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Zilliacus KM, O'Sullivan J, Galván-Magña F, McKinzie MK, Croll DA. A biologging database of mobulid rays from the Gulf of California, Mexico. Sci Data 2024; 11:33. [PMID: 38177174 PMCID: PMC10767078 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02874-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
We initiated a tagging program in 2004 to determine the large-scale and long-term movement patterns of three species of Mobulid Ray (Mobula mobular, M. munkiana, M. thurstoni). Between 2004 and 2014 we deployed 48 pop-up archival (PAT) tags that recorded temperature, pressure, and light level. Pressure and light level records were then used to calculate animal depth and geolocation. Transmitted and when available recovered raw data files from successful deployments (n = 45) were auto-ingested from the manufacturer into the United States Animal Telemetry Network's (ATN) Data Assembly Center (DAC). Through the ATN DAC, all necessary metadata were compiled, dataset was prepped for release, and derived geolocation trajectories (n = 43) were visualized within their public facing data portal. These data and the full metadata records are available for download from the ATN portal as well as permanently archived under the DataONE Research Workspace member node.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Zilliacus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA.
| | | | - Felipe Galván-Magña
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Megan K McKinzie
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California, 95039, USA
| | - Donald A Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA
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Andrzejaczek S, Lucas TC, Goodman MC, Hussey NE, Armstrong AJ, Carlisle A, Coffey DM, Gleiss AC, Huveneers C, Jacoby DMP, Meekan MG, Mourier J, Peel LR, Abrantes K, Afonso AS, Ajemian MJ, Anderson BN, Anderson SD, Araujo G, Armstrong AO, Bach P, Barnett A, Bennett MB, Bezerra NA, Bonfil R, Boustany AM, Bowlby HD, Branco I, Braun CD, Brooks EJ, Brown J, Burke PJ, Butcher P, Castleton M, Chapple TK, Chateau O, Clarke M, Coelho R, Cortes E, Couturier LIE, Cowley PD, Croll DA, Cuevas JM, Curtis TH, Dagorn L, Dale JJ, Daly R, Dewar H, Doherty PD, Domingo A, Dove ADM, Drew M, Dudgeon CL, Duffy CAJ, Elliott RG, Ellis JR, Erdmann MV, Farrugia TJ, Ferreira LC, Ferretti F, Filmalter JD, Finucci B, Fischer C, Fitzpatrick R, Forget F, Forsberg K, Francis MP, Franks BR, Gallagher AJ, Galvan-Magana F, García ML, Gaston TF, Gillanders BM, Gollock MJ, Green JR, Green S, Griffiths CA, Hammerschlag N, Hasan A, Hawkes LA, Hazin F, Heard M, Hearn A, Hedges KJ, Henderson SM, Holdsworth J, Holland KN, Howey LA, Hueter RE, Humphries NE, Hutchinson M, Jaine FRA, Jorgensen SJ, Kanive PE, Labaja J, Lana FO, Lassauce H, Lipscombe RS, Llewellyn F, Macena BCL, Mambrasar R, McAllister JD, McCully Phillips SR, McGregor F, McMillan MN, McNaughton LM, Mendonça SA, Meyer CG, Meyers M, Mohan JA, Montgomery JC, Mucientes G, Musyl MK, Nasby-Lucas N, Natanson LJ, O’Sullivan JB, Oliveira P, Papastamtiou YP, Patterson TA, Pierce SJ, Queiroz N, Radford CA, Richardson AJ, Richardson AJ, Righton D, Rohner CA, Royer MA, Saunders RA, Schaber M, Schallert RJ, Scholl MC, Seitz AC, Semmens JM, Setyawan E, Shea BD, Shidqi RA, Shillinger GL, Shipley ON, Shivji MS, Sianipar AB, Silva JF, Sims DW, Skomal GB, Sousa LL, Southall EJ, Spaet JLY, Stehfest KM, Stevens G, Stewart JD, Sulikowski JA, Syakurachman I, Thorrold SR, Thums M, Tickler D, Tolloti MT, Townsend KA, Travassos P, Tyminski JP, Vaudo JJ, Veras D, Wantiez L, Weber SB, Wells RD, Weng KC, Wetherbee BM, Williamson JE, Witt MJ, Wright S, Zilliacus K, Block BA, Curnick DJ. Diving into the vertical dimension of elasmobranch movement ecology. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabo1754. [PMID: 35984887 PMCID: PMC9390984 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo1754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of the three-dimensional movement patterns of elasmobranchs is vital to understand their ecological roles and exposure to anthropogenic pressures. To date, comparative studies among species at global scales have mostly focused on horizontal movements. Our study addresses the knowledge gap of vertical movements by compiling the first global synthesis of vertical habitat use by elasmobranchs from data obtained by deployment of 989 biotelemetry tags on 38 elasmobranch species. Elasmobranchs displayed high intra- and interspecific variability in vertical movement patterns. Substantial vertical overlap was observed for many epipelagic elasmobranchs, indicating an increased likelihood to display spatial overlap, biologically interact, and share similar risk to anthropogenic threats that vary on a vertical gradient. We highlight the critical next steps toward incorporating vertical movement into global management and monitoring strategies for elasmobranchs, emphasizing the need to address geographic and taxonomic biases in deployments and to concurrently consider both horizontal and vertical movements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tim C.D. Lucas
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Nigel E. Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Amelia J. Armstrong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Aaron Carlisle
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA
| | - Daniel M. Coffey
- Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | - Adrian C. Gleiss
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Charlie Huveneers
- Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - David M. P. Jacoby
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Mark G. Meekan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Johann Mourier
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- UMS 3514 Plateforme Marine Stella Mare, Université de Corse Pasquale Paoli, Biguglia, France
| | - Lauren R. Peel
- The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorset, UK
- Save Our Seas Foundation–D’Arros Research Centre, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kátya Abrantes
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - André S. Afonso
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Matthew J. Ajemian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Brooke N. Anderson
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | - Gonzalo Araujo
- Environmental Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Marine Research and Conservation Foundation, Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, UK
| | - Asia O. Armstrong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Pascal Bach
- MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
| | - Adam Barnett
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Mike B. Bennett
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Natalia A. Bezerra
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Ramon Bonfil
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR)–Unidad Chetumal, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
- Océanos Vivientes A.C., Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Andre M. Boustany
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA, USA
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Heather D. Bowlby
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Ilka Branco
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Camrin D. Braun
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | | | - Judith Brown
- Ascension Island Government Conservation and Fisheries Department, Georgetown, Ascension Island, UK
| | - Patrick J. Burke
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul Butcher
- NSW Department of Primary Industries–Fisheries Research, National Marine Science Centre, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Taylor K. Chapple
- Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Olivier Chateau
- Laboratory of Marine Biology and Ecology, Aquarium des Lagons, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | | | - Rui Coelho
- Portuguese Institute for the Ocean and Atmosphere, I.P. (IPMA), Olhão, Algarve, Portugal
- Centre of Marine Sciences of the Algarve, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Algarve, Portugal
| | - Enric Cortes
- Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Panama City, FL, USA
| | | | - Paul D. Cowley
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Juan M. Cuevas
- Wildlife Conservation Society Argentina, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- División Zoología de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tobey H. Curtis
- Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division, NOAA Fisheries, Gloucester, MA, USA
| | - Laurent Dagorn
- MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
| | - Jonathan J. Dale
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - Ryan Daly
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, South Africa
- Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
| | - Heidi Dewar
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Philip D. Doherty
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Andrés Domingo
- Laboratorio de Recursos Pelágicos, Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos (DINARA), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Michael Drew
- Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- SARDI Aquatic Sciences, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Christine L. Dudgeon
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, The University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Riley G. Elliott
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jim R. Ellis
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
| | | | - Thomas J. Farrugia
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
- Alaska Ocean Observing System, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Luciana C. Ferreira
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - John D. Filmalter
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - Brittany Finucci
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Richard Fitzpatrick
- Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Fabien Forget
- MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
| | | | - Malcolm P. Francis
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Bryan R. Franks
- Marine Science Research Institute, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Felipe Galvan-Magana
- Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Mirta L. García
- Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Troy F. Gaston
- College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia
| | - Bronwyn M. Gillanders
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Jonathan R. Green
- Galapagos Whale Shark Project, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
| | - Sofia Green
- Galapagos Whale Shark Project, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
| | - Christopher A. Griffiths
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Lysekil, Sweden
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Abdi Hasan
- Yayasan Konservasi Indonesia, Sorong, West Papua, Indonesia
| | - Lucy A. Hawkes
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
| | - Fabio Hazin
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Matthew Heard
- Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- SARDI Aquatic Sciences, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Conservation and Wildlife Branch, Department for Environment and Water, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Alex Hearn
- Migramar, Forest Knolls, CA, USA
- Galapagos Whale Shark Project, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
- Galapagos Science Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | - Kim N. Holland
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | - Lucy A. Howey
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Haiti Ocean Project, Petite Riviere de Nippes, Haiti
| | - Robert E. Hueter
- OCEARCH, Park City, UT, USA
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | | | - Melanie Hutchinson
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA
- Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Fabrice R. A. Jaine
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Salvador J. Jorgensen
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Paul E. Kanive
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Jessica Labaja
- Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, Jagna, Bohol, Philippines
| | - Fernanda O. Lana
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Hugo Lassauce
- The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorset, UK
- ISEA, University of New Caledonia, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Conservation International New Caledonia, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Rebecca S. Lipscombe
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Bruno C. L. Macena
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Okeanos Centre, University of the Azores, Horta, Faial, Portugal
| | | | - Jaime D. McAllister
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | | | | | - Matthew N. McMillan
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Sibele A. Mendonça
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Carl G. Meyer
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | - Megan Meyers
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - John A. Mohan
- School of Marine and Environmental Programs, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, USA
| | - John C. Montgomery
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gonzalo Mucientes
- Instituto de Investigacions Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Vigo, Galicia, Spain
