1
|
Moore JH, Gibson L, Amir Z, Chanthorn W, Ahmad AH, Jansen PA, Mendes CP, Onuma M, Peres CA, Luskin MS. The rise of hyperabundant native generalists threatens both humans and nature. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1829-1844. [PMID: 37311559 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In many disturbed terrestrial landscapes, a subset of native generalist vertebrates thrives. The population trends of these disturbance-tolerant species may be driven by multiple factors, including habitat preferences, foraging opportunities (including crop raiding or human refuse), lower mortality when their predators are persecuted (the 'human shield' effect) and reduced competition due to declines of disturbance-sensitive species. A pronounced elevation in the abundance of disturbance-tolerant wildlife can drive numerous cascading impacts on food webs, biodiversity, vegetation structure and people in coupled human-natural systems. There is also concern for increased risk of zoonotic disease transfer to humans and domestic animals from wildlife species with high pathogen loads as their abundance and proximity to humans increases. Here we use field data from 58 landscapes to document a supra-regional phenomenon of the hyperabundance and community dominance of Southeast Asian wild pigs and macaques. These two groups were chosen as prime candidates capable of reaching hyperabundance as they are edge adapted, with gregarious social structure, omnivorous diets, rapid reproduction and high tolerance to human proximity. Compared to intact interior forests, population densities in degraded forests were 148% and 87% higher for wild boar and macaques, respectively. In landscapes with >60% oil palm coverage, wild boar and pig-tailed macaque estimated abundances were 337% and 447% higher than landscapes with <1% oil palm coverage, respectively, suggesting marked demographic benefits accrued by crop raiding on calorie-rich food subsidies. There was extreme community dominance in forest landscapes with >20% oil palm cover where two pig and two macaque species accounted for >80% of independent camera trap detections, leaving <20% for the other 85 mammal species >1 kg considered. Establishing the population trends of pigs and macaques is imperative since they are linked to cascading impacts on the fauna and flora of local forest ecosystems, disease and human health, and economics (i.e., crop losses). The severity of potential negative cascading effects may motivate control efforts to achieve ecosystem integrity, human health and conservation objectives. Our review concludes that the rise of native generalists can be mediated by specific types of degradation, which influences the ecology and conservation of natural areas, creating both positive and detrimental impacts on intact ecosystems and human society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H Moore
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan, Shenzhen, China
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Luke Gibson
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zachary Amir
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Wirong Chanthorn
- Department of Environmental Technology and Management, Faculty of Environment, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan Road, Jatujak District, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Abdul Hamid Ahmad
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu, 88400, Malaysia
| | - Patrick A Jansen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Roosevelt Ave. Tupper Building - 401, Panama City, 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Calebe P Mendes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Manabu Onuma
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onagava, Tsukuba-City, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Carlos A Peres
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
- Instituto Juruá, R. Ajuricaba, 359 - Aleixo, Manaus, 69083-020, Brazil
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kurz DJ, Connor T, Brodie JF, Baking EL, Szeto SH, Hearn AJ, Gardner PC, Wearn OR, Deith MCM, Deere NJ, Ampeng A, Bernard H, Goon J, Granados A, Helmy O, Lim HY, Luskin MS, Macdonald DW, Ross J, Simpson BK, Struebig MJ, Mohd-Azlan J, Potts MD, Goossens B, Brashares JS. Socio-ecological factors shape the distribution of a cultural keystone species in Malaysian Borneo. NPJ BIODIVERSITY 2023; 2:4. [PMID: 39242782 PMCID: PMC11332217 DOI: 10.1038/s44185-022-00008-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Biophysical and socio-cultural factors have jointly shaped the distribution of global biodiversity, yet relatively few studies have quantitatively assessed the influence of social and ecological landscapes on wildlife distributions. We sought to determine whether social and ecological covariates shape the distribution of a cultural keystone species, the bearded pig (Sus barbatus). Drawing on a dataset of 295 total camera trap locations and 25,755 trap days across 18 field sites and three years in Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, we fitted occupancy models that incorporated socio-cultural covariates and ecological covariates hypothesized to influence bearded pig occupancy. We found that all competitive occupancy models included both socio-cultural and ecological covariates. Moreover, we found quantitative evidence supporting Indigenous pig hunting rights: predicted pig occupancy was positively associated with predicted high levels of Indigenous pig-hunting groups in low-accessibility areas, and predicted pig occupancy was positively associated with predicted medium and low levels of Indigenous pig-hunting groups in high-accessibility areas. These results suggest that bearded pig populations in Malaysian Borneo should be managed with context-specific strategies, promoting Indigenous pig hunting rights. We also provide important baseline information on bearded pig occupancy levels prior to the 2020-2021 outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), which caused social and ecological concerns after mass dieoffs of bearded pigs in Borneo. The abstract provided in Malay is in the Supplementary file.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David J Kurz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
- Environmental Science Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, 06106, USA.
