193 results on '"David M. Watson"'
Search Results
52. Demographics and Incident Location of Gunshot Wounds at a Single Level I Trauma Center
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Kelly Lightwine, Blair Benton, David M. Watson, Elizabeth Ablah, Ronda Lusk, Hayrettin Okut, James M. Haan, and Thuy Bui
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geographic information systems ,African american ,Retrospective review ,Demographics ,geographic mapping ,business.industry ,Trauma center ,Single level ,Zip code ,racial factors ,gunshot wounds ,Medicine ,National trends ,business ,Geographical maps ,Original Research ,Demography - Abstract
Introduction: Little is known surrounding the demographic and geospatial factors of firearm-related traumas in the Midwest Region. The purpose of this study was to describe the overall incidence of firearm-related traumas and examine any racial/ethnic disparities that may exist. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients 14 years or older who were admitted with a gunshot wound (GSW) to a Level I trauma center between 2016 and 2017. Results: Forty-nine percent of patients were Caucasian, 26.5% African American, and 19.6% Hispanic/Latino. Hispanic/Latino patients were the youngest (25.8 ± 8.8) and Caucasians were the oldest (34.3 ± 14.1, P = 0.002). Compared to Caucasian patients, African American (42.0%) and Hispanic/Latino (54.1%) patients were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) (P = 0.034) and experienced longer ICU lengths of stay (2.5 ± 6.3 and 2.4 ± 4.7, P = 0.031, respectively). African American patients (96.0%) experienced more assaults while Caucasians were more likely to receive gunshot wounds accidentally (26.9%, P = 0.001). More African American (86.0%) and Hispanic/Latino (89.2%) patients were injured with a handgun and Caucasians sustained the highest number of shotgun/rifle related injuries (16.1%, P = 0.012). Most GSWs occurred in zip codes 67202, 67203, 67213, 67211, and 67214. Geographical maps indicated that GSWs were concentrated in low-income areas and areas with high minority populations. Conclusions: Racial differences were noted, however, unlike national trends, most of our patients were older Caucasian males.
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- 2021
53. Evaluating the effectiveness of a multivariate autoregressive model in predicting the time course of dynamic facial behaviours
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David M. Watson and Alan Johnston
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Multivariate autoregressive model ,Computer science ,business.industry ,Time course ,Artificial intelligence ,Machine learning ,computer.software_genre ,business ,computer - Abstract
Faces convey critical information about people, such as cues to their identity and emotional state. In the real world, facial behaviours evolve dynamically and encapsulate a range of biological motion signals. Furthermore, behavioural and neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that human observers are sensitive to this temporal information. The presence of systematic temporal changes in the face implies the possibility of predicting the evolution of dynamic facial behaviours. We video recorded subjects delivering positive or negative phrases, and used a PCA-based active appearance model to capture critical dimensions of facial variation over time. We applied multivariate autoregressive models to predict PCA scores of future frames from the frames immediately preceding them, up to a lag of 200ms prior to the target frame. These models did successfully predict future frames, but they did not benefit from extending the temporal support, suggesting they relied primarily on image similarity between consecutive frames. We next used hidden Markov models to segment videos into shorter sequences comprising more consistent facial behaviours. The Markov models successfully extracted distinct facial basis states, however segmenting the data by state did not yield any predictive benefit to autoregressive models fit within those states. We conclude that autoregressive models have only limited predictive power in the context of facial expression analysis.
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- 2021
54. Parasites on parasites
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David M. Watson, Daniel Steele, Yevhen V. Sosnovsky, Luiza Teixeira-Costa, Jakub Těšitel, Gregório Ceccantini, Renata Piwowarczyk, Václav Dvořák, Mariana Oliveira-da-Silva, Yuliya A. Krasylenko, and Biology
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0106 biological sciences ,Santalales ,Parasitic plant ,Biodiversity ,Parasitism ,Plant Science ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Host-Parasite Interactions ,Magnoliopsida ,Orobanchaceae ,Haustorium ,Animals ,Parasites ,genetics ,Cassytha ,Ecosystem ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,2. Zero hunger ,biology ,Ecology ,Host (biology) ,fungi ,food and beverages ,SANTALALES ,Cuscuta ,Plants ,biology.organism_classification ,self-parasitism ,double parasitism ,haustorium ,mistletoes ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
All organisms engage in parasitic relations, as either parasites or hosts. Some species may even play both roles simultaneously. Among flowering plants, the most widespread form of parasitism is characterized by the development of an intrusive organ called the haustorium, which absorbs water and nutrients from the host. Despite this functionally unifying feature of parasitic plants, haustoria are not homologous structures; they have evolved 12 times independently. These plants represent ca. 1% of all extant flowering species and show a wide diversity of life histories. A great variety of plants may also serve as hosts, including other parasitic plants. This phenomenon of parasitic exploitation of another parasite, broadly known as hyper- or epiparasitism, is well described among bacteria, fungi, and animals, but remains poorly understood among plants. Here, we review empirical evidence of plant hyperparasitism, including variations of self-parasitism, discuss the diversity and ecological importance of these interactions, and suggest possible evolutionary mechanisms. Hyperparasitism may provide benefits in terms of improved nutrition and enhanced host-parasite compatibility if partners are related. Different forms of self-parasitism may facilitate nutrient sharing among and within parasitic plant individuals, while also offering potential for the evolution of hyperparasitism. Cases of hyperparasitic interactions between parasitic plants may affect the ecology of individual species and modulate their ecosystem impacts. Parasitic plant phenology and disperser feeding behavior are considered to play a major role in the occurrence of hyperparasitism, especially among mistletoes. There is also potential for hyperparasites to act as biological control agents of invasive primary parasitic host species.
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- 2021
55. A data-driven characterisation of natural facial expressions when giving good and bad news
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Alan Johnston, David M. Watson, Ben B. Brown, and Jack, Rachael
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Male ,Computer science ,Emotions ,Video Recording ,Social Sciences ,Linear Discriminant Analysis ,0302 clinical medicine ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,Cognition ,Learning and Memory ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ,Psychology ,Emotional expression ,Dimension (data warehouse) ,Biology (General) ,media_common ,Principal Component Analysis ,Ecology ,05 social sciences ,Statistics ,Cameras ,Facial Expression ,Computational Theory and Mathematics ,Optical Equipment ,Modeling and Simulation ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Female ,Anatomy ,Algorithms ,Research Article ,Adult ,QH301-705.5 ,media_common.quotation_subject ,ComputingMethodologies_IMAGEPROCESSINGANDCOMPUTERVISION ,Equipment ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Face Recognition ,050105 experimental psychology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Perceptual system ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Memory ,Perception ,Modelling and Simulation ,Genetics ,Facial Expressions ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Nonverbal Communication ,Statistical Methods ,Molecular Biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Facial expression ,Behavior ,business.industry ,Cognitive Psychology ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Pattern recognition ,Linear discriminant analysis ,Active appearance model ,Face (geometry) ,Face ,Multivariate Analysis ,Cognitive Science ,Artificial intelligence ,business ,Head ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Mathematics ,Neuroscience - Abstract
Facial expressions carry key information about an individual’s emotional state. Research into the perception of facial emotions typically employs static images of a small number of artificially posed expressions taken under tightly controlled experimental conditions. However, such approaches risk missing potentially important facial signals and within-person variability in expressions. The extent to which patterns of emotional variance in such images resemble more natural ambient facial expressions remains unclear. Here we advance a novel protocol for eliciting natural expressions from dynamic faces, using a dimension of emotional valence as a test case. Subjects were video recorded while delivering either positive or negative news to camera, but were not instructed to deliberately or artificially pose any specific expressions or actions. A PCA-based active appearance model was used to capture the key dimensions of facial variance across frames. Linear discriminant analysis distinguished facial change determined by the emotional valence of the message, and this also generalised across subjects. By sampling along the discriminant dimension, and back-projecting into the image space, we extracted a behaviourally interpretable dimension of emotional valence. This dimension highlighted changes commonly represented in traditional face stimuli such as variation in the internal features of the face, but also key postural changes that would typically be controlled away such as a dipping versus raising of the head posture from negative to positive valences. These results highlight the importance of natural patterns of facial behaviour in emotional expressions, and demonstrate the efficacy of using data-driven approaches to study the representation of these cues by the perceptual system. The protocol and model described here could be readily extended to other emotional and non-emotional dimensions of facial variance., Author summary Faces convey critical perceptual information about a person including cues to their identity, social traits, and their emotional state. To date, most research of facial emotions has used images of a small number of standardised facial expressions taken under tightly controlled conditions. However, such approaches risk missing potentially important facial signals and within-person variability in expressions. Here, we propose a novel protocol that allows the eliciting of emotional expressions under natural conditions, without requiring people to deliberately or artificially pose any specific facial expressions, by video recording people while they deliver statements of good or bad news. We use a model that captures the key dimensions of facial variability, and apply a machine learning algorithm to distinguish between the emotional expressions generated while giving good and bad news. By identifying samples along the discriminating dimension and projecting them back through the model into the image space, we can derive a behaviourally relevant dimension along which the faces appear to vary in emotional state. These results highlight the promise of data-driven techniques and the importance of employing natural images in the study of emotional facial expressions.
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- 2020
56. Towards best-practice management of mistletoes in horticulture
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Rodrigo Rff Fadini, David M. Watson, and Melinda E Cook
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0106 biological sciences ,Ecology ,Agroforestry ,Best practice ,Plant Biology & Botany ,Plant Science ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010602 entomology ,Food products ,Botany ,PEST analysis ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0603 Evolutionary Biology, 0607 Plant Biology - Abstract
Mistletoe is increasingly being reported as a horticultural pest, infecting many species grown commercially for fruit, nuts, and other food products. Unlike mistletoe impacts on forestry, the published research on mistletoe in horticulture is scant, with management guidelines reliant on anecdotes, un-replicated trials on unrelated species, and often in different countries and growing systems. We have integrated the existing work to summarize information on the most effective control strategies for mistletoe in horticulture, and call attention to the paucity of empirical research. Despite grower interest in growth regulators and herbicides, limited trials suggest chemical treatment of mistletoe is ineffective, consistent with findings from forestry and ornamental trees. Although labour-intensive, ongoing mechanical removal is the most effective strategy to minimize mistletoe impacts but, without information available on effects of mistletoe infection on yield or tree mortality, cost-effectiveness calculations are not possible. Given the range of herbivores that consume mistletoe tissues, biological control may be useful, both to prevent initial infection and also reduce impacts on infected hosts in commercial plantations. To catalyse more research on mistletoes in horticulture, we articulate six priorities for further work, emphasizing the utility of tree crops as model systems to address questions regarding mistletoe ecology and host-parasite dynamics more broadly.
