Negotiating a Fragmented World: What Do We Know, How Do We Know It, and Where Do We Go from Here?

Diversity, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(3), P. 200 - 200

Published: March 12, 2025

Genetic diversity determines evolutionary potential. Without a variable genome, natural selection cannot act. Habitat fragmentation is the single largest threat to global biodiversity, as it reduces or eliminates gene flow among populations, thereby increasing erosion of genetic through random drift. The loss adaptive capacity in small, isolated populations irreversible without and ensuing rescue. habitat connectivity, expand contract into refugia, an increasingly vital under climate change. Here, I review what we have learned from organisms found naturally fragmented landscapes. Metapopulation theory has played seminal role this goal. However, extending anthropogenically habitats been challenge. Single-species approaches elucidate impacts on entire communities, composed species with diverse interactions—mutualisms, facilitations predator–prey dynamics—and proper ecosystem functioning. To overcome limitation single-species studies, metacommunity metaecosystem ideas emerged. spatial extent configuration patches will determine which remain altered Changes interactions, community structure processes follow. Ecosystem function viability, losses keystone foundation cascading effects. Genomic tools can track effect landscape changes population movement dynamics, maintenance resources persistence probabilities individual context communities they are embedded. Landscape genetics combines features quantify how use landscapes now powerful tool assess causes consequences for interacting ecosystems.

Language: Английский

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Wolf [Mahihkan(Cree),Tha(Denesuline),Amaruk(Inuktitut),Canis lupus] Occurrences on the Summer Range of the Eastern Migratory Cape Churchill Caribou Population in the Hudson Bay Lowlands of Manitoba

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 18, 2025

Abstract Wolves ( Canis lupus ) function as a top predator across diverse ecosystems including the sub-arctic, and they have been managed in often controversial ways. Communities scientists are increasingly supporting minimally invasive research monitoring, using trail cameras. We employed network of 15 Reconyx cameras at three monitoring areas aimed detecting spatial temporal aspects wolf occurrences within summer range Eastern Migratory Cape Churchill caribou Wapusk National Park Hudson Bay Lowlands Manitoba, Canada from 2013-2021. In this first peer-reviewed quantitative study wolves region, we found that detection events were generally consistent years. Wolf distribution was consistently positively skewed toward southern part all experienced extreme environmental conditions, with 60°C temperature, low −32°C winter to high +28°C an annual change day length >11 hours between winter. occurred most commonly spring equal frequency during night overall but selected for nighttime September, October, November shortened dramatically.

Language: Английский