Quantifying the impact of vegetation‐based metrics on species persistence when choosing offsets for habitat destruction

The Impact of Human Pressure and Climate Change on the Habitat Availability and Protection of Cypripedium (Orchidaceae) in Northeast China

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10010084 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 84

Author(s):

Huanchu Liu ◽

Hans Jacquemyn ◽

Xingyuan He ◽

Wei Chen ◽

Yanqing Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Northeast China ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Changbai Mountains ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Human Pressure ◽

Terrestrial Orchids ◽

The Future ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

The Impact

Human pressure on the environment and climate change are two important factors contributing to species decline and overall loss of biodiversity. Orchids may be particularly vulnerable to human-induced losses of habitat and the pervasive impact of global climate change. In this study, we simulated the extent of the suitable habitat of three species of the terrestrial orchid genus Cypripedium in northeast China and assessed the impact of human pressure and climate change on the future distribution of these species. Cypripedium represents a genus of long-lived terrestrial orchids that contains several species with great ornamental value. Severe habitat destruction and overcollection have led to major population declines in recent decades. Our results showed that at present the most suitable habitats of the three species can be found in Da Xing’an Ling, Xiao Xing’an Ling and in the Changbai Mountains. Human activity was predicted to have the largest impact on species distributions in the Changbai Mountains. In addition, climate change was predicted to lead to a shift in distribution towards higher elevations and to an increased fragmentation of suitable habitats of the three investigated Cypripedium species in the study area. These results will be valuable for decision makers to identify areas that are likely to maintain viable Cypripedium populations in the future and to develop conservation strategies to protect the remaining populations of these enigmatic orchid species.

Fishery Audit 2019

10.31230/osf.io/q38ez ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Oceana ◽

Devan Archibald ◽

Robert Rangeley

Keyword(s):

Federal Government ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Fish Populations ◽

Fish Stock ◽

Strong Base ◽

Research Survey ◽

The Government ◽

Auditor General ◽

The Impact ◽

Fisheries Act

Healthy fish populations are critical to healthy ecosystems: they feed communities, support economies and are essential to our survival. But our oceans are facing growing threats and greater uncertainty. Overfishing, climate change, habitat destruction and pollution are degrading the underwater world and putting the marine life we all depend upon at risk. Much is at stake, as the status quo is demonstrably not working. The number of stocks in the healthy zone has decreased since Oceana Canada released its 2018 Fishery Audit, and the number in the critical zone has increased — including crab and shrimp stocks. This isparticularly worrying if the depletion of crustaceans becomes a trend, as the value of Canada’s seafood industry depends heavily on them. Progress on implementing rebuilding plans remains slow and many critically depleted stocks, including northern cod, are still without a plan. As well, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has not yet indicated how and by when it will collect adequate catch monitoring information, needed to measure and manage bycatch (the incidental catch of non-target fish) in all Canadian commercial fisheries. Meanwhile, only two of the 11 recommendations from the 2018 Fishery Audit have been implemented. DFO has made some progress since the last Fishery Audit was released. In 2019, DFO published more information to help assess fish stock health, and some elements of fishery monitoring became more transparent. DFO also implemented some of the recommendations from the 2016 Auditor General report on sustainable fisheries, including developing timelines and priorities for rebuilding plans for depleted fish populations. Most importantly, a modernized Fisheries Act became law in June 2019. For the first time in the Act’s history, rebuilding plans are now required for depleted fish populations. The government has committed more than $100 million over five years to assess and rebuild fish stocks. This brings Canada into the group of nations with modern fisheries laws and could signal a historic turning point in the health of Canadian fisheries. The impact of the new Act will depend on the strength and pace of regulations, currently under development. The regulations will outline what rebuilding plans must include, and Oceana Canada is advocating that, at a minimum, they should specify a timeline and target, aimed at rebuilding stocks to healthy levels. In the year ahead, the federal government must develop strong and effective regulations to support the rebuilding provisions in the Fisheries Act and accelerate the implementation and enforcement of existing policies. Fortunately, there is a strong base of support for new regulations to rebuild stocks, new funding commitments and much-needed increases in DFO’s science capacity to get the job done. We have the tools needed to modernize Canada’s approach to fisheries management and rebuild fish populations, and Canadians want to see this happen. In a recent Abacus Data market research survey, 98 per cent of Canadians said it was important that the federal government work to rebuild abundant fish populations. If the government fails to take these actions, we can expect the number of healthy stocks to continue to decline and depleted populations will fail to recover, impoverishing the oceans and the coastal communities who depend on them.

