1
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Kessler C, Shafer ABA. Genomic Analyses Capture the Human-Induced Demographic Collapse and Recovery in a Wide-Ranging Cervid. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae038. [PMID: 38378172 PMCID: PMC10917209 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The glacial cycles of the Quaternary heavily impacted species through successions of population contractions and expansions. Similarly, populations have been intensely shaped by human pressures such as unregulated hunting and land use changes. White-tailed and mule deer survived in different refugia through the Last Glacial Maximum, and their populations were severely reduced after the European colonization. Here, we analyzed 73 resequenced deer genomes from across their North American range to understand the consequences of climatic and anthropogenic pressures on deer demographic and adaptive history. We found strong signals of climate-induced vicariance and demographic decline; notably, multiple sequentially Markovian coalescent recovers a severe decline in mainland white-tailed deer effective population size (Ne) at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. We found robust evidence for colonial overharvest in the form of a recent and dramatic drop in Ne in all analyzed populations. Historical census size and restocking data show a clear parallel to historical Ne estimates, and temporal Ne/Nc ratio shows patterns of conservation concern for mule deer. Signatures of selection highlight genes related to temperature, including a cold receptor previously highlighted in woolly mammoth. We also detected immune genes that we surmise reflect the changing land use patterns in North America. Our study provides a detailed picture of anthropogenic and climatic-induced decline in deer diversity and clues to understanding the conservation concerns of mule deer and the successful demographic recovery of white-tailed deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Kessler
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron B A Shafer
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Forensic Science, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Verry AJF, Mas-Carrió E, Gibb GC, Dutoit L, Robertson BC, Waters JM, Rawlence NJ. Ancient mitochondrial genomes unveil the origins and evolutionary history of New Zealand's enigmatic takahē and moho. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17227. [PMID: 38018770 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Many avian species endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand were driven to extinction or reduced to relict populations following successive waves of human arrival, due to hunting, habitat destruction and the introduction of mammalian predators. Among the affected species were the large flightless South Island takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) and the moho (North Island takahē; P. mantelli), with the latter rendered extinct and the former reduced to a single relictual population. Little is known about the evolutionary history of these species prior to their decline and/or extinction. Here we sequenced mitochondrial genomes from takahē and moho subfossils (12 takahē and 4 moho) and retrieved comparable sequence data from takahē museum skins (n = 5) and contemporary individuals (n = 17) to examine the phylogeny and recent evolutionary history of these species. Our analyses suggest that prehistoric takahē populations lacked deep phylogeographic structure, in contrast to moho, which exhibited significant spatial genetic structure, albeit based on limited sample sizes (n = 4). Temporal genetic comparisons show that takahē have lost much of their mitochondrial genetic diversity, likely due to a sudden demographic decline soon after human arrival (~750 years ago). Time-calibrated phylogenetic analyses strongly support a sister species relationship between takahē and moho, suggesting these flightless taxa diverged around 1.5 million years ago, following a single colonisation of New Zealand by a flighted Porphyrio ancestor approximately 4 million years ago. This study highlights the utility of palaeogenetic approaches for informing the conservation and systematic understanding of endangered species whose ranges have been severely restricted by anthropogenic impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J F Verry
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Eduard Mas-Carrió
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gillian C Gibb
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Ludovic Dutoit
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Jonathan M Waters
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Nicolas J Rawlence
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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3
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Finnegan S, Harnik PG, Lockwood R, Lotze HK, McClenachan L, Kahanamoku SS. Using the Fossil Record to Understand Extinction Risk and Inform Marine Conservation in a Changing World. Ann Rev Mar Sci 2024; 16:307-333. [PMID: 37683272 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-021723-095235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the long-term effects of ongoing global environmental change on marine ecosystems requires a cross-disciplinary approach. Deep-time and recent fossil records can contribute by identifying traits and environmental conditions associated with elevated extinction risk during analogous events in the geologic past and by providing baseline data that can be used to assess historical change and set management and restoration targets and benchmarks. Here, we review the ecological and environmental information available in the marine fossil record and discuss how these archives can be used to inform current extinction risk assessments as well as marine conservation strategies and decision-making at global to local scales. As we consider future research directions in deep-time and conservationpaleobiology, we emphasize the need for coproduced research that unites researchers, conservation practitioners, and policymakers with the communities for whom the impacts of climate and global change are most imminent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Finnegan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; ,
| | - Paul G Harnik
- Department of Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, USA;
| | - Rowan Lockwood
- Department of Geology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA;
| | - Heike K Lotze
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;
| | - Loren McClenachan
- Department of History and School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada;
| | - Sara S Kahanamoku
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; ,
- Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
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4
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Sanders D, Hirt MR, Brose U, Evans DM, Gaston KJ, Gauzens B, Ryser R. How artificial light at night may rewire ecological networks: concepts and models. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220368. [PMID: 37899020 PMCID: PMC10613535 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is eroding natural light cycles and thereby changing species distributions and activity patterns. Yet little is known about how ecological interaction networks respond to this global change driver. Here, we assess the scientific basis of the current understanding of community-wide ALAN impacts. Based on current knowledge, we conceptualize and review four major pathways by which ALAN may affect ecological interaction networks by (i) impacting primary production, (ii) acting as an environmental filter affecting species survival, (iii) driving the movement and distribution of species, and (iv) changing functional roles and niches by affecting activity patterns. Using an allometric-trophic network model, we then test how a shift in temporal activity patterns for diurnal, nocturnal and crepuscular species impacts food web stability. The results indicate that diel niche shifts can severely impact community persistence by altering the temporal overlap between species, which leads to changes in interaction strengths and rewiring of networks. ALAN can thereby lead to biodiversity loss through the homogenization of temporal niches. This integrative framework aims to advance a predictive understanding of community-level and ecological-network consequences of ALAN and their cascading effects on ecosystem functioning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Sanders
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Myriam R. Hirt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich Brose
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Darren M. Evans
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Benoit Gauzens
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
| | - Remo Ryser
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07737 Jena, Germany
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5
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Fennell MJE, Ford AT, Martin TG, Burton AC. Assessing the impacts of recreation on the spatial and temporal activity of mammals in an isolated alpine protected area. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10733. [PMID: 38034339 PMCID: PMC10682857 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10733] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The management objectives of many protected areas must meet the dual mandates of protecting biodiversity while providing recreational opportunities. It is difficult to balance these mandates because it takes considerable effort to monitor both the status of biodiversity and impacts of recreation. Using detections from 45 camera traps deployed between July 2019 and September 2021, we assessed the potential impacts of recreation on spatial and temporal activity for 8 medium- and large-bodied terrestrial mammals in an isolated alpine protected area: Cathedral Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. We hypothesised that some wildlife perceive a level of threat from people, such that they avoid 'risky times' or 'risky places' associated with human activity. Other species may benefit from associating with people, be it through access to anthropogenic resource subsidies or filtering of competitors/predators that are more human-averse (i.e., human shield hypothesis). Specifically, we predicted that large carnivores would show the greatest segregation from people while mesocarnivores and ungulates would associate spatially with people. We found spatial co-occurrence between ungulates and recreation, consistent with the human shield hypothesis, but did not see the predicted negative relationship between larger carnivores and humans, except for coyotes (Canis latrans). Temporally, all species other than cougars (Puma concolor) had diel activity patterns significantly different from that of recreationists, suggesting potential displacement in the temporal niche. Wolves (Canis lupus) and mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) showed shifts in temporal activity away from people on recreation trails relative to off-trail areas, providing further evidence of potential displacement. Our results highlight the importance of monitoring spatial and temporal interactions between recreation activities and wildlife communities, in order to ensure the effectiveness of protected areas in an era of increasing human impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam T. Ford
- Irving K Barber Faculty of ScienceUniversity of British Columbia OkanaganKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Tara G. Martin
- Faculty of ForestryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - A. Cole Burton
- Faculty of ForestryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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6
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Purchase ML, Bending GD, Mushinski RM. Spatiotemporal Variations of Soil Reactive Nitrogen Oxide Fluxes across the Anthropogenic Landscape. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:16348-16360. [PMID: 37856795 PMCID: PMC10620987 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Volatile reactive nitrogen oxides (NOy) are significant atmospheric pollutants, including NOx (nitric oxide [NO] + nitrogen dioxide [NO2]) and NOz (nitrous acid [HONO] + nitric acid [HNO3] + nitrogen trioxide [NO3] + ...). NOy species are products of nitrogen (N) cycle processes, particularly nitrification and denitrification. Biogenic sources, including soil, account for over 50% of natural NOy emissions to the atmosphere, yet emissions from soils are generally not included in atmospheric models as a result of a lack of mechanistic data. This work is a unique investigation of NOy fluxes on a landscape scale, taking a comprehensive set of land-use types, human influence, and seasonality into account to determine large-scale heterogeneity to provide a basis for future modeling and hypothesis generation. By coupling 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we have linked significant differences in functional potential and activity of nitrifying and denitrifying soil microbes to NOy emissions from soils. Further, we have identified soils subject to increased N deposition that are less microbially active despite increased available N, potentially as a result of poor soil health from anthropogenic pollution. Structural equation modeling suggests human influence on soils to be a more significant effector of soil NOy emissions than land-use type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Purchase
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Gary D Bending
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan M Mushinski
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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7
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Shahraki MZ, Keivany Y, Dorche EE, Blocksom K, Bruder A, Flotemersch J, Bănăduc D. Distribution and Expansion of Alien Fish Species in the Karun River Basin, Iran. Fishes 2023; 8:1-24. [PMID: 38152159 PMCID: PMC10750854 DOI: 10.3390/fishes8110538] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the distribution of alien fishes in the Karun River Basin, Iran. Fish were collected from 39 sites during the November-December 2018 low-flow period. In total, 39 fish species from nine orders and 14 families were documented. Among these, 10 species were alien to the basin (986 individuals; 15.7%). Four species were the most abundant alien species and primarily in impounded, downstream reaches. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was conducted to identify the extent of changes in alien fish assemblages with environmental parameters. RDA1 and RDA2 accounted for 36.24% and 25.33% of the variation of alien species, respectively. Altitude, depth, electrical conductivity, water temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and river width were the most significant parameters affecting alien species distributions. We present a dual-pathway cause-and-effect hypothesis proposing that alien fish species presence causes declines in the ecological status of native fish communities. We then explore how human-induced aquatic ecosystem degradation creates opportunities for alien species to invade new ecosystems, further impacting native fish communities. Our study contributes insight into the cause and effect of the presence of alien fish species in the Karun River Basin and emphasizes the urgency of conservation measures to protect this critically endangered watershed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Zare Shahraki
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
| | - Yazdan Keivany
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
| | - Eisa Ebrahimi Dorche
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
| | - Karen Blocksom
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Andreas Bruder
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, via Flora Ruchat Roncati 15, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Flotemersch
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Doru Bănăduc
- Applied Ecology Research Center, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
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8
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Yang H, Macario-González L, Cohuo S, Whitmore TJ, Salgado J, Peréz L, Schwalb A, Rose NL, Holmes J, Riedinger-Whitmore MA, Hoelzmann P, O’Dea A. Mercury Pollution History in Tropical and Subtropical American Lakes: Multiple Impacts and the Possible Relationship with Climate Change. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:3680-3690. [PMID: 36802450 PMCID: PMC9996825 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09870] [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: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sediment cores obtained from 11 tropical and subtropical American lakes revealed that local human activities significantly increased mercury (Hg) inputs and pollution levels. Remote lakes also have been contaminated by anthropogenic Hg through atmospheric depositions. Long-term sediment-core profiles revealed an approximately 3-fold increase in Hg fluxes to sediments from c. 1850 to 2000. Generalized additive models indicate that c. 3-fold increases in Hg fluxes also occurred since 2000 in the remote sites, while Hg emissions from anthropogenic sources have remained relatively stable. The tropical and subtropical Americas are vulnerable to extreme weather events. Air temperatures in this region have shown a marked increase since the 1990s, and extreme weather events arising from climate change have increased. When comparing Hg fluxes to recent (1950-2016) climatic changes, results show marked increases in Hg fluxes to sediments during dry periods. The Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) time series indicate a tendency toward more extreme drier conditions across the study region since the mid-1990s, suggesting that instabilities in catchment surfaces caused by climate change are responsible for the elevated Hg flux rates. Drier conditions since c. 2000 appear to be promoting Hg fluxes from catchments to lakes, a process that will likely be exacerbated under future climate-change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Handong Yang
- Environmental
Change Research Centre, University College
London, Gower Street, London WC1E
6BT, U.K.
