Conservation Management Plans Research Articles

Platelet-rich plasma fibrin glue for treatment of chylothorax following cavopulmonary connections.

The postoperative persistence of chylothorax is a fatal complication of paediatric cardiac surgery. There is an urgent need for an effective treatment of chylothorax. This study reports the application of allogenic platelet-rich plasma fibrin glue (PRP-FG) as a conservative therapy before reoperation. Over a 9-year period, from 2010 to 2019, 27 patients with persistent chylothorax following a cavopulmonary connection, with a mean latency period of 11 days (range 10-15 days), were treated with PRP-FG. These patients were selected because they had not responded positively to initial conservative management plans. The patients were followed up for 9 years. Twenty-five patients (92%) responded positively to treatment with PRP-FG; 2 patients did not respond to the treatment and died after reoperation. All of the successfully treated patients in follow-up continued to live a healthy life without further complications. Recalcitrant chylothorax that persists after paediatric cardiac surgery responded positively to treatment with PRP-FG. This technique precluded the need for another operation and significantly decreased the morbidity and mortality rates.

Climate change influences on the potential distribution of Dianthus polylepis Bien. ex Boiss. (Caryophyllaceae), an endemic species in the Irano-Turanian region.

Endemic and restricted-range species are considered to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of environmental change, which makes assessing likely climate change effects on geographic distributions of such species important to the development of integrated conservation strategies. Here, we determined distributional patterns for an endemic species of Dianthus (Dianthus polylepis) in the Irano-Turanian region using a maximum-entropy algorithm. In total, 70 occurrence points and 19 climatic variables were used to estimate the potential distributional area under current conditions and two future representative concentration pathway (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) scenarios under seven general circulation models for 2050. Mean diurnal range, iso-thermality, minimum temperature of coldest quarter, and annual precipitation were major factors that appeared to structure the distribution of the species. Most current potential suitable areas were located in montane regions. Model transfers to future-climate scenarios displayed upward shifts in elevation and northward shifts geographically for the species. Our results can be used to define high-priority areas in the Irano-Turanian region for conservation management plans for this species and can offer a template for analyses of other endangered and threatened species in the region.

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN CHESTE WORKERS UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM (SPAIN). A GETTY FOUNDATION KEEPING IT MODERN GRANT

Abstract. Universidades laborales, or workers’ universities, were set up throughout Spain during the years of the dictatorship and were aimed at professionally training the working classes. The architect Fernando Moreno Barberá was the author of four centers: those of Las Palmas, 1970–73, Toledo, 1970–78, Malaga 1972–78 and Cheste 1967–69, his work reflecting an undoubted assimilation of the Modern legacy. Cheste Workers University was a guidance center designed to house as many as 5,000 boarding students of up to 14 years of age. The auditorium, currently closed for safety reasons, is an important architectural symbol and, as such, has been included in the Ministry of Culture’s National Plan for the Conservation of the 20th Century Heritage. A Conservation Management Plan is currently being drafted on the initiative of the Getty Foundation. This paper explains some details of this initiative and provides a preview of the strategy employed.

Determining critical inter-nesting, migratory, and foraging habitats for the conservation of East Atlantic green turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Satellite telemetry was used to track inter-nesting, post-nesting, and foraging movements of six green turtles that nested on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea at the end of the 2019 nesting season, as well as foraging movements of five green turtles after the 2018 nesting season (n = 11 across two seasons), from the same nesting population. These tracks were fit with a switching state-space model to characterize movements and then analyzed in relation to environmental and anthropogenic factors. Inter-nesting movements of two turtles included separate oceanic loops, in which turtles traveled > 40 km away from nesting beaches. Four complete migrations were observed to two distinct foraging grounds, with two turtles migrating west for an average of 1064 km to the coastal waters of Ghana, and two migrating south for an average of 1563 km to a newly discovered foraging ground in the coastal waters of Angola. All migrations included intermittent foraging at stopover sites, including one period of possible oceanic foraging. Turtles at both foraging grounds maintained distinct core use areas in shallow, near-shore (< 20 km from coast) waters. Spatial and depth data reveal critical habitats for this population throughout inter-nesting, post-nesting, and foraging behaviors. Tracks spanned nine countries, highlighting the need for multi-national cooperation in the development of marine conservation management plans in the area. The long distances covered by these turtles suggests that fisheries bycatch and direct harvest throughout the East Atlantic may impact this population. Additionally, spatial and dive depth data can inform zonal fishing regulations and provide the information needed to modify fishing practices and gear in ways likely to reduce sea turtle bycatch.

