Search

Understanding and managing the response of marine ecosystems to human pressures including climate change requires reliable large-scale and multi-decadal information on the state of key populations. These populations include the pelagic animals that support ecosystem services including carbon export and fisheries. The use of research vessels to collect information using scientific nets and acoustics is being replaced with technologies such as autonomous moorings, gliders, and meta-genetics. Paradoxically, these newer methods sample pelagic populations at ever-smaller spatial scales, and ecological change might go undetected in the time needed to build up large-scale, long time series. These global-scale issues are epitomised by Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), which is concentrated in rapidly warming areas, exports substantial quantities of carbon and supports an expanding fishery, but opinion is divided on how resilient their stocks are to climatic change. Based on a workshop of 137 krill experts we identify the challenges of observing climate change impacts with shifting sampling methods and suggest three tractable solutions. These are to: improve overlap and calibration of new with traditional methods; improve communication to harmonise, link and scale up the capacity of new but localised sampling programs; and expand opportunities from other research platforms and data sources, including the fishing industry. Contrasting evidence for both change and stability in krill stocks illustrates how the risks of false negative and false positive diagnoses of change are related to the temporal and spatial scale of sampling. Given the uncertainty about how krill are responding to rapid warming we recommend a shift towards a fishery management approach that prioritises monitoring of stock status and can adapt to variability and change.

This document features a lesson plan that examines how maps help scientists protect biodiversity and how plants and animals are adapted to specific ecoregions by comparing biome, ecoregion, and habitat. Samples of instruction and assessment are included. (KHR)

This document features a lesson plan in which genetic traits are identified and classified using a genetic wheel by playing several different games that introduce genetic diversity and highlight why it is important within populations. Samples of instruction and assessment are included. (KHR)

This document features a lesson plan in which students work in teams to act out different ecosystem services, describe several free services that biodiversity provides to human, and explain how these services make life on earth possible. Samples of instruction and assessment are included. (KHR)

This guide is designed to provide ideas on how to integrate biodiversity into teaching at many levels in both formal and informal settings. These curriculum materials are part of the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) environmental education program called Windows on the Wild (WOW). WOW incorporates current data from projects around the world and draws on information from many organizations, agencies, businesses, and individuals whose work is directed at maintaining and enhancing Earth's biodiversity. Activities are grouped into four chapters: (1) What Is Biodiversity? (12 activities); (2) Why Is Biodiversity Important? (7 activities); (3) What's the Status of Biodiversity? (8 activities); and (4) How Can We Protect Biodiversity? (6 activities). The resources in this guide can be used to build a unit, course, or a year-long, interdisciplinary program. A supplemental student guide is also included. (WRM)

"Biodiversity" is the term used to describe the incredible variety of life on Earth, the wealth of habitats that house all the life forms, and the interconnections that tie everything together. This activity guide is designed to help teachers use the "Web of Life" video and to provide information and activities to expand on concepts introduced in the video. It contains a summary of each segment of the video along with key points and discussion questions for each one. The background information is divided into four major sections: "What Is Biodiversity?"; "Why Is Biodiversity Important?"; "Why Are We Losing Biodiversity?"; and "What Are We Doing about the Loss of Biodiversity?" Each background section is followed by two or three related activities. Each activity lists the materials needed and the video segments that complement the activity. The resource section contains a list of reference books, multimedia resources, and activity guides. (JRH)

