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Light availability and habitat complexity are two key drivers of community assembly. Urbanisation has been shown to affect both, with important consequences to ecological communities. On the intertidal, for instance, studies have shown that light intensity is greater on natural rocky shores than on less complex artificial habitats (seawalls), though different habitats can also experience similar light intensities, for example when shaded by urban structures. Understanding therefore how these factors individually, and combined, affect communities is important to understand the mechanisms driving changes in community structure, and consequently provide solutions to tackle the increasing homogenisation of habitats and lightscapes in urbanised spaces through smart infrastructure designs. Here, we assessed how different light levels affect the recruitment of communities in rock pools and on emergent rock on an intertidal rocky shore. We cleared 30 patches of emergent rock and 30 rock pools and manipulated light using shades with different light transmissions (full light, procedural control, 75%, 35%, and 15% light transmission, full shade) and assessed mobile and sessile communities monthly for 6 months. Effects of reducing light levels were generally stronger on rock than in pools. Fully shaded plots supported double the amount of mobile organisms than plots in full sunlight, in both habitats. Algal cover was higher in pools compared to rock, and at intermediate light levels, but effects varied with site. This study highlights the importance of variable light conditions and different habitats for rocky shore communities, which should be considered in future coastal developments to retain natural biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory connectivity, reflecting the extent by which migrants tend to maintain their reciprocal positions in seasonal ranges, can assist in the conservation and management of mobile species, yet relevant drivers remain unclear. Taking advantage of an exceptionally large (~150,000 individuals, 83 species) and more‐than‐a‐century‐long dataset of bird ringing encounters, we investigated eco‐evolutionary drivers of migratory connectivity in both short‐ and long‐distance Afro‐Palearctic migratory birds. Connectivity was strongly associated with geographical proxies of migration costs and was weakly influenced by biological traits and phylogeny, suggesting the evolutionary lability of migratory behaviour. The large intraspecific variability in avian migration strategies, through which most species geographically split into distinct migratory populations, explained why most of them were significantly connected. By unravelling key determinants of migratory connectivity, our study improves knowledge about the resilience of avian migrants to ecological perturbations, providing a critical tool to inform transboundary conservation and management strategies at the population level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta diversity measures the spatial variation in species composition. Because it influences several community attributes, studies are increasingly investigating its drivers. Spatial environmental heterogeneity is a major determinant of beta diversity, but canopy‐forming foundation species can locally modify environmental properties. We used intertidal communities dominated by the canopy‐forming alga Mazzaella laminarioides as a model system to examine how a foundation species affects spatial environmental heterogeneity and the resulting beta diversity. Since canopies were found to reduce the spatial variation of temperature and desiccation during low tides, we hypothesized that canopies would decrease understory beta diversity, which we tested through a field experiment that contrasted canopy removal with presence treatments over 32 months. The beta diversity of sessile species was always lower under canopies, but canopies never affected the beta diversity of mobile species. The observed responses for sessile species may result from their abundance being more dependent on spatial abiotic variation than for mobile species, which can occur in stressful areas while temporarily foraging or in transit to other areas. These responses may likely apply to other systems exhibiting canopy‐forming foundation species hosting sessile and mobile species assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Monitoring large marine mammals is challenging due to their low abundances in general, an ability to move over large distances and wide geographical range sizes. The distribution of the pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (Kogia sima) sperm whales is informed by relatively rare sightings, which does not permit accurate estimates of their distribution ranges. Hence, their conservation status has long remained Data Deficient (DD) in the Red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which prevent appropriate conservation measures. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding uses DNA traces left by organisms in their environments to detect the presence of targeted taxon, and is here proved to be useful to increase our knowledge on the distribution of rare but emblematic megafauna. Retrieving eDNA from filtered surface water provides the first detection of the Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) around the remote Malpelo island (Colombia). Environmental DNA collected during oceanic missions can generate better knowledge on rare but emblematic animals even in regions that are generally well sampled for other taxa.