| | - Laura Macario-González
- Institut
für Geosysteme und Bioindikation, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19c, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Tecnológico
Nacional de México−I. T. de la Zona Maya, Carretera Chetumal-Escárcega
Km 21.5, Ejido Juan Sarabia, 77965 Juan Sarabia, Quintana
Roo, Mexico
| | - Sergio Cohuo
- Institut
für Geosysteme und Bioindikation, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19c, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Tecnológico
Nacional de México−I. T. Chetumal, Av. Insurgentes 330, Chetumal 77013, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Thomas J. Whitmore
- University
of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, United States
| | - Jorge Salgado
- Environmental
Change Research Centre, University College
London, Gower Street, London WC1E
6BT, U.K.
- Programa
de Ingeniería Civil, Grupo de Infraestructura y Desarrollo
Sostenible, Universidad Católica
de Colombia, Bogotá 111311, Colombia
- School
of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
- Smithsonian
Tropical Research Institute, P.O. Box 0843-03092, Balboa 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Liseth Peréz
- Institut
für Geosysteme und Bioindikation, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19c, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Antje Schwalb
- Institut
für Geosysteme und Bioindikation, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Langer Kamp 19c, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Neil L. Rose
- Environmental
Change Research Centre, University College
London, Gower Street, London WC1E
6BT, U.K.
| | - Jonathan Holmes
- Environmental
Change Research Centre, University College
London, Gower Street, London WC1E
6BT, U.K.
| | | | - Philipp Hoelzmann
- Institut
für Geographische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteser Strasse 74-100, D-12249 Berlin, Germany
| | - Aaron O’Dea
- Smithsonian
Tropical Research Institute, P.O. Box 0843-03092, Balboa 0843-03092, Panama
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Garcés‐Pastor S, Fletcher WJ, Ryan PA. Ecological impacts of the industrial revolution in a lowland raised peat bog near Manchester, NW England. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9807. [PMID: 36818526 PMCID: PMC9926178 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9807] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Ombrotrophic peat bogs provide valuable records of environmental change on long timescales but are rarely preserved near the major centers of industrial activity. Holcroft Moss is a rare example of a stratigraphically intact lowland peat bog in NW England, which provides a valuable opportunity to trace industrial impacts on vegetation in a sensitive environmental archive close to the early industrializing cities of Manchester and Liverpool. (2) We reconstructed environmental changes at Holcroft Moss before and after the Industrial Revolution using a decadal-scale record of pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, microcharcoal, peat composition (organic content and ash-free bulk density) and heavy metal content, constrained by a radiocarbon and SCP (spheroidal carbonaceous particle) chronology. We examine the relationship between abiotic and biotic environmental tracers using principal component analysis and evaluate the role of local and regional climatic and anthropogenic drivers using canonical redundancy analysis and partitioning of variation. (3) Results show significant changes in bog vegetation composition during the last 700 years. Prior to 1750 CE, climate and agro-pastoral activity (grazing and fires) were the main drivers of vegetation change. Subsequently, regional coal-fired industry contributed to major increases in atmospheric pollutants (dust, heavy metals, and acid deposition) that severely impacted vegetation, driving the decline of Sphagnum. Grasses rose to dominance in the 20th century associated especially with bog conversion and cumulative nitrogen deposition. Although atmospheric pollution significantly decreased in the post-industrial era, vegetation has not returned to pre-industrial conditions, reflecting the ongoing impact of global change drivers which pose challenges for conservation and restoration. (4) Synthesis. Paleoecological studies are needed to reveal the long-term history of vegetation degradation and to offer guidelines for restoration and conservation practices. This study reconstructs the last 700 years of a peat bog located between Manchester and Liverpool, revealing the timing and nature of vegetation changes across the trajectory of early industrialization and eventual post-industrial decline. Our study reveals the progressive dominance of regional anthropogenic forcing and highlights that the present-day vegetation does not have past analogs within the last 700 years. Conservation measures favoring the reintroduction of Sphagnum are justified in redressing the major biological legacy of the Industrial Revolution, while steps to increase Calluna should also be considered in light of its resilience to dry and fire-prone conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Garcés‐Pastor
- Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology Research Group, Department of Geography, School of Environment, Education and DevelopmentUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental SciencesUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - William J. Fletcher
- Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology Research Group, Department of Geography, School of Environment, Education and DevelopmentUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Peter A. Ryan
- Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology Research Group, Department of Geography, School of Environment, Education and DevelopmentUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
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10
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Araki Y, Sota T. Whole-genome resequencing reveals recent divergence of geographic populations of the dung beetle Phelotrupes auratus with color variation. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9765. [PMID: 36713480 PMCID: PMC9873872 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9765] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of population divergence history is key to understanding organism diversification mechanisms. The geotrupid dung beetle Phelotrupes auratus, which inhabits montane forests and exhibits three color forms (red, green, and indigo), diverged into five local populations (west/red, south/green, south/indigo, south/red, and east/red) in the Kinki District of Honshu, Japan, based on the combined interpretation of genetic cluster and color-form data. Here, we estimated the demographic histories of these local populations using the newly assembled draft genome sequence of P. auratus and whole-genome resequencing data obtained from each local population. Using coalescent simulation analysis, we estimated P. auratus population divergences at ca. 3800, 2100, 600, and 200 years ago, with no substantial gene flow between diverged populations, implying the existence of persistent barriers to gene flow. Notably, the last two divergence events led to three local populations with different color forms. The initial divergence may have been affected by climatic cooling around that time, and the last three divergence events may have been associated with the increasing impact of human activities. Both climatic cooling and increasing human activity may have caused habitat fragmentation and a reduction in the numbers of large mammals supplying food (dung) for P. auratus, thereby promoting the decline, segregation, and divergence of local populations. Our research demonstrates that geographic population divergence in an insect with conspicuous differences in traits such as body color may have occurred rapidly under the influence of human activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Araki
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Teiji Sota
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
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11
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Osugi S, Baek S, Naganuma T, Tochigi K, Allen ML, Koike S. The effect of decreasing human activity from COVID-19 on the foraging of fallen fruit by omnivores. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9657. [PMID: 36582777 PMCID: PMC9790803 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9657] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2020, a lockdown was implemented in many cities around the world to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a significant cessation of human activity which have had a variety of impacts on wildlife. But in many cases, due to limited pre-lockdown information, and there are limited studies of how lockdowns have specifically affected behaviors. Foraging behavior is inherently linked to fitness and survival, is particularly affected by changes in temporal activity, and the influence of human disturbance on foraging behavior can be assessed quantitatively based on foraging duration and quantity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether and how the fruit-foraging behaviors of two omnivores, the Japanese badger (Meles anakuma) and the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), were influenced by the decrease of human activity associated with lockdowns. Specifically, by comparing to a previous study in 2019-2020, we attempted to determine (1) whether foraging behavior increases during the daytime? (2) whether the duration of foraging per visit increases? and (3) what factors animals select for in fruiting trees? The results of the initial investigation showed that the foraging behavior of both species in 2019 was almost exclusively restricted to the nighttime. But as opportunities for foraging behavior without human interference increased in 2020 due to the lockdown, both species (but especially raccoon dogs) showed substantial changes in their activity patterns to be more diurnal. The duration of foraging per visit also increased in 2020 for both species, and the selection during foraging for both species shifted from selecting trees that provided greater cover in 2019 to trees with high fruit production in 2020. Our results show how human activity directly affects the foraging behavior of wildlife in an urban landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeru Osugi
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchu, TokyoJapan
| | - Seungyun Baek
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchu, TokyoJapan
| | - Tomoko Naganuma
- Institute of Global Innovation ResearchTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchu, TokyoJapan
| | - Kahoko Tochigi
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchu, TokyoJapan
| | | | - Shinsuke Koike
- Institute of Global Innovation ResearchTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyFuchu, TokyoJapan
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12
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Kharb A, Bhandari S, Moitinho de Almeida M, Castro Delgado R, Arcos González P, Tubeuf S. Valuing Human Impact of Natural Disasters: A Review of Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph191811486. [PMID: 36141766 PMCID: PMC9517194 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper provides a comprehensive set of methodologies that have been used in the literature to give a monetary value to the human impact in a natural disaster setting. Four databases were searched for relevant published and gray literature documents with a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty-seven studies that quantified the value of a statistical life in a disaster setting or discussed methodologies of estimating value of life were included. Analysis highlighted the complexity and variability of methods and estimations of values of statistical life. No single method to estimate the value of a statistical life is universally agreed upon, although stated preference methods seem to be the preferred approach. The value of one life varies significantly ranging from USD 143,000 to 15 million. While an overwhelming majority of studies concern high-income countries, most disaster casualties are observed in low- and middle-income countries. Data on the human impact of disasters are usually available in disasters databases. However, lost lives are not traditionally translated into monetary terms. Therefore, the full financial cost of disasters has rarely been evaluated. More research is needed to utilize the value of life estimates in order to guide policymakers in preparedness and mitigation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Kharb
- Institute of Health and Society (IRSS), Universite Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sandesh Bhandari
- Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, 3204 Oviedo, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Sandy Tubeuf
- Institute of Health and Society (IRSS), Universite Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of Economic and Social Research (IRES/LIDAM), Universite Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
- Correspondence:
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13
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Zare-Shahraki M, Ebrahimi-Dorche E, Bruder A, Flotemersch J, Blocksom K, Bănăduc D. Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran. Water (Basel) 2022; 14:1-25. [PMID: 36644211 PMCID: PMC9836396 DOI: 10.3390/w14142226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
We analyzed spatial variation in fish species richness and community composition in the Karun River basin, Iran. Knowledge about fish diversity in the basin is incomplete and varies widely along spatial and temporal scales: The Karun is the longest river in Iran (950 km) with the largest drainage area (about 67,000 km2). Fish samples were collected from 54 sites from July through August 2019 using a backpack electro-fisher. Physico-chemical and habitat parameter data collected at each site included pH, conductivity (μS/cm), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), water temperature (°C), turbidity (NTU), stream width (m), stream depth (m), water velocity (m/s) and elevation (m). In total, 37 species were collected (5241 individuals weighing 110.67 kg). The species collected represented 12 families and 27 genera. A total of 13 endemic species (35.14%), 16 native species (43.24%), and eight non-native species (21.62%) were recorded. Diversity indices were calculated and used to measure the spatial variation in community composition. Relationships between native and endemic species assemblage structure and environmental descriptors were assessed using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The first two axes of the canonical correspondence analysis explained 62.57% of the variation in the data. Of the nine environmental descriptors analyzed, eight significantly affected species distribution; however, electrical conductivity and elevation were most influential. Our study provides up-to-date status information on the distribution of freshwater fishes in the Karun River basin. This information is essential for developing conservation and management strategies to support the long-term sustainability of fish populations in the Karun River basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Zare-Shahraki
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
| | - Eisa Ebrahimi-Dorche
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
- Correspondence: (E.E.-D.); (J.F.); or (D.B.)
