Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Linda M. Rosengren, Thomas Schinko, Jan Sendzimir, Abdul-Razak Mohammed, Rahajatu Buwah, Hilkka Vihinen, Christopher M. Raymond
Summary: This study examines how interlinkages between leverage points affect the adaptive capacity to climate change of food system actors. It identifies 9 interlinkages as barriers and 15 interlinkages as enablers of adaptive capacity.
SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mark Cianfagna, Isabelle Bolon, Sara Babo Martins, Elizabeth Mumford, Cristina Romanelli, Sharon L. Deem, Christina Pettan-Brewer, Daniela Figueroa, Juan Carlos Carrascal Velasquez, Cheryl Stroud, George Lueddeke, Beat Stoll, Rafael Ruiz de Castaneda
Summary: The study found 105 educational offerings in biodiversity and health interlinkages from 89 institutions in 30 countries, primarily in faculties of public health, veterinary sciences, and medicine. However, the degree of integration of biodiversity and health interlinkages varied. Therefore, there is a need for greater collaboration across disciplines and institutions to more widely integrate biodiversity and health topics.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Soumya Dasgupta, Ruchi Badola, Sk Zeeshan Ali, J. S. Jiju, Prashant Tariyal
Summary: The study evaluated the adaptive capacity and vulnerability of households and villages in the Indian Himalayan Region to climate stress, finding that the adaptive capacity was higher in the Beas basin compared to the Bhagirathi and Teesta basins. Access to resources and natural financial capital were identified as major factors affecting village adaptive capacity. Future policy interventions focusing on climate-sensitive sectors and natural capital assets were recommended as part of the adaptation and mitigation strategy to climate change.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Travis Seaborn, David Griffith, Andrew Kliskey, Christopher C. Caudill
Summary: Adaptive capacity is a key topic in environmental change research, rooted in social, ecological, and evolutionary science, closely related to the concept of adaptive potential in evolutionary biology. This systematic review summarized the history of these topics, assessed relationships between concepts, methodologies, metrics, taxa biases, and study scales, and provided a conceptual framework to clarify these concepts. Studies have shown a greater growth in research on adaptive potential compared to adaptive capacity, with a wider geographical extent of adaptive capacity studies. Integration of evolutionary and social-ecological components is suggested for models of adaptive capacity.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Erik A. Beever, Jennifer L. Wilkening, Peter D. Billman, Lindsey L. Thurman, Kristina A. Ernest, David H. Wright, Alisha M. Gill, April C. Craighead, Nolan A. Helmstetter, Leona K. Svancara, Meghan J. Cam, Sabuj Bhattacharyya, Jedediah Fitzgerald, Jocelyn M. R. Hirose, Marie L. Westover, Francis D. Gerraty, Kelly B. Klingler, Danielle A. Schmidts, Dylan K. Ryals, Richard N. Brown, Steven L. Clark, Neil Clayton, Gail H. Collins, Kyle A. Cutting, Daniel F. Doak, Clinton W. Epps, Janet E. Foley, Johnnie French, Charles L. Hayes, Zachary A. Mills, Lucas Moyer-Horner, Lyle B. Nichols, Kate B. Orlofsky, Mary M. Peacock, Nicholas C. Penzel, Johnny Peterson, Nathan Ramsay, Tom Rickman, Megan M. Robinson, Hillary L. Robison, Karen M. C. Rowe, Kevin C. Rowe, Michael A. Russello, Adam B. Smith, Joseph A. E. Stewart, Will W. Thompson, James H. Thorne, Matthew D. Waterhouse, Shana S. Weber, Kenneth C. Wilson
Summary: Contemporary climate change is altering various aspects of species, such as their distribution, morphology, phenology, physiology, evolution, and interactions with other species. The effects of climate change are influenced by the magnitude of change, an animal's sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity (AC), which refers to the ability to adjust genetically, behaviorally, or spatially. This study systematically evaluated and compared the AC of American pikas against four other mountain-dwelling small mammals, revealing that pikas have lower AC compared to most species. The findings highlight the vulnerability of pikas to anthropogenic climate change and emphasize the importance of adaptive-capacity evaluations for conservation prioritization.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cedric Mariac, Fabrice Duponchelle, Guido Miranda, Camila Ramallo, Robert Wallace, Gabriel Tarifa, Carmen Garcia-Davila, Hernan Ortega, Julio Pinto, Jean-Francois Renno
Summary: This study used environmental DNA (eDNA) to identify fish species in the poorly documented Amazon basin. The researchers detected 252 fish taxa, including 57 newly identified species. The species compositions varied significantly between lakes and rivers and were influenced by the different hydro-ecoregions. The eDNA approach can be used to supplement the inventory of fish species in the Amazon basin, but taxonomic identification is limited by the lack of reference barcodes in public databases.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesus Arellano-Gonzalez, Amir AghaKouchak, Morgan C. Levy, Yue Qin, Jennifer Burney, Steven J. Davis, Frances C. Moore
Summary: Climate change is expected to increase scarcity and variability of fresh water supplies in certain regions, impacting irrigated agriculture. Markets can play a crucial role in limiting economic losses due to droughts by allowing flexibility in response to scarcity and incentivizing allocation of water to higher value use. Efficient allocation through institutional and market reforms could significantly reduce costs of water shortages, providing important opportunities for adaptation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alena Giesche, Umberto Lombardo, Walter Finsinger, Heinz Veit
Summary: The analysis of lake sediment cores from Lago Rogaguado in the Bolivian Amazon revealed a history of environmental changes in the Llanos de Moxos, including lake expansion, rising lake levels, and human activities impacting the landscape during different periods of the Holocene.
