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Soto I, Balzani P, Carneiro L, Cuthbert RN, Macêdo R, Serhan Tarkan A, Ahmed DA, Bang A, Bacela-Spychalska K, Bailey SA, Baudry T, Ballesteros-Mejia L, Bortolus A, Briski E, Britton JR, Buřič M, Camacho-Cervantes M, Cano-Barbacil C, Copilaș-Ciocianu D, Coughlan NE, Courtois P, Csabai Z, Dalu T, De Santis V, Dickey JWE, Dimarco RD, Falk-Andersson J, Fernandez RD, Florencio M, Franco ACS, García-Berthou E, Giannetto D, Glavendekic MM, Grabowski M, Heringer G, Herrera I, Huang W, Kamelamela KL, Kirichenko NI, Kouba A, Kourantidou M, Kurtul I, Laufer G, Lipták B, Liu C, López-López E, Lozano V, Mammola S, Marchini A, Meshkova V, Milardi M, Musolin DL, Nuñez MA, Oficialdegui FJ, Patoka J, Pattison Z, Pincheira-Donoso D, Piria M, Probert AF, Rasmussen JJ, Renault D, Ribeiro F, Rilov G, Robinson TB, Sanchez AE, Schwindt E, South J, Stoett P, Verreycken H, Vilizzi L, Wang YJ, Watari Y, Wehi PM, Weiperth A, Wiberg-Larsen P, Yapıcı S, Yoğurtçuoğlu B, Zenni RD, Galil BS, Dick JTA, Russell JC, Ricciardi A, Simberloff D, Bradshaw CJA, Haubrock PJ. Taming the terminological tempest in invasion science. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1357-1390. [PMID: 38500298 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Standardised terminology in science is important for clarity of interpretation and communication. In invasion science - a dynamic and rapidly evolving discipline - the proliferation of technical terminology has lacked a standardised framework for its development. The result is a convoluted and inconsistent usage of terminology, with various discrepancies in descriptions of damage and interventions. A standardised framework is therefore needed for a clear, universally applicable, and consistent terminology to promote more effective communication across researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers. Inconsistencies in terminology stem from the exponential increase in scientific publications on the patterns and processes of biological invasions authored by experts from various disciplines and countries since the 1990s, as well as publications by legislators and policymakers focusing on practical applications, regulations, and management of resources. Aligning and standardising terminology across stakeholders remains a challenge in invasion science. Here, we review and evaluate the multiple terms used in invasion science (e.g. 'non-native', 'alien', 'invasive' or 'invader', 'exotic', 'non-indigenous', 'naturalised', 'pest') to propose a more simplified and standardised terminology. The streamlined framework we propose and translate into 28 other languages is based on the terms (i) 'non-native', denoting species transported beyond their natural biogeographic range, (ii) 'established non-native', i.e. those non-native species that have established self-sustaining populations in their new location(s) in the wild, and (iii) 'invasive non-native' - populations of established non-native species that have recently spread or are spreading rapidly in their invaded range actively or passively with or without human mediation. We also highlight the importance of conceptualising 'spread' for classifying invasiveness and 'impact' for management. Finally, we propose a protocol for classifying populations based on (i) dispersal mechanism, (ii) species origin, (iii) population status, and (iv) impact. Collectively and without introducing new terminology, the framework that we present aims to facilitate effective communication and collaboration in invasion science and management of non-native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Soto
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Paride Balzani
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Laís Carneiro
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Cel. Francisco H. dos Santos, 100, Curitiba, 81530-000, Brazil
| | - Ross N Cuthbert
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Rafael Macêdo
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Str. 1-3, Berlin, 14195, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany
| | - Ali Serhan Tarkan
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Kötekli, Menteşe, Muğla, 48000, Turkey
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, Lodz, 90-237, Poland
| | - Danish A Ahmed
- Center for Applied Mathematics and Bioinformatics, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Gulf University for Science and Technology, Mubarak Al-Abdullaj Area, Hawally, 32093, Kuwait
| | - Alok Bang
- Biology Group, School of Arts and Sciences, Azim Premji University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, 462010, India
| | - Karolina Bacela-Spychalska
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, Łódź, 90-237, Poland
| | - Sarah A Bailey
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, Ontario, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Thomas Baudry
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interaction, UMR, CNRS 7267 Équipe Écologie Évolution Symbiose, 3 rue Jacques Fort, Poitiers, Cedex, 86000, France
| | - Liliana Ballesteros-Mejia
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, 45 Rue Buffon, Entomologie, Paris, 75005, France
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alejandro Bortolus
- Grupo de Ecología en Ambientes Costeros. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - Centro Nacional Patagónico, Boulevard Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, U9120ACD, Argentina
| | - Elizabeta Briski
- GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel, 24148, Germany
| | - J Robert Britton
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Kötekli, Menteşe, Muğla, 48000, Turkey
| | - Miloš Buřič
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Morelia Camacho-Cervantes
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
| | - Carlos Cano-Barbacil
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystraße 12, Gelnhausen, 63571, Germany
| | - Denis Copilaș-Ciocianu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology of Hydrobionts, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, Vilnius, 08412, Lithuania
| | - Neil E Coughlan
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T23 TK30, Republic of Ireland
| | - Pierre Courtois
- Centre d'Économie de l'Environnement - Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, Institut Agro, Avenue Agropolis, Montpellier, 34090, France
| | - Zoltán Csabai
- University of Pécs, Department of Hydrobiology, Ifjúság 6, Pécs, H-7673, Hungary
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno 3, Tihany, H-8237, Hungary
| | - Tatenda Dalu
- Aquatic Systems Research Group, School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Cnr R40 and D725 Roads, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa
| | - Vanessa De Santis
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council, Largo Tonolli 50, Verbania-Pallanza, 28922, Italy
| | - James W E Dickey
- GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel, 24148, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, Berlin, 14195, Germany
| | - Romina D Dimarco
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Science & Research Building 2, 3455 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | | | - Romina D Fernandez
- Instituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CC34, 4107, Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Margarita Florencio
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Edificio de Biología, Darwin, 2, 28049, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global, 28049, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Clara S Franco
- GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona, Catalonia, 17003, Spain
| | - Emili García-Berthou
- GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona, Catalonia, 17003, Spain
| | - Daniela Giannetto
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Kötekli, Menteşe, Muğla, 48000, Turkey
| | - Milka M Glavendekic
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, University of Belgrade-Faculty of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Michał Grabowski
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, Łódź, 90-237, Poland
| | - Gustavo Heringer
- Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen (HfWU), Schelmenwasen 4-8, Nürtingen, 72622, Germany
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, 37203-202, Brazil
| | - Ileana Herrera
- Escuela de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Km 2.5 Vía La Puntilla, Samborondón, 091650, Ecuador
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Casilla Postal 17-07-8982, Quito, 170501, Ecuador
| | - Wei Huang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Katie L Kamelamela
- School of Ocean Futures, Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Natalia I Kirichenko
- Sukachev Institute of Forest, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Centre 'Krasnoyarsk Science Centre SB RAS', Akademgorodok 50/28, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia
- Siberian Federal University, Institute of Ecology and Geography, 79 Svobodny pr, Krasnoyarsk, 660041, Russia
- Saint Petersburg State Forest Technical University, Institutski Per. 5, Saint Petersburg, 194021, Russia
| | - Antonín Kouba
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Melina Kourantidou
- Department of Business and Sustainability, University of Southern Denmark, Degnevej 14, Esbjerg, 6705, Denmark
- AMURE-Aménagement des Usages des Ressources et des Espaces marins et littoraux, UMR 6308, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, IUEM- Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, rue Dumont d'Urville, Plouzané, 29280, France
- Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Irmak Kurtul
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK
- Marine and Inland Waters Sciences and Technology Department, Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, 35100, Turkey
| | - Gabriel Laufer
- Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Miguelete 1825, Montevideo, 11800, Uruguay
| | - Boris Lipták
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
- Slovak Environment Agency, Tajovského 28, Banská Bystrica, 975 90, Slovak Republic
| | - Chunlong Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao, 266005, China
| | - Eugenia López-López
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Ciudad de México, 11340, Mexico
| | - Vanessa Lozano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39/A, Sassari, 07100, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Centre, Piazza Marina, 61, Palermo, 90133, Italy
| | - Stefano Mammola
- National Biodiversity Future Centre, Piazza Marina, 61, Palermo, 90133, Italy
- Molecular Ecology Group, Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Corso Tonolli 50, Pallanza, 28922, Italy
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, Helsinki, 00100, Finland
| | - Agnese Marchini
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Valentyna Meshkova
- Department of Entomology, Phytopathology, and Physiology, Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration, Pushkinska 86, Kharkiv, UA-61024, Ukraine
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 1283, Suchdol, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Marco Milardi
- Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), 13 Rue de Marseille, Le Port, La Réunion, 97420, France
| | - Dmitrii L Musolin
- European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, 21 bd Richard Lenoir, Paris, 75011, France
| | - Martin A Nuñez
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Science & Research Building 2, 3455 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | - Francisco J Oficialdegui
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Patoka
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Suchdol, Prague, 16500, Czech Republic
| | - Zarah Pattison
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
- Modelling, Evidence and Policy Group, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Marina Piria
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, Lodz, 90-237, Poland
- University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Fisheries, Apiculture, Wildlife management and Special Zoology, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
| | - Anna F Probert
- Zoology Discipline, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, Australia
| | - Jes Jessen Rasmussen
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Njalsgade 76, Copenhagen S, 2300, Denmark
| | - David Renault
- Université de Rennes, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Écosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution, Rennes, 35000, France
| | - Filipe Ribeiro
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / Aquatic Research Network, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, 1749-016, Portugal
| | - Gil Rilov
- National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, P.O. Box 8030, Haifa, 31080, Israel
| | - Tamara B Robinson
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Axel E Sanchez
- Posgrado en Hidrociencias, Colegio de Postgraduados, Carretera México-Texcoco 36.5 km, Montecillo, Texcoco, C.P. 56264, Mexico
| | - Evangelina Schwindt
- Grupo de Ecología en Ambientes Costeros, Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Boulevard Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, U9120ACD, Argentina
| | - Josie South
- Water@Leeds, School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Peter Stoett
- Ontario Tech University, 2000 Simcoe St N, Oshawa, Ontario, L1G 0C5, Canada
| | - Hugo Verreycken
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Havenlaan 88 Box 73, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
| | - Lorenzo Vilizzi
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, Lodz, 90-237, Poland
| | - Yong-Jian Wang
- College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, F9F4+6FV, Dangui Rd, Hongshan, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yuya Watari
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8687, Japan
| | - Priscilla M Wehi
- Te Pūnaha Matatini National Centre of Research Excellence in Complex Systems, University of Auckland, Private Bag 29019, Aotearoa, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, 563 Castle Street North, Dunedin North, Aotearoa, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - András Weiperth
- Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter Ave 1/C, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
| | - Peter Wiberg-Larsen
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, C.F. Møllers Allé 4-8, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Sercan Yapıcı
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Kötekli, Menteşe, Muğla, 48000, Turkey
| | - Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Beytepe Campus, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Rafael D Zenni
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, 37203-202, Brazil
