Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew Hart Reeve, Mikkel Willemoes, Luda Paul, Elizah Nagombi, Kasun H. Bodawatta, Troels Eske Ortvad, Gibson Maiah, Knud Andreas Jonsson
Summary: Advances in tracking technology have contributed to understanding the movements of large and mobile animal species, but there is a need to track a more diverse range of animals to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses and aid conservation efforts. This study investigates the viability of using modern satellite tracking to measure the movement patterns of small and sedentary species in tropical regions. The results show potential for detecting small movements of a few kilometers, but there are limitations in terms of transmission periods and location fix precision. However, future improvements in transmitter size and price will expand options for tracking animal diversity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Abderrafea Elbahi, Colin Lawton, Widade Oubrou, Mohammed El Bekkay, Jamila Hermas, Michel Dugon
Summary: Reptiles are important components of biodiversity and ecosystems, but they are threatened by anthropogenic disturbances and habitat degradation. This study investigates the impact of habitat degradation on reptile communities in the Souss-Massa National Park in North Africa. The results show that varying degrees of vegetation cover degradation have a significant effect on species richness, diversity, abundance, composition, and similarities of reptile communities.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Friederike C. Bolam, Jorge Ahumada, H. Resit Akcakaya, Thomas M. Brooks, Wendy Elliott, Sean Hoban, Louise Mair, David Mallon, Philip J. K. McGowan, Domitilla Raimondo, Jon Paul Rodriguez, Dilys Roe, Mary B. Seddon, Xiaoli Shen, Simon N. Stuart, James E. M. Watson, Stuart H. M. Butchart
Summary: Preventing human-induced extinctions requires policy commitments to implement targeted recovery actions for threatened species, in addition to comprehensive efforts to mitigate threats to species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geology
Bernhard Salcher, Gunther Prasicek, Sebastian Baumann, Florian Kober
Summary: Glaciers play a major role in shaping mountain topography, with their effectiveness and degree of erosion still being a topic of debate. In the European Central Alps, calculations of glacier occupation time have shown gradual topographic changes due to cirque erosion over time.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Goncalves-Souza, Bruno Vilela, Ben Phalan, Ricardo Dobrovolski
Summary: Research shows that protected areas and indigenous lands in Brazil have had a positive impact in avoiding ecosystem destruction, with this effect extending to buffer zones around protected areas. The most effective protected areas are older, larger, located in the Amazon region, and indigenous lands. Despite recent setbacks, the benefits of strengthened protected areas for biodiversity and climate are highlighted.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nicholas Hendershot, Alejandra Echeverri, Luke O. Frishkoff, James R. Zook, Tadashi Fukami, Gretchen C. Daily
Summary: Although agricultural landscapes can support wildlife in the short term, it is uncertain whether they can truly sustain wildlife populations in the long term. Diversified farming practices help sustain populations of forest-affiliated species, but cannot fully offset the losses in forest habitats.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maren Pauly, Will Crosse, Joshua Tosteson
Summary: This study analyzed the economic drivers of deforestation in Cambodia and the effectiveness of REDD+ projects compared to protected areas. The findings indicate that Economic Land Concessions were the main driver of deforestation in Cambodia, and REDD+ projects offered greater protection against deforestation than adjacent protected areas, likely due to increased funding for targeted community activities and rigorous monitoring and enforcement.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoji Natori, Akihiko Hino
Summary: The study tested the global applicability of the Satoyama Index in identifying socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPL) in multi-use cultural landscapes and found that it could be used globally with statistical significance. Approximately 80% of SEPL were identified to occur outside recognized conservation priorities, suggesting the need for more conservation attention to be brought to SEPL through other area-based conservation measures. Further improvements in mapping SEPL globally and at local scale were discussed based on the issues identified in the study.
