329 reads in the past 30 days
Endangered species lack research on the outcomes of conservation actionJanuary 2025
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377 Reads
Published by Wiley and Society for Conservation Biology
Online ISSN: 2578-4854
Disciplines: Conservation science
329 reads in the past 30 days
Endangered species lack research on the outcomes of conservation actionJanuary 2025
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377 Reads
157 reads in the past 30 days
C2C—conflict to coexistence: A global approach to manage human–wildlife conflict for coexistenceFebruary 2025
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163 Reads
127 reads in the past 30 days
Ten relevant questions for applying biodiversity offsetting in the Pantanal wetlandFebruary 2025
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128 Reads
107 reads in the past 30 days
Fish distribution across altitudinal gradients in the Upper Paraguay River Basin: Implications for conservation in the Pantanal regionDecember 2024
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313 Reads
86 reads in the past 30 days
Temperate forests of high conservation value are successfully identified by satellite and LiDAR data fusionJanuary 2025
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86 Reads
Conservation Science and Practice focuses on publishing papers related to the science, policy, planning, and practical aspects of conserving biological diversity.
Our journal covers a range of topics, from practical experiences to theoretical advancements. We highlight studies that link findings to conservation outcomes, assessing both successful and unsuccessful strategies. Our journal welcomes studies with direct implications and actionable recommendations for improving biodiversity conservation, even if they are based on specific case studies or established methods without broader applicability.
February 2025
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61 Reads
Ecotourism promises to reconcile wildlife conservation and human development if negative impacts of human visitation and associated infrastructure can be minimized. Animal behavior studies can be used to identify individual and population responses to anthropogenic impacts before other fitness consequences are documented. With input from professionals in animal behavior and ecotourism, we identified key questions needed to better understand the impact of ecotourism on wildlife. Activity budgets, foraging, movement, stress, habituation, and reproduction were themes that emerged from our survey. We highlight promising research on these themes and identify remaining behavioral research questions about conserving wildlife in the context of ecotourism. Although ecotourism activities often have detrimental effects on animal behavior, we highlight research needs that can inform management and ecotourist education to improve human behavior to be more compatible with sustainable use of nature.
February 2025
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73 Reads
Domestic cats (Felis catus), both feral animals and pets, are a major threat to biodiversity. While domestic cats are closely associated with human residences and activity, they also range into and impact natural areas. We still know little about how free‐ranging cats use natural and semi‐natural areas. We quantified cat occurrence at 405 forest sites in Norway over 3 years using occupancy modeling, and tested how occurrence patterns were influenced by relevant landscape variables. Cat occupancy decreased with increasing distance from residential houses, being >60% within 50 m of the nearest house, but even at 1000 m distance, occupancy still exceeded 10%. When cats were present in forests, they were more likely to be detected close to forest edges. Detection probability was lowest and declined more steeply with increased distance from the forest edge during winter, when temperature, vegetation cover, and prey availability are at their lowest. We conclude that cats may pose a threat in natural areas like forests even at considerable distances from residences. We encourage further studies that investigate the role of landscape characteristics and environmental conditions on habitat penetration by both feral and pet domestic cats.
February 2025
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29 Reads
Human impacts on the planet degrade natural habitats, often restricting wildlife to protected areas. If connectivity between such areas is lost, wildlife populations may lose genetic diversity, thereby increasing extinction risk. For large carnivores, connecting populations separated by human‐occupied habitats requires dedicated effort to foster human–wildlife coexistence. Using lion observation data from 1962 to 2023 and movement data from GPS collars, we evaluated how inclusive conservation actions (i.e., directly involving local communities) in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania, are affecting the ability of lions to use and traverse human‐occupied habitats. Efforts to promote human–lion coexistence were positively associated with the number of lions moving across human‐occupied habitats and the ability of lions to settle in human‐occupied areas, suggesting that conservation activities are having the desired impact on connectivity. However, despite a reduction in negative human–lion interactions from 2016 to 2021, the number of retaliatory lion killings and livestock attacks both increased sharply during an extreme drought in 2022, before dropping again in 2023. Thus, although our results highlight the benefits of inclusive conservation for connectivity of large carnivore populations, recent events highlight continued challenges and the need for long‐term, nimble approaches to maintain balance where humans and large carnivores coexist.
