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Boyd RJ, August TA, Cooke R, Logie M, Mancini F, Powney GD, Roy DB, Turvey K, Isaac NJB. An operational workflow for producing periodic estimates of species occupancy at national scales. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1492-1508. [PMID: 37062709 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12961] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Policy makers require high-level summaries of biodiversity change. However, deriving such summaries from raw biodiversity data is a complex process involving several intermediary stages. In this paper, we describe an operational workflow for generating annual estimates of species occupancy at national scales from raw species occurrence data, which can be used to construct a range of policy-relevant biodiversity indicators. We describe the workflow in detail: from data acquisition, data assessment and data manipulation, through modelling, model evaluation, application and dissemination. At each stage, we draw on our experience developing and applying the workflow for almost a decade to outline the challenges that analysts might face. These challenges span many areas of ecology, taxonomy, data science, computing and statistics. In our case, the principal output of the workflow is annual estimates of occupancy, with measures of uncertainty, for over 5000 species in each of several defined 'regions' (e.g. countries, protected areas, etc.) of the UK from 1970 to 2019. This data product corresponds closely to the notion of a species distribution Essential Biodiversity Variable (EBV). Throughout the paper, we highlight methodologies that might not be applicable outside of the UK and suggest alternatives. We also highlight areas where the workflow can be improved; in particular, methods are needed to mitigate and communicate the risk of bias arising from the lack of representativeness that is typical of biodiversity data. Finally, we revisit the 'ideal' and 'minimal' criteria for species distribution EBVs laid out in previous contributions and pose some outstanding questions that should be addressed as a matter of priority. Going forward, we hope that this paper acts as a template for research groups around the world seeking to develop similar data products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Boyd
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Thomas A August
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Robert Cooke
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Mark Logie
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Francesca Mancini
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Gary D Powney
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - David B Roy
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Katharine Turvey
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Nick J B Isaac
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
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Hutchinson LA, Oliver TH, Breeze TD, Greenwell MP, Powney GD, Garratt MPD. Stability of crop pollinator occurrence is influenced by bee community composition. Front Sustain Food Syst 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.943309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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
Bees provide a vital ecosystem service to agriculture by contributing to the pollination of many leading global crops. Human wellbeing depends not only on the quantity of agricultural yields, but also on the stability and resilience of crop production. Yet a broad understanding of how the diversity and composition of pollinator communities may influence crop pollination service has previously been hindered by a scarcity of standardized data. We used outputs from Bayesian occupancy detection models to examine patterns in the inter-annual occupancy dynamics of the bee pollinator communities of four contrasting crops (apples, field bean, oilseed and strawberries) in Great Britain between 1985 and 2015. We compared how the composition and species richness of different crop pollinator communities may affect the stability of crop pollinator occurrence. Across the four crops, we found that the inter-annual occupancy dynamics of the associated pollinator communities tended to be more similar in smaller communities with closely related pollinator species. Our results indicate that crop pollinator communities composed of a small number of closely related bee species show greater variance in mean occupancy compared to crops with more diverse pollinator communities. Lower variance in the occurrence of crop pollinating bee species may lead to more stable crop pollination services. Finally, whilst our results initially indicated some redundancy within most crop pollinator communities, with no, or little, increase in the variance of overall mean occupancy when species were initially removed, this was followed by a rapid acceleration in the variance of crop pollinator occurrence as each crop's bee pollinator community was increasingly depreciated. High inter-annual variations in pollination services have negative implications for crop production and food security. High bee diversity could ensure more stable and resilient crop pollination services, yet current agri-environment schemes predominantly benefit a limited suite of common species. Management may therefore benefit from targeting a wider diversity of solitary species in order to safeguard crop pollination service in the face of increasing environmental change.
