Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu Xu, Biao Yang, Qiang Dai, Han Pan, Xue Zhong, Jianghong Ran, Xuyu Yang, Xiaodong Gu, Zhisong Yang, Dunwu Qi, Rong Hou, Zejun Zhang
Summary: This study evaluates the management of giant panda populations in China and proposes suggestions for landscape-scale conservation in the national park system.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Henriette Heer, Lucas Streib, Ralf B. Schaefer, Ulf Dieckmann
Summary: Habitat loss and fragmentation are major drivers of global biodiversity loss, affecting species differently based on their extinction risks and dispersal ranges. Various network types and habitat loss scenarios influence the robustness of metapopulations differently. Graph-theoretic metrics such as average clique size, redundancy, and clustering coefficient are reliable indicators of metapopulation robustness in the face of habitat loss, especially for sensitive species.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sean R. Griffin, Nick M. Haddad
Summary: The study focused on how landscape corridors affect the colonization and establishment of new populations in fragmented habitats by investigating the habitat preferences of solitary, cavity-nesting bees. It was found that connectivity initially influenced nest-site occupation rates, while ultimately, edge-to-area ratio determined patch occupation patterns, emphasizing the importance of both factors in population dynamics for habitat-based conservation efforts. Additionally, higher colonization rates were observed in patches with abundant flowers from the Fabaceae family, indicating the significance of food resources in bee populations.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Leah G. G. Burgess, Shane A. A. Richards, Michael M. M. Driessen, Vicky Wilkinson, Rahil J. J. Amin, Scott Carver
Summary: The occurrence of sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombats is influenced by environmental factors, with wombats more likely to be affected in areas with minimal vegetation and low-lying pans. Wombat density and active burrow density do not significantly impact the prevalence of the disease.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Denis Vasiliev, Sarah Greenwood
Summary: Despite conservation efforts, pollinator biodiversity is declining at unprecedented rates. Conservation approaches often overlook landscape connectivity and focus on resource availability. The underestimated role of landscape connectivity may undermine conservation efforts by failing to consider the effects on pollinator assemblages.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Vinicius Klain, Marcia Bohrer Mentz, Sebastian Bustamante-Manrique, Julio Cesar Bicca-Marques
Summary: Environmental change can influence the ecology and behavior of host and parasite species, leading to changes in parasite communities. This study investigated the richness of parasite communities in brown howler monkeys inhabiting forest fragments in an anthropogenic landscape. The results showed weak negative relationships between parasite richness and forest cover as well as mean distance to the nearest forest fragment. The researchers concluded that the howler monkeys were likely infected with multiple parasite taxa on the ground, and the anthropogenic landscape structure had a minor role in modulating the richness of their parasite communities.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jason T. Fisher, Sean Murray, Mirjam Barrueto, Kathleen Carroll, Anthony P. Clevenger, Doris Hausleitner, William Harrower, Nicole Heim, Kim Heinemeyer, Aerin L. Jacob, Thomas S. Jung, Andrea Kortello, Andrew Ladle, Robert Long, Paula MacKay, Michael A. Sawaya
Summary: Wolverines are an indicator of conservation success or failure in northern ecosystems but research distribution and focus vary. DNA and telemetry are the most common research methods. Long-term monitoring programs in Scandinavia provide abundant information, while coordination is lacking in North America. Protected areas are crucial for wolverine conservation globally.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Susannah B. Lerman, Desiree L. Narango, Meghan L. Avolio, Anika R. Bratt, Jesse M. Engebretson, Peter M. Groffman, Sharon J. Hall, James B. Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Dexter H. Locke, Christopher Neill, Kristen C. Nelson, Josep Padulles Cubino, Tara L. E. Trammell
Summary: Urbanization has a homogenizing effect on biodiversity, but land management by residents can help mitigate this impact, especially through preserving natural areas, reducing impervious surfaces, and increasing tree canopy cover. Yard management has a positive impact on breeding bird diversity, especially wildlife-friendly yards, which support diverse bird communities with high public interest.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jinliang Liu, Zachary G. MacDonald, Xingfeng Si, Lingbing Wu, Di Zeng, Guang Hu, Ping Ding, Mingjian Yu
Summary: This study quantified SLOSS-based diversity patterns of woody plant, bird, and spider assemblages in a subtropical archipelago. The results showed that the effects of fragmentation on species diversity depend on the maximum area of habitat patches included in the analysis and the slope of species-area relationships.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
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
Ecology
Brittany R. Williams, Dominic McAfee, Sean D. Connell
Summary: Technological solutions, such as enriching marine soundscapes, can accelerate the recovery of lost marine habitats by repairing the recruitment process and reducing the risks associated with relying on natural recruitment processes.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jie Zhang, Shijun You, Dongsheng Niu, Karla Giovana Gavilanez Guaman, Ao Wang, Hafz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib, Weiyi He, Yuan Yu, Guang Yang, Gabor Pozsgai, Minsheng You
Summary: This study expresses gratitude to farmers for allowing sampling and to Tao Li, Lingfei Peng, and Jun Li for their assistance in identifying samples. The research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China and the State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Antonio J. Mendoza-Fernandez, Fabian Martinez-Hernandez, Esteban Salmeron-Sanchez, Francisco J. Perez-Garcia, Blas Teruel, Maria E. Merlo, Juan F. Mota
Summary: Maytenus senegalensis subsp. europaea is a shrub species distributed discontinuously along the southeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, forming plant communities with great ecological value. Future model projections show that the most favorable area for this species will be the Campo de Dalias in the southern portion of Almeria province.