Living in a captive environment may compromise phenotypic traits critical to survival in the wild. Captive animals that differ from the ideal wild phenotype may have impaired fitness after release, especially if there is extreme phenotypic selection during some life history stages. Wing shape of migratory birds is crucial to migration efficiency, and changes to wing shape in captivity may severely affect survival after release. We investigate wing shape of migratory Orange-bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster in captivity and the wild. The first two flight feathers were shorter in captive birds, and the fifth and sixth feathers were longer than wild conspecifics. These differences altered wing shape, producing a more proximal tip and a more convex trailing edge than the wild phenotype, which likely alters flight performance. This wing shape contravenes expectations from general patterns of wing shape in migratory birds. Wing shape in the captive birds sampled was independent of inbreeding, generations in captivity and ancestry. Captive environments may affect feather development or impose some selective pressure on wing shape. Alternatively, release from intense phenotypic selection during migration may allow parrots with wing shapes poorly adapted to migration to survive and breed in captivity. Altered wing shape may contribute to low observed survival of parrots released to the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring large marine mammals is challenging due to their low abundances in general, an ability to move over large distances and wide geographical range sizes.The distribution of the pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (Kogia sima) sperm whales is informed by relatively rare sightings, which does not permit accurate estimates of their distribution ranges. Hence, their conservation status has long remained Data Deficient (DD) in the Red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which prevent appropriate conservation measures.Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding uses DNA traces left by organisms in their environments to detect the presence of targeted taxon, and is here proved to be useful to increase our knowledge on the distribution of rare but emblematic megafauna.Retrieving eDNA from filtered surface water provides the first detection of the Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) around the remote Malpelo island (Colombia).Environmental DNA collected during oceanic missions can generate better knowledge on rare but emblematic animals even in regions that are generally well sampled for other taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the distribution and ecology of cryptobenthic fish of marine caves in the Mediterranean Sea are extremely scarce but necessary for scientists and marine managers alike in order to understand these fish’s ecological role and assess their conservation status. Broadscale surveys by implementing underwater visual census and photographic sampling in marine caves of the northeastern Mediterranean Sea, within different expeditions during the last 5 years, brought to light new records of eight rarely reported cryptobenthic fish species. To a smaller extent, complementary citizen science data from diving professionals of Crete were used to fill distribution gaps. A total of 36 new records (66 individuals) from 18 marine caves and caverns of the Aegean and northeastern Levantine Seas were assembled, belonging to the gobies Corcyrogobius liechtensteini, Didogobius splechtnai, Gammogobius steinitzi, and Thorogobius ephippiatus, the blenny Microlipophrys nigriceps, the tripterygiid Tripterygion melanurum, the speleophilic bythitid Grammonus ater, and the gobiesocid Lepadogaster cf. lepadogaster. The above species have been rarely reported from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, with D. splechtnai and G. steinitzi being recorded for the first and second time from Greek waters, respectively, while L. cf. lepadogaster constitutes the second record of a clingfish species in a marine cave of the Aegean Sea. Interesting behavioral and ecological habits were also noted for some species, based on in situ observations and photographic evidence. Our study contributes to filling gaps in the knowledge of cave fish diversity and demonstrates that cryptobenthic mobile species in understudied cryptic habitats are more common than previously thought in the Mediterranean Sea.

• The ecosystem services were assessed using both literature and expert opinion. • The assessment covered all identified habitats and selected mobile species in the Northern Baltic Sea. • Habitats have a key role in providing regulating services whereas data gaps exist with cultural services. • Mobile species are important in providing both provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. • The Baltic Sea habitats could potentially deliver future provisioning services which benefit many sectors. The Baltic Sea is a heavily used marine area in Northern Europe delivering valuable services to the inhabitants of its surrounding countries. Understanding how the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems deliver ecosystem services is still limited. However, this information is increasingly needed for ecosystem accounting, marine spatial planning and managing natural resources sustainably. In this study we reviewed ecosystem services provided by marine natural capital, i.e. the elements in the environment that are essential for providing