Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joseph T. Smith, Brady W. Allred, Chad S. Boyd, Kirk W. Davies, Matthew O. Jones, Andrew R. Kleinhesselink, Jeremy D. Maestas, Scott L. Morford, David E. Naugle
Summary: The study found that the area dominated by annual grasses has increased more than eightfold since 1990, with rapid expansion into higher elevations and north-facing aspects in line with the predicted effects of climate change. Accelerated and strategic intervention is urgently needed to protect vulnerable sagebrush and salt desert shrub communities, while future climate change provides important context for selecting from among alternative management actions.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Risely Ferraz-Almeida, Carlos Juliano Brant Albuquerque, Reginaldo Camargo, Ernane Miranda Lemes, Renato Soares de Faria, Regina Maria Quintao Lana
Summary: In arid and semi-arid regions, intercropping systems using sorghum and grasses can increase sorghum production and soil carbon, but may decrease grain yields. In row spacking of 0.4 m, sorghum associations with certain grasses can increase soil carbon, while sole sorghum is the best alternative to increase carbon at greater row spacings.
Article
Ecology
Bruno L. De Faria, Arie Staal, Carlos A. Silva, Philip A. Martin, Prajjwal K. Panday, Vinicius L. Dantas
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate vulnerability of the Amazon forest to post-fire grass invasion under present and future climate scenarios. Research showed that 14% of the Amazon is vulnerable to post-fire grass invasion under current climate conditions, with the south-eastern region at highest risk. It was found that by the end of the century, 21% of the Amazon could be vulnerable to post-fire grass invasion under unmitigated climate change, with 3% already at high risk of irreversible shifts to a grassy state due to fire frequency and intensity.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stef Bokhorst, Peter Convey, Richard van Logtestijn, Rien Aerts
Summary: Human activity and climate change are increasing species spread globally, impacting biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Penguin-derived nitrogen, Antarctic moss species, and warming influenced the germination and growth of non-native grass, with moss species having significant effects on germination time. Warming reduced moss influence, leading to faster growth of grass with increased nitrogen content, height, and biomass.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin Plackett
Summary: Najat Saliba is facilitating collaborations between researchers from around the world and local communities in Lebanon.
Letter
Biodiversity Conservation
Adam Terando, John Kevin Hiers, Marcus Williams, Scott L. Goodrick, Joseph J. O'Brien
Summary: Fill et al. reported significant increases in dry season length over the past 120 years in the Southeast US, suggesting increased wildfire risk. However, there are doubts about the existence of a climatologically meaningful 'dry season' in the region and the flawed sampling method used in the study.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Natalia P. Hamilton, Stephanie G. Yelenik, Tara D. Durboraw, Robert D. Cox, Nathan S. Gill
Summary: The study showed that pre-fire grass cover can be relatively accurately estimated from oblique aerial photos, and in montane woodlands with low tree densities, increased fire severity promotes Acacia koa regeneration densities, but this trend reverses in high tree density areas. Pre-fire grass cover and its interaction with fire severity had no effect on Acacia koa regeneration density.
Article
Plant Sciences
Fabielle M. Bando, Bruno R. S. Figueiredo, Dieison A. Moi, Sidinei M. Thomaz, Thaisa S. Michelan, Jorge Garcia-Giron, Jani Heino, Janne Alahuhta, Gustavo Q. Romero, Roger P. Mormul
Summary: A growing body of evidence indicates that biological invasions are causing changes in the composition of species in communities over space and time. Previous studies conducted at small scales and short durations may have underestimated the impact of exotic species on native communities.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ellen Whitman, Sean A. Parks, Lisa M. Holsinger, Marc-Andre Parisien
Summary: Climate change has significant implications for wildfire activity in North American ecosystems, and a study in northwestern Canada has found a significant increase in fire activity over the past 50 years, which is closely related to annual climate variability. The increasing fire activity may have consequences for forest ecology and habitat availability.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Julia Rayment, Kris French, Michael Bedward
Summary: This study investigated the invasion of exotic perennial grasses (EPGs) in different climatic regions and grassy communities in New South Wales, Australia. The results showed that all communities were invaded by EPGs, with pasture grasses being the most significant threat. The study suggests that community-level management is effective, but some important widespread invaders may need to be managed at a larger scale.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Pengdong Chen, Changchao Shen, Jie Ren, Wenchao Qin, Jiahui Yi, Shuping Guan, Zhibin Tao, Wei Huang, Evan Siemann
Summary: Variation in species composition among sites is influenced by environmental filtering, dispersal limitation, and biotic interactions. This study investigates the role of native communities in shaping exotic beta diversity and finds that native diversity increases the heterogeneity of exotic flora. Environmental conditions indirectly influence exotic beta diversity through native diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Taraka Davies-Barnard, Jennifer L. Catto, Anna B. Harper, Muhammad Ali Imron, F. J. Frank van Veen