| | - Bella S Galil
- Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Klaunserstr. 12, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jaimie T A Dick
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - James C Russell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Anthony Ricciardi
- Redpath Museum and Bieler School of Environment, McGill University, 859 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Quebec, Quebec, H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Daniel Simberloff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Corey J A Bradshaw
- Global Ecology, Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, 5001, South Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Phillip J Haubrock
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Centre of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
- Center for Applied Mathematics and Bioinformatics, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Gulf University for Science and Technology, Mubarak Al-Abdullaj Area, Hawally, 32093, Kuwait
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystraße 12, Gelnhausen, 63571, Germany
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Zimmerman SJ, Aldridge CL, Schroeder MA, Fike JA, Cornman RS, Oyler-McCance SJ. The potential influence of genome-wide adaptive divergence on conservation translocation outcome in an isolated greater sage-grouse population. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14254. [PMID: 38563102 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14254] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Conservation translocations are an important conservation tool commonly employed to augment declining or reestablish extirpated populations. One goal of augmentation is to increase genetic diversity and reduce the risk of inbreeding depression (i.e., genetic rescue). However, introducing individuals from significantly diverged populations risks disrupting coadapted traits and reducing local fitness (i.e., outbreeding depression). Genetic data are increasingly more accessible for wildlife species and can provide unique insight regarding the presence and retention of introduced genetic variation from augmentation as an indicator of effectiveness and adaptive similarity as an indicator of source and recipient population suitability. We used 2 genetic data sets to evaluate augmentation of isolated populations of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the northwestern region of the species range (Washington, USA) and to retrospectively evaluate adaptive divergence among source and recipient populations. We developed 2 statistical models for microsatellite data to evaluate augmentation outcomes. We used one model to predict genetic diversity after augmentation and compared these predictions with observations of genetic change. We used the second model to quantify the amount of observed reproduction attributed to transplants (proof of population integration). We also characterized genome-wide adaptive divergence among source and recipient populations. Observed genetic diversity (HO = 0.65) was higher in the recipient population than predicted had no augmentation occurred (HO = 0.58) but less than what was predicted by our model (HO = 0.75). The amount of shared genetic variation between the 2 geographically isolated resident populations increased, which is evidence of periodic gene flow previously assumed to be rare. Among candidate adaptive genes associated with elevated fixation index (FST) (143 genes) or local environmental variables (97 and 157 genes for each genotype-environment association method, respectively), we found clusters of genes with related functions that may influence the ability of transplants to use local resources and navigate unfamiliar environments and their reproductive potential, all possible reasons for low genetic retention from augmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawna J Zimmerman
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Cameron L Aldridge
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Jennifer A Fike
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Robert Scott Cornman
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Sara J Oyler-McCance
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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Zare M, Moameri M, Ghorbani A, Sahragard HP, Mostafazadeh R, Dadjou F, Biswas A. Modeling habitat suitability of Dorema ammoniacum D Don. in the rangelands of central Iran. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16185. [PMID: 39003279 PMCID: PMC11246520 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive accuracy of habitat suitability models, identifying the potential distribution range of Dorema ammoniacum, and its habitat requirements in the rangelands of Yazd province, central Iran. Bafgh, Mehriz and Nadoushan, were three habitats that were identified, and sampling was conducted in each habitat using a random-systematic method. A set of 10 plots were established (at equal distances) along 350 m long 18 transects. Soil samples (two depths: 0-30 and 30-60 cm from 36 profiles) were collected and measured in the laboratory. Elevation, slope, and aspect maps were derived, and climate information was collected from nearby meteorological stations. The habitat prediction of the species was modeled using Logistic Regression (LR), Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The Kappa coefficient and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to assess the accuracy of the forecasted maps. The LR model for habitat prediction of the studied species in Mehriz (K = 0.67) and Nadoushan (K = 0.56) habitats were identified as good. The MaxEnt model predicted the habitat distribution for the selected species in Bafgh and Mehriz habitats as excellent (K = 0.89, AUC = 0.76, K = 0.89, AUC = 0.98), and in the Nadoushan habitat as very good (K = 0.78, AUC = 0.85). However, the ANN model predicted Bafgh and Nadoushan habitats as excellent and Mehriz habitat as very good (K = 0.87, K = 0.90, and K = 0.63, respectively). In general, in order to protect species D. ammoniacum, the development of its habitats in other areas of Yazd province and the habitats under study in conservation programs should be given priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Zare
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Mehdi Moameri
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Daneshgah Street, Ardabil, 56199 13131, Iran.
| | - Ardavan Ghorbani
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Hossein Piri Sahragard
- Department of Rangeland and Watershed, Water and Soil Faculty, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Raoof Mostafazadeh
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Farid Dadjou
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Asim Biswas
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
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Adams AJ, Kamoroff C, Daniele NR, Grasso RL, Halstead BJ, Kleeman PM, Mengelt C, Powelson K, Seaborn T, Goldberg CS. From eDNA to decisions using a multi-method approach to restoration planning in streams. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14335. [PMID: 38906892 PMCID: PMC11192730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64612-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Reintroduction efforts are increasingly used to mitigate biodiversity losses, but are frequently challenged by inadequate planning and uncertainty. High quality information about population status and threats can be used to prioritize reintroduction and restoration efforts and can transform ad hoc approaches into opportunities for improving conservation outcomes at a landscape scale. We conducted comprehensive environmental DNA (eDNA) and visual encounter surveys to determine the distribution of native and non-native aquatic species in two high-priority watersheds to address key uncertainties-such as the distribution of threats and the status of existing populations-inherent in restoration planning. We then used these occurrence data to develop a menu of potential conservation actions and a decision framework to benefit an endangered vertebrate (foothill yellow-legged frog, Rana boylii) in dynamic stream systems. Our framework combines the strengths of multiple methods, allowing managers and conservation scientists to incorporate conservation science and site-specific knowledge into the planning process to increase the likelihood of achieving conservation goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Adams
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
- Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - C Kamoroff
- Resource Management and Science, Yosemite National Park, El Portal, CA, 95318, USA
- Stillwater Sciences, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - N R Daniele
- Resource Management and Science, Yosemite National Park, El Portal, CA, 95318, USA
| | - R L Grasso
- Resource Management and Science, Yosemite National Park, El Portal, CA, 95318, USA
| | - B J Halstead
- Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - P M Kleeman
- Western Ecological Research Center, Point Reyes Field Station, U.S. Geological Survey, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, USA
| | - C Mengelt
- Ecosystems Mission Area, U.S. Geological Survey, Modoc Hall, Sacramento, CA, 95819, USA
| | - K Powelson
- Tahoe National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, Nevada City, CA, 94949, USA
| | - T Seaborn
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
- School of Natural Resource Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, 58047, USA
| | - C S Goldberg
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
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5
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Mutillod C, Buisson É, Mahy G, Jaunatre R, Bullock JM, Tatin L, Dutoit T. Ecological restoration and rewilding: two approaches with complementary goals? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:820-836. [PMID: 38346335 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
As we enter the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) and address the urgent need to protect and restore ecosystems and their ecological functions at large scales, rewilding has been brought into the limelight. Interest in this discipline is thus increasing, with a large number of conceptual scientific papers published in recent years. Increasing enthusiasm has led to discussions and debates in the scientific community about the differences between ecological restoration and rewilding. The main goal of this review is to compare and clarify the position of each field. Our results show that despite some differences (e.g. top-down versus bottom-up and functional versus taxonomic approaches) and notably with distinct goals - recovery of a defined historically determined target ecosystem versus recovery of natural processes with often no target endpoint - ecological restoration and rewilding have a common scope: the recovery of ecosystems following anthropogenic degradation. The goals of ecological restoration and rewilding have expanded with the progress of each field. However, it is unclear whether there is a paradigm shift with ecological restoration moving towards rewilding or vice versa. We underline the complementarity in time and in space of ecological restoration and rewilding. To conclude, we argue that reconciliation of these two fields of nature conservation to ensure complementarity could create a synergy to achieve their common scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Mutillod
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Élise Buisson
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Gregory Mahy
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
- Université de Liège, Biodiversité et Paysage, 27 Avenue Maréchal Juin, Gembloux, 5030, Belgique
| | - Renaud Jaunatre
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INRAE, UR LESSEM, St-Martin-d'Hères, F-38402, France
| | - James M Bullock
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, OX10 8BB, Wallingford, UK
| | - Laurent Tatin
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Thierry Dutoit
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
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6
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Browne RK, Luo Q, Wang P, Mansour N, Kaurova SA, Gakhova EN, Shishova NV, Uteshev VK, Kramarova LI, Venu G, Vaissi S, Taheri-Khas Z, Heshmatzad P, Bagaturov MF, Janzen P, Naranjo RE, Swegen A, Strand J, McGinnity D, Dunce I. Ecological Civilisation and Amphibian Sustainability through Reproduction Biotechnologies, Biobanking, and Conservation Breeding Programs (RBCs). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1455. [PMID: 38791672 PMCID: PMC11117272 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Intergenerational justice entitles the maximum retention of Earth's biodiversity. The 2022 United Nations COP 15, "Ecological Civilisation: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth", is committed to protecting 30% of Earth's terrestrial environments and, through COP 28, to mitigate the effects of the climate catastrophe on the biosphere. We focused this review on three core themes: the need and potential of reproduction biotechnologies, biobanks, and conservation breeding programs (RBCs) to satisfy sustainability goals; the technical state and current application of RBCs; and how to achieve the future potentials of RBCs in a rapidly evolving environmental and cultural landscape. RBCs include the hormonal stimulation of reproduction, the collection and storage of sperm and oocytes, and artificial fertilisation. Emerging technologies promise the perpetuation of species solely from biobanked biomaterials stored for perpetuity. Despite significant global declines and extinctions of amphibians, and predictions of a disastrous future for most biodiversity, practical support for amphibian RBCs remains limited mainly to a few limited projects in wealthy Western countries. We discuss the potential of amphibian RBCs to perpetuate amphibian diversity and prevent extinctions within multipolar geopolitical, cultural, and economic frameworks. We argue that a democratic, globally inclusive organisation is needed to focus RBCs on regions with the highest amphibian diversity. Prioritisation should include regional and international collaborations, community engagement, and support for RBC facilities ranging from zoos and other institutions to those of private carers. We tabulate a standard terminology for field programs associated with RBCs for publication and media consistency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qinghua Luo
- School of Biological Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China; (Q.L.); (P.W.)
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha 410022, China
| | - Pei Wang
- School of Biological Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China; (Q.L.); (P.W.)