Modeling and Prediction of Water Quality: Evidence of Benarpota Station of Sundarbans Region

The Sundarbans contain the world's largest coastal mangrove forest, with an area of about 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi), of which about 6,000 km2 (2,300 sq mi) are located in Bangladesh and about 4,000 km2 (1,500 sq mi) in India. Salinity will be the major issue in the future which could destroy the natural ecological balance. The major salinity components are electric conductivity (EC) at low tide and high tide with the corresponding chloride in low tide and high tide. This study develops a SARMA (2, 0, 2) (2, 0, 0) [4] model as it provides the minimum value of model selection criterion (AIC, BIC, SIC, RMSE) compare to all other models. It was found that the bestfitted model for EC in a high tide of study area follows a seasonal autoregressive moving average model of order (2, 0, 2)(2, 0, 0) [4] and chloride in high tide follows SARMA (1, 0, 1) (2, 0, 2) [4]. After fitting the time series model and forecasting the fitted model, the study showed that in both electric conductivity (EC) and salinity (Chloride ppm) increasing in the last three decades. EC crosses the poor water quality level which is more than 4 ppt or 2560 ppm. Salinity also crosses the poor water quality level which is more than 5 ppt or 3200 ppm. The findings of this study would be a potential contribution to make a comprehensive management plan for the long-term conservation and protection of the cultural landscape and mangrove wetlands ecosystem in the Sundarbans region.

An assessment of the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of southern Paraguayan grasslands

SummaryWe present an assessment of the Southern Paraguayan Grasslands using Important Bird Areas (IBAs) located in a grassland landscape mosaic. Eleven IBAs in southern Paraguay were evaluated 10 years after their designation, using the BirdLife International method to assess the state, pressure, and response of these areas, during 2017 and 2018. Overall, the Pressure from ecosystem modifications led by fire, and fire suppression, agricultural expansion, and intensification due to farming and grazing have been identified as the major threats to IBAs. Regarding the State, 64% of the IBAs presented Very poor habitat quality to support grassland bird communities. The level of conservation Response was mostly negligible when considering conservation designation, management planning and conservation actions for the trigger species. Our results provide useful information to partners to reconsider these areas as IBAs as most of them no longer fulfill international requirements, we also highlight the importance of strengthening national policies to adequately protect natural grasslands.

Evaluation of Alligator Gar Broodfish Collections in the Lower Mobile–Tensaw Delta, Alabama

AbstractIn Alabama, Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula populations have experienced a decline in abundance and due to their limited distribution are classified as a nongame species of moderate conservation concern. Conservation management plans have included creel limits and stocking to augment a diminished population within the lower Alabama River. Our objective was to evaluate gill‐net efficacy on catch and the environmental variables associated with improving broodfish capture rates for hatchery propagation. Broodfish collections were initiated and completed over 75 sample dates between March 2005 and April 2015. Collectors utilized multifilament gill nets consisting of three mesh sizes (101.6, 127.0, and 152.4 mm) and three net lengths (22.9, 30.5, and 61.0 m). Gill nets (n = 569) expended 2,173 h of soak time, resulting in the capture of 101 individuals (TL range = 1,020–2,210 mm). Catch was highest for the smallest mesh size, but net panel length did not influence catch rates. Median fish lengths increased with larger mesh sizes. Catch declined more than sevenfold for net soaks of 1 h or more, and the proportion of successful gill nets declined threefold for longer soak times. Examination of environmental conditions during and prior to the setting of gill nets demonstrated that fish capture success was in part influenced by various aspects of tidal current and water temperature. Catch success was 68% when nets were set at water temperatures of at least 20°C and when at least 50% of net soak time occurred during rising tides. However, success was lower when nets were set at temperatures less than 20°C, capturing Alligator Gar in 44% of all soaks and 37% for those on falling or slack tides. Agencies involved in hatchery propagation programs should continually evaluate field sampling methods, use of collection gear, and environmental conditions to increase broodfish catch rates and improve staff efficacy.

