Characterizing the suitable habitat of Miconia calvescens in the East Maui Watershed

Bycatch remains a global problem in managing sustainable fisheries. A critical aspect of management is understanding the timing and spatial extent of bycatch. Fisheries management often relies on observed bycatch data, which are not always available due to a lack of reporting or observer coverage. Alternatively, analyzing the overlap in suitable habitat for the target and non-target species can provide a spatial management tool to understand where bycatch interactions are likely to occur. Potential bycatch hotspots based on suitable habitat were predicted for cusk Brosme brosme incidentally caught in the Gulf of Maine American lobster Homarus americanus fishery. Data from multiple fisheries-independent surveys were combined in a delta-generalized linear mixed model to generate spatially explicit density estimates for use in an independent habitat suitability index. The habitat suitability indices for American lobster and cusk were then compared to predict potential bycatch hotspot locations. Suitable habitat for American lobster has increased between 1980 and 2013 while suitable habitat for cusk decreased throughout most of the Gulf of Maine, except for Georges Basin and the Great South Channel. The proportion of overlap in suitable habitat varied interannually but decreased slightly in the spring and remained relatively stable in the fall over the time series. As Gulf of Maine temperatures continue to increase, the interactions between American lobster and cusk are predicted to decline as cusk habitat continues to constrict. This framework can contribute to fisheries managers’ understanding of changes in habitat overlap as climate conditions continue to change and alter where bycatch interactions could occur.

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Decreasing water pressure cues ‘bailout’ in seaweed-associated crustaceans

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps13485 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 653 ◽

pp. 121-129

Author(s):

RB Taylor ◽

S Patke

Keyword(s):

Water Pressure ◽

Rapid Change ◽

Brown Seaweed ◽

Model System ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Changing Light ◽

Surface Increase ◽

Reduced Water ◽

Transparent Chamber

Small mobile crustaceans are abundant on seaweeds. Many of these crustaceans rapidly abandon their host if it is detached from the seafloor and floats towards the surface, but the trigger for this ‘bailout’ behaviour is unknown. We tested 2 potential cues, i.e. rapid change in light and rapid change in water pressure, using >1 mm epifauna on the brown seaweed Carpophyllum plumosum as a model system. Bailout occurred in response to reduced water pressure, but not to changing light, as (1) bailout occurred at similar rates in light and dark, (2) bailout occurred on the seafloor when water pressure was reduced within a transparent chamber by the equivalent of ~0.5 m depth or more, and (3) little bailout occurred when water pressure was held constant within the chamber while seaweeds were raised to the surface. Increase in pressure (simulating sinking) did not induce bailout. The rate of bailout increased with increasing magnitude of pressure reduction but was not influenced greatly by the rate of change of pressure within the range tested (up to an equivalent of 0.4 m depth s-1). The use of pressure rather than light as a cue for bailout is consistent with the need for seaweed-associated crustaceans to rapidly abandon a detached host and relocate to suitable habitat during both day and night.

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Studi Histokimia Usus Biawak Air (Varanus salvator bivittatus) (Reptil: Varanidae)

10.31227/osf.io/cw8ts ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mahfud Mahfud ◽

Ernawati

Keyword(s):

Tissue Sample ◽

Histological Section ◽

Tissue Perfusion ◽

Intestinal Wall ◽

Biological Information ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Monitor Lizard ◽

Varanus Salvator ◽

Hematoxylin Eosin ◽

Paraffin Method

Biological information, behaviour and suitable habitat of water monitor was very less in order to support its maintenance management and breeding efforts. One of important information is the information of digestive tract, particularly the information about the structure of intestine tissue of water monitor. Sample in this research was intestine organ of water monitor. The animal was anesthetized, exanguinated, and fixed in paraformaldehyde 4% by tissue perfusion method. The intestine tissue sample for histological section with paraffin method was cutted with 3-4 μm thick and coloured with hematoxylin eosin (HE). Observation were performed to the structure of intestine histology. The results was analysed descriptively and presented in figures. Monitor lizard intestine consist of small intestine and large intestine. The small intestinal wall was observed similar to jejunum and ileum. The large intestinal wall was composed of transitional ephytelia and connective tissue. However, the ephytelial layer in this tissue was composed of transitional ephytelia that similar to vesica urinaria and there are no villi.