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha 410022, China
| | - Nabil Mansour
- Fujairah Research Centre (FRC), Al-Hilal Tower 3003, Fujairah P.O. Box 666, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Svetlana A. Kaurova
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290, Russia; (S.A.K.); (E.N.G.); (N.V.S.); (V.K.U.)
| | - Edith N. Gakhova
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290, Russia; (S.A.K.); (E.N.G.); (N.V.S.); (V.K.U.)
| | - Natalia V. Shishova
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290, Russia; (S.A.K.); (E.N.G.); (N.V.S.); (V.K.U.)
| | - Victor K. Uteshev
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290, Russia; (S.A.K.); (E.N.G.); (N.V.S.); (V.K.U.)
| | - Ludmila I. Kramarova
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142290, Russia;
| | - Govindappa Venu
- Centre for Applied Genetics, Department of Zoology, Jnana Bharathi Campus, Bangalore University, Bengaluru 560056, India;
- Evolving Phylo Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
| | - Somaye Vaissi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah 57146, Iran; (S.V.); (Z.T.-K.)
| | - Zeynab Taheri-Khas
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Kermanshah 57146, Iran; (S.V.); (Z.T.-K.)
| | - Pouria Heshmatzad
- Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan 49138, Iran;
| | - Mikhail F. Bagaturov
- IUCN/SSC/Athens Institute for Education and Research/Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia;
| | - Peter Janzen
- Verband Deutscher Zoodirectoren/Justus-von-Liebig-Schule, 47166 Duisburg, Germany;
| | - Renato E. Naranjo
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Jambatu, Giovanni, Farina 566 y Baltra, San Rafael, Quito 171102, Ecuador;
| | - Aleona Swegen
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan 2308, Australia;
| | - Julie Strand
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark;
| | - Dale McGinnity
- Ectotherm Department, Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Nashville, TN 37211, USA;
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7
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Jenkins L, McKnight DT, Parks M, Byer NW, Oliaro FJ, Thompson D, Scott R. Variable effects of captivity on microbiomes in populations of IUCN-endangered Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae121. [PMID: 38755020 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Microbiome composition is increasingly considered in species reintroduction efforts and may influence survival and reproductive success. Many turtle species are threatened by anthropogenic pressures and are frequently raised in captivity for reintroduction efforts, yet little is known about turtle microbiome composition in either wild or captive settings. Here, we investigated trends in microbiome composition of captive and wild IUCN-endangered Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii). METHODS AND RESULTS We amplified and sequenced the V4 region of the 16S rDNA locus from plastron, cloaca, and water samples of wild E. blandingii adults and two populations of captive E. blandingii juveniles being raised for headstarting. Plastron, cloaca, and water-associated microbiomes differed strongly from each other and were highly variable among captive sites and between captive and wild sites. Across plastron, cloaca, and water-associated microbial communities, microbial diversity changed over time, but not in a predictable direction between captive sites. Plastron beta diversity correlated with growth rate in captive samples, indicating that external microbiomes may correlate with individual fitness. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that external and internal microbiomes vary between captive and wild turtles and may reflect differences in fitness of captive-raised individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Jenkins
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
- Department of Biology, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187, United States
| | | | - Matthew Parks
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK 73034, United States
| | - Nathan W Byer
- Division of Natural Resources, Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, OH 44144, United States
| | - Francis J Oliaro
- Conservation Research Department, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
| | - Dan Thompson
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Wheaton, IL 60189, United States
| | - Rodney Scott
- Department of Biology, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187, United States
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8
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Gross IP, Wilson AE, Wolak ME. The fitness consequences of wildlife conservation translocations: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:348-371. [PMID: 37844577 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Conservation translocation is a common strategy to offset mounting rates of population declines through the transfer of captive- or wild-origin organisms into areas where conspecific populations are imperilled or completely extirpated. Translocations that supplement existing populations are referred to as reinforcements and can be conducted using captive-origin animals [ex situ reinforcement (ESR)] or wild-origin animals without any captive ancestry [in situ reinforcement (ISR)]. These programs have been criticized for low success rates and husbandry practices that produce individuals with genetic and performance deficits, but the post-release performance of captive-origin or wild-origin translocated groups has not been systematically reviewed to quantify success relative to wild-resident control groups. To assess the disparity in post-release performance of translocated organisms relative to wild-resident conspecifics and examine the association of performance disparity with organismal and methodological factors across studies, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 821 performance comparisons from 171 studies representing nine animal classes (101 species). We found that translocated organisms have 64% decreased odds of out-performing their wild-resident counterparts, supporting claims of systemic issues hampering conservation translocations. To help identify translocation practices that could maximize program success in the future, we further quantified the impact of broad organismal and methodological factors on the disparity between translocated and wild-resident conspecific performance. Pre-release animal enrichment significantly reduced performance disparities, whereas our results suggest no overall effects of taxonomic group, sex, captive generation time, or the type of fitness surrogate measured. This work is the most comprehensive systematic review to date of animal conservation translocations in which wild conspecifics were used as comparators, thereby facilitating an evaluation of the overall impact of this conservation strategy and identifying specific actions to increase success. Our review highlights the need for conservation managers to include both sympatric and allopatric wild-reference groups to ensure the post-release performance of translocated animals can be evaluated. Further, our analyses identify pre-release animal enrichment as a particular strategy for improving the outcomes of animal conservation translocations, and demonstrate how meta-analysis can be used to identify implementation choices that maximize translocated animal contributions to recipient population growth and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwo P Gross
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 120 W. Samford Avenue, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Alan E Wilson
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, 382 Mell Street, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Matthew E Wolak
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 120 W. Samford Avenue, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
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9
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Dayan DI, Sard NM, Johnson MA, Fitzpatrick CK, Couture R, O'Malley KG. A single generation in the wild increases fitness for descendants of hatchery-origin Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13678. [PMID: 38617826 PMCID: PMC11009425 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Reintroduction is an important tool for the recovery of imperiled species. For threatened Pacific salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) species, hatchery-origin (HOR) individuals from a nearby source are often used to reestablish populations in vacant, historically occupied habitat. However, this approach is challenged by the relatively low reproductive success that HOR Pacific salmonids experience when they spawn in the wild, relative to their natural-origin (NOR) counterparts. In this study, we used genetic parentage analysis to compare the reproductive success of three groups of adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) reintroduced above Cougar Dam on the South Fork McKenzie River, Oregon: HOR Chinook salmon from an integrated stock; first-generation, wild-born descendants (hereafter F 1s) of Chinook salmon produced at the same hatchery; and NOR Chinook salmon that are presumed to have been produced below the dam, on the mainstem McKenzie River, or elsewhere and volitionally entered a trap below Cougar Dam. We found that F 1s produced nearly as many adult offspring as NORs, and 1.8-fold more adult offspring than HORs. This result suggests that, for the South Fork McKenzie reintroduction program, a single generation in the wild increases fitness for the descendants of HOR Chinook salmon. Although these results are encouraging, care must be taken before extrapolating our results to other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David I. Dayan
- State Fisheries Genomics Lab, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science CenterOregon State UniversityNewportOregonUSA
| | - Nicholas M. Sard
- Department of Biological SciencesState University of New York‐OswegoOswegoNew YorkUSA
| | - Marc A. Johnson
- Native Fish Conservation and Recovery, Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeSalemOregonUSA
| | - Cristín K. Fitzpatrick
- State Fisheries Genomics Lab, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science CenterOregon State UniversityNewportOregonUSA
| | - Ryan Couture
- Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Kathleen G. O'Malley
- State Fisheries Genomics Lab, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science CenterOregon State UniversityNewportOregonUSA
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10
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Sharma SP, Ghazi MG, Katdare S, Badola R, Hussain SA. Population status and genetic assessment of mugger (Crocodylus palustris) in a tropical regulated river system in North India. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7438. [PMID: 38548905 PMCID: PMC10978964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57983-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
For rewilding the depleted crocodylian populations in India, a targeted 'one-species one area' based conservation approach was adopted in the early-1970s. Suitable habitats were identified and designated as protected areas, specifically targeted to recover a particular crocodylian species. A ~ 610 km stretch of Chambal River in the Ganga River Basin was declared as National Chambal Sanctuary to restore the 'Critically Endangered' gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), where active management of mugger (Crocodylus palustris) was discouraged. In the present study, we examined the population trends, occupancy, and genetic status of mugger by conducting population monitoring and genetic assessment to understand the status of potentially competitive mugger in the Sanctuary. Our finding suggests that the mugger population has notably increased and colonised the Sanctuary. We observed a moderate level of genetic diversity in the mugger, which was relatively higher compared to the gharial in the Sanctuary. The rapid colonization of ecological generalist mugger raises concerns about potential competition with ecological specialist gharial threatening its long-term sustainability. Considering the coexistence dynamics between the species, it is essential to extend adaptive management strategies for mugger to ensure successful recovery of gharial population in the Sanctuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surya Prasad Sharma
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, P.O. Box # 18, Dehra Dun, 248002, Uttarakhand, India
| | | | - Suyash Katdare
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, P.O. Box # 18, Dehra Dun, 248002, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ruchi Badola
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, P.O. Box # 18, Dehra Dun, 248002, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Syed Ainul Hussain
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, P.O. Box # 18, Dehra Dun, 248002, Uttarakhand, India.
