Journal articles on the topic 'Degree Discipline: Ecology and Biodiversity'
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Ortega-Rubio, Alfredo, Elizabeth Olmos-Martínez, and María Carmen Blázquez. "Socioecology and Biodiversity Conservation." Diversity 13, no. 9 (September 16, 2021): 442. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d13090442.
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The discipline of Socioecological Systems (SES) was conceptualized in 1998 with the intention of understanding the effects of human activities on natural ecosystems by analyzing resilience in local resource management systems [...]
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Dubynin, Alexander. "Conservation Biology as an Academic Discipline: Novosibirsk State University’s Master’s Degree Program Experience." BIO Web of Conferences 38 (2021): 00027. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20213800027.
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A reduction in the planet’s biodiversity requires an active response by politicians, environmental activists, and scientists. Modern biological education should provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to solve complex tasks targeted at preserving and restoring vulnerable species habitats and ecosystems. Students study conservation biology at many universities around the world with this as their goal. For the first time in Russia, a Master’s Conservation Biology course for biology students was developed and tested at Novosibirsk State University. This primer course (108 hours) includes lectures, discussions, excursions, elements of gamification, combines auditorium and online classes, uses social networks for additional communication with students, and experienced practitioners. The course has been highly rated by students and can be expanded to include a larger audience.
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Margules, Chris. "EDITORIAL : A research priority for biodiversity conservation." Taprobanica 10, no. 2 (November 22, 2021): 80–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.47605/tapro.v10i2.255.
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Conservation biology emerged as a scientific discipline in the mid-1980s with the explicit practical goal of conserving species and habitats. The term ‘biodiversity’ was coined soon after, apparently at some time during the organization of the September 1986 National Forum on Biodiversity held by the US National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian Institution. The science of conservation biology was quickly taken up. Journals proliferated and textbooks soon followed. Laboratories within university biology and ecology departments specialized in conservation biology. Along with a great many other young biologists and ecologists, I climbed the moral high ground and set about research to help change the future by discovering how to protect biodiversity.
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Dean, Bill B. "Integrated Cropping Systems—A Multi-discipline Degree." HortScience 31, no. 4 (August 1996): 568a—568. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.31.4.568a.
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Washington State Univ. Tri-Cities offers a new agricultural degree program titled Integrated Cropping Systems. It is intended to provide a basic education on the fundamentals of crop production and the environmental context in which crops are grown. Courses are offered at the upper division level to interface with the lower division courses offered at local community colleges. The curriculum is composed of courses in environmental science, ecology and conservation as well as crop growth and development, crop nutrition, plant pathology integrated pest management and others. Students need to meet the same requirements as those at other Washington State Univ. campuses in regards to the general education requirements. The purpose of the Integrated Cropping Systems program is to provide an educational opportunity for agricultural professionals and others in the region who are unable to commute or move to the main campus location. The curriculum provides the background needed for such occupations as grower/producer, crop scouting, sales representative and other entry level agricultural professions. It will supply credits toward certification through the American Registry of Certified Professional Agricultural Consultants (ARCPACS). Integrated Cropping Systems is a unique agricultural curriculum designed to help agriculturists integrate their production practices into the local ecosystem in a way that the environment does not incur damage. It emphasizes the use of environmentally conscience decisionmaking processes and sound resource ethics. The program will graduate individuals who have heightened awareness of the impact agricultural practices have on the ecosystem in which they are conducted.
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Frank, Uri, and Ofer Mokady. "Coral biodiversity and evolution: recent molecular contributions." Canadian Journal of Zoology 80, no. 10 (October 1, 2002): 1723–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-131.
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Tropical reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems. Corals, as the most prominent members and framework builders of these communities, deserve special attention, especially in light of the recent decline of coral reefs worldwide. The diversity of corals at various levels has been the subject of many studies, and has traditionally been investigated using morphological characters. This approach has proved insufficient, owing to several ecological and life-history traits of corals. The use of molecular/biochemical approaches has been propelling this discipline forward at an ever-increasing rate for the past decade or so. Reticulate evolution in corals, which has challenged traditional views on the ecology, evolution, and biodiversity of these organisms, is only one example of the results of molecular studies supporting the development of new concepts. We review recent literature reporting studies of the biodiversity, ecology, and evolution of corals in which molecular methods have been employed. We anticipate that in the coming years, an increasing number of studies in molecular biology will generate new and exciting ideas regarding the biology of corals.
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Alroy, John. "Global databases will yield reliable measures of global biodiversity." Paleobiology 29, no. 1 (2003): 26–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1666/0094-8373(2003)029<0026:gdwyrm>2.0.co;2.
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For decades, paleobiologists have treated global diversity estimation as a straightforward problem (Miller 2000): count up the known higher taxa in each geological time interval, make a diversity curve, and go straight ahead to analyzing and interpreting the trends. However, global diversity curves recently have come under attack from all sides. Some researchers argue that although traditional curves are strongly affected by sampling biases (e.g., Smith 2001; Peters and Foote 2002), these biases can be corrected by assembling large, locality-level databases with detailed contextual information (Alroy et al. 2001). Others point to the large gap between true total global richness and the meager head counts the fossil record has to offer, and conclude that workers should focus exclusively on local and regional diversity (Jackson and Johnson 2001). Here I argue that although further fieldwork surely is needed, understanding global diversity in the short term remains a tractable goal—as long as we move quickly to build a discipline-wide, globally extensive paleontological database.
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Granjou, Céline, and Jeremy Walker. "Promises that Matter: Reconfiguring Ecology in the Ecotrons." Science & Technology Studies 29, no. 3 (September 14, 2016): 49–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.23987/sts.58844.
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Ecotrons are large instruments designed to produce experimentally valid knowledge through the controlled manipulation of enclosed, simplifed ecosystems. Situating the ecotrons within a select genealogy of artificial biospheres, and drawing on interviews with key researchers engaged in the conception and recent construction of two ecotrons in France, we propose to think through ecotrons as promissory and anticipatory infrastructures that materialize a profound reconfiguration of ecologists’ roles within wider civilizational narratives. Ecotrons encapsulate ecologists’ ambitions to practice a ‘hard’ science, recognized by international environmental and science policy forums: they were integral to rise of the sub-discipline of functional ecology which underpins the policy discourse of ‘ecosystem services’. Combining patterns of controlled experimentation with live simulations of future environmental conditions anticipated in climate change scenarios, and thus materialise a reorientation of the vocation of ecology: to secure the resilience of those ‘ecosystem services’ deemed critical to social life. Originally tasked with assessing the effects of biodiversity loss on to the productivity and stability of ecosystems, ecotron research is increasingly focused on microbial ecosystems, and takes place within a terminology resolutely optimistic about the possibilities of ecological engineering, to the exclusion of earlier concerns with mass extinction. Keywords: ecotrons, functional ecology, infrastructure, biodiversity, anticipation, global warming
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Gill, G. N., N. Chowdhury, and N. Srivastava. "Biodiversity and the Indian Judiciary: Tracing the Trajectory." BRICS Law Journal 8, no. 2 (July 25, 2021): 10–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.21684/2412-2343-2021-8-2-10-40.