February 2025
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163 Reads
Human–wildlife conflict (HWC) presents a growing challenge to conservation and development worldwide. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and experts on human–wildlife coexistence strategies have responded to this challenge by developing a holistic, globally applicable approach to HWC management that can be tailored to specific local, regional, or national contexts. Its framework addresses the complexity of essential HWC management and long‐term coexistence strategies and is implemented in a structured yet contextualized step‐by‐step sequence by a team of facilitators and multiple stakeholders. The C2C: Conflict to Coexistence Approach centers on four principles (tolerance is maintained, responsibility is shared, resilience is built, holism is fundamental), four outcomes (wildlife thrives alongside human presence, habitat sufficient to maintain viable wildlife populations, people able and willing to live alongside wildlife, livelihoods/assets secured against presence of wildlife), and six HWC management elements (policy and governance, understanding interactions, prevention, response, mitigation, monitoring) that are to be implemented in an integrated way. It is currently undergoing testing in diverse pilot sites across three continents and demonstrating positive initial results. Here, we share the framework and methodology of the approach and initial results and experiences from these pilot sites.
February 2025
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17 Reads
Environmental DNA (eDNA) detections of imperiled species have the potential to inform conservation action, but this requires the acceptance of new technologies by decision‐makers. Here we describe how engaging stakeholders into a collaborative process led to the successful translation of new eDNA findings into conservation outcomes. We characterized the distribution of three federally listed pond‐breeding amphibians across nearly 200 wetlands in coastal California using both traditional field surveys and eDNA sampling; the latter had greater detection rates overall. Regulatory agency staff gained trust in the rigor and effectiveness of eDNA data by joining traditional surveys and through the collaborative development of recommendations for the adoption of eDNA methods. Extensive outreach to the local community within the range of the highly endangered Santa Cruz long‐toed salamander resulted in invitations to sample previously unsurveyed wetlands on private property and the detection of new breeding sites. Conservation organizations and resource management agencies were integrated into our core team from the start, and ultimately shaped wetland management actions, siting of new wetlands, and land acquisition priorities informed by the data generated. Thus, this project serves as a model for actionable eDNA science directly affecting conservation.
February 2025
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50 Reads
Although forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are known to use logged forests, the impact of selective logging on this critically endangered species has never been well established. Considering the potential of some logged areas to serve as other effective area‐based conservation measures, aligning with the Convention on Biological Diversity's 30/30 initiative, we aimed to assess the short‐term impacts of logging on three population parameters: the presence, abundance, and activity of forest elephants. Combining camera traps and dung surveys before and after logging operations, we assessed the response of forest elephants in a certified timber concession in Gabon. Encouragingly, we found no negative effects of logging on the three population parameters studied. There was no discernible change in the presence of elephants after logging, and their abundance actually increased (relative abundance index from 1.56 to 2.59; p‐value 0.0139) at one of the study sites. Activity patterns were also unaffected, showing sustained activity during daylight hours. We also identified the logging‐associated factors that have significantly influenced forest elephant's abundance. Notably, logging intensity, as measured by the average number of trees harvested per hectare, and road density were positively correlated with the number of forest elephant observations (logging intensity effect: 0.2992, p‐value 0.035; road density effect: 0.3628, p‐value 0.060). As global conservation goals evolve, this research provides important insights into the coexistence of well‐managed industrial activities and the conservation of endangered species, highlighting the need to include responsibly managed timber concessions in future conservation strategies. It also underscores the importance of wider adoption of sustainable practices such as low‐impact logging, promoted by certification schemes such as FSC or PEFC, to secure the future of central African forests and their unique wildlife.