Urbanisation and associated anthropogenic activities release large quantities of toxic metals and metalloids into the environment, where they may bioaccumulate and threaten both wildlife and human health. In highly transformed landscapes, terrestrial carnivores may be at increased risk of exposure through biomagnification. We quantified metallic element and metalloid exposure in blood of caracals (Caracal caracal), an adaptable felid inhabiting the rapidly urbanising, coastal metropole of Cape Town, South Africa. Using redundancy analysis and mixed-effect models, we explored the influence of demography, landscape use, and diet on the concentration of 11 metals and metalloids. Although species-specific toxic thresholds are lacking, arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) were present at potentially sublethal levels in several individuals. Increased use of human-transformed landscapes, particularly urban areas, roads, and vineyards, was significantly associated with increased exposure to aluminium (Al), cobalt (Co) and lead (Pb). Foraging closer to the coast and within aquatic food webs was associated with increased levels of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and arsenic, where regular predation on seabirds and waterbirds likely facilitates transfer of metals from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. Further, several elements were linked to lower haemoglobin levels (chromium, mercury, manganese, and zinc) and elevated levels of infection-fighting cells (mercury and selenium). Our results highlight the importance of anthropogenic activities as major environmental sources of metal contamination in terrestrial wildlife, including exposure across the land-ocean continuum. These findings contribute towards the growing evidence suggesting cities are particularly toxic areas for wildlife. Co-exposure to a suite of metal pollutants may threaten the long-term health and persistence of Cape Town's caracal population in unexpected ways, particularly when interacting with additional known pollutan

[Background]: ‘Megafire’ is an emerging concept commonly used to describe fires that are extreme in terms of size, behaviour, and/or impacts, but the term’s meaning remains ambiguous. [Approach]: We sought to resolve ambiguity surrounding the meaning of ‘megafire’ by conducting a structured review of the use and definition of the term in several languages in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. We collated definitions and descriptions of megafire and identified criteria frequently invoked to define megafire. We recorded the size and location of megafires and mapped them to reveal global variation in the size of fires described as megafires. [Results]: We identified 109 studies that define the term ‘megafire’ or identify a megafire, with the term first appearing in the peer-reviewed literature in 2005. Seventy-one (~65%) of these studies attempted to describe or define the term. There was considerable variability in the criteria used to define megafire, although definitions of megafire based on fire size were most common. Megafire size thresholds varied geographically from > 100–100,000 ha, with fires > 10,000 ha the most common size threshold (41%, 18/44 studies). Definitions of megafire were most common from studies led by authors from North America (52%, 37/71). We recorded 137 instances from 84 studies where fires were reported as megafires, the vast majority (94%, 129/137) of which exceed 10,000 ha in size. Megafires occurred in a range of biomes, but were most frequently described in forested biomes (112/137, 82%), and usually described single ignition fires (59% 81/137). [Conclusion]: As Earth’s climate and ecosystems change, it is important that scientists can communicate trends in the occurrence of larger and more extreme fires with clarity. To overcome ambiguity, we suggest a definition of megafire as fires > 10,000 ha arising from single or multiple related ignition events. We introduce two additional terms – gigafire (> 100,000 ha) and terafire (> 1,0

Wildlife around cities bioaccumulate multiple harmful environmental pollutants associated with human activities. Exposure severity can vary based on foraging behaviour and habitat use, which can be examined to elucidate exposure pathways. Carnivores can play vital roles in ecosystem stability but are particularly vulnerable to bioaccumulation of pollutants. Understanding the spatial and dietary predictors of these contaminants can inform pollutant control, and carnivores, at the top of food webs, can act as useful indicator species. We test for exposure to toxic organochlorines (OCs), including dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in a medium-sized felid, the caracal (Caracal caracal), across the peri-urban and agricultural landscapes of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. Concentrations in both blood (n = 69) and adipose tissue (n = 25) were analysed along with detailed spatial, dietary, demographic, and physiological data to assess OC sources and exposure risk. The analysis revealed widespread exposure of Cape Town's caracals to organochlorines: detection rate was 100% for PCBs and 83% for DDTs in blood, and 100% for both compounds in adipose. Caracals using human-transformed areas, such as vineyards and areas with higher human population and electrical transformer density, as well as wetland areas, had higher organochlorine burdens. These landscapes were also highly selected foraging areas, suggesting caracals are drawn into areas that co-incidentally increase their risk of exposure to these pollutants. Further, biomagnification potential was higher in individuals feeding on higher trophic level prey and on exotic prey. These findings point to bioaccumulation of OC toxicants and widespread exposure across local food webs. Additionally, we report possible physiological effects of exposure, including elevated white blood cell and platelet count, suggesting a degree of immunological response that may increase disease suscept