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairao, Portugal
| | | | - Nicole Nasby-Lucas
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Paulo Oliveira
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Yannis P. Papastamtiou
- Institute of the Environment, Department of Biological Science, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Nuno Queiroz
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairao, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Vairao, Portugal
| | - Craig A. Radford
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andy J. Richardson
- Ascension Island Government Conservation and Fisheries Department, Georgetown, Ascension Island, UK
| | - Anthony J. Richardson
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - David Righton
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Mark A. Royer
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael C. Scholl
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, The Bahamas
- IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, Gland, Vaud, Switzerland
- Aquarium-Muséum Universitaire de Liège, University of Liège, Liège, Wallonia, Belgium
| | - Andrew C. Seitz
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Jayson M. Semmens
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Edy Setyawan
- The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorset, UK
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Brendan D. Shea
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Beneath the Waves, Herndon, VA, USA
| | - Rafid A. Shidqi
- Coastal Science and Policy Program, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Thresher Shark Project Indonesia, Alor Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
| | - George L. Shillinger
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
- Migramar, Forest Knolls, CA, USA
- Upwell, Monterey, CA, USA
| | | | - Mahmood S. Shivji
- Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Abraham B. Sianipar
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Joana F. Silva
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
| | - David W. Sims
- The Marine Biological Association, Plymouth, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Lara L. Sousa
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Julia L. Y. Spaet
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | | | - Guy Stevens
- The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorset, UK
| | - Joshua D. Stewart
- The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorset, UK
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - James A. Sulikowski
- New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | - Simon R. Thorrold
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Michele Thums
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - David Tickler
- Marine Futures Lab, School of Biological Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | | | - Kathy A. Townsend
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, The University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
| | - Paulo Travassos
- Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - John P. Tyminski
- OCEARCH, Park City, UT, USA
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Jeremy J. Vaudo
- Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Drausio Veras
- Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Serra Talhada, PE, Brazil
| | | | - Sam B. Weber
- Ascension Island Government Conservation and Fisheries Department, Georgetown, Ascension Island, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - R.J. David Wells
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kevin C. Weng
- Fisheries Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - Bradley M. Wetherbee
- Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Jane E. Williamson
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew J. Witt
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
| | - Serena Wright
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
| | - Kelly Zilliacus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Barbara A. Block
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
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Spatz DR, Holmes ND, Will DJ, Hein S, Carter ZT, Fewster RM, Keitt B, Genovesi P, Samaniego A, Croll DA, Tershy BR, Russell JC. The global contribution of invasive vertebrate eradication as a key island restoration tool. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13391. [PMID: 35948555 PMCID: PMC9365850 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14982-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Islands are global hotspots for biodiversity and extinction, representing ~ 5% of Earth's land area alongside 40% of globally threatened vertebrates and 61% of global extinctions since the 1500s. Invasive species are the primary driver of native biodiversity loss on islands, though eradication of invasive species from islands has been effective at halting or reversing these trends. A global compendium of this conservation tool is essential for scaling best-practices and enabling innovations to maximize biodiversity outcomes. Here, we synthesize over 100 years of invasive vertebrate eradications from islands, comprising 1550 eradication attempts on 998 islands, with an 88% success rate. We show a significant growth in eradication activity since the 1980s, primarily driven by rodent eradications. The annual number of eradications on islands peaked in the mid-2000s, but the annual area treated continues to rise dramatically. This trend reflects increases in removal efficacy and project complexity, generating increased conservation gains. Our synthesis demonstrates the collective contribution of national interventions towards global biodiversity outcomes. Further investment in invasive vertebrate eradications from islands will expand biodiversity conservation while strengthening biodiversity resilience to climate change and creating co-benefits for human societies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stella Hein
- Island Conservation, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Piero Genovesi
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Rome, Italy.,IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, Rome, Italy
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Martínez-Estévez L, Steller DL, Zilliacus KM, Cuevas Amador JP, Amador FC, Szuta D, Miller SD, Dayton GH, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Foraging ecology of critically endangered Eastern Pacific hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Mar Environ Res 2022; 174:105532. [PMID: 35032818 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Eastern Pacific hawksbill sea turtle population is one of the most endangered of all sea turtle species. Here, we examine the foraging ecology of 47 hawksbill turtles (40.5-90.3 cm CCL, mean = 54.1 ± 10.1 cm) around Isla San José, Gulf of California, Mexico by integrating information from passive acoustic telemetry, behavior recordings, fecal analysis, and habitat surveys. Tagged hawkbill turtles exhibited high site fidelity over months and years (tracking duration 1-1490 days, mean = 255 ± 373 days) to the location and benthic habitat where individuals were initially caught. Diet was dominated by benthic invertebrates and algae including sponges, algae, tunicates, and mangrove roots. The mean percent cover of these benthic food items was significantly greater in the mangrove estuary than in adjacent rocky and sandy reef habitats. The Isla San José foraging ground is a high-use area for hawksbills and should be granted national protection status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Martínez-Estévez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95050, USA.
| | - Diana L Steller
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, CA, 95039, USA
| | - Kelly M Zilliacus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95050, USA
| | | | | | - Dorota Szuta
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, CA, 95039, USA
| | - Scott D Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Gage H Dayton
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95050, USA
| | - Bernie R Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95050, USA
| | - Donald A Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95050, USA
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5
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Abstract
The seabird meta-population viability model (mPVA) uses a generalized approach to project abundance and quasi-extinction risk for 102 seabird species under various conservation scenarios. The mPVA is a stage-structured projection matrix that tracks abundance of multiple populations linked by dispersal, accounting for breeding island characteristics and spatial distribution. Data are derived from published studies, grey literature, and expert review (with over 500 contributions). Invasive species impacts were generalized to stage-specific vital rates by fitting a Bayesian state-space model to trend data from Islands where invasive removals had occurred, while accounting for characteristics of seabird biology, breeding islands and invasive species. Survival rates were estimated using a competing hazards formulation to account for impacts of multiple threats, while also allowing for environmental and demographic stochasticity, density dependence and parameter uncertainty.•The mPVA provides resource managers with a tool to quantitatively assess potential benefits of alternative management actions, for multiple species•The mPVA compares projected abundance and quasi-extinction risk under current conditions (no intervention) and various conservation scenarios, including removal of invasive species from specified breeding islands, translocation or reintroduction of individuals to an island of specified location and size, and at-sea mortality amelioration via reduction in annual at-sea deaths.
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Key Words
- AFR, Age of first reproduction
- AoO, Area of occupancy
- Bayesian hierarchical model
- Conservation
- Extinction risk
- IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature
- JAGS, Just another Gibbs Sampler
- K, Carrying capacity
- MCMC, Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis
- MLE, Maximum likelihood estimation
- Population model
- QE, Quasi-extinction threshold
- QEP, Quasi-extinction probability
- R, R computer language for statistical computing
- SSD, Stable stage distribution
- mPVA, meta-Population Viability Analysis
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Tim Tinker
- EEB Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
- Nhydra Ecological Consulting, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kelly M. Zilliacus
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Diana Ruiz
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA USA
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6
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Ruiz DM, Tinker MT, Tershy BR, Zilliacus KM, Croll DA. Using meta-population models to guide conservation action. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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7
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Martinez-Estevez L, Amador JPC, Amador FC, Zilliacus KM, Pacheco AM, Seminoff JA, Lucero J, Oceguera K, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Spatial ecology of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in foraging habitats of the Gulf of California, Mexico. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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8
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Henry RW, Shaffer SA, Antolos M, Félix-Lizárraga M, Foley DG, Hazen EL, Tremblay Y, Costa DP, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Successful Long-Distance Breeding Range Expansion of a Top Marine Predator. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.620103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the effects of large-scale breeding range expansions on the ecology of top marine predators. We examined the effects of a recent range expansion on the breeding and foraging ecology of Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis). Laysan albatrosses expanded from historical breeding colonies in the Central Pacific Ocean to the Eastern Pacific Ocean around central Baja California, Mexico, leading to a 4,000-km shift from colonies located adjacent to the productive transition zone in the Central Pacific to colonies embedded within the eastern boundary current upwelling system of the Eastern Pacific California Current. We use electronic tagging and remote sensing data to examine the consequences of this range expansion on at-sea distribution, habitat use, foraging habitat characteristics, and foraging behavior at sea by comparing birds from historic and nascent colonies. We found the expansion resulted in distinct at-sea segregation and differential access to novel oceanographic habitats. Birds from the new Eastern Pacific colony on Guadalupe Island, Mexico have reduced ranges, foraging trip lengths and durations, and spend more time on the water compared to birds breeding in the Central Pacific on Tern Island, United States. Impacts of the range expansion to the post-breeding season were less pronounced where birds maintained some at-sea segregation but utilized similar habitat and environmental variables. These differences have likely benefited the Eastern Pacific colony which has significantly greater reproductive output and population growth rates. Laysan albatrosses have the plasticity to adapt to distinctly different oceanographic habitats and also provide insight on the potential consequences of range shifts to marine organisms.