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Boyd RJ, Powney GD, Burns F, Danet A, Duchenne F, Grainger MJ, Jarvis SG, Martin G, Nilsen EB, Porcher E, Stewart GB, Wilson OJ, Pescott OL. ROBITT: A tool for assessing the risk-of-bias in studies of temporal trends in ecology. Methods Ecol Evol 2022; 13:1497-1507. [PMID: 36250156 PMCID: PMC9541136 DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13857] [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] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Aggregated species occurrence and abundance data from disparate sources are increasingly accessible to ecologists for the analysis of temporal trends in biodiversity. However, sampling biases relevant to any given research question are often poorly explored and infrequently reported; this can undermine statistical inference. In other disciplines, it is common for researchers to complete 'risk-of-bias' assessments to expose and document the potential for biases to undermine conclusions. The huge growth in available data, and recent controversies surrounding their use to infer temporal trends, indicate that similar assessments are urgently needed in ecology.We introduce ROBITT, a structured tool for assessing the 'Risk-Of-Bias In studies of Temporal Trends in ecology'. ROBITT has a similar format to its counterparts in other disciplines: it comprises signalling questions designed to elicit information on the potential for bias in key study domains. In answering these, users will define study inferential goal(s) and relevant statistical target populations. This information is used to assess potential sampling biases across domains relevant to the research question (e.g. geography, taxonomy, environment), and how these vary through time. If assessments indicate biases, then users must clearly describe them and/or explain what mitigating action will be taken.Everything that users need to complete a ROBITT assessment is provided: the tool, a guidance document and a worked example. Following other disciplines, the tool and guidance document were developed through a consensus-forming process across experts working in relevant areas of ecology and evidence synthesis.We propose that researchers should be strongly encouraged to include a ROBITT assessment when publishing studies of biodiversity trends, especially when using aggregated data. This will help researchers to structure their thinking, clearly acknowledge potential sampling issues, highlight where expert consultation is required and provide an opportunity to describe data checks that might go unreported. ROBITT will also enable reviewers, editors and readers to establish how well research conclusions are supported given a dataset combined with some analytical approach. In turn, it should strengthen evidence-based policy and practice, reduce differing interpretations of data and provide a clearer picture of the uncertainties associated with our understanding of reality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fiona Burns
- RSPB Centre for Conservation ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Alain Danet
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRSSorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - François Duchenne
- Swiss Federal Institute for ForestSnow and Landscape Research (WSL)BirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | | | - Susan G. Jarvis
- UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyLancaster Environment CentreLancasterUK
| | - Gabrielle Martin
- Laboratoire EDB Évolution & Diversité Biologique UMR 5174Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, UPS, CNRS, IRDToulouseFrance
| | - Erlend B. Nilsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
- Faculty of Biosciences and AquacultureNord UniversitySteinkjerNorway
| | - Emmanuelle Porcher
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRSSorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Gavin B. Stewart
- Evidence Synthesis Lab, School of Natural and Environmental ScienceUniversity of NewcastleNewcastle‐upon‐TyneUK
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Boyd RJ, Aizen MA, Barahona‐Segovia RM, Flores‐Prado L, Fontúrbel FE, Francoy TM, Lopez‐Aliste M, Martinez L, Morales CL, Ollerton J, Pescott OL, Powney GD, Saraiva AM, Schmucki R, Zattara EE, Carvell C. Inferring trends in pollinator distributions across the Neotropics from publicly available data remains challenging despite mobilization efforts. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelo A. Aizen
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue‐CONICET Bariloche Argentina
| | - Rodrigo M. Barahona‐Segovia
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad Universidad de Los Lagos Osorno Chile
- Moscas Florícolas de Chile Citizen Science Program, Patricio Lynch Valdivia Chile
| | - Luis Flores‐Prado
- Instituto de Entomología Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación Ñuñoa Chile
| | - Francisco E. Fontúrbel
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Valparaíso Chile
| | - Tiago M. Francoy
- Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades Universidade de São Paulo. Rua Arlindo Béttio São Paulo Brazil
| | - Manuel Lopez‐Aliste
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Valparaíso Chile
| | - Lican Martinez
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue‐CONICET Bariloche Argentina
| | - Carolina L. Morales
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue‐CONICET Bariloche Argentina
| | - Jeff Ollerton
- Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology University of Northampton Northampton UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Eduardo E. Zattara
- Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue‐CONICET Bariloche Argentina
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Boyd RJ, Powney GD, Carvell C, Pescott OL. occAssess: An R package for assessing potential biases in species occurrence data. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16177-16187. [PMID: 34824820 PMCID: PMC8601935 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Species occurrence records from a variety of sources are increasingly aggregated into heterogeneous databases and made available to ecologists for immediate analytical use. However, these data are typically biased, i.e. they are not a probability sample of the target population of interest, meaning that the information they provide may not be an accurate reflection of reality. It is therefore crucial that species occurrence data are properly scrutinised before they are used for research. In this article, we introduce occAssess, an R package that enables straightforward screening of species occurrence data for potential biases. The package contains a number of discrete functions, each of which returns a measure of the potential for bias in one or more of the taxonomic, temporal, spatial, and environmental dimensions. Users can opt to provide a set of time periods into which the data will be split; in this case separate outputs will be provided for each period, making the package particularly useful for assessing the suitability of a dataset for estimating temporal trends in species' distributions. The outputs are provided visually (as ggplot2 objects) and do not include a formal recommendation as to whether data are of sufficient quality for any given inferential use. Instead, they should be used as ancillary information and viewed in the context of the question that is being asked, and the methods that are being used to answer it. We demonstrate the utility of occAssess by applying it to data on two key pollinator taxa in South America: leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) and hoverflies (Syrphidae). In this worked example, we briefly assess the degree to which various aspects of data coverage appear to have changed over time. We then discuss additional applications of the package, highlight its limitations, and point to future development opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gary D. Powney
- UK Centre for Ecology and HydrologyWallingfordUK
- Oxford Martin School & School of Geography and EnvironmentUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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Pedde S, Harrison PA, Holman IP, Powney GD, Lofts S, Schmucki R, Gramberger M, Bullock JM. Enriching the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways to co-create consistent multi-sector scenarios for the UK. Sci Total Environ 2021; 756:143172. [PMID: 33257058 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As the pressure to take action against global warming is growing in urgency, scenarios that incorporate multiple social, economic and environmental drivers become increasingly critical to support governments and other stakeholders in planning climate change mitigation or adaptation actions. This has led to the recent explosion of future scenario analyses at multiple scales, further accelerated since the development of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) research community Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). While RCPs have been widely applied to climate models to produce climate scenarios at multiple scales for investigating climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities (CCIAV), SSPs are only recently being scaled for different geographical and sectoral applications. This is seen in the UK where significant investment has produced the RCP-based UK Climate Projections (UKCP18), but no equivalent UK version of the SSPs exists. We address this need by developing a set of multi-driver qualitative and quantitative UK-SSPs, following a state-of-the-art scenario methodology that integrates national stakeholder knowledge on locally-relevant drivers and indicators with higher level information from European and global SSPs. This was achieved through an intensive participatory process that facilitated the combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches to develop a set of UK-specific SSPs that are locally comprehensive, yet consistent with the global and European SSPs. The resulting scenarios balance the importance of consistency and legitimacy, demonstrating that divergence is not necessarily the result of inconsistency, nor comes as a choice to contextualise narratives at the appropriate scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Pedde
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, UK; Soil Geography and Landscape Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Paula A Harrison
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, UK.
| | - Ian P Holman
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, College Road, MK43 0AL, Cranfield, UK.
| | - Gary D Powney
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK; Oxford Martin School & School of Geography and Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, UK.
| | - Stephen Lofts
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, UK.
| | - Reto Schmucki
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK.
| | | | - James M Bullock
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK.
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7
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Redhead JW, Powney GD, Woodcock BA, Pywell RF. Effects of future agricultural change scenarios on beneficial insects. J Environ Manage 2020; 265:110550. [PMID: 32292173 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Insects provide vital ecosystem services to agricultural systems in the form of pollination and natural pest control. However, there are currently widespread declines in the beneficial insects which deliver these services (i.e. pollinators and 'natural enemies' such as predators and parasitoids). Two key drivers of these declines have been the expansion of agricultural land and intensification of agricultural production. With an increasing human population requiring additional sources of food, further changes in agricultural land use appear inevitable. Identifying likely trajectories of change and predicting their impacts on beneficial insects provides a scientific basis for making informed decisions on the policies and practices of sustainable agriculture. We created spatially explicit, exploratory scenarios of potential changes in the extent and intensity of agricultural land use across Great Britain (GB). Scenarios covered 52 possible combinations of change in agricultural land cover (i.e. agricultural expansion or grassland restoration) and intensity (i.e. crop type and diversity). We then used these scenarios to predict impacts on beneficial insect species richness and several metrics of functional diversity at a 10km (hectad) resolution. Predictions were based on species distribution models derived from biological records, comprising data on 116 bee species (pollinators) and 81 predatory beetle species (natural enemies). We identified a wide range of possible consequences for beneficial insect species richness and functional diversity as result of future changes in agricultural extent and intensity. Current policies aimed at restoring semi-natural grassland should result in increases in the richness and functional diversity of both pollinators and natural enemies, even if agricultural practices remain intensive on cropped land (i.e. land-sparing). In contrast, any expansion of arable land is likely to be accompanied by widespread declines in richness of beneficial insects, even if cropping practices become less intensive (i.e. land-sharing), although effects of functional diversity are more mixed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Redhead
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Natural Environment Research Council, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AS, UK.
