Conservation Challenges Research Articles

Coral Disease: Direct and Indirect Agents, Mechanisms of Disease, and Innovations for Increasing Resistance and Resilience.

As climate change drives health declines of tropical reef species, diseases are further eroding ecosystem function and habitat resilience. Coral disease impacts many areas around the world, removing some foundation species to recorded low levels and thwarting worldwide efforts to restore reefs. What we know about coral disease processes remains insufficient to overcome many current challenges in reef conservation, yet cumulative research and management practices are revealing new disease agents (including bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotes), genetic host disease resistance factors, and innovative methods to prevent and mitigate epizootic events (probiotics, antibiotics, and disease resistance breeding programs). The recent outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease across the Caribbean has reenergized and mobilized the research community to think bigger and do more. This review therefore focuses largely on novel emerging insights into the causes and mechanisms of coral disease and their applications to coral restoration and conservation.

Density, occupancy and detectability of tortoise species (Chelonoidis spp.) in the Atlantic Forest: implications for conservation and management

ABSTRACT Understanding the distribution, abundance and detectability of species is pivotal for effective conservation and management strategies. This study investigated the populations of Chelonoidis denticulatus and Chelonoidis carbonarius within one of the largest remnants of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil (Vale Natural Reserve). The aim was to evaluate species abundance, factors influencing occupancy and detectability, and implications for conservation. Sampling occurred from 2015 to 2018 across 24 line transects. We measured climate and landscape variables potentially associated with species occurrence in each transect. We used the Royle–Nichols model to estimate abundance, while occupancy modelling assessed occupancy, detectability, and the effects of variables. The estimated population size of both species (C. denticulatus: 153 individuals, C. carbonarius: 105 individuals) was notably lower than in Amazonian areas. Detectability surged after rainfall, exceeding 70% with at least 55 mm of rain on the prior day. Occupancy of C. denticulatus correlated positively with forest cover, while both species were negatively affected by distance from water. The study’s findings signal potential critical conditions for Chelonoidis species in the Atlantic Forest. The small estimated populations, coupled with their reliance on water availability and forest cover for occupancy and detectability, pose significant conservation challenges. As climate change threatens the planet, these factors assume heightened significance. Given the alarming scenario of potentially critical population status within the Atlantic Forest, urgent attention is needed for robust conservation strategies. Strengthening ecological knowledge specific to this biome is essential to developing effective measures that counter the impacts of habitat loss, climate change and other threats. This study underscores the importance of preserving water resources and forest cover within the Atlantic Forest to secure the future of Chelonoidis species and highlights the need for comprehensive, targeted conservation efforts.

Crocodiles of the Ouémé lower valley in Southern Benin: Local perceptions, uses and conservation challenges

The Ouémé Lower Valley, located in Southern Benin, is renowned for its rich biodiversity, which includes three species of crocodiles. Despite the presence of the crocodile species, the relation between these species and the local population is not well known. In this study, we aimed to examine local perceptions of crocodiles, document their uses, and identify conservation challenges. Over a period of 10 months, we surveyed the local population to understand their perceptions of crocodiles and the uses they make of these animals. Given the critical role of perceived threats in shaping conservation attitudes and behaviours, our objective also included analyzing perceived threats to crocodiles. From the 420 individuals interviewed, 90 % have a negative perception of crocodiles, perceiving them as harmful. However, 10 % of respondents, mainly from the 'Xwla' ethnic group, have a positive perception, perceiving crocodiles as harmless and beneficial. Local communities attribute various virtues to crocodile by-products, with crocodile teeth being the most cited, valued for their protective qualities. According to them, the decline in crocodile populations in the area is attributed primarily to poaching, agriculture, and sand extraction, as reported by 35 %, 28 %, and 22 % of respondents, respectively. Educational initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the ecological significance of crocodiles should be implemented, particularly targeting ethnic groups with negative perceptions of crocodiles in the region. Future researches are also needed in order to study in deep the impacts of anthropic activities on the crocodile population in the area.

