Article
Ecology
Daniel T. Nugent, David J. Baker-Gabb, Steve W. J. Leonard, John W. Morgan
Summary: Livestock grazing is an important management tool for biodiversity conservation in native grasslands. In semiarid grasslands of Australia, different grazing species have varying effects on the habitat and breeding activity of the plains-wanderer. Therefore, sheep and cattle grazing can be substitutable as a habitat management tool, but their effectiveness may depend on climate conditions.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah C. Davies, Patrick L. Thompson, Catalina Gomez, Jessica Nephin, Anders Knudby, Ashley E. Park, Sarah K. Friesen, Laura J. Pollock, Emily M. Rubidge, Sean C. Anderson, Josephine C. Iacarella, Devin A. Lyons, Andrew Macdonald, Andrew Mcmillan, Eric J. Ward, Amber M. Holdsworth, Neil Swart, Jeff Price, Karen L. Hunter
Summary: Species distribution models (SDMs) are essential for projecting species' responses to climate change in terrestrial and marine environments. However, SDMs are subject to various sources of uncertainty. To ensure their usefulness for management and conservation decisions, researchers should follow ten guidelines to identify, minimize, and account for uncertainty throughout the model development process.
Article
Biology
Amy R. Hudson, Debra P. C. Peters, John M. Blair, Daniel L. Childers, Peter T. Doran, Kerrie Geil, Michael Gooseff, Katherine L. Gross, Nick M. Haddad, Melissa A. Pastore, Jennifer A. Rudgers, Osvaldo Sala, Eric W. Seabloom, Gaius Shaver
Summary: This study compares the patterns of climate change and primary production responses in diverse drylands based on long-term observations and experiments. It reveals that droughts, floods, and wildfires have a greater impact on primary production than warming alone.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Katherine A. Zeller, Nicholas A. Povak, Patricia Manley, Samuel W. Flake, Kira L. Hefty
Summary: This study investigates the effects of climate, disturbance, and management on future species richness in the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains, USA. The results show that climate and forest management scenarios have significant effects on species richness, with different impacts at different elevations. Mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, and low to medium severity fire and beetle outbreaks have positive effects on species richness, while high severity fire has a consistently negative impact. Protected areas contribute to higher species richness compared to unprotected lands, especially under climate futures that deviate from historical conditions.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
David L. Stokes, Arianne F. Messerman, David G. Cook, Leyna R. Stemle, Julian A. Meisler, Christopher A. Searcy
Summary: The study used a 19-year dataset to examine the effectiveness of current conservation efforts for the Sonoma County distinct population segment of California tiger salamanders. The results showed a 48% decrease in relative larval densities over the study period, highlighting the inadequacy of the current conservation approach and emphasizing the need for active management of preserves to effectively conserve the species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Zachary L. L. Steel, Gavin M. M. Jones, Brandon M. M. Collins, Rebecca Green, Alexander Koltunov, Kathryn L. L. Purcell, Sarah C. C. Sawyer, Michele R. Slaton, Scott L. L. Stephens, Peter Stine, Craig Thompson
Summary: Mature forests play a crucial role in supporting wildlife habitat and ecosystem functions globally. However, in the dry conifer forests of the western United States, past management practices and fire exclusion have made these forests more susceptible to severe wildfires and drought. A study in the southern Sierra Nevada of California revealed that 30% of conifer forest cover transitioned to nonforest vegetation from 2011 to 2020, primarily due to wildfires, drought, and beetle infestations. The decline in mature forest habitat and canopy cover was more pronounced in protected activity centers of the California spotted owl. Drought and beetle attacks caused greater declines compared to areas affected by drought and wildfire mortality. The study highlights the need for strategic management interventions to mitigate the impacts of worsening mega-disturbances and ensure the resilience of remaining dry mature forest habitat in California.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Qin Zhang, Xiangbao Shen, Xiaolong Jiang, Tingting Fan, Xiaocui Liang, Wende Yan
Summary: In this study, the present and future suitable distribution range of Keteleeria davidiana, a tertiary relict gymnosperm, was predicted based on the maximum entropy model. The key climate factors that affect the distribution of K. davidiana were identified. With climate warming in the future, the highly suitable distribution area of K. davidiana is estimated to decrease.
