Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Shawn Cheng, Mohd Azahari Faidi, Sek-Aun Tan, Jeyanny Vijayanathan, Masbudi Abdul Malek, Bidasari Bahashim, Mohd Noor Mat Isa
Summary: The article reviews the scientific research on Pteroptyx species in the region to summarize the known information on this iconic species and identify gaps in their biology and ecology. Practical solutions to protect this iconic species are proposed, including relying on state and federal laws and developing or refining guidelines and policies on tourism development in the country/region. The perspectives detailed in the article may be useful for other regions with congregating fireflies.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Masoud Yousefi, Saeed Mohammadi, Anooshe Kafash
Summary: This study modeled the global habitat suitability of bearded vultures using a maximum entropy approach, 10,585 distribution records, and 10 environmental variables. The results showed that topographic diversity is the most important predictor of the species distribution. Only 16.26% of the species' suitable habitats are protected. Therefore, it is necessary to include the areas with the highest suitability for conservation in the network of protected areas.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Kevin B. Knight, Patrick J. Comer, Brian R. Pickard, Doria R. Gordon, Theodore Toombs
Summary: The study aims to assess biodiversity conservation goals in the United States and integrates habitat quality and quantity through the development of the National Habitat Condition Index (HCI). It was found that functional habitat is independent of protection status, as working lands also provide significant value.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emmanuel Defossez, Camille Pitteloud, Patrice Descombes, Gaetan Glauser, Pierre-Marie Allard, Tom W. N. Walker, Pilar Fernandez-Conradi, Jean-Luc Wolfender, Loic Pellissier, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: Plants produce a wide diversity of phytochemicals to cope with environmental challenges, which are also sources of numerous medicines. Research suggests that plant chemical diversity is related to species diversity and constrained by trophic, climatic, and topographical factors. By combining phylogenetic information, topographic, edaphic, and climatic variables, phytochemical diversity and its composition of plant communities across landscapes can be predicted.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
D'amy N. Steward, Avery B. Paxton, Nathan M. Bacheler, Christina M. Schobernd, Keith Mille, Jeffrey Renchen, Zach Harrison, Jordan Byrum, Robert Martore, Cameron Brinton, Kenneth L. Riley, J. Christopher Taylor, G. Todd Kellison
Summary: As human uses of the ocean increase, it is important to understand the distribution of natural and artificial habitats. A case study in the southeastern US revealed that artificial reefs cover a significantly smaller area compared to natural reefs, highlighting the importance of considering natural habitats in ocean planning and resource management decisions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shilin Xie, John M. Marzluff, Yuebo Su, Yaqing Wang, Nan Meng, Tong Wu, Cheng Gong, Fei Lu, Chaofan Xian, Yan Zhang, Zhiyun Ouyang
Summary: Urban waterbodies play a significant role in avian ecology, acting as hotspots for bird diversity in urban landscapes. Parks with waterbodies attract more bird species and resident forest birds, while surroundings with waterbodies can support a higher richness of forest bird species. These findings emphasize the importance of creating and maintaining urban waterbodies for biodiversity conservation in highly urbanized areas.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Brent D. Mishler
Summary: The metric PD has added an evolutionary dimension to biodiversity exploration. Recent advancements in technology and methodology, such as global museum databasing efforts and improvements to computer hardware and software, have enabled a new approach called 'spatial phylogenetics'. This approach turns phylogenies into GIS layers and can be used to understand phylodiversity patterns and conservation prioritization.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Richard E. Lizotte, Peter C. Smiley, Robert B. Gillespie, Scott S. Knight
Summary: Conservation agriculture practices (CAs) have been promoted internationally for soil health and mitigation of soil loss, with additional benefits including reducing agricultural runoff impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Recent studies have focused on demonstrating ecological improvements in aquatic ecosystems with CAs, but there are research gaps in understanding the biogeochemistry of CAs, quantitative links between different CAs and ecological responses, and the connections of CAs with aquatic ecosystem structure and function.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Samuel Jansson, Mikkel Brydegaard, Liang Mei, Tianqi Li, Jim Larsson, Elin Malmqvist, Susanne akesson, Sune Svanberg
Summary: We used a bi-static lidar system based on the Scheimpflug principle to measure flying insects above and near a small lake in a forested area in Southern Sweden. The system has a high spatial resolution at close distance but declines further from the sensor due to the compact design. Our study found an increase in insect abundance at dusk and dawn, and a decrease over water compared to over land. Larger insects were also more commonly found over water, and the average size of insects increased at night.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jean Herve Mve Beh, Oumar Sadio, Jean Daniel Mbega, Ghislain Tchinga, Flore Tsinga, Christophe Leboulanger, Frida Ben Rais Lasram, Luis Tito de Morais, Francois Le Loc'h
Summary: Marine spatial planning and management processes are important for considering environmental, social, cultural, institutional and economic variables within a common biogeographic context. The Akanda National Park in Gabon, consisting mostly of mangroves, plays a crucial role as a nursery for commercially important fish species. This study aims to describe the spatial and seasonal variability of fish assemblages and evaluate the park's role as a fish juvenile habitat.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kasper J. Meijer, El-Hacen M. El-Hacen, Laura L. Govers, Marc Lavaleye, Theunis Piersma, Han Olff
Summary: Understanding the connectivity between mangroves and macrobenthic communities on intertidal mudflats is crucial for marine ecology and coastal management. This study found that the mangrove connectivity index (MCI) significantly influenced macrobenthic composition and species abundance.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Munique C. Reid, Cara Miller, Michael A. Reid, Ross M. Thompson
Summary: Describing the hydrogeomorphic character of rivers in a holistic way is essential to understanding the processes whereby freshwater ecosystems maintain patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. This study on the Upper Mississippi River in the USA reveals unique patterns in hydrogeomorphic character across different spatial and temporal scales, emphasizing the importance of an interdisciplinary, multi-scale approach in investigating the influence of the physical template on biodiversity and ecosystem processes.