the services. Altogether 48 habitats belonging to 8 habitat groups, and 11 mobile species (i.e. fish and pinnipeds) were assessed using literature and expert knowledge in the Northern Baltic Sea. To our knowledge, this is the first time when all habitats are included in an ecosystem services assessment in the area. The results show that of all possible service linkages, 31–56% were identified for habitats (depending on the habitat group in question) and 28–51% of linkages could not be assessed because of the limited knowledge. For mobile species, 53% of all possible services linkages were recognized and 15% of linkages could not be assessed because of limited knowledge. The results demonstrate the importance of the marine habitats for delivering regulating services, particularly those mitigating harmful effects of human activities such as carbon and nutrient storages, and their importance to services that are yet to be discovered. The results also show that mobile species are particularly important for provisioning and cultural services. The current study supports on-going policies such as the Baltic Sea Action Plan and marine spatial planning by providing knowledge on ecosystem services that can be adopted into decision-making in the areas where the distribution and location of habitats and species are known. It also acts as a starting point for a more in-depth trade-offs analysis of different ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The positive abundance-occupancy relationship (AOR) is a pervasive pattern in macroecology. Similarly, the association between occupancy (or probability of occurrence) and abundance is also usually assumed to be positive and in most cases constant. Examples of AORs for nomadic species with variable distributions are extremely rare. Here we examined temporal and spatial trends in the AOR over 7 years for a critically endangered nomadic migrant that relies on dynamic pulses in food availability to breed. We predicted a negative temporal relationship, where local mean abundances increase when the number of occupied sites decreases, and a positive relationship between local abundances and the probability of occurrence. We also predicted that these patterns are largely attributable to spatiotemporal variation in food abundance. The temporal AOR was significantly negative, and annual food availability was significantly positively correlated with the number of occupied sites but negatively correlated with abundance. Thus, as food availability decreased, local densities of birds increased, and vice versa. The abundance–probability of occurrence relationship was positive and nonlinear but varied between years due to differing degrees of spatial aggregation caused by changing food availability. Importantly, high abundance (or occupancy) did not necessarily equate to high-quality habitat and may be indicative of resource bottlenecks or exposure to other processes affecting vital rates. Our results provide a rare empirical example that highlights the complexity of AORs for species that target aggregated food resources in dynamic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Marine ecosystems support supply of ecosystem services (ESs) through processes and functions carried out by diverse biological elements. Managing sustainability of ES use requires linking services to the parts of ecosystems supplying them. We specified marine service providing units (SPUs) as plausible combinations of a biotic group (e.g., bacteria, seabirds) with an associated major habitat (e.g., sublittoral sediment). We developed a network model for large marine ecosystems, documenting 2,916 links between 153 SPUs with 31 services. Coastal habitats and their taxa accounted for 48% of links, but all habitats with their taxa contribute to at least 20 ESs. Through network analysis, we showed some services link to certain key habitats, while others are less clearly defined in space, being supported by a variety of habitats and their taxa. Analysis highlighted large‐scale flows across marine habitats that are essential in underpinning continued supply of certain ESs, for example, seed dispersal. If we only protect habitats where services are used, we will not fully protect the supply of services reliant on mobile taxa moving between habitats. This emerged because we considered habitats and their taxa together. We recommend using combinations of habitats and taxa as SPUs when informing marine ecosystem management and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study photo-identification data were used to better understand movements, population structure and abundance of common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in south-west England and surrounding waters, to inform conservation efforts. A catalogue of 485 photographic sightings of 113 individuals was compiled from ~150 common bottlenose dolphin encounters made on 87 dates between March 2007 and January 2014. From these and other data, three likely sub-populations were identified in the western English Channel, demarcated by bathymetry and distance to land: (1) south-west England – inshore Cornwall to Devon, (2) offshore English/French waters and (3) inshore France from Brittany to Normandy. Maximum abundance estimates for south-west England coastal waters, using two methods, ranged between 102 and 113 (range 87–142, 95% CL) over the period 2008–2013, likely qualifying the region as nationally important, whilst the yearly maximum was 58 in 2013. The population was centred on Cornwall, where 19 well-marked animals were considered ‘probable’ residents. There were no ‘probable’ resident well-marked individuals found to be restricted to either Devon or Dorset, with animals moving freely within coastal areas across the three counties. Movements were also detected within offshore English waters and French waters (from other studies) of the western English Channel, but no interchange has as yet been detected between the three regions, highlighting the possible separation of the populations, though sample sizes are insufficient to confirm this. Given the findings, south-west England waters should be considered as a separate management unit requiring targeted conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and conserving mobile species presents complex challenges, especially for animals in stochastic or changing environments. Nomadic waterbirds must locate temporary water in arid biomes where rainfall is highly unpredictable in space and time. To achieve this they need to travel over vast spatial scales and time arrival to exploit pulses in food resources. How they achieve this is an enduring mystery. We investigated these challenges in the colonial-nesting Banded Stilt ( Cladorhynchus leucocephalus), a nomadic shorebird of conservation concern. Hitherto, Banded Stilts were hypothesized to have only 1-2 chances to breed during their long lifetime, when flooding rain fills desert salt lakes, triggering mass-hatching of brine shrimp. Over 6 years, we satellite tagged 57 individuals, conducted 21 aerial surveys to detect nesting colonies on 14 Australian desert salt lakes, and analyzed 3 decades of Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery to quantify salt-lake flood frequency and extent. Within days of distant inland rainfall, Banded Stilts flew 1,000-2,000 km to reach flooded salt lakes. On arrival, females laid over half their body weight in eggs. We detected nesting episodes across the species' range at 7 times the frequency reported during the previous 80 years. Nesting colonies of thousands formed following minor floods, yet most were subsequently abandoned when the water rapidly evaporated prior to egg hatching. Satellite imagery revealed twice as many flood events sufficient for breeding-colony initiation as recorded colonies, suggesting that nesting at remote sites has been underdetected. Individuals took risk on uncertain breeding opportunities by responding to frequent minor flood events between infrequent extensive flooding, exemplifying the extreme adaptability and trade-offs of species exploiting unstable environments. The conservation challenges of nest predation by overabundant native gulls and anthropogenic modifications to salt lakes filling frequencies require investigation, as do the physiological and navigational mechanisms that enable such extreme strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shark species play an important role in shaping marine communities, ecosystems, and community assemblages, yet their high mobility and low abundances in certain locations makes studying the way they interact with these systems difficult. Here high-resolution acoustic cameras are demonstrated as effective tools to study the ecology and behavior of reef and coastal sharks that operate in the vicinity of a near-pristine coral reef atoll. The acoustic camera generated detailed imagery and size measurements from > 1000 sightings of sharks that traversed a discrete corridor linking two of the atoll's distinct marine habitats, the forereef and offshore pelagic habitat with the atoll's lagoon. Daily shark density and estimated biomass values varied considerably through time, but generally approximated values calculated using less comprehensive and more labor-intensive techniques at this same atoll. Diel patterns in shark movements revealed elevated shark presence during low-light periods of the day (e.g. peak sighting density just after dusk), but weaker links between shark movement patterns and tides. Data gathered through use of this tool extends and reinforces some of the observations made of smaller numbers of sharks using traditional data collection methods while providing unique additional insights into the ways that larger numbers of sharks operate at fine spatial scales over longer periods of time. Behavioral information of this type is critical to developing effective management plans for these vulnerable species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the potential impact of the European Union Habitats Directive on the conservation of the harbor porpoise, arguing that the Directive must focus on the killing, capture and disturbance of this species rather than on favourable conservation status (FCS).

Unlike philopatric migrants, the ecology of nomadic migrants is less well understood. This life-history strategy reflects responses to spatiotemporal variation in resource availability and the need to find resource rich patches to initiate breeding. The fitness consequences of movements between regions of patchily distributed resources can provide insight into ecology of all migrants and their responses to global change., We link broad-scale data on spatiotemporal fluctuation in food availability to data on settlement patterns and fitness outcomes for a nomadic migrant, the endangered swift parrot Lathamus discolor. We test several predictions to determine whether facultative movements are adaptive for individual swift parrots in an environment where resources are patchily distributed over time and space., Variation in the availability of swift parrot food resources across our study period was