Article
Ecology
Brooke E. Crowley, Clement P. Bataille, Bruce A. Haak, Kaitlin M. Sommer
Summary: This study focuses on using strontium and hydrogen isotopes in feathers to determine the natal origin of migratory raptors. By calibrating single-isotope models and comparing hydrogen and strontium isotopes, the dual-isotope approach significantly improves predictive precision. The combination of isotopic data from feathers with other methods enhances our ability to predict the natal range of migratory birds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanju Ma, Keith A. Hobson, Kevin J. Kardynal, Christopher G. Guglielmo, Brian A. Branfireun
Summary: Migratory songbirds breeding in the Canadian Boreal forest are exposed to mercury, with exposure levels depending on various factors. A Canada-wide dataset of nearly 2000 migratory songbirds showed a clear geographic gradient in feather mercury concentrations and dietary guild as a strong predictor of feather mercury levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Xuan Dong, Cui Han, Li Li
Summary: Stable isotope techniques are reliable methods for tracing the geographical origin of sea urchins. Analysis of stable isotope values in the gonad and spine of sea urchins can distinguish samples from different geographic origins. Combining stable isotope values from spine samples with QDA or KNN methods yields higher accuracy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
R. T. Kramer, R. L. Kinaston, P. W. Holder, K. F. Armstrong, C. L. King, W. D. K. Sipple, A. P. Martin, G. Pradel, R. E. Turnbull, K. M. Rogers, M. Reid, D. Barr, K. G. Wijenayake, H. R. Buckley, C. H. Stirling, C. P. Bataille
Summary: This article introduces the use of strontium isotope analysis to trace the origin of locally produced agricultural products in New Zealand, and establishes a regional bioavailable strontium isoscape. By testing the source of cow milk, the article demonstrates the potential of this model.
Article
Ecology
Megan S. Reich, Mira Kindra, Felipe Dargent, Lihai Hu, D. T. Tyler Flockhart, D. Ryan Norris, Heather Kharouba, Gerard Talavera, Clement P. Bataille
Summary: Anthropogenic activities expose insects to toxic metals and alter the bioavailability of essential metals. Metals and metal isotopes have potential as geolocation tools for migratory insects, but understanding metal incorporation in insect tissues is important. A diet-switching experiment on monarch butterflies was conducted to assess metal sources in wing tissues. Some metals bioaccumulated from the adult diet, while others came from external sources such as dust aerosols. Pb isotopes confirmed human sources of Pb pollution. Strontium isotopes showed potential as a geolocation tool, but further investigation is needed.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Jumpei Toriyama, Akihiro Imaya, Ayumi Tanaka-Oda, Taiki Mori, Mao Hak
Summary: This study aims to investigate the differences in soil carbon and nitrogen isotopes between evergreen and deciduous forests in the seasonally dry tropics of Southeast Asia. The results showed no significant differences in carbon and nitrogen isotopes between forest types, possibly due to the interaction of multiple factors such as tree biomass, precipitation, and soil acidity.