Multiple habitat graphs: how connectivity brings forth landscape ecological processes

PurposeHabitat connectivity is integral to current biodiversity science and conservation strategies. Originally, the connectivity concept stressed the role of individual movements for landscape-scale processes. Connectivity determines whether populations can survive in sub-optimal patches (i.e., source-sink effects), complete life cycles relying on different habitat types (i.e., landscape complementation), and benefit from supplementary resources distributed over the landscape (i.e., landscape supplementation). Although the past decades have witnessed major improvements in habitat connectivity modeling, most approaches have yet to consider the multiplicity of habitat types that a species can benefit from. Without doing so, connectivity analyses potentially fail to meet one of their fundamental purposes: revealing how complex individual movements lead to landscape-scale ecological processes.MethodsTo bridge this conceptual and methodological gap, we propose to include multiple habitat types in spatial graph models of habitat connectivity, where nodes traditionally represent a single habitat type. Multiple habitat graphs will improve how we model connectivity and related landscape ecological processes, and how they are impacted by land cover changes.ResultsIn three case studies, we use these graphs to model (i) source-sink effects, (ii) landscape supplementation, and (iii) complementation processes, in urban ecosystems, agricultural landscapes, and amphibian habitat networks, respectively. A new version of the Graphab open-source software implements the proposed approach.ConclusionMultiple habitat graphs help address crucial conservation challenges (e.g., urban sprawl, biological control, climate change) by representing more accurately the dynamics of populations, communities, and their interactions. Our approach thereby extends the ecologist’s toolbox and aims at fostering the alignment between landscape ecology theory and practice.

Mechanical Design and Manufacturing and its Automation Development Strategy Based on the Concept of Green Manufacturing

Under the background of increasing global environmental pressure, mechanical design and manufacturing and its automation industry are faced with major challenges of energy conservation, emission reduction and efficient utilization of resources. Although the concept of green design is gradually popularized, it still faces problems such as technical bottlenecks and imperfect system in the implementation process. This paper proposes to strengthen the theoretical research of green design, promote the innovation of green manufacturing process, build green supply chain management system and cultivate green manufacturing talents, aiming at technological innovation and management system optimization, and realize the green transformation of the whole process of mechanical design and manufacturing.

Who is likely to have illegal eel products after the market regulations? A best-worst scaling approach

Wildlife overexploitation is a significant challenge in biodiversity conservation. Regulation can enforce consumer behavior change to be biodiversity-friendly but also cause unintended negative impacts. A quantitative investigation of consumer preference for alternative goods is needed before the regulation intervention. This study focused on the case of Japanese eels, whose population was declining due to commercial fishery and overfishing, and aimed to clarify potential alternative choices if ban regulations are issued. This study employed a best-worst scaling technique. Our analysis identified two consumer groups; approximately 30 % of consumers (the Potential Illegal group) preferred to select illegal eel consumption as their second-best preference. The Potential Illegal group tends to contain males, younger, and people who eat eels once or more annually, in comparison to the other group. Our findings can contribute to setting effective regulations as useful information about potential consumer choice changes.

Foods of the Future: Challenges, Opportunities, Trends, and Expectations.

Creating propositions for the near and distant future requires a design to catch the tide of the times and move with or against trends. In addition, appropriate, adaptable, flexible, and transformational projects are needed in light of changes in science, technology, social, economic, political, and demographic fields over time. Humanity is facing a period in which science and developing technologies will be even more important in solving food safety, health, and environmental problems. Adapting to and mitigating climate change; reducing pollution, waste, and biodiversity loss; and feeding a growing global population with safe food are key challenges facing the agri-food industry and the food supply chain, requiring systemic transformation in agricultural systems and sustainable future agri-food. The aim of this review is to compile scientific evidence and data, define, and create strategies for the future in terms of food security, safety, and sufficiency; future sustainable foods and alternative protein sources; factors affecting food and nutrition security and agriculture; and promising food systems such as functional foods, novel foods, synthetic biology, and 3D food printing. In this review, the safety, conservation, nutritional, sensory, welfare, and potential challenges and limitations of food systems and the opportunities to overcome them on the basis of new approaches, innovative interpretations, future possibilities, and technologies are discussed. Additionally, this review also offers suggestions for future research and food trends in light of future perspectives. This article focuses on future sustainable foods, alternative protein sources, and novel efficient food systems, highlights scientific and technological advances and new research directions, and provides a significant perspective on sustainability.