| | - Thomas Connor
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jedediah F Brodie
- Division of Biological Sciences & Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Esther L Baking
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88450, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Sabrina H Szeto
- School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Sabrina Szeto Consulting, Isen, Bavaria, 84424, Germany
| | - Andrew J Hearn
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Penny C Gardner
- RSPB UK Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Oliver R Wearn
- Fauna & Flora International, Vietnam Programme, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Mairin C M Deith
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Faculty of Science, Vancouver Campus, The University of British Columbia, AERL, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Nicolas J Deere
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Ahmad Ampeng
- Forest Department Sarawak, Level 15, East Wing, Bangunan Baitul Makmur II, Medan Raya, Petra Jaya, 93050, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88450, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Jocelyn Goon
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Alys Granados
- Felidae Conservation Fund, 100 Shoreline Hwy, Suite 100B, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, USA
| | - Olga Helmy
- Division of Biological Sciences & Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Hong-Ye Lim
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Forever Sabah, H30, Gaya Park, Lorong Muntahan 1 C, Jalan Penampang, 88300, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joanna Ross
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Boyd K Simpson
- Copenhagen Zoo, Department of Research & Conservation, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Matthew J Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Jayasilan Mohd-Azlan
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Matthew D Potts
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Justin S Brashares
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lamperty T, Chiok WX, Khoo MDY, Amir Z, Baker N, Chua MAH, Chung YF, Chua YK, Koh JJ, Lee BPY, Lum SKY, Mendes CP, Ngiam J, ODempsey A, Png KGC, Sophie AR, Tan L, Teo R, Thomas N, Tianjiao L, Tze‐Ming BL, Loo AHB, Wardle DA, Luskin MS. Rewilding in Southeast Asia: Singapore as a case study. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Therese Lamperty
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
- Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle Washington, DC USA
| | - Wen Xuan Chiok
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Max D. Y. Khoo
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Zachary Amir
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | | | - Marcus A. H. Chua
- Department of Biological Science National University of Singapore Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum National University of Singapore Singapore
| | - Yi Fei Chung
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
- School of Applied Science, Republic Polytechnic Singapore
| | - Yen Kheng Chua
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Joshua J.‐M. Koh
- Department of Biological Science National University of Singapore Singapore
| | | | - Shawn K. Y. Lum
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Calebe P. Mendes
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- Natural Sciences & Science Education National Institute of Education Singapore
| | - Jonathan Ngiam
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | | | - Kenny G. C. Png
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Adia R. Sophie
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | - Lorraine Tan
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Robert Teo
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Noel Thomas
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Li Tianjiao
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | | | | | - David A. Wardle
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- Forest Global Earth Observatory—Center for Tropical Forest Science Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Seattle Washington, DC USA
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Anthropogenic pressure on large carnivores and their prey in the highly threatened forests of Tanintharyi, southern Myanmar. ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605321001654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar is rich in biodiversity yet is facing threats from varying degrees of anthropogenic pressure. In this research we examine how anthropogenic pressures are influencing large carnivores (tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus and dhole Cuon alpinus) and their major prey species (wild pig Sus scrofa, muntjac Muntiacus spp., sambar Rusa unicolor, gaur Bos gaurus and banteng Bos javanicus) in the Lenya Reserved Forest and adjacent areas of Sundaic forest. We used data from camera-trap surveys during May 2016–March 2018 and logistic regression to analyse the relationships between the presence of large carnivores and explanatory variables such as human disturbance, landscape variability and changes in prey distribution. Tiger presence was positively associated with the occurrence of gaur and distance to villages. The occurrence of prey did not explain the detection of leopards in the study area. We suspect this was because leopards have a broad diet, including arboreal primates, and their prey was not fully recorded in our camera-trap survey. Dholes were positively associated with wild pigs and the total number of prey but not associated with forest type and landscape variables. To restore the carnivore population and conserve the biodiversity of this area, effective protection of predators and habitat management for large ungulates are crucial.
