C. J. Hogg, K. A. Farquharson, P. Brandies, L. W. Silver, K. Ottewell, E. A. McLennan, S. Richmond, K. Belov
Over the past decade, the development of genetic and genomic tools for conservation management has come forward in leaps and bounds. Once considered a ‘nice to have’, genetic data are fast becoming an essential tool for informing and managing translocations. However, due to the complexity of the field, easily using genetic data for decision‐making and monitoring remains beyond the reach of most managers and conservation biologists. In May 2020, we launched the Threatened Species Initiative (TSI), a programme designed to generate genomic resources for Australia's threatened species. Critical to the project is not only the generation of reference genomes and population genetic data but an online toolkit for conservation managers. The toolkit is a ‘one stop shop’ from collecting samples, to generating and analysing genetic data, to an easily interpretable genetic management report. A series of workflows and pipelines have been developed, including the TSI Biodiversity Portal, that uses point and click web interfaces to easily transfer raw sequence data and assemble genomes, transcriptomes and soon population genetics for management decisions. Here we present how the current toolkit works and provide case study examples for how it is being used to inform translocations and the management of threatened species.
过去十年间，用于保护管理的基因和基因组工具的发展突飞猛进。基因数据一度被认为是 "不错的工具"，但现在正迅速成为提供信息和管理迁移的重要工具。然而，由于该领域的复杂性，大多数管理者和保护生物学家仍无法轻松利用基因数据进行决策和监测。2020 年 5 月，我们启动了濒危物种计划（TSI），该计划旨在为澳大利亚的濒危物种提供基因组资源。该项目的关键不仅在于生成参考基因组和种群遗传数据，还在于为保护管理人员提供一个在线工具包。该工具包是一个 "一站式商店"，从采集样本到生成和分析基因数据，再到易于解读的基因管理报告。目前已开发出一系列工作流程和管道，包括 TSI 生物多样性门户网站，该门户网站使用点击式网络接口，可轻松传输原始序列数据，并组装基因组、转录组和种群遗传学，以便做出管理决策。在此，我们将介绍当前工具包的工作原理，并提供案例研究，说明如何利用该工具包为受威胁物种的迁移和管理提供信息。
{"title":"The future is here: an easy‐to‐use toolkit for integrating genetics into conservation management","authors":"C. J. Hogg, K. A. Farquharson, P. Brandies, L. W. Silver, K. Ottewell, E. A. McLennan, S. Richmond, K. Belov","doi":"10.1111/acv.12971","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12971","url":null,"abstract":"Over the past decade, the development of genetic and genomic tools for conservation management has come forward in leaps and bounds. Once considered a ‘nice to have’, genetic data are fast becoming an essential tool for informing and managing translocations. However, due to the complexity of the field, easily using genetic data for decision‐making and monitoring remains beyond the reach of most managers and conservation biologists. In May 2020, we launched the Threatened Species Initiative (TSI), a programme designed to generate genomic resources for Australia's threatened species. Critical to the project is not only the generation of reference genomes and population genetic data but an online toolkit for conservation managers. The toolkit is a ‘one stop shop’ from collecting samples, to generating and analysing genetic data, to an easily interpretable genetic management report. A series of workflows and pipelines have been developed, including the TSI Biodiversity Portal, that uses point and click web interfaces to easily transfer raw sequence data and assemble genomes, transcriptomes and soon population genetics for management decisions. Here we present how the current toolkit works and provide case study examples for how it is being used to inform translocations and the management of threatened species.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141740576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andrea Corradini, Daniele Falcinelli, Luca Pedrotti, Clara Tattoni, Nathan Ranc, Natalia Bragalanti, Claudio Groff, Marco Ciolli, Francesca Cagnacci
In human‐dominated landscapes, rebounding bear populations share space with people, which may lead to bear–human conflicts and, consequently, a decrease in acceptance and an increase in bear mortality linked to human causes. Previous analyses of brown bear (Ursus arctos) movement data have shown that bears adopt a security‐food trade‐off strategy in response to variable human‐related risk. However, brown bear flexibility to cope with these risky situations may be reduced when resting, mating or stocking fat in preparation for hibernation. In this study, we measured the multi‐scale spatial response of brown bears to human‐related risk and food resource distribution in a highly heterogeneous human‐dominated landscape. We examined habitat selection both within the population range (‘second‐order’ selection) and at bedding site locations (‘third‐order’) for GPS‐tagged brown bears of a recently reintroduced population in the Italian Alps. We identified resting locations by field‐validated spatio‐temporal cluster analysis of telemetry locations. We mapped food availability and distribution using dynamic geographic layers of fruiting wild berries, and human‐related risk using human mobility data (Strava‐based Cumulated Outdoor activity Index). Brown bears appeared to compromise their need for food resources for avoidance of anthropogenic disturbance when selecting home ranges, as they utilized areas richer in wild berries less when human use of outdoor tracks was higher. Furthermore, selection of resting site locations strongly depended on the avoidance of human‐related risk only, with less frequented, more concealed and inaccessible sites being selected. We conclude that humans compete for space with bears beyond their infrastructural impact, that is, by actively occupying key areas for bear survival, thereby potentially restricting the bears' realized niche. We propose mitigating actions to promote bear–human coexistence by selectively restricting human access to key areas during sensitive annual physiological phases for bear survival.