dramatic. As a consequence, swift parrots moved to breed wherever food was most abundant and did not resettle nesting regions in successive years when food availability declined. By moving, swift parrots exploited a variable food resource and reproduced successfully., Exploiting the richest patches allowed swift parrots to maintain stable fitness outcomes between discrete breeding events at different locations. Unlike sedentary species that often produce few or lower quality offspring when food is scarce, nomadic migration buffered swift parrots against extreme environmental variation., We provide the first detailed evidence that facultative movements and nomadic migration are adaptive for individuals in unpredictable environments. Our data support the widely held assumption that nomadic migration allows animals to escape resource limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Environmental variability and high motility are a challenge to get real absences. • We used 20 virtual species to study different kinds of absences effects on ENMs. • A very intense sampling would be needed to obtain a genuine unbiased absences. • For highly mobile species better to consider the non-observation as background info. Species distribution models are valuable tools for conservation management. However, there remain challenges in developing and interpreting these models in the marine environment, such as the nature of the species used for the modelling process. When working with mobile species in dynamic environments, lack of observation is usually interpreted as an observation of absence, which can result in the introduction of biases by methodological (false) absences. Here, we explore the role of absences when modelling marine megafauna distributions. To better understand how the use of absences (or equivalent) affects the niche modelling algorithms, we used a set of 20 virtual species with different relations to the habitat (generalist static, specialist static, generalist dynamic and specialist dynamic) with different encounter rates. We tested six different modelling techniques divided into three distinct groups: presence-only, presence-background and presence-absence. We compared the outputs of the models using traditional validation metrics and overlap metrics in the geographical and environmental spaces. Algorithms characterized the ecological niche for the simulated species differently. Approaches using background data generally outperformed the other methods, suggesting that the non-observation of a species in a given location and time should not be considered as an absence. A very intense (practically unrealistic) sampling schema would be required to obtain a genuine unbiased absence when working with these species and habitats. For highly mobile species, a precautionary approach would be to consider the non-observation of a species as part of the background (a sample of the conditions available in the study area) rather than an absence. A good starting point would be to use presence-background models, complemented with presence-absence and/or presence-only models, comparing outputs from the different algorithms tested in the geographic and environmental space. Improving model performance for highly mobile marine species should lead to better-informed decision making for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MPAs are being established worldwide at an increasing rate, however empirical evidence for benefits to mobile species of small areas closed to fishing in temperate regions are little known. Using two North Sea prohibited trawling areas (PTAs) established > 80 years ago, social (fishers’ perceptions), management (fishing effort and compliance) and ecological (fish abundance and size) data were combined to assess the PTAs against their primary societal (conflict resolution) and secondary ecological (stock protection) objectives. Fishers perceived that the PTAs resolved conflicts between static and mobile gear sectors, despite evidence of non-compliance. However, few fishers perceived that they personally benefited from the PTAs. Fish abundance and size data from baited traps (BT) and video (BV) provided no evidence of PTA effects, but trawling effort was a significant predictor of BT fish abundance data and improved the model of BV fish abundance data. The absence of PTA effects on fish is attributable to non-compliance, the high mobility of the fish involved and their continued exploitation within the PTAs using static gear. This points to the need for greater understanding of the behaviour of fishers in relation to closures. The study also highlights the challenges of quantifying possible fishery benefits of small temperate closed areas and questions whether widely advocated fishery benefits may have enhanced initial support, but failure to deliver them may erode faith in such closures as a fisheries management tool. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Global declines in shark populations have created uncertainty in the future status of many species and conservation efforts are urgently needed. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are used increasingly as conservation tools around the world, but how they benefit mobile and wide ranging species like sharks remains unclear. To evaluate the degree of protection MPAs may provide for sharks, we used an array of acoustic receivers to examine the movements and spatial use of two tropical coastal species within two MPAs in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia. Juvenile pigeye (Carcharhinus amboinensis) and adult spottail (Carcharhinus sorrah) sharks were fitted with acoustic transmitters from 2009 to 2010. Both species displayed long-term use of MPAs, with some individuals detected for longer than 600days. The mean percentage of time C. amboinensis and C. sorrah spent inside MPAs was 22% and 32%, respectively. MPA use varied seasonally, with C. amboinensis spending a higher percentage of time inside MPAs in summer (mean=28%) and C. sorrah spending a higher percentage of time inside MPAs in winter (mean=40%). Although sharks used large areas inside MPAs, most individuals tended to use only half of the available protected space. In addition, all sharks made excursions from MPAs and individuals exited and re-entered at consistent locations along the MPA boundaries. These results demonstrate that MPAs have conservation benefits for shark populations by providing protection across different species and life stages, and tracking studies can be used to help tailor MPA design to maximize effectiveness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study assessed the distribution and availability of plant uptake of Zn, Pb, and Cd present in an abandoned mine at Ingurtosu, Sardinia (Italy). Geological matrix samples (sediments, tailings, and soil from a nearby pasture site) and samples of the predominant plant species growing on sediments and tailings were collected. Mean values of total Zn, Pb and Cd were respectively (mg kg-1) 7400, 1800, and 56 in tailings, 31000, 2900, and 100 in sediments, and 400, 200, and 8 in the pasture soil. The metal concentration values were high even in the mobile fractions evaluated by simplified sequential extraction (Zn 7485-103, Pb 1015-101, Cd 47-4 mg kg-1). Predominant native species were identified and analyzed for heavy metal content in various tissues. Among the plant species investigated Inula viscosa, Euphorbia dendroides, and Poa annua showed the highest metal concentration in aboveground biomass (mean average of Zn: 1680, 1020, 1400; Pb: 420, 240, 80; Cd: 28, 7, 19 mg kg-1, respectively). The above mentioned species and A. donax could be good candidates for a phytoextraction procedure. Cistus salvifolius and Helichrysum italicus generally showed behavior more suitable for a phytostabilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foundation species in space-limited systems can increase diversity by creating habitat, but they may also reduce diversity by excluding primary space competitors. These contrasting forces of increasing associate diversity and suppressing competitor diversity have rarely been examined experimentally with respect to disturbance. In a benthic marine community in central California, where native oysters are a foundation species, we tested how disturbance influenced overall species richness, evenness, and diversity. Surprisingly, overall diversity did not peak across a disturbance gradient because, as disturbance decreased, decreases in overall species evenness opposed increases in overall species richness. Decreasing disturbance intensity (high oyster abundance) led to increasing species richness of sessile and mobile species combined. This increase was due to the facilitation of secondary sessile and mobile species in the presence of oysters. In contrast, decreasing disturbance intensity and high oyster abundance decreased the evenness of sessile and mobile species. Three factors likely contributed to this decreased evenness: oysters reduced abundances of primary sessile species due to space competition; oysters supported more rare mobile species; and oysters disproportionately increased the relative abundance of a few common mobile species. Our results highlight the need for further studies on how disturbance can differentially affect the evenness and richness of different functional groups, and ultimately how these differences affect the relationship between overall diversity and ecosystem function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainforests are naturally fragmented in the Northern Territory of Australia. A census of fruit and frugivorous bird abundance was taken monthly in 10 rainforest patches for 1 year and quarterly for a second year to investigate spatial and temporal patterns among the patches. Fruit abundance showed a marked annual cycle, with a peak around December in the wet season. Four of six bird species showed a significant seasonal fluctuation in abundance, and for three of them, these patterns were different among rainforest types. Three species also showed a significant tendency to be most abundant in the rainforest type with the most fruit in any month. We interpret these results as evidence that birds track fruit resources among rainforest patches of different types. The abundance of two of the species (figbird and pied imperial-pigeon) was highly variable and did not reveal significantly different temporal trends among rainforest types. These species are probably even more mobile than the other species, although the data in the present study cannot be used to test this theory. The conservation of frugivorous birds and of the plants whose seeds they disperse will require the protection of networks of rainforest patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with an experimental investigation concerning physical characterization of a variety of compositions of the mixed system (CdI2)a–(Ag2O–PbO2)100−a where 25⩽a⩽70 in the solid state. Detailed electrical, thermal, structural, spectroscopic and ion transport studies have indicated the formation of silver ion conducting superionic phases in