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Rallings T, Kempes CP, Yeakel JD. On the Dynamics of Mortality and the Ephemeral Nature of Mammalian Megafauna. Am Nat 2024; 204:274-288. [PMID: 39179233 DOI: 10.1086/731331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
AbstractEnergy flow through consumer-resource interactions is largely determined by body size. Allometric relationships govern the dynamics of populations by impacting rates of reproduction as well as alternative sources of mortality, which have differential impacts on smaller to larger organisms. Here we derive and investigate the timescales associated with four alternative sources of mortality for terrestrial mammals: mortality from starvation, mortality associated with aging, mortality from consumption by predators, and mortality introduced by anthropogenic subsidized harvest. The incorporation of these allometric relationships into a minimal consumer-resource model illuminates central constraints that may contribute to the structure of mammalian communities. Our framework reveals that while starvation largely impacts smaller-bodied species, the allometry of senescence is expected to be more difficult to observe. In contrast, external predation and subsidized harvest have greater impacts on the populations of larger-bodied species. Moreover, the inclusion of predation mortality reveals mass thresholds for mammalian herbivores, where dynamic instabilities may limit the feasibility of megafaunal populations. We show how these thresholds vary with alternative predator-prey mass relationships, which are not well understood within terrestrial systems. Finally, we use our framework to predict the harvest pressure required to induce mass-specific extinctions, which closely align with previous estimates of anthropogenic megafaunal exploitation in both paleontological and historical contexts. Together our results underscore the tenuous nature of megafaunal populations and how different sources of mortality may contribute to their ephemeral nature over evolutionary time.
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Thepault A, Rodrigues ASL, Drago L, Grémillet D. Food chain without giants: modelling the trophic impact of bowhead whaling on little auk populations in the Atlantic Arctic. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20241183. [PMID: 39163979 PMCID: PMC11335397 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In the Atlantic Arctic, bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) were nearly exterminated by European whalers between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The collapse of the East Greenland-Svalbard-Barents Sea population, from an estimated 50 000 to a few hundred individuals, drastically reduced predation on mesozooplankton. Here, we tested the hypothesis that this event strongly favoured the demography of the little auk (Alle alle), a zooplanktivorous feeder competitor of bowhead whales and the most abundant seabird in the Arctic. To estimate the effect of bowhead whaling on little auk abundance, we modelled the trophic niche overlap between the two species using deterministic simulations of mesozooplankton spatial distribution. We estimated that bowhead whaling could have led to a 70% increase in northeast Atlantic Arctic little auk populations, from 2.8 to 4.8 million breeding pairs. While corresponding to a major population increase, this is far less than predicted by previous studies. Our study illustrates how a trophic shift can result from the near extirpation of a marine megafauna species, and the methodological framework we developed opens up new opportunities for marine trophic modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Thepault
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Mécanismes adaptatifs et évolution (MECADEV UMR 7179), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Brunoy, France
| | | | - Laetitia Drago
- Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche-sur-mer, Sorbonne Université, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
- Sorbonne Université UMR 7159 CNRS-IRD-MNHN, LOCEAN-IPSL, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - David Grémillet
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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3
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LaBarge LR, Krofel M, Allen ML, Hill RA, Welch AJ, Allan ATL. Keystone individuals - linking predator traits to community ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2024:S0169-5347(24)00166-6. [PMID: 39068138 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Individual behavioral plasticity enables animals to adjust to different scenarios. Yet, personality traits limit this flexibility, leading to consistent interindividual differences in behavior. These individual behavioral traits have the potential to govern community interactions, although testing this is difficult in complex natural systems. For large predators who often exert strong effects on ecosystem functioning, this behavioral diversity may be especially important and lead to individualized ecosystem roles. We present a framework for quantifying individual behavioral plasticity and personality traits of large wild predators, revealing the extent to which certain natural behaviors are governed by these latent traits. The outcomes will reveal how the innate characteristics of wildlife can scale up to affect community interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R LaBarge
- Comparative Socioecology Group, Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maximilian L Allen
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
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Anfodillo T, Olson ME. Stretched sapwood, ultra-widening permeability and ditching da Vinci: revising models of plant form and function. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 134:19-42. [PMID: 38634673 PMCID: PMC11161570 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae054] [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: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms leading to dieback and death of trees under drought remain unclear. To gain an understanding of these mechanisms, addressing major empirical gaps regarding tree structure-function relations remains essential. SCOPE We give reasons to think that a central factor shaping plant form and function is selection simultaneously favouring constant leaf-specific conductance with height growth and isometric (1:1) scaling between leaf area and the volume of metabolically active sink tissues ('sapwood'). Sapwood volume-leaf area isometry implies that per-leaf area sapwood volumes become transversely narrower with height growth; we call this 'stretching'. Stretching means that selection must favour increases in permeability above and beyond that afforded by tip-to-base conduit widening ("ultra-widening permeability"), via fewer and wider vessels or tracheids with larger pits or larger margo openings. Leaf area-metabolically active sink tissue isometry would mean that it is unlikely that larger trees die during drought because of carbon starvation due to greater sink-source relationships as compared to shorter plants. Instead, an increase in permeability is most plausibly associated with greater risk of embolism, and this seems a more probable explanation of the preferential vulnerability of larger trees to climate change-induced drought. Other implications of selection favouring constant per-leaf area sapwood construction and maintenance costs are departure from the da Vinci rule expectation of similar sapwood areas across branching orders, and that extensive conduit furcation in the stem seems unlikely. CONCLUSIONS Because all these considerations impact the likelihood of vulnerability to hydraulic failure versus carbon starvation, both implicated as key suspects in forest mortality, we suggest that these predictions represent essential priorities for empirical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Anfodillo
- Department Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, University of Padova, Legnaro (PD) 35020, Italy
| | - Mark E Olson
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito sn de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
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Davoli M, Svenning JC. Future changes in society and climate may strongly shape wild large-herbivore faunas across Europe. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230334. [PMID: 38583466 PMCID: PMC10999261 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Restoring wild communities of large herbivores is critical for the conservation of biodiverse ecosystems, but environmental changes in the twenty-first century could drastically affect the availability of habitats. We projected future habitat dynamics for 18 wild large herbivores in Europe and the relative future potential patterns of species richness and assemblage mean body weight considering four alternative scenarios of socioeconomic development in human society and greenhouse gas emissions (SSP1-RCP2.6, SSP2-RCP4.5, SSP3-RCP7.0, SSP5-RCP8.5). Under SSP1-RCP2.6, corresponding to a transition towards sustainable development, we found stable habitat suitability for most species and overall stable assemblage mean body weight compared to the present, with an average increase in species richness (in 2100: 3.03 ± 1.55 compared to today's 2.25 ± 1.31 species/area). The other scenarios are generally unfavourable for the conservation of wild large herbivores, although under the SSP5-RCP8.5 scenario there would be increase in species richness and assemblage mean body weight in some southern regions (e.g. + 62.86 kg mean body weight in Balkans/Greece). Our results suggest that a shift towards a sustainable socioeconomic development would overall provide the best prospect of our maintaining or even increasing the diversity of wild herbivore assemblages in Europe, thereby promoting trophic complexity and the potential to restore functioning and self-regulating ecosystems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Davoli
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
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Enquist BJ, Kempes CP, West GB. Developing a predictive science of the biosphere requires the integration of scientific cultures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2209196121. [PMID: 38640256 PMCID: PMC11087787 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209196121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing the speed of scientific progress is urgently needed to address the many challenges associated with the biosphere in the Anthropocene. Consequently, the critical question becomes: How can science most rapidly progress to address large, complex global problems? We suggest that the lag in the development of a more predictive science of the biosphere is not only because the biosphere is so much more complex, or because we do not have enough data, or are not doing enough experiments, but, in large part, because of unresolved tension between the three dominant scientific cultures that pervade the research community. We introduce and explain the concept of the three scientific cultures and present a novel analysis of their characteristics, supported by examples and a formal mathematical definition/representation of what this means and implies. The three cultures operate, to varying degrees, across all of science. However, within the biosciences, and in contrast to some of the other sciences, they remain relatively more separated, and their lack of integration has hindered their potential power and insight. Our solution to accelerating a broader, predictive science of the biosphere is to enhance integration of scientific cultures. The process of integration-Scientific Transculturalism-recognizes that the push for interdisciplinary research, in general, is just not enough. Unless these cultures of science are formally appreciated and their thinking iteratively integrated into scientific discovery and advancement, there will continue to be numerous significant challenges that will increasingly limit forecasting and prediction efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J. Enquist
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ85721
- The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM87501
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Svenning JC, Buitenwerf R, Le Roux E. Trophic rewilding as a restoration approach under emerging novel biosphere conditions. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R435-R451. [PMID: 38714176 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Rewilding is a restoration approach that aims to promote self-regulating complex ecosystems by restoring non-human ecological processes while reducing human control and pressures. Rewilding is forward-looking in that it aims to enhance functionality for biodiversity, accepting and indeed promoting the dynamic nature of ecosystems, rather than fixating on static composition or structure. Rewilding is thus especially relevant in our epoch of increasingly novel biosphere conditions, driven by strong human-induced global change. Here, we explore this hypothesis in the context of trophic rewilding - the restoration of trophic complexity mediated by wild, large-bodied animals, known as 'megafauna'. This focus reflects the strong ecological impacts of large-bodied animals, their widespread loss during the last 50,000 years and their high diversity and ubiquity in the preceding 50 million years. Restoring abundant, diverse, wild-living megafauna is expected to promote vegetation heterogeneity, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and biotic microhabitats. These are fundamental drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem function and are likely to gain importance for maintaining a biodiverse biosphere under increasingly novel ecological conditions. Non-native megafauna species may contribute to these effects as ecological surrogates of extinct species or by promoting ecological functionality within novel assemblages. Trophic rewilding has strong upscaling potential via population growth and expansion of wild fauna. It is likely to facilitate biotic adaptation to changing climatic conditions and resilience to ecosystem collapse, and to curb some negative impacts of globalization, notably the dominance of invasive alien plants. Finally, we discuss the complexities of realizing the biodiversity benefits that trophic rewilding offers under novel biosphere conditions in a heavily populated world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Robert Buitenwerf
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth Le Roux
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
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Hildebrand L, Derville S, Hildebrand I, Torres LG. Exploring indirect effects of a classic trophic cascade between urchins and kelp on zooplankton and whales. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9815. [PMID: 38684814 PMCID: PMC11059377 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59964-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Kelp forest trophic cascades have been extensively researched, yet indirect effects to the zooplankton prey base and gray whales have not been explored. We investigate the correlative patterns of a trophic cascade between bull kelp and purple sea urchins on gray whales and zooplankton in Oregon, USA. Using generalized additive models (GAMs), we assess (1) temporal dynamics of the four species across 8 years, and (2) possible trophic paths from urchins to kelp, kelp as habitat to zooplankton, and kelp and zooplankton to gray whales. Temporal GAMs revealed an increase in urchin coverage, with simultaneous decline in kelp condition, zooplankton abundance and gray whale foraging time. Trophic path GAMs, which tested for correlations between species, demonstrated that urchins and kelp were negatively correlated, while kelp and zooplankton were positively correlated. Gray whales showed nuanced and site-specific correlations with zooplankton in one site, and positive correlations with kelp condition in both sites. The negative correlation between the kelp-urchin trophic cascade and zooplankton resulted in a reduced prey base for gray whales. This research provides a new perspective on the vital role kelp forests may play across multiple trophic levels and interspecies linkages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hildebrand
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA.
