scholarly journals Habitat specificity is not universal proxy for sensitivity to habitat conversion among rodents on the Canadian Prairies

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne M. Heisler ◽  
Gavin L. Simpson ◽  
Ray G. Poulin ◽  
Troy I. Wellicome ◽  
Britt D. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Resource Limitation ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Habitat Specificity ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Agricultural Intensity ◽  
Habitat Conversion ◽  
Agriculture Products

AbstractConverting habitat for agricultural production threatens biodiversity loss worldwide and has significant implications for human well-being. Debates on how to conserve biodiversity as the demand for agriculture products rises is being informed by studies using habitat specificity as a proxy for sensitivity to land modification, assuming all species respond to habitat loss and fragmentation relative to their affinity towards the habitat type being converted. Here, we test this assumption among rodent assemblages on the Canadian Prairies, hypothesizing negative responses among grassland obligates and neutral or positive responses among habitat generalists to landscape change along a gradient of increasing agricultural intensity. We found complex, sometimes contradictory responses among rodent species, which depended on the magnitude of habitat loss that had occurred and did not always reflect each species’ relative affinity for grassland habitat. Our results suggest future studies should avoid assuming a single habitat type appropriately characterizes resource limitation among all species, and instead carefully consider which dimension of the ecological niche defines specificity for each species. Our results indicate habitat specificity is not always a reliable proxy for sensitivity to land modification, with significant implications for biodiversity conservation when used to inform agriculture and land use policies.

scholarly journals Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Based on Habitat Quality Monitoring: A Case Study on Jeju Island, South Korea (1989–2019)

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 774
Author(s):  
Hyun-Jung Hong ◽  
Choong-Ki Kim ◽  
Hyun-Woo Lee ◽  
Woo-Kyun Lee
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Jeju Island ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Invest Model ◽  
Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Biodiversity loss is progressing despite biodiversity being essential for human survival, prosperity, and well-being. Conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of the habitat, given that its change is the most prominent factor causing the deterioration of biodiversity, represents a highly effective way of securing biodiversity. Therefore, we assessed and monitored habitat quality as a proxy for biodiversity with habitat quantity in Jeju Island, South Korea. We used an InVEST model with data on the habitat type, suitability, sensitivity, accessibility, and threat factors. Natural habitats throughout Jeju had rapidly decreased in area by 24.9% from 1989 to 2019, and this change contributed to the degradation of habitat quality by 15.8%. We provided significant evidence on the critical degradation of habitat for a long period of over 30 years and highlighted the urgent need for policies and behaviors that enhance biodiversity. We proposed appropriate strategies to prompt people to conserve better, restore effectively, and use biodiversity sustainably. We expect that our findings will provide scientific and evidence-based guidance for policy-making on biodiversity enhancement and will further support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and Aichi Biodiversity Targets, in addition to compliance with the New Deal for Nature and People.

scholarly journals Habitat assessment for ecosystem services in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ntshane ◽  
Gambiza
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Integrated Valuation

Biodiversity is the foundation of life-support systems on earth and underpins the delivery of ecosystem services (ES) important for human well-being. The loss of biodiversity worldwide, however, remains one of the most daunting challenges. Among the major causes of biodiversity loss is habitat loss due to transformation of land to agricultural, mining and urban areas. We applied the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) biodiversity modelling tool to assess the condition of habitats to support the delivery of ES in a biosphere reserve (BR) in South Africa. Results indicated that 72% of the surveyed habitats were of high quality to provide the necessary services. However, some of the habitats were found to be affected by threats as follows: low (0–20%) to moderate (20–32%) habitat loss was recorded in habitats adjacent to mining and plantation areas, and high (32–56%) to severe (56–95%) habitat loss was recorded in habitats in close proximity to urban and cultivated areas. At least 56% of the vegetation types found in the study area were threatened by transformation to agriculture, mining and urban areas. We strongly recommend that existing biodiversity policies and legislation should be enforced to avoid habitat loss and degradation.

