Towards exhaustive community ecology via DNA metabarcoding

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 32(23), P. 6320 - 6329

Published: Feb. 10, 2023

Abstract Exhaustive biodiversity data, covering all the taxa in an environment, would be fundamental to understand how global changes influence organisms living at different trophic levels, and evaluate impacts on interspecific interactions. Molecular approaches such as DNA metabarcoding are boosting our ability perform inventories. Nevertheless, even though a few studies have recently attempted exhaustive reconstructions of communities, holistic assessments remain rare. The majority published last years used just one or two markers analysed limited number taxonomic groups. Here, we provide overview emerging that can allow all‐taxa biological by combining large specific primers, exploiting power universal primers obtain good information key while limiting overlooked biodiversity. Multiplexes shotgun sequencing capture enrichment may better coverage compared standard metabarcoding, but still require major methodological advances. identify strengths limitations approaches, suggest new development lines might improve broad scale analyses near future. More ecological communities greatly increase value studies, improving understanding consequences ongoing environmental multiple components

Language: Английский

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Worldwide Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene population declines in extant megafauna are associated with Homo sapiens expansion rather than climate change

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: Nov. 24, 2023

The worldwide extinction of megafauna during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene is evident from fossil record, with dominant theories suggesting a climate, human or combined impact cause. Consequently, two disparate scenarios are possible for surviving this time period - they could have declined due to similar pressures, increased in population size reductions competition other biotic pressures. We therefore infer histories 139 extant species using genomic data which reveal declines 91% throughout Quaternary period, larger experiencing strongest decreases. Declines become ubiquitous 32-76 kya across all landmasses, pattern better explained by Homo sapiens expansion than changes climate. estimate that, consequence, total abundance, biomass, energy turnover decreased 92-95% over past 50,000 years, implying major human-driven ecosystem restructuring at global scale.

Language: Английский

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The late-Quaternary megafauna extinctions: Patterns, causes, ecological consequences and implications for ecosystem management in the Anthropocene

Cambridge Prisms Extinction, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Across the last ~50,000 years (the late Quaternary) terrestrial vertebrate faunas have experienced severe losses of large species (megafauna), with most extinctions occurring in Late Pleistocene and Early to Middle Holocene. Debate on causes has been ongoing for over 200 years, intensifying from 1960s onward. Here, we outline criteria that any causal hypothesis needs account for. Importantly, this extinction event is unique relative other Cenozoic 66 million years) its strong size bias. For example, only 11 out 57 megaherbivores (body mass ≥1,000 kg) survived present. In addition mammalian megafauna, certain groups also substantial extinctions, mainly non-mammalian vertebrates smaller but megafauna-associated taxa. Further, severity dates varied among continents, severely affected all biomes, Arctic tropics. We synthesise evidence against climatic or modern human (Homo sapiens) causation, existing tenable hypotheses. Our review shows there little support major influence climate, neither global patterns nor fine-scale spatiotemporal mechanistic evidence. Conversely, increasing pressures as key driver these emerging an initial onset linked pre-sapiens hominins prior Pleistocene. Subsequently, synthesize ecosystem consequences megafauna discuss implications conservation restoration. A broad range indicates elicited profound changes structure functioning. The late-Quaternary thereby represent early, large-scale human-driven environmental transformation, constituting a progenitor Anthropocene, where humans are now player planetary Finally, conclude restoration via trophic rewilding can be expected positive effects biodiversity across Anthropocene settings.

Language: Английский

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Vast extension but positive outcomes, reduced but negative: complexity and nuances in evaluating land use by livestock and crops

Animal Frontiers, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1), P. 43 - 54

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Megafauna extinctions in the late-Quaternary are linked to human range expansion, not climate change

Anthropocene, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 44, P. 100403 - 100403

Published: Sept. 7, 2023

The Earth has lost approximately half of its large mammal species (≥45 kg, one-third ≥9 kg) over the past 120,000 years, resulting in depauperate megafauna communities worldwide. Despite substantial interest and debate for a century, reasons these exceptionally high extinction rates major transformation biosphere remain contested. predominant explanations are climate change, hunting by modern humans (Homo sapiens), or combination both. To evaluate evidence each hypothesis, statistical models were constructed to test predictive power prehistoric human hominin presence migration on severity bias toward larger species. Models with anthropic predictors compared that considered late-Quaternary (120-0 kya) change it was found including factors outperformed 100% purely climatic models. These results thus support an overriding impact Homo sapiens extinctions. Given disproportionate large-bodied animals vegetation structure, plant dispersal, nutrient cycling co-dependent biota, this simplification downsizing faunas worldwide represents first planetary-scale, human-driven environment.

