Article
Evolutionary Biology
Erin Toffelmier, Joscha Beninde, H. Bradley Shaffer
Summary: Incorporating taxonomic diversity measures into conservation science has become a long-standing principle. Multispecies approaches provide a holistic understanding of landscapes and insights into evolutionary processes. The study found that the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP) successfully reflected the family-level phylogenetic diversity of California, but lacked focus on arthropods in its research.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Javan M. Bauder, William E. Peterman, Stephen F. Spear, Christopher L. Jenkins, Andrew R. Whiteley, Kevin McGarigal
Summary: The study focuses on the importance of landscape features and their scale effects on gene flow, using genetic algorithms to optimize landscape resistance surfaces. Results suggest that multisurface multiscale LRS outperformed other approaches, especially large-scale LRS had the greatest impact on eastern indigo snake connectivity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Erica Vassoney, Andrea Mammoliti Mochet, Maria Bozzo, Roberto Maddalena, Donatella Martinet, Chiara Paternoster, Claudia Quiriconi, Raffaele Rocco, Claudio Comoglio
Summary: The increasing water withdrawals in Alpine regions pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems and river landscapes. Evaluating their sustainability requires quantifying the impacts on river ecology and landscape features with appropriate indicators. A new indicator, Landscape Protection Level (LPL), has been proposed to assess the effects of water withdrawals on river landscapes, based on three parameters that quantify landscape protection constraints, flow release downstream of dams, and visual perception impact.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meaghan N. Evans, Simon Waller, Carsten T. Muller, Benoit Goossens, Jeremy A. Smith, Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, Peter Kille
Summary: Patterns and practices of agricultural expansion pose a threat to global biodiversity. In this study, the impacts of the global palm oil industry on wildlife species were investigated, with a focus on the wild Malay civets in a degraded landscape in Malaysian Borneo. The levels of metals in the civets' hair were measured, and their association with biological and environmental factors was examined. The study found that metal concentrations were influenced by civet age, weight, proximity to a tributary, and access to oxbow lakes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jingxin Wei, Weiwei Li, Wanling Yang, Yanyi Zeng, Qianfu Liu, Yuan Gao, Haiyan Li, Chao Wang
Summary: This study validates the serial discontinuity concept (SDC) in a subtropical river, showing that water temperature, transparency, and river width vary seasonally and spatially. Total species richness (TSR) increases downstream and varies spatially in each cascade dam. A predictive model reveals that seasonal differences in species richness are more significant, particularly during wet periods. The construction of cascade dams enhances spatial differences in phytoplankton species richness, and environmental parameters support SDC predictions.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zheng Gong, Dongdong Zhai, Jing Chen, Bei Liu, Tianshun Zhu
Summary: Unraveling the drivers that shape landscape genetics can provide a scientific basis for wildlife conservation and habitat management. In this study, the spatial genetic structure and determining factors of Schizopygopsis younghusbandi, a coldwater fish on the Tibetan Plateau, were explored using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The results showed high genetic diversity in higher, colder, and drier areas, and genetic differentiation among geographical populations. The Isolation-by-Environment model explained the genetic structure, with elevation and bioclimatic factors influencing population differentiation. Separate conservation units should be established, with special attention given to marginal populations with lower genetic variation.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Samantha S. Hauser, Paul L. Leberg
Summary: The study revealed that riparian and agricultural areas facilitate gene flow for black-capped vireos, while development and open habitats impede gene flow. This indicates the potential importance of riparian areas in facilitating dispersal for black-capped vireos in fragmented landscapes.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Zoology
T. Henderson, B. A. Fancourt, R. Rajaratnam, K. Vernes, G. Ballard
Summary: The spotted-tailed quoll is an endangered mesopredator in Australia that is generally associated with large, intact forested habitats. However, recent research has shown that they can also thrive in fragmented agricultural landscapes, suggesting that their habitat preferences may be more flexible than previously assumed.
