1
|
Song M, Dodson J, Lu F, Yan H. Central China as LGM plant refugia: Insights from biome reconstruction for palaeoclimate information. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 942:173783. [PMID: 38851335 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
The demonstration of survival of forest stands in relatively stable refugia during cold glacial stages has offered an increased understanding of the response of vegetation to climate change, but also provides insight into considerations for the conversation of biodiversity hotspots. However, refugia studies in China remain in question due to the lack of plant macrofossils, especially those of endemic and relict species. Palynology, while more broad brush, provides a method for exploring whether refugia occur, and can provide some details of palaeovegetation composition and temporal dynamics. Here, three pollen records derived from subalpine wetlands in central China, spanning the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), have been coupled with biome and mean annual precipitation (MAP) reconstructions to identify the presence of trees that endured cold climate. The results indicated that some forest, including temperate deciduous broadleaf forest and cool mixed forest, survived the LGM at the three locations, and was thus at odds with the hypothesis that forests were replaced by herbs and grasses in central China at that time. Refugia favored by protection from cold air drainage and the availability of adequate water can explain the survival of the trees during otherwise harsh episodes. Our findings are consistent with other records from central China that argue for tree dominated refugia during the LGM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Menglin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - John Dodson
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Fengyan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Hong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Munteanu C, Kraemer BM, Hansen HH, Miguel S, Milner-Gulland EJ, Nita M, Ogashawara I, Radeloff VC, Roverelli S, Shumilova OO, Storch I, Kuemmerle T. The potential of historical spy-satellite imagery to support research in ecology and conservation. Bioscience 2024; 74:159-168. [PMID: 38560619 PMCID: PMC10977866 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Remote sensing data are important for assessing ecological change, but their value is often restricted by their limited temporal coverage. Major historical events that affected the environment, such as those associated with colonial history, World War II, or the Green Revolution are not captured by modern remote sensing. In the present article, we highlight the potential of globally available black-and-white satellite photographs to expand ecological and conservation assessments back to the 1960s and to illuminate ecological concepts such as shifting baselines, time-lag responses, and legacy effects. This historical satellite photography can be used to monitor ecosystem extent and structure, species' populations and habitats, and human pressures on the environment. Even though the data were declassified decades ago, their use in ecology and conservation remains limited. But recent advances in image processing and analysis can now unlock this research resource. We encourage the use of this opportunity to address important ecological and conservation questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Munteanu
- Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Geography Department at Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Kraemer
- Environmental Hydrological Systems at the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Henry H Hansen
- Technology Department of Environmental and Life Sciences Biology at Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Sofia Miguel
- Departamento de Geología, Geografía, y Medio Ambiente, Environmental Remote Sensing Research Group, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - E J Milner-Gulland
- Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
| | - Mihai Nita
- Department of Forest Engineering, in the Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
| | - Igor Ogashawara
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Volker C Radeloff
- SILVIS Lab, in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Simone Roverelli
- Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Ilse Storch
- Wildlife Ecology and Managementm University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department and the Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human–Environment Systems, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Finnegan S, Harnik PG, Lockwood R, Lotze HK, McClenachan L, Kahanamoku SS. Using the Fossil Record to Understand Extinction Risk and Inform Marine Conservation in a Changing World. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2024; 16:307-333. [PMID: 37683272 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-021723-095235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the long-term effects of ongoing global environmental change on marine ecosystems requires a cross-disciplinary approach. Deep-time and recent fossil records can contribute by identifying traits and environmental conditions associated with elevated extinction risk during analogous events in the geologic past and by providing baseline data that can be used to assess historical change and set management and restoration targets and benchmarks. Here, we review the ecological and environmental information available in the marine fossil record and discuss how these archives can be used to inform current extinction risk assessments as well as marine conservation strategies and decision-making at global to local scales. As we consider future research directions in deep-time and conservationpaleobiology, we emphasize the need for coproduced research that unites researchers, conservation practitioners, and policymakers with the communities for whom the impacts of climate and global change are most imminent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seth Finnegan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; ,
| | - Paul G Harnik
- Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, USA;
| | - Rowan Lockwood
- Department of Geology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA;
| | - Heike K Lotze
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;
| | - Loren McClenachan
- Department of History and School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Sara S Kahanamoku
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; ,
- Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
de Kock W, Mackie M, Ramsøe M, Allentoft ME, Broderick AC, Haywood JC, Godley BJ, Snape RTE, Bradshaw PJ, Genz H, von Tersch M, Dee MW, Palsbøll PJ, Alexander M, Taurozzi AJ, Çakırlar C. Threatened North African seagrass meadows have supported green turtle populations for millennia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220747120. [PMID: 37459551 PMCID: PMC10372671 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220747120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
"Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity" is the second official aim of the current UN Ocean Decade (2021 to 2030) calling for the identification and protection of critical marine habitats. However, data to inform policy are often lacking altogether or confined to recent times, preventing the establishment of long-term baselines. The unique insights gained from combining bioarchaeology (palaeoproteomics, stable isotope analysis) with contemporary data (from satellite tracking) identified habitats which sea turtles have been using in the Eastern Mediterranean over five millennia. Specifically, our analysis of archaeological green turtle (Chelonia mydas) bones revealed that they likely foraged on the same North African seagrass meadows as their modern-day counterparts. Here, millennia-long foraging habitat fidelity has been directly demonstrated, highlighting the significance (and long-term dividends) of protecting these critical coastal habitats that are especially vulnerable to global warming. We highlight the potential for historical ecology to inform policy in safeguarding critical marine habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Willemien de Kock
- Groningen Institute of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, 9712ERGroningen, Netherlands
- Marine Evolution and Conservation Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, 9747AGGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Meaghan Mackie
- The Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, 1353Copenhagen K, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, 2200Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Max Ramsøe
- The Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, 1353Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Morten E. Allentoft
- Trace and Environmental DNA Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia6102, Australia
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1353Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Annette C. Broderick
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Julia C. Haywood
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Robin T. E. Snape
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
- Society for the Protection of Turtles, Nicosia99150, North Cyprus
| | - Phil J. Bradshaw
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, PenrynTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Hermann Genz
- Department of History and Archaeology, American University of Beirut, Beirut1107 2020, Lebanon
| | - Matthew von Tersch
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, YorkYO10 5NG, United Kingdom
| | - Michael W. Dee
- Centre for Isotope Research, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, 9747AGGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Per J. Palsbøll
- Marine Evolution and Conservation Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, 9747AGGroningen, Netherlands
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA02657
| | - Michelle Alexander
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, YorkYO10 5NG, United Kingdom
| | - Alberto J. Taurozzi
- The Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, 1353Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Canan Çakırlar
- Groningen Institute of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, 9712ERGroningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lloyd NA, Keating LM, Friesen AJ, Cole DM, McPherson JM, Akçakaya HR, Moehrenschlager A. Prioritizing species conservation programs based on IUCN Green Status and estimates of cost-sharing potential. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14051. [PMID: 36661059 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Over 1 million species around the world are at risk of extinction, and conservation organizations have to decide where to invest their limited resources. Cost-effectiveness can be increased by leveraging funding opportunities and increasing collaborative partnerships to achieve shared conservation goals. We devised a structured decision-making framework to prioritize species' conservation programs based on a cost-benefit analysis that takes collaborative opportunities into account in an examination of national and global conservation return on investment. Conservation benefit is determined by modifying the novel International Union for the Conservation of Nature Green Status for Species to provide an efficient, high-level measure that is comparable among species, even with limited information and time constraints. We applied this prioritization approach to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Canada, a nonprofit organization seeking to increase the number of species it assists with conservation translocations. We sought to identify and prioritize additional species' programs for which conservation translocation expertise and actions could make the most impact. Estimating the likelihood of cost-sharing potential enabled total program cost to be distinguished from costs specific to the organization. Comparing a benefit-to-cost ratio on different geographic scales allowed decision makers to weigh alternative options for investing in new species' programs in a transparent and effective manner. Our innovative analysis aligns with general conservation planning frameworks and can be adapted for any organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natasha A Lloyd
- Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | - Dylan M Cole
- Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - H Resit Akçakaya
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Axel Moehrenschlager
- Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- IUCN Species Survival Commission Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Dillon EM, Pier JQ, Smith JA, Raja NB, Dimitrijević D, Austin EL, Cybulski JD, De Entrambasaguas J, Durham SR, Grether CM, Haldar HS, Kocáková K, Lin CH, Mazzini I, Mychajliw AM, Ollendorf AL, Pimiento C, Regalado Fernández OR, Smith IE, Dietl GP. What is conservation paleobiology? Tracking 20 years of research and development. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1031483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation paleobiology has coalesced over the last two decades since its formal coining, united by the goal of applying geohistorical records to inform the conservation, management, and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet, the field is still attempting to form an identity distinct from its academic roots. Here, we ask a deceptively simple question: What is conservation paleobiology? To track its development as a field, we synthesize complementary perspectives from a survey of the scientific community that is familiar with conservation paleobiology and a systematic literature review of publications that use the term. We present an overview of conservation paleobiology’s research scope and compare survey participants’ perceptions of what it is and what it should be as a field. We find that conservation paleobiologists use a variety of geohistorical data in their work, although research is typified by near-time records of marine molluscs and terrestrial mammals collected over local to regional spatial scales. Our results also confirm the field’s broad disciplinary basis: survey participants indicated that conservation paleobiology can incorporate information from a wide range of disciplines spanning conservation biology, ecology, historical ecology, paleontology, and archaeology. Finally, we show that conservation paleobiologists have yet to reach a consensus on how applied the field should be in practice. The survey revealed that many participants thought the field should be more applied but that most do not currently engage with conservation practice. Reflecting on how conservation paleobiology has developed over the last two decades, we discuss opportunities to promote community cohesion, strengthen collaborations within conservation science, and align training priorities with the field’s identity as it continues to crystallize.