Collapse
|
5
|
Malhi Y, Riutta T, Wearn OR, Deere NJ, Mitchell SL, Bernard H, Majalap N, Nilus R, Davies ZG, Ewers RM, Struebig MJ. Logged tropical forests have amplified and diverse ecosystem energetics. Nature 2022; 612:707-713. [PMID: 36517596 PMCID: PMC9771799 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05523-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Old-growth tropical forests are widely recognized as being immensely important for their biodiversity and high biomass1. Conversely, logged tropical forests are usually characterized as degraded ecosystems2. However, whether logging results in a degradation in ecosystem functions is less clear: shifts in the strength and resilience of key ecosystem processes in large suites of species have rarely been assessed in an ecologically integrated and quantitative framework. Here we adopt an ecosystem energetics lens to gain new insight into the impacts of tropical forest disturbance on a key integrative aspect of ecological function: food pathways and community structure of birds and mammals. We focus on a gradient spanning old-growth and logged forests and oil palm plantations in Borneo. In logged forest there is a 2.5-fold increase in total resource consumption by both birds and mammals compared to that in old-growth forests, probably driven by greater resource accessibility and vegetation palatability. Most principal energetic pathways maintain high species diversity and redundancy, implying maintained resilience. Conversion of logged forest into oil palm plantation results in the collapse of most energetic pathways. Far from being degraded ecosystems, even heavily logged forests can be vibrant and diverse ecosystems with enhanced levels of ecological function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Terhi Riutta
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Oliver R Wearn
- Fauna & Flora International, Vietnam Programme, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nicolas J Deere
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Simon L Mitchell
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Noreen Majalap
- Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department, Sandakan, Malaysia
| | - Reuben Nilus
- Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department, Sandakan, Malaysia
| | - Zoe G Davies
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Robert M Ewers
- Georgina Mace Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Matthew J Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Food availability alters community co-occurrence patterns at fine spatiotemporal scales in a tropical masting system. Oecologia 2022; 200:169-181. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05252-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
|
7
|
Mohd Hanafiah K, Abd Mutalib AH, Miard P, Goh CS, Mohd Sah SA, Ruppert N. Impact of Malaysian palm oil on sustainable development goals: co-benefits and trade-offs across mitigation strategies. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2022; 17:1639-1661. [PMID: 34667481 PMCID: PMC8517301 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-021-01052-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Palm oil (PO) is an important source of livelihood, but unsustainable practices and widespread consumption may threaten human and planetary health. We reviewed 234 articles and summarized evidence on the impact of PO on health, social and economic aspects, environment, and biodiversity in the Malaysian context, and discuss mitigation strategies based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The evidence on health impact of PO is equivocal, with knowledge gaps on whether moderate consumption elevates risk for chronic diseases, but the benefits of phytonutrients (SDG2) and sensory characteristics of PO seem offset by its high proportion of saturated fat (SDG3). While PO contributes to economic growth (SDG9, 12), poverty alleviation (SDG1, 8, 10), enhanced food security (SDG2), alternative energy (SDG9), and long-term employment opportunities (SDG1), human rights issues and inequities attributed to PO production persist (SDG8). Environmental impacts arise through large-scale expansion of monoculture plantations associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions (SDG13), especially from converted carbon-rich peat lands, which can cause forest fires and annual trans-boundary haze; changes in microclimate properties and soil nutrient content (SDG6, 13); increased sedimentation and change of hydrological properties of streams near slopes (SDG6); and increased human wildlife conflicts, increase of invasive species occurrence, and reduced biodiversity (SDG14, 15). Practices such as biological pest control, circular waste management, multi-cropping and certification may mitigate negative impacts on environmental SDGs, without hampering progress of socioeconomic SDGs. While strategies focusing on improving practices within and surrounding plantations offer co-benefits for socioeconomic, environment and biodiversity-related SDGs, several challenges in achieving scalable solutions must be addressed to ensure holistic sustainability of PO in Malaysia for various stakeholders. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11625-021-01052-4.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khayriyyah Mohd Hanafiah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
- Life Sciences, Macfarlane Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC 3004 Australia
