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Adams A, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ. Conservation connections: incorporating connectivity into management and conservation of flats fishes and their habitats in a multi-stressor world. ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES 2023; 106:117-130. [PMID: 36686288 PMCID: PMC9847458 DOI: 10.1007/s10641-023-01391-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Coastal marine fisheries and the habitats that support them are under extensive and increasing pressures from numerous anthropogenic stressors that occur at multiple spatial and temporal scales and often intersect in unexpected ways. Frequently, the scales at which these fisheries are managed do not match the scales of the stressors, much less the geographic scale of species biology. In general, fishery management is ill prepared to address these stressors, as underscored by the continuing lack of integration of fisheries and habitat management. However, research of these fisheries is increasingly being conducted at spatial and temporal scales that incorporate biology and ecological connectivity of target species, with growing attention to the foundational role of habitat. These efforts are also increasingly engaging stakeholders and rights holders in research, education, and conservation. This multi-method approach is essential for addressing pressing conservation challenges that are common to flats ecosystems. Flats fisheries occur in the shallow, coastal habitat mosaic that supports fish species that are accessible to and desirable to target by recreational fishers. Because these species rely upon coastal habitats, the anthropogenic stressors can be especially intense-habitat alteration (loss and degradation) and water quality declines are being exacerbated by climate change and increasing direct human impacts (e.g., fishing effort, boat traffic, depredation, pollution). The connections necessary for effective flats conservation are of many modes and include ontogenetic habitat connectivity; connections between stressors and impacts to fishes; connections between research and management, such as research informing spawning area protections; and engagement of stakeholders and rights holders in research, education, and management. The articles included in this Special Issue build upon a growing literature that is filling knowledge gaps for flats fishes and their habitats and increasingly providing the evidence to inform resource management. Indeed, numerous articles in this issue propose or summarize direct application of research findings to management with a focus on current and future conservation challenges. As with many other fisheries, a revised approach to management and conservation is needed in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Adams
- Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, 2937 SW 27Th Avenue, Suite 203, Miami, FL 33133 USA
- Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, 5600 US 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946 USA
| | - Andy J. Danylchuk
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003 USA
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 Canada
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2
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Pirotta E, Thomas L, Costa DP, Hall AJ, Harris CM, Harwood J, Kraus SD, Miller PJO, Moore MJ, Photopoulou T, Rolland RM, Schwacke L, Simmons SE, Southall BL, Tyack PL. Understanding the combined effects of multiple stressors: A new perspective on a longstanding challenge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153322. [PMID: 35074373 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife populations and their habitats are exposed to an expanding diversity and intensity of stressors caused by human activities, within the broader context of natural processes and increasing pressure from climate change. Estimating how these multiple stressors affect individuals, populations, and ecosystems is thus of growing importance. However, their combined effects often cannot be predicted reliably from the individual effects of each stressor, and we lack the mechanistic understanding and analytical tools to predict their joint outcomes. We review the science of multiple stressors and present a conceptual framework that captures and reconciles the variety of existing approaches for assessing combined effects. Specifically, we show that all approaches lie along a spectrum, reflecting increasing assumptions about the mechanisms that regulate the action of single stressors and their combined effects. An emphasis on mechanisms improves analytical precision and predictive power but could introduce bias if the underlying assumptions are incorrect. A purely empirical approach has less risk of bias but requires adequate data on the effects of the full range of anticipated combinations of stressor types and magnitudes. We illustrate how this spectrum can be formalised into specific analytical methods, using an example of North Atlantic right whales feeding on limited prey resources while simultaneously being affected by entanglement in fishing gear. In practice, case-specific management needs and data availability will guide the exploration of the stressor combinations of interest and the selection of a suitable trade-off between precision and bias. We argue that the primary goal for adaptive management should be to identify the most practical and effective ways to remove or reduce specific combinations of stressors, bringing the risk of adverse impacts on populations and ecosystems below acceptable thresholds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | - Len Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Ailsa J Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Catriona M Harris
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - John Harwood
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Scott D Kraus
- Anderson-Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Michael J Moore
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | - Theoni Photopoulou
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Rosalind M Rolland
- Anderson-Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lori Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, Johns Island, SC, USA.