| | - Andreas Bruder
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Flotemersch
- Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460, USA
- Correspondence: (E.E.-D.); (J.F.); or (D.B.)
| | - Karen Blocksom
- National Health and Environmental Effects Research, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Doru Bănăduc
- Applied Ecology Research Center, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, European Union, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
- Correspondence: (E.E.-D.); (J.F.); or (D.B.)
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14
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Garner RE, Kraemer SA, Onana VE, Huot Y, Gregory-Eaves I, Walsh DA. Protist Diversity and Metabolic Strategy in Freshwater Lakes Are Shaped by Trophic State and Watershed Land Use on a Continental Scale. mSystems 2022;:e0031622. [PMID: 35730947 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00316-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Protists play key roles in aquatic food webs as primary producers, predators, nutrient recyclers, and symbionts. However, a comprehensive view of protist diversity in freshwaters has been challenged by the immense environmental heterogeneity among lakes worldwide. We assessed protist diversity in the surface waters of 366 freshwater lakes across a north temperate to subarctic range covering nearly 8.4 million km2 of Canada. Sampled lakes represented broad gradients in size, trophic state, and watershed land use. Hypereutrophic lakes contained the least diverse and most distinct protist communities relative to nutrient-poor lakes. Greater taxonomic variation among eutrophic lakes was mainly a product of heterotroph and mixotroph diversity, whereas phototroph assemblages were more similar under high-nutrient conditions. Overall, local physicochemical factors, particularly ion and nutrient concentrations, elicited the strongest responses in community structure, far outweighing the effects of geographic gradients. Despite their contrasting distribution patterns, obligate phototroph and heterotroph turnover was predicted by an overlapping set of environmental factors, while the metabolic plasticity of mixotrophs may have made them less predictable. Notably, protist diversity was associated with variation in watershed soil pH and agricultural crop coverage, pointing to human impact on the land-water interface that has not been previously identified in studies on smaller scales. Our study exposes the importance of both within-lake and external watershed characteristics in explaining protist diversity and biogeography, critical information for further developing an understanding of how freshwater lakes and their watersheds are impacted by anthropogenic stressors. IMPORTANCE Freshwater lakes are experiencing rapid changes under accelerated anthropogenic stress and a warming climate. Microorganisms underpin aquatic food webs, yet little is known about how freshwater microbial communities are responding to human impact. Here, we assessed the diversity of protists and their myriad ecological roles in lakes varying in size across watersheds experiencing a range of land use pressures by leveraging data from a continental-scale survey of Canadian lakes. We found evidence of human impact on protist assemblages through an association with lake trophic state and extending to agricultural activity and soil characteristics in the surrounding watershed. Furthermore, trophic state appeared to explain the distributions of phototrophic and heterotrophic protists in contrasting ways. Our findings highlight the vulnerability of lake ecosystems to increased land use and the importance of assessing terrestrial interfaces to elucidate freshwater ecosystem dynamics.
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Nowicka-Krawczyk P, Żelazna-Wieczorek J, Skrobek I, Ziułkiewicz M, Adamski M, Kaminski A, Żmudzki P. Persistent Cyanobacteria Blooms in Artificial Water Bodies-An Effect of Environmental Conditions or the Result of Anthropogenic Change. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:6990. [PMID: 35742239 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19126990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Algal blooms are an emerging problem. The massive development of phytoplankton is driven partly by the anthropogenic eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and the expansion of toxic cyanobacteria in planktonic communities in temperate climate zones by the continual increase in global temperature. Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) not only disturb the ecological balance of the ecosystem, but they also prevent the use of waterbodies by humans. This study examines the cause of an unusual, persistent bloom in a recreational, flow-through reservoir; the findings emphasize the role played by the river supplying the reservoir in the formation of its massive cyanobacterial bloom. Comprehensive ecosystem-based environmental studies were performed, including climate change investigation, hydrochemical analysis, and bio-assessment of the ecological state of the river/reservoir, together with monitoring the cyanobacteria content of phytoplankton. Our findings show that the persistent and dominant biomass of Microcystis was related to the N/P ratio, while the presence of Aphanizomenon and Dolichospermum was associated with the high-temperature end electric conductivity of water. Together with the increase in global temperature, the massive and persistent cyanobacterial bloom appears to be maintained by the inflow of biogenic compounds carried by the river and the high electric conductivity of water. Even at the beginning of the phenomenon, the reservoir water already contained cyanobacterial toxins, which excluded its recreational use for about half the year.
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Womersley FC, Humphries NE, Queiroz N, Vedor M, da Costa I, Furtado M, Tyminski JP, Abrantes K, Araujo G, Bach SS, Barnett A, Berumen ML, Bessudo Lion S, Braun CD, Clingham E, Cochran JEM, de la Parra R, Diamant S, Dove ADM, Dudgeon CL, Erdmann MV, Espinoza E, Fitzpatrick R, Cano JG, Green JR, Guzman HM, Hardenstine R, Hasan A, Hazin FHV, Hearn AR, Hueter RE, Jaidah MY, Labaja J, Ladino F, Macena BCL, Morris JJ Jr, Norman BM, Peñaherrera-Palma C, Pierce SJ, Quintero LM, Ramírez-Macías D, Reynolds SD, Richardson AJ, Robinson DP, Rohner CA, Rowat DRL, Sheaves M, Shivji MS, Sianipar AB, Skomal GB, Soler G, Syakurachman I, Thorrold SR, Webb DH, Wetherbee BM, White TD, Clavelle T, Kroodsma DA, Thums M, Ferreira LC, Meekan MG, Arrowsmith LM, Lester EK, Meyers MM, Peel LR, Sequeira AMM, Eguíluz VM, Duarte CM, Sims DW. Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2117440119. [PMID: 35533277 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117440119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine traffic is increasing globally yet collisions with endangered megafauna such as whales, sea turtles, and planktivorous sharks go largely undetected or unreported. Collisions leading to mortality can have population-level consequences for endangered species. Hence, identifying simultaneous space use of megafauna and shipping throughout ranges may reveal as-yet-unknown spatial targets requiring conservation. However, global studies tracking megafauna and shipping occurrences are lacking. Here we combine satellite-tracked movements of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, and vessel activity to show that 92% of sharks’ horizontal space use and nearly 50% of vertical space use overlap with persistent large vessel (>300 gross tons) traffic. Collision-risk estimates correlated with reported whale shark mortality from ship strikes, indicating higher mortality in areas with greatest overlap. Hotspots of potential collision risk were evident in all major oceans, predominantly from overlap with cargo and tanker vessels, and were concentrated in gulf regions, where dense traffic co-occurred with seasonal shark movements. Nearly a third of whale shark hotspots overlapped with the highest collision-risk areas, with the last known locations of tracked sharks coinciding with busier shipping routes more often than expected. Depth-recording tags provided evidence for sinking, likely dead, whale sharks, suggesting substantial “cryptic” lethal ship strikes are possible, which could explain why whale shark population declines continue despite international protection and low fishing-induced mortality. Mitigation measures to reduce ship-strike risk should be considered to conserve this species and other ocean giants that are likely experiencing similar impacts from growing global vessel traffic.
