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Baltensperger AP, Lanier HC, Olson LE. Extralimital terrestrials: A reassessment of range limits in Alaska's land mammals. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294376. [PMID: 38739612 PMCID: PMC11090306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding and mitigating the effects of anthropogenic climate change on species distributions requires the ability to track range shifts over time. This is particularly true for species occupying high-latitude regions, which are experiencing more extreme climate change than the rest of the world. In North America, the geographic ranges of many mammals reach their northernmost extent in Alaska, positioning this region at the leading edge of climate-induced distribution change. Over a decade has elapsed since the publication of the last spatial assessments of terrestrial mammals in the state. We compared public occurrence records against commonly referenced range maps to evaluate potential extralimital records and develop repeatable baseline range maps. We compared occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility for 61 terrestrial mammal species native to mainland Alaska against a variety of range estimates (International Union for Conservation of Nature, Alaska Gap Analysis Project, and the published literature). We mapped extralimital records and calculated proportions of occurrences encompassed by range extents, measured mean direction and distance to prior range margins, evaluated predictive accuracy of published species models, and highlighted observations on federal lands in Alaska. Range comparisons identified 6,848 extralimital records for 39 of 61 (63.9%) terrestrial mainland Alaskan species. On average, 95.5% of Alaska Gap Analysis Project occurrence records and ranges were deemed accurate (i.e., > 90.0% correct) for 31 of 37 species, but overestimated extents for 13 species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature range maps encompassed 68.1% of occurrence records and were > 90% accurate for 17 of 39 species. Extralimital records represent either improved sampling and digitization or actual geographic range expansions. Here we provide new data-driven range maps, update standards for the archiving of museum-quality locational records and offer recommendations for mapping range changes for monitoring and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Baltensperger
- University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
- International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR, United States of America
| | - Hayley C. Lanier
- Sam Noble Museum, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States of America
| | - Link E. Olson
- University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
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Huettmann F, Andrews P, Steiner M, Das AK, Philip J, Mi C, Bryans N, Barker B. A super SDM (species distribution model) 'in the cloud' for better habitat-association inference with a 'big data' application of the Great Gray Owl for Alaska. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7213. [PMID: 38531933 PMCID: PMC10965900 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57588-9] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The currently available distribution and range maps for the Great Grey Owl (GGOW; Strix nebulosa) are ambiguous, contradictory, imprecise, outdated, often hand-drawn and thus not quantified, not based on data or scientific. In this study, we present a proof of concept with a biological application for technical and biological workflow progress on latest global open access 'Big Data' sharing, Open-source methods of R and geographic information systems (OGIS and QGIS) assessed with six recent multi-evidence citizen-science sightings of the GGOW. This proposed workflow can be applied for quantified inference for any species-habitat model such as typically applied with species distribution models (SDMs). Using Random Forest-an ensemble-type model of Machine Learning following Leo Breiman's approach of inference from predictions-we present a Super SDM for GGOWs in Alaska running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). These Super SDMs were based on best publicly available data (410 occurrences + 1% new assessment sightings) and over 100 environmental GIS habitat predictors ('Big Data'). The compiled global open access data and the associated workflow overcome for the first time the limitations of traditionally used PC and laptops. It breaks new ground and has real-world implications for conservation and land management for GGOW, for Alaska, and for other species worldwide as a 'new' baseline. As this research field remains dynamic, Super SDMs can have limits, are not the ultimate and final statement on species-habitat associations yet, but they summarize all publicly available data and information on a topic in a quantified and testable fashion allowing fine-tuning and improvements as needed. At minimum, they allow for low-cost rapid assessment and a great leap forward to be more ecological and inclusive of all information at-hand. Using GGOWs, here we aim to correct the perception of this species towards a more inclusive, holistic, and scientifically correct assessment of this urban-adapted owl in the Anthropocene, rather than a mysterious wilderness-inhabiting species (aka 'Phantom of the North'). Such a Super SDM was never created for any bird species before and opens new perspectives for impact assessment policy and global sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Huettmann
- -EWHALE Lab-, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
| | - Phillip Andrews
- -EWHALE Lab-, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Moriz Steiner
- -EWHALE Lab-, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Arghya Kusum Das
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Jacques Philip
- Indigenous Health, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Chunrong Mi