| | | | - Brandon L Southall
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., Aptos, CA, USA.
| | - Peter L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
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Heinichen M, McManus MC, Lucey SM, Aydin K, Humphries A, Innes-Gold A, Collie J. Incorporating temperature-dependent fish bioenergetics into a Narragansett Bay food web model. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.109911] [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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4
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Lennox RJ, Westrelin S, Souza AT, Šmejkal M, Říha M, Prchalová M, Nathan R, Koeck B, Killen S, Jarić I, Gjelland K, Hollins J, Hellstrom G, Hansen H, Cooke SJ, Boukal D, Brooks JL, Brodin T, Baktoft H, Adam T, Arlinghaus R. A role for lakes in revealing the nature of animal movement using high dimensional telemetry systems. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:40. [PMID: 34321114 PMCID: PMC8320048 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00244-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Movement ecology is increasingly relying on experimental approaches and hypothesis testing to reveal how, when, where, why, and which animals move. Movement of megafauna is inherently interesting but many of the fundamental questions of movement ecology can be efficiently tested in study systems with high degrees of control. Lakes can be seen as microcosms for studying ecological processes and the use of high-resolution positioning systems to triangulate exact coordinates of fish, along with sensors that relay information about depth, temperature, acceleration, predation, and more, can be used to answer some of movement ecology's most pressing questions. We describe how key questions in animal movement have been approached and how experiments can be designed to gather information about movement processes to answer questions about the physiological, genetic, and environmental drivers of movement using lakes. We submit that whole lake telemetry studies have a key role to play not only in movement ecology but more broadly in biology as key scientific arenas for knowledge advancement. New hardware for tracking aquatic animals and statistical tools for understanding the processes underlying detection data will continue to advance the potential for revealing the paradigms that govern movement and biological phenomena not just within lakes but in other realms spanning lands and oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Lennox
- Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (LFI) at NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Nygårdsporten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Samuel Westrelin
- INRAE, Aix Marseille Univ, Pôle R&D ECLA, RECOVER, 3275 Route de Cézanne - CS 40061, 13182 Cedex 5, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Allan T Souza
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Šmejkal
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Říha
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Prchalová
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 102 Berman Bldg, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Barbara Koeck
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Shaun Killen
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Ivan Jarić
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Ecosystem Biology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Karl Gjelland
- Norwegian Institute of Nature Research, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jack Hollins
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
- University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Gustav Hellstrom
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Henry Hansen
- Karlstads University, Universitetsgatan 2, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Bergen, Germany
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - David Boukal
- Faculty of Science, Department of Ecosystem Biology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jill L Brooks
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tomas Brodin
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Henrik Baktoft
- Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, Building Silkeborg-039, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Timo Adam
- Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Robert Arlinghaus
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Bergen, Germany
- Division of Integrative Fisheries Management, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Bergen, Germany
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5
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Ames EM, Gade MR, Nieman CL, Wright JR, Tonra CM, Marroquin CM, Tutterow AM, Gray SM. Striving for population-level conservation: integrating physiology across the biological hierarchy. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa019. [PMID: 32274066 PMCID: PMC7125044 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The field of conservation physiology strives to achieve conservation goals by revealing physiological mechanisms that drive population declines in the face of human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC) and has informed many successful conservation actions. However, many studies still struggle to explicitly link individual physiological measures to impacts across the biological hierarchy (to population and ecosystem levels) and instead rely on a 'black box' of assumptions to scale up results for conservation implications. Here, we highlight some examples of studies that were successful in scaling beyond the individual level, including two case studies of well-researched species, and using other studies we highlight challenges and future opportunities to increase the impact of research by scaling up the biological hierarchy. We first examine studies that use individual physiological measures to scale up to population-level impacts and discuss several emerging fields that have made significant steps toward addressing the gap between individual-based and demographic studies, such as macrophysiology and landscape physiology. Next, we examine how future studies can scale from population or species-level to community- and ecosystem-level impacts and discuss avenues of research that can lead to conservation implications at the ecosystem level, such as abiotic gradients and interspecific interactions. In the process, we review methods that researchers can use to make links across the biological hierarchy, including crossing disciplinary boundaries, collaboration and data sharing, spatial modelling and incorporating multiple markers (e.g. physiological, behavioural or demographic) into their research. We recommend future studies incorporating tools that consider the diversity of 'landscapes' experienced by animals at higher levels of the biological hierarchy, will make more effective contributions to conservation and management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Ames
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Meaghan R Gade
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Chelsey L Nieman
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - James R Wright
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Christopher M Tonra
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Cynthia M Marroquin
- Departmant of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 W. 12th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Annalee M Tutterow
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Suzanne M Gray
- School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Corresponding author: School of the Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. Tel: 614-292-4643.