Collapse
|
7
|
Restoring the orangutan in a Whole- or Half-Earth context. ORYX 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s003060532200093x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Various global-scale proposals exist to reduce the loss of biological diversity. These include the Half-Earth and Whole-Earth visions that respectively seek to set aside half the planet for wildlife conservation or to diversify conservation practices fundamentally and change the economic systems that determine environmental harm. Here we assess these visions in the specific context of Bornean orangutans Pongo pygmaeus and their conservation. Using an expert-led process we explored three scenarios over a 10-year time frame: continuation of Current Conditions, a Half-Earth approach and a Whole-Earth approach. In addition, we examined a 100-year population recovery scenario assuming 0% offtake of Bornean orangutans. Current Conditions were predicted to result in a population c. 73% of its current size by 2032. Half-Earth was judged comparatively easy to achieve and predicted to result in an orangutan population of c. 87% of its current size by 2032. Whole-Earth was anticipated to lead to greater forest loss and ape killing, resulting in a prediction of c. 44% of the current orangutan population for 2032. Finally, under the recovery scenario, populations could be c. 148% of their current size by 2122. Although we acknowledge uncertainties in all of these predictions, we conclude that the Half-Earth and Whole-Earth visions operate along different timelines, with the implementation of Whole-Earth requiring too much time to benefit orangutans. None of the theorized proposals provided a complete solution, so drawing elements from each will be required. We provide recommendations for equitable outcomes.
Collapse
|
8
|
Clavero M, García‐Reyes A, Fernández‐Gil A, Revilla E, Fernández N. Where wolves were: setting historical baselines for wolf recovery in Spain. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Clavero
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - A. García‐Reyes
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - A. Fernández‐Gil
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - E. Revilla
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - N. Fernández
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Biology Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dueck LA, Steffens EA. Historical genetic diversity and population structure of wild red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) in Nepal. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00272-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|
10
|
Kitazawa M, Yamaura Y, Senzaki M, Hanioka M, Ohashi H, Oguro M, Matsui T, Nakamura F. Quantifying the impacts of 166 years of land cover change on lowland bird communities. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220338. [PMID: 35611536 PMCID: PMC9130783 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Land cover change for agriculture is thought to be a major threat to global biodiversity. However, its ecological impact has rarely been quantified in the Northern Hemisphere, as broad-scale conversion to farmland mainly occurred until the 1400s-1700s in the region, limiting the availability of sufficient data. The Ishikari Lowland in Hokkaido, Japan, offers an excellent opportunity to address this issue, as hunter-gatherer lifestyles dominated this region until the mid-nineteenth century and land cover maps are available for the period of land cover changes (i.e. 1850-2016). Using these maps and a hierarchical community model of relationships between breeding bird abundance and land cover types, we estimated that broad-scale land cover change over a 166-year period was associated with more than 70% decline in both potential species richness and abundance of avian communities. We estimated that the abundance of wetland and forest species declined by greater than 88%, whereas that of bare-ground/farmland species increased by more than 50%. Our results suggest that broad-scale land cover change for agriculture has led to drastic reductions in wetland and forest species and promoted changes in community composition in large parts of the Northern Hemisphere. This study provides potential baseline information that could inform future conservation policies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Munehiro Kitazawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Nishi 9, Kita 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan
| | - Yuichi Yamaura
- Department of Forest Vegetation, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan,Shikoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, 2-915 Asakuranishi, Kochi, Kochi 780-8077, Japan
| | - Masayuki Senzaki
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Nishi 5, Kita 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan
| | - Masashi Hanioka
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Nishi 9, Kita 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan
| | - Haruka Ohashi
- Department of Wildlife Biology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan,Center for Biodiversity and Climate Change, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
| | - Michio Oguro
- Department of Forest Vegetation, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Matsui
- Center for Biodiversity and Climate Change, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan,Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Futoshi Nakamura
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Nishi 9, Kita 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Vogel SM, Pasgaard M, Svenning J. Joining forces toward proactive elephant and rhinoceros conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13726. [PMID: 33634491 PMCID: PMC9290625 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Proactive approaches that anticipate the long-term effects of current and future conservation threats could increase the effectiveness and efficiency of biodiversity conservation. However, such approaches can be obstructed by a lack of knowledge of habitat requirements for wildlife. To aggregate and assess the suitability of current information available on habitat requirements needed for proactive conservation, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on elephant and rhinoceros habitat requirements and synthesized data by combining a vote counting assessment with bibliometric and term maps. We contextualized these numeric and terminological results with a narrative review. We mapped current methods, results, terminology, and collaborations of 693 studies. Quantitative evidence for factors that influence the suitability of an area for elephants and rhinoceros was biased toward African savanna elephants and