Endangered species lack research on the outcomes of conservation action

Conservation Science and Practice, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 13, 2025

Abstract Given widespread biodiversity declines, there is an urgent need to ensure that conservation interventions are working. Yet, evidence regarding the effectiveness of actions often lacking. Using a case study 209 terrestrial species listed as Endangered in Canada, we conducted literature review collate base on to: (1) explore outcomes documented for each and (2) identify knowledge gaps. Action‐oriented research constituted only 2% all peer‐reviewed across target species, 61% found no investigating actions. Protected areas, habitat creation, artificial shelter, alternative farming practices were broadly beneficial most which these assessed. Habitat restoration frequently studied, but 38% harmful, ineffective, or demonstrated mixed results. The prescribed burns, timber harvesting approaches, vegetation control was examined greatest number yet 17%–30% negative effects. Our synthesis demonstrates lack published many implemented recovery at risk extinction, highlighting alarming gap literature.

Language: Английский

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Mammal seismic line use varies with restoration: Applying habitat restoration to species at risk conservation in a working landscape

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 241, P. 108295 - 108295

Published: Nov. 20, 2019

Language: Английский

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Multispecies modelling reveals potential for habitat restoration to re‐establish boreal vertebrate community dynamics

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 58(12), P. 2821 - 2832

Published: Sept. 7, 2021

Abstract The restoration of habitats degraded by industrial disturbance is essential for achieving conservation objectives in disturbed landscapes. In boreal ecosystems, disturbances from seismic exploration lines and other linear features have adversely affected biodiversity, most notably leading to declines threatened woodland caribou. Large‐scale needed, yet empirical assessments effectiveness on wildlife communities remain rare. We used 73 camera trap deployments 2015 2019 joint species distribution models investigate how habitat use the larger vertebrate community (>0.2 kg) responded variation key line characteristics (line‐of‐sight, width, density mounding) following treatments a landscape oil gas development northeastern Alberta. proportion explained was low comparison type season, suggesting short‐term responses were relatively weak. However, we found that with consistent restored conditions predicted support an altered composition, reduced wolf coyote, thereby indicating will result contact rates between caribou these predators. Synthesis applications . Our analysis provides framework assess predict emerging efforts. With growing importance species, recommend longer‐term monitoring combined landscape‐scale comparisons different approaches more fully understand direct critical investments. Only combining rigorous multispecies large‐scale restoration, effectively conserve biodiversity within rapidly changing environments.

Language: Английский

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Biologically Important Areas for bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus): Optimal site selection with integer programming

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 10

Published: March 21, 2023

Place-based approaches to marine conservation identify areas that are crucial the success of populations, species, communities, or ecosystems, and may be candidates for special management actions. In United States, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration defined Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) as periods individual populations species known preferentially use certain activities where small resident occur. The considered biologically important feeding, migrating, associated with reproduction. We present an approach using spatial optimization refine BIA delineation process more objective reproducible planners decision makers who wish various criteria address objectives. a case study concerning feeding bowhead whales ( Balaena mysticetus ) whale calves in western Beaufort Sea illustrate mechanics benefits our model. study, we incorporate information about whales’ relative density optimally delineate BIAs under different thresholds minimum patch (cluster) size total area encompassed within network. Results from showed three consistent patterns related cluster (contiguity) maximum threshold both types all months: (1) cells highest were selected when contiguity small; (2) given threshold, number inside was inversely proportional size; (3) initially increased rapidly increased, but eventually approached asymptote. Additionally, on temporal variability influence development conservation, management, monitoring, mitigation methods. To provide additional insight into ecological characteristics during step, quantified inter-annual occurrence statistical techniques. can incorporated other relevant (e.g., objectives, stressors, costs, acceptable risk, legal constraints) decision-making processes.

Language: Английский

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Low-impact line construction retains and speeds recovery of trees on seismic lines in forested peatlands

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 53(11), P. 878 - 892

Published: Aug. 22, 2023

Seismic lines are linear features created by the oil and gas industry for energy exploration. Though individually narrow, collectively seismic a pervasive management challenge, resulting in changes to biogeochemical cycles, plant animal abundance behaviour, predator–prey relationships, forest successional trajectories. These impacts arise from historical construction methods that used bulldozers remove vegetation substrate leaving as persistent openings state of arrested succession. In mid-1990s, “low-impact seismic” (LIS) line began, using mulchers aboveground minimize hasten reforestation. Here, we evaluated effectiveness LIS retention, recruitment, growth seedlings forested peatlands northeast British Columbia. Retained recruited trees on were found at 69% 64% sites, had mean densities 3400 6000 stems/ha, heights 42 11 cm, respectively. appeared recover along expected trajectories toward tree cover, thereby mitigating challenges typical older Our results suggest it is feasible further fast-forward recovery ensuring mulcher drums kept high possible increase number height through mulching process.