| | - Aini Hasanah Abd Mutalib
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Malaysia
| | - Priscillia Miard
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Chun Sheng Goh
- Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, Sunway University, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor Malaysia
| | | | - Nadine Ruppert
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Inventorying terrestrial mammal species in mixed-mangrove forest of the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia, with special reference to a new locality record of otter civet, Cynogale bennettii. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00611-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
9
|
Davison CW, Rahbek C, Morueta-Holme N. Land-use change and biodiversity: Challenges for assembling evidence on the greatest threat to nature. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:5414-5429. [PMID: 34392585 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Land-use change is considered the greatest threat to nature, having caused worldwide declines in the abundance, diversity, and health of species and ecosystems. Despite increasing research on this global change driver, there are still challenges to forming an effective synthesis. The estimated impact of land-use change on biodiversity can depend on location, research methods, and taxonomic focus, with recent global meta-analyses reaching disparate conclusions. Here, we critically appraise this research body and our ability to reach a reliable consensus. We employ named entity recognition to analyze more than 4000 abstracts, alongside full reading of 100 randomly selected papers. We highlight the broad range of study designs and methodologies used; the most common being local space-for-time comparisons that classify land use in situ. Species metrics including abundance, distribution, and diversity were measured more frequently than complex responses such as demography, vital rates, and behavior. We identified taxonomic biases, with vertebrates well represented while detritivores were largely missing. Omitting this group may hinder our understanding of how land-use change affects ecosystem feedback. Research was heavily biased toward temperate forested biomes in North America and Europe, with warmer regions being acutely underrepresented despite offering potential insights into the future effects of land-use change under novel climates. Various land-use histories were covered, although more research in understudied regions including Africa and the Middle East is required to capture regional differences in the form of current and historical land-use practices. Failure to address these challenges will impede our global understanding of land-use change impacts on biodiversity, limit the reliability of future projections and have repercussions for the conservation of threatened species. Beyond identifying literature biases, we highlight the research priorities and data gaps that need urgent attention and offer perspectives on how to move forward.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Davison
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Rahbek
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Global Mountain Biodiversity, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Naia Morueta-Holme
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Guerrero-Sanchez S, Goossens B, Saimin S, Orozco-terWengel P. The critical role of natural forest as refugium for generalist species in oil palm-dominated landscapes. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257814. [PMID: 34614000 PMCID: PMC8494349 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In Borneo, oil palm plantations have replaced much of natural resources, where generalist species tend to be the principal beneficiaries, due to the abundant food provided by oil palm plantations. Here, we analyse the distribution of the Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) population within an oil palm-dominated landscape in the Kinabatangan floodplain, Malaysian Borneo. By using mark-recapture methods we estimated its population size, survival, and growth in forest and plantation habitats. We compared body measurements (i.e. body weight and body length) of individuals living in forest and oil palm habitats as proxy for the population's health status, and used general least squares estimation models to evaluate its response to highly fragmented landscapes in the absence of intensive hunting pressures. Contrary to previous studies, the abundance of lizards was higher in the forest than in oil palm plantations. Recruitment rates were also higher in the forest, suggesting that these areas may function as a source of new individuals into the landscape. While there were no morphometric differences among plantation sites, we found significant differences among forested areas, where larger lizards were found inhabiting forest adjacent to oil palm plantations. Although abundant in food resources, the limited availability of refugia in oil palm plantations may intensify intra-specific encounters and competition, altering the body size distribution in plantation populations, contrary to what happens in the forest. We conclude that large patches of forest, around and within oil palm plantations, are essential for the dynamics of the monitor lizard population in the Kinabatangan floodplain, as well as a potential source of individuals to the landscape. We recommend assessing this effect in other generalist species, as well as the impact on the prey communities, especially to reinforce the establishment of buffer zones and corridors as a conservation strategy within plantations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Guerrero-Sanchez
