A recruitment niche framework for improving seed‐based restoration

Restoration Ecology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 31(7)

Опубликована: Июль 12, 2023

As larger tracts of land experience degradation, seed‐based restoration (SBR) will be a primary tool to reestablish vegetation and ecosystem function. SBR has advanced in terms technical technological approaches, yet plant recruitment remains major barrier some systems, notably drylands. There is an unmet opportunity test science‐based approaches seed mix design application, based not only on diversity or local provenance, but the unique strategies species. We lay out framework that uses quantitative representation species' niches match them targeted goals (e.g. drought invasion resistance) methods precision tools technologies) SBR. first describe how quantify niche with seedling traits tied observed responses environmental factors. then show quantified can serve as foundation address three challenges: (1) designing forward‐looking mixes increase resilience future climate disturbance, (2) accounting for natural recovery planning, (3) applying seeding practices maximize success. Finally, we demonstrate these ideas existing data discuss key challenges adoption practice. While this are ecological theory, they require substantial testing refinement by scientists engaged efforts. If integrated into research agendas, believe it potential unify advance diverse elements ecology improve outcomes.

Язык: Английский

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Shrub and precipitation interactions shape functional diversity of nematode communities on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 29(10), С. 2746 - 2758

Опубликована: Фев. 16, 2023

Land use and climate change alter biodiversity patterns ecosystem functioning worldwide. abandonment with consequent shrub encroachment changes in precipitation gradients are known factors global change. Yet, the consequences of interactions between these on functional diversity belowground communities remain insufficiently explored. Here, we investigated dominant effects soil nematode along a gradient Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We collected three traits (life-history C-P value, body mass, diet) calculated alpha beta using kernel density n-dimensional hypervolumes. found that shrubs did not significantly richness dispersion, but decreased pattern homogenization. Shrubs benefited nematodes longer life-history, larger higher trophic levels. Moreover, depended strongly precipitation. Increasing reversed have dispersion from negative to positive amplified nematodes. Benefactor had stronger than allelopathic gradient. A piecewise structural equation model showed its indirectly increased through plant biomass total nitrogen, whereas it directly diversity. Our study reveals expected following precipitation, advancing our understanding

Язык: Английский

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30×30 biodiversity gains rely on national coordination

Nature Communications, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 14(1)

Опубликована: Ноя. 6, 2023

Global commitments to protect 30% of land by 2030 present an opportunity combat the biodiversity crisis, but reducing extinction risk will depend on where countries expand protection. Here, we explore a range 30×30 conservation scenarios that vary what dimension is prioritized (taxonomic groups, species-at-risk, facets) and how protection coordinated (transnational, national, or regional approaches) test which decisions influence our ability capture in spatial planning. Using Canada as model nation, evaluate well each scenario captures using scalable indicators while accounting for climate change, data bias, uncertainty. We find only 15% all terrestrial vertebrates, plants, butterflies (representing 6.6% species-at-risk) are adequately represented existing protected land. However, nationally approach could 65% species representing 40% species-at-risk. How has largest impact, with approaches protecting up 38% fewer choice incurs much smaller trade-offs. These results demonstrate potential highlighting critical importance biodiversity-informed national strategies.

Язык: Английский

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

Cambridge Prisms Extinction, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 1

Опубликована: Янв. 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.

Язык: Английский

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The global loss of avian functional and phylogenetic diversity from anthropogenic extinctions

Science, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 386(6717), С. 55 - 60

Опубликована: Окт. 3, 2024

Humans have been driving a global erosion of species richness for millennia, but the consequences past extinctions other dimensions biodiversity-functional and phylogenetic diversity-are poorly understood. In this work, we show that, since Late Pleistocene, extinction 610 bird has caused disproportionate loss avian functional space along with ~3 billion years unique evolutionary history. For island endemics, proportional losses even greater. Projected future more than 1000 over next two centuries will incur further substantial reductions in diversity. These results highlight severe ongoing biodiversity crisis urgent need to identify ecological functions being lost through extinction.

Язык: Английский

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Calculating functional diversity metrics using neighbor‐joining trees

Ecography, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 2024(7)

Опубликована: Апрель 30, 2024

The study of functional diversity (FD) provides ways to understand phenomena as complex community assembly or the dynamics biodiversity change under multiple pressures. Different frameworks are used quantify FD, either based on dissimilarity matrices (e.g. Rao entropy, dendrograms) multidimensional spaces convex hulls, kernel‐density hypervolumes), each with their own strengths and limits. Frameworks do not enable measurement all components FD (i.e. richness, divergence, regularity), result in distortion space. allow for comparisons phylogenetic (PD) measures can be sensitive outliers. We propose use neighbor‐joining trees (NJ) represent a way that combines current without many weaknesses. Importantly, our approach is uniquely suited studies compare PD, both share (NJ others) same mathematical principles. test ability this novel framework initial distances between species minimal space sensitivity results using NJ compared conventional dendrograms, hypervolumes simulated empirical datasets. Using NJ, we demonstrate it possible combine much flexibility provided by simplicity tree‐based representations. Moreover, method directly comparable taxonomic (TD) PD measures, enables quantification divergence regularity