Article
Entomology
Jordan P. Cuff, Fredric M. Windsor, Emma C. Gilmartin, Lynne Boddy, T. Hefin Jones
Summary: The study found significant differences in the biological communities inhabiting rot holes with different environmental conditions, with environmental conditions playing a crucial role in shaping the structure of invertebrate communities. The strong link between environmental conditions and invertebrate communities in rot holes suggests the importance of promoting environmental heterogeneity to enhance invertebrate diversity in deadwood habitats.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Fredrick Dallas Jordan, Scott A. A. Shaffer, Melinda G. G. Conners, Julia E. F. Stepanuk, Morgan E. E. Gilmour, Corey A. A. Clatterbuck, Elliott L. L. Hazen, Daniel M. M. Palacios, Yann Tremblay, Michelle Antolos, David G. G. Foley, Steven J. J. Bograd, Daniel P. P. Costa, Lesley H. H. Thorne
Summary: Understanding the spatial distributions and resource partitioning of Laysan and black-footed albatross during the post-breeding period is crucial for their conservation efforts. This study reveals consistent segregation between the two species across different breeding colonies and highlights the importance of considering multiple colonies and temporal periods in the study of pelagic seabirds.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jessie Lanterman Novotny, Paige Reeher, Megan Varvaro, Andrew Lybbert, Jesse Smith, Randall J. Mitchell, Karen Goodell
Summary: Bumble bees play a crucial role as pollinators but are facing rapid declines globally. A study in Ohio, USA, found that factors like habitat, landscape, and presence of flowers influence the abundance and diversity of bumble bee species. Less common species were more likely to be found in forested landscapes. This research provides valuable insights for future conservation efforts.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
R. M. Connolly, K. Jinks, A. Shand, M. D. Taylor, T. F. Gaston, A. Becker, E. L. Jinks
Summary: This study uses deep learning to process and analyze acoustic data and proposes an automated underwater acoustic data analysis tool that can accurately detect and count fish populations with high reliability and accuracy. In future research, it is suggested to expand the testing range and automate species identification and counts.
Article
Ecology
Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby, Christopher J. Henderson, Rod M. Connolly, Bob Gorissen, Nicholas L. Ortodossi, Ashley J. Rummell, Ivan Nagelkerken, Simon J. Pittman, Marcus Sheaves, Andrew D. Olds
Summary: Mangroves and seagrasses are important nurseries for marine species, and the seafloor terrain influences nursery function. Factors such as depth, curvature, and roughness affect the abundance and diversity of fish. Mangrove nursery species are most abundant in flat areas with concave holes, rough substrates, and moderate depths, while seagrass nursery species are most abundant in areas adjacent to deep channels with soft mounds and ledges.
Article
Ecology
Lucy A. Goodridge Gaines, Christopher J. Henderson, Jesse D. Mosman, Andrew D. Olds, Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby
Summary: Ecosystems are being degraded due to human activities globally, causing changes in biodiversity and key ecological functions. Understanding the importance of spatial context and habitat condition for animal habitats is crucial for coastal management. In this study, fish assemblages from six different ecosystems in eastern Australia were sampled, and spatial context was found to be more important than habitat condition in shaping fish abundance and diversity.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ellen M. Ditria, Christina A. Buelow, Manuel Gonzalez-Rivero, Rod M. Connolly
Summary: Conservation of marine ecosystems is crucial for sustainable development, but there are challenges in obtaining adequate and timely information. Artificial intelligence and automation offer solutions by reducing monitoring bottlenecks and costs, providing greater access to information, and facilitating adaptive management. However, there are knowledge gaps that need to be addressed for successful implementation of AI in conservation management. Future monitoring and management in marine science could be greatly improved by the use of automation.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Michael Sievers, Christopher J. Brown, Christina A. Buelow, Robin Hale, Andria Ostrowski, Megan Saunders, Brian R. Silliman, Stephen E. Swearer, Mischa P. Turschwell, Stephanie R. Valdez, Rod M. Connolly
Summary: When restoring coastal habitats, it is important to consider the impact of non-habitat-forming animals on the ecosystem in order to achieve better restoration outcomes.