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The Covid-19 narrative spotlights the necessity to conserve biological diversity (biodiversity) including ecosystems and wildlife. Biodiversity problems are global, and associated governance issues range beyond geographical and spatial boundaries. The globalisation and internationalisation of biodiversity concerns have resulted in the emergence of biodiversity legal frameworks designed to conserve and sustainably use our planet’s biological resources. As an “organic and evolving discipline,” biodiversity laws are increasingly important and affect the Earth’s natural systems that support human life. The article analyses the judicial space that makes, interprets and enforces laws that conserve and support the sustainable use of biodiversity. The proactive, creative judiciary, acting as amicus environment, has produced a major shift in the Indian environmental landscape. The use of public interest litigation (PIL) in both environmental and biodiversity matters is welcomed by the senior judiciary (Supreme Court and High Courts) and also by the specialised environmental tribunal, National Green Tribunal (NGT). The terminological reach of the popular descriptive words, environment, nature and ecology, on occasions including biodiversity, introduced matters litigated in the courts and tribunal. The combination of legal, scientific, and technical expertise in the three judicial fora recognize and consider conservation and protection of biodiversity as an inextricable part of life. The article follows the chronological path of biodiversity litigation, i.e. pre 1992–2002; then 2002–2010 and finally 2010–2020 and examines significant aspects of the three decades of biodiversity litigation.
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Zibtseva, Olha. "Tree Species Biodiversity in Small Ukrainian Towns." Ekológia (Bratislava) 41, no. 2 (June 1, 2022): 161–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/eko-2022-0017.
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Abstract Biodiversity is one of the important indicators of ecosystem sustainability, which is less studied in relation to urban areas, particularly Ukraine, and even more so in small towns. Taking the example of three small Ukrainian towns, the biodiversity of tree species is compared in the article. The studied small towns are located in two geographic zones, mixed forests (Polissya) and forest-steppe, and administratively, in Chernihiv and Kyiv regions. An inventory of trees in the residential area of Ukrainka, in the central streets of Novhorod-Siverskyi, as well as in the central part and all streets of Vyshhorod was conducted. Thus, the species richness of trees both between the studied towns and between its central part and the whole territory of the town was compared. The species structure of tree plantings in terms of richness, diversity, dominance, alignment, and similarity was assessed. The obtained results were subjected to cluster and correlation analysis. It was found that the greatest diversity is characteristic for the dendroflora of the whole territory of Vyshhorod, which is the fastest growing town, located closest to the capital. The dendrofloras of small towns were quite similar to each other. The values of similarity indices varied in a wide range: Jacquard’s index from 0.26 to 0.56 and Sørensen index from 0.41 to 0.66. The lowest degree of similarity was found with the dendroflora of the most distant Novgorod-Siverskyi town. Mainly the urban plantings require enrichment of the tree species composition, taking into account their resistance to anthropogenic impacts and climate change.
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J. Hobbs, Richard. "Landscape ecology and conservation: moving from description to application." Pacific Conservation Biology 1, no. 3 (1994): 170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc940170.
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The focus of conservation biology has been predominantly the study of single species, and conservation management and legislation has been directed mostly at the species level. Increasingly, however, there has been a recognition that ecosystems and landscapes need to be considered, since they form the physical and biotic context within which species exist. Increased emphasis on the landscape scale suggests that the emerging discipline of landscape ecology might have much to offer conservation biology. Landscape ecology is still a young science with no well-defined theoretical framework and little rigorous quantitative methodology. It aims to study patterns, processes and changes at the scale of hectares to square kilometers. Its focus on the pattern and dynamics of ecosystems or patches within a landscape offers much which is of relevance to conservation biology. Topics such as disturbance, patch dynamics, metapopulation dynamics, landscape flows, connectivity and fragmentation all have relevance to the conservation of biodiversity in natural, altered and rapidly changing systems. The papers in this issue provide a cross section of Australian research into landscape ecology which is of relevance to conservation biology. Methodological, theoretical and practical aspects are covered. I suggest that effective conservation of biodiversity will be achieved only if the landscape context is taken into account.
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Macdonald, David W., Luca Chiaverini, Helen M. Bothwell, Żaneta Kaszta, Eric Ash, Gilmoore Bolongon, Özgün Emre Can, et al. "Predicting biodiversity richness in rapidly changing landscapes: climate, low human pressure or protection as salvation?" Biodiversity and Conservation 29, no. 14 (October 9, 2020): 4035–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10531-020-02062-x.
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Abstract Rates of biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia are among the highest in the world, and the Indo-Burma and South-Central China Biodiversity Hotspots rank among the world’s most threatened. Developing robust multi-species conservation models is critical for stemming biodiversity loss both here and globally. We used a large and geographically extensive remote-camera survey and multi-scale, multivariate optimization species distribution modelling to investigate the factors driving biodiversity across these two adjoining biodiversity hotspots. Four major findings emerged from the work. (i) We identified clear spatial patterns of species richness, with two main biodiverse centres in the Thai-Malay Peninsula and in the mountainous region of Southwest China. (ii) Carnivores in particular, and large ungulates to a lesser degree, were the strongest indicators of species richness. (iii) Climate had the largest effect on biodiversity, followed by protected status and human footprint. (iv) Gap analysis between the biodiversity model and the current system of protected areas revealed that the majority of areas supporting the highest predicted biodiversity are not protected. Our results highlighted several key locations that should be prioritized for expanding the protected area network to maximize conservation effectiveness. We demonstrated the importance of switching from single-species to multi-species approaches to highlight areas of high priority for biodiversity conservation. In addition, since these areas mostly occur over multiple countries, we also advocate for a paradigmatic focus on transboundary conservation planning.
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Barclay, Leah. "Sounding Extremes: Ecological Sound Art in the Anthropocene." Circuit 32, no. 2 (August 31, 2022): 37–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/1091901ar.
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The catastrophic impacts of climate change, vanishing biodiversity, and the rapid deterioration of our global ecosystems require urgent attention and aggressive political action. This article explores a body of interdisciplinary research through a series of ecological sound projects designed to draw attention and awareness to changing ecosystems. These projects are framed as participatory acoustic ecology and position the discipline as a socially engaged, inclusive, accessible, interdisciplinary field that inspires communities to listen and act during times of crisis.
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Watson, James, Richard A. Fuller, and Lissa Barr. "Why are we still using a ?one size fits all? philosophy for systematic reserve planning in Australia?" Pacific Conservation Biology 14, no. 4 (2008): 233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc080233.
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Funds available for investment in biodiversity conservation are small in comparison with the resources available to those interested in using the land for other purposes. In response to this disparity, the discipline of systematic conservation planning has developed tools to optimize decision making for investing limited conservation funds in the most effective and transparent manner possible (Possingham et al. 2006). Since its origins in the mid-1980s, systematic conservation planning has grown rapidly, spawning hundreds of peer-reviewed papers (Pressey et al. 2007). Importantly, it now shapes policy legislation in many terrestrial and marine regions across the globe.
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Coman, Ioana A., Caitlyn E. Cooper-Norris, Scott Longing, and Gad Perry. "It Is a Wild World in the City: Urban Wildlife Conservation and Communication in the Age of COVID-19." Diversity 14, no. 7 (July 4, 2022): 539. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14070539.
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Most ecosystems are increasingly being degraded and reduced by human activities at the local and global scales. In contrast, urban environments are expanding as increasing portions of humanity move into cities. Despite the common perception among biologists that urban areas are biological deserts, cities offer habitat for many non-human species, but their ecology and conservation remain poorly studied. In this review, we first provide an update on the current state of knowledge on urban wildlife, then briefly examine the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban wildlife and add four components not previously included in comprehensive reviews. (1) We show that by reducing human activity, COVID-19 has temporarily enhanced urban habitat quality for some species and diminished it for others. (2) Thoughtful horticulture can contribute to urban wildlife by providing complex habitat structures that benefit biodiversity while enhancing human wellbeing. (3) Recent literature on urban invertebrate biodiversity has grown, though is still focused on pollinators. (4) Finally, employing insights from the discipline of communication can enhance the success of urban biodiversity conservation among both biologists and the public.