ecological variables. Less than one third of holistic approaches considered equal amounts of ecological and anthropogenic variables in their assessments. There was a general lack of quantitative evidence for direct proxies of anthropogenic variables that were expected to play an important role based on qualitative evidence and policy documents. However, there was evidence for a segregation in conceptual frameworks among countries and species and between science versus policy literature. There was also evidence of unused potential for collaborations among southern hemisphere researchers. Our results indicated that the success of proactive conservation interventions can be increased if ecological and anthropogenic dimensions are integrated into holistic habitat assessments and holistic carrying capacities and quantitative evidence for anthropogenic variables is improved. To avoid wasting limited resources, it is necessary to form inclusive collaborations within and across networks of researchers studying different species across regional and continental borders and in the science-policy realm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Marieke Vogel
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Maya Pasgaard
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Section for Geography, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource ManagementUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jens‐Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Grace MK, Akçakaya HR, Bennett EL, Brooks TM, Heath A, Hedges S, Hilton-Taylor C, Hoffmann M, Hochkirch A, Jenkins R, Keith DA, Long B, Mallon DP, Meijaard E, Milner-Gulland EJ, Rodriguez JP, Stephenson PJ, Stuart SN, Young RP, Acebes P, Alfaro-Shigueto J, Alvarez-Clare S, Andriantsimanarilafy RR, Arbetman M, Azat C, Bacchetta G, Badola R, Barcelos LMD, Barreiros JP, Basak S, Berger DJ, Bhattacharyya S, Bino G, Borges PAV, Boughton RK, Brockmann HJ, Buckley HL, Burfield IJ, Burton J, Camacho-Badani T, Cano-Alonso LS, Carmichael RH, Carrero C, Carroll JP, Catsadorakis G, Chapple DG, Chapron G, Chowdhury GW, Claassens L, Cogoni D, Constantine R, Craig CA, Cunningham AA, Dahal N, Daltry JC, Das GC, Dasgupta N, Davey A, Davies K, Develey P, Elangovan V, Fairclough D, Febbraro MD, Fenu G, Fernandes FM, Fernandez EP, Finucci B, Földesi R, Foley CM, Ford M, Forstner MRJ, García N, Garcia-Sandoval R, Gardner PC, Garibay-Orijel R, Gatan-Balbas M, Gauto I, Ghazi MGU, Godfrey SS, Gollock M, González BA, Grant TD, Gray T, Gregory AJ, van Grunsven RHA, Gryzenhout M, Guernsey NC, Gupta G, Hagen C, Hagen CA, Hall MB, Hallerman E, Hare K, Hart T, Hartdegen R, Harvey-Brown Y, Hatfield R, Hawke T, Hermes C, Hitchmough R, Hoffmann PM, Howarth C, Hudson MA, Hussain SA, Huveneers C, Jacques H, Jorgensen D, Katdare S, Katsis LKD, Kaul R, Kaunda-Arara B, Keith-Diagne L, Kraus DT, de Lima TM, Lindeman K, Linsky J, Louis E, Loy A, Lughadha EN, Mangel JC, Marinari PE, Martin GM, Martinelli G, McGowan PJK, McInnes A, Teles Barbosa Mendes E, Millard MJ, Mirande C, Money D, Monks JM, Morales CL, Mumu NN, Negrao R, Nguyen AH, Niloy MNH, Norbury GL, Nordmeyer C, Norris D, O'Brien M, Oda GA, Orsenigo S, Outerbridge ME, Pasachnik S, Pérez-Jiménez JC, Pike C, Pilkington F, Plumb G, Portela RDCQ, Prohaska A, Quintana MG, Rakotondrasoa EF, Ranglack DH, Rankou H, Rawat AP, Reardon JT, Rheingantz ML, Richter SC, Rivers MC, Rogers LR, da Rosa P, Rose P, Royer E, Ryan C, de Mitcheson YJS, Salmon L, Salvador CH, Samways MJ, Sanjuan T, Souza Dos Santos A, Sasaki H, Schutz E, Scott HA, Scott RM, Serena F, Sharma SP, Shuey JA, Silva CJP, Simaika JP, Smith DR, Spaet JLY, Sultana S, Talukdar BK, Tatayah V, Thomas P, Tringali A, Trinh-Dinh H, Tuboi C, Usmani AA, Vasco-Palacios AM, Vié JC, Virens J, Walker A, Wallace B, Waller LJ, Wang H, Wearn OR, van Weerd M, Weigmann S, Willcox D, Woinarski J, Yong JWH, Young S. Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1833-1849. [PMID: 34289517 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a "Green List of Species" (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species' progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species' viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species' recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly K Grace
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - H Resit Akçakaya
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | | | - Thomas M Brooks
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Gland, Switzerland
- World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Philippines
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Simon Hedges
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York, USA
- IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, Noida, India
- IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, Chester, UK
| | | | - Michael Hoffmann
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
- Conservation Programmes, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Axel Hochkirch
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | | | - David A Keith
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
- Centre for Ecosystem Sciences, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - David P Mallon
- Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
- IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group, Manchester, UK
| | - Erik Meijaard
- IUCN SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group and Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Jon Paul Rodriguez
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, and Provita, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - P J Stephenson
- IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group, Gingins, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology & Evolution, UNIL - University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Simon N Stuart
- IUCN Species Survival Commission, Caracas, Venezuela
- Synchronicity Earth, London, UK
| | | | - Pablo Acebes
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global, Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Marina Arbetman
- Grupo Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, CONICET, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Claudio Azat
- Sustainability Research Centre & PhD Programme in Conservation Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gianluigi Bacchetta
- Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Luís M D Barcelos
- Azorean Biodiversity Group, Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
| | - Joao Pedro Barreiros
- Universidade dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Rua Capitão João d'Ávila, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
| | | | - Danielle J Berger
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Sabuj Bhattacharyya
