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Hua F, Liu M, Wang Z. Integrating forest restoration into land-use planning at large spatial scales. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R452-R472. [PMID: 38714177 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.034] [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: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Forest restoration is being scaled up globally, carrying major expectations of environmental and societal benefits. Current discussions on ensuring the effectiveness of forest restoration are predominantly focused on the land under restoration per se. But this focus neglects the critical issue that land use and its drivers at larger spatial scales have strong implications for forest restoration outcomes, through the influence of landscape context and, importantly, potential off-site impacts of forest restoration that must be accounted for in measuring its effectiveness. To ensure intended restoration outcomes, it is crucial to integrate forest restoration into land-use planning at spatial scales large enough to account for - and address - these larger-scale influences, including the protection of existing native ecosystems. In this review, we highlight this thus-far neglected issue in conceptualizing forest restoration for the delivery of multiple desirable benefits regarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. We first make the case for the need to integrate forest restoration into large-scale land-use planning, by reviewing current evidence on the landscape-level influences and off-site impacts pertaining to forest restoration. We then discuss how science can guide the integration of forest restoration into large-scale land-use planning, by laying out key features of methodological frameworks required, reviewing the extent to which existing frameworks carry these features, and identifying methodological innovations needed to bridge the potential shortfall. Finally, we critically review the status of existing methods and data to identify future research efforts needed to advance these methodological innovations and, more broadly, the effective integration of forest restoration design into large-scale land-use planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Hua
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Mingxin Liu
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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2
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Fernández PD, Gasparri NI, Rojas TN, Banegas NR, Nasca JA, Jobbágy EG, Kuemmerle T. Silvopastoral management for lowering trade-offs between beef production and carbon storage in tropical dry woodlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168973. [PMID: 38072278 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168973] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Tropical dry woodlands and savannas harbour high levels of biodiversity and carbon, but are also important regions for agricultural production. This generates trade-offs between agriculture and the environment, as agricultural expansion and intensification typically involve the removal of natural woody vegetation. Cattle ranching is an expanding land use in many of these regions, but how different forms of ranching mediate the production/environment trade-off remains weakly understood. Here, we focus on the Argentine Chaco, to evaluate trade-offs between beef production and carbon storage in grazing systems with different levels of woody cover (n = 27). We measured beef productivity and carbon storage during 2018/19 and used a regression framework to quantify the trade-off between both, and to analyze which agroclimatic and management variables explain the observed trade-off. Our main finding was that silvopastures had the lowest trade-off between beef production and carbon storage, as management in these systems seeks to increase herbaceous forage by removing shrubs, while maintaining most of the bigger trees that contain most above-ground carbon. The most important variable explaining the beef production/carbon storage trade-off was pasture management, specifically the number of shrub encroachment control interventions, with a lower trade-off for higher numbers of interventions. Unfortunately, more interventions can also result in woody cover degradation over time, and shrub encroachment management must therefore be improved to become sustainable. Overall, our study highlights the strong environmental trade-offs associated with beef production in dry woodlands and savanna, but also the key role of good management practices in lowering this trade-off. Specifically, silvopastoral systems can increase beef production as much as converting woodlands to tree-less pastures, but silvopastures retain much more carbon in aboveground vegetation. Silvopastoral systems thus represent a promising land-use option to lower production/environment trade-offs in the Dry Chaco and likely many other tropical dry woodlands and savannas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro David Fernández
- Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Chañar Pozo S/N, Leales 4113, Tucumán, Argentina; Geography Department, Humboldt-University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany; Instituto de Ecología Regional, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Casilla de Correo 34, 4107 Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - Nestor Ignacio Gasparri
- Instituto de Ecología Regional, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Casilla de Correo 34, 4107 Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Tobias Nicolás Rojas
- Instituto de Ecología Regional, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Casilla de Correo 34, 4107 Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Natalia Romina Banegas
- Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Chañar Pozo S/N, Leales 4113, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - José Andrés Nasca
- Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Chañar Pozo S/N, Leales 4113, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Esteban Gabriel Jobbágy
- Grupo de Estudios Ambientales e IMASL, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, CONICET, Ejercito de los Andes 950, D5700HHW San Luis, Argentina