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9
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Kurle CM, Zilliacus KM, Sparks J, Curl J, Bock M, Buckelew S, Williams JC, Wolf CA, Holmes ND, Plissner J, Howald GR, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Indirect effects of invasive rat removal result in recovery of island rocky intertidal community structure. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5395. [PMID: 33686134 PMCID: PMC7940711 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84342-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Eleven years after invasive Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) were eradicated from Hawadax Island, in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, the predicted three-level trophic cascade in the rocky intertidal, with native shorebirds as the apex predator, returned, leading to a community resembling those on rat-free islands with significant decreases in invertebrate species abundances and increases in fleshy algal cover. Rats had indirectly structured the intertidal community via their role as the apex predator in a four-level trophic cascade. Our results are an excellent example of an achievable and relatively short-term community-level recovery following removal of invasive animals. These conservation successes are especially important for islands as their disproportionately high levels of native biodiversity are excessively threatened by invasive mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn M Kurle
- Division of Biological Sciences, Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Section, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92023, USA.
| | - Kelly M Zilliacus
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Jenna Sparks
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, PO Box 2570, Santa Cruz, CA, 95063, USA
| | - Jen Curl
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Ave, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, 1300 College Rd, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
| | - Mila Bock
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,Great Basin Institute, 16750 Mt. Rose Highway, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Stacey Buckelew
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Ave, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,Axiom Data Science, 1016 W 6th Ave, Ste. 105, Anchorage, AK, 99501, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Williams
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, 95 Sterling Highway, Suite 1, Homer, AK, 99603, USA
| | - Coral A Wolf
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Ave, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Nick D Holmes
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Ave, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,The Nature Conservancy, 201 Mission Street #4, San Francisco, CA, 94105, USA
| | - Jonathan Plissner
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Ave, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Gregg R Howald
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Ave, Suite 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.,FreshWater Life, Telluride, CO, USA
| | - Bernie R Tershy
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Donald A Croll
- Conservation Action Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
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10
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Beltran RS, Marnocha E, Race A, Croll DA, Dayton GH, Zavaleta ES. Field courses narrow demographic achievement gaps in ecology and evolutionary biology. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5184-5196. [PMID: 32607142 PMCID: PMC7319162 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Disparities remain in the representation of marginalized students in STEM. Classroom-based experiential learning opportunities can increase student confidence and academic success; however, the effectiveness of extending learning to outdoor settings is unknown. Our objectives were to examine (a) demographic gaps in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) major completion, college graduation, and GPAs for students who did and did not enroll in field courses, (b) whether under-represented demographic groups were less likely to enroll in field courses, and (c) whether under-represented demographic groups were more likely to feel increased competency in science-related tasks (hereafter, self-efficacy) after participating in field courses. We compared the relationships among academic success measures and demographic data (race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first-generation, and gender) for UC Santa Cruz undergraduate students admitted between 2008 and 2019 who participated in field courses (N = 941 students) and who did not (N = 28,215 students). Additionally, we administered longitudinal surveys to evaluate self-efficacy gains during field-based versus classroom-based courses (N = 570 students). We found no differences in the proportion of students matriculating at the university as undecided, proposed EEB, or proposed other majors across demographic groups. However, five years later, under-represented students were significantly less likely to graduate with EEB degrees, indicating retention rather than recruitment drives disparities in representation. This retention gap is partly due to a lower rate of college completion and partly through attrition to other majors. Although under-represented students were less likely to enroll in field courses, field courses were associated with higher self-efficacy gains, higher college graduation rates, higher EEB major retention, and higher GPAs at graduation. All demographic groups experienced significant increases in self-efficacy during field-based but not lecture-based courses. Together, our findings suggest that increasing the number of field courses and actively facilitating access to students from under-represented groups can be a powerful tool for increasing STEM diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin Marnocha
- Natural Reserve SystemUniversity of CaliforniaOaklandCAUSA
| | | | - Donald A. Croll
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta CruzCAUSA
| | - Gage H. Dayton
- Natural Reserve SystemUniversity of CaliforniaSanta CruzCAUSA
| | - Erika S. Zavaleta
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta CruzCAUSA
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11
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Ruiz DM, Tallis H, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Turning off the tap: Common domestic water conservation actions insufficient to alleviate drought in the United States of America. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229798. [PMID: 32130277 PMCID: PMC7055883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is exacerbating drought and water stress in several global regions, including some parts of the United States. During times of drought in the U.S., municipal governments, private water suppliers and non-profits commonly deploy advocacy campaigns and incentive programs targeting reductions in residential water use through actions including: repairing leaks, shutting off taps, and installing new water-saving appliances. We asked whether these campaigns have the potential to alleviate water stress during drought at the county scale by estimating the potential impact of full adoption of such actions. In 2010, we show that the maximum potential use reductions from these residential actions may only alleviate water stress in 6% (174) of U.S. counties. The potential impact of domestic programs is limited by the relative dominance of agriculture water withdrawal, the primary water user in 50% of U.S. counties. While residential actions do achieve some water demand savings, they are not sufficient to alter water stress in the majority of the continental U.S. We recommend redirecting advocacy efforts and incentives to individual behaviors that can influence agricultural water use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M. Ruiz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Heather Tallis
- The Nature Conservancy, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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12
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Wit LA, Kilpatrick AM, VanWormer E, Croll DA, Tershy BR, Kim M, Shapiro K. Seasonal and spatial variation in
Toxoplasma gondii
contamination in soil in urban public spaces in California, United States. Zoonoses Public Health 2019; 67:70-78. [DOI: 10.1111/zph.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luz A. Wit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California
| | - A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California
| | - Minji Kim
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology School of Veterinary Medicine University of California, Davis Davis California
| | - Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology School of Veterinary Medicine University of California, Davis Davis California
- One Health Institute School of Veterinary Medicine University of California, Davis Davis California
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13
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Borker AL, Buxton RT, Jones IL, Major HL, Williams JC, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Do soundscape indices predict landscape‐scale restoration outcomes? A comparative study of restored seabird island soundscapes. Restor Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Abraham L. Borker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Santa Cruz, Center for Ocean Health, 115 McAllister Way Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
| | - Rachel T. Buxton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation BiologyColorado State University Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Ian L. Jones
- Department of BiologyMemorial University of Newfoundland St. John's NL A1B 3X9 Canada
| | - Heather L. Major
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of New Brunswick, PO Box 5050 Saint John NB E2L 4L5 Canada
| | | | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Santa Cruz, Center for Ocean Health, 115 McAllister Way Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Santa Cruz, Center for Ocean Health, 115 McAllister Way Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
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14
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Holmes ND, Spatz DR, Oppel S, Tershy B, Croll DA, Keitt B, Genovesi P, Burfield IJ, Will DJ, Bond AL, Wegmann A, Aguirre-Muñoz A, Raine AF, Knapp CR, Hung CH, Wingate D, Hagen E, Méndez-Sánchez F, Rocamora G, Yuan HW, Fric J, Millett J, Russell J, Liske-Clark J, Vidal E, Jourdan H, Campbell K, Springer K, Swinnerton K, Gibbons-Decherong L, Langrand O, Brooke MDL, McMinn M, Bunbury N, Oliveira N, Sposimo P, Geraldes P, McClelland P, Hodum P, Ryan PG, Borroto-Páez R, Pierce R, Griffiths R, Fisher RN, Wanless R, Pasachnik SA, Cranwell S, Micol T, Butchart SHM. Globally important islands where eradicating invasive mammals will benefit highly threatened vertebrates. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212128. [PMID: 30917126 PMCID: PMC6436766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive alien species are a major threat to native insular species. Eradicating invasive mammals from islands is a feasible and proven approach to prevent biodiversity loss. We developed a conceptual framework to identify globally important islands for invasive mammal eradications to prevent imminent extinctions of highly threatened species using biogeographic and technical factors, plus a novel approach to consider socio-political feasibility. We applied this framework using a comprehensive dataset describing the distribution of 1,184 highly threatened native vertebrate species (i.e. those listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the IUCN Red List) and 184 non-native mammals on 1,279 islands worldwide. Based on extinction risk, irreplaceability, severity of impact from invasive species, and technical feasibility of eradication, we identified and ranked 292 of the most important islands where eradicating invasive mammals would benefit highly threatened vertebrates. When socio-political feasibility was considered, we identified 169 of these islands where eradication planning or operation could be initiated by 2020 or 2030 and would improve the survival prospects of 9.4% of the Earth's most highly threatened terrestrial insular vertebrates (111 of 1,184 species). Of these, 107 islands were in 34 countries and territories and could have eradication projects initiated by 2020. Concentrating efforts to eradicate invasive mammals on these 107 islands would benefit 151 populations of 80 highly threatened vertebrates and make a major contribution towards achieving global conservation targets adopted by the world's nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick D. Holmes
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Dena R. Spatz
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Steffen Oppel
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, United Kigndom
| | - Bernie Tershy
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Brad Keitt
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
- American Bird Conservancy, The Plains, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Piero Genovesi
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research ISPRA and Chair IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group, Via V. Brancati, Rome, Italy
