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Nuijten RJM, Katzner TE, Allen AM, Bijleveld AI, Boorsma T, Börger L, Cagnacci F, Hart T, Henley MA, Herren RM, Kok EMA, Maree B, Nebe B, Shohami D, Vogel SM, Walker P, Heitkönig IMA, Milner‐Gulland EJ. Priorities for translating goodwill between movement ecologists and conservation practitioners into effective collaboration. Conservat Sci and Prac 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rascha J. M. Nuijten
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Biology University of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Todd E. Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Andrew M. Allen
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
- Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Allert I. Bijleveld
- Department of Coastal Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Den Burg The Netherlands
| | - Tjalle Boorsma
- Asociación Civil Armonía Santa Cruz de la Sierra Bolivia
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Francesca Cagnacci
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre Fondazione Edmund Mach San Michele all'Adige Italy
| | - Tom Hart
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Michelle A. Henley
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Environmental Research Unit University of South Africa Pretoria South Africa
- Elephants Alive Limpopo South Africa
| | | | - Eva M. A. Kok
- Department of Coastal Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Den Burg The Netherlands
| | | | | | - David Shohami
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Faculty of Science The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Susanne Marieke Vogel
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | | | - Ignas M. A. Heitkönig
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - E. J. Milner‐Gulland
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Biology University of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom
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2
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de Winter II, Umanets A, Gort G, Nieuwland WH, van Hooft P, Heitkönig IMA, Kappeler PM, Prins HHT, Smidt H. Effects of seasonality and previous logging on faecal helminth-microbiota associations in wild lemurs. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16818. [PMID: 33033341 PMCID: PMC7544911 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73827-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal helminth-microbiota associations are shaped by various ecological processes. The effect of the ecological context of the host on the bacterial microbiome and gastrointestinal helminth parasites has been tested in a number of ecosystems and experimentally. This study takes the important step to look at these two groups at the same time and to start to examine how these communities interact in a changing host environment. Fresh faecal samples (N = 335) from eight wild Eulemur populations were collected over 2 years across Madagascar. We used 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing to characterise the bacterial microbiota composition, and faecal flotation to isolate and morphologically identify nematode eggs. Infections with nematodes of the genera Callistoura and Lemuricola occurred in all lemur populations. Seasonality significantly contributed to the observed variation in microbiota composition, especially in the dry deciduous forest. Microbial richness and Lemuricola spp. infection prevalence were highest in a previously intensely logged site, whereas Callistoura spp. showed no such pattern. In addition, we observed significant correlations between gastrointestinal parasites and bacterial microbiota composition in these lemurs, with 0.4-0.7% of the variation in faecal bacterial microbiota composition being explained by helminth infections. With this study, we show effects of environmental conditions on gastrointestinal nematodes and bacterial interactions in wild lemurs and believe it is essential to consider the potential role of microbiome-parasite associations on the hosts' GI stability, health, and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- I I de Winter
- Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - A Umanets
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - G Gort
- Biometris, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - W H Nieuwland
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - P van Hooft
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - I M A Heitkönig
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - P M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - H H T Prins
- Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - H Smidt
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Okita‐Ouma B, Langevelde F, Heitkönig IMA, Maina P, Wieren SE, Prins HHT. Relationships of reproductive performance indicators in black rhinoceros (
Diceros bicornis michaeli
) with plant available moisture, plant available nutrients and woody cover. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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)
- Benson Okita‐Ouma
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
- Kenya Wildlife Service Nairobi Kenya
- Save The Elephants Nairobi Kenya
| | - Frank Langevelde
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Ignas M. A. Heitkönig
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Sip E. Wieren
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Herbert H. T. Prins
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
- Department of Animal Sciences Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
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4