| | - Gary D Powney
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Natural Environment Research Council, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Ben A Woodcock
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Natural Environment Research Council, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Richard F Pywell
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Natural Environment Research Council, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
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8
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Abstract
Pollinator declines, changes in land use and climate-induced shifts in phenology have the potential to seriously affect ecosystem function and food security by disrupting pollination services provided by insects. Much of the current research focuses on bees, or groups other insects together as 'non-bee pollinators', obscuring the relative contribution of this diverse group of organisms. Prominent among the 'non-bee pollinators' are the hoverflies, known to visit at least 72% of global food crops, which we estimate to be worth around US$300 billion per year, together with over 70% of animal pollinated wildflowers. In addition, hoverflies provide ecosystem functions not seen in bees, such as crop protection from pests, recycling of organic matter and long-distance pollen transfer. Migratory species, in particular, can be hugely abundant and unlike many insect pollinators, do not yet appear to be in serious decline. In this review, we contrast the roles of hoverflies and bees as pollinators, discuss the need for research and monitoring of different pollinator responses to anthropogenic change and examine emerging research into large populations of migratory hoverflies, the threats they face and how they might be used to improve sustainable agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Will L. S. Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Richard Massy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Gary D. Powney
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK
- Oxford Martin School and School of Geography and Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3BD, UK
| | - Myles H. M. Menz
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
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9
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Outhwaite CL, Powney GD, August TA, Chandler RE, Rorke S, Pescott OL, Harvey M, Roy HE, Fox R, Roy DB, Alexander K, Ball S, Bantock T, Barber T, Beckmann BC, Cook T, Flanagan J, Fowles A, Hammond P, Harvey P, Hepper D, Hubble D, Kramer J, Lee P, MacAdam C, Morris R, Norris A, Palmer S, Plant CW, Simkin J, Stubbs A, Sutton P, Telfer M, Wallace I, Isaac NJB. Annual estimates of occupancy for bryophytes, lichens and invertebrates in the UK, 1970-2015. Sci Data 2019; 6:259. [PMID: 31690719 PMCID: PMC6831696 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-019-0269-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we determine annual estimates of occupancy and species trends for 5,293 UK bryophytes, lichens, and invertebrates, providing national scale information on UK biodiversity change for 31 taxonomic groups for the time period 1970 to 2015. The dataset was produced through the application of a Bayesian occupancy modelling framework to species occurrence records supplied by 29 national recording schemes or societies (n = 24,118,549 records). In the UK, annual measures of species status from fine scale data (e.g. 1 × 1 km) had previously been limited to a few taxa for which structured monitoring data are available, mainly birds, butterflies, bats and a subset of moth species. By using an occupancy modelling framework designed for use with relatively low recording intensity data, we have been able to estimate species trends and generate annual estimates of occupancy for taxa where annual trend estimates and status were previously limited or unknown at this scale. These data broaden our knowledge of UK biodiversity and can be used to investigate variation in and drivers of biodiversity change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte L Outhwaite
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, the Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK.
| | - Gary D Powney
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Tom A August
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Richard E Chandler
- Department of Statistical Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stephanie Rorke
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Oliver L Pescott
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
- British Bryological Society, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Martin Harvey
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
- Soldierflies and Allies Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Helen E Roy
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
- UK Ladybird Survey, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Richard Fox
- National Moth Recording Scheme, Butterfly Conservation, Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, UK
| | - David B Roy
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Keith Alexander
- Soldier Beetles, Jewel Beetles and Glow-worms Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Stuart Ball
- Dipterists Forum, Hoverfly Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Tristan Bantock
- Terrestrial Heteroptera Recording Scheme - Shield bugs and allied species, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Tony Barber
- British Myriapod and Isopod Group, Centipede Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Björn C Beckmann
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
- Grasshoppers and Related Insects Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Tony Cook
- Aquatic Heteroptera Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Jim Flanagan
- Terrestrial Heteroptera Recording Scheme - Plant bugs and allied species, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Adrian Fowles
- Weevil and Bark Beetle Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Peter Hammond
- Staphylinidae Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Peter Harvey
- Spider Recording Scheme, British Arachnological Society, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - David Hepper
- Dragonfly Conservation Group, British Dragonfly Society, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Dave Hubble
- Chrysomelidae Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - John Kramer
- Dipterists Forum, Cranefly Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Paul Lee
- British Myriapod and Isopod Group, Millipede Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Craig MacAdam
- Riverfly Recording Schemes: Ephemeroptera, c/o Buglife Scotland, Balallan House, 24 Allan Park, Stirling, FK8 2QG, UK
- Riverfly Recording Schemes: Plecoptera, c/o Buglife Scotland, Balallan House, 24 Allan Park, Stirling, FK8 2QG, UK
| | - Roger Morris
- Dipterists Forum, Hoverfly Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Adrian Norris
- Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Stephen Palmer
- Gelechiid Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Colin W Plant
- Lacewings and Allies Recording Scheme, 14 West Road, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 3QP, UK
| | - Janet Simkin
- British Lichen Society, c/o School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Alan Stubbs
- Dipterists Forum, Cranefly Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Peter Sutton
- Grasshoppers and Related Insects Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Mark Telfer
- Ground Beetle Recording Scheme, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Ian Wallace
- Riverfly Recording Schemes: Trichoptera, c/o Biological Records Centre, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Nick J B Isaac
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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10