| | - Solène Derville
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
- UMR ENTROPIE (IRD-Université de La Réunion-CNRS-Laboratoire d'excellence LabEx-CORAIL), Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Ines Hildebrand
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
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Hackländer J, Parente L, Ho YF, Hengl T, Simoes R, Consoli D, Şahin M, Tian X, Jung M, Herold M, Duveiller G, Weynants M, Wheeler I. Land potential assessment and trend-analysis using 2000-2021 FAPAR monthly time-series at 250 m spatial resolution. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16972. [PMID: 38495753 PMCID: PMC10944167 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The article presents results of using remote sensing images and machine learning to map and assess land potential based on time-series of potential Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) composites. Land potential here refers to the potential vegetation productivity in the hypothetical absence of short-term anthropogenic influence, such as intensive agriculture and urbanization. Knowledge on this ecological land potential could support the assessment of levels of land degradation as well as restoration potentials. Monthly aggregated FAPAR time-series of three percentiles (0.05, 0.50 and 0.95 probability) at 250 m spatial resolution were derived from the 8-day GLASS FAPAR V6 product for 2000-2021 and used to determine long-term trends in FAPAR, as well as to model potential FAPAR in the absence of human pressure. CCa 3 million training points sampled from 12,500 locations across the globe were overlaid with 68 bio-physical variables representing climate, terrain, landform, and vegetation cover, as well as several variables representing human pressure including: population count, cropland intensity, nightlights and a human footprint index. The training points were used in an ensemble machine learning model that stacks three base learners (extremely randomized trees, gradient descended trees and artificial neural network) using a linear regressor as meta-learner. The potential FAPAR was then projected by removing the impact of urbanization and intensive agriculture in the covariate layers. The results of strict cross-validation show that the global distribution of FAPAR can be explained with an R2 of 0.89, with the most important covariates being growing season length, forest cover indicator and annual precipitation. From this model, a global map of potential monthly FAPAR for the recent year (2021) was produced, and used to predict gaps in actual vs. potential FAPAR. The produced global maps of actual vs. potential FAPAR and long-term trends were each spatially matched with stable and transitional land cover classes. The assessment showed large negative FAPAR gaps (actual lower than potential) for classes: urban, needle-leave deciduous trees, and flooded shrub or herbaceous cover, while strong negative FAPAR trends were found for classes: urban, sparse vegetation and rainfed cropland. On the other hand, classes: irrigated or post-flooded cropland, tree cover mixed leaf type, and broad-leave deciduous showed largely positive trends. The framework allows land managers to assess potential land degradation from two aspects: as an actual declining trend in observed FAPAR and as a difference between actual and potential vegetation FAPAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hackländer
- OpenGeoHub, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xuemeng Tian
- OpenGeoHub, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Martin Jung
- Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation Research Group, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Martin Herold
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Helmholtz GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Melanie Weynants
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC), Jena, Germany
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Kaštovská E, Mastný J, Konvička M. Rewilding by large ungulates contributes to organic carbon storage in soils. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 355:120430. [PMID: 38428182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120430] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The concept of rewilding, which focuses on managing ecosystem functions through self-regulation by restoring trophic interactions through introduced animal species with little human intervention, has gained increasing attention as a proactive and efficient approach to restoring ecosystems quickly and on a large scale. However, the science of rewilding has been criticized for being largely theory-based rather than evidence-based, with available data being geographically biased towards the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries, and a lack of objective data on rewilding effects on soil processes and C sequestration. In response to a call for data-driven experimental rewilding projects focused on national contexts, we collected unique data on the effects of large herbivore rewilding on soil properties from eight sites in the Czech Republic. These include sites with a wide range of edaphic characteristics that were grazed by Exmoor ponies, European bison, and back-bred Bos primigenius cattle (singly or in combination) for 2-6 years on areas ranging from ≈30 to ≈250 ha. Despite the relatively short duration of rewilding actions and considerable variability in the response rate of soil properties to grazing, our results indicate improved nutrient availability (evidenced by higher nitrification rate or higher soluble nitrogen concentration) and accelerated ecosystem metabolism (higher soil microbial biomass and dissolved carbon content). On longer-grazed pastures, rewilding contributed to soil carbon sequestration associated with increased water holding capacity and improved soil structure. However, other soil properties (reduced dissolved P concentration or total P content) showed signs of low P availability in the soils of the rewilding sites. Therefore, carcass retention should be considered where possible. Our data, although limited in number and geographic coverage, allow us to conclude that large ungulate rewilding has the potential to enhance soil carbon sequestration and related ecosystem services in rewilding areas. At the same time, we urge similar monitoring as an essential part of other rewilding projects, which will ultimately allow much more robust conclusions about the effects of this management on soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kaštovská
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Mastný
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Konvička
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Barbero-Palacios L, Ferraro KM, Barrio IC, Krumins JA, Bartolomé J, Albanell E, Jarque-Bascuñana L, Lavín S, Calleja JA, Carreira JA, Serrano E. Faecal nutrient deposition of domestic and wild herbivores in an alpine grassland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166616. [PMID: 37647958 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of herbivores to ecosystem nutrient fluxes through dung deposition has the potential to, directly and indirectly, influence ecosystem functioning. This process can be particularly important in nutrient-limited ecosystems such as alpine systems. However, herbivore dung content (carbon, C; nitrogen, N; phosphorus, P; potassium, K) and stoichiometry (C/N) may differ among species due to differences in diet, seasonality, body type, feeding strategy, and/or digestive system with consequences for soil biogeochemistry. Here we explore how species, body size, and seasonality may result in differences in dung stoichiometry for four alpine herbivores (chamois, sheep, horse, and cattle). We found that herbivore dung nutrient content often varies among species as well as with body size, with the dung of small herbivores having larger C, N, and P faecal content. Seasonality also showed marked effects on faecal nutrient content, with a general pattern of decreasing levels of faecal P, N and an increase of C/N as the summer progresses following the loss of nutrient value of the vegetation. Moreover, we showed how herbivores play an important role as natural fertilizers of C, N, and P in our study area, especially cattle. Our study highlights the importance of considering the relative contribution of different herbivores to ecosystem nutrient fluxes in management practices, especially with ongoing changes in wild and domestic herbivore populations in alpine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Barbero-Palacios
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Árleyni 22, Keldnaholt, IS-112 Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Kristy M Ferraro
- Yale University School of the Environment, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Isabel C Barrio
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Árleyni 22, Keldnaholt, IS-112 Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | | | - Jordi Bartolomé
- Grup de Recerca en Remugants, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Elena Albanell
- Grup de Recerca en Remugants, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Laia Jarque-Bascuñana
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Santiago Lavín
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Juan A Calleja
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
| | - José A Carreira
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Serrano
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H) and Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Olsen EM, Karlsen Ø, Skjæraasen JE. Large females connect Atlantic cod spawning sites. Science 2023; 382:1181-1184. [PMID: 38060630 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi1826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The Earth's ecosystems are increasingly deprived of large animals. Global simulations suggest that this downsizing of nature has serious consequences for biosphere functioning. However, the historical loss of large animals means that it is now often impossible to secure empirical data revealing their true ecological importance. We tracked 465 mature Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) during their winter spawning season and show that large females (up to 114 centimeters in length), which are still found in mid-Norway, were characterized by more complex movement networks compared with smaller females. Large males were sparse but displayed similar movement patterns. Our finding implies that management programs promoting large fish will have positive impacts on population resilience by facilitating the continued use of a diversity of spawning habitats and the connectivity between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esben Moland Olsen
- Institute of Marine Research; Flødevigen, Arendal 4817, Norway
- Centre for Coastal Research, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder; Kristiansand 4604, Norway
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13
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Guo WY, Serra-Diaz JM, Eiserhardt WL, Maitner BS, Merow C, Violle C, Pound MJ, Sun M, Slik F, Blach-Overgaard A, Enquist BJ, Svenning JC. Climate change and land use threaten global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6950. [PMID: 37907453 PMCID: PMC10618213 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42671-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Across the globe, tree species are under high anthropogenic pressure. Risks of extinction are notably more severe for species with restricted ranges and distinct evolutionary histories. Here, we use a global dataset covering 41,835 species (65.1% of known tree species) to assess the spatial pattern of tree species' phylogenetic endemism, its macroecological drivers, and how future pressures may affect the conservation status of the identified hotspots. We found that low-to-mid latitudes host most endemism hotspots, with current climate being the strongest driver, and climatic stability across thousands to millions of years back in time as a major co-determinant. These hotspots are mostly located outside of protected areas and face relatively high land-use change and future climate change pressure. Our study highlights the risk from climate change for tree diversity and the necessity to strengthen conservation and restoration actions in global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees to avoid major future losses of tree diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yong Guo
- Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems & Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, P. R. China.