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Eikelboom JAJ, Nuijten RJM, Wang YXG, Schroder B, Heitkönig IMA, Mooij WM, van Langevelde F, Prins HHT. Will legal international rhino horn trade save wild rhino populations? Glob Ecol Conserv 2020; 23:e01145. [PMID: 32835033 PMCID: PMC7273149 DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild vertebrate populations all over the globe are in decline, with poaching being the second-most-important cause. The high poaching rate of rhinoceros may drive these species into extinction within the coming decades. Some stakeholders argue to lift the ban on international rhino horn trade to potentially benefit rhino conservation, as current interventions appear to be insufficient. We reviewed scientific and grey literature to scrutinize the validity of reasoning behind the potential benefit of legal horn trade for wild rhino populations. We identified four mechanisms through which legal trade would impact wild rhino populations, of which only the increased revenue for rhino farmers could potentially benefit rhino conservation. Conversely, the global demand for rhino horn is likely to increase to a level that cannot be met solely by legal supply. Moreover, corruption is omnipresent in countries along the trade routes, which has the potential to negatively affect rhino conservation. Finally, programmes aimed at reducing rhino horn demand will be counteracted through trade legalization by removing the stigma on consuming rhino horn. Combining these insights and comparing them with criteria for sustainable wildlife farming, we conclude that legalizing rhino horn trade will likely negatively impact the remaining wild rhino populations. To preserve rhino species, we suggest to prioritize reducing corruption within rhino horn trade, increasing the rhino population within well-protected 'safe havens' and implementing educational programmes and law enforcement targeted at rhino horn consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper A J Eikelboom
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rascha J M Nuijten
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Yingying X G Wang
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Bradley Schroder
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Welgevonden Game Reserve, P.O. Box 433, Vaalwater, South Africa.,Arkaba Conservancy, Flinders Ranges Way, Hawker, SA, 5434, Australia
| | - Ignas M A Heitkönig
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wolf M Mooij
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700, AB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Frank van Langevelde
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,School of Life Sciences, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Herbert H T Prins
- Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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5
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Wato YA, Prins HHT, Heitkönig IMA, Wahungu GM, Ngene SM, Njumbi S, van Langevelde F. Movement Patterns of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) in a Semi-arid Savanna Suggest That They Have Information on the Location of Dispersed Water Sources. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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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6
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de Winter II, Qurkhuli T, de Groot N, de Vos-Rouweler AJM, van Hooft P, Heitkönig IMA, Prins HHT, Bontrop RE, Doxiadis GGM. Determining Mhc-DRB profiles in wild populations of three congeneric true lemur species by noninvasive methods. Immunogenetics 2018; 71:97-107. [PMID: 30324236 PMCID: PMC6327083 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-018-1085-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a highly polymorphic and polygenic genomic region that plays a crucial role in immune-related diseases. Given the need for comparative studies on the variability of immunologically important genes among wild populations and species, we investigated the allelic variation of MHC class II DRB among three congeneric true lemur species: the red-fronted lemur (Eulemur rufifrons), red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer), and black lemur (Eulemur macaco). We noninvasively collected hair and faecal samples from these species across different regions in Madagascar. We assessed DRB exon 2 polymorphism with a newly developed primer set, amplifying nearly all non-synonymous codons of the antigen-binding sites. We defined 26 DRB alleles from 45 individuals (17 alleles from E. rufifrons (N = 18); 5 from E. rubriventer (N = 7); and 4 from E. macaco (N = 20). All detected alleles are novel and show high levels of nucleotide (26.8%) and non-synonymous codon polymorphism (39.4%). In these lemur species, we found neither evidence of a duplication of DRB genes nor a sharing of alleles among sympatric groups or allopatric populations of the same species. The non-sharing of alleles may be the result of a geographical separation over a long time span and/or different pathogen selection pressures. We found dN/dS rates > 1 in the functionally important antigen recognition sites, providing evidence for balancing selection. Especially for small and isolated populations, quantifying and monitoring DRB variation are recommended to establish successful conservation plans that mitigate the possible loss of immunogenetic diversity in lemurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris I de Winter
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Tamar Qurkhuli
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nanine de Groot
- Department of Comparative Genetics and Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Annemiek J M de Vos-Rouweler
- Department of Comparative Genetics and Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Pim van Hooft
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Herbert H T Prins
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald E Bontrop
- Department of Comparative Genetics and Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.,Department of Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gaby G M Doxiadis
- Department of Comparative Genetics and Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
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7
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Baauw AH, Heyne H, Williams KS, Hill RA, Heitkönig IMA, Williams ST. First records of Hyalomma rufipes and Ixodes neitzi (Acari: Ixodidae) found on large carnivores in South Africa. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:128-131. [PMID: 30253935 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are important disease vectors for large carnivores, but the composition of the tick communities that parasitize carnivores is poorly understood. We collected ticks from leopards (Panthera pardus) and brown hyenas (Hyaena brunnea) in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa, to determine which species feed on these carnivores. We identified a total of eight tick species belonging to six genera, and recorded Ixodes neitzi and Hyalomma rufipes on P. pardus for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Baauw