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11
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Kaštovská E, Mastný J, Konvička M. Rewilding by large ungulates contributes to organic carbon storage in soils. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 355:120430. [PMID: 38428182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120430] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The concept of rewilding, which focuses on managing ecosystem functions through self-regulation by restoring trophic interactions through introduced animal species with little human intervention, has gained increasing attention as a proactive and efficient approach to restoring ecosystems quickly and on a large scale. However, the science of rewilding has been criticized for being largely theory-based rather than evidence-based, with available data being geographically biased towards the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries, and a lack of objective data on rewilding effects on soil processes and C sequestration. In response to a call for data-driven experimental rewilding projects focused on national contexts, we collected unique data on the effects of large herbivore rewilding on soil properties from eight sites in the Czech Republic. These include sites with a wide range of edaphic characteristics that were grazed by Exmoor ponies, European bison, and back-bred Bos primigenius cattle (singly or in combination) for 2-6 years on areas ranging from ≈30 to ≈250 ha. Despite the relatively short duration of rewilding actions and considerable variability in the response rate of soil properties to grazing, our results indicate improved nutrient availability (evidenced by higher nitrification rate or higher soluble nitrogen concentration) and accelerated ecosystem metabolism (higher soil microbial biomass and dissolved carbon content). On longer-grazed pastures, rewilding contributed to soil carbon sequestration associated with increased water holding capacity and improved soil structure. However, other soil properties (reduced dissolved P concentration or total P content) showed signs of low P availability in the soils of the rewilding sites. Therefore, carcass retention should be considered where possible. Our data, although limited in number and geographic coverage, allow us to conclude that large ungulate rewilding has the potential to enhance soil carbon sequestration and related ecosystem services in rewilding areas. At the same time, we urge similar monitoring as an essential part of other rewilding projects, which will ultimately allow much more robust conclusions about the effects of this management on soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kaštovská
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Mastný
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Konvička
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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12
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Bilby J, Moseby K. Review of hyperdispersal in wildlife translocations. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14083. [PMID: 36919937 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14083] [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: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Species translocation is a common tool to reverse biodiversity loss, but it has a high failure rate. One factor that contributes to failure is postrelease hyperdispersal, which we define as the long-distance movement of individuals resulting in their failure to contribute to population establishment. We reviewed reported incidences of hyperdispersal and compared rates of hyperdispersal among taxa, population demographics, release cohorts, and success of mitigation techniques. Of 151 conservation translocations (reinforcements and reintroductions) in which animals were tracked, hyperdispersal was confirmed in 52.1% of programs. The prevalence of hyperdispersal (percentage of studies) was relatively consistent across taxa (42.9-60%), but hyperdispersal rates in birds were likely underestimated because 76.9% of bird translocations showed incidences in which birds could not be located after release, but hyperdispersal was unable to be confirmed. Eutherians exhibited a higher average incidence of hyperdispersal (percentage of hyperdispersing individuals in a cohort) of 20.2% than birds, reptiles, and marsupials (10.4%, 15.7%, and 10.3%, respectively). No significant trends were observed for sex, source population, or translocation type, but there were nonsignificant trends for males to hyperdisperse more than females and for higher incidences of hyperdispersal in reinforcements relative to reintroduction programs. Mitigation techniques included temporary confinement, supplementation of resources, and releasing animals in social groups, but only half of studies examining mitigation techniques found them useful. Hyperdispersal incidence was variable within taxa, and we advise against forming translocations strategies based on results from other species. Hyperdispersal is a significant welfare, economic, and conservation issue in translocations, and we suggest definitions, reporting, and experimental strategies to address it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Bilby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katherine Moseby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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13
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Saltz D, Cohen S. Naturalness and principle pluralism in conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14137. [PMID: 37377162 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14137] [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: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The concept of naturalness in biodiversity conservation remains polysemic, hampering decision-making. Although some conservationists claim ecosystem naturalness should be primarily determined by composition (integrity), others argue it should be determined by the extent of freedom from anthropogenic influence (autonomy). Problems arise when deciding how to treat affected ecosystems. Although the integrity school promotes benchmark-based active restoration, the autonomy school advocates a hands-off policy, making these 2 approaches contradictory. Moreover, expected global changes have promoted advocacy for ecosystem resilience, further complicating the debate. We argue that autonomy, integrity, and resilience are all morally valid. The conflict between them is contained by recognizing that full naturalness is an unattainable goal; restoration and rewilding processes are not an act of curation, but a contrary-to-duty obligation; principle pluralism can accommodate integrity, resilience, and autonomy as pro tanto principles in a case-specific approach; and naturalness, as an overarching value, gives unity to the plurality of principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Saltz
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environment and Energy Research, Ben Gurion University, Sde-Boqer Campus, Israel
| | - Shlomo Cohen
- Department of Philosophy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
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14
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Bickerton KT, Ewen JG, Canessa S, Cole NC, Frost F, Mootoocurpen R, McCrea R. Avoiding bias in estimates of population size for translocation management. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2918. [PMID: 37688800 PMCID: PMC10909443 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2918] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Mark-recapture surveys are commonly used to monitor translocated populations globally. Data gathered are then used to estimate demographic parameters, such as abundance and survival, using Jolly-Seber (JS) models. However, in translocated populations initial population size is known and failure to account for this may bias parameter estimates, which are important for informing conservation decisions during population establishment. Here, we provide methods to account for known initial population size in JS models by incorporating a separate component likelihood for translocated individuals, using a maximum-likelihood estimation, with models that can be fitted using either R or MATLAB. We use simulated data and a case study of a threatened lizard species with low capture probability to demonstrate that unconstrained JS models may overestimate the size of translocated populations, especially in the early stages of post-release monitoring. Our approach corrects this bias; we use our simulations to demonstrate that overestimates of population size between 78% and 130% can occur in the unconstrained JS models when the detection probability is below 0.3 compared to 1%-8.9% for our constrained model. Our case study did not show an overestimate; however accounting for the initial population size greatly reduced error in all parameter estimates and prevented boundary estimates. Adopting the corrected JS model for translocations will help managers to obtain more robust estimates of the population sizes of translocated animals, better informing future management including reinforcement decisions, and ultimately improving translocation success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine T. Bickerton
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonLondonUK
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial ScienceUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of LondonLondonUK
| | - Stefano Canessa
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Nik C. Cole
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès ManorJerseyUK
- Mauritian Wildlife FoundationVacoasMauritius
| | - Fay Frost
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial ScienceUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | | | - Rachel McCrea
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
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15
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Arya AK. Rewilding: a requirement for a sustainable future. BMC ZOOL 2023; 8:26. [PMID: 37924104 PMCID: PMC10623769 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-023-00187-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays rewilding has received an increasing focus as a sustainable conservation tool for restoring damaged or disturbed habitats. Many types of rewilding initiatives have been implemented all over the globe with the goal of reinstalling the extinct or lost fauna as well as restoring ecological relationships and natural processes. The effectiveness of rewilding initiatives depends on a comprehensive understanding of the ecological functions, habitat needs, social behaviour, and interrelation among various animal species. This Collection invites contributions that portray different aspects and the importance of rewilding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kumar Arya
- Department of Environmental Science, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, India.
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16
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Godineau C, Fririon V, Beudez N, de Coligny F, Courbet F, Ligot G, Oddou‐Muratorio S, Sanchez L, Lefèvre F. A demo-genetic model shows how silviculture reduces natural density-dependent selection in tree populations. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1830-1844. [PMID: 38029065 PMCID: PMC10681482 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological production systems and conservation programs benefit from and should care for evolutionary processes. Developing evolution-oriented strategies requires knowledge of the evolutionary consequences of management across timescales. Here, we used an individual-based demo-genetic modelling approach to study the interactions and feedback between tree thinning, genetic evolution, and forest stand dynamics. The model combines processes that jointly drive survival and mating success-tree growth, competition and regeneration-with genetic variation of quantitative traits related to these processes. In various management and disturbance scenarios, the evolutionary rates predicted by the coupled demo-genetic model for a growth-related trait, vigor, fit within the range of empirical estimates found in the literature for wild plant and animal populations. We used this model to simulate non-selective silviculture and disturbance scenarios over four generations of trees. We characterized and quantified the effect of thinning frequencies and intensities and length of the management cycle on viability selection driven by competition and fecundity selection. The thinning regimes had a drastic long-term effect on the evolutionary rate of vigor over generations, potentially reaching 84% reduction, depending on management intensity, cycle length and disturbance regime. The reduction of genetic variance by viability selection within each generation was driven by changes in genotypic frequencies rather than by gene diversity, resulting in low-long-term erosion of the variance across generations, despite short-term fluctuations within generations. The comparison among silviculture and disturbance scenarios was qualitatively robust to assumptions on the genetic architecture of the trait. Thus, the evolutionary consequences of management result from the interference between human interventions and natural evolutionary processes. Non-selective thinning, as considered here, reduces the intensity of natural selection, while selective thinning (on tree size or other criteria) might reduce or reinforce it depending on the forester's tree choice and thinning intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicolas Beudez
- AMAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRDMontpellierFrance
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17
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Poulsen JR, Maicher V, Malinowski H, DeSisto C. Situating defaunation in an operational framework to advance biodiversity conservation. Bioscience 2023; 73:721-727. [PMID: 37854893 PMCID: PMC10580966 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic pressures are causing the widespread loss of wildlife species and populations, with adverse consequences for ecosystem functioning. This phenomenon has been widely but inconsistently referred to as defaunation. A cohesive, quantitative framework for defining and evaluating defaunation is necessary for advancing biodiversity conservation. Likening defaunation to deforestation, we propose an operational framework for defaunation that defines it and related terms, situates defaunation relative to intact communities and faunal degradation, and encourages quantitative, ecologically reasonable, and equitable measurements. We distinguish between defaunation, the conversion of an ecosystem from having wild animals to not having wild animals, and faunal degradation, the process of losing animals or species from an animal community. The quantification of context-relevant defaunation boundaries or baselines is necessary to compare faunal communities over space and time. Situating a faunal community on the degradation curve can promote Global Biodiversity Framework targets, advancing the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Poulsen
- The Nature Conservancy, Boulder, Colorado, United States
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Vincent Maicher
- CAFI Forest Research and Monitoring for The Nature Conservancy, Gabon
| | | | - Camille DeSisto
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, United States
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18
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Teng SN, Svenning JC, Xu C. Large mammals and trees in eastern monsoonal China: anthropogenic losses since the Late Pleistocene and restoration prospects in the Anthropocene. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1607-1632. [PMID: 37102332 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Massive human-induced declines of large-sized animals and trees (megabiota) from the Late Pleistocene to the Anthropocene have resulted in downsized ecosystems across the globe, in which components and functions have been greatly simplified. In response, active restoration projects of extant large-sized species or functional substitutes are needed at large scales to promote ecological processes that are important for ecosystem self-regulation and biodiversity maintenance. Despite the desired global scope of such projects, they have received little attention in East Asia. Here, we synthesise the biogeographical and ecological knowledge of megabiota in ancient and modern China, with relevant data mostly located in eastern monsoonal China (EMC), aiming to assess its potential for restoring functionally intact ecosystems modulated by megabiota. We found that during the Late Pleistocene, 12 mammalian megafaunal (carnivores ≥15 kg and herbivores ≥500 kg) species disappeared from EMC: one carnivore Crocuta ultima (East Asian spotted hyena) and 11 herbivores including six megaherbivores (≥1000 kg). The relative importance of climate change and humans in driving these losses remains debated, despite accumulating evidence in favour of the latter. Later massive depletion of megafauna and large-sized (45-500 kg) herbivores has been closely associated with agricultural expansion and societal development, especially during the late Holocene. While forests rich in large timber trees (33 taxa in written records) were common in the region 2000-3000 years ago, millennial-long logging has resulted in considerable range contractions and at least 39 threatened species. The wide distribution of C. ultima, which likely favoured open or semi-open habitats (like extant spotted hyenas), suggests the existence of mosaic open and closed vegetation in the Late Pleistocene across EMC, in line with a few pollen-based vegetation reconstructions and potentially, or at least partially, reflecting herbivory by herbivorous megafauna. The widespread loss of megaherbivores may have strongly compromised seed dispersal for both megafruit (fleshy fruits with widths ≥40 mm) and non-megafruit plant species in EMC, especially in terms of extra-long-distance (>10 km) dispersal, which is critical for plant species that rely on effective biotic agents to track rapid climate change. The former occurrence of large mammals and trees have translated into rich material and non-material heritages passed down across generations. Several reintroduction projects have been implemented or are under consideration, with the case of Elaphurus davidianus a notable success in recovering wild populations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, although trophic interactions with native carnivorous megafauna have not yet been restored. Lessons of dealing with human-wildlife conflicts are key to public support for maintaining landscapes shared with megafauna and large herbivores in the human-dominated Anthropocene. Meanwhile, potential human-wildlife conflicts, e.g. public health risks, need to be scientifically informed and effectively reduced. The Chinese government's strong commitment to improved policies of ecological protection and restoration (e.g. ecological redlines and national parks) provides a solid foundation for a scaling-up contribution to the global scope needed for solving the crisis of biotic downsizing and ecosystem degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqing N Teng