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17
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Abstract
Soil-the thin outer skin of the Earth's land-is a critical and fragile natural resource. Soil is the basis for almost all global agriculture and the medium in which most terrestrial biological activity occurs. Here, we reconsider the five forming factors of soil originally suggested more than a century ago (parent material, time, climate, topography, and organisms) and updated over the years to add human activity as the sixth forming factor. We demonstrate how present anthropogenic activity has become the leading component influencing each one of the original forming factors. We thus propose that, starting from the Anthropocene, human activity should no longer be considered as a separate forming factor but rather a main driving force of each of the five original ones. We suggest that the importance of soil and the strong direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic factors on soil-forming factors should be considered together to ensure sustainability of this critical resource.
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Gogaladze A, Son MO, Lattuada M, Anistratenko VV, Syomin VL, Pavel AB, Popa OP, Popa LO, ter Poorten J, Biesmeijer JC, Raes N, Wilke T, Sands AF, Trichkova T, Hubenov ZK, Vinarski MV, Anistratenko OY, Alexenko TL, Wesselingh FP. Decline of unique Pontocaspian biodiversity in the Black Sea Basin: A review. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12923-12947. [PMID: 34646444 PMCID: PMC8495785 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique aquatic Pontocaspian (PC) biota of the Black Sea Basin (BSB) is in decline. The lack of detailed knowledge on the status and trends of species, populations, and communities hampers a thorough risk assessment and precludes effective conservation. This paper reviews PC biodiversity trends in the BSB (Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia) using endemic mollusks as a model group. We aim to assess changes in PC habitats, community structure, and species distribution over the past century and to identify direct anthropogenic threats. The presence/absence data of target mollusk species were assembled from literature, reports, and personal observations. Pontocaspian biodiversity trends in the northwestern BSB coastal regions were established by comparing 20th- and 21st-century occurrences. The direct drivers of habitat and biodiversity change were identified and documented. We found that a pronounced decline of PC species and communities is driven by (a) damming of rivers, (b) habitat modifications that disturbed previous natural salinity gradients and settings in the studied area, (c) pollution and eutrophication, (d) invasive alien species, and (e) climate change. Four out of the 10 studied regions, namely, the Danube Delta-Razim Lake system, Dniester Liman, Dnieper-Bug estuary, and Taganrog Bay-Don Delta, contain favorable ecological conditions for PC communities and still host threatened endemic PC mollusk species. Distribution data are incomplete, but the scale of deterioration of PC species and communities is evident from the assembled data, as are major direct threats. Pontocaspian biodiversity in the BSB is profoundly affected by human activities. Standardized observation and collection data as well as precise definition of PC biota and habitats are necessary for targeted conservation actions. This study will help to set the research and policy agenda required to improve data collection to accommodate effective conservation of the unique PC biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandre Gogaladze
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
- Institute of Environmental SciencesLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Mikhail O. Son
- Institute of Marine BiologyNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineOdessaUkraine
| | - Matteo Lattuada
- Department of Animal Ecology & SystematicsJustus Liebig University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Vitaliy V. Anistratenko
- Department of Invertebrate Fauna and SystematicsSchmalhausen Institute of ZoologyNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineKievUkraine
| | - Vitaly L. Syomin
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
| | - Ana Bianca Pavel
- Constanta Branch of the National Research and Development Institute for Marine Geology and GeoecologyConstantaRomania
| | - Oana P. Popa
- Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural HistoryBucharestRomania
| | - Luis O. Popa
- Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural HistoryBucharestRomania
| | | | - Jacobus C. Biesmeijer
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
- Institute of Environmental SciencesLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Niels Raes
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Thomas Wilke
- Department of Animal Ecology & SystematicsJustus Liebig University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Arthur F. Sands
- Department of Animal Ecology & SystematicsJustus Liebig University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Teodora Trichkova
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem ResearchBulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
| | - Zdravko K. Hubenov
- National Museum of Natural HistoryBulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
| | - Maxim V. Vinarski
- Laboratory of Macroecology and Biogeography of InvertebratesSaint‐Petersburg State UniversitySaint‐PetersburgRussia
| | - Olga Yu Anistratenko
- Department of Invertebrate Fauna and SystematicsSchmalhausen Institute of ZoologyNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineKievUkraine
- Department of Cainozoic DepositsInstitute of Geological SciencesNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineKievUkraine
| | - Tatiana L. Alexenko
- Kherson Hydrobiological StationNational Academy of Sciences of UkraineKhersonUkraine
| | - Frank P. Wesselingh
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
- Department of Earth SciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
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Salinas N, Cosio EG, Silman M, Meir P, Nottingham AT, Roman-Cuesta RM, Malhi Y. Editorial: Tropical Montane Forests in a Changing Environment. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:712748. [PMID: 34456951 PMCID: PMC8385751 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.712748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Norma Salinas
- Institute for Nature, Earth and Energy, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima, Peru
- Chemistry Section, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima, Peru
| | - Eric G. Cosio
- Institute for Nature, Earth and Energy, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima, Peru
- Chemistry Section, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima, Peru
| | - Miles Silman
- Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Patrick Meir
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta
- Laboratory of GeoInformation Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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20
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Bănăduc D, Curtean-Bănăduc A, Cianfaglione K, Akeroyd JR, Cioca LI. Proposed Environmental Risk Management Elements in a Carpathian Valley Basin, within the Roşia Montană European Historical Mining Area. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:4565. [PMID: 33923128 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Non-ferrous metals mining activities have long accompanied people, and began in the study area of South East Europe over 2000 years ago. The environment quality is significantly affected by both historic mining activities and contemporary impacts. All these problems, inducing synergic negative effects on local organism communities, have created a chronic state of pollution. The Corna Valley has one of the oldest historical human impacts in Romania due to the influence of mining. Fish and benthic macroinvertebrates have exhibited significant responses to long term mining effects on lotic systems. The analysis of macroinvertebrate communities, correlated with the lack of fish and some biotope characteristics, indicates that the Corna River presents a variety of categories of ecological status between sectors. The lack of fish reveals the poor ecological conditions. Technical and management solutions are proposed here to diminish the historical environmental problems and to avoid future ecological accidents, especially in an attempt to improve any construction plan concerning a possible new de-cyanidation dam and lake. Fish and benthic macroinvertebrates have exhibited significant responses to long term mining effects on lotic systems. Two management zones were identified, an upper zone which can be used as a reference area and a lower zone, where pollution remedial activities are proposed.
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21
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Shang M, Luo J. The Tapio Decoupling Principle and Key Strategies for Changing Factors of Chinese Urban Carbon Footprint Based on Cloud Computing. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18042101. [PMID: 33670040 PMCID: PMC7926756 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18042101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The expansion of Xi’an City has caused the consumption of energy and land resources, leading to serious environmental pollution problems. For this purpose, this study was carried out to measure the carbon carrying capacity, net carbon footprint and net carbon footprint pressure index of Xi’an City, and to characterize the carbon sequestration capacity of Xi’an ecosystem, thereby laying a foundation for developing comprehensive and reasonable low-carbon development measures. This study expects to provide a reference for China to develop a low-carbon economy through Tapio decoupling principle. The decoupling relationship between CO2 and driving factors was explored through Tapio decoupling model. The time-series data was used to calculate the carbon footprint. The auto-encoder in deep learning technology was combined with the parallel algorithm in cloud computing. A general multilayer perceptron neural network realized by a parallel BP learning algorithm was proposed based on Map-Reduce on a cloud computing cluster. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was constructed to analyze driving factors. The results show that in terms of city size, the variable importance in projection (VIP) output of the urbanization rate has a strong inhibitory effect on carbon footprint growth, and the VIP value of permanent population ranks the last; in terms of economic development, the impact of fixed asset investment and added value of the secondary industry on carbon footprint ranks third and fourth. As a result, the marginal effect of carbon footprint is greater than that of economic growth after economic growth reaches a certain stage, revealing that the driving forces and mechanisms can promote the growth of urban space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Shang
- College of Geography and Territorial Engineering, Yuxi Normal University, Yuxi 653100, China;
- The School of Public Policy & Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100000, China
| | - Ji Luo
- The School of Public Policy & Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100000, China
- Correspondence:
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22
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Möller DM, Ferrante M, Möller GM, Rozenberg T, Segoli M. The Impact of Terrestrial Oil Pollution on Parasitoid Wasps Associated With Vachellia (Fabales: Fabaceae) Trees in a Desert Ecosystem, Israel. Environ Entomol 2020; 49:1355-1362. [PMID: 33140833 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Oil is a major pollutant of the environment, and terrestrial oil spills frequently occur in desert areas. Although arthropods account for a large share of animal diversity, the effect of oil pollution on this group is rarely documented. We evaluated the effects of oil pollution on parasitoid wasps associated with Vachellia (formerly Acacia) tortilis (Forssk.) and Vachellia raddiana (Savi) trees in a hyper-arid desert that was affected by two major oil spills (in 1975 and 2014). We sampled the parasitoid populations between 2016 and 2018 in three sampling sites and compared their abundance, diversity, and community composition between oil-polluted and unpolluted trees. Parasitoid abundance in oil-polluted trees was lower in one of the sites affected by the recent oil spill, but not in the site affected by the 1975 oil spill. Oil-polluted trees supported lower parasitoid diversity than unpolluted trees in some sampling site/year combinations; however, such negative effects were inconsistent and pollution explained a small proportion of the variation in parasitoid community composition. Our results indicate that oil pollution may negatively affect parasitoid abundances and diversity, although the magnitude of the effect depends on the tree species, sampling site, and the time since the oil spill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella M Möller
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Marco Ferrante
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Ambiente, Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
| | - Gabriella M Möller
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Tamir Rozenberg
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Michal Segoli
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Svardal H, Rusuwa B, Linderoth T, Kiran A, Charmantier A, Lattorff HMG, Cagan A, Ommeh SC, Kamng'ona A, Katongo C, Santos ME, Durbin R, Kumwenda B, Visscher PM, von der Heyden S. Evolutionary Genomics at the Human-Environment Interface in Africa. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:3076-3080. [PMID: 32442309 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We report on the first meeting of SMBE in Africa. SMBE Malawi was initiated to bring together African and international researchers who use genetics or genomics to study natural systems impacted by human activities. The goals of this conference were 1) to reach a world-class standard of science with a large number of contributions from Africa, 2) to initiate exchange between African and international researchers, and 3) to identify challenges and opportunities for evolutionary genomics research in Africa. As repored, we think that we have achieved these goals and make suggestions on the way forward for African evolutionary genomics research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Svardal
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bosco Rusuwa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Tyler Linderoth
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anmol Kiran
- Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Project, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Anne Charmantier
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Université de Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Alex Cagan
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Sheila C Ommeh
- Institute for Biotechnology Research, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Arox Kamng'ona
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Cyprian Katongo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - M Emília Santos
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Durbin
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Kumwenda
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Peter M Visscher
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sophie von der Heyden
- Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Alekseev I, Zverev A, Abakumov E. Microbial Communities in Permafrost Soils of Larsemann Hills, Eastern Antarctica: Environmental Controls and Effect of Human Impact. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1202. [PMID: 32784619 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although ice-free areas cover only about 0.1% of Antarctica and are characterized by harsh environmental conditions, these regions provide quite diverse conditions for the soil-forming process, having various physical and geochemical properties, and also assuring different conditions for living organisms. This study is aimed to determine existing soil microbial communities, their relationship with soil parameters and the influence of anthropogenic activity in Larsemann Hills, Eastern Antarctica. The soil microbiome was investigated at different locations using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. The taxonomic analysis of the soil microbiomes revealed 12 predominant bacterial and archaeal phyla—Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Armatimonadetes, Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Thaumarchaeota. Some specific phyla have been also found in sub-surface horizons of soils investigated, thus providing additional evidence of the crucial role of gravel pavement in saving the favorable conditions for both soil and microbiome development. Moreover, our study also revealed that some bacterial species might be introduced into Antarctic soils by human activities. We also assessed the effect of different soil parameters on microbial community in the harsh environmental conditions of Eastern Antarctica. pH, carbon and nitrogen, as well as fine earth content, were revealed as the most accurate predictors of soil bacterial community composition.
