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Rowley JJL, Symons A, Doyle C, Hall J, Rose K, Stapp L, Lettoof DC. Broad-scale pesticide screening finds anticoagulant rodenticide and legacy pesticides in Australian frogs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172526. [PMID: 38636866 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172526] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Pesticide contamination poses a significant threat to non-target wildlife, including amphibians, many of which are already highly threatened. This study assessed the extent of pesticide exposure in dead frogs collected during a mass mortality event across eastern New South Wales, Australia between July 2021 and March 2022. Liver tissue from 77 individual frogs of six species were analysed for >600 legacy and contemporary pesticides, including rodenticides. More than a third (36 %) of the liver samples contained at least one of the following pesticides: brodifacoum, dieldrin, DDE, heptachlor/heptachlor epoxide, fipronil sulfone, and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA). Brodifacoum, a second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide, was found in four of the six frog species analysed: the eastern banjo frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii), cane toad (Rhinella marina), green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) and Peron's tree frog (Litoria peronii). This is the first report of anticoagulant rodenticide detected in wild amphibians, raising concerns about potential impacts on frogs and extending the list of taxa shown to accumulate rodenticides. Dieldrin, a banned legacy pesticide, was also detected in two species: striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) and green tree frog (Litoria caerulea). The toxicological effects of these pesticides on frogs are difficult to infer due to limited comparable studies; however, due to the low frequency of detection the presence of these pesticides was not considered a major contributing factor to the mass mortality event. Additional research is needed to investigate the effects of pesticide exposure on amphibians, particularly regarding the impacts of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. There is also need for continued monitoring and improved conservation management strategies for the mitigation of the potential threat of pesticide exposure and accumulation in amphibian populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi J L Rowley
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia; Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Andrew Symons
- New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Environment Protection Science Branch, 480 Weeroona Road, Lidcombe, New South Wales 2141, Australia
| | - Christopher Doyle
- New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Environment Protection Science Branch, 480 Weeroona Road, Lidcombe, New South Wales 2141, Australia
| | - Jane Hall
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradley's Head Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia
| | - Karrie Rose
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradley's Head Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia
| | - Laura Stapp
- New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Environment Protection Science Branch, 480 Weeroona Road, Lidcombe, New South Wales 2141, Australia
| | - Damian C Lettoof
- Environment, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Floreat, Western Australia 6014, Australia; School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Brand Drive, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
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2
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Werner CS, Chapman M, Skaggs J, Rhodes OE, DeVault TL. Trace metal transfer to passerines inhabiting wastewater treatment wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172373. [PMID: 38604356 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172373] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment wetlands are cost-effective strategies for remediating trace metals in industrial effluent. However, biogeochemical exchange between wastewater treatment wetlands and adjacent environments provides opportunities for trace metals to cycle in surrounding ecosystems. The transfer of trace metals to wildlife inhabiting treatment wetlands must be considered when evaluating wetland success. Using passerine birds as bioindicators, we conducted a multi-tissue analysis to investigate the mobilization of zinc, copper, and lead derived from wastewater to terrestrial wildlife in treatment wetlands and surrounding habitat. In addition, we evaluate the strength of relationships between metal concentrations in non-lethal (blood and feathers) and lethal (muscle and liver) sample types for estimation of toxicity risk. From July 2020 to August 2021, 177 passerines of seven species were captured at two wetlands constructed to treat industrial wastewater and two reference wetlands in the coastal plain of South Carolina. Feather, blood, liver, and muscle samples from each bird were analyzed for fourteen metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and direct mercury analysis. Passerines inhabiting wastewater treatment wetlands accumulated higher concentrations of zinc in liver, copper in blood, and lead in feathers than passerines in reference wetlands, but neither blood nor feather concentrations were correlated with internal tissue concentrations. Of all the detected metals, only mercury in the blood showed a strong predictive relationship with mercury in internal tissues. This study indicates that trace metals derived from wastewater are bioavailable and exported to terrestrial wildlife and that passerine biomonitoring is a valuable tool for assessing metal transfer from treatment wetlands. Regular blood sampling can reveal proximate trace metal exposure but cannot predict internal body burdens for most metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney S Werner
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green St, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Mary Chapman
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
| | - Jonathon Skaggs
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
| | - Olin E Rhodes
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA; Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E Green St, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Travis L DeVault
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green St, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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3
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Ålund M, Cenzer M, Bierne N, Boughman JW, Cerca J, Comerford MS, Culicchi A, Langerhans B, McFarlane SE, Möst MH, North H, Qvarnström A, Ravinet M, Svanbäck R, Taylor SA. Anthropogenic Change and the Process of Speciation. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:a041455. [PMID: 37788888 PMCID: PMC10691492 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic impacts on the environment alter speciation processes by affecting both geographical contexts and selection patterns on a worldwide scale. Here we review evidence of these effects. We find that human activities often generate spatial isolation between populations and thereby promote genetic divergence but also frequently cause sudden secondary contact and hybridization between diverging lineages. Human-caused environmental changes produce new ecological niches, altering selection in diverse ways that can drive diversification; but changes also often remove niches and cause extirpations. Human impacts that alter selection regimes are widespread and strong in magnitude, ranging from local changes in biotic and abiotic conditions to direct harvesting to global climate change. Altered selection, and evolutionary responses to it, impacts early-stage divergence of lineages, but does not necessarily lead toward speciation and persistence of separate species. Altogether, humans both promote and hinder speciation, although new species would form very slowly relative to anthropogenic hybridization, which can be nearly instantaneous. Speculating about the future of speciation, we highlight two key conclusions: (1) Humans will have a large influence on extinction and "despeciation" dynamics in the short term and on early-stage lineage divergence, and thus potentially speciation in the longer term, and (2) long-term monitoring combined with easily dated anthropogenic changes will improve our understanding of the processes of speciation. We can use this knowledge to preserve and restore ecosystems in ways that promote (re-)diversification, increasing future opportunities of speciation and enhancing biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murielle Ålund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Meredith Cenzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Nicolas Bierne
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier 34095, France
| | - Janette W Boughman
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - José Cerca
- CEES - Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway
| | | | - Alessandro Culicchi
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - S Eryn McFarlane
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Markus H Möst
- Research Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Henry North
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Mark Ravinet
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Svanbäck