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6
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Habitat degradation and predators have independent trait-mediated effects on prey. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15705. [PMID: 31673067 PMCID: PMC6823502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51798-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are degrading globally leading to a catastrophic loss of biodiversity. While shifts in the species composition of communities have been well documented associated with habitat change, the mechanisms that underlie change are often poorly understood. Our study experimentally examines the effects of coral degradation on the trait-mediated effects of predators on the morphology, behaviour and performance of a juvenile coral reef fish. Juvenile damselfish were exposed to predators or controls (omnivore or nothing) in seawater that had flowed over either live or dead-degraded coral over a 45d period. No interaction between water source and predator exposure was found. However, fish exposed to degraded water had larger false eyespots relative to the size of their true eyes, and were more active, both of which may lead to a survival advantage. Non-consumptive effects of predators on prey occurred regardless of water source and included longer and deeper bodies, large false eyespots that may distract predator strikes away from the vulnerable head region, and shorter latencies in their response to a simulated predator strike. Research underscores that phenotypic plasticity may assist fishes in coping with habitat degradation and promote greater resilience to habitat change than may otherwise be predicted.
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7
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Lyons K, Bigman JS, Kacev D, Mull CG, Carlisle AB, Imhoff JL, Anderson JM, Weng KC, Galloway AS, Cave E, Gunn TR, Lowe CG, Brill RW, Bedore CN. Bridging disciplines to advance elasmobranch conservation: applications of physiological ecology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz011. [PMID: 31110763 PMCID: PMC6519003 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A strength of physiological ecology is its incorporation of aspects of both species' ecology and physiology; this holistic approach is needed to address current and future anthropogenic stressors affecting elasmobranch fishes that range from overexploitation to the effects of climate change. For example, physiology is one of several key determinants of an organism's ecological niche (along with evolutionary constraints and ecological interactions). The fundamental role of physiology in niche determination led to the development of the field of physiological ecology. This approach considers physiological mechanisms in the context of the environment to understand mechanistic variations that beget ecological trends. Physiological ecology, as an integrative discipline, has recently experienced a resurgence with respect to conservation applications, largely in conjunction with technological advances that extended physiological work from the lab into the natural world. This is of critical importance for species such as elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays), which are an especially understudied and threatened group of vertebrates. In 2017, at the American Elasmobranch Society meeting in Austin, Texas, the symposium entitled `Applications of Physiological Ecology in Elasmobranch Research' provided a platform for researchers to showcase work in which ecological questions were examined through a physiological lens. Here, we highlight the research presented at this symposium, which emphasized the strength of linking physiological tools with ecological questions. We also demonstrate the applicability of using physiological ecology research as a method to approach conservation issues, and advocate for a more available framework whereby results are more easily accessible for their implementation into management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Lyons
- Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J S Bigman
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - D Kacev
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - C G Mull
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | | | - J L Imhoff
- Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory, St. Teresa, FL, USA
| | - J M Anderson
- University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - K C Weng
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - A S Galloway
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, SC, USA
| | - E Cave
- Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - T R Gunn
- Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA USA
| | - C G Lowe
- California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - R W Brill
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - C N Bedore
- Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA USA
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8