| | | | - David J. Will
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
| | - Alexander L. Bond
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, United Kigndom
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kigndom
| | - Alex Wegmann
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
- The Nature Conservancy, Nuuanu Ave, Honolulu, Hawai’i, United States of America
| | - Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz
- Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas, A.C. Av. Moctezuma, Zona Centro, Ensenada, B.C., Mexico
| | - André F. Raine
- Kaua`i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project, Hanapepe, Kaua`i, Hawai’i, United States of America
| | - Charles R. Knapp
- John G. Shedd Aquarium, IUCN Iguana Specialist Group, S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Chung-Hang Hung
- School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Erin Hagen
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
| | - Federico Méndez-Sánchez
- Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas, A.C. Av. Moctezuma, Zona Centro, Ensenada, B.C., Mexico
| | - Gerard Rocamora
- Island Biodiversity & Conservation center, University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Hsiao-Wei Yuan
- School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jakob Fric
- Nature Conservation Consultants Ltd, Gytheiou Chalandri, Greece
| | | | - James Russell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jill Liske-Clark
- Division of Fish & Wildlife, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Lower Base, Saipan Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
| | - Eric Vidal
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD de Nouméa, Nouméa cedex, New-Caledonia
| | - Hervé Jourdan
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD de Nouméa, Nouméa cedex, New-Caledonia
| | - Karl Campbell
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
| | - Keith Springer
- Rinaldi Avenue, The Pines Beach, North Canterbury, New Zealand
| | - Kirsty Swinnerton
- The Island Endemics Foundation, Boqueron, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | | | - Olivier Langrand
- Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - M. de L. Brooke
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kigndom
| | - Miguel McMinn
- BIOGEOMED Group, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra, Valdemossa Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Nancy Bunbury
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, La Ciotat Building, Mont Fleuri, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kigndom
| | - Nuno Oliveira
- Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, Avenida Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Pedro Geraldes
- Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, Avenida Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Peter Hodum
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, Kailua, Hawai’i, United States of America
| | - Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | | | - Ray Pierce
- Stoney Creek Rd, Speewah, Queensland, Australia
| | - Richard Griffiths
- Island Conservation, Delaware Ave, Santa Cruz California, United States of America
| | - Robert N. Fisher
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Ross Wanless
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- BirdLife South Africa, Parklands, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Stesha A. Pasachnik
- Fort Worth Zoo, IUCN Iguana Specialist Group, Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas United States of America
| | | | - Thierry Micol
- Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, Fonderies Royales, 8 rue du Docteur Pujos, Rochefort, France
- Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises, rue Gabriel Dejean, Saint Pierre de la Réunion, France
| | - Stuart H. M. Butchart
- BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kigndom
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kigndom
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15
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de Wit LA, Croll DA, Tershy B, Correa D, Luna-Pasten H, Quadri P, Kilpatrick AM. Potential public health benefits from cat eradications on islands. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007040. [PMID: 30763304 PMCID: PMC6392314 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cats (Felis catus) are reservoirs of several pathogens that affect humans, including Toxoplasma gondii. Infection of pregnant women with T. gondii can cause ocular and neurological lesions in newborns, and congenital toxoplasmosis has been associated with schizophrenia, epilepsy, movement disorders, and Alzheimer's disease. We compared seroprevalence of T. gondii and risk factors in people on seven islands in Mexico with and without introduced cats to determine the effect of cat eradication and cat density on exposure to T. gondii. Seroprevalence was zero on an island that never had cats and 1.8% on an island where cats were eradicated in 2000. Seroprevalence was significantly higher (12-26%) on the five islands with cats, yet it did not increase across a five-fold range of cat density. Having cats near households, being male and spending time on the mainland were significant risk factors for T. gondii seroprevalence among individuals, whereas eating shellfish was protective. Our results suggest that cats are an important source of T. gondii on islands, and eradicating, but not controlling, introduced cats from islands could benefit human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz A. de Wit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Bernie Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Dolores Correa
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Hector Luna-Pasten
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Paulo Quadri
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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16
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Wolf CA, Young HS, Zilliacus KM, Wegmann AS, McKown M, Holmes ND, Tershy BR, Dirzo R, Kropidlowski S, Croll DA. Invasive rat eradication strongly impacts plant recruitment on a tropical atoll. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200743. [PMID: 30016347 PMCID: PMC6049951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rat eradication has become a common conservation intervention in island ecosystems and its effectiveness in protecting native vertebrates is increasingly well documented. Yet, the impacts of rat eradication on plant communities remain poorly understood. Here we compare native and non-native tree and palm seedling abundance before and after eradication of invasive rats (Rattus rattus) from Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands, Central Pacific Ocean. Overall, seedling recruitment increased for five of the six native trees species examined. While pre-eradication monitoring found no seedlings of Pisonia grandis, a dominant tree species that is important throughout the Pacific region, post-eradication monitoring documented a notable recruitment event immediately following eradication, with up to 688 individual P. grandis seedlings per 100m2 recorded one month post-eradication. Two other locally rare native trees with no observed recruitment in pre-eradication surveys had recruitment post-rat eradication. However, we also found, by five years post-eradication, a 13-fold increase in recruitment of the naturalized and range-expanding coconut palm Cocos nucifera. Our results emphasize the strong effects that a rat eradication can have on tree recruitment with expected long-term effects on canopy composition. Rat eradication released non-native C. nucifera, likely with long-term implications for community composition, potentially necessitating future management interventions. Eradication, nevertheless, greatly benefitted recruitment of native tree species. If this pattern persists over time, we expect long-term benefits for flora and fauna dependent on these native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral A. Wolf
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Hillary S. Young
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Kelly M. Zilliacus
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Alexander S. Wegmann
- Botany Department, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Matthew McKown
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Nick D. Holmes
- Island Conservation, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | | | - Donald A. Croll
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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17
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Figuerola-Hernández CE, Swinnerton K, Holmes ND, Monsegur-Rivera OA, Herrera-Giraldo JL, Wolf C, Hanson C, Silander S, Croll DA. Resurgence of Harrisia portoricensis (Cactaceae) on Desecheo Island after the removal of invasive vertebrates: management implications. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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18
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Spatz DR, Zilliacus KM, Holmes ND, Butchart SHM, Genovesi P, Ceballos G, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Globally threatened vertebrates on islands with invasive species. Sci Adv 2017; 3:e1603080. [PMID: 29075662 PMCID: PMC5656423 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1603080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Global biodiversity loss is disproportionately rapid on islands, where invasive species are a major driver of extinctions. To inform conservation planning aimed at preventing extinctions, we identify the distribution and biogeographic patterns of highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates (classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and invasive vertebrates on ~465,000 islands worldwide by conducting a comprehensive literature review and interviews with more than 500 experts. We found that 1189 highly threatened vertebrate species (319 amphibians, 282 reptiles, 296 birds, and 292 mammals) breed on 1288 islands. These taxa represent only 5% of Earth's terrestrial vertebrates and 41% of all highly threatened terrestrial vertebrates, which occur in <1% of islands worldwide. Information about invasive vertebrates was available for 1030 islands (80% of islands with highly threatened vertebrates). Invasive vertebrates were absent from 24% of these islands, where biosecurity to prevent invasions is a critical management tool. On the 76% of islands where invasive vertebrates were present, management could benefit 39% of Earth's highly threatened vertebrates. Invasive mammals occurred in 97% of these islands, with Rattus sp. as the most common invasive vertebrate (78%; 609 islands). Our results provide an important baseline for identifying islands for invasive species eradication and other island conservation actions that reduce biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dena R. Spatz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Avenue, Suite A, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Kelly M. Zilliacus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Nick D. Holmes
- Island Conservation, 2100 Delaware Avenue, Suite A, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, UCSC, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Stuart H. M. Butchart
- BirdLife International, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB23QZ, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB23EJ, UK
| | - Piero Genovesi
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, and Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Invasive Species Specialist Group, Via V. Brancati 48, Rome 00144, Italy
| | - Gerardo Ceballos
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F. 04510, México
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Conservation Metrics, UCSC Coastal Science Campus, 145 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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Fossette S, Abrahms B, Hazen EL, Bograd SJ, Zilliacus KM, Calambokidis J, Burrows JA, Goldbogen JA, Harvey JT, Marinovic B, Tershy B, Croll DA. Resource partitioning facilitates coexistence in sympatric cetaceans in the California Current. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:9085-9097. [PMID: 29152200 PMCID: PMC5677487 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Resource partitioning is an important process driving habitat use and foraging strategies in sympatric species that potentially compete. Differences in foraging behavior are hypothesized to contribute to species coexistence by facilitating resource partitioning, but little is known on the multiple mechanisms for partitioning that may occur simultaneously. Studies are further limited in the marine environment, where the spatial and temporal distribution of resources is highly dynamic and subsequently difficult to quantify. We investigated potential pathways by which foraging behavior may facilitate resource partitioning in two of the largest co-occurring and closely related species on Earth, blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales. We integrated multiple long-term datasets (line-transect surveys, whale-watching records, net sampling, stable isotope analysis, and remote-sensing of oceanographic parameters) to compare the diet, phenology, and distribution of the two species during their foraging periods in the highly productive waters of Monterey Bay, California, USA within the California Current Ecosystem. Our long-term study reveals that blue and humpback whales likely facilitate sympatry by partitioning their foraging along three axes: trophic, temporal, and spatial. Blue whales were specialists foraging on krill, predictably targeting a seasonal peak in krill abundance, were present in the bay for an average of 4.7 months, and were spatially restricted at the continental shelf break. In contrast, humpback whales were generalists apparently feeding on a mixed diet of krill and fishes depending on relative abundances, were present in the bay for a more extended period (average of 6.6 months), and had a broader spatial distribution at the shelf break and inshore. Ultimately, competition for common resources can lead to behavioral, morphological, and physiological character displacement between sympatric species. Understanding the mechanisms for species coexistence is both fundamental to maintaining biodiverse ecosystems, and provides insight into the evolutionary drivers of morphological differences in closely related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Fossette
