Conservation of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in North America: science, successes, and challenges1This review is part of the virtual symposium “Flagship Species – Flagship Problems” that deals with ecology, biodiversity and management issues, and climate impacts on species at risk and of Canadian importance, including the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 401-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.L. Gratto-Trevor ◽  
S. Abbott
Keyword(s):  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Piping Plover ◽  
Charadrius Melodus ◽  
Predator Management ◽  
Piping Plovers ◽  
The Cost

There are only about 8000 Piping Plovers ( Charadrius melodus Ord, 1834) in existence. Because they depend on environments that are under intense human pressures and controls in both their breeding and wintering grounds, these birds and their habitats are highly managed in many areas across their range. Efforts to recover this endangered and threatened species have engaged thousands of people from Newfoundland to the Caribbean, and have provoked a ground-swell of public support and, at times, fury, as well as a considerable body of research. Although populations have increased substantially in the U.S. Atlantic and U.S. Great Lakes, this is not true of all regions. Significant issues still exist with respect to the efficacy of predator management; need for more accurate model input information; effects of climate, pollutants, and water management; habitat loss and degradation from recreation and development; and whether the cost and effort of management for this species can be maintained or increased where needed.

Flagship Species – Flagship Problems: recovery of species at risk and the conservation of biodiversity in Canada1This introduction is part of the virtual symposium “Flagship Species – Flagship Problems” that deals with ecology, biodiversity and management issues, and climate impacts on species at risk and of Canadian importance, including the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 369-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Sherman Boates ◽  
M. Brock Fenton
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Polar Bear ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Ursus Maritimus ◽  
Flagship Species ◽  
Piping Plover ◽  
Species At Risk ◽  
Charadrius Melodus

This is an Introduction to a series of review articles, entitled Flagship Species – Flagship Problems, that identify, review, and address key problems, solutions, and contradictions linked to conservation and recovery of four iconic species at risk in Canada (polar bear, Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774; Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L., 1758; Piping Plover. Charadrius melodus Ord, 1824; caribou, Rangifer tarandus (L., 1758)), as well as one review article dealing with the more systemic impacts of habitat loss and degradation. The reviews are cast in the context of the broader challenge of maintaining and restoring biodiversity.

Conservation of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Canada: an uncertain future1This review is part of the virtual symposium “Flagship Species – Flagship Problems” that deals with ecology, biodiversity and management issues, and climate impacts on species at risk and of Canadian importance, including the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Festa-Bianchet ◽  
J.C. Ray ◽  
S. Boutin ◽  
S.D. Côté ◽  
A. Gunn
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
High Arctic ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Charadrius Melodus ◽  
Industrial Activities

Caribou ( Rangifer tarandus (L., 1758)) play a central role in the ecology and culture of much of Canada, where they were once the most abundant cervid. Most populations are currently declining, and some face extirpation. In southern Canada, caribou range has retreated considerably over the past century. The ultimate reason for their decline is habitat alterations by industrial activities. The proximate causes are predation and, to a lesser extent, overharvest. The most southerly populations of “Mountain” caribou are at imminent risk of extirpation. Mountain caribou are threatened by similar industrial activities as Boreal caribou, and face increasing harassment from motorized winter recreational activities. Most populations of “Migratory Tundra” caribou are currently declining. Although these caribou fluctuate in abundance over decades, changing harvest technologies, climate change, increasing industrial development and human presence in the North raise doubts over whether recent declines will be followed by recoveries. The Peary caribou ( Rangifer tarandus pearyi J.A. Allen, 1902), a distinct subspecies endemic to Canada’s High Arctic, has suffered drastic declines caused by severe weather, hunting and predation. It faces an increasing threat from climate change. While some questions remain about the reasons for the decline of Migratory Tundra caribou, research has clearly identified several threats to the persistence of “Boreal”, Mountain, and Peary caribou. Scientific knowledge, however, has neither effectively influenced policies nor galvanized public opinion sufficiently to push governments into effective actions. The persistence of many caribou populations appears incompatible with the ongoing pace of industrial development.

