1
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Magoulick KM, Hull V, Liu J. Mammal recovery inside and outside terrestrial protected areas. AMBIO 2024; 53:1296-1306. [PMID: 38600245 PMCID: PMC11300748 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-024-02014-7] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Protected areas are a key component of global conservation, and the world is aiming to increase protected areas to cover 30% of land and water through the 30 × 30 Initiative under the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. However, factors affecting their success or failure in regard to promoting mammal population recovery are not well studied, particularly using quantitative approaches comparing across diverse taxa, biomes, and countries. To better understand how protected areas contribute to mammalian recovery, we conducted an analysis of 2706 mammal populations both inside and outside of protected areas worldwide. We calculated the annual percent change of mammal populations within and outside of terrestrial protected areas and examined the relationship between the percent change and a suite of human and natural characteristics including biome, region, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) protected area category, IUCN Red List classification, and taxonomic order. Our results show that overall mammal populations inside and outside of protected areas are relatively stable. It appears that Threatened mammals are doing better inside of protected areas than outside, whereas the opposite is true for species of least concern and Near Threatened species. We also found significant population increases in protected areas classified as category III and significant population decreases in protected and unprotected areas throughout Oceania. Our results demonstrate that terrestrial protected areas can be an important approach for mammalian recovery and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Magoulick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Vanessa Hull
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jianguo Liu
- Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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2
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Smith CCR, Tittes S, Ralph PL, Kern AD. Dispersal inference from population genetic variation using a convolutional neural network. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad068. [PMID: 37052957 PMCID: PMC10213498 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The geographic nature of biological dispersal shapes patterns of genetic variation over landscapes, making it possible to infer properties of dispersal from genetic variation data. Here, we present an inference tool that uses geographically distributed genotype data in combination with a convolutional neural network to estimate a critical population parameter: the mean per-generation dispersal distance. Using extensive simulation, we show that our deep learning approach is competitive with or outperforms state-of-the-art methods, particularly at small sample sizes. In addition, we evaluate varying nuisance parameters during training-including population density, demographic history, habitat size, and sampling area-and show that this strategy is effective for estimating dispersal distance when other model parameters are unknown. Whereas competing methods depend on information about local population density or accurate inference of identity-by-descent tracts, our method uses only single-nucleotide-polymorphism data and the spatial scale of sampling as input. Strikingly, and unlike other methods, our method does not use the geographic coordinates of the genotyped individuals. These features make our method, which we call "disperseNN," a potentially valuable new tool for estimating dispersal distance in nonmodel systems with whole genome data or reduced representation data. We apply disperseNN to 12 different species with publicly available data, yielding reasonable estimates for most species. Importantly, our method estimated consistently larger dispersal distances than mark-recapture calculations in the same species, which may be due to the limited geographic sampling area covered by some mark-recapture studies. Thus genetic tools like ours complement direct methods for improving our understanding of dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris C R Smith
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Silas Tittes
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Peter L Ralph
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Andrew D Kern
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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3
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Tremblay LA, Chariton AA, Li MS, Zhang Y, Horiguchi T, Ellis JI. Monitoring the Health of Coastal Environments in the Pacific Region-A Review. TOXICS 2023; 11:277. [PMID: 36977042 PMCID: PMC10059979 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11030277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Coastal areas provide important ecological services to populations accessing, for example, tourism services, fisheries, minerals and petroleum. Coastal zones worldwide are exposed to multiple stressors that threaten the sustainability of receiving environments. Assessing the health of these valuable ecosystems remains a top priority for environmental managers to ensure the key stressor sources are identified and their impacts minimized. The objective of this review was to provide an overview of current coastal environmental monitoring frameworks in the Asia-Pacific region. This large geographical area includes many countries with a range of climate types, population densities and land uses. Traditionally, environmental monitoring frameworks have been based on chemical criteria set against guideline threshold levels. However, regulatory organizations are increasingly promoting the incorporation of biological effects-based data in their decision-making processes. Using a range of examples drawn from across the region, we provide a synthesis of the major approaches currently being applied to examine coastal health in China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, we discuss some of the challenges and investigate potential solutions for improving traditional lines of evidence, including the coordination of regional monitoring programs, the implementation of ecosystem-based management and the inclusion of indigenous knowledge and participatory processes in decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis A. Tremblay
- Cawthron Institute, Private Bag 2, Nelson 7042, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Anthony A. Chariton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Meng-Shuo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science of China, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science of China, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Toshihiro Horiguchi
- Ecosystem Impact Research Section, Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Joanne I. Ellis
- School of Sciences, Waikato University, Tauranga 3240, New Zealand
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4
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Rønsted N, Walsh SK, Clark M, Edmonds M, Flynn T, Heintzman S, Loomis A, Lorence D, Nagendra U, Nyberg B, Opgenorth M, Weisenberger L, Williams A, Wolkis D, Wood KR, Keir M. Extinction risk of the endemic vascular flora of Kauai, Hawaii, based on IUCN assessments. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13896. [PMID: 35146804 PMCID: PMC9544520 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) is the world's most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of species. Governmental agencies and conservation organizations increasingly rely on IUCN Red List assessments to develop conservation policies and priorities. Funding agencies use the assessments as evaluation criteria, and researchers use meta-analysis of red-list data to address fundamental and applied conservation science questions. However, the circa 143,000 IUCN assessments represent a fraction of the world's biodiversity and are biased in regional and organismal coverage. These biases may affect conservation priorities, funding, and uses of these data to understand global patterns. Isolated oceanic islands are characterized by high endemicity, but the unique biodiversity of many islands is experiencing high extinction rates. The archipelago of Hawaii has one of the highest levels of endemism of any floristic region; 90% of its 1367 native vascular plant taxa are classified as endemic. We used the IUCN's assessment of the complete single-island endemic (SIE) vascular plant flora of Kauai, Hawaii, to assess the proportion and drivers of decline of threatened plants in an oceanic island setting. We compared the IUCN assessments with federal, state, and other local assessments of Kauai species or taxa of conservation concern. Finally, we conducted a preliminary assessment for all 1044 native vascular plants of Hawaii based on IUCN criterion B by estimating area of occupancy, extent of occurrence, and number of locations to determine whether the pattern found for the SIE vascular flora of Kauai is comparable to the native vascular flora of the Hawaiian Islands. We compared our results with patterns observed for assessments of other floras. According to IUCN, 256 SIE vascular plant taxa are threatened with extinction and 5% are already extinct. This is the highest extinction risk reported for any flora to date. The preliminary assessment of the native vascular flora of Hawaii showed that 72% (753 taxa) is threatened. The flora of Hawaii may be one of the world's most threatened; thus, increased and novel conservation measures in the state and on other remote oceanic islands are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Rønsted
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Seana K. Walsh
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | | | - Tim Flynn
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
| | - Scott Heintzman
- Plant Extinction Prevention ProgramUniversity of Hawaii at ManoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | | | | | - Uma Nagendra
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
| | - Ben Nyberg
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Michael Opgenorth
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Lauren Weisenberger
- Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife OfficeU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicesHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Adam Williams
- Division of Forestry and WildlifeState of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural ResourcesHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Dustin Wolkis
- National Tropical Botanical GardenKalaheoHawaiiUSA
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Matthew Keir
- Division of Forestry and WildlifeState of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural ResourcesHonoluluHawaiiUSA
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5
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Handler SD, Ledee OE, Hoving CL, Zuckerberg B, Swanston CW. A menu of climate change adaptation actions for terrestrial wildlife management. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D. Handler