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Gilad Bino
- University of New South Wales, Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paulo A V Borges
- Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente Universidade dos Açores, Azores, Portugal
| | - Raoul K Boughton
- Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - H Jane Brockmann
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - James Burton
- IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, Cedar House, Chester, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - John P Carroll
- University of Nebraska, School of Natural Resources, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | | | - David G Chapple
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | | | | | - Donatella Cogoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Centro Conservazione Biodiversità, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Rochelle Constantine
- School of Biological Sciences & Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Christie Anne Craig
- Endangered Wildlife Trust, Office 8 & 9, Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Nishma Dahal
- CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - David Fairclough
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Department of Fisheries, Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Giuseppe Fenu
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Centro Conservazione Biodiversità, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | | | - Brittany Finucci
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Rita Földesi
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Catherine M Foley
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Matthew Ford
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Ricardo Garcia-Sandoval
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Mexico
| | - Penny C Gardner
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Roberto Garibay-Orijel
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Irene Gauto
- Asociación Etnobotánica Paraguaya, Lambaré, Paraguay
| | | | | | | | - Benito A González
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Vida Silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tandora D Grant
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Andrew J Gregory
- Bowling Green State University, School of Earth Environment and Society, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Marieka Gryzenhout
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Noelle C Guernsey
- World Wildlife Fund Inc., Northern Great Plains Program, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Garima Gupta
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | | | - Christian A Hagen
- Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Madison B Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Eric Hallerman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Kelly Hare
- Urban Wildlife Trust, Wellington/Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Tom Hart
- Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Richard Hatfield
- The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Tahneal Hawke
- University of New South Wales, Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Rod Hitchmough
- Department of Conservation-Te Papa Atawhai, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | - Charlie Huveneers
- Southern Shark Ecology Group, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Dennis Jorgensen
- World Wildlife Fund Inc., Northern Great Plains Program, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | | | - Lydia K D Katsis
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Abingdon, UK
| | | | - Boaz Kaunda-Arara
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya
| | | | - Daniel T Kraus
- University of Waterloo, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ken Lindeman
- Florida Institute of Technology, Program in Sustainability Studies, Melbourne, Florida, USA
| | - Jean Linsky
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Richmond, UK
| | - Edward Louis
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Anna Loy
- Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Pesche, Italy
| | | | - Jeffrey C Mangel
- Carrera de Biologia Marina, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Paul E Marinari
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia, USA
| | - Gabriel M Martin
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Martinelli
- National Center for Flora Conservation (CNCFlora), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Philip J K McGowan
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Alistair McInnes
- Seabird Conservation Programme, BirdLife South Africa, Foreshore, South Africa
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Money
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Carolina Laura Morales
- Grupo Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, CONICET, Bariloche, Argentina
| | | | | | - Anh Ha Nguyen
- Fauna & Flora International - Vietnam Programme, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | | | - Darren Norris
- School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
| | - Mark O'Brien
- BirdLife International Pacific Regional Office, Suva, Fiji
| | - Gabriela Akemi Oda
- Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRRJ, Department of Environmental Sciences, Forestry Institute, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Simone Orsenigo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università di Pavia; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Centro Conservazione Biodiversità, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Glenn Plumb
- US National Park Service, Livingston, Montana, USA
| | | | - Ana Prohaska
- GeoGenetics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Manuel G Quintana
- Division of Invertebrates, Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Hassan Rankou
- IUCN SSC Orchid Specialist Group, Royal Botanic Gardens, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | | | - James Thomas Reardon
- Department of Conservation, New Zealand, Fiordland District Office, Te Anau, New Zealand
| | - Marcelo Lopes Rheingantz
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Populações, Centro de Ciências da Saúde - Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Stephen C Richter
- Division of Natural Areas and Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky, USA
| | - Malin C Rivers
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Richmond, UK
| | | | - Patrícia da Rosa
- National Center for Flora Conservation (CNCFlora), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Catherine Ryan
- Auckland University of Technology, School of Science, Auckland City, New Zealand
| | | | - Lily Salmon
- Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, UK
| | | | - Michael J Samways
- Department of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | | | - Amanda Souza Dos Santos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Health Science Centre, Biology Institute, Plant Ecology Laboratory, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Emmanuel Schutz
- D'ABOVILLE Foundation and Demo Farm Inc, Makati, Philippines
| | | | | | - Fabrizio Serena
- Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnology, National Research Council-(CNR -IRBIM), Mazara del Vallo, Italy
| | | | - John A Shuey
- The Nature Conservancy, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Carlos Julio Polo Silva
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - John P Simaika
- Department of Water Resources and Ecosystems, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David R Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Kearneysville, West Virginia, USA
| | - Julia L Y Spaet
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Aída M Vasco-Palacios
- Grupo de Microbiología Ambiental - BioMicro, Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia, UdeA, Medellín, Colombia
- Fundación Biodiversa Colombia, FBC, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Jo Virens
- University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Alan Walker
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
| | | | - Lauren J Waller
- Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Belville, South Africa
| | | | - Oliver R Wearn
- Fauna & Flora International - Vietnam Programme, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Merlijn van Weerd
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Simon Weigmann
- Elasmo-Lab, Elasmobranch Research Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
- Center of Natural History, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Willcox
- Save Vietnam's Wildlife, Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Bình Province, Vietnam
| | - John Woinarski
- Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Jean W H Yong
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Stuart Young
- IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, Cedar House, Chester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hallman TA, Robinson WD, Curtis JR, Alverson ER. Building a better baseline to estimate 160 years of avian population change and create historically informed conservation targets. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1256-1267. [PMID: 33274484 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Globally, anthropogenic land-cover change has been dramatic over the last few centuries and is frequently invoked as a major cause of wildlife population declines. Baseline data currently used to assess population trends, however, began well after major changes to the landscape. In the United States and Canada, breeding bird population trends are assessed by the North American Breeding Bird Survey, which began in the 1960s. Estimates of distribution and abundance prior to major habitat alteration would add historical perspective to contemporary trends and allow for historically based conservation targets. We used a hindcasting framework to estimate change in distribution and abundance of 7 bird species in the Willamette Valley, Oregon (United States). After reconciling classification schemes of current and 1850s reconstructed land cover, we used multiscale species distribution models and hierarchical distance sampling models to predict spatially explicit densities in the modern and historical landscapes. We estimated that since the 1850s, White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) and Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) populations, 2 species sensitive to fragmentation of oak woodlands and grasslands, declined by 93% and 97%, respectively. Five other species we estimated nearly stable or increasing populations, despite steep regional declines since the 1960s. Based on these estimates, we developed historically based conservation targets for amount of habitat, population, and density for each species. Hindcasted reconstructions provide historical perspective for assessing contemporary trends and allow for historically based conservation targets that can inform current management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Hallman
- Monitoring Department, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, Sempach, CH-6204, Switzerland
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - W Douglas Robinson
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Jenna R Curtis
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca, New York, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ma H, Papworth SK, Ge T, Wu X, Yu C, Zhang H, Turvey ST. Local Awareness and Interpretations of Species Extinction in a Rural Chinese Biodiversity Hotspot. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.689561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Incorporating local perspectives is fundamental to evidence-based conservation, for both understanding complex socio-ecological systems and implementing appropriate management interventions. How local communities understand extinction, and whether these views affect perceptions of biodiversity loss and the effect of anthropogenic activities, has rarely been evaluated explicitly in conservation projects. To target this data gap, we conducted 185 interviews to assess levels and patterns of understanding about wildlife decline and extinction in rural communities around Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan, China, a priority conservation site that has experienced recent species losses. Interviewees showed varying awareness of declines and extirpation of local wildlife species. Two-thirds did not consider the permanent disappearance of wildlife to be possible; among those who did, only one-third could comprehend the scientific term “extinction.” Thinking extinction is possible was associated with identifying declined and extirpated species, but not with perceiving locally-driven human activities, such as hunting, as the reason for wildlife loss. The government was seen as the entity most responsible for conservation. Variation found around local perceptions of extinction, its drivers, and conservation responsibility demonstrates that comprehension of key conservation concepts should not be assumed to be homogenous, highlighting the challenge of transposing scientific concepts between different social and cultural settings. Proactively incorporating local perspectives and worldviews, especially by obtaining context-specific baseline understandings, has major implications for other contexts worldwide and should inform conservation planning and management.