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department, Humboldt-University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany; Integrative Research Institute on Transformations in Human-Environment Systems (IRI THESys), Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Perri DV, Bruzzone O, Easdale MH. Ecological relationships between coprophagous insects and livestock production: a review. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 113:735-747. [PMID: 37855149 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The ecological function played by the coprophagous insects is an important issue in livestock production contexts. The role of this fauna, specially dung beetles, provides benefits to both rangelands and production performance. This interaction has been studied and reported in many scientific articles, in very different places and with diverse production contexts. However, a comprehensive review of the relationship between coprophagous insects and livestock production is still lacking. We reviewed the research studies on this topic during the past five decades, with a focus in Scarabaeidae taxon and livestock production, in order to identify further research priorities. We analysed 435 research articles. The main results were: (I) studies were mostly located in temperate broadleaf forest biome, whereas arid environments were less studied; (II) Production practices impacts category was the most studied, for which the effects produced by antiparasitic products on the coprophagous insects (n = 93; 21% of total revised articles) was the topics with major number of articles. Followed was Biology category (n = 69; 16%), then in Ecosystem function category the most frequent studies were on dung removal (n = 40; 9%), whereas in the Ecosystem Services category the most frequent studies were on biological control (n = 28; 6%); (III) Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and United States were the countries with most research articles. We identified some knowledge gaps on relevant ecological functions of this fauna, in relation to benefits to livestock production. There is a need for future research on nutrient cycling, bioturbation, effects on primary production and vegetation diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiana V Perri
- Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (IFAB), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Modesta Victoria 4450 San Carlos de Bariloche, CP 8400, Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Octavio Bruzzone
- Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (IFAB), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Modesta Victoria 4450 San Carlos de Bariloche, CP 8400, Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Marcos H Easdale
- Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (IFAB), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Modesta Victoria 4450 San Carlos de Bariloche, CP 8400, Rio Negro, Argentina
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Ausprey IJ, Newell FL, Robinson SK. Sensitivity of tropical montane birds to anthropogenic disturbance and management strategies for their conservation in agricultural landscapes. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14136. [PMID: 37377175 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Tropical montane bird communities are hypothesized to be highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance because species are adapted to a narrow range of environmental conditions and display high rates of endemism. We assessed avian sensitivity at regional and continental scales for a global epicenter of montane bird biodiversity, the tropical Andes. Using data from an intensive field study of cloud forest bird communities across 7 landscapes undergoing agricultural conversion in northern Peru (1800-3100 m, 2016-2017) and a pan-Andean synthesis of forest bird sensitivity, we developed management strategies for maintaining avian biodiversity in tropical countrysides and examined how environmental specialization predicts species-specific sensitivity to disturbance. In Peru, bird communities occupying countryside habitats contained 29-93% fewer species compared with those in forests and were compositionally distinct due to high levels of species turnover. Fragments of mature forest acted as reservoirs for forest bird diversity, especially when large or surrounded by mixed successional vegetation. In high-intensity agricultural plots, an addition of 10 silvopasture trees or 10% more fencerows per hectare increased species richness by 18-20%. Insectivores and frugivores were most sensitive to disturbance: abundance of 40-70% of species declined in early successional vegetation and silvopasture. These results were supported by our synthesis of 816 montane bird species studied across the Andes. At least 25% of the species declined due to all forms of disturbance, and the percentage rose to 60% in agricultural landscapes. The most sensitive species were those with narrow elevational ranges and small global range sizes, insectivores and carnivores, and species with specialized trophic niches. We recommend protecting forest fragments, especially large ones, and increasing connectivity through the maintenance of early successional vegetation and silvopastoral trees that increase avian diversity in pastures. We provide lists of species-specific sensitivities to anthropogenic disturbance to inform conservation status assessments of Andean birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Ausprey
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Felicity L Newell
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Scott K Robinson
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Arunrat N, Sansupa C, Sereenonchai S, Hatano R. Stability of soil bacteria in undisturbed soil and continuous maize cultivation in Northern Thailand. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1285445. [PMID: 38029158 PMCID: PMC10655093 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1285445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rotational shifting cultivation (RSC) in Northern Thailand serves the dual purpose of ensuring food security and meeting economic goals through maize cultivation. However, the research question remains: Does the dynamics of soil bacterial communities differ between maize monoculture and RSC fields with continuous fallow throughout the season? Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate and compare the variation of soil bacterial communities in maize monoculture and fallow RSC fields. A continuous 5-year fallow field (undisturbed soil; CF-5Y) and a continuous 5-year maize cultivation field (M-5Y) in Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand, were selected due to their similarities in microclimate, topography, and the 5-year duration of different field activities. Over the span of a year, we collected soil samples from the surface layer (0-2 cm depth) at both sites. These collections occurred at 3-month intervals, starting from March 2022 (summer season) and followed by June (rainy season), September (rainy season), December (winter season), and March 2023 (summer season). Soil bacterial diversity and composition were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene-based metagenomic analysis. The results found that undisturbed soil over a 5-year period exhibited more stability in the richness and diversity of bacteria across seasons compared with M-5Y. Notably, fertilizer application and tillage practices in M-5Y can enhance both the diversity and richness of soil bacteria. In terms of bacterial abundance, Proteobacteria prevailed in CF-5Y, while Actinobacteria dominated in M-5Y. At the genus level, Candidatus Udaeobacter dominated during the summer and winter seasons in both CF-5Y and M-5Y sites. Interestingly, during the rainy season, the dominant genus shifted to Bacillus in both CF-5Y and M-5Y fields. The soil bacterial community in M-5Y was strongly influenced by organic matter (OM) and organic carbon (OC). In contrast, in CF-5Y, there was no correlation between soil properties and the soil bacterial community, likely due to the lower variation in soil properties across seasons. β-Glucosidase was the dominant enzyme in both CF-5Y and M-5Y sites, and it showed a positive correlation with OM and OC. Further studies should continue to investigate soil bacteria dynamics, considering the changes in land management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noppol Arunrat
- Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Chakriya Sansupa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Sukanya Sereenonchai
- Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Ryusuke Hatano
- Laboratory of Soil Science, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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6
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Kuipers KJJ, Sim S, Hilbers JP, van den Berg SK, de Jonge MMJ, Trendafilova K, Huijbregts MAJ, Schipper AM. Land use diversification may mitigate on-site land use impacts on mammal populations and assemblages. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6234-6247. [PMID: 37665234 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Land use is a major cause of biodiversity decline worldwide. Agricultural and forestry diversification measures, such as the inclusion of natural elements or diversified crop types, may reduce impacts on biodiversity. However, the extent to which such measures may compensate for the negative impacts of land use remains unknown. To fill that gap, we synthesised data from 99 studies that recorded mammal populations or assemblages in natural reference sites and in cropland and forest plantations, with or without diversification measures. We quantified the responses to diversification measures based on individual species abundance, species richness and assemblage intactness as quantified by the mean species abundance indicator. In cropland with natural elements, mammal species abundance and richness were, on average, similar to natural conditions, while in cropland without natural elements they were reduced by 28% and 34%, respectively. We found that mammal species richness was comparable between diversified forest plantations and natural reference sites, and 32% lower in plantations without natural elements. In both cropland and plantations, assemblage intactness was reduced compared with natural reference conditions, but the reduction was smaller if diversification measures were in place. In addition, we found that responses to land use were modified by species traits and environmental context. While habitat specialist populations were reduced in cropland without diversification and in forest plantations, habitat generalists benefited. Furthermore, assemblages were impacted more by land use in tropical regions and landscapes containing a larger share of (semi)natural habitat compared with temperate regions and more converted landscapes. Given that mammal assemblage intactness is reduced also when diversification measures are in place, special attention should be directed to species that suffer from land use impacts. That said, our results suggest potential for reconciling land use and mammal conservation, provided that the diversification measures do not compromise yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen J J Kuipers
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah Sim
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever R&D, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, UK
| | - Jelle P Hilbers
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Stefanie K van den Berg
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Melinda M J de Jonge
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Krista Trendafilova
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mark A J Huijbregts
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Aafke M Schipper
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague, The Netherlands
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7
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Collas L, Crastes dit Sourd R, Finch T, Green R, Hanley N, Balmford A. The costs of delivering environmental outcomes with land sharing and land sparing. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Collas
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Romain Crastes dit Sourd
- Centre for Decision Research, Management Department Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Tom Finch
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Bedfordshire UK
| | - Rhys Green
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Bedfordshire UK
| | - Nick Hanley
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
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8
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Borah JR, Gilroy JJ, Evans KL, Edwards DP. The value of shifting cultivation for biodiversity in Northeast India. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joli R. Borah
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - James J. Gilroy
- School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich UK
| | - Karl L. Evans
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - David P. Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
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9
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Estupiñan-Mojica A, Portela-Salomão R, Liberal CN, Santos BA, Machado CC, de Araujo HF, Von Thaden J, Alvarado F. Landscape attributes shape dung beetle diversity at multiple spatial scales in agricultural drylands. Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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10
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Bartlett H, Holmes MA, Petrovan SO, Williams DR, Wood JLN, Balmford A. Understanding the relative risks of zoonosis emergence under contrasting approaches to meeting livestock product demand. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211573. [PMID: 35754996 PMCID: PMC9214290 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
