprint over 16 regional ecosystems and 7 large mammal species. Using historical and current range estimates of the mammals, we investigated impacts of human land use on species' persistence. For ecosystems, we found that bunchgrass, coastal Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine have been subjected to over 50% land-use conversion, and over 85% of their spatial extent has undergone either direct or estimated indirect impacts. Of the mammals we considered, wolves were the least affected by land conversion, yet all species had reduced ranges compared with historical estimates. We found evidence of a hard trade-off between development and conservation, most clearly for mammals with large distributions and ecosystems with high levels of conversion. Rather than serve as a platform to monitor species decline, we strongly advocate these data be used to inform land-use planning and to assess current conservation efforts. More generally, CEAs offer a robust tool to inform wildlife and habitat conservation at scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Shackelford
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P5C2, Canada
- Hakai Institute, Calvert Island, P.O. Box 309, Heriot Bay, BC V0P 1H0, Canada
- Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, P.O. Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Rachel J Standish
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - William Ripple
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Global Trophic Cascades Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, U.S.A
| | - Brian M Starzomski
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P5C2, Canada
- Hakai Institute, Calvert Island, P.O. Box 309, Heriot Bay, BC V0P 1H0, Canada
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26
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Shumway N, Watson JEM, Saunders MI, Maron M. The Risks and Opportunities of Translating Terrestrial Biodiversity Offsets to the Marine Realm. Bioscience 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/bix150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Shumway
- University of Queensland School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Brisbane, Australia
| | - James E M Watson
- University of Queensland School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Brisbane, Australia
- Science and Research Initiative, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
| | - Megan I Saunders
- University of Queensland School of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Biodiversity
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- University of Queensland School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Brisbane, Australia
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27
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Raiter KG, Prober SM, Possingham HP, Westcott F, Hobbs RJ. Linear infrastructure impacts on landscape hydrology. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 206:446-457. [PMID: 29107801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The extent of roads and other forms of linear infrastructure is burgeoning worldwide, but their impacts are inadequately understood and thus poorly mitigated. Previous studies have identified many potential impacts, including alterations to the hydrological functions and soil processes upon which ecosystems depend. However, these impacts have seldom been quantified at a regional level, particularly in arid and semi-arid systems where the gap in knowledge is the greatest, and impacts potentially the most severe. To explore the effects of extensive track, road, and rail networks on surface hydrology at a regional level we assessed over 1000 km of linear infrastructure, including approx. 300 locations where ephemeral streams crossed linear infrastructure, in the largely intact landscapes of Australia's Great Western Woodlands. We found a high level of association between linear infrastructure and altered surface hydrology, with erosion and pooling 5 and 6 times as likely to occur on-road than off-road on average (1.06 erosional and 0.69 pooling features km-1 on vehicle tracks, compared with 0.22 and 0.12 km-1, off-road, respectively). Erosion severity was greater in the presence of tracks, and 98% of crossings of ephemeral streamlines showed some evidence of impact on water movement (flow impedance (62%); diversion of flows (73%); flow concentration (76%); and/or channel initiation (31%)). Infrastructure type, pastoral land use, culvert presence, soil clay content and erodibility, mean annual rainfall, rainfall erosivity, topography and bare soil cover influenced the frequency and severity of these impacts. We conclude that linear infrastructure frequently affects ephemeral stream flows and intercepts natural overland and near-surface flows, artificially changing site-scale moisture regimes, with some parts of the landscape becoming abnormally wet and other parts becoming water-starved. In addition, linear infrastructure frequently triggers or exacerbates erosion, leading to soil loss and degradation. Where linear infrastructure densities are high, their impacts on ecological processes are likely to be considerable. Linear infrastructure is widespread across much of this relatively intact region, but there remain areas with very low infrastructure densities that need to be protected from further impacts. There is substantial scope for mitigating the impacts of existing and planned infrastructure developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren G Raiter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 5, Wembley, Perth, WA, 6913, Australia.