- Environmental Research Division NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center Monterey CA USA.,Present address: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions 17 Dick Perry Av Kensington WA 6151 Australia
| | - Briana Abrahms
- Environmental Research Division NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center Monterey CA USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Elliott L Hazen
- Environmental Research Division NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center Monterey CA USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Steven J Bograd
- Environmental Research Division NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center Monterey CA USA
| | - Kelly M Zilliacus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | | | - Julia A Burrows
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation Duke University Marine Laboratory Beaufort NC USA.,Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Moss Landing CA USA
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove CA USA
| | | | - Baldo Marinovic
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Bernie Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Donald A Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
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20
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Spatz DR, Holmes ND, Reguero BG, Butchart SHM, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Managing Invasive Mammals to Conserve Globally Threatened Seabirds in a Changing Climate. Conserv Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dena R. Spatz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Long Marine Laboratory; University of California Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
- Island Conservation; 2100 Delaware Ave Suite 1 Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Nick D. Holmes
- Island Conservation; 2100 Delaware Ave Suite 1 Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Borja G. Reguero
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory; University of California Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Stuart H. M. Butchart
- BirdLife International; David Attenborough Building; Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QZ UK
- Department of Zoology; Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Long Marine Laboratory; University of California Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Long Marine Laboratory; University of California Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
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21
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de Wit LA, Croll DA, Tershy B, Newton KM, Spatz DR, Holmes ND, Kilpatrick AM. Estimating Burdens of Neglected Tropical Zoonotic Diseases on Islands with Introduced Mammals. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2017; 96:749-757. [PMID: 28138052 PMCID: PMC5361556 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neglected tropical zoonotic pathogens are maintained by introduced mammals, and on islands the most common introduced species are rodents, cats, and dogs. Management of introduced mammals, including control or eradication of feral populations, which is frequently done for ecological restoration, could also reduce or eliminate the pathogens these animals carry. Understanding the burden of these zoonotic diseases is crucial for quantifying the potential public health benefits of introduced mammal management. However, epidemiological data are only available from a small subset of islands where these introduced mammals co-occur with people. We examined socioeconomic and climatic variables as predictors for disease burdens of angiostrongyliasis, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, toxocariasis, and rabies from 57 islands or island countries. We found strong correlates of disease burden for leptospirosis, Toxoplasma gondii infection, angiostrongyliasis, and toxocariasis with more than 50% of the variance explained, and an average of 57% (range = 32-95%) predictive accuracy on out-of-sample data. We used these relationships to provide estimates of leptospirosis incidence and T. gondii seroprevalence infection on islands where nonnative rodents and cats are present. These predicted estimates of disease burden could be used in an initial assessment of whether the costs of managing introduced mammal reservoirs might be less than the costs of perpetual treatment of these diseases on islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz A. de Wit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Bernie Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Kelly M. Newton
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Dena R. Spatz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
- Island Conservation, Santa Cruz, California
| | | | - A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
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22
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McCreless EE, Huff DD, Croll DA, Tershy BR, Spatz DR, Holmes ND, Butchart SHM, Wilcox C. Past and estimated future impact of invasive alien mammals on insular threatened vertebrate populations. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12488. [PMID: 27535095 PMCID: PMC4992154 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive mammals on islands pose severe, ongoing threats to global biodiversity. However, the severity of threats from different mammals, and the role of interacting biotic and abiotic factors in driving extinctions, remain poorly understood at a global scale. Here we model global extirpation patterns for island populations of threatened and extinct vertebrates. Extirpations are driven by interacting factors including invasive rats, cats, pigs, mustelids and mongooses, native species taxonomic class and volancy, island size, precipitation and human presence. We show that controlling or eradicating the relevant invasive mammals could prevent 41–75% of predicted future extirpations. The magnitude of benefits varies across species and environments; for example, managing invasive mammals on small, dry islands could halve the extirpation risk for highly threatened birds and mammals, while doing so on large, wet islands may have little benefit. Our results provide quantitative estimates of conservation benefits and, when combined with costs in a return-on-investment framework, can guide efficient conservation strategies. Invasive vertebrates can decimate native species living on islands. Using a model of global extirpation patterns, McCreless et al. identify the types of invasive species most harmful to natives and predict when controlling or eradicating the invasive species is likely to succeed as a conservation strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E McCreless
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - David D Huff
- Point Adams Research Station, Fish Ecology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, PO Box 155, Hammond, Oregon 97121, USA
| | - Donald A Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - Bernie R Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - Dena R Spatz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA.,Island Conservation, 2161 Delaware Avenue, Suite A, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - Nick D Holmes
- Island Conservation, 2161 Delaware Avenue, Suite A, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - Stuart H M Butchart
- BirdLife International, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB23QZ, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB23EJ, UK
| | - Chris Wilcox
- Marine and Atmospheric Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
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23
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Borker AL, Halbert P, Mckown MW, Tershy BR, Croll DA. A comparison of automated and traditional monitoring techniques for marbled murrelets using passive acoustic sensors. WILDLIFE SOC B 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abraham L. Borker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Center for Ocean Health 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Portia Halbert
- California State Park; 303 Big Trees Park Road Felton CA 95018 USA
| | - Matthew W. Mckown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Center for Ocean Health 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Center for Ocean Health 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Center for Ocean Health 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
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Abstract
The incidence of cardiovascular disease in humans is more than three times that of many wild and domestic mammals despite nearly identical heart morphologies and responses to exercise. A survey of mammalian species from 0.002-kg shrews to 43,000-kg whales shows that the human heart is more dog-like than cat-like and that neither body size nor longevity accounts for the relative vulnerability to cardiovascular disease. Rather, a major difference is daily activity patterns, which may underlie the comparatively healthy hearts of wild mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terrie M. Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Penni Bengtson
- USAT Level II Certified Race Director-USAT Swim Task Force, Finish Line Productions, LLC, Boulder Creek, California
| | | | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Randall W. Davis
- Deparments of Marine Biology and Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Texas A&M University, Galveston, Texas
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25
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Tershy BR, Shen KW, Newton KM, Holmes ND, Croll DA. The Importance of Islands for the Protection of Biological and Linguistic Diversity. Bioscience 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biv031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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26
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Aslan C, Holmes N, Tershy B, Spatz D, Croll DA. Benefits to poorly studied taxa of conservation of bird and mammal diversity on islands. Conserv Biol 2015; 29:133-142. [PMID: 25065901 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Protected area delineation and conservation action are urgently needed on marine islands, but the potential biodiversity benefits of these activities can be difficult to assess due to lack of species diversity information for lesser known taxa. We used linear mixed effects modeling and simple spatial analyses to investigate whether conservation activities based on the diversity of well-known insular taxa (birds and mammals) are likely to also capture the diversity of lesser known taxa (reptiles, amphibians, vascular land plants, ants, land snails, butterflies, and tenebrionid beetles). We assembled total, threatened, and endemic diversity data for both well-known and lesser known taxa and combined these with physical island biogeography characteristics for 1190 islands from 109 archipelagos. Among physical island biogeography factors, island area was the best indicator of diversity of both well-known and little-known taxa. Among taxonomic factors, total mammal species richness was the best indicator of total diversity of lesser known taxa, and the combination of threatened mammal and threatened bird diversity was the best indicator of lesser known endemic richness. The results of other intertaxon diversity comparisons were highly variable, however. Based on our results, we suggest that protecting islands above a certain minimum threshold area may be the most efficient use of conservation resources. For example, using our island database, if the threshold were set at 10 km(2) and the smallest 10% of islands greater than this threshold were protected, 119 islands would be protected. The islands would range in size from 10 to 29 km(2) and would include 268 lesser known species endemic to a single island, along with 11 bird and mammal species endemic to a single island. Our results suggest that for islands of equivalent size, prioritization based on total or threatened bird and mammal diversity may also capture opportunities to protect lesser known species endemic to islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Aslan
- Conservation Education and Science Department, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ, 85743, U.S.A..