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Scott A Taylor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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C Martins C, Adams JK, Yang H, Shchetnikov AA, Di Domenico M, Rose NL, Mackay AW. Earthquake, floods and changing land use history: A 200-year overview of environmental changes in Selenga River basin as indicated by n-alkanes and related proxies in sediments from shallow lakes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162245. [PMID: 36805057 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The Selenga River basin, located in southern Siberia, is an important component of the Lake Baikal ecosystem, and comprises approximately 80 % of the Baikal watershed. Within the Selenga River basin, two localized study regions were chosen. The first, the Selenga Delta, is one of the largest inland freshwater floodplains in the world and plays an important role in the ecosystem functioning of Baikal. It purifies the river waters before they enter the lake and acts as a refuge for many of Baikal's endemic species. The second location, the Gusinoozersk region, is southwest of Lake Baikal and the Selenga Delta, and was chosen as a more heavily industrialized region within the Selenga River basin. Anthropogenic activities, including industry, urban settlements, aquaculture and agriculture, have historically increased ecological damage within this area. We assessed possible drivers of changes in sedimentary organic matter (OM) composition within two shallow lakes (SLNG04 and Black Lake), located in the Selenga Delta and the Selenga watershed, respectively. We focused on individual n-alkanes, one of the most abundant and common lipids used to provide information on past vegetation and used multivariate statistics to disentangle changes in the sources of sedimentary OM over time. The depositional OM history of SLNG04B core can be divided in four zones: (i) major influence of non-emergent vascular plants, typically found in transitional environments (ca. 1835 to ca. 1875); (ii) increased influence of grasses/herbs (ca. 1880 to ca. 1910); (iii) transition from non-emergent vascular plants and grasses/herbs to submerged and floating macrophytes and phytoplankton (ca. 1915 to ca. 1945); (iv) maintenance of autochthonous OM from submerged and floating macrophytes and phytoplankton (ca. 1945 to ca. 2014). The depositional OM history of the Black Lake core can be divided in two main zones: (i) major influence of non-emergent vascular plants and submerged and floating macrophytes (ca. 1915 to ca. 1980); (ii) increased influence of grasses/herbs and phytoplankton (ca. 1980 to ca. 2010). Natural events (e.g., an earthquake in 1862 caused flooding and subsidence of much of the land surrounding SLNG04 lake and a further catastrophic flood event in 1897) and anthropogenic activities (e.g., nutrient pollution from expansion of agricultural and livestock population) changed the composition of sedimentary OM resulting in ecological shifts across trophic levels in the Selenga River basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- César C Martins
- Centro de Estudos do Mar, Campus Pontal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Jennifer K Adams
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Biology Department, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Handong Yang
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Alexander A Shchetnikov
- Institute of the Earth's Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033, Russia; Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033, Russia; Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, 664025, Russia
| | - Maikon Di Domenico
- Centro de Estudos do Mar, Campus Pontal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil
| | - Neil L Rose
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Anson W Mackay
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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5
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Boros E, Inelova Z, Lánczos Z, Végvári Z. Waterbird guilds predict environmental attributes of inland saline aquatic ecosystems on multi-spatial scales. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158845. [PMID: 36122722 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158845] [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: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Inland saline waters in Central Asia constitute an important part of steppe ecosystems, providing considerable ecological functions and ecosystem services. Here we aim to present a multi-spatial scale analysis of nutrient cycling and transport waterbird guilds, and the environmental attributes of saline-soda aquatic ecosystems in Kazakhstan. The density, biomass, and diversity of waterbird guilds was determined in the case of three nutrient cycling and transport guilds: a) net-importer (IM), b) importer-exporter (IMEX), c) net-exporter (EX), according to the Boros's guild classification method, and for several traditional feeding guilds: carnivorous, herbivorous, invertebrate eater, omnivorous and piscivorous. Our results revealed that waterbird guilds, as predictors represented by the complete waterbird community, are in close relationship with several (N = 12) environmental attributes of inland saline waters through complex trophic linkages of waterbird populations on multi-spatial scales. The density and the biomass of the EX and IMEX guilds are strongly and positively correlated (i) with the productivity metrics of habitats (e.g., CHL, GPP), indicating their trophic position, and (ii) with water depth. We found significant correlations among guild density, biomass, diversity and environmental attributes on multi-spatial scales for IMEX and EX. Our results revealed that IMEX predicts the surrounding environment of aquatic habitats, whereas EX species are substantial environmental predictors of aquatic ecosystems. However, the diversity metric had valid models only with EX. The herbivorous and omnivorous guilds, that feed chiefly on plant materials consist mainly of IMEX and EX duck species, which were positively related to grassland coverage and the shoreline development index. As a methodological result, here we present a novel approach, the guild transport index, which has more robust relationships with environmental attributes than individual guilds, thus it provides a complex evaluation of the nutrient cycling by birds between aquatic and terrestrial environments on multi-spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Boros
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina str. 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary; Department of Biodiversity and Bioresources, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 al-Farabi Ave., Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan.
| | - Zarina Inelova
- Department of Biodiversity and Bioresources, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 al-Farabi Ave., Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
| | - Zsuzsanna Lánczos
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina str. 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary; Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Végvári
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina str. 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary; Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Eberswalder Straße 90, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
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6
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Mi C, Huettmann F, Li X, Jiang Z, Du W, Sun B. Effects of climate and human activity on the current distribution of amphibians in China. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13964. [PMID: 35674098 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In China, as elsewhere, amphibians are highly endangered. Anthropogenic environmental change has affected the distribution and population dynamics of species, and species distributions at a broad scale are strongly driven by climate and species' ability to disperse. Yet, current knowledge remains limited on how widespread human activity affects the distribution patterns of amphibians in China and whether this effect extends beyond climate. We compiled a relatively comprehensive database on the distribution of 196 amphibian species in China from the literature, public databases, and field data. We obtained 25,826 records on almost 50% of known species in China. To test how environmental factors and human activities influence the current distribution of amphibians (1960-1990), we used range filling, which is species realized ranges relative to their potential climate distribution. We used all species occurrence records to represent realized range and niche models to predict potential distribution range. To reduce uncertainty, we used 3 regression methods (beta regression, generalized boosted regression models, and random forest) to test the associations of species range filling with human activity, climate, topography, and range size. The results of the 3 approaches were consistent. At the species level, mean annual precipitation (climate) had the most effect on spatial distribution pattern of amphibians in China, followed by range size. Human activity ranked last. At the spatial level, mean annual precipitation remained the most important factor. Regions in southeastern of China that are currently moist supported the highest amphibian diversity, but were predicted to experience a decline in precipitation under climate change scenarios. Consequently, the distributions of amphibians will likely shift to the northwest in the future, which could affect future conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Falk Huettmann
- EWHALE Lab, Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Xinhai Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongwen Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weiguo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baojun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Sievers M, Brown CJ, Buelow CA, Hale R, Ostrowski A, Saunders MI, Silliman BR, Swearer SE, Turschwell MP, Valdez SR, Connolly RM. Greater Consideration of Animals Will Enhance Coastal Restoration Outcomes. Bioscience 2022; 72:1088-1098. [PMID: 36325106 PMCID: PMC9618274 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
As efforts to restore coastal habitats accelerate, it is critical that investments are targeted to most effectively mitigate and reverse habitat loss and its impacts on biodiversity. One likely but largely overlooked impediment to effective restoration of habitat-forming organisms is failing to explicitly consider non-habitat-forming animals in restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring. These animals can greatly enhance or degrade ecosystem function, persistence, and resilience. Bivalves, for instance, can reduce sulfide stress in seagrass habitats and increase drought tolerance of saltmarsh vegetation, whereas megaherbivores can detrimentally overgraze seagrass or improve seagrass seed germination, depending on the context. Therefore, understanding when, why, and how to directly manipulate or support animals can enhance coastal restoration outcomes. In support of this expanded restoration approach, we provide a conceptual framework, incorporating lessons from structured decision-making, and describe potential actions that could lead to better restoration outcomes using case studies to illustrate practical approaches.