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Lennox RJ, Suski CD, Cooke SJ. A macrophysiology approach to watershed science and management. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 626:434-440. [PMID: 29353786 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Freshwaters are among the most imperiled ecosystems on the planet such that much effort is expended on environmental monitoring to support the management of these systems. Many traditional monitoring efforts focus on abiotic characterization of water quantity or quality and/or indices of biotic integrity that focus on higher scale population or community level metrics such as abundance or diversity. However, these indicators may take time to manifest in degraded systems and delay the identification and restoration of these systems. Physiological indicators manifest rapidly and portend oncoming changes in populations that can hasten restoration and facilitate preventative medicine for degraded habitats. Therefore, assessing freshwater ecosystem integrity using physiological indicators of health is a promising tool to improve freshwater monitoring and restoration. Here, we discuss the value of using comparative, longitudinal physiological data collected at a broad spatial (i.e. watershed) scale (i.e. macrophysiology) as a tool for monitoring aquatic ecosystem health within and among local watersheds to develop timely and effective management plans. There are emerging tools and techniques available for rapid, cost-effective, and non-lethal physiological sampling and we discuss how these can be integrated into management using fish as sentinel indicators in freshwater. Although many examples of this approach are relatively recent, we foresee increasing use of macrophysiology in monitoring, and advocate for the development of more standard tools for consistent and reliable assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Lennox
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Cory D Suski
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, United States
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
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Cooke SJ, Birnie-Gauvin K, Lennox RJ, Taylor JJ, Rytwinski T, Rummer JL, Franklin CE, Bennett JR, Haddaway NR. How experimental biology and ecology can support evidence-based decision-making in conservation: avoiding pitfalls and enabling application. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox043. [PMID: 28835842 PMCID: PMC5550808 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Policy development and management decisions should be based upon the best available evidence. In recent years, approaches to evidence synthesis, originating in the medical realm (such as systematic reviews), have been applied to conservation to promote evidence-based conservation and environmental management. Systematic reviews involve a critical appraisal of evidence, but studies that lack the necessary rigour (e.g. experimental, technical and analytical aspects) to justify their conclusions are typically excluded from systematic reviews or down-weighted in terms of their influence. One of the strengths of conservation physiology is the reliance on experimental approaches that help to more clearly establish cause-and-effect relationships. Indeed, experimental biology and ecology have much to offer in terms of building the evidence base that is needed to inform policy and management options related to pressing issues such as enacting endangered species recovery plans or evaluating the effectiveness of conservation interventions. Here, we identify a number of pitfalls that can prevent experimental findings from being relevant to conservation or would lead to their exclusion or down-weighting during critical appraisal in a systematic review. We conclude that conservation physiology is well positioned to support evidence-based conservation, provided that experimental designs are robust and that conservation physiologists understand the nuances associated with informing decision-making processes so that they can be more relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Cooke
- Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Kim Birnie-Gauvin
- Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Robert J. Lennox
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Jessica J. Taylor
- Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Trina Rytwinski
- Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Jodie L. Rummer
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Craig E. Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Joseph R. Bennett
- Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Neal R. Haddaway
- EviEM, Stockholm Environment Institute, Box 24218, 10451 Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Dick M, Rous AM, Nguyen VM, Cooke SJ. Necessary but challenging: Multiple disciplinary approaches to solving conservation problems. Facets (Ott) 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2016-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary conservation problems are typically positioned at the interface of complex ecological and human systems. Traditional approaches aiming to compartmentalize a phenomenon within the confines of a single discipline and failing to engage non-science partners are outmoded and cannot identify solutions that have traction in the social, economic, and political arenas in which conservation actions must operate. As a result, conservation science teams must adopt multiple disciplinary approaches that bridge not only academic disciplines but also the political and social realms and engage relevant partners. Five reasons are presented that outline why conservation problems demand multiple disciplinary approaches in order to move forward because: (i) socio-ecological systems are complex, (ii) multiple perspectives are better than one, (iii) the results of research must influence practice, (iv) the heterogeneity of scale necessitates it, and (v) conservation involves compromise. Presenting reasons that support multiple disciplinarity demands a review of the barriers that impede this process, as we are far from attaining a model or framework that is applicable in all contexts. Two challenges that impede multiple disciplinarity are discussed, in addition to pragmatic solutions that conservation scientists and practitioners can adopt in their work. Overall, conservation researchers and practitioners are encouraged to explore the multiple disciplinary dimensions of their respective realms to more effectively solve problems in biodiversity and sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Dick