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27
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Poortvliet M, Olsen JL, Croll DA, Bernardi G, Newton K, Kollias S, O'Sullivan J, Fernando D, Stevens G, Galván Magaña F, Seret B, Wintner S, Hoarau G. A dated molecular phylogeny of manta and devil rays (Mobulidae) based on mitogenome and nuclear sequences. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2014; 83:72-85. [PMID: 25462995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2014.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Revised: 09/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Manta and devil rays are an iconic group of globally distributed pelagic filter feeders, yet their evolutionary history remains enigmatic. We employed next generation sequencing of mitogenomes for nine of the 11 recognized species and two outgroups; as well as additional Sanger sequencing of two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes in an extended taxon sampling set. Analysis of the mitogenome coding regions in a Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian framework provided a well-resolved phylogeny. The deepest divergences distinguished three clades with high support, one containing Manta birostris, Manta alfredi, Mobula tarapacana, Mobula japanica and Mobula mobular; one containing Mobula kuhlii, Mobula eregoodootenkee and Mobula thurstoni; and one containing Mobula munkiana, Mobula hypostoma and Mobula rochebrunei. Mobula remains paraphyletic with the inclusion of Manta, a result that is in agreement with previous studies based on molecular and morphological data. A fossil-calibrated Bayesian random local clock analysis suggests that mobulids diverged from Rhinoptera around 30 Mya. Subsequent divergences are characterized by long internodes followed by short bursts of speciation extending from an initial episode of divergence in the Early and Middle Miocene (19-17 Mya) to a second episode during the Pliocene and Pleistocene (3.6 Mya - recent). Estimates of divergence dates overlap significantly with periods of global warming, during which upwelling intensity - and related high primary productivity in upwelling regions - decreased markedly. These periods are hypothesized to have led to fragmentation and isolation of feeding regions leading to possible regional extinctions, as well as the promotion of allopatric speciation. The closely shared evolutionary history of mobulids in combination with ongoing threats from fisheries and climate change effects on upwelling and food supply, reinforces the case for greater protection of this charismatic family of pelagic filter feeders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marloes Poortvliet
- Department of Marine Benthic Ecology and Evolution, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Universitetet i Nordland, Universitetsalleen 11, 8049 Bodø, Norway.
| | - Jeanine L Olsen
- Department of Marine Benthic Ecology and Evolution, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Donald A Croll
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Giacomo Bernardi
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Kelly Newton
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Spyros Kollias
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Universitetet i Nordland, Universitetsalleen 11, 8049 Bodø, Norway.
| | - John O'Sullivan
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940, USA.
| | - Daniel Fernando
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, SE 39182 Kalmar, Sweden; The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 0NT, United Kingdom.
| | - Guy Stevens
- The Manta Trust, Catemwood House, Corscombe, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 0NT, United Kingdom.
| | - Felipe Galván Magaña
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN s/n, La Paz, Baja California Sur 23096, Mexico.
| | - Bernard Seret
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, CP 51, rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France.
| | - Sabine Wintner
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, 1A Herrwood Drive, Umhlanga Rocks 4320, South Africa; Biomedical Resource Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, University Road, Westville 3600, South Africa.
| | - Galice Hoarau
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Universitetet i Nordland, Universitetsalleen 11, 8049 Bodø, Norway.
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Spatz DR, Newton KM, Heinz R, Tershy B, Holmes ND, Butchart SHM, Croll DA. The biogeography of globally threatened seabirds and island conservation opportunities. Conserv Biol 2014; 28:1282-1290. [PMID: 24661307 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Seabirds are the most threatened group of marine animals; 29% of species are at some risk of extinction. Significant threats to seabirds occur on islands where they breed, but in many cases, effective island conservation can mitigate these threats. To guide island-based seabird conservation actions, we identified all islands with extant or extirpated populations of the 98 globally threatened seabird species, as recognized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, and quantified the presence of threatening invasive species, protected areas, and human populations. We matched these results with island attributes to highlight feasible island conservation opportunities. We identified 1362 threatened breeding seabird populations on 968 islands. On 803 (83%) of these islands, we identified threatening invasive species (20%), incomplete protected area coverage (23%), or both (40%). Most islands with threatened seabirds are amenable to island-wide conservation action because they are small (57% were <1 km(2) ), uninhabited (74%), and occur in high- or middle-income countries (96%). Collectively these attributes make islands with threatened seabirds a rare opportunity for effective conservation at scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dena R Spatz
- Coastal Conservation Action Lab, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, U.S.A
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Beltran RS, Kreidler N, Van Vuren DH, Morrison SA, Zavaleta ES, Newton K, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Passive Recovery of Vegetation after Herbivore Eradication on Santa Cruz Island, California. Restor Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne S. Beltran
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; University of California; 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
- Present address: Department of Biological Sciences; University of Alaska, 3101 Science Circle; Anchorage AK 99508 U.S.A
| | - Nissa Kreidler
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; University of California; 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
| | - Dirk H. Van Vuren
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology; University of California; One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 U.S.A
| | - Scott A. Morrison
- The Nature Conservancy; 201 Mission St., 4th Floor San Francisco CA 94105 U.S.A
| | - Erika S. Zavaleta
- Department of Environmental Studies; University of California; 1156 High St. Santa Cruz CA 95064 U.S.A
| | - Kelly Newton
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; University of California; 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
| | - Bernie R. Tershy
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; University of California; 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; University of California; 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz CA 95060 U.S.A
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Borker AL, McKown MW, Ackerman JT, Eagles-Smith CA, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Vocal activity as a low cost and scalable index of seabird colony size. Conserv Biol 2014; 28:1100-1108. [PMID: 24628442 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 11/14/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Although wildlife conservation actions have increased globally in number and complexity, the lack of scalable, cost-effective monitoring methods limits adaptive management and the evaluation of conservation efficacy. Automated sensors and computer-aided analyses provide a scalable and increasingly cost-effective tool for conservation monitoring. A key assumption of automated acoustic monitoring of birds is that measures of acoustic activity at colony sites are correlated with the relative abundance of nesting birds. We tested this assumption for nesting Forster's terns (Sterna forsteri) in San Francisco Bay for 2 breeding seasons. Sensors recorded ambient sound at 7 colonies that had 15-111 nests in 2009 and 2010. Colonies were spaced at least 250 m apart and ranged from 36 to 2,571 m(2) . We used spectrogram cross-correlation to automate the detection of tern calls from recordings. We calculated mean seasonal call rate and compared it with mean active nest count at each colony. Acoustic activity explained 71% of the variation in nest abundance between breeding sites and 88% of the change in colony size between years. These results validate a primary assumption of acoustic indices; that is, for terns, acoustic activity is correlated to relative abundance, a fundamental step toward designing rigorous and scalable acoustic monitoring programs to measure the effectiveness of conservation actions for colonial birds and other acoustically active wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham L Borker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Ocean Health, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, U.S.A
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31
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Kurle CM, Koch PL, Tershy BR, Croll DA. The effects of sex, tissue type, and dietary components on stable isotope discrimination factors (Δ13C and Δ15N) in mammalian omnivores. Isotopes Environ Health Stud 2014; 50:307-321. [PMID: 24787278 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2014.908872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We tested the effects of sex, tissue, and diet on stable isotope discrimination factors (Δ(13)C and Δ(15)N) for six tissues from rats fed four diets with varied C and N sources, but comparable protein quality and quantity. The Δ(13)C and Δ(15)N values ranged from 1.7-4.1‰ and 0.4-4.3‰, respectively. Females had higher Δ(15)N values than males because males grew larger, whereas Δ(13)C values did not differ between sexes. Differences in Δ(13)C values among tissue types increased with increasing variability in dietary carbon sources. The Δ(15)N values increased with increasing dietary δ(15)N values for all tissues except liver and serum, which have fast stable isotope turnover times, and differences in Δ(15)N values among tissue types decreased with increasing dietary animal protein. Our results demonstrate that variability in dietary sources can affect Δ(13)C values, protein source affects Δ(15)N values even when protein quality and quantity are controlled, and the isotope turnover rate of a tissue can influence the degree to which diet affects Δ(15)N values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn M Kurle
- a Division of Biological Sciences , University of California , San Diego, La Jolla , CA , USA
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Wingfield DK, Peckham SH, Foley DG, Palacios DM, Lavaniegos BE, Durazo R, Nichols WJ, Croll DA, Bograd SJ. The making of a productivity hotspot in the coastal ocean. PLoS One 2011; 6:e27874. [PMID: 22132156 PMCID: PMC3221696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Accepted: 10/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Highly productive hotspots in the ocean often occur where complex physical forcing mechanisms lead to aggregation of primary and secondary producers. Understanding how hotspots persist, however, requires combining knowledge of the spatio-temporal linkages between geomorphology, physical forcing, and biological responses with the physiological requirements and movement of top predators. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we integrate remotely sensed oceanography, ship surveys, and satellite telemetry to show how local geomorphology interacts with physical forcing to create a region with locally enhanced upwelling and an adjacent upwelling shadow that promotes retentive circulation, enhanced year-round primary production, and prey aggregation. These conditions provide an area within the upwelling shadow where physiologically optimal water temperatures can be found adjacent to a region of enhanced prey availability, resulting in a foraging hotspot for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) off the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. Significance/Conclusions We have identified the set of conditions that lead to a persistent top predator hotspot, which increases our understanding of how highly migratory species exploit productive regions of the ocean. These results will aid in the development of spatially and environmentally explicit management strategies for marine species of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana K Wingfield
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America.