February 2025
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128 Reads
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In Brazil, biodiversity offsetting operates in an ad hoc manner while biodiversity equivalence has mainly been overlooked by public policies. Despite being mandatory since 1965s Forest Code (Law 4.771), we fail to have a robust offsetting framework. The revision of the forest code in 2012 (i.e., Native Vegetation Protection Law—NVPL—Law n° 12,651/2012), maintained the obligation for landowners to set aside a biome‐specific percentage of their native vegetation for preservation. Known as Legal Reserves, these set‐asides are a precondition for compliance with NVPL's regularization procedure called CAR (Rural Environmental Cadaster). Despite enthusiasm about biodiversity offsetting opportunities following the NVPL enactment in 2012, uncertainties around its implementation remains. Here, we formulated 10 questions that discuss and illustrate how offsetting can be applied to maintain wetland integrity, economic fairness and biodiversity conservation in the Pantanal and Upper Paraguay River basin (UPRB). The aim is to stimulate robust public policies and stimulate wetland offsetting research opportunities. We provided examples of implementation opportunities of the NVPL in integrating the floodplain and highland in Pantanal at UPRB, analyze spatial compliance deficits, and illustrate opportunities that require harmonized legislation and policies between Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states in Brazil.
January 2025
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76 Reads
The biodiversity crisis calls for more collective effort, and a close examination of the tools available to effect change. We documented insider knowledge into how pro‐nature decision‐making can be influenced in the Australian state of Victoria, focusing on the role of public advocacy targeting government. We interviewed 12 experts who currently or previously held influential roles in government or advocacy‐focused environmental non‐government organizations (ENGOs) and used thematic analysis to explore their responses. Experts described influence from individuals, grassroots groups, or ENGOs, and factors shaping success. These included attributes of the decision‐making context, having resources and commitment to see out long‐term change, having relevant networks, and being able to act when opportunities arise. Barriers described included lack of environmental literacy among the public and some decision‐makers, biodiversity concern being crowded out by climate change concern, and the difficulty of shifting from incremental to systemic change. Understanding these factors can better equip advocates to have impact. Democratic governments recognize that societies make progress where there is two‐way exchange between public and state, so should foster public pathways toward political engagement in conservation.
January 2025
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10 Reads
Protected areas are the cornerstone of national and global efforts to mitigate biodiversity loss. This study focused on the national nature reserves (NNRs) of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP), using a long‐term series of NDVI data from 2010 to 2020 to assess the effectiveness of vegetation protection across the entire region. By employing a multiple regression model, we accounted for 71% of the variation in the NDVI change rate, indicating a goodness of fit (R‐squared) that indicated an interplay between factors such as the natural environment, management capabilities, human‐mediated disturbance, and population density in shaping vegetation protection effectiveness within the NNRs of the QTP. The managerial capacity, natural environment, population, and human‐mediated disturbance factors contributed 46.0%, 37.5%, 11.4%, and 5.1%, respectively, of the total. The regression analysis findings highlight the crucial role that environmental elements play in the success of conservation by showing that latitude, longitude, elevation, and average annual precipitation all have a major impact on the effectiveness of NNRs. The effectiveness of conservation is significantly positively impacted by province and per capita patrol area, and negatively by per capita management area. Practical conservation and management solutions appropriate for the NNRs of the QTP are also offered to meet current challenges and management restrictions. These suggestions are meant to help the QTP function as an ecological security barrier more successfully.
January 2025
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86 Reads
Forest ecosystems will play a critical role in achieving policy targets for biodiversity and conservation, such as those set out in the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030. However, practitioners need to know where forests of high conservation value are to make the best‐informed decisions about which forests to prioritize. Here, we combine airborne LiDAR (airborne laser scanning/ALS), optical satellite imagery, and gridded datasets on soil and water availability with machine learning models to predict forests' conservation value across Denmark. We then use change‐detection algorithms to identify forests that had been disturbed since the collection of the LiDAR data to produce up‐to‐date estimates for the year 2020. Our models reached a high predictive capacity (82% accuracy) and suggested that 1982 km² (~31%) of Denmark's forests were of potential high conservation value. Our study demonstrates the utility of data fusion approaches to identify forest areas of high value for conservation at fine spatial resolutions (~10–100 m) and nationwide extents. However, uncertainties remain in our approach. Hence, our findings should be used to guide field‐based assessments to confirm the in situ conservation value of the forests. Only in combination with such in situ data will approaches like ours enable decision makers to better protect forest biodiversity.