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Josep M Serra-Diaz
- Eversource Energy Center and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
- Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, Silva, Nancy, France
| | - Wolf L Eiserhardt
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Brian S Maitner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Cory Merow
- Eversource Energy Center and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Matthew J Pound
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
| | - Miao Sun
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, P. R. China
| | - Ferry Slik
- Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, BE1410, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Anne Blach-Overgaard
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Brian J Enquist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- The Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
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14
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Mills KL, Belant JL, Beukes M, Dröge E, Everatt KT, Fyumagwa R, Green DS, Hayward MW, Holekamp KE, Radloff FGT, Spong G, Suraci JP, Van der Weyde LK, Wilmers CC, Carter NH, Sanders NJ. Tradeoffs between resources and risks shape the responses of a large carnivore to human disturbance. Commun Biol 2023; 6:986. [PMID: 37848509 PMCID: PMC10582050 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05321-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Wide-ranging carnivores experience tradeoffs between dynamic resource availabilities and heterogeneous risks from humans, with consequences for their ecological function and conservation outcomes. Yet, research investigating these tradeoffs across large carnivore distributions is rare. We assessed how resource availability and anthropogenic risks influence the strength of lion (Panthera leo) responses to disturbance using data from 31 sites across lions' contemporary range. Lions avoided human disturbance at over two-thirds of sites, though their responses varied depending on site-level characteristics. Lions were more likely to exploit human-dominated landscapes where resources were limited, indicating that resource limitation can outweigh anthropogenic risks and might exacerbate human-carnivore conflict. Lions also avoided human impacts by increasing their nocturnal activity more often at sites with higher production of cattle. The combined effects of expanding human impacts and environmental change threaten to simultaneously downgrade the ecological function of carnivores and intensify human-carnivore conflicts, escalating extinction risks for many species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirby L Mills
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Jerrold L Belant
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Maya Beukes
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Nature Museum, Terrestrial Zoology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Egil Dröge
- WildCRU, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Tubney, UK
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
| | - Kristoffer T Everatt
- Panthera, New York, NY, USA
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Greater Limpopo Carnivore Programme, Limpopo, Mozambique
| | - Robert Fyumagwa
- Wildlife Conservation Initiative, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - David S Green
- Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Matt W Hayward
- Conservation Science Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Qgeberha, South Africa
- Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Tshwane, South Africa
| | - Kay E Holekamp
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, MI, USA
| | - F G T Radloff
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Göran Spong
- Molecular Ecology Group, SLU, 901 83, UMEÅ, Sweden
| | | | - Leanne K Van der Weyde
- Cheetah Conservation Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, USA
| | | | - Neil H Carter
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nathan J Sanders
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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15
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Mungi NA, Jhala YV, Qureshi Q, le Roux E, Svenning JC. Megaherbivores provide biotic resistance against alien plant dominance. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1645-1653. [PMID: 37652995 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02181-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
While human-driven biological invasions are rapidly spreading, finding scalable and effective control methods poses an unresolved challenge. Here, we assess whether megaherbivores-herbivores reaching ≥1,000 kg of body mass-offer a nature-based solution to plant invasions. Invasive plants are generally adapted to maximize vegetative growth. Megaherbivores, with broad dietary tolerances, could remove large biomass of established plants, facilitating new plant growth. We used a massive dataset obtained from 26,838 camera stations and 158,979 vegetation plots to assess the relationships between megaherbivores, native plants and alien plants across India (~121,330 km2). We found a positive relationship between megaherbivore abundance and native plant richness and abundance, and a concomitant reduction in alien plant abundance. This relationship was strongest in protected areas with midproductive ecosystem and high megaherbivore density but it was lost in areas where thicket-forming alien plants predominated (>40% cover). By incorporating the role of ecosystem productivity, plants traits and densities of megaherbivores on megaherbivore-vegetation relationships, our study highlights a function of megaherbivores in controlling alien plant proliferation and facilitating diverse native plants in invaded ecosystems. The study shows great potential for megafauna-based trophic rewilding as a nature-based solution to counteract dominance of plant invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ninad Avinash Mungi
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India.
| | | | | | - Elizabeth le Roux
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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16
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Teng SN, Svenning JC, Xu C. Large mammals and trees in eastern monsoonal China: anthropogenic losses since the Late Pleistocene and restoration prospects in the Anthropocene. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1607-1632. [PMID: 37102332 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Massive human-induced declines of large-sized animals and trees (megabiota) from the Late Pleistocene to the Anthropocene have resulted in downsized ecosystems across the globe, in which components and functions have been greatly simplified. In response, active restoration projects of extant large-sized species or functional substitutes are needed at large scales to promote ecological processes that are important for ecosystem self-regulation and biodiversity maintenance. Despite the desired global scope of such projects, they have received little attention in East Asia. Here, we synthesise the biogeographical and ecological knowledge of megabiota in ancient and modern China, with relevant data mostly located in eastern monsoonal China (EMC), aiming to assess its potential for restoring functionally intact ecosystems modulated by megabiota. We found that during the Late Pleistocene, 12 mammalian megafaunal (carnivores ≥15 kg and herbivores ≥500 kg) species disappeared from EMC: one carnivore Crocuta ultima (East Asian spotted hyena) and 11 herbivores including six megaherbivores (≥1000 kg). The relative importance of climate change and humans in driving these losses remains debated, despite accumulating evidence in favour of the latter. Later massive depletion of megafauna and large-sized (45-500 kg) herbivores has been closely associated with agricultural expansion and societal development, especially during the late Holocene. While forests rich in large timber trees (33 taxa in written records) were common in the region 2000-3000 years ago, millennial-long logging has resulted in considerable range contractions and at least 39 threatened species. The wide distribution of C. ultima, which likely favoured open or semi-open habitats (like extant spotted hyenas), suggests the existence of mosaic open and closed vegetation in the Late Pleistocene across EMC, in line with a few pollen-based vegetation reconstructions and potentially, or at least partially, reflecting herbivory by herbivorous megafauna. The widespread loss of megaherbivores may have strongly compromised seed dispersal for both megafruit (fleshy fruits with widths ≥40 mm) and non-megafruit plant species in EMC, especially in terms of extra-long-distance (>10 km) dispersal, which is critical for plant species that rely on effective biotic agents to track rapid climate change. The former occurrence of large mammals and trees have translated into rich material and non-material heritages passed down across generations. Several reintroduction projects have been implemented or are under consideration, with the case of Elaphurus davidianus a notable success in recovering wild populations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, although trophic interactions with native carnivorous megafauna have not yet been restored. Lessons of dealing with human-wildlife conflicts are key to public support for maintaining landscapes shared with megafauna and large herbivores in the human-dominated Anthropocene. Meanwhile, potential human-wildlife conflicts, e.g. public health risks, need to be scientifically informed and effectively reduced. The Chinese government's strong commitment to improved policies of ecological protection and restoration (e.g. ecological redlines and national parks) provides a solid foundation for a scaling-up contribution to the global scope needed for solving the crisis of biotic downsizing and ecosystem degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqing N Teng
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Chi Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Key Laboratory of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in northwestern China of Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
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17
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Gilbert L, Jeanniard-du-Dot T, Authier M, Chouvelon T, Spitz J. Composition of cetacean communities worldwide shapes their contribution to ocean nutrient cycling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5823. [PMID: 37726276 PMCID: PMC10509247 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41532-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Defecation by large whales is known to fertilise oceans with nutrients, stimulating phytoplankton and ecosystem productivity. However, our current understanding of these processes is limited to a few species, nutrients and ecosystems. Here, we investigate the role of cetacean communities in the worldwide biological cycling of two major nutrients and six trace nutrients. We show that cetaceans release more nutrients in mesotrophic to eutrophic temperate waters than in oligotrophic tropical waters, mirroring patterns of ecosystem productivity. The released nutrient cocktails also vary geographically, driven by the composition of cetacean communities. The roles of small cetaceans, deep diving cetaceans and baleen whales differ quantitatively and functionally, with contributions of small cetaceans and deep divers exceeding those of large whales in some areas. The functional diversity of cetacean communities expands beyond their role as top predators to include their role as active nutrient vectors, which might be equally important to local ecosystem dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Gilbert
- Centre for Biological Studies of Chizé, UMR 7372 La Rochelle University - CNRS, La Rochelle, France
- Pelagis Observatory, UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS, La Rochelle, France
| | | | - Matthieu Authier
- Pelagis Observatory, UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS, La Rochelle, France
| | - Tiphaine Chouvelon
- Pelagis Observatory, UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS, La Rochelle, France
- Ifremer, Chemical Contamination of Marine Ecosystems Unit, Nantes, France
| | - Jérôme Spitz
- Centre for Biological Studies of Chizé, UMR 7372 La Rochelle University - CNRS, La Rochelle, France.
- Pelagis Observatory, UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS, La Rochelle, France.