Article
Ecology
Flavia Freire Siqueira, Dulcineia de Carvalho, Jonathan Rhodes, Carla L. Archibald, Vanessa Leite Rezende, Eduardo van den Berg
Summary: The study investigated the role of Small Landscape Elements (SLEs) in landscape connectivity within the highly fragmented Atlantic Forest. It found that in these landscapes, the position of SLEs was more important than their respective areas for enhancing landscape connectivity.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
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
Biology
Lenore Fahrig, James Watling, Carlos Alberto Arnillas, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Theresa Joerger-Hickfang, Joerg Mueller, Henrique M. Pereira, Federico Riva, Verena Roesch, Sebastian Seibold, Teja Tscharntke, Felix May
Summary: The legacy of the 'SL > SS principle' suggests that larger patches conserve more species than smaller patches, but empirical support is lacking with most studies showing the opposite. A research agenda is proposed to investigate conditions leading to SL > SS by combining theoretical predictions and empirical evidence. This includes considering between-patch movement, spreading-of-risk in landscape-scale population persistence, and across-habitat heterogeneity as key variables predicting the SLOSS outcome. Testing these predictions across various landscapes will be crucial in determining the validity of the SL > SS principle.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Carla C. Gestich, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Bruno H. Saranholi, Rogerio G. T. da Cunha, Eleonore Z. F. Setz, Milton C. Ribeiro
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of forest loss and fragmentation on the populations of a forest-specialist primate, black-fronted titi monkey, and found that increasing forest patch density could lead to higher population density of the species. The results suggest that fragmentation may have positive effects on biodiversity, by increasing populations in remaining forest patches.
Article
Ecology
Norma P. Arce-Pena, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Luis Daniel Avila-Cabadilla, Claudia E. Moreno, Ellen Andresen
Summary: This study assessed the temporal changes in beta-diversity of medium-bodied and large-bodied mammals in the Lacandona rainforest, Mexico, and found that beta-diversity decreased over time, mainly driven by a decrease in species turnover. This suggests that different forest sites in the landscape have a fairly distinct subset of species, highlighting the importance of conserving all remaining forest patches and increasing forest cover to effectively maintain beta-diversity.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ricard Arasa-Gisbert, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Jorge A. Meave, Miguel Martinez-Ramos, Madelon Lohbeck
Summary: This study examines the effects of forest cover, matrix openness, and forest patch density on the functional composition and diversity of tropical regenerating trees. The results show that forest loss and matrix openness reduce functional richness and evenness, while fragmentation has contrasting effects on functional diversity and composition.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sabine J. Cudney-Valenzuela, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Ellen Andresen, Tarin Toledo-Aceves
Summary: The study finds that edge density has a larger scale of effect on arboreal mammals compared to forest cover and matrix openness. The scale of effect is not different between species richness and total abundance. Furthermore, the study suggests that the scale of effect tends to increase with body mass of mammals.
Article
Ecology
Sabine J. Cudney-Valenzuela, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Jose C. Morante-Filho, Tarin Toledo-Aceves, Ellen Andresen
Summary: Landscape-scale deforestation poses a major threat to global biodiversity. The study found that forest loss has negative indirect effects on arboreal mammal richness through increased tree canopy openness, while tree basal area has a positive relationship with the abundance and richness of arboreal mammals. Forest loss directly and positively affects the abundance and richness of mammals, and rare mammals are the ones most affected by these changes.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Laura L. Saldivar-Burrola, Marisela Martinez-Ruiz, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Fabricio Villalobos, Pedro A. D. Dias, Fabiola Lopez-Barrera, Ricard Arasa-Gisbert
Summary: The loss of old-growth forest has a stronger negative impact on the abundance of Geoffroy's spider monkeys and black howler monkeys. Secondary forests have a weak buffering effect on both species, emphasizing the importance of old-growth forests for primate conservation.