- USDA Forest Service and Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science 410 MacInnes Drive Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | - Olivia E. Ledee
- U.S. Geological Survey, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center 1992 Folwell Ave St. Paul MN 55116 USA
| | | | - Benjamin Zuckerberg
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin‐Madison 1620 Linden Drive Madison WI 53705 USA
| | - Christopher W. Swanston
- USDA Forest Service and Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science 410 MacInnes Drive Houghton MI 49931 USA
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6
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Hulme PE. Importance of greater interdisciplinarity and geographic scope when tackling the driving forces behind biological invasions. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13817. [PMID: 34405453 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Invasive non-native species are important drivers of ecosystem change, yet the driving forces of biological invasions themselves are poorly understood. Such information is essential to ensure policies focus on the most relevant drivers, and that future scenarios capture the full range of potential outcomes for invasive non-native species. I carried out a bibliometric analysis of articles published from 2000 to 2020 that address either invasive non-native species or biodiversity and ecosystem services and that also mention 1 or more drivers of ecosystem change. I examined 5 indirect drivers (demographic, economic, governance, sociocultural, and technological) and 6 direct drivers (climate change, invasive non-native species, land-use or sea-use change, natural hazards, pollution, and resource extraction). Using the Web of Science core collection of citation indexes, I undertook searches of article titles and keywords and retrieved 27,462 articles addressing invasive non-native species and 110,087 articles dealing with biodiversity or ecosystem services. Most research to date on biological invasions as well as on biodiversity and ecosystem services has focused on anthropogenic direct drivers of ecosystem change rather than indirect drivers. Yet currently, less than 18% of articles addressing biological invasions examined drivers of ecosystem change, a similar level to that found over 20 years ago for biodiversity or ecosystem services. Knowledge of the drivers of biological invasions is limited, emphasizes tractable drivers over those that require an interdisciplinary approach, and is biased toward developed economies. Drivers generally deemed important for biological invasions, such as governance and resource extraction, accounted for less than 2% of research effort. The absence of a systematic understanding of the forces that drive invasive non-native species and how they interact means that attempts to mitigate or forecast biological invasions are likely to fail. To address biological invasions requires a much better orientation of national and international research on drivers in relation to both their actual importance as well as their policy relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip E Hulme
- Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand
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7
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Clark M, Tepper K, Petroll K, Kumar S, Sunna A, Maselko M. Bioremediation of Industrial Pollutants by Insects Expressing a Fungal Laccase. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:308-316. [PMID: 34882406 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Inadequate management of household and industrial wastes poses major challenges to human and environmental health. Advances in synthetic biology may help address these challenges by engineering biological systems to perform new functions such as biomanufacturing of high-value compounds from low-value waste streams and bioremediation of industrial pollutants. The current emphasis on microbial systems for biomanufacturing, which often requires highly preprocessed inputs and sophisticated infrastructure, is not feasible for many waste streams. Furthermore, concerns about transgene biocontainment have limited the release of engineered microbes or plants for bioremediation. Engineering of animals may provide opportunities for utilizing various waste streams that are not suitable for microbial biomanufacturing while effective transgene biocontainment options should enable in situ bioremediation. Here, we engineer the model insect Drosophila melanogaster to express a functional laccase from the fungus Trametes trogii. Laccase-expressing flies reduced concentrations of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A by more than 50% when present in their growth media. A lyophilized powder prepared from engineered adult flies retained substantial enzymatic activity, degrading more than 90% of bisphenol A and the textile dye indigo carmine in aqueous solutions. Our results demonstrate that transgenic animals may be used to bioremediate environmental contaminants in vivo and serve as novel production platforms for industrial enzymes. These results support further development of insects, and possibly other animals, as bioproduction platforms and their potential use in bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Clark
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Kate Tepper
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Kerstin Petroll
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Sheemal Kumar
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Anwar Sunna
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Maciej Maselko
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Brisbane 4001 QLD, Australia
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC 3219, Australia
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8
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Hernandez S, Benham C, Miller RL, Sheaves M, Duce S. What drives modern protected area establishment in Australia? CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Hernandez
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
| | - Claudia Benham
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Rachel L. Miller
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
| | - Marcus Sheaves
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Douglas Queensland Australia
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Douglas Queensland Australia
| | - Stephanie Duce
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
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9
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Adaptive Management of Malkumba-Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site in Arid Australia—A Free Flowing River and Wetland System. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13063043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The Malkumba-Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site has extensive terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems (largest Ramsar Site in Oceania, 2,178,952 ha, designated in 1987), including freshwater and salt lakes, lignum swamps and river channels in central Australia. It is supplied by Cooper Creek, a free-flowing Lake Eyre Basin river system. The area includes pastoral leases (97% of site grazed, including a regional conservation reserve (35%)) and a National Park (3%), with the largest oil and gas production field in Australia. We developed a Strategic Adaptive Management (SAM) Plan, linking science, monitoring and management of this social-ecological system, involving stakeholders and workshops. This involved developing a shared vision and hierarchy of objectives linked to management actions and identified outputs and outcomes. We exemplify this approach with explicit and measurable end-points (thresholds of potential concern) culminating from low level objectives for fish communities, particularly the alien sleepy cod Oxyeleotris lineolata. We describe this framework, highlighting the benefits in prioritizing management actions and monitoring in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, driving adaptive feedback for learning. The whole approach is aimed at successfully achieving mutually agreed management objectives and the vision to maintain the ecological character of the Malkumba-Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site.
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10
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Adams VM, Weeks R, Doherty TS. Advances in conservation science and practice in Oceania: Delivering on research priorities for the region. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.367] [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)
- Vanessa M. Adams
- School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Rebecca Weeks
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
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11
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Leclerc C, Villéger S, Marino C, Bellard C. Global changes threaten functional and taxonomic diversity of insular species worldwide. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Camille Leclerc
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution CNRS AgroParisTech Université Paris‐Saclay Orsay France
| | | | - Clara Marino
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution CNRS AgroParisTech Université Paris‐Saclay Orsay France
- Département de biologie Ecole Normale SupérieureUniversité PSL Paris France
| | - Céline Bellard
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution CNRS AgroParisTech Université Paris‐Saclay Orsay France
- Unité Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA ,UMR 7208) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleSorbonne UniversitéUniversité de Caen NormandieUniversité des AntillesCNRSIRD Paris France
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12
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Abstract
Marine mammals are long-lived top predators with vagile lifestyles, which often inhabit remote environments. This is especially relevant in the oceanic waters around New Zealand and Australia where cetaceans and pinnipeds are considered as vulnerable and often endangered due to anthropogenic impacts on their habitat. Parasitism is ubiquitous in wildlife, and prevalence of parasitic infections as well as emerging diseases can be valuable bioindicators of the ecology and health of marine mammals. Collecting information about parasite diversity in marine mammals will provide a crucial baseline for assessing their impact on host and ecosystem ecology. New studies on marine mammals in New Zealand and Australian waters have recently added to our knowledge of parasite prevalence, life cycles and taxonomic relationships in the Australasian region, and justify a first host-parasite checklist encompassing all available data. The present checklist comprises 36 species of marine mammals, and 114 species of parasites (helminths, arthropods and protozoans). Mammal species occurring in New Zealand and Australian waters but not included in the checklist represent gaps in our knowledge. The checklist thus serves both as a guide for what information is lacking, as well as a practical resource for scientists working on the ecology and conservation of marine mammals.