Annex O: Report of the Subcommittee on Cetacean Stocks That Are or Might Be the Subject of Conservation Management Plans

How to cite: International Whaling Commission, 2020. Report of the Scientific Committee: Annex O. J. Cetacean Res. Manage. Suppl. 21: 260-272.

Ancient DNA From Museum Specimens and Next Generation Sequencing Help Resolve the Controversial Evolutionary History of the Critically Endangered Puebla Deer Mouse

Key insights into the evolutionary history of recently extinct or critically endangered species can be obtained through analysis of genomic data collected using high-throughput sequencing and ancient DNA from museum specimens, particularly where specimens are rare. For instance, the evolutionary history of the critically endangered Puebla deer mouse, Peromyscus mekisturus, remains unclear due to discordance between morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. However, previous molecular analyses were based on PCR and Sanger sequencing of only a few mitochondrial genes. Here, we used ancient DNA from historical museum specimens followed by target enrichment and high-throughput sequencing of several thousand nuclear ultraconserved elements and whole mitochondrial genomes to test the validity of the previous phylogenetic placement of P. mekisturus. Based on UCEs and mitogenomes, our results revealed that P. mekisturus forms a well-supported distinct lineage outside the clade containing all other members of the Peromyscus melanophrys group. Additionally, the mitogenome phylogeny further supports the placement of P. mekisturus as the sister species of the genus Reithrodontomys. This conflicts with the previous mtDNA phylogenetic reconstruction, in which P. mekisturus was nested within the species P. melanophrys. Our study demonstrates that high-throughput sequencing of ancient DNA, appropriately controlling for contamination and degradation, can provide a robust resolution of the evolutionary history and taxonomic status of species for which few or no modern genetic samples exist. In light of our results and pending further analysis with denser taxon sampling and the addition of morphological data, a re-evaluation of the taxonomy and conservation management plans of P. mekisturus is needed to ensure that the evolutionary distinctiveness of this species is recognized in future conservation efforts.

Predicting the potential distribution and habitat variables associated with pangolins in Nepal

Pangolins are highly-threatened due to illegal hunting and poaching, and by the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of their habitats. In Nepal, effective conservation actions for pangolins are scarce due to limited information on the distribution of pangolins in many areas of the country. To identify the nationwide distribution of pangolins in Nepal, and assess the environmental variables associated with their habitat, we conducted an extensive literature review to collate data from previous studies, canvassed information from key informant interviews and expert opinion, and conducted transect surveys and sign surveys. The occurrence of pangolins was recorded based on sightings and indirect signs (such as burrows, digs, tracks, and scats) along 115 belt transects of 500-m length with a fixed width of 50-m, and habitat parameters were surveyed using 347 quadrats of 10 m∗10 m. Pangolin presence was confirmed from 61 out of 75 districts from the eastern to the far western parts of the country. The highest frequency of burrows (74%) was observed in the forested habitat constituting brown soil with medium texture (0.02–2 mm) within an elevation range of 500–1500 m above sea level. Logistic regression suggested that the occurrence of pangolin was highly influenced by ground cover and canopy cover of 50–75%, litter depth, and the distance to termite mounds and roads. We used 4136 occurrence GPS points of pangolin burrows that were compiled and collected from the literature review and field surveys in order to predict the potential habitat distribution of pangolin using maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt 3.4.1). The model predicted 15.2% (22,393 km2) of the total land of Nepal as potentially suitable habitat for pangolin, with 38.3% (8574 km2) of potential habitat in the eastern region, followed by 37.6% (8432 km2) in the central and 24.1% (5,387 km2) in the western regions. The results of this study present a national baseline for pangolin distribution and serve as an important document for developing and executing conservation actions and management plans for the long-term conservation of pangolins in Nepal.