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THE DISTAL EFFECTS OF AVAILABLE SUITABLE HABITAT ON EXTINCTION POTENTIAL IN CEPHALOPODS AND OTHER MOLLUSKS ACROSS THE K/PG IN THE ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN

10.1130/abs/2018am-324721 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Remy Rovelli ◽

◽

Corinne Myers

Keyword(s):

Coastal Plain ◽

Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Atlantic Coastal

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Geospatial information informs bonobo conservation efforts

10.1093/oso/9780198728511.003.0017 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Janet Nackoney ◽

Jena Hickey ◽

David Williams ◽

Charly Facheux ◽

Takeshi Furuichi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Data ◽

Pan Paniscus ◽

Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Community Based ◽

Geospatial Information ◽

République Démocratique Du Congo ◽

Nous Montrons ◽

Dynamic Conservation

The endangered bonobo (Pan paniscus), endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is threatened by hunting and habitat loss. Two recent wars and ongoing conflicts in the DRC greatly challenge conservation efforts. This chapter demonstrates how spatial data and maps are used for monitoring threats and prioritizing locations to safeguard bonobo habitat, including identifying areas of highest conservation value to bonobos and collaboratively mapping community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) zones for reducing deforestation in key corridor areas. We also highlight the development of a range-wide model that analysed a variety of biotic and abiotic variables in conjunction with bonobo nest data to map suitable habitat. Approximately 28 per cent of the range was predicted suitable; of that, about 27.5 per cent was located in official protected areas. These examples highlight the importance of employing spatial data and models to support the development of dynamic conservation strategies that will help strengthen bonobo protection. Le bonobo en voie de disparition (Pan paniscus), endémique à la République Démocratique du Congo (DRC), est menacé par la chasse et la perte de l’habitat. Deux guerres récentes et les conflits en cours dans le DRC menacent les efforts de conservation. Ici, nous montrons comment les données spatiales et les cartes sont utilisées pour surveiller les menaces et prioriser les espaces pour protéger l’habitat bonobo, inclut identifier les zones de plus haute valeur de conservation aux bonobos. En plus, la déforestation est réduite par une cartographie collaborative communale de gestion de ressources dans les zones de couloirs essentiels. Nous soulignons le développement d’un modèle de toute la gamme qui a analysé un variété de variables biotiques et abiotiques en conjonction avec les données de nid bonobo pour tracer la carte d’un habitat adéquat. Environ 28 per cent de la gamme est prédit adéquat; de cela, environ 27.5 per cent est dans une zone officiellement protégée. Ces exemples soulignent l’importance d’utiliser les données spatiales et les modèles pour soutenir le développement de stratégies de conservations dynamiques qui aideront à renforcer la protection des bonobos.

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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.

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North Pacific warming shifts the juvenile range of a marine apex predator

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-82424-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kisei R. Tanaka ◽

Kyle S. Van Houtan ◽

Eric Mailander ◽

Beatriz S. Dias ◽

Carol Galginaitis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North Pacific ◽

Species Conservation ◽

Total Body Length ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Climate Data ◽

Marine Predator ◽

Spatial Shift ◽

Marine Megafauna ◽

Community Science ◽

Juvenile Sharks

AbstractDuring the 2014–2016 North Pacific marine heatwave, unprecedented sightings of juvenile white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) emerged in central California. These records contradicted the species established life history, where juveniles remain in warmer waters in the southern California Current. This spatial shift is significant as it creates potential conflicts with commercial fisheries, protected species conservation, and public safety concerns. Here, we integrate community science, photogrammetry, biologging, and mesoscale climate data to describe and explain this phenomenon. We find a dramatic increase in white sharks from 2014 to 2019 in Monterey Bay that was overwhelmingly comprised of juvenile sharks < 2.5 m in total body length. Next, we derived thermal preferences from 22 million tag measurements of 14 juvenile sharks and use this to map the cold limit of their range. Consistent with historical records, the position of this cold edge averaged 34° N from 1982 to 2013 but jumped to 38.5° during the 2014–2016 marine heat wave. In addition to a poleward shift, thermally suitable habitat for juvenile sharks declined 223.2 km2 year−1 from 1982 to 2019 and was lowest in 2015 at the peak of the heatwave. In addition to advancing the adaptive management of this apex marine predator, we discuss this opportunity to engage public on climate change through marine megafauna.

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Capitoline Dolphins: Residency Patterns and Abundance Estimate of Tursiops truncatus at the Tiber River Estuary (Mediterranean Sea)

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10040275 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 275

Author(s):

Daniela Silvia Pace ◽

Chiara Di Marco ◽

Giancarlo Giacomini ◽

Sara Ferri ◽

Margherita Silvestri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Size ◽

Tursiops Truncatus ◽

Site Fidelity ◽

Bottlenose Dolphins ◽

River Estuary ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Tyrrhenian Sea ◽