Dispersal and gene flow in anadromous salmonids: A systematic review

AbstractDispersal is a ubiquitous ecological process that has been extensively studied in many plants and animals. Anadromous salmonids are an interesting system for examining dispersal, in part because of their well‐known philopatric behaviour, but also because of the conservation challenges related to the dispersal of hatchery‐origin fish. Building on earlier work, we provide an updated systematic review of dispersal and gene flow in anadromous salmonids. In particular, we compared studies on the dispersal of anadromous salmonids from wild and hatchery origins, including studies providing estimates of dispersal rates, observations of dispersal and results from modelling studies. We reviewed 228 studies and found these were unevenly distributed among species, with Atlantic salmon, Chinook salmon and sea trout being well‐represented. Our results showcase considerable variability in estimated dispersal rates within and across studies, which is likely related to the different methodologies, dispersal propensities across species and populations, and spatial extents considered. Overall, our results confirmed a higher tendency of hatchery fish to disperse relative to wild fish, but we also found some variation across species that warrants further study. Moreover, we found that dispersal propensity tended to decline exponentially with distance and that the drivers of dispersal varied considerably among studies. Additionally, we highlight various facets of dispersal captured across this suite of studies, including variation in terminology, methods and metrics for characterising dispersal, and the spatio‐temporal scales considered. Finally, our review revealed that few studies considered, and even fewer assessed, the implications of dispersal for the conservation and management of anadromous salmonids.

The current state of the saiga (Saiga tatarica L.) population in Betpak-Dala (Kazakhstan)

The objective of this research is to address saiga conservation challenges amid significant anthropogenic pressures through a population model-based approach. The study involved an analysis of herd composition in terms of sex, age, and size over the years 2019-2022, with a focus on lamb weight measurements in 2022. Notably, 2021 witnessed a substantial decline in offspring numbers, with lambs being three times scarcer compared to 2020 and 5.2 times fewer than in 2022 (p ≤ 0.05). Male saigas exhibited a 3.1-fold reduction in birth rates in 2021 relative to 2020 and a 5.6-fold decrease compared to 2022 (p < 0.05). The fluctuations in the number of females and males across the three years were found to be statistically comparable (p ≥ 0.05). Since 2022, there has been a notable increase in the size of saiga herds, with counts reaching 450-500 animals compared to 2019-2020 (p ≤ 0.05). The observation identified a total of 93 saiga herds, with six of them consisting of more than 1,000 antelopes. The augmentation of male presence within herds is anticipated to contribute to sustaining saiga population growth. Achieving this outcome may necessitate the implementation of captive breeding initiatives or an integrated approach.

Preserving the past: Unveiling challenges in ancient Islamic manuscript conservation

In recent decades, research into ancient Islamic manuscripts has significantly advanced, elucidating diverse material and technical details. Despite this progress, a noticeable gap persists in understanding the material and technical aspects, particularly regarding illuminations. Moreover, it is imperative to investigate whether different technical features of bookbinding can impact the preservation condition of the textblock. This gap in understanding is even more pronounced when compared to the comprehensive approaches applied to ancient Western manuscripts. This paper emphasizes the critical importance of adopting an accessible and comprehensive methodology to explore the complexities of Islamic manuscript production, aiming to enhance their preservation efforts by establishing effective strategies to safeguard this cultural heritage for future generations.

Local community engagement and gazettement approach in managing and conserving Pangani historic town in Tanzania

Pangani is a historic coastal Swahili town situated at the mouth of the Pangani River, which empties its waters into the Indian ocean. Archaeologists have traced the origins of this town back to the seventh century through evidence from material cultures found in this area. Despite its historical importance and archaeological interest, Pangani faces substantial conservation and management challenges, primarily due to low awareness levels among its local community. These residents are largely unaware of the town’s historical value and of the impact of factors such as climate change, stone quarrying, wave erosion, and development pressures, so effective conservation plans are lacking. In finding the best practices for managing and conserving this historic town, a critical question remains as to how to rescue the town's significance and value from these challenges. This paper proposes a gazettement approach for managing and conserving Pangani, emphasising a bottom-up approach that involves local communities and other stakeholders in the conservation process.

Broken expectations: Population decline of a key grouper species within a 30-year-old no-take MPA in the Southwestern Atlantic

Understanding the impacts of human actions on marine species and developing mitigation strategies are crucial conservation challenges. Many fish species, especially marine top predators, are already highly depleted and rely on population monitoring and conservation strategies for their maintenance. In this context, Marine Protected Areas can help recover target species and provide crucial information about population trends when human activities are restricted or managed. Here, we used the longest and most complete temporal series of reef fish data in the Southwestern Atlantic, comprising 16 years of underwater visual census sampling. We evaluated temporal trends in the density and biomass of the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), both inside and outside a no-take and no-entry Marine Reserve. Our findings reveal a consistent decline in density and biomass inside and outside the MPA over time, reaching alarmingly low densities and experiencing a steeper biomass decline in the last five years. Our results contradict global expectations of positive population recovery trends within MPAs. We highlight the adverse impacts of human activities on the dusky grouper population, including illegal fishing and habitat degradation. Additionally, we address the limited understanding of species' life stages, underscoring that their occurrence outside protected boundaries may render the entire population vulnerable to human pressures. Thus, to guarantee population recovery, stakeholders and researchers must take immediate action to increase knowledge of all life stages and improve ongoing strategies.