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33
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Harwani S, Henry RW, Rhee A, Kappes MA, Croll DA, Petreas M, Park JS. Legacy and contemporary persistent organic pollutants in North Pacific albatross. Environ Toxicol Chem 2011; 30:2562-2569. [PMID: 21898564 DOI: 10.1002/etc.664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2011] [Revised: 05/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/27/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Here we report the first measurements of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE 47, 99, and 153) alongside 11 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 28 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the plasma of albatross from breeding colonies distributed across a large spatial east-west gradient in the North Pacific Ocean. North Pacific albatross are wide-ranging, top-level consumers that forage in pelagic regions of the North Pacific Ocean, making them an ideal sentinel species for detection and distribution of marine contaminants. Our work on contaminant burdens in albatross tissue provides information on transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to the remote North Pacific and serves as a proxy for regional environmental quality. We sampled black-footed (Phoebastria nigripes; n = 20) and Laysan albatross (P. immutabilis; n = 19) nesting on Tern Island, Hawaii, USA, and Laysan albatross (n = 16) nesting on Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Our results indicate that North Pacific albatross are highly exposed to both PCBs and OCPs, with levels ranging from 8.8 to 86.9 ng/ml wet weight and 7.4 to 162.3 ng/ml wet weight, respectively. A strong significant gradient exists between Laysan albatross breeding in the Eastern Pacific, having approximately 1.5-fold and 2.5-fold higher levels for PCBs and OCPs, respectively, compared to those from the Central Pacific. Interspecies levels of contaminants within the same breeding site also showed high variation, with Tern black-footed albatross having approximately threefold higher levels of both PCBs and OCPs than Tern Laysan albatross. Surprisingly, while PBDEs are known to travel long distances and bioaccumulate in wildlife of high trophic status, we detected these three PBDE congeners only at trace levels ranging from not detectable (ND) to 0.74 ng/ml wet weight in these albatross.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhash Harwani
- Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environmental Protection Agency, Berkeley, California, USA
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34
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Goldbogen JA, Calambokidis J, Croll DA, McKenna MF, Oleson E, Potvin J, Pyenson ND, Schorr G, Shadwick RE, Tershy BR. Scaling of lunge-feeding performance in rorqual whales: mass-specific energy expenditure increases with body size and progressively limits diving capacity. Funct Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2011.01905.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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35
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Poortvliet M, Galván–Magaña F, Bernardi G, Croll DA, Olsen JL. Isolation and characterization of twelve microsatellite loci for the Japanese Devilray (Mobula japanica). CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s12686-011-9445-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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36
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Wolf SG, Sydeman WJ, Hipfner JM, Abraham CL, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Range-wide reproductive consequences of ocean climate variability for the seabird Cassin's Auklet. Ecology 2009; 90:742-53. [PMID: 19341144 DOI: 10.1890/07-1267.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shaye G Wolf
- Center for Biological Diversity, 351 California Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, California 94104, USA.
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37
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Goldbogen JA, Calambokidis J, Croll DA, Harvey JT, Newton KM, Oleson EM, Schorr G, Shadwick RE. Foraging behavior of humpback whales: kinematic and respiratory patterns suggest a high cost for a lunge. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 211:3712-9. [PMID: 19011211 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.023366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Lunge feeding in rorqual whales is a drag-based feeding mechanism that is thought to entail a high energetic cost and consequently limit the maximum dive time of these extraordinarily large predators. Although the kinematics of lunge feeding in fin whales supports this hypothesis, it is unclear whether respiratory compensation occurs as a consequence of lunge-feeding activity. We used high-resolution digital tags on foraging humpback whales (Megaptera novaengliae) to determine the number of lunges executed per dive as well as respiratory frequency between dives. Data from two whales are reported, which together performed 58 foraging dives and 451 lunges. During one study, we tracked one tagged whale for approximately 2 h and examined the spatial distribution of prey using a digital echosounder. These data were integrated with the dive profile to reveal that lunges are directed toward the upper boundary of dense krill aggregations. Foraging dives were characterized by a gliding descent, up to 15 lunges at depth, and an ascent powered by steady swimming. Longer dives were required to perform more lunges at depth and these extended apneas were followed by an increase in the number of breaths taken after a dive. Maximum dive durations during foraging were approximately half of those previously reported for singing (i.e. non-feeding) humpback whales. At the highest lunge frequencies (10 to 15 lunges per dive), respiratory rate was at least threefold higher than that of singing humpback whales that underwent a similar degree of apnea. These data suggest that the high energetic cost associated with lunge feeding in blue and fin whales also occurs in intermediate sized rorquals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
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38
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Aguirre-Muñoz A, Croll DA, Donlan CJ, Henry RW, Hermosillo MA, Howald GR, Keitt BS, Luna-Mendoza L, Rodríguez-Malagón M, Salas-Flores LM, Samaniego-Herrera A, Sanchez-Pacheco JA, Sheppard J, Tershy BR, Toro-Benito J, Wolf S, Wood B. High-impact conservation: invasive mammal eradications from the islands of western México. Ambio 2008; 37:101-107. [PMID: 18488552 DOI: 10.1579/0044-7447(2008)37[101:hcimef]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Islands harbor a disproportionate amount of the earth's biodiversity, but a significant portion has been lost due in large part to the impacts of invasive mammals. Fortunately, invasive mammals can be routinely removed from islands, providing a powerful tool to prevent extinctions and restore ecosystems. Given that invasive mammals are still present on more than 80% of the world's major islands groups and remain a premier threat to the earth's biodiversity, it is important to disseminate replicable, scaleable models to eradicate invasive mammals from islands. We report on a successful model from western México during the past decade. A collaborative effort between nongovernmental organizations, academic biologists, Mexican government agencies, and local individuals has resulted in major restoration efforts in three island archipelagos. Forty-two populations of invasive mammals have been eradicated from 26 islands. For a cost of USD 21,615 per colony and USD 49,370 per taxon, 201 seabird colonies and 88 endemic terrestrial taxa have been protected, respectively. These conservation successes are a result of an operational model with three main components: i) a tri-national collaboration that integrates research, prioritization, financing, public education, policy work, capacity building, conservation action, monitoring, and evaluation; ii) proactive and dedicated natural resource management agencies; and iii) effective partnerships with academic researchers in Mexico and the United States. What is now needed is a detailed plan to eradicate invasive mammals from the remaining islands in the region that integrates the needed additional financing, capacity, technical advances, and policy issues. Island conservation in western Mexico provides an effective approach that can be readily applied to other archipelagos where conservation efforts have been limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz
- Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas AC, Ensenada, Baja California, México, CP.
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Jones HP, Tershy BR, Zavaleta ES, Croll DA, Keitt BS, Finkelstein ME, Howald GR. Severity of the effects of invasive rats on seabirds: a global review. Conserv Biol 2008; 22:16-26. [PMID: 18254849 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00859.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Invasive rats are some of the largest contributors to seabird extinction and endangerment worldwide. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies on seabird-rat interactions to examine which seabird phylogenetic, morphological, behavioral, and life history characteristics affect their susceptibility to invasive rats and to identify which rat species have had the largest impact on seabird mortality. We examined 94 manuscripts that demonstrated rat effects on seabirds. All studies combined resulted in 115 independent rat-seabird interactions on 61 islands or island chains with 75 species of seabirds in 10 families affected. Seabirds in the family Hydrobatidae and other small, burrow-nesting seabirds were most affected by invasive rats. Laridae and other large, ground-nesting seabirds were the least vulnerable to rats. Of the 3 species of invasive rats, Rattus rattus had the largest mean impact on seabirds followed by R. norvegicus and R. exulans; nevertheless, these differences were not statistically significant. Our findings should help managers and conservation practitioners prioritize selection of islands for rat eradication based on seabird life history traits, develop testable hypotheses for seabird response to rat eradication, provide justification for rat eradication campaigns, and identify suitable levels of response and prevention measures to rat invasion. Assessment of the effects of rats on seabirds can be improved by data derived from additional experimental studies, with emphasis on understudied seabird families such as Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Spheniscidae, Fregatidae, Pelecanoididae, Phaethontidae, and Diomedeidae and evaluation of rat impacts in tropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly P Jones
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511-2104, USA.
