1
|
Amin R, Wacher T, Bruce T, Barichievy C. The status and ecology of the sand cat in the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Protected Area, Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2020-0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The sand cat is one of the world’s least studied small cats. Our camera-trap survey, one of the largest undertaken in a desert system, generated over 1500 images of the species across 100 camera-traps distributed systematically over the 2400 km2 core area of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Protected Area of the Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia. The study revealed a much more significant and widespread sand cat population in the ecosystem than previously understood. Sand cats were detected across one-third of the core area in all major habitats, comprising escarpment plateau, sand dunes and interdunal gravel valleys. The species showed a marginal preference for the interior parallel dune system with interspersed gravel valleys where they also preferred sand dunes over the gravel valley in the hot season. There was no evidence of strong spatial interactions with other predators. The ecosystem’s larger predators (Arabian red fox and honey badger, and all records of wild and feral cats) were primarily associated with the escarpment plateau. The smaller Rueppell’s fox was the only other carnivore more consistently present in the main dune system. Sand cats were strictly nocturnal and 14% more active in the hot season than the cool season.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajan Amin
- Zoological Society of London , Regents Park , London , UK
| | - Tim Wacher
- Zoological Society of London , Regents Park , London , UK
| | - Tom Bruce
- Zoological Society of London , Regents Park , London , UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Garmestani A, Twidwell D, Angeler DG, Sundstrom S, Barichievy C, Chaffin BC, Eason T, Graham N, Granholm D, Gunderson L, Knutson M, Nash KL, Nelson RJ, Nystrom M, Spanbauer TL, Stow CA, Allen CR. Panarchy: opportunities and challenges for ecosystem management. Front Ecol Environ 2020; 18:576-583. [PMID: 33408590 PMCID: PMC7784709 DOI: 10.1002/fee.2264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Addressing unexpected events and uncertainty represents one of the grand challenges of the Anthropocene, yet ecosystem management is constrained by existing policy and laws that were not formulated to deal with today's accelerating rates of environmental change. In many cases, managing for simple regulatory standards has resulted in adverse outcomes, necessitating innovative approaches for dealing with complex social-ecological problems. We highlight a project in the US Great Plains where panarchy - a conceptual framework that emerged from resilience - was implemented at project onset to address the continued inability to halt large-scale transition from grass-to-tree dominance in central North America. We review how panarchy was applied, the initial outcomes and evidence for policy reform, and the opportunities and challenges for which it could serve as a useful model to contrast with traditional ecosystem management approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahjond Garmestani
- Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL
- Utrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, Utrecht University School of Law, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Dirac Twidwell
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
- Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Lands, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
| | - David G Angeler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Shana Sundstrom
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
| | - Chris Barichievy
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Brian C Chaffin
- Department of Society and Conservation, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
| | - Tarsha Eason
- Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL
| | - Nick Graham
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Dean Granholm
- US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bloomington, MN
| | - Lance Gunderson
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | | | - Kirsty L Nash
- Centre for Marine Socioecology and Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - R John Nelson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Magnus Nystrom
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Craig A Stow
- NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Craig R Allen
- Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Lands, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Balfour D, Barichievy C, Gordon C, Brett R. A Theory of Change to grow numbers of African rhino at a conservation site. Conservation Science and Practice 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dave Balfour
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Zoology DepartmentNelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - Chris Barichievy
- Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park London UK
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Chris Gordon
- Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park London UK
| | - Rob Brett
