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Ramírez-Delgado JP, Di Marco M, Watson JEM, Johnson CJ, Rondinini C, Corredor Llano X, Arias M, Venter O. Matrix condition mediates the effects of habitat fragmentation on species extinction risk. Nat Commun 2022; 13:595. [PMID: 35105881 PMCID: PMC8807630 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28270-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss is the leading cause of the global decline in biodiversity, but the influence of human pressure within the matrix surrounding habitat fragments remains poorly understood. Here, we measure the relationship between fragmentation (the degree of fragmentation and the degree of patch isolation), matrix condition (measured as the extent of high human footprint levels), and the change in extinction risk of 4,426 terrestrial mammals. We find that the degree of fragmentation is strongly associated with changes in extinction risk, with higher predictive importance than life-history traits and human pressure variables. Importantly, we discover that fragmentation and the matrix condition are stronger predictors of risk than habitat loss and habitat amount. Moreover, the importance of fragmentation increases with an increasing deterioration of the matrix condition. These findings suggest that restoration of the habitat matrix may be an important conservation action for mitigating the negative effects of fragmentation on biodiversity. The influence of human pressure within the matrix surrounding habitat fragments remains poorly understood. This study measures the relationship between habitat fragmentation, matrix condition and the change in extinction risk of 4,426 terrestrial mammals, finding that fragmentation and matrix condition are stronger predictors of risk than habitat loss and habitat amount.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Ramírez-Delgado
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9, Canada.
| | - Moreno Di Marco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia.,Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, QLD, Australia
| | - Chris J Johnson
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Carlo Rondinini
- Global Mammal Assessment Program, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Xavier Corredor Llano
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Miguel Arias
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Oscar Venter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, V2N 4Z9, Canada
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2
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Segre H, Carmel Y, Shwartz A. Economic and not ecological variables shape the sparing–sharing trade‐off in a mixed cropping landscape. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hila Segre
- Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning Technion ‐ Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Yohay Carmel
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering Technion ‐ Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
| | - Assaf Shwartz
- Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning Technion ‐ Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
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3
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Sidemo‐Holm W, Ekroos J, Smith HG. Land sharing versus land sparing—What outcomes are compared between which land uses? CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- William Sidemo‐Holm
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University Lund Sweden
- AgriFood Economics Centre, Lund University Lund Sweden
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University Lund Sweden
| | - Henrik G. Smith
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University Lund Sweden
- Department of Biology Lund University Lund Sweden
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4
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Balmford A. Concentrating vs. spreading our footprint: how to meet humanity's needs at least cost to nature. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Balmford
- Conservation Science Group Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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5
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Nordberg E, Ashley J, Hoekstra AA, Kirkpatrick S, Cobb VA. Small nature preserves do not adequately support large-ranging snakes: Movement ecology and site fidelity in a fragmented rural landscape. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Hamer KC, Sasu MA, Ofosuhene L, Asare R, Ossom B, Parr CL, Scriven SA, Asante W, Addico R, Hill JK. Proximity to forest mediates trade‐offs between yields and biodiversity of birds in oil palm smallholdings. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael A. Sasu
- School of Biology University of Leeds Leeds UK
- Nature Conservation Research Centre Accra Ghana
| | - Linda Ofosuhene
- School of Biology University of Leeds Leeds UK
- Nature Conservation Research Centre Accra Ghana
| | | | | | - Catherine L. Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | - Sarah A. Scriven
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity Department of Biology University of York York UK
| | - Winston Asante
- Department of Silviculture and Forest Management Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi Ghana
| | | | - Jane K. Hill
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity Department of Biology University of York York UK
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7
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Meli P, Rey-Benayas JM, Brancalion PH. Balancing land sharing and sparing approaches to promote forest and landscape restoration in agricultural landscapes: Land approaches for forest landscape restoration. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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8