Collapse
|
15
|
Sanderson EW, Beckmann JP, Beier P, Bird B, Bravo JC, Fisher K, Grigione MM, López González CA, Miller JRB, Mormorunni C, Paulson L, Peters R, Polisar J, Povilitis T, Robinson MJ, Wilcox S. The case for reintroduction: The jaguar (
Panthera onca
) in the United States as a model. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eric W. Sanderson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program Bronx New York USA
| | - Jon P. Beckmann
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Rocky Mountain Program Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Paul Beier
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation Bozeman Montana USA
| | - Bryan Bird
- Defenders of Wildlife, Field Conservation—Southwest Office Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Juan Carlos Bravo
- Wildlands Network, Programa Mexico y Tierras Fronterizas Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | - Kim Fisher
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program Bronx New York USA
| | | | | | | | - Cristina Mormorunni
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Rocky Mountain Program Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Laura Paulson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Rocky Mountain Program Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - Rob Peters
- Defenders of Wildlife, Field Conservation—Southwest Office Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| | - John Polisar
- Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation Front Royal Virginia USA
| | | | | | - Sharon Wilcox
- Defenders of Wildlife, Field Conservation—Southwest Office Santa Fe New Mexico USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Miller JH, Crowley BE, Bataille CP, Wald EJ, Kelly A, Gaetano M, Bahn V, Druckenmiller P. Historical Landscape Use of Migratory Caribou: New Insights From Old Antlers. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.590837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulations of shed caribou antlers (Rangifer tarandus) are valuable resources for expanding the temporal scope with which we evaluate seasonal landscape use of herds. Female caribou shed their antlers within days of giving birth, thus marking calving ground locations. Antler geochemistry (87Sr/86Sr) reflects the isotopic signature of regions used during antler growth, thereby providing data on a second component of seasonal landscape use. Here, we evaluate shed caribou antlers from the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. The Central and Eastern regions of the Coastal Plain are calving grounds for the Porcupine Caribou Herd, while the Western Coastal Plain supports calving by the Central Arctic Herd. We found that antler 87Sr/86Sr from the Central and Eastern Coastal Plain were isotopically indistinguishable, while antler 87Sr/86Sr from the Western Coastal Plain was significantly smaller. For each region, we compared isotopic data for “recent” antlers, which overlap the bulk of standardized state and federal caribou monitoring (early 1980s and younger), with “historical” antlers shed in years predating these records (from the 1300s to the 1970s). For Porcupine Herd females calving in the Arctic Refuge, comparisons of antler 87Sr/86Sr through time indicate that summer ranges have been consistent since at least the 1960s. However, changes between historical and recent antler 87Sr/86Sr for the Central Arctic Herd indicate a shift in summer landscape use after the late 1970s. The timing of this shift is coincident with multiple factors including increased infrastructural development in their range related to hydrocarbon extraction. Accumulations of shed caribou antlers and their isotope geochemistry extend modern datasets by decades to centuries and provide valuable baseline data for evaluating potential anthropogenic and other influences on caribou migration and landscape use.
Collapse
|
17
|
Dalui S, Singh SK, Joshi BD, Ghosh A, Basu S, Khatri H, Sharma LK, Chandra K, Thakur M. Geological and Pleistocene glaciations explain the demography and disjunct distribution of red panda (A. fulgens) in eastern Himalayas. Sci Rep 2021; 11:65. [PMID: 33420314 PMCID: PMC7794540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80586-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pleistocene glaciations facilitated climatic oscillations that caused for enormous heterogeneity in landscapes, and consequently affected demography and distribution patterns of the mountain endemic species. In this context, we investigated demographic history and population genetic structure of red panda, distributed along the geographical proximity in the southern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Bayesian based phylogeny demonstrated that red panda diverged about 0.30 million years ago (CI 0.23-0.39) into two phylogenetic (sub) species, that correspond to the middle-late Pleistocene transition. The observed intraspecific clades with respect to Himalayan and Chinese red panda indicated restricted gene flow resulting from the Pleistocene glaciations in the eastern and southern Tibetan Plateau. We found Himalayan red panda population at least in KL-India declined abruptly in last 5-10 thousand years after being under demographic equilibrium. We suggest revisiting the ongoing conservation activities through cross border collaboration by developing multi-nationals, and multi-lateral species-oriented conservation action plans to support the red panda populations in transboundary landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Supriyo Dalui
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India ,grid.59056.3f0000 0001 0664 9773Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019 India
| | - Sujeet Kumar Singh
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| | - Bheem Dutt Joshi
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| | - Avijit Ghosh
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India ,grid.59056.3f0000 0001 0664 9773Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019 India
| | - Shambadeb Basu
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| | - Hiren Khatri
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| | - Lalit Kumar Sharma
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| | - Kailash Chandra
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| | - Mukesh Thakur
- grid.473833.80000 0001 2291 2164Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053 India
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
The historical range and drivers of decline of the Tapanuli orangutan. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0238087. [PMID: 33395430 PMCID: PMC7781382 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is the most threatened great ape species in the world. It is restricted to an area of about 1,000 km2 of upland forest where fewer than 800 animals survive in three declining subpopulations. Through a historical ecology approach involving analysis of newspaper, journals, books and museum records from the early 1800s to 2009, we demonstrate that historically Pongo tapanuliensis inhabited a much larger area, and occurred across a much wider range of habitat types and at lower elevations than now. Its current Extent of Occurrence is 2.5% and 5.0% of the historical range in the 1890s and 1940s respectively. A combination of historical fragmentation of forest habitats, mostly for small-scale agriculture, and unsustainable hunting likely drove various populations to the south, east and west of the current population to extinction. This happened prior to the industrial-scale forest conversion that started in the 1970s. Our findings indicate how sensitive P. tapanuliensis is to the combined effects of habitat fragmentation and unsustainable take-off rates. Saving this species will require prevention of any further fragmentation and killings or other removal of animals from the remaining population. Without concerted action to achieve this, the remaining populations of P. tapanuliensis are doomed to become extinct within several orangutan generations.