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Wang Y, Hong Y, Ma M, Wu S, Op den Camp HJM, Zhu G, Zhang W, Ye F. Anthropogenic Pollution Intervenes the Recovery Processes of Soil Archaeal Community Composition and Diversity From Flooding. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2285. [PMID: 31632383 PMCID: PMC6783558 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaea play vital roles in global biogeochemical cycles, particularly in nitrification and methanogenesis. The recovery of archaeal community following disturbance is essential for maintaining the stability of ecosystem function. To examine whether the archaeal community could recover from water flooding and assess the influence of anthropogenic pollution on the autogenic recovery, soil samples from two riparian zones with contrasting pollution background were investigated. Collected samples in each area were divided into three groups of reference, flooding, and recovery according to the flooded state of each site. The results showed that the archaeal abundance was resilient to the disturbances of both water flooding and anthropogenic pollution. More similar community composition and diversity appeared between the recovery and reference groups in the area with low anthropogenic pollution. It indicated that high anthropogenic pollution could result in less resilience of archaeal community. The co-occurrence network further revealed that the archaeal community in the area of low anthropogenic pollution exhibited more associations suggesting a higher ecosystem stability. The better recovery of archaeal community was associated with the high resilience ability. The Nitrososphaerales was the key taxon maintaining the better recovery of the archaeal community from the disturbances due to its high resilience index and quantitative dominance. Overall, archaeal community has the capability of autogenic recovery, the process of which might be intervened by anthropogenic pollution, and then potentially affects the ecosystem functions of the riparian system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiguo Hong
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maohua Ma
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Shengjun Wu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Huub J M Op den Camp
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Guibing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Fei Ye
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
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Larrue S, Butaud J, Daehler CC, Ballet S, Chadeyron J, Oyono R. Persistence at the final stage of volcanic island ontogeny: Abiotic predictors explain native plant species richness on 111 remote Pacific atolls. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12208-12220. [PMID: 30598812 PMCID: PMC6303760 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM The final island ontogeny of the general dynamic model (GDM) (i.e., before island submergence) in tropical oceans corresponds to the coral atoll stage. Here, we examined whether the species richness of native vascular plants (indigenous and endemic species) on atolls is controlled by spatial and/or physical processes. We also predicted that atolls strongly affected by anthropogenic disturbance would have lower native species richness than predicted by spatial and physical processes. LOCATION Marshall Islands, Kiribati Islands, Nauru, Niue, Johnston, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Pitcairn Islands (Pacific Ocean). TAXON Native vascular plants. METHODS We used stepwise regression to test the relative influence of five biogeographic variables on native species richness. Relationships were assessed for the full set of 111 Pacific coral atolls, as well as for atoll subsets ranging from 9 to 45 atolls. An index of human impact was then estimated, and residuals in the regression model predicting species richness from biogeographic variables were compared with the level of human impact. RESULTS A regression model including atoll area, highest atoll elevation, the stepping stone distances from the nearest raised atoll and volcanic island explained native species richness on the 111 Pacific coral atolls. Regression models for different archipelagos and atoll subsets were also significant. Endemic species richness was significantly linked with highest atoll elevation and the stepping stone distances from the nearest raised atoll. Residuals in the biogeographic regression model were barely related to human impact across the 111 atolls but were significantly related to human impact in the Kiribati atolls. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Native species richness on atolls is mainly controlled by physical and spatial characteristics. However, anthropogenic disturbances have altered the predicted pattern of native species richness leading to a lower model fit in some atoll subsets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Larrue
- University Clermont Auvergne (UCA), GEOLAB‐CNRSClermont‐FerrandFrance
| | | | | | - Stéphane Ballet
- Aix‐Marseille Université, CNRS, Centrale MarseilleMarseilleFrance
| | - Julien Chadeyron
- Department of GeographyUniversity Clermont Auvergne (UCA)Clermont‐FerrandFrance
| | - Roger Oyono
- University of French Polynesia, GAATIFaa’aFrench Polynesia
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Sherpa S, Rioux D, Goindin D, Fouque F, François O, Després L. At the Origin of a Worldwide Invasion: Unraveling the Genetic Makeup of the Caribbean Bridgehead Populations of the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:56-71. [PMID: 29267872 PMCID: PMC5758905 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-driven global environmental changes have considerably increased the risk of biological invasions, especially the spread of human parasites and their vectors. Among exotic species that have major impacts on public health, the dengue fever mosquito Aedes aegypti originating from Africa has spread worldwide during the last three centuries. Although considerable progress has been recently made in understanding the history of this invasion, the respective roles of human and abiotic factors in shaping patterns of genetic diversity remain largely unexplored. Using a genome-wide sample of genetic variants (3,530 ddRAD SNPs), we analyzed the genetic structure of Ae. aegypti populations in the Caribbean, the first introduced territories in the Americas. Fourteen populations were sampled in Guyane and in four islands of the Antilles that differ in climatic conditions, intensity of urbanization, and vector control history. The genetic diversity in the Caribbean was low (He = 0.14–0.17), as compared with a single African collection from Benin (He = 0.26) and site-frequency spectrum analysis detected an ancient bottleneck dating back ∼300 years ago, supporting a founder event during the introduction of Ae. aegypti. Evidence for a more recent bottleneck may be related to the eradication program undertaken on the American continent in the 1950s. Among 12 loci detected as FST-outliers, two were located in candidate genes for insecticide resistance (cytochrome P450 and voltage-gated sodium channel). Genome–environment association tests identified additional loci associated with human density and/or deltamethrin resistance. Our results highlight the high impact of human pressures on the demographic history and genetic variation of Ae. aegypti Caribbean populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Sherpa
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Delphine Rioux
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Daniella Goindin
- Laboratoire d'Entomologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Guadeloupe, Les Abymes, France
| | - Florence Fouque
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olivier François
- Laboratoire Techniques de l'Ingénierie Médicale et de la Complexité, CNRS UMR 5525, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Laurence Després
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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28
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Nagaishi E, Takemoto K. Network resilience of mutualistic ecosystems and environmental changes: an empirical study. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:180706. [PMID: 30839716 PMCID: PMC6170563 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
It is theorized that a mutualistic ecosystem's resilience against perturbations (e.g. species extinction) is determined by a single macroscopic parameter (network resilience), calculable from the network. Given that such perturbations occur owing to environmental changes (e.g. climate change and human impact), it has been predicted that mutualistic ecosystems that exist despite extensive environmental changes exhibit higher network resilience; however, such a prediction has not been confirmed using real-world data. Thus, in this study, the effects of climate change velocity and human activities on mutualistic network resilience were investigated. A global dataset of plant-animal mutualistic networks was used, and spatial analysis was performed to examine the effects. Moreover, the potential confounding effects of network size, current climate and altitude were statistically controlled. It was demonstrated that mutualistic network resilience was globally influenced by warming velocity and human impact, in addition to current climate. Specifically, pollination network resilience increased in response to human impact, and seed-dispersal network resilience increased with warming velocity. The effect of environmental changes on network resilience for plants was remarkable. The results confirmed the prediction obtained based on the theory and imply that real-world mutualistic networks have a structure that increases ecosystem resilience against environmental changes. These findings will enhance the understanding of ecosystem resilience.
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29
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Pierik HJ, van Lanen RJ, Gouw-Bouman MTIJ, Groenewoudt BJ, Wallinga J, Hoek WZ. Controls on late-Holocene drift-sand dynamics: The dominant role of human pressure in the Netherlands. Holocene 2018; 28:1361-1381. [PMID: 30369723 PMCID: PMC6187068 DOI: 10.1177/0959683618777052] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Holocene drift-sand activity in the northwest European sand belt is commonly directly linked to population pressure (agricultural activity) or to climate change (e.g. storminess). In the Pleistocene sand areas of the Netherlands, small-scale Holocene drift-sand activity began in the Mesolithic, whereas large-scale sand drifting started during the Middle Ages. This last phase not only coincides with the intensification of farming and demographic pressure but also is commonly associated with a colder climate and enhanced storminess. This raises the question to what extent drift-sand activity can be attributed to either human activities or natural forcing factors. In this study, we compare the spatial and temporal patterns of drift-sand occurrence for the four characteristic Pleistocene sand regions in the Netherlands for the period between 1000 BC and AD 1700. To this end, we compiled a new supra-regional overview of drift-sand activity based on age estimates (14C, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), archaeological and historical ages). The occurrence of sand drifting was then compared in time and space with historical-route networks, relative vegetation openness and climate. Results indicate a constant but low drift-sand activity between 1000 BC and AD 1000, interrupted by a remarkable decrease in activity around the BC/AD transition. It is evident that human pressure on the landscape was most influential on initiating sand drifting: this is supported by more frequent occurrences close to routes and the uninterrupted increase of drift-sand activity from AD 900 onwards, a period of high population density and large-scale deforestation. Once triggered by human activities, this drift-sand development was probably further intensified several centuries later during the cold and stormier 'Little Ice Age' (LIA; AD 1570-1850).
