scholarly journals Applying geoscience to biodiversity monitoring: Case studies from an Australian marine park

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Przeslawski ◽  
Kim Picard ◽  
Scott Nichol ◽  
Ben Radford ◽  
Phil Bouchet
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Design ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Trend Detection ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Marine Park ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Robust Modelling ◽  
Research And Policy

Following the establishment of the world’s largest network of marine protected areas, Australia is now tasked with implementing national plans to manage a huge range of marine environments, from tropical to sub-Antarctic climates and shallow reef to abyssal depths. Monitoring (i.e. condition assessment and trend detection) is one of the key objectives of associated management plans. As part of a national effort to acquire baseline data for future monitoring purposes from 2009 to 2012, we collected geoscientific (bathymetry, backscatter, sub-bottom profiles, sediment grain-size) and biological data (assemblages and richness of infauna, sponges and pelagic fish) using a variety of gear (grab, sled, pelagic baited video, multibeam sonar, sparker) from the Oceanic Shoals Australian Marine Park in northern Australia. In this presentation, we describe how the integration of such data (including derived geoscientific products) helped to inform sampling design, map habitats, predict the distribution of benthic and pelagic communities at varying spatial scales, and better understand ecosystem processes. We hope to encourage ecologists and marine managers to incorporate geoscientific methods into their research and policy in order to further improve sampling design, data collection, robust modelling, and informed decision-making.

scholarly journals Applying geoscience to biodiversity monitoring: Case studies from an Australian marine park

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Przeslawski ◽  
Kim Picard ◽  
Scott Nichol ◽  
Ben Radford ◽  
Phil Bouchet
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Design ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Trend Detection ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Marine Park ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Robust Modelling ◽  
Research And Policy

Following the establishment of the world’s largest network of marine protected areas, Australia is now tasked with implementing national plans to manage a huge range of marine environments, from tropical to sub-Antarctic climates and shallow reef to abyssal depths. Monitoring (i.e. condition assessment and trend detection) is one of the key objectives of associated management plans. As part of a national effort to acquire baseline data for future monitoring purposes from 2009 to 2012, we collected geoscientific (bathymetry, backscatter, sub-bottom profiles, sediment grain-size) and biological data (assemblages and richness of infauna, sponges and pelagic fish) using a variety of gear (grab, sled, pelagic baited video, multibeam sonar, sparker) from the Oceanic Shoals Australian Marine Park in northern Australia. In this presentation, we describe how the integration of such data (including derived geoscientific products) helped to inform sampling design, map habitats, predict the distribution of benthic and pelagic communities at varying spatial scales, and better understand ecosystem processes. We hope to encourage ecologists and marine managers to incorporate geoscientific methods into their research and policy in order to further improve sampling design, data collection, robust modelling, and informed decision-making.

The gall wasp fauna of Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae): species checklist and biogeographical assessment

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4948 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-335
Author(s):  
MAJID TAVAKOLI ◽  
ASADOLLAH HOSSEINI-CHEGENI ◽  
GRAHAM N. STONE ◽  
SEYED E. SADEGHI ◽  
R. J. ATKINSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
Species Checklist ◽  
Present Distribution ◽  
Western Palaearctic

We provide a checklist of the gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae) of Iran, and place these records in a biogeographical perspective on three spatial scales, comprising (i) the Western Palaearctic, (ii) Western Asia (Turkey, the southern Caucasus and the Middle East) and (iii) regions within Iran. We present distribution and biological data for 121 species in 24 genera, representing nine of the 12 known cynipid gall wasp tribes. The most species–rich tribe in Iran is the oak gall wasp tribe Cynipini, with 74 species and 11 genera. Cynipid species richness is highest in the central and northern Zagros, with a distinctively different fauna in the forests along the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. Of the species found in Iran, 63 have distributions that extend westwards far into Europe, and can be considered Western Palaearctic species. Twenty four species comprise a distinct eastern component within the Western Palaearctic, with distributions that include Iran and some or all of Turkey, the Middle East and the Caucasus. Twenty one species are apparently endemic to Iran, with distinct Zagros and Caspian components. We highlight biological and phylogeographic processes that may underlie these patterns. 

scholarly journals Multi-scale data on intertidal macrobenthic biodiversity and environmental features in three New Zealand harbours

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casper Kraan ◽  
Barry L. Greenfield ◽  
Simon F. Thrush
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Species Distributions ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
Grain Size Distributions ◽  
Patterns And Processes