Animal-borne tagging (bio-logging) generates large and complex datasets. In particular, accelerometer tags, which provide information on behaviour and energy expenditure of wild animals, produce high-resolution multi-dimensional data, and can be challenging to analyse. We tested the performance of commonly used artificial intelligence tools on datasets of increasing volume and dimensionality. By collecting bio-logging data across several sampling seasons, datasets are inherently characterized by inter-individual variability. Such information should be considered when predicting behaviour. We integrated both unsupervised and supervised machine learning approaches to predict behaviours in two penguin species. The classified behaviours obtained from the unsupervised approach Expectation Maximisation were used to train the supervised approach Random Forest. We assessed agreement between the approaches, the performance of Random Forest on unknown data and the implications for the calculation of energy expenditure. Consideration of behavioural variability resulted in high agreement (> 80%) in behavioural classifications and minimal differences in energy expenditure estimates. However, some outliers with < 70% of agreement, highlighted how behaviours characterized by signal similarity are confused. We advise the broad bio-logging community, approaching these large datasets, to be cautious when upscaling predictions, as this might lead to less accurate estimates of behaviour and energy expenditure

Population density estimates are important for wildlife conservation and management. Several camera trapping-based methods for estimating densities have been developed, one of which, the random encounter model (REM), has been widely applied due to its practical advantages such as no need for species-specific study design. Nevertheless, most of the studies in which REM has been assessed against referenced methods have sampled one population, precluding evaluation of the circumstances under which REM does or does not perform well. At this point, a review of all REM assessments could be useful to provide an overview of method reliability and highlight the main factors determining REM performance. Here we used a combination of literature review and empirical study to compare the performance of REM with independent methods. We reviewed 34 studies where REM was applied to 45 species, reporting 77 REM-reference density comparisons; and we also sampled 13 populations (ungulates and lagomorphs) in which we assessed REM performance against independent densities. The results suggested that appropriate procedures to estimate REM parameters (namely day range, detection zone and encounter rate) are mandatory to obtain unbiased densities. Deficient estimates of day range and encounter rate lead to an overestimation of density, while deficient estimates of detection zone conducted to underestimations. Finally, the precision achieved by REM was lower than reference methods, mainly because of the high levels of spatial aggregation observed in natural populations. In this situation, simulation-based results suggest that c. 60 camera placements should be sampled to achieve acceptable precision (i.e. coefficient of variation below 0.20). The wide range of situations and scenarios included in this study allow us to conclude that REM is a reliable method for estimating wildlife population density when using appropriate estimates of REM parameters and sampling designs. Overall, these resul

Illegal wildlife poisoning is a global threat for biodiversity, yet the magnitude of its impact on ecosystems is largely underestimated as most of poisoning episodes remain undetected. Here, we conducted a large-scale field experiment to better understand the real dimension of the illegal wildlife poisoning in terms of composition and number of species and abundance of impacted individuals, as well as the ecological factors driving it. We used camera traps to monitor simulated poison baits placed in 25 study areas in SW Europe and applied Good–Turing theory to estimate the richness of species of the entire assemblage (observed plus undetected). We recorded 3095 individuals from 39 vertebrate species that consumed 94 % of the baits (N = 590). Yet, using sample completeness to estimate the entire species assemblage yielded a total of 47 species exposed to illegal poisoning. The observed assemblage included different trophic and functional groups (from lizards and snakes to apex species among birds and mammals), as well as a 38 % of threatened and near threatened species (according to Spanish and Portuguese vertebrate red list and UICN list). The size (weight) of the bait outstands as a reliable predictor of the number of species (0–8 species/bait, mean = 2) and individuals (0–99 individuals/bait, mean = 5) susceptible to poisoning. The habitat where the bait was placed modulated the abundance of individuals affected (greater in open than in closed habitats). Type of bait and habitat drove the compositional variation of species. Our approach enables uncover entire species assemblages prone to illegal poisoning and their ecological drivers associated, advancing the understanding of the impact of wildlife poisoning in ecosystems.

