Mutilation of the tree of life via mass extinction of animal genera

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(39)

Published: Sept. 18, 2023

Mass extinctions during the past 500 million y rapidly removed branches from phylogenetic tree of life and required millions years for evolution to generate functional replacements extinct (EX) organisms. Here we show, by examining 5,400 vertebrate genera (excluding fishes) comprising 34,600 species, that 73 became EX since 1500 AD. Beyond any doubt, human-driven sixth mass extinction is more severe than previously assessed accelerating. The current generic rates are 35 times higher expected background prevailing in last under absence human impacts. lost five centuries would have taken some 18,000 vanish beings. Current will likely greatly accelerate next few decades due drivers accompanying growth consumption enterprise such as habitat destruction, illegal trade, climate disruption. If all now-endangered were 2,100, be 354 (average) or 511 (for mammals) rates, meaning three 106,000 153,000 become humans. Such mutilation resulting loss ecosystem services provided biodiversity humanity a serious threat stability civilization. Immediate political, economic, social efforts an unprecedented scale essential if prevent these their societal

Language: Английский

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Global scientific progress and shortfalls in biological control of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda

Biological Control, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 191, P. 105460 - 105460

Published: Feb. 14, 2024

Since 2016, the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda has spread over extensive areas of tropics and subtropics, imperiling food security, economic progress livelihoods millions cereal farmers. Although FAW received long-standing scientific attention in its home range Americas, chemical inputs feature prominently mitigation biological control uptake is globally lagging. Here, building upon a quantitative review global literature, we methodically dissect science. Of known entomopathogens (46), parasitoids (310) predators (215) FAW, approx. 40% have been subject to laboratory- or field-level scrutiny. Laboratory-level performance partially assessed for 14–18% above invertebrate taxa. Yet, organismal, geographic, methodological thematic biases hamper efforts relate in-field animal biodiversity services. Often, single-guild 'snapshot' surveys are preferred comprehensive bio-inventories population dynamics appraisals, trophic interactions remain undocumented, standard pest infestation metrics lacking natural enemy censuses performed arbitrarily. Diurnal biota receive inordinate attention, while egg pupal predation - main biotic sources mortality routinely overlooked. Multiple microbial investigated with view towards mass-rearing augmentative release. Meanwhile, conservation receives marginal cross-disciplinary engagement agroecology domain We lay out several steps, including standardized methodologies, smart use biodemographic toolkits, networked field trials fortification ecological underpinnings, sharpen science urge further momentum implementation.

Language: Английский

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Sharp declines in observation and capture rates of Amazon birds in absence of human disturbance

Global Ecology and Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 51, P. e02902 - e02902

Published: March 15, 2024

Across the globe, unprecedented declines have been reported across a range of taxa. Among most well documented are in bird populations, with attributable to human activities such as deforestation and other alterations habitats. There is increasing evidence that populations also declined at sites within large expanses relatively undisturbed lowland tropical forest, Amazonia. Causes likely varied may be related direct or indirect effects climate change. Here, we use mist-net data observations examine changes numbers over 22-yr period on two 100-ha study plots an Amazonian forest eastern Ecuador. As previously reported, capture rates experienced from 2009 on; observation showed through 2013 but subsequently shown no consistent trend up down. Overall now approximately half during first decade. Most foraging guilds time, particularly pronounced among insectivorous groups. With few exceptions, patterns change were similar between suggesting more general response rather than responses local factors each plot. Capture ∼90% common species both understory canopy lower latter part study, only (∼10%) showing increases. Similarly, seen mixed-species flocks. Large noted conducted long-term population studies, including Panama Brazil, large-scale factors, While not yet documented, consequences losing 50% abundance substantial could result extinction rare species, altered interactions social organization, declining ecological function biotic integrity these ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Evidence of a European seed dispersal crisis

Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 386(6718), P. 206 - 211

Published: Oct. 10, 2024

Seed dispersal is crucial for ecosystem persistence, especially in fragmented landscapes, such as those common Europe. Ongoing defaunation might compromise effective seed dispersal, but the conservation status of pairwise interactions remains unknown. With a literature review, we reconstructed first European-wide network and evaluated by assessing each interacting partner's IUCN (International Union Conservation Nature) population trends. We found that third disperser species face potential extinction 30% plant have most their dispersers threatened or declining. Our study reveals developing crisis Europe highlights large knowledge gaps regarding zoochorous plants, urging further scrutiny action to conserve service.