It has been argued that intensive livestock farming increases the risk of pandemics of zoonotic origin because of long-distance livestock movements, high livestock densities, poor animal health and welfare, low disease resistance and low genetic diversity. However, data on many of these factors are limited, and analyses to date typically ignore how land use affects emerging infectious disease (EID) risks, and how these risks might vary across systems with different yields (production per unit area). Extensive, lower yielding practices typically involve larger livestock populations, poorer biosecurity, more workers and more area under farming, resulting in different, but not necessarily lower, EID risks than higher yielding systems producing the same amount of food. To move this discussion forward, we review the evidence for each of the factors that potentially link livestock production practices to EID risk. We explore how each factor might vary with yield and consider how overall risks might differ across a mix of production systems chosen to reflect in broad terms the current livestock sector at a global level and in hypothetical low- and high-yield systems matched by overall level of production. We identify significant knowledge gaps for all potential risk factors and argue these shortfalls in understanding mean we cannot currently determine whether lower or higher yielding systems would better limit the risk of future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet Bartlett
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mark A. Holmes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Silviu O. Petrovan
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- BioRISC (Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's), St Catharine's College, Cambridge, UK
| | - David R. Williams
- Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - James L. N. Wood
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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11
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Ecological and Social Limitations for Mexican Dry Forest Restoration: A Systematic Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14073793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
In Mexico, dry forests are one of the ecosystems in major need of restoration intervention. Here, we explored the ecological and social limitations on the restoration of Mexican dry forests from the perspective of restoration practitioners and researchers. We included three data sources: (i) projects included in a national evaluation (1979–2016), (ii) a systematic review of scientific literature (1979–2021), and (iii) restoration projects included in two governmental programs. The national evaluation and the systematic review coincided in identifying the establishment of plantings as the most important ecological limitation and low social participation as the most important social limitation. There were three times more publications addressing ecological limitations than those addressing social limitations. We did not find research to resolve the problems faced by practitioners related to invasive species, unpredictable climate, and poor soil quality. Governmental programs promoting the restoration of ecosystems need to include measurable indicators to document the socioecological limitations faced by local practitioners to restore Mexican dry forests.
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12
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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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13
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Cazalis V, Barnes MD, Johnston A, Watson JEM, Şekercioğlu CH, Rodrigues ASL. Mismatch between bird species sensitivity and the protection of intact habitats across the Americas. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:2394-2405. [PMID: 34397138 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Protected areas are highly heterogeneous in their effectiveness at buffering human pressure, which may hamper their ability to conserve species highly sensitive to human activities. Here, we use 60 million bird observations from eBird to estimate the sensitivity to human pressure of each bird species breeding in the Americas. Concerningly, we find that ecoregions hosting large proportions of high-sensitivity species, concentrated in tropical biomes, do not have more intact protected habitat. Moreover, 266 high-sensitivity species have little or no intact protected habitat within their distributions. Finally, we show that protected area intactness is decreasing faster where high-sensitivity species concentrate. Our results highlight a major mismatch between species conservation needs and the coverage of intact protected habitats, which likely hampers the long-term effectiveness of protected areas at retaining species. We highlight ecoregions where protection and management of intact habitats, complemented by restoration, is urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Cazalis
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Megan D Barnes
- Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Cagan H Şekercioğlu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Sarıyer, İstanbul, Turkey
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14
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Betts MG, Phalan BT, Wolf C, Baker SC, Messier C, Puettmann KJ, Green R, Harris SH, Edwards DP, Lindenmayer DB, Balmford A. Producing wood at least cost to biodiversity: integrating Triad and sharing-sparing approaches to inform forest landscape management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1301-1317. [PMID: 33663020 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Forest loss and degradation are the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide. Rising global wood demand threatens further damage to remaining native forests. Contrasting solutions across a continuum of options have been proposed, yet which of these offers most promise remains unresolved. Expansion of high-yielding tree plantations could free up forest land for conservation provided this is implemented in tandem with stronger policies for conserving native forests. Because plantations and other intensively managed forests often support far less biodiversity than native forests, a second approach argues for widespread adoption of extensive management, or 'ecological forestry', which better simulates natural forest structure and disturbance regimes - albeit with compromised wood yields and hence a need to harvest over a larger area. A third, hybrid suggestion involves 'Triad' zoning where the landscape is divided into three sorts of management (reserve, ecological/extensive management, and intensive plantation). Progress towards resolving which of these approaches holds the