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Bergström, Gunnar. "Chemical ecology = chemistry + ecology!" Pure and Applied Chemistry 79, no. 12 (January 1, 2007): 2305–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac200779122305.
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Chemical ecology (CE) is an active, interdisciplinary field between chemistry and biology, which, stimulated by natural curiosity and possible applied aspects, has grown to its present position during the last 40-odd years. This area has now achieved a degree of maturity with its own journals, its own international society with annual meetings, and many enthusiastic scientists in laboratories around the world. The focus is on chemical communication and other chemical interactions between organisms, including volatile chemical signals, which guide behaviors linked to various vital needs. It reflects both biodiversity and chemodiversity. All living organisms have these important signal systems, which go back to the origins of life. Successful work in this area has called for close collaboration between chemists and biologists of different descriptions. It is thus a good example of chemistry for biology. The aim of the article is to give a short introduction to the field, with an emphasis on the role of chemistry in a biological context by: giving an overview of the development of the area; showing some examples of studies of chemical communication in insects and plants, basically from our own work; and describing some current trends and tendencies and possible future developments.
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Zhang, Huayong, Lei Zhao, Wang Tian, and Hai Huang. "Stability of food webs to biodiversity loss: Comparing the roles of biomass and node degree." Ecological Indicators 67 (August 2016): 723–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.03.045.
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Bader, Ammar, Aljawharah AlQathama, Pier Luigi Cioni, Lucia Ceccarini, Mohamed I. S. Abdelhady, Wajih Al-Shareef, Roberta Ascrizzi, and Guido Flamini. "Essential Oil Biodiversity of Achillea ligustica All. Obtained from Mainland and Island Populations." Plants 11, no. 8 (April 13, 2022): 1054. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants11081054.
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Background: The genus Achillea is rich in essential oil (EO) with high chemical diversity. In this study, eight EO samples obtained from flowers and leaves of Achillea ligustica All. collected on the Mediterranean mainland and island locations were analyzed to evaluate their possible chemical diversity. Methods: Sixteen samples of EO were analyzed by GC-MS, leading to the identification of 95 compounds in the leaves and 86 compounds in the flowers; a statistical analysis was performed to determine the chemical polymorphism. Results: Monoterpenes, such as β-pinene, borneol, ɑ-terpineol and isobornyl acetate, were more abundant in the continental samples, while the insular samples were richer in 1,8-cineole. Fragranyl acetate and fragranol were detected in remarkable concentrations in sample 8. The fruits of sample 8 were then cultivated under controlled agronomic conditions, providing plants rich in these compounds (sample 9). The geographical variability influenced the EO compositions, with unique observed chemotypes and a high degree of diversity among samples collected in various areas (mainland or island). Statistical analyses did not reveal any pattern between the geographical provenience and the compositions. Conclusion: Samples were distributed based on the plant organ, confirming the already reported high degree of chemical polymorphism of this species. Sample 8 could be used as a source of fragranol and fragranyl acetate, with potential applications in the insecticidal and pheromone industries.
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Mohamad Bukhori, Mohamad Fhaizal, Besar Ketol, Khairil Rizadh Razali, Azizi Hussain, and Mohd Faizullah Rohmon. "Brief Documentation of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota Diversity in Gunung Gading National Park, Sarawak." Journal of Science and Mathematics Letters 8, no. 1 (January 6, 2020): 37–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.37134/jsml.vol8.1.5.2020.
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To facilitate the learning objectives of ecology, biodiversity and environment course, in situ activities remain the finest key to complement by conducting real fieldwork and hands on study. The specific objectives of the study are to promote sustainable learning, adopting effective practice in academic and scientific documentation, and implementing holistic and blended learning approach in the course by introducing a comprehensive learning experience in biodiversity-related discipline. Therefore, Basidiomycota and Ascomycota study based on diversity, host association and community structure in Gunung Gading National Park was chosen and resulted with the following attributes, where, four different species of macrofungi were identified and classified including Ganoderma, Coprinellus and Cookeina. Information on Basidiomycota and Ascomycota diversity species present in the parks is useful for educational and research purposes such as in Malaysian fungal diversity, climate change marker and Malaysian fungal monograph, developing a conservation education and attitude towards scientific reporting and also helps in promoting ecotourism.
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McDonald, L., M. Van Woudenberg, B. Dorin, A. M. Adcock, R. T. McMullin, and K. Cottenie. "The effects of bark quality on corticolous lichen community composition in urban parks of southern Ontario." Botany 95, no. 12 (December 2017): 1141–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2017-0113.
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Tree bark characteristics influence lichen colonization. To better understand how urban parks can be managed to maximize lichen biodiversity, we examined trees in seven parks throughout the City of Guelph in southern Ontario. We measured bark characteristics and lichen communities on four common tree species that have a wide range of pH: Acer platanoides L., Acer × freemanii E. Murray, Pinus resinosa Aiton, and Pinus strobes L. We recorded the lichen species on 99 trees, calculated the pH and fissuring of the bark, and determined the diameter at breast height (DBH) as a proxy for age. Gamma diversity on all trees included 18 lichen taxa. We used graphite bark rubbings analyzed in ImageJ 1.47v to calculate the degree of bark fissuring. We collected bark samples from each tree trunk and determined the acidity with a pH meter. Using multivariate analyses we show that lichen community composition is positively correlated with DBH and tree species, but the degree of fissuring did not have a significant effect. We could not statistically analyze pH independent of tree species, but our results suggest pH is not a significant variable. We show lichen biodiversity in urban parks can be increased by planting a variety of tree species at different ages.
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Kocher-Schmid, Christin. "The Cultural Importance of Floristic Diversity: A Case Study from Nokopo village, Madang and Morobe Provinces, Papua New Guinea." Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology 2, no. 2 (1998): 107–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853598x00118.
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AbstractBiodiversity is not exclusively a product of pristine natural processes but is also, to a considerable degree, caused by human activities. This is demonstrated by a detailed inspection of the use and classification of plants by the people of Nokopo village in the Finisterre Range of Papua New Guinea. Nokopo people recognise and value biodiversity on all its levels - genetic diversity, species diversity and diversity of ecosystems - and their activities enhance overall biodiversity. This can be partly explained by the usefulness biodiversity has to them, in terms of resource access and other utilitarian considerations. On the other hand, aesthetic concepts and values make a significant contribution. Both these intrinsically interwoven components - the utilitarian and the aesthetic component respectively - form the base for understanding the major role humans play in creating and maintaining biodiversity, the role of keystone species enhancing overall biodiversity in a given ecosystem.
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Talašová, Anna, Jakub Straka, Jiří Hadrava, Daniel Benda, František Kocourek, and Jan Kazda. "High degree of philopatry is required for mobile insects used as local indicators in biodiversity studies." Ecological Indicators 94 (November 2018): 99–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.06.008.
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Holewa, Hamish, Lee Belbin, and Elycia Wallis. "The Change Imperative: Accelerating the pace of biodiversity discovery and documentation." Biodiversity Information Science and Standards 2 (July 5, 2018): e28131. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/biss.2.28131.