The goal of Project WILD, a K-12 interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife, is to assist learners of any age in developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. The purpose of this guide is to inspire ideas and provide models for conducting effective environmental projects that dramatically engage students from start to finish. Section I, "An Overview of Action," presents information on the whats, whys, and hows of action projects along with tips for resolving conflicts. Section II, "The Rationale for Action," describes some of the many educational, personal, and general benefits that action projects can provide learners of all ages. Section III, "How To Add Action to Your Teaching," summarizes the species of planning, implementing, and evaluating effective environmental action projects. Section IV, "Action Success Stories," analyzes more than 30 actual projects from around the country. Following each group of success stories is a list of ideas for similar projects and additional resources. Section V, "For More Information," lists national student organizations, telecommunications networks, fund-raising programs, and other resources. (JRH)

Human activities are changing ecosystems and their trophic structures across the globe and tropical forests are one of the main affected. Large carnivores can have a key role in the maintenance of biodiversity through direct and indirect effects at lower trophic levels, which are the result of predation and competition. In this sense, it is expected that changes in abundance of large predators driven by humans will affect the abundance of smaller carnivores. We explore the effects of varying degree of human intervention on the structure of a felid community of five sympatric species in Ecuador’s Amazon region. We used camera traps to survey carnivore populations in seven different areas between 2007 and 2016 and estimated density with spatial explicit capture–recapture models. The density of margays, jaguarundis, ocelots and jaguars showed a positive relationship with the conservation status of study sites, while no significant relationship was observed for pumas. We found that the anthropogenic impacts had asymmetric effects on the density of the different taxa. Jaguar and margays, the species with more stringent ecological requirements, presented higher reductions on density. Our findings support of the mesopredator release hypothesis in this tropical ecosystem. Maximum densities of pumas were detected in areas of low jaguar density, while there was a negative relationship between density of pumas and margays, jaguarundis, and ocelots. Our results show how human disturbance can have important ecological effects on the carnivore community. As felids are top predators, we can predict that changes in this trophic level can lead to changes in ecosystem function and structure. Therefore, conservation efforts should be addressed to maintain the structure of these communities.

The catch of large quantities of sublegal-sized fish and shrimp is a pervasive feature of bottom trawl fisheries, particularly in the Mediterranean demersal mixed fisheries where regulations traditionally allow small mesh sizes. To address these concerns, two bottom trawl net selectivity trials were carried out in 2019 and 2020 on fishing grounds worked by the trawl fleet of Spanish Mediterranean, under normal commercial operating conditions with volunteer trawlers of the local fleet. The traditional otter bottom trawl employed in the demersal mixed fishery was modified with a 50-mm T90 panel on the extension piece under two different configurations (front of the extension piece and back of the extension piece). A second modification consisted of inserting a selective grid in the extension piece of the standard bottom trawl net. The species investigated in the demersal mixed fishery were European Hake Merluccius merluccius, Red Mullet Mullus barbatus, Striped Red Mullet Mullus surmuletus, and the deepwater rose shrimp Parapenaeus longirostris. Important selectivity improvements were observed for European Hake and deepwater rose shrimp, particularly in the selective grid trial, where 95% and 100%, respectively, of undersize specimens escaped through the grid. The design with the T90 panel in the back of the extension piece allowed for a reduction of 35% of sublegal-sized individuals of European Hake, but no difference was gained in the sizes of both Mullus spp. retained in the cod end. The adoption of these gear modifications might contribute to reducing discards of sublegal-sized fractions of the fisheries target species