- Flora and Fauna International, The David Attenborough Building Cambridge UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sundstrom SM, Angeler DG, Barichievy C, Eason T, Garmestani A, Gunderson L, Knutson M, Nash KL, Spanbauer T, Stow C, Allen CR. The distribution and role of functional abundance in cross-scale resilience. Ecology 2018; 99:2421-2432. [PMID: 30175443 PMCID: PMC6792002 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The cross-scale resilience model suggests that system-level ecological resilience emerges from the distribution of species' functions within and across the spatial and temporal scales of a system. It has provided a quantitative method for calculating the resilience of a given system and so has been a valuable contribution to a largely qualitative field. As it is currently laid out, the model accounts for the spatial and temporal scales at which environmental resources and species are present and the functional roles species play but does not inform us about how much resource is present or how much function is provided. In short, it does not account for abundance in the distribution of species and their functional roles within and across the scales of a system. We detail the ways in which we would expect species' abundance to be relevant to the cross-scale resilience model based on the extensive abundance literature in ecology. We also put forward a series of testable hypotheses that would improve our ability to anticipate and quantify how resilience is generated, and how ecosystems will (or will not) buffer recent rapid global changes. This stream of research may provide an improved foundation for the quantitative evaluation of ecological resilience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shana M. Sundstrom
- School of Natural Resources, 103 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege St., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
- Corresponding author:
| | - David G. Angeler
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Box 7050, SE- 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Chris Barichievy
- Zoological Society of London. Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Tarsha Eason
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Ahjond Garmestani
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Lance Gunderson
- Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | | | - Kirsty L. Nash
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000
| | - Trisha Spanbauer
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas-Austin, TX 78712
| | - Craig Stow
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA
| | - Craig R. Allen
- U.S. Geological Survey - Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Barichievy C, Angeler DG, Eason T, Garmestani AS, Nash KL, Stow CA, Sundstrom S, Allen CR. A method to detect discontinuities in census data. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9614-9623. [PMID: 30386561 PMCID: PMC6202717 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 06/11/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of pattern across scales has predictive power in the analysis of complex systems. Discontinuity approaches remain a fruitful avenue of research in the quest for quantitative measures of resilience because discontinuity analysis provides an objective means of identifying scales in complex systems and facilitates delineation of hierarchical patterns in processes, structure, and resources. However, current discontinuity methods have been considered too subjective, too complicated and opaque, or have become computationally obsolete; given the ubiquity of discontinuities in ecological and other complex systems, a simple and transparent method for detection is needed. In this study, we present a method to detect discontinuities in census data based on resampling of a neutral model and provide the R code used to run the analyses. This method has the potential for advancing basic and applied ecological research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chris Barichievy
- Zoological Society of LondonLondonUK
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in AfricaUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - David G. Angeler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and AssessmentSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Tarsha Eason
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentNational Risk Management Research LaboratoryCincinnatiOhio
| | - Ahjond S. Garmestani
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentNational Risk Management Research LaboratoryCincinnatiOhio
| | - Kirsty L. Nash
- Centre for Marine SocioecologyHobartTASAustralia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTASAustralia
| | - Craig A. Stow
- NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research LaboratoryAnn ArborMichigan
| | - Shana Sundstrom
- School of Natural ResourcesUniversity of NebraskaLincolnNebraska
| | - Craig R. Allen
- U.S. Geological SurveyNebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitUniversity of NebraskaLincolnNebraska
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
D'Alterio GL, Barichievy C, Macasero W. Hematology RIs for captive and wild Arabian Sand Gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Vet Clin Pathol 2018. [PMID: 29513907 DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Arabian Sand Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica, Thomas, 1897) has been extirpated throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Captive breeding and reintroduction for conservation purposes require veterinary support and the use of hematology RIs. OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study was to establish hematological RIs for the Arabian Sand Gazelle. METHODS Blood from 231 clinically healthy captive and 22 wild (reintroduced) Arabian Sand Gazelles were sampled. The VetScan HM2 analyzer was used to determine the complete cell count (CBC) on the same morning of sample collection. American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) guidelines were followed for statistical analyses. RESULTS The white blood cell counts (WBC) and hematocrits (HCT) revealed broad RIs, the red blood cell counts (RBC) and hemoglobin (HGB) were characterized by a narrow RI, and the platelet count (PLT) yielded a wide RI due to high variance in the data. The HGB, MCHC, PLT, and platelet distribution width (PDW) were significantly different between the captive males and females. The majority of the variables assessed were significantly different between captive and wild animals. CONCLUSIONS The large number of samples obtained for this study was considerable given the rare and endangered status of this species, which overall afforded narrow RIs and CIs. The main exception was for the PLT constituents. The significant differences observed between the captive and wild male gazelles show the need to understand the origin of the animals for which hematologic RIs are determined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gian Lorenzo D'Alterio
- Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, UK.,King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre, Thumamah, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Chris Barichievy
- Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, UK.,King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre, Thumamah, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - William Macasero
- Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, UK.,King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre, Thumamah, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Barichievy C, Sheldon R, Wacher T, Llewellyn O, Al-Mutairy M, Alagaili A. Conservation in Saudi Arabia; moving from strategy to practice. Saudi J Biol Sci 2017; 25:290-292. [PMID: 29472780 PMCID: PMC5815989 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is relatively young, yet have made considerable gains in conservation through strategic proclamation and reintroductions. Changes in land use, illegal hunting and competition with domestic stock has decimated the native ungulates, meaning that the survival of the native ungulate species is now completely dependent on protected area network. The challenge is to sustain this network to make meaningful conservation impact into the future. We review the status of ungulate conservation in Saudi Arabia and highlight that the conservation strategy is well developed. The major challenge faced in conservation in Saudi Arabia now is to implement what has been sanctioned.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chris Barichievy
- Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.,King Khalid Wildlife Research Center, Thumamah, P.O Box 61681, Riyadh 11575, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rob Sheldon
- Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.,King Khalid Wildlife Research Center, Thumamah, P.O Box 61681, Riyadh 11575, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tim Wacher
- Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Othman Llewellyn
- Saudi Wildlife Authority, P.O Box 61681, Riyadh 11575, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abdulaziz Alagaili
- KSU Mammals Research Chair, Zoology Department, King Saud University, P.O Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sundstrom SM, Eason T, Nelson RJ, Angeler DG, Barichievy C, Garmestani AS, Graham NA, Granholm D, Gunderson L, Knutson M, Nash KL, Spanbauer T, Stow CA, Allen CR. Detecting spatial regimes in ecosystems. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:19-32. [PMID: 28000431 PMCID: PMC6141036 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Research on early warning indicators has generally focused on assessing temporal transitions with limited application of these methods to detecting spatial regimes. Traditional spatial boundary detection procedures that result in ecoregion maps are typically based on ecological potential (i.e. potential vegetation), and often fail to account for ongoing changes due to stressors such as land use change and climate change and their effects on plant and animal communities. We use Fisher information, an information theory-based method, on both terrestrial and aquatic animal data (U.S. Breeding Bird Survey and marine zooplankton) to identify ecological boundaries, and compare our results to traditional early warning indicators, conventional ecoregion maps and multivariate analyses such as nMDS and cluster analysis. We successfully detected spatial regimes and transitions in both terrestrial and aquatic systems using Fisher information. Furthermore, Fisher information provided explicit spatial information about community change that is absent from other multivariate approaches. Our results suggest that defining spatial regimes based on animal communities may better reflect ecological reality than do traditional ecoregion maps, especially in our current era of rapid and unpredictable ecological change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shana M. Sundstrom
- School of Natural Resources, 103 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege St., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Tarsha Eason
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA; ,
| | - R. John Nelson
- University of Victoria, Department of Biology-Centre for Biomedical Research, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada;
| | - David G. Angeler
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Box 7050, SE- 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | | | - Ahjond S. Garmestani
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA; ,
| | | | - Dean Granholm
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bloomington, MN 55437-1003, USA;
| | - Lance Gunderson
- Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA;
| | - Melinda Knutson
- Region 3 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA;
| | - Kirsty L. Nash
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
| | - Trisha Spanbauer
- National Research Council, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA;
| | - Craig A. Stow
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA;
| | - Craig R. Allen