Habitat loss causes long transients in small trophic chains

10.1101/2020.05.15.098863 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Blai Vidiella ◽

Ernest Fontich ◽

Sergi Valverde ◽

Josep Sardanyés

Keyword(s):

Habitat Loss ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Trophic Levels ◽

Heteroclinic Bifurcation ◽

Dynamical Study ◽

Predator Species ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Transient Phenomena ◽

Saddle Node ◽

The Impact

AbstractTransients in ecology are extremely important since they determine how equilibria are approached. The debate on the dynamic stability of ecosystems has been largely focused on equilibrium states. However, since ecosystems are constantly changing due to climate conditions or to perturbations such as the climate crisis or anthropogenic actions (habitat destruction, deforestation, or defaunation), it is important to study how dynamics can proceed till equilibria. In this contribution we investigate dynamics and transient phenomena in small food chains using mathematical models. We are interested in the impact of habitat loss in ecosystems with vegetation undergoing facilitation. We provide a thorough dynamical study of a small food chain system given by three trophic levels: vegetation, herbivores, and predators. The dynamics of the vegetation alone suffers a saddle-node bifurcation, causing extremely long transients. The addition of a herbivore introduces a remarkable number of new phenomena. Specifically, we show that, apart from the saddle node involving the extinction of the full system, a transcritical and a supercritical Hopf-Andronov bifurcation allow for the coexistence of vegetation and herbivores via non-oscillatory and oscillatory dynamics, respectively. Furthermore, a global transition given by a heteroclinic bifurcation is also shown to cause a full extinction. The addition of a predator species to the previous systems introduces further complexity and dynamics, also allowing for the coupling of different transient phenomena such as ghost transients and transient oscillations after the heteroclinic bifurcation. Our study shows how the increase of ecological complexity via addition of new trophic levels and their associated nonlinear interactions may modify dynamics, bifurcations, and transient phenomena.

A management plan for a declining population of the Souss valley tortoise in an arid steppe-land of west-central Morocco

Basic and Applied Herpetology ◽

10.11160/bah.183 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hichami Nawal ◽

MOHAMMED ZNARI

Keyword(s):

Sex Ratio ◽

Population Size ◽

Extinction Risk ◽

Management Plan ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

North West ◽

West Central ◽

Arid Steppe ◽

The Impact

The endangered Moorish tortoise Testudo graeca is the unique terrestrial chelonian species in North-west Africa. In west-central Morocco, the endemic subspecies, the Souss valley tortoise T. g. soussensis, occupies semi-arid to arid low-quality habitats, and is subject to serious threats. A long-term mark-recapture programme from 2001 to 2012 allowed estimating population size and structure, sex ratio, and survivorship in one of the well-known populations in a degraded and overgrazed arid steppe-land of west-central Morocco. Spring population size considerably decreased to more than half in less than 10 years, with a mean density lower than 3 ind.ha-1 in 2012 compared to its last known density estimat-ed in 2003. In spring 2012, the population structure exhibited an unbalanced male-biased sex ratio (61:39) and a scarcity of juveniles (<5%). We identified five major conservation problems in the study area: (i) habitat destruction and overgrazing; (ii) over-collecting of tortoises for pet trade , iii) direct dis-turbance; iv) tortoise handling mostly for field research, and v) increased extinction risk due to the small population size. We carried out a population viability analysis using the VORTEX software based on published and obtained data on population and life history parameters. With no management action, the population will go extinct during the forthcoming 40 years after the last estimate. The most efficient management option for a long-term persistence of the population would be reducing the nest and neo-nate mortality by 90%. To attenuate the impact of the threatening factors, we developed a management plan that includes population reinforcement and habitat restoration options.