Язык: Английский

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Accounting for functionality in the identification of global conservation priorities: promises and pitfalls

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 380(1917)

Опубликована: Янв. 9, 2025

Whereas preventing species extinctions remains a central objective of conservation efforts, it must be complemented by the long-term preservation functional ecosystems and benefits humans derive from them. Here, I review recent approaches that explicitly account for functionality in setting large-scale priorities, discussing their promise while highlighting challenges pitfalls. Crossing data on species' distributions ecological traits has enabled mapping global patterns diversity rarity identification stand out distinctiveness. However, priorities identified through these general indices do not directly address ecosystem functionality, instead, they are methods ensuring representation individual as intrinsically valuable biodiversity elements. Three other integrate into taking specific context each ecosystem, site or species: International Union Conservation Nature's Red List Ecosystems, Key Biodiversity Areas Green Status Species. Currently at various stages development, testing implementation, playing an increasingly important role definition, implementation monitoring global- national-scale strategies to ensure persistence functions associated services.This article is part discussion meeting issue 'Bending curve towards nature recovery: building Georgina Mace's legacy biodiverse future'.

Язык: Английский

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Taxonomic and functional homogenisation of macroinvertebrate communities in recently intermittent Alpine watercourses

Freshwater Biology, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 65(12), С. 2096 - 2107

Опубликована: Авг. 26, 2020

Abstract Mountain streams in southwestern European Alps are currently shifting from perennial to intermittent flow due the combined effects of climate change and local anthropogenic pressures. Given that intermittency is a recently documented phenomenon Alps, only scattered studies have investigated functional taxonomical diversity benthic invertebrate communities Alpine streams. We used hierarchical sampling design investigate patterns taxonomic 13 north‐west Italy. April 2017, we sampled two reaches each stream with different hydrological conditions: control reach, permanent flow; an which experienced non‐flow periods summer. tested for response richness at multiple spatial scales by partitioning total into average variation among both within reaches. By ( γ ) its α turnover β components showed decrease regional species reaches, whereas was significantly lower reach scale only. The analysis multidimensional trait space macroinvertebrate conditions revealed significant reduction diversity, dispersion, evenness There overdispersion as these hosted typical taxa organisms adapted intermittency. In particular, observed replacement aquatic respiration those preferring medium‐ fast‐flowing oligotrophic waters lentic habitats, air breathing larval dormancy phases. These results indicate recent has caused drastic changes Our work highlights importance integrating thoroughly assess impacts

Язык: Английский

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Including intraspecific trait variability to avoid distortion of functional diversity and ecological inference: Lessons from natural assemblages

Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 12(5), С. 946 - 957

Опубликована: Фев. 5, 2021

Abstract Functional diversity assessments are crucial and increasingly used for understanding ecological processes managing ecosystems. The functional of a community is assessed by sampling traits at one or more scales (individuals, populations species) calculating summary index the variation in trait values. However, it remains unclear how which sampled indices to estimate may alter patterns observed inferences about processes. For 40 plant 61 ant communities, we assess using six methods—spanning various mean‐based probabilistic methods—that reflect common scenarios where different levels detail available data. We test whether including variability (from individuals alters values calculated volume‐based dissimilarity‐based indices, Richness (FRic) Rao, respectively. further such effects across communities their relationships with environmental drivers as abiotic gradients occurrences invasive species. Intraspecific strongly determined FRic Rao. Methods only species' mean calculate (convex hulls) Rao (Gower‐based dissimilarity) distorted when intraspecific was considered. These distortions generated Type I II errors factors structuring communities. A high sensitivity extreme revealed comparisons methods among‐individual among‐population diversity. In contrast, were consistent among variability. Our results show empirically that decisions included can drastically change conclusions recommend multiple per species capturing methods. discuss be reasonably estimated circumstance limited data available.

Язык: Английский

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Intraspecific genetic variation matters when predicting seagrass distribution under climate change

Molecular Ecology, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 30(15), С. 3840 - 3855

Опубликована: Май 22, 2021

Seagrasses play a vital role in structuring coastal marine ecosystems, but their distributional range and genetic diversity have declined rapidly recent decades. To improve conservation of seagrass species, it is important to predict how climate change may impact ranges. Such predictions are typically made with correlative species distribution models (SDMs), which can estimate species' potential under present future climatic scenarios given presence data predictor variables. However, these constructed species-level data, thus ignore intraspecific variability, give rise populations adaptations heterogeneous conditions. Here, we explore the link between adaptation niche differentiation Thalassia hemprichii, broadly distributed tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean crucial provider habitat for numerous species. By retrieving re-analysing microsatellite from previous studies, delimited two distinct phylogeographical lineages within nominal found an intermediate level multidimensional environmental niches, suggesting possibility local adaptation. We then compared projections suitability using lineage-level SDMs. In Central Tropical region, both levels predicted considerable contraction future, more severe loss. Importantly, modelling approaches opposite patterns Western region. Our results highlight necessity conserving pools avoid regional extinction due implications guiding management seagrasses.

Язык: Английский

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