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Rahlin AA, Saunders SP, Beilke S. Spatial drivers of wetland bird occupancy within an urbanized matrix in the Upper Midwestern United States. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia A. Rahlin
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
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Zaman MH, Mustafa G, Sheikh MA, Qadir A, Shahid SU, Abbasi NA. A multi-tissue biomonitoring investigation of toxic trace elements and their trophic transfer potential in a semi aquatic bird species, the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134582. [PMID: 35427666 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The constant exposure of toxic trace elements can elicit adverse health effects particularly in birds and species residing higher at the food web. The current study is designed to evaluate the tendency of toxic trace elements viz. Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, As and Hg to bioaccumulate in liver, kidney, blood, pelvic and pectoral muscles of cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) collected from premises of a metropolitan city, Lahore, Pakistan. Further, the Trophic Transfer Potential of these elements was also estimated using prey/food samples of cattle egret. All of the selected toxic trace elements except Hg and As were detected with varying concentrations in different tissues of cattle egret. In general, toxic trace elements followed the pattern as Cu > Pb > Cd > Cr in tissues of cattle egret. The maximum mean (Min-max) concentrations (μg/g) of Cu 0.58 (0.11-0.93) and Pb 0.46 (0.40-0.54) in blood and Cd at 0.46 (0.40-0.54) were observed in liver. Similarly, the highest mean (min-max) concentration (μg/g) of Cr 0.17 (0.09-0.25) was recorded in pectoral muscle. In general, blood and liver were found as the most contaminated tissues followed by kidney, pectoral and pelvic muscles. Differences of trace elements were found non-significant (all P > 0.05) among tissues of cattle egret reflecting their homogenous distribution in body. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) corroborated lack of strong association between any of the trace elements and tissues. All the toxic trace elements except Cr showed higher tendency of trophic transfer potential through food chain in all the tissues of Cattle Egret (TTF >1). Although the current study revealed decreasing trends of toxic trace elements, yet their still presence in the local environment and greater likelihood of trophic transfer can undoubtedly cause some severe health effects to the already declining bird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hamza Zaman
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Mustafa
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan
| | - Muteeb Ahmad Sheikh
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan; WWF Pakistan, Ferozpur Road, P O Box 5180, Lahore, 54600, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Qadir
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan
| | - Syed Umair Shahid
- Centre for Integrated Mountain Research (CIMR), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Akhtar Abbasi
- College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
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10
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Wang X, Li X, Ren X, Jackson MV, Fuller RA, Melville DS, Amano T, Ma Z. Effects of anthropogenic landscapes on population maintenance of waterbirds. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13808. [PMID: 34313356 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic impacts have reduced natural areas but increased the area of anthropogenic landscapes. There is debate about whether anthropogenic landscapes (e.g., farmlands, orchards, and fish ponds) provide alternatives to natural habitat and under what circumstances. We considered whether anthropogenic landscapes can mitigate population declines for waterbirds. We collected data on population trends and biological traits of 1203 populations of 579 species across the planet. Using Bayesian generalized linear mixed models, we tested whether the ability of a species to use an anthropogenic landscape can predict population trends of waterbird globally and of species of conservation concern. Anthropogenic landscapes benefited population maintenance of common but not less-common species. Conversely, the use of anthropogenic landscapes was associated with population declines for threatened species. Our findings delineate some limitations to the ability of anthropogenic landscapes to mitigate population declines, suggesting that the maintenance of global waterbird populations depends on protecting remaining natural areas and improving the habitat quality in anthropogenic landscapes. Article impact statement: Protecting natural areas and improving the quality of anthropogenic landscapes as habitat are both needed to achieve effective conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xinhai Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiaotong Ren
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Micha V Jackson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Current address: Micha V. Jackson, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Richard A Fuller
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | | | - Tatsuya Amano
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Zhijun Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
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Khelifa R, Mahdjoub H, Samways MJ. Combined climatic and anthropogenic stress threaten resilience of important wetland sites in an arid region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150806. [PMID: 34626625 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and anthropogenic perturbation threaten resilience of wetlands globally, particularly in regions where environmental conditions are already hot and dry, and human impacts are rapidly intensifying and expanding. Here we assess the vulnerability of Ramsar wetlands of six North African countries (Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt) by asking three questions: (1) what are the recent anthropogenic changes that the wetlands experienced? (2) what are the projected future climatic changes? (3) how wetlands with different conservation priorities and globally threatened species are impacted by anthropogenic pressures? We used climatic data (historical and future projections) from WorldClim 2, drought index (SPEI), and human footprint index (HFI for 2000 and 2019) to estimate anthropogenic pressures, as well as waterbird conservation value (WCV: a metric indicating conservation priority of sites) and the breeding distribution of three threatened waterbird species (Aythya nyroca, Marmaronetta angustirostris, and Oxyura leucocephala) to understand how biodiversity is impacted by anthropogenic pressure. We found that temperature, precipitation, drought, and human footprint index (HFI) increased during earlier decades. Interestingly, areas with high HFI are projected to encounter lower warming but more severe drought. We also found that WCV was positively correlated with the magnitude of current HFI, indicating that sites of high conservation value for waterbirds encounter higher levels of anthropogenic pressure. The breeding range of the three threatened species of waterbirds showed a marked increase in HFI and is projected to experience a severe increase in temperature by 2081-2100, especially under the high emission scenario (SSP8.5) where environmental temperature becomes closer to the species critical maximum. Our results highlight the importance of integrating new conservation measures that increase the resilience of North African protected wetlands to reduce extinction risk to biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rassim Khelifa
- Zoology Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Hayat Mahdjoub
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael J Samways
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
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12
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Chen Q, Wang S, Ni Z, Guo Y, Zhang H. Dynamic and driving evolution of lake basin pressure in cold and arid regions based on a new method: A case study of three lakes in Inner Mongolia, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 298:113425. [PMID: 34388543 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Static single-path assessment methods usually underestimate the lake basin pressure (LBP). Considering the cumulative transmission of multiple paths, how to assess the dynamic changes of LBP and reveal the driving evolution is not clear. Here, taking Hulun, Daihai and Wuliangsuhai lake basins in the cold and arid region as the study case, we established an LBP assessment method that coupled multiple driving paths. For the first time, this study reveals the dynamic and driving evolution of LBP and found that rapid economic development and accelerated urbanization dramatically increased the LBPs in the three lakes. Specifically, the LBPs in the three lake basins has increased by 90%-270 % in the past 32 years, and they experienced a stable stage driven by climate (1987-1992), followed by a slight increasing stage driven by agriculture (1993-2004) and finally a significant increase stage (2005-2018) driven by industry and urbanization. Different degrees of warming, populations and development intensities of agriculture and livestock were the main factors driving the spatial differences in LBPs in the three lake basins. The LBPs in the Hulun, Daihai and Wuliangsuhai Lake Basins exhibited phase driving, continuous driving and ineffective driving characteristics to the water environment changes, respectively, which were related to lake basin governance. Compared with the driving paths of water quality and water quantity, the LBP was most strongly transmitted through the water ecological path. Rapid economic development and accelerated urbanization will bring greater LBPs to the lake basins. Lake management should promote the construction of water environmental protection mechanisms that correspond to urbanization, such as land use, and continue to strengthen watershed governance to alleviate the impact of LBP, especially the impact on the service functions of water ecosystem. Our method quantified the LBPs that were transmitted from different driving paths and provided action priorities for watershed management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuying Chen
- Zhuhai Branch of State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Center of Water Research, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Water Security, Zhuhai, 519087, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shengrui Wang
- Center of Water Research, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Water Security, Zhuhai, 519087, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pollution Process and Management of Plateau Lake Watershed, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650034, China.