Short-term climate variability and the commercial barramundi (Lates calcarifer) fishery of north-east Queensland, Australia

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf08283 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 60 (9) ◽

pp. 912 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Jacqueline Balston

Keyword(s):

Climate Variability ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Lates Calcarifer ◽

Freshwater Flow ◽

Commercial Catch ◽

Bay Area ◽

North East ◽

Nursery Habitats ◽

Freshwater Inputs ◽

The Impact

The sustainable productivity of estuarine fisheries worldwide is threatened by over-fishing, habitat destruction and water impoundment. In some cases, the natural variability of freshwater inputs has been shown to affect catch when low flows reduce nutrient input and inundated nursery habitats. Historically, the annual commercial catch of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in Queensland has been highly variable for reasons not fully understood. In conjunction with a life-cycle model, statistical analyses of climate variables and barramundi catch data from the Princess Charlotte Bay area identified several significant relationships. Warm sea surface temperatures, high rainfall, increased freshwater flow and low evaporation (all measures of an extensive and productive nursery habitat) were significantly correlated with barramundi catch 2 years later and suggest that young barramundi survival is enhanced under these conditions. Catchability was significantly increased with high freshwater flow and rainfall events in the year of catch. A forward stepwise ridge regression model that included a measure of rainfall and evaporation 2 years before catch explained 62% of the variance in catch adjusted for effort. It is recommended that the impact of climate variability be considered in the management of wild barramundi stocks and possibly other species not yet examined.

Modeling the Potential Distribution of Three Taxa of Akebia Decne. under Climate Change Scenarios in China

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12121710 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 1710

Author(s):

Xiuting Wang ◽

Wenwen Zhang ◽

Xin Zhao ◽

Huiqin Zhu ◽

Limiao Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Radiative Forcing ◽

Potential Distribution ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Sustainable Utilization ◽

Entropy Model ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Diurnal Range ◽

The Impact

Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz., Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis (Diels) T. Shimizu and Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Decne. are the source plants of the traditional Chinese medicines AKEBIAE CAULIS and AKEBIAE FRUCTUS, and have high pharmaceutical value. However, the resource reserve of these plants has dramatically declined due to habitat destruction, which has seriously affected their adequate supply and sustainable utilization. A poor knowledge of the potential distribution of these medicinal materials would seriously constrain the protective exploitation of wild resources and the establishment of new cultivations. In this study, based on the scenarios of SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5, the maximum entropy model was used to predict the potential distribution of these three Akebia taxa under current and future (2030s, 2050s, 2070s and 2090s) climate conditions. Our findings showed that the potentially suitable areas of these three Akebia taxa were mainly distributed in China at 101.8–121.9° E and 23.5–34.6° N. Temperature played a more significant role than precipitation in affecting the distribution. The dominant bioclimatic variable that affected the distribution of A. trifoliata and A. quinata in China was the minimum temperature of the coldest month (BIO06). For A. trifoliata subsp. australis, the mean diurnal range (BIO02) was the dominant variable influencing its distribution. Compared with current conditions, the moderate- and high-suitability areas of these three Akebia taxa were predicted to shrink towards the core areas, while the low-suitability areas were all observed to increase from the 2030s to the 2090s. With the increase in radiative forcing of SSP, the low-impact areas of these three Akebia taxa showed a decreasing trend as a whole. Our results illustrate the impact of climate change on the distribution of Akebia, and would provide references for the sustainable utilization of Akebia’s resources.