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- 2020
57. The bright side of parasitic plants: what are they good for?
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Jakub Těšitel, Kateřina Knotková, Richard McLellan, David M. Watson, Ai-Rong Li, and Pradeepa C. G. Bandaranayake
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0106 biological sciences ,Physiology ,Parasitic plant ,Biodiversity ,Parasitism ,Plant Science ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Invasive species ,Host-Parasite Interactions ,Focus Issue on Parasitic Plants ,Genetics ,Ecosystem ,Keystone species ,Czech Republic ,2. Zero hunger ,Herbivore ,business.industry ,Ecology ,fungi ,food and beverages ,15. Life on land ,Plants ,biology.organism_classification ,Agriculture ,business ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Parasitic plants are mostly viewed as pests. This is caused by several species causing serious damage to agriculture and forestry. There is however much more to parasitic plants than presumed weeds. Many parasitic plans exert even positive effects on natural ecosystems and human society, which we review in this paper. Plant parasitism generally reduces the growth and fitness of the hosts. The network created by a parasitic plant attached to multiple host plant individuals may however trigger transferring systemic signals among these. Parasitic plants have repeatedly been documented to play the role of keystone species in the ecosystems. Harmful effects on community dominants, including invasive species, may facilitate species coexistence and thus increase biodiversity. Many parasitic plants enhance nutrient cycling and provide resources to other organisms like herbivores or pollinators, which contributes to facilitation cascades in the ecosystems. There is also a long tradition of human use of parasitic plants for medicinal and cultural purposes worldwide. Few species provide edible fruits. Several parasitic plants are even cultivated by agriculture/forestry for efficient harvesting of their products. Horticultural use of some parasitic plant species has also been considered. While providing multiple benefits, parasitic plants should always be used with care. In particular, parasitic plant species should not be cultivated outside their native geographical range to avoid the risk of their uncontrolled spread and the resulting damage to ecosystems.
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- 2020
58. Hiding in plain sight: experimental evidence for birds as selective agents for host mimicry in mistletoes
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Melinda E Cook, David M. Watson, and Andrea Leigh
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0106 biological sciences ,Ecology ,Host (biology) ,Plant Biology & Botany ,Zoology ,Plant Science ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010602 entomology ,Botany ,Mimicry ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0603 Evolutionary Biology, 0607 Plant Biology - Abstract
Many Australian mistletoe species are cryptic, closely resembling their host foliage and overall appearance. Seed-dispersing birds have been proposed as a selective agent for host resemblance, with cryptic mistletoes only located by thoroughly searching through canopies regardless of infection status, boosting mistletoe populations by increasing the frequency of seeds dispersed to uninfected hosts; however, this idea is as yet untested. We measured bird visitation to fruiting mistletoes (n = 20) over two consecutive days, with manual defoliation of the mistletoe occurring before observation began on the second day to determine the effect of the visual appearance of the mistletoe on potential seed-dispersing birds, expecting defoliation to reduce the number of visits. Visits to the mistletoes were compared between days of observation and dietary guild (mistletoe specialist/nonspecialist). Intact mistletoes were visited more than the defoliated mistletoes, and the dietary guilds differed in their visitation patterns. This work demonstrates that the visual acuity of seed-dispersers can distinguish subtle differences in mistletoe phenotypes within infected hosts, consistent with the hypothesis that those mistletoes that more closely resemble their hosts are more difficult to perceive from afar and therefore more likely to have their seeds dispersed to uninfected hosts.
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- 2020
59. Continental Islands
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David M. Watson
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- 2019
60. Vagrants as vanguards of range shifts in a dynamic world
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David M. Watson and Robert A. Davis
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0106 biological sciences ,Environmental change ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Refugee ,Biosecurity ,Climate change ,Legislation ,Territoriality ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Adaptive management ,Geography ,Dynamism ,Environmental planning ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The recent capture and removal to captivity of the first Nicobar Pigeon in Australia on the basis of biosecurity concerns, provides a compelling opportunity to examine how we manage species that naturally disperse to new territories. With the spectre of increasing climate change there is an increasing recognition of the need for species to expand or shift their ranges as part of natural adaptation. The occurrence of vagrants is a natural phenomenon that may be increasing as a result of climate change and other disturbances, but self-introduced organisms are known world-wide in multiple taxa. Although most vagrants are short-lived and of little lasting ecological consequence, some represent the forerunners of climate adaptation—individuals best placed to found new populations beyond their previous range. In contrast to invasive species for which policies and legislative instruments are commonplace (including watch lists of the world's worst invaders), policy makers have failed to consider the inherent dynamism of distributional ranges and the important role of vagrants as first responders to environmental change. The application of ad-hoc policies considering individual vagrants as a biosecurity risk is ill-informed, ecologically indefensible, and potentially counter-productive. We articulate the need for a new framework to consider vagrants as climate refugees and challenge conservation managers and on-ground practitioners to take active roles in determining how they are both viewed and managed.
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- 2018
61. Veiled Polypore (Cryptoporus volvatus) as a Foraging Substrate for the White-Headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus)
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David M. Watson and David C. Shaw
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0106 biological sciences ,Bark beetle ,biology ,fungi ,Foraging ,Zoology ,Woodpecker ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Picoides ,Common species ,Cryptoporus volvatus ,visual_art ,visual_art.visual_art_medium ,General Earth and Planetary Sciences ,Biological dispersal ,Bark ,010606 plant biology & botany ,General Environmental Science - Abstract
In the northwest, White-headed Woodpeckers (Picoides albolarvatus) are an uncommon species restricted to interior, dry coniferous forests. This species forages primarily by probing in bark crevices, surface gleaning, and excavating below the bark. Here we report on an observation from Mt. Ashland in southern Oregon of a White-headed Woodpecker feeding on insects in and around the sporophores of Veiled Polypore (Cryptoporus volvatus). Inspection of other sporophores with signs of woodpecker feeding revealed abundant fly larvae and beetles (adults and larvae). This widespread decay fungus colonizes the sapwood of recently dead trees where it is frequently associated with bark beetles. A suite of other insects is attracted to the sporophore, many using the enclosed pouch as a pupation chamber. In addition to exploring the significance of C. volvatus as a foraging substrate for White-headed Woodpeckers, we discuss the potential role of White-headed Woodpeckers as dispersal agents for C. volvatus and the possible interplay between C. volvatus-induced decay, insect availability, and habitat selection by White-headed Woodpeckers.
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- 2018
62. Ethical birding call playback and conservation
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Elizabeth Znidersic, Michael D. Craig, and David M. Watson
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0106 biological sciences ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Ecology ,business.industry ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Field (Bourdieu) ,Internet privacy ,Morals ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Popularity ,GeneralLiterature_MISCELLANEOUS ,law.invention ,Identification (information) ,Geography ,law ,Animals ,Binoculars ,Vocalization, Animal ,business ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Tourism ,ComputingMethodologies_COMPUTERGRAPHICS ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Until recently, bird‐watching essentials comprised 2 items—comfortable footwear and binoculars. Although field guides increased accessibility and popularity of birding, smartphones have revolutionized this pastime via birding applications that facilitate identification and play recorded calls to attract unseen birds into view. In the rush to adopt this technology, there has been little questioning of the consequences of using call playback, either for birds or birders...
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- 2019
63. Multiple spatial reference frames underpin perceptual recalibration to audio-visual discrepancies
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Neil W. Roach, Michael A. Akeroyd, David M. Watson, Ben S. Webb, and Price, Nicholas Seow Chiang
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Male ,Eye Movements ,Vision ,Physiology ,Visual System ,Computer science ,Audio Signal Processing ,Speech recognition ,Sensory Physiology ,Social Sciences ,computer.software_genre ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,Psychology ,Visual Signals ,Audio signal processing ,media_common ,Multidisciplinary ,Orientation (computer vision) ,Physics ,Statistics ,General Medicine ,Adaptation, Physiological ,Sensory Systems ,Physical Sciences ,Auditory Perception ,Visual Perception ,Engineering and Technology ,Regression Analysis ,Medicine ,Female ,Sensory Perception ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Research Article ,Reference frame ,Adult ,Science ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Adaptation (eye) ,Linear Regression Analysis ,Research and Analysis Methods ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Young Adult ,Perceptual system ,Perception ,Acoustic Signals ,Humans ,Sound Localization ,Statistical Methods ,Analysis of Variance ,Cognitive Psychology ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Eye movement ,Acoustics ,Acoustic Stimulation ,Signal Processing ,Fixation (visual) ,Cognitive Science ,computer ,Photic Stimulation ,Mathematics ,Neuroscience - Abstract
In dynamic multisensory environments, the perceptual system corrects for discrepancies arising between modalities. For instance, in the ventriloquism aftereffect (VAE), spatial disparities introduced between visual and auditory stimuli lead to a perceptual recalibration of auditory space. Previous research has shown that the VAE is underpinned by multiple recalibration mechanisms tuned to different timescales, however it remains unclear whether these mechanisms use common or distinct spatial reference frames. Here we asked whether the VAE operates in eye- or head-centred reference frames across a range of adaptation timescales, from a few seconds to a few minutes. We developed a novel paradigm for selectively manipulating the contribution of eye- versus head-centred visual signals to the VAE by manipulating auditory locations relative to either the head orientation or the point of fixation. Consistent with previous research, we found both eye- and head-centred frames contributed to the VAE across all timescales. However, we found no evidence for an interaction between spatial reference frames and adaptation duration. Our results indicate that the VAE is underpinned by multiple spatial reference frames that are similarly leveraged by the underlying time-sensitive mechanisms.
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- 2021
64. On tropical mistletoes: tractable models for evolutionary ecology, ecosystem function, and phytochemistry
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David M. Watson
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0106 biological sciences ,Ecology ,Range (biology) ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Tropics ,Model system ,Plant Science ,Woodland ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Community composition ,Botany ,Evolutionary ecology ,Ecosystem ,Function (engineering) ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,010606 plant biology & botany ,media_common - Abstract
In 2001, I synthesised published information on mistletoe–animal interactions, demonstrating the pervasive influence these hemiparasites have on community composition and proposing that mistletoes represent keystone resources. Although the review was global in scope, I noted “Tropical regions, in particular, are underrepresented in the mistletoe literature, and it is unclear if mistletoe is as important in structuring these highly diverse ecosystems as in less diverse temperate areas”. Since then, research on tropical mistletoes has burgeoned, as a growing number of researchers use these forest and woodland hemiparasites to address a wide range of ecological and evolutionary questions. In this commentary, I highlight some recent findings, revisit and refine some emergent inferences, and suggest that tropical mistletoes offer many opportunities for further research, representing tractable models to address many unanswered questions in the life sciences. As well as reinforcing the role of mistletoes as facilitators for plant communities and keystone resources for animal assemblages, research on mistletoe pollination, seed dispersal, and host-range, challenge the established views about the ecological maintenance and evolutionary trajectory of specialization.