JOURNAL OF PALEOLIMNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinhui Xia, Lulu Hao, Yifei Sun, Yiqing Lv, Yihong Wang, Haiyu Wu, Zongjin Jiang, Xinru Li, Yuhan Yan, Xiaojian Chen, Binghou Li, Hao Li, Minhui Li, Yuanyuan Sun, Wenxu Ren, Yalin Xue, Qing You, Lei Zhu, Qiuchang Liao, Shiyun Xie, Yunsen Zhang, Chunyu Zhao, Haowen Zhu, Chengrui Liang, Jin Qiu, Zilong Song, Yeyu Deng, Ying Pan, Yuan Zou, Ying Zhang, Yuchen Yang
Summary: This study investigated the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional regulations in response to chilling stress in the endangered mangrove species Lumnitzera littorea. The results demonstrated that L. littorea enhances chilling sensing and signal transduction, photosystem II regeneration, and reactive oxygen species scavenging under chilling stress. Additionally, alternative polyadenylation and miRNA regulations were found to play important roles in modulating chilling tolerance in L. littorea.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nico Wunderling, Arie Staal, Boris Sakschewski, Marina Hirota, Obbe A. Tuinenburg, Jonathan F. Donges, Henrique M. J. Barbosa, Ricarda Winkelmann
Summary: This study assesses the impact of extreme deviations from rainfall patterns on the Amazon rainforest and finds that even with adaptation measures in place, permanent drought conditions in the future could lead to a transition to an open canopy state in the southern Amazon. The loss of atmospheric moisture recycling is a significant factor in triggering tipping events, and local climate change impacts may propagate to other regions of the Amazon basin.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lindsey L. Thurman, John E. Gross, Claudia Mengelt, Erik A. Beever, Laura M. Thompson, Gregor W. Schuurman, Christopher L. Hoving, Julian D. Olden
Summary: Adaptive capacity is crucial for species vulnerability and successful conservation outcomes. This study identified connections between species attributes and management actions to enhance species’ adaptive capacity. The selected management actions support general adaptive capacity pathways to persist in place or shift in response to contemporary climate change, and can address ecological or anthropogenic constraints to indirectly enhance adaptive capacity.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Loan Thi Phan, Sue-Ching Jou, Jiun-Chuan Lin
Summary: This study analyzes peer-reviewed literature on adaptive capacity in tourism under climate change adaptation from 1990 to 2019, using a combined approach of narrative and systematic reviews and software for analysis and visualization. The findings suggest that diverse research methodologies in tourism contribute to quantifying the social factors influencing adaptive capacity, providing insights on improving the adaptation process and advancing relevant theoretical debates.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Carly N. Cook, Erik A. Beever, Lindsey L. Thurman, Laura M. Thompson, John E. Gross, Andrew R. Whiteley, Adrienne B. Nicotra, Jennifer A. Szymanski, Carlos A. Botero, Kimberly R. Hall, Ary A. Hoffmann, Gregor W. Schuurman, Carla M. Sgro
Summary: There is a need for conservation practitioners to assist biodiversity in adapting to environmental changes, with evolutionary biologists well-positioned to develop evidence-based management strategies. By promoting closer collaboration between conservation practitioners and evolutionary biologists, there is an opportunity to accelerate necessary changes in management practices. Evolutionary biologists can leverage lessons from other disciplines to drive effective knowledge exchange and contribute to the development of successful conservation practices.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Development Studies
Rafaela Flach, Gabriel Abrahao, Benjamin Bryant, Marluce Scarabello, Aline C. Soterroni, Fernando M. Ramos, Hugo Valin, Michael Obersteiner, Avery S. Cohn
Summary: In tropical regions like Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado, the loss of native forest and savanna vegetation is intensifying extreme heat, leading to losses in soy production. Future values of extreme-heat regulation could increase by 25% to 95% by 2050 due to agricultural growth, ecosystem conversion, and climate change. Ecosystem conservation can create considerable value for the soy sector by regulating exposure to extreme heat.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Stephen G. Perz, Marliz Arteaga, Andrea Baudoin Farah, I. Foster Brown, Elsa Renee Huaman Mendoza, Yara Araujo Pereira de Paula, Leonor Mercedes Perales Yabar, Alan dos Santos Pimentel, Sabina C. Ribeiro, Guillermo Rioja-Ballivian, Martha Cecilia Rosero Pena, L. Cecilia Sanjinez L., N. Galia Selaya G.