Sea Turtles are at Risk: Unraveling the Major Threats and Conservation Challenges Encountered by Sea Turtles in Southern Sri Lanka

Sea Turtles are at Risk: Unraveling the Major Threats and Conservation Challenges Encountered by Sea Turtles in Southern Sri Lanka

Ecological impacts on the distribution of Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) in the lower Gangetic plains and its conservation challenges

Despite threatened status, the Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) received insufficient attention in many habitats including the lower Ganges. In this study, through standardised monitoring programmes, we recorded the population and distribution of the species from a 100-km long stretch of the lower Ganges between January and December 2023. Important ecological parameters (e.g. fish abundance and water quality parameters) were also monitored to understand their effects on dolphin population in the river. Number of Ganges River dolphin varied over time (ANOVA: F11,88 = 10.9, p < 0.001) and space (F8,88 = 24.1, p < 0.001). Maximum number of dolphin was sighted in the month of August; whereas, the minimum was in February. Population of Ganges River dolphin was affected positively by fish abundance (LMM: F = 19.7, p < 0.001) and water transparency (F = 4.4, p = 0.042) and negatively by total dissolved solids (TDS; LMM: F = 13.5, p = 0.001). A range of challenges related to fishermen’s knowledge and attitude towards the Ganges River dolphin were identified. These include lack of awareness, high market demand and price for the species and negative attitude towards the species. Illegally harvested Vulnerable dolphins were sold only to produce dolphin oil to catch another Endangered fish species Clupisoma garua. The results of this study have conservation management applications and implications.

Species authentication and conservation challenges in Chinese fish maw market using Mini-DNA barcoding

Fish maws, derived from the swim bladders of fish, are valued for their high collagen content and nutritional benefits, leading to significant market demand, especially in Asia. This study investigates the species authenticity of fish maw products using mini-DNA barcoding technology to address issues of mislabeling and substitution. Out of 350 samples, 347 were successfully sequenced, revealing a high mislabeling rate of 51.01% among identified species. Species such as Diodon liturosus and Diodon hystrix were found, posing significant health risks due to the presence of tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin. The study also highlights the conservation implications of this market, with endangered species like Totoaba macdonaldi being illicitly traded. These findings underscore the urgent need for accurate species identification, stringent labeling regulations, and enhanced fishery management to protect endangered species and ensure consumer safety. This research advocates for robust international cooperation and reporting to combat illegal fishing and trade, promoting the sustainable development of fish populations and marine ecosystem health.

Agricultural practices and biodiversity: Conservation policies for semi-natural grasslands in Europe

Europe's semi-natural grasslands support notably high levels of temperate biodiversity across multiple taxonomic groups. However, these ecosystems face unique conservation challenges. Contemporary agricultural practices have replaced historical traditional low-intensity agriculture in many regions, resulting in a spectrum of management intensities within these ecosystems, ranging from highly intensive methods to complete abandonment. Paradoxically, both extremes along this spectrum of management intensity can be detrimental to biodiversity of semi-natural grasslands. Moreover, while anthropogenic climate change is an overarching threat to these ecosystems, rapid changes in land use and its intensity often present more immediate pressures. Often occurring at a faster rate than climate change itself, these land-use changes have the potential to rapidly impact the biodiversity of these grasslands. Here, we divide the ecological processes, threats, and developments to semi-natural grasslands into three sections. First, we examine the different impacts of agricultural intensification and abandonment on these ecosystems, considering their different consequences for biodiversity. Second, we review seminal works on various evidence-based management practices and offer a concise summary that provides support for various conservation and management strategies. However, the socio-economic factors that drive both abandonment and intensification in semi-natural grasslands can also be used to develop solutions through strategic governmental and non-governmental interventions. Accordingly, we conclude with a way forward by providing several key policy recommendations. By synthesizing existing knowledge and identifying research gaps, this essay aims to provide valuable insights for advancing the sustainable management of semi-natural grasslands.