Article
Agronomy
Chloe M. Canning, Bryan J. Mood, Barrie Bonsal, Brooke Howat, Colin P. Laroque
Summary: Frequent and severe droughts in western Canada will have a significant impact on forests, particularly in terms of mortality events occurring years after a moisture deficit. This study looks at the response of three common shelterbelt species to different drought characteristics and identifies the impacts and recovery periods for each species. Understanding these responses will aid in better management decisions under a changing climate.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ge Yan, Guangfu Zhang
Summary: Climate change poses a serious threat to the endangered tree Parrotia subaequalis in China. The actual distribution area of this tree is smaller than the projected suitable range and mainly concentrated in eastern China. Different populations of this tree respond differently to future climate change, with the population in the Dabie Mountain Area showing insignificant changes, while the population in the Tianmu Mountain Area slightly increases and migrates northeast. The habitats of both populations become more fragmented in all future climate scenarios.
Article
Law
Robert L. Fischman, Vicky J. Meretsky, Matthew P. Castelli
Summary: Collaborative governance is key in achieving better conservation outcomes by bringing stakeholders and regulators together to work towards a common goal, which in turn can aid in the recovery and protection of endangered species.
YALE JOURNAL ON REGULATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ruijie Huang, Huimin Du, Yuting Wen, Chunyan Zhang, Mengran Zhang, Hao Lu, Chenchen Wu, Baoyu Zhao
Summary: This study used a MaxEnt model to predict the suitable habitat distribution of Astragalus variabilis under current and future climate conditions. The results showed that temperature, precipitation, and organic carbon content were the main environmental variables influencing its distribution. Additionally, the study found a significant correlation between the habitat suitability of A. variabilis and the frequency of livestock poisoning. Future climate conditions are likely to shift the suitable habitat of A. variabilis to higher latitudes and altitudes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gabriel U. Yesuf, Kerry A. Brown, Nigel S. Walford, Solofo E. Rakotoarisoa, Mariana C. Rufino
Summary: This study assessed future range shifts for critically endangered plants in Madagascar, showing that habitat connectivity can limit range shifts due to contractions and increase shifts due to expansions for many plants. However, some plants are still expected to experience range contractions, indicating that even with habitat connectivity, the range of some species may still be affected. Including connectivity in range shift models is crucial for developing relevant conservation plans in the face of future climate change and land-cover change.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tyler J. Lark
Summary: The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the United States has led to significant expansion of cropland for biofuel feedstocks, resulting in negative environmental outcomes and potential harm to threatened and endangered species protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). The lack of formal consultation between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and wildlife services hinders mitigation of impacts. Further research and consultation are needed to address these concerns.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Dayana G. Diaz, Griselda Ignazi, Paula Mathiasen, Andrea C. Premoli
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the adaptive variation of dominant woody species in temperate forests to climate change. Through experiments on seedlings of Nothofagus pumilio and N. dombeyi, it was found that these two tree species exhibit different responses to water stress and genetic diversity differences.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elijah Mbandi Mkala, Virginia Mwanzia, John Nzei, Wyclife Agumba Oluoch, Boniface K. Ngarega, Vincent Okello Wanga, Milicent Akinyi Oulo, Fedrick Munyao Mutie, Flory Mkangombe Kilingo, Penninah Rono, Emmanuel Nyongesa Waswa, Elizabeth Syowai Mutinda, Clintone Onyango Ochieng, Geoffrey Mwachala, Guang-Wan Hu, Qing-Feng Wang, Jacinta Kaweze Katunge, Izabayo Victoire
Summary: Climate change has significantly impacted endemic species and natural habitats, and understanding these impacts can help advance conservation efforts. This study used modeling to predict changes in suitable habitats for four threatened species in East Africa and found both expansion and contraction of habitats.