Abundance Estimate ◽

Photo Identification ◽

Tiber River

Periodic assessments of population status and trends to detect natural influences and human effects on coastal dolphin are often limited by lack of baseline information. Here, we investigated for the first time the site-fidelity patterns and estimated the population size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the Tiber River estuary (central Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2020. We used photo-identification data and site-fidelity metrics to study the tendency of dolphins to remain in, or return to, the study area, and capture–recapture models to estimate the population abundance. In all, 347 unique individuals were identified. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted 3 clusters, labeled resident (individuals encountered at least five times, in three different months, over three distinct years; n = 42), part-time (individuals encountered at least on two occasions in a month, in at least two different years; n = 73), and transient (individuals encountered on more than one occasion, in more than 1 month, none of them in more than 1 year; n = 232), each characterized by site-fidelity metrics. Open POPAN modeling estimated a population size of 529 individuals (95% CI: 456–614), showing that the Capitoline (Roman) coastal area and nearby regions surrounding the Tiber River estuary represent an important, suitable habitat for bottlenose dolphins, despite their proximity to one of the major urban centers in the world (the city of Rome). Given the high number of individuals in the area and the presence of resident individuals with strong site fidelity, we suggest that conservation plans should not be focused only close to the Tiber River mouths but extended to cover a broader scale of area.

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Ecological and Environmental Effects of Estuarine Wetland Loss Using Keyhole and Landsat Data in Liao River Delta, China

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13020311 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 311

Author(s):

Hongyan Yin ◽

Yuanman Hu ◽

Miao Liu ◽

Chunlin Li ◽

Jiujun Lv

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metal ◽

Land Use ◽

Land Use Change ◽

Ecological Risk ◽

Potential Ecological Risk ◽

Wetland Loss ◽

Ecological Effects ◽

Paddy Fields ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Estuarine Wetland

An estuarine wetland is an area of high ecological productivity and biodiversity, and it is also an anthropic activity hotspot area, which is of concern. The wetlands in estuarine areas have suffered declines, which have had remarkable ecological impacts. The land use changes, especially wetland loss, were studied based on Keyhole and Landsat images in the Liao River delta from 1962 to 2016. The dynamics of the ecosystem service values (ESVs), suitable habitat for birds, and soil heavy metal potential ecological risk were chosen to estimate the ecological effects with the benefit transfer method, synthetic overlaying method, and potential ecological risk index (RI) method, respectively. The driving factors of land use change and ecological effects were analyzed with redundancy analysis (RDA). The results showed that the built-up area increased from 95.98 km2 in 1962 to 591.49 km2 in 2016, and this large change was followed by changes in paddy fields (1351.30 to 1522.39 km2) and dry farmland (189.5 to 294.14 km2). The area of wetlands declined from 1823.16 km2 in 1962 to 1153.52 km2 in 2016, and this change was followed by a decrease in the water area (546.2 to 428.96 km2). The land use change was characterized by increasing built-up (516.25%), paddy fields (12.66%) and dry farmland (55.22%) areas and a decline in the wetland (36.73%) and water areas (21.47%) from 1962–2016. Wetlands decreased by 669.64 km2. The ESV values declined from 6.24 billion US$ to 4.46 billion US$ from 1962 to 2016, which means the ESVs were reduced by 19.26% due to wetlands being cultivated and the urbanization process. The area of suitable habitat for birds decreased by 1449.49 km2, or 61.42% of the total area available in 1962. Cd was the primary soil heavy metal pollutant based on its concentration, accumulation, and potential ecological risk contribution. The RDA showed that the driving factors of comprehensive ecological effects include wetland area, Cd and Cr concentration, river and oil well distributions. This study provides a comprehensive approach for estuarine wetland cultivation and scientific support for wetland conservation.

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The Use of Citizen Science to Achieve Multivariate Management Goals on Public Lands

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13070293 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 293

Author(s):

Sara Souther ◽

Vincent Randall ◽

Nanebah Lyndon

Keyword(s):

Citizen Science ◽

Land Management ◽

Ecological Integrity ◽

Public Land ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Science Data ◽

Public Land Management ◽

Federal Land ◽

Botanical Research ◽

Federal Land Management

Federal land management agencies in the US are tasked with maintaining the ecological integrity of over 2 million km2 of land for myriad public uses. Citizen science, operating at the nexus of science, education, and outreach, offers unique benefits to address socio-ecological questions and problems, and thus may offer novel opportunities to support the complex mission of public land managers. Here, we use a case study of an iNaturalist program, the Tribal Nations Botanical Research Collaborative (TNBRC), to examine the use of citizen science programs in public land management. The TNBRC collected 2030 observations of 34 plant species across the project area, while offering learning opportunities for participants. Using occurrence data, we examined observational trends through time and identified five species with 50 or fewer digital observations to investigate as species of possible conservation concern. We compared predictive outcomes of habitat suitability models built using citizen science data and Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data. Models exhibited high agreement, identifying the same underlying predictors of species occurrence and, 95% of the time, identifying the same pixels as suitable habitat. Actions such as staff training on data use and interpretation could enhance integration of citizen science in Federal land management.

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