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40
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Finkelstein ME, Grasman KA, Croll DA, Tershy BR, Keitt BS, Jarman WM, Smith DR. Contaminant-associated alteration of immune function in black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), a North Pacific predator. Environ Toxicol Chem 2007; 26:1896-903. [PMID: 17702543 DOI: 10.1897/06-505r.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2006] [Accepted: 03/29/2007] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution is ubiquitous and can pose a significant threat to wild populations through declines in fitness and population numbers. To elucidate the impact of marine pollution on a pelagic species, we assessed whether toxic contaminants accumulated in black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), a wide-ranging North Pacific predator, are correlated with altered physiological function. Blood samples from adult black-footed albatrosses on Midway Atoll, part of the Hawaiian (USA) archipelago, were analyzed for organochlorines (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs] and chlorinated pesticides), trace metals (silver, cadmium, tin, lead, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, and total mercury), and a sensitive physiological marker, peripheral white blood cell immune function (mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytosis). We found a positive significant relationship between organochlorines, which were highly correlated within individual birds (p < 0.001, r > 0.80, Spearman correlation for all comparisons; PCBs, 160 +/- 60 ng/ml plasma [mean +/- standard deviation]; DDTs, 140 +/- 180 ng/ml plasma; chlordanes, 7.0 +/- 3.6 ng/ml plasma; hexachlorobenzene, 2.4 +/- 1.5 ng/ml plasma; n = 15) and increased lymphocyte proliferation (p = 0.020) as well as percentage lymphocytes (p = 0.033). Mercury was elevated in black-footed albatrosses (4,500 +/- 870 ng/ml whole blood, n = 15), and high mercury levels appeared to be associated (p = 0.017) with impaired macrophage phagocytosis. The associations we documented between multiple contaminant concentrations and immune function in endangered black-footed albatrosses provide some of the first evidence that albatrosses in the North Pacific may be affected by environmental contamination. Our results raise concern regarding detrimental health effects in pelagic predators exposed to persistent marine pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myra E Finkelstein
- Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
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Finkelstein M, Keitt BS, Croll DA, Tershy B, Jarman WM, Rodriguez-Pastor S, Anderson DJ, Sievert PR, Smith DR. Albatross species demonstrate regional differences in North Pacific marine contamination. Ecol Appl 2006; 16:678-86. [PMID: 16711054 DOI: 10.1890/1051-0761(2006)016[0678:asdrdi]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Recent concern about negative effects on human health from elevated organochlorine and mercury concentrations in marine foods has highlighted the need to understand temporal and spatial patterns of marine pollution. Seabirds, long-lived pelagic predators with wide foraging ranges, can be used as indicators of regional contaminant patterns across large temporal and spatial scales. Here we evaluate contaminant levels, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios, and satellite telemetry data from two sympatrically breeding North Pacific albatross species to demonstrate that (1) organochlorine and mercury contaminant levels are significantly higher in the California Current compared to levels in the high-latitude North Pacific and (2) levels of organochlorine contaminants in the North Pacific are increasing over time. Black-footed Albatrosses (Phoebastria nigripes) had 370-460% higher organochlorine (polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes [DDTs]) and mercury body burdens than a closely related species, the Laysan Albatross (P. immutabilis), primarily due to regional segregation of their North Pacific foraging areas. PCBs (the sum of the individual PCB congeners analyzed) and DDE concentrations in both albatross species were 130-360% higher than concentrations measured a decade ago. Our results demonstrate dramatically high and increasing contaminant concentrations in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, a finding relevant to other marine predators, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myra Finkelstein
- Environmental Toxicology, 1156 High Street, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
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Maron JL, Estes JA, Croll DA, Danner EM, Elmendorf SC, Buckelew SL. AN INTRODUCED PREDATOR ALTERS ALEUTIAN ISLAND PLANT COMMUNITIES BY THWARTING NUTRIENT SUBSIDIES. ECOL MONOGR 2006. [DOI: 10.1890/05-0496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Abstract
Top predators often have powerful direct effects on prey populations, but whether these direct effects propagate to the base of terrestrial food webs is debated. There are few examples of trophic cascades strong enough to alter the abundance and composition of entire plant communities. We show that the introduction of arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) to the Aleutian archipelago induced strong shifts in plant productivity and community structure via a previously unknown pathway. By preying on seabirds, foxes reduced nutrient transport from ocean to land, affecting soil fertility and transforming grasslands to dwarf shrub/forb-dominated ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Island Conservation, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
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44
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Finkelstein M, Grasman KA, Croll DA, Tershy B, Smith DR. Immune function of cryopreserved avian peripheral white blood cells: potential biomarkers of contaminant effects in wild birds. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2003; 44:502-509. [PMID: 12712281 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-002-2075-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Contaminants can cause detrimental effects in wild birds. However, these effects are difficult to measure in all but the most severe cases. Immune function is a sensitive and meaningful biological marker of contaminant-induced effects in captive birds but has more limitations in wild birds due in part to the lack of a proven blood preservation method. We developed methods to assess ex vivo immune function in wild birds using cryopreserved peripheral white blood cells (WBCs). We assessed the effects of cryopreservation on WBC viability and functionality in two immunoassays (concavalin A-induced T lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytosis) in domestic chickens (Gallus spp.: white Wyandottes and Dominiques) and validated this approach on cryopreserved WBC samples from wild American coots (Fulicia americana). Cryopreservation of chicken WBCs caused a slight but significant decrease in cell viability (99% +/- 0.2 SE for fresh cells versus 84% +/- 2 SE for cryopreserved cells, p = 0.001, Mann-Whitney U, n = 8). No difference was detected in viability between cells that were cryopreserved for less than 10 days (88% +/- 3.7 SE) and more than 50 days (89% +/- 1.3 SE) (n = 6). Overall, there was no statistical difference in the performance of cryopreserved cells compared to fresh cells. Across multiple experiments, cryopreserved T lymphocytes exhibited 200-900% stimulated proliferation above nonstimulated cells, and 40-80% of cryopreserved macrophages ingested yeast. 9,10,Dimethyl-1,2-benz-anthracene (DMBA) reduced proliferation and phagocytosis in cryopreserved cells over an ex vivo exposure range of 0-170 microM DMBA. Tests of immune function on American coot WBCs cryopreserved for up to 10 months (viability of 72% +/- 2.5 SE, n = 24) were similar to the cryopreserved chicken WBCs. This study will facilitate greater use of ex vivo immune function assays as tools to study effects of contaminant exposure in wildlife by demonstrating the viability and functionality of cryopreserved avian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Finkelstein
- Department of Ocean Sciences, 1156 High St., University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
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Abstract
The low-frequency vocalizations of fin and blue whales are the most powerful and ubiquitous biological sounds in the ocean. Here we combine acoustic localization and molecular techniques to show that, in fin whales, only males produce these vocalizations. This finding indicates that they may function as male breeding displays, and will help to focus concern on the impact of human-generated low-frequency sounds on recovering whale populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald A Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Ocean Health, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA.
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Abstract
SUMMARY
Large body size usually extends dive duration in air-breathing vertebrates. However, the two largest predators on earth, the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and the fin whale (B. physalus), perform short dives for their size. Here, we test the hypothesis that the foraging behavior of these two species (lunge-feeding) is energetically expensive and limits their dive duration. We estimated the cost of lunge-feeding in both species using an approach that combined attaching time/depth recorders to seven blue whales and eight fin whales and comparing the collected dive information with predictions made by optimality models of dive behavior. We show that the rate at which whales recovered from a foraging dive was twice that of a non-foraging dive and that the cost of foraging relative to the cost of travel to and from the prey patch was 3.15 in blue whales (95 % CI 2.58-3.72) and 3.60 in fin whales(95 % CI 2.35-4.85). Whales foraged in small areas (<1 km2) and foraging bouts lasted more than one dive, indicating that prey did not disperse and thus that prey dispersal could not account for the limited dive durations of the whales. Despite the enormous size of blue whales and fin whales, the high energetic costs of lunge-feeding confine them to short durations of submergence and to areas with dense prey aggregations. As a corollary, because of their limited foraging time under water, these whales may be particularly vulnerable to perturbations in prey abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Acevedo-Gutiérrez
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Center for Ocean Health, 100 Shaffer Road, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
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Croll DA, Acevedo-Gutiérrez A, Tershy BR, Urbán-Ramírez J. The diving behavior of blue and fin whales: is dive duration shorter than expected based on oxygen stores? Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2001; 129:797-809. [PMID: 11440866 DOI: 10.1016/s1095-6433(01)00348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Many diving seabirds and marine mammals have been found to regularly exceed their theoretical aerobic dive limit (TADL). No animals have been found to dive for durations that are consistently shorter than their TADL. We attached time-depth recorders to 7 blue whales and 15 fin whales (family Balaenopteridae). The diving behavior of both species was similar, and we distinguished between foraging and traveling dives. Foraging dives in both species were deeper, longer in duration and distinguished by a series of vertical excursions where lunge feeding presumably occurred. Foraging blue whales lunged 2.4 (+/-1.13) times per dive, with a maximum of six times and average vertical excursion of 30.2 (+/-10.04) m. Foraging fin whales lunged 1.7 (+/-0.88) times per dive, with a maximum of eight times and average vertical excursion of 21.2 (+/-4.35) m. The maximum rate of ascent of lunges was higher than the maximum rate of descent in both species, indicating that feeding lunges occurred on ascent. Foraging dives were deeper and longer than non-feeding dives in both species. On average, blue whales dived to 140.0 (+/-46.01) m and 7.8 (+/-1.89) min when foraging, and 67.6 (+/-51.46) m and 4.9 (+/-2.53) min when not foraging. Fin whales dived to 97.9 (+/-32.59) m and 6.3 (+/-1.53) min when foraging and to 59.3 (+/-29.67) m and 4.2 (+/-1.67) min when not foraging. The longest dives recorded for both species, 14.7 min for blue whales and 16.9 min for fin whales, were considerably shorter than the TADL of 31.2 and 28.6 min, respectively. An allometric comparison of seven families diving to an average depth of 80-150 m showed a significant relationship between body mass and dive duration once Balaenopteridae whales, with a mean dive duration of 6.8 min, were excluded from the analysis. Thus, the short dive durations of blue whales and fin whales cannot be explained by the shallow distribution of their prey. We propose instead that short duration diving in large whales results from either: (1) dispersal behavior of prey; or (2) a high energetic cost of foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Croll
- Institute of Marine Sciences, A316 Earth and Marine Sciences Bldg., University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernie R. Tershy
- Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Dawn Breese
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
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