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Affiliation(s)
- Harm Jan Pierik
- Department of Physical Geography,
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Rowin J van Lanen
- Ministry of Education, Culture and
Science, Cultural Heritage Agency, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bert J Groenewoudt
- Ministry of Education, Culture and
Science, Cultural Heritage Agency, The Netherlands
| | - Jakob Wallinga
- Soil Geography and Landscape Group,
Wageningen University, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Z Hoek
- Department of Physical Geography,
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
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30
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Jones KR, Klein CJ, Halpern BS, Venter O, Grantham H, Kuempel CD, Shumway N, Friedlander AM, Possingham HP, Watson JEM. The Location and Protection Status of Earth's Diminishing Marine Wilderness. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2506-2512.e3. [PMID: 30057308 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As human activities increasingly threaten biodiversity [1, 2], areas devoid of intense human impacts are vital refugia [3]. These wilderness areas contain high genetic diversity, unique functional traits, and endemic species [4-7]; maintain high levels of ecological and evolutionary connectivity [8-10]; and may be well placed to resist and recover from the impacts of climate change [11-13]. On land, rapid declines in wilderness [3] have led to urgent calls for its protection [3, 14]. In contrast, little is known about the extent and protection of marine wilderness [4, 5]. Here we systematically map marine wilderness globally by identifying areas that have both very little impact (lowest 10%) from 15 anthropogenic stressors and also a very low combined cumulative impact from these stressors. We discover that ∼13% of the ocean meets this definition of global wilderness, with most being located in the high seas. Recognizing that human influence differs across ocean regions, we repeat the analysis within each of the 16 ocean realms [15]. Realm-specific wilderness extent varies considerably, with >16 million km2 (8.6%) in the Warm Indo-Pacific, down to <2,000 km2 (0.5%) in Temperate Southern Africa. We also show that the marine protected area estate holds only 4.9% of global wilderness and 4.1% of realm-specific wilderness, very little of which is in biodiverse ecosystems such as coral reefs. Proactive retention of marine wilderness should now be incorporated into global strategies aimed at conserving biodiversity and ensuring that large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes continue. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall R Jones
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx, NY 10460, USA; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Carissa J Klein
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Benjamin S Halpern
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, 735 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-5504, USA; Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA; Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Burkhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Oscar Venter
- Natural Resource and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Hedley Grantham
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
| | - Caitlin D Kuempel
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Nicole Shumway
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alan M Friedlander
- Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, USA; Fisheries Ecology Research Lab, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - James E M Watson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx, NY 10460, USA; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Centre for Conservation and Biodiversity Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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31
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Henkner J, Ahlrichs J, Downey S, Fuchs M, James B, Junge A, Knopf T, Scholten T, Kühn P. Archaeopedological analysis of colluvial deposits in favourable and unfavourable areas: reconstruction of land use dynamics in SW Germany. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:171624. [PMID: 29892361 PMCID: PMC5990778 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171624] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Colluvial deposits, as the correlate sediments of human-induced soil erosion, depict an excellent archive of land use and landscape history as indicators of human-environment interactions. This study establishes a chronostratigraphy of colluvial deposits and reconstructs past land use dynamics in the Swabian Jura, the Baar and the Black Forest in SW Germany. In the agriculturally favourable Baar area multiple main phases of colluvial deposition, and thus intensified land use, can be identified from the Neolithic to the Modern times. In the unfavourable Swabian Jura increased colluvial deposition began later compared to the more favourable areas in the Baar. The same holds true for the unfavourable areas of the Black Forest, but intensified land use can only be reconstructed for the Middle Ages and Early Modern times instead of for the Bronze and Iron Age as in the Swabian Jura. Land use intensity and settlement dynamics represented by thick, multilayered colluvial deposits increase in the Baar and the Black Forest during the Middle Ages. In between those phases of geomorphodynamic activity and colluviation, stable phases occur, interpreted as phases with sustainable land use or without human presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Henkner
- SFB1070 ResourceCultures, Gartenstr. 29, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jan Ahlrichs
- SFB1070 ResourceCultures, Gartenstr. 29, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Pre- and Protohistory and Medieval Archaeology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Burgsteige 11, Schloss Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sean Downey
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, 4034 Smith Laboratory, 174 West 18th Street, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Markus Fuchs
- Department of Geography, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Senckenbergstr. 1, 35390 Gießen, Germany
| | - Bruce James
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, 0220 Symons Hall, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Andrea Junge
- Department of Geography, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Senckenbergstr. 1, 35390 Gießen, Germany
| | - Thomas Knopf
- SFB1070 ResourceCultures, Gartenstr. 29, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Pre- and Protohistory and Medieval Archaeology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Burgsteige 11, Schloss Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Scholten
- SFB1070 ResourceCultures, Gartenstr. 29, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Kühn
- SFB1070 ResourceCultures, Gartenstr. 29, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
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Elo M, Alahuhta J, Kanninen A, Meissner KK, Seppälä K, Mönkkönen M. Environmental Characteristics and Anthropogenic Impact Jointly Modify Aquatic Macrophyte Species Diversity. Front Plant Sci 2018; 9:1001. [PMID: 30147702 PMCID: PMC6097017 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01001] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Species richness and spatial variation in community composition (i.e., beta diversity) are key measures of biodiversity. They are largely determined by natural factors, but also increasingly affected by anthropogenic factors. Thus, there is a need for a clear understanding of the human impact on species richness and beta diversity, the underlying mechanisms, and whether human-induced changes can override natural patterns. Here, we dissect the patterns of species richness, community composition and beta diversity in relation to different environmental factors as well as human impact in one framework: aquatic macrophytes in 66 boreal lakes in Eastern Finland. The lakes had been classified as having high, good or moderate status (according to ecological classification of surface waters in Finland) reflecting multifaceted human impact. We used generalized least square models to study the association between different environmental variables (Secchi depth, irregularity of the shoreline, total phosphorus, pH, alkalinity, conductivity) and species richness. We tested the null hypothesis that the observed community composition can be explained by random distribution of species. We used multivariate distance matrix regression to test the effect of each environmental variable on community composition, and distance-based test for homogeneity of multivariate dispersion to test whether lakes classified as high, good or moderate status have different beta diversity. We showed that environmental drivers of species richness and community composition were largely similar, although dependent on the particular life-form group studied. The most important ones were characteristics of water quality (pH, alkalinity, conductivity) and irregularity of the shoreline. Differences in community composition were related to environmental variables independently of species richness. Species richness was higher in lakes with higher levels of human impact. Lakes with different levels of human impact had different community composition. Between-lake beta diversity did not differ in high, good or moderate status groups. However, the variation in environmental variables shaping community composition was larger in lakes with moderate status compared to other lakes. Hence, beta diversity in lakes with moderate status was smaller than what could be expected on the basis of these environmental characteristics. This could be interpreted as homogenization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merja Elo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- School of Resource Wisdom, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- *Correspondence: Merja Elo
| | - Janne Alahuhta
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Antti Kanninen
- River Basin Management Unit, Freshwater Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Savo, Turku, Finland
| | - Kristian K. Meissner
- Programme for Environmental Information, Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Katri Seppälä
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Mikko Mönkkönen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- School of Resource Wisdom, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Pellissier V, Mimet A, Fontaine C, Svenning JC, Couvet D. Relative importance of the land-use composition and intensity for the bird community composition in anthropogenic landscapes. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10513-10535. [PMID: 29299234 PMCID: PMC5743485 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are changing the biosphere by exerting pressure on land via different land uses with variable intensities. Quantifying the relative importance of the land-use composition and intensity for communities may provide valuable insights for understanding community dynamics in human-dominated landscapes. Here, we evaluate the relative importance of the land-use composition versus land-use intensity on the bird community structure in the highly human-dominated region surrounding Paris, France. The land-use composition was calculated from a land cover map, whereas the land-use intensity (reverse intensity) was represented by the primary productivity remaining after human appropriation (NPP remaining), which was estimated using remote sensing imagery. We used variance partitioning to evaluate the relative importance of the land-use composition versus intensity for explaining bird community species richness, total abundance, trophic levels, and habitat specialization in urban, farmland, and woodland habitats. The land-use composition and intensity affected specialization and richness more than trophic levels and abundance. The importance of the land-use intensity was slightly higher than that of the composition for richness, specialization, and trophic levels in farmland and urban areas, while the land-use composition was a stronger predictor of abundance. The intensity contributed more to the community indices in anthropogenic habitats (farmland and urban areas) than to those in woodlands. Richness, trophic levels, and specialization in woodlands tended to increase with the NPP remaining value. The heterogeneity of land uses and intensity levels in the landscape consistently promoted species richness but reduced habitat specialization and trophic levels. This study demonstrates the complementarity of NPP remaining to the land-use composition for understanding community structure in anthropogenic landscapes. Our results show, for the first time, that the productivity remaining after human appropriation is a determinant driver of animal community patterns, independent of the type of land use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Pellissier
- UMR 7204 UPMC-MNHN-CNRS CERSP Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris France.,Section for EcoInformatics & Biodiversity Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Anne Mimet
- UMR 7204 UPMC-MNHN-CNRS CERSP Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris France.,Section for EcoInformatics & Biodiversity Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark.,UMR 7533 CNRS- Paris 1- Paris 7- Paris 8- Paris 10, LADYSS Paris France.,Department Computational Landscape Ecology UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig Germany.,Biodiversity Conservation Group German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Colin Fontaine
- UMR 7204 UPMC-MNHN-CNRS CERSP Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris France
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Section for EcoInformatics & Biodiversity Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Denis Couvet
- UMR 7204 UPMC-MNHN-CNRS CERSP Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris France