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Chi Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Key Laboratory of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in northwestern China of Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
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19
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Burnett HA, Bieker VC, Le Moullec M, Peeters B, Rosvold J, Pedersen ÅØ, Dalén L, Loe LE, Jensen H, Hansen BB, Martin MD. Contrasting genomic consequences of anthropogenic reintroduction and natural recolonization in high-arctic wild reindeer. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1531-1548. [PMID: 37752961 PMCID: PMC10519417 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13585] [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: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic reintroduction can supplement natural recolonization in reestablishing a species' distribution and abundance. However, both reintroductions and recolonizations can give rise to founder effects that reduce genetic diversity and increase inbreeding, potentially causing the accumulation of genetic load and reduced fitness. Most current populations of the endemic high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) originate from recent reintroductions or recolonizations following regional extirpations due to past overharvesting. We investigated and compared the genomic consequences of these two paths to reestablishment using whole-genome shotgun sequencing of 100 Svalbard reindeer across their range. We found little admixture between reintroduced and natural populations. Two reintroduced populations, each founded by 12 individuals around four decades (i.e. 8 reindeer generations) ago, formed two distinct genetic clusters. Compared to the source population, these populations showed only small decreases in genome-wide heterozygosity and increases in inbreeding and lengths of runs of homozygosity. In contrast, the two naturally recolonized populations without admixture possessed much lower heterozygosity, higher inbreeding and longer runs of homozygosity, possibly caused by serial population founder effects and/or fewer or more genetically related founders than in the reintroduction events. Naturally recolonized populations can thus be more vulnerable to the accumulation of genetic load than reintroduced populations. This suggests that in some organisms even small-scale reintroduction programs based on genetically diverse source populations can be more effective than natural recolonization in establishing genetically diverse populations. These findings warrant particular attention in the conservation and management of populations and species threatened by habitat fragmentation and loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamish A. Burnett
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Vanessa C. Bieker
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Mathilde Le Moullec
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Bart Peeters
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Jørgen Rosvold
- Department of Terrestrial BiodiversityNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | | | - Love Dalén
- Centre for PalaeogeneticsStockholmSweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and GeneticsSwedish Museum of Natural HistoryStockholmSweden
- Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesAasNorway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Brage B. Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | - Michael D. Martin
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
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20
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Cavedon M, Neufeld L, Finnegan L, Hervieux D, Michalak A, Pelletier A, Polfus J, Schwantje H, Skinner G, Steenweg R, Thacker C, Poissant J, Musiani M. Genomics of founders for conservation breeding: the Jasper caribou case. CONSERV GENET 2023; 24:855-867. [PMID: 37969360 PMCID: PMC10638200 DOI: 10.1007/s10592-023-01540-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Conservation breeding programs are increasingly used as recovery actions for wild animals; bringing founders into captivity to rear captive populations for future reintroduction into the wild. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recommends that founders should come from genetically close populations and should have sufficient genetic diversity to avoid mating among relatives. Genomic data are highly informative for evaluating founders due to their high resolution and ability to capture adaptive divergence, yet, their application in that context remains limited. Woodland caribou are federally listed as a Species at Risk in Canada, with several populations facing extirpation, such as those in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia (BC). To prevent local extirpation, Jasper National Park (JNP) is proposing a conservation breeding program. We examined single nucleotide polymorphisms for 144 caribou from 11 populations encompassing a 200,0002 km area surrounding JNP to provide information useful for identifying appropriate founders for this program. We found that this area likely hosts a caribou metapopulation historically characterized by high levels of gene flow, which indicates that multiple sources of founders would be appropriate for initiating a breeding program. However, population structure and adaptive divergence analyses indicate that JNP caribou are closest to populations in the BC Columbia range, which also have suitable genetic diversity for conservation breeding. We suggest that collaboration among jurisdictions would be beneficial to implement the program to promote recovery of JNP caribou and possibly other caribou populations in the surrounding area, which is strategically at the periphery of the distribution of this endangered species. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10592-023-01540-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cavedon
- Deparment of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Lalenia Neufeld
- Jasper National Park of Canada, Parks Canada, Jasper, Canada
| | - Laura Finnegan
- fRI Research, 1176 Switzer Drive, Hinton, AB T7V 1V3 Canada
| | - Dave Hervieux
- Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Branch, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 6J4 Canada
| | - Anita Michalak
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Agnes Pelletier
- Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship Northeast Region, 400-10003-110Th Avenue, Fort St. John, BC V1J 6M7 Canada
| | - Jean Polfus
- Canadian Wildlife Service – Pacific Region, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1238 Discovery Ave, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V9 Canada
| | - Helen Schwantje
- Wildlife and Habitat Branch, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Government of British Columbia, 2080 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J 9 Canada
| | - Geoff Skinner
- Jasper National Park of Canada, Parks Canada, Jasper, Canada
| | - Robin Steenweg
- Canadian Wildlife Service – Pacific Region, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1238 Discovery Ave, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V9 Canada
| | - Caeley Thacker
- Wildlife and Habitat Branch, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Government of British Columbia, 2080 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J 9 Canada
| | - Jocelyn Poissant
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Marco Musiani
- Dipartimento Scienze Biologiche Geologiche Ambientali, Università Di Bologna, Via Zamboni, 33 - 40126 Bologna, Italia
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21
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Pringle RM, Abraham JO, Anderson TM, Coverdale TC, Davies AB, Dutton CL, Gaylard A, Goheen JR, Holdo RM, Hutchinson MC, Kimuyu DM, Long RA, Subalusky AL, Veldhuis MP. Impacts of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R584-R610. [PMID: 37279691 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Large herbivores play unique ecological roles and are disproportionately imperiled by human activity. As many wild populations dwindle towards extinction, and as interest grows in restoring lost biodiversity, research on large herbivores and their ecological impacts has intensified. Yet, results are often conflicting or contingent on local conditions, and new findings have challenged conventional wisdom, making it hard to discern general principles. Here, we review what is known about the ecosystem impacts of large herbivores globally, identify key uncertainties, and suggest priorities to guide research. Many findings are generalizable across ecosystems: large herbivores consistently exert top-down control of plant demography, species composition, and biomass, thereby suppressing fires and the abundance of smaller animals. Other general patterns do not have clearly defined impacts: large herbivores respond to predation risk but the strength of trophic cascades is variable; large herbivores move vast quantities of seeds and nutrients but with poorly understood effects on vegetation and biogeochemistry. Questions of the greatest relevance for conservation and management are among the least certain, including effects on carbon storage and other ecosystem functions and the ability to predict outcomes of extinctions and reintroductions. A unifying theme is the role of body size in regulating ecological impact. Small herbivores cannot fully substitute for large ones, and large-herbivore species are not functionally redundant - losing any, especially the largest, will alter net impact, helping to explain why livestock are poor surrogates for wild species. We advocate leveraging a broad spectrum of techniques to mechanistically explain how large-herbivore traits and environmental context interactively govern the ecological impacts of these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Joel O Abraham
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - T Michael Anderson
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Tyler C Coverdale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | - Jacob R Goheen
- Department of Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82072, USA
| | - Ricardo M Holdo
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Matthew C Hutchinson
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Duncan M Kimuyu
- Department of Natural Resources, Karatina University, Karatina, Kenya
| | - Ryan A Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Amanda L Subalusky
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Michiel P Veldhuis
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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22
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Dallas JW, Warne RW. Captivity and Animal Microbiomes: Potential Roles of Microbiota for Influencing Animal Conservation. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:820-838. [PMID: 35316343 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-01991-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
During the ongoing biodiversity crisis, captive conservation and breeding programs offer a refuge for species to persist and provide source populations for reintroduction efforts. Unfortunately, captive animals are at a higher disease risk and reintroduction efforts remain largely unsuccessful. One potential factor in these outcomes is the host microbiota which includes a large diversity and abundance of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that play an essential role in host physiology. Relative to wild populations, the generalized pattern of gut and skin microbiomes in captivity are reduced alpha diversity and they exhibit a significant shift in community composition and/or structure which often correlates with various physiological maladies. Many conditions of captivity (antibiotic exposure, altered diet composition, homogenous environment, increased stress, and altered intraspecific interactions) likely lead to changes in the host-associated microbiome. To minimize the problems arising from captivity, efforts can be taken to manipulate microbial diversity and composition to be comparable with wild populations through methods such as increasing dietary diversity, exposure to natural environmental reservoirs, or probiotics. For individuals destined for reintroduction, these strategies can prime the microbiota to buffer against novel pathogens and changes in diet and improve reintroduction success. The microbiome is a critical component of animal physiology and its role in species conservation should be expanded and included in the repertoire of future management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Dallas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, 1125 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA.
| | - Robin W Warne
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, 1125 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
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23
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Kalogianni E, Koutsikos N, Karaouzas I, Smeti E, Kapakos Y, Laschou S, Dimitriou E, Vardakas L. REVIVE: A feasibility assessment tool for freshwater fish conservation translocations in Mediterranean rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160595. [PMID: 36470387 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160595] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Conservation translocation is a management action applied for population recovery of threatened freshwater fishes, often however with partially successful outcome, mainly due to inadequate feasibility assessment prior to the translocation. Up to date, feasibility assessments have been mainly focused on economically important species (e.g., salmonids) inhabiting perennial rivers, while little attention has been given to fish translocations in rivers in Mediterranean climate areas. In this study, we developed a robust feasibility assessment tool for freshwater fish translocations in Mediterranean-type riverine ecosystems within an interdisciplinary, multispecies approach. The REVIVE tool integrates quantitative and semi-quantitative data, incorporates uncertainty and consists of two main components. The first component is the evaluation of the potential release water bodies (R-WBs) for their suitability for the planned translocation, incorporating a number of essential criteria for Mediterranean rivers, with emphasis on flow regime and habitat quantity. Additional criteria include the current and historical presence of the target species, water and biological quality, habitat suitability in terms of the ecological requirements of the target species, alien invasive species' pressure, and hydromorphological pressures, including their mitigation potential. The second component is the evaluation of the potential source water bodies (S-WBs) in terms of genetic compatibility and provision of a sufficient number of propagules. A trial application in a Mediterranean basin (Vassilopotamos River, Southern Greece) for the potential translocation of two threatened cyprinids in five R-WBs indicated the robustness of the tool. This integrative, flexible tool combines several elements identified as essential in reintroduction biology and can have wider applications, for a multitude of freshwater fish taxa and riverine systems, maximizing the success of planned translocation actions by natural resources' managers. Modifications to enable its transferability to other river types or fish taxa are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Kalogianni
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Nicholas Koutsikos
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Ioannis Karaouzas
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Evangelia Smeti
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Yiannis Kapakos
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Sofia Laschou
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Elias Dimitriou
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece
| | - Leonidas Vardakas
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Anavissos PO 19013, Attica, Greece.