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- * E-mail: (SGS); (BG)
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- * E-mail: (SGS); (BG)
| | | | - Pablo Orozco-terWengel
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kurz DJ, Saikim FH, Justine VT, Bloem J, Libassi M, Luskin MS, Withey LS, Goossens B, Brashares JS, Potts MD. Transformation and endurance of Indigenous hunting: Kadazandusun‐Murut bearded pig hunting practices amidst oil palm expansion and urbanization in Sabah, Malaysia. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Kurz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation Universiti Malaysia SabahJalan UMS Sabah Malaysia
| | | | - Jordan Bloem
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Matthew Libassi
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | | | - Lauren S. Withey
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Benoît Goossens
- Organisms and Environment Division School of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department Wisma Muis Sabah Malaysia
- Sabah Wildlife Department Wisma Muis Sabah Malaysia
- Sustainable Places Research InstituteCardiff University Cardiff UK
| | - Justin S. Brashares
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Matthew D. Potts
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Luskin MS, Johnson DJ, Ickes K, Yao TL, Davies SJ. Wildlife disturbances as a source of conspecific negative density-dependent mortality in tropical trees. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210001. [PMID: 33653133 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large vertebrates are rarely considered important drivers of conspecific negative density-dependent mortality (CNDD) in plants because they are generalist consumers. However, disturbances like trampling and nesting also cause plant mortality, and their impact on plant diversity depends on the spatial overlap between wildlife habitat preferences and plant species composition. We studied the impact of native wildlife on a hyperdiverse tree community in Malaysia. Pigs (Sus scrofa) are abnormally abundant at the site due to food subsidies in nearby farmland and they construct birthing nests using hundreds of tree saplings. We tagged 34 950 tree saplings in a 25 ha plot during an initial census and assessed the source mortality by recovering tree tags from pig nests (n = 1672 pig-induced deaths). At the stand scale, pigs nested in flat dry habitats, and at the local neighbourhood scale, they nested within clumps of saplings, both of which are intuitive for safe and efficient nest building. At the stand scale, flat dry habitats contained higher sapling densities and higher proportions of common species, so pig nesting increased the weighted average species evenness across habitats. At the neighbourhood scale, pig-induced sapling mortality was associated with higher heterospecific and especially conspecific sapling densities. Tree species have clumped distributions due to dispersal limitation and habitat filtering, so pig disturbances in sapling clumps indirectly caused CNDD. As a result, Pielou species evenness in 400 m2 quadrats increased 105% more in areas with pig-induced deaths than areas without disturbances. Wildlife induced CNDD and this supported tree species evenness, but they also drove a 62% decline in sapling densities from 1996 to 2010, which is unsustainable. We suspect pig nesting is an important feature shaping tree composition throughout the region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Scott Luskin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daniel J Johnson
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kalan Ickes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Tze Leong Yao
- Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Kepong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Stuart J Davies
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ng CKC, Payne J, Oram F. Small habitat matrix: How does it work? AMBIO 2021; 50:601-614. [PMID: 32915445 PMCID: PMC7882646 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01384-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We present herein our perspective of a novel Small Habitats Matrix (SHM) concept showing how small habitats on private lands are untapped but can be valuable for mitigating ecological degradation. Grounded by the realities in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, we model a discontinuous "stepping stones" linkage that includes both terrestrial and aquatic habitats to illustrate exactly how the SHM can be deployed. Taken together, the SHM is expected to optimize the meta-population vitality in monoculture landscapes for aerial, arboreal, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife communities. We also provide the tangible cost estimates and discuss how such a concept is both economically affordable and plausible to complement global conservation initiatives. By proposing a practical approach to conservation in the rapidly developing tropics, we present a perspective from "ground zero" that reaches out to fellow scientists, funders, activists and pro-environmental land owners who often ask, "What more can we do?"