- U.S. Geological Survey - Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Angeler DG, Allen CR, Barichievy C, Eason T, Garmestani AS, Graham NAJ, Granholm D, Gunderson LH, Knutson M, Nash KL, Nelson RJ, Nyström M, Spanbauer TL, Stow CA, Sundstrom SM. Management applications of discontinuity theory. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [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)
- David G. Angeler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 7050 SE‐750 07 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Craig R. Allen
- U.S. Geological Survey – Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit University of Nebraska Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | | | - Tarsha Eason
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Risk Management Research Laboratory Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
| | - Ahjond S. Garmestani
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Risk Management Research Laboratory Cincinnati OH 45268 USA
| | - Nicholas A. J. Graham
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - Dean Granholm
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Bloomington MN 55437‐1003 USA
| | - Lance H. Gunderson
- Department of Environmental Sciences Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | | | - Kirsty L. Nash
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - R. John Nelson
- Department of Biology‐Centre for Biomedical Research University of Victoria Victoria BC V8P 5C2 Canada
- Stantec Consulting Ltd. Saanichton BC V8M 2A5 Canada
| | - Magnus Nyström
- Stockholm Resilience Centre Stockholm University SE‐106 91 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Trisha L. Spanbauer
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | - Craig A. Stow
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory Ann Arbor MI 48108 USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nash KL, Allen CR, Barichievy C, Nyström M, Sundstrom S, Graham NAJ. Habitat structure and body size distributions: cross-ecosystem comparison for taxa with determinate and indeterminate growth. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.01314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty L. Nash
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook Univ.; Townsville QLD 4811 Australia
| | - Craig R. Allen
- US Geological Survey - Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Univ. of Nebraska; Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | - Chris Barichievy
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Ithala Game Reserve; Louwsberg 3150 South Africa
- Centre for African Ecology, Univ. of Witwatersrand 2050; Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Magnus Nyström
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm Univ.; SE-106 91 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Shana Sundstrom
- School of Natural Resources, Univ. of Nebraska; Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | - Nicholas A. J. Graham
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook Univ.; Townsville QLD 4811 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nash KL, Allen CR, Angeler DG, Barichievy C, Eason T, Garmestani AS, Graham NAJ, Granholm D, Knutson M, Nelson RJ, Nyström M, Stow CA, Sundstrom SM. Discontinuities, cross-scale patterns, and the organization of ecosystems. Ecology 2014; 95:654-67. [DOI: 10.1890/13-1315.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
12
|
Abstract
The cross-scale resilience model states that ecological resilience is generated in part from the distribution of functions within and across scales in a system. Resilience is a measure of a system's ability to remain organized around a particular set of mutually reinforcing processes and structures, known as a regime. We define scale as the geographic extent over which a process operates and the frequency with which a process occurs. Species can be categorized into functional groups that are a link between ecosystem processes and structures and ecological resilience. We applied the cross-scale resilience model to avian species in a grassland ecosystem. A species' morphology is shaped in part by its interaction with ecological structure and pattern, so animal body mass reflects the spatial and temporal distribution of resources. We used the log-transformed rank-ordered body masses of breeding birds associated with grasslands to identify aggregations and discontinuities in the distribution of those body masses. We assessed cross-scale resilience on the basis of 3 metrics: overall number of functional groups, number of functional groups within an aggregation, and the redundancy of functional groups across aggregations. We assessed how the loss of threatened species would affect cross-scale resilience by removing threatened species from the data set and recalculating values of the 3 metrics. We also determined whether more function was retained than expected after the loss of threatened species by comparing observed loss with simulated random loss in a Monte Carlo process. The observed distribution of function compared with the random simulated loss of function indicated that more functionality in the observed data set was retained than expected. On the basis of our results, we believe an ecosystem with a full complement of species can sustain considerable species losses without affecting the distribution of functions within and across aggregations, although ecological resilience is reduced. We propose that the mechanisms responsible for shaping discontinuous distributions of body mass and the nonrandom distribution of functions may also shape species losses such that local extinctions will be nonrandom with respect to the retention and distribution of functions and that the distribution of function within and across aggregations will be conserved despite extinctions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shana M Sundstrom
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|