Article
Biology
A. O. Achieng, G. B. Arhonditsis, N. Mandrak, C. Febria, B. Opaa, T. J. Coffey, F. O. Masese, K. Irvine, Z. M. Ajode, K. Obiero, J. E. Barasa, B. Kaunda-Arara
Summary: Africa is facing extensive biodiversity loss due to environmental changes, lack of data and resources, as well as insufficient capacity to implement conservation measures. The lack of harmonized indicators and databases further hinders effective policies and monitoring. The article emphasizes the importance of establishing monitoring programs to inform evidence-based decisions for ecosystem conservation and restoration in Africa.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Environmental Studies
Adrian C. Newton
Summary: Progress is being made in assessing the conservation status of ecosystems, but there are concerns regarding the scientific understanding of ecosystem collapse. Strengthening the scientific basis of collapse risk assessments through defining concepts and reviewing theoretical foundations is essential. Additional research is needed to improve current understanding and potential implications for conservation policy and practice.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sara Phillips
Summary: By assessing the unique traits of traded animals and their role in ecosystems, researchers can evaluate the potential impact of losses.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert Nasi
Summary: The cultivation of oil palm is a permanent practice, but a five-year study shows that incorporating native trees into the monoculture can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning without significantly reducing crop yields. The presence of native trees benefits the plantation ecosystem while maintaining crop productivity.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emiliano Donadio, Sebastian Di Martino, Sofia Heinonen
Summary: A foundation is reintroducing native species to restore ecosystems and develop ecotourism.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paulo De Marco Jr, Rodrigo A. de Souza, Andre F. A. Andrade, Sara Villen-Perez, Caroline Correa Nobrega, Luiza Motta Campello, Marcellus Caldas
Summary: Areas set aside for conservation within private lands, especially in regions with poor public land protection, such as the Brazilian Cerrado, can effectively enhance biodiversity-friendly landscapes. Private protected areas accommodate a significant percentage of threatened vertebrate species ranges, and their spatial spread benefits a large number of species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adrian C. Newton, Robert Britton, Kimberley Davies, Anita Diaz, Daniel J. Franklin, Roger J. H. Herbert, Ross A. Hill, Kathy Hodder, Georgia Jones, Amanda H. Korstjens, Annesia Lamb, Jack Olley, Adrian C. Pinder, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Rick Stafford
Summary: This text discusses the issue of ecosystem collapse, defining and addressing how ecosystem collapse can be managed in conservation practice. It emphasizes the importance of identifying the causes of collapse and suggests methods for early detection and monitoring of management responses.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Tania M. M. Kenyon, Christopher Doropoulos, Kennedy Wolfe, Gregory E. E. Webb, Sophie Dove, Daniel Harris, Peter J. J. Mumby
Summary: This article reviews the dynamics of rubble beds on coral reefs, with a focus on the changes expected in the generation, mobilization, binding, and coral recruitment of rubble on future reefs. It predicts that major disturbances, such as storms and coral bleaching, will increase in intensity and frequency, leading to larger quantities of coral rubble. With smaller recovery windows and increased bioerosion, smaller and less complex rubble pieces will be generated more often. The time available for binding will be reduced, and changing ocean chemistry may affect the efficacy of binders. Ultimately, increased rubble cover will negatively impact coral recruitment into rubble beds.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Chris Sandbrook, Martin Fisher, Graeme S. S. Cumming, Karl L. L. Evans, Jenny Anne Glikman, Brendan J. J. Godley, Frith Jarrad, Nicholas Polunin, Carolina Murcia, Angel Perez-Ruzafa, Judit K. K. Szabo
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Amelia A. A. Desbiens, Peter J. J. Mumby, Symon Dworjanyn, Eva E. Plaganyi, Sven Uthicke, Kennedy Wolfe
Summary: This study investigated the predators of crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) and found 26 novel predators, but only 10 species regularly consumed juvenile CoTS. Most predation resulted in severed bodies and missing arms, rather than total consumption. The research highlights the importance of predators during the juvenile stage in controlling CoTS populations.
Article
Ecology
Kennedy Wolfe, Tania M. Kenyon, Amelia Desbiens, Kimberley de la Motte, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Declines in habitat complexity have led to ecological degradation in various ecosystems. Coral reefs have served as a model for studying such changes, but previous research has mainly focused on corals and fish, overlooking the dominant role of small cryptic organisms. This study used a hierarchical framework to explore whether broad seascape parameters or nested microhabitat processes better describe cryptofauna communities in coral rubble. The results showed that microhabitat complexity influenced sessile organism cover, which in turn shaped the motile cryptofauna community.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert A. B. Mason, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: This article analyses the future scenarios of the Great Barrier Reef under various realistic drivers and finds that under a limited warming scenario, the coral cover can eventually recover to present-day levels. However, under higher warming scenarios, the coral cover declines drastically and may even disappear.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas J. Richards, Katrina McGuigan, J. David Aguirre, Adriana Humanes, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby, Cynthia Riginos
Summary: Global environmental change is happening rapidly, with coral reefs being one of the most threatened ecosystems. To ensure the survival of wild populations, adaptation is necessary. However, our understanding of the complex ecological and evolutionary dynamics of corals is limited, hindering predictions about their ability to adapt to future conditions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chelsey M. Beese, Peter J. Mumby, Alice Rogers