| | - Zhaokui Ni
- Center of Water Research, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Water Security, Zhuhai, 519087, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ying Guo
- Center of Water Research, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Water Security, Zhuhai, 519087, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Center of Water Research, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Water Security, Zhuhai, 519087, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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13
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Four Years Continuous Monitoring Reveals Different Effects of Urban Constructed Wetlands on Bats. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10101087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Proactive artificial wetland constructions have been implemented to mitigate the loss of wetlands and their ecosystem services. As wetlands are habitats for bats, short-term (one or two years) studies find that constructed wetlands can immediately increase local bat activity and diversity. However, it is not clear how constructed wetlands affect bats through time while the wetlands are aging. We collected four years of continuous bat acoustic monitoring data at two constructed wetlands in an urban park in Greensboro, NC, USA. We examined bat activity and community composition patterns at these wetlands and compared them with reference sites in the city. With four years of data, we found that the effects of constructed wetlands were both habitat- and species-specific. The wetland in forests significantly increased bat activity, while the wetland in the open grass altered bat community composition. Specifically, in terms of species, we found that over time, constructed wetlands no longer attracted more big brown, silver-haired, or evening bats than control sites while the wetlands aged, highlighting the need to study broadly how each bat species uses natural and artificial wetlands. We emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring and the periodical evaluation of wildlife conservation actions.
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Sun Z, Orozco-terWengel P, Chen G, Sun R, Sun L, Wang H, Shi W, Zhang B. Spatial dynamics of Chinese Muntjac related to past and future climate fluctuations. Curr Zool 2021; 67:361-370. [PMID: 34616935 PMCID: PMC8489110 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate fluctuations in the past and in the future are likely to result in population expansions, shifts, or the contraction of the ecological niche of many species, and potentially leading to the changes in their geographical distributions. Prediction of suitable habitats has been developed as a useful tool for the assessment of habitat suitability and resource conservation to protect wildlife. Here, we model the ancestral demographic history of the extant modern Chinese Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi populations using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) and used the maximum entropy model to simulate the past and predict the future spatial dynamics of the species under climate oscillations. Our results indicated that the suitable habitats for the M. reevesi shifted to the Southeast and contracted during the Last Glacial Maximum, whereas they covered a broader and more northern position in the Middle Holocene. The ABC analyses revealed that the modern M. reevesi populations diverged in the Middle Holocene coinciding with the significant contraction of the highly suitable habitat areas. Furthermore, our predictions suggest that the potentially suitable environment distribution for the species will expand under all future climate scenarios. These results indicated that the M. reevesi diverged in the recent time after the glacial period and simultaneously as its habitat’s expanded in the Middle Holocene. Furthermore, the past and future climate fluctuation triggered the change of Chinese muntjac spatial distribution, which has great influence on the Chinese muntjac’s population demographic history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglou Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | | | - Guotao Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Ruolei Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Lu Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Wenbo Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Baowei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
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Kalani N, Riazi B, Karbassi A, Moattar F. Measurement and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals accumulated in sediment and water collected from Gomishan international wetland, Iran. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2021; 84:1498-1508. [PMID: 34559083 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2021.317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to measure and ecologically assess heavy metals, including As, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Ni in water and sediment samples taken from Gomishan, an international wetland located in Golestan, Iran. Four sampling stations were selected to cover all parts of the wetland. The analyses of the heavy metals were performed by ICP-MS. Based on the content of the heavy metals in the sediments, the values of risks for individual heavy metals, as Er, and for total heavy metals, as IR, were estimated. Igeo and EF also presented the soil quality in terms of accumulated contamination. The average content of the heavy metals in water was 23.12, 4.14, 10.04, 6.71, and 94.48 μg/L for As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb, respectively. The heavy metal concentrations in sediments were decreased in the following order: Pb (2130 ppb) > As (655 ppb) > Cr (295 ppb) > Ni (148.8 ppb) > Cd (148.8 ppb). The potential risk values for individual heavy metals were in the low range, Er < 40, except for Cd, which mostly posed a moderate ecological risk. The values of EF and Igeo showed that the sediments sampled from the Gomishan wetland were minimally enriched and contaminated. As the Gomishan wetland has a moderate risk of heavy metal contamination, conservative and monitoring activities should be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin Kalani
- Department of Environmental Science, Graduate School of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran E-mail:
| | - Borhan Riazi
- Department of Environmental Science, Graduate School of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran E-mail:
| | | | - Faramarz Moattar
- Department of Environmental Science, Graduate School of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran E-mail:
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16
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Zuñiga-Palacios J, Zuria I, Castellanos I, Lara C, Sánchez-Rojas G. What do we know (and need to know) about the role of urban habitats as ecological traps? Systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 780:146559. [PMID: 34030347 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Urban areas represent a spectrum that goes from being safe habitats for biodiversity (i.e., habitats more or equally preferred, without costs to fitness) to being ecological traps (i.e., habitats more or equally preferred, but with costs to fitness). Given the imminent urban expansion, it is valuable to assess how biodiversity is responding to urbanization and thus generate timely conservation strategies. We systematically review the urban ecology literature to analyze how much do we know about the role of urban areas as ecological traps. Using a formal meta-analytical approach, we test whether urban areas are functioning as ecological traps or as safe habitats for different taxonomic groups. We generated a data set of 646 effect sizes of different measures of habitat preferences and fitness from 38 papers published between 1985 and 2020. The data set covered 15 countries and 47 urban areas from four continents, including 29 animal species. Studies from North America and Europe were best represented, and birds were the most studied taxa. Overall, the meta-analysis suggests that urbanized habitats are functioning more as safe sites than as ecological traps, mainly for certain species with characteristics that have allowed them to adapt well to urban areas. That is, many of the studied species prefer more urbanized habitats over other less urbanized sites, and their fitness is not modified, or it is even increased. However, there was high heterogeneity among studies. We also performed meta-regressions to identify variables accounting for this heterogeneity across studies and we demonstrate that outcomes may depend on methodological aspects of studies, such as study design or the approach used to measure habitat preference and fitness. More research is needed for poorly studied regions and on a wider range of species before generalizations can be made on the role of urban areas for biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Zuñiga-Palacios
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Iriana Zuria
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico.