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Heloise Heyne
- Epidemiology, Parasites & Vectors, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Kathryn S Williams
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa; Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Ignas M A Heitkönig
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Samual T Williams
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Primate and Predator Project, Lajuma Research Centre, PO Box 522, Louis Trichardt, 0920, South Africa; Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa; Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE), Hoedspruit, South Africa
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Abstract
In response to the increasing number of observational studies on an apparent south-north orientation in non-homing, non-migrating terrestrial mammals, we experimentally tested the alignment hypothesis using strong neodymium magnets on the resting orientation of individual cattle in Portugal. Contrary to the hypothesis, the 34 cows in the experiment showed no directional preference, neither with, nor without a strong neodymium magnet fixed to their collar. The concurrently performed 2,428 daytime observations—excluding the hottest part of the day—of 659 resting individual cattle did not show a south-north alignment when at rest either. The preferred compass orientation of these cows was on average 130 degrees from the magnetic north (i.e., south east). Cow compass orientation correlated significantly with sun direction, but not with wind direction. In as far as we can determine, this is the first experimental test on magnetic orientation in larger, non-homing, non-migrating mammals. These experimental and observational findings do not support previously published suggestions on the magnetic south-north alignment in these mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debby Weijers
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lia Hemerik
- Biometris, Wageningen University and Research, Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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9
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Umanets A, de Winter I, IJdema F, Ramiro-Garcia J, van Hooft P, Heitkönig IMA, Prins HHT, Smidt H. Occupancy strongly influences faecal microbial composition of wild lemurs. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 94:4838981. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Umanets
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Iris de Winter
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Freek IJdema
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Javier Ramiro-Garcia
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pim van Hooft
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ignas M A Heitkönig
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Herbert H T Prins
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hauke Smidt
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
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10
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Mwasi SM, Heitkönig IMA, Van Wieren SE, Prins HHT. Foraging behaviour of wild impala (Aepyceros melampus
) and Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli
) in relation to sward height. Afr J Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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)
- Shem M. Mwasi
- School for Field Studies; Centre for Wildlife Management Studies; Nairobi Kenya
| | - Ignas M. A. Heitkönig
- Resource Ecology Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; Wageningen University; Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Sipke E. Van Wieren
- Resource Ecology Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; Wageningen University; Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Herbert H. T. Prins
- Resource Ecology Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; Wageningen University; Wageningen The Netherlands
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11
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Dejene SW, Heitkönig IMA, Prins HHT, Lemma FA, Mekonnen DA, Alemu ZE, Kelkay TZ, de Boer WF. Correction: Risk Factors for Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in Cattle in Ethiopia. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176654. [PMID: 28426770 PMCID: PMC5398723 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159083.].
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12
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Siegenthaler A, Niemantsverdriet PRW, Laterveer M, Heitkönig IMA. Aversive responses of captive sandbar sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus to strong magnetic fields. J Fish Biol 2016; 89:1603-1611. [PMID: 27323691 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This experimental study focused on the possible deterrent effect of permanent magnets on adult sandbar sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus. Results showed that the presence of a magnetic field significantly reduced the number of approaches of conditioned C. plumbeus towards a target indicating that adult C. plumbeus can be deterred by strong magnetic fields. These data, therefore, confirm that the use of magnetic devices to reduce shark by-catch is a promising avenue.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Siegenthaler
- Wageningen University, Resource Ecology Group, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Rotterdam Zoo, P. O. Box 532, 3000 AM, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - M Laterveer
- Rotterdam Zoo, P. O. Box 532, 3000 AM, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - I M A Heitkönig
- Wageningen University, Resource Ecology Group, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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13