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13
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Brignac KC, Jung MR, King C, Royer SJ, Blickley L, Lamson MR, Potemra JT, Lynch JM. Marine Debris Polymers on Main Hawaiian Island Beaches, Sea Surface, and Seafloor. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:12218-12226. [PMID: 31595747 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Polymeric differences of plastic debris were assessed across four compartments of the Main Hawaiian Islands (sea surface, windward beaches, leeward beaches, and seafloor) to better describe sources and fate. Plastic debris pieces (n = 4671) were collected from 11 beaches, three sea surface tows, and three seafloor dives. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy identified the polymers of 3551 pieces. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in concentration, types, polymer composition, and weathering were found among four compartments. Windward beaches had 1-2 orders of magnitude more plastic pollution (g/m2) than leeward beaches, despite smaller human populations on windward sides. Sea surface and windward beaches were dominated by severely weathered, less dense floating polymers (polyethylene and polypropylene comprised 92.7 and 93.5% on average, respectively, of the total debris mass), while leeward beaches and the seafloor debris consisted of less weathered and more dense sinking polymers (e.g., 41.0 and 44.7% of total mass consisted of the sum of polystyrene, nylon, cellulose acetate, polyethylene terephthalate, and additive-masked debris). These results are some of the first to provide evidence of polymeric stratification in the marine environment and emphasize that the majority of marine debris in Hawaii is floating in from distant sources rather than from Hawaii's residents or tourists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla C Brignac
- Center for Marine Debris Research , Hawaii Pacific University , Waimanalo 96795 , Hawaii , United States
| | - Melissa R Jung
- Center for Marine Debris Research , Hawaii Pacific University , Waimanalo 96795 , Hawaii , United States
| | - Cheryl King
- Sharkastics , Kihei 96753 , Hawaii , United States
| | | | | | - Megan R Lamson
- Hawaii Wildlife Fund , Volcano 96785 , Hawaii , United States
| | | | - Jennifer M Lynch
- Center for Marine Debris Research , Hawaii Pacific University , Waimanalo 96795 , Hawaii , United States
- Chemical Sciences Division , National Institute of Standards and Technology , Waimanalo 96795 , Hawaii , United States
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14
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Shortfalls in Conservation Evidence: Moving from Ecological Effects of Interventions to Policy Evaluation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2019.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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15
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Bino G, Kingsford RT, Archer M, Connolly JH, Day J, Dias K, Goldney D, Gongora J, Grant T, Griffiths J, Hawke T, Klamt M, Lunney D, Mijangos L, Munks S, Sherwin W, Serena M, Temple-Smith P, Thomas J, Williams G, Whittington C. The platypus: evolutionary history, biology, and an uncertain future. J Mammal 2019; 100:308-327. [PMID: 31043761 PMCID: PMC6479513 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the world's most evolutionarily distinct mammals, one of five extant species of egg-laying mammals, and the only living species within the family Ornithorhynchidae. Modern platypuses are endemic to eastern mainland Australia, Tasmania, and adjacent King Island, with a small introduced population on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, and are widely distributed in permanent river systems from tropical to alpine environments. Accumulating knowledge and technological advancements have provided insights into many aspects of its evolutionary history and biology but have also raised concern about significant knowledge gaps surrounding distribution, population sizes, and trends. The platypus' distribution coincides with many of Australia's major threatening processes, including highly regulated and disrupted rivers, intensive habitat destruction, and fragmentation, and they were extensively hunted for their fur until the early 20th century. Emerging evidence of local population declines and extinctions identifies that ecological thresholds have been crossed in some populations and, if threats are not addressed, the species will continue to decline. In 2016, the IUCN Red Listing for the platypus was elevated to "Near Threatened," but the platypus remains unlisted on threatened species schedules of any Australian state, apart from South Australia, or nationally. In this synthesis, we review the evolutionary history, genetics, biology, and ecology of this extraordinary mammal and highlight prevailing threats. We also outline future research directions and challenges that need to be met to help conserve the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Bino
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard T Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Archer
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joanne H Connolly
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.,Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jenna Day
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kimberly Dias
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Goldney
- Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jaime Gongora
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tom Grant
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Tahneal Hawke
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Melissa Klamt
- Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel Lunney
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Office of Environment and Heritage, Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luis Mijangos
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Munks
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia.,Forest Practices Authority, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - William Sherwin
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Melody Serena
- Australian Platypus Conservancy, Wiseleigh, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Temple-Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Geoff Williams
- Australian Platypus Conservancy, Wiseleigh, Victoria, Australia
| | - Camilla Whittington
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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16
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Moody KN, Wren JLK, Kobayashi DR, Blum MJ, Ptacek MB, Blob RW, Toonen RJ, Schoenfuss HL, Childress MJ. Evidence of local adaptation in a waterfall-climbing Hawaiian goby fish derived from coupled biophysical modeling of larval dispersal and post-settlement selection. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:88. [PMID: 30975077 PMCID: PMC6458715 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1413-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Local adaptation of marine and diadromous species is thought to be a product of larval dispersal, settlement mortality, and differential reproductive success, particularly in heterogeneous post-settlement habitats. We evaluated this premise with an oceanographic passive larval dispersal model coupled with individual-based models of post-settlement selection and reproduction to infer conditions that underlie local adaptation in Sicyopterus stimpsoni, an amphidromous Hawaiian goby known for its ability to climb waterfalls. Results Our model results demonstrated that larval dispersal is spatio-temporally asymmetric, with more larvae dispersed from the southeast (the Big Island) to northwest (Kaua‘i) along the archipelago, reflecting prevailing conditions such as El Niño/La Niña oscillations. Yet connectivity is nonetheless sufficient to result in homogenous populations across the archipelago. We also found, however, that ontogenetic shifts in habitat can give rise to adaptive morphological divergence when the strength of predation-driven post-settlement selection crosses a critical threshold. Notably, our simulations showed that larval dispersal is not the only factor determining the likelihood of morphological divergence. We found adaptive potential and evolutionary trajectories of S. stimpsoni were greater on islands with stronger environmental gradients and greater variance in larval cohort morphology due to fluctuating immigration. Conclusions Contrary to expectation, these findings indicate that immigration can act in concert with selection to favor local adaptation and divergence in species with marine larval dispersal. Further development of model simulations, parameterized to reflect additional empirical estimates of abiotic and biotic factors, will help advance our understanding of the proximate and ultimate mechanisms driving adaptive evolution, population resilience, and speciation in marine-associated species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-019-1413-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine N Moody
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA. .,The ByWater Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA.