| | - Ignacio Castellanos
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Carlos Lara
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Gerardo Sánchez-Rojas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
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17
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Wild Zebrafish Sentinels: Biological Monitoring of Site Differences Using Behavior and Morphology. TOXICS 2021; 9:toxics9070165. [PMID: 34357908 PMCID: PMC8309768 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9070165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Environmental change poses a devastating risk to human and environmental health. Rapid assessment of water conditions is necessary for monitoring, evaluating, and addressing this global health danger. Sentinels or biological monitors can be deployed in the field using minimal resources to detect water quality changes in real time, quickly and cheaply. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are ideal sentinels for detecting environmental changes due to their biomedical tool kit, widespread geographic distribution, and well-characterized phenotypic responses to environmental disturbances. Here, we demonstrate the utility of zebrafish sentinels by characterizing phenotypic differences in wild zebrafish between two field sites in India. Site 1 was a rural environment with flowing water, low-hypoxic conditions, minimal human-made debris, and high iron and lead concentrations. Site 2 was an urban environment with still water, hypoxic conditions, plastic pollution, and high arsenic, iron, and chromium concentrations. We found that zebrafish from Site 2 were smaller, more cohesive, and less active than Site 1 fish. We also found sexually dimorphic body shapes within the Site 2, but not the Site 1, population. Advancing zebrafish sentinel research and development will enable rapid detection, evaluation, and response to emerging global health threats.
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Zhang S, Zhang P, Pan B, Zou Y, Xie Y, Zhu F, Chen X, Li F, Deng Z, Zhang H, Yang S. Wetland restoration in the East Dongting Lake effectively increased waterbird diversity by improving habitat quality. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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19
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Fan J, Wang X, Wu W, Chen W, Ma Q, Ma Z. Function of restored wetlands for waterbird conservation in the Yellow Sea coast. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 756:144061. [PMID: 33280877 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To reduce the harm to wildlife caused by habitat loss and degradation, significant resources have been invested in habitat restoration worldwide. However, whether restored habitats can support wildlife communities similar to those natural ones remains unclear. Providing habitat for waterbirds, which are dependent on wetland for their survival, is a major target in many wetland restoration practices. Here we conducted a year-round waterbird survey at Chongming Dongtan, a national nature reserve established for waterbird conservation in the south Yellow Sea, in order to compare the characteristics of waterbird communities in four wetland types: restored wetlands, natural tidal wetlands, and two artificial wetlands (fish ponds and farmlands). We determined whether waterbird diversity and species composition differed among the wetland types. The results indicated that waterbird diversity, in terms of species richness, individual density, Shannon-Wiener diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity, was generally similar in the restored and natural wetlands and was higher in the restored and natural wetlands than in fish ponds or farmlands. Most threatened species and exclusive species occurred in both natural and restored wetlands, but the overall species composition significantly differed between natural and restored wetlands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis also indicated that waterbird community significantly differed among the wetland types. The results suggest that restored wetlands support substantial waterbird diversity but cannot replace natural wetlands because they lack the period tides that many tideland specialists (shorebirds) depend on. This study highlights the importance of protecting natural wetlands for waterbird conservation. We propose that both the diversity and species composition of wildlife communities should be considered in evaluating the effectiveness of habitat restoration for wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Fan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiaodan Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Shanghai Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve, Shanghai 202183, China
| | - Weipin Chen
- Shanghai Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve, Shanghai 202183, China
| | - Qiang Ma
- Shanghai Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve, Shanghai 202183, China
| | - Zhijun Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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Abstract
Indirect effects in ecotoxicology are defined as chemical- or pollutant-induced alterations in the density or behavior of sensitive species that have cascading effects on tolerant species in natural systems. As a result, species interaction networks (e.g., interactions associated with predation or competition) may be altered in such a way as to bring about large changes in populations and/or communities that may further cascade to disrupt ecosystem function and services. Field studies and experimental outcomes as well as models indicate that indirect effects are most likely to occur in communities in which the strength of interactions and the sensitivity to contaminants differ markedly among species, and that indirect effects will vary over space and time as species composition, trophic structure, and environmental factors vary. However, knowledge of indirect effects is essential to improve understanding of the potential for chemical harm in natural systems. For example, indirect effects may confound laboratory-based ecological risk assessment by enhancing, masking, or spuriously indicating the direct effect of chemical contaminants. Progress to better anticipate and interpret the significance of indirect effects will be made as monitoring programs and long-term ecological research are conducted that facilitate critical experimental field and mesocosm investigations, and as chemical transport and fate models, individual-based direct effects models, and ecosystem/food web models continue to be improved and become better integrated.
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Niemeier S, Müller J, Struck U, Rödel MO. Superfrogs in the city: 150 year impact of urbanization and agriculture on the European Common Frog. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6729-6741. [PMID: 32975007 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing pressure on biodiversity deriving from increasing anthropogenic disturbances, some species successfully persist in altered ecosystems. However, these species' characteristics and thresholds, as well as the environmental frame behind that process are usually unknown. We collected data on body size, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), as well as nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15 N) from museum specimens of the European Common Frog, Rana temporaria, all originating from the Berlin-Brandenburg area, Germany, in order to test: (a) if specimens have changed over the last 150 years (1868-2018); and (b) if changes could be attributed to increasing urbanization and agricultural intensity. We detected that after the Second World War, frogs were larger than in pre-war Berlin. In rural Brandenburg, we observed no such size change. FA analysis revealed a similar tendency with lower levels in Berlin after the war and higher levels in Brandenburg. Enrichment of δ15 N decreased over time in both regions but was generally higher and less variable in sites with agricultural land use. Frogs thus seem to encounter favorable habitat conditions after pollution in postwar Berlin improved, but no such tendencies were observable in the predominantly agricultural landscape of Brandenburg. Urbanization, characterized by the proportion of built-up area, was not the main associated factor for the observed trait changes. However, we detected a relationship with the amount of urban greenspace. Our study exemplifies that increasing urbanization must not necessarily worsen conditions for species living in urban habitats. The Berlin example demonstrates that public parks and other urban greenspaces have the potential to serve as suitable refuges for some species. These findings underline the urgency of establishing, maintaining, and connecting such habitats, and generally consider their importance for future urban planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Niemeier
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research - BBIB, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Müller
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research - BBIB, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrich Struck
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research - BBIB, Berlin, Germany
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22
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Edge CB, Fortin M. Habitat network topology influences the importance of ecological traps in metapopulations. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B. Edge
- Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service Fredericton New Brunswick E3B5P7 Canada
| | - Marie‐Josée Fortin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5S 3B2 Canada