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Taxonomic work is slow and time consuming. Alarm bells have rung for years about the need to go faster, the need to attract and train new taxonomic workers, and the need to convince other branches of science that taxonomic work is vital. Morphological taxonomy is either being overrun or augmented – depending on your perspective – by genomics, artificial intelligence, new imaging methods and species-related data from other branches of science. Ecology is one such branch of science, where defining, documenting and managing information about species traits has emerged as one of the most significant problems in the discipline. Traits have been recorded for aeons, but the resulting data has largely been insulated within cliques. How do we integrate these data and make them available in a form that will help to address significant issues about our environment? The ‘speed bumps’ on the route to a useful solution may be more social than technical. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is required to address the big questions in biodiversity research today, and it will need to extend beyond taxonomy and ecology to other disciplines, such as pharmacology and material science. As Harry Truman said, and John LaSalle often quoted, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit”. We are challenged to understand and answer the key questions about the world on which we all depend. What are the challenges and the opportunities to accelerate biodiversity discovery and documentation?
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Ogurtsov, Alexander, Vasiliy Dmitriev, Alexander Egorov, and Polina Bakunovich. "Spatial analysis and integral assessment of factors of the potential dangers to the biodiversity of biogeocenoses in the catchment area of Beloye and Lippovskoye lakes (Kurgalsky peninsula, Russia)." InterCarto. InterGIS 27, no. 3 (2021): 335–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.35595/2414-9179-2021-3-27-335-345.
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In the context of maintaining a constant threat of biodiversity loss, it is urgent to solve the problem of improving and creating new methods for assessing the factors of biodiversity change. Due to the complexity and multidimensity of the task, the authors are invited to use the method of analyzing and synthesizing indicators with information deficit (ASPID method). As an example of using the method, this article presents the results of studies of potential risk factors for biodiversity loss in the catchment area of two adjacent lakes on the Kurgalsky Peninsula. As objects of the assessment chosen taxa biogeocenoses of the peninsula. In accordance with the procedure for estimating the ASPID-method for each taxon, a composite indicator was calculated. The composite indicator characterizes the level of the total risk of biodiversity loss. It is formed on the basis of a system of individual indicators and taking into account their weight. The system of individual indicators reflects the effect of anthropogenic and natural anthropogenic factors. Calculations of composite indicators have formed the basis for the compilation of thematic maps of the integral assessment of hazards. Thematic maps are compiled using geographic information systems (GIS). Assessment maps allow you to identify areas of the territory with a high and low degree of danger. The analysis of the maps revealed differences in the spatial distribution of estimates, which allows to identify areas of the lake catchment with a low and high degree of risk of biodiversity loss. In particular, it is noted that the main threat comes from anthropogenic factors, since the “strong” and “most severe” degree of danger is detected in 42% of biogeocenoses, and in the case of anthropogenic-natural factors only in 21%. The threat of anthropogenic-natural factors to the biodiversity of biogeocenoses is most pronounced on the western border of the catchment area. In the eastern part of the catchment area, the influence of anthropogenic-natural factors is less noticeable. Since the solution of the problem of biodiversity conservation affects the ecology of territories and in particular catchment areas, it can be useful in determining the ecological status and ecological well-being of water bodies and their catchment areas.
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Azmi, N. A., H. Z. M. Shafri, F. A. Z. Abidin, N. S. N. Shaharum, and M. M. A. Al-Habshi. "Development of WebGIS using open source geospatial technologies for Krau Wildlife Reserve." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1064, no. 1 (July 1, 2022): 012016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1064/1/012016.
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Abstract Malaysia has a significant amount of biodiversity and has developed protected areas to conserve and sustain this tremendous degree of biodiversity. A protected area is known for its recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. However, the protected areas confront many obstacles, including poor or non-existent management plans. Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can help with the speedy and cost-effective identification of biodiversity and environmentally sensitive areas. WebGIS (Web-based GIS) is useful for simplifying complicated geographical and temporal data on biodiversity such as the existence of threatened species, protected areas, and as well as on socially and environmentally significant ecosystem services. This study aimed to produce a WebGIS platform for Krau Wildlife Reserve (KWR) protected area using geospatial remote sensing and GIS data. The developed WebGIS played an important role in evaluating human activities near KWR that may impact the ecology and result in the extinction of natural habitats.
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Harris, Peter T., Andrew D. Heap, Tara J. Anderson, and Brendan Brooke. "Comment on: Williams et al. (2009) “Australia's deep-water reserve network: implications of false homogeneity for classifying abiotic surrogates of biodiversity”. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 214–224." ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, no. 10 (August 21, 2009): 2082–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsp207.
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Abstract Harris, P. T., Heap, A. D., Anderson, T. J., and Brooke, B. 2009. Comment on: Williams et al. (2009) “Australia's deep-water reserve network: implications of false homogeneity for classifying abiotic surrogates of biodiversity”. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 214–224. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 2082–2085. Williams et al. (2009) report on new multibeam sonar bathymetry and underwater video data collected from submarine canyons and seamounts on Australia's southeast continental margin to “investigate the degree to which geomorphic features act as surrogates for benthic megafaunal biodiversity” (p. 214). The authors describe what they view as deficiencies in the design of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the southeast region of Australia, in which geomorphology information was employed as a surrogate to infer regional-scale patterns of benthic biodiversity. This comment is designed to support and underscore the importance of evaluating MPA designs and the validity of using abiotic surrogates such as geomorphology to infer biodiversity patterns, and also seeks to clarify some of the discrepancies in geomorphic terminologies and approaches used between the original study and the Williams et al. (2009) evaluation. It is our opinion that the MPA design criteria used by the Australian Government are incorrectly reported by Williams et al. (2009). In particular, we emphasize the necessity for consistent terminology and approaches when undertaking comparative analyses of geomorphic features. We show that the MPA selection criteria used by the Australian Government addressed the issues of false homogeneity described by Williams et al. (2009), but that final placement of MPAs was based on additional stakeholder considerations. Finally, we argue that although the Williams et al. (2009) study provides valuable information on biological distributions within seamounts and canyons, the hypothesis that geomorphic features (particularly seamounts and submarine canyons) are surrogates for benthic biodiversity is not tested explicitly by their study.
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Chakrabarty, D., and S. K. Das. "Fish community structure and ecological degradation in tropical rivers of India." Web Ecology 6, no. 1 (July 19, 2006): 27–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/we-6-27-2006.
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Abstract. Fish community structure and water chemistry of two tropical rivers of West Bengal, an eastern province of India, were studied for two annual cycles (January 2003–December 2004). Water quality and fish community structure reflected a higher degree of pollution in the Churni river than in the Jalangi river. We observed that 63.6% of fish species had disappeared from the polluted Churni river in 20 yr. For protection of fish biodiversity and enhancement of fish production, a rational management program should be implemented in Churni river. Warning: Triplicate publication
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Larsen, R., T. Holmern, S. D. Prager, H. Maliti, and E. Røskaft. "Using the extended quarter degree grid cell system to unify mapping and sharing of biodiversity data." African Journal of Ecology 47, no. 3 (September 2009): 382–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2008.00997.x.
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Bišćan, Matko, Gordan Lukač, Franjo Špalj, Rea Blagajac, Dušan Jelić, Ivana Maguire, and Alessandro Massolo. "The Value of Protected Areas Ranger Service Personnel for Biodiversity Monitoring: Case Study in Paklenica National Park (Croatia)." Ekológia (Bratislava) 41, no. 2 (June 1, 2022): 183–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/eko-2022-0019.