January 2025
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13 Reads
Invasive species distributions and ecological impacts in natural ecosystems have been broadly studied, but invasive species urban distributions and impacts on human populations warrant further investigation. Urban areas are highly disturbed environments at high risk of invasion by non‐native species, and urban infrastructure can influence the dispersal and abundance of invasive species. Furthermore, in areas with concentrated human populations, invasive species may pose a risk to human as well as native biota. Here, we examine (1) how high‐traffic roadways and the presence of suitable habitat influence buffelgrass abundance in residential areas and (2) whether buffelgrass differentially invades residential areas across socioeconomic levels and racial diversity indices in Tucson, Arizona. We found that, within residential areas, the presence of vacant lots was positively associated with buffelgrass abundance; however, there was no relationship between other suitable habitat types and buffelgrass abundance. We found no relationship between road type and buffelgrass abundance in residential areas. We found that lower‐income communities were more likely to be invaded by buffelgrass, but there was no relationship between racial diversity index and buffelgrass abundance. Understanding drivers of invasive species presence and abundance in urban areas is necessary to inform urban management strategies to prevent spread to surrounding wildlands.
January 2025
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13 Reads
Applying scientific evidence to conservation, environmental management, and policy‐making improves outcomes. When synthesizing existing evidence, substantial resources are required to access and read scientific publications and extract and analyze decision‐relevant information. To improve this process, we developed a free, publicly available, web‐based evidence entry form tailored to extract information about cause‐effect relationships from ecological publications. The form enables storage, retrieval, reuse, and visualization of qualitative and quantitative ecological and environmental evidence extracted from publications. Evidence can be analyzed for a wide range of synthesis purposes (e.g., causal assessments, hypothesis testing) and approaches (e.g., rapid reviews, meta‐analyses). The database schema underlying the form logically relates information about (a) a publication, (b) its experimental design(s), and (c) reported cause‐effect relationships. An ontology of controlled terminology enables consistent extraction and characterization of causes and effects across users, facilitating evidence reuse. Future capabilities include customization of terminology and incorporation of study quality information.
January 2025
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62 Reads
Species conservation is generally linked to a wide variety of threats, which might sometimes reflect changes in socioeconomic standards and policies. Here, we demonstrated how treefrog conservation is related to diet preferences, rice agriculture, and international rice trade policies. While rice has been a staple food for over 1000s of years in Korea, recent human‐related developments and changes in diet, strengthened by national and international agricultural policies, have resulted in a decrease in rice consumption in the nation. As a result, two treefrog species (Dryophytes suweonensis and Dryophytes flaviventris) restricted to rice paddies for breeding are severely declining due to habitat loss, and they are now under threat of extinction. The efforts of the government to boost rice consumption might support the conservation of the species, although the long‐term availability of breeding sites is uncertain, and ultimately, some of the agricultural wetlands should become protected and progressively transformed into functional natural wetlands.
January 2025
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28 Reads
Wild pig has one of the widest geographic distributions of terrestrial mammals. Dog‐assisted wild pig hunting may reduce crop raiding but also elevates the potential disease transmission from dogs to wildlife and vice versa. On Sumatra, game hunting tends to focus on wild pig, where hunters either actively use dogs or firearms, or passively use snares. Our objectives are to understand: (1) the extent of active and passive wild pig hunting in Sumatra; (2) dog‐assisted hunting practices; (3) potential disease transmission by hunting dogs to game. We conducted three types of data collection to cover the wide range of hunting techniques: (1) information from social media (i.e., Facebook) about dog‐assisted wild pig hunting events in West Sumatra; (2) a questionnaire‐guided survey among hunters around the Batanghari Protected Forest, West Sumatra; (3) expert interviews from provincial conservation offices about wild pig hunting practices in Sumatra. Active and passive wild pig hunting occurred in Sumatra. Firearm and snare hunting occurred in all eight provinces while dog‐assisted hunting occurred only in six provinces. We documented at least 1331 dog‐assisted wild pig hunting events which occurred in 2019 across the province of West Sumatra. The number of hunting parties and dog‐assisted hunting group members on Facebook showed a dramatic increase between 2020 and 2022. Many dogs used for hunting are reportedly not vaccinated (35%), risking transmission of diseases like Rabies and Canine Distemper Virus to game and wild predators. Hunting is inadequately regulated, rendering enforcement of these regulations impossible. The extent of wild pig hunting has yet been unquantified but likely will have strong effects on the remaining wildlife populations. We call for proper quantification of hunting bags, and regulation, including the use and health status of dogs, to prevent disease transmission from dogs to wild animals and to protect remaining wildlife populations.