most promise has been hampered by the absence of a conceptual framework and of sufficient empirical data formally to identify the most appropriate landscape-scale proportions of reserves, extensive, and intensive management to minimize biodiversity impacts while meeting a given level of demand for wood. In this review, we argue that this central challenge for sustainable forestry is analogous to that facing food-production systems, and that the land sharing-sparing framework devised to establish which approach to farming could meet food demand at least cost to wild species can be readily adapted to assess contrasting forest management regimes. We develop this argument in four ways: (i) we set out the relevance of the sharing-sparing framework for forestry and explore the degree to which concepts from agriculture can translate to a forest management context; (ii) we make design recommendations for empirical research on sustainable forestry to enable application of the sharing-sparing framework; (iii) we present overarching hypotheses which such studies could test; and (iv) we discuss potential pitfalls and opportunities in conceptualizing landscape management through a sharing-sparing lens. The framework we propose will enable forest managers worldwide to assess trade-offs directly between conservation and wood production and to determine the mix of management approaches that best balances these (and other) competing objectives. The results will inform ecologically sustainable forest policy and management, reduce risks of local and global extinctions from forestry, and potentially improve a valuable sector's social license to operate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Betts
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Benjamin T Phalan
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, 40170-115, BA, Brazil.,Parque das Aves, Av. das Cataratas, 12450 - Vila Yolanda, Foz do Iguaçu, PR, 85855-750, Brazil
| | - Christopher Wolf
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Susan C Baker
- School of Natural Sciences and ARC Centre for Forest Value, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Christian Messier
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Klaus J Puettmann
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Rhys Green
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, U.K
| | - Scott H Harris
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, U.K
| | - David B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, U.K
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15
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Edwards FA, Massam MR, Cosset CCP, Cannon PG, Haugaasen T, Gilroy JJ, Edwards DP. Sparing land for secondary forest regeneration protects more tropical biodiversity than land sharing in cattle farming landscapes. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1284-1293.e4. [PMID: 33482111 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Effectively managing farming to meet food demand is vital for the future of biodiversity.1,2 Increasing yields on existing farmland can allow the abandonment (sparing) of low-yielding areas that subsequently recover as secondary forest.2-5 A key question is whether such "secondary sparing" conserves biodiversity more effectively than retaining wildlife-friendly habitat within farmland ("land sharing"). Focusing on the Colombian Choco-Andes, a global hotspot of threatened biodiversity,6 and on cattle farming, we examined the outcomes of secondary sparing and land sharing via simulated scenarios that maintained constant landscape-wide production and equal within-pasture yield: (1) for species and functional diversity of dung beetles and birds; (2) for avian phylogenetic diversity; and (3) across different stages of secondary forest regeneration, relative to spared primary forests. Sparing older secondary forests (15-30 years recovery) promotes substantial species, functional, and phylogenetic (birds only) diversity benefits for birds and dung beetles compared to land sharing. Species of conservation concern had higher occupancy estimates under land-sparing compared to land-sharing scenarios. Spared secondary forests accumulated equivalent diversity to primary forests for dung beetles within 15 years and within 15-30 years for birds, highlighting the need for longer term protection to maximize the biodiversity gains of secondary sparing. Promoting the recovery and protection of large expanses of secondary forests under the land-sparing model provides a critical mechanism for protecting tropical biodiversity, with important implications for concurrently assisting in the delivery of global targets to restore 350 million hectares of forested landscapes.7,8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicity A Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
| | - Mike R Massam
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Cindy C P Cosset
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Patrick G Cannon
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Torbjørn Haugaasen
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - James J Gilroy
- School of Environmental Science, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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16
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Effects of Land Use Change from Natural Forest to Livestock on Soil C, N and P Dynamics along a Rainfall Gradient in Mexico. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12208656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The effects of converting native forests to livestock systems on soil C, N and P contents across various climatic zones are not well understood for the tropical region. The goal of this study was to test how soil C, N and P dynamics are affected by the land-use change from natural forests to livestock production systems (extensive pasture and intensive silvopastoral systems) across a rainfall gradient of 1611–711 mm per year in the Mexican tropics. A total of 15 soil-based biogeochemical metrics were measured in samples collected during the dry and rainy seasons in livestock systems and mature forests for land-use and intersite comparisons of the nutrient status. Our results show that land-use change from natural forests to livestock production systems had a negative effect on soil C, N and P contents. In general, soil basal respiration and C-acquiring enzyme activities increased under livestock production systems. Additionally, reduction in mean annual rainfall affected moisture-sensitive biogeochemical processes affecting the C, N and P dynamics. Our findings imply that land-use changes alter soil C, N and P dynamics and contents, with potential negative consequences for the sustainability of livestock production systems in the tropical regions of Mexico investigated.