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- 2017
65. Monitoring ecological consequences of efforts to restore landscape-scale connectivity
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David M. Watson, Veronica A. J. Doerr, Rodney van der Ree, Sam C. Banks, Don A. Driscoll, Erik D. Doerr, and Paul Sunnucks
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0106 biological sciences ,education.field_of_study ,Government ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Population ,Context (language use) ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Adaptive management ,Scale (social sciences) ,Conceptual model ,Quality (business) ,education ,Know-how ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,media_common - Abstract
Managing and restoring connectivity that enables wildlife movement through landscapes is the primary approach to reduce harmful effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Improved connectivity is also increasingly invoked as a strategy to mitigate negative impacts of climate change by enabling species to track preferred environments and maintain evolutionary processes. Although initiatives to improve connectivity using restoration are becoming commonplace, we do not know how successful these actions are, nor which mechanisms underlie biotic responses. Most ecological monitoring focuses on site condition or quality rather than those landscape-scale processes that connectivity is intended to facilitate. To assess biodiversity responses to connectivity initiatives, we argue that new monitoring approaches are needed that distinguish the roles of connectivity restoration from those of habitat augmentation or improvement. To address this critical gap, we developed a conceptual model of the hypothesised roles of connectivity in complex landscapes and a linked framework to guide design of connectivity monitoring approaches in an adaptive management context. We demonstrate that integrated monitoring approaches using complementary methods are essential to reveal whether long-term landscape-scale goals are being achieved, and to determine whether connectivity management and restoration are the mechanisms responsible. We summarize a real-world example of applying our approach to assist government develop a monitoring plan for a large-scale connectivity conservation initiative in the Australian Capital Territory. As well as highlighting the utility of the framework to help managers make informed choices about monitoring, this example illustrates the difficulties of convincing funding bodies to include monitoring in project budgets and the questions more likely to be answered with limited funds. Synthesis and applications. Implementing an effective strategy to monitor connectivity conservation initiatives necessarily involves more work but we argue it is an essential investment rather than an additional cost. By optimizing allocation of limited monitoring resources, we can more effectively implement management that improves functional connectivity, and understand how changing connectivity affects population persistence.
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- 2017
66. Listening to Save Wildlife
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Jessica L. Oliver, Paul Roe, David M. Watson, and Margot Brereton
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Praxis ,biology ,media_common.quotation_subject ,05 social sciences ,Wildlife ,Endangered species ,020207 software engineering ,02 engineering and technology ,Interaction design ,Eastern bristlebird ,biology.organism_classification ,Variety (cybernetics) ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Active listening ,Sociology ,Thematic analysis ,Environmental planning ,050107 human factors ,media_common - Abstract
An increasing variety of technologies are being developed to support conservation of endangered wildlife; however, comparatively little attention has been devoted to their design. We undertook three years of ethnographic fieldwork and design research with the recovery team of an endangered Australian bird (the Eastern bristlebird) to explore the team's culture and practices, as well as their perspectives on including collection and analysis of environmental acoustic recordings into their conservation praxis. Through thematic analysis, we identified the team's collective goals, culture, conservation activities, and technology use. We found that acoustic technologies have promise for supporting conservation of furtive and vocal Eastern bristlebirds. Trialing acoustic technologies also revealed that the team had strong interest in their use. We identified knowledge gaps, time constraints, and technology aversion as barriers to be overcome with future interaction design research. We offer an initial set of practical guidelines for designing technologies to support conservation.
- Published
- 2019
67. Fire-mediated habitat change regulates woodland bird species and functional group occurrence
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James O'Connor, Carl R. Gosper, Allan H. Burbidge, James A. Fitzsimons, Shapelle McNee, Simon J. Watson, A. O. Nicholls, Suzanne M. Prober, Elizabeth Fox, David M. Watson, Michael D. Craig, Colin J. Yates, and T. Douglas
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0106 biological sciences ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Chronosequence ,Population Dynamics ,Australia ,Context (language use) ,Ecological succession ,Woodland ,Forests ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Fires ,Birds ,Geography ,Habitat ,Abundance (ecology) ,Animals ,Species richness ,Bird conservation ,Ecosystem - Abstract
In an era characterized by recurrent large wildfires in many parts of the globe, there is a critical need to understand how animal species respond to fires, the rates at which populations can recover, and the functional changes fires may cause. Using quantified changes in habitat parameters over a ~400-yr post-fire chronosequence in an obligate-seeding Australian eucalypt woodland, we build and test predictions of how birds, as individual species and aggregated into functional groups according to their use of specific habitat resources, respond to time since fire. Individual bird species exhibited four generalized response types to time since fire: incline, decline, delayed, and bell. All significant relationships between bird functional group richness or abundance and time since fire were consistent with predictions based on known time-since-fire-associated changes in habitat features putatively important for these bird groups. Consequently, we argue that the bird community is responding to post-fire successional changes in habitat as per the habitat accommodation model, rather than to time since fire per se, and that our functional framework will be of value in predicting bird responses to future disturbances in this and other obligate-seeder forest and woodland ecosystems. Most bird species and functional groups that were affected by time since fire were associated with long-unburned woodlands. In the context of recent large, stand-replacement wildfires that have affected a substantial proportion of obligate-seeder eucalypt woodlands, and the multi-century timescales over which post-fire succession occurs, it would appear preferable from a bird conservation perspective if fires initiating loss of currently long-unburned woodlands were minimized. Once long-unburned woodlands are transformed by fire into recently burned woodlands, there is limited scope for alternative management interventions to accelerate the rate of habitat development after fire, or supplement the resources formerly provided to birds by long-unburned woodlands, with the limited exception of augmenting hollow availability for key hollow-nesting species.
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- 2019
68. Metrics of progress in the understanding and management of threats to Australian birds
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David B. Lindenmayer, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Leslie Christidis, G. B. Baker, Paul G. McDonald, Ian Leiper, April E. Reside, Brendan A. Wintle, D. G. Hoccom, Martine Maron, Hayley M. Geyle, Stephen T. Garnett, Alienor L. M. Chauvenet, Sarah Legge, Peter Menkhorst, James E. M. Watson, Katherine L. Buchanan, Molly K. Grace, Glenn Ehmke, James Q. Radford, Andrew A. Burbidge, David M. Watson, Richard H. Loyn, Hugh P. Possingham, Elisa Bayraktarov, and John C. Z. Woinarski
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0106 biological sciences ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Endangered species ,Biodiversity ,Climate change ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Predation ,Birds ,Animals ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Islands ,Ecology ,business.industry ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Endangered Species ,Environmental resource management ,International comparisons ,Australia ,Taxon ,Scale (social sciences) ,Threatened species ,Cats ,business - Abstract
Although evidence-based approaches have become commonplace for determining the success of conservation measures for the management of threatened taxa, there are no standard metrics for assessing progress in research or management. We developed 5 metrics to meet this need for threatened taxa and to quantify the need for further action and effective alleviation of threats. These metrics (research need, research achievement, management need, management achievement, and percent threat reduction) can be aggregated to examine trends for an individual taxon or for threats across multiple taxa. We tested the utility of these metrics by applying them to Australian threatened birds, which appears to be the first time that progress in research and management of threats has been assessed for all threatened taxa in a faunal group at a continental scale. Some research has been conducted on nearly three-quarters of known threats to taxa, and there is a clear understanding of how to alleviate nearly half of the threats with the highest impact. Some management has been attempted on nearly half the threats. Management outcomes ranged from successful trials to complete mitigation of the threat, including for one-third of high-impact threats. Progress in both research and management tended to be greater for taxa that were monitored or occurred on oceanic islands. Predation by cats had the highest potential threat score. However, there has been some success reducing the impact of cat predation, so climate change (particularly drought), now poses the greatest threat to Australian threatened birds. Our results demonstrate the potential for the proposed metrics to encapsulate the major trends in research and management of both threats and threatened taxa and provide a basis for international comparisons of evidence-based conservation science.Medidas de Progreso en el Entendimiento y el Manejo de las Amenazas que Enfrentan las Aves Australianas Resumen Aunque los métodos basados en evidencias se han vuelto muy comunes para la determinación del éxito de las medidas de conservación del manejo de los taxones amenazados, hoy en día no existen medidas estandarizadas para la evaluación del progreso de la investigación o el manejo. Desarrollamos cinco medidas para cumplir con esta necesidad que tienen los taxones amenazados y para cuantificar la necesidad de una mayor acción y un alivio efectivo de las amenazas. Estas medidas (falta de investigación, éxito de la investigación, falta de manejo, éxito del manejo y porcentaje de reducción de amenazas) pueden agregarse para examinar las tendencias de un taxón individual o las tendencias de las amenazas para múltiples taxones. Probamos la utilidad de estas medidas por medio de su aplicación en aves australianas amenazadas, que parece ser la primera vez que se evalúa el progreso en la investigación y en el manejo de amenazas para el caso de varios taxones amenazados dentro de un grupo faunístico a escala continental. Se ha realizado algún tipo de investigación sobre casi tres cuartas partes de las amenazas conocidas para los taxones, y hay un claro entendimiento de cómo aliviar casi la mitad de las amenazas con el impacto más alto. Se ha intentado algún tipo de manejo con casi la mitad de las amenazas. Los resultados del manejo variaron desde ensayos exitosos hasta la mitigación completa de la amenaza, incluso para un tercio de las amenazas de alto impacto. Tanto el progreso en la investigación como en el manejo tendió a ser mayor para los taxones que estaban siendo monitoreados, o que ocurrían en islas oceánicas. La depredación por gatos tuvo el puntaje más como amenaza potencial. Sin embargo, ha habido poco de éxito en la reducción del impacto de la depredación por gatos, así que ahora el cambio climático (particularmente la sequía) es la mayor amenaza para las aves amenazadas en Australia. Nuestros resultados demuestran el potencial que tienen las medidas propuestas de encapsular las tendencias más importantes en la investigación y en el manejo tanto de las amenazas como de los taxones amenazados y de proporcionar una base para comparaciones internacionales de la ciencia de la conservación basada en evidencias.虽然受威胁物种的管理中常常用到基于证据的方法来确定保护措施的成效, 但还没有统一的标准来评估受胁物种研究或管理的进展。我们为受威胁物种制定了五个指标, 并量化分析了深入行动和有效减缓威胁的需求。这些指标 (研究需求、研究成果、管理需求、管理成果和威胁减少的百分比) 可以共同用于分析单个类群的趋势或跨类群的威胁。我们通过在澳大利亚受胁迫鸟类上的应用检验了这些指标的效用, 这是首次在大陆尺度上评估一个动物区系中所有受胁迫类群面临威胁的研究和管理进展。该类群已知的威胁中有四分之三已有一些研究, 且影响最大的威胁中有一半已被清楚地指出应如何减缓这种威胁。针对近一半的威胁因素已有相应管理措施。管理成果包括成功的尝试到完全减缓威胁, 这涉及了三分之一影响较大的威胁。那些受到监测、或分布在海岛上, 或的类群的研究和管理往往有更多进展。被猫捕食的鸟类受到的潜在威胁最大。不过, 在减轻被猫捕食的影响方面已取得一些成功, 而气候变化 (特别是干旱) 才是目前澳大利亚鸟类面临的最大威胁。我们的结果表明, 我们制定的指标可以概括受威胁类群及其面临威胁的研究和管理的主要趋势, 并为全球范围内基于证据的保护科学的比较分析提供了基础。【翻译: 胡怡思; 审校: 聂永刚】.