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Lustgarten JL, Zehnder A, Shipman W, Gancher E, Webb TL. Veterinary informatics: forging the future between veterinary medicine, human medicine, and One Health initiatives-a joint paper by the Association for Veterinary Informatics (AVI) and the CTSA One Health Alliance (COHA). JAMIA Open 2020; 3:306-317. [PMID: 32734172 PMCID: PMC7382640 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This manuscript reviews the current state of veterinary medical electronic health records and the ability to aggregate and analyze large datasets from multiple organizations and clinics. We also review analytical techniques as well as research efforts into veterinary informatics with a focus on applications relevant to human and animal medicine. Our goal is to provide references and context for these resources so that researchers can identify resources of interest and translational opportunities to advance the field. Methods and Results This review covers various methods of veterinary informatics including natural language processing and machine learning techniques in brief and various ongoing and future projects. After detailing techniques and sources of data, we describe some of the challenges and opportunities within veterinary informatics as well as providing reviews of common One Health techniques and specific applications that affect both humans and animals. Discussion Current limitations in the field of veterinary informatics include limited sources of training data for developing machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, siloed data between academic institutions, corporate institutions, and many small private practices, and inconsistent data formats that make many integration problems difficult. Despite those limitations, there have been significant advancements in the field in the last few years and continued development of a few, key, large data resources that are available for interested clinicians and researchers. These real-world use cases and applications show current and significant future potential as veterinary informatics grows in importance. Veterinary informatics can forge new possibilities within veterinary medicine and between veterinary medicine, human medicine, and One Health initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Lustgarten
- Association for Veterinary Informatics, Dixon, California, USA.,VCA Inc., Health Technology & Informatics, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Wayde Shipman
- Veterinary Medical Databases, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gancher
- Department of Infectious diseases and HIV medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tracy L Webb
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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Fleeger JW, Johnson DS, Zengel S, Mendelssohn IA, Deis DR, Graham SA, Lin Q, Christman MC, Riggio MR, Pant M. Macroinfauna responses and recovery trajectories after an oil spill differ from those following saltmarsh restoration. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 155:104881. [PMID: 32072985 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Given the severity of injuries to biota in coastal wetlands from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) and the resulting availability of funding for restoration, information on impacted salt marshes and biotic development of restored marshes may both help inform marsh restoration planning in the near term and for future spills. Accordingly, we performed a meta-analysis to model a restoration trajectory of total macroinfauna density in constructed marshes (studied for ~30 y), and with a previously published restoration trajectory for amphipods, we compared these to recovery curves for total macroinfauna and amphipods from DWH impacted marshes (over 8.5 y). Total macroinfauna and amphipod densities in constructed marshes did not consistently reach equivalency with reference sites before 20 y, yet in heavily oiled marshes recovery occurred by 4.5 y post spill (although it is unlikely that macroinfaunal community composition fully recovered). These differences were probably due to initial conditions (e.g., higher initial levels of belowground organic matter in oiled marshes) that were more conducive to recovery as compared to constructed marshes. Furthermore, we found that amphipod trajectories were distinctly different in constructed and oiled marshes as densities at oiled sites exceeded that of reference sites by as much as 20x during much of the recovery period. Amphipods may have responded to the rapid increase and high biomass of benthic microalgae following the spill. These results indicate that biotic responses after an oil spill may be quantitatively different than those following restoration, even for heavily oiled marshes that were initially denuded of vegetation. Our dual trajectories for oil spill recovery and restoration development for macroinfauna should help guide restoration planning and assessment following the DWH as well as for restoration scaling for future spills.
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Affiliation(s)
- J W Fleeger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
| | - D S Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA
| | - S Zengel
- Research Planning, Inc. (RPI), 247 E. 7th Ave, Tallahassee, FL, 32303, USA
| | - I A Mendelssohn
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, 70803, USA
| | - D R Deis
- Atkins, Jacksonville, FL, 32256, USA
| | - S A Graham
- Gulf South Research Corporation, 8081 Innovation Park Dr, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820, USA
| | - Q Lin
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, 70803, USA
| | - M C Christman
- MCC Statistical Consulting, LLC, 2219 NW 23rd Terrace, Gainesville, FL, 32605, USA
| | - M R Riggio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - M Pant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA
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25
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O'Connor JJ, Fest BJ, Sievers M, Swearer SE. Impacts of land management practices on blue carbon stocks and greenhouse gas fluxes in coastal ecosystems-A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1354-1366. [PMID: 31799721 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Global recognition of climate change and its predicted consequences has created the need for practical management strategies for increasing the ability of natural ecosystems to capture and store atmospheric carbon. Mangrove forests, saltmarshes and seagrass meadows, referred to as blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs), are hotspots of atmospheric CO2 storage due to their capacity to sequester carbon at a far higher rate than terrestrial forests. Despite increased effort to understand the mechanisms underpinning blue carbon fluxes, there has been little synthesis of how management activities influence carbon stocks and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in BCEs. Here, we present a global meta-analysis of 111 studies that measured how carbon stocks and GHG fluxes in BCEs respond to various coastal management strategies. Research effort has focused mainly on restoration approaches, which resulted in significant increases in blue carbon after 4 years compared to degraded sites, and the potential to reach parity with natural sites after 7-17 years. Lesser studied management alternatives, such as sediment manipulation and altered hydrology, showed only increases in biomass and weaker responses for soil carbon stocks and sequestration. The response of GHG emissions to management was complex, with managed sites emitting less than natural reference sites but emitting more compared to degraded sites. Individual GHGs also differed in their responses to management. To date, blue carbon management studies are underrepresented in the southern hemisphere and are usually limited in duration (61% of studies <3 years duration). Our meta-analysis describes the current state of blue carbon management from the available data and highlights recommendations for prioritizing conservation management, extending monitoring time frames of BCE carbon stocks, improving our understanding of GHG fluxes in open coastal systems and redistributing management and research effort into understudied, high-risk areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Jack O'Connor
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Coasts and Climate, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Benedikt J Fest
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Coasts and Climate, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Michael Sievers
- Australian Rivers Institute - Coast & Estuaries, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld., Australia
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Coasts and Climate, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia
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26
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Can Constructed Wetlands be Wildlife Refuges? A Review of Their Potential Biodiversity Conservation Value. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12041442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The degradation of wetland ecosystems is currently recognized as one of the main threats to global biodiversity. As a means of compensation, constructed wetlands (CWs), which are built to treat agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater, have become important for maintaining biodiversity. Here, we review studies on the relationships between CWs and their associated biodiversity published over the past three decades. In doing so, we provide an overview of how wildlife utilizes CWs, and the effects of biodiversity on pollutant transformation and removal. Beyond their primary aim (to purify various kinds of wastewater), CWs provide sub-optimal habitat for many species and, in turn, their purification function can be strongly influenced by the biodiversity that they support. However, there are some difficulties when using CWs to conserve biodiversity because some key characteristics of these engineered ecosystems vary from natural wetlands, including some fundamental ecological processes. Without proper management intervention, these features of CWs can promote biological invasion, as well as form an ‘ecological trap’ for native species. Management options, such as basin-wide integrative management and building in more natural wetland components, can partially offset these adverse impacts. Overall, the awareness of managers and the public regarding the potential value of CWs in biodiversity conservation remains superficial. More in-depth research, especially on how to balance different stakeholder values between wastewater managers and conservationists, is now required.