January 2025
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81 Reads
Accurate estimation of population parameters for imperiled wildlife is crucial for effective conservation decision‐making. Population density is commonly used for monitoring imperiled species across space and time, and spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models can produce unbiased density estimates. However, many imperiled species are restricted to fragmented remnant habitats in landscapes severely modified by humans, which can alter animal space use in ways that violate typical SCR model assumptions, possibly cryptically biasing density estimates and misinforming conservation actions. Using data from a two‐year camera‐trapping survey in the Central Pacific Coast region, Mexico, we demonstrate the potential importance to endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) conservation of considering non‐circular home ranges when estimating population density with SCR. Strong evidence existed that jaguars had elliptical home ranges wherein movements primarily occurred along linearly arranged coastal habitats that the camera array aligned with. Accounting for this movement with the SCR anisotropic detection function transformation, density estimates were 30%–32% higher than estimates from standard SCR models that assumed circular home ranges. Given much of suitable jaguar habitat in Mexico is fragmented and linearly oriented along coastlines and mountain ranges, accommodating irregular space use in SCR may be critical for obtaining reliable density estimates to inform effective jaguar conservation.
January 2025
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377 Reads
Given widespread biodiversity declines, there is an urgent need to ensure that conservation interventions are working. Yet, evidence regarding the effectiveness of conservation actions is often lacking. Using a case study of 209 terrestrial species listed as Endangered in Canada, we conducted a literature review to collate the evidence base on conservation actions to: (1) explore the outcomes of actions documented for each species and (2) identify knowledge gaps. Action‐oriented research constituted only 2% of all peer‐reviewed literature across target species, and for 61% of species, we found no literature investigating outcomes of conservation actions. Protected areas, habitat creation, artificial shelter, and alternative farming practices were broadly beneficial for most species for which these actions were assessed. Habitat restoration actions were most frequently studied, but 38% of these actions were harmful, ineffective, or demonstrated mixed results. The effectiveness of prescribed burns, alternative timber harvesting approaches, and vegetation control was examined for the greatest number of species, yet 17%–30% of these actions demonstrated negative effects. Our synthesis demonstrates a lack of published evidence for many actions implemented for the recovery of species at risk of extinction, highlighting an alarming gap in the conservation literature.
January 2025
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74 Reads
Conflict with humans, particularly over livestock predation, poses a severe and continuing threat to the conservation of large carnivores, particularly in reserve‐adjacent and unprotected areas. Such conflict also inflicts substantial costs on people living alongside large carnivores. Though conflict is complex, attacks upon livestock are one of the factors that drive immediate hostility toward carnivores, inflict economic damage upon livestock‐keepers, and can lead to retaliatory and preventative carnivore killing. Many conflict mitigation and livestock protection approaches exist, but it is crucial to examine their effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of fortified livestock enclosures in reducing predation of livestock in an area surrounding Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania. These fortified enclosures are built with chain‐link fences and are aimed to replace the traditional enclosures built with acacia thorn branches. We implemented a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) design to test the short‐term impacts of the fortified enclosure intervention. We then conducted a cost–benefit analysis (CBA) based on costs of construction of fortified enclosures and benefits accruing as prevented livestock depredation. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that fortified enclosures would diminish in effectiveness over time as carnivores become habituated, the fortification deteriorates due to lack of maintenance, and/or predation risk would increase. For the long‐term analysis, we used monthly data from 758 livestock‐keeping households from 2010 to 2016. Across both short‐ and long‐term analyses, fortified enclosures were effective at reducing the odds of experiencing predation of livestock by carnivores by 94% and 60%, respectively. Based on mean predation rates (c. 0.10 livestock month) and observed reductions, the benefit/cost ratios over 5 years of construction of a fortified enclosure with metal or wooden poles are 3.36 and 7.89, respectively, when subsidized. Our study contributes actionable evidence on the impact of an intervention to inform conservation strategies supporting human–carnivore coexistence.