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Platts PJ, Mason SC, Palmer G, Hill JK, Oliver TH, Powney GD, Fox R, Thomas CD. Habitat availability explains variation in climate-driven range shifts across multiple taxonomic groups. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15039. [PMID: 31636341 PMCID: PMC6803766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51582-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Range shifting is vital for species persistence, but there is little consensus on why individual species vary so greatly in the rates at which their ranges have shifted in response to recent climate warming. Here, using 40 years of distribution data for 291 species from 13 invertebrate taxa in Britain, we show that interactions between habitat availability and exposure to climate change at the range margins explain up to half of the variation in rates of range shift. Habitat generalists expanded faster than more specialised species, but this intrinsic trait explains less of the variation in range shifts than habitat availability, which additionally depends on extrinsic factors that may be rare or widespread at the range margin. Similarly, while climate change likely underlies polewards expansions, we find that more of the between-species variation is explained by differences in habitat availability than by changes in climatic suitability. A model that includes both habitat and climate, and their statistical interaction, explains the most variation in range shifts. We conclude that climate-change vulnerability assessments should focus as much on future habitat availability as on climate sensitivity and exposure, with the expectation that habitat restoration and protection will substantially improve species' abilities to respond to uncertain future climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Platts
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5NG, UK.
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Suzanna C Mason
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Georgina Palmer
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Jane K Hill
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Tom H Oliver
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AS, UK
| | - Gary D Powney
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Richard Fox
- Butterfly Conservation, Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, UK
| | - Chris D Thomas
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
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11
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Woodcock BA, Garratt MPD, Powney GD, Shaw RF, Osborne JL, Soroka J, Lindström SAM, Stanley D, Ouvrard P, Edwards ME, Jauker F, McCracken ME, Zou Y, Potts SG, Rundlöf M, Noriega JA, Greenop A, Smith HG, Bommarco R, van der Werf W, Stout JC, Steffan-Dewenter I, Morandin L, Bullock JM, Pywell RF. Meta-analysis reveals that pollinator functional diversity and abundance enhance crop pollination and yield. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1481. [PMID: 30931943 PMCID: PMC6443707 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09393-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [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: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
How insects promote crop pollination remains poorly understood in terms of the contribution of functional trait differences between species. We used meta-analyses to test for correlations between community abundance, species richness and functional trait metrics with oilseed rape yield, a globally important crop. While overall abundance is consistently important in predicting yield, functional divergence between species traits also showed a positive correlation. This result supports the complementarity hypothesis that pollination function is maintained by non-overlapping trait distributions. In artificially constructed communities (mesocosms), species richness is positively correlated with yield, although this effect is not seen under field conditions. As traits of the dominant species do not predict yield above that attributed to the effect of abundance alone, we find no evidence in support of the mass ratio hypothesis. Management practices increasing not just pollinator abundance, but also functional divergence, could benefit oilseed rape agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- B A Woodcock
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
| | - M P D Garratt
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
| | - G D Powney
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - R F Shaw
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - J L Osborne
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - J Soroka
- Saskatoon Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Government of Canada, Saskatoon, S7N 0X2, Canada
| | - S A M Lindström
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Swedish Rural Economy and Agricultural Society, Kristianstad, S-291 09, Sweden
| | - D Stanley
- Botany and Plant Science, School of Natural Sciences, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - P Ouvrard
- University Catholique do Louvain, ELIA, Croix du Sud 2/L7.05.14, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - M E Edwards
- Leaside, Carron Lane, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9LB, UK
| | - F Jauker
- Department of Animal Ecology, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring, 26-32, 35932, Giessen, Germany
| | - M E McCracken
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Y Zou
- Department of Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 215123, Suzhou, China
| | - S G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
| | - M Rundlöf
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - J A Noriega
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, National Museum of Natural Science, Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | - A Greenop
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - H G Smith
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, Lund, S-223 62, Sweden
| | - R Bommarco
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, SE-750 07, Sweden
| | - W van der Werf
- Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, 6700, The Netherlands
| | - J C Stout
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - I Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - L Morandin
- Pollinator Partnership Canada, Head Office, 423 Washington Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA, 94111, USA
| | - J M Bullock
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - R F Pywell
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
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12
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Powney GD, Carvell C, Edwards M, Morris RKA, Roy HE, Woodcock BA, Isaac NJB. Widespread losses of pollinating insects in Britain. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1018. [PMID: 30914632 PMCID: PMC6435717 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08974-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.6] [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: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollination is a critical ecosystem service underpinning the productivity of agricultural systems across the world. Wild insect populations provide a substantial contribution to the productivity of many crops and seed set of wild flowers. However, large-scale evidence on species-specific trends among wild pollinators are lacking. Here we show substantial inter-specific variation in pollinator trends, based on occupancy models for 353 wild bee and hoverfly species in Great Britain between 1980 and 2013. Furthermore, we estimate a net loss of over 2.7 million occupied 1 km2 grid cells across all species. Declines in pollinator evenness suggest that losses were concentrated in rare species. In addition, losses linked to specific habitats were identified, with a 55% decline among species associated with uplands. This contrasts with dominant crop pollinators, which increased by 12%, potentially in response agri-environment measures. The general declines highlight a fundamental deterioration in both wider biodiversity and non-crop pollination services. Pollinator loss is a concern but data on their status is lacking. Here Powney et al. use occupancy modelling to estimate the degree of loss in wild bee and hoverfly species across Great Britain, and report a 55% decline in upland species and a 12% increase in dominant crop pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary D Powney
- Biodiversity Science Area, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK.