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27
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Upadhyay RK. Markers for Global Climate Change and Its Impact on Social, Biological and Ecological Systems: A Review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.4236/ajcc.2020.93012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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28
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Hunninck L, May R, Jackson CR, Palme R, Røskaft E, Sheriff MJ. Consequences of climate-induced vegetation changes exceed those of human disturbance for wild impala in the Serengeti ecosystem. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coz117. [PMID: 32477568 PMCID: PMC7246078 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In East Africa, climate change is predicted to reduce vegetation quality, and pervasive human disturbance has already resulted in significant declines in biodiversity. We studied the combined effects of reduced forage quality and human disturbance on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations. We predicted that decreasing nutritional quality and increasing human disturbance would have an additive positive effect on FGM levels in wild impala (Aepyceros melampus). Employing a space-for-time approach, we used normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a measure of forage quality, combined with spatially explicit proxies of human disturbance across areas of different protection management strategies in the Serengeti ecosystem. We collected 639 faecal samples, spread over 4 years, including both wet and dry seasons. Impala FGM levels increased significantly with declining NDVI and, to a lesser extent, with increasing proxies for human disturbance. However, we found no interaction between the two, such that impala had elevated FGM levels with low NDVI and low FGM levels with high NDVI regardless of human disturbance levels. This implies that impala will have high FGM levels if forage quality is poor, even with significant protection and reduced human disturbance. Understanding how animals respond to and cope with changes in forage quality and human land use across different protected areas is important for conservationists and managers to better protect species at risk and predict population viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Hunninck
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and
Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
- Corresponding author: NTNU, Høgskoleringen 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
Tel: +47 474 43 361.
| | - R May
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034
Trondheim, Norway
| | - C R Jackson
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034
Trondheim, Norway
| | - R Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary
Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - E Røskaft
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and
Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - M J Sheriff
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, 285 Old Westport
Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
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Sievers M, Hale R, Parris KM, Melvin SD, Lanctôt CM, Swearer SE. Contaminant-induced behavioural changes in amphibians: A meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 693:133570. [PMID: 31369889 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Environmental contamination contributes to the threatened status of many amphibian populations. Many contaminants alter behaviour at concentrations commonly experienced in the environment, with negative consequences for individual fitness, populations and communities. A comprehensive, quantitative evaluation of the behavioural sensitivity of amphibians is warranted to better understand the population-level and resultant ecological impacts of contaminants. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating behavioural changes following exposure to contaminants. Most studies were conducted in North America and Europe on larval stages, and 64% of the 116 studies focussed on the effects of insecticides. We found that a suite of contaminants influence a wide range of behaviours in amphibians, with insecticides typically invoking the strongest responses. In particular, insecticides increased rates of abnormal swimming, and reduced escape responses to simulated predator attacks. Our analysis identified five key needs for future research, in particular the need: (1) for researchers to provide more details of experimental protocols and results (2) to develop a strong research base for future quantitative reviews, (3) to broaden the suite of contaminants tested, (4) to better study and thus understand the effects of multiple stressors, and (5) to establish the ecological importance of behavioural alterations. Behavioural endpoints provide useful sub-lethal indicators of how contaminants influence amphibians, and coupled with standard ecotoxicological endpoints, can provide valuable information for population models assessing the broader ecological consequences of environmental contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sievers
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Australian Rivers Institute - Coast & Estuaries, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia.
| | - Robin Hale
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Kirsten M Parris
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Steven D Melvin
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Chantal M Lanctôt
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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30
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Oertli B, Parris KM. Review: Toward management of urban ponds for freshwater biodiversity. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Beat Oertli
- HEPIA, HES‐SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland 150 Route de Presinge 1254 Jussy‐Geneva Switzerland
| | - Kirsten M. Parris
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
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31
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Hale R, Colombo V, Hoak M, Pettigrove V, Swearer SE. The influence of potential stressors on oviposition site selection and subsequent growth, survival and emergence of the non-biting midge ( Chironomus tepperi). Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5512-5522. [PMID: 31110699 PMCID: PMC6509373 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory predicts that animals should prefer habitats where their fitness is maximized but some mistakenly select habitats where their fitness is compromised, that is, ecological traps. Understanding why this happens requires knowledge of the habitat selection cues animals use, the habitats they prefer and why, and the fitness costs of habitat selection decisions. We conducted experiments with a freshwater insect, the non-biting midge Chironomus tepperi to ask: (a) whether females respond to potential oviposition cues, (b) to explore whether oviposition is adaptive in relation to metal pollution and conductivity, and (c) whether individuals raised in poor quality sites are more likely to breed in similarly poor locations. We found the following: (a) females responded to some cues, especially conductivity and conspecifics, (b) females preferred sites with higher concentrations of bioavailable metals but suffered no consequences to egg/larval survival, (c) females showed some avoidance of high conductivities, but they still laid eggs resulting in reduced egg hatching, larval survival, and adult emergence, and (d) preferences were independent of natal environment. Our results show that C. tepperi is susceptible to ecological traps, depending on life stage and the relative differences in conductivities among potential oviposition sites. Our results highlight that (a) the fitness outcomes of habitat selection need to be assessed across the life cycle and (b) the relative differences in preference/suitability of habitats need to be considered in ecological trap research. This information can help determine why habitat preferences and their fitness consequences differ among species, which is critical for determining which species are susceptible to ecological traps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Hale
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and ManagementParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Valentina Colombo
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and ManagementParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Molly Hoak
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and ManagementParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Vin Pettigrove
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and ManagementParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Stephen E. Swearer
- School of BioSciencesUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and ManagementParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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32
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Valbon WR, Haddi K, Souza RA, Carvalho GA, Guedes RNC, Martins GF, Oliveira EE. "Armed to the teeth": The multiple ways to survive insecticidal and predatory challenges in Aedes aegypti larvae. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 156:87-95. [PMID: 31027585 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollutants, such as insecticides, can alter the equilibrium of aquatic ecosystems, particularly those closely located to human occupations. The use of such anthropogenic compounds frequently results in the selection of resistant individuals. However, how the underlying insecticide resistance mechanisms interplay with the abilities of the resistant individuals to cope with other environmental challenges (e.g., predators) has not received adequate attention. Here, we evaluated whether resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in larvae of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), would affect their abilities to survive other environmental challenges. We assessed the susceptibilities of the pyrethroid-resistant larvae to other insecticides (i.e., the oxadiazine indoxacarb and juvenile hormone mimic pyriproxyfen) and determined the activities of potential detoxification enzymes. Finally, we also recorded potential alterations in larva swimming behavior in the presence of predators, such as the water bug Belostoma anurum (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae). Our results revealed that high pyrethroid resistance was associated with moderate resistance to the other two insecticides. Furthermore, this multiple resistance was associated with higher detoxification activity by glutathione-S-transferases and general esterases. Interestingly, in comparison with insecticide-susceptible larvae, the pyrethroid-resistant larvae not only swam for longer periods and distances, but also took longer to be captured by B. anurum nymphs. Collectively, our findings revealed increased abilities to survive natural environmental challenges (e.g., predatory attacks) in mosquito larvae that express physiological and behavioral changes associated with multiple resistance to insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilson R Valbon
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Khalid Haddi