Toxicants such as organochlorine insecticides, lead ammunition, and veterinary drugs have caused severe wildlife poisoning, pushing the populations of several apex species to the edge of extinction. These prime cases epitomize the serious threat that wildlife poisoning poses to biodiversity. Much of the evidence on population effects of wildlife poisoning rests on assessments conducted at an individual level, from which population-level effects are inferred. Contrastingly, we demonstrate a straightforward relationship between poison-induced individual mortality and population changes in the threatened red kite (Milvus milvus). By linking field data of 1,075 poisoned red kites to changes in occupancy and abundance across 274 sites (10 × 10-km squares) over a 20-y time frame, we show a clear relationship between red kite poisoning and the decline of its breeding population in Spain, including local extinctions. Our results further support the species listing as endangered, after a breeding population decline of 31% to 43% in two decades of this once-abundant raptor. Given that poisoning threatens the global populations of more than 2,600 animal species worldwide, a greater understanding of its population-level effects may aid biodiversity conservation through increased regulatory control of chemical substances. Our results illustrate the great potential of long-term and large-scale on-ground monitoring to assist in this task.

El Paraguay, país rico en humedales, tiene a sus sistemas acuáticos bastante bien extendidos por ambas regiones naturales: Oriental y Occidental. El vector Biomphalaria estaba desconocido para el país, habiéndoselo registrado una sola vez en la década de 1920 y siendo muy importante desde el punto de vista de la salud y que, a diferencia de nuestros vecinos de la región, Argentina y Brasil, que comparten aguas y ecosistemas húmedos, los estudios se encuentran muy avanzados.

Penguins face a wide range of threats. Most observed population changes have been negative and have happened over the last 60 years. Today, populations of 11 penguin species are decreasing. Here we present a review that synthesizes details of threats faced by the world's 18 species of penguins. We discuss alterations to their environment at both breeding sites on land and at sea where they forage. The major drivers of change appear to be climate, and food web alterations by marine fisheries. In addition, we also consider other critical and/or emerging threats, namely human disturbance near nesting sites, pollution due to oil, plastics and chemicals such as mercury and persistent organic compounds. Finally, we assess the importance of emerging pathogens and diseases on the health of penguins. We suggest that in the context of climate change, habitat degradation, introduced exotic species and resource competition with fisheries, successful conservation outcomes will require new and unprecedented levels of science and advocacy. Successful conservation stories of penguin species across their geographical range have occurred where there has been concerted effort across local, national and international boundaries to implement effective conservation planning.

Oil development has altered mixed-grass prairies in south-eastern Alberta, potentially impacting habitat quality and suitability for grassland birds. I tested whether three passerines can accurately assess habitat quality in the presence of this anthropogenic disturbance. I monitored nesting success and stress hormones and tested for differences in settlement patterns at sites impacted by real oil infrastructure, simulated noise, and control sites. Corticosterone levels suggested that habitat quality was reduced in some cases by disturbance. I also found disturbance impacted perceived habitat quality; however, perceived and realized quality were not always affected similarly. Both Chestnut-collared Longspurs and Savannah Sparrows exhibited stress near infrastructure, but higher-quality Longspur females nested near infrastructure while Savannah Sparrows avoided it. This mismatch may help explain why species suffer disproportionately in response to disturbances. Managers should reduce human presence by concentrating above-ground infrastructure using directional drilling, decommissioning old well heads, reclaiming roads, and reducing traffic.

Las especies del género Biomphalaria (Mollusca-Planorbidae), están presentes en los humedales del Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia y Brasil y algunos de ellos son hospederos intermedios de Schistosoma mansoni, parásito que produce la esquistosomiasis. El objetivo del trabajo fue contribuir con una mejor descripción de los tipos de hábitats de humedales donde se encuentran las especies de Biomphalaria colectadas hasta el momento.

El género Biomphalaria Preston, 1910 está compuesto por 34 especies descritas a la fecha, muchas de ellas de gran importancia médica ya que son los principales vectores de la esquistosomiasis, enfermedad causada por el trematode Schistosoma mansoni (Paraense, 2001).