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Abstract To preserve the long-term survival of habitats and wildlife, it is necessary to monitor their status. In protected areas, that is, biodiversity centres, rangers have excellent knowledge of specific locations and they spend a large amount of time in the field. But since rangers are not required to have a university degree, the question is whether they can be an added value in baseline survey monitoring. To investigate this issue, a case study was conducted in the Paklenica National Park (Paklenica NP), Croatia, using camera trapping survey between 2011 and 2016 at 22 camera sites. The aims of this survey were (1) to collect baseline data of mammalian diversity, (2) to analyse the regulatory effect of top predators on the trophic pyramid through top–down effects and (3) to estimate the data gathered by ranger service from the Paklenica NP. Data gathered through this study represents the first peer-reviewed list of medium- to large-sized mammals for Paklenica NP, as up till now, there is no peer-reviewed published paper of Paklenica NP mammalian diversity. Results showed that the recorded top predator–mesopredator–prey ratios were concordant with the trophic pyramid hypothesis. Also, as it was expected according to the literature, species richness indices were higher when top predators were present. On analysing the costs for conducting camera trapping survey by external and internal services, a significant difference was observed. Internal rangers’ cost was nine times lower than the external service cost. Future research run by rangers needs to be conducted in way to capture all mammalian biodiversity. Therefore, we propose camera trapping methodology for rangers in the protected areas since this may be an invaluable tool for biodiversity monitoring.
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Coleman, Melinda A., Elaine Vytopil, Paris J. Goodsell, Bronwyn M. Gillanders, and Sean D. Connell. "Diversity and depth-related patterns of mobile invertebrates associated with kelp forests." Marine and Freshwater Research 58, no. 7 (2007): 589. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf06216.
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It is remarkable that although the importance of depth is firmly rooted in the discipline of marine ecology, so little is understood about depth-related patterns of invertebrates in kelp forests, particularly in temperate Australia. We tested for the existence of broad scale patterns in depth-related diversity and abundance of mobile invertebrates in kelp holdfasts (Ecklonia radiata) across several spatial scales along 500 km of coastline. There was a greater abundance and richness of common taxa in holdfasts from shallow relative to deep waters. Strikingly, a disproportionately large percentage (60%) of species was unique to holdfasts from shallow reefs, suggesting that shallow environments create conditions that facilitate a rich biodiversity of invertebrate fauna. We conclude that depth-related variation in kelp forests may not be completely idiosyncratic, and coherent research programs of a broader scale and scope may unify subsets of fragmented knowledge that previously provided little insight into general depth-related patterns of invertebrate assemblages.
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Borrelle, Stephanie B., Jonathan B. Koch, Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie, Kurt E. Ingeman, Bonnie M. McGill, Max R. Lambert, Anat M. Belason, et al. "Corrigendum 1 (published 22 Oct 2021) to: What does it mean to be for a Place?" Pacific Conservation Biology 27, no. 4 (2021): 506. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc20015_co.
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Indigenous knowledge is a multilayered knowledge system that can effectively manage global ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. Conservation is an applied discipline with the goal of preserving the world's biodiversity and ecosystems. However, settler–coloniser conservation practices often fail to fully examine how settler–coloniser epistemologies are centred at the expense of Indigenous conservation praxis. Evaluating how conservation practices outside of an Indigenous lens can become more inclusive and just is a critical area for research and reflection. We draw on our own experiences as early-career researchers working towards anticolonial, just and inclusive approaches to conservation science and practice by discussing what it means to be for a Place. We believe that a non-Indigenous conservationist who is for a Place advocates for inclusive stewardship with Indigenous Peoples and other marginalised communities to conserve species and ecosystems and the connections that bind communities to their landscapes. As an example of how settler–coloniser conservation practitioners can be for a Place, we discuss writing a policy statement in 2019 on behalf of the Society for Conservation Biology opposing the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawai‘i. We describe the thought process behind our policy statement and provide examples of other actions for conservation researchers and practitioners working to be for a Place. We aim to provide our colleagues, particularly those trained in settler–coloniser conservation practices, an opportunity to identify more just practices for the Places we aspire to conserve.
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Borrelle, Stephanie B., Jonathan B. Koch, Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie, Kurt E. Ingeman, Bonnie M. McGill, Max R. Lambert, Anat M. Belasen, et al. "Corrigendum 2 (published 29 Oct 2021) to: What does it mean to be for a Place?" Pacific Conservation Biology 27, no. 4 (2021): 507. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc20015_c1.
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Indigenous knowledge is a multilayered knowledge system that can effectively manage global ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. Conservation is an applied discipline with the goal of preserving the world's biodiversity and ecosystems. However, settler–coloniser conservation practices often fail to fully examine how settler–coloniser epistemologies are centred at the expense of Indigenous conservation praxis. Evaluating how conservation practices outside of an Indigenous lens can become more inclusive and just is a critical area for research and reflection. We draw on our own experiences as early-career researchers working towards anticolonial, just and inclusive approaches to conservation science and practice by discussing what it means to be for a Place. We believe that a non-Indigenous conservationist who is for a Place advocates for inclusive stewardship with Indigenous Peoples and other marginalised communities to conserve species and ecosystems and the connections that bind communities to their landscapes. As an example of how settler–coloniser conservation practitioners can be for a Place, we discuss writing a policy statement in 2019 on behalf of the Society for Conservation Biology opposing the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawai‘i. We describe the thought process behind our policy statement and provide examples of other actions for conservation researchers and practitioners working to be for a Place. We aim to provide our colleagues, particularly those trained in settler–coloniser conservation practices, an opportunity to identify more just practices for the Places we aspire to conserve.
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Farina, Almo, Alice Eldridge, and Peng Li. "Ecoacoustics and Multispecies Semiosis: Naming, Semantics, Semiotic Characteristics, and Competencies." Biosemiotics 14, no. 1 (February 15, 2021): 141–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12304-021-09402-6.
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AbstractBiosemiotics to date has focused on the exchange of signals between organisms, in line with bioacoustics; consideration of the wider acoustic environment as a semiotic medium is under-developed. The nascent discipline of ecoacoustics, that investigates the role of environmental sound in ecological processes and dynamics, fills this gap. In this paper we introduce key ecoacoustic terminology and concepts in order to highlight the value of ecoacoustics as a discipline in which to conceptualise and study intra- and interspecies semiosis. We stress the inherently subjective nature of all sensory scapes (vivo-, land-, vibro- and soundscapes) and propose that they should always bear an organismic attribution. Key terms to describe the sources (geophony, biophony, anthropophony, technophony) and scales (sonotopes, soundtopes, sonotones) of soundscapes are described. We introduce epithets for soundscapes to point to the degree to which the global environment is implicated in semiosis (latent, sensed and interpreted soundscapes); terms for describing key ecological structures and processes (acoustic community, acoustic habitat, ecoacoustic events) and examples of ecoacoustic events (choruses and noise) are described. The acoustic eco-field is recognized as the semiotic model that enables soniferous species to intercept core resources like food, safety and roosting places. We note that whilst ecoacoustics to date has focused on the critical task of the development of metrics for application in conservation and biodiversity assessment, these can be enriched by advancing conceptual and theoretical foundations. Finally, the mutual value of integrating ecoacoustic and biosemiotics perspectives is considered.
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Gallagher, Frank, Nina Goodey, Diane Hagmann, Jay Singh, Claus Holzapfel, Megan Litwhiler, and Jennifer Krumins. "Urban Re-Greening: A Case Study in Multi-Trophic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in a Post-Industrial Landscape." Diversity 10, no. 4 (November 1, 2018): 119. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d10040119.