Summary: Research that emphasizes participation and action orientation is crucial in contexts characterized by rapid change, high social inequality, and uncertainty. The Amazon region provides such a context, where diverse stakeholders engage in contestation over environmental governance. Stakeholder mobilization has transformed research in the Amazon, making it more participatory and driven by stakeholder demands. This paper presents experiences of implementing participatory action research methods in the Amazon, focusing on the contributions of both outside researchers and local stakeholders. The paper highlights three types of experiences related to conservation and development: participatory data collection, inclusive environmental monitoring, and innovative models of knowledge exchange for collective action. These experiences serve as models that can be replicated in other contexts to support conservation and development.
Article
Environmental Studies
C. Emdad Haque, Fikret Berkes, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Helen Ross, F. Stuart Chapin, Brent Doberstein, Maureen G. Reed, Nirupama Agrawal, Prateep K. Nayak, David Etkin, Michel Dore, David Hutton
Summary: Social learning plays a crucial role in disaster risk reduction by promoting collective action, enhancing social-ecological resilience, and reducing disaster risks. It is characterized by a collective, iterative, and collaborative process, requiring interdisciplinary collaboration and networking.
DISASTER PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Rosina Malagrida, Pim Klaassen, Isabel Ruiz-Mallen, Jacqueline E. W. Broerse
Summary: This article aims to explore the implementation of 'Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)' in science education. The study found that teachers encounter limitations in teaching RRI competencies and suggested improvements.
RESEARCH IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Santiago Alvarez-Fernandez, Petra Benyei, David Garcia-del-Amo, Andre B. Junqueira, Vanesse Labeyrie, Xiaoyue Li, Vincent Porcher, Anna Porcuna-Ferrer, Anna Schlingmann, Ramin Soleymani
Summary: Scientists have developed a protocol to inventory climate change impacts based on Indigenous Peoples and local communities' knowledge systems, and to test hypotheses on the global distribution of these impacts. The data collection involves secondary data collection, interviews, focus group discussions, and surveys.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Rodrigo Camara-Leret, Benjamin S. Halpern, Casey O'Hara, Delphine Renard, Noelia Zafra-Calvo, Sandra Diaz
Summary: There is a growing demand for conservation frameworks that preserve place-based relationships between people and nature. The biocultural approach combines biology conservation priorities with cultural values to globally assess the status of culturally important species (CIS). The findings show that CIS are more culturally vulnerable or endangered than they are biologically, indicating a disregard for cultural considerations in conservation efforts.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Graziela Dias Blanco, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Gabriela Dias Blanco, Janelle Baker, Mario Sergio M. Tagliari, Maiara Albuquerque Hayata, Mari Lucia Campos, Natalia Hanazaki
Summary: Mineral extraction activities have negative impacts on the food sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLC), mainly due to social inequality and weak environmental strategies. The study also found that contamination of food systems as a result of mining is widespread.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Development Studies
Mariana de Oliveira Estevo, Andre Braga Junqueira, Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Joao Vitor Campos-Silva
Summary: Climate-related changes in Amazonia have significant impacts on social-ecological systems and local livelihoods that depend heavily on natural resources. Through the use of local ecological knowledge, we examined the effects of climate change on various livelihood activities in western Amazonia. Interviews and surveys conducted with residents from 24 communities along the Jurua River revealed a wide range of changes, primarily in the atmospheric system, which subsequently affected physical, biological, and human systems. The intensity and type of impact varied across different livelihood activities. Despite mostly negative impacts, some positive effects of climate-driven changes were recognized by residents, such as increased fishing opportunities during large river floods. This study emphasizes the importance of local ecological knowledge in identifying vulnerable livelihood activities and biodiversity-based value chains.