- Published
- 2018
69. Visualisations elicit knowledge to refine citizen science technology design
- Author
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Jessica L. Oliver, David M. Watson, Margot Brereton, and Paul Roe
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Computer science ,Qualitative interviews ,Interpretation (philosophy) ,05 social sciences ,Sensemaking ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Data science ,Visualization ,Citizen science ,Spectrogram ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Knowledge elicitation ,050107 human factors ,Design technology - Abstract
Acoustic sensors offer a promising new tool to detect furtive animals; however, sifting through years of audio data is fraught with challenges. Developing automatic detection software still requires a large dataset of calls that have been accurately annotated by experts. Few studies have explored how people identify species by vocalisations in the wild, and how this skill can be applied to designing technologies for locating and identifying calls in recordings. To explore how birders often find and identify animals by calls and share their observations, we conducted qualitative interviews and a visualization-review activity with nine birders, eliciting insight into their existing practices, knowledge, and visualisation interpretation. We found that visualisations evoked memories demonstrating birder expertise on the natural history, behaviours, and habitats of birds. Birders were curious and learned from exploring the abstract patterns in visualisations of acoustic data, relying on past experiences with nature to interpret acoustic visualisations. Birders often wanted to corroborate findings with other birders by reviewing acoustic recordings and local bird lists. This study demonstrates how qualitative review of visualisations can elicit a nuanced understanding of community practices, knowledge, and sensemaking, which are essential to improve design of future technologies.
- Published
- 2018
70. Mistletoes of Southern Australia
- Author
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David M. Watson and David M. Watson
- Subjects
- Mistletoes--Australia
- Abstract
Mistletoes are an enigmatic group of plants. Lacking roots and depending on other plants for their livelihood, they have inspired a range of beliefs throughout the world. Some people regard them as being endowed with magical properties, others as destructive weeds that devalue native habitats, and still others as beautiful native plants that support wildlife. This second edition of Mistletoes of Southern Australia is the definitive authority on these intriguing native plants. With specially commissioned watercolours by artist Robyn Hulley and more than 130 colour photographs, it provides detailed species accounts for all 47 species found in the region. It is fully updated throughout, with new distribution maps and new sections on fire, climate change and mistletoes in urban areas. It also describes the ecology, life history and cultural significance of mistletoes, their distribution in Australia and around the world, and practical advice on their management.
- Published
- 2019
71. Multicriteria decision analysis for the evaluation of water quality improvement and ecosystem service provision
- Author
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Graham M. Smith, Mark Everard, Robert J. McInnes, Julian Greaves, David M. Watson, and Nikki Wood
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Environmental Engineering ,business.industry ,Process (engineering) ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,Environmental resource management ,Land management ,Stakeholder engagement ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Multiple-criteria decision analysis ,01 natural sciences ,Pollution ,Rigour ,020801 environmental engineering ,Ecosystem services ,Water quality ,business ,Payment for ecosystem services ,Environmental planning ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Water Science and Technology - Abstract
Water and land management decisions require consideration of multiple factors. Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a structured, auditable and transparent tool that helps inform and add rigour to multioption decisions. MCDA was used in a payment for ecosystem services (PES) project to evaluate options for delivering good ecological status in Tortworth Brook, Gloucestershire, UK. Following a process of stakeholder engagement, final options considered were: (1) doing nothing; (2) modifying existing sewage treatment works; (3) a single integrated constructed wetland (ICW) targeting multiple ecosystem service outcomes; and (4) catchment wide multiple ICWs. The analysis concluded that the ‘do nothing’ option and modifying the existing works are both likely to provide poor utility and value for money. Both ICW options offered the greatest utility in terms of optimising the benefits to all stakeholders.
- Published
- 2016
72. Patterns of neural response in scene-selective regions of the human brain are affected by low-level manipulations of spatial frequency
- Author
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Timothy J. Andrews, Mark Hymers, David M. Watson, and Tom Hartley
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,genetic structures ,Computer science ,Cognitive Neuroscience ,ComputingMethodologies_IMAGEPROCESSINGANDCOMPUTERVISION ,Composite image filter ,Brain mapping ,050105 experimental psychology ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Neuroimaging ,medicine ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Computer vision ,Brain Mapping ,business.industry ,Orientation (computer vision) ,05 social sciences ,Brain ,Human brain ,Filter (signal processing) ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Pattern Recognition, Visual ,Neurology ,Female ,Artificial intelligence ,Spatial frequency ,business ,Photic Stimulation ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have found distinct patterns of response to different categories of scenes. However, the relative importance of low-level image properties in generating these response patterns is not fully understood. To address this issue, we directly manipulated the low level properties of scenes in a way that preserved the ability to perceive the category. We then measured the effect of these manipulations on category-selective patterns of fMRI response in the PPA, RSC and OPA. In Experiment 1, a horizontal-pass or vertical-pass orientation filter was applied to images of indoor and natural scenes. The image filter did not have a large effect on the patterns of response. For example, vertical- and horizontal-pass filtered indoor images generated similar patterns of response. Similarly, vertical- and horizontal-pass filtered natural scenes generated similar patterns of response. In Experiment 2, low-pass or high-pass spatial frequency filters were applied to the images. We found that image filter had a marked effect on the patterns of response in scene-selective regions. For example, low-pass indoor images generated similar patterns of response to low-pass natural images. The effect of filter varied across different scene-selective regions, suggesting differences in the way that scenes are represented in these regions. These results indicate that patterns of response in scene-selective regions are sensitive to the low-level properties of the image, particularly the spatial frequency content.
- Published
- 2016
73. Wildlife restoration: Mainstreaming translocations to keep common species common
- Author
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Maggie J. Watson and David M. Watson
- Subjects
business.industry ,Environmental resource management ,Wildlife ,Endangered species ,Species translocation ,Metapopulation ,Biology ,Novel ecosystem ,Habitat ,Common species ,Landscape ecology ,business ,Environmental planning ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
In most urban and agricultural landscapes, remnants of native vegetation are surrounded by an inhospitable matrix. Although vagile species come and go, many reptiles, amphibians and small mammals are effectively stranded and declining towards local extinction. In the same landscapes, other areas where these species are absent are improving in habitat quality, both through natural regeneration and active restoration efforts. So, for many species in many domesticated landscapes, there are too many individuals in some patches of decreasing quality and no individuals in patches of increasing quality. One solution to this situation is to move animals from those areas where there are plenty to suitable areas where there are none. These targeted translocations apply lessons learned from revegetation to dispersal-limited animals to in-fill distributional ranges, increase population size and improve both demographic and genetic connectivity, pushing nonequilibrial metapopulations away from extinction via an imposed mass effect. In contrast to conventional reintroduction schemes—expensive, reactive interventions involving highly-trained specialists and captive-raised endangered species—these inexpensive, proactive, community-driven initiatives aim to avert future declines by keeping common species common. Having introduced the wildlife restoration vision, we use two scenarios to illustrate the benefits of the approach—to species, ecosystem function, ecological understanding, restoration practise and public engagement. As well as adhering to best-practise reintroduction techniques to ensure animal welfare is not compromised and avoid detrimental effects to source populations or release sites, we emphasize community participation, data quality and long-term accessibility as paramount to maximize learning opportunities.
- Published
- 2015
74. Dual-acting agents for improving cognition and real-world function in Alzheimer’s disease: Focus on 5-HT6 and D3 receptors as hubs
- Author
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David M. Watson, Mauricette Brocco, Kevin C. F. Fone, Anne Dekeyne, Clotilde Mannoury la Cour, Jean-Claude Ortuno, Millan Mark, and Alain P. Gobert
- Subjects
Social Cognition ,0301 basic medicine ,Psychosis ,medicine.drug_class ,Dopamine Agents ,Neuroprotection ,03 medical and health sciences ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Glutamatergic ,Cognition ,0302 clinical medicine ,Alzheimer Disease ,Dopamine receptor D3 ,Monoaminergic ,Animals ,Humans ,Medicine ,Cognitive Dysfunction ,Pharmacology ,business.industry ,Receptors, Dopamine D3 ,Memantine ,Histaminergic ,Recovery of Function ,Receptor antagonist ,medicine.disease ,030104 developmental biology ,Receptors, Serotonin ,Dopamine Antagonists ,Serotonin Antagonists ,business ,Neuroscience ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,medicine.drug - Abstract
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd To date, there are no interventions that impede the inexorable progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and currently-available drugs cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonist, memantine, offer only modest symptomatic benefit. Moreover, a range of mechanistically-diverse agents (glutamatergic, histaminergic, monoaminergic, cholinergic) have disappointed in clinical trials, alone and/or in association with AChE inhibitors. This includes serotonin (5-HT) receptor-6 antagonists, despite compelling preclinical observations in rodents and primates suggesting a positive influence on cognition. The emphasis has so far been on high selectivity. However, for a multi-factorial disorder like idiopathic AD, 5-HT6 antagonists possessing additional pharmacological actions might be more effective, by analogy to “multi-target” antipsychotics. Based on this notion, drug discovery programmes have coupled 5-HT6 blockade to 5-HT4 agonism and inhibition of AchE. Further, combined 5-HT6/dopamine D3 receptor (D3) antagonists are of especial interest since D3 blockade mirrors 5-HT6 antagonism in exerting broad-based pro-cognitive properties in animals. Moreover, 5-HT6 and dopamine D3 antagonists promote neurocognition and social cognition via both distinctive and convergent actions expressed mainly in frontal cortex, including suppression of mTOR over-activation and reinforcement of cholinergic and glutamatergic transmission. In addition, 5-HT6 blockade affords potential anti-anxiety, anti-depressive and anti-epileptic properties, and antagonising 5-HT6 receptors may be associated with neuroprotective (“disease-modifying”) properties. Finally D3 antagonism may counter psychotic episodes and D3 receptors themselves offer a promising hub for multi-target agents. The present article reviews the status of “R and D” into multi-target 5-HT6 and D3 ligands for improved treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders of aging. This article is part of the special issue entitled ‘Serotonin Research: Crossing Scales and Boundaries’.
- Published
- 2020
75. Response to Olsen’s question of reliability
- Author
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David M. Watson and Stuart J. N. Cooney
- Subjects
Geography ,Statistics ,Nesting (computing) ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Reliability (statistics) ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The aim of Cooney et al. (2006) was to collate recorded instances of mistletoe nesting among Australian birds. We reviewed nesting accounts and also sought out unpublished records of this behaviour...