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Szabó P, Gálová A, Jamrichová E, Šumberová K, Šipoš J, Hédl R. Trends and events through seven centuries: the history of a wetland landscape in the Czech Republic. Reg Environ Change 2017; 17:501-514. [PMID: 28890665 PMCID: PMC5586588 DOI: 10.1007/s10113-016-1033-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental change can be viewed as the combined result of long-term processes and singular events. While long-term trends appear to be readily available for observation (in the form of temporal comparisons or space-for-time substitution), it is more difficult to gain information on singular events in the past, although these can be equally significant in shaping ecosystems. We examined the past 700 years in the history of a lowland wetland landscape in the Czech Republic with the help of palaeoecological, ecological, landscape archaeological, and archival data. Macrofossil and pollen data were compared to known drainage works in the area and historical climatological data. Trends and events in habitat conditions were assessed using species indicator values. Results showed that ecological succession was the general process in the study area, detected as a trend towards eutrophication, desiccation and vegetation closure. Short-term events influenced development at the sites mainly from the second half of the 19th century. This is consistent with drainage history, although bias related to sample frequency cannot be excluded. On the whole, long-term trends and discrete events were complementary on different scales. We conclude that humans facilitated and accelerated background processes, which can be most likely associated with the succession of open wetlands towards terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Szabó
- Department of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Lidická 25/27 Brno 60200, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Gálová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2 Brno 61137, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Jamrichová
- Department of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Lidická 25/27 Brno 60200, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2 Brno 61137, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Šumberová
- Department of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Lidická 25/27 Brno 60200, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Šipoš
- Department of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Lidická 25/27 Brno 60200, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chitussiho 10 Ostrava 71000, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Hédl
- Department of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Lidická 25/27 Brno 60200, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
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Abstract
Sustainability is a key challenge for humanity in the 21st century. Ecosystem services—the benefits that people derive from nature and natural capital—is a concept often used to help explain human reliance on nature and frame the decisions we make in terms of the ongoing value of nature to human wellbeing. Yet ecosystem service science has not always lived up to the promise of its potential. Despite advances in the scientific literature, ecosystem service science has not yet answered some of the most critical questions posed by decision-makers in the realm of sustainability. Here, we explore the history of ecosystem service science, discuss advances in conceptualization and measurement, and point toward further work needed to improve the use of ecosystem service in decisions about sustainable development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Bennett
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences and McGill School of Environment, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada
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Smith JE, Brainard R, Carter A, Grillo S, Edwards C, Harris J, Lewis L, Obura D, Rohwer F, Sala E, Vroom PS, Sandin S. Re-evaluating the health of coral reef communities: baselines and evidence for human impacts across the central Pacific. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:rspb.2015.1985. [PMID: 26740615 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have documented declines in the abundance of reef-building corals over the last several decades and in some but not all cases, phase shifts to dominance by macroalgae have occurred. These assessments, however, often ignore the remainder of the benthos and thus provide limited information on the present-day structure and function of coral reef communities. Here, using an unprecedentedly large dataset collected within the last 10 years across 56 islands spanning five archipelagos in the central Pacific, we examine how benthic reef communities differ in the presence and absence of human populations. Using islands as replicates, we examine whether benthic community structure is associated with human habitation within and among archipelagos and across latitude. While there was no evidence for coral to macroalgal phase shifts across our dataset we did find that the majority of reefs on inhabited islands were dominated by fleshy non-reef-building organisms (turf algae, fleshy macroalgae and non-calcifying invertebrates). By contrast, benthic communities from uninhabited islands were more variable but in general supported more calcifiers and active reef builders (stony corals and crustose coralline algae). Our results suggest that cumulative human impacts across the central Pacific may be causing a reduction in the abundance of reef builders resulting in island scale phase shifts to dominance by fleshy organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Smith
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rusty Brainard
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Amanda Carter
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Saray Grillo
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Clinton Edwards
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jill Harris
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Levi Lewis
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David Obura
- CORDIO, Mombasa, Kenya New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Forest Rohwer
- Biological Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Enric Sala
- National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Peter S Vroom
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Stuart Sandin
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Dufek MI, Oscherov EB, Damborsky MP, Mulieri PR. Assessment of the Abundance and Diversity of Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae (Diptera) in Sites With Different Degrees of Human Impact in the Iberá Wetlands (Argentina). J Med Entomol 2016; 53:827-835. [PMID: 27106933 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to explore the diversity and describe the spatial distribution of Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae along an urbanization gradient in the Iberá Wetlands. The flies were collected at 18 sampling points, three per site. In total, 3,318 flies were collected (3,077 blow flies and 241 flesh flies), distributed in 13 genera and 33 species. Calliphoridae was the most abundant, comprised 92.74% of all adult flies. Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), Cochliomyia macellaria (F.), Chrysomya megacephala (F.), and Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann) were the most abundant species, representing 82.21% of the total sample. The genus Oxysarcodexia Townsend was the most diverse with 10 species represented. The abundance of exotic species represents 62.85% of the total sample, showing a reduction toward less disturbed sites. The results of this study indicated that sites with intermediate impact had higher diversity than those where the disturbances are high or absent. Our findings provide the first assessment of Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae diversity in the area of the Iberá Wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- M I Dufek
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Biología de los Artrópodos, Libertad St. 5470, Corrientes, Argentina (; ; ),
| | - E B Oscherov
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Biología de los Artrópodos, Libertad St. 5470, Corrientes, Argentina (; ; )
| | - M P Damborsky
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Biología de los Artrópodos, Libertad St. 5470, Corrientes, Argentina (; ; )
| | - P R Mulieri
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN). Ángel Gallardo St. 470, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Jamieson SSR, Ewertowski MW, Evans DJA. Rapid advance of two mountain glaciers in response to mine-related debris loading. J Geophys Res Earth Surf 2015; 120:1418-1435. [PMID: 27500077 PMCID: PMC4957274 DOI: 10.1002/2015jf003504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Rapid glacier advance is known to occur by a range of mechanisms. However, although large-scale debris loading has been proposed as a process for causing rapid terminus advance, it has rarely been observed. We use satellite remote sensing data to observe accelerated glacier terminus advance in response to massive supraglacial loading on two glaciers in Kyrgyzstan. Over a 15 year period, mining activity has led to the dumping of spoil of up to 180 m thick on large parts of these valley glaciers. We find that the termini of these glaciers advance by 1.2 and 3.2 km, respectively, at a rate of up to 350 m yr-1. Our analysis suggests that although enhanced basal sliding could be an important process, massive supraglacial loads have also caused enhanced internal ice deformation that would account for most, or all, of the glacier terminus advance. In addition, narrowing of the glacier valley and mining and dumping of ice alter the mass balance and flow regime of the glaciers. Although the scale of supraglacial loading is massive, this full-scale experiment provides insight into glacier flow acceleration response where small valley glaciers are impacted by very large volumes of landslide debris.
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Hughes KA, Cowan DA, Wilmotte A. Protection of Antarctic microbial communities - 'out of sight, out of mind'. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:151. [PMID: 25762992 PMCID: PMC4340226 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in molecular biology techniques have shown the presence of diverse microbial communities and endemic species in Antarctica. Endemic microbes may be a potential source of novel biotechnologically important compounds, including, for example, new antibiotics. Thus, the scientific and biotechnological value of Antarctic terrestrial microbial habitats can be compromised by human visitation to a greater extent than previously realized. The ever-increasing human footprint in Antarctica makes consideration of this topic more pressing, as the number of locations known to be pristine habitats, where increasingly sophisticated cutting-edge research techniques may be used to their full potential, declines. Examination of the Protected Areas system of the Antarctic Treaty shows that microbial habitats are generally poorly protected. No other continent on Earth is dominated to the same degree by microbial species, and real opportunities exist to develop new ways of conceptualizing and implementing conservation of microbial biogeography on a continental scale. Here we highlight potential threats both to the conservation of terrestrial microbial ecosystems, and to future scientific research requiring their study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A. Hughes
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research CouncilCambridge, UK
| | - Don A. Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Genetics, University of PretoriaPretoria, South Africa
| | - Annick Wilmotte
- Bacterial Physiology and Genetics, Centre for Protein Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of LiègeLiège, Belgium
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Sundblad G, Bergström U. Shoreline development and degradation of coastal fish reproduction habitats. Ambio 2014; 43:1020-8. [PMID: 24943864 PMCID: PMC4235894 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-014-0522-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 06/30/2013] [Revised: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Coastal development has severely affected habitats and biodiversity during the last century, but quantitative estimates of the impacts are usually lacking. We utilize predictive habitat modeling and mapping of human pressures to estimate the cumulative long-term effects of coastal development in relation to fish habitats. Based on aerial photographs since the 1960s, shoreline development rates were estimated in the Stockholm archipelago in the Baltic Sea. By combining shoreline development rates with spatial predictions of fish reproduction habitats, we estimated annual habitat degradation rates for three of the most common coastal fish species, northern pike (Esox lucius), Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus). The results showed that shoreline constructions were concentrated to the reproduction habitats of these species. The estimated degradation rates, where a degraded habitat was defined as having ≥3 constructions per 100 m shoreline, were on average 0.5 % of available habitats per year and about 1 % in areas close to larger population centers. Approximately 40 % of available habitats were already degraded in 2005. These results provide an example of how many small construction projects over time may have a vast impact on coastal fish populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Göran Sundblad
- />AquaBiota Water Research, Löjtnantsgatan 25, 115 50 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulf Bergström
- />Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Coastal Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skolgatan 6, 74242 Öregrund, Sweden
