From Phenology and Habitat Preferences to Climate Change: Importance of Citizen Science in Studying Insect Ecology in the Continental Scale with American Red Flat Bark Beetle, Cucujus clavipes, as a Model Species

The American red flat bark beetle, Cucujus clavipes, is a wide distributed saproxylic species divided into two subspecies: ssp. clavipes restricted to eastern regions of North America and ssp. puniceus occurring only in western regions of this continent. Unique morphological features, including body shape and body coloration, make this species easy to recognize even for amateurs. Surprisingly, except some studies focused on physiological adaptations of the species, the ecology of C. clavipes was almost unstudied. Based on over 500 records collected by citizen scientists and deposited in the iNaturalist data base, we studied phenological activity of adult beetles, habitat preferences and impact of future climate change for both subspecies separately. The results clearly show that spp. clavipes and ssp. puniceus can be characterized by differences in phenology and macrohabitat preferences, and their ranges do not overlap at any point. Spp. clavipes is found as more opportunistic taxon occurring in different forests as well as in urban and agricultural areas with tree vegetation always in elevations below 500 m, while elevational distribution of ssp. puniceus covers areas up to 2300 m, and the beetle was observed mainly in forested areas. Moreover, we expect that climate warming will have negative influence on both subspecies with the possible loss of proper niches at level even up to 47–70% of their actual ranges during next few decades. As the species is actually recognized as unthreatened and always co-occurs with many other species, we suggest, because of its expected future habitat loss, to pay more attention to conservationists for possible negative changes in saproxylic insects and/or forest fauna in North America. In addition, as our results clearly show that both subspecies of C. clavipes differ ecologically, which strongly supports earlier significant morphological and physiological differences noted between them, we suggest that their taxonomical status should be verified by molecular data, because very probably they represent separate species.

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Continental vs. Global Niche-Based Modelling of Freshwater Species’ Distributions: How Big Are the Differences in the Estimated Climate Change Effects?

Water ◽

10.3390/w13060816 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 816

Author(s):

Danijela Markovic ◽

Jörg Freyhof ◽

Oskar Kärcher

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Thermal Properties ◽

Safety Margin ◽

Thermal Response ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Freshwater Species ◽

Response Curves ◽

Preferred Temperature ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Management Actions

Thermal response curves that depict the probability of occurrence along a thermal gradient are used to derive various species’ thermal properties and abilities to cope with warming. However, different thermal responses can be expected for different portions of a species range. We focus on differences in thermal response curves (TRCs) and thermal niche requirements for four freshwater fishes (Coregonus sardinella, Pungitius pungitius, Rutilus rutilus, Salvelinus alpinus) native to Europe at (1) the global and (2) European continental scale. European ranges captured only a portion of the global thermal range with major differences in the minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax) and average temperature (Tav) of the respective distributions. Further investigations of the model-derived preferred temperature (Tpref), warming tolerance (WT = Tmax − Tpref), safety margin (SM = Tpref − Tav) and the future climatic impact showed substantially differing results. All considered thermal properties either were under- or overestimated at the European level. Our results highlight that, although continental analyses have an impressive spatial extent, they might deliver misleading estimates of species thermal niches and future climate change impacts, if they do not cover the full species ranges. Studies and management actions should therefore favor whole global range distribution data for analyzing species responses to environmental gradients.

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Resource selection by the Endangered Arabian tahr: identifying critical habitats for conservation and climate change adaptation

10.1101/2021.01.26.428299 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

S Ross ◽

H. Rawahi ◽

M.H. Jahdhami

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Habitat Selection ◽

Resource Selection ◽

Wildlife Conservation ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Wildlife Habitat ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Adaptation To Climate Change ◽