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17
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Luo F, Wang M, Huang L, Wu Z, Wang W, Zafar A, Tian Y, Hasan M, Shu X. Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Eudragit FS30D Nanohybrids: Structure, Characterization, and Their Application as an Intestinal Drug Delivery System. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:11799-11808. [PMID: 32478271 PMCID: PMC7254796 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The present study was designed to develop multifunctional zinc oxide-encapsulated Eudragit FS30D (ZnO/EFS) nanohybrid structures as a biodegradable drug delivery system and as a promising successful carrier for targeting sites. The solvent evaporation method was used to fabricate the ZnO/EFS nanohybrids and the size, shape, stability, and antioxidant activity were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and an antioxidant (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)). Zinc oxide-encapsulated Eudragit FS30D (ZnO/EFS) nanohybrid structures consisted of irregularly shaped, 297.65 nm-sized ZnO/EFS microcapsule, enduring thermal stability from 251.17 to 385.67 °C. Nano-ZnO was encapsulated in EFS through the formation of hydrogen bonds, and the average encapsulation efficiency for nano-ZnO was determined to be 96.12%. In vitro intestinal-targeted drug release assay provided 91.86% with free nano-ZnO, only 9.5% in acidified ZnO/EFS nanohybrid structure but the rate ZnO/EFS nanohybrids reached 93.11% in succus entericus resultantly modified nano-ZnO was proven proficient intestinal-specific delivery system. The stability of the ZnO/EFS nanohybrid structures was confirmed using ζ-potential and antioxidant activity analysis. Hence, the EFS nanoencapsulation strategy of ZnO provided a stable, nontoxic, and pharmacokinetically active intestine-specific system that can become the best choice for an effective oral feed additive in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Luo
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Mingjie Wang
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Liting Huang
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Ziqian Wu
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Wenxiong Wang
- School
of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ayesha Zafar
- Department
of Biochemistry & Biotechnology (Baghdad-ul-Jadeed Campus), The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Yunbo Tian
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
- Guangdong
Province Key Laboratory of Waterfowl Healthy Breeding, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Murtaza Hasan
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
- Department
of Biochemistry & Biotechnology (Baghdad-ul-Jadeed Campus), The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Xugang Shu
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai
University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
- Guangdong
Province Key Laboratory of Waterfowl Healthy Breeding, Guangzhou 510225, China
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18
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Butsic V, Kuemmerle T, Pallud L, Helmstedt KJ, Macchi L, Potts MD. Aligning biodiversity conservation and agricultural production in heterogeneous landscapes. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02057. [PMID: 31837241 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and agricultural production has become a fundamental question in sustainability science. Substantial research has focused on how species' populations respond to agricultural intensification, with the goal to understand whether conservation policies that spatially separate agriculture and conservation or, alternatively, integrate the two are more beneficial. Spatial heterogeneity in both species abundance and agricultural productivity have been largely left out of this discussion, although these patterns are ubiquitous from local to global scales due to varying land capacity. Here, we address the question of how to align agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in heterogeneous landscapes. Using model simulations of species abundance and agricultural yields, we show that trade-offs between agricultural production and species' abundance can be reduced by minimizing the cost (in terms of species abundance) of agricultural production. We find that when species' abundance and agricultural yields vary across landscapes, the optimal strategy to minimize trade-offs is rarely pure land sparing or land sharing. Instead, landscapes that combine elements of both strategies are optimal. Additionally, we show how the reference population of a species is defined has important influences on optimization results. Our findings suggest that in the real world, understanding the impact of heterogeneous land capacity on biodiversity and agricultural production is crucial to designing multi-use landscapes that jointly maximize conservation and agricultural benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Butsic
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations in Human-Environment Systems (IRI THESys), Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany
| | - Leo Pallud
- ENSTA ParisTech, 828 Bd des Marechaux, 91120, Palaiseau, France
| | - Kate J Helmstedt
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
| | - Leandro Macchi
- Geography Department, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany
- Instituto de Ecología Regional, UNT - CONICET, Residencia Universitaria Horco Molle, Edificio las Cúpulas, 4107, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Matthew D Potts
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
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19
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Finch T, Green RE, Massimino D, Peach WJ, Balmford A. Optimising nature conservation outcomes for a given region‐wide level of food production. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Finch
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science RSPB The Lodge Sandy UK