- Published
- 2020
76. Using visualization and machine learning methods to monitor low detectability species—The least bittern as a case study
- Author
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Paul Roe, Sarah E. Darling, W.K. Roy, Michael Towsey, Anthony Truskinger, David M. Watson, and Elizabeth Znidersic
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Soundscape ,Computer science ,Population ,Machine learning ,computer.software_genre ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Acoustic event detection ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Western hemisphere ,education.field_of_study ,Ecology ,business.industry ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Applied Mathematics ,Ecological Modeling ,Process (computing) ,Acoustic ecology ,Computer Science Applications ,Visualization ,Computational Theory and Mathematics ,Habitat ,Modeling and Simulation ,Artificial intelligence ,business ,computer - Abstract
Long duration acoustic monitoring is becoming an increasingly popular approach to extend survey effort by using autonomous sensors to passively collect data over large temporal and spatial scales. This is of particular benefit when attempting to detect a species whose temporal vocalization strategy is unknown, and whose small population size reduces detection probability. It is also of benefit in environments that are logistically difficult to access such as wetlands. We investigated the vocalization strategy of the Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), a species of high conservation concern in the Western hemisphere and ‘in need of management’ in multiple states of the USA. The Least Bittern is a secretive marsh bird that is primarily detected by its vocalizations and call-playback surveys are typically used for population monitoring. To minimize disturbance to both the birds and their habitat, we deployed autonomous acoustic recording units and collected continuous 24-hour audio recordings for 30 days. The resultant accumulation of data necessitated an automated method to assist with analysis and interpretation. We successfully applied a novel soundscape technique—long-duration, false-color (LDFC) spectrograms—to visually confirm presence of Least Bittern from the ‘coo coo coo’ vocalization associated with breeding. In addition, we used a machine learning technique to automate the acoustic event detection process. Peak vocalization times were then predicted from an annotated dataset of actual calls and subsequently used to develop an optimal acoustic survey strategy. The results of this research demonstrate how machine learning methods can search large data sets for a specific species. This information can then be used to optimize existing monitoring methods, to increase detection probability and to minimize associated costs.
- Published
- 2020
77. Competitive Dominance within Biofilm Consortia Regulates the Relative Distribution of Pneumococcal Nasopharyngeal Density
- Author
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Xueqing Wu, Keith P. Klugman, Preston Palm, Jorge E. Vidal, Catherine Bozio, Santiago M. Lattar, Bruce R. Levin, Christiane R. Hanke, Nathan T. Jacobs, Fuminori Sakai, and David M. Watson
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Serotype ,030106 microbiology ,Mutant ,Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Serogroup ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Pneumococcal Infections ,Microbiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Streptococcus pneumoniae ,medicine ,Humans ,Spatial localization ,Dominance (genetics) ,Ecology ,Relative distribution ,Biofilm ,food and beverages ,Quorum Sensing ,biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition ,Quorum sensing ,Nasopharyngeal Diseases ,Biofilms ,Carrier State ,Food Science ,Biotechnology - Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a main cause of child mortality worldwide, but strains also asymptomatically colonize the upper airways of most children and form biofilms. Recent studies have demonstrated that ∼50% of colonized children carry at least two different serotypes (i.e., strains) in the nasopharynx; however, studies of how strains coexist are limited. In this work, we investigated the physiological, genetic, and ecological requirements for the relative distribution of densities, and spatial localization, of pneumococcal strains within biofilm consortia. Biofilm consortia were prepared with vaccine type strains (i.e., serotype 6B [S6B], S19F, or S23F) and strain TIGR4 (S4). Experiments first revealed that the relative densities of S6B and S23F were similar in biofilm consortia. The density of S19F strains, however, was reduced to ∼10% in biofilm consortia, including either S6B, S23F, or TIGR4, in comparison to S19F monostrain biofilms. Reduction of S19F density within biofilm consortia was also observed in a simulated nasopharyngeal environment. Reduction of relative density was not related to growth rates, since the Malthusian parameter demonstrated similar rates of change of density for most strains. To investigate whether quorum sensing (QS) regulates relative densities in biofilm consortia, two different mutants were prepared: a TIGR4Δ luxS mutant and a TIGR4Δ comC mutant. The density of S19F strains, however, was similarly reduced when consortia included TIGR4, TIGR4Δ luxS , or TIGR4Δ comC . Moreover, production of a different competence-stimulating peptide (CSP), CSP1 or CSP2, was not a factor that affected dominance. Finally, a mathematical model, confocal experiments, and experiments using Transwell devices demonstrated physical contact-mediated control of pneumococcal density within biofilm consortia. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus pneumoniae kills nearly half a million children every year, but it also produces nasopharyngeal biofilm consortia in a proportion of asymptomatic children, and these biofilms often contain two strains (i.e., serotypes). In our study, we investigated how strains coexist within pneumococcal consortia produced by vaccine serotypes S4, S6B, S19F, and S23F. Whereas S6B and S23F shared the biofilm consortium, our studies demonstrated reduction of the relative density of S19F strains, to ∼10% of what it would otherwise be if alone, in consortial biofilms formed with S4, S6B, or S23F. This dominance was not related to increased fitness when competing for nutrients, nor was it regulated by quorum-sensing LuxS/AI-2 or Com systems. It was demonstrated, however, to be enhanced by physical contact rather than by a product(s) secreted into the supernatant, as would naturally occur in the semidry nasopharyngeal environment. Competitive interactions within pneumococcal biofilm consortia regulate nasopharyngeal density, a risk factor for pneumococcal disease.
- Published
- 2017
78. Diversity and host specificity of Psylloidea (Hemiptera) inhabiting box mistletoe,Amyema miquelii(Loranthaceae) and three of its hostEucalyptusspecies
- Author
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Saul A. Cunningham, David M. Watson, Anna E. Burns, and Gary S. Taylor
- Subjects
Ecology ,biology ,Host (biology) ,Parasitic plant ,Species diversity ,Psylloidea ,Amyema miquelii ,biology.organism_classification ,Eucalyptus blakelyi ,Eucalyptus ,Insect Science ,Botany ,Eucalyptus melliodora ,Agronomy and Crop Science ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
This study is the first direct comparison of the diversity of phytophagous insects associated with a parasitic plant and its host plants. Specifically, we compared the species composition, density and host specificity of psylloids or jumping plant lice (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), inhabiting hemiparasitic box mistletoe Amyema miquelii, and three of its host Eucalyptus species: Eucalyptus blakelyi, Eucalyptus melliodora and Euca- lyptus polyanthemos. Insects were sampled by restricted canopy fogging in remnant Eucalyptus woodlands in an agricultural region of temperate south-eastern Australia. Although most psylloids are understood to be mono- or oligophagous, most species in our survey were found on the foliage of both mistletoes and eucalypts. Nevertheless, analysis of density patterns and reference to previous work on psylloids supports the high degree of host specificity for psylloids, leading to distinct assemblages on these two intimately associated plants. We show that (1) there were two mistletoe-associated species of psylloid and 18 eucalypt- associated species; (2) there were a large number of tourist species, as indicated by known psylloid/plant host associations; and (3) psylloid density was higher on eucalypt than mistletoe leaves. The different psylloid assemblages found on box mistletoes compared with their host plants are likely to be due to differences in the foliar properties implicated in host specificity and host selection by phytophagous insects. Further research is required to understand the ecological dynamics and evolutionary origins of these arbo- real assemblages.
- Published
- 2014
79. Nutritional composition of the preferred prey of insectivorous birds: popularity reflects quality
- Author
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Emma Razeng and David M. Watson
- Subjects
Lepidoptera genitalia ,Habitat fragmentation ,biology ,Habitat ,Ecology ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Insectivore ,Hymenoptera ,Arthropod ,Odonata ,biology.organism_classification ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Predation - Abstract
Food availability is emerging as a key determinant of avian occurrence and habitat use in a variety of systems, but insectivores have received less attention than other groups and the potential influence of nutritional quality has rarely been considered. Rather than a uniform food source, arthropods vary greatly in terms of nutritional composition, but does this variation translate into differential consumption? Building on previous work that demonstrated clear preference for some arthropod groups by 13 species of ground-foraging insectivores, we compare the nutritional composition of these arthropod groups with other groups commonly encountered but seldom consumed in the same habitat types. Using samples of arthropods collected from a eucalypt woodland in southern Australia, we found the high frequency prey groups (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Araneae) consistently contained higher fractions of crude protein and total fat than the low frequency groups (Diptera, Hymenoptera and Odonata). Even more clear-cut differences were noted in terms of micronutrients; high frequency prey containing significantly greater concentrations of seven elements than low frequency prey and significantly greater amounts per individual arthropod for all eleven elements measured. These results indicate that the nutritional quality plays an important role in prey selection in insectivores and suggests that micronutrients may be more important determinants of prey choice than previously recognized. Integrating these findings with previous work suggesting food limitation may constrain distribution patterns of birds in fragmented landscapes, we contend that variation in nutritional quality helps explain observed patterns in insectivore diets and occurrence. In addition to explaining why smaller and more disturbed habitats are unable to support resident insectivore populations, this bottom-up mechanism may underlie the disproportionate sensitivity of insectivores to land-use intensification.
- Published
- 2014
80. Effects of landscape composition and connectivity on the distribution of an endangered parrot in agricultural landscapes
- Author
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Gary W. Luck, Peter G. Spooner, Simon J. Watson, and David M. Watson
- Subjects
Habitat fragmentation ,Ecology ,biology ,Agroforestry ,Geography, Planning and Development ,Endangered species ,Vegetation ,Woodland ,Eucalyptus largiflorens ,biology.organism_classification ,Geography ,Habitat ,Polytelis anthopeplus ,Landscape ecology ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The extent and connectivity of individual habitat types strongly affects the distribution and abundance of organisms. However, little is known of how the level of connectivity and the interactions between different habitat types influences the distribution of species. Here, we used the geographically restricted and endangered regent parrot Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides as a case study to examine the importance of composition and connectivity between different elements in 39 complex landscape mosaics (each 10 km radius). We compiled a database of 674 regent parrot nesting records, regional vegetation maps and measures of multipath connectivity between core vegetation types under different scenarios of resistance to movement provided by landscape elements. The occurrence of regent parrot nests was strongly affected by landscape composition, being positively related to the extent Eucalyptus camaldulensis riverine forest, but negatively related to the extent of semi-arid woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus largiflorens. Connectivity between E. camaldulensis forest (principal nesting habitat) and mallee (preferred feeding habitat) was a strong predictor of nest locations. Our study shows that the suitability of fragmented agricultural landscapes for supporting species can be greatly affected by connectivity and interactions between preferred and non-preferred habitats. For species that require complementary habitats such as the regent parrot, conservation management activities may be ineffective if they simply focus on a single core habitat type or the impacts of human land uses without regard to the interrelationships among landscape elements. While increasing the amount of primary preferred habitat should remain a cornerstone goal, increasing the extent and improving connectivity with alternative landscape elements also should be priority management objectives.