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18
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Martins IS, Schrodt F, Blowes SA, Bates AE, Bjorkman AD, Brambilla V, Carvajal-Quintero J, Chow CFY, Daskalova GN, Edwards K, Eisenhauer N, Field R, Fontrodona-Eslava A, Henn JJ, van Klink R, Madin JS, Magurran AE, McWilliam M, Moyes F, Pugh B, Sagouis A, Trindade-Santos I, McGill BJ, Chase JM, Dornelas M. Widespread shifts in body size within populations and assemblages. Science 2023; 381:1067-1071. [PMID: 37676959 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg6006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Biotic responses to global change include directional shifts in organismal traits. Body size, an integrative trait that determines demographic rates and ecosystem functions, is thought to be shrinking in the Anthropocene. Here, we assessed the prevalence of body size change in six taxon groups across 5025 assemblage time series spanning 1960 to 2020. Using the Price equation to partition this change into within-species body size versus compositional changes, we detected prevailing decreases in body size through time driven primarily by fish, with more variable patterns in other taxa. We found that change in assemblage composition contributes more to body size changes than within-species trends, but both components show substantial variation in magnitude and direction. The biomass of assemblages remains quite stable as decreases in body size trade off with increases in abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês S Martins
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Franziska Schrodt
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
| | - Shane A Blowes
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06099, Germany
| | - Amanda E Bates
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anne D Bjorkman
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg 41319, Sweden
| | - Viviana Brambilla
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
- MARE, Guia Marine Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Cascais 2750-374, Portugal
| | - Juan Carvajal-Quintero
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Cher F Y Chow
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Gergana N Daskalova
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg 2361, Austria
| | - Kyle Edwards
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai''i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Richard Field
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
| | - Ada Fontrodona-Eslava
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Jonathan J Henn
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Roel van Klink
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06099, Germany
| | - Joshua S Madin
- Hawai''i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai''i at Manoa, Kāne'ohe, Hawai''i 96744, USA
| | - Anne E Magurran
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Michael McWilliam
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Faye Moyes
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
| | - Brittany Pugh
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
- University College London, School of Geography, Gower Street, London WC1E 6AE, UK
| | - Alban Sagouis
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06099, Germany
| | - Isaac Trindade-Santos
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
- Macroevolution Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1, Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun 904-0495, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Brian J McGill
- School of Biology and Ecology and Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Jonathan M Chase
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06099, Germany
| | - Maria Dornelas
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- MARE, Guia Marine Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Cascais 2750-374, Portugal
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19
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Russo NJ, Davies AB, Blakey RV, Ordway EM, Smith TB. Feedback loops between 3D vegetation structure and ecological functions of animals. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1597-1613. [PMID: 37419868 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems function in a series of feedback loops that can change or maintain vegetation structure. Vegetation structure influences the ecological niche space available to animals, shaping many aspects of behaviour and reproduction. In turn, animals perform ecological functions that shape vegetation structure. However, most studies concerning three-dimensional vegetation structure and animal ecology consider only a single direction of this relationship. Here, we review these separate lines of research and integrate them into a unified concept that describes a feedback mechanism. We also show how remote sensing and animal tracking technologies are now available at the global scale to describe feedback loops and their consequences for ecosystem functioning. An improved understanding of how animals interact with vegetation structure in feedback loops is needed to conserve ecosystems that face major disruptions in response to climate and land-use change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Russo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachel V Blakey
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Elsa M Ordway
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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20
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Lauer DA, Lawing AM, Short RA, Manthi FK, Müller J, Head JJ, McGuire JL. Disruption of trait-environment relationships in African megafauna occurred in the middle Pleistocene. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4016. [PMID: 37463920 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39480-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian megafauna have been critical to the functioning of Earth's biosphere for millions of years. However, since the Plio-Pleistocene, their biodiversity has declined concurrently with dramatic environmental change and hominin evolution. While these biodiversity declines are well-documented, their implications for the ecological function of megafaunal communities remain uncertain. Here, we adapt ecometric methods to evaluate whether the functional link between communities of herbivorous, eastern African megafauna and their environments (i.e., functional trait-environment relationships) was disrupted as biodiversity losses occurred over the past 7.4 Ma. Herbivore taxonomic and functional diversity began to decline during the Pliocene as open grassland habitats emerged, persisted, and expanded. In the mid-Pleistocene, grassland expansion intensified, and climates became more variable and arid. It was then that phylogenetic diversity declined, and the trait-environment relationships of herbivore communities shifted significantly. Our results divulge the varying implications of different losses in megafaunal biodiversity. Only the losses that occurred since the mid-Pleistocene were coincident with a disturbance to community ecological function. Prior diversity losses, conversely, occurred as the megafaunal species and trait pool narrowed towards those adapted to grassland environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Lauer
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - A Michelle Lawing
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Rachel A Short
- Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Rapid City, SD, 57703, USA
| | - Fredrick K Manthi
- Department of Earth Sciences, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Johannes Müller
- Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jason J Head
- Department of Zoology and University Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Jenny L McGuire
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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21
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Pringle RM, Abraham JO, Anderson TM, Coverdale TC, Davies AB, Dutton CL, Gaylard A, Goheen JR, Holdo RM, Hutchinson MC, Kimuyu DM, Long RA, Subalusky AL, Veldhuis MP. Impacts of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R584-R610. [PMID: 37279691 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Large herbivores play unique ecological roles and are disproportionately imperiled by human activity. As many wild populations dwindle towards extinction, and as interest grows in restoring lost biodiversity, research on large herbivores and their ecological impacts has intensified. Yet, results are often conflicting or contingent on local conditions, and new findings have challenged conventional wisdom, making it hard to discern general principles. Here, we review what is known about the ecosystem impacts of large herbivores globally, identify key uncertainties, and suggest priorities to guide research. Many findings are generalizable across ecosystems: large herbivores consistently exert top-down control of plant demography, species composition, and biomass, thereby suppressing fires and the abundance of smaller animals. Other general patterns do not have clearly defined impacts: large herbivores respond to predation risk but the strength of trophic cascades is variable; large herbivores move vast quantities of seeds and nutrients but with poorly understood effects on vegetation and biogeochemistry. Questions of the greatest relevance for conservation and management are among the least certain, including effects on carbon storage and other ecosystem functions and the ability to predict outcomes of extinctions and reintroductions. A unifying theme is the role of body size in regulating ecological impact. Small herbivores cannot fully substitute for large ones, and large-herbivore species are not functionally redundant - losing any, especially the largest, will alter net impact, helping to explain why livestock are poor surrogates for wild species. We advocate leveraging a broad spectrum of techniques to mechanistically explain how large-herbivore traits and environmental context interactively govern the ecological impacts of these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Joel O Abraham
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - T Michael Anderson
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Tyler C Coverdale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | - Jacob R Goheen
- Department of Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82072, USA
| | - Ricardo M Holdo
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Matthew C Hutchinson
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Duncan M Kimuyu
- Department of Natural Resources, Karatina University, Karatina, Kenya
| | - Ryan A Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Amanda L Subalusky
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Michiel P Veldhuis
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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22
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Sobral M, Schleuning M, Martínez Cortizas A. Trait diversity shapes the carbon cycle. Trends Ecol Evol 2023:S0169-5347(23)00061-7. [PMID: 37045717 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Trait evolution is shaped by carbon economics at the organismal level. Here, we expand this idea to the ecosystem level and show how the trait diversity of ecological communities influences the carbon cycle. Systematic shifts in trait diversity will likely trigger changes in the carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mar Sobral
- CRETUS, EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Antonio Martínez Cortizas
- CRETUS, EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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23
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Xu WB, Guo WY, Serra-Diaz JM, Schrodt F, Eiserhardt WL, Enquist BJ, Maitner BS, Merow C, Violle C, Anand M, Belluau M, Bruun HH, Byun C, Catford JA, Cerabolini BE, Chacón-Madrigal E, Ciccarelli D, Cornelissen JHC, Dang-Le AT, de Frutos A, Dias AS, Giroldo AB, Gutiérrez AG, Hattingh W, He T, Hietz P, Hough-Snee N, Jansen S, Kattge J, Komac B, Kraft NJ, Kramer K, Lavorel S, Lusk CH, Martin AR, Ma KP, Mencuccini M, Michaletz ST, Minden V, Mori AS, Niinemets Ü, Onoda Y, Onstein RE, Peñuelas J, Pillar VD, Pisek J, Pound MJ, Robroek BJ, Schamp B, Slot M, Sun M, Sosinski ÊE, Soudzilovskaia NA, Thiffault N, van Bodegom PM, van der Plas F, Zheng J, Svenning JC, Ordonez A. Global beta-diversity of angiosperm trees is shaped by Quaternary climate change. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd8553. [PMID: 37018407 PMCID: PMC10075971 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add8553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
As Earth's climate has varied strongly through geological time, studying the impacts of past climate change on biodiversity helps to understand the risks from future climate change. However, it remains unclear how paleoclimate shapes spatial variation in biodiversity. Here, we assessed the influence of Quaternary climate change on spatial dissimilarity in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional composition among neighboring 200-kilometer cells (beta-diversity) for angiosperm trees worldwide. We found that larger glacial-interglacial temperature change was strongly associated with lower spatial turnover (species replacements) and higher nestedness (richness changes) components of beta-diversity across all three biodiversity facets. Moreover, phylogenetic and functional turnover was lower and nestedness higher than random expectations based on taxonomic beta-diversity in regions that experienced large temperature change, reflecting phylogenetically and functionally selective processes in species replacement, extinction, and colonization during glacial-interglacial oscillations. Our results suggest that future human-driven climate change could cause local homogenization and reduction in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of angiosperm trees worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Bing Xu
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wen-Yong Guo
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station and Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai, P.R. China
| | | | - Franziska Schrodt
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Wolf L. Eiserhardt
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Brian J. Enquist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- The Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Brian S. Maitner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Cory Merow
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Madhur Anand
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michaël Belluau
- Centre for Forest Research, Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Centre-ville station, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Hans Henrik Bruun
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Chaeho Byun
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Andong National University, Andong, 36729, Korea
| | - Jane A. Catford
- Department of Geography, King’s College London, London WC2B 4BG, UK
| | - Bruno E. L. Cerabolini
- Department of Biotechnologies and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Eduardo Chacón-Madrigal
- Herbario Luis Fournier Origgi, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical (CIBET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica
| | - Daniela Ciccarelli
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini 13, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - J. Hans C. Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, A-LIFE, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anh Tuan Dang-Le
- Faculty of Biology - Biotechnology, University of Science - VNUHCM, 227 Nguyen Van Cu, District 5, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Angel de Frutos
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arildo S. Dias
- Goethe University, Institute for Physical Geography, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aelton B. Giroldo
- Departamento de Ensino, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciências e Tecnologia do Ceará - IFCE campus Crateús, Avenida Geraldo Barbosa Marques, 567, 63708-260 Crateús, Brazil
| | - Alvaro G. Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11315, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Santiago, Chile
| | - Wesley Hattingh
- Global Systems and Analytics, Nova Pioneer, Paulshof, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Tianhua He
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, P.O. Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Peter Hietz
- Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Steven Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Jens Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Benjamin Komac
- Andorra Recerca + Innovació, AD600 Sant Julià de Lòria (Principat d'), Andorra
| | - Nathan J. B. Kraft
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Koen Kramer
- Wageningen University, Forest Ecology and Management Group, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6700AA Wageningen, Netherlands
- Land Life Company, Mauritskade 63, 1092AD, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie Alpine, LECA, UMR UGA-USMB-CNRS 5553, Université Grenoble Alpes, CS 40700, 38058 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Christopher H. Lusk
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Adam R. Martin
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, M1C 1A4 Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ke-Ping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Maurizio Mencuccini
- ICREA, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sean T. Michaletz
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Vanessa Minden
- Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Akira S. Mori
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Yusuke Onoda
- Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Oiwake, Kitashirakawa, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Renske E. Onstein
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333CR Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF- CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Valério D. Pillar
- Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Jan Pisek
- Tartu Observatory, University of Tartu, Observatooriumi 1, Tõravere, 61602 Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - Matthew J. Pound
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Bjorn J. M. Robroek
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Brandon Schamp
- Department of Biology, Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, P6A 2G4, Canada
| | - Martijn Slot
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
| | - Miao Sun
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | | | | | - Nelson Thiffault
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, 1055 du P.E.P.S., P.O. Box 10380, Stn. Sainte-Foy, Quebec, QC G1V 4C7, Canada
| | - Peter M. van Bodegom
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Netherlands
| | - Jingming Zheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Alejandro Ordonez
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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24
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Losada M, Martínez Cortizas AM, Silvius KM, Varela S, Raab TK, Fragoso JM, Sobral M. Mammal and tree diversity accumulate different types of soil organic matter in the northern Amazon. iScience 2023; 26:106088. [PMID: 36915677 PMCID: PMC10006633 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Diversity of plants and animals influence soil carbon through their contributions to soil organic matter (SOM). However, we do not know whether mammal and tree communities affect SOM composition in the same manner. This question is relevant because not all forms of carbon are equally resistant to mineralization by microbes and thus, relevant to carbon storage. We analyzed the elemental and molecular composition of 401 soil samples, with relation to the species richness of 83 mammal and tree communities at a landscape scale across 4.8 million hectares in the northern Amazon. We found opposite effects of mammal and tree richness over SOM composition. Mammal diversity is related to SOM rich in nitrogen, sulfur and iron whereas tree diversity is related to SOM rich in aliphatic and carbonyl compounds. These results help us to better understand the role of biodiversity in the carbon cycle and its implications for climate change mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Losada
- CRETUS - EcoPast (GI-1553), Departmento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Antonio M. Martínez Cortizas
- CRETUS - EcoPast (GI-1553), Departmento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kirsten M. Silvius
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Sara Varela
- MAPAS Lab, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Ted K. Raab
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Deparment of Global Ecology, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jose M.V. Fragoso
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasılia, Brasılia, DF 70910-900, Brazil
- Institute of Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Mar Sobral
- CRETUS - EcoPast (GI-1553), Departmento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Corresponding author
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25
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Ohse B, Compagnoni A, Farrior CE, McMahon SM, Salguero-Gómez R, Rüger N, Knight TM. Demographic synthesis for global tree species conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:579-590. [PMID: 36822929 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Conserving the tree species of the world requires syntheses on which tree species are most vulnerable to pressing threats, such as climate change, invasive pests and pathogens, or selective logging. Here, we review the population and forest dynamics models that, when parameterized with data from population studies, forest inventories, or tree rings, have been used for identifying life-history strategies of species and threat-related changes in population demography and dynamics. The available evidence suggests that slow-growing and/or long-lived species are the most vulnerable. However, a lack of comparative, multi-species studies still challenges more precise predictions of the vulnerability of tree species to threats. Improving data coverage for mortality and recruitment, and accounting for interactions among threats, would greatly advance vulnerability assessments for conservation prioritizations of trees worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Ohse
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany.