Habitat loss, climate change, and emerging conservation challenges in Canada1This review is part of the virtual symposium “Flagship Species – Flagship Problems” that deals with ecology, biodiversity and management issues, and climate impacts on species at risk and of Canadian importance, including the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. Coristine ◽  
Jeremy T. Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Charadrius Melodus ◽  
Species Dispersal ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Pests And Diseases

In Canada, habitat loss has pushed many more species to the brink of extinction than expected in a region with extensive wilderness. However, species richness gradients depend strongly on climate, so species are concentrated in southern regions, where agricultural and urban land uses are both intensive and extensive. Agricultural pesticide use is associated with increasing rates of species endangerment in the south, but long-range transport of persistent organic pollutants is an emerging issue in remote northern regions. Because their distributions reflect climate so strongly, climate change threatens species throughout Canada. Evidence indicates that species’ distributions, phenologies, and interactions with pests and diseases are changing more rapidly in response to climate change than global mean values. Nevertheless, climate change is expected to impose dispersal requirements that surpass species’ maximum rates. Habitat losses may interact with climate change to impair species’ dispersal still further, creating the potential for widespread disruption of biological systems in the most diverse areas of Canada. New research is urgently needed to address questions, and the ethics, around species translocation, ecosystem engineering to anticipate future environmental conditions, and strategies to facilitate the persistence of rare species in landscapes dominated by human activities.

Correlates of recovery for Canadian Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)1This review is part of the virtual symposium “Flagship Species – Flagship Problems” that deals with ecology, biodiversity and management issues, and climate impacts on species at risk and of Canadian importance, including the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 386-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Hutchings ◽  
Robert W. Rangeley
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Charadrius Melodus

The collapse of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua L., 1758) in the early 1990s, perhaps the greatest numerical loss of a Canadian vertebrate (1.5–2.5 billion reproductive individuals), is one from which the species has yet to recover. Populations, or stocks, are at or well below their conservation reference points. The lack of recovery has been linked to ongoing fishing mortality (targeted, bycatch), changes to life history (reductions in age and size at maturity, truncations in age and size structure), and increased natural mortality. Emergent and demographic Allee effects, coupled with altered interspecific interactions, render questionable the presumption that the recovery of heavily depleted populations can be reliably forecasted by population dynamical behaviour during decline. Contrary to international commitments and inconsistent with fishery rebuilding plans elsewhere, cod recovery plans exclude target and limit reference points, recovery timelines, and harvest control rules. We suggest that the long-term biodiversity, social, and economic benefits associated with cod recovery can be realised by novel changes, including quantitatively responsible recovery plans based on science-determined reference points, new or revised legislation, integrated management strategies, strengthened sustainable seafood certification practices, expansion of marine spatial planning and protected areas, and novel financial incentives for investment in long-term, sustainable fisheries.

scholarly journals Metabolic cost of feeding in Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) larvae using microcalorimetry

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artie McCollum ◽  
Jessica Geubtner ◽  
Ione Hunt von Herbing
Keyword(s):  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Metabolic Cost ◽  
Specific Dynamic Action ◽  
Total Heat ◽  
Heat Output ◽  
Larval Life ◽  
First Feeding ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic

Abstract A microcalorimeter that measures total heat output (μW) was used to determine total metabolic rate (aerobic and anaerobic) and the cost of feeding (specific dynamic action, SDA) in larval Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from hatching to 4 weeks post-hatch at 10°C. Total heat output increased throughout development from 2.14 μW at first-feeding to 23.72 μW at 4 weeks post-hatch. SDA was determined by comparing the total heat output among unfed larvae and fed larvae simultaneously. Total heat output increased in the first 2 h after feeding with rotifers (Brachionus sp.) and Artemia, remained high for up to 10 h, was significantly higher in fed larvae than in unfed larvae, and ranged from 16.56 μW at first-feeding to 47.84 μW at 4 weeks post-hatch. The differences in total heat output between unfed and fed larvae were 14.42 μW and 24.12 μW, representing an increase in metabolic cost of feeding by a factor of 1.67 over the first 4 weeks of larval life. That the metabolic cost of feeding increased with development and remained elevated suggests that cod larvae allocate a large part of their energy budget to growth in order to meet the demands of their fast growth rates.