Planning for the future

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Esler ◽  
Anna L. Jacobsen ◽  
R. Brandon Pratt
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Land Sharing ◽  
Land Protection ◽  
Land Sparing ◽  
Habitat Conversion ◽  
Sustainable Conservation ◽  
Terrestrial Biomes

Mediterranean-type climate (MTC) regions are highlighted in several global analyses of conservation risk and priorities. These regions have undergone high levels of habitat conversion and yet of all terrestrial biomes they have the second lowest level of land protection. With transformation pressures set to continue (Chapter 8), planning for a sustainable conservation future in MTC regions is therefore essential. Conservation activities are represented by a variety of philosophies and motives, partially driven by the underlying differences in transformation drivers and sociopolitical contexts across MTC regions. These activities include investment in, and best-practice management of, protected areas (land sparing), an interdisciplinary focus on integrated management of production landscapes (land sharing; stewardship), as well as ecological restoration to increase habitat, improve connectivity, and provide a hedge against the impacts of future climate change. These responses need to be applied in a strategic, synergistic manner to minimize future biodiversity loss.

scholarly journals Habitat heterogeneity drives scale-dependent biodiversity loss in a temperate marine ecosystem

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Starko ◽  
Lauren Bailey ◽  
Elandra Creviston ◽  
Katelyn James ◽  
Alison Warren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Diversity Loss ◽  
Biological Responses ◽  
Local Wave

AbstractBiodiversity loss is driven by interacting factors operating at different spatial scales. Yet, there remains uncertainty as to how fine-scale environmental conditions mediate biological responses to broad-scale stressors. We surveyed mid-latitude kelp bed habitats to determine whether local habitat heterogeneity has mediated changes in community diversity after more than two decades of extreme temperature events, most notably the 2013-2016 heat wave. Local wave exposure conditions were key in determining responses, with some habitats remaining stable and others experiencing near complete diversity loss, leading to local declines without regional extinctions. Wave-sheltered shores, which saw the largest declines, are a very common habitat type in the Northeast Pacific and may be especially sensitive to climate-related losses in kelp diversity and abundance. Our findings highlight how local gradients can interact with global drivers to facilitate diversity loss and demonstrate how incorporating differences between habitat patches can be essential to capturing scale-dependent biodiversity loss across the landscape.

scholarly journals New Zealand’s Assistance with Invasive Species Management in the Pacific

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Simon Lovatt
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
International Development ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Invasive Species Management ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Species Management ◽  
Critical Leadership

<p>Invasive species are one of the biggest threats to development and well-being in the Pacific. They have wide-ranging impacts on economies, the environment, and societies; in addition to causing USD $1.4 trillion of losses each year. Invasive species are also the primary cause of biodiversity loss on islands which could significantly affect the ecosystem services which Pacific Islanders depend on. Every year New Zealand spends NZD $500 million on biosecurity, and Australia has spent AUD $175 million on a single eradication project. In comparison, in the Pacific there are only six people working fulltime on invasive species issues at a regional level and there is limited funding available. This thesis assesses the role of four New Zealand agencies that assist with invasive species management in the Pacific: the International Development Group of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Biosecurity New Zealand division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Department of Conservation, and Landcare Research. Together these agencies provide funding, build capacity, offer technical advice, and occasionally implement projects. While there are important gains to New Zealand in assisting the Pacific with invasive species management, such as a reduced biosecurity threat and learning opportunities for staff, the desire to help the region for its own sake is a major driver. Suggestions for future improvement include having more information on the economic impacts of invasive species in the Pacific, increased coordination between donors, and including invasive species measures in regional trade agreements. It is hoped that New Zealand will continue to play its critical leadership role in invasive species management in the region.</p>

scholarly journals Temporal changes in arthropod activity in tropical anthropogenic forests

2018 ◽  
Vol 108 (6) ◽  
pp. 792-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.-J. Brandon-Mong ◽  
J.E. Littlefair ◽  
K.-W. Sing ◽  
Y.-P. Lee ◽  
H.-M. Gan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Feedback Mechanism ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Arthropod Communities ◽  
Reserve Forest ◽  
The Tropics

