The theory behind, and the challenges of, conserving nature's stage in a time of rapid change

Conservation Biology, Год журнала: 2015, Номер 29(3), С. 618 - 629

Опубликована: Апрель 28, 2015

Most conservation planning to date has focused on protecting today's biodiversity with the assumption that it will be tomorrow's biodiversity. However, modern climate change already resulted in distributional shifts of some species and is projected result many more coming decades. As redistribute biotic communities reorganize, plans based current patterns may fail adequately protect future. One approach for addressing this issue focus conserving a range abiotic conditions conservation-planning process. By doing so, possible conserve an abiotically diverse "stage" upon which evolution play out support actors (biodiversity). We reviewed fundamental underpinnings concept stage, starting early observations von Humboldt, who mapped concordance vegetation, progressing ecological niche. discuss challenges posed by issues spatial temporal scale, role drivers distributions, latitudinal topographic variation relationships between landform. For example, are not static, but through time-albeit at different often relatively slow rates. In places, interactions substantial structuring biodiversity, meaning less tightly linked stage. Furthermore, can latitude position, stage need defined differently places. conclude diversity likely best into future places where distributions strong relative drivers, settings conserved time, connectivity allows movement among areas providing conditions.

Язык: Английский

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Trade-Offs (and Constraints) in Organismal Biology

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 95(1), С. 82 - 112

Опубликована: Ноя. 4, 2021

AbstractTrade-offs and constraints are inherent to life, studies of these phenomena play a central role in both organismal evolutionary biology. Trade-offs can be defined, categorized, studied at least six, not mutually exclusive, ways. (1) Allocation caused by limited resource (e.g., energy, time, space, essential nutrients), such that increasing allocation one component necessarily requires decrease another (if only two components involved, this is referred as the Y-model, e.g., energy devoted size versus number offspring). (2) Functional conflicts occur when features enhance performance task relative lengths in-levers out-levers, force-velocity trade-offs related muscle fiber type composition). (3) Shared biochemical pathways, often involving integrator molecules hormones, neurotransmitters, transcription factors), simultaneously affect multiple traits, with some effects being beneficial for or more Darwinian fitness survival, age first reproduction, fecundity) others detrimental. (4) Antagonistic pleiotropy describes genetic variants increase (or lower-level trait) while decreasing another. (5) Ecological circumstances selective regime) may impose trade-offs, foraging behavior increases availability yet also decreases survival. (6) Sexual selection lead elaboration (usually male) secondary sexual characters improve mating success but handicap survival and/or energetic costs reduce other components. Empirical search negative correlations between traits expected outcomes will generally inadequate if than involved especially complex physiological networks interacting traits. Moreover, populations experiencing harsh environmental conditions challenges extremes phenotypic distributions, among individuals species have exceptional athletic abilities. (partially) circumvented through various compensatory mechanisms, depending on timescale ranging from acute evolutionary. Going forward, pluralistic view constraints, combined integrative analyses cross levels biological organization traditional boundaries disciplines, study

Язык: Английский

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Niche lability in the evolution of a Caribbean lizard community

Nature, Год журнала: 2003, Номер 424(6948), С. 542 - 545

Опубликована: Июль 1, 2003

Язык: Английский

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AUTECOLOGY AND THE FILLING OF ECOSPACE: KEY METAZOAN RADIATIONS

Palaeontology, Год журнала: 2007, Номер 50(1), С. 1 - 22

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2007

Abstract: All possible combinations of six tiering positions in relation to the substratum/water interface, motility levels and feeding strategies define a complete theoretical ecospace 216 potential modes life for marine animals. The number actually utilized specifies realized ecospace. Owing constraints effectiveness efficiency modern fauna utilizes only about half life, two‐thirds which (62 92) are by animals with readily preserved, mineralized hard parts. Realized has increased markedly since early evolution animal ecosystems. Ediacaran at most 12 just two practised skeletal organisms. A total 30 recorded Early Middle Cambrian, 19 were other 11 documented from soft‐bodied preserved Chengjiang Burgess Shale Konservat‐Lagerstätten. organisms more than 50 per cent during Ordovician radiation Late 30. Between Recent doubled again. autecological taxonomic diversity histories metazoa appear be broadly parallel, future studies utilization should provide detailed tests pattern process ecological history metazoa.