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The biodiversity of urban and post-industrial ecosystems is a highly relevant and growing new frontier in ecological research. Even so, the functionality of these ecosystems may not always be successfully predicted based on prior biodiversity and ecosystem functioning theory. Indeed, evidence suggests that the general biological impoverishment within the urban context envisioned thirty years ago was overstated. Many of the world’s urban centers support some degree of biodiversity that is indigenous, as well as a complex array of non-native species, resulting in highly functional, and often, novel communities. For over two decades, a multi-disciplinary team has examined the sub-lethal impact of soil metal contamination on the multi-trophic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of a post-industrial brownfield in the New York City metropolitan area. We do this through examinations of photosynthesis, carbon allocation, and soil enzyme activity as well as multi-trophic metal translocation via the plant and rhizosphere. In this paper, we synthesize the findings of our research network and apply the results to a framework of functional diversity. Due to the unique constraints many post-industrial lands impose on communities, functional diversity may be more meaningful to ecosystem health than species richness.
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Martens, Koen, and Isa Schon. "CRUSTACEAN BIODIVERSITY IN ANCIENT LAKES: A REVIEW." Crustaceana 72, no. 8 (1999): 899–910. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854099503807.
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AbstractSeveral crustacean groups have produced extensive species flocks in ancient lakes. However, except for the Amphipoda in Lake Baikal, crustacean diversity per se is not significantly higher in ancient lakes than in non-marine aquatic habitats in general. Yet the degree of endemicity in such long-lived habitats is certainly higher in these crustacean groups than in the average of noncrustacean groups. Causality must thus be sought in the evolutionary biology, rather than in the ecology of the groups at issue. Several potential, intrinsic factors, possibly promoting speciation, have been cited, but thus far no singular cause for high crustacean endemicity in ancient lakes could be demonstrated. Plusieurs groupes de crustaces ont produit de vastes ensembles d'especes dans les lacs anciens. Cependant, excepte pour les amphipodes du lac Baikal, la diversite des crustaces en elle-meme n'est pas significativement plus grande dans les lacs anciens que dans les habitats aquatiques nonmarins en general. Pourtant, le degre d'endemisme dans des habitats habites de si longue date est certainement plus eleve dans les groupes de crustaces que dans la moyenne des groupes non crustaces. La cause doit alors etre recherchee dans la biologie evolutive, plutot que dans l'ecologie des groupes concernes. Plusieurs facteurs potentiels, intrinseques, pouvant induire la speciation, ont ete cites, mais pour l'instant, aucune cause particuliere n'a pu etre etablie pour expliquer l'endemisme crustaceen superieur dans les lacs anciens.
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BRABY, MICHAEL F. "The merging of taxonomy and conservation biology: a synthesis of Australian butterfly systematics (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) for the 21st century." Zootaxa 2707, no. 1 (January 22, 2019): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2707.1.1.
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Taxonomy is a major scientific discipline that underpins the preservation of biological diversity, but the discipline of taxonomy itself has, until recently, remained somewhat disconnected from conservation biology. Checklists summarise available taxonomic and systematic knowledge and in part provide a framework to optimise efforts and scarce resources for biodiversity conservation. Butterflies have been identified as a key bioindicator group of invertebrates for monitoring, assessing environmental change and for biodiversity conservation. A revised checklist of the butterflies (Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae and Papilionoidea: Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Riodinidae, Lycaenidae) of Australia is presented, incorporating recent changes to both the higher and lower systematic levels of classification based on review of the literature, mandatory changes of specific epithets to achieve gender agreement, together with recommended common names. A total of 1,134 available species group names are listed, of which 423 are junior synonyms. Currently, 596 valid lower taxa (i.e. species and subspecies) are recognised in the fauna. Of the valid species, 430 are recorded from Australia, of which 404 occur on the mainland and Tasmania and 26 are restricted to remote oceanic islands. Gender changes affect 40 species/subspecies group names, of which 27 are valid taxa and 13 are junior synonyms. Comments are made on the size and composition of the fauna, taxonomic impediment, species concepts and utility of subspecies. Modelling the rate of species accumulation based on taxonomic research effort over the past 100 years using a generalized logistic function suggests that about 91% of the Australian butterfly fauna has been catalogued so far. A detailed review of known problems concerning the taxonomy among the lower systematic levels (i.e. genera, species and subspecies) is presented as candidates for future systematic research. Although Australian butterflies are relatively well-known taxonomically, it is estimated that there are approximately 40 species yet to be formally recorded/recognised and more than 60 problems at the lower systematic levels in which the nomenclature, taxonomic status of species/subspecies or monophyly of genera need to be resolved.
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Garcia, Paulo Sérgio, Fernanda Franzolin, and Nelio Bizzo. "Longitudinal Study on Biodiversity in Ten Years of National High School Exam." Acta Scientiae 24, no. 2 (March 24, 2022): 88–117. http://dx.doi.org/10.17648/acta.scientiae.6880.
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Background: Biodiversity is essential for its instrumental, scientific, and political values, and its knowledge is vital to promote its preservation. Objectives: This study identified and analysed the presence of knowledge related to biodiversity in Biology and/or multidisciplinary items in the National High School Examination (ENEM) over ten years between 2009 and 2018. Design: Longitudinal study, based on qualitative methodology. Setting and participants: Education and science experts participated in the analyses. Data collection and analysis: Data were collected on the INEP website. Analyses performed by researchers and an expert panel. Results: We found a clear prevalence of the category “Ecology and Environmental Sciences” in the items, which is in agreement with the literature. However, we also found a disproportionate distribution of questions concerning the categories of the reference matrix of the discipline of Biology. Furthermore, there is significant variability in the theme in different years. We discussed the consequences for curriculum and conservation. Conclusions: There is an imbalance that reveals a dominant trend, acting as a structuring element of the questions, that silences other major areas of Biology and can influence the curriculum and practices of secondary school teachers. The high variability of the occurrence of the biodiversity theme in Biology tests suggests a non-harmonic relationship, which may be associated with the statistical demands of the IRT modelling, between the selection of questions and the reference matrix of the Biology categories, with possible consequences for the curriculum.
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Kowarik, Ingo. "Herbert Sukopp – an inspiring pioneer in the field of urban ecology." Urban Ecosystems 23, no. 3 (March 24, 2020): 445–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-020-00983-7.
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Abstract Urban ecology is a well-established integrative discipline with many historical roots. One of the eminent pioneers of urban ecology is the German ecologist Herbert Sukopp, who works in Berlin since the late 1950s and is often referred to as the founder of the "Berlin School of Urban Ecology". On the occasion of his 90th anniversary in 2020, this paper aims to recognize and commemorate the major contributions of Sukopp to the field of urban ecology, based on his scientific work and on results of an online survey on his perception in the international scientific community. Sukopp’s contributions were groundbreaking for the establishment of urban ecology. Specifically, his work furthered: (1) the performance of comprehensive biodiversity studies across all land-use types within the city, in relation to the specifics of urban environments; (2) the establishment of modern approaches of nature conservation in cities and their integration into all land-use types, and the city as a whole; (3) the formation of a multidisciplinary conceptual basis of urban ecology as a modern science, with combined scientific and applied perspectives, ultimately aiming at the preservation and further development of nature within cities for the benefit of urban residents. Herbert Sukopp is thus an important and inspiring pioneer in the field of urban ecology.
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Dulvy, Nicholas K., Simon Jennings, Stuart I. Rogers, and David L. Maxwell. "Threat and decline in fishes: an indicator of marine biodiversity." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63, no. 6 (June 1, 2006): 1267–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f06-035.