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Cannon PG, Gilroy JJ, Tobias JA, Anderson A, Haugaasen T, Edwards DP. Land-sparing agriculture sustains higher levels of avian functional diversity than land sharing. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:1576-1590. [PMID: 30793430 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The ecological impacts of meeting rising demands for food production can potentially be mitigated by two competing land-use strategies: off-setting natural habitats through intensification of existing farmland (land sparing), or elevating biodiversity within the agricultural matrix via the integration of "wildlife-friendly" habitat features (land sharing). However, a key unanswered question is whether sparing or sharing farming would best conserve functional diversity, which can promote ecosystem stability and resilience to future land-use change. Focusing on bird communities in tropical cloud forests of the Colombian Andes, we test the performance of each strategy in conserving functional diversity. We show that multiple components of avian functional diversity in farmland are positively related to the proximity and extent of natural forest. Using landscape and community simulations, we also show that land-sparing agriculture conserves greater functional diversity and predicts higher abundance of species supplying key ecological functions than land sharing, with sharing becoming progressively inferior with increasing isolation from remnant forest. These results suggest low-intensity agriculture is likely to conserve little functional diversity unless large blocks of adjacent natural habitat are protected, consistent with land sparing. To ensure the retention of functionally diverse ecosystems, we urgently need to implement mechanisms for increasing farmland productivity whilst protecting spared land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick G Cannon
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - James J Gilroy
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Joseph A Tobias
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Alex Anderson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - Torbjørn Haugaasen
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Crespin SJ, Simonetti JA. Reconciling farming and wild nature: Integrating human-wildlife coexistence into the land-sharing and land-sparing framework. AMBIO 2019; 48:131-138. [PMID: 29752683 PMCID: PMC6346604 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1059-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Land has traditionally been spared to protect biodiversity; however, this approach has not succeeded by itself and requires a complementary strategy in human-dominated landscapes: land-sharing. Human-wildlife conflicts are rampant in a land-sharing context where wildlife co-occur with crops or livestock, but whose resulting interactions adversely affect the wellbeing of land owners, ultimately impeding coexistence. Therefore, true land-sharing only works if coexistence is also considered an end goal. We reviewed the literature on land-sharing and found that conflicts have not yet found their way into the land-sharing/sparing framework, with wildlife and humans co-occurring without coexisting in a dynamic process. To successfully implement a land-sharing approach, we must first acknowledge our failure to integrate the body of work on human-wildlife conflicts into the framework and work to implement multidisciplinary approaches from the ecological, economic, and sociological sciences to overcome and prevent conflicts. We suggest the use of Conflict Transformation by means of the Levels of Conflict Model to perceive both visible and deep-rooted causes of conflicts as opportunities to create problem-solving dynamics in affected socio-ecological landscapes. Reconciling farming and nature is possible by aiming for a transition to landscapes that truly share space by virtue of coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio J. Crespin
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Las Palmeras #3425, 7800003 Ñuñoa, Santiago Chile
- Instituto de Investigaciones Tropicales de El Salvador, 1era calle poniente #3807, Colonia Escalón, San Salvador, El Salvador
| | - Javier A. Simonetti
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Las Palmeras #3425, 7800003 Ñuñoa, Santiago Chile
- Asociación Kauyeken, Santiago, Isla Riesco Chile
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10
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Galán-Acedo C, Arroyo-Rodríguez V, Andresen E, Verde Arregoitia L, Vega E, Peres CA, Ewers RM. The conservation value of human-modified landscapes for the world's primates. Nat Commun 2019; 10:152. [PMID: 30635587 PMCID: PMC6329842 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08139-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Land-use change pushes biodiversity into human-modified landscapes, where native ecosystems are surrounded by anthropic land covers (ALCs). Yet, the ability of species to use these emerging covers remains poorly understood. We quantified the use of ALCs by primates worldwide, and analyzed species' attributes that predict such use. Most species use secondary forests and tree plantations, while only few use human settlements. ALCs are used for foraging by at least 86 species with an important conservation outcome: those that tolerate heavily modified ALCs are 26% more likely to have stable or increasing populations than the global average for all primates. There is no phylogenetic signal in ALCs use. Compared to all primates on Earth, species using ALCs are less often threatened with extinction, but more often diurnal, medium or large-bodied, not strictly arboreal, and habitat generalists. These findings provide valuable quantitative information for improving management practices for primate conservation worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Galán-Acedo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro no. 8701. Ex-Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
| | - Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro no. 8701. Ex-Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
| | - Ellen Andresen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro no. 8701. Ex-Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Luis Verde Arregoitia
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ernesto Vega
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro no. 8701. Ex-Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Carlos A Peres
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Robert M Ewers
- Dept of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
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11
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Balmford B, Green RE, Onial M, Phalan B, Balmford A. How imperfect can land sparing be before land sharing is more favourable for wild species? J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Balmford
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of Oxford Oxford UK
- Land, Environment, Economics and Policy InstituteUniversity of Exeter Exeter UK
| | - Rhys E. Green
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeConservation Science Group Cambridge UK
| | - Malvika Onial
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeConservation Science Group Cambridge UK
| | - Ben Phalan