January 2025
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20 Reads
The velocity of climate change, which estimates the migration speed necessary to maintain constant climatic conditions, is increasingly used to map climate‐related threats to biodiversity. Using newly developed climate velocity data for North America to 2100 based on an ensemble of current‐generation climate projections, we asked how important differing sources of uncertainty from global climate model projections are, how the magnitude of this uncertainty compares with the internal variability of the climate system, and what aspects of climate velocity are robust to such uncertainty. We found that most variation was due to contrasts among global climate models, followed by variation among alternative emissions pathways. However, correlation was great enough (0.817) to allow application of velocity to inform conservation and management. In contrast, internal variability (i.e., weather at multidecadal timescales) resulted in low correlation between simulated and observed velocity for the 2001–2020 period. A null model using current baseline climate data and assumed uniform 2° heating was moderately correlated with velocity from ensemble future projections, helping to identify model‐independent velocity patterns difficult to capture via rules such as protection of elevational gradients. Such uncertainty analyses are essential for informed application of velocity and other climate exposure metrics.
January 2025
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60 Reads
Despite their relevance for anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity, synergistic effects are rarely considered in conservation science or management. However, the implementation of single agri‐environment measures may limit their potential benefits for biodiversity since species often require a multitude of complementary key resources, particularly in homogeneous and structurally poor landscapes. To advance conservation management, we studied whether hedgerows promote benefits of sown wildflower fields for insectivorous bats in temperate agro‐ecosystems. At 12 study sites, we simultaneously monitored bat activity and insect abundances from early to late summer at paired locations, that is, the ecotone of a sown wildflower field bordering a hedgerow and an open boundary of the same wildflower field. Particularly in early and mid‐summer, we found distinct preferences of bats for the ecotone of wildflower field and hedgerow. Yet, independent of the season, neither insects nor specifically moths showed a significant preference for the ecotone. Finally, both bat activity as well as insect abundances shifted towards the ecotone when distance to the nearest forest patch was high. We showed that synergies of hedgerows and wildflower fields promote benefits of the latter for both edge‐ and open‐space foraging bats, particularly in homogeneous and structurally poor agricultural landscapes. Therefore, successful conservation management should take advantage of synergies between complementary conservation measures at the local patch scale and at the same time, account for landscape composition and configuration.
January 2025
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75 Reads
As climate change accelerates, understanding which species are most vulnerable and why they are vulnerable will be vital to inform conservation action. Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) are tools to assess species' responses to climate change, detect drivers of vulnerability, and inform conservation planning. CCVAs are commonly composed of three elements: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Incorporating all three elements can be challenging, and including only two of the three elements may be a more feasible approach in many systems. Although two‐element CCVA approaches have become more common, their utility and procedures remain poorly documented. We conducted a literature review to explore the scope, methods, and rationale of CCVAs that use a two‐element approach to assess vertebrate vulnerability. Despite the potential to expand CCVAs into understudied systems, two‐element assessments had similar geographic and taxonomic biases as those previously detected in CCVAs in general. Methods varied, yet we found that variables used in two‐element studies could be condensed into standardized categories to enhance comparability. Finally, limitations in data availability and computational resources were common rationales for using a two‐element approach. By clarifying the purposes, opportunities, and limitations of two‐element assessment, this review can aid in selecting appropriate methods for CCVAs.
January 2025
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174 Reads
In an agricultural landscape, production and conservation ideally go hand in hand. In a win‐win scenario, conservation measures, such as hedges and flower strips, provide support for biodiversity and crop production for example by increased pollination and pollinator diversity. However, these conservation measures may also decrease pollination by attracting pollinators and competing with crop flower visits. Here, we studied plant–pollinator interactions from two different perspectives. First, we looked at the production perspective investigating whether plant–pollinator networks differed between apple orchards with and without adjacent flower strips and hedges. With help of the Bayes factor, we investigated similarity and conclude that there are no differences between pollination networks with or without adjacent flower strips and hedges. Second, we looked at the conservation perspective and analyzed the impact of hedges and flower strips on pollinators and their interactions with plants before and after apple bloom in April. We showed that apple pollinators used more flower resources in flower strips and hedges across the whole season compared to isolated orchards. In orchards with flower strips and hedges, interactions were more constant over time. We conclude that flower strips and hedges are beneficial for conservation of apple pollinators without being harmful for apple flower pollination.
