Restoration as a meaningful aid to ecological recovery of coral reefs

npj Ocean Sustainability, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 3(1)

Опубликована: Апрель 2, 2024

Restoration supports the recovery of ecological attributes such as cover, complexity, and diversity to slow areal decline natural ecosystems. activity is intensifying worldwide combat persistent stressors that are driving global declines extent resilience coral reefs. However, restoration disputed a meaningful aid reef recovery, often an expensive distraction addressing root causes loss. We contend this dispute partly stems from inferences drawn small-scale experimental outcomes amplified by misconceptions around cost-based reasoning. Alongside aggressive emissions reductions, we advocate urgent investment in ecosystem part management toolbox destruction reefs know them within decades.

Язык: Английский

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A benefit–risk analysis for biological control introductions based on the protection of native biodiversity

Ecological Applications, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 34(6)

Опубликована: Июль 30, 2024

The release of biological control agents has been an important means controlling invasive species for over 150 years. While these releases have led to the sustainable 250 pest and weed worldwide, a minority caused environmental harm. A growing recognition risks focus on risk assessment beginning in 1990s along with precipitous decline releases. this new greatly improved safety control, it came at cost lost opportunities solve problems associated species. framework that incorporates benefits is thus needed understand net effects We introduce such framework, using native biodiversity as common currency both risks. model based interactions among four categories organisms: (1) agent, (2) (pest or weed) targeted by (3) one more stand benefit from target species, (4) are being harmed released agent. Conservation values potentially benefited incorporated well, they weighted according three axes: vulnerability extinction, ecosystem services provided, cultural significance. Further, we incorporate potential indirect which consider will result mainly ecological process agent enrichment may occur if exploits but does not weed. illustrate use retrospectively analyzing vedalia beetle, Novius (= Rodolia) cardinalis, cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi, Galapagos Islands. particularly adaptable natural areas, can also be used managed settings, where protects through reduction pesticide use.

Язык: Английский

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Conservation Mitonuclear Replacement: Facilitated mitochondrial adaptation for a changing world

Evolutionary Applications, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 17(3)

Опубликована: Март 1, 2024

Abstract Most species will not be able to migrate fast enough cope with climate change, nor evolve quickly current levels of genetic variation. Exacerbating the problem are anthropogenic influences on adaptive potential, including prevention gene flow through habitat fragmentation and erosion diversity in small, bottlenecked populations. Facilitated adaptation, or assisted evolution, offers a way augment variation via artificial selection, induced hybridization, engineering. One key source variation, particularly for climatic core metabolic genes encoded by mitochondrial genome. These influence environmental tolerance heat, drought, hypoxia, but must interact intimately co‐evolve suite important nuclear genes. coadapted mitonuclear form some reproductive barriers between species. Mitochondrial genomes can do introgress an manner, they may co‐introgress maintaining compatibility. Managers should consider relevance variability conservation decision‐making, as tool facilitating adaptation. I propose novel technique dubbed Conservation Mitonuclear Replacement (CmNR), which entails replacing machinery threatened species—the genome loci—with those from closely related divergent population, better‐adapted changes carry lower load. The most feasible route CmNR is combine CRISPR‐based editing replacement technologies. This method preserves much organism's phenotype could allow populations persist wild when no other suitable options exist. mountaintops, where rising temperatures threaten alarming number almost certain extinction next century.

Язык: Английский

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Principles for introducing new genes and species for conservation

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Дек. 1, 2024

Язык: Английский

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