scholarly journals Positive correlations in species functional contributions drive the response of multifunctionality to biodiversity loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1924) ◽  
pp. 20192501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian A. Heilpern ◽  
Krishna Anujan ◽  
Anand Osuri ◽  
Shahid Naeem
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Species Loss ◽  
Species Extinction ◽  
Multiple Functions ◽  
Extinction Probabilities ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
The Impact

Changes in biodiversity can severely affect ecosystem functioning, but the impacts of species loss on an ecosystem's ability to sustain multiple functions remain unclear. When considering individual functions, the impacts of biodiversity loss depend on correlations between species functional contributions and their extinction probabilities. When considering multiple functions, the impacts of biodiversity loss depend on correlations between species contributions to individual functions. However, how correlations between extinction probabilities and functional contributions determine the impact of biodiversity loss on multifunctionality (MF) is not well understood. Here, we use biodiversity loss simulations to examine the influence of correlations among multiple functions and extinction probabilities on the diversity–MF relationship. In contrast with random extinction, we find that the response of MF to biodiversity loss is influenced by the absence of positive correlations between species functional contributions, rather than by negative correlations. Communities with a high number of pairwise positive correlations in functional contributions achieve higher levels of MF, but are also less resilient to extinction. This work implies that understanding how species extinction probabilities correlate with their contribution to MF can help identify the degree to which MF will change with ongoing biodiversity loss and target conservation efforts to maximize MF resiliency.

scholarly journals Robustness to extinction and plasticity derived from mutualistic bipartite ecological networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Somaye Sheykhali ◽  
Juan Fernández-Gracia ◽  
Anna Traveset ◽  
Maren Ziegler ◽  
Christian R. Voolstra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Functional Redundancy ◽  
Ecological Networks ◽  
Species Loss ◽  
Species Extinction ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Network Plasticity ◽  
Mutualistic Networks

Abstract Understanding the response of ecological networks to perturbations and disruptive events is needed to anticipate the biodiversity loss and extinction cascades. Here, we study how network plasticity reshapes the topology of mutualistic networks in response to species loss. We analyze more than one hundred empirical mutualistic networks and considered random and targeted removal as mechanisms of species extinction. Network plasticity is modeled as either random rewiring, as the most parsimonious approach, or resource affinity-driven rewiring, as a proxy for encoding the phylogenetic similarity and functional redundancy among species. This redundancy should be positively correlated with the robustness of an ecosystem, as functions can be taken by other species once one of them is extinct. We show that effective modularity, i.e. the ability of an ecosystem to adapt or restructure, increases with increasing numbers of extinctions, and with decreasing the replacement probability. Importantly, modularity is mostly affected by the extinction rather than by rewiring mechanisms. These changes in community structure are reflected in the robustness and stability due to their positive correlation with modularity. Resource affinity-driven rewiring offers an increase of modularity, robustness, and stability which could be an evolutionary favored mechanism to prevent a cascade of co-extinctions.

scholarly journals Ears in the Sky: Potential of Drones for the Bioacoustic Monitoring of Birds and Bats

Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Adrien Michez ◽  
Stéphane Broset ◽  
Philippe Lejeune
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Active Species ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
High Resolution Imagery ◽  
Human Operators ◽  
The Impact