- Published
- 2014
81. Land-use change: incorporating the frequency, sequence, time span, and magnitude of changes into ecological research
- Author
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Gary W. Luck, David M. Watson, Peter G. Spooner, and Simon J. Watson
- Subjects
Complex dynamics ,Geography ,Ecology ,Habitat ,Deforestation ,Magnitude (mathematics) ,Land use, land-use change and forestry ,Ecosystem ,Generalist and specialist species ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Global biodiversity - Abstract
The frequency and extent of human-induced land-cover changes is escalating worldwide. Recurrent turnover of land-cover types will affect ecosystems over and above major, one-time changes (eg deforestation). Here, we show how a deeper appreciation of the temporal dynamics of land-cover change is needed to understand its effects on ecosystems. We distinguish between four key components of land-change regimes: (1) frequency of land-cover changes over a period of time, (2) the sequence of land-cover types, (3) the time span over which each land-cover type extends, and (4) the magnitude of difference between land-cover types. We synthesize the impacts of these four components on ecological communities, showing that frequent land-cover changes are likely to favor species that are habitat and dietary generalists. Greater attention to the complex dynamics of land-cover changes is critical for a better understanding of the future impacts that human-generated land-use changes will have on global biodiversity.
- Published
- 2014
82. Interactions between almond plantations and native ecosystems: Lessons learned from north-western Victoria
- Author
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Manu E. Saunders, Peter G. Spooner, David M. Watson, Gary W. Luck, and Simon J. Watson
- Subjects
Habitat ,Agroforestry ,Ecology ,Fauna ,Agricultural ecosystems ,Threatened species ,Ecosystem ,Vegetation ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Ecosystem services - Abstract
Five years of research on interrelationships between fauna use of almond plantations and native vegetation in north-western Victoria shows that almond plantations have a strong influence on fauna dynamics and in some cases may provide important habitat for threatened species.
- Published
- 2014
83. Patterns of response to scrambled scenes reveal the importance of visual properties in the organization of scene-selective cortex
- Author
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Tom Hartley, David M. Watson, and Timothy J. Andrews
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,genetic structures ,Cognitive Neuroscience ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,Hippocampus ,050105 experimental psychology ,Scrambling ,03 medical and health sciences ,Young Adult ,0302 clinical medicine ,Neuroimaging ,Perception ,Cortex (anatomy) ,medicine ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,media_common ,Categorical perception ,Communication ,Brain Mapping ,business.industry ,05 social sciences ,Human brain ,Magnetic Resonance Imaging ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Variation (linguistics) ,Pattern Recognition, Visual ,Female ,Occipital Lobe ,Psychology ,business ,psychological phenomena and processes ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Photic Stimulation ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have found distinct patterns of neural response to different categories of scene in scene-selective regions of the human brain. However, it is not clear how information about scene category is represented in these regions. Images from different categories vary systematically in their visual properties as well as their semantic category. So, it is possible that patterns of neural response could reflect variation in visual properties. To address this question, we used fMRI to measure patterns of neural response to intact and scrambled scene categories. Although scrambling preserved many of their visual characteristics, perception of scene categories was severely impaired. Nevertheless, we found distinct patterns of response to different scene categories in the parahippocampal place area (PPA) and the occipital place area (OPA) for both intact and scrambled scenes. Moreover, intact and scrambled scenes produced highly similar patterns of response. Our finding that reliable and distinct patterns of response in scene-selective regions are still evident when categorical perception is impaired suggests that visual properties play an important role in the topographic organization of these regions.
- Published
- 2016
84. Camera trapping and transect counts yield complementary insights into an endangered island endemic rail
- Author
-
Trish Flores, David M. Watson, Elizabeth Znidersic, John C. Z. Woinarski, and Ismail Macrae
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,education.field_of_study ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,Population ,Endangered species ,Atoll ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Population density ,010601 ecology ,Fishery ,Geography ,Minimum viable population ,Camera trap ,House mice ,Endemism ,education ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Island endemic species are disproportionately represented in the tally of global extinctions. The island endemic Cocos buff-banded rail (Hypotaenidia philippensis andrewsi) is classified under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) as Endangered. It is restricted to the remote Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean where, until 2013, only the island Pulu Keeling supported a population of this species, following earlier extirpations of the bird from islands in the southern atoll. To establish a second viable population to mitigate against potential extinction of this subspecies, 39 rails were reintroduced from Pulu Keeling to Horsburgh Island in April 2013. As a component of post-translocation monitoring, we conducted intensive camera trapping from 29 May 2015 to 30 June 2016 (397 calendar days) to investigate recruitment success, behaviour and potential threats to the population. Biannual transect sampling to monitor and investigate long-term population density was also conducted. We found Cocos buff-banded rail persisting on Horsburgh Island with an increase in the founder population to 97 rails in February 2016. Ongoing recruitment with breeding activity on Horsburgh Island and the emigration of rails to nearby (2.5km) Direction Island is indicative of short-term success. Images from the camera traps have documented behaviours that have not previously been described for the species. House mice were also identified as a potential threat to the Horsburgh Island rail population. Island rail species have suffered a high rate of extinctions, and their conservation remains a formidable challenge, given the risks of continuing introductions of invasive mammalian predator species.
- Published
- 2019
85. Mistletoe specialist frugivores: latterday ‘Johnny Appleseeds’ or self-serving market gardeners?
- Author
-
John Rawsthorne and David M. Watson
- Subjects
Mutualism (biology) ,Ecology ,Seed dispersal ,Australia ,Biology ,Generalist and specialist species ,biology.organism_classification ,Mistletoe ,Birds ,Latin America ,Frugivore ,Propagule ,Fruit ,Seed Dispersal ,Viscum album ,Animals ,Biological dispersal ,Ecosystem ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Coevolution - Abstract
Many plants use birds to disperse their propagules, but mistletoes are especially reliant on their services. As aerial parasites, mistletoe seeds need to be deposited upon branches of suitable hosts, and mistletoe specialist frugivores (from eight different avian families) have long been regarded as their coevolved dispersers. Like the pioneer Johnny 'Appleseed' Chapman who established nurseries that helped open up land for settlement, these birds are considered benevolent dispersers of this keystone resource and often invoked as illustrative examples of mutualistic interactions. We have compared recent research on these specialists with studies of other birds with broader diets (generalists) which also disperse mistletoe seed. Rather than mutualists, we suggest that mistletoe specialist frugivores are better considered exploitative, with multiple lineages evolving independently to capitalize on this reliable, nutritious resource. Although mistletoe specialist frugivores are quantitatively important seed dispersers in some regions, their specialized diet restricts them to areas with high mistletoe densities, resulting in contagious dispersal patterns. By intensifying existing infections, mistletoe specialist frugivores increase their own medium-term food security-akin to market gardeners profiting from intensive cultivation. Exploring the ecological and evolutionary implications of this proposition, we evaluate the consequences of different dispersal patterns on mistletoe fitness and highlight the neglected role of dietary generalists in the stabilization of plant-animal interactions.
- Published
- 2013
86. Reduced rainfall explains avian declines in an unfragmented landscape: incremental steps toward an empty forest?
- Author
-
David M. Watson and Helen C. Stevens
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Habitat fragmentation ,Gerygone ,Pachycephala rufiventris ,biology ,Ecology ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010605 ornithology ,Habitat destruction ,Common species ,Abundance (ecology) ,Grey fantail ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Extinction debt - Abstract
Declines of formerly widespread bird species are being increasingly reported, with habitat loss, agricultural intensification and reduced rainfall frequently implicated. We report on temporal changes in the occurrence of birds over 21 years within continuous forest in the Warrumbungle Mountains to evaluate the influence of rainfall variability on changes in the abundance of birds and species occurence. During this period, six common insectivores declined significantly (Superb Fairy-wren, Malurus cyaneus; White-throated Gerygone, Gerygone albogularis; Grey Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla harmonica; Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris; Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa; Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis). Rainfall significantly predicted the abundance of 13 of the 25 most common species, with the rainfall period of both July–December of the previous year and the combined effects of six years of January–June rainfall correlated with changes in the abundance of birds. Prolonged drought has likely driven food shortages (especially of litter-dwelling arthropods), with changes in avian community composition reflecting changes in food availability. Thus, avian declines in southern Australia may reflect the combined effects of habitat fragmentation and other landscape-scale changes in concert with larger-scale ecological processes driven by decreased rainfall. Improved linkages between forested and agricultural landscapes at the regional scale are needed to buffer against local fluctuations in resources.
- Published
- 2013
87. Trapped between popular fruit and preferred nest location – cafeterias are poor places to raise a family
- Author
-
Laurence P. Barea and David M. Watson
- Subjects
Frugivore ,biology ,Nest ,Habitat ,Ecology ,Painted honeyeater ,Amyema quandang ,biology.organism_classification ,Ecological trap ,Nest box ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Predation - Abstract
Summary Nest-site location is a critical component of habitat preference in birds, reflecting a balance between minimizing the likelihood of nest predation while maximizing access to nutritional resources. While many studies have demonstrated the influence of predators in nest-site selection, few studies have explicitly quantified nutritional resources or considered the interacting effects of predation and food availability in determining nest survival. The painted honeyeater Grantiella picta is a mistletoe-specialist frugivore, with fruit from grey mistletoe Amyema quandang representing the main food source for breeding adults and nestlings. Previous work demonstrated that painted honeyeaters prefer to place their nests within mistletoe substrates. Here, we measured the outcome of 63 nests over two years, relating survival to various structural and resource-based variables to discern whether nests placed in mistletoes were more likely to succeed. Twenty-one nests survived the 33 day nest period, with 35 of the 42 failed nests predated. While few significant differences were discerned between successful and unsuccessful nests in terms of nest tree or surrounding habitat, nest substrate emerged as the most important predictor of nest fate. Survival of nests in mistletoe was 16·6% across a 33 day active nest period compared with a mean of 43·1% for nests in other substrates, a difference consistent across both years. Rather than having a positive effect on nest outcome (via access to nutritional resources), proximity to mistletoe had a marked negative effect, with nests in mistletoe suffering a predation rate 2·6 times higher than nests elsewhere. Rather than predators targeting mistletoe clumps, we suggest that this pattern arises from other species visiting fruiting mistletoe clumps, opportunistically predating the nest contents and disturbing attending parents. We interpret this finding as evidence that the painted honeyeater may be caught in an ecological trap; the cues used to select nesting locations are a poor predictor of success.