The analysis of airports' physical factors impacts on wildlife

Scientific Bulletin of UNFU ◽

10.36930/40310311 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 74-79

Author(s):

M. M. Radomska ◽

I. V. Horobtsov ◽

L. M. Cherniak ◽

O. M. Tykhenko

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Physical Factors ◽

Differential Analysis ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Industrial Facilities ◽

Physical Fields ◽

Electro Magnetic ◽

The Impact

The impacts of manmade structures on wildlife are often underestimated due to misbelieve that wild animals avoid living in close proximity to any kind of technogenic object. However, such objects may offer a range of benefits to animals and thus become points of attraction, being still a source of hazards for these living organisms. The airports are considered to be dangerous industrial facilities for they create chemical and physical pollution, as well as host a variety of biohazards, originating from transported items and dense groups of population. Meanwhile they are often located outside the urban areas in previously pristine areas, specially allocated for this purpose and animals, whose habitat they occupy undergo all these impacts equally with passengers and staff. The aim of the research is to conduct differential analysis of physical factors of influence within the airport impact area and evaluate the negative trends for exposed animals. The physical factors were divided into the physical objects and physical fields. The assessment of these factors was based on the data obtained using special metering equipment for measuring the level of noise, light and electro-magnetic pollution, while the intensity of visual pollution and fragmentation effects by airport infrastructure were evaluated using qualitative approach. The airport facilities itself and ground access infrastructure are showed as the causes of habitat destruction by barrier and edge effects, as well as structural transformations of landscapes, in particular, relief and phytocenosis. The impact of physical fields coming from the airport territory is formed by light, vibration and electro-magnetic pollution. The intensity of considered factors is different, but the sensitivity of laboratory animals to these factors is high enough to cause a range of effects. However, the methods for mitigation of some other airport impacts can exacerbate the value of the existing sources of impacts. The light pollution is measured and defined as the most significant and damaging. Thus, there is a clear need to pay attention to the interactions between an airport and wildlife to reduce the intensity of negative effects. The predicted and described effects for wildlife could be very diverse, but they need verification by field surveys in the impacts areas of airports is highlighted.

Freezing impact on cone dehiscence, samara release and seed germination in Casuarina cunninghamiana (Casuarinaceae)

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2021-0031 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ian Timothy Riley ◽

A. Hayriye Saygi

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Moisture Content ◽

Plant Distribution ◽

Contributory Factor ◽

Freezing Damage ◽

Species Persistence ◽

Woody Perennials ◽

Casuarina Cunninghamiana ◽

The Impact

Abstract: Freezing, as a climatic extreme, can contribute to patterns of plant distribution and this might operate through impacts on mechanisms of seed release. Therefore, the impact of freezing on samara release and seed germination in infructescences (cones) of Casuarina cunninghamiana was assessed. Cones at field moisture content were frozen (22 h) and thawed (2 h) though 0 to 5 cycles. Freezing impaired cone dehiscence and samara release (<1% samaras released with ≥2 freezing cycles) and reduced germination from samaras frozen while still in the cone (30 to 50% loss in total germination with 1 to 5 freezing cycles, respectively). Seed germination from a sample of air dried samaras was only mildly impacted (10% drop in total germination with 5 freezing cycles). This vulnerability of C. cunninghamiana to freezing damage, particularly samara release, appears to be a novel finding for woody perennials with fruiting structures retained in the canopy during winter, and a potential contributory factor in species persistence and invasiveness.