A strategy to detect fish discarding by combining onboard and onshore sampling

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 2955-2963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Allard ◽  
Ghislain A Chouinard
Keyword(s):  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Nonparametric Test ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Sampling Distribution ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Conservation Problem ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Cost

Discarding of small fish is considered to be an important conservation problem and has become illegal in some fisheries. We present a cost-efficient strategy to help enforce regulations against discarding. A discarding indicator is defined using the change in slope between two reference points on the empirical length-frequency density of the catch. This discarding indicator is then used according to the external distribution concept: the sampling distribution of the discarding indicator, when no discarding occurred, is obtained directly from samples taken by onboard observers; the value of the discarding indicator observed by onshore observers from a boat not covered by onboard observers is then compared with this sampling distribution. This procedure offers a nonparametric test for discarding. Application of the strategy is illustrated using data from the 1991 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. We describe several enforcement frameworks within which the method can be applied. The cost efficiency of the strategy comes from shifting resources from high-cost onboard observation to lower cost onshore observation.

Conservation and management of Canada’s polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in a changing Arctic1This review is part of the virtual symposium “Flagship Species – Flagship Problems” that deals with ecology, biodiversity and management issues, and climate impacts on species at risk and of Canadian importance, including the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 371-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Peacock ◽  
A.E. Derocher ◽  
G.W. Thiemann ◽  
I. Stirling
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Polar Bear ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Ursus Maritimus ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Polar Bears ◽  
Charadrius Melodus ◽  
Land Claims ◽  
Conservation And Management

Canada has an important responsibility for the research, conservation, and management of polar bears ( Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) because the majority of polar bears in the world occur within the nation’s borders. Two fundamental and recent changes for polar bears and their conservation have arisen: (1) the ongoing and projected further decline of sea-ice habitat as a result of climate change and (2) the implementation of aboriginal land claims and treaties in Canada’s North. Science has documented empirical links between productivity of polar bear population and sea-ice change. Predictive modeling based on these data has forecast significant declines in polar bear abundance and distribution of polar bears. With the signing of northern land claims and treaties, polar bear management in Canada has integrated local aboriginal participation, values, and knowledge. The interaction of scientific and local perspectives on polar bears as they relate to harvest, climate change, and declining habitat has recently caused controversy. Some conservation, management, and research decisions have been contentious because of gaps in scientific knowledge and the polarization and politicization of the roles of the various stakeholders. With these ecological and governance transitions, there is a need to re-focus and re-direct polar bear conservation in Canada.

scholarly journals Climate impacts on the Gulf of Maine ecosystem

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Pershing ◽  
Michael A. Alexander ◽  
Damian C. Brady ◽  
David Brickman ◽  
Enrique N. Curchitser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Algal Species ◽  
Homarus Americanus ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Calanus Finmarchicus ◽  
American Lobster ◽  
Surface Salinity