SOCIETY & NATURAL RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adria Lopez-Baucells, Natalia Revilla-Martin, Maria Mas, Pedro Alonso-Alonso, Ivana Budinski, Sara Fraixedas, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares
Summary: The media plays a crucial role in shaping people's attitudes towards conservation issues. Understanding how bats are portrayed in the media is important for bat conservation, especially given recent fearmongering and misinformation about bat-related risks. In this study, we reviewed bat-related articles published in 15 newspapers from Western Europe's five most populated countries before 2019. We analyzed the portrayal of bats as a threat to human health, the general attitudes towards bats in these articles, and the readers' responses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arnim Scheidel, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Anju Helen Bara, Daniela Del Bene, Dominique M. David-Chavez, Eleonora Fanari, Ibrahim Garba, Ksenija Hanaek, Juan Liu, Joan Martinez-Alier, Grettel Navas, Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Brototi Roy, Leah Temper, May Aye Thiri, Dalena Tran, Mariana Walter, Kyle Powys Whyte
Summary: We analyzed 3081 environmental conflicts caused by development projects to measure the impact on Indigenous Peoples’ lifeways, lands, and rights. At least 34% of these conflicts globally affect Indigenous Peoples, primarily due to mining, fossil fuels, dam projects, and the AFFL sector. Landscape loss (56% of cases), livelihood loss (52%), and land dispossession (50%) are the most common impacts, especially in the AFFL sector. These burdens undermine Indigenous rights and hinder the achievement of global environmental justice.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marie Pratzer, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Patrick Meyfroidt, Tobias Krueger, Matthias Baumann, Stephen T. Garnett, Tobias Kuemmerle
Summary: Agricultural intensification may not lower deforestation in tropical dry forests overall, but it can reduce deforestation in areas with widespread Indigenous land stewardship. This study highlights the importance of recognizing and enforcing the rights of Indigenous peoples in order to achieve positive outcomes for both people and nature in agricultural intensification efforts.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Madeline Beattie, Julia E. Fa, Ian Leiper, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Kerstin K. Zander, Stephen T. Garnett
Summary: Indigenous Peoples' lands, which make up a significant portion of biodiversity hotspots, are more likely to experience armed conflict. However, these lands also suffer less environmental damage and human impacts, likely due to Indigenous Peoples' strong connection to and defense of their territories.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Miquel Torrents-Tico, Femke Broekhuis, Daniel Burgas, Mar Cabeza, Emmanuel Miliko, Thomas Titiay Komoi, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares
Summary: Living alongside carnivores can have both positive and negative outcomes. Positive outcomes can promote coexistence, while negative relations can lead to the killing of carnivores and undermine their conservation efforts. Market-based instruments for carnivore conservation have mixed effectiveness and potential consequences, as seen in two pastoral systems in Kenya. Understanding the opportunities and pitfalls of these instruments is crucial for maintaining positive human-carnivore relations.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jocelyne S. Sze, Dylan Z. Childs, L. Roman Carrasco, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Stephen T. Garnett, David P. Edwards
Summary: Indigenous Peoples have long been custodians of their lands and play a crucial role in tropical forest conservation. Research shows that Indigenous Peoples' Lands overlap with the distribution ranges of tropical forest-dependent vertebrates, affecting species richness, extinction vulnerability, and range-size rarity.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana Buchadas, Martin Jung, Mercedes Bustamante, Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, Stephen T. T. Garnett, Ana Sofia Nanni, Natasha Ribeiro, Patrick Meyfroidt, Tobias Kuemmerle
Summary: Tropical and subtropical dry woodlands are facing high deforestation pressure despite their rich biodiversity and carbon storage. This study explores the relationship between deforestation dynamics, woodland protection, and conservation priorities in these regions. The findings reveal that global conservation priorities are overrepresented in tropical dry woodlands compared to other areas, and deforestation frontiers disproportionately impact areas with important regional conservation assets. Understanding how deforestation frontiers coincide with different types of woodland protection can inform targeted conservation policies and interventions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
J. Mateo-Martin, G. Benitez, A. Gras, M. Molina, V. Reyes-Garcia, J. Tardio, A. Verde, M. Pardo-de-Santayana
Summary: The harvest of wild plants for medicinal purposes is increasing globally, which could lead to over-harvesting of certain species. However, little is known about the effects of non-commercial harvesting on the conservation status of these plants. This study explores the connection between the cultural importance of medicinal plants in Spain and their availability, conservation status, and legal protection. The results suggest that traditional knowledge systems of plant management may ensure the sustainability of these plants.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Andrea del Carmen Corres Gallardo, Isabel Ruiz-Mallen
Summary: The COVID-19 lockdowns have led to an increased use of digital technologies in environmental education. Interviews conducted in Barcelona highlight the opportunities and difficulties perceived by environmental educators and their connection with their competencies in environmental education. Non-formal educators reported a wider range of digital tools compared to those in formal settings, but they also highlighted the challenge of maintaining the impact on environmental learning when using digital technologies instead of face-to-face methods. Motivational challenges were commonly perceived by the interviewees, which were found to be more related to the mastery of specific competencies in dealing with emotions rather than their previous use of digital technologies.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
(2023)