several compositions of the ternary system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The patchy distribution of benthic invertebrates in streams and rivers is an important and widely researched phenomenon. Previous studies on reasons for this patchiness have neglected the potential role of local disturbance history, probably because most lotic invertebrates are mobile and any effect of disturbance history was thought to be short-lived. Here we demonstrate for a New Zealand gravel-bed stream that local disturbance history can have long-term effects on the distribution of highly mobile stream invertebrates. Buried scour chains (100 at each of three 20-m sites within a 350-m reach) indicated that a spate with a return period of 5 months caused a mosaic of bed patches with different stabilities. More than 2 months after the spate, we took random, quantitative samples at each site from five patches that had experienced 4 cm or more of scour during the spate, from five patches with 4 cm or more of fill, and from five stable patches. Density of the dominant invertebrate taxon, the highly mobile mayfly Deleatidium spp., and densities of another three of the seven most common taxa differed significantly between patch stability categories. Larvae of Deleatidium, the black fly Austrosimulium spp. and the dipteran Eriopterini were most abundant in fill patches, whereas Isopoda were most abundant in scour patches. Total invertebrate densities and densities of six common taxa also differed between sites, although these were only 95–120 m apart. These results show that local disturbance history can have long-term effects on lotic invertebrates and be an important cause of invertebrate patchiness. The observed effects might have been even stronger had we sampled sooner after the spate or after a large flood. Disturbance history may influence invertebrates both directly (through dislodgement or mortality) and indirectly, through effects on the spatial distribution of their resources. Our results suggest that the role of disturbance in structuring animal communities dominated by mobile species may be more important than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the world, wildlife must coexist with humans in modified and increasingly fragmented landscapes but balancing the competing land use objectives of economic production and conservation is challenging. Multi-objective optimisation and spatial conservation prioritisation can inform land use planning but have not yet explicitly accounted for the way species access multiple resources at different locations in a landscape. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach for conservation prioritisation that accounts for the spatial distribution of different resources as well as a species' movements. This suite of tools and models identifies Pareto-optimal solutions to competing objectives of economic production on the one hand, with conserving a species' food, drink and shelter requirements and movement corridors on the other. We demonstrate the broader functionality of these tools using a case study with competing objectives of clearing land for mining versus conservation of a vulnerable endemic species. • This paper presents a novel decision-tool framework for spatial conservation prioritisation and land use optimisation. • Here, we demonstrate these tools on simulated and generalized datasets to showcase their functionality. • These tools incorporate Pareto efficiency principles to optimise economic and conservation objectives. • We include a heuristic algorithm that will identify optimal locations for compensatory conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the distribution and ecology of cryptobenthic fish of marine caves in the Mediterranean Sea are extremely scarce but necessary for scientists and marine managers alike in order to understand these fish's ecological role and assess their conservation status. Broadscale surveys by implementing underwater visual census and photographic sampling in marine caves of the northeastern Mediterranean Sea, within different expeditions during the last 5 years, brought to light new records of eight rarely reported cryptobenthic fish species. To a smaller extent, complementary citizen science data from diving professionals of Crete were used to fill distribution gaps. A total of 36 new records (66 individuals) from 18 marine caves and caverns of the Aegean and northeastern Levantine Seas were assembled, belonging to the gobies Corcyrogobius liechtensteini, Didogobius splechtnai, Gammogobius steinitzi, and Thorogobius ephippiatus, the blenny Microlipophrys nigriceps, the tripterygiid Tripterygion melanurum, the speleophilic bythitid Grammonus ater, and the gobiesocid Lepadogaster cf. lepadogaster. The above species have been rarely reported from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, with D. splechtnai and G. steinitzi being recorded for the first and second time from Greek waters, respectively, while L. cf. lepadogaster constitutes the second record of a clingfish species in a marine cave of the Aegean Sea. Interesting behavioral and ecological habits were also noted for some species, based on in situ observations and photographic evidence. Our study contributes to filling gaps in the knowledge of cave fish diversity and demonstrates that cryptobenthic mobile species in understudied cryptic habitats are more common than previously thought in the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change are becoming a major challenge for species. In particular, species that migrate