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Dejene SW, Heitkönig IMA, Prins HHT, Lemma FA, Mekonnen DA, Alemu ZE, Kelkay TZ, de Boer WF. Risk Factors for Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in Cattle in Ethiopia. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159083. [PMID: 27404387 PMCID: PMC4942063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infection is generally correlated with individual cattle's age, sex, body condition, and with husbandry practices such as herd composition, cattle movement, herd size, production system and proximity to wildlife-including bTB maintenance hosts. We tested the correlation between those factors and the prevalence of bTB, which is endemic in Ethiopia's highland cattle, in the Afar Region and Awash National Park between November 2013 and April 2015. A total of 2550 cattle from 102 herds were tested for bTB presence using the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CITT). Data on herd structure, herd movement, management and production system, livestock transfer, and contact with wildlife were collected using semi-structured interviews with cattle herders and herd owners. The individual overall prevalence of cattle bTB was 5.5%, with a herd prevalence of 46%. Generalized Linear Mixed Models with a random herd-effect were used to analyse risk factors of cattle reactors within each herd. The older the age of the cattle and the lower the body condition the higher the chance of a positive bTB test result, but sex, lactation status and reproductive status were not correlated with bTB status. At herd level, General Linear Models showed that pastoral production systems with transhumant herds had a higher bTB prevalence than sedentary herds. A model averaging analysis identified herd size, contact with wildlife, and the interaction of herd size and contact with wildlife as significant risk factors for bTB prevalence in cattle. A subsequent Structural Equation Model showed that the probability of contact with wildlife was influenced by herd size, through herd movement. Larger herds moved more and grazed in larger areas, hence the probability of grazing in an area with wildlife and contact with either infected cattle or infected wildlife hosts increased, enhancing the chances for bTB infection. Therefore, future bTB control strategies in cattle in pastoral areas should consider herd size and movement as important risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sintayehu W. Dejene
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Fitsum A. Lemma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Daniel A. Mekonnen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Zelalem E. Alemu
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Tessema Z. Kelkay
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Willem F. de Boer
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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van der Waal C, de Kroon H, van Langevelde F, de Boer WF, Heitkönig IMA, Slotow R, Pretorius Y, Prins HHT. Scale-dependent bi-trophic interactions in a semi-arid savanna: how herbivores eliminate benefits of nutrient patchiness to plants. Oecologia 2016; 181:1173-85. [PMID: 27094543 PMCID: PMC4954840 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3627-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The scale of resource heterogeneity may influence how resources are locally partitioned between co-existing large and small organisms such as trees and grasses in savannas. Scale-related plant responses may, in turn, influence herbivore use of the vegetation. To examine these scale-dependent bi-trophic interactions, we varied fertilizer [(nitrogen (N)/phosphorus (P)/potassium (K)] applications to patches to create different scales of nutrient patchiness (patch size 2 × 2 m, 10 × 10 m, or whole-plot 50 × 50 m) in a large field experiment in intact African savanna. Within-patch fertilizer concentration and the total fertilizer load per plot were independently varied. We found that fertilization increased the leaf N and P concentrations of trees and grasses, resulting in elevated utilization by browsers and grazers. Herbivory off-take was particularly considerable at higher nutrient concentrations. Scale-dependent effects were weak. The net effect of fertilization and herbivory was that plants in fertilized areas tended to grow less and develop smaller rather than larger standing biomass compared to plants growing in areas that remained unfertilized. When all of these effects were considered together at the community (plot) level, herbivory completely eliminated the positive effects of fertilization on the plant community. While this was true for all scales of fertilization, grasses tended to profit more from coarse-grained fertilization and trees from fine-grained fertilization. We conclude that in herbivore-dominated communities, such as the African savanna, nutrient patchiness results in the herbivore community profiting rather more than the plant community, irrespective of the scale of patchiness. At the community level, the allometric scaling theory's prediction of plant-and probably also animal-production does not hold or may even be reversed as a result of complex bi-trophic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelis van der Waal
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Agri-Ecological Services, PO Box 28, Omaruru, Namibia
| | - Hans de Kroon
- Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Frank van Langevelde
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem F de Boer
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ignas M A Heitkönig
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Slotow
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Yolanda Pretorius
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Herbert H T Prins
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Fauzi A, Skidmore AK, Heitkönig IMA, van Gils H, Schlerf M. Eutrophication of mangroves linked to depletion of foliar and soil base cations. Environ Monit Assess 2014; 186:8487-8498. [PMID: 25208516 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-4017-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