Conflicts over the management of wildlife have notably increased during the last decades, and constitute an important risk for wildlife species conservation. The human dimension of such conflicts has received little attention by researchers to date, although it is increasingly acknowledged that understanding stakeholders¿ views and attitudes is essential to mitigate such conflicts. In Spain, the management of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is usually conflictive as this native lagomorph plays several different, contrasting roles. On one hand, European rabbits are one of the main small game species; ~6 million rabbits are hunted annually. On the other hand, they are a multifunctional keystone species, acting as ecosystem engineer and serving as prey for 40 predator species, including some of conservation concern. In addition, rabbits cause intensive crop damage in some farmland areas. In this context, the interests of stakeholders involved in the management of rabbit populations are often opposite. For instance, farmers generally aim to eradicate rabbits to reduce crop damage, while hunters intend to boost rabbit numbers to increase game availability. In this study, our main aim was to assess the attitudes of different stakeholders towards the management of European rabbits in Spanish farmland areas. To achieve this goal, we conducted personal in depth interviews with farmers (n=6), hunters (n=6) and people from governmental agencies responsible for environmental and farming management (n=11) in two distant study areas (south and north-eastern Spain), in which notable rabbit damage to crops had been reported. Beside this, 3 focus groups with hunters and 3 with farmers were conducted in the study areas. Interviews and focus groups were digitally recorded and transcribed into text material. Data analysis consisted of reading and re-reading text material to identify main themes, ideas and topics. According to our results, most participants agreed that in the p

Energy extraction may affect how songbirds perceive and respond to risk during the breeding season. I examined how the parental behaviours of the chestnut-collared longspur changed with proximity to conventional oil wells and compressor stations and with proximity to roads. I also evaluated any effects of industrial noise. Although both sexes reduced parental care near physical infrastructure, males were more sensitive to industrial noise, and only females altered behaviours near roads. Fewer offspring fledged at nests near roads and these offspring fledged at a later age. The effects of noise on behaviour differed from the effects of physical infrastructure, indicating that inactive infrastructure still poses a disturbance on the landscape. These findings suggest that energy development in the grasslands increases perceived risk and influences songbirds’ reproductive strategies, likely with consequences for reproductive fitness. Mitigation measures must address all three related disturbances of physical infrastructure, roads, and noise to be successful.

Comprender la distribución de las especies, ha suscitado desde antiguo el interés científico. En este estudio, pretendemos hipotetizar un posible mecanismo de dispersión que permita entender la distribución actual de Astydamia latifolia en las Islas Canarias. El estudio de los frutos al microscopio electrónico de barrido permitió comprobar la existencia de un espacio aéreo alrededor de la semilla, la presencia de dos cámaras, una en la parte apical y otra en la basal del fruto, y la presencia de ceras. Con estos resultados, se hicieron análisis de flotación, obteniendo una flotabilidad media (T50) de 7.5 días y una flotabilidad máxima (T100) de 20 días, resultados que confirmaban que las diásporas requieren de al menos 7 días para poder recorrer la distancia que separa las Islas Canarias de la costa noroeste africana y la distancia entre las distintas islas. Se realizaron dos pruebas para analizar de viabilidad embrionaria y así comprobar como variaba esta ante la presencia de sal. El resultado de las pruebas de germinación fue que la viabilidad disminuía con la presencia de sal (81.65%) con respecto a la presencia de agua destilada (86.8%), obtuvimos el mismo resultado con el de test tetrazolio, mayor viabilidad en agua destilada (82.5%) que en agua salada (50.3%). En base a estos resultados se considera a Astydamia latifolia como una especie talasócora. Además de estos análisis de dispersión se llevó a cabo un estudio piloto en el cuál se analizó la variabilidad genética del ADN plastidial, obteniendo como regiones más variables psaI-accD, rpl32F-trnL(UAG) y psbD-trnT(GGU), con estas regiones y los individuos muestreados se hicieron redes de haplotipos donde se podía observar las relaciones entre los haplotipos encontrados y su distribución en las islas, pudiendo inferir el número de colonizaciones que se produjeron, pero siempre de modo preliminar.