{"title":"Human‐induced risk drives behavioural decisions in a recovering brown bear population","authors":"Andrea Corradini, Daniele Falcinelli, Luca Pedrotti, Clara Tattoni, Nathan Ranc, Natalia Bragalanti, Claudio Groff, Marco Ciolli, Francesca Cagnacci","doi":"10.1111/acv.12965","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12965","url":null,"abstract":"In human‐dominated landscapes, rebounding bear populations share space with people, which may lead to bear–human conflicts and, consequently, a decrease in acceptance and an increase in bear mortality linked to human causes. Previous analyses of brown bear (<jats:italic>Ursus arctos</jats:italic>) movement data have shown that bears adopt a security‐food trade‐off strategy in response to variable human‐related risk. However, brown bear flexibility to cope with these risky situations may be reduced when resting, mating or stocking fat in preparation for hibernation. In this study, we measured the multi‐scale spatial response of brown bears to human‐related risk and food resource distribution in a highly heterogeneous human‐dominated landscape. We examined habitat selection both within the population range (‘second‐order’ selection) and at bedding site locations (‘third‐order’) for GPS‐tagged brown bears of a recently reintroduced population in the Italian Alps. We identified resting locations by field‐validated spatio‐temporal cluster analysis of telemetry locations. We mapped food availability and distribution using dynamic geographic layers of fruiting wild berries, and human‐related risk using human mobility data (Strava‐based Cumulated Outdoor activity Index). Brown bears appeared to compromise their need for food resources for avoidance of anthropogenic disturbance when selecting home ranges, as they utilized areas richer in wild berries less when human use of outdoor tracks was higher. Furthermore, selection of resting site locations strongly depended on the avoidance of human‐related risk only, with less frequented, more concealed and inaccessible sites being selected. We conclude that humans compete for space with bears beyond their infrastructural impact, that is, by actively occupying key areas for bear survival, thereby potentially restricting the bears' realized niche. We propose mitigating actions to promote bear–human coexistence by selectively restricting human access to key areas during sensitive annual physiological phases for bear survival.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141740577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. A. S. Burgher, C. S. Goldberg, A. C. K. Duke, S. Garrison, J. Piovia‐Scott
There is growing interest in working with beavers (Castor canadensis and Castor fiber) to restore and maintain ecosystem function, improve hydrologic conditions and build climate resiliency in freshwater ecosystems. Beaver translocation into historically occupied but degraded systems has been increasingly applied as a restoration practice over the last two decades. Knowledge of beaver distributions on the landscape is critical to understanding where and when beaver translocations may be effective. However, current understanding of beaver occupancy and translocation success is limited by uncertainty, subjectivity and inefficiency associated with available monitoring methods. We evaluated the efficacy and spatial inference associated with environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques for detecting beaver presence in natural wetland and stream systems in the Cascade mountains of Washington State. We conducted eDNA sampling paired with radio‐tracking of translocated beavers at four relocation sites from October 2020 through October 2022 to elucidate spatial patterns of site use, eDNA detection probability and eDNA quantity. We found that eDNA techniques detected beaver rapidly over long distances – up to 2.9 km from known locations within the first week after release – and reliably detected beavers when they were upstream, with positive detections in 92.4% of downstream eDNA samples collected 1–3 months after release. We also found that eDNA quantity decreased with increasing distance from beaver and increased with the amount of upstream beaver activity. Our study suggests that eDNA is a sensitive tool for monitoring translocated beaver and can provide spatial information on beaver location and site use within a stream system. Hence, eDNA methods could be a valuable tool for rapid inventory and assessment of beaver occupancy and our findings highlight important implications for using eDNA to monitor other semi‐aquatic mammal species that share similar life histories.
