Marine Biodiversity, Biogeography, Deep-Sea Gradients, and Conservation

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 27(11), P. R511 - R527

Published: June 1, 2017

Language: Английский

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Extinction risk is most acute for the world’s largest and smallest vertebrates

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 114(40), P. 10678 - 10683

Published: Sept. 18, 2017

Extinction risk in vertebrates has been linked to large body size, but this putative relationship only explored for select taxa, with variable results. Using a newly assembled and taxonomically expansive database, we analyzed the relationships between extinction mass (27,647 species) range size (21,294 across six main classes. We found that probability of being threatened was positively significantly related birds, cartilaginous fishes, mammals. Bimodal were evident amphibians, reptiles, bony fishes. Most importantly, bimodal all such changes around breakpoint 0.035 kg, indicating lightest heaviest have elevated risk. also be an important predictor threatened, strong negative nearly taxa. A review drivers revealed are most by direct killing humans. By contrast, habitat loss modification stemming especially from pollution, agricultural cropping, logging. Our results offer insight into halting ongoing wave vertebrate extinctions revealing vulnerability small identifying size-specific threats. Moreover, they indicate that, without intervention, anthropogenic activities will soon precipitate double truncation distribution world's vertebrates, fundamentally reordering structure life on our planet.

Language: Английский

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Essential ocean variables for global sustained observations of biodiversity and ecosystem changes

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 24(6), P. 2416 - 2433

Published: April 5, 2018

Abstract Sustained observations of marine biodiversity and ecosystems focused on specific conservation management problems are needed around the world to effectively mitigate or manage changes resulting from anthropogenic pressures. These observations, while complex expensive, required by international scientific, governance policy communities provide baselines against which effects human pressures climate change may be measured reported, resources allocated implement solutions. To identify biological ecological essential ocean variables ( EOV s) for implementation within a global observing system that is relevant science, informs society, technologically feasible, we used driver‐pressure‐state‐impact‐response DPSIR ) model. We (1) examined agreements societal drivers ecosystems, (2) evaluated temporal spatial scales 100+ programs, (3) analysed impact scalability these how they contribute address scientific issues. s were related status ecosystem components (phytoplankton zooplankton biomass diversity, abundance distribution fish, turtles, birds mammals), extent health (cover composition hard coral, seagrass, mangrove macroalgal canopy). Benthic invertebrate microbe diversity identified as emerging developed based requirements new technologies. The scale at any shifts in systems will detected vary across s, properties being monitored length existing time‐series. Global deliver useful products require collaboration sectors significant commitment improve infrastructure capacity globe, including development new, more automated technologies, encouraging application standards best practices.

Language: Английский

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Tropical dead zones and mass mortalities on coral reefs

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 114(14), P. 3660 - 3665

Published: March 20, 2017

Significance Oxygen-starved coastal waters are rapidly increasing in prevalence worldwide. However, little is known about the impacts of these “dead zones” tropical ecosystems or their potential threat to coral reefs. We document deleterious effects such an anoxic event on habitat and biodiversity, show that risk dead-zone events reefs worldwide likely has been seriously underestimated. Awareness of, research on, reef hypoxia needed address posed by dead zones

Language: Английский

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Where Have All the Turtles Gone, and Why Does It Matter?

BioScience, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 68(10), P. 771 - 781

Published: Aug. 3, 2018

Of the 356 species of turtles worldwide, approximately 61% are threatened or already extinct. Turtles among most major groups vertebrates, in general, more so than birds, mammals, fishes even much besieged amphibians. Reasons for dire situation worldwide include familiar list impacts to other including habitat destruction, unsustainable overexploitation pets and food, climate change (many have environmental sex determination). Two notable characteristics pre-Anthropocene were their massive population sizes correspondingly high biomasses, latter highest values (over 855 kilograms per hectare) ever reported animals. As a result numerical dominance, played important roles as significant bioturbators soils, infaunal miners sea floors, dispersers germination enhancers seeds, nutrient cyclers, consumers. The collapse turtle populations on global scale has greatly diminished ecological roles.

Language: Английский

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