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24
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Yao H, Mo Q, Wu H, Zhao D. How do living conditions affect the gut microbiota of endangered Père David's deer ( Elaphurus davidianus)? Initial findings from the warm temperate zone. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14897. [PMID: 36860766 PMCID: PMC9969852 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Reintroduction is an effective strategy in the conservation of endangered species under scientific monitoring. Intestinal flora plays an important role in the envir onmental adaptation of endangered Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus). In this study, 34 fecal samples from E. davidianus were collected from different habitats in Tianjin city of China to investigate differences in the intestinal flora under captive and semi-free-ranging conditions. Based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology, a total of 23 phyla and 518 genera were obtained. Firmicutes was dominant in all individuals. At the genus level, UCG-005 (13.05%) and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group (8.94%) were dominant in captive individuals, while Psychrobacillus (26.53%) and Pseudomonas (11.33%) were dominant in semi-free-ranging individuals. Alpha diversity results showed that the intestinal flora richness and diversity were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in captive individuals than in semi-free-ranging individuals. Beta diversity analysis also showed a significant difference (P = 0.001) between the two groups. In addition, some age- and sex-related genera such as Monoglobus were identified. In summary, the structure and diversity of intestinal flora showed significant habitat variation. This is the first time an analysis has been undertaken of the structural differences of the intestinal flora in Père David's deer, under different habitats in the warm temperate zone, providing a reference basis for the conservation of endangered species.
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Ferrer M, Evans R, Hedley J, Hollamby S, Meredith A, Morandini V, Selly O, Smith C, Whitfield DP. Hacking techniques improve health and nutritional status of nestling White-tailed Eagles. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9776. [PMID: 36789343 PMCID: PMC9911627 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Birds of prey frequently feature in reintroductions and the hacking technique is typically used. Hacking involves removing large nestlings from donor populations, transferring them to captivity, feeding them ad libitum. Potentially, via the hacking method, the stress of captivity and disruption of parental feeding may be detrimental. Alternatively, the provision of ad libitum food may be advantageous. Although hacking has underpinned reintroduction project successes there has been no research on how the method may affect the health and nutritional status of translocated birds during captivity. We compared blood chemistry data from 55 young White-tailed Eagles, translocated from Norway as part of the species' reintroduction to Scotland, from sampling soon after arriving in captivity and again (≈42 days later) before their release. Numerous significant differences between the first and second samples were found, but no significant interactions showed that the sexes responded similarly to captivity. According to hematological and biochemical metrics, individuals showed several changes during captivity, including in red blood cell parameters, plasma proteins, and white cellular parameters related to the immune system, that indicated improved health status. Captivity with ad libitum food was associated with decreased urea and uric acid values: high values can indicate nutritional stress. Urea values became more normally distributed before release, indicating that ad libitum food had reduced nutritional differences between early nestlings in the season and later ones. Despite plentiful food, both sexes lost body mass before release, suggesting an inherent physiological mechanism to improve flight performance in fledglings. We conclude that hacking improved the health and nutritional status of released eagles which is likely to enable birds to cope with greater costs of exploratory behavior which they may require in reintroduction projects. In this context, we note the absence of survival differences between hacked and wild raptors in previous research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ferrer
- Applied Ecology GroupEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevilleSpain
| | - Rhian Evans
- The Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsEdinburghUK
| | - Joanna Hedley
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Services and the Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK,The Royal Veterinary CollegeLondonUK,Territory Wildlife ParkBerry SpringsNorthern TerritoryAustralia
| | - Simon Hollamby
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Services and the Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK,Veterinary DepartmentPerth ZooSouth PerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Anna Meredith
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Services and the Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK,Melbourne Veterinary SchoolUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Virginia Morandini
- Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries and WildlifeOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Owen Selly
- The Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsEdinburghUK
| | - Claire Smith
- The Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsEdinburghUK
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Rabett RJ, Morimoto R, Kahlert T, Stimpson CM, O’Donnell S, Mai Huong NT, Manh BV, Holmes R, Khánh PS, Van TT, Coward F. Prehistoric pathways to Anthropocene adaptation: Evidence from the Red River Delta, Vietnam. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280126. [PMID: 36753481 PMCID: PMC9907861 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past twenty years, government advisory bodies have placed increasing emphasis on the need for adaptive measures in response to the effects of human-induced climate change. Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), which incorporate macroeconomic and climate variables, feature prominently in advisory content, though they rarely draw on data from outside strictly constrained hypothetical systems. This has led to assertions that they are not well-suited to approximate complex systemic human-environment processes. Modular, interdisciplinary approaches have offered a way to address this shortcoming; however, beyond climate records, prehistoric data continue to be under-utilised in developing such models. In this paper we highlight the contribution that archaeology and palaeoecology can make to the development of the next generation IAMs that are expected to enhance provision for more local and pro-active adaptations to future climate change. We present data from one of Southeast Asia's most heavily developed river deltas: the Red River (Song Hong) Delta, in Vietnam and localised analysis from the Tràng An Landscape Complex World Heritage Site, on the delta's southern margin. Comparison is made between Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSP) 5-8.5 and SSP2-4.5 emission projection models and the Mid-Holocene inundation of the Red River Basin. We highlight the value to taking a scientific long view of coastal evolution through an illustrative set of eight research foci where palaeo-data can bring new and localised empirical data to bear on future risk management planning. We proceed to demonstrate the applicability of palaeoenvironmental, zooarchaeological and historical evidence to management and the development of sustainable conservation strategies using Tràng An as a case study. In so doing, we further highlight the importance of knowledge exchange between scientific, corporate, non-governmental, local, and state stakeholders to achieve tangible results on the ground.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Rabett
- Archaeology & Palaeoecology, School of Natural & Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
- Institute for Hellenic Culture & the Liberal Arts, The American College of Greece, Athens, Greece
- * E-mail:
| | - Risa Morimoto
- Department of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thorsten Kahlert
- Centre for Geographic Information Science and Geomatics, School of Natural & Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - Shawn O’Donnell
- Department of Geography & Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Bui Van Manh
- Department of Tourism, Ninh Bình City, Ninh Bình Province, Vietnam
| | - Rachael Holmes
- School of Geography, Geology & the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Phạm Sinh Khánh
- Tràng An Landscape Complex Management Board, Ninh Bình City, Ninh Bình Province, Vietnam
| | - Tran Tan Van
- Vietnam Institute of Geosciences & Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Fiona Coward
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology & Forensic Science, Faculty of Science & Technology Bournemouth University, Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom
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Thomassen EE, Sigsgaard EE, Jensen MR, Olsen K, Hansen MDD, Svenning JC, Thomsen PF. Contrasting seasonal patterns in diet and dung-associated invertebrates of feral cattle and horses in a rewilding area. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:2071-2091. [PMID: 36744391 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Trophic rewilding is increasingly applied in restoration efforts, with the aim of reintroducing the ecological functions provided by large-bodied mammals and thereby promote self-regulating, biodiverse ecosystems. However, empirical evidence for the effects of megafauna introductions on the abundance and richness of other organisms such as plants and invertebrates, and the mechanisms involved still need strengthening. In this study, we use environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding of dung from co-existing feral cattle and horses to assess the seasonal variation in plant diet and dung-associated arthropods and nematodes. We found consistently high diet richness of horses, with low seasonal variability, while the generally lower dietary diversity of cattle increased substantially during summer. Intriguingly, season-specific diets differed, with a greater proportion of trees in the horses' diet during winter, where cattle relied more on shrubs. Graminoids were predominantly found in the diet of horses, but were generally underrepresented compared to previous studies, possibly due to the high prevalence of forbs in the study area. Dung-associated arthropod richness was higher for cattle, largely due to a high richness of flies during summer. Several species of dung-associated arthropods were found primarily in dung from one of the two herbivores, and our data confirmed known patterns of seasonal activity. Nematode richness was constantly higher for horses, and nematode communities were markedly different between the two species. Our results demonstrate complementary effects of cattle and horses through diet differences and dung-associated invertebrate communities, enhancing our understanding of large herbivore effects on vegetation and associated biodiversity. These results are directly applicable for decision-making in rewilding projects, suggesting biodiversity-benefits by inclusion of functionally different herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kent Olsen
- Department of Research and Collections, Natural History Museum Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Morten D D Hansen
- Department of Research and Collections, Natural History Museum Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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Early stages of home range settlement in a newly reintroduced raptor on an island: Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) on Mallorca, Spain. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01633-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Choquette JD, Litzgus JD, Gui JXY, Pitcher TE. A systematic review of snake translocations to identify potential tactics for reducing postrelease effects. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14016. [PMID: 36436192 PMCID: PMC10100070 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in the field of reintroduction biology are needed, but understanding of how to effectively conduct translocations, particularly with snakes, is lacking. We conducted a systematic review of snake translocation studies to identify potential tactics for reducing postrelease effects. We included studies on intentional, human-mediated, wild-wild, or captive-wild translocations to any location, regardless of motive or number of snakes translocated. Only studies that presented results for at least 1 of 4 outcomes (movement behavior, site fidelity, survival, or population establishment) were included. We systematically searched 4 databases for published studies and used 5 methods to search the gray literature. Our search and screening criteria yielded 121 data sources, representing 130 translocation cases. We quantified the association between 15 translocation tactics and short-term translocation outcomes by calculating odds ratios and used forest plots to display results. Snake translocations involved 47 species (from mainly 2 families), and most were motivated by research, were monitored for at least 6 months, occurred in North America, and took place from the 1990s onward. The odds of a positive snake translocation outcome were highest with release of captive reared or juvenile snakes, release of social groups together, delayed release, provision of environmental enrichment or social housing before release, or minimization of distance translocated. The odds of a positive outcome were lowest when snakes were released early in their active season. Our results do not demonstrate causation, but outcomes of snake translocation were associated with 8 tactics (4 of which were strongly correlated). In addition to targeted comparative studies, we recommend practitioners consider the possible influence of these tactics when planning snake translocations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Choquette
- School of Natural SciencesLaurentian UniversitySudburyOntarioCanada
- Wildlife Preservation CanadaGuelphOntarioCanada
| | | | | | - Trevor E. Pitcher
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research & Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of WindsorWindsorOntarioCanada
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Marshall AR, Waite CE, Pfeifer M, Banin LF, Rakotonarivo S, Chomba S, Herbohn J, Gilmour DA, Brown M, Chazdon RL. Fifteen essential science advances needed for effective restoration of the world's forest landscapes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210065. [PMID: 36373922 PMCID: PMC9661955 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There has never been a more pressing and opportune time for science and practice to collaborate towards restoration of the world's forests. Multiple uncertainties remain for achieving successful, long-term forest landscape restoration (FLR). In this article, we use expert knowledge and literature review to identify knowledge gaps that need closing to advance restoration practice, as an introduction to a landmark theme issue on FLR and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Aligned with an Adaptive Management Cycle for FLR, we identify 15 essential science advances required to facilitate FLR success for nature and people. They highlight that the greatest science challenges lie in the conceptualization, planning and assessment stages of restoration, which require an evidence base for why, where and how to restore, at realistic scales. FLR and underlying sciences are complex, requiring spatially explicit approaches across disciplines and sectors, considering multiple objectives, drivers and trade-offs critical for decision-making and financing. The developing tropics are a priority region, where scientists must work with stakeholders across the Adaptive Management Cycle. Clearly communicated scientific evidence for action at the outset of restoration planning will enable donors, decision makers and implementers to develop informed objectives, realistic targets and processes for accountability. This article paves the way for 19 further articles in this theme issue, with author contributions from across the world. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Marshall
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Reforest Africa, Mang'ula, Tanzania
- Flamingo Land Ltd, Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire YO17 6UX, UK
| | - Catherine E. Waite
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Marion Pfeifer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Lindsay F. Banin
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Sarobidy Rakotonarivo
- École Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 566 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - John Herbohn