| | - Johanna L K Wren
- Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.,Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.,Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA/NMFS, NOAA IRC, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - Donald R Kobayashi
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA/NMFS, NOAA IRC, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - Michael J Blum
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.,The ByWater Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Margaret B Ptacek
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - Richard W Blob
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Heiko L Schoenfuss
- Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, St. Cloud State University, St Cloud, MN, 56301, USA
| | - Michael J Childress
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
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17
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Trujillo-González A, Militz TA. Taxonomically constrained reporting framework limits biodiversity data for aquarium fish imports to Australia. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/wr18135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Biological resource use represents the most common direct threat to biodiversity. Despite this, there is a paucity of comprehensive and overarching data relating to the biological resource use. The global aquarium trade encompasses millions of individual live fishes representing thousands of marine and freshwater species traded on an annual basis. The lack of specific data systems for recording information where fish are exported or imported has resulted in limited accessible trade data. An evaluation of the data-reporting frameworks presently employed by countries engaged in the aquarium trade is warranted to better understand the means by which comprehensive data on the aquarium trade can be made more accessible.
Aims
This study examines the data-reporting framework of The Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) used to collate aquarium fish import data, and its capacity to inform on the aquarium trade biodiversity imported to Australia.
Methods
Aquarium import records from 2010–16 were provided by DAWR and used to determine the quantity of individual fishes and consignments imported to Australia. The potential biodiversity of imports was determined from the Australian Government’s List of Permitted Live Freshwater/Marine Fish Suitable for Import 2018 (Number 69, F2017C00079), the legislative document identifying species permitted import to Australia for the aquarium trade. Species permitted import were cross-referenced with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List to address whether the Australian aquarium trade is importing threatened species.
Key results
A total of 10320 consignments encompassing more than 78.6 million aquarium fishes were imported to Australia between 2010 and 2016. A total of 4628 species of fishes were permitted import to Australia for the aquarium trade with 73 of the marine species (2.0%) and 81 of the freshwater species (7.5%) found to be threatened with some degree of extinction risk. The data-reporting framework for aquarium fish imports offered limited capacity to taxonomically differentiate imports and only 12.5% of all aquarium fishes imported could be identified to species.
Conclusions
The aquarium fish import records provided by DAWR had limited taxonomic resolution and, consequently, limited capacity to contribute to an improved understanding of the biodiversity imported to Australia for the aquarium fish trade. While more detailed information is available than is presently collated by DAWR, the availability of this information is constrained by the laws around protected information and the resources available to DAWR.
Implications
Accessible, detailed information on aquarium fish imports is necessary to support comprehensive research capable of addressing threats to biodiversity loss from the aquarium trade. To this end, the means by which Australian aquarium import data can be reported at greater taxonomic resolution under the existing legislative and resource restraints should be explored further.
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Cross SL, Tomlinson S, Craig MD, Bateman PW. The Time Local Convex Hull method as a tool for assessing responses of fauna to habitat restoration: a case study using the perentie (Varanus giganteus : Reptilia : Varanidae). AUST J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/zo19040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the behavioural responses of animals to habitat change is vital to their conservation in landscapes undergoing restoration. Studies of animal responses to habitat restoration typically assess species presence/absence; however, such studies may be restricted in their ability to show whether restoration is facilitating the return of self-sustaining and functional fauna populations. We present a case study using VHF/GPS tracking of a young adult perentie (Varanus giganteus), to demonstrate the range of applications of the Time Local Convex Hull method of home-range construction in analysing the behavioural responses of fauna to habitat change and restoration. Presence/absence studies provide single point locations of an animal, and the Minimum Convex Polygon method provides an invariant estimate of habitat use across the whole home range. However, the Time Local Convex Hull method provides a useful method for assessing movement and behavioural responses of fauna to habitat change and restoration, and the specific habitat requirements for the long-term support of populations. The breadth and multidimensionality of data generated indicates strongly that understanding the complex interactions between animals and their environment is fundamental to their conservation in the face of ever-increasing rates of human-induced habitat change and degradation.
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19
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Components of landscape pattern and urban biodiversity in an era of climate change: a global survey of expert knowledge. Urban Ecosyst 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-018-0777-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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20
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Abstract
The global loss of biodiversity can be attributed to numerous threats. While pioneer studies have investigated their relative importance, the majority of those studies are restricted to specific geographic regions and/or taxonomic groups and only consider a small subset of threats, generally in isolation despite their frequent interaction. Here, we investigated 11 major threats responsible for species decline on islands worldwide. We applied an innovative method of network analyses to disentangle the associations of multiple threats on vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants in 15 insular regions. Biological invasions, wildlife exploitation, and cultivation, either alone or in association, were found to be the three most important drivers of species extinction and decline on islands. Specifically, wildlife exploitation and cultivation are largely associated with the decline of threatened plants and terrestrial vertebrates, whereas biological invasions mostly threaten invertebrates and freshwater fish. Furthermore, biodiversity in the Indian Ocean and near the Asian coasts is mostly affected by wildlife exploitation and cultivation compared to biological invasions in the Pacific and Atlantic insular regions. We highlighted specific associations of threats at different scales, showing that the analysis of each threat in isolation might be inadequate for developing effective conservation policies and managements.
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21
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Comte A, Pendleton LH. Management strategies for coral reefs and people under global environmental change: 25 years of scientific research. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 209:462-474. [PMID: 29309969 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems and the people who depend on them are increasingly exposed to the adverse effects of global environmental change (GEC), including increases in sea-surface temperature and ocean acidification. Managers and decision-makers need a better understanding of the options available for action in the face of these changes. We refine a typology of actions developed by Gattuso et al. (2015) that could serve in prioritizing strategies to deal with the impacts of GEC on reefs and people. Using the typology we refined, we investigate the scientific effort devoted to four types of management strategies: mitigate, protect, repair, adapt that we tie to the components of the chain of impact they affect: ecological vulnerability or social vulnerability. A systematic literature review is used to investigate quantitatively how scientific effort over the past 25 years is responding to the challenge posed by GEC on coral reefs and to identify gaps in research. A growing literature has focused on these impacts and on management strategies to sustain coral reef social-ecological systems. We identify 767 peer reviewed articles published between 1990 and 2016 that address coral reef management in the context of GEC. The rate of publication of such studies has increased over the years, following the general trend in climate research. The literature focuses on protect strategies the most, followed by mitigate and adapt strategies, and finally repair strategies. Developed countries, particularly Australia and the United States, are over-represented as authors and locations of case studies across all types of management strategies. Authors affiliated in developed countries play a major role in investigating case studies across the globe. The majority of articles focus on only one of the four categories of actions. A gap analysis reveals three directions for future research: (1) more research is needed in South-East Asia and other developing countries where the impacts of GEC on coral reefs will be the greatest, (2) more scholarly effort should be devoted to understanding how adapt and repair strategies can deal with the impacts of GEC, and (3) the simultaneous assessment of multiple strategies is needed to understand trade-offs and synergies between actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Comte
- Université de Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, UMR6308 AMURE, IUEM, Plouzané, France.