There is growing concern that increasing eutrophication causes degradation of coastal ecosystems. Studies in terrestrial ecosystems have shown that increasing the concentration of nitrogen in soils contributes to the acidification process, which leads to leaching of base cations. To test the effects of eutrophication on the availability of base cations in mangroves, we compared paired leaf and soil nutrient levels sampled in Nypa fruticans and Rhizophora spp. on a severely disturbed, i.e. nutrient loaded, site (Mahakam delta) with samples from an undisturbed, near-pristine site (Berau delta) in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The findings indicate that under pristine conditions, the availability of base cations in mangrove soils is determined largely by salinity. Anthropogenic disturbances on the Mahakam site have resulted in eutrophication, which is related to lower levels of foliar and soil base cations. Path analysis suggests that increasing soil nitrogen reduces soil pH, which in turn reduces the levels of foliar and soil base cations in mangroves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Fauzi
- Faculty for Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands,
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16
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Treydte AC, Baumgartner S, Heitkönig IMA, Grant CC, Getz WM. Herbaceous forage and selection patterns by ungulates across varying herbivore assemblages in a South African Savanna. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82831. [PMID: 24358228 PMCID: PMC3865094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 05/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Herbivores generally have strong structural and compositional effects on vegetation, which in turn determines the plant forage species available. We investigated how selected large mammalian herbivore assemblages use and alter herbaceous vegetation structure and composition in a southern African savanna in and adjacent to the Kruger National Park, South Africa. We compared mixed and mono-specific herbivore assemblages of varying density and investigated similarities in vegetation patterns under wildlife and livestock herbivory. Grass species composition differed significantly, standing biomass and grass height were almost twice as high at sites of low density compared to high density mixed wildlife species. Selection of various grass species by herbivores was positively correlated with greenness, nutrient content and palatability. Nutrient-rich Urochloa mosambicensis Hack. and Panicum maximum Jacq. grasses were preferred forage species, which significantly differed in abundance across sites of varying grazing pressure. Green grasses growing beneath trees were grazed more frequently than dry grasses growing in the open. Our results indicate that grazing herbivores appear to base their grass species preferences on nutrient content cues and that a characteristic grass species abundance and herb layer structure can be matched with mammalian herbivory types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Christina Treydte
- Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Sabine Baumgartner
- Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Catharina C. Grant
- Systems Ecology, Scientific Services Kruger National Park, Skukuza, South Africa
| | - Wayne M. Getz
- Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Priyadarshini KVR, Prins HHT, de Bie S, Heitkönig IMA, Woodborne S, Gort G, Kirkman K, Fry B, de Kroon H. Overlap in nitrogen sources and redistribution of nitrogen between trees and grasses in a semi-arid savanna. Oecologia 2013; 174:1107-16. [PMID: 24288080 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2848-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 02/14/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A key question in savanna ecology is how trees and grasses coexist under N limitation. We used N stable isotopes and N content to study N source partitioning across seasons from trees and associated grasses in a semi-arid savanna. We also used (15)N tracer additions to investigate possible redistribution of N by trees to grasses. Foliar stable N isotope ratio (δ(15)N) values were consistent with trees and grasses using mycorrhiza-supplied N in all seasons except in the wet season when they switched to microbially fixed N. The dependence of trees and grasses on mineralized soil N seemed highly unlikely based on seasonal variation in mineralization rates in the Kruger Park region. Remarkably, foliar δ(15)N values were similar for all three tree species differing in the potential for N fixation through nodulation. The tracer experiment showed that N was redistributed by trees to understory grasses in all seasons. Our results suggest that the redistribution of N from trees to grasses and uptake of N was independent of water redistribution. Although there is overlap of N sources between trees and grasses, dependence on biological sources of N coupled with redistribution of subsoil N by trees may contribute to the coexistence of trees and grasses in semi-arid savannas.
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Fauzi A, Skidmore AK, van Gils H, Schlerf M, Heitkönig IMA. Shrimp pond effluent dominates foliar nitrogen in disturbed mangroves as mapped using hyperspectral imagery. Mar Pollut Bull 2013; 76:42-51. [PMID: 24103095 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 05/13/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Conversion of mangroves to shrimp ponds creates fragmentation and eutrophication. Detection of the spatial variation of foliar nitrogen is essential for understanding the effect of eutrophication on mangroves. We aim (i) to estimate nitrogen variability across mangrove landscapes of the Mahakam delta using airborne hyperspectral remote sensing (HyMap) and (ii) to investigate links between the variation of foliar nitrogen mapped and local environmental variables. In this study, multivariate prediction models achieved a higher level of accuracy than narrow-band vegetation indices, making multivariate modeling the best choice for mapping. The variation of foliar nitrogen concentration in mangroves was significantly influenced by the local environment: (1) position of mangroves (seaward/landward), (2) distance to the shrimp ponds, and (3) predominant mangrove species. The findings suggest that anthropogenic disturbances, in this case shrimp ponds, influence nitrogen variation in mangroves. Mangroves closer to the shrimp ponds had higher foliar nitrogen concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Fauzi
- University of Twente, Faculty for Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands.
