Article
Environmental Sciences
Mingming Liu, Mingli Lin, Songhai Li
Summary: Stranding data on cetaceans in China collected over decades provide valuable information on species distribution and threat levels. Most stranding events involve single individuals, with a gradual increase in events over the past decades, particularly in the southern and eastern regions of China where hotspots are identified.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Evelien de Greef, Anthony L. Einfeldt, Patrick J. O. Miller, Steven H. Ferguson, Colin J. Garroway, Kyle J. Lefort, Ian G. Paterson, Paul Bentzen, Laura J. Feyrer
Summary: This study provides valuable insights into the genetic structure, demographic history, and adaptations of the northern bottlenose whale. The presence of genetic subdivision and evidence of inbreeding highlight the vulnerability of the endangered Scotian Shelf population. The decline in effective population size poses risks to genetic diversity, emphasizing the importance of protecting habitat and promoting gene flow.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin Ashe, Rob Williams, Alexandra Morton, Philip S. Hammond
Summary: The text discusses killer whale predation behavior on Pacific white-sided dolphins and the harm caused by fishing gear, pointing out that in the study area, scars from killer whale interactions are more common than those from fishing gear, indicating that predation poses a greater threat to Pacific white-sided dolphins.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Nick Gales
Summary: This article examines the current status and relevance of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as it celebrates its 75th year of operation. It highlights the changes and challenges faced by the IWC, including Japan's withdrawal from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, Iceland's consideration of ending its commercial whaling program, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article emphasizes the importance of the IWC's role in addressing non-whaling threats and suggests that it has the potential to expand its leadership role through collaborations with relevant multi-lateral agencies and conventions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yann Rouxel, Rory Crawford, Ian R. Cleasby, Pete Kibel, Ellie Owen, Veljo Volke, Alexandra K. Schnell, Steffen Oppel
Summary: The study showed that a device called the 'Looming eyes buoy' (LEB) could effectively reduce the number of long-tailed ducks around gillnets, indicating the potential for above-water visual devices to contribute to reducing seabird bycatch. However, some habituation to the LEB was detected during the project duration.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Antonio Fidel Santos-Hernandez, Alejandro Ismael Monterroso-Rivas, Diodoro Granados-Sanchez, Antonio Villanueva-Morales, Malinali Santacruz-Carrillo
Summary: This paper proposes priority areas for conservation in Mexico's tropical rainforest based on ecological niche and species distribution modeling of 22 species, finding that future climate change scenarios may lead to a migration of plant distribution to higher elevation regions.
Article
Ecology
Mingli Lin, Mingming Liu, Sovan Lek, Lijun Dong, Peijun Zhang, Rodolphe E. Gozlan, Songhai Li
Summary: The study used an artificial neural network model to predict the presence of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, showing a higher success rate compared to traditional linear analysis. The results indicated that some suitable habitats may be missed by traditional assessments, highlighting the importance of ecological modeling research for cetacean conservation.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
S. J. Dolman, P. G. H. Evans, F. Ritter, M. P. Simmonds, J. Swabe
Summary: Cetacean bycatch has been a major concern in the European Union for decades, with high numbers of porpoises, dolphins, and whales dying each year. Despite legal requirements, monitoring of bycatch has been insufficient in most fisheries. The new Regulation on the conservation of fishery resources in the EU, while making some improvements, still lacks explicit incorporation of scientific advice from expert bodies. Management solutions have been identified, with general recommendations towards reducing cetacean bycatch.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gregory M. Verutes, Sarah E. Tubbs, Nick Selmes, Darren R. Clark, Peter Walker, Oliver Clements
Summary: This study conducted seasonal habitat models for Irrawaddy dolphins in the Kep Archipelago based on environmental data and species occurrences, revealing their habitat preferences and distribution. The results can guide regional conservation efforts by taking into account the seasonality of the species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lisa M. W. Mogensen, Zhigang Mei, Yujiang Hao, Xavier A. Harrison, Ding Wang, Samuel T. Turvey
Summary: Conservation management requires robust data as evidence, but often there is a lack of available data on key parameters such as threats. However, insights relevant to conservation may be found within datasets collected for other purposes, so it is important to determine the information content of existing data for threatened species before investing in new data collection. The study on the Yangtze finless porpoise shows that despite severe decline, the relative impact of different anthropogenic activities in the region is unclear, preventing the identification of appropriate mitigation strategies. However, past datasets on porpoises and potential threats may provide new insights into the causes of decline.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Unai Pascual, William M. Adams, Sandra Diaz, Sharachchandra Lele, Georgina M. Mace, Esther Turnhout
Summary: The lack of progress in reversing the declining global trend in biodiversity is partly due to a mismatch in how living nature is conceived and valued, leading to hindrances in protecting biodiversity. Addressing this problem calls for a pluralistic perspective on biodiversity, considering the use of the concept, willingness to expand its ambit, and engagement with various drivers of change.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Holly. C. C. Raudino, Phil. J. J. Bouchet, Corrine Douglas, Ryan Douglas, Kelly Waples
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop spatially explicit models of bottlenose and humpback dolphin abundance in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Aerial surveys were conducted, and dolphin density and spatio-temporal patterns were quantified using density surface modeling. The results showed that dolphin densities were highest in nearshore waters, particularly in Exmouth Gulf, the Dampier Archipelago, and the Great Sandy Islands.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mark A. Titley, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Victoria R. Jones, Mark J. Whittingham, Stephen G. Willis
Summary: Sociopolitical factors have emerged as important determinants of wildlife population trends and conservation effectiveness. Climate change impacts may be disproportionately significant in countries with weaker governance and lower greenhouse gas emissions, raising questions of international justice. The importance of transboundary conservation and the potential impacts of species redistribution across political boundaries under climate change have been highlighted.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Samantha Muka, Chris Zarpentine
Summary: In recent decades, there has been a growing opposition to cetacean captivity among the general public, but discussions often overlook the relationship between captivity and conservation. Approaches in conservation biology such as compassionate conservation and multispecies justice call for more attention to the impact of conservation interventions on individual nonhuman animals. Some forms of captivity may be ethically justified as part of in situ conservation efforts, even if they involve risks to individual cetaceans.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alec P. Christie, Tatsuya Amano, Philip A. Martin, Silviu O. Petrovan, Gorm E. Shackelford, Benno Simmons, Rebecca K. Smith, David R. Williams, Claire F. R. Wordley, William J. Sutherland
Summary: Efforts to address the current biodiversity crisis need to prioritize the generation of evidence by identifying biases and gaps in conservation literature. The majority of studies are concentrated in Western Europe and North America, highlighting the need for more research on conservation actions for amphibians and birds in other regions.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)