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Andrew M. Rous
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Vivian M. Nguyen
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
- Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and Environmental Management, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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11
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Illing B, Rummer JL. Physiology can contribute to better understanding, management, and conservation of coral reef fishes. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox005. [PMID: 28852508 PMCID: PMC5570121 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef fishes, like many other marine organisms, are affected by anthropogenic stressors such as fishing and pollution and, owing to climate change, are experiencing increasing water temperatures and ocean acidification. Against the backdrop of these various stressors, a mechanistic understanding of processes governing individual organismal performance is the first step for identifying drivers of coral reef fish population dynamics. In fact, physiological measurements can help to reveal potential cause-and-effect relationships and enable physiologists to advise conservation management by upscaling results from cellular and individual organismal levels to population levels. Here, we highlight studies that include physiological measurements of coral reef fishes and those that give advice for their conservation. A literature search using combined physiological, conservation and coral reef fish key words resulted in ~1900 studies, of which only 99 matched predefined requirements. We observed that, over the last 20 years, the combination of physiological and conservation aspects in studies on coral reef fishes has received increased attention. Most of the selected studies made their physiological observations at the whole organism level and used their findings to give conservation advice on population dynamics, habitat use or the potential effects of climate change. The precision of the recommendations differed greatly and, not surprisingly, was least concrete when studies examined the effects of projected climate change scenarios. Although more and more physiological studies on coral reef fishes include conservation aspects, there is still a lack of concrete advice for conservation managers, with only very few published examples of physiological findings leading to improved management practices. We conclude with a call to action to foster better knowledge exchange between natural scientists and conservation managers to translate physiological findings more effectively in order to obtain evidence-based and adaptive management strategies for the conservation of coral reef fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Illing
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
- Institute of Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg D-22767, Germany
| | - Jodie L. Rummer
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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12
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McKenzie DJ, Axelsson M, Chabot D, Claireaux G, Cooke SJ, Corner RA, De Boeck G, Domenici P, Guerreiro PM, Hamer B, Jørgensen C, Killen SS, Lefevre S, Marras S, Michaelidis B, Nilsson GE, Peck MA, Perez-Ruzafa A, Rijnsdorp AD, Shiels HA, Steffensen JF, Svendsen JC, Svendsen MBS, Teal LR, van der Meer J, Wang T, Wilson JM, Wilson RW, Metcalfe JD. Conservation physiology of marine fishes: state of the art and prospects for policy. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow046. [PMID: 27766156 PMCID: PMC5070530 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The state of the art of research on the environmental physiology of marine fishes is reviewed from the perspective of how it can contribute to conservation of biodiversity and fishery resources. A major constraint to application of physiological knowledge for conservation of marine fishes is the limited knowledge base; international collaboration is needed to study the environmental physiology of a wider range of species. Multifactorial field and laboratory studies on biomarkers hold promise to relate ecophysiology directly to habitat quality and population status. The 'Fry paradigm' could have broad applications for conservation physiology research if it provides a universal mechanism to link physiological function with ecological performance and population dynamics of fishes, through effects of abiotic conditions on aerobic metabolic scope. The available data indicate, however, that the paradigm is not universal, so further research is required on a wide diversity of species. Fish physiologists should interact closely with researchers developing ecological models, in order to investigate how integrating physiological information improves confidence in projecting effects of global change; for example, with mechanistic models that define habitat suitability based upon potential for aerobic scope or outputs of a dynamic energy budget. One major challenge to upscaling from physiology of individuals to the level of species and communities is incorporating intraspecific variation, which could be a crucial component of species' resilience to global change. Understanding what fishes do in the wild is also a challenge, but techniques of biotelemetry and biologging are providing novel information towards effective conservation. Overall, fish physiologists must strive to render research outputs more applicable to management and decision-making. There are various potential avenues for information flow, in the shorter term directly through biomarker studies and in the longer term by collaborating with modellers and fishery biologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. McKenzie