| | - Rhys E. Green
- Conservation Science Group Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | | | - Will J. Peach
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science RSPB The Lodge Sandy UK
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Conservation Science Group Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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20
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Finch T, Gillings S, Green RE, Massimino D, Peach WJ, Balmford A. Bird conservation and the land sharing-sparing continuum in farmland-dominated landscapes of lowland England. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:1045-1055. [PMID: 30900280 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Empirical evidence from many regions suggests that most species would be least negatively affected if human food demand were met through high-yield agricultural production and conservation of nonfarm ecosystems (land sparing), rather than through wildlife-friendly farming over a larger area (land sharing). However, repeated glaciation and a long history of agriculture may lead to different results in regions such as western Europe. We compared the consequences of land sparing and land sharing on breeding bird species in 2 lowland regions of England, The Fens, with 101 species, and Salisbury Plain, with 83. We derived density-yield responses for each species and then estimated regional population size under regional food production strategies, including land sharing and land sparing, a range of intermediate strategies, and a novel mixed strategy. In both regions, more species achieved maximum regional population size under land sparing than land sharing. In The Fens, the majority of birds were loser species (estimated to have smaller populations under all food production strategies than in the preagricultural baseline scenario), whereas in Salisbury Plain the majority were winners (smaller populations in the preagricultural baseline scenario). Loser species overwhelmingly achieved maximum regional population size under land sparing, whereas winner species achieved maximum regional population size under either land sharing or an intermediate strategy, highlighting the importance of defining which groups of species are the target of conservation. A novel 3-compartment strategy (combining high-yield farming, natural habitat, and low-yield farming) often performed better than either land sharing or land sparing. Our results support intermediate or 3-compartment land-sparing strategies to maximize bird populations across lowland agricultural landscapes. To deliver conservation outcomes, any shift toward land sparing must, however, ensure yield increases are sustainable in the long term, do not entail increased negative effects on surrounding areas, and are linked to allocation of land for nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Finch
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, U.K
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
| | | | - Rhys E Green
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, U.K
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
| | | | - Will J Peach
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, U.K
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
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21
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Feniuk C, Balmford A, Green RE. Land sparing to make space for species dependent on natural habitats and high nature value farmland. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191483. [PMID: 31455194 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Empirical evidence from four continents indicates that human food demand may be best reconciled with biodiversity conservation through sparing natural habitats by boosting agricultural yields. This runs counter to the conservation paradigm of wildlife-friendly farming, which is influential in Europe, where many species are dependent on low-yielding high nature value farmland threatened by both intensification and abandonment. In the first multi-taxon population-level test of land-sparing theory in Europe, we quantified how population densities of 175 bird and sedge species varied with farm yield across 26 squares (each with an area of 1 km2) in eastern Poland. We discovered that, as in previous studies elsewhere, simple land sparing, with only natural habitats on spared land, markedly out-performed land sharing in its effect on region-wide projected population sizes. However, a novel 'three-compartment' land-sparing approach, in which about one-third of spared land is assigned to very low-yield agriculture and the remainder to natural habitats, resulted in least-reduced projected future populations for more species. Implementing the three-compartment model would require significant reorganization of current subsidy regimes, but would mean high-yield farming could release sufficient land for species dependent on both natural and high nature value farmland to persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Feniuk
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.,Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Rhys E Green
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.,Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL, UK
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22
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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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23
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Lamb A, Finch T, Pearce-Higgins JW, Ausden M, Balmford A, Feniuk C, Hirons G, Massimino D, Green RE. The consequences of land sparing for birds in the United Kingdom. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Lamb
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
| | - Tom Finch
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge; Sandy UK
| | - James W. Pearce-Higgins
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery; Thetford Norfolk UK
| | - Malcolm Ausden
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge; Sandy UK