January 2025
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44 Reads
The trade of alien species as pets is increasingly recognized as a biosecurity risk due to their intentional and accidental release into the wild. However, pets are often categorized as native or non‐native at a national level, meaning that their presence outside of their native range, yet within their native country, may be an overlooked biosecurity threat. So‐called “domestic non‐natives” have established new populations across several countries and, in some cases, become invasive. Here, we investigated the extent of the domestic trade of native Australian pet species outside of their natural distributions and determined whether such locations were climatically suitable for potential alien establishments. Australia provides a unique system to explore this issue because it deters the trade of most alien species yet permits the keeping of a large diversity of native pets. We monitored trade from a popular Australian e‐commerce site used to trade native pet birds, reptiles, and amphibians (29 k advertisements over 1 year; from July 2019 to July 2020). Of the 177 native vertebrate species we observed in the pet trade, 129 species (73%) had at least some instances of their trade occurring outside of their natural distribution. We found that climatically suitable environments were present outside the native range of 90 species and that these regions were proximal to suburbs where we observed trade. Our results indicate that the “domestic non‐native” trade is widespread in Australia and that, if captive pets escape or are released into the wild in sufficient numbers, there is a risk of establishment for most of these species. We suggest that regulations pertaining to the trade of native pets ensure that careful biosecurity consideration is given in circumstances when trade occurs beyond a species' native range, both in the context of Australia and for other large countries with widespread pet industries.
January 2025
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47 Reads
The use of fungicides in agriculture can reduce animal biodiversity. Such non‐target effects could be mitigated through fungus‐resistant cultivars that reduce the need for fungicide applications. Hence, we conducted a study in 32 commercial vineyards in southwest Germany. We investigated the effect of fungicide spraying intensities (susceptible vs resistant cultivars) and management (conventional vs organic) on ground beetles as a widely used indicator group in agroecological studies. In addition, we examined the effects of local habitat conditions (e.g., microclimate, vegetation) and landscape characteristics. Fungicide applications were reduced by half in conventional, and almost by two‐thirds in organic vineyards with fungus‐resistant cultivars, compared to susceptible grape varieties in the same management regime. While there was no evidence that fungus‐resistant cultivars positively affect the diversity of ground beetles, organic management doubled the number of individuals of conservation‐relevant species per vineyard. Additionally, the proportion of semi‐natural habitats in the surrounding landscape, and the vegetation height significantly affected the species composition across vineyards. We conclude that local habitat conditions and landscape characteristics influence ground beetles more than the fungicide spraying intensity. Additional measures such as organic management, moderate ground vegetation management, and landscape diversification are needed for the conservation of ground beetles in viticulture.
January 2025
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52 Reads
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1 Citation
Local participation has been greatly promoted to accomplish conservation and development goals globally, but the participation paradox, in which those empowered to participate fail to do so, has rarely been thoroughly scrutinized. Here we test the participation paradox with empirical data of 234 local decision‐makers' participation in a decision‐making forum, Conservation Area Management Committees, in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in 2013 and 2016, analyzed, interpreted, and integrated. Women, minorities, younger members, and non‐elected members participated significantly less in decision‐making than men, older members, and elected members and those with leadership roles and longer tenures on the committees. Qualitative analyses revealed five major themes for motivation to participate: influence in the community; personal incentives; conservation; improving access to natural resources; and feelings of accomplishment. Key constraints to participation included hardships and competing tasks; lack of incentives; perceptions of limited agency; disinterest; and emotional burdens. Participation motivations and constraints varied by gender, social group, and membership types. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results for participatory approaches to conservation and sustainable development in general and the governance of protected areas in particular.
December 2024
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29 Reads
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University of Florida, USA