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation, UMR MARBEC (CNRS, IRD, IFREMER, UM), Place E. Bataillon cc 093, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Michael Axelsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 18, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Denis Chabot
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, Mont-Joli, QC, CanadaG5H 3Z4
| | - Guy Claireaux
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR LEMAR, Unité PFOM-ARN, Centre Ifremer de Bretagne, ZI Pointe du Diable. CS 10070, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1S 5B6
| | | | - Gudrun De Boeck
- Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research (SPHERE), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Paolo Domenici
- CNR–IAMC, Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero, 09072 Torregrande, Oristano, Italy
| | - Pedro M. Guerreiro
- CCMAR – Centre for Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Bojan Hamer
- Center for Marine Research, Ruder Boskovic Institute, Giordano Paliaga 5, 52210 Rovinj, Croatia
| | - Christian Jørgensen
- Department of Biology and Hjort Centre for Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Shaun S. Killen
- Institute of Biodiversity,Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical,Veterinary and Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Sjannie Lefevre
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066,NO-0316 Oslo,Norway
| | - Stefano Marras
- CNR–IAMC, Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero, 09072 Torregrande, Oristano, Italy
| | - Basile Michaelidis
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Göran E. Nilsson
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066,NO-0316 Oslo,Norway
| | - Myron A. Peck
- Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, University of Hamburg, Olbersweg 24, Hamburg 22767, Germany
| | - Angel Perez-Ruzafa
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, Espinardo, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp
- IMARES, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies, PO Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden, The Netherlands
| | - Holly A. Shiels
- Core Technology Facility, The University of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
| | - John F. Steffensen
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, DK-3000 Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Jon C. Svendsen
- Section for Ecosystem-based Marine Management, National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU-Aqua), Technical University of Denmark, Jægersborg Allé 1, DK-2920 Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | - Morten B. S. Svendsen
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, DK-3000 Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Lorna R. Teal
- IMARES, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies, PO Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap van der Meer
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias Wang
- Department of Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jonathan M. Wilson
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rod W. Wilson
- Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, ExeterEX4 4QD, UK
| | - Julian D. Metcalfe
- Centre for Environment,Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft Laboratory, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
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Ward TD, Algera DA, Gallagher AJ, Hawkins E, Horodysky A, Jørgensen C, Killen SS, McKenzie DJ, Metcalfe JD, Peck MA, Vu M, Cooke SJ. Understanding the individual to implement the ecosystem approach to fisheries management. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow005. [PMID: 27293757 PMCID: PMC4825417 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management (EAFMs) have emerged as requisite for sustainable use of fisheries resources. At the same time, however, there is a growing recognition of the degree of variation among individuals within a population, as well as the ecological consequences of this variation. Managing resources at an ecosystem level calls on practitioners to consider evolutionary processes, and ample evidence from the realm of fisheries science indicates that anthropogenic disturbance can drive changes in predominant character traits (e.g. size at maturity). Eco-evolutionary theory suggests that human-induced trait change and the modification of selective regimens might contribute to ecosystem dynamics at a similar magnitude to species extirpation, extinction and ecological dysfunction. Given the dynamic interaction between fisheries and target species via harvest and subsequent ecosystem consequences, we argue that individual diversity in genetic, physiological and behavioural traits are important considerations under EAFMs. Here, we examine the role of individual variation in a number of contexts relevant to fisheries management, including the potential ecological effects of rapid trait change. Using select examples, we highlight the extent of phenotypic diversity of individuals, as well as the ecological constraints on such diversity. We conclude that individual phenotypic diversity is a complex phenomenon that needs to be considered in EAFMs, with the ultimate realization that maintaining or increasing individual trait diversity may afford not only species, but also entire ecosystems, with enhanced resilience to environmental perturbations. Put simply, individuals are the foundation from which population- and ecosystem-level traits emerge and are therefore of central importance for the ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor D. Ward
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1S 5B6
- Corresponding author: Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6.