Язык: Английский

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Evolutionary Agroecology: the potential for cooperative, high density, weed‐suppressing cereals

Evolutionary Applications, Год журнала: 2010, Номер 3(5-6), С. 473 - 479

Опубликована: Июль 14, 2010

Evolutionary theory can be applied to improve agricultural yields and/or sustainability, an approach we call Agroecology. The basic idea is that plant breeding unlikely attributes already favored by millions of years natural selection, whereas there may unutilized potential in selecting for increase total crop yield but reduce plants' individual fitness. In other words, should based on group selection. We explore this relation crop-weed competition, and argue it possible develop high density cereals utilize their initial size advantage over weeds suppress them much better than under current practices, thus reducing or eliminating the need chemical mechanical weed control. emphasize role applying selection crops: competition among individuals generates 'Tragedy Commons', providing opportunities production would not favor. When light, favors a defensive strategy 'shade avoidance', collective, offensive 'shading' could suppression density, uniformity cropping systems envision.

Язык: Английский

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Differences in particle size-dependent feeding efficiencies of closely related rotifer species

Limnology and Oceanography, Год журнала: 1990, Номер 35(1), С. 16 - 23

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 1990

Size-selective feeding of four Brachionus strains was studied with three experimental setups: selection between polystyrene spheres different sizes in short-term (10 min) experiments, pairs dual-labeled algal taxa and among long-term (24 h) experiments. Food size preferences were related to body but not within one strain (Brachionus calyciflorus). angularis preferred food items <5-µm equivalent spherical diameter (ESD), rubens F fed most efficiently on particles ∼5-µm ESD, B. calyciflorus ∼10-µm ESD. B ingested from 3.5- 12-µm ESD equally well. Apart particle effects, unselective. Polystyrene the appropriate readily.

Язык: Английский

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Modelling ecological systems in a changing world

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2011, Номер 367(1586), С. 181 - 190

Опубликована: Дек. 5, 2011

The world is changing at an unprecedented rate. In such a situation, we need to understand the nature of change and make predictions about way in which it might affect systems interest; often may also wish what be done mitigate predicted effects. ecology, usually (or forecasts) by making use mathematical models that describe system projecting them into future, under changed conditions. Approaches emphasizing desirability simple with analytical tractability those assumed causal relationships derived statistically from data currently dominate ecological modelling. Although are excellent describing has behaved, they poor predicting its future state, especially novel order address questions impact environmental change, what, if any, action taken ameliorate it, ecologists develop ability project novel, This will require development based on understanding processes result behaving does, rather than relying description system, as whole, remaining valid indefinitely.

Язык: Английский

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Antibiotic resistance in the wild: an eco-evolutionary perspective

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 372(1712), С. 20160039 - 20160039

Опубликована: Дек. 6, 2016

The legacy of the use and misuse antibiotics in recent decades has left us with a global public health crisis: antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on rise, making it harder to treat infections. At same time, evolution antibiotic resistance is probably best-documented case contemporary evolution. To date, research largely ignored complexity interactions that engage in. However, natural populations, interact other species; for example, competition grazing import influencing bacterial population dynamics. Furthermore, leakage environments can radically alter communities. Overall, we argue eco-evolutionary feedback loops microbial communities be modified by residual resistance. aim this review connect some well-established key concepts evolutionary biology advances study dynamics We also identify knowledge gaps related resistance, technical advantages molecular microbiology offer new opportunities tackling these questions. Finally, using full potential theory active communication across different fields needed solving crisis more efficiently. This article part themed issue ‘Human influences evolution, ecological societal consequences'.

Язык: Английский

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Predictive systems ecology

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2013, Номер 280(1771), С. 20131452 - 20131452

Опубликована: Окт. 2, 2013

Human societies, and their well-being, depend to a significant extent on the state of ecosystems that surround them. These are changing rapidly usually in response anthropogenic changes environment. To determine likely impact environmental change best ways manage them, it would be desirable able predict future states. We present proposal develop paradigm predictive systems ecology, explicitly understand properties behaviour ecological systems. discuss necessary features ecology models. There places where is already being practised we summarize range terrestrial marine examples. Significant challenges remain but suggest benefit both as scientific discipline increase its society if were embrace need become more predictive.

Язык: Английский

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Changes in theoretical ecospace utilization in marine fossil assemblages between the mid-Paleozoic and late Cenozoic

Paleobiology, Год журнала: 2007, Номер 33(1), С. 76 - 97

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2007

We present a new three-dimensional theoretical ecospace for the ecological classification of marine animals based on vertical tiering, motility level, and feeding mechanism. In this context, analyses database level-bottom fossil assemblages with abundance counts demonstrate fundamental changes in animal ecosystems between mid-Paleozoic (461–359 Ma) late Cenozoic (23–0.01 Ma). The average local relative infaunal burrowers, facultatively motile animals, predators increased, whereas surface dwellers completely non-motile decreased abundance. Considering motility, together, more modes life had high to moderate than Paleozoic. These results are robust biasing effects aragonite dissolution Paleozoic sediments heterogeneities latitudinal environmental distributions collections. Theoretical provides unified system future utilization ecologic opportunities by metazoa.

Язык: Английский

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