| | - Claire Carvell
- Biodiversity Science Area, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Mike Edwards
- BWARS (Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society), Leaside, Carron Lane, West Sussex, GU29 9LB, UK
| | - Roger K A Morris
- UK Hoverfly Recording Scheme, Vine Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1QE, UK
| | - Helen E Roy
- Biodiversity Science Area, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Ben A Woodcock
- Biodiversity Science Area, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Nick J B Isaac
- Biodiversity Science Area, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
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13
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Roll U, Feldman A, Novosolov M, Allison A, Bauer AM, Bernard R, Böhm M, Castro-Herrera F, Chirio L, Collen B, Colli GR, Dabool L, Das I, Doan TM, Grismer LL, Hoogmoed M, Itescu Y, Kraus F, LeBreton M, Lewin A, Martins M, Maza E, Meirte D, Nagy ZT, Nogueira CDC, Pauwels OSG, Pincheira-Donoso D, Powney GD, Sindaco R, Tallowin O, Torres-Carvajal O, Trape JF, Vidan E, Uetz P, Wagner P, Wang Y, Orme CDL, Grenyer R, Meiri S. Author Correction: The global distribution of tetrapods reveals a need for targeted reptile conservation. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 2:193. [PMID: 29208994 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0399-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Uri Roll
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13QY, UK.,Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
| | - Anat Feldman
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Maria Novosolov
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Allen Allison
- Hawaii Biological Survey, 4 Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI, 96817, USA
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Rodolphe Bernard
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Monika Böhm
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Fernando Castro-Herrera
- School of Basic Sciences, Physiology Sciences Department, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Ben Collen
- Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Guarino R Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Lital Dabool
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 31096, Israel
| | - Indraneil Das
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia
| | - Tiffany M Doan
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Lee L Grismer
- Department of Biology, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA, 92505, USA
| | - Marinus Hoogmoed
- Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi/CZO, Caixa Postal 399, Belém, Pará, 66017-970, Brazil
| | - Yuval Itescu
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Fred Kraus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor, MI, 48109-1048, USA
| | - Matthew LeBreton
- Mosaic, (Environment, Health, Data, Technology), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Amir Lewin
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Marcio Martins
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Erez Maza
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Danny Meirte
- Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, Tervuren, 3080, Belgium
| | - Zoltán T Nagy
- Joint sExperimental Molecular Unit, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, B-1000, Belgium
| | - Cristiano de C Nogueira
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Olivier S G Pauwels
- Département des Vertébrés Récents, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, B-1000, Belgium
| | - Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
- School of Life Sciences, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Brayford Campus, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Gary D Powney
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Roberto Sindaco
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Carmagnola, TO, I-10022, Italy
| | - Oliver Tallowin
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Omar Torres-Carvajal
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Apartado 17-01-2184, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Jean-François Trape
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Laboratoire de Paludologie et Zoologie Médicale, UMR MIVEGEC, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Enav Vidan
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Peter Uetz
- Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
| | - Philipp Wagner
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA.,Zoologische Staatssammlung München, München, D-81247, Germany
| | - Yuezhao Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - C David L Orme
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Richard Grenyer
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX13QY, UK
| | - Shai Meiri
- Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
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14
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Roll U, Feldman A, Novosolov M, Allison A, Bauer AM, Bernard R, Böhm M, Castro-Herrera F, Chirio L, Collen B, Colli GR, Dabool L, Das I, Doan TM, Grismer LL, Hoogmoed M, Itescu Y, Kraus F, LeBreton M, Lewin A, Martins M, Maza E, Meirte D, Nagy ZT, de C. Nogueira C, Pauwels OSG, Pincheira-Donoso D, Powney GD, Sindaco R, Tallowin OJS, Torres-Carvajal O, Trape JF, Vidan E, Uetz P, Wagner P, Wang Y, Orme CDL, Grenyer R, Meiri S. The global distribution of tetrapods reveals a need for targeted reptile conservation. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:1677-1682. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0332-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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15