Temporal and environmental drivers of fish-community structure in tropical streams from two contrasting regions in India

Environmental and anthropogenic factors are known to drive fish community structure in aquatic systems across the world. This study investigates fish assemblages in lower order streams across contrasting landscapes in central and eastern India. We documented the species diversity of these monsoon driven lower order streams in the two regions. We also investigated the potential common environmental drivers of richness and diversity and effect of season in these tropical streams. The study was based on seasonal data on abundance of fishes and environmental parameters collected between 2015–2017 from streams in states of Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. Species diversity were compared across regions and seasons, based on their richness (SR) as well as diversity (Shannon index H'). Drivers of overall richness and diversity were analyzed using multiple linear regression methods, based on best subset selection. Analysis of data revealed high diversity in these streams in both regions. Cyprinidae, Bagridae and Channidae were the most dominant families in both regions. Despite the geographical and local ecological differences across the regions, common environmental parameters were found to influence richness and diversity across the two regions, indicating these as being key drivers of fish community structure. Water flow was a common factor driving both richness and diversity across both regions. Our study revealed a lack of seasonal effect in structuring fish communities in tropical streams. With stream and river ecosystems facing increasing threats due to habitat alterations and water quality degradation in countries such as India, a clear understanding of regional and local drivers of community structure of aquatic fauna is crucial. These results on the role of common environmental factors across ecoregions provides baseline information for understanding their ecological roles and developing management plans for important river basins and fish conservation in future.

Snakes and the Eternal City: variation in community metrics, body size and population density of snakes in contrasted landscapes of suburban Rome (Italy)

Reports of global declines in animal populations are now numerous and also include snakes, a group of animals now widely regarded as bio indicators. A prerequisite for any conservation management plan to protect or restore snake populations requires a data base that provides insight into population composition and changes. However, snakes are well known to be particularly difficult to quantitatively sample due to their secretive and elusive nature, and hence accumulating an adequate database for analysis requires long-term field studies that involve intensive searches. Populations of four snake species, Zamensis longissimus, Natrix helvetica, Vipera aspis and Hierophis viridiflavus living in two suburban areas of Rome with different extents of habitat alteration (deforestation), Vejo, a less altered site, and Tor Bella Monaca, a high altered site, have been monitored, but with interruptions since 1995. The results indicated that H. viridiflavus was the commonest species at both sites. Male bias was found in all four species but especially in Z. longissimus and V. aspis with detection of juveniles greatest in H. viridiflavus and N. helvetica. Snout to vent lengths (SVL) of H. viridiflavus and Z. longissimus, which were present at both sites, were greater at the less degraded habitat of the two study localities. Community metrics indicated that the degraded habitat had lower species richness, evenness, Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, but a higher dominance index. Recapture frequencies of snakes recaptured either once or multiple times were in general greater at Vejo. The highest population densities were found in H. viridiflavus, followed by V. aspis and N. helvetica, which were similar. However, long term trends in densities show declines in V. aspis and N. helvetica between 1995 and 2019. Population densities were in good agreement with density estimates found in previous studies of snakes in more natural habitats.