The Gulf of Maine has recently experienced its warmest 5-year period (2015–2020) in the instrumental record. This warming was associated with a decline in the signature subarctic zooplankton species, Calanus finmarchicus. The temperature changes have also led to impacts on commercial species such as Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and American lobster (Homarus americanus) and protected species including Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) and northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). The recent period also saw a decline in Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) recruitment and an increase in novel harmful algal species, although these have not been attributed to the recent warming. Here, we use an ensemble of numerical ocean models to characterize expected ocean conditions in the middle of this century. Under the high CO2 emissions scenario (RCP8.5), the average temperature in the Gulf of Maine is expected to increase 1.1°C to 2.4°C relative to the 1976–2005 average. Surface salinity is expected to decrease, leading to enhanced water column stratification. These physical changes are likely to lead to additional declines in subarctic species including C. finmarchicus, American lobster, and Atlantic cod and an increase in temperate species. The ecosystem changes have already impacted human communities through altered delivery of ecosystem services derived from the marine environment. Continued warming is expected to lead to a loss of heritage, changes in culture, and the necessity for adaptation.

scholarly journals Growth of two Atlantic Coast Piping Plover populations

The Condor ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea E Weithman ◽  
Samantha G Robinson ◽  
Kelsi L Hunt ◽  
Jon Altman ◽  
Henrietta A Bellman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Piping Plover ◽  
Charadrius Melodus ◽  
Chick Survival ◽  
Conservation History ◽  
Piping Plovers ◽  
The U.S

AbstractSpecies listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act are required to meet stated recovery goals for delisting. These goals often are developed early in the species’ conservation history and may need to be updated or refined as new information becomes available. The Atlantic Coast Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), which was listed more than 30 yr ago, has not met recovery goals through much of its range. Initial recovery goals included maintaining a reproductive output of 1.5 fledged chicks per pair for 5 yr. This goal was based on modelling that assumed equal survival rates for adults throughout the range, but recent studies suggest that demographic rates may vary with latitude. To investigate latitudinal variation, we developed demographic and population growth estimates for 2 breeding populations of Piping Plovers on the U.S. Atlantic Coast on Fire Island, New York (40.7°N), and on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (35.3°N) in 2013–2017. Breeding success (nest success and pre-fledge chick survival) varied annually but was lower in North Carolina than New York. Average adult true survival in New York (x̅ = 0.73, SE = 0.04) was similar to average survival in North Carolina (x̅ = 0.69, SE = 0.07). Annual post-fledging survival for both sites, however, was variable and often higher than had been previously reported for Atlantic Coast Piping Plovers (0.43–0.66 for New York; 0.31 and 1.0 for North Carolina). While the estimated reproductive output needed for a stationary population for both sites was similar (1.10 chicks per pair for New York, 95% CI: 0.83–1.41; 1.08 for North Carolina, 95% CI: 0.67–1.59), only the New York population achieved or exceeded these values during our study. Our findings suggest that understanding annual and latitudinal demographic variability would be helpful in refining recovery goals.

scholarly journals Northern cod species face spawning habitat losses if global warming exceeds 1.5°C

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. eaas8821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flemming T. Dahlke ◽  
Martin Butzin ◽  
Jasmine Nahrgang ◽  
Velmurugu Puvanendran ◽  
Atle Mortensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Polar Cod ◽  
Spawning Habitat ◽  
Spawning Areas ◽  
Climate Simulations ◽  
Northern Cod ◽  
Rcp 8.5

Rapid climate change in the Northeast Atlantic and Arctic poses a threat to some of the world’s largest fish populations. Impacts of warming and acidification may become accessible through mechanism-based risk assessments and projections of future habitat suitability. We show that ocean acidification causes a narrowing of embryonic thermal ranges, which identifies the suitability of spawning habitats as a critical life-history bottleneck for two abundant cod species. Embryonic tolerance ranges linked to climate simulations reveal that ever-increasing CO2emissions [Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5] will deteriorate suitability of present spawning habitat for both Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and Polar cod (Boreogadus saida) by 2100. Moderate warming (RCP4.5) may avert dangerous climate impacts on Atlantic cod but still leaves few spawning areas for the more vulnerable Polar cod, which also loses the benefits of an ice-covered ocean. Emissions following RCP2.6, however, support largely unchanged habitat suitability for both species, suggesting that risks are minimized if warming is held “below 2°C, if not 1.5°C,” as pledged by the Paris Agreement.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document