| | - Suzanne M Prober
- CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 5, Wembley, Perth, WA, 6913, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 Arlington, VA, 22203, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | | | - Richard J Hobbs
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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28
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Runge CA, Tulloch AIT, Gordon A, Rhodes JR. Quantifying the conservation gains from shared access to linear infrastructure. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:1428-1438. [PMID: 28464304 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The proliferation of linear infrastructure such as roads and railways is a major global driver of cumulative biodiversity loss. One strategy for reducing habitat loss associated with development is to encourage linear infrastructure providers and users to share infrastructure networks. We quantified the reductions in biodiversity impact and capital costs under linear infrastructure sharing of a range of potential mine to port transportation links for 47 mine locations operated by 28 separate companies in the Upper Spencer Gulf Region of South Australia. We mapped transport links based on least-cost pathways for different levels of linear-infrastructure sharing and used expert-elicited impacts of linear infrastructure to estimate the consequences for biodiversity. Capital costs were calculated based on estimates of construction costs, compensation payments, and transaction costs. We evaluated proposed mine-port links by comparing biodiversity impacts and capital costs across 3 scenarios: an independent scenario, where no infrastructure is shared; a restricted-access scenario, where the largest mining companies share infrastructure but exclude smaller mining companies from sharing; and a shared scenario where all mining companies share linear infrastructure. Fully shared development of linear infrastructure reduced overall biodiversity impacts by 76% and reduced capital costs by 64% compared with the independent scenario. However, there was considerable variation among companies. Our restricted-access scenario showed only modest biodiversity benefits relative to the independent scenario, indicating that reductions are likely to be limited if the dominant mining companies restrict access to infrastructure, which often occurs without policies that promote sharing of infrastructure. Our research helps illuminate the circumstances under which infrastructure sharing can minimize the biodiversity impacts of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire A Runge
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
- National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara, 735 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, U.S.A
| | - Ayesha I T Tulloch
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Ascelin Gordon
- School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, 3001, Australia
| | - Jonathan R Rhodes
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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Senzaki M, Yamaura Y, Nakamura F. Predicting off-site impacts on breeding success of the marsh harrier. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Senzaki
- Graduate School of Agriculture; Hokkaido University; Kita 9, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku Sapporo 060-8589 Japan
| | - Yuichi Yamaura
- Department of Forest Vegetation; Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; 1 Matsunosato Ibaraki 305-8687 Japan
| | - Futoshi Nakamura
- Graduate School of Agriculture; Hokkaido University; Kita 9, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku Sapporo 060-8589 Japan
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Abstract
AbstractThe mitigation hierarchy is a decision-making framework designed to address impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services through first seeking to avoid impacts wherever possible, then minimizing or restoring impacts, and finally by offsetting any unavoidable impacts. Avoiding impacts is seen by many as the most certain and effective way of managing harm to biodiversity, and its position as the first stage of the mitigation hierarchy indicates that it should be prioritized ahead of other stages. However, despite an abundance of legislative and voluntary requirements, there is often a failure to avoid impacts. We discuss reasons for this failure and outline some possible solutions. We highlight the key roles that can be played by conservation organizations in cultivating political will, holding decision makers accountable to the law, improving the processes of impact assessment and avoidance, building capacity, and providing technical knowledge. A renewed focus on impact avoidance as the foundation of the mitigation hierarchy could help to limit the impacts on biodiversity of large-scale developments in energy, infrastructure, agriculture and other sectors.
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Venter O, Sanderson EW, Magrach A, Allan JR, Beher J, Jones KR, Possingham HP, Laurance WF, Wood P, Fekete BM, Levy MA, Watson JEM. Sixteen years of change in the global terrestrial human footprint and implications for biodiversity conservation. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12558. [PMID: 27552116 PMCID: PMC4996975 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 553] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pressures on the environment are changing spatially and temporally, with profound implications for the planet's biodiversity and human economies. Here we use recently available data on infrastructure, land cover and human access into natural areas to construct a globally standardized measure of the cumulative human footprint on the terrestrial environment at 1 km2 resolution from 1993 to 2009. We note that while the human population has increased by 23% and the world economy has grown 153%, the human footprint has increased by just 9%. Still, 75% the planet's land surface is experiencing measurable human pressures. Moreover, pressures are perversely intense, widespread and rapidly intensifying in places with high biodiversity. Encouragingly, we discover decreases in environmental pressures in the wealthiest countries and those with strong control of corruption. Clearly the human footprint on Earth is changing, yet there are still opportunities for conservation gains. Habitat loss and urbanization are primary components of human impact on the environment. Here, Venter et al. use global data on infrastructure, agriculture, and urbanization to show that the human footprint is growing slower than the human population, but footprints are increasing in biodiverse regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Venter
- Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada V2N 4Z9.,Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia.,Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Eric W Sanderson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx New York 10460, USA
| | - Ainhoa Magrach
- Ecosystem Management, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.,Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Américo Vespucio s/n, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - James R Allan
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia.,School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jutta Beher
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Kendall R Jones
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia.,School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia.,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
| | - William F Laurance
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Peter Wood
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Balázs M Fekete
- Department of Civil Engineering, The City College of New York, CUNY Environmental CrossRoads Initiative, City University of New York, New York, New York 10007, USA
| | - Marc A Levy
- Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA
| | - James E M Watson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx New York 10460, USA.,School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, St Lucia Queensland 4072, Australia
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32
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Tyler NJC, Stokkan K, Hogg CR, Nellemann C, Vistnes AI. Cryptic impact: Visual detection of corona light and avoidance of power lines by reindeer. WILDLIFE SOC B 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karl‐Arne Stokkan
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøN‐9037Norway
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Edgar GJ, Bates AE, Bird TJ, Jones AH, Kininmonth S, Stuart-Smith RD, Webb TJ. New Approaches to Marine Conservation Through the Scaling Up of Ecological Data. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2016; 8:435-61. [PMID: 26253270 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-122414-033921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
In an era of rapid global change, conservation managers urgently need improved tools to track and counter declining ecosystem conditions. This need is particularly acute in the marine realm, where threats are out of sight, inadequately mapped, cumulative, and often poorly understood, thereby generating impacts that are inefficiently managed. Recent advances in macroecology, statistical analysis, and the compilation of global data will play a central role in improving conservation outcomes, provided that global, regional, and local data streams can be integrated to produce locally relevant and interpretable outputs. Progress will be assisted by (a) expanded rollout of systematic surveys that quantify species patterns, including some carried out with help from citizen scientists; (b) coordinated experimental research networks that utilize large-scale manipulations to identify mechanisms underlying these patterns;
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham J Edgar
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7004, Tasmania, Australia; ,
| | - Amanda E Bates
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom;
| | - Tomas J Bird
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom;
| | - Alun H Jones
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom; ,
| | - Stuart Kininmonth
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Rick D Stuart-Smith
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7004, Tasmania, Australia; ,
| | - Thomas J Webb
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom; ,
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