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Casey Keat-Chuan Ng
- Faculty of Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti Bandar Barat, 31900 Kampar, Malaysia
| | - John Payne
- Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA), Faculty Sains dan Sumber Alam, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Felicity Oram
- PONGO Alliance, Units S10-12, 1st Floor, The Peak Vista, Block B Lorong Puncak 1, Tanjung Lipat, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Luskin MS, Meijaard E, Surya S, Sheherazade, Walzer C, Linkie M. African Swine Fever threatens Southeast Asia's 11 endemic wild pig species. Conserv Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Scott Luskin
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Erik Meijaard
- Borneo Futures Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology University of Kent Canterbury Kent UK
| | - Selly Surya
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Indonesia Program Bogor West Java Indonesia
| | - Sheherazade
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Indonesia Program Bogor West Java Indonesia
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society, The Bronx New York
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Austria
| | - Matthew Linkie
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Indonesia Program Bogor West Java Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Huang G, Sreekar R, Velho N, Corlett RT, Quan R, Tomlinson KW. Combining camera‐trap surveys and hunter interviews to determine the status of mammals in protected rainforests and rubber plantations of Menglun, Xishuangbanna, SW China. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Huang
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
- Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University Nathan QLD Australia
| | - R. Sreekar
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
- Institute of Entomology Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - N. Velho
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Columbia UniversitySchermerhorn Extension New York NY USA
| | - R. T. Corlett
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
| | - R.‐C. Quan
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
| | - K. W. Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Menglun Yunnan China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Davidson G, Chua TH, Cook A, Speldewinde P, Weinstein P. The Role of Ecological Linkage Mechanisms in Plasmodium knowlesi Transmission and Spread. ECOHEALTH 2019; 16:594-610. [PMID: 30675676 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01395-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Defining the linkages between landscape change, disease ecology and human health is essential to explain and predict the emergence of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria, a zoonotic parasite residing in Southeast Asian macaques, and transmitted by species of Anopheles mosquitos. Changing patterns of land use throughout Southeast Asia, particularly deforestation, are suggested to be the primary drivers behind the recent spread of this zoonotic parasite in humans. Local ecological changes at the landscape scale appear to be increasing the risk of disease in humans by altering the dynamics of transmission between the parasite and its primary hosts. This paper will focus on the emergence of P. knowlesi in humans in Malaysian Borneo and the ecological linkage mechanisms suggested to be playing an important role.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gael Davidson
- CENRM and School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Tock H Chua
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
| | - Angus Cook
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Philip Weinstein
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Davison CW, Chapman PM, Wearn OR, Bernard H, Ewers RM. Shifts in the demographics and behavior of bearded pigs (
Sus barbatus
) across a land‐use gradient. Biotropica 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charles W. Davison
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London Berkshire UK
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate GLOBE Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | | | | | - Henry Bernard
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation Universiti Malaysia Sabah Kota Kinabalu Malaysia
| | - Robert M. Ewers
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London Berkshire UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Luskin MS, Ickes K, Yao TL, Davies SJ. Wildlife differentially affect tree and liana regeneration in a tropical forest: An 18‐year study of experimental terrestrial defaunation versus artificially abundant herbivores. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Scott Luskin
- Forest Global Earth Observatory – Center for Tropical Forest ScienceSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute Washington DC
- Asian School of the EnvironmentNanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Kalan Ickes
- Department of Biological SciencesClemson University Clemson South Carolina
| | - Tze Leong Yao
- Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Kepong Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia
| | - Stuart J. Davies
- Forest Global Earth Observatory – Center for Tropical Forest ScienceSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute Washington DC
| |
Collapse
|