Collapse
|
19
|
Fordham DA, Jackson ST, Brown SC, Huntley B, Brook BW, Dahl-Jensen D, Gilbert MTP, Otto-Bliesner BL, Svensson A, Theodoridis S, Wilmshurst JM, Buettel JC, Canteri E, McDowell M, Orlando L, Pilowsky J, Rahbek C, Nogues-Bravo D. Using paleo-archives to safeguard biodiversity under climate change. Science 2020; 369:369/6507/eabc5654. [PMID: 32855310 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc5654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Strategies for 21st-century environmental management and conservation under global change require a strong understanding of the biological mechanisms that mediate responses to climate- and human-driven change to successfully mitigate range contractions, extinctions, and the degradation of ecosystem services. Biodiversity responses to past rapid warming events can be followed in situ and over extended periods, using cross-disciplinary approaches that provide cost-effective and scalable information for species' conservation and the maintenance of resilient ecosystems in many bioregions. Beyond the intrinsic knowledge gain such integrative research will increasingly provide the context, tools, and relevant case studies to assist in mitigating climate-driven biodiversity losses in the 21st century and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damien A Fordham
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia. .,Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Stephen T Jackson
- Southwest and South Central Climate Adaptation Science Centers, U.S. Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.,Department of Geosciences and School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Stuart C Brown
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Brian Huntley
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Barry W Brook
- School of Natural Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Dorthe Dahl-Jensen
- Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark.,Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark.,University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bette L Otto-Bliesner
- Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80307-3000, USA
| | - Anders Svensson
- Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Spyros Theodoridis
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Janet M Wilmshurst
- Long-Term Ecology Laboratory, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand.,School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jessie C Buettel
- School of Natural Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Elisabetta Canteri
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.,Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Matthew McDowell
- School of Natural Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Ludovic Orlando
- Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie Moléculaire et d'Imagerie de Synthèse UMR 5288, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, France.,Section for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Julia Pilowsky
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.,Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Carsten Rahbek
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark.,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK.,Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - David Nogues-Bravo
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Rodrigues ASL, Monsarrat S, Charpentier A, Brooks TM, Hoffmann M, Reeves R, Palomares MLD, Turvey ST. Unshifting the baseline: a framework for documenting historical population changes and assessing long-term anthropogenic impacts. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190220. [PMID: 31679498 PMCID: PMC6863499 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological baselines-reference states of species' distributions and abundances-are key to the scientific arguments underpinning many conservation and management interventions, as well as to the public support to such interventions. Yet societal as well as scientific perceptions of these baselines are often based on ecosystems that have been deeply transformed by human actions. Despite increased awareness about the pervasiveness and implications of this shifting baseline syndrome, ongoing global assessments of the state of biodiversity do not take into account the long-term, cumulative, anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity. Here, we propose a new framework for documenting such impacts, by classifying populations according to the extent to which they deviate from a baseline in the absence of human actions. We apply this framework to the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) to illustrate how it can be used to assess populations with different geographies and timelines of known or suspected impacts. Through other examples, we discuss how the framework can be applied to populations for which there is a wide diversity of existing knowledge, by making the best use of the available ecological, historical and archaeological data. Combined across multiple populations, this framework provides a standard for assessing cumulative anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The past is a foreign country: how much can the fossil record actually inform conservation?'
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana S. L. Rodrigues
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175 (CNRS—Université de Montpellier—UPVM—EPHE), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Sophie Monsarrat
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Anne Charpentier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175 (CNRS—Université de Montpellier—UPVM—EPHE), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Thomas M. Brooks
- International Union for Conservation of Nature, 28 Rue Mauverney, 1196 Gland, Switzerland
- World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), University of The Philippines Los Baños, Laguna 4031, The Philippines
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Michael Hoffmann
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Randall Reeves
- Okapi Wildlife Associates, 27 Chandler Lane, Hudson, Quebec, Canada JOP 1HO
| | - Maria L. D. Palomares
- Sea Around Us, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Samuel T. Turvey
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Turvey ST, Saupe EE. Insights from the past: unique opportunity or foreign country? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190208. [PMID: 31679483 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel T Turvey
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Erin E Saupe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
| |
Collapse
|