Letter
Ecology
Andria Ostrowski, Rod M. Connolly, Christopher J. Brown, Michael Sievers
Summary: This study investigates how variable stressor intensity and synchronicity affect the response of seagrass to multiple stressors. The findings reveal that at the highest stressor intensities, fluctuating stressors applied asynchronously have a greater impact on seagrass biomass compared to static stressors, but there is no difference in their effect on photosynthetic capacity. The study proposes alternative mechanisms underlying these differences in biological responses based on the fluctuation patterns of stressors over time.
Article
Ecology
Michaela E. Kitchingman, Michael Sievers, Sebastian Lopez-Marcano, Rod M. Connolly
Summary: The loss and degradation of mangrove forests have led to global restoration efforts, but there is little knowledge about the usage of mangroves by key fish species. This study used underwater cameras and deep learning methods to find that even newly restored sites with immature vegetation are utilized by key fish species.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ashley J. Rummell, Javier X. Leon, Hayden P. Borland, Brittany B. Elliott, Ben L. Gilby, Christopher J. Henderson, Andrew D. Olds
Summary: Coastal wetlands are important for regenerating lost ecosystem services. This study utilized remote sensing techniques and classification methods to accurately measure the changes in a restoring coastal wetland in eastern Australia. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach in accurately quantifying the early responses of coastal wetlands to restoration.
Article
Microbiology
Valentina Hurtado-McCormick, Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, Jennifer L. Bowen, Rod M. Connolly, Carlos M. Duarte, Peter Macreadie
Summary: The metabolism of soil-associated microbes in Blue Carbon Ecosystems plays a crucial role in carbon accumulation, but challenges exist in synthesizing multiple studies due to dataset variability and sampling techniques. By collating 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data, technical and theoretical challenges were identified, along with opportunities to address knowledge gaps in Blue Carbon microbial ecology.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nathan J. Waltham, Rod M. Connolly
Summary: This study finds that giant mud crabs can occupy highly urbanised waterways and exhibit trophic plasticity in response to new, engineered habitat settings, which is important in the era of coastal urbanisation expansion.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, Damien L. Callahan, Rod M. Connolly, Peter I. Macreadie
Summary: Biomarkers and indicators have been used to assess soil biogeochemical processes and history in blue carbon ecosystems. This study found that geochemical characteristics can predict soil microbial characteristics and reveal novel information about soil formation and alteration.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura L. Griffiths, Joel Williams, Christina A. Buelow, Vivitskaia J. Tulloch, Mischa P. Turschwell, Max D. Campbell, David Harasti, Rod M. Connolly, Christopher J. Brown
Summary: The coastal environment is subjected to threats from marine, land, and atmosphere, but the current linear approach to assessing the impact of threats may be misleading due to the nonlinear relationships between threats and species. Using a data-driven approach, this study explored the nonlinear relationships between threats and a temperate reef fish community and quantified the associations among threats and fish abundances. The findings highlight the importance of considering cumulative threats and implementing appropriate management actions to address them.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andria Ostrowski, Rod M. Connolly, Christopher J. Brown, Michael Sievers
Summary: Ecosystems are being degraded and lost due to multiple anthropogenic stressors. Static experiments that ignore stressor variability and its effects across trophic levels may underestimate the impacts of stressors on ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the effects of fluctuations and timing of stressor intensity on a seagrass community. Our results show that fluctuating stressor treatments led to declines in seagrass shoot density, leaf surface area, and crustacean abundance compared to static stressor exposure. Static treatments increased seagrass leaf surface area and crustacean abundance relative to the control group. These findings suggest that stress response mechanisms change when stressors fluctuate and highlight the importance of considering dynamic stressor effects in ecosystem management models.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christopher J. Brown, Chantal Saint Ange, Rod M. Connolly, Syezlin Hasan, Sue Jackson, Joseph M. McMahon, James C. R. Smart
Summary: There is a need for long-term monitoring of interconnected ecosystems to inform management strategies and track changes in ecosystem services. This study tested the performance of indicators of ecosystem services and found that they can assess historical performance over decadal timespans but may not be suitable for short-term monitoring.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Sievers, Christopher J. Brown, Jennifer Mcgowan, Mischa P. Turschwell, Christina A. Buelow, Briana Holgate, Ryan M. Pearson, Maria F. Adame, Dominic A. Andradi-Brown, Andy Arnell, Brendan G. Mackey, Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen, Joe Gosling, Chris J. Mcowen, Thomas A. Worthington, Rod M. Connolly
Summary: Mangrove forests provide unique biodiversity and ecosystem services that benefit people. Protecting and restoring these forests is important, and generating asset maps of biodiversity and ecosystem services is crucial for conservation planning. Our study combines global datasets to provide insights into the potential trade-offs, synergies, and opportunities from mangrove conservation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)