Special Issue on Extinction of Organisms

Journal of Disaster Research ◽

10.20965/jdr.2008.p0165 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 165-165

Author(s):

Hiroyoshi Higuchi ◽

Hideaki Karaki

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Alien Species ◽

Volcanic Activity ◽

Population Decline ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Chemical Pollution ◽

Special Issue ◽

History Of ◽

The Impact

Plants and animals are declining or becoming extinct in many parts of the world. They include both well-known species such as the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and the crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) and once common land snails, fireflies and small migratory birds. Factors leading to population decline or extinction include habitat destruction, chemical pollution, alien species, poaching, infectious disease, and global warming. In addition to their individual adverse impacts, these factors often overlap or interconnect in time and space, compounding their effects. In limited areas isolated by habitat destruction, for example, alien species and global warming more easily cause local populations to decline and become extinct. There are also natural disasters such as volcanic activity and meteors that diminish or exterminate flora and fauna populations. However, extinction of species and groups sometimes give an opportunity for other species and groups to occupy vacant niche and similar life styles, which may lead to adaptive radiation in evolution. Organisms have repeated such evolution and extinction throughout geological history. This special issue focuses on the extinction of plants and animals resulting from both human activity and natural disasters. In the first of seven articles, Hisashi Nagata reviews the history of extinction and the natural and human factors involved. Kazuto Kawakami looks at the impact of alien species on current ecosystems in the Ogasawara Islands, demonstrating interrelationships among different plant and animal species and pointing out what we could do about island ecosystem conservation and management. Haruo Ogi discusses the effects of fisheries by-catch on sea birds. TatsuyaKunisue and Shinsuke Tanabe detail the effects of chemical pollution on wild animals. Both factors are important in conserving biodiversity and in maintaining industries such as marine fisheries. Kazuya Ashizawa et al. focus on the population decline and extinction of plants growing along dry river beds and becoming rare as a result of human activities changing the structure of natural rivers. Yunshan Su deals with the history of the near extinction of crested ibises in China, and introduces successful recovery programs that may be useful in a similar Japanese program for the same species. Takashi Kamijo et al. detail the impact of volcanic activity on the vegetation of a small island, discussing ecosystem recovery. We hope that this special issue will lead to better understanding of the unique interrelationships among plants, animals and the inorganic world, teaching how to conserve and manage the biodiversity around us. Extinction of one species may appear to have nothing to do with human lives, but the extinction of many plants and animals sets up serious conditions in maintaining life during the changing structure and function of ecosystems comparable in process to an aircraft losing rivets one by one and finally crashing at a critical point with massive loss of life.

Seasonal Variation in the Home Ranges of Black Curassow, Crax alector, in French Guiana

Tropical Conservation Science ◽

10.1177/19400829211026170 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 194008292110261

Author(s):

Hervé Lormée ◽

Rachel Berzins ◽

Vincent Rocheteau ◽

Fran De Coster ◽

Thomas Denis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

French Guiana ◽

Spatial Relationship ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Dry Season ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Range Overlap ◽

The Impact

Cracidae is the most threatened avian family in the Neotropics, mainly because of habitat destruction, heavy hunting pressure and poaching. In French Guiana, Black Curassows are heavily hunted, although basic knowledge of the ecological and demographical traits of the species remains limited. Such a gap prevents any attempt to assess the impact of hunting and to help stakeholders to develop proposals ensuring hunting sustainability. The spatial relationship between animals and their habitat is important for conservation management, being related to population densities through complex patterns. Here, we report on a radio-tracking study of Black Curassows in tropical primary rainforest, in Nouragues National Reserve, French Guiana. The aims of the study were to estimate home range size and its variation across seasons, and to quantify movement patterns of the birds. We captured and fitted VHF tags to four adults, and tracked them for 10 to 21.5 months. Daily movements were recorded, and home ranges estimated using the Kernel Density method, for two consecutive wet seasons and one dry season. Using 95% and 50% Kernel densities, the average annual home range and core area were 96.3± 32.6 ha (SE) and 22.8 ± 2.8 ha respectively. Home ranges appeared spatially stable over the two years, and overlapped between neighbouring groups. During the dry season, Black Curassows did not migrate but tended to enlarge their home range, with greater daily movements and higher home range overlap. Although additional data are still needed, our results can help to improve the knowledge and management of this poorly studied species.