Article
Ecology
Melanie Marx, Yvonne R. Schumm, Kevin J. Kardynal, Keith A. Hobson, Gregorio Rocha, Pavel Zehtindjiev, Dimitris Bakaloudis, Benjamin Metzger, Jacopo G. Cecere, Fernando Spina, Marco Cianchetti-Benedetti, Sylke Frahnert, Christian C. Voigt, Herve Lormee, Cyril Eraud, Petra Quillfeldt
Summary: Conservation of migratory birds requires understanding their breeding and nonbreeding ranges. This study investigated the wintering regions of European turtle doves using stable isotopes and found that the most likely wintering areas were in the western and central Sub-Sahara. There were also differences in the isotopic values between turtle doves from different migratory routes, indicating different origins for central/eastern and western migrants. These results emphasize the importance of the western and central Sub-Sahara for the conservation of turtle doves from European breeding populations.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
S. A. Rodkina, S. I. Kiyashko, V. V. Mordukhovich
Summary: Holothurians play a crucial role in the deep-sea ecosystem, forming significant aggregations with high abundance and biomass. The distribution pattern of these deep-sea holothurians is influenced by their food strategies and the quantity and quality of available food. Using trophic markers, this study investigated the trophic preferences of four common deep-sea holothurian species in the Bering Sea. The results showed that all species utilized organic matter of the same origin, but their fatty acid composition and isotopic values varied, indicating differences in food sources and preferences among the species.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART II-TOPICAL STUDIES IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Megan S. Reich, D. T. Tyler Flockhart, D. Ryan Norris, Lihai Hu, Clement P. Bataille
Summary: The study introduces a detailed framework for tracking migratory animals using strontium isotope ratios, specifically focusing on the eastern North American population of monarch butterflies. The results demonstrate the significant improvement in precision of isotope-based geographic assignment with the use of Sr-87/Sr-86, and combining it with δ2H provides the most constrained area of natal origin. The framework provided can enhance the study of migration and dispersal in various animals.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jun Young Park, Jae-Ho Jung, Jung Hyun Kwak, Heum Gi Park, Chang-Keun Kang, Hyun Je Park
Summary: Understanding the magnitude and causes of isotopic fractionation between organisms and their dietary resources is crucial for stable isotope ecology. The study found that the isotopic fractionation values for marine ciliates are similar to those of common marine organisms, suggesting little food-dependent variation in their trophic transfer of carbon, nitrogen, and energy flow through the microbial pathway in marine ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
David Soba, Angie L. Gamez, Naroa Uriz, Lorena Ruiz de Larrinaga, Carmen Gonzalez-Murua, Jose Maria Becerril, Raquel Esteban, Dolors Serret, Jose Luis Araus, Iker Aranjuelo
Summary: The study evaluated Tilia cordata leaves as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution and found that leaves from urban areas like Bilbao had higher heavy metal concentrations related to traffic emissions. The analysis of leaf carbon and nitrogen isotopes (delta C-13 and delta N-15) showed potential as indicators of heavy metal pollution levels and could distinguish pollution sources in different locations. Further research is needed to calibrate this monitoring tool through extensive vegetation screening.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Keryn Roberts, Michael Grace, Perran Cook, Dirk Erler, Wei Wen Wong
Summary: The effectiveness of nitrogen removal in wetlands depends on biological processes. Isotopic fractionation factors were measured to evaluate nitrogen transformation processes in two urban water treatment wetlands. Differences in sampling conditions, such as rainfall patterns and light availability, affected the removal capability of the wetlands. Nitrate removal was influenced by overall nutrient inputs, residence time, and water temperature.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Daniel H. Lysak, William W. Wolff, Ronald Soong, Wolfgang Bermel, Eriks Kupce, Amy Jenne, Rajshree Ghosh Biswas, Daniel Lane, Genevieve Gasmi-Seabrook, Andre Simpson
Summary: Many important biological components contain nitrogen. However, N-15 nuclei are rarely used in NMR-based metabolite assignment due to their low abundance and the lack of comprehensive databases. In this study, a broadband N-15-edited H-1-C-13 HSQC NMR experiment was developed to identify nitrogen-containing metabolites based on their C-13, H-1, and N-15 chemical shifts.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jackson W. Kusack, Douglas C. Tozer, Michael L. Schummer, Keith A. Hobson