{"title":"Assessment of environmental DNA for detecting and monitoring translocated North American beaver","authors":"J. A. S. Burgher, C. S. Goldberg, A. C. K. Duke, S. Garrison, J. Piovia‐Scott","doi":"10.1111/acv.12970","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12970","url":null,"abstract":"There is growing interest in working with beavers (<jats:italic>Castor canadensis</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Castor fiber</jats:italic>) to restore and maintain ecosystem function, improve hydrologic conditions and build climate resiliency in freshwater ecosystems. Beaver translocation into historically occupied but degraded systems has been increasingly applied as a restoration practice over the last two decades. Knowledge of beaver distributions on the landscape is critical to understanding where and when beaver translocations may be effective. However, current understanding of beaver occupancy and translocation success is limited by uncertainty, subjectivity and inefficiency associated with available monitoring methods. We evaluated the efficacy and spatial inference associated with environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques for detecting beaver presence in natural wetland and stream systems in the Cascade mountains of Washington State. We conducted eDNA sampling paired with radio‐tracking of translocated beavers at four relocation sites from October 2020 through October 2022 to elucidate spatial patterns of site use, eDNA detection probability and eDNA quantity. We found that eDNA techniques detected beaver rapidly over long distances – up to 2.9 km from known locations within the first week after release – and reliably detected beavers when they were upstream, with positive detections in 92.4% of downstream eDNA samples collected 1–3 months after release. We also found that eDNA quantity decreased with increasing distance from beaver and increased with the amount of upstream beaver activity. Our study suggests that eDNA is a sensitive tool for monitoring translocated beaver and can provide spatial information on beaver location and site use within a stream system. Hence, eDNA methods could be a valuable tool for rapid inventory and assessment of beaver occupancy and our findings highlight important implications for using eDNA to monitor other semi‐aquatic mammal species that share similar life histories.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141740582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p>The ongoing sixth mass extinction (Ceballos, Ehrlich, & Raven, <span>2020</span>; Shivanna, <span>2020</span>) underscores the devastating consequences of human activities on biodiversity (Novacek & Cleland, <span>2001</span>) and the critical need for immediate conservation actions (Shivanna, <span>2022</span>). Elasmobranchs, being among the most threatened vertebrates (Dulvy <i>et al</i>., <span>2021a</span>), demand particular attention. Despite a growing interest in elasmobranchs, many species remain elusive and under-studied (Shiffman <i>et al</i>., <span>2022</span>). The absence of systematic research, in certain countries, and reliance on anecdotal reports foster a misleading impression of their abundance, risking inadequate conservation measures (Gajić, <span>2023</span>). This highlights the imperative for precise and timely data, especially concerning species found in coastal regions that are particularly sensitive to anthropogenic pressures (Dulvy <i>et al</i>., <span>2014</span>), such as the spiny butterfly ray.</p><p>The spiny butterfly ray, <i>Gymnura altavela</i> (Linnaeus, 1758), is a lesser-known demersal batoid easily distinguished by its body, which is about twice as wide as it is long (Barone, Mazzaoldi, & Serena, <span>2022</span>). Typically found along the continental shelves on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean (Menni & Lucifora, <span>2007</span>), the species prefers depths up to 100 meters (Özbek, Çardak, & Kebapçioglu, <span>2016</span>). While adults may reach up to 400-cm disk width (DW) (Stehmann, <span>1981</span>), the majority of recent individuals caught in the Mediterranean Sea measure less than 110 cm (Alkusairy <i>et al</i>., <span>2014</span>; Özbek, Çardak, & Kebapçioglu, <span>2016</span>), with the largest recent specimen not exceeding 200-cm DW (Gajić <i>et al</i>., <span>2023</span>). The species is considered rare (Serena <i>et al</i>., <span>2020</span>) and critically endangered in the Mediterranen Sea, experiencing substantial population declines estimated at over 80% in the last two decades (Walls <i>et al</i>., <span>2016</span>). It is hypothesized that the species is absent from much of the northern Mediterranean Sea due to the absence of records during the Mediterranean International Trawl Surveys (MEDITS) (Baino <i>et al</i>., <span>2001</span>; Dulvy <i>et al</i>., <span>2021b</span>).</p><p>Here, we discuss the rediscovery of the species in the Adriatic Sea, the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, delivering five new records (2022–2024) and emphasizing the urgent need to enhance research and implement effective conservation actions.</p><p>In the 19th century, frequent landings of spiny butterfly ray were reported in the Adriatic Sea (Kolombatović, <span>1886</span>); however, through the 20th century, records of such landings nearly disappeared (Dulčić <i>et al</i>., <span>2003</span>). There were no records in this century until a large gravid female was