Summary: Research has shown that fire risk in the tropical peatland forests of Borneo is influenced by both climate change and deforestation. While deforestation may increase precipitation, the impact of climate change on fire risk is larger. Therefore, high-resolution simulations provide valuable guidance for identifying vulnerable areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Theodore M. Giannaros, Georgios Papavasileiou
Summary: The recent increase in destructive fire seasons worldwide has raised concerns about the impact of climate change on the frequency, intensity, and extent of wildfires. Analysis of fire weather extremes and burned area in Europe shows a positive correlation, indicating that fire weather is a prominent driver of fire activity. The study suggests that fire weather extremes in Europe have become more frequent and are affecting larger areas, occurring earlier and later in the fire season. The occurrence of statistically significant change-points in the time series of extreme fire weather days further supports this finding.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. Y. Park, K. Takahashi, J. Takakura, F. Li, S. Fujimori, T. Hasegawa, A. Ito, D. K. Lee
Summary: Global fire emissions are mainly driven by deforestation, and future trends in fire regimes anticipate a decrease in burnt areas due to factors such as socioeconomics and climate change. South America, Indonesia, and Australia are identified as high-risk regions for future deforestation and vegetation degradation fires.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arif Masrur, Alan Taylor, Lucas Harris, Jennifer Barnes, Andrey Petrov
Summary: This study investigates the impact of fire history, climate, topography, and vegetation on fire occurrence and size in Alaskan tundra. It finds that fire frequency is positively correlated with mean summer temperatures and that fire occurrence is primarily driven by topographic complexity and elevation. Additionally, fire size is affected by fire history and winter-spring climate.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Seth D. Baum, Vanessa M. Adams
Summary: This paper relates the COVID-19 pandemic to the concept of pandemic refuges, proving through case studies that jurisdictions other than island nations can successfully function as refuges, providing important insights for future pandemics.
Article
Ecology
Caroline A. Canham, Calum Woods, Samantha A. Setterfield, Erik J. Veneklaas, Fiona L. Freestone, Leah S. Beesley, Michael M. Douglas
Summary: Riparian trees are crucial for freshwater ecosystems, but they are being impacted by human-induced changes to water regimes around the world. This study focused on the Fitzroy River in Australia and used a trait-based approach to understand the distribution of nine riparian tree species along a hydrological gradient. The study found that leaf traits and water availability traits were related to species' habitat preferences. Additionally, lower stem specific density values may indicate flood adaptation. Differences in leaf traits were primarily driven by the distinction between evergreen Myrtaceous and deciduous non-Myrtaceous species, rather than hydrological habitat preferences.
Article
Ecology
Leah S. Beesley, Savannah Killerby-Smith, Daniel C. Gwinn, Bradley J. Pusey, Michael M. Douglas, Peter A. Novak, Thiaggo C. Tayer, Chris S. Keogh, Mark J. Kennard, Caroline A. Canham, Samantha A. Setterfield
Summary: Water development poses a threat to rivers and their biodiversity, especially for amphidromous shrimp species. This study explores the habitat associations and flow-ecology of Macrobrachium spinipes, a species of amphidromous shrimp in the Fitzroy River, Australia. The findings highlight the importance of protecting wet-season flow and passage for the conservation of this and other amphidromous shrimp species across the region.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gabriela B. Arcoverde, Samantha A. Setterfield, Inara R. Leal, Alan N. Andersen
Summary: Ant communities in the Australian savanna show high resilience to grazing, likely due to their evolutionary history of frequent fire. This finding is significant for insect conservation and can be applied to other fire-prone grassy ecosystems subject to livestock grazing.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephen G. Kearney, James E. M. Watson, April E. Reside, Diana O. Fisher, Martine Maron, Tim S. Doherty, Sarah M. Legge, John C. Z. Woinarski, Stephen T. Garnett, Brendan A. Wintle, Euan G. Ritchie, Don A. Driscoll, David Lindenmayer, Vanessa M. Adams, Michelle S. Ward, Josie Carwardine
Summary: Earth's extinction crisis is worsening and threat classification schemes are crucial for assessing the drivers and threats causing species declines. However, there is a lack of a complementary framework for evaluating the conservation responses needed to reduce these threats. In this study, an expert-driven threat-abatement framework was developed and applied to 1532 threatened species in Australia, highlighting the importance of retaining and restoring habitat, controlling invasive species and diseases, and improving fire management for species recovery. Integrated management responses are necessary for the survival and recovery of most species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natalie A. Rossiter-Rachor, Vanessa M. Adams, Caroline A. Canham, Dan J. Dixon, Thorsteinn N. Cameron, Samantha A. Setterfield