Summary: Waterfowl management can be more effective when it considers population connectivity between breeding, wintering, and stopover sites. This study focuses on the American black duck and found regional differences in harvest data between Canada and the United States, suggesting variations in breeding origins. Further analysis revealed that black ducks harvested in Atlantic Canada were more likely to come from nearby breeding locations, while those harvested in southern Ontario and Quebec originated from the Boreal Softwood and Taiga Shield regions of eastern Canada. These findings support the flyover hypothesis, which suggests that black ducks produced in the Boreal Softwood and Taiga Shield region are less susceptible to harvest by hunters in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Guangyu Zhu, Zhouping Shangguan, Lei Deng
Summary: In this study, the dynamics of soil aggregate associated organic carbon (OC) following temperate natural forest development in China were investigated. It was found that different soil depths showed varying trends in OC changes, and factors such as land use change, soil particle characteristics, plant diversity, and C:N ratio had significant impacts on SOC stocks, rate of total SOC increase, and decomposition rate constants.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Steffen Oppel, Alazar Daka Ruffo, Samuel Bakari, Million Tesfaye, Solomon Mengistu, Mengistu Wondafrash, Ahmed Endris, Cloe Pourchier, Alex Ngari, Volen Arkumarev, Stoyan C. Nikolov
Summary: The pursuit of providing electricity and preventing desertification in Africa, as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, can inadvertently lead to threats to vulture populations, resulting in electrocution and poisoning deaths. To avoid negative impacts on local vultures and the services they provide, governments should focus on infrastructure designs that minimize the risk of electrocution and assist pastoralists in protecting their livestock and reducing threats to vultures and other wildlife.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Esther F. Kettel, Chris Thaxter, Steffen Oppel, Andrew Carryer, Liam Innis, James W. Pearce-Higgins
Summary: The article discusses the negative impact of powerlines on bird populations and the issue of data sharing. The survey shows that most TSOs recognize the importance of using data to reduce bird casualties, but there are barriers to data sharing, such as the lack of a central database and concerns about data confidentiality.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jethro G. Gauld, Joao P. Silva, Philip W. Atkinson, Paul Record, Marta Acacio, Volen Arkumarev, Julio Blas, Willem Bouten, Niall Burton, Ines Catry, Jocelyn Champagnon, Gary D. Clewley, Mindaugas Dagys, Olivier Duriez, Klaus-Michael Exo, Wolfgang Fiedler, Andrea Flack, Guilad Friedemann, Johannes Fritz, Clara Garcia-Ripolles, Stefan Garthe, Dimitri Giunchi, Atanas Grozdanov, Roi Harel, Elizabeth M. Humphreys, Rene Janssen, Andrea Koelzsch, Olga Kulikova, Thomas K. Lameris, Pascual Lopez-Lopez, Elizabeth A. Masden, Flavio Monti, Ran Nathan, Stoyan Nikolov, Steffen Oppel, Hristo Peshev, Louis Phipps, Ivan Pokrovsky, Viola H. Ross-Smith, Victoria Saravia, Emily S. Scragg, Andrea Sforzi, Emilian Stoynov, Chris Thaxter, Wouter Van Steelant, Marielle Toor, Bernd Vorneweg, Jonas Waldenstroem, Martin Wikelski, Ramunas Zydelis, Aldina M. A. Franco
Summary: This study assesses and analyzes the collision risks of wind turbines and power lines to birds in Europe and North Africa based on GPS location data of tracked birds. The results show that some bird species consistently fly at heights where they are at risk of collision. In the study region, 13.6% of the area is classified as highly sensitive to wind turbines and 9.4% is classified as highly sensitive to power lines, with hotspots of collision vulnerability scattered across the region, particularly in central Europe, near the strait of Gibraltar, and the Bosporus in Turkey.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joao L. Guilherme, Victoria R. Jones, Ines Catry, Martin Beal, Maria P. Dias, Steffen Oppel, Juliet A. Vickery, Chris M. Hewson, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Ana S. L. Rodrigues
Summary: The conservation of long-distance migratory birds requires coordination between countries connected by their movements. Tracking studies have provided new information on these movements, but it is often inaccessible to conservation practitioners and policy makers. This study synthesized current knowledge on migratory connectivity between European breeding countries and sub-Saharan African nonbreeding countries. The number of available tracking studies has increased, but the coverage of data is incomplete and biased towards certain species and regions. Despite limitations, the results can inform policy discussions and help prioritize future tracking studies.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Konstantin S. Maslovsky, Philipp N. Maleko, Vladimir V. Pronkevich, Jonathan C. Slaght, Abby N. Powell