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Recent policy commitments aim to reduce biodiversity loss and integrate environmental concerns into fisheries management. However, there are few operational indicators for reporting biodiversity trends and judging progress in relation to management objectives. Here we develop a threat indicator based on the population status of a suite of 23 North Sea fishes from 1982 to 2001 estimated using World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List decline criteria. The composite indicator was calculated from the weighted average of the threat scores of individual species in each year and varies from 0 to 3, where a score of 3 is equivalent to each species qualifying as "critically endangered". The proportion of threatened fishes, their degree of threat, and the composite indicator value increased steadily over time. The composite indicator value has been >1 since the late 1990s, equivalent to all species meeting the "vulnerable" criterion. A suitable reference trajectory, consistent with the World Summit on Sustainable Development commitment to "achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss" would be a significant reduction in the rate of increase in this indicator before 2010, a limit reference point could be 1 (all species vulnerable) and a target reference point could be 0 (no threatened species).
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Judd, S., J. E. M. Watson, and A. W. T. Watson. "Diversity of a semi-arid, intact Mediterranean ecosystem in southwest Australia." Web Ecology 8, no. 1 (July 2, 2008): 84–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/we-8-84-2008.
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Abstract. The drier parts of the Mediterranean biome of southwest Australia contain the largest remaining Mediterranean woodlands and shrublands on Earth. Despite this, there has been no formal, comprehensive assessment of their biodiversity. The region abuts the southwest Australian floristic region which has received much scientific attention. The aim of this paper is to provide the first general overview of the biodiversity of part of this intact, yet relatively unknown, Mediterranean ecosystem. We do this by synthesizing data from State Government agencies and published research. We found that, like other parts of southwest Australia, the region has globally significant levels of plant species diversity. More than 2400 plant species, including 291 species considered threatened, have been recorded, representing one-sixth of all Australia’s vascular plant species. Eleven of Australia’s 23 major vegetation groups are represented even though the region covers less than 1% of continental Australia. We documented 170 vertebrate species, including 31 threatened species, with a particularly high richness of reptile species (n = 46). We highlight how little is known about this region. For example, 116 vertebrate species not recorded in the region probably occur there based on their habitat requirements and known distributions. An examination of plant and vertebrate diversity in the region, using a half degree latitude and longitude grid cells, showed a highly heterogeneous pattern of species richness and vulnerability, with a general decline in species richness from southwest to northeast. Conservation strategies that rely on capturing the highest levels of biodiversity in a series of protected areas are unlikely to guarantee protection for all species given these high levels of heterogeneity. Instead, a region-wide conservation plan should involve targeted ecological research, consideration of ecological processes and stakeholder consultation.
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Posadas, Paula, Mariana A. Grossi, and Edgardo Ortiz-Jaureguizar. "Where is historical biogeography going? The evolution of the discipline in the first decade of the 21st century." Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment 37, no. 3 (March 7, 2013): 377–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0309133313478316.
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It has been argued that historical biogeography, the study of how processes that occur over long periods of time influence the distribution of life forms, is in the midst of a scientific revolution. The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of historical biogeography during the first decade of the 21st century and to identify major trends for the near future. We constructed a database containing all articles which dealt with historical biogeography published in the Journal of Biogeography during 1998–2010. The database included 610 contributions. Our results indicated that historical biogeography is going through a growth period. The papers analyzed were written by 2018 authors, with a mean of 3.3 authors per paper. Authors from 62 countries were involved, and most of them worked in Europe or North America. The Palearctic was the most analyzed region. Most contributions dealt with terrestrial habitats and were devoted to animal (especially Chordata) and plant taxa. Phylogeography was the most used approach (35%), followed by biota similarity and PAE (13%) and molecular biogeography (12%), with cladistic biogeography and event-based methods at 6% each. Some of the future challenges that historical biogeography faces are summarized: (1) to increase the study of taxa which are underrepresented according to the segment of biodiversity they represent; (2) to balance the amount of work devoted to different biogeographical regions; (3) to increase biogeographical knowledge of aquatic habitats; (4) to maintain the diversity of approaches, preventing the reduction of time, spatial, and taxonomic scales addressed by the discipline; and (5) to continue integrating historical biogeography along with other sources of information from other disciplines (e.g. ecology, paleontology, geology, isotope chemistry, remote sensing) into a richer context for explaining past, present, and future patterns of biodiversity on Earth.
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Chu, Cindy, Charles K. Minns, and Nicholas E. Mandrak. "Comparative regional assessment of factors impacting freshwater fish biodiversity in Canada." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 60, no. 5 (May 1, 2003): 624–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f03-048.
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This study presents a broad analysis of freshwater fish species biodiversity in relation to environmental and stress metrics throughout Canada. Species presenceabsence data were used to calculate richness and rarity indices by tertiary watershed. Richness is higher in the southern parts of Canada, whereas rarity is concentrated in a "ring of rarity" around the periphery of the country. Environmental and stress indices were developed for each watershed using readily available mapped information. The environmental index was estimated using growing degree-days above 5°C, elevation range (m) within the watershed, mean annual sunshine hours, and mean annual vapour pressure (kPa). The number of crop farms, forestry, waste management, and petroleum refining facilities, road density (km·1000 km2), dwelling density, and discharge sites (chimneys and laundry outlets) per 1000 km2 described the human stresses in each watershed. Conservation priority rankings were developed for the watersheds using an integrative index of the three indices. Watersheds in southern Ontario and British Columbia were ranked high because they contain the greatest biodiversity and the most stress. This study indicates how regional analyses can guide fisheries and watershed management.
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Russell, D. J., P. A. Thuesen, F. E. Thomson, and T. N. Power. "Is stocking barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in north-eastern Queensland a threat to aquatic biodiversity?" Marine and Freshwater Research 64, no. 10 (2013): 992. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf12261.
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The stocking of predators can have significant consequences on recipient aquatic ecosystems. We investigated some potential ecological impacts of stocking a predatory fish (Lates calcarifer) into a coastal river and a large impoundment in north-eastern Australia. L. calcarifer was mostly found in slower-moving, larger reaches of the river or in the main body of the impoundment where there was abundant suitable habitat. In the tidally influenced freshwater reaches of the coastal river, L. calcarifer predominately consumed aytid and palaemonid shrimp that were associated with local macrophyte beds or littoral grasses. In this area the diets of juvenile stocked and wild L. calcarifer were similar and stocked fish displayed a high degree of site fidelity. Further upstream in the river, away from tidal influence, and in the impoundment, fish were the main prey item. Cannibalism was uncommon and we suggest that, at the current stocking densities, there was little dietary evidence of predatory impacts from L. calcarifer on species of conservation concern. We caution against introducing novel predatory species such as L. calcarifer in or near areas that are outside their natural range and are known to support rare, threatened or endangered species.
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Beaman, Reed, and Nico Cellinese. "Mass digitization of scientific collections: New opportunities to transform the use of biological specimens and underwrite biodiversity science." ZooKeys 209 (July 20, 2012): 7–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.209.3313.
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New information technologies have enabled the scientific collections community and its stakeholders to adapt, adopt, and leverage novel approaches for a nearly 300 years old scientific discipline. Now, few can credibly question the transformational impact of technology on efforts to digitize scientific collections, as IT now reaches into almost every nook and cranny of society. Five to ten years ago this was not the case. Digitization is an activity that museums and academic institutions increasingly recognize, though many still do not embrace, as a means to boost the impact of collections to research and society through improved access. The acquisition and use of scientific collections is a global endeavor, and digitization enhances their value by improved access to core biodiversity information, increases use, relevance and potential downstream value, for example, in the management of natural resources, policy development, food security, and planetary and human health. This paper examines new opportunities to design and implement infrastructure that will support not just mass digitization efforts, but also a broad range of research on biological diversity and physical sciences in order to make scientific collections increasingly relevant to societal needs and interest.