Impacts of coyote colonization on coastal mammalian predators

Extreme ecosystem modification by humans has caused drastic reductions in populations and ranges of top mammalian predators, while simultaneously allowing synanthropic mesopredator species to expand. These conditions often result in inflated local densities of highly adaptable mesopredators that disrupt trophic dynamics and place unsustainable predation pressure on native prey populations. Colonization of a dominant predator may lead to top-down control of mesopredators and restore trophic balance. Coyotes are a novel colonizer of some coastal barrier islands of eastern North America, offering an opportunity to test how the addition of an apex predator impacts an established guild of mesopredators. To assess their trophic impact, we conducted 75,576 camera trapping hours over an 18-month study period, capturing > 1.5 million images across 108 coastal camera sites. Using two-species occupancy and habitat use models, we found sizeable effects of coyote habitat use on that of red foxes and free-ranging domestic cats, suggesting that coyotes function as apex predators in barrier island ecosystems. In fact, the only factor that determined the spatial pattern of highly ubiquitous red foxes was the sympatric habitat use of the largest carnivore in the food web—coyotes. That ‘novel’ apex predators can become established in coastal food webs illustrates the highly dynamic nature of conservation challenges for habitats and species at the edge of the sea.

Assessing the breadth and multidisciplinarity of the conservation curriculum in the United Kingdom and Australia.

There have been repeated calls to train conservationists capable of transcending disciplinary boundaries. However, little empirical work has been done to document conservation teaching. We investigate the content taught in conservation higher education across the United Kingdom and Australia. Using data from an online survey and content analysis of module descriptions, we assess the prevalence of subject areas in 146 conservation modules and topics in 368 conservation modules and 62 conservation degrees. Biological sciences subject areas were represented in 92% of the modules, whereas social sciences subject areas only featured in 60% and humanities in 24%. Of the modules teaching biological sciences subject areas, 84% included biological sciences faculty but only 31% of the modules covering social sciences subject areas included faculty from the social sciences. Who teaches matters. The disciplinary expertise in conservation education needs to diversify to train conservationists capable of addressing conservation challenges. This requires institutional changes and support from prominent societies to promote interdisciplinary education.

Internet of Things (IoT) for Environmental Monitoring

Purpose: The general objective of this study was to explore the Internet of Things for environmental monitoring. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the Internet of Things for environmental monitoring. Preliminary empirical review revealed that IoT technologies have significantly enhanced environmental management practices by revolutionizing data collection and analysis across various ecosystems. By integrating IoT sensors with existing monitoring frameworks, real-time data on air and water quality, agriculture, wildlife habitats, and urban green spaces was efficiently gathered. This data facilitated proactive decision-making, early detection of environmental risks, and evidence-based policy formulation to address climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management challenges. Despite challenges like data security and interoperability, collaborative efforts among stakeholders paved the way for more effective environmental monitoring and sustainable development initiatives globally. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Complex Adaptive Systems Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Resource Dependence Theory may be used to anchor future studies on the Internet of Things technology. The study provided several recommendations that contributed significantly to theory, practice, and policy in environmental management. The study emphasized interdisciplinary approaches to enhance theoretical frameworks, advocating for advanced models and algorithms integrating IoT with environmental science and data analytics. In practice, it recommended widespread adoption of IoT-enabled sensor networks with enhanced capabilities for precise and reliable data collection. Policy-wise, the study called for regulatory frameworks supporting IoT integration, data standards, and international cooperation to address global environmental challenges collaboratively. Capacity building and continuous research and development were also highlighted to optimize IoT technologies for sustainable environmental monitoring and management globally.

Detection of Protective Coatings Applied on Baroque Amber Artworks: Case Studies

Amber has been used to create decorative items for centuries, but its degradation presents challenges for conservators. This study identifies substances historically used to protect amber objects, especially those from 17th and 18th century Gdansk workshops. Despite their historical value, information on amber conservation is scarce. Traditional substances are noted, but their exact compositions and effects on amber remain unclear. Synthetic resins, introduced in the late 19th century, also degrade, complicating conservation due to their removal difficulty and interference with amber identification. This research aimed to develop methods for detecting and analyzing protective coatings on amber objects using macroscopic and microscopic techniques. Initial methods included analytical photography under visible and UV light and reflectance imaging spectroscopy (RIS) to assess the surface. Raman spectroscopy (RS) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) were used for detailed analysis. RS provided precise layer-specific information but was sensitive to surface conditions, while XRF quickly identified inorganic compounds but not organic materials. Examining amber objects from Polish collections using this methodology revealed various protective substances, including synthetic resins and nitrocellulose varnishes. This research contributes to amber conservation by proposing a comprehensive material analysis approach, essential for developing effective conservation strategies for these historic objects.