{"title":"Rediscovery and urgent conservation needs of the critically endangered spiny butterfly ray (Gymnura altavela) in the Adriatic Sea","authors":"A. A. Gajić, E. Karalić","doi":"10.1111/acv.12964","DOIUrl":"10.1111/acv.12964","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The ongoing sixth mass extinction (Ceballos, Ehrlich, & Raven, <span>2020</span>; Shivanna, <span>2020</span>) underscores the devastating consequences of human activities on biodiversity (Novacek & Cleland, <span>2001</span>) and the critical need for immediate conservation actions (Shivanna, <span>2022</span>). Elasmobranchs, being among the most threatened vertebrates (Dulvy <i>et al</i>., <span>2021a</span>), demand particular attention. Despite a growing interest in elasmobranchs, many species remain elusive and under-studied (Shiffman <i>et al</i>., <span>2022</span>). The absence of systematic research, in certain countries, and reliance on anecdotal reports foster a misleading impression of their abundance, risking inadequate conservation measures (Gajić, <span>2023</span>). This highlights the imperative for precise and timely data, especially concerning species found in coastal regions that are particularly sensitive to anthropogenic pressures (Dulvy <i>et al</i>., <span>2014</span>), such as the spiny butterfly ray.</p><p>The spiny butterfly ray, <i>Gymnura altavela</i> (Linnaeus, 1758), is a lesser-known demersal batoid easily distinguished by its body, which is about twice as wide as it is long (Barone, Mazzaoldi, & Serena, <span>2022</span>). Typically found along the continental shelves on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean (Menni & Lucifora, <span>2007</span>), the species prefers depths up to 100 meters (Özbek, Çardak, & Kebapçioglu, <span>2016</span>). While adults may reach up to 400-cm disk width (DW) (Stehmann, <span>1981</span>), the majority of recent individuals caught in the Mediterranean Sea measure less than 110 cm (Alkusairy <i>et al</i>., <span>2014</span>; Özbek, Çardak, & Kebapçioglu, <span>2016</span>), with the largest recent specimen not exceeding 200-cm DW (Gajić <i>et al</i>., <span>2023</span>). The species is considered rare (Serena <i>et al</i>., <span>2020</span>) and critically endangered in the Mediterranen Sea, experiencing substantial population declines estimated at over 80% in the last two decades (Walls <i>et al</i>., <span>2016</span>). It is hypothesized that the species is absent from much of the northern Mediterranean Sea due to the absence of records during the Mediterranean International Trawl Surveys (MEDITS) (Baino <i>et al</i>., <span>2001</span>; Dulvy <i>et al</i>., <span>2021b</span>).</p><p>Here, we discuss the rediscovery of the species in the Adriatic Sea, the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, delivering five new records (2022–2024) and emphasizing the urgent need to enhance research and implement effective conservation actions.</p><p>In the 19th century, frequent landings of spiny butterfly ray were reported in the Adriatic Sea (Kolombatović, <span>1886</span>); however, through the 20th century, records of such landings nearly disappeared (Dulčić <i>et al</i>., <span>2003</span>). There were no records in this century until a large gravid female was ","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"27 5","pages":"581-584"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/acv.12964","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141740578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nor Amira Abdul Rahman, Gergely Firtha, Kriszta Lilla Szabadi, Gareth Jones, Sándor Zsebők
The amount of artificial smooth surfaces in the environment increases continuously with urbanization on a global scale. There is growing evidence that smooth surfaces such as windows, solar panels and other objects can serve as sensory traps for many animal species. Artificial smooth surfaces can function as acoustic mirrors, disrupting echolocation of bats and consequently causing maladaptive behaviours such as drinking from and colliding with these surfaces. Therefore, investigating opportunities to mitigate the effects of artificial smooth surfaces is important from a conservation viewpoint. Here, we conducted a field experiment with bats, an ensonification experiment in the laboratory, and a computer simulation, in order to study the effect of mechanical surface modification on the acoustic characteristics of smooth surfaces. In the field experiment, we presented a horizontal smooth plate alone or with strings (diameters between 0.25–2.5 mm) and the behaviour of bats around the plate was video recorded. Bats significantly decreased the frequency of drinking events with increasing diameter of the strings. We also found an indication that a crossed pattern of the strings on the plate may be more effective than a parallel arrangement. The results of the ensonification experiment and the mathematical modelling revealed that a subtle modification of the smooth surfaces with long, linear thin objects can effectively modify the acoustic characteristics of smooth surfaces in general and thereby potentially change the behaviour of bats. Further investigations from sensory, behavioural and ecological viewpoints are proposed to better understand the impact of smooth surfaces on bats and the mitigation solutions that are needed. This research underscores the significance of exploring innovative approaches to minimize the negative impacts of urbanization on wildlife, highlighting the potential of practical interventions to promote coexistence between anthropogenic environments and threatened species.