| | - Dirk A. Algera
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1S 5B6
| | - Austin J. Gallagher
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1S 5B6
| | - Emily Hawkins
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie Private, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1N 9B4
| | - Andrij Horodysky
- Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, USA
| | - Christian Jørgensen
- Department of Biology and Hjort Centre for Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, Bergen 5020, Norway
| | - Shaun S. Killen
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - David J. McKenzie
- Equipe Diversité et Ecologie des Poissons, UMR5119 Ecologie des Systèmes Marins Côtiers, Université Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier cedex 5 34095, France
| | - Julian D. Metcalfe
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft Laboratory, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Myron A. Peck
- Institute of Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Olbersweg 24, Hamburg 22767, Germany
| | - Maria Vu
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie Private, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1N 9B4
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, CanadaK1S 5B6
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14
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Jørgensen C, Enberg K, Mangel M. Modelling and interpreting fish bioenergetics: a role for behaviour, life-history traits and survival trade-offs. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2016; 88:389-402. [PMID: 26768979 PMCID: PMC4722850 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Bioenergetics is used as the mechanistic foundation of many models of fishes. As the context of a model gradually extends beyond pure bioenergetics to include behaviour, life-history traits and function and performance of the entire organism, so does the need for complementing bioenergetic measurements with trade-offs, particularly those dealing with survival. Such a broadening of focus revitalized and expanded the domain of behavioural ecology in the 1980s. This review makes the case that a similar change of perspective is required for physiology to contribute to the types of predictions society currently demands, e.g. regarding climate change and other anthropogenic stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Jørgensen
- Uni Research and Hjort Centre for Marine Ecosystem DynamicsP. O. Box 7810, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - K Enberg
- Institute of Marine Research and Hjort Centre for Marine Ecosystem DynamicsP. O. Box 1870 Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | - M Mangel
- Center for Stock Assessment Research, University of California Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA, 95064, U.S.A.
- Department of Biology, University of BergenP. O. Box 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway
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15
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Chapman J, Algera D, Dick M, Hawkins E, Lawrence M, Lennox R, Rous A, Souliere C, Stemberger H, Struthers D, Vu M, Ward T, Zolderdo A, Cooke S. Being relevant: Practical guidance for early career researchers interested in solving conservation problems. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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16
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Hunt KE, Rolland RM, Kraus SD. Conservation Physiology of an Uncatchable Animal: The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Integr Comp Biol 2015; 55:577-86. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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17
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Christiansen JS, Sparboe M, Saether BS, Siikavuopio SI. Thermal behaviour and the prospect spread of an invasive benthic top predator onto the Euro-Arctic shelves. DIVERS DISTRIB 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jørgen S. Christiansen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology; UiT - The Arctic University of Norway; NO-9037 Tromsø Norway
- Department of Biosciences - Environmental and Marine Biology; Åbo Akademi University; FI-20500 Turku Finland
| | - Maria Sparboe
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology; UiT - The Arctic University of Norway; NO-9037 Tromsø Norway
- NRS Finnmark AS; NO-9510 Alta Norway
| | - Bjørn-S. Saether
- NOFIMA - The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research; NO-9291 Tromsø Norway
| | - Sten I. Siikavuopio
- NOFIMA - The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research; NO-9291 Tromsø Norway
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18
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Evans TG, Diamond SE, Kelly MW. Mechanistic species distribution modelling as a link between physiology and conservation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 3:cov056. [PMID: 27293739 PMCID: PMC4778482 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate change conservation planning relies heavily on correlative species distribution models that estimate future areas of occupancy based on environmental conditions encountered in present-day ranges. The approach benefits from rapid assessment of vulnerability over a large number of organisms, but can have poor predictive power when transposed to novel environments and reveals little in the way of causal mechanisms that define changes in species distribution or abundance. Having conservation planning rely largely on this single approach also increases the risk of policy failure. Mechanistic models that are parameterized with physiological information are expected to be more robust when extrapolating distributions to future environmental conditions and can identify physiological processes that set range boundaries. Implementation of mechanistic species distribution models requires knowledge of how environmental change influences physiological performance, and because this information is currently restricted to a comparatively small number of well-studied organisms, use of mechanistic modelling in the context of climate change conservation is limited. In this review, we propose that the need to develop mechanistic models that incorporate physiological data presents an opportunity for physiologists to contribute more directly to climate change conservation and advance the field of conservation physiology. We begin by describing the prevalence of species distribution modelling in climate change conservation, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of both mechanistic and correlative approaches. Next, we emphasize the need to expand mechanistic models and discuss potential metrics of physiological performance suitable for integration into mechanistic models. We conclude by summarizing other factors, such as the need to consider demography, limiting broader application of mechanistic models in climate change conservation. Ideally, modellers, physiologists and conservation practitioners would work collaboratively to build models, interpret results and consider conservation management options, and articulating this need here may help to stimulate collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler G. Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard, Hayward, CA 95442, USA
| | - Sarah E. Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2080 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Morgan W. Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA. Tel: +1 225 578 0224.