Article
Water Resources
Elfany Reis do Nascimento Lopes, Jose Carlos de Souza, Jocy Ana Paixao de Sousa, Jose Luiz Albuquerque Filho, Roberto Wagner Lourenco
Summary: This study aims to develop an anthropic exposure indicator for river basins using fuzzy logic and geoprocessing, based on landscape and morphometric analysis. The indicator integrates information on anthropic transformation and circularity index of the river basin and watersheds, showing a predominance of anthropic agricultural areas and forest fragments in the basin. The exposure indicator provides detailed assessment of human activities within the watershed, showing medium to high anthropogenic exposure overall and higher exposure in specific watershed areas.
Article
Oceanography
Xiaoli Bi, Yuru Wu, Ling Meng, Jingjing Wu, Yunzhao Li, Shiwei Zhou, Xubin Pan
Summary: Coastal reclamation activities have fragmented coastal wetlands and reduced their connectivity, which highlights the need for better wetland management. This study used models to evaluate the impact of reclamation on wetland connectivity in the Yellow River Delta and identified priority areas for protection and restoration.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fernanda c. Marques, Gabriela m. Bochio, Marcos r. Lima, L. U. I. Z. DOS Anjos
Summary: Indicator species are difficult to select in highly fragmented landscapes, as species of conservation concern are usually absent. In this study, indicator species of birds and mammals were selected to evaluate restoration sites in the highly fragmented Capivara-Taquarucu Dams region. The landscape was found to have low biodiversity and bird richness compared to other landscapes in the north of Parana. However, several bird and mammal species were identified as indicators of forest fragments in the Capivara-Taquarucu Dams landscape, which could aid in evaluating restoration efforts.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Katharina Westekemper, Annika Tiesmeyer, Katharina Steyer, Carsten Nowak, Johannes Signer, Niko Balkenhol
Summary: The study in Germany found that road density, agricultural lands, and settlements are important landscape variables influencing genetic connectivity in European wildcats. Among these, road density, particularly state roads, had the strongest impact, highlighting the need to consider different road types in conservation planning.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Maria Giovana Anaya-Padron, Carlos Alberto Lopez Gonzalez, Yessica Rico
Summary: Central Mexico has experienced increased habitat fragmentation due to agricultural growth, industrialization, and urban expansion, resulting in a decline in functional connectivity for coyotes. Through genetic analysis, it was found that major highways in Guanajuato and Queretaro did not significantly restrict gene flow or influence genetic structure. However, the barrier effect on coyote population cannot be ruled out as not yet detectable.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yue Su, Congmou Zhu, Lin Lin, Cheng Wang, Cai Jin, Jing Cao, Tan Li, Chong Su
Summary: The research introduced Q method and choice experiment to explore stakeholders' preferences and willingness to pay for cultural ecosystem services in protected areas, showing their preferences and payment willingness for different CESs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Imogen R. Marshall, Chris J. Brauer, Scotte D. Wedderburn, Nick S. Whiterod, Michael P. Hammer, Thomas C. Barnes, Catherine R. M. Attard, Luciana M. Moeller, Luciano B. Beheregaray
Summary: Restoration programs in the form of ex-situ breeding combined with reintroductions are becoming critical to counter demographic declines and species losses. However, the lack of long-term monitoring of genetic indicators following reintroduction prevents assessments of the trajectory and persistence of reintroduced populations.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chris J. Brauer, Jonathan Sandoval-Castillo, Katie Gates, Michael P. Hammer, Peter J. Unmack, Louis Bernatchez, Luciano B. Beheregaray
Summary: Under climate change, species without the ability to shift their range rely on genetic variation for adaptation. Genomic vulnerability studies often overlook hybridization as a source of adaptive variation. This study found that hybrid populations of rainbowfish showed reduced vulnerability to climate change compared to pure narrow endemics, highlighting the importance of hybrid populations and adaptive introgression in the evolutionary rescue of species with narrow environmental ranges.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. P. Bourman, C. V. Murray-Wallace, C. Wilson, L. Mosley, J. Tibby, D. D. Ryan, E. D. De Carli, A. Tulley, A. P. Belperio, D. Haynes, A. Roberts, C. Westell, E. J. Barnett, S. Dillenburg, L. B. Beheregaray, P. A. Hesp
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Katie Gates, Jonathan Sandoval-Castillo, Chris J. Brauer, Peter J. Unmack, Martin Laporte, Louis Bernatchez, Luciano B. Beheregaray
Summary: In order to preserve the diversity of ecological and genetic factors in hotspots like tropical rainforests, it is important to understand the forces behind biodiversity. Through studying an Australian rainbowfish, Melanotaenia splendida splendida, across wet tropical regions, we found that environmental gradients and terrain structure strongly influence genetic and morphological variation. While neutral genetic population structure is mostly affected by limited gene flow, ecological variables are equally effective in explaining overall genetic variation and better at explaining body shape variation. The strongest environmental predictors are hydrological and thermal variables, which are correlated with heritable habitat-associated dimorphism in rainbowfish. Climate-associated genetic variation is significantly associated with morphology, supporting the heritability of shape variation. These results highlight the evolved functional differences among localities and emphasize the importance of hydroclimate in early stages of diversification. It is expected that tropical rainforest endemics will need to undergo significant evolutionary responses to mitigate fitness losses caused by climate change.