{"title":"Mitigating the deceptive effects of smooth surfaces: subtle surface modifications can eliminate maladaptive drinking attempts by bats","authors":"Nor Amira Abdul Rahman, Gergely Firtha, Kriszta Lilla Szabadi, Gareth Jones, Sándor Zsebők","doi":"10.1111/acv.12960","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12960","url":null,"abstract":"The amount of artificial smooth surfaces in the environment increases continuously with urbanization on a global scale. There is growing evidence that smooth surfaces such as windows, solar panels and other objects can serve as sensory traps for many animal species. Artificial smooth surfaces can function as acoustic mirrors, disrupting echolocation of bats and consequently causing maladaptive behaviours such as drinking from and colliding with these surfaces. Therefore, investigating opportunities to mitigate the effects of artificial smooth surfaces is important from a conservation viewpoint. Here, we conducted a field experiment with bats, an ensonification experiment in the laboratory, and a computer simulation, in order to study the effect of mechanical surface modification on the acoustic characteristics of smooth surfaces. In the field experiment, we presented a horizontal smooth plate alone or with strings (diameters between 0.25–2.5 mm) and the behaviour of bats around the plate was video recorded. Bats significantly decreased the frequency of drinking events with increasing diameter of the strings. We also found an indication that a crossed pattern of the strings on the plate may be more effective than a parallel arrangement. The results of the ensonification experiment and the mathematical modelling revealed that a subtle modification of the smooth surfaces with long, linear thin objects can effectively modify the acoustic characteristics of smooth surfaces in general and thereby potentially change the behaviour of bats. Further investigations from sensory, behavioural and ecological viewpoints are proposed to better understand the impact of smooth surfaces on bats and the mitigation solutions that are needed. This research underscores the significance of exploring innovative approaches to minimize the negative impacts of urbanization on wildlife, highlighting the potential of practical interventions to promote coexistence between anthropogenic environments and threatened species.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141586722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. D. Rutter, S. B. Borrelle, S. Bose, A. P.B. Carneiro, B. L. Clark, I. Debski, G. Elliott, J. H. Fischer, K. Walker, S. J. Pittman
Accounting for uncertainty is essential for precautionary approaches to managing seabird bycatch in commercial fisheries. However, there is no existing mechanism to explicitly quantify the uncertainty of seabird‐vessel interactions (i.e. co‐occurrence in space and time). Here we develop a time geographic method to measure the probability of individual birds encountering (co‐occurring within 30 km) and attending (within 5 km) individual fishing vessels. The approach involves creating voxel‐based probabilistic space–time prisms (PSTPs) to model the movements of individual birds and vessels, with trajectory data from bird‐borne GPS devices and vessel Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). We intersected these PSTPs to quantify the probability of interaction between bird‐vessel pairs over time and space. We demonstrate the approach with a case study of interactions of Endangered Toroa (Antipodean Albatross; Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis) with pelagic longline vessels in part of the South Pacific high seas. We found 15 vessels within 150 km and 3 h of two birds, yet interaction occurred with only two of those vessels. We visualised the probability of encounter and attendance over time and space and determined that interactions lasted several hours each (up to 6.2–14.1 h attendance, 20.8–26.1 h encounter for one bird‐vessel pair). Our time geographic approach adds to existing tools to quantify seabird bycatch risk by providing an explicit measure of uncertainty of seabird‐vessel interactions. We provide a flexible methodological pathway and R scripts, the application of which would allow managers to estimate interaction probability for multiple marine species and fisheries, including those with lower‐resolution positional datasets.