- Published
- 2013
88. Novel application of species richness estimators to predict the host range of parasites
- Author
-
Kirsty V. Milner, David M. Watson, and Andrea Leigh
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Mycology & Parasitology ,Generalist and specialist species ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Host Specificity ,Trees ,Host-Parasite Interactions ,Species Specificity ,Abundance (ecology) ,Animals ,Parasites ,Plant Diseases ,Amyema ,biology ,Ecology ,Host (biology) ,Australia ,Sampling (statistics) ,Amyema quandang ,Biodiversity ,Plants ,biology.organism_classification ,Mistletoe ,Infectious Diseases ,Herbarium ,Parasitology ,Species richness ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
© 2016 Australian Society for Parasitology Host range is a critical life history trait of parasites, influencing prevalence, virulence and ultimately determining their distributional extent. Current approaches to measure host range are sensitive to sampling effort, the number of known hosts increasing with more records. Here, we develop a novel application of results-based stopping rules to determine how many hosts should be sampled to yield stable estimates of the number of primary hosts within regions, then use species richness estimation to predict host ranges of parasites across their distributional ranges. We selected three mistletoe species (hemiparasitic plants in the Loranthaceae) to evaluate our approach: a strict host specialist (Amyema lucasii, dependent on a single host species), an intermediate species (Amyema quandang, dependent on hosts in one genus) and a generalist (Lysiana exocarpi, dependent on many genera across multiple families), comparing results from geographically-stratified surveys against known host lists derived from herbarium specimens. The results-based stopping rule (stop sampling bioregion once observed host richness exceeds 80% of the host richness predicted using the Abundance-based Coverage Estimator) worked well for most bioregions studied, being satisfied after three to six sampling plots (each representing 25 host trees) but was unreliable in those bioregions with high host richness or high proportions of rare hosts. Although generating stable predictions of host range with minimal variation among six estimators trialled, distribution-wide estimates fell well short of the number of hosts known from herbarium records. This mismatch, coupled with the discovery of nine previously unrecorded mistletoe-host combinations, further demonstrates the limited ecological relevance of simple host-parasite lists. By collecting estimates of host range of constrained completeness, our approach maximises sampling efficiency while generating comparable estimates of the number of primary hosts, with broad applicability to many host-parasite systems.
- Published
- 2016
89. Calls from the Wild
- Author
-
Margot Brereton, Jessica L. Cappadonna, Paul Roe, and David M. Watson
- Subjects
Engineering ,business.industry ,05 social sciences ,Internet privacy ,Wildlife ,020207 software engineering ,02 engineering and technology ,Social engagement ,Crowdsourcing ,Public participation ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Citizen science ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Identification (biology) ,Artificial intelligence ,User interface ,Natural sounds ,business ,050107 human factors - Abstract
Sound allows people to intimately relate to nature. When people search for wildlife they often rely on their expert knowledge to recognise animal calls. The process of learning these calls involves social engagement and repeated identification in situ. Rare, cryptic, and migratory animals, however, are difficult to hear when people are only at a given location for minutes or hours. This makes many species difficult to study on a large scale, further confounded because human presence may disturb individual animals and reduce their likelihood of detection.Acoustic monitoring has great potential to engage people with animal calls. It can reveal hidden subtleties of animal lives and allow the health of populations to be monitored over long periods. Here, we explore new ways to engage people with natural sounds. We begin with an exploration of the artefacts and practices of birdwatchers, and then online citizen scientists (voluntary contributors to scientific research). Next, we consider how these practices can extend to design novel, interactive user interfaces for people to listen to calls from the wild and make ecological discoveries. \
- Published
- 2016
90. Fleshing out facilitation - reframing interaction networks beyond top-down versus bottom-up
- Author
-
David M. Watson
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Tropical Climate ,Physiology ,Ecology ,Insectivore ,Context (language use) ,Plant Science ,Cognitive reframing ,Biology ,Forests ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Predation ,Mistletoe ,Nutrient ,Pollinator ,Facilitation ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,010606 plant biology & botany ,Woody plant - Abstract
'Summary' 803 I. 'Introduction' 803 II. 'Case study 1 – Mediterranean pine forest' 804 III. 'Case study 2 – semi-arid tropical savannah' 804 IV. 'Mistletoes as facilitators – top-down, bottom-up or both?' 805 V. 'Beyond parasitic plants – do animals drive facilitation cascades?' 805 VI. 'Conclusions' 806 References 807 Summary Rather than direct plant–plant interactions, research on the community-scale influence of mistletoes reveals hitherto unappreciated roles of animals in mediating facilitation. Lacking roots and reliant upon animal vectors, mistletoes represent model systems with which to understand mechanisms underlying interaction networks. In addition to direct effects on nutrient dynamics via enriched litter-fall, mistletoes are visited by pollinators, seed dispersers and natural enemies, complementing increased heterogeneity in nutrient returns reallocated from infected hosts with increased external inputs. These amplified bottom-up effects are coupled with top-down influences of insectivores attracted to infected hosts and stands by increased availability of favoured prey. Simultaneously influencing nutrient dynamics and plant–plant interactions from below and above, visiting animals help explain variation in the context dependence of facilitation.
- Published
- 2016
91. The Relative Contribution of Specialists and Generalists to Mistletoe Dispersal: Insights from a Neotropical Rain Forest
- Author
-
David M. Watson
- Subjects
Frugivore ,Habitat ,Ecology ,Seed dispersal ,Biological dispersal ,Rainforest ,Understory ,Loranthaceae ,Biology ,Generalist and specialist species ,biology.organism_classification ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Mistletoes rely on birds for seed dispersal, but the presumed importance of mistletoe-specialist frugivores has not been critically examined nor compared with generalist frugivores and opportunistic foragers. The contribution of these three groups was compared directly by quantifying bird visitation to fruiting mistletoe plants ( Oryctanthus occidentalis: Loranthaceae) at Barro Colorado Island, Panama, and by comparing these results with proportions calculated from other empirical studies of mistletoe visitation conducted elsewhere. After more than 100 h of timed watches, 23 bird species were recorded visiting eight heavily infected host trees ( Luehea seemannii: Tiliaceae). Eight of these species visited mistletoe, of which five (all tyrannids) consumed mistletoe fruit. Although two mistletoe specialist frugivores ( Tyrannulus elatus and Zimmerius vilissimus) removed most fruit (73%), more than a quarter was consumed by one generalist frugivore ( Mionectes oleagineus) and two opportunists ( Myiozetetes cayanensis and Myiozetetes similis). Post consumption behaviour varied: the specialists flew from mistletoe to mistletoe, the generalist rested in the subcanopy and understory, and the opportunists spent most time hawking insects and resting high in the canopy. Integrating these data with previous work, the dietary specialization, short gut passage rate and strict habitat preferences of mistletoe specialists suggests that their services relate primarily to intensification and contagious dispersal, while species with broader diets are more likely to visit uninfected trees and establish new infections. The presumed importance of mistletoe-specialist frugivores was not supported and mistletoes are considered to be comparable to many other bird-dispersed plants, relying on both specialist and generalist frugivores, while opportunists may be disproportionately important in long-distance dispersal.
- Published
- 2012
92. Structured elicitation of expert judgments for threatened species assessment: a case study on a continental scale using email
- Author
-
Marissa F. McBride, Stuart H. M. Butchart, David M. Watson, Richard H. Loyn, Guy Dutson, Mark A. Burgman, Hugh Ford, Stephen T. Garnett, Judit K. Szabo, Allan H. Burbidge, and Leslie Christidis
- Subjects
Ecological Modeling ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Delphi method ,Expert elicitation ,Ambiguity ,Group decision-making ,Taxon ,Complete information ,Statistics ,Credibility ,Psychology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,media_common ,Overconfidence effect - Abstract
Summary 1. Expert knowledge is used routinely to inform listing decisions under the IUCN Red List criteria. Differences in opinion arise between experts in the presence of epistemic uncertainty, as a result of different interpretations of incomplete information and differences in individual beliefs, values and experiences. Structured expert elicitation aims to anticipate and account for such differences to increase the accuracy of final estimates. 2. A diverse panel of 16 experts independently evaluated up to 125 parameters per taxon to assess the IUCN Red List category of extinction risk for nine Australian bird taxa. Each panellist was provided with the same baseline data. Additional judgments and advice were sought from taxon specialists outside the panel. One question set elicited lowest and highest plausible estimates, best estimates and probabilities that the true values were contained within the upper and lower bounds. A second question set elicited yes ⁄ no answers and a degree of credibility in the answer provided. 3. Once initial estimates were obtained, all panellists were shown each others’ values. They discussed differences and reassessed their original values. Most communication was carried out by email. 4. The process took nearly 6 months overall to complete, and required an average of 1 h and up to 13 h per taxon for a panellist to complete the initial assessment. 5. Panellists were mostly in agreement with one another about IUCN categorisations for each taxon. Where they differed, there was some evidence of convergence in the second round of assessments, although there was persistent non-overlap for about 2% of estimates. The method exposed evidence of common subjective biases including overconfidence, anchoring to available data, definitional ambiguity and the conceptual difficulty of estimating percentages rather than natural numbers. 6. This study demonstrates the value of structured elicitation techniques to identify and to reduce potential sources of bias and error among experts. The formal nature of the process meant that the consensus position reached carried greater weight in subsequent deliberations on status. The structured process is worthwhile for high profile or contentious taxa, but may be too time intensive for less divisive cases.
- Published
- 2012
93. What do declining woodland birds eat? A synthesis of dietary records
- Author
-
Emma Razeng and David M. Watson
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Habitat fragmentation ,Ecology ,Insectivore ,Woodland ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010605 ornithology ,Predation ,Habitat ,Abundance (ecology) ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Conservation biology ,Ornithology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Ground-foraging insectivores are prominent among the 26 species considered ‘declining woodland birds’ in southern Australia but the mechanisms driving their declines remain elusive. Nutritional factors may be critical, with larger and more structurally complex woodlands supporting greater arthropod biomass, but these differences need not translate into more arthropods actually consumed by these insectivores. We synthesised existing dietary records of a subset of the 26 declining woodland birds – 13 ground-foraging insectivorous passerines – to determine the range of arthropods consumed and to estimate the relative importance of each prey group for these birds. Declining insectivores consumed a wide array of arthropods, but diets were characteristically dominated by one or two prey groups: Coleoptera, Formicidae and Lepidoptera accounted for 58% of prey records. Coleoptera contributed the greatest proportion of records (27%) and was the dominant prey group in the diets of nine of the 13 birds. These popular prey groups likely represent core resources supporting populations of declining insectivores and measurement of their abundance may provide meaningful estimates of the availability of prey. We highlight the need to quantify the size-range and identity of those prey eaten by declining woodland birds, and propose that reliance on a small number of prey groups may underlie the sensitivity of ground-foraging insectivores to modification of habitat.
- Published
- 2012
94. The restricted seed rain of a mistletoe specialist
- Author
-
John Rawsthorne, David M. Watson, and David A. Roshier
- Subjects
Frugivore ,Santalales ,Habitat ,biology ,Host (biology) ,Ecology ,Biological dispersal ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Loranthaceae ,Generalist and specialist species ,biology.organism_classification ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Dicaeum hirundinaceum - Abstract
Specialist frugivores are the dominant consumers of mistletoe fruit in many regions and have been shown to intensify infections of host plants as a result of their rapid gut passage rates and dependence on existing infections. The role of specialist frugivores in long distance dispersal of mistletoe and establishment of new infections is unclear, and has not been explicitly evaluated previously. Here we critically examine the premise that specialists are the dominant dispersers by examining the role of an Australian mistletoe specialist (mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum Dicaeidae) in dispersing mistletoe (Amyema preissii Santalales: Loranthaceae) seeds beyond infected host stands. We use two primary lines of evidence - presence of birds using remote call recorders, and presence of dispersed seeds via surveys for defecated seeds on host branches. The observed and inferred movements of the mistletoebird were wholly restricted to habitat patches containing mistletoe, and this bird was not observed to transport seeds to nearby uninfected host stands within the study system. While mistletoe specialists may provide much of the within-stand dispersal service for mistletoes, this serves only to aggregate and intensify existing infections. We suggest that long distance dispersal of mistletoe seeds beyond existing hosts and infection centres is not performed by these dietary specialists, these services more likely to be provided by generalist frugivores and other occasional mistletoe fruit consumers.