In the context of global biodiversity loss, wildlife population monitoring is a major challenge. Some innovative techniques such as the use of drones—also called unmanned aerial vehicle/system (UAV/UAS)—offer promising opportunities. The potential of UAS-based wildlife census using high-resolution imagery is now well established for terrestrial mammals or birds that can be seen on images. Nevertheless, the ability of UASs to detect non-conspicuous species, such as small birds below the forest canopy, remains an open question. This issue can be solved with bioacoustics for acoustically active species such as bats and birds. In this context, UASs represent an interesting solution that could be deployed on a larger scale, at lower risk for the operator, and over hard-to-reach locations, such as forest canopies or complex topographies, when compared with traditional protocols (fixed location recorders placed or handled by human operators). In this context, this study proposes a methodological framework to assess the potential of UASs in bioacoustic surveys for birds and bats, using low-cost audible and ultrasound recorders mounted on a low-cost quadcopter UAS (DJI Phantom 3 Pro). The proposed methodological workflow can be straightforwardly replicated in other contexts to test the impact of other UAS bioacoustic recording platforms in relation to the targeted species and the specific UAS design. This protocol allows one to evaluate the sensitivity of UAS approaches through the estimate of the effective detection radius for the different species investigated at several flight heights. The results of this study suggest a strong potential for the bioacoustic monitoring of birds but are more contrasted for bat recordings, mainly due to quadcopter noise (i.e., electronic speed controller (ESC) noise) but also, in a certain manner, to the experimental design (use of a directional speaker with limited call intensity). Technical developments, such as the use of a winch to safely extent the distance between the UAS and the recorder during UAS sound recordings or the development of an innovative platform, such as a plane–blimp hybrid UAS, should make it possible to solve these issues.

scholarly journals Assessing Habitat Vulnerability and Loss of Naturalness: Applying the GLOBIO3 Model in the Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5355
Author(s):  
Vilém Pechanec ◽  
Ondřej Cudlín ◽  
Miloš Zapletal ◽  
Jan Purkyt ◽  
Lenka Štěrbová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
New Equation ◽  
The Impact

Global and regional biodiversity loss is caused by several drivers including urban development, land use intensification, overexploitation of natural resources, environmental pollution, and climate change. The main aim of our study was to adapt the GLOBIO3 model to the conditions of the Czech Republic (CR) to assess loss of naturalness and biodiversity vulnerability at the habitat level on a detailed scale across the entire CR. An additional aim was to assess the main drivers affecting the biodiversity of habitat types. The GLOBIO3 model was adapted to CZ-GLOBIO by adapting global to local scales and using habitat quality and naturalness data instead of species occurrence data. The total mean species abundance (MSA) index of habitat quality, calculated from the spatial overlay of the four MSA indicators by our new equation, reached the value 0.62. The total value of MSA for natural and near-natural habitats was found to be affected mainly by infrastructure development and fragmentation. Simultaneously, intensity of land use change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition contributed primarily to the low total value of MSA for distant natural habitats. The CZ-GLOBIO model can be an important tool in political decision making to reduce the impact of the main drivers on habitat biodiversity in the CR.

scholarly journals Functional trait responses to sediment deposition reduce macrofauna-mediated ecosystem functioning in an estuarine mudflat

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 2587-2599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastiaan Mestdagh ◽  
Leila Bagaço ◽  
Ulrike Braeckman ◽  
Tom Ysebaert ◽  
Bart De Smet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
River Estuary ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Sediment Deposition ◽  
Sediment Chemistry ◽  
Sediment Layer ◽  
Sediment Reworking ◽  
Macrobenthic Communities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Human activities, among which dredging and land use change in river basins, are altering estuarine ecosystems. These activities may result in changes in sedimentary processes, affecting biodiversity of sediment macrofauna. As macrofauna controls sediment chemistry and fluxes of energy and matter between water column and sediment, changes in the structure of macrobenthic communities could affect the functioning of an entire ecosystem. We assessed the impact of sediment deposition on intertidal macrobenthic communities and on rates of an important ecosystem function, i.e. sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC). An experiment was performed with undisturbed sediment samples from the Scheldt river estuary (SW Netherlands). The samples were subjected to four sedimentation regimes: one control and three with a deposited sediment layer of 1, 2 or 5 cm. Oxygen consumption was measured during incubation at ambient temperature. Luminophores applied at the surface, and a seawater–bromide mixture, served as tracers for bioturbation and bio-irrigation, respectively. After incubation, the macrofauna was extracted, identified, and counted and then classified into functional groups based on motility and sediment reworking capacity. Total macrofaunal densities dropped already under the thinnest deposits. The most affected fauna were surficial and low-motility animals, occurring at high densities in the control. Their mortality resulted in a drop in SCOC, which decreased steadily with increasing deposit thickness, while bio-irrigation and bioturbation activity showed increases in the lower sediment deposition regimes but decreases in the more extreme treatments. The initial increased activity likely counteracted the effects of the drop in low-motility, surficial fauna densities, resulting in a steady rather than sudden fall in oxygen consumption. We conclude that the functional identity in terms of motility and sediment reworking can be crucial in our understanding of the regulation of ecosystem functioning and the impact of habitat alterations such as sediment deposition.