Abstract. Understanding how the plants and animals that live in the seafloor vary in their spatial patterns of diversity and abundance is fundamental to gaining insight in the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem functioning in coastal ecosystems, as well as advancing the modelling of species distributions under realistic assumptions. Yet, it is virtually unknown how the relationships between abundance patterns and different biotic and environmental processes change depending on spatial scales, which is mainly due to a lack of data. Within the project Spatial Organization of Species Distributions: Hierarchical and Scale-Dependent Patterns and Processes in Coastal Seascapes at the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in New Zealand we collected multi-scale and high-resolution data on macrobenthic biodiversity. We found 146 species, i.e. bivalves, polychaetes and crustaceans (> 500 μm) that live hidden in marine sandflats, and collected point measurements of important environmental variables (sediment grain-size distributions, chlorophyll a concentration, and visible sandflat parameters) in three large intertidal Harbours (Kaipara, Tauranga and Manukau). In each Harbour we sampled 400 points for macrobenthic community composition and abundances, as well as the full set of environmental variables. Using an elaborate sampling design, we were able to cover scales from 30 centimetres to a maximal extent of 1 km. All data and extensive metadata are available from the data publisher PANGAEA via the persistent identifier https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.903448.

scholarly journals Bioregions in Marine Environments: Combining Biological and Environmental Data for Management and Scientific Understanding

BioScience ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skipton N C Woolley ◽  
Scott D Foster ◽  
Nicholas J Bax ◽  
Jock C Currie ◽  
Daniel C Dunn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Statistical Models ◽  
Spatial Representation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Scientific Understanding ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Marine Environments ◽  
Multiple Spatial Scales

Abstract Bioregions are important tools for understanding and managing natural resources. Bioregions should describe locations of relatively homogenous assemblages of species occur, enabling managers to better regulate activities that might affect these assemblages. Many existing bioregionalization approaches, which rely on expert-derived, Delphic comparisons or environmental surrogates, do not explicitly include observed biological data in such analyses. We highlight that, for bioregionalizations to be useful and reliable for systems scientists and managers, the bioregionalizations need to be based on biological data; to include an easily understood assessment of uncertainty, preferably in a spatial format matching the bioregions; and to be scientifically transparent and reproducible. Statistical models provide a scientifically robust, transparent, and interpretable approach for ensuring that bioregions are formed on the basis of observed biological and physical data. Using statistically derived bioregions provides a repeatable framework for the spatial representation of biodiversity at multiple spatial scales. This results in better-informed management decisions and biodiversity conservation outcomes.

Improving the use of biological data in Antarctic management

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen A. Lynch ◽  
Catherine M. Foley ◽  
Lesley H. Thorne ◽  
Heather J. Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Biological Data ◽  
Independent Validation ◽  
Data Practices ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Antarctic Treaty ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Specially Protected Areas

AbstractThe Antarctic Treaty System requires that the effects of potential human disturbance be evaluated, such as through the development and evaluation of Initial and Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations (IEEs and CEEs), and through the implementation of Management Plans for Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) and Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs). The effectiveness of these management processes hinges on the quality and transparency of the data presented, particularly because independent validation is often difficult or impossible due to the financial and logistical challenges of working in the Antarctic. In a review of these documents and their treatment of wildlife survey data, we find that the basic elements of best data practices are often not followed; biological data are often uncited or out-of-date and rarely include estimates of uncertainty that would allow any subsequent changes in the distribution or abundance of wildlife to be rigorously assessed. We propose a set of data management and use standards for Antarctic biological data to improve the transparency and quality of these evaluations and to facilitate improved assessment of both immediate and long-term impacts of human activities in the Antarctic.

NEW CHALLENGES FACING INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE IN THE POST-GENOMIC ERA

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (02) ◽  
pp. 275-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHER S. OEHMEN ◽  
TJERK P. STRAATSMA ◽  
GORDON A. ANDERSON ◽  
GALYA ORR ◽  
BOBBIE-JO M. WEBB-ROBERTSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Experimental Testing ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Complex Data ◽  
Discovery Research ◽  
Wide Range

The future of biology will be increasingly driven by the fundamental paradigm shift from hypothesis-driven research to data-driven discovery research employing the growing volume of biological data coupled to experimental testing of new discoveries. But hardware and software limitations in the current workflow infrastructure make it impossible or intractible to use real data from disparate sources for large-scale biological research. We identify key technological developments needed to enable this paradigm shift involving (1) the ability to store and manage extremely large datasets which are dispersed over a wide geographical area, (2) development of novel analysis and visualization tools which are capable of operating on enormous data resources without overwhelming researchers with unusable information, and (3) formalisms for integrating mathematical models of biosystems from the molecular level to the organism population level. This will require the development of algorithms and tools which efficiently utilize high-performance compute power and large storage infrastructures. The end result will be the ability of a researcher to integrate complex data from many different sources with simulations to analyze a given system at a wide range of temporal and spatial scales in a single conceptual model.