AbstractArthropod communities in the tropics are increasingly impacted by rapid changes in land use. Because species showing distinct seasonal patterns of activity are thought to be at higher risk of climate-related extirpation, global warming is generally considered a lower threat to arthropod biodiversity in the tropics than in temperate regions. To examine changes associated with land use and weather variables in tropical arthropod communities, we deployed Malaise traps at three major anthropogenic forests (secondary reserve forest, oil palm forest, and urban ornamental forest (UOF)) in Peninsular Malaysia and collected arthropods continuously for 12 months. We used metabarcoding protocols to characterize the diversity within weekly samples. We found that changes in the composition of arthropod communities were significantly associated with maximum temperature in all the three forests, but shifts were reversed in the UOF compared with the other forests. This suggests arthropods in forests in Peninsular Malaysia face a double threat: community shifts and biodiversity loss due to exploitation and disturbance of forests which consequently put species at further risk related to global warming. We highlight the positive feedback mechanism of land use and temperature, which pose threats to the arthropod communities and further implicates ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Consequently, conservation and mitigation plans are urgently needed.

New species of Lepidodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from New Guinea and adjacent islands

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4651 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-329
Author(s):  
FRED KRAUS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Color Pattern ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Small Islands ◽  
Large Island ◽  
Habitat Conversion ◽  
Conservation Concern

I describe five new species of Lepidodactylus from New Guinea or adjacent islands that are members of Brown & Parker’s (1977) phenetic Groups I and II and belong to the clades identified as the L. orientalis, L. pumilus, and L. novaeguineae groups of Oliver et al. (2018a). One of the new species is restricted to an isolated mountain range on New Guinea; the remainder inhabit offshore islands ranging from 3–250 km from New Guinea. These species are distinguished from their congeners primarily by unique combinations of toe lamellar numbers and shape, numbers and distribution of enlarged precloacal/femoral scales and pores, toe webbing, toe width, and color pattern. These clades are ancient, and the ancestor of one of them has been on the East Papuan Composite Terrane for at least 28 MY, highlighting the long-term importance of that former large island in generating regional biodiversity. At least one, and probably three, of the new species are inhabitants of forest interiors; one occupies disturbed coastal areas; and the habitat of the last is currently unsurmisable. All of the new species likely have restricted geographic distributions, with four of them being limited to one or a few small islands. As a result of their small ranges, rapid habitat conversion in the ranges of some of these species, and the threat of further habitat loss in the others, most of these species are of conservation concern although it is uncertain if any of them is under immediate threat. 

scholarly journals Habitat conversion and global avian biodiversity loss

2003 ◽  
Vol 270 (1521) ◽  
pp. 1293-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Gaston ◽  
T. M. Blackburn ◽  
K. K. Goldewijk
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Habitat Conversion ◽  
Avian Biodiversity

Effect of habitat loss and fragmentation on fruit-feeding butterflies in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (7) ◽  
pp. 588-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.H.A. Melo ◽  
B.K.C. Filgueiras ◽  
C.A. Iserhard ◽  
L. Iannuzzi ◽  
A.V.L. Freitas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Fragmented Landscape ◽  
Brazilian Atlantic Forest ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation ◽  
Threatened Taxa ◽  
Butterfly Assemblages

Habitat loss and fragmentation have drastically altered the availability and quality of tropical forest habitats, but information on how such changes influence local biodiversity is still insufficient. Here, we examine the effects of both patch and landscape metrics on fruit-feeding butterfly assemblages in a fragmented landscape of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Our study was carried out in three habitat types: eight fragments (ranging from 8 to 126 ha), eight areas of forest edge (50 m from forest border), and eight areas of forest interior (>200 m from forest border) of the largest remnant (3500 ha) of the Atlantic Forest of northeast Brazil. Our results demonstrated that fragment area is negatively correlated with observed and estimated richness and abundance of butterflies, whereas habitat type is correlated with estimated richness and abundance of butterflies. Species composition responded to habitat type, fragment area, and distance between sample units. These findings illustrated (i) fruit-feeding butterfly sensitivity to habitat loss and fragmentation, (ii) that species composition and abundance are adequate parameters to access the responses of fruit-feeding butterflies to habitat loss and fragmentation, and (iii) the relevance of a heterogeneous and connected landscape for conservation of butterflies, where small fragments are important for generalist or open-habitat specialists and large remnants are key for disturbance-sensitive and threatened taxa.

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