| | - Linwood H Pendleton
- Université de Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, UMR6308 AMURE, IUEM, Plouzané, France; Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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22
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Weeks R, Adams VM. Research priorities for conservation and natural resource management in Oceania's small-island developing states. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:72-83. [PMID: 28585338 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
For conservation science to effectively inform management, research must focus on creating the scientific knowledge required to solve conservation problems. We identified research questions that, if answered, would increase the effectiveness of conservation and natural resource management practice and policy in Oceania's small-island developing states. We asked conservation professionals from academia, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations across the region to propose such questions and then identify which were of high priority in an online survey. We compared the high-priority questions with research questions identified globally and for other regions. Of 270 questions proposed by respondents, 38 were considered high priority, including: What are the highest priority areas for conservation in the face of increasing resource demand and climate change? How should marine protected areas be networked to account for connectivity and climate change? What are the most effective fisheries management policies that contribute to sustainable coral reef fisheries? High-priority questions related to the particular challenges of undertaking conservation on small-island developing states and the need for a research agenda that is responsive to the sociocultural context of Oceania. Research priorities for Oceania relative to elsewhere were broadly similar but differed in specific issues relevant to particular conservation contexts. These differences emphasize the importance of involving local practitioners in the identification of research priorities. Priorities were reasonably well aligned among sectoral groups. Only a few questions were widely considered answered, which may indicate a smaller-than-expected knowledge-action gap. We believe these questions can be used to strengthen research collaborations between scientists and practitioners working to further conservation and natural resource management in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Weeks
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - V M Adams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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23
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Burgess TI, White D, McDougall KM, Garnas J, Dunstan WA, Català S, Carnegie AJ, Worboys S, Cahill D, Vettraino AM, Stukely MJC, Liew ECY, Paap T, Bose T, Migliorini D, Williams B, Brigg F, Crane C, Rudman T, Hardy GESJ. Distribution and diversity of Phytophthora across Australia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/pc16032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The introduction and subsequent impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi within native vegetation is one of the major conservation issues for biodiversity in Australia. Recently, many new Phytophthora species have been described from Australia’s native ecosystems; however, their distribution, origin, and potential impact remain unknown. Historical bias in Phytophthora detection has been towards sites showing symptoms of disease, and traditional isolation methods show variable effectiveness of detecting different Phytophthora species. However, we now have at our disposal new techniques based on the sampling of environmental DNA and metabarcoding through the use of high-throughput sequencing. Here, we report on the diversity and distribution of Phytophthora in Australia using metabarcoding of 640 soil samples and we compare the diversity detected using this technique with that available in curated databases. Phytophthora was detected in 65% of sites, and phylogenetic analysis revealed 68 distinct Phytophthora phylotypes. Of these, 21 were identified as potentially unique taxa and 25 were new detections in natural areas and/or new introductions to Australia. There are 66 Phytophthora taxa listed in Australian databases, 43 of which were also detected in this metabarcoding study. This study revealed high Phytophthora richness within native vegetation and the additional records provide a valuable baseline resource for future studies. Many of the Phytophthora species now uncovered in Australia’s native ecosystems are newly described and until more is known we need to be cautious with regard to the spread and conservation management of these new species in Australia’s unique ecosystems.
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24
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Jupiter S. Culture, kastom and conservation in Melanesia: what happens when worldviews collide? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/pc16031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Melanesia is one of the most biologically and culturally diverse regions on earth, yet its species and ecosystems are fundamentally threatened by rapidly growing and modernising populations that drive increased demands for natural resource extraction. Despite good intentions, many conservation projects in Melanesia have not succeeded, largely due to a failure on the part of researchers and practitioners to understand underlying differences between western and indigenous worldviews and issues surrounding land and marine tenure arrangements. Learning from these failures is critical in order to improve odds for future project effectiveness and sustainability. Here I present lessons from attempts across Melanesia at establishing protected areas, conservation agreements, ecotourism initiatives and research-action arenas. These showcase challenges and conflicts when worldviews collide and opportunities that arise when mutual expectations are clarified early on during planning processes. Factors that contribute to more successful outcomes include: respecting international protocols for free, prior and informed consent; co-creating research and management agendas with local communities; clearly articulating realistic expected benefits; and establishing locally perceived equitable and transparent benefits sharing mechanisms.
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25
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Reside AE, Beher J, Cosgrove AJ, Evans MC, Seabrook L, Silcock JL, Wenger AS, Maron M. Ecological consequences of land clearing and policy reform in Queensland. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/pc17001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Land clearing threatens biodiversity, impairs the functioning of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, and is a key contributor to human-induced climate change. The rates of land clearing in the State of Queensland, Australia, are at globally significant levels, and have been the subject of intense and polarised political debate. In 2016, a legislative bill that aimed to restore stronger controls over land clearing failed to pass in the Queensland Parliament, despite the clear scientific basis for policy reform. Here, we provide a short history of the recent policy debate over land clearing in Queensland, in the context of its global and national ecological significance. Land clearing affects regional climates, leading to hotter, drier climates that will impact on the Queensland economy and local communities. Loss of habitat from land clearing is a key threatening process for many endangered animals and plants. Runoff from land clearing results in sediment and nutrient enrichment, which threatens the health of the Great Barrier Reef. Australia has made national and international commitments to conserve biodiversity and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but current land clearing policies are not consistent with these commitments. Stronger regulation is needed to reduce vegetation loss, such as target-based regulation, which sets a cap on land clearing and could effectively halt vegetation loss over the long term. Lasting policy reform is required, and we recommend an effective policy mix that restricts clearing, provides economic opportunities for vegetation retention, and informs the Australian community about the value of native vegetation.