Summary: The quality of coral reef habitats is declining due to heatwaves and other disturbances, resulting in reduced complexity and energy transfer to higher trophic levels. By using a size-based ecosystem model, researchers found that providing refuge for fish between 5 and 10 cm in length can significantly enhance fish biomass and fisheries productivity. The study also identifies refuge profiles that can improve ecosystem service provision by up to sixfold.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Georgina L. Hunt, Matthew R. D. Cobain, Rona A. R. McGill, John K. Pinnegar, Georg H. Engelhard, Benjamin D. Wigham, Nicholas V. C. Polunin
Summary: Sympatric flatfish predators in coastal environments may partition their resources to reduce competition and increase foraging efficiency. However, the consistency in their feeding habits over time and space is not well understood. This study uses stomach content and stable isotope analysis to investigate the feeding habits of two flatfish predators across different temporal scales, revealing changes in resource partitioning and diet switching in response to prey availability.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Robert A. B. Mason, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Boat anchoring is a common practice at coral reefs with high economic or social value, but its impact on reef resilience has been understudied. Using an individual-based model, we simulated the effects of anchor damage on coral populations and estimated the carrying capacity of anchoring for different coral assemblages. We found that even a small to medium-sized recreational vessel can cause 0 to 3.1 anchor strikes per hectare per day. In a case study of the Great Barrier Reef, we demonstrated that mitigating anchoring can lead to significant coral gains under bleaching scenarios.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Graeme S. Cumming, Maja Adamska, Michele L. Barnes, Jon Barnett, David R. Bellwood, Joshua E. Cinner, Philippa J. Cohen, Jennifer M. Donelson, Katharina Fabricius, R. Quentin Grafton, Alana Grech, Georgina G. Gurney, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Andrew S. Hoey, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Jacqueline Lau, Catherine E. Lovelock, Ryan Lowe, David J. Miller, Tiffany H. Morrison, Peter J. Mumby, Martin Nakata, John M. Pandolfi, Garry D. Peterson, Morgan S. Pratchett, Timothy Ravasi, Cynthia Riginos, Jodie L. Rummer, Britta Schaffelke, Thomas Wernberg, Shaun K. Wilson
Summary: SDG 14 aims to secure marine sustainability by 2030, and understanding the changing seascape, global actions, and the collaboration between science and society are vital for achieving this goal in the Asia-Pacific region. Through a horizon scan, researchers identified nine emerging research priorities that can contribute to marine sustainability, including understanding seascape evolution, drivers of change, and the costs and benefits to people. Researchers can contribute by developing interdisciplinary understandings, emphasizing equity and justice, and improving knowledge of cross-scale processes.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kennedy Wolfe, Amelia A. A. Desbiens, Peter J. J. Mumby
Summary: Patterns of movement of marine species can provide valuable information about reproduction and dispersal strategies, species interactions, trophodynamics, and vulnerability to change, which is crucial for population and ecosystem management. In coral reefs, the highest density and diversity of metazoan taxa are found in dead coral and rubble, but the energy stored in rubble is mainly accessible to small individuals, limiting its availability to higher trophic levels.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carolina Castro-Sanguino, Yves-Marie Bozec, Scott A. Condie, Cameron S. Fletcher, Karlo Hock, Chris Roelfsema, David A. Westcott, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: CoTS outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia have caused significant damage to coral ecosystems. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the current CoTS control program and suggests increasing control efforts to ensure coral persistence in the face of climate change impacts.
Article
Biology
Liam Lachs, Adriana Humanes, Daniel R. Pygas, John C. Bythell, Peter J. Mumby, Renata Ferrari, Will F. Figueira, Elizabeth Beauchamp, Holly K. East, Alasdair J. Edwards, Yimnang Golbuu, Helios M. Martinez, Brigitte Sommer, Eveline van der Steeg, James R. Guest
Summary: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will be under strong selection, but trade-offs between heat tolerance and other traits may compromise adaptation. The study focused on reef-building corals and found no trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Surprisingly, faster-growing corals tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Overall, this suggests that some high-performing corals excel across multiple traits and trade-offs may not be major barriers to adaptation or evolution interventions.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Elizabeth Buccheri, Gerard F. Ricardo, Russell C. Babcock, Peter J. Mumby, Christopher Doropoulos
Summary: This study investigated the sensitivity of coral reproduction to changes in sperm concentration and contact time between gametes. The results showed that fertilisation was most successful at high sperm concentrations and longer contact times, with variations between different coral species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liam Lachs, Simon D. D. Donner, Peter J. J. Mumby, John C. C. Bythell, Adriana Humanes, Holly K. K. East, James R. R. Guest
Summary: Recurrent mass bleaching events pose a threat to coral reefs and their future. However, this study suggests that the thermal tolerance of coral assemblages in a remote Pacific coral reef system has been increasing, leading to less severe bleaching impacts. Future climate projections indicate that further increases in thermal tolerance could substantially reduce bleaching trajectories, highlighting the importance of reducing carbon emissions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)