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Dainese M, Isaac NJB, Powney GD, Bommarco R, Öckinger E, Kuussaari M, Pöyry J, Benton TG, Gabriel D, Hodgson JA, Kunin WE, Lindborg R, Sait SM, Marini L. Landscape simplification weakens the association between terrestrial producer and consumer diversity in Europe. Glob Chang Biol 2017; 23:3040-3051. [PMID: 27992955 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13601] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Land-use change is one of the primary drivers of species loss, yet little is known about its effect on other components of biodiversity that may be at risk. Here, we ask whether, and to what extent, landscape simplification, measured as the percentage of arable land in the landscape, disrupts the functional and phylogenetic association between primary producers and consumers. Across seven European regions, we inferred the potential associations (functional and phylogenetic) between host plants and butterflies in 561 seminatural grasslands. Local plant diversity showed a strong bottom-up effect on butterfly diversity in the most complex landscapes, but this effect disappeared in simple landscapes. The functional associations between plant and butterflies are, therefore, the results of processes that act not only locally but are also dependent on the surrounding landscape context. Similarly, landscape simplification reduced the phylogenetic congruence among host plants and butterflies indicating that closely related butterflies become more generalist in the resources used. These processes occurred without any detectable change in species richness of plants or butterflies along the gradient of arable land. The structural properties of ecosystems are experiencing substantial erosion, with potentially pervasive effects on ecosystem functions and future evolutionary trajectories. Loss of interacting species might trigger cascading extinction events and reduce the stability of trophic interactions, as well as influence the longer term resilience of ecosystem functions. This underscores a growing realization that species richness is a crude and insensitive metric and that both functional and phylogenetic associations, measured across multiple trophic levels, are likely to provide additional and deeper insights into the resilience of ecosystems and the functions they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Dainese
- DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, 97074, Germany
| | - Nick J B Isaac
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Gary D Powney
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Riccardo Bommarco
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, SE-750 07, Sweden
| | - Erik Öckinger
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, SE-750 07, Sweden
| | - Mikko Kuussaari
- Natural Environment Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, PO Box 140, Helsinki, FI-00251, Finland
| | - Juha Pöyry
- Natural Environment Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, PO Box 140, Helsinki, FI-00251, Finland
| | - Tim G Benton
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Doreen Gabriel
- Institute of Crop and Soil Science, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Bundesallee 50, Braunschweig, D-38116, Germany
| | - Jenny A Hodgson
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool, UK
| | - William E Kunin
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Regina Lindborg
- Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-106 91, Sweden
| | - Steven M Sait
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Lorenzo Marini
- DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
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16
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Burns F, Eaton MA, Barlow KE, Beckmann BC, Brereton T, Brooks DR, Brown PMJ, Al Fulaij N, Gent T, Henderson I, Noble DG, Parsons M, Powney GD, Roy HE, Stroh P, Walker K, Wilkinson JW, Wotton SR, Gregory RD. Agricultural Management and Climatic Change Are the Major Drivers of Biodiversity Change in the UK. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151595. [PMID: 27007973 PMCID: PMC4805165 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [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: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Action to reduce anthropogenic impact on the environment and species within it will be most effective when targeted towards activities that have the greatest impact on biodiversity. To do this effectively we need to better understand the relative importance of different activities and how they drive changes in species’ populations. Here, we present a novel, flexible framework that reviews evidence for the relative importance of these drivers of change and uses it to explain recent alterations in species’ populations. We review drivers of change across four hundred species sampled from a broad range of taxonomic groups in the UK. We found that species’ population change (~1970–2012) has been most strongly impacted by intensive management of agricultural land and by climatic change. The impact of the former was primarily deleterious, whereas the impact of climatic change to date has been more mixed. Findings were similar across the three major taxonomic groups assessed (insects, vascular plants and vertebrates). In general, the way a habitat was managed had a greater impact than changes in its extent, which accords with the relatively small changes in the areas occupied by different habitats during our study period, compared to substantial changes in habitat management. Of the drivers classified as conservation measures, low-intensity management of agricultural land and habitat creation had the greatest impact. Our framework could be used to assess the relative importance of drivers at a range of scales to better inform our policy and management decisions. Furthermore, by scoring the quality of evidence, this framework helps us identify research gaps and needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Burns
- The RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Sandy, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (FB); (MAE)
| | - Mark A. Eaton
- The RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Sandy, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (FB); (MAE)
| | | | | | | | - David R. Brooks
- Department of AgroEcology, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nida Al Fulaij
- People’s Trust for Endangered Species, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Gent
- Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Henderson
- British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Gary D. Powney