over long distances are affected by altered climatic conditions at the various sites they frequent and en route. Here, we investigated whether climatic conditions experienced by sea turtles during their migration would change in the future. We focused on the post-nesting migrations of female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean region, to explore climatic variability along four main migration corridors and their surrounding environment. We also modeled the impact of earlier onset of migration, as a potential adaptive behavioral response of Mediterranean loggerheads. We found that over the next 80 years, sea turtles will be exposed to significant increases in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) along their key migration corridors and the surrounding area (mean rate of 0.24 °C increase per decade). The projected increase in SST falls outside the range of SSTs currently reported within the examined corridors, but falls below the threshold defined as the upper thermal limit for this species. A highly variable climatic mosaic was identified within the distinct segments of the corridors. We found no evidence to support that phenological shifts might result in turtles being exposed to climatic conditions that are similar to current levels, in the future. Our outputs offer the first comprehensive spatial assessment of climatic patterns along extended areas used for the migration of sea turtles and highlight the need to quantify the relationship between altered conditions and species physiological and energetic status. This regional analysis could provide a background methodological framework for mapping and assessing spatiotemporal patterns of climatic variability along migratory areas of marine megafauna. • We developed an approach to examine climatic conditions for migrating loggerheads. • We investigated species exposure and adaptive capacity to climate change. • Mediterranean loggerheads might confront increasing temperatures during migration. • The efficiency of phenology, as adaptive mechanism for migration, is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trends of environmental change are influencing the behavior of many species across the world, while highly mobile species are disproportionately impacted by climate change and human modification. Here, we investigate the mechanisms behind climate change effects on the reproductive traits of highly mobile, West Australian bird taxa, the forest red‐tailed black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii naso (FRTBC). Using a dataset of annual breeding frequency spanning 19 yr, in combination with hydrological, climatological, and remotely sensed data, we modeled the effects of environmental variation on the annual breeding frequency of FRTBCs. We found several significant relationships between annual breeding frequency of FRTBCs and environmental variation. While the model, which included a proxy for the availability of the cockatoo's primary food source and the previous season's rain, explained 49% of annual breeding frequency, there were also direct and indirect effects of heatwaves and forest productivity. Forest red‐tailed black cockatoo breeding appears to be linked to the spatiotemporal availability of its primary food sources, the fruit from the tree species, marri Corymbia calophylla and jarrah Eucalyptus marginata. However, Western Australia is experiencing significant climate change, with increases in temperature and declines in rainfall altering the phenologies of these species, while declining rainfall is affecting the vegetation structure of the region. As drought events and temperatures are anticipated to increase over the region, it is expected that the food resources during the breeding season for cockatoos will become increasingly limited in time and space, thus threatening the persistence of this iconic species. This scenario is likely to be representative of many other situations where wide‐ranging species rely on patchy food resources in a changing environment. As global biodiversity is increasingly threatened, this study presents timely evidence illustrating how climate change is affecting the persistence of a threatened, mobile species, and what the implications are for mobile species around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges of managing and conserving threatened species that have a widespread distribution operate at several levels and recovery of these species is a complex process. This paper provides an overview of how science is informing the management and conservation of the Grey-headed Flying-fox ( Pteropus poliocephalus) in New South Wales. It outlines a series of research projects and activities the Department of Environment and Climate Change (New South Wales) has led or been involved in since the Grey-headed Flying-fox was listed as threatened in New South Wales in May 2001. This includes investigation of the species’ distribution and abundance; its roosting and foraging habitat requirements; assessment of horticultural damage and the mitigation techniques used; public attitudes towards the species; and development of policies and plans to guide the species’ conservation and management. Conservation gains for threatened species can be achieved through a sustained, focused programme of management, coordinated by dedicated individuals and informed by the available science. Scientists, policy-makers and the general community must continue to strive together for the recovery of widespread, threatened species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]