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26
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Lecocq T, Gérard M, Michez D, Dellicour S. Conservation genetics of European bees: new insights from the continental scale. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0917-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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27
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Wood KR, Appelhans MS, Wagner WL. Melicope oppenheimeri, section Pelea (Rutaceae), a new species from West Maui, Hawaiian Islands: with notes on its ecology, conservation, and phylogenetic placement. PHYTOKEYS 2016; 69:51-64. [PMID: 27698584 PMCID: PMC5029140 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.69.8844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Melicope oppenheimeri K.R. Wood, Appelhans & W.L. Wagner (section Pelea (A. Gray) Hook. f., Rutaceae), a rare endemic tree from West Maui, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated with notes on its ecology, conservation, and phylogenetic placement. The new species differs from Hawaiian congeners by its carpels basally connate 1/5, narrowed into a strongly reflexed beak 10-15 mm long. It also differs in a combination of leaves with 7-10 pair of secondary veins; cymes to 3 cm long; peduncles 5-6.5 mm long; flowers perfect; capsules 4-9 × 40-52 mm; and a densely appressed short-sericeous ovary. Melicope oppenheimeri is known only from an isolated cliff-base plateau in upper Waihe'e Valley, West Maui. Its discovery brings the number of recognized Melicope J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. species in the Hawaiian Islands to 49. A table is included indicating the conservation status of Hawaiian Melicope and Platydesma H. Mann., which is nested within Melicope sect. Pelea. Melicope oppenheimeri falls into the IUCN Critically Endangered (CR) Red List category.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennetah R Wood
- National Tropical Botanical Garden, 3530 Papalina Road, Kalaheo, HI 96741, USA
| | - Marc S Appelhans
- Department of Systematic Botany, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
| | - Warren L Wagner
- Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
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Chambers LE, Barnard P, Poloczanska ES, Hobday AJ, Keatley MR, Allsopp N, Underhill LG. Southern Hemisphere biodiversity and global change: Data gaps and strategies. AUSTRAL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Phoebe Barnard
- Climate Change Bioadaptation and Biodiversity Futures Programs; South African National Biodiversity Institute; Cape Town South Africa
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology; University of Cape Town; Cape Town South Africa
| | - Elvira S. Poloczanska
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Global Change Institute; University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | | | - Marie R. Keatley
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences; The University of Melbourne; Creswick Victoria Australia
| | - Nicky Allsopp
- South African Environmental Observation Network; SAEON Fynbos Node; Cape Town South Africa
| | - Les G. Underhill
- Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences; University of Cape Town; Cape Town South Africa
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Using genetic monitoring to inform best practice in a captive breeding programme: inbreeding and potential genetic rescue in the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0864-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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30
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Fleming PA, Bateman PW. The good, the bad, and the ugly: which Australian terrestrial mammal species attract most research? Mamm Rev 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A. Fleming
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences; Murdoch University; Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Australia
| | - Philip W. Bateman
- Department of Environment and Agriculture; Curtin University; Bentley Western Australia 6845 Australia
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Population genetics of a widely distributed small freshwater fish with varying conservation concerns: the southern purple-spotted gudgeon, Mogurnda adspersa. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0829-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Abstract
Australia’s terrestrial environment has been dramatically modified since European colonisation. Deforestation – the clearing and modification of native forest for agricultural, urban and industrial development – remains a significant threat to Australia’s biodiversity. Substantial policy reform over the last 40 years has delivered a range of policy instruments aimed to control deforestation across all Australian States and Territories. Despite these policy efforts – as well as strong governance and high institutional capacity – deforestation rates in Australia were nonetheless globally significant at the turn of this century. Legislation introduced in Queensland and New South Wales during the mid-2000s was at the time seen to have effectively ended broad-scale clearing; however, recent policy changes have raised concerns that Australia may again become a global hotspot for deforestation. Here, I describe the deforestation trends, drivers and policy responses in Australia over the last four decades. Using satellite imagery of forest cover and deforestation events across Australia between 1972 and 2014, I present a comprehensive analysis of deforestation rates at a fine resolution. I discuss trends in deforestation with reference to the institutional, macroeconomic and environmental conditions that are associated with human-induced forest loss in Australia. I provide a detailed history and critique of the native vegetation policies introduced across Australia over the last 40 years, including recent legislative amendments and reviews. Finally, I comment on future prospects for curbing deforestation in Australia, including the role of incentive-based policies such as carbon farming, private land conservation and biodiversity offsets. Despite being a highly active policy space, very little is known of the effectiveness of policy responses to deforestation in Australia, and whether the recent shift away from ‘command and control’ policies will necessarily lead to better outcomes. My analysis demonstrates the need for an effective policy mix to curb deforestation in Australia, including a greater focus on monitoring, evaluation and policy learning.
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Bino G, Kingsford RT, Brandis K. Australia's wetlands – learning from the past to manage for the future. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/pc15047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Australia has diverse wetlands with multiple threats. We reviewed knowledge about the extent of wetlands, representativeness, impacts and threats to integrity and options for effective conservation. Natural Australian wetlands cover an estimated 33 266 245 ha (4.4%), with 55% palustrine (floodplains and swamps), followed by 31% lakes, 10% estuarine systems, and 5% rivers and creeks. The Lake Eyre (1.1%), Murray–Darling (0.73%), Tanami–Timor Sea Coast (0.71%) and the Carpentaria Coast (0.55%) drainage divisions have more wetlands, also reflected in the distributions among states and territories. Ramsar sites and wetlands in protected areas were generally biased towards the southern continent. Overall representation of mapped wetlands was good for lacustrine (40.6%) and estuarine (34.4%), fair for riverine (16.8%), but inadequate for palustrine (10.8%) wetlands. Within drainage divisions, representation varied considerably, with shortfalls from the Aichi target of 17%. Agriculture, urbanisation, pollution and invasive species have degraded or destroyed wetlands, particularly in the developed south-east, south-west and north-east of the continent. Water resource developments, primarily the building of dams, diversion of water and development of floodplains, seriously threaten Australian wetlands, with all threats exacerbated by climate change impacts of rising sea levels and high temperatures. Management and policy for wetlands is dependent on data on distribution, type and extent of wetlands, a key national constraint. Some States are well advanced (e.g. Queensland) and others lack any comprehensive data on the distribution of wetlands. Mitigation of increasing development (e.g. northern Australia) will be critical for conservation, along with increased representativeness in protected areas and restoration, particularly with environmental flows.
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Tulloch AIT, Barnes MD, Ringma J, Fuller RA, Watson JEM. Understanding the importance of small patches of habitat for conservation. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha I. T. Tulloch
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Canberra ACT 2602 Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
| | - Megan D. Barnes
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Jeremy Ringma
- Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Richard A. Fuller
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - James E. M. Watson
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management; University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4102 Australia
- Global Conservation Program; Wildlife Conservation Society; Bronx NY 10460 USA
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Norfolk Island Robins are a distinct endangered species: ancient DNA unlocks surprising relationships and phenotypic discordance within the Australo-Pacific Robins. CONSERV GENET 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0783-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Stirnemann RL, Potter MA, Butler D, Minot EO. Compounding effects of habitat fragmentation and predation on bird nests. AUSTRAL ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Stirnemann
- Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment; Massey University; Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | - Murray A. Potter
- Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment; Massey University; Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | | | - Edward O. Minot
- Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment; Massey University; Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
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Adams VM, Setterfield SA. Optimal dynamic control of invasions: applying a systematic conservation approach. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:1131-1141. [PMID: 26465047 DOI: 10.1890/14-1062.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The social, economic, and environmental impacts of invasive plants are well recognized. However, these variable impacts are rarely accounted for in the spatial prioritization of funding for weed management. We examine how current spatially explicit prioritization methods can be extended to identify optimal budget allocations to both eradication and control measures of invasive species to minimize the costs and likelihood of invasion. Our framework extends recent approaches to systematic prioritization of weed management to account for multiple values that are threatened by weed invasions with a multi-year dynamic prioritization approach. We apply our method to the northern portion of the Daly catchment in the Northern Territory, which has significant conservation values that are threatened by gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus), a highly invasive species recognized by the Australian government as a Weed of National Significance (WONS). We interface Marxan, a widely applied conservation planning tool, with a dynamic biophysical model of gamba grass to optimally allocate funds to eradication and control programs under two budget scenarios comparing maximizing gain (MaxGain) and minimizing loss (MinLoss) optimization approaches. The prioritizations support previous findings that a MinLoss approach is a better strategy when threats are more spatially variable than conservation values. Over a 10-year simulation period, we find that a MinLoss approach reduces future infestations by ~8% compared to MaxGain in the constrained budget scenarios and ~12% in the unlimited budget scenarios. We find that due to the extensive current invasion and rapid rate of spread, allocating the annual budget to control efforts is more efficient than funding eradication efforts when there is a constrained budget. Under a constrained budget, applying the most efficient optimization scenario (control, minloss) reduces spread by ~27% compared to no control. Conversely, if the budget is unlimited it is more efficient to fund eradication efforts and reduces spread by ~65% compared to no control.