{"title":"A probabilistic time geographic approach to quantifying seabird‐vessel interactions","authors":"J. D. Rutter, S. B. Borrelle, S. Bose, A. P.B. Carneiro, B. L. Clark, I. Debski, G. Elliott, J. H. Fischer, K. Walker, S. J. Pittman","doi":"10.1111/acv.12961","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12961","url":null,"abstract":"Accounting for uncertainty is essential for precautionary approaches to managing seabird bycatch in commercial fisheries. However, there is no existing mechanism to explicitly quantify the uncertainty of seabird‐vessel interactions (i.e. co‐occurrence in space and time). Here we develop a time geographic method to measure the probability of individual birds encountering (co‐occurring within 30 km) and attending (within 5 km) individual fishing vessels. The approach involves creating voxel‐based probabilistic space–time prisms (PSTPs) to model the movements of individual birds and vessels, with trajectory data from bird‐borne GPS devices and vessel Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). We intersected these PSTPs to quantify the probability of interaction between bird‐vessel pairs over time and space. We demonstrate the approach with a case study of interactions of Endangered Toroa (Antipodean Albatross; <jats:italic>Diomedea antipodensis antipodensis</jats:italic>) with pelagic longline vessels in part of the South Pacific high seas. We found 15 vessels within 150 km and 3 h of two birds, yet interaction occurred with only two of those vessels. We visualised the probability of encounter and attendance over time and space and determined that interactions lasted several hours each (up to 6.2–14.1 h attendance, 20.8–26.1 h encounter for one bird‐vessel pair). Our time geographic approach adds to existing tools to quantify seabird bycatch risk by providing an explicit measure of uncertainty of seabird‐vessel interactions. We provide a flexible methodological pathway and R scripts, the application of which would allow managers to estimate interaction probability for multiple marine species and fisheries, including those with lower‐resolution positional datasets.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141568751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. C. Muthiuru, P. M. Muruthi, K. K. Kimitei, J. F. Moore
While wildlife management efforts have primarily focused on protected areas, unprotected areas – including community‐owned lands – are becoming increasingly important as habitat linkages and dispersal areas between multiple protected areas for species and processes that sustain them. However, these unprotected areas and community lands often lack structured protection measures and face numerous threats to both species and habitats. Involvement of local communities in the management of these areas through community‐led strategies can enhance safety for both people and wildlife, thereby promoting coexistence. To examine the effectiveness of community‐led strategies for managing wildlife outside protected areas, we fit multi‐season occupancy models on African elephant (Loxodonta africana) sightings data collected by volunteer Village Game Scouts (VGS) while on irregular and demand‐driven patrols within Mwanga district in Northern Tanzania. Patrol data were processed using the Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool (SMART). We estimated elephant probability of occupancy, detection, colonization and extinction, identifying key elephant dispersal areas in the community‐modified areas within the district. Our results indicate that proximity to Tsavo West National Park and the availability of seasonal water sources positively influenced the probability of elephant colonization. In contrast, the proportion of built‐up and farmed areas, and distance to permanent water sources, negatively influenced the probability of colonization. The number of scout patrols did not significantly influence the probability of elephant colonization or extinction, and elephant occupancy remained relatively stable during the study period. Our study highlights the complementary role of non‐protected areas in maintaining populations of endangered species such as elephants. We demonstrate that structured, volunteer community‐led strategies coupled with effective communication with authorities, can be used to monitor wildlife spatial distribution and identify factors influencing their distribution in non‐protected areas. We recommend community‐led protection measures for corridors and dispersal areas, as well as transboundary collaboration to maintain landscape connectivity for endangered species such as elephants.
{"title":"Using irregular ranger patrols to quantify elephant occupancy in non‐protected and community‐modified landscapes","authors":"A. C. Muthiuru, P. M. Muruthi, K. K. Kimitei, J. F. Moore","doi":"10.1111/acv.12963","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12963","url":null,"abstract":"While wildlife management efforts have primarily focused on protected areas, unprotected areas – including community‐owned lands – are becoming increasingly important as habitat linkages and dispersal areas between multiple protected areas for species and processes that sustain them. However, these unprotected areas and community lands often lack structured protection measures and face numerous threats to both species and habitats. Involvement of local communities in the management of these areas through community‐led strategies can enhance safety for both people and wildlife, thereby promoting coexistence. To examine the effectiveness of community‐led strategies for managing wildlife outside protected areas, we fit multi‐season occupancy models on African elephant (<jats:italic>Loxodonta africana</jats:italic>) sightings data collected by volunteer Village Game Scouts (VGS) while on irregular and demand‐driven patrols within Mwanga district in Northern Tanzania. Patrol data were processed using the Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool (SMART). We estimated elephant probability of occupancy, detection, colonization and extinction, identifying key elephant dispersal areas in the community‐modified areas within the district. Our results indicate that proximity to Tsavo West National Park and the availability of seasonal water sources positively influenced the probability of elephant colonization. In contrast, the proportion of built‐up and farmed areas, and distance to permanent water sources, negatively influenced the probability of colonization. The number of scout patrols did not significantly influence the probability of elephant colonization or extinction, and elephant occupancy remained relatively stable during the study period. Our study highlights the complementary role of non‐protected areas in maintaining populations of endangered species such as elephants. We demonstrate that structured, volunteer community‐led strategies coupled with effective communication with authorities, can be used to monitor wildlife spatial distribution and identify factors influencing their distribution in non‐protected areas. We recommend community‐led protection measures for corridors and dispersal areas, as well as transboundary collaboration to maintain landscape connectivity for endangered species such as elephants.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141568752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
I. Ramírez, D. Mitchell, A. Vulcano, Y. Rouxel, D. Marchowski, A. Almeida, J. M. Arcos, V. Cortes, G. Lange, J. Morkūnas, N. Oliveira, V. H. Paiva
The incidental capture (bycatch) of seabirds is a global conservation issue and a top threat to European species that demands urgent conservation and management action. Here, we present the first European review of seabird bycatch data, considering all fishing gears and data collection methods available in the region. We calculate seabird bycatch numbers per species, family, country and European marine region and assess the reliability of the data available. The cumulative bycatch estimate extracted from this review suggests that about 195,000 seabirds (ranging from around 130,000 to 380,000) are bycaught in European waters annually. The most affected seabird species is the Common Guillemot Uria aalge with over 31,000 birds killed per year. The marine region with the highest bycatch estimate is the Northeast Atlantic (over 115,000 seabirds year−1). Gillnet fisheries are responsible for the highest bycatch levels, with over 95,000 seabirds year−1, followed by longline fisheries. The families most affected by bycatch are Anatidae and Alcidae. These numbers are likely an underestimation since we were unable to find bycatch estimates, or to extrapolate estimates from available bycatch data for 12 (out of 34) European coastal states. Our assessment also identified significant data gaps in key areas such as Gran Sol (in the north‐east Atlantic), the central and Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Combining systematic data collection with immediate implementation of mitigation measures will be crucial to fill in knowledge gaps, reduce current mortality levels and meet international conservation commitments such as those of the European Union and the Convention on Migratory Species.