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Colombaroli D, Ssemmanda I, Gelorini V, Verschuren D. Contrasting long-term records of biomass burning in wet and dry savannas of equatorial East Africa. Glob Chang Biol 2014; 20:2903-2914. [PMID: 24677504 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12583] [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: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Rainfall controls fire in tropical savanna ecosystems through impacting both the amount and flammability of plant biomass, and consequently, predicted changes in tropical precipitation over the next century are likely to have contrasting effects on the fire regimes of wet and dry savannas. We reconstructed the long-term dynamics of biomass burning in equatorial East Africa, using fossil charcoal particles from two well-dated lake-sediment records in western Uganda and central Kenya. We compared these high-resolution (5 years/sample) time series of biomass burning, spanning the last 3800 and 1200 years, with independent data on past hydroclimatic variability and vegetation dynamics. In western Uganda, a rapid (<100 years) and permanent increase in burning occurred around 2170 years ago, when climatic drying replaced semideciduous forest by wooded grassland. At the century time scale, biomass burning was inversely related to moisture balance for much of the next two millennia until ca. 1750 ad, when burning increased strongly despite regional climate becoming wetter. A sustained decrease in burning since the mid20th century reflects the intensified modern-day landscape conversion into cropland and plantations. In contrast, in semiarid central Kenya, biomass burning peaked at intermediate moisture-balance levels, whereas it was lower both during the wettest and driest multidecadal periods of the last 1200 years. Here, burning steadily increased since the mid20th century, presumably due to more frequent deliberate ignitions for bush clearing and cattle ranching. Both the observed historical trends and regional contrasts in biomass burning are consistent with spatial variability in fire regimes across the African savanna biome today. They demonstrate the strong dependence of East African fire regimes on both climatic moisture balance and vegetation, and the extent to which this dependence is now being overridden by anthropogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Colombaroli
- Institute of Plant Sciences and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, CH-3013, Switzerland
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Daniëls FJA, de Molenaar JG. Flora and vegetation of Tasiilaq, formerly Angmagssalik, southeast Greenland: a comparison of data between around 1900 and 2007. Ambio 2011; 40:650-9. [PMID: 21954727 PMCID: PMC3357867 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-011-0171-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The changes in the vascular plant flora of Tasiilaq, low arctic southeast Greenland, between around 1900 and 2007 were studied by comparing the data from historical literature with those of the field observations performed between the late 1960s and 2007. Since 1900, the percentage of widely distributed arctic species distinctly decreased, whereas that of the low arctic species somewhat increased, and boreal species hardly increased. Vegetation monitoring revealed minor changes and showed that several thermophilous and xerophilous species increased between 1968/1969 and 2007, whereas some hygrophilous species decreased. Repeated vegetation mapping of a shallow pond revealed conspicuous changes suggesting increased evaporation/precipitation ratios associated with environmental warming up and decreasing snow accumulation in winter, in line with results of previous investigations. In spite of climate warming, expansion of the town and increasing human impact, flora and vegetation on the whole appeared rather stable during the last 40 years without invading species or introductions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred J. A. Daniëls
- Institute of Biology and Biotechnology of Plants, Hindenburgplatz 55, 48143 Münster, Germany
| | - Johannes G. de Molenaar
- Gruttostraat 24, 4021 EX Maurik, The Netherlands
- Formerly Alterra, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Koivula MJ. Useful model organisms, indicators, or both? Ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) reflecting environmental conditions. Zookeys 2011:287-317. [PMID: 21738418 PMCID: PMC3131022 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.100.1533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [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: 11/27/2009] [Accepted: 07/07/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Classic studies have successfully linked single-species abundances, life-history traits, assemblage structures and biomass of carabid beetles to past and present, human-caused environmental impacts and variation in ‘natural’ conditions. This evidence has led many to suggest carabids to function as ‘indicators’ − a term that bears multiple meanings. Here, a conservation-oriented definition for an indicator is used, carabid indicator potential from seven views is evaluated, and ways to proceed in indicator research are discussed. (1) Carabid species richness poorly indicates the richness and abundance of other taxa, which underlines the importance of using multiple taxa in environmental assessments. The ability of assemblage indices and specialist or functional-group abundances to reflect rare species and habitats should be examined in detail. (2) Experimental evidence suggests that carabids may potentially serve as keystone indicators. (3) Carabids are sensitive to human-altered abiotic conditions, such as pesticide use in agro-ecosystems and heavy metal contamination of soils. Carabids might thus reflect ecological sustainability and ‘ecosystem health’. (4) Carabid assemblages host abundant species characteristic of particular habitat types or successional stages, which makes them promising dominance indicators. (5) Carabids reflect variation in ‘natural’ conditions, but vegetation and structural features are more commonly adopted as condition indicators. Carabids nevertheless provide yet another, equally accurate, view on the structure of the environment. (6) Carabids may function as early-warning signalers, as suggested by recent studies linking climate and carabid distributions. (7) Carabids reflect natural and human-caused disturbances and management, but the usefulness of these responses for conservation purposes requires further research. In summary, European carabids appear useful model organisms and possibly indicators because they are diverse, taxonomically and ecologically well-known, efficiently reflect biotic and abiotic conditions, are relevant at multiple spatial scales, and are easy to collect in sufficiently large numbers to allow statistical analyses. The assumption that carabid responses would reflect rare environmental conditions or the responses of rare and threatened species ‒ crucial information for conservationists and managers ‒ has not yet been critically evaluated. Even if it holds, the usefulness will be context dependent: species and their populations vary, conditions vary, questions put forward vary, and assessment goals vary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matti J Koivula
- Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland
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Liberal CN, de Farias ÂMI, Meiado MV, Filgueiras BKC, Iannuzzi L. How habitat change and rainfall affect dung beetle diversity in Caatinga, a Brazilian semi-arid ecosystem. J Insect Sci 2011; 11:114. [PMID: 22224924 PMCID: PMC3281362 DOI: 10.1673/031.011.11401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2010] [Accepted: 07/26/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate how dung beetle communities respond to both environment and rainfall in the Caatinga, a semi-arid ecosystem in northeastern Brazil. The communities were sampled monthly from May 2006 to April 2007 using pitfall traps baited with human feces in two environments denominated "land use area" and "undisturbed area." Abundance and species richness were compared between the two environments and two seasons (dry and wet season) using a generalized linear model with a Poisson error distribution. Diversity was compared between the two environments (land use area and undisturbed area) and seasons (dry and wet) using the Two-Way ANOVA test. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was performed on the resemblance matrix of Bray-Curtis distances (with 1000 random restarts) to determine whether disturbance affected the abundance and species composition of the dung beetle communities. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to determine whether rainfall was correlated with abundance and species richness. A total of 1097 specimens belonging to 13 species were collected. The most abundant and frequent species was Dichotomius geminatus Arrow (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The environment exerted an influence over abundance. Abundance and diversity were affected by season, with an increase in abundance at the beginning of the wet season. The correlation coefficient values were high and significant for abundance and species richness, which were both correlated to rainfall. In conclusion, the restriction of species to some environments demonstrates the need to preserve these areas in order to avoid possible local extinction. Therefore, in extremely seasonable environments, such as the Caatinga, seasonal variation strongly affects dung beetle communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Nunes Liberal
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av Professor Moraes Rego, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
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Abstract
The focus in this review of long-term effects on forest ecosystems is on human impact. As a classification of this differentiated and complex matter, three domains of long-term effects with different scales in space and time are distinguished: Exploitation and conversion history of forests in areas of extended human settlement, Long-range air pollution and acid deposition in industrialized regions, Current global loss of forests and soil degradation. There is an evident link between the first and the third point in the list. Cultivation of primary forestland--with its tremendous effects on land cover--took place in Europe many centuries ago and continued for centuries. Deforestation today is a phenomenon predominantly observed in the developing countries, yet it threatens biotic and soil resources on a global scale. Acidification of forest soils caused by long-range air pollution from anthropogenic emission sources is a regional to continental problem in industrialized parts of the world. As a result of emission reduction legislation, atmospheric acid deposition is currently on the retreat in the richer industrialized regions (e.g., Europe, U.S., Japan); however, because many other regions of the world are at present rapidly developing their polluting industries (e.g., China and India), "acid rain" will most probably remain a serious ecological problem on regional scales. It is believed to have caused considerable destabilization of forest ecosystems, adding to the strong structural and biogeochemical impacts resulting from exploitation history. Deforestation and soil degradation cause the most pressing ecological problems for the time being, at least on the global scale. In many of those regions where loss of forests and soils is now high, it may be extremely difficult or impossible to restore forest ecosystems and soil productivity. Moreover, the driving forces, which are predominantly of a demographic and socioeconomic nature, do not yet seem to be lessening in strength. It can only be hoped that a wise policy of international cooperation and shared aims can cope with this problem in the future.
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Reille M. New pollen-analytical researches in Corsica: the problem of Quercus ilex L. and Erica arborea L., the origin of Pinus halepensis Miller forests. New Phytol 1992; 122:359-378. [PMID: 33873987 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1992.tb04241.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The pollen-analytical study of eight sites (two glacial lakes and six coastal marshes) has been carried out (nine pollen diagrams, 472 pollen spectra). The total absence of Quercus ilex forest in Corsica during the Atlantic and the vegetation contrast existing at that time between the western and the eastern sides of the island are demonstrated. On the western site, Erica arborea constituted the only regional vegetation from the coast up to about 1500 m. Human action is responsible for the establishment of Quercus ilex in this climax vegetation during the Sub-boreal. It is also shown that the only Pinus halepensis forest present today in Corsica has been introduced on the island during the nineteenth century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice Reille
- Laboratoire de Botanique historique et Palynologie, URA CNRS 1152, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques St-Jérôme, 13397 Marseille cedex 13, France
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Tutin CEG, Fernandez M. Nationwide census of gorilla (gorilla g. gorilla) and chimpanzee (Pan t. troglodytes) populations in Gabon. Am J Primatol 1984; 6:313-336. [PMID: 32160718 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.1350060403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/1983] [Accepted: 01/14/1984] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A census was made of gorilla and chimpanzee populations throughout Gabon between December 1980 and February 1983. The aim of the census was to estimate the total numbers of both species and describe their distributions. The method was based on nest counts from line transects which allowed the calculation of population densities of all individuals except suckling infants. Fifteen types of habitat were recognized and defined in terms of their structural features. In the initial phase of the study we did transects in each habitat-type and computed mean densities for each species in each habitat-type. In the second phase of the study we estimated the sizes of gorilla and chimpanzee populations throughout the country by extrapolation from these population density values. We did transects in all areas of the country and conducted interviews to check the accuracy of the population totals obtained by extrapolation. Corrections were made to the extrapolated totals to take into account different levels of hunting pressure and other human activities found to modify ape population densities. Total populations of 34,764 gorillas and 64,173 chimpanzees were estimated. An error of ± 20% was associated with the estimated population totals, which allows the conclusion that Gabon contains 35,000 ± 7,000 gorillas and 64,000 ± 13,000 chimpanzees. The figure for gorillas is much larger than previous estimates. This seems to be because (1) gorillas occur in almost all types of forest and are not restricted to man-made secondary forest as had been though; and (2) the geographical distribution of gorillas in Gabon is wider than previously believed. Gabon's large areas of undisturbed primary forest offer exceptional potential for conservation, not only of gorillas and chimpanzees, but also of the intact tropical rain forest ecosystems which they inhabit.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E G Tutin
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon and University of Stirling, Scotland
| | - M Fernandez
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon and University of Stirling, Scotland
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