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Roux DJ, Kingsford RT, McCool SF, McGeoch MA, Foxcroft LC. The role and value of conservation agency research. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 55:1232-1245. [PMID: 25840698 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0473-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Governments charge their conservation agencies to safeguard biodiversity through protected areas and threat mitigation. Increasingly, conservation management and policy need to be supported by rigorous evidence provided by science. As such, institutional arrangements should consider and enable effective scientific research and information dissemination. What role can in-house agency research play in responding to this challenge? We examined the research capabilities of three conservation agencies from Australia, South Africa, and United States. Seven indicators were used to characterize the reliability and relevance of agency research. We found similarities among agencies in their patterns of peer-reviewed publication, cultures of research collaboration, and tendencies to align research with organizational objectives. Among the many and diverse activities that constitute the role of a contemporary agency researcher, we emphasize two key research dimensions: reliability, achieved through peer-reviewed research output, and relevance, achieved through active stakeholder engagement. Amid increasingly challenging realities for conservation of ecosystems, agency science functions are vital to providing the evidence base required for effective management and policy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk J Roux
- Scientific Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X6531, George, 6530, South Africa,
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Star M, Rolfe J, Long P, Whish G, Donaghy P. Improved grazing management practices in the catchments of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: does climate variability influence their adoption by landholders? RANGELAND JOURNAL 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/rj15012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The declining health of the Great Barrier Reef from diffuse source pollutants has resulted in substantial policy attention on increasing the adoption of improved management practices by agricultural producers. Although economic modelling indicates that many improved management practices are financially rewarding, landholders with dated management practices remain hesitant to change. This research involved bio-economic modelling to understand the variance in private returns for grazing enterprises across a climate cycle. Results show that financial returns to landholders can vary substantially across different 20-year periods of a climate cycle, demonstrating that the variability in expected returns may be an important reason why landholders are cautious about changing their management practices. Although previous research has separately identified financial returns and attitudes to risk and uncertainty of landholders as key influences on decisions concerning adoption of improved management practices, this research demonstrates that it is the interaction between these factors that is important to understand when designing policy settings.
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Sonsthagen SA, Tibbitts TL, Gill RE, Williams I, Talbot SL. Spatial genetic structure of bristle-thighed curlews (Numenius tahitiensis): breeding area differentiation not reflected on the non-breeding grounds. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0654-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Driscoll DA, Banks SC, Barton PS, Ikin K, Lentini P, Lindenmayer DB, Smith AL, Berry LE, Burns EL, Edworthy A, Evans MJ, Gibson R, Heinsohn R, Howland B, Kay G, Munro N, Scheele BC, Stirnemann I, Stojanovic D, Sweaney N, Villaseñor NR, Westgate MJ. The trajectory of dispersal research in conservation biology. Systematic review. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95053. [PMID: 24743447 PMCID: PMC3990620 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal knowledge is essential for conservation management, and demand is growing. But are we accumulating dispersal knowledge at a pace that can meet the demand? To answer this question we tested for changes in dispersal data collection and use over time. Our systematic review of 655 conservation-related publications compared five topics: climate change, habitat restoration, population viability analysis, land planning (systematic conservation planning) and invasive species. We analysed temporal changes in the: (i) questions asked by dispersal-related research; (ii) methods used to study dispersal; (iii) the quality of dispersal data; (iv) extent that dispersal knowledge is lacking, and; (v) likely consequences of limited dispersal knowledge. Research questions have changed little over time; the same problems examined in the 1990s are still being addressed. The most common methods used to study dispersal were occupancy data, expert opinion and modelling, which often provided indirect, low quality information about dispersal. Although use of genetics for estimating dispersal has increased, new ecological and genetic methods for measuring dispersal are not yet widely adopted. Almost half of the papers identified knowledge gaps related to dispersal. Limited dispersal knowledge often made it impossible to discover ecological processes or compromised conservation outcomes. The quality of dispersal data used in climate change research has increased since the 1990s. In comparison, restoration ecology inadequately addresses large-scale process, whilst the gap between knowledge accumulation and growth in applications may be increasing in land planning. To overcome apparent stagnation in collection and use of dispersal knowledge, researchers need to: (i) improve the quality of available data using new approaches; (ii) understand the complementarities of different methods and; (iii) define the value of different kinds of dispersal information for supporting management decisions. Ambitious, multi-disciplinary research programs studying many species are critical for advancing dispersal research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don A. Driscoll
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Sam C. Banks
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Philip S. Barton
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Karen Ikin
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Pia Lentini
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David B. Lindenmayer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Annabel L. Smith
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Laurence E. Berry
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Emma L. Burns
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Amanda Edworthy
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Maldwyn J. Evans
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Rebecca Gibson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rob Heinsohn
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Brett Howland
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Geoff Kay
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Nicola Munro
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ben C. Scheele
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ingrid Stirnemann
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Dejan Stojanovic
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Nici Sweaney
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Nélida R. Villaseñor
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Martin J. Westgate
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the NERP Environmental Decisions Hub, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Lada H, Thomson JR, Cunningham SC, Mac Nally R. Relating demographic characteristics of a small mammal to remotely sensed forest-stand condition. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91731. [PMID: 24621967 PMCID: PMC3951454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many ecological systems around the world are changing rapidly in response to direct (land-use change) and indirect (climate change) human actions. We need tools to assess dynamically, and over appropriate management scales, condition of ecosystems and their responses to potential mitigation of pressures. Using a validated model, we determined whether stand condition of floodplain forests is related to densities of a small mammal (a carnivorous marsupial, Antechinus flavipes) in 60 000 ha of extant river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests in south-eastern Australia in 2004, 2005 and 2011. Stand condition was assessed remotely using models built from ground assessments of stand condition and satellite-derived reflectance. Other covariates, such as volumes of fallen timber, distances to floods, rainfall and life stages were included in the model. Trapping of animals was conducted at 272 plots (0.25 ha) across the region. Densities of second-year females (i.e. females that had survived to a second breeding year) and of second-year females with suckled teats (i.e. inferred to have been successful mothers) were higher in stands with the highest condition. There was no evidence of a relationship with stand condition for males or all females. These outcomes show that remotely-sensed estimates of stand condition (here floodplain forests) are relatable to some demographic characteristics of a small mammal species, and may provide useful information about the capacity of ecosystems to support animal populations. Over-regulation of large, lowland rivers has led to declines in many facets of floodplain function. If management of water resources continues as it has in recent decades, then our results suggest that there will be further deterioration in stand condition and a decreased capacity for female yellow-footed antechinuses to breed multiple times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hania Lada
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - James R. Thomson
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shaun C. Cunningham
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ralph Mac Nally