Summary: Globally, invasive grasses pose a major threat to protected areas, including Litchfield National Park in northern Australia. A case study of the spread and management of the invasive grass Andropogon gayanus (gamba grass) in Litchfield National Park showed an increase in infestation area and highlighted the need for active management to prevent further spread. Modelling scenarios demonstrated the potential costs and benefits of eradicating the grass within specific zones.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Daniel T. Dalton, Vanessa Berger, Vanessa Adams, Judith Botha, Stephan Halloy, Hanns Kirchmeir, Andrej Sovinc, Klaus Steinbauer, Vid Svara, Michael Jungmeier
Summary: Maintaining and improving the state of biodiversity is crucial in conservation areas. Robust monitoring programs are necessary to evaluate the species and habitats, but challenges such as limited resources and poor data management practices must be addressed. We propose a framework of seven basic questions to guide conservation area managers in implementing effective biodiversity monitoring techniques.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anne Boothroyd, Vanessa Adams, Karen Alexander, Nicole Hill
Summary: Establishing representative Marine Protected Area networks is crucial for conserving marine biodiversity. This study shows that a bioregional planning approach can protect representative environments in the Southern Ocean, but it requires political will to adapt existing protected areas.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kaylan M. Kemink, Robert. L. Pressey, Vanessa M. Adams, Christoph Nolte, Sarah K. Olimb, Aidan M. Healey, Boyan Liu, Todd Frerichs, Randy Renner
Summary: Private land conservation has become an important tool for protecting biodiversity and habitat, but there is a need for further development in methods for prioritizing and scheduling conservation on private land. In this study, the authors investigated different approaches within a return on investment framework for breeding waterfowl and broods in the Prairie Pothole Region. Their results suggested that the MinLoss approach was the most efficient for both breeding waterfowl and broods, and incorporating probability of wetland drainage into decision-making improved the overall return on investment. They recommend the inclusion of a return on investment or cost-effective analysis in future conservation scheduling for private land conservation.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kaylan M. Kemink, Robert L. Pressey, Vanessa M. Adams, Sarah K. Olimb, Aidan M. Healey, Boyan Liu, Todd Frerichs, Randy Renner
Summary: Area-based targets for nature protection are commonly used, but they may not effectively measure the success of conservation interventions. Most impact evaluations focus on the effect of protected areas on deforestation, while evaluations on dynamic systems or different outcomes are less common due to data availability. Simulations offer a valuable tool to estimate the potential impact of conservation programs, as shown by a simulation of wetland drainage in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. The results suggest a low programmatic impact, but the long-term governance of the program holds promise for cumulative conservation impact if future wetland drainage occurs.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jayden E. Engert, Robert L. Pressey, Vanessa M. Adams
Summary: Australia is a global leader in land clearing and biodiversity loss driven by agricultural conversion. The concentration of habitat protection in unproductive landscapes leads to unequal impacts on threatened vertebrate fauna, with productive lands receiving less protection and experiencing greater habitat loss. The study emphasizes the importance of protecting land capable of supporting productive uses to conserve the most affected threatened species.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2023)
Biographical-Item
Ecology
Vanessa M. Adams, Jorge G. Alvarez-Romero, Natalie C. Ban, Morena Mills, Piero Visconti
Summary: This sentence describes a person who is a leading conservation planner and advocate for biodiversity.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Vanessa M. Adams, Alienor L. M. Chauvenet, Natasha Stoudmann, Georgina G. Gurney, Dan Brockington, Caitlin D. Kuempel
Summary: Multiple-use protected areas are effective in conserving biodiversity and are more likely to operate under equitable governance arrangements, playing a crucial role in achieving the 2030 conservation targets.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Samantha E. Andres, Rachel J. Standish, Paige E. Lieurance, Charlotte H. Mills, Richard J. Harper, Don W. Butler, Vanessa M. Adams, Caroline Lehmann, Sasha G. Tetu, Peter Cuneo, Catherine A. Offord, Rachael V. Gallagher
Summary: Reforestation for carbon sequestration is gaining attention as a climate change mitigation policy, but there are differences in the definition and application of biodiversity. Stakeholders in reforestation projects often have a vague understanding of diversity, resulting in inadequate levels of restored biodiversity to support functional ecosystems and desired ecosystem services. Integrating biodiversity objectives and setting specific restoration goals with transparent reporting outcomes are important for meaningful outcomes for biodiversity and incentivizing payments.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)