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Mull N, Schexnayder A, Stolt A, Sironen T, Forbes KM. Effects of habitat management on rodent diversity, abundance, and virus infection dynamics. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10039. [PMID: 37113517 PMCID: PMC10126759 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As anthropogenic factors continue to degrade natural areas, habitat management is needed to restore and maintain biodiversity. However, the impacts of different habitat management regimes on ecosystems have largely focused on vegetation analyses, with limited evaluation of downstream effects on wildlife. We compared the effects of grassland management regimes (prescribed burning, cutting/haying, or no active management) on rodent communities and the viruses they hosted. Rodents were trapped in 13 existing grassland sites in Northwest Arkansas, USA during 2020 and 2021. Rodent blood samples were screened for antibodies against three common rodent-borne virus groups: orthohantaviruses, arenaviruses, and orthopoxviruses. We captured 616 rodents across 5953 trap nights. Burned and unmanaged sites had similarly high abundance and diversity, but burned sites had a higher proportion of grassland species than unmanaged sites; cut sites had the highest proportion of grassland species but the lowest rodent abundance and diversity. A total of 38 rodents were seropositive for one of the three virus groups (34 orthohantavirus, three arenavirus, and one orthopoxvirus). Thirty-six seropositive individuals were found in burned sites, and two orthohantavirus-seropositive individuals were found in cut sites. Cotton rats and prairie voles, two grassland species, accounted for 97% of the rodents seropositive for orthohantavirus. Our study indicates that prescribed burns lead to a diverse and abundant community of grassland rodent species compared with other management regimes; as keystone taxa, these results also have important implications for many other species in food webs. Higher prevalence of antibodies against rodent-borne viruses in burned prairies shows an unexpected consequence likely resulting from robust host population densities supported by the increased habitat quality of these sites. Ultimately, these results provide empirical evidence that can inform grassland restoration and ongoing management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Mull
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
| | - Amy Schexnayder
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
| | - Abigail Stolt
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of VirologyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Department of Veterinary BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Kristian M. Forbes
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
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Osland MJ, Chivoiu B, Enwright NM, Thorne KM, Guntenspergen GR, Grace JB, Dale LL, Brooks W, Herold N, Day JW, Sklar FH, Swarzenzki CM. Migration and transformation of coastal wetlands in response to rising seas. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo5174. [PMID: 35767619 PMCID: PMC9242587 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Coastal wetlands are not only among the world's most valued ecosystems but also among the most threatened by high greenhouse gas emissions that lead to accelerated sea level rise. There is intense debate regarding the extent to which landward migration of wetlands might compensate for seaward wetland losses. By integrating data from 166 estuaries across the conterminous United States, we show that landward migration of coastal wetlands will transform coastlines but not counter seaward losses. Two-thirds of potential migration is expected to occur at the expense of coastal freshwater wetlands, while the remaining one-third is expected to occur at the expense of valuable uplands, including croplands, forests, pastures, and grasslands. Our analyses underscore the need to better prepare for coastal transformations and net wetland loss due to rising seas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Osland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Bogdan Chivoiu
- Cherokee Nation System Solutions, contracted to the U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | | | - Karen M. Thorne
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - James B. Grace
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - Leah L. Dale
- Cherokee Nation System Solutions, contracted to the U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - William Brooks
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office for Coastal Management, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Nate Herold
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office for Coastal Management, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - John W. Day
- Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Fred H. Sklar
- South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL, USA
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Holl KD, Luong JC, Brancalion PHS. Overcoming biotic homogenization in ecological restoration. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:777-788. [PMID: 35660115 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.05.002] [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] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Extensive evidence shows that regional (gamma) diversity is often lower across restored landscapes than in reference landscapes, in part due to common restoration practices that favor widespread species through selection of easily-grown species with high survival and propagation practices that reduce genetic diversity. We discuss approaches to counteract biotic homogenization, such as reintroducing species that are adapted to localized habitat conditions and are unlikely to colonize naturally; periodically reintroducing propagules from remnant populations to increase genetic diversity; and reintroducing higher trophic level fauna to restore interaction networks and processes that promote habitat heterogeneity. Several policy changes would also increase regional diversity; these include regional coordination amongst restoration groups, financial incentives to organizations producing conservation-valued species, and experimental designations for rare species introductions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen D Holl
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA.
| | - Justin C Luong
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Pedro H S Brancalion
- Department of Forest Sciences, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil
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