| | - Aldo Compagnoni
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Caroline E Farrior
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Sean M McMahon
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | | | - Nadja Rüger
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Economics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Tiffany M Knight
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany; Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
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26
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Bluhm H, Diserens TA, Engleder T, Heising K, Heurich M, Janík T, Jirků M, Klich D, König HJ, Kowalczyk R, Kuijper D, Maślanko W, Michler F, Neumann W, Oeser J, Olech W, Perzanowski K, Ratkiewicz M, Romportl D, Šálek M, Kuemmerle T. Widespread habitat for Europe's largest herbivores, but poor connectivity limits recolonization. DIVERS DISTRIB 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Bluhm
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Tom A. Diserens
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences Białowieża Poland
- Faculty of Biology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | | | - Kaja Heising
- Wisent‐Welt Wittgenstein e.V Bad Berleburg Germany
| | - Marco Heurich
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring Bavarian Forest National Park Grafenau Germany
- Institute for Forest and Wildlife Management Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences Koppang Norway
| | - Tomáš Janík
- Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science Charles University Praha Czechia
- Department of Spatial Ecology The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening (VÚKOZ) Průhonice Czechia
| | - Miloslav Jirků
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Klich
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation Warsaw University of Life Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Hannes J. König
- Junior Research Group Human‐Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
| | - Rafał Kowalczyk
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences Białowieża Poland
| | - Dries Kuijper
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences Białowieża Poland
| | - Weronika Maślanko
- Department of Animal Ethology and Wildlife Management University of Life Sciences in Lublin Lublin Poland
| | - Frank‐Uwe Michler
- Faculty of Forest and Environment Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde Germany
| | - Wiebke Neumann
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
| | - Julian Oeser
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Wanda Olech
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation Warsaw University of Life Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Kajetan Perzanowski
- Institute of Biological Sciences Catholic University of Lublin Lublin Poland
| | | | - Dušan Romportl
- Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science Charles University Praha Czechia
- Department of Spatial Ecology The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening (VÚKOZ) Průhonice Czechia
| | - Martin Šálek
- Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Vertebrate Biology Brno Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Suchdol Czech Republic
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformation in Human‐Environment Systems (IRI THESys) Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
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27
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Krause J, Harfoot M, Hoeks S, Anthoni P, Brown C, Rounsevell M, Arneth A. How more sophisticated leaf biomass simulations can increase the realism of modelled animal populations. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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28
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Backus GA, Huang Y, Baskett ML. Comparing management strategies for conserving communities of climate-threatened species with a stochastic metacommunity model. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210380. [PMID: 35757886 PMCID: PMC9237742 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species are shifting their ranges to keep pace with climate change, but habitat fragmentation and limited dispersal could impede these range shifts. In the case of climate-vulnerable foundation species such as tropical reef corals and temperate forest trees, such limitations might put entire communities at risk of extinction. Restoring connectivity through corridors, stepping-stones or enhanced quality of existing patches could prevent the extinction of several species, but dispersal-limited species might not benefit if other species block their dispersal. Alternatively, managers might relocate vulnerable species between habitats through assisted migration, but this is generally a species-by-species approach. To evaluate the relative efficacy of these strategies, we simulated the climate-tracking of species in randomized competitive metacommunities with alternative management interventions. We found that corridors and assisted migration were the most effective strategies at reducing extinction. Assisted migration was especially effective at reducing the extinction likelihood for short-dispersing species, but it often required moving several species repeatedly. Assisted migration was more effective at reducing extinction in environments with higher stochasticity, and corridors were more effective at reducing extinction in environments with lower stochasticity. We discuss the application of these approaches to an array of systems ranging from tropical corals to temperate forests. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ecological complexity and the biosphere: the next 30 years’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A Backus
- Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Yansong Huang
- Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Oceanographic Center of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Marissa L Baskett
- Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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29
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Moi DA, Lansac-Tôha FM, Romero GQ, Sobral-Souza T, Cardinale BJ, Kratina P, Perkins DM, Teixeira de Mello F, Jeppesen E, Heino J, Lansac-Tôha FA, Velho LFM, Mormul RP. Human pressure drives biodiversity-multifunctionality relationships in large Neotropical wetlands. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1279-1289. [PMID: 35927315 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01827-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that biodiversity regulates multiple ecological functions that are needed to maintain the productivity of a variety of ecosystem types. What is unknown is how human activities may alter the 'multifunctionality' of ecosystems through both direct impacts on ecosystems and indirect effects mediated by the loss of multifaceted biodiversity. Using an extensive database of 72 lakes spanning four large Neotropical wetlands in Brazil, we demonstrate that species richness and functional diversity across multiple larger (fish and macrophytes) and smaller (microcrustaceans, rotifers, protists and phytoplankton) groups of aquatic organisms are positively associated with ecosystem multifunctionality. Whereas the positive association between smaller organisms and multifunctionality broke down with increasing human pressure, this positive relationship was maintained for larger organisms despite the increase in human pressure. Human pressure impacted multifunctionality both directly and indirectly through reducing species richness and functional diversity of multiple organismal groups. These findings provide further empirical evidence about the importance of aquatic biodiversity for maintaining wetland multifunctionality. Despite the key role of biodiversity, human pressure reduces the diversity of multiple groups of aquatic organisms, eroding their positive impacts on a suite of ecological functions that sustain wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieison A Moi
- Department of Biology (DBI), Center of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil.
| | - Fernando M Lansac-Tôha
- Department of Biology (DBI), Center of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Q Romero
- Laboratory of Multitrophic Interactions and Biodiversity, Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Thadeu Sobral-Souza
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Institute of Bioscience, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil
| | - Bradley J Cardinale
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Pavel Kratina
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Daniel M Perkins
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, Whitelands College, London, UK
| | - Franco Teixeira de Mello
- Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Ambiental CURE, Universidad de la República, Maldonado, Uruguay
| | - Erik Jeppesen
- Department of Ecoscience and WATEC, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, Beijing, China.,Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Ecosystem Research and Implementation, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.,Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Erdemli-Mersin, Turkey
| | - Jani Heino
- Freshwater Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Oulu, Finland
| | - Fábio A Lansac-Tôha
- Department of Biology (DBI), Center of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil.,Research Centre in Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquaculture (NUPÉLIA), Centre of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil
| | - Luiz F M Velho
- Department of Biology (DBI), Center of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil.,Research Centre in Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquaculture (NUPÉLIA), Centre of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil.,UniCesumar/ICETI, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Roger P Mormul
- Department of Biology (DBI), Center of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil.,Research Centre in Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquaculture (NUPÉLIA), Centre of Biological Sciences (CCB), State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá, Brazil
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30
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Peixoto RS, Voolstra CR, Sweet M, Duarte CM, Carvalho S, Villela H, Lunshof JE, Gram L, Woodhams DC, Walter J, Roik A, Hentschel U, Thurber RV, Daisley B, Ushijima B, Daffonchio D, Costa R, Keller-Costa T, Bowman JS, Rosado AS, Reid G, Mason CE, Walke JB, Thomas T, Berg G. Harnessing the microbiome to prevent global biodiversity loss. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:1726-1735. [PMID: 35864220 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01173-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Global biodiversity loss and mass extinction of species are two of the most critical environmental issues the world is currently facing, resulting in the disruption of various ecosystems central to environmental functions and human health. Microbiome-targeted interventions, such as probiotics and microbiome transplants, are emerging as potential options to reverse deterioration of biodiversity and increase the resilience of wildlife and ecosystems. However, the implementation of these interventions is urgently needed. We summarize the current concepts, bottlenecks and ethical aspects encompassing the careful and responsible management of ecosystem resources using the microbiome (termed microbiome stewardship) to rehabilitate organisms and ecosystem functions. We propose a real-world application framework to guide environmental and wildlife probiotic applications. This framework details steps that must be taken in the upscaling process while weighing risks against the high toll of inaction. In doing so, we draw parallels with other aspects of contemporary science moving swiftly in the face of urgent global challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel S Peixoto
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Michael Sweet
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Helena Villela
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jeantine E Lunshof
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lone Gram
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Douglas C Woodhams
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Jens Walter
- APC Microbiome Ireland, School of Microbiology, and Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Anna Roik
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Ute Hentschel
- RD3 Marine Symbioses, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Brendan Daisley
- Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Blake Ushijima
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Daniele Daffonchio
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rodrigo Costa
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tina Keller-Costa
- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jeff S Bowman
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Alexandre S Rosado
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gregor Reid
- Lawson Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Jenifer B Walke
- Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA
| | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.,University of Postdam and Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam, Germany
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31