scholarly journals The Road to Sustainable Development: Existing Problems and Solutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (09) ◽  
pp. 91-95
Author(s):  
Kaustubh Jain
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
The Road ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Impact

The debate about developing countries having to choose between economic growth and biodiversity protection has been going on for a long time. This paper sought to add to existing literature written on that topic by exploring the relationship between economic growth and biodiversity loss. It argued that in the long term, developing countries need to protect biodiversity as a prerequisite for economic growth to occur and that the severe impact of biodiversity loss on vulnerable indigenous communities is a reason enough to make the protection of biodiversity a priority. The researcher first identified the primary reasons for why biodiversity occurs, then advocated for the prevention of biodiversity by exploring two impacts of biodiversity loss: the impact on indigenous communities and the impact on economic growth. The paper then briefly also explained the policies that both governments, as well as nongovernment actors, can implement in order to tackle biodiversity loss and protect our environment.

Biodiversity–ecosystem function

2021 ◽  
pp. 137-146
Author(s):  
Simon F. Thrush ◽  
Judi E. Hewitt ◽  
Conrad A. Pilditch ◽  
Alf Norkko
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Soft Sediment ◽  
Multiple Functions ◽  
Service Relationships ◽  
Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function ◽  
Up Scaling

This chapter looks at the links between biodiversity and ecosystem function in soft sediments to help understand the implications of biodiversity loss on ecosystem services. The chapter contains a focus on the challenges in developing real-world tests of biodiversity–ecosystem function (BEF) relationships. The various forms of BEF relationships, their implications and the different elements of biodiversity that link to function are described. Given the multiple functions that occur in soft-sediment ecosystems, this has important implications for the assessment and implications of BEF relationships and functional performance in the up-scaling of BEF relationships. The role of BEF in underpinning many ecosystem services and the interconnections in biodiversity and ecosystem service relationships close out the chapter.

scholarly journals Spatial Phylogenetics, Biogeographical Patterns and Conservation Implications of the Endemic Flora of Crete (Aegean, Greece) under Climate Change Scenarios

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis ◽  
Ioannis P. Kokkoris ◽  
Maria Panitsa ◽  
Panayiotis Trigas ◽  
Arne Strid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Spatial Configuration ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Biotic Homogenization ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Conservation Prioritization ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
The Impact

Human-induced biodiversity loss has been accelerating since the industrial revolution. The climate change impacts will severely alter the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns at all scales, leading to biotic homogenization. Due to underfunding, a climate smart, conservation-prioritization scheme is needed to optimize species protection. Spatial phylogenetics enable the identification of endemism centers and provide valuable insights regarding the eco-evolutionary and conservation value, as well as the biogeographical origin of a given area. Many studies exist regarding the conservation prioritization of mainland areas, yet none has assessed how climate change might alter the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns of an island biodiversity hotspot. Thus, we conducted a phylogenetically informed, conservation prioritization study dealing with the effects of climate change on Crete’s plant diversity and biogeographical patterns. Using several macroecological analyses, we identified the current and future endemism centers and assessed the impact of climate change on the biogeographical patterns in Crete. The highlands of Cretan mountains have served as both diversity cradles and museums, due to their stable climate and high topographical heterogeneity, providing important ecosystem services. Historical processes seem to have driven diversification and endemic species distribution in Crete. Due to the changing climate and the subsequent biotic homogenization, Crete’s unique bioregionalization, which strongly reminiscent the spatial configuration of the Pliocene/Pleistocene Cretan paleo-islands, will drastically change. The emergence of the ‘Anthropocene’ era calls for the prioritization of biodiversity-rich areas, serving as mixed-endemism centers, with high overlaps among protected areas and climatic refugia.