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Donald A. Gilmour
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Mark Brown
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Robin L. Chazdon
- Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
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Derham T, Johnson C, Martin B, Ryeland J, Ondei S, Fielding M, Brook BW. Extinction of the Tasmanian emu and opportunities for rewilding. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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32
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Hughes LJ, Morton O, Scheffers BR, Edwards DP. The ecological drivers and consequences of wildlife trade. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 98:775-791. [PMID: 36572536 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife trade is a key driver of extinction risk, affecting at least 24% of terrestrial vertebrates. The persistent removal of species can have profound impacts on species extinction risk and selection within populations. We draw together the first review of characteristics known to drive species use - identifying species with larger body sizes, greater abundance, increased rarity or certain morphological traits valued by consumers as being particularly prevalent in trade. We then review the ecological implications of this trade-driven selection, revealing direct effects of trade on natural selection and populations for traded species, which includes selection against desirable traits. Additionally, there exists a positive feedback loop between rarity and trade and depleted populations tend to have easy human access points, which can result in species being harvested to extinction and has the potential to alter source-sink dynamics. Wider cascading ecosystem repercussions from trade-induced declines include altered seed dispersal networks, trophic cascades, long-term compositional changes in plant communities, altered forest carbon stocks, and the introduction of harmful invasive species. Because it occurs across multiple scales with diverse drivers, wildlife trade requires multi-faceted conservation actions to maintain biodiversity and ecological function, including regulatory and enforcement approaches, bottom-up and community-based interventions, captive breeding or wildlife farming, and conservation translocations and trophic rewilding. We highlight three emergent research themes at the intersection of trade and community ecology: (1) functional impacts of trade; (2) altered provisioning of ecosystem services; and (3) prevalence of trade-dispersed diseases. Outside of the primary objective that exploitation is sustainable for traded species, we must urgently incorporate consideration of the broader consequences for other species and ecosystem processes when quantifying sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam J. Hughes
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield South Yorks S10 2TN Sheffield UK
| | - Oscar Morton
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield South Yorks S10 2TN Sheffield UK
| | - Brett R. Scheffers
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611 USA
| | - David P. Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield South Yorks S10 2TN Sheffield UK
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33
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Massenberg JR, Schiller J, Schröter‐Schlaack C. Towards a holistic approach to rewilding in cultural landscapes. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julian R. Massenberg
- Department Economics Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Johannes Schiller
- Department Economics Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Leipzig Germany
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Greggor AL, Masuda B, Sabol AC, Swaisgood RR. What do animals learn during anti-predator training? Testing for predator-specific learning in ‘alalā (Corvus hawaiiensis). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03273-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Albani Rocchetti G, Carta A, Mondoni A, Godefroid S, Davis CC, Caneva G, Albrecht MA, Alvarado K, Bijmoer R, Borosova R, Bräuchler C, Breman E, Briggs M, Buord S, Cave LH, Da Silva NG, Davey AH, Davies RM, Dickie JB, Fabillo M, Fleischmann A, Franks A, Hall G, Kantvilas G, Klak C, Liu U, Medina L, Reinhammar LG, Sebola RJ, Schönberger I, Sweeney P, Voglmayr H, White A, Wieringa JJ, Zippel E, Abeli T. Selecting the best candidates for resurrecting extinct-in-the-wild plants from herbaria. NATURE PLANTS 2022; 8:1385-1393. [PMID: 36536014 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-022-01296-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Resurrecting extinct species is a fascinating and challenging idea for scientists and the general public. Whereas some theoretical progress has been made for animals, the resurrection of extinct plants (de-extinction sensu lato) is a relatively recently discussed topic. In this context, the term 'de-extinction' is used sensu lato to refer to the resurrection of 'extinct in the wild' species from seeds or tissues preserved in herbaria, as we acknowledge the current impossibility of knowing a priori whether a herbarium seed is alive and can germinate. In plants, this could be achieved by germinating or in vitro tissue-culturing old diaspores such as seeds or spores available in herbarium specimens. This paper reports the first list of plant de-extinction candidates based on the actual availability of seeds in herbarium specimens of globally extinct plants. We reviewed globally extinct seed plants using online resources and additional literature on national red lists, resulting in a list of 361 extinct taxa. We then proposed a method of prioritizing candidates for seed-plant de-extinction from diaspores found in herbarium specimens and complemented this with a phylogenetic approach to identify species that may maximize evolutionarily distinct features. Finally, combining data on seed storage behaviour and longevity, as well as specimen age in the novel 'best de-extinction candidate' score (DEXSCO), we identified 556 herbarium specimens belonging to 161 extinct species with available seeds. We expect that this list of de-extinction candidates and the novel approach to rank them will boost research efforts towards the first-ever plant de-extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrea Mondoni
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sandrine Godefroid
- Research Department, Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium
- Service général de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche scientifique, Fédération Wallonie, Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Biogeochemistry, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Charles C Davis
- Department of Organismic Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Giulia Caneva
- Department of Science, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Matthew A Albrecht
- Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Karla Alvarado
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Roxali Bijmoer
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Botany Section, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Elinor Breman
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst; Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK
| | | | - Stephane Buord
- Conservatoire botanique national de Brest, Brest, France
| | | | - Nílber Gonçalves Da Silva
- Departamento de Botânica, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Rachael M Davies
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Seed and Lab-Based Collections, Sussex, UK
| | - John B Dickie
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Seed and Lab-Based Collections, Sussex, UK
| | - Melodina Fabillo
- Queensland Herbarium, Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andreas Fleischmann
- Botanische Staatssammlung München (SNSB-BSM), and GeoBio-Center LMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrew Franks
- Queensland Herbarium, Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Toowong, Queensland, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Hall
- Centre sur la biodiversité de l'Université de Montréal (CITES CA-035), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Gintaras Kantvilas
- Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Cornelia Klak
- Bolus Herbarium, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Udayangani Liu
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wellcome Trust Millennium Building, West Sussex, England, UK
| | | | | | - Ramagwai J Sebola
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand; WITS, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ines Schönberger
- Allan Herbarium, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Patrick Sweeney
- Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hermann Voglmayr
- Department for Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Adam White
- CSIRO Black Mountain Laboratories, Black Mountain, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jan J Wieringa
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Botany Section, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Elke Zippel
- Dahlem Seed Bank, Botanical Garden and Botanic Museum Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Abeli
- Department of Science, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- IUCN SSC Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Pires MM, Galetti M. Beyond the “empty forest”: The defaunation syndromes of Neotropical forests in the Anthropocene. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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37
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Chock RY, Miller WB, King SN, Brehme CS, Fisher RN, Sin H, Wilcox P, Terp J, Tremor S, Major MR, Merrill K, Spencer WD, Sullivan S, Shier DM. Quantitative SWOT analysis: A structured and collaborative approach to reintroduction site selection for the endangered Pacific pocket mouse. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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38
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Blanchard G, Munoz F. Revisiting extinction debt through the lens of multitrophic networks and meta‐ecosystems. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire Blanchard
- AMAP, Univ. Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRD Montpellier France
- AMAP, IRD, Herbier de Nouvelle Calédonie Nouméa Nouvelle Calédonie
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Majaliwa MM, Hughey LF, Stabach JA, Songer M, Whyle K, Alhashmi AEA, Al Remeithi M, Pusey R, Chaibo HA, Ngari Walsoumon A, Hassan Hatcha M, Wacher T, Ngaba C, Newby J, Leimgruber P, Mertes K. Experience and social factors influence movement and habitat selection in scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) reintroduced into Chad. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:47. [PMID: 36357952 PMCID: PMC9650856 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00348-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reintroduced animals-especially those raised in captivity-are faced with the unique challenge of navigating a wholly unfamiliar environment, and often make erratic or extensive movements after release. Naïveté to the reintroduction landscape can be costly, e.g., through increased energy expenditure, greater exposure to predation, and reduced opportunities to forage. Integration with an extant population may provide opportunities for social information transfer. However, in the absence of interactions with residents, it is unclear how individual and social learning may affect an animal's ability to track resources in an unfamiliar landscape. We use integrated step selection functions (iSSFs) to address these knowledge gaps, by evaluating the extent to which environmental factors, individual experience (time since release), and social information-sharing (group size) influence movement decisions by scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) reintroduced into their native range for the first time in ca. 30 years. We found that both experience and social factors influenced the habitat selection and movement behavior of reintroduced oryx. Of four candidate iSSFs, the model that included environmental, experience, and group size variables performed best in both dry and wet periods. Statistically significant interaction terms between environmental variables and experience were generally larger than similar terms for group size, indicating that experience may affect habitat selection by reintroduced oryx more strongly than social factors. These findings may inform the management of recovering wildlife populations, update widely-held expectations about how released ungulates acclimate to novel landscapes, and demonstrate the utility of long-term monitoring of reintroduced populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Majaliwa
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - L F Hughey
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - J A Stabach
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - M Songer
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - K Whyle
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - A E A Alhashmi
- Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity, Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - M Al Remeithi
- Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity, Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - R Pusey
- Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity, Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - H A Chaibo
- Direction de la Conservation de la Faune et des Aires Protégées, N'Djamena, Chad
| | - A Ngari Walsoumon
- Direction de la Conservation de la Faune et des Aires Protégées, N'Djamena, Chad
| | - M Hassan Hatcha
- Direction de la Conservation de la Faune et des Aires Protégées, N'Djamena, Chad
| | - T Wacher
- Conservation Programmes, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - C Ngaba
- SaharaConservation, Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
| | - J Newby
- SaharaConservation, Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
| | - P Leimgruber
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - K Mertes
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA.
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40
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Verant ML, Wolf TM, Romanski MC, Moore S, Mayer T, Munderloh UG, Price LD, Lejeune M, Patterson BR, Beyer DE. Practical application of disease risk analysis for reintroducing gray wolves (
Canis lupus
) to Isle Royale National Park,
USA. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. Verant
- National Park Service, Biological Resources Division Wildlife Health Branch Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Tiffany M. Wolf
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Mark C. Romanski
- National Park Service, Isle Royal National Park Houghton Michigan USA
| | - Seth Moore
- Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Grand Portage Minnesota USA
| | - Treana Mayer
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Ulrike G. Munderloh
- Department of Entomology College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Lisa D. Price
- Department of Entomology College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Mandigandan Lejeune
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Ithaca New York USA
| | - Brent R. Patterson
- Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada
| | - Dean E. Beyer
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
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41
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Sievers M, Brown CJ, Buelow CA, Hale R, Ostrowski A, Saunders MI, Silliman BR, Swearer SE, Turschwell MP, Valdez SR, Connolly RM. Greater Consideration of Animals Will Enhance Coastal Restoration Outcomes. Bioscience 2022; 72:1088-1098. [PMID: 36325106 PMCID: PMC9618274 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
As efforts to restore coastal habitats accelerate, it is critical that investments are targeted to most effectively mitigate and reverse habitat loss and its impacts on biodiversity. One likely but largely overlooked impediment to effective restoration of habitat-forming organisms is failing to explicitly consider non-habitat-forming animals in restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring. These animals can greatly enhance or degrade ecosystem function, persistence, and resilience. Bivalves, for instance, can reduce sulfide stress in seagrass habitats and increase drought tolerance of saltmarsh vegetation, whereas megaherbivores can detrimentally overgraze seagrass or improve seagrass seed germination, depending on the context. Therefore, understanding when, why, and how to directly manipulate or support animals can enhance coastal restoration outcomes. In support of this expanded restoration approach, we provide a conceptual framework, incorporating lessons from structured decision-making, and describe potential actions that could lead to better restoration outcomes using case studies to illustrate practical approaches.