Article
Agronomy
Ana Silva-Galicia, Vivian Valencia, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Eliane Ceccon
Summary: Worldwide deforestation and degradation are affecting the capacity of tropical dry forests (TDFs) to provide environmental services. Agroforestry systems (AFSs) can help restore key ecosystem services in TDFs by combining perennial elements with crops, although they may also have some negative impacts, such as yield reductions. Despite some knowledge gaps, our findings indicate that AFSs can contribute to the restoration of TDFs and the well-being of local communities by providing valuable ecosystem services.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Taina S. Alves, Fredy Alvarado, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Braulio A. Santos
Summary: Humans are causing significant changes in biological communities, particularly through deforestation in tropical regions. This study found that deforestation and the mixing of native and exotic species in livestock production landscapes have led to the establishment of species-poor and homogenized communities, dominated by exotic mammal species. The study highlights the importance of avoiding deforestation, segregating lands for livestock and conservation, and strengthening the enforcement against illegal hunting to promote environmentally-friendly livestock farming in the region.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Katia F. Rito, Michelle Farfan, Ivan C. Navia, Francisco Mora, Felipe Arreola-Villa, Patricia Balvanera, Frans Bongers, Carolina Castellanos-Castro, Eduardo L. M. Catharino, Robin L. Chazdon, Juan M. Dupuy-Rada, Bruce G. Ferguson, Paul F. Foster, Noel Gonzalez-Valdivia, Daniel M. Griffith, Jose L. Hernandez-Stefanoni, Catarina C. Jakovac, Andre B. Junqueira, Bernardus H. J. Jong, Susan G. Letcher, Filogonio May-Pat, Jorge A. Meave, Susana Ochoa-Gaona, Gabriela S. Meirelles, Miguel A. Muniz-Castro, Rodrigo Munoz, Jennifer S. Powers, Gustavo P. E. Rocha, Ricardo P. G. Rosario, Braulio A. Santos, Marcelo F. Simon, Marcelo Tabarelli, Fernando Tun-Dzul, Eduardo van den Berg, Daniel L. M. Vieira, Guadalupe Williams-Linera, Miguel Martinez-Ramos
Summary: Abandonment of agricultural lands promotes the global expansion of secondary forests, which are critical for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services. Successional trajectories of woody plant species richness, stem density and basal area are less predictable in landscapes with intermediate forest cover than in landscapes with high forest cover.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Raquel L. Carvalho, Ellen Andresen, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Diego V. Anjos, Angelica F. Resende, Fernando Vaz de Mello, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos
Summary: Biotic communities in agricultural landscapes are influenced by both local land use and surrounding landscape structure. However, most studies only focus on one factor, limiting our ability to provide conservation management guidelines for biodiversity in human-modified landscapes.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carmen Galan-Acedo, Ricard Arasa-Gisbert, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Marisela Martinez-Ruiz, Fernando A. Rosete-Verges, Fabricio Villalobos
Summary: Habitat loss has significant impacts on biodiversity, and these impacts are not always linear. Extinction thresholds exist where species become extinct from human-modified landscapes when habitat amounts fall below a certain threshold. This study evaluates the effects of forest loss on primate species richness in regions with different land-use histories. The findings emphasize the importance of stopping deforestation and promoting restoration initiatives in order to maintain habitat above extinction thresholds.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Daniel Martin Auliz-Ortiz, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Eduardo Mendoza, Miguel Martinez-Ramos
Summary: Restricted policies in protected areas may worsen poverty, but less restrictive areas may be better at alleviating poverty. However, this permissibility may reduce the effectiveness of preventing forest loss.
Article
Entomology
Alejandro G. Farji-Brener, Merly Yenedith Carrillo-Fajardo, Jorge Tanit Rodriguez-Malacara, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez
Summary: Understanding why animals avoid certain locations is crucial for improving habitat selection theory. This is particularly important for sedentary organisms like antlion larvae, as their performance heavily relies on local environmental conditions. A study found that antlion larvae are rare in soils with leaf litter in a tropical forest in Mexico.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fredy Vargas-Cardenas, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Jose Carlos Morante-Filho, Jorge E. Schondube, Daniel M. Auliz-Ortiz, Eliane Ceccon
Summary: Understanding the response of biological communities to human-caused landscape disturbances is crucial for identifying the best strategies to preserve biodiversity. Our study investigates how bird species diversity is affected by forest loss in a mountain region in Mexico. We found that the impact of forest loss on bird diversity varied among ecological groups, with forest-specialist and habitat-generalist species benefiting from greater forest cover, while disturbance-adapted species were negatively affected. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining forest cover for preserving bird biodiversity.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)