scholarly journals A Study of the Impact of Project Managers’ Power and Influence on their Organisation’s Project Management Maturity

2020 ◽  
Vol 312 ◽  
pp. 03001
Author(s):  
Virginia Shahida Ngonda ◽  
Larry E Jowah
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
South African ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Technical Expertise ◽  
Sufficient Power ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Nation Wide Survey ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Power Project ◽  
Power And Influence

Project managers are determinants of their organisations’ project management maturity as their competence is one of the factors that affect their organisations’ capability of an organisation to successfully execute projects. This capability of an organisation is reflected in its project management maturity. The study reported in this conference paper sought to investigate whether there is a correlation between South African project managers’ power and influence on their organisation’s project management maturity. This was done to determine if project managers have sufficient power to influence their organisation’s project management maturity. The paper reports on a nation-wide survey that collected data from self-identified project managers. It received three hundred and six valid responses which were edited, coded, and analysed descriptively and inferentially. The study found weak positive correlations between project managers’ power, project managers’ technical expertise and their organisations’ project management maturity. Thus, as project managers’ power and technical expertise increase, it is likely that their organisation’s project management maturity also increases. However, causation could not be established as it was not possible to establish the temporal order amongst the variables. The established correlations were too weak to be used for prediction.

scholarly journals The Role of Counter-Ions in Peptides—An Overview

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 442
Author(s):  
Karol Sikora ◽  
Maciej Jaśkiewicz ◽  
Damian Neubauer ◽  
Dorian Migoń ◽  
Wojciech Kamysz
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phase ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Drug Formulation ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Multiple Functions ◽  
Mobile Phase Additives ◽  
Counter Ions ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact

Peptides and proteins constitute a large group of molecules that play multiple functions in living organisms. In conjunction with their important role in biological processes and advances in chemical approaches of synthesis, the interest in peptide-based drugs is still growing. As the side chains of amino acids can be basic, acidic, or neutral, the peptide drugs often occur in the form of salts with different counter-ions. This review focuses on the role of counter-ions in peptides. To date, over 60 peptide-based drugs have been approved by the FDA. Based on their area of application, biological activity, and results of preliminary tests they are characterized by different counter-ions. Moreover, the impact of counter-ions on structure, physicochemical properties, and drug formulation is analyzed. Additionally, the application of salts as mobile phase additives in chromatographic analyses and analytical techniques is highlighted.

scholarly journals Earth-based observations of impact phenomena

1996 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 81-109
Author(s):  
Philip D. Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
Hubble Space Telescope ◽  
Common Pattern ◽  
Mid Infrared ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Impact Phenomena ◽  
Infrared Wavelengths ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Size Estimates

Earth-based observations at near- and mid-infrared wavelengths were obtained for at least 15 of the SL9 impacts, ranging from the spectacular G, K and L events to the barely-detected N and V impacts. Although there were a few exceptions, most of the IR lightcurves fit a common pattern of one or two relatively faint precursor flashes, followed several minutes later by the main infrared event as the explosively-ejected plume crashed down onto the jovian atmosphere. Correlations with the impact times recorded by the Galileo spacecraft and plumes imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope lead to an interpretation of the twin precursors in terms of (i) the entry of the bolide into the upper atmosphere, and (ii) the re-appearance of the rising fireball above Jupiter's limb. Positive correlations are observed between the peak IR flux observed during the splashback phase and both pre-impact size estimates for the individual SL9 fragments and the scale of the resulting ejecta deposits. None of the fragments observed to have moved off the main train of the comet by May 1994 produced a significant impact signature. Earth-based fireball temperature estimates are on the order of 750 K, 30-60 sec after impact. For the larger impacts, the unexpectedly protracted fireball emission at 2.3 μm remains unexplained. A wide range of temperatures has been inferred for the splashback phase, where shocks are expected to have heated the re-entering plume material at least briefly to several thousand K, and further modelling is required to reconcile these data.

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