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Reid JM, Bignal E, Bignal S, McCracken DI, Fenn SR, Trask AE, Monaghan P. Integrating advances in population and evolutionary ecology with conservation strategy through long-term studies of red-billed choughs. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:20-34. [PMID: 34679183 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conceptual and methodological advances in population and evolutionary ecology are often pursued with the ambition that they will help identify demographic, ecological and genetic constraints on population growth rate (λ), and ultimately facilitate evidence-based conservation. However, such advances are often decoupled from conservation practice, impeding translation of scientific understanding into effective conservation and of conservation-motivated research into wider conceptual understanding. We summarise key outcomes from long-term studies of a red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax population of conservation concern, where we proactively aimed to achieve the dual and interacting objectives of advancing population and evolutionary ecology and advancing effective conservation. Estimation of means, variances and covariances in key vital rates from individual-based demographic data identified temporal and spatial variation in subadult survival as key constraints on λ, and simultaneously provided new insights into how vital rates can vary as functions of demographic structure, natal conditions and parental life history. Targeted analyses showed that first-year survival increased with prey abundance, implying that food limitation may constrain λ. First-year survival then decreased dramatically, threatening population viability and prompting emergency supplementary feeding interventions. Detailed evaluations suggested that the interventions successfully increased first-year survival in some years and additionally increased adult survival and successful reproduction, thereby feeding back to inform intervention refinements and understanding of complex ecological constraints on λ. Genetic analyses revealed novel evidence of expression of a lethal recessive allele, and demonstrated how critically small effective population size can arise, thereby increasing inbreeding and loss of genetic variation. Population viability analyses parameterised with all available demographic and genetic data showed how ecological and genetic constraints can interact to limit population viability, and identified ecological management as of primacy over genetic management to ensure short-term persistence of the focal population. This case study demonstrates a full iteration through the sequence of primary science, evidence-based intervention, quantitative evaluation and feedback that is advocated in conservation science but still infrequently achieved. It thereby illustrates how pure science advances informed conservation actions to ensure the (short-term) stability of the target population, and how conservation-motivated analyses fed back to advance fundamental understanding of population processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane M Reid
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Institutt for Biologi, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eric Bignal
- Scottish Chough Study Group, Kindrochaid, Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll, UK
| | - Sue Bignal
- Scottish Chough Study Group, Kindrochaid, Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Argyll, UK
| | - Davy I McCracken
- Department of Integrated Land Management, Scotland's Rural College, Ayr, UK
| | - Sarah R Fenn
- School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Amanda E Trask
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Murchie AK, Thompson GM, Clawson S, Brown A, Gordon AW, Jess S. Field Evaluation of Deltamethrin and Ivermectin Applications to Cattle on Culicoides Host-Alighting, Blood-Feeding, and Emergence. Viruses 2019; 11:E731. [PMID: 31398840 PMCID: PMC6722592 DOI: 10.3390/v11080731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of topical applications of deltamethrin and ivermectin to cattle on Culicoides spp. landing and blood-feeding was studied in this work using sticky traps mounted on Friesian heifers' backs. There was no effect of the insecticides on total numbers of Culicoides trapped or the proportion engorged. Deltamethrin and ivermectin treatment did not prevent blood-feeding on these animals. Deltamethrin did result in significant Culicoides mortality as evidenced by the numbers of dead midges combed from heifers' upper flanks. The proximity of engorged midges on traps to dead midges in the hair suggests that blood-feeding took place despite midges receiving an ultimately lethal dose of deltamethrin. Ivermectin application resulted in a smaller proportion of nulliparous than parous females caught. There was no significant effect of ivermectin on the numbers of Culicoides that emerged from dung samples (but p was small at 0.095 for the Obsoletus group Culicoides). In cases of suspect animal imports, pour-on or spray applications of deltamethrin could reduce the risk of onward transmission of bluetongue virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archie K Murchie
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Geoff M Thompson
- Ulster Farmers' Union, 475 Antrim Road, Belfast BT15 3DA, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Sam Clawson
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Andrew Brown
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Large Park, Hillsborough BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Alan W Gordon
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Stephen Jess
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland, UK
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Santangeli A, Lehikoinen A, Lindholm T, Herzon I. Organic animal farms increase farmland bird abundance in the Boreal region. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216009. [PMID: 31091249 PMCID: PMC6519808 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Agriculture is a primary driver of biodiversity loss worldwide, and several expensive schemes have been designed to make modern farming landscapes more hospitable for wildlife. One such market-based mechanisms is the agri-environment-climate schemes (AES) in the European Union (EU). AES compensate farmers for reducing land-use intensity and maintaining or introducing biodiversity-rich habitats. Despite their high costs, impacts of AES vary by measure, region and taxonomic group considered, and have rarely been studied over large areas covering an entire country. Here we assess the country-wide impact of several AES measures on bird abundance using citizen science data on birds and detailed information on AES take up from across Finland. We report a positive impact of organic animal farming on abundance of all farmland associated birds. This effect was particularly strong for insectivorous species, species that are associated to farmyards and long-distance species. None of the other AES measures considered for study did show any relationship with bird abundance. Overall, these findings highlight the potential positive impact that some compensatory measures, such as organic animal farming, may have on wildlife. Traditional animal husbandry is based on grazing of animals and restriction on external inputs, similarly to what is stipulated under organic production contract. As such, traditional animal husbandry may represent an effective landscape management tool for restoring or maintaining threatened species and ecosystems in rural areas of the EU. Ultimately, the apparent lack of a measurable effect of the other AES considered here supports the current move towards evidence-based regional targeting of compensatory measures, so as to concentrate scarce resources to where they can yield the highest ecological benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Santangeli
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, HELSUS, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail:
| | - Aleksi Lehikoinen
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tanja Lindholm
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Irina Herzon
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, HELSUS, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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