Language: Английский

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Assessing the trade-offs between timber supply and wildlife protection goals in boreal landscapes

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 243 - 258

Published: Nov. 27, 2019

Protecting wildlife within areas of resource extraction often involves reducing habitat fragmentation. In Canada, protecting threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus (Gmelin, 1788)) populations requires preserving large intact forest habitat, with some restrictions on industrial forestry activities. We present a linear programming model that assesses the trade-off between achieving an objective protection for while maintaining desired levels harvest in landscapes. The habitat-protection maximizes amount connected is accessible by caribou, and net revenues from timber subject to even flow, target, environmental sustainability constraints. applied explore harvesting scenarios Cold Lake range, 6726 km 2 area prime Alberta, Canada. evaluated ranging 0.1 Mm 3 ·year –1 maximum sustainable over 0.7 assessed impact measures supply costs. deferring or reallocating increases unit cost Can$1.1–2.0 m –3 . However, this can be partially mediated extending oil gas offset forgone habitat.

Language: Английский

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Implication of Buffer Zones Delineation Considering the Landscape Connectivity and Influencing Patch Structural Factors in Nature Reserves

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 13(19), P. 10833 - 10833

Published: Sept. 29, 2021

Since habitat fragmentation results in species losses worldwide, considering the influence of buffer zones on maintenance connectivity provides a new perspective for delimitation. In our study, implications around nature reserves were studied at four sites Fuzhou from landscape based distance threshold 1 km. We applied Graph-based indices level and patch to reveal overall patterns change importance maintaining with various zones. Based these analyses, we showed relationship between structural factors changes by Spearman correlation analysis redundancy analysis. The indicate that smaller proportion (HP), is relatively lower, will be greater when zone increases. Different sizes are suggested maximize its benefits. Relatively small patches high shape complexity close proximity outside boundary contribute greatly acting as stepping stones.

Language: Английский

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Northern boreal caribou conservation should focus on anthropogenic disturbance, not disturbance-mediated apparent competition

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 265, P. 109426 - 109426

Published: Dec. 23, 2021

Language: Английский

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Protecting wildlife habitat in managed forest landscapes—How can network connectivity models help?

Natural Resource Modeling, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 34(1)

Published: Sept. 21, 2020

Abstract Industrial forestry in boreal regions increases fragmentation and may decrease the viability of some wildlife populations, particularly woodland caribou, Rangifer tarandus caribou . Caribou protection often calls for changes practices, which increase cost reduce available timber supply. We present a linear programming model that assesses trade‐off between habitat harvesting objectives by combining harvest scheduling optimal connectivity problems. formulate as network flow problem maximizes amount connected over desired time span forested landscape, while objective net undiscounted revenues from subject to even environmental sustainability constraints. applied approach explore goals Armstrong‐Whitesand Forest, Ontario, Canada, forest area with prime habitat. Our also incorporates Dynamic Harvesting Scheduling (DCHS), policy currently place Ontario aims balance management northern regions. In our study area, implementation DCHS appears have relatively minor impact on supply cost. By comparison, maximizing would lead noticeable mill gate $3.3 m −3 average, enabling an additional 5.0%–9.5% range area. is generalizable can be adapted assessing recovery other Recommendations Resource Managers: Incorporating concept long‐term into planning help negative impacts activities populations. Prioritizing leads small overall because has allocated less productive more geographically isolated sites protect containing old conifer stands. Maximizing (by average), moderate protected (i.e., area). Implementation Harvest Schedules, current Ontario's forests when populations are present, causes only

Language: Английский

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Balancing Large-Scale Wildlife Protection and Forest Management Goals with a Game-Theoretic Approach

Forests, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 12(6), P. 809 - 809

Published: June 19, 2021

When adopted, wildlife protection policies in Canadian forests typically cover large areas and affect multiple economic agents working these landscapes. Such measures are likely to increase the costs of timber for forestry companies operating area, which may hinder their acceptance unless harvesting remains profitable. We propose a bi-level problem that accounts profit-maximizing behavior an area subject protection. consider regulator with mandate licensed harvest public forest lands. depict relationship between as leader-follower Stackelberg game. The leader sets protected target each license followers adjust strategies maximize payoffs while meeting set by leader. leader’s objective is area-wide spatially contiguous habitat accounting followers’ behavior. apply approach investigate woodland caribou Churchill range, Ontario, Canada. compare game-theoretic solutions do not companies’ objectives also equalizing revenue losses among companies.

Language: Английский

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