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Guo WY, Serra-Diaz JM, Schrodt F, Eiserhardt WL, Maitner BS, Merow C, Violle C, Anand M, Belluau M, Bruun HH, Byun C, Catford JA, Cerabolini BEL, Chacón-Madrigal E, Ciccarelli D, Cornelissen JHC, Dang-Le AT, de Frutos A, Dias AS, Giroldo AB, Guo K, Gutiérrez AG, Hattingh W, He T, Hietz P, Hough-Snee N, Jansen S, Kattge J, Klein T, Komac B, Kraft NJB, Kramer K, Lavorel S, Lusk CH, Martin AR, Mencuccini M, Michaletz ST, Minden V, Mori AS, Niinemets Ü, Onoda Y, Peñuelas J, Pillar VD, Pisek J, Robroek BJM, Schamp B, Slot M, Sosinski ÊE, Soudzilovskaia NA, Thiffault N, van Bodegom P, van der Plas F, Wright IJ, Xu WB, Zheng J, Enquist BJ, Svenning JC. High exposure of global tree diversity to human pressure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2026733119. [PMID: 35709320 PMCID: PMC9231180 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2026733119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Safeguarding Earth's tree diversity is a conservation priority due to the importance of trees for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services such as carbon sequestration. Here, we improve the foundation for effective conservation of global tree diversity by analyzing a recently developed database of tree species covering 46,752 species. We quantify range protection and anthropogenic pressures for each species and develop conservation priorities across taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity dimensions. We also assess the effectiveness of several influential proposed conservation prioritization frameworks to protect the top 17% and top 50% of tree priority areas. We find that an average of 50.2% of a tree species' range occurs in 110-km grid cells without any protected areas (PAs), with 6,377 small-range tree species fully unprotected, and that 83% of tree species experience nonnegligible human pressure across their range on average. Protecting high-priority areas for the top 17% and 50% priority thresholds would increase the average protected proportion of each tree species' range to 65.5% and 82.6%, respectively, leaving many fewer species (2,151 and 2,010) completely unprotected. The priority areas identified for trees match well to the Global 200 Ecoregions framework, revealing that priority areas for trees would in large part also optimize protection for terrestrial biodiversity overall. Based on range estimates for >46,000 tree species, our findings show that a large proportion of tree species receive limited protection by current PAs and are under substantial human pressure. Improved protection of biodiversity overall would also strongly benefit global tree diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yong Guo
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Josep M. Serra-Diaz
- UMR Silva, Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, and INRAE, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Franziska Schrodt
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Wolf L. Eiserhardt
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Brian S. Maitner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
| | - Cory Merow
- Eversource Energy Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, Uni Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Madhur Anand
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Michaël Belluau
- Centre for Forest Research, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Hans Henrik Bruun
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Chaeho Byun
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea
| | - Jane A. Catford
- Department of Geography, King’s College London, London WC2B 4BG, United Kingdom
| | - Bruno E. L. Cerabolini
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, I-21100 Varese, Italy
| | | | | | - J. Hans C. Cornelissen
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anh Tuan Dang-Le
- University of Science, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam National University, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Angel de Frutos
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arildo S. Dias
- Institute for Physical Geography, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Aelton B. Giroldo
- Departamento de Ensino, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciências e Tecnologia do Ceará, Crateús 63708-260, Brazil
| | - Kun Guo
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241 Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Alvaro G. Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11315, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Barrio Universitario, 4070374 Concepción, Chile
| | - Wesley Hattingh
- Global Systems and Analytics, Nova Pioneer, Paulshof, Gauteng, 2191, South Africa
| | - Tianhua He
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Peter Hietz
- Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Steven Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Jens Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Tamir Klein
- Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Benjamin Komac
- Centre d’Estudis de la Neu i la Muntanya d’Andorra, Institut d’Estudis, Andorrans (CENMA–IEA), AD600 Sant Julià de Lòria, Principality of Andorra
| | - Nathan J. B. Kraft
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Koen Kramer
- Forest Ecology and Management Group, Wageningen University, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Land Life Company, 1092AD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie Alpine, LECA, UMR UGA-USMB-CNRS 5553, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38058 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Christopher H. Lusk
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Adam R. Martin
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Maurizio Mencuccini
- ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- CREAF, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sean T. Michaletz
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Vanessa Minden
- Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Akira S. Mori
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Yusuke Onoda
- Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Oiwake, Kitashirakawa, Kyoto 606-8502 Japan
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193 Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF, CSIC–UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193 Catalonia, Spain
| | - Valério D. Pillar
- Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Jan Pisek
- Tartu Observatory, University of Tartu, Tõravere, 61602 Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - Bjorn J. M. Robroek
- Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology Group, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Brandon Schamp
- Department of Biology, Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2G4, Canada
| | - Martijn Slot
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
| | | | | | - Nelson Thiffault
- Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Québec City, QC G1V 4C7, Canada
| | - Peter van Bodegom
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ian J. Wright
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Wu-Bing Xu
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jingming Zheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China
| | - Brian J. Enquist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
- The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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32
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Cooke R, Gearty W, Chapman ASA, Dunic J, Edgar GJ, Lefcheck JS, Rilov G, McClain CR, Stuart-Smith RD, Kathleen Lyons S, Bates AE. Anthropogenic disruptions to longstanding patterns of trophic-size structure in vertebrates. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:684-692. [PMID: 35449460 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01726-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Diet and body mass are inextricably linked in vertebrates: while herbivores and carnivores have converged on much larger sizes, invertivores and omnivores are, on average, much smaller, leading to a roughly U-shaped relationship between body size and trophic guild. Although this U-shaped trophic-size structure is well documented in extant terrestrial mammals, whether this pattern manifests across diverse vertebrate clades and biomes is unknown. Moreover, emergence of the U-shape over geological time and future persistence are unknown. Here we compiled a comprehensive dataset of diet and body size spanning several vertebrate classes and show that the U-shaped pattern is taxonomically and biogeographically universal in modern vertebrate groups, except for marine mammals and seabirds. We further found that, for terrestrial mammals, this U-shape emerged by the Palaeocene and has thus persisted for at least 66 million years. Yet disruption of this fundamental trophic-size structure in mammals appears likely in the next century, based on projected extinctions. Actions to prevent declines in the largest animals will sustain the functioning of Earth's wild ecosystems and biomass energy distributions that have persisted through deep time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Cooke
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UK. .,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - William Gearty
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.
| | - Abbie S A Chapman
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jillian Dunic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Graham J Edgar
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Jonathan S Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - Gil Rilov
- National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Limnological and Oceanographic Research, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Rick D Stuart-Smith
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - S Kathleen Lyons
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Amanda E Bates
- Biology Department, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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33
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Junker RR, Albrecht J, Becker M, Keuth R, Farwig N, Schleuning M. Towards an animal economics spectrum for ecosystem research. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert R. Junker
- Evolutionary Ecology of Plants Department of Biology University of Marburg 35043 Marburg Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity University of Salzburg 5020 Salzburg Austria
| | - Jörg Albrecht
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Marcel Becker
- Conservation Ecology Department of Biology University of Marburg 35043 Marburg Germany
| | - Raya Keuth
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Nina Farwig
- Conservation Ecology Department of Biology University of Marburg 35043 Marburg Germany
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F) Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt am Main Germany
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34
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Hoffman JI, Chen RS, Vendrami DLJ, Paijmans AJ, Dasmahapatra KK, Forcada J. Demographic Reconstruction of Antarctic Fur Seals Supports the Krill Surplus Hypothesis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:541. [PMID: 35328094 PMCID: PMC8954904 DOI: 10.3390/genes13030541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Much debate surrounds the importance of top-down and bottom-up effects in the Southern Ocean, where the harvesting of over two million whales in the mid twentieth century is thought to have produced a massive surplus of Antarctic krill. This excess of krill may have allowed populations of other predators, such as seals and penguins, to increase, a top-down hypothesis known as the 'krill surplus hypothesis'. However, a lack of pre-whaling population baselines has made it challenging to investigate historical changes in the abundance of the major krill predators in relation to whaling. Therefore, we used reduced representation sequencing and a coalescent-based maximum composite likelihood approach to reconstruct the recent demographic history of the Antarctic fur seal, a pinniped that was hunted to the brink of extinction by 18th and 19th century sealers. In line with the known history of this species, we found support for a demographic model that included a substantial reduction in population size around the time period of sealing. Furthermore, maximum likelihood estimates from this model suggest that the recovered, post-sealing population at South Georgia may have been around two times larger than the pre-sealing population. Our findings lend support to the krill surplus hypothesis and illustrate the potential of genomic approaches to shed light on long-standing questions in population biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behavior, University of Bielefeld, P.O. BOX 100131, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (R.S.C.); (D.L.J.V.); (A.J.P.)
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET, UK;
| | - Rebecca S. Chen
- Department of Animal Behavior, University of Bielefeld, P.O. BOX 100131, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (R.S.C.); (D.L.J.V.); (A.J.P.)
| | - David L. J. Vendrami
- Department of Animal Behavior, University of Bielefeld, P.O. BOX 100131, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (R.S.C.); (D.L.J.V.); (A.J.P.)
| | - Anna J. Paijmans
- Department of Animal Behavior, University of Bielefeld, P.O. BOX 100131, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (R.S.C.); (D.L.J.V.); (A.J.P.)