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Carmel, Yohay, and Liron Stoller-Cavari. "Comparing Environmental and Biological Surrogates for Biodiversity at a Local Scale." Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 52, no. 1 (April 12, 2006): 11–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1560/ijee.52.1.11.
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A recent debate concerns the relative merit of the two major types of surrogates for biodiversity, biological surrogates and environmental surrogates. Evidence, in the form of direct comparison of these two surrogate types, is scarce. We conducted a direct comparison of the performance of a series of biological and environmental surrogates, at a local scale (300 km2), which is often the relevant scale for land planning and management. Performance was referred to as the degree of surrogate congruence with a spatial pattern of diversity of woody species, of geophytes, and of land snails. "Environmental domains", surrogates based on numerical classification of environmental variables (topography, soil, and vegetation cover), outperformed other environmental surrogates (qualitatively delineated vegetation units and physiographic land types). The environmental domains surrogates were robust to subjective decisions on a number of classes and on input variables that drove the classification. The best biological surrogate was the woody species diversity pattern, with performance similar to that of the environmental domains. Our results support the notion that environmental domains may be reliable and cost-effective surrogates for biodiversity at small scales, particularly in data-poor regions.
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Demina, Olga, and Tatiana Bragina. "Fundamental Basis for the Conservation of Biodiversity of the Black Sea-Kazak H Steppes." Hacquetia 13, no. 1 (June 1, 2014): 215–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/hacq-2014-0014.
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Abstract The paper presents new approaches for assessing the conservation value of plant communities based on the use of quantitative criteria contained in databases and eco-floristic classification of steppe vegetation in the Don basin (Rostov region). The Black Sea and Kazakhstan steppes have significant potential for environmental protection. Analysis of biodiversity levels has been facilitated by descriptions of plant communities and quantitative indicators of major faunal groups of soil invertebrates (macrofauna) in the Tobol-Turgai basin (Kostanay region, Kazakhstan). As the structure of soil invertebrate communities is closely associated with vegetation, its assessment can provide insight into the degree of preservation or the depth of disturbance of ecosystems such as those found in the Black Sea and Kazakhstan steppes.
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Turgeon, Katrine, Christian Turpin, and Irene Gregory-Eaves. "Boreal river impoundments caused nearshore fish community assemblage shifts but little change in diversity: a multiscale analysis." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 76, no. 5 (May 2019): 740–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2017-0561.
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River flow regulation, fragmentation, and changes in water quality caused by dams have varying effects on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem functions, but are not clearly resolved in boreal ecosystems. We adopted a multiscale approach to quantify fish community trajectories over 20 years using a network of sites spread across four reservoirs in two hydroelectricity complexes in northern Quebec, where other anthropogenic factors have been negligible. Across three spatial scales, we found little evidence of directional temporal trends in diversity relative to reference sites. Using beta-diversity analyses, we also detected a high degree of stability in fish composition over time and space at the complex and reservoir scales. However, changes in species assemblage following impoundment were detected at the scale of the sampling station. At this scale, we found that some species consistently benefited (coregonids and pikes) from impoundment, whereas others were detrimentally affected (suckers and one salmonid). Overall, we conclude that examining different scales is key when trying to understand the impacts of humans on biodiversity and in formulating management recommendations.
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Hinchliffe, Robert P., Cheryl Tebby, and Tyler P. Cobb. "First recorded co-occurrence of Valvata lewisi Currier, 1868 and Valvata lewisi ontariensis Baker, 1931 (Gastropoda: Valvatidae) from Alberta, Canada, with notes on morphometric and genetic variability." Canadian Field-Naturalist 133, no. 3 (February 26, 2020): 189–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v133i3.2237.
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Sympatric populations of Loosely Coiled Valve Snail (Valvata lewisi ontariensis Baker, 1931) and Fringed Valvata (Valvata lewisi Currier, 1868) are documented from Alberta, Canada, for the first time. Both forms have been identified concurrently in aquatic invertebrate survey samples collected from three wetlands in northeastern Alberta by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. Molecular analysis (DNA barcodes) indicates that there is no genetic distinction between V. lewisi (sensu stricto) and V. lewisi var. ontariensis. Morphometric measurements show that the degree of open coiling, the character that defines V. lewisi var. ontariensis, is highly variable in Alberta specimens. Our findings confirm that V. lewisi var. ontariensis is a phenotypic morph of V. lewisi.
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Kearney, Stephen G., Josie Carwardine, April E. Reside, Diana O. Fisher, Martine Maron, Tim S. Doherty, Sarah Legge, et al. "Corrigendum to: The threats to Australia’s imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response." Pacific Conservation Biology 25, no. 3 (2019): 328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc18024_co.
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Since European occupation of Australia, human activities have caused the dramatic decline and sometimes extinction of many of the continent's unique species. Here we provide a comprehensive review of threats to species listed as threatened under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Following accepted global categories of threat, we find that invasive species affect the largest number of listed species (1257 species, or 82% of all threatened species); ecosystem modifications (e.g. fire) (74% of listed species) and agricultural activity (57%) are also important. The ranking of threats was largely consistent across taxonomic groups and the degree of species' endangerment. These results were significantly different (P
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Engelhard, Georg H., Ruth H. Thurstan, Brian R. MacKenzie, Heidi K. Alleway, R. Colin A. Bannister, Massimiliano Cardinale, Maurice W. Clarke, et al. "ICES meets marine historical ecology: placing the history of fish and fisheries in current policy context." ICES Journal of Marine Science 73, no. 5 (December 11, 2015): 1386–403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsv219.
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Abstract As a discipline, marine historical ecology (MHE) has contributed significantly to our understanding of the past state of the marine environment when levels of human impact were often very different from those today. What is less widely known is that insights from MHE have made headway into being applied within the context of present-day and long-term management and policy. This study draws attention to the applied value of MHE. We demonstrate that a broad knowledge base exists with potential for management application and advice, including the development of baselines and reference levels. Using a number of case studies from around the world, we showcase the value of historical ecology in understanding change and emphasize how it either has already informed management or has the potential to do so soon. We discuss these case studies in a context of the science–policy interface around six themes that are frequently targeted by current marine and maritime policies: climate change, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem structure, habitat integrity, food security, and human governance. We encourage science–policy bodies to actively engage with contributions from MHE, as well-informed policy decisions need to be framed within the context of historical reference points and past resource or ecosystem changes.
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Fryirs, Kirstie, Bruce Chessman, and Ian Rutherfurd. "Progress, problems and prospects in Australian river repair." Marine and Freshwater Research 64, no. 7 (2013): 642. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf12355.
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Effective river restoration requires an integrative approach among researchers, managers and stakeholders, grounded in sound science. Using Australia as a case study, we examined contemporary responses to the following three global challenges for river management: first, to base management practice on ‘best available science’ (BAS); second, to integrate diverse, discipline-bound knowledge within cross-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches; and third, to achieve adaptive management based on monitoring and evaluation. Analysis of 562 papers from the six Australian national stream-management conferences held since 1996 provided insight into the rapidly growing area of management, and the degree to which these three challenges are being met. The review showed that discipline-bound abiotic or biotic science was the focus of 46% of papers. Cross-disciplinary science, defined as the integration of biophysical sciences, was presented in 36% of papers, and trans-disciplinary science, defined as the merging of biophysical science with social and economic perspectives, in 17%. Monitoring and evaluation results were presented in only 12% of papers, whereas applications of adaptive management were reported in a mere 2%. Although river management has been transformed in recent decades, much remains to be done to create a holistic foundation for river restoration that links biophysical science to social science and economics.