Article
Fisheries
A. Bertram, J. Bell, C. J. Brauer, A. Fowler, P. Hamer, J. Sandoval-Castillo, J. Stewart, M. Wellenreuther, L. B. Beheregaray
Summary: In southeastern Australia, population genomic differentiation in snapper is concordant with coastal biogeographic boundaries and related to spawning and recruitment dynamics. The current management boundaries align with genetic breaks at bioregional boundaries or local-scale variation. This study highlights the value of population genomic surveys in uncovering stock boundaries and demographic variation related to spawning and recruitment in species with high dispersal potential, and emphasizes the importance of marine biogeography in shaping population structure in commercially important species.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Krystina D. Mossop, Alan R. Lemmon, Emily Moriarty Lemmon, Ron Eytan, Mark Adams, Peter J. Unmack, Katie Smith Date, Hernan E. Morales, Michael P. Hammer, Bob B. M. Wong, David G. Chapple
Summary: The progressive aridification of the Australian continent posed challenges for its resident biota. We investigated the evolutionary history and phylogenetic structure of the arid-adapted Chlamydogobius gobies in response to ongoing habitat aridification. Our findings highlight the role of structural connections in generating patterns of connectivity and isolation for species in arid habitats.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Karl Moy, Jason Schaffer, Michael P. Hammer, Catherine R. M. Attard, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Richard Duncan, Mark Lintermans, Culum Brown, Peter J. Unmack
Summary: The study explores the threat of translocating species on freshwater fish biodiversity and presents a successful case of conserving Running River rainbowfish. By captive-breeding wild fish and translocating them to unoccupied habitats, two populations of Running River rainbowfish were established, but challenges of predation and release timing remain. This provides valuable insights for similar conservation programs involving short-lived fish species.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Eleanor A. L. Pratt, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Pedro Fruet, Gabriela Tezanos-Pinto, Kerstin Bilgmann, Nikki Zanardo, Fernando Diaz-Aguirre, Eduardo R. Secchi, Thales R. O. Freitas, Luciana M. Moller
Summary: Climate change has led to major environmental restructuring in the world's oceans, and marine organisms have responded through genomic adaptation. This study investigates the genomic basis of ecotype formation in bottlenose dolphins in the Southern Hemisphere, revealing subspecies-level genomic divergence and lower genomic diversity in inshore lineages. Genomic regions associated with cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and energy production systems have undergone repeated adaptive evolution in these lineages, suggesting parallel evolution of inshore bottlenose dolphins. Understanding the adaptive capacity of local species and populations is crucial amidst changing marine ecosystems.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Christine E. Thacker, James J. Shelley, W. Tyler McCraney, Mark Adams, Michael P. Hammer, Peter J. Unmack
Summary: This study constructed a phylogeny of the Hypseleotris genus using UCE sequences and investigated the geographic patterns of diversification using GeoSSE. The study found hybridization and cytonuclear discordance among the southeastern species and resolved the placement of Kimberleyeleotris within the northwestern radiation. The study also estimated the crown ages of Hypseleotris and the different radiations within the genus.
BMC ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)