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
| | - Helen E. Roy
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Stroh
- Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Walker
- Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | - Simon R. Wotton
- The RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Sandy, United Kingdom
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17
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Powney GD, Cham SSA, Smallshire D, Isaac NJB. Trait correlates of distribution trends in the Odonata of Britain and Ireland. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1410. [PMID: 26618083 PMCID: PMC4655099 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in ecology is understanding why certain species persist, while others decline, in response to environmental change. Trait-based comparative analyses are useful in this regard as they can help identify the key drivers of decline, and highlight traits that promote resistance to change. Despite their popularity trait-based comparative analyses tend to focus on explaining variation in range shift and extinction risk, seldom being applied to actual measures of species decline. Furthermore they have tended to be taxonomically restricted to birds, mammals, plants and butterflies. Here we utilise a novel approach to estimate occurrence trends for the Odonata in Britain and Ireland, and examine trait correlates of these trends using a recently available trait dataset. We found the dragonfly fauna in Britain and Ireland has undergone considerable change between 1980 and 2012, with 22 and 53% of species declining and increasing, respectively. Distribution region, habitat specialism and range size were the key traits associated with these trends, where habitat generalists that occupy southern Britain tend to have increased in comparison to the declining narrow-ranged specialist species. In combination with previous evidence, we conclude that the lower trend estimates for the narrow-ranged specialists could be a sign of biotic homogenization with ecological specialists being replaced by warm-adapted generalists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary D Powney
- Biological Records Centre, NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology , Wallingford , UK
| | | | - Dave Smallshire
- Dragonfly Conservation Group, British Dragonfly Society , Chudleigh , UK
| | - Nick J B Isaac
- Biological Records Centre, NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology , Wallingford , UK
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Eaton MA, Burns F, Isaac NJ, Gregory RD, August TA, Barlow KE, Brereton T, Brooks DR, Al Fulaij N, Haysom KA, Noble DG, Outhwaite C, Powney GD, Procter D, Williams J. The priority species indicator: measuring the trends in threatened species in the UK. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2015.1068222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Thomas JA, Edwards M, Simcox DJ, Powney GD, August TA, Isaac NJB. Recent trends in UK insects that inhabit early successional stages of ecosystems. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David J. Simcox
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Gary D. Powney
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Maclean Building Benson Lane Crowmarsh Gifford Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
| | - Tom A. August
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Maclean Building Benson Lane Crowmarsh Gifford Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
| | - Nick J. B. Isaac
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Maclean Building Benson Lane Crowmarsh Gifford Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary D. Powney
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; Maclean Building, Benson Lane Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
| | - Nick J. B. Isaac
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; Maclean Building, Benson Lane Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 8BB UK
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Powney GD, Brooks SJ, Barwell LJ, Bowles P, Fitt RNL, Pavitt A, Spriggs RA, Isaac NJB. Morphological and geographical traits of the british odonata. Biodivers Data J 2014:e1041. [PMID: 24855438 PMCID: PMC4030211 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.2.e1041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Trait data are fundamental for many aspects of ecological research, particularly for modeling species response to environmental change. We synthesised information from the literature (mainly field guides) and direct measurements from museum specimens, providing a comprehensive dataset of 26 attributes, covering the 43 resident species of Odonata in Britain. Traits included in this database range from morphological traits (e.g. body length) to attributes based on the distribution of the species (e.g. climatic restriction). We measured 11 morphometric traits from five adult males and five adult females per species. Using digital callipers, these measurements were taken from dry museum specimens, all of which were wild caught individuals. Repeated measures were also taken to estimate measurement error. The trait data are stored in an online repository (https://github.com/BiologicalRecordsCentre/Odonata_traits), alongside R code designed to give an overview of the morphometric data, and to combine the morphometric data to the single value per trait per species data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary D Powney
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom ; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Brooks
- Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise J Barwell
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom ; School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Phil Bowles
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Robert N L Fitt
- Zoology Department, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Alyson Pavitt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca A Spriggs
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nick J B Isaac
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
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