Language: Английский

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Rethinking ecological niches and geographic distributions in face of pervasive human influence in the Anthropocene

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 99(4), P. 1481 - 1503

Published: April 10, 2024

ABSTRACT Species are distributed in predictable ways geographic spaces. The three principal factors that determine distributions of species biotic interactions ( B ), abiotic conditions A and dispersal ability or mobility M ). is expected to be present areas accessible it contain suitable sets for persist. species' probability presence can quantified as a combination responses , via ecological niche modeling (ENM; also frequently referred distribution SDM). This analytical approach has been used broadly ecology biogeography, well conservation planning decision‐making, but commonly the context ‘natural’ settings. However, increasingly recognized human impacts, including changes climate, land cover, ecosystem function, greatly influence ranges. In this light, historical distinctions between natural anthropogenic have become blurred, coupled human–natural landscape new norm. Therefore, (BAM) need reconsidered understand quantify world with pervasive signature impacts. Here, we framework, termed human‐influenced BAM (Hi‐BAM, distributional i ) conceptualizes impacts form six drivers, ii synthesizes previous studies show how each driver modifies distributions. Given importance prevalence on globally, discuss implications framework ENM/SDM methods, explore strategies by which incorporate increasing methodology. Human redefining biogeographic patterns; such, future should signals integrally forecasting

Language: Английский

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Wildlife’s contributions to people

Published: Jan. 15, 2025

Nature's contributions to people (NCP) are increasingly incorporated in modern conservation policy and management frameworks; however, the of wildlife remain underrepresented NCP science that informs practice. In this Perspective, we explore wildlife's role NCP. We use existing evidence map onto conceptual framework find directly supports 12 18 categories. identify provided or supported by as (WCP). Knowledge gaps regarding WCP prevalent, failure account for could prevent both biodiversity targets from being achieved. To improve understanding its integration into decision-making, advances monitoring modelling required taxonomic, geographic cultural biases research should be addressed. These necessary connect policies aimed at protecting species with intended ensure long-term delivery benefits people, achieve widespread sustainable relationships nature. Wildlife central nature's but often overlooked management. This Perspective presents integral supporting human well-being proposes their recognition incorporation decision-making

Language: Английский

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Love Them & Leave Them: science-based rationale for a campaign at the public health-conservation interface

Frontiers in Conservation Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 5

Published: Jan. 23, 2025

Wild animals have been implicated as the source for disease outbreaks in humans (e.g., bubonic plague, Ebola, Hendra virus). Public health messaging intended to mitigate these zoonotic risks can inadvertently induce fear of wildlife, thereby resulting wildlife culling and habitat destruction. We propose a science-based social marketing campaign – Love Them & Leave protect people wildlife. This One Health will be primarily implemented by public communicators who work with government officials and/or local communities. The campaign’s six key messages emphasize inter-linkages between human well-being pandemic prevention encourage target audiences appreciate (love) while refraining from touching or occupying places that inhabit feed (leave them … alone). provide guidance tailoring global vision ecological socio-cultural contexts. is responsive recent call multilateral bodies governments prevent pandemics at source.

Language: Английский

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Revealing hidden sources of uncertainty in biodiversity trend assessments

Ecography, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 6, 2025

Idiosyncratic decisions during the biodiversity trend assessment process may limit reproducibility, whilst ‘hidden' uncertainty due to collection bias, taxonomic incompleteness, and variable resolution reliability of reported trends. We model alternative made taxon‐level abundance distribution trends using an 18‐year time series covering freshwater fish, invertebrates, primary producers in England. Through three case studies, we test for bias quantify stemming from data preparation specification decisions, assess risk conflating individual species when aggregating higher ranks, evaluate potential incompleteness. Choice optimizer algorithm filtering obtain more complete explained 52.5% variation estimates, obscuring signal taxon‐specific The use penalized iteratively reweighted least squares, a simplified approach optimization, was most important source uncertainty. Application increasingly harsh filters exacerbated modelled dataset. Aggregation ranks significant uncertainty, leading conflation among protected invasive species. also found substantial positive estimation across six fish populations which were not consistently recorded all operational areas. complement analyses observational with silico experiments monitoring processes simulated enable comparison estimates known underlying trends, confirming that incompleteness have negative impacts on accuracy estimates. Identifying managing is crucial informing effective conservation policy practice. highlight several serious sources affecting present tools improve transparency process.

Language: Английский

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Discussion. Has the human population become a sentinel for the adverse effects of PFAS contamination on wildlife health and endangered species?

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 901, P. 165939 - 165939

Published: Sept. 26, 2023

Language: Английский

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Identifying regime shifts, transients and late warning signals for proactive ecosystem management

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 290, P. 110433 - 110433

Published: Jan. 14, 2024

Conservation Biology fosters the study of Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity aiming at protecting species their habitats from menaces causing erosion biotic interactions extinctions. Its ultimate goal is to preserve promote sustainable ecological management maintaining both ecosystem's resilience services. Ecosystems display complex patterns in time space due intrinsic nonlinear nature can suffer regime shifts driven by agents global change. During last decades, Ecology has turned equilibrium metaphor paradigm non-equilibrium dynamics. This involves putting into scene multiple stable states, shifts, stochasticity, transients. These aspects are also crucial for biological conservation since they play a fundamental role species' persistence, ecosystems' resilience, detecting warning signals prior either collapse or recovery ecosystem. In this contribution, we discuss caused tipping points real ecosystems. Then, provide information on some known dynamical features theoretical ecology systems theory associated points, mainly given transient phenomena characteristic statistical tied early signals. illustrated with single-species mathematical model including facilitation immigration. We introduce evidence late as way identify when point been surpassed but system still remains state may be possible. Our main near concepts conservationist community bridges between such

Language: Английский

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