- Published
- 2012
95. Hopeful Monsters—In Defense of Quests to Rediscover Long‐Lost Species
- Author
-
Robert A. Davis and David M. Watson
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,False hope ,lcsh:QH1-199.5 ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Population ,Biodiversity ,lcsh:General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,biology.animal ,Flagship species ,Relevance (law) ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,media_common ,education.field_of_study ,Extinction ,Ecology ,biology ,extinction ,Environmental ethics ,Snipe ,030104 developmental biology ,Lazarus species ,flagship species ,Diversity (politics) ,engagement - Abstract
Wild goose chase, snipe hunt, fool's errand—these retorts typify responses of many biologists to news that someone is searching for a species considered extinct. Although these ventures can damage reputations and may offer false hope regarding the finality of extinction, genuine conservation gains often result, even for those quests that prove unsuccessful. As well as enhanced protection for regions where rediscovered species persist and new information of direct management relevance for co-occurring species, well-planned searches for long-lost species represent valuable engagement opportunities to raise awareness in the wider community about biodiversity conservation and science generally. Indeed, we suggest that “Lazarus species” (organisms rediscovered having been presumed extinct, after Dawson et al. 2006) provide beacons of hope in an increasingly desperate scramble to conserve species, shining a light on dark diversity and reminding us that population trajectories can have exceedingly long tails. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
- Published
- 2017
96. Hemiparasitic shrubs increase resource availability and multi-trophic diversity of eucalypt forest birds
- Author
-
David M. Watson, Hugh W. McGregor, and Peter G. Spooner
- Subjects
Biomass (ecology) ,Acacia dealbata ,Ecology ,ved/biology ,ved/biology.organism_classification_rank.species ,Species diversity ,Understory ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Shrub ,Spatial heterogeneity ,Species richness ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Woody plant - Abstract
Summary 1. Parasitic plants are components of many habitats and have pronounced effects on animal diversity; shaping distributions, influencing movement patterns and boosting species richness. Many of these plants provide fleshy fruit, nectar, foliar arthropods and secure nest sites, but the relative influence of these nutritional and structural resources on faunal species richness and community structure remains unclear. 2. To disentangle these factors and quantify the resources provided by parasitic plants, we focused on the hemiparasitic shrub Exocarpos strictus (Santalaceae). Twenty-eight Eucalyptus camaldulensis forest plots were studied in the Gunbower-Koondrook forest in southeastern Australia, comparing riparian forests with an Exocarpos-dominated understorey with otherwise similar habitats with or without equivalent cover of the non-parasitic Acacia dealbata. Analyses of avian richness and incidence (overall and in six feeding guilds) were complemented by explicit measures of resources in both shrub types; foliage density, standing crop of fleshy fruit and foliar arthropod abundance and biomass. 3. Avian species richness was c. 50% greater and total incidences for five guilds were significantly greater in forests with the parasitic shrub, with no appreciable differences between the other two habitat types. In addition to plentiful fleshy fruits, Exocarpos supported abundant arthropods in their foliage – significantly higher in biomass than for equivalent volumes of Acacia foliage. Exocarpos had a shorter and denser structure, providing a greater range of microhabitats than the more open growing Acacia. 4. Our results demonstrate that structural and nutritional resources (both direct and indirect) provided by Exocarpos affect diversity and community composition, with each set of resources affecting different organismal groups. Rather than an exceptional system or an aberrant result, we suggest the influence of Exocarpos on species richness relates to their parasitic habit, supporting the hypothesis that parasitic plants mobilize resources from their hosts and make them available to a range of trophic levels.
- Published
- 2011
97. A productivity-based explanation for woodland bird declines: poorer soils yield less food
- Author
-
David M. Watson
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Habitat fragmentation ,Ecology ,fungi ,Woodland ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Decomposer ,010605 ornithology ,Plant ecology ,Productivity (ecology) ,Habitat ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Conservation biology ,Overgrazing ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The decline of woodland birds in southern Australia has motivated considerable research, identifying which species, habitats and regions are most affected, but the mechanisms driving these declines remain unclear. Applying findings from plant ecology, hydrology and soil science, I evaluate how availability of water and nutrients has been altered by agricultural development and how those changes have affected woodland food webs. Selective clearing of woodlands on fertile soils and overgrazing of remaining native vegetation have lowered productivity, whereas the storage of water has shifted from within the soil to surface reservoirs. I suggest that these changes have had a profound impact on below-ground decomposer communities, leading to fewer ground-dwelling invertebrate prey and reduced insectivore numbers. This productivity-based hypothesis is congruent with many previous findings, explaining the susceptibility of ground-foraging insectivores to changing land-use (via nutritional limitation), the sensitivity of southern woodlands (via summer drought stress), and the decreased resilience of eucalypt woodlands (via lower litter-fall and greater sensitivity to eutrophication). I detail six testable predictions extending beyond birds to microbial communities, plants, and other woodland-dependent animals. Finally, I explore the implications of this hypothesis, highlighting the value of remnant habitat on productive land to the long-term persistence of woodland bird populations.
- Published
- 2011
98. Declining woodland birds—is our science making a difference?
- Author
-
Andrew F. Bennett and David M. Watson
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Ecology ,Woodland ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010605 ornithology ,Ecosystem services ,Abundance (ecology) ,Threatened species ,IUCN Red List ,Conservation status ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Conservation biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Global biodiversity - Abstract
Recent data from the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature show that 1240 of the world’s estimated 10 027 species of birds (12.4%) are listed as threatened (Hoffmann et al. 2010). Globally, many more are ‘declining’ in conservation status. In Europe, much attention has been given to the marked decline in the abundance and distributional extent of farmland birds associated with the intensification of agricultural production (Fuller et al. 1995; Donald et al. 2001). Recent analyses suggest woodland species alsomaynowbe experiencing significant declines (e.g. Hewson et al. 2007). In the Americas, the declining status of neotropical migrants has motivated considerable research over the last 30 years (e.g. Terborgh 1989; Robinson and Wilcove 1994). In the tropics, narrowly endemic land birds have been identified as those species most at risk of decline globally in coming decades owing to projected changes in land-use (Jetz et al. 2007). Particular taxonomic groups also are experiencing marked declines. Migratory shorebirds, for example, which depend on key stop-over sites for refuelling during intercontinental migration, are particularly vulnerable to the degradation and destruction of these sites (Barter 2002; Rogers et al. 2010). Such widespread change among the world’s avifauna has profound implications for global biodiversity, ecosystem function and the provision of ecosystem services (Sekercioglu 2006).
- Published
- 2011
99. The contribution of mistletoes to nutrient returns: Evidence for a critical role in nutrient cycling
- Author
-
David M. Watson and Wendy A. March
- Subjects
Nutrient cycle ,Nutrient ,Ecology ,biology ,Boreal ,Host (biology) ,Ecosystem ,Plant litter ,biology.organism_classification ,Amyema miquelii ,Eucalyptus blakelyi ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Both nutrient cycling and nutrient relationships between mistletoe and host have been widely studied; yet it is unclear whether high nutrient concentrations commonly found in mistletoes affect rates of nutrient cycling. To address this question, we assessed 13 elements in the leaf litter of a temperate eucalypt forest in southern New South Wales, comparing concentrations from trees (Eucalyptus blakelyi, E. dwyeri, and E. dealbata) with and without the hemiparasitic mistletoe Amyema miquelii. Results were in accord with previous research on fresh leaves showing that concentrations of many elements were higher in the mistletoe than the host. This was not the case for all elements; most notably for N, where concentrations were significantly lower in the mistletoe. However, the return of all elements increased with mistletoe infection because of the combined effect of enrichment in mistletoe tissues and high rates of mistletoe litterfall. Annual returns of N and P in leaf litter increased by a factor of 1.65 and 3 respectively, with the greatest increase being for K by a factor of 43 in spring. These increased element returns were not significantly influenced by any changes in host leaf litter quality, as mistletoe infection was not found to affect host element concentrations. Mistletoe infection also altered the spatial and temporal distribution of element returns because of the patchy occurrence of mistletoes and extended period of mistletoe litterfall compared with the host. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the role of mistletoes as a keystone resource and, together with comparable results from root-parasitic plants in boreal tundra and cool-temperate grasslands, suggest that enhancing nutrient return rates may be a generalized property of parasitic plants.
- Published
- 2010
100. Optimizing inventories of diverse sites: insights from Barro Colorado Island birds
- Author
-
David M. Watson
- Subjects
Maximum efficiency ,Ecology ,Ecological Modeling ,Statistics ,Stopping rule ,Targeted sampling ,Stopping rules ,Rainforest ,Species richness ,Biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Predictive methods - Abstract
Summary 1. Diverse sites have long-attracted ecologists, yet the overwhelming variety of species can confound attempts to enumerate species richness. Various predictive methods estimate species richness by comparing the rate at which species are first detected with the rate at which they are detected again, yielding richness estimates of known precision without exhaustive sampling. 2. While frequently used for arthropods, predictive methods are rarely applied to vertebrate surveys where species identity is often a priority. Expressing observed richness as a function of estimated richness, an estimate of survey completeness can be derived, offering the potential for inventories of standardized precision for comparison and further analysis. 3. To realize this potential, I conducted 402 h of bird surveys on Barro Colorado Island (Panama) and performed a series of retrospective analyses to address three questions: (i) How much effort is required to achieve complete inventories (maximum completeness)? (ii) What is the least amount of effort required to yield robust richness estimates (maximum efficiency)? and (iii) How much effort is required to optimize sampling, balancing completeness and efficiency? 4. Whereas the richness estimate for all species required thirty 6-h samples to attain maximum completeness, once migrants, waterbirds and non-forest-dependent species were excluded, the richness of forest-dependent residents could be estimated to the same precision with fifteen samples and to 80% completeness with four samples. 5. Of the 186 bird species detected, 70 represented unique or duplicate records, seen in only one or two sampling periods. These low detectability species were dominated by migrants (28) and raptors (14) and also included seven waterbirds, five nocturnal species and four aerial foragers, justifying the widespread practice of excluding these groups from surveys of forest assemblages. 6. In addition to demonstrating the reliability of predictive approaches, this study demonstrates the practicality of results-based stopping rules for sampling diverse sites, especially for targeted groups of species. Combining predictive methods with targeted sampling represents an efficient and rigorous design, increasing the number of sites that can be sampled and enhancing the overall power and value of the study.
- Published
- 2010
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