Thermal Refuge

AbstractThe Arabian tahr is an Endangered mountain ungulate endemic to the Hajar Mountains of Arabia. The Arabian tahr population is in decline and threats to tahr habitat are intensifying, in addition new potential challenges from climate change are emerging. Fundamental to future conservation planning is understanding tahr habitat selection patterns, so we can prioritise habitat protection, and understand how habitat may be used to provide thermal refuge and allow adaptation to climate change impacts. We used GPS collars and resource selection functions to characterise Arabian tahr habitat preferences in Wadi Sareen Nature Reserve, Oman. We found tahr habitat selection was dependent on scale, sex and season. Vegetation resources were only selected at the smallest scales of selection and avoided at other scales. Habitat providing low heat load and thermal refuge were intensely selected at small and medium scales, by both sexes and in both seasons, suggesting the importance of thermal refuges in facilitating thermoregulation. Higher elevations, steep slopes and rugged habitats were selected across all scales tested here, and in previous landscape-scale studies, indicating the fundamental importance of these habitats in supporting Arabian tahr populations. Our results identified critical habitats required to sustain Arabian tahr, and demonstrated the importance of thermal refuges to species living in the hot climates such as the Arabian Peninsula. Given the accessibility of habitat layers, and ease in which the identified habitats can be mapped using a geographical information system, understanding the habitat selection of tahr and other species is a crucial step to increasing conservation management capacity of threatened species. Given our uncertainty of how to conserve wildlife under future climate change, understanding the availability and distribution of wildlife habitat is an important baseline from where we can plan, connect and preserve the resources necessary for wildlife conservation.

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Comparison of future climate change over North America simulated by two regional models

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres ◽

10.1029/2002jd002738 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 108 (D12) ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

M. Chen

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

North America ◽

Future Climate ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Regional Models

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Planning for change: addressing environmental migration as a planning issue in the Greater Toronto Area

10.32920/ryerson.14646522 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Erin James Windross

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

North America ◽

Ethnically Diverse ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Refugee Resettlement ◽

Refugee Crisis ◽

Policy Documents ◽

Academic Literature ◽

Greater Toronto Area ◽

Environmental Migration

This paper aims to provide a background on a future climate change induced refugee crisis and the potential planning responses that may be warranted in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A review of academic literature and policy documents indicate that such a climate change refugee crisis is within the realm of possibility. As a result, under current federal refugee policy, Canada will likely see an increase in episodes of refugee resettlement. For municipalities within the GTA, one of the most ethnically diverse regions in North America, it is recommended that planners and planning regimes incorporate multicultural planning practices to address and anticipate the needs of these future newcomers

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Impacts of Present and Future Climate Change and Climate Variability on Agriculture in the Temperate Regions: North America

Increasing Climate Variability and Change ◽

10.1007/1-4020-4166-7_7 ◽

2005 ◽

pp. 137-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Raymond P. Motha ◽

Wolfgang Baier

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

North America ◽

Climate Variability ◽

Future Climate ◽

Future Climate Change

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Phylogenetic relationships of Neonectria/Cylindrocarpon on Fagus in North AmericaMention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture.

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b06-105 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 84 (9) ◽

pp. 1417-1433 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Lisa A. Castlebury ◽

Amy Y. Rossman ◽

Aimee S. Hyten

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Rna Polymerase Ii ◽

Elongation Factor ◽

The United States ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Specific Information ◽

Beech Bark Disease ◽

Separate Species ◽

Additional Species ◽

Trade Names

The relationship of two species of Neonectria associated with beech bark canker in North America was evaluated by comparing isolates of these and additional species of the Neonectria coccinea (Pers.:Fr.) Rossman & Samuels group found on Fagus. Gene regions in the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), and β-tubulin were sequenced and analyzed. Results indicate that the fungus associated with beech bark disease previously known as Neonectria coccinea var. faginata Lohman et al. (≡ Nectria coccinea (Pers.:Fr.) Fr. var. faginata Lohman et al.) should be recognized as a separate species, Neonectria faginata , distinct from Neonectria coccinea . Neonectria faginata including its anamorphic state, Cylindrocarpon faginatum C. Booth, is known only on Fagus in North America. A second species associated with beech bark disease in North America is Neonectria ditissima (Tul. & C. Tul.) Samuels & Rossman, which can be distinguished morphologically from Neonectria faginata based on ascospore size, conidial size and shape, and colony pigmentation. Morphological and molecular data indicate that Neonectria ditissima represents an older name for Neonectria galligena Bres. Similarly, the anamorphic state of Neonectria ditissima is the older epithet Cylindrocarpon heteronema with Cylindrocarpon willkommii as a synonym. Neonectria ditissima occurs on a variety of hardwood trees in North America and Europe. Neonectria coccinea occurs only on Fagus in Europe. Neonectria major (Wollenw.) Castl. & Rossman is recognized as a species that occurs only on Alnus in Canada (British Columbia), France, Norway, and the United States (Washington). The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: Neonectria faginata comb. and stat. nov., Neonectria fuckeliana comb. nov., Neonectria hederae comb. nov., Neonectria major comb. and stat. nov., and Neonectria punicea comb. nov.