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19
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Cull F, Suski CD, Shultz A, Danylchuk AJ, O'Connor CM, Murchie KJ, Cooke SJ. Consequences of experimental cortisol manipulations on the thermal biology of the checkered puffer (Sphoeroides testudineus) in laboratory and field environments. J Therm Biol 2014; 47:63-74. [PMID: 25526656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is altering temperature regimes for coastal marine fishes. However, given that temperature changes will not occur in isolation of other stressors, it is necessary to explore the potential consequences of stress on the thermal tolerances and preferences of tropical marine fish in order to understand the thresholds for survival, and predict the associated coastal ecological consequences. In this study, we used exogenous cortisol injections to investigate the effects of a thermal challenge on checkered puffers (Sphoeroides testudineus) as a secondary stressor. There were no significant differences between control and cortisol-treated fish 48h following cortisol treatment for swimming ability (using a chase to exhaustion protocol), blood glucose concentrations or standard metabolic rate. In the lab, control and cortisol-treated puffers were exposed to ambient (29.1±1.5°C), ambient +5°C (heat shock) and ambient -5°C (cold shock) for 4h and to evaluate the consequences of abrupt temperature change on puff performance and blood physiology. Following cold shock, control fish exhibited increases in cortisol levels and weak 'puff' performance. Conversely, fish dosed with cortisol exhibited consistently high cortisol levels independent of thermal treatment, although there was a trend for an attenuated cortisol response in the cortisol-treated fish to the cold shock treatment. A 20-day complementary field study conducted in the puffer's natural habitat, a tidal creek in Eleuthera, The Bahamas, revealed that cortisol-injected fish selected significantly cooler temperatures, measured using accumulated thermal units, when compared to controls. These results, and particularly the discrepancies between consequences documented in the laboratory and the ecological trends observed in the field, highlight the need to establish the link between laboratory and field data to successfully develop management policies and conservation initiatives with regards to anthropogenic climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Cull
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6.
| | - C D Suski
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61801, USA.
| | - A Shultz
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61801, USA; Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, Bahamas.
| | - A J Danylchuk
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
| | - C M O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8.
| | - K J Murchie
- Department of Biology, The College of The Bahamas, Box F-2766, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas.
| | - S J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6; Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6.
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20
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Coristine LE, Robillard CM, Kerr JT, O'Connor CM, Lapointe D, Cooke SJ. A conceptual framework for the emerging discipline of conservation physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou033. [PMID: 27293654 PMCID: PMC4806729 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Current rates of biodiversity decline are unprecedented and largely attributed to anthropogenic influences. Given the scope and magnitude of conservation issues, policy and management interventions must maximize efficiency and efficacy. The relatively new field of conservation physiology reveals the physiological mechanisms associated with population declines, animal-environment relationships and population or species tolerance thresholds, particularly where these relate to anthropogenic factors that necessitate conservation action. We propose a framework that demonstrates an integrative approach between physiology, conservation and policy, where each can inform the design, conduct and implementation of the other. Each junction of the conservation physiology process has the capacity to foster dialogue that contributes to effective implementation, monitoring, assessment and evaluation. This approach enables effective evaluation and implementation of evidence-based conservation policy and management decisions through a process of ongoing refinement, but may require that scientists (from the disciplines of both physiology and conservation) and policy-makers bridge interdisciplinary knowledge gaps. Here, we outline a conceptual framework that can guide and lead developments in conservation physiology, as well as promote innovative research that fosters conservation-motivated policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Coristine
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics Research, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Cassandra M. Robillard
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics Research, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Jeremy T. Kerr
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics Research, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Constance M. O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L8
| | - Dominique Lapointe
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
- Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
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