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | - Ryan A Souza
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Gislaine A Carvalho
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Gustavo F Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Eugênio E Oliveira
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
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33
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Sievers M, Hale R, Swearer SE, Parris KM. Frog occupancy of polluted wetlands in urban landscapes. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:389-402. [PMID: 30151963 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Urban sprawl and the rising popularity of water-sensitive urban design of urban landscapes has led to a global surge in the number of wetlands constructed to collect and treat stormwater runoff in cities. However, contaminants, such as heavy metals and pesticides, in stormwater adversely affect the survival, growth, and reproduction of animals inhabiting these wetlands. A key question is whether wildlife can identify and avoid highly polluted wetlands. We investigated whether pond-breeding frogs are attempting to breed in wetlands that affect the fitness of their offspring across 67 urban wetlands in Melbourne, Australia. Frog species richness and the concentration of contaminants (heavy metals and pesticides) were not significantly related, even in the most polluted wetlands. The proportion of fringing vegetation at a wetland had the greatest positive influence on the number of frog species present and the probability of occurrence of individual species, indicating that frogs inhabited wetlands with abundant vegetation, regardless of their pollution status. These wetlands contained contaminant levels similar to urban wetlands around the world at levels that reduce larval amphibian survival. These results are, thus, likely generalizable to other areas, suggesting that urban managers could inadvertently be creating ecological traps in countless cities. Wetlands are important tools for the management of urban stormwater runoff, but their construction should not facilitate declines in wetland-dependent urban wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sievers
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Robin Hale
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Kirsten M Parris
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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34
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Hale R, Swearer SE, Sievers M, Coleman R. Balancing biodiversity outcomes and pollution management in urban stormwater treatment wetlands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 233:302-307. [PMID: 30583104 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.12.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Wetlands are increasingly being constructed to mitigate the effects of urban stormwater, such as altered hydrological regimes and reduced water quality, on downstream aquatic ecosystems. While the primary purpose of these wetlands is to manage stormwater, they also attract animals whose growth, survival and breeding (i.e. 'fitness') may be compromised. Such deleterious effects will be exacerbated if animals are caught in 'ecological traps', mistakenly preferring wetlands with unsuitable environmental conditions. Alternatively, wetlands that offer suitable habitat conditions for animals could be beneficial, especially in fragmented urban landscapes. Consequently, a thorough understanding of the potential ecological impacts of stormwater treatment wetlands is critical for managing unintended consequences to urban biodiversity. To help facilitate this understanding, we draw upon findings from a four-year research program conducted in the city of Melbourne in south-eastern Australia as a case study. First, we summarise our research demonstrating that some stormwater wetlands can be ecological traps for native frogs and fish in the study region, whilst others likely provide important habitat in areas where few natural waterbodies remain. We use our work to highlight that while stormwater wetlands can be ecological traps, their effects can be properly managed. We propose the need for a better understanding of the ecological consequences of changes to wetland quality and their population-level impacts across the landscape. We hope that this study will generate discussions about how to most effectively manage constructed wetlands in urban landscapes and more research for a better understanding of the issues and opportunities regarding potential ecological traps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Hale
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael Sievers
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Rhys Coleman
- Melbourne Water Corporation, Docklands, Victoria, 3008, Australia; School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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35
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Sievers M, Hale R, Swearer SE, Parris KM. Contaminant mixtures interact to impair predator-avoidance behaviours and survival in a larval amphibian. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 161:482-488. [PMID: 29913416 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Global declines in amphibian populations are a significant conservation concern, and environmental contamination is likely a contributing driver. Although direct toxicity may be partly responsible, contaminants are often present at sub-lethal concentrations in the wild. Behavioural end-points are becoming an increasingly useful method to estimate the impact of contaminants, particularly if the behavioural responses manifest to affect individual fitness (i.e. survival, growth, or reproduction). In the wild, most animals are affected by multiple stressors, and determining how these interact to affect behaviour is critical for understanding the ecological implications of contaminant exposure. Here, we examined the individual and interactive effect of the heavy metal copper and the insecticide imidacloprid on mortality rates and anti-predator behaviours of spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) tadpoles. This common species frequently occupies and breeds in contaminated stormwater and agricultural wetlands, where copper and imidacloprid are often present. These contaminants may alter behaviour via physiological and neurological pathways, as well as affecting how tadpoles respond to chemical cues. Tadpoles suffered unexpectedly high mortality rates when exposed to imidacloprid concentrations well below published LC50 concentrations. Only unexposed tadpoles significantly avoided predator cues. Copper and imidacloprid reduced swimming speed and distance, and escape responses, while increasing erratic swimming. We observed an interactive effect of imidacloprid and copper on erratic swimming, but in general imidacloprid and copper did not act synergistically. Our results suggest that as contaminants enter waterbodies, tadpoles will suffer considerable direct mortality, reduced foraging capacity, and increased susceptibility to predation. Our results provide the first evidence of imidacloprid affecting amphibian behaviour, and highlight both the adverse effects of copper and imidacloprid, and the importance of exploring the effect of multiple contaminants simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sievers
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Robin Hale
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Kirsten M Parris
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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36
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Hale R, Coleman R, Sievers M, Brown TR, Swearer SE. Using conservation behavior to manage ecological traps for a threatened freshwater fish. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robin Hale
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Rhys Coleman
- Melbourne Water Corporation Docklands Victoria 3008 Australia
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3008 Australia
| | - Michael Sievers
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3008 Australia
| | - Timothy R. Brown
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Stephen E. Swearer
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
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37
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Sievers M, Parris KM, Swearer SE, Hale R. Stormwater wetlands can function as ecological traps for urban frogs. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:1106-1115. [PMID: 29495099 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Around cities, natural wetlands are rapidly being destroyed and replaced with wetlands constructed to treat stormwater. Although the intended purpose of these wetlands is to manage urban stormwater, they are inhabited by wildlife that might be exposed to contaminants. These effects will be exacerbated if animals are unable to differentiate between stormwater treatment wetlands of varying quality and some function as "ecological traps" (i.e., habitats that animals prefer despite fitness being lower than in other habitats). To examine if urban stormwater wetlands can be ecological traps for frogs, we tested if survival, metamorphosis-related measures, and predator avoidance behaviors of frogs differed within mesocosms that simulated stormwater wetlands with different contaminant levels, and paired this with a natural oviposition experiment to assess breeding-site preferences. We provide the first empirical evidence that these wetlands can function as ecological traps for frogs. Tadpoles had lower survival and were less responsive to predator olfactory cues when raised in more polluted stormwater wetlands, but also reached metamorphosis earlier and at a larger size. A greater size at metamorphosis was likely a result of increased per capita food availability due to higher mortality combined with eutrophication, although other compensatory effects such as selective-mortality removing smaller individuals from low-quality mesocosms may also explain these results. Breeding adults laid comparable numbers of eggs across wetlands with high and low contaminant levels, indicating no avoidance of the former. Since stormwater treatment wetlands are often the only available aquatic habitat in urban landscapes we need to better understand how they perform as habitats to guide management decisions that mitigate their potential ecological costs. This may include improving wetland quality so that fitness is no longer compromised, preventing colonization by animals, altering the cues animals use when selecting habitats, pretreating contaminated water prior to release, providing off-line wetlands nearby, or simply not constructing stormwater treatment wetlands in sensitive areas. Our study confirms the potential for urban stormwater treatment wetlands to function as ecological traps and highlights the need for greater awareness of their prevalence and impact at landscape scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sievers
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Kirsten M Parris
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Stephen E Swearer
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Robin Hale
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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