- National Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Bryan Barker
- Oracle for Research, 2300 Oracle Wy, Austin, TX, 78741, USA
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Milke KP, Mitchell KL, Hayes SM, Green CJ, Guerard JJ. Behavior of potentially toxic elements from stoker-boiler fly ash in Interior Alaska: paired batch leaching and solid-phase characterization. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:31059-31074. [PMID: 34686963 PMCID: PMC9054907 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15583-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite significant investigation of fly ash spills and mineralogical controls on the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from fly ash, interactions with the surficial environment remain relatively poorly understood. We conducted 90-day batch leaching studies with paired analysis of supernatant and solid-phase mineralogy to assess the elemental release and transformation of fly ash upon reaction with aquatic media (18 MΩ cm-1 water and simulated rainwater). The fly ash in this study, collected from the University of Alaska Fairbanks stoker-boiler power plant, is high in unburned carbon (~20% LOI) and highly enriched in several PTEs relative to the upper continental crust. Supernatant concentrations of oxyanion-forming elements (e.g., As, Se, Mo, Sb) remained relatively low and constant, suggesting equilibrium with the solid phase, possibly ettringite [Ca6Al2(SO4)3(OH)12•26H2O], which is known to incorporate and sorb oxyanion-forming PTEs and was identified by X-ray diffraction. Synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP) results failed to capture important temporal trends. Lead and Ba supernatant concentrations consistently exceeded drinking water standards, as well as others upon exposure to simulated physiological solutions. Seven-day experiments with dissolved organic matter-isolate solutions indicated that for certain elements, liberation was influenced by carbon concentration and/or the identity of the isolate. Overall, this paired approach can serve as a model for future studies, bridging existing gaps between batch leaching and single-element mineralogical, sorption, or speciation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle P Milke
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Kiana L Mitchell
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Sarah M Hayes
- Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., MS 954, Room 4C200, Reston, VA, 20192, USA.
| | - Carlin J Green
- Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, U. S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., MS 954, Room 4C200, Reston, VA, 20192, USA
| | - Jennifer J Guerard
- Chemistry Department, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 21402, USA
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Abstract
Understanding the impacts of recreational fishing on habitats and species, as well as the social and ecological importance of place to anglers, requires information on the spatial distribution of fishing activities. This study documented long-term changes in core fishing areas of a major recreational fishery in Alaska and identified biological, regulatory, social, and economic drivers of spatial fishing patterns by charter operators. Using participatory mapping and in-person interviews, we characterized the spatial footprint of 46 charter operators in the communities of Sitka and Homer since the 1990s. The spatial footprint differed between Homer and Sitka respondents, with Homer operators consistently using larger areas for Pacific halibut than Sitka operators. Homer and Sitka showed opposite trends in core fishing location area over time, with an overall decrease in Homer and an overall increase in Sitka. For both Sitka and Homer respondents, the range of areas fished was greater for Pacific halibut than for rockfish/lingcod or Pacific salmon. Spatial patterns were qualitatively different between businesses specializing in single species trips and those that operated multispecies trips and between businesses with one vessel and those with multiple vessels. In Homer, the most frequently cited reasons for changes in the location and/or extent of fishing were changes in trip type and the price of fuel, while in Sitka, the most frequently cited reasons for spatial shifts were changes to Pacific halibut regulations and gaining experience or exploring new locations. The diversity of charter fishing strategies in Alaska may allow individual charter operators to respond differently to perturbations and thus maintain resilience of the industry as a whole to social, environmental, and regulatory change. This research also highlights the importance of understanding fishers’ diverse portfolio of activities to effective ecosystem-based management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie N. Chan
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne H. Beaudreau
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Philip A. Loring
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Weiser EL, Lanctot RB, Brown SC, Alves JA, Battley PF, Bentzen R, Bêty J, Bishop MA, Boldenow M, Bollache L, Casler B, Christie M, Coleman JT, Conklin JR, English WB, Gates HR, Gilg O, Giroux MA, Gosbell K, Hassell C, Helmericks J, Johnson A, Katrínardóttir B, Koivula K, Kwon E, Lamarre JF, Lang J, Lank DB, Lecomte N, Liebezeit J, Loverti V, McKinnon L, Minton C, Mizrahi D, Nol E, Pakanen VM, Perz J, Porter R, Rausch J, Reneerkens J, Rönkä N, Saalfeld S, Senner N, Sittler B, Smith PA, Sowl K, Taylor A, Ward DH, Yezerinac S, Sandercock BK. Effects of geolocators on hatching success, return rates, breeding movements, and change in body mass in 16 species of Arctic-breeding shorebirds. Mov Ecol 2016; 4:12. [PMID: 27134752 PMCID: PMC4850671 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-016-0077-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Geolocators are useful for tracking