Summary: Knowledge of the breeding ecology of Nordmann's Greenshank is crucial for developing a targeted conservation plan. This study discovered nine nests of Nordmann's Greenshank in Schaste Bay, which are the first nests found in over 40 years and the only ones discovered in mainland Russia. The study also revealed that greenshanks may be larch obligates during the breeding season, highlighting the importance of protecting coastal larch forest ecosystems in the Russian Far East.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Martin Beal, Paulo Catry, Richard A. Phillips, Steffen Oppel, John P. Y. Arnould, Maria I. Bogdanova, Mark Bolton, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Corey Clatterbuck, Melinda Conners, Francis Daunt, Karine Delord, Kyle Elliott, Aymeric Fromant, Jose Pedro Granadeiro, Jonathan A. Green, Lewis Halsey, Keith C. Hamer, Motohiro Ito, Ruth Jeavons, Jeong-Hoon Kim, Nobuo Kokubun, Shiho Koyama, Jude V. Lane, Won Young Lee, Sakiko Matsumoto, Rachael A. Orben, Ellie Owen, Vitor H. Paiva, Allison Patterson, Christopher Pollock, Jaime A. Ramos, Paul Sagar, Katsufumi Sato, Scott A. Shaffer, Louise Soanes, Akinori Takahashi, David R. Thompson, Lesley Thorne, Leigh Torres, Yutaka Watanuki, Susan M. Waugh, Henri Weimerskirch, Shannon Whelan, Ken Yoda, Jose C. Xavier, Maria P. Dias
Summary: Animal tracking studies provide insights into space use patterns and inform conservation planning. This study used GPS-tracking data from 23 seabird species to assess the importance of multi-year sampling for identifying important conservation sites. The results showed a high degree of spatial overlap among distribution patterns from different years, suggesting that tracking animals in multiple years may not be necessary. However, it is crucial to track enough individuals to provide a representative estimate of the population distribution during the sampling period.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Correction
Biodiversity Conservation
Martin Beal, Paulo Catry, Richard A. Phillips, Steffen Oppel, John P. Y. Arnould, Maria I. Bogdanova, Mark Bolton, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Corey Clatterbuck, Melinda Conners, Francis Daunt, Karine Delord, Kyle Elliott, Aymeric Fromant, Jose Pedro Granadeiro, Jonathan A. Green, Lewis G. Halsey, Keith C. Hamer, Motohiro Ito, Ruth Jeavons, Jeong-Hoon Kim, Nobuo Kokubun, Shiho Koyama, Jude V. Lane, Won Young, Sakiko Matsumoto, Rachael A. Orben, Ellie Owen, Vitor H. Paiva, Allison Patterson, Christopher J. Pollock, Jaime A. Ramos, Paul Sagar, Katsufumi Sato, Scott A. Shaffer, Louise Soanes, Akinori Takahashi, David R. Thompson, Lesley Thorne, Leigh Torres, Yutaka Watanuki, Susan M. Waugh, Henri Weimerskirch, Shannon Whelan, Ken Yoda, Jose C. Xavier, Maria P. Dias
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Martin Austad, Steffen Oppel, James Crymble, Hannah R. Greetham, Dilek Sahin, Paulo Lago, Benjamin J. Metzger, Petra Quillfeldt
Summary: Artificial light can have complex ecological effects, and ships, which are often brightly lit, can temporarily increase light levels in otherwise dark areas. In this study, we found that the presence of ships in front of coastal cliffs significantly reduced colony attendance of Yelkouan Shearwaters.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Anastasios Bounas, Victoria Saravia-Mullin, Maria Mendez, Volen Arkumarev, Lusine Aghajanyan, Korsh Ararat, Evan Buechley, Vladimir Dobrev, Dobromir Dobrev, Ron Efrat, Ivaylo Klisurov, Elzbieta Kret, Theodora Skartsi, Steffen Oppel, Rusko Petrov, Cagan H. Sekercioglu, Anton Vaidl, Jose A. Donazar, Stoyan C. Nikolov, Konstantinos Sotiropoulos
Summary: This study provides genetic management recommendations for the conservation translocation program of the declining Egyptian Vulture population in the Balkans. The results show that the current population management scheme and source populations do not have a significant impact on genetic diversity. However, releasing individuals of different origin would be appropriate to prevent further population contraction and loss of adaptive alleles.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Henry Hakkinen, Nigel G. Taylor, Nathalie Pettorelli, William J. Sutherland, Jon Aldara, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Christophe Aulert, Rob S. A. van Bemmelen, Daisy Burnell, Bernard Cadiou, Letizia Campioni, Bethany L. Clark, Nina Dehnhard, Maria P. Dias, Leonie Enners, Robert W. Furness, Gunnar thorn or Hallgrimsson, Sjurour Hammer, Erpur Snaer Hansen, Martti Hario, Stephen Hurling, Mark Jessopp, Birgit Kleinschmidt, Meelis Leivits, Klaudyna Maniszewska, Steffen Oppel, Ana Payo-Payo, Daniel Piec, Jaime A. Ramos, Frederic Robin, Iben Hove Sorensen, Antra Stipniece, Danielle L. Thompson, Antonio Vulcano, Silviu Petrovan