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Ahrestani FS, Van Langevelde F, Heitkönig IMA, Prins HHT. Contrasting timing of parturition of chital Axis axis and gaur Bos gaurus in tropical South India - the role of body mass and seasonal forage quality. OIKOS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2011.20244.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [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: 11/30/2022]
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Kohi EM, de Boer WF, Peel MJS, Slotow R, van der Waal C, Heitkönig IMA, Skidmore A, Prins HHT. African Elephants Loxodonta africana Amplify Browse Heterogeneity in African Savanna. Biotropica 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2010.00724.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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de Knegt HJ, van Langevelde F, Skidmore AK, Delsink A, Slotow R, Henley S, Bucini G, de Boer WF, Coughenour MB, Grant CC, Heitkönig IMA, Henley M, Knox NM, Kohi EM, Mwakiwa E, Page BR, Peel M, Pretorius Y, van Wieren SE, Prins HHT. The spatial scaling of habitat selection by African elephants. J Anim Ecol 2010; 80:270-81. [PMID: 21054380 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01764.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
1. Understanding and accurately predicting the spatial patterns of habitat use by organisms is important for ecological research, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. However, this understanding is complicated by the effects of spatial scale, because the scale of analysis affects the quantification of species-environment relationships. 2. We therefore assessed the influence of environmental context (i.e. the characteristics of the landscape surrounding a site), varied over a large range of scales (i.e. ambit radii around focal sites), on the analysis and prediction of habitat selection by African elephants in Kruger National Park, South Africa. 3. We focused on the spatial scaling of the elephants' response to their main resources, forage and water, and found that the quantification of habitat selection strongly depended on the scales at which environmental context was considered. Moreover, the inclusion of environmental context at characteristic scales (i.e. those at which habitat selectivity was maximized) increased the predictive capacity of habitat suitability models. 4. The elephants responded to their environment in a scale-dependent and perhaps hierarchical manner, with forage characteristics driving habitat selection at coarse spatial scales, and surface water at fine spatial scales. 5. Furthermore, the elephants exhibited sexual habitat segregation, mainly in relation to vegetation characteristics. Male elephants preferred areas with high tree cover and low herbaceous biomass, whereas this pattern was reversed for female elephants. 6. We show that the spatial distribution of elephants can be better understood and predicted when scale-dependent species-environment relationships are explicitly considered. This demonstrates the importance of considering the influence of spatial scale on the analysis of spatial patterning in ecological phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik J de Knegt
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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De Knegt HJ, van Langevelde F, Coughenour MB, Skidmore AK, de Boer WF, Heitkönig IMA, Knox NM, Slotow R, van der Waal C, Prins HHT. Spatial autocorrelation and the scaling of species-environment relationships. Ecology 2010; 91:2455-65. [PMID: 20836467 DOI: 10.1890/09-1359.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Issues of residual spatial autocorrelation (RSA) and spatial scale are critical to the study of species-environment relationships, because RSA invalidates many statistical procedures, while the scale of analysis affects the quantification of these relationships. Although these issues independently are widely covered in the literature, only sparse attention is given to their integration. This paper focuses on the interplay between RSA and the spatial scaling of species-environment relationships. Using a hypothetical species in an artificial landscape, we show that a mismatch between the scale of analysis and the scale of a species' response to its environment leads to a decrease in the portion of variation explained by environmental predictors. Moreover, it results in RSA and biased regression coefficients. This bias stems from error-predictor dependencies due to the scale mismatch, the magnitude of which depends on the interaction between the scale of landscape heterogeneity and the scale of a species' response to this heterogeneity. We show that explicitly considering scale effects on RSA can reveal the characteristic scale of a species' response to its environment. This is important, because the estimation of species-environment relationships using spatial regression methods proves to be erroneous in case of a scale mismatch, leading to spurious conclusions when scaling issues are not explicitly considered. The findings presented here highlight the importance of examining the appropriateness of the spatial scales used in analyses, since scale mismatches affect the rigor of statistical analyses and thereby the ability to understand the processes underlying spatial patterning in ecological phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- H J De Knegt
- Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Kohi EM, de Boer WF, Slot M, van Wieren SE, Ferwerda JG, Grant RC, Heitkönig IMA, de Knegt HJ, Knox N, van Langevelde F, Peel M, Slotow R, van der Waal C, Prins HHT. Effects of simulated browsing on growth and leaf chemical properties inColophospermum mopanesaplings. Afr J Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01099.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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J. T. Verweij R, Verrelst J, Loth PE, M. A. Heitkönig I, M. H. Brunsting A. Grazing lawns contribute to the subsistence of mesoherbivores on dystrophic savannas. OIKOS 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.2006.0030-1299.14209.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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Nolet BA, Broftová L, Heitkönig IMA, Vorel A, Kostkan V. Slow growth of a translocated beaver population partly due to a climatic shift in food quality. OIKOS 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2005.13850.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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: 11/27/2022]
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