movements of long-distance migrants, but potential negative effects on birds have not been well studied. We tested for effects of geolocators (0.8-2.0 g total, representing 0.1-3.9 % of mean body mass) on 16 species of migratory shorebirds, including five species with 2-4 subspecies each for a total of 23 study taxa. Study species spanned a range of body sizes (26-1091 g) and eight genera, and were tagged at 23 breeding and eight nonbreeding sites. We compared breeding performance and return rates of birds with geolocators to control groups while controlling for potential confounding variables. RESULTS We detected negative effects of tags for three small-bodied species. Geolocators reduced annual return rates for two of 23 taxa: by 63 % for semipalmated sandpipers and by 43 % for the arcticola subspecies of dunlin. High resighting effort for geolocator birds could have masked additional negative effects. Geolocators were more likely to negatively affect return rates if the total mass of geolocators and color markers was 2.5-5.8 % of body mass than if tags were 0.3-2.3 % of body mass. Carrying a geolocator reduced nest success by 42 % for semipalmated sandpipers and tripled the probability of partial clutch failure in semipalmated and western sandpipers. Geolocators mounted perpendicular to the leg on a flag had stronger negative effects on nest success than geolocators mounted parallel to the leg on a band. However, parallel-band geolocators were more likely to reduce return rates and cause injuries to the leg. No effects of geolocators were found on breeding movements or changes in body mass. Among-site variation in geolocator effect size was high, suggesting that local factors were important. CONCLUSIONS Negative effects of geolocators occurred only for three of the smallest species in our dataset, but were substantial when present. Future studies could mitigate impacts of tags by reducing protruding parts and minimizing use of additional markers. Investigators could maximize recovery of tags by strategically deploying geolocators on males, previously marked individuals, and successful breeders, though targeting subsets of a population could bias the resulting migratory movement data in some species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Weiser
- />Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS USA
| | | | | | - José A. Alves
- />CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
- />South Iceland Research Centre, University of Iceland, Selfoss, Iceland
| | - Phil F. Battley
- />Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | | | - Joël Bêty
- />Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC Canada
| | | | - Megan Boldenow
- />Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK USA
| | - Loïc Bollache
- />Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
- />Laboratoire Chrono-Environnement UMR CNRS 6249, Besançon, France
- />Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, Francheville, France
| | | | | | | | - Jesse R. Conklin
- />Chair in Global Flyway Ecology, Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willow B. English
- />Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC Canada
| | - H. River Gates
- />US Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK USA
- />Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA USA
- />ABR, Inc. - Environmental Research and Services, Anchorage, AK USA
| | - Olivier Gilg
- />Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, Francheville, France
- />Laboratoire Biogéoscience, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Marie-Andrée Giroux
- />Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC Canada
- />Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB Canada
| | - Ken Gosbell
- />Victorian Wader Study Group, Victoria, Australia
- />Australasian Wader Studies Group, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Hassell
- />Australasian Wader Studies Group, Victoria, Australia
- />Global Flyway Network, Broome, WA Australia
| | | | - Andrew Johnson
- />Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | | | - Kari Koivula
- />Department of Ecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Eunbi Kwon
- />Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS USA
| | - Jean-Francois Lamarre
- />Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC Canada
| | - Johannes Lang
- />Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, Francheville, France
- />Institute of Animal Ecology and Nature Education, Gonterskirchen, Germany
| | - David B. Lank
- />Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC Canada
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- />Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB Canada
| | | | | | - Laura McKinnon
- />Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON Canada
- />Department of Multidisciplinary Studies, York University Glendon Campus, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Clive Minton
- />Victorian Wader Study Group, Victoria, Australia
- />Australasian Wader Studies Group, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Erica Nol
- />Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON Canada
| | | | - Johanna Perz
- />Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON Canada
| | - Ron Porter
- />Delaware Bay Shorebird Project, Ambler, PA USA
| | | | - Jeroen Reneerkens
- />Chair in Global Flyway Ecology, Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- />Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Nelli Rönkä
- />Department of Ecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | | | - Benoît Sittler
- />Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, Francheville, France
- />Institut für Landespflege, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Kristine Sowl
- />Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bethel, AK USA
| | - Audrey Taylor
- />Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK USA
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