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42
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Goldenberg SZ, Chege SM, Mwangi N, Craig I, Daballen D, Douglas-Hamilton I, Lamberski N, Lenaipa M, Lendira R, Lesowapir C, Lokooria LP, Mutinda M, Omengo F, Rowe K, Stacy-Dawes J, Wittemyer G, Owen MA. Social integration of translocated wildlife: a case study of rehabilitated and released elephant calves in northern Kenya. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00285-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractConservation translocations have the potential to strengthen populations of threatened and endangered species, but facilitating integration of translocated individuals with resident populations remains a substantial challenge. Developing functional social relationships like cooperative partnerships or establishing clear dominance hierarchies may be critical to integration of released individuals. Developing such relationships has not received much attention in translocation research, especially for long-lived, socially complex animals for which establishment and navigation of social environments is often a lengthy process that requires sustained monitoring to understand. Here, we present a case study of the social associations of African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) calves that have been rehabilitated and released into a fenced wildlife sanctuary in northern Kenya with a resident population of elephants. We use focal follows of interactions pre-release and GPS tracking post-release to quantify social associations of calves with each other and with resident elephants at the release site. We demonstrate how this approach supports translocation monitoring by capturing temporal trends in social patterns within and between release cohorts and among released elephants and wild elephants already resident at the site during a transitional soft release period. Our results show that initial post-release social behavior of rehabilitated calves is related to histories of interaction with familiar individuals and cohort membership and that released calves increased their associations with residents over time. This information provides new behavioral insights for guiding elephant release projects, like the strength of relationships within and among release cohorts, the time to integration with the resident population, and the occurrence and increased incidence of societal fission–fusion. Further, this study provides an example of the utility of animal behavior research to achieve and assess progress towards conservation objectives, and to develop monitoring tools for conservation managers.
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43
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Stepkovitch B, Kingsford RT, Moseby KE. A comprehensive review of mammalian carnivore translocations. Mamm Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Stepkovitch
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Richard T. Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Katherine E. Moseby
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
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44
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The generality of cryptic dietary niche differences in diverse large-herbivore assemblages. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204400119. [PMID: 35994662 PMCID: PMC9436339 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204400119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological niche differences are necessary for stable species coexistence but are often difficult to discern. Models of dietary niche differentiation in large mammalian herbivores invoke the quality, quantity, and spatiotemporal distribution of plant tissues and growth forms but are agnostic toward food plant species identity. Empirical support for these models is variable, suggesting that additional mechanisms of resource partitioning may be important in sustaining large-herbivore diversity in African savannas. We used DNA metabarcoding to conduct a taxonomically explicit analysis of large-herbivore diets across southeastern Africa, analyzing ∼4,000 fecal samples of 30 species from 10 sites in seven countries over 6 y. We detected 893 food plant taxa from 124 families, but just two families-grasses and legumes-accounted for the majority of herbivore diets. Nonetheless, herbivore species almost invariably partitioned food plant taxa; diet composition differed significantly in 97% of pairwise comparisons between sympatric species, and dissimilarity was pronounced even between the strictest grazers (grass eaters), strictest browsers (nongrass eaters), and closest relatives at each site. Niche differentiation was weakest in an ecosystem recovering from catastrophic defaunation, indicating that food plant partitioning is driven by species interactions, and was stronger at low rainfall, as expected if interspecific competition is a predominant driver. Diets differed more between browsers than grazers, which predictably shaped community organization: Grazer-dominated trophic networks had higher nestedness and lower modularity. That dietary differentiation is structured along taxonomic lines complements prior work on how herbivores partition plant parts and patches and suggests that common mechanisms govern herbivore coexistence and community assembly in savannas.
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45
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Alston JD, Clark JD, Gibbs DB, Hast J. Density, harvest rates, and growth of a reintroduced American black bear population. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22298] [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)
- Joshua D. Alston
- Department of Forestry Wildlife and Fisheries, 427 Plant Biotechnology Building, 2505 E. J. Chapman Drive, University of Tennessee Knoxville TN 37996 USA
| | - Joseph D. Clark
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Southern Appalachian Research Branch, 427 Plant Biotechnology Building, 2505 E. J. Chapman Drive, University of Tennessee Knoxville TN 37996 USA
| | - Daniel B. Gibbs
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 3030 Wildlife Way Morristown TN 37814 USA
| | - John Hast
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, 1 Sportsman's Lane Frankfort KY 40601 USA
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46
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Andrews CE, Anderson SH, van der Walt K, Thorogood R, Ewen JG. Evaluating the success of functional restoration after reintroduction of a lost avian pollinator. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13892. [PMID: 35171538 PMCID: PMC9545379 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Conservation translocation is a common method for species recovery, for which one increasingly frequent objective is restoring lost ecological functions to promote ecosystem recovery. However, few conservation translocation programs explicitly state or monitor function as an objective, limiting the ability to test assumptions, learn from past efforts, and improve management. We evaluated whether translocations of hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a threatened New Zealand passerine, achieved their implicit objective of restoring lost pollination function. Through a pollinator-exclusion experiment, we quantified, with log response ratios (lnR), the effects of birds on fruit set and seed quality in hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium), a native flowering shrub. We isolated the contributions of hihi by making comparisons across sites with and without hihi. Birds improved fruit set more at sites without hihi (lnR = 1.27) than sites with hihi (lnR = 0.50), suggesting other avian pollinators compensated for and even exceeded hihi contributions to fruit set. Although birds improved seed germination only at hihi sites (lnR = 0.22-0.41), plants at sites without hihi had germination rates similar to hihi sites because they produced 26% more filled seeds, regardless of pollination condition. Therefore, although our results showed hihi improved seed quality, they also highlighted the complexity of ecological functions. When an important species is lost, ecosystems may be able to achieve similar function through different means. Our results underscore the importance of stating and monitoring the ecological benefits of conservation translocations when functional restoration is a motivation to ensure these programs are achieving their objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E. Andrews
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Karin van der Walt
- Ōtari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush ReserveWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Rose Thorogood
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Research Program in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of LondonLondonUK
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47
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Alves F, Potts J, Round V, Stojanovic D, Webb M, Heinsohn R, Langmore NE. Modelling the distribution of a key habitat feature to guide future on‐ground habitat assessment for an endangered specialist songbird. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13221] [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]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Alves
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology Australian National University 134 Linnaeus Way Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - Joanne Potts
- The Analytical Edge Blackmans Bay Tasmania Australia
| | - Vanessa Round
- CSIRO Climate Science Centre, Oceans and Atmosphere Melbourne Vioctoria Australia
| | - Dejan Stojanovic
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Matthew Webb
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Robert Heinsohn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Naomi E. Langmore
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology Australian National University 134 Linnaeus Way Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
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48
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Ebel CR, Case MF, Werner CM, Porensky LM, Veblen KE, Wells HBM, Kimuyu DM, Langendorf RE, Young TP, Hallett LM. Herbivory and Drought Reduce the Temporal Stability of Herbaceous Cover by Increasing Synchrony in a Semi-arid Savanna. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.867051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological stability in plant communities is shaped by bottom-up processes like environmental resource fluctuations and top-down controls such as herbivory, each of which have demonstrated direct effects but may also act indirectly by altering plant community dynamics. These indirect effects, called biotic stability mechanisms, have been studied across environmental gradients, but few studies have assessed the importance of top-down controls on biotic stability mechanisms in conjunction with bottom-up processes. Here we use a long-term herbivore exclusion experiment in central Kenya to explore the joint effects of drought and herbivory (bottom-up and top-down limitation, respectively) on three biotic stability mechanisms: (1) species asynchrony, in which a decline in one species is compensated for by a rise in another, (2) stable dominant species driving overall stability, and (3) the portfolio effect, in which a community property is distributed among multiple species. We calculated the temporal stability of herbaceous cover and biotic stability mechanisms over a 22-year time series and with a moving window to examine changes through time. Both drought and herbivory additively reduced asynchronous dynamics, leading to lower stability during droughts and under high herbivore pressure. This effect is likely attributed to a reduction in palatable dominant species under higher herbivory, which creates space for subordinate species to fluctuate synchronously in response to rainfall variability. Dominant species population stability promoted community stability, an effect that did not vary with precipitation but depended on herbivory. The portfolio effect was not important for stability in this system. Our results demonstrate that this system is naturally dynamic, and a future of increasing drought may reduce its stability. However, these effects will in turn be amplified or buffered depending on changes in herbivore communities and their direct and indirect impacts on plant community dynamics.
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49
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North S, Richmond JQ, Santana FE, Peralta-García A, Gallegos EA, Backlin AR, Hitchcock CJ, Hollingsworth BD, Valdez-Villavicencio JH, Principe Z, Fisher RN, Winchell CS. Taking the Leap: A Binational Translocation Effort to Close the 420-Km Gap in the Baja California Lineage of the California Red-Legged Frog (Rana draytonii). FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.908929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation translocations, the human-mediated movement and release of a living organism for a conservation benefit, are increasingly recommended in species’ recovery plans as a technique for mitigating population declines or augmenting genetic diversity. However, translocation protocols for species with broad distributions may require regionally specific considerations to increase success, as environmental gradients may pose different constraints on population establishment and persistence in different parts of the range. Here we report on ongoing, genetically informed translocations of a threatened amphibian, California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), from Baja California, México, to extirpated parts of the range in southern California in the United States, where contemporary stressors related to urbanization, invasive species, and aridification add to the natural environmental challenges already present for amphibians at this ‘warm edge’ of the range. We describe the collaborative binational planning required to jumpstart the effort, the fine-tuning of protocols for collection, transport, headstarting, and release of individuals, and results of multiple translocations, where time will tell whether the successes to date have reached their full potential. The steps outlined in this paper can serve as a template to inform future conservation translocations of imperiled amphibians across the U.S./México border, where the phylogenetics, historical biogeography and future habitat availability of a focal species are blind to political boundaries and critical to guiding recovery actions across the range.
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50
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Fischer JH, Wittmer HU, Kenup CF, Parker KA, Cole R, Debski I, Taylor GA, Ewen JG, Armstrong DP. Predicting harvest impact and establishment success when translocating highly mobile and endangered species. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- JH Fischer
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand
- Aquatic Unit Department of Conservation Wellington
| | - HU Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand
| | - CF Kenup
- Wildlife Ecology Group Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand
| | | | - R Cole
- Murihiku District Office Department of Conservation Invercargill
| | - I Debski
- Aquatic Unit Department of Conservation Wellington
| | - GA Taylor
- Aquatic Unit Department of Conservation Wellington
| | - JG Ewen
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
| | - DP Armstrong
- Wildlife Ecology Group Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand
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