{"title":"Seabird bycatch in European waters","authors":"I. Ramírez, D. Mitchell, A. Vulcano, Y. Rouxel, D. Marchowski, A. Almeida, J. M. Arcos, V. Cortes, G. Lange, J. Morkūnas, N. Oliveira, V. H. Paiva","doi":"10.1111/acv.12948","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12948","url":null,"abstract":"The incidental capture (bycatch) of seabirds is a global conservation issue and a top threat to European species that demands urgent conservation and management action. Here, we present the first European review of seabird bycatch data, considering all fishing gears and data collection methods available in the region. We calculate seabird bycatch numbers per species, family, country and European marine region and assess the reliability of the data available. The cumulative bycatch estimate extracted from this review suggests that about 195,000 seabirds (ranging from around 130,000 to 380,000) are bycaught in European waters annually. The most affected seabird species is the Common Guillemot <jats:italic>Uria aalge</jats:italic> with over 31,000 birds killed per year. The marine region with the highest bycatch estimate is the Northeast Atlantic (over 115,000 seabirds year<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>). Gillnet fisheries are responsible for the highest bycatch levels, with over 95,000 seabirds year<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup>, followed by longline fisheries. The families most affected by bycatch are Anatidae and Alcidae. These numbers are likely an underestimation since we were unable to find bycatch estimates, or to extrapolate estimates from available bycatch data for 12 (out of 34) European coastal states. Our assessment also identified significant data gaps in key areas such as Gran Sol (in the north‐east Atlantic), the central and Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Combining systematic data collection with immediate implementation of mitigation measures will be crucial to fill in knowledge gaps, reduce current mortality levels and meet international conservation commitments such as those of the European Union and the Convention on Migratory Species.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141529746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N. Wosnick, E. P. Giareta, L. Paula de Rios, R. D. Leite
Understanding how animals respond to stressors is critical for effective conservation. The present study aimed to evaluate the physiological recovery of the Shortnose Guitarfish, Zapteryx brevirostris after being incidentally captured by artisanal fleets and compared it to guitarfish with delayed mortality. Moreover, the study aimed to test the efficiency of a rehabilitation protocol for the species. To this end, individuals landed alive were transported to the rehabilitation facilities and kept in tanks under monitoring for 3 days. Physiological markers indicative of allostatic overload (i.e., lactate and phosphorus) and energy metabolism (i.e., glucose and β‐hydroxybutyrate) were assessed in the serum of the studied guitarfish: right after gillnet capture (i.e., post‐capture) and on rehabilitation (i.e., pre‐monitoring, post‐monitoring, as well as guitarfish that deceased during monitoring – post‐mortem). Results showed that the transportation and additional handling employed in the rehabilitation protocol did not increase the stress response, pointing to its potential efficacy in recovering debilitated, incidentally caught guitarfish before release. As for recovery success of monitored guitarfish, lactic acidosis was fully reverted after a 3‐day rest period, as was allostatic overload. The same was not observed in recovery failure. Correlation tests revealed key relationships between physiological markers, shedding light on how physiological pathways help guitarfish cope with capture and handling stress. This study highlights the valuable application of conservation physiology principles to fisheries management of this endemic and threatened guitarfish species.