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeConservation Science Group Cambridge UK
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State University Corvallis Oregon
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeConservation Science Group Cambridge UK
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12
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13
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14
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Luskin MS, Lee JS, Edwards DP, Gibson L, Potts MD. Study context shapes recommendations of land-sparing and sharing; a quantitative review. GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY-AGRICULTURE POLICY ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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15
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16
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Neilly H, Schwarzkopf L. The response of an arboreal mammal to livestock grazing is habitat dependant. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17382. [PMID: 29234116 PMCID: PMC5727108 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17829-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Inappropriate livestock grazing is implicated in the decline of vertebrate fauna species globally. Faunal responses to grazing can interact with the vegetation community in which they occur. We measured the response of an arboreal marsupial, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula vulpecula) to different cattle grazing strategies and vegetation types, and examined whether micro-habitat selection is driving this response. We hypothesised that where arboreal habitat is intact, brushtail possums would be resistant to the impacts of heavy grazing. We conducted a mark-recapture survey among four grazing treatments and in two vegetation types (Box and Ironbark), at a 20-year grazing trial in northern Australia. We found that brushtail possums were resistant to the impact of heavy grazing in both vegetation types, but preferred the heavy grazing treatment in the Box vegetation type. Complex arboreal habitat and low ground cover was preferred, and high grass cover and low tree species richness avoided. Most individuals exclusively used one vegetation type, with few using both, suggesting a ‘matrix’ vegetation between the Box and Ironbark may be creating a movement barrier. Vegetation type should provide a context for determining the benefits to arboreal wildlife of adopting a particular grazing management strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lin Schwarzkopf
- Centre Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
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17
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Addison J, Pavey CR. Alignment between values of dryland pastoralists and conservation needs for small mammals. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:331-342. [PMID: 27507664 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Policies for conservation outside protected areas, such as those designed to address the decline in Australian mammals, will not result in net improvements unless they address barriers to proenvironmental behavior. We used a mixed-methods approach to explore potential value-action gaps (disconnects between values and subsequent action) for small mammal conservation behaviors among pastoralists in dryland Australia. Using semistructured surveys and open-ended interviews (n = 43), we explored values toward small mammals; uptake of a range of current and intended actions that may provide benefit to small mammals; and potential perceived barriers to their uptake. Pastoralists assigned great conservation value to small mammals; over 80% (n = 36) agreed to strongly agreed that small mammals on their property were important. These values did not translate into stated willingness to engage in voluntary cessation of wild-dog control (r2 = 0.187, p = 0.142, n = 43). However, assigning great conservation value to small mammals was strongly related to stated voluntary willingness to engage in the proenvironmental behavior most likely to result in benefits to small mammals: cat and fox control (r2 = 0.558, p = 0.000, n = 43). There was no significant difference between stated voluntarily and incentivized willingness to engage in cat and fox control (p = 0.862, n = 43). The high levels of willingness to engage in voluntary cat and fox control highlight a potential entry point for addressing Australia's mammal declines because the engagement of pastoralists in conservation programs targeting cat and fox control is unlikely to be prevented by attitudinal constraints. Qualitative data suggest there is likely a subpopulation of pastoralists who value small mammals but do not wish to engage in formal conservation programs due to relational barriers with potential implementers. A long-term commitment to engagement with pastoralists by implementers will thus be necessary for conservation success. On-property cat and fox control programs that build and leverage trust, shared goals, collaboration, and shared learning experiences between stakeholders and that explicitly recognize the complexity of small mammal dynamics and the property-level ecological knowledge of pastoralists are more likely to gain traction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Addison
- CSIRO Land and Water, P.O. Box 2111, Alice Springs, NT, 0870, Australia
| | - Chris R Pavey
- CSIRO Land and Water, P.O. Box 2111, Alice Springs, NT, 0870, Australia
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Law EA, Bryan BA, Meijaard E, Mallawaarachchi T, Struebig MJ, Watts ME, Wilson KA. Mixed policies give more options in multifunctional tropical forest landscapes. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Law
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072 Australia
| | | | - Erik Meijaard
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072 Australia
- Borneo Futures 22 & 23 Jalan Sultan, BS8811 Bandar Seri Begawan Negara Brunei DarussalamIndonesia
| | | | - Matthew J. Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology University of Kent Canterbury Kent CT2 7NZ UK
| | - Matthew E. Watts
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Kerrie A. Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072 Australia
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Ekroos J, Ödman AM, Andersson GKS, Birkhofer K, Herbertsson L, Klatt BK, Olsson O, Olsson PA, Persson AS, Prentice HC, Rundlöf M, Smith HG. Sparing Land for Biodiversity at Multiple Spatial Scales. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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