Language: Английский

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Integrating biogeography and behavioral ecology to rapidly address biodiversity loss

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(15)

Published: April 5, 2023

Addressing climate change and biodiversity loss will be the defining ecological, political, humanitarian challenge of our time. Alarmingly, policymakers face a narrowing window opportunity to prevent worst impacts, necessitating complex decisions about which land set aside for preservation. Yet, ability make these is hindered by limited capacity predict how species respond synergistic drivers extinction risk. We argue that rapid integration biogeography behavioral ecology can meet challenges because distinct, yet complementary levels biological organization they address, scaling from individuals populations, communities continental biotas. This union disciplines advance efforts biodiversity’s responses habitat through deeper understanding biotic interactions other behaviors modulate risk, populations impact in are embedded. Fostering mobilization expertise across critical step toward slowing loss.

Language: Английский

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Toward a cohesive understanding of ecological complexity

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(25)

Published: June 21, 2023

Ecological systems are quintessentially complex systems. Understanding and being able to predict phenomena typical of is, therefore, critical progress in ecology conservation amidst escalating global environmental change. However, myriad definitions complexity excessive reliance on conventional scientific approaches hamper conceptual advances synthesis. may be better understood by following the solid theoretical basis system science (CSS). We review features ecological described within CSS conduct bibliometric text mining analyses characterize articles that refer complexity. Our demonstrate study is a highly heterogeneous, endeavor only weakly related CSS. Current research trends typically organized around basic theory, scaling, macroecology. leverage our generalities identified suggest more coherent cohesive way forward ecology.

Language: Английский

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After the mammoths: the ecological legacy of late Pleistocene megafauna extinctions

Cambridge Prisms Extinction, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

The significant extinctions in Earth history have largely been unpredictable terms of what species perish and traits make susceptible. occurring during the late Pleistocene are unusual this regard, because they were strongly size-selective targeted exclusively large-bodied animals (i.e., megafauna, >1 ton) disproportionately, herbivores. Because these also at particular risk today, aftermath can provide insights into how loss or decline contemporary may influence ecosystems. Here, we review ecological consequences on major aspects environment, communities ecosystems, as well diet, distribution behavior surviving mammals. We find megafauna pervasive left legacies detectable all parts system. Furthermore, that roles extinct modern play system not replicated by smaller-bodied animals. Our highlights important perspectives paleoecology for conservation efforts.

Language: Английский

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Megafauna diversity and functional declines in Europe from the Last Interglacial to the present

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 33(1), P. 34 - 47

Published: Nov. 17, 2023

Abstract Aim Reconstructing megafauna diversity in the past before anthropogenic impacts is crucial for developing targeted restoration strategies. We estimated and functional decline of European present compared with nearest in‐time climate period analogue to but prior worldwide diffusion Homo sapiens. Location Europe. Time Period Last Interglacial (LIG; ca. 127,000 years ago) present. Major Taxa Studied Wild, large (≥10 kg) terrestrial mammals. Methods assessed distribution 48 species during LIG using hindcasting modelling fossil records. Then, we community potential trait‐based effects from present, accounting differences between two periods. Results Species richness biomass dropped by 70.8% (±11.7%) 94.5% (±9.9%). Functional 80.3% (±15.3%) herbivores 64.9% (±29.1%) carnivores, while trait‐informed vegetation meat consumptions 82.3% (±13.4%) 60.5% (±26.0%). The loss associated ecological processes were high everywhere, particularly western Europe carnivores East Plain herbivores. Potential periods was similar if only climate‐driven considered. Main Conclusions Severe, size‐biased defaunation has degraded assemblages megafauna‐mediated across These patterns cannot be explained periods, thus likely driven prehistoric results suggest that structure wild ecosystems strongly deviates evolutionary norm, decreased heterogeneity fluxes biogeochemical compounds trophic networks, highlighting importance ambitious policies support ecosystem functioning.

Language: Английский

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Global Projection of Terrestrial Vertebrate Food Webs Under Future Climate and Land‐Use Changes

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 31(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Food webs represent an important nexus between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, yet considering changes in food around the world has been limited by data availability. Previous studies have predicted web collapses coextinction, but structure less investigated under climate warming anthropogenic pressures on a global scale. We systematically amassed information about species' diets, traits, distributions, habitat use, phylogenetics real used machine learning to predict meta‐food of terrestrial vertebrates land‐use changes. By year 2100, vertebrate are expected decrease size 32% trophic links 49%. Projections declines over 25% modularity, predator generality, diversity groups. Increased dispersal could ameliorate these trends indicate disproportionate vulnerability regional webs. Unlike many previous studies, this work combines extensive empirical with advanced modeling techniques, providing more detailed spatially explicit prediction how will respond Overall, our study predicts undergo drastic heterogeneous structural

Language: Английский

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