Island biodiversity conservation needs palaeoecology

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 1(7)

Published: June 22, 2017

Language: Английский

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Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 115(12), P. 3072 - 3077

Published: Feb. 26, 2018

Significance Understanding the key drivers of animal movement is crucial to assist in mitigating adverse impacts anthropogenic activities on marine megafauna. We found that patterns megafauna are mostly independent their evolutionary histories, differing significantly from for terrestrial animals. detected a remarkable convergence distribution speed and turning angles across organisms ranging whales turtles (epitome slowest animals land but not at sea). Marine show prevalence dominated by search behavior coastal habitats compared with more directed, ballistic when move open ocean. The through which they will therefore need be considered effective conservation.

Language: Английский

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Cenozoic topography, monsoons and biodiversity conservation within the Tibetan Region: An evolving story

Plant Diversity, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 42(4), P. 229 - 254

Published: July 17, 2020

The biodiversity of the Himalaya, Hengduan Mountains and Tibet, here collectively termed Tibetan Region, is exceptional in a global context. To contextualize understand origins this biotic richness, its conservation value, we examine recent fossil finds review progress understanding orogeny Region. We deep-time monsoons affecting Asia, climate variation over different timescales, establishment environmental niche heterogeneity linked to topographic development. modern were established Eocene, concurrent with formation pronounced relief across High (>4 km) mountains north south what now Plateau bounded Paleogene central lowland (<2.5 hosting moist subtropical vegetation influenced by an intensifying monsoon. In mid Miocene times, before Himalaya reached their current elevation, sediment infilling compressional tectonics raised floor valley above 3000 m, but Tibet was still enough, low host warm temperate angiosperm-dominated woodland. After 15 Ma, cooling, further rise rain shadow cast growing progressively led more open, herb-rich as high plateau formed cool, dry climate. monsoonal Mountains, spatially extensive since Eocene subsequently deeply dissected river incision, Neogene cooling depressed tree line, compressed altitudinal zonation, created strong heterogeneity. This served cradle for then newly-evolving alpine biota favoured diversity within thermophilic at lower elevations. has survived through combination minimal Quaternary glaciation, complex relief-related great antiquity Region argues conservation, importance that demonstrated our insights into long temporal gestation provided archives information written surviving genomes. These data sources are worthy own right, living inventory need ask it want conserve. Is 1) individual taxa intrinsic properties, 2) services functioning ecosystems, or 3) capacity generate future new biodiversity? If 2 3 goal landscape scale required, not just seed banks botanical/zoological gardens.

Language: Английский

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Approaches to Macroevolution: 2. Sorting of Variation, Some Overarching Issues, and General Conclusions

Evolutionary Biology, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 44(4), P. 451 - 475

Published: Oct. 24, 2017

Approaches to macroevolution require integration of its two fundamental components, within a hierarchical framework. Following companion paper on the origin variation, I here discuss sorting an evolutionary hierarchy. Species sorting-sometimes termed species selection in broad sense, meaning differential origination and extinction owing intrinsic biological properties-can be split into strict-sense selection, which rate differentials are governed by emergent, species-level traits such as geographic range size, effect macroevolution, rates organism-level body size; both processes can create hitchhiking effects, indirectly causing proliferation or decline other traits. Several methods operationalize concept emergence, so that rigorous separation these is increasingly feasible. A macroevolutionary tradeoff, underlain influence dynamics, causes speciation covary many clades, resulting volatility some clades more subdued behavior others; few break tradeoff achieve especially prolific diversification. In addition at multiple levels, extrinsic events drive waxing waning interaction difficult but important disentangle. Evolutionary trends arise ways, any level; descriptive models fitted clade trajectories phenotypic functional spaces, they may not diagnostic regarding processes, close attention must paid leading trailing edges apparent trends. Biotic interactions have negative positive effects taxonomic diversity clade, cannot readily extrapolated from nature organismic level. The relationships among currencies through time (taxonomic richness, morphologic disparity, variety) crucial for understanding novel approach diversity-disparity analysis shows diversifications lag behind, occur concert with, precede, increases disparity. Some overarching issues relating phenotypes include role mass extinctions, potential differences between plant animal whether changed geologic time, growing human impact present-day macroevolution. Many challenges remain, progress being made key ones: (a) variation-generating mechanisms multilevel act (b) paleontological neontological approaches historical biology.

Language: Английский

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Archaeology, historical ecology and anthropogenic island ecosystems

Environmental Conservation, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 44(3), P. 286 - 297

Published: April 11, 2017

SUMMARY In the face of environmental uncertainty due to anthropogenic climate change, islands are at front lines global threatened by sea level rise, habitat alteration, extinctions and declining biodiversity. Islands also stand forefront scientific study for understanding deep history human ecodynamics build sustainable future systems. We summarize long interactions with Polynesian, Mediterranean, Californian Caribbean island ecosystems, documenting effects various waves settlement socioeconomic systems, from hunter–gatherer–fishers, agriculturalists, globalized colonial interests. identify degradation environments resulting activities, as well cases management resources enhance productivity create more These case studies suggest that within a general pattern progressive degradation, there was no single trajectory impact, but rather complex based on variable physiographies, subsistence strategies, population densities, technologies, sociopolitical organization decision-making.

Language: Английский

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