| | | | - Jaume Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET, UK;
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35
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Mannocci L, Villon S, Chaumont M, Guellati N, Mouquet N, Iovan C, Vigliola L, Mouillot D. Leveraging social media and deep learning to detect rare megafauna in video surveys. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13798. [PMID: 34153121 PMCID: PMC9291111 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Deep learning has become a key tool for the automated monitoring of animal populations with video surveys. However, obtaining large numbers of images to train such models is a major challenge for rare and elusive species because field video surveys provide few sightings. We designed a method that takes advantage of videos accumulated on social media for training deep-learning models to detect rare megafauna species in the field. We trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with social media images and tested them on images collected from field surveys. We applied our method to aerial video surveys of dugongs (Dugong dugon) in New Caledonia (southwestern Pacific). CNNs trained with 1303 social media images yielded 25% false positives and 38% false negatives when tested on independent field video surveys. Incorporating a small number of images from New Caledonia (equivalent to 12% of social media images) in the training data set resulted in a nearly 50% decrease in false negatives. Our results highlight how and the extent to which images collected on social media can offer a solid basis for training deep-learning models for rare megafauna detection and that the incorporation of a few images from the study site further boosts detection accuracy. Our method provides a new generation of deep-learning models that can be used to rapidly and accurately process field video surveys for the monitoring of rare megafauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mannocci
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRDMontpellierFrance
- ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle Calédonie, CNRS, Ifremer), Laboratoire Excellence LABEX CorailCentre IRD NouméaNouméaNew Caledonia
- LIRMM, Univ MontpellierCNRSMontpellierFrance
| | - Sébastien Villon
- ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle Calédonie, CNRS, Ifremer), Laboratoire Excellence LABEX CorailCentre IRD NouméaNouméaNew Caledonia
| | - Marc Chaumont
- LIRMM, Univ MontpellierCNRSMontpellierFrance
- University of NîmesNîmesFrance
| | - Nacim Guellati
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Nicolas Mouquet
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRDMontpellierFrance
- FRB – CESABMontpellierFrance
| | - Corina Iovan
- ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle Calédonie, CNRS, Ifremer), Laboratoire Excellence LABEX CorailCentre IRD NouméaNouméaNew Caledonia
| | - Laurent Vigliola
- ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle Calédonie, CNRS, Ifremer), Laboratoire Excellence LABEX CorailCentre IRD NouméaNouméaNew Caledonia
| | - David Mouillot
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRDMontpellierFrance
- Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
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36
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Xu K, Wang X, Wang J, Wang J, Ge R, Tian R, Chai H, Zhang X, Fu L. Effectiveness of protection areas in safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services in Tibet Autonomous Region. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1161. [PMID: 35064127 PMCID: PMC8782885 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03653-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tibet Autonomous Region of China constitutes a unique and fragile ecosystem that is increasingly influenced by development and global climate change. To protect biodiversity and ecosystem services in Tibet, the Chinese government established a system of nature reserves at a significant cost; however, the effectiveness of nature reserves at protecting both-biodiversity and ecosystem service functions in Tibet is not clear. To determine the success of existing nature reserves, we determined importance areas for the conservation of mammal, plant, bird, amphibian, and reptile species, and for the protection of ecosystem service functions. The results indicated that important conservation areas for endangered plants were mainly distributed in the southern part of Nyingchi City, and for endangered animals, in the southern part of Nyingchi and Shannan Cities. Extremely important conservation areas for ecosystem service functions of carbon sequestration, water and soil protection, and flood regulation were mainly distributed in the southern part of Nyingchi and Shannan Cities, northern and southeastern parts of Nagqu City, and southern part of Ngari area. Based on an analysis of spatial overlap in protection areas, we conclude that existing natural reserves need to be expanded, and new ones need to be established to better protect biodiversity in Tibet Autonomous Region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaipeng Xu
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiahui Wang
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinnan Wang
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongfeng Ge
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Rensheng Tian
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Huixia Chai
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Le Fu
- Center of Eco-Environmental Zoning, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP), Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
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37
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LaBarge LR, Evans MJ, Miller JRB, Cannataro G, Hunt C, Elbroch LM. Pumas
Puma concolor
as ecological brokers: a review of their biotic relationships. Mamm Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura R. LaBarge
- Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, Department of Environment and Sustainability, The State University of New York University at Buffalo Amherst NY14260USA
- Center for Conservation Innovation Defenders of Wildlife Washington DC20036USA
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Bücklestraße 5 Konstanz DE78467Germany
| | - Michael J. Evans
- Center for Conservation Innovation Defenders of Wildlife Washington DC20036USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy George Mason University 4400 University Dr Fairfax VA22030USA
| | - Jennifer R. B. Miller
- Center for Conservation Innovation Defenders of Wildlife Washington DC20036USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy George Mason University 4400 University Dr Fairfax VA22030USA
| | - Gillian Cannataro
- Center for Conservation Innovation Defenders of Wildlife Washington DC20036USA
- Conservation, Management and Welfare Sciences Association of Zoos and Aquariums 8403 Colesville Rd., Suite 710 Silver Spring MD20910‐3314USA
| | - Christian Hunt
- Field Conservation Defenders of Wildlife Washington DC20036USA
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38
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Kratina P, Rosenbaum B, Gallo B, Horas EL, O’Gorman EJ. The Combined Effects of Warming and Body Size on the Stability of Predator-Prey Interactions. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.772078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental temperature and body size are two prominent drivers of predation. Despite the ample evidence of their independent effects, the combined impact of temperature and predator-prey body size ratio on the strength and stability of trophic interactions is not fully understood. We experimentally tested how water temperature alters the functional response and population stability of dragonfly nymphs (Cordulegaster boltonii) feeding on freshwater amphipods (Gammarus pulex) across a gradient of their body size ratios. Attack coefficients were highest for small predators feeding on small prey at low temperatures, but shifted toward the largest predators feeding on larger prey in warmer environments. Handling time appeared to decrease with increasing predator and prey body size in the cold environment, but increase at higher temperatures. These findings indicate interactive effects of temperature and body size on functional responses. There was also a negative effect of warming on the stability of predator and prey populations, but this was counteracted by a larger predator-prey body size ratio at higher temperatures. Here, a greater Hill exponent reduced feeding at low prey densities when predators were much larger than their prey, enhancing the persistence of both predator and prey populations in the warmer environment. These experimental findings provide new mechanistic insights into the destabilizing effect of warming on trophic interactions and the key role of predator-prey body size ratios in mitigating these effects.
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39
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Thévenet J, Grimault N, Fonseca P, Mathevon N. Voice-mediated interactions in a megaherbivore. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R70-R71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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40
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Karp AT, Faith JT, Marlon JR, Staver AC. Global response of fire activity to late Quaternary grazer extinctions. Science 2021; 374:1145-1148. [PMID: 34822271 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj1580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison T Karp
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - J Tyler Faith
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Origins Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - A Carla Staver
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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41
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Savoca MS, Czapanskiy MF, Kahane-Rapport SR, Gough WT, Fahlbusch JA, Bierlich KC, Segre PS, Di Clemente J, Penry GS, Wiley DN, Calambokidis J, Nowacek DP, Johnston DW, Pyenson ND, Friedlaender AS, Hazen EL, Goldbogen JA. Baleen whale prey consumption based on high-resolution foraging measurements. Nature 2021; 599:85-90. [PMID: 34732868 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03991-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Baleen whales influence their ecosystems through immense prey consumption and nutrient recycling1-3. It is difficult to accurately gauge the magnitude of their current or historic ecosystem role without measuring feeding rates and prey consumed. To date, prey consumption of the largest species has been estimated using metabolic models3-9 based on extrapolations that lack empirical validation. Here, we used tags deployed on seven baleen whale (Mysticeti) species (n = 321 tag deployments) in conjunction with acoustic measurements of prey density to calculate prey consumption at daily to annual scales from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. Our results suggest that previous studies3-9 have underestimated baleen whale prey consumption by threefold or more in some ecosystems. In the Southern Ocean alone, we calculate that pre-whaling populations of mysticetes annually consumed 430 million tonnes of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), twice the current estimated total biomass of E. superba10, and more than twice the global catch of marine fisheries today11. Larger whale populations may have supported higher productivity in large marine regions through enhanced nutrient recycling: our findings suggest mysticetes recycled 1.2 × 104 tonnes iron yr-1 in the Southern Ocean before whaling compared to 1.2 × 103 tonnes iron yr-1 recycled by whales today. The recovery of baleen whales and their nutrient recycling services2,3,7 could augment productivity and restore ecosystem function lost during 20th century whaling12,13.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | - Max F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | | | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - James A Fahlbusch
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.,Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA.,Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Paolo S Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - Jacopo Di Clemente
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Gwenith S Penry
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - David N Wiley
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA National Ocean Service, Scituate, MA, USA
| | | | - Douglas P Nowacek
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - David W Johnston
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas D Pyenson
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Paleontology and Geology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Elliott L Hazen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.,Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,Environmental Research Division, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Monterey, CA, USA
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42
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The Relative Importance of "Cooperative Context" and Kinship in Structuring Cooperative Behavior : A Comparative Study of Saami Reindeer Herders. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2021; 32:677-705. [PMID: 34669158 PMCID: PMC8526998 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-021-09416-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Kin relations have a strong theoretical and empirical basis for explaining cooperative behavior. Nevertheless, there is growing recognition that context—the cooperative environment of an individual—also shapes the willingness of individuals to cooperate. For nomadic pastoralists in Norway, cooperation among both kin and non-kin is an essential predictor for success. The northern parts of the country are characterized by a history of herder-herder competition exacerbating between-herder conflict, lack of trust, and subsequent coordination problems. In contrast, because of a history of herder-farmer competition, southern Norway is characterized by high levels of between-herder coordination and trust. This comparative study investigates the relative importance of “cooperative context” and kinship in structuring cooperative behavior using an experimental gift game. The main findings from this study were that in the South, a high level of cooperation around an individual pushes gifts to be distributed evenly among other herders. Nevertheless, kinship matters, since close kin give and receive larger gifts. In contrast, kinship seems to be the main factor affecting gift distribution in the North. Herders in the North are also concerned with distributing gifts equally, albeit limiting them to close kin: the level of intragroup cooperation drives gifts to be distributed evenly among other closely related herders. The observed regional contrasts in cooperative decisions fit with the different historical levels of conflict and trust in the two regions: whereas herders in the South are affected by both cooperative context and kinship, kinship seems to be the main determinant of cooperation in the North.
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43
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Kristensen JA, Svenning JC, Georgiou K, Malhi Y. Can large herbivores enhance ecosystem carbon persistence? Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:117-128. [PMID: 34801276 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in aligning the wildlife conservation and restoration agenda with climate change mitigation goals. However, the presence of large herbivores tends to reduce aboveground biomass in some open-canopy ecosystems, leading to the possibility that large herbivore restoration may negatively influence ecosystem carbon storage. Belowground carbon storage is often ignored in these systems, despite the wide recognition of soils as the largest actively-cycling terrestrial carbon pool. Here, we suggest a shift away from a main focus on vegetation carbon stocks, towards inclusion of whole ecosystem carbon persistence, in future assessments of large herbivore effects on long-term carbon storage. Failure to do so may lead to counterproductive biodiversity and climate impacts of land management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeppe A Kristensen
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK; Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) and Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) and Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
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44
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High aboveground carbon stock of African tropical montane forests. Nature 2021; 596:536-542. [PMID: 34433947 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03728-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tropical forests store 40-50 per cent of terrestrial vegetation carbon1. However, spatial variations in aboveground live tree biomass carbon (AGC) stocks remain poorly understood, in particular in tropical montane forests2. Owing to climatic and soil changes with increasing elevation3, AGC stocks are lower in tropical montane forests compared with lowland forests2. Here we assemble and analyse a dataset of structurally intact old-growth forests (AfriMont) spanning 44 montane sites in 12 African countries. We find that montane sites in the AfriMont plot network have a mean AGC stock of 149.4 megagrams of carbon per hectare (95% confidence interval 137.1-164.2), which is comparable to lowland forests in the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network4 and about 70 per cent and 32 per cent higher than averages from plot networks in montane2,5,6 and lowland7 forests in the Neotropics, respectively. Notably, our results are two-thirds higher than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change default values for these forests in Africa8. We find that the low stem density and high abundance of large trees of African lowland forests4 is mirrored in the montane forests sampled. This carbon store is endangered: we estimate that 0.8 million hectares of old-growth African montane forest have been lost since 2000. We provide country-specific montane forest AGC stock estimates modelled from our plot network to help to guide forest conservation and reforestation interventions. Our findings highlight the need for conserving these biodiverse9,10 and carbon-rich ecosystems.