{"title":"Post‐capture recovery is mediated by shifts in allostatic and metabolic dynamics in a threatened and endemic rhino ray","authors":"N. Wosnick, E. P. Giareta, L. Paula de Rios, R. D. Leite","doi":"10.1111/acv.12962","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12962","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding how animals respond to stressors is critical for effective conservation. The present study aimed to evaluate the physiological recovery of the Shortnose Guitarfish, <jats:italic>Zapteryx brevirostris</jats:italic> after being incidentally captured by artisanal fleets and compared it to guitarfish with delayed mortality. Moreover, the study aimed to test the efficiency of a rehabilitation protocol for the species. To this end, individuals landed alive were transported to the rehabilitation facilities and kept in tanks under monitoring for 3 days. Physiological markers indicative of allostatic overload (i.e., lactate and phosphorus) and energy metabolism (i.e., glucose and β‐hydroxybutyrate) were assessed in the serum of the studied guitarfish: right after gillnet capture (i.e., post‐capture) and on rehabilitation (i.e., pre‐monitoring, post‐monitoring, as well as guitarfish that deceased during monitoring – <jats:italic>post‐mortem</jats:italic>). Results showed that the transportation and additional handling employed in the rehabilitation protocol did not increase the stress response, pointing to its potential efficacy in recovering debilitated, incidentally caught guitarfish before release. As for recovery success of monitored guitarfish, lactic acidosis was fully reverted after a 3‐day rest period, as was allostatic overload. The same was not observed in recovery failure. Correlation tests revealed key relationships between physiological markers, shedding light on how physiological pathways help guitarfish cope with capture and handling stress. This study highlights the valuable application of conservation physiology principles to fisheries management of this endemic and threatened guitarfish species.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141529747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wildlife populations near the periphery of a species’ range are vulnerable to changes in habitat conditions and climate. However, habitat management and maintenance can help with the persistence of these susceptible populations. Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) populations near the southern extent of their range are at risk of extirpation because of changing winter conditions, coupled with reduced early-successional habitat. Prescribed fire has been used to restore and maintain early-successional habitat in the southern range of snowshoe hares, but previous research suggests that burned areas might initially be unsuitable for hares. Therefore, more information is needed on the time required for hares to start using an area post-burning, and the long-term effects of prescribed fire on hare survival. We studied snowshoe hare habitat use and survival in northeastern Pennsylvania, where prescribed fire has been used for scrub oak barrens restoration. We used GPS locations from 71 hares and used resource selection functions to analyze hare selection for burned habitats of varying ages (0–12 years post-burn) and known-fate survival models to evaluate the effects of burning on survival. Hares started using burned areas ≥7 years post-burning but avoided areas burned 0–6 years prior. In addition, hare survival was positively associated with the amount of old burn habitat (≥7 years post-burn) used by an individual. Our results indicate that prescribed burning can be beneficial for hares, but that a time lag of ≥7 years is necessary for positive responses to occur. Planning burns within a mosaic of unburned areas could allow hares to persist during the 0–6 years post-burn when areas are not suitable for hares, which in turn could benefit the persistence of southern snowshoe hare populations. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of long-term demographic monitoring to understand wildlife population responses to management actions.
{"title":"Delayed positive responses of snowshoe hares to prescribed burning in a fire-adapted ecosystem","authors":"L. C. Gigliotti, E. S. Boyd, D. R. Diefenbach","doi":"10.1111/acv.12959","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12959","url":null,"abstract":"Wildlife populations near the periphery of a species’ range are vulnerable to changes in habitat conditions and climate. However, habitat management and maintenance can help with the persistence of these susceptible populations. Snowshoe hare (<i>Lepus americanus</i>) populations near the southern extent of their range are at risk of extirpation because of changing winter conditions, coupled with reduced early-successional habitat. Prescribed fire has been used to restore and maintain early-successional habitat in the southern range of snowshoe hares, but previous research suggests that burned areas might initially be unsuitable for hares. Therefore, more information is needed on the time required for hares to start using an area post-burning, and the long-term effects of prescribed fire on hare survival. We studied snowshoe hare habitat use and survival in northeastern Pennsylvania, where prescribed fire has been used for scrub oak barrens restoration. We used GPS locations from 71 hares and used resource selection functions to analyze hare selection for burned habitats of varying ages (0–12 years post-burn) and known-fate survival models to evaluate the effects of burning on survival. Hares started using burned areas ≥7 years post-burning but avoided areas burned 0–6 years prior. In addition, hare survival was positively associated with the amount of old burn habitat (≥7 years post-burn) used by an individual. Our results indicate that prescribed burning can be beneficial for hares, but that a time lag of ≥7 years is necessary for positive responses to occur. Planning burns within a mosaic of unburned areas could allow hares to persist during the 0–6 years post-burn when areas are not suitable for hares, which in turn could benefit the persistence of southern snowshoe hare populations. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of long-term demographic monitoring to understand wildlife population responses to management actions.","PeriodicalId":50786,"journal":{"name":"Animal Conservation","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141508519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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