Summary: Conservation guidance is an important tool to communicate evidence-based advice to conservation actors, especially in the face of rapidly increasing pressure from climate change. However, the process of developing guidance documents with input from stakeholders can be complicated and costly. There is currently little direct evidence and guidance specifically targeting climate change. This study introduces a process for co-developing guidance for species conservation in the context of a changing climate, using seabirds in the North-East Atlantic as a case study.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maelle Connan, Christopher W. Jones, Michelle M. Risi, Lucy K. Smyth, Steffen Oppel, Vonica Perold, Kim L. Stevens, Roelf Daling, Peter G. Ryan
Summary: Invasive mice pose a threat to native species, particularly seabirds, on sub-Antarctic Gough and Marion Islands. This study reports the first deaths of adult great albatrosses attributed to mouse attacks. The breeding adults of these long-lived species are critically impacted, highlighting the urgent need for eradication of mice on these islands.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher J. W. McClure, Igor Berkunsky, Evan R. Buechley, Leah Dunn, Jeff Johnson, Jennifer McCabe, Steffen Oppel, Brian W. Rolek, Luke J. Sutton, Rikki Gumbs
Summary: Amidst the ongoing sixth mass extinction, conservationists are faced with limited resources and the need to prioritize species and areas for conservation action. This study emphasizes the importance of evolutionary distinctiveness in determining the conservation priority of bird species. By combining evolutionary distinctiveness with a species' global endangered status, an EDGE (Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered) score is obtained. The researchers analyzed all bird species and bird conservation areas globally, with a focus on parrots, raptors, and seabirds due to their high threat levels and species richness. The results showed that these three groups had a significant median threatened evolutionary history, indicating their importance in preserving bird evolutionary history. The countries of Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Madagascar, New Zealand, and the Philippines were identified as particularly critical for bird conservation, as they had a high concentration of threatened evolutionary history for endemic birds and were important for the focal groups mentioned above. The study highlights the need for increased enforcement of international agreements to protect parrots, raptors, and seabirds, as they safeguard millions of years of threatened bird evolutionary history. Urgent action is required to conserve the evolutionary history of birds in the Anthropocene.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yann Rouxel, Holmfriour Arnardottir, Steffen Oppel
Summary: Bycatch of seabirds in gillnets is a significant conservation issue in the north Atlantic. This study tested the effectiveness of a floating device called 'looming-eyes buoy' (LEB) in reducing seabird bycatch in the Icelandic lumpfish fishery. The study found no direct effect of LEBs on target lumpfish catch and bycatch, but indicated that fishing depth-based restrictions could effectively eliminate seabird bycatch. The study estimated that limiting fishing to waters deeper than 50 meters could save between 5000 and 9300 seabirds annually, without significant impact on fish catch.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rebecca K. Smith, William H. Morgan, Nida Al-Fulaij, Tatsuya Amano, Andrew E. Bowkett, Alec Christie, Harriet Downey, Winifred F. Frick, David O'Brien, Nancy Ockendon, Steffen Oppel, Silviu O. Petrovan, David Righton, Paul Tinsley-Marshall, Thomas A. Worthington, William J. Sutherland
Summary: Researchers collaborated with practitioners, policymakers, and academics to develop tools and resources for improving conservation practice. The Conservation Evidence Programme emphasized the importance of engagement, role consensus, and flexibility in achieving effective conservation practices.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Araceli Samaniego, Kim L. L. Stevens, Vonica Perold, Steffen Oppel, Pete McClelland
Summary: This study utilized an actual mouse eradication operation to document the rapid decline in mouse activity after the application of rodent bait. The results showed that most mice consumed the bait as soon as it became available, which was faster than what laboratory trials suggest. These findings are important for improving eradication guidelines and future mouse eradication projects.