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Siler CD, Oaks JR, Cobb K, Ota H, Brown RM. Critically endangered island endemic or peripheral population of a widespread species? Conservation genetics of Kikuchi's gecko and the global challenge of protecting peripheral oceanic island endemic vertebrates. DIVERS DISTRIB 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cameron D. Siler
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History & Department of Biology; University of Oklahoma; Norman OK 73072-7029 USA
- Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Kansas; Lawrence KS 66045 USA
| | - Jamie R. Oaks
- Department of Biology; University of Washington; Seattle WA 98195 USA
| | - Kerry Cobb
- Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Kansas; Lawrence KS 66045 USA
| | - Hidetoshi Ota
- Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences, and Museum of Nature and Human Activities; University of Hyogo; Yayoigaoka 6 Sanda Hyogo 669-1546 Japan
| | - Rafe M. Brown
- Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Kansas; Lawrence KS 66045 USA
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Rumeu B, Afonso V, Fernández-Palacios JM, Nogales M. Diversity, distribution and conservation status of island conifers: a global review. DIVERS DISTRIB 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Rumeu
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC); C/Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | - Virginia Afonso
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC); C/Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | - José María Fernández-Palacios
- Island Ecology and Biogeography Research Group; Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias; Universidad de La Laguna; La Laguna 38206 Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
| | - Manuel Nogales
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC); C/Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna Tenerife Canary Islands Spain
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Winnard AL, Di Stefano J, Coulson G. Habitat use of a critically-endangered species in a predator-free but degraded reserve in Australia. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.2981/12-116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Barbosa FG, Schneck F, Melo AS. Use of ecological niche models to predict the distribution of invasive species: a scientometric analysis. BRAZ J BIOL 2013; 72:821-9. [PMID: 23295510 DOI: 10.1590/s1519-69842012000500007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2011] [Accepted: 01/25/2012] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a scientometric analysis to determine the main trends and gaps of studies on the use of ecological niche models (ENMs) to predict the distribution of invasive species. We used the database of the Thomson Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). We found 190 papers published between 1991 and 2010 in 82 journals. The number of papers was low in the 1990s, but began to increase after 2003. One-third of the papers were published by researchers from the United States of America, and consequently, the USA was also the most studied region. The majority of studies were carried out in terrestrial environments, while only a few investigated aquatic systems, probably because important aquatic predictor variables are scarce or unavailable for most regions in the world. Species-occurrence records were mainly composed of presence-only records, and almost 70% of the studies were carried out with plants and insects. Twenty-three different distribution modelling methods were used. The Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Production (GARP) was used most often. Our scientometric analysis showed a growing interest in the use of ENMs to predict the distribution of invasive species, especially in the last decade, which is probably related to the increase in species introductions worldwide. Among some important gaps that need to be filled, the relatively small number of studies conducted in developing countries and in aquatic environments deserves careful attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- F G Barbosa
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, CP 15007, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Matson KD, Mauck RA, Lynn SE, Irene Tieleman B. Island life shapes the physiology and life history of eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 87:172-82. [PMID: 24457931 DOI: 10.1086/670811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Island organisms face a range of extrinsic threats to their characteristically small populations. Certain biological differences between island and continental organisms have the potential to exacerbate these threats. Understanding how island birds differ from their continental relatives may provide insight into population viability and serve as a predictive tool for conservation efforts. We compared an eastern bluebird population in Ohio with a threatened population in Bermuda in terms of the birds' development, morphology, immunology, and reproduction. These comparisons revealed that island nestlings had shorter wings and island adults had longer wings than their continental analogs. Island nestlings also had shorter tarsi than continental nestlings at day 8 posthatch, but this difference was absent at day 15 and in adults. Adults weighed less in Bermuda than in Ohio, and both nestlings and adults in Bermuda exhibited higher levels of two immunological indexes (concentrations of an acute-phase protein and titers of nonspecific antibodies). Clutch sizes and hatch rates did not differ between the island and continental populations; however, as the breeding season progressed, brood sizes declined in Bermuda, whereas no such decline occurred in Ohio. Despite these differences and differences in nestling development, island and continental parents fed their nestlings at equal rates. Overall, our results suggest that the Bermuda phenotype may be adjusted to certain aspects of the island environment but not to others. Efforts to conserve the bluebirds of Bermuda may be improved by focusing on the intraseasonal patterns in nestling mortality and, more generally, the survival probabilities of different age classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Matson
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands; 2Department of Biology, Higley Hall, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022; 3Department of Biology, College of Wooster, 931 College Mall, Wooster, Ohio 44691
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Mok HF, Majumder R, Laidlaw WS, Gregory D, Baker AJM, Arndt SK. Native Australian species are effective in extracting multiple heavy metals from biosolids. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2013; 15:615-632. [PMID: 23819263 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2012.723063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Selecting native plant species with characteristics suitable for extraction of heavy metals may have multiple advantages over non-native plants. Six Australian perennial woody plant species and one willow were grown in a pot trial in heavy metal-contaminated biosolids and a potting mix. The plants were harvested after fourteen months and above-ground parts were analysed for heavy metal concentrations and total metal contents. All native species were capable of growing in biosolids and extracted heavy metals to varying degrees. No single species was able to accumulate heavy metals at particularly high levels and metal extraction depended upon the bioavailability of the metal in the substrate. Metal extraction efficiency was driven by biomass accumulation, with the species extracting the most metals also having the greatest biomass yield. The study demonstrated that Grevillea robusta, Acacia mearnsii, Eucalyptus polybractea, and E. cladocalyx have the greatest potential as phytoextractor species in the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated biosolids. Species survival and growth were the main determinants of metal extraction efficiency and these traits will be important for future screening of native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoi-Fei Mok
- Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
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Trends and biases in the listing and recovery planning for threatened species: an Australian case study. ORYX 2012. [DOI: 10.1017/s003060531100161x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMany countries rely on formal legislation to protect and plan for the recovery of threatened species. Even though the listing procedures in threatened species legislation are designed to be consistent for all species there is usually a bias in implementing the laws towards charismatic fauna and flora, which leads to uneven allocation of conservation efforts. However, the extent of bias in national threatened species lists is often unknown. Australia is a good example: the list of threatened species under the Environmental Protection and Biological Conservation Act has not been reviewed since 2000, when it was first introduced. We assessed how well this Act represents threatened species across taxonomic groups and threat status, and whether biases exist in the types of species with recovery plans. We found that birds, amphibians and mammals have high levels of threatened species (12–24%) but < 6% of all reptiles and plants and < 0.01% of invertebrates and fish are considered threatened. Similar taxonomic biases are present in the types of species with recovery plans. Although there have been recent improvements in the representation of threatened species with recovery plans across taxonomic groups, there are still major gaps between the predicted and listed numbers of threatened species. Because of biases in the listing and recovery planning processes many threatened species may receive little attention regardless of their potential for recovery: a lost opportunity to achieve the greatest conservation impact possible. The Environmental Protection and Biological Conservation Act in Australia needs reform to rectify these biases.
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Keppel G, Morrison C, Watling D, Tuiwawa MV, Rounds IA. Conservation in tropical Pacific Island countries: why most current approaches are failing. Conserv Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2012.00243.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
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