Local variability of taphonomic attributes in a parautochthonous assemblage: can taphonomic signature distinguish a heterogeneous environment?

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
George M. Staff ◽  
Eric N. Powell
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Sediment Texture ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Habitat Variation ◽  
Sampling Protocols ◽  
Storm Wave ◽  
Central Texas ◽  
Taphonomic Analysis ◽  
Inner Continental Shelf ◽  
Local Variability

Taphofacies have been based on the likelihood that considerable variability exists in taphonomic processes between different environments and that this variability produces predictable variations in taphonomic signature between assemblages. Three stations above storm wave base that differed little in sediment texture and depth were sampled on the inner continental shelf of central Texas. Taphonomic analysis revealed subtle gradients in sediment grain size and water depth that would not be revealed by most other analyses. These gradients may exist over very small spatial scales, equivalent to those within a single extensive outcrop. Not all taphonomic attributes are equally likely to be preserved in the fossil record. Those varying with depth in our study area, such as fragmentation and articulation, are more likely to be preserved than those documenting changes in sediment texture, such as variation in the frequency of dissolution features on the shells. Nevertheless, siting and sampling protocols are important when characterizing a taphofacies because within-habitat variation is potentially as large as between-habitat variation. Description of the average taphofacies for an environment must include documentation of the variation in taphonomic attributes within the sampled area because few conservative taphonomic attributes exist. Fragments, even those that are unidentifiable, retain significant taphonomic information and should not be ignored. Careful sampling should permit the simultaneous description of general taphofacies as well as the detection of important but unsuspected gradients in the environment.

A sequential approach to sampling design for time studies of cable yarding operations

1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 973-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew F. Howard
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Sequential Analysis ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Sequential Approach ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Cable Yarding ◽  
Analysis System

Comprehensive sampling design including determination of the distribution, number of observations and specification of desired levels of precision is typically ignored in time studies of yarding operations. A computer-based data collection, processing, and analysis system was developed for time studies that permits improved sampling design. Data collection programs were written for continuous timing of yarding operations and downloaded on to hand-held computers equipped with real-time clocks. After each shift of observation, the time study data are uploaded to a portable microcomputer. The data are then processed through a series of programs that provide error checking, cataloging, and formatting in preparation for analysis. Data from three cable yarding operations were used in a study to assess the potential for sequential design and to determine precision levels obtainable from short-duration time studies. Confidence intervals were computed cumulatively and used to assess whether additional observation of a specific machine on a particular site was justified. The data collection, processing, and real-time analysis system shows promise as a technique for improving sampling design of time studies for timber harvesting operations through sequential analysis of the data.

U.S. Mussel Watch Data from 1986 to 1994:  Temporal Trend Detection at Large Spatial Scales

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1411-1415 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Beliaeff ◽  
Thomas P. O'Connor ◽  
D. K. Daskalakis ◽  
P. J. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Trend ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Trend Detection ◽  
Mussel Watch

scholarly journals Influence of Seascape on Coastal Lagoon Fisheries: the Role of Habitat Mosaic in the Venice Lagoon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Scapin ◽  
Matteo Zucchetta ◽  
Fabio Pranovi ◽  
Piero Franzoi
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Coastal Lagoons ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Venice Lagoon ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Artisanal Fishery ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Northern Adriatic ◽  
Broad Scale

AbstractFisheries are a staple human activity supported by coastal lagoons. Together with water quality and trophic status, lagoon morphology is acknowledged as one of the main ecological drivers of fishery yields; however, the role of lagoon seascape structure is still poorly understood. This paper investigates how morphological variables, habitat distribution and seascape diversity and complexity affect yields of artisanal fishery performed with fyke nets in the Venice Lagoon (northern Adriatic Sea, Italy). Two spatial scales were considered in the analysis, with water quality parameters (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, water residence times, N, P and chlorophyll-a concentrations) being measured at a fine, fyke-net scale and morphological (average bottom elevation and sediment grain size) and habitat features (habitat proportion, diversity and complexity) being measured at a broader, seascape scale. Generalised linear mixed models were employed to model 8 years of nekton and green crab catches, disentangling the role of broad-scale morphology and seascape from that of fine-scale water quality. Broad-scale variables clearly influenced fishery target species. Among them, lagoon residents were associated with specific morphological and habitat characteristics, while marine migrants showed a stronger link with overall habitat diversity and complexity. This evidence emphasises how artisanal fishery in the Venice Lagoon relies on the conservation of morphological and habitat heterogeneity. Moreover, it highlights how habitat restoration performed at the seascape level should also be taken into account, in addition to controlling hydrology and water quality, when managing fishery resources in coastal lagoons.

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