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45
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Short RA, Lawing AM. Geography of artiodactyl locomotor morphology as an environmental predictor. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Short
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station TX USA
- School of Biological Sciences Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA USA
| | - A. Michelle Lawing
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station TX USA
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46
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Sengupta A. Animal‐mediated seed dispersal in India: Implications for conservation of India’s biodiversity. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Asmita Sengupta
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment Bangalore Karnataka India
- National Institute of Advanced Studies Bangalore Karnataka India
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47
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Ellis-Soto D, Ferraro KM, Rizzuto M, Briggs E, Monk JD, Schmitz OJ. A methodological roadmap to quantify animal-vectored spatial ecosystem subsidies. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1605-1622. [PMID: 34014558 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Energy, nutrients and organisms move over landscapes, connecting ecosystems across space and time. Meta-ecosystem theory investigates the emerging properties of local ecosystems coupled spatially by these movements of organisms and matter, by explicitly tracking exchanges of multiple substances across ecosystem borders. To date, meta-ecosystem research has focused mostly on abiotic flows-neglecting biotic nutrient flows. However, recent work has indicated animals act as spatial nutrient vectors when they transport nutrients across landscapes in the form of excreta, egesta and their own bodies. Partly due to its high level of abstraction, there are few empirical tests of meta-ecosystem theory. Furthermore, while animals may be viewed as important mediators of ecosystem functions, better integration of tools is needed to develop predictive insights of their relative roles and impacts on diverse ecosystems. We present a methodological roadmap that explains how to do such integration by discussing how to combine insights from movement, foraging and ecosystem ecology to develop a coherent understanding of animal-vectored nutrient transport on meta-ecosystems processes. We discuss how the slate of newly developed technologies and methods-tracking devices, mechanistic movement models, diet reconstruction techniques and remote sensing-that when integrated have the potential to advance the quantification of animal-vectored nutrient flows and increase the predictive power of meta-ecosystem theory. We demonstrate that by integrating novel and established tools of animal ecology, ecosystem ecology and remote sensing, we can begin to identify and quantify animal-mediated nutrient translocation by large animals. We also provide conceptual examples that show how our proposed integration of methodologies can help investigate ecosystem impacts of large animal movement. We conclude by describing practical advancements to understanding cross-ecosystem contributions of animals on the move. Understanding the mechanisms by which animals shape ecosystem dynamics is important for ongoing conservation, rewilding and restoration initiatives around the world, and for developing more accurate models of ecosystem nutrient budgets. Our roadmap will enable ecologists to better qualify and quantify animal-mediated nutrient translocation for animals on the move.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Ellis-Soto
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Matteo Rizzuto
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Emily Briggs
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Julia D Monk
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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48
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Bennett AC, Dargie GC, Cuni-Sanchez A, Tshibamba Mukendi J, Hubau W, Mukinzi JM, Phillips OL, Malhi Y, Sullivan MJP, Cooper DLM, Adu-Bredu S, Affum-Baffoe K, Amani CA, Banin LF, Beeckman H, Begne SK, Bocko YE, Boeckx P, Bogaert J, Brncic T, Chezeaux E, Clark CJ, Daniels AK, de Haulleville T, Djuikouo Kamdem MN, Doucet JL, Evouna Ondo F, Ewango CEN, Feldpausch TR, Foli EG, Gonmadje C, Hall JS, Hardy OJ, Harris DJ, Ifo SA, Jeffery KJ, Kearsley E, Leal M, Levesley A, Makana JR, Mbayu Lukasu F, Medjibe VP, Mihindu V, Moore S, Nssi Begone N, Pickavance GC, Poulsen JR, Reitsma J, Sonké B, Sunderland TCH, Taedoumg H, Talbot J, Tuagben DS, Umunay PM, Verbeeck H, Vleminckx J, White LJT, Woell H, Woods JT, Zemagho L, Lewis SL. Resistance of African tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2003169118. [PMID: 34001597 PMCID: PMC8166131 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2003169118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The responses of tropical forests to environmental change are critical uncertainties in predicting the future impacts of climate change. The positive phase of the 2015-2016 El Niño Southern Oscillation resulted in unprecedented heat and low precipitation in the tropics with substantial impacts on the global carbon cycle. The role of African tropical forests is uncertain as their responses to short-term drought and temperature anomalies have yet to be determined using on-the-ground measurements. African tropical forests may be particularly sensitive because they exist in relatively dry conditions compared with Amazonian or Asian forests, or they may be more resistant because of an abundance of drought-adapted species. Here, we report responses of structurally intact old-growth lowland tropical forests inventoried within the African Tropical Rainforest Observatory Network (AfriTRON). We use 100 long-term inventory plots from six countries each measured at least twice prior to and once following the 2015-2016 El Niño event. These plots experienced the highest temperatures and driest conditions on record. The record temperature did not significantly reduce carbon gains from tree growth or significantly increase carbon losses from tree mortality, but the record drought did significantly decrease net carbon uptake. Overall, the long-term biomass increase of these forests was reduced due to the El Niño event, but these plots remained a live biomass carbon sink (0.51 ± 0.40 Mg C ha-1 y-1) despite extreme environmental conditions. Our analyses, while limited to African tropical forests, suggest they may be more resistant to climatic extremes than Amazonian and Asian forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy C Bennett
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom;
| | - Greta C Dargie
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Aida Cuni-Sanchez
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, YO10 5NG, United Kingdom
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - John Tshibamba Mukendi
- Service of Wood Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, 3080 Belgium
- Faculté de Gestion de Ressources Naturelles Renouvelables, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, R408, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Faculté des Sciences Appliquées, Université de Mbujimayi, Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Wannes Hubau
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Service of Wood Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, 3080 Belgium
- Department of Environment, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jacques M Mukinzi
- Democratic Republic of Congo Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Salonga National Park, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- World Wide Fund for Nature, 1196 Gland, Switzerland
| | - Oliver L Phillips
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University, Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J P Sullivan
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M15 6BH, United Kingdom
| | - Declan L M Cooper
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Christian A Amani
- Université Officielle de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor 16115, Indonesia
| | - Lindsay F Banin
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Penicuik, EH26 0QB, United Kingdom
| | - Hans Beeckman
- Service of Wood Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, 3080 Belgium
| | - Serge K Begne
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teachers' Training College, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Yannick E Bocko
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire de Botanique et Ecologie, Université Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Pascal Boeckx
- Isotope Bioscience Laboratory (ISOFYS), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Bogaert
- Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Terry Brncic
- Congo Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | - Connie J Clark
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
| | - Armandu K Daniels
- Forestry Development Authority of the Government of Liberia (FDA), Monrovia, Liberia
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- Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teachers' Training College, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Jean-Louis Doucet
- TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Forest Is Life, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | | | - Corneille E N Ewango
- Faculté de Gestion de Ressources Naturelles Renouvelables, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, R408, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Democratic Republic of Congo Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Conservation Forestiere (CEFRECOF), Epulu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Ted R Feldpausch
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, United Kingdom
| | - Ernest G Foli
- Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Jefferson S Hall
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC 20560
| | - Olivier J Hardy
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - David J Harris
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH3 5NZ, United Kingdom
| | - Suspense A Ifo
- École Normale Supérieure, Département des Sciences et Vie de la Terre, Laboratoire de Géomatique et d'Ecologie Tropicale Appliquée, Université Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Kathryn J Jeffery
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Kearsley
- Department of Environment, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Environment, Computational & Applied Vegetation Ecology (Cavelab), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Miguel Leal
- Uganda Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Aurora Levesley
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Remy Makana
- Faculté des Sciences, Laboratoire d'écologie et aménagement forestier, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Faustin Mbayu Lukasu
- Faculté de Gestion de Ressources Naturelles Renouvelables, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, R408, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | | | - Vianet Mihindu
- Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC), Yaounde, Cameroon
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Sam Moore
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University, Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Jan Reitsma
- Bureau Waardenburg, 4101 CK Culemborg, The Netherlands
| | - Bonaventure Sonké
- Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teachers' Training College, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Terry C H Sunderland
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor 16115, Indonesia
- Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Hermann Taedoumg
- Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teachers' Training College, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon
- Biodiversity International, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Joey Talbot
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Darlington S Tuagben
- Forestry Development Authority of the Government of Liberia (FDA), Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Peter M Umunay
- Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, NY 11224
| | - Hans Verbeeck
- Department of Environment, Computational & Applied Vegetation Ecology (Cavelab), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jason Vleminckx
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, University Park, FL 33199
- Faculté des Sciences, Service d'Évolution Biologique et écologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Lee J T White
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
- Ministry of Forests, Seas, Environment and Climate, Libreville, Gabon
- Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, Libreville, Gabon
| | | | - John T Woods
- William R. Tolbert, Jr. College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Lise Zemagho
- Université Officielle de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Simon L Lewis
- School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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Robert Burger J, Hou C, A S Hall C, Brown JH. Universal rules of life: metabolic rates, biological times and the equal fitness paradigm. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:1262-1281. [PMID: 33884749 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Here we review and extend the equal fitness paradigm (EFP) as an important step in developing and testing a synthetic theory of ecology and evolution based on energy and metabolism. The EFP states that all organisms are equally fit at steady state, because they allocate the same quantity of energy, ~ 22.4 kJ/g/generation to the production of offspring. On the one hand, the EFP may seem tautological, because equal fitness is necessary for the origin and persistence of biodiversity. On the other hand, the EFP reflects universal laws of life: how biological metabolism - the uptake, transformation and allocation of energy - links ecological and evolutionary patterns and processes across levels of organisation from: (1) structure and function of individual organisms, (2) life history and dynamics of populations, and (3) interactions and coevolution of species in ecosystems. The physics and biology of metabolism have facilitated the evolution of millions of species with idiosyncratic anatomy, physiology, behaviour and ecology but also with many shared traits and tradeoffs that reflect the single origin and universal rules of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Robert Burger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.,Arizona Institutes for Resilience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Chen Hou
- Department of Biological Science, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, 65409, USA
| | - Charles A S Hall
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology and Program in Environmental Science, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - James H Brown
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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50
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Abraham AJ, Prys‐Jones TO, De Cuyper A, Ridenour C, Hempson GP, Hocking T, Clauss M, Doughty CE. Improved estimation of gut passage time considerably affects trait‐based dispersal models. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Abraham
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
- Environmental Change Institute School of Geography and the Environment University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Tomos O. Prys‐Jones
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Annelies De Cuyper
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ghent University Merelbeke Belgium
| | - Chase Ridenour
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Gareth P. Hempson
- Centre for African Ecology School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Toby Hocking
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals Exotic Pets and Wildlife Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Christopher E. Doughty
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
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