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Limited Range-Filling Among Endemic Forest Herbs of Eastern North America and Its Implications for Conservation With Climate Change

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2021.751728 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie K. Erlandson ◽

Jesse Bellemare ◽

David A. Moeller

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

North America ◽

Endemic Species ◽

Species Distribution Models ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Eastern North America ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Herb Species ◽

Forest Herb

Biodiversity hotspots host a high diversity of narrowly distributed endemic species, which are increasingly threatened by climate change. In eastern North America, the highest concentration of plant diversity and endemism occurs in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (SAM). It has been hypothesized that this region served as a refugium during Pleistocene glacial cycles and that postglacial migration northward was dispersal limited. We tested this hypothesis using species distribution models for eight forest herb species. We also quantified the extent to which the geography of suitable habitat shifted away from the current range with climate change. We developed species distribution models for four forest herb species endemic to the SAM and four that co-occur in the same SAM habitats but have broader ranges. For widespread species, we built models using (1) all occurrences and (2) only those that overlap the SAM hotspot in order to evaluate the extent of Hutchinsonian shortfalls and the potential for models to predict suitable habitat beyond the SAM. We evaluated the extent to which predicted climatically suitable areas are projected to shift away from their current ranges under future climate change. We detected unoccupied but suitable habitat in regions up to 1,100 km north of the endemic species’ ranges. Endemic ranges are disjunct from suitable northern areas due to a ∼100–150 km gap of unsuitable habitat. Under future climate change, models predicted severe reductions in suitable habitat within current endemic ranges. For non-endemic species, we found similar overall patterns and gap of unsuitability in the same geographic location. Our results suggest a history of dispersal limitation following the last glacial maximum along with an environmental barrier to northward migration. Conservation of endemic species would likely require intervention and assisted migration to suitable habitat in northern New England and Canada.

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Hemispheric and Continental Scale Patterns of Similarity in Mountain Tundra

10.17077/u06a-840z ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

George P Malanson ◽

Risto Virtanen ◽

Andrea J Britton ◽

Borja Jiménez-Alfaro ◽

Hong Qian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

North America ◽

Community Composition ◽

Vascular Plants ◽

Global Climate ◽

Full Range ◽

Geographic Distance ◽

Ecological Processes ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Compositional Patterns

Understanding the full range of biodiversity patterns from local to global scales, through the study of the drivers of multiscale plant community composition and diversity, is a current goal of biogeography. A synthetic understanding of to what extent vegetation compositional patterns are produced by biotic factors, geography or climate and how these patterns vary across scales is needed. This lack hinders prediction of the effects of climate change in global vegetation. Variation in community composition is examined in relation to climatic difference and geographic distance at hemispheric and continental scales. Vascular plants and bryophytes in 13 mountain regions were analyzed; eight in Europe and five in North America, nine mid-latitude and four oroarctic. Species composition differed between continents and between oroarctic and mid-latitude regions. Patterns of paired regional similarity with distance were significant for all pairs and intercontinental pairs, but not for those within Europe and North America. Climatic variables accounted for most of the variance in vegetation patterns revealed by General Linear Models of ordinations, but geographic variables, of Moran eigenvectors and latitudinal zones, were also important and significant. The effects of geography were typically twice as strong for vascular plants as for bryophytes. The importance of geography at these scales suggests that past evolutionary and ecological processes are as important as current fit to any climatic niche. Interpretation of observations of the impacts of global climate change should recognize geographic context and phylogeny, and policies to mitigate them, such as assisted migration, should be cautious.

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