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
| | - Claire Feniuk
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
| | - Graham Hirons
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge; Sandy UK
| | - Dario Massimino
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery; Thetford Norfolk UK
| | - Rhys E. Green
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge; Sandy UK
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24
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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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25
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Balmford A, Amano T, Bartlett H, Chadwick D, Collins A, Edwards D, Field R, Garnsworthy P, Green R, Smith P, Waters H, Whitmore A, Broom DM, Chara J, Finch T, Garnett E, Gathorne-Hardy A, Hernandez-Medrano J, Herrero M, Hua F, Latawiec A, Misselbrook T, Phalan B, Simmons BI, Takahashi T, Vause J, Zu Ermgassen E, Eisner R. The environmental costs and benefits of high-yield farming. NATURE SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [PMID: 30450426 DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0138-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
How we manage farming and food systems to meet rising demand is pivotal to the future of biodiversity. Extensive field data suggest impacts on wild populations would be greatly reduced through boosting yields on existing farmland so as to spare remaining natural habitats. High-yield farming raises other concerns because expressed per unit area it can generate high levels of externalities such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and nutrient losses. However, such metrics underestimate the overall impacts of lower-yield systems, so here we develop a framework that instead compares externality and land costs per unit production. Applying this to diverse datasets describing the externalities of four major farm sectors reveals that, rather than involving trade-offs, the externality and land costs of alternative production systems can co-vary positively: per unit production, land-efficient systems often produce lower externalities. For GHG emissions these associations become more strongly positive once forgone sequestration is included. Our conclusions are limited: remarkably few studies report externalities alongside yields; many important externalities and farming systems are inadequately measured; and realising the environmental benefits of high-yield systems typically requires additional measures to limit farmland expansion. Yet our results nevertheless suggest that trade-offs among key cost metrics are not as ubiquitous as sometimes perceived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Balmford
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Tatsuya Amano
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SG, UK
| | - Harriet Bartlett
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Dave Chadwick
- Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Adrian Collins
- Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton EX20 2SB, UK
| | - David Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorks S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rob Field
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Philip Garnsworthy
- School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Rhys Green
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, 23 St Machar Drive, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, UK
| | - Helen Waters
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | | | - Donald M Broom
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Julian Chara
- CIPAV, Centre for Research on Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems, Carrera 25 No 6-62, Cali 760042, Colombia
| | - Tom Finch
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Emma Garnett
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Alfred Gathorne-Hardy
- School of Geosciences, Crew Building, Kings Buildings, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JN, UK
- Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
- Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development, Somerville College, Oxford OX2 6HD, UK
| | - Juan Hernandez-Medrano
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Av. Universidad 3000, Col. UNAM, CU, Coyoacan, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Mario Herrero
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia
| | - Fangyuan Hua
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Agnieszka Latawiec
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Department of Geography and Environment, R. Marquês de São Vicente, 225 - Gávea, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22451-000, Brazil
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Informatics, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Balicka 116B, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Ben Phalan
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, Salvador 40170-115, Bahia Brazil
| | - Benno I Simmons
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Taro Takahashi
- Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton EX20 2SB, UK
- University of Bristol, British Veterinary School, Office Dolberry Building, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
| | - James Vause
- UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - Erasmus Zu Ermgassen
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Rowan Eisner
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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Carbon Storage and Land-Use Strategies in Agricultural Landscapes across Three Continents. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2500-2505.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Beyond Biodiversity Conservation: Land Sharing Constitutes Sustainable Agriculture in European Cultural Landscapes. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10051395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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