Hindrances to Effective Implementation of the Habitats Directive in Italy: Regional Differences in Designating Special Areas of Conservation

“Natura 2000” is a coordinated network of protected areas that stretches across the European Union in compliance with two directives (the so-called “Habitats Directive” and the “Birds Directive”) that underpin the Union’s policies on biodiversity conservation. This study is aimed at assessing the implementation of the network by qualitatively analyzing how Special Areas of Conservation are being designated. Such designation process, which is being implemented, although with great delay, in a number of member states, entails the establishment of site-specific conservation measures that may be included within appropriate management plans or other development plans. A systematic documental analysis of official acts establishing Special Areas of Conservation and approving conservation measures and management plans was performed by taking Italy as a case study. The analysis focuses on four key topics, as follows: use of conservation measures and appropriate management plans; multi-level governance of the Natura 2000 sites, in terms of involved institutions and tiers of government; stakeholders’ inclusion in the designation process; and the relationship between conservation measures and the wider spatial planning system. The results show significant differences regarding the implementation of the Natura 2000 network and highlight potential general hindrances to completing the designation process in the European Union.

Genomic consequences of population decline in critically endangered pangolins and their demographic histories.

Pangolins are among the most critically endangered animals due to heavy poaching and worldwide trafficking. However, their demographic histories and the genomic consequences of their recent population declines remain unknown. We generated high-quality de novo reference genomes for critically endangered Malayan (Manis javanica, MJ) and Chinese (M. pentadactyla, MP) pangolins and re-sequencing population genomic data from 74 MJs and 23 MPs. We recovered the population identities of illegally traded pangolins and previously unrecognized genetic populations that should be protected as evolutionarily distinct conservation units. Demographic reconstruction suggested environmental changes have resulted in a population size fluctuation of pangolins. Additionally, recent population size declines due to human activities have resulted in an increase in inbreeding and genetic load. Deleterious mutations were enriched in genes related to cancer/diseases and cholesterol homeostasis, which may have increased their susceptibility to diseases and decreased their survival potential to adapt to environmental changes and high-cholesterol diets. This comprehensive study provides not only high-quality pangolin reference genomes, but also valuable information concerning the driving factors of long-term population size fluctuations and the genomic impact of recent population size declines due to human activities, which is essential for pangolin conservation management and global action planning.

Multi‐species occupancy models: review, roadmap, and recommendations

Recent technological and methodological advances have revolutionized wildlife monitoring. Although most biodiversity monitoring initiatives are geared towards focal species of conservation concern, researchers are increasingly studying entire communities, specifically the spatiotemporal drivers of community size and structure and interactions among species. This has resulted in the emergence of multi‐species occupancy models (MSOMs) as a promising and efficient approach for the study of community ecology. Given the potential of MSOMs for conservation and management action, it is critical to know whether study design and model assumptions are consistent with inference objectives. This is especially true for studies that are designed for a focal species but can give insights about a community. Here, we review the recent literature on MSOMs, identify areas of improvement in the multi‐species study workflow, and provide a reference model for best practices for focal species and community monitoring study design. We reviewed 92 studies published between 2009 and early 2018, spanning 27 countries and a variety of taxa. There is a consistent under‐reporting of details that are central to determining the adequacy of designs for generating data that can be used to make inferences about community‐level patterns of occupancy, including the spatial and temporal extent, types of detectors used, covariates considered, and choice of field methods and statistical tools. This reporting bias could consequently result in skewed estimates, affecting conservation actions and management plans. On the other hand, comprehensive reporting is likely to help researchers working on MSOMs assess the robustness of inferences, in addition to making strides in terms of reproducibility and reusability of data. We use our literature review to inform a roadmap with best practices for MSOM studies, from simulations to design considerations and reporting, for the collection of new data as well as those involving existing datasets.

A trunk-based SLAM backend for smartphones with online SLAM in large-scale forest inventories

Reliable forest resource information is needed to assess the forest development status and design management plans for forest maintenance and conservation. The forest field sample inventory is a vital forest resource inventory method. Thus, forest inventory reliability depends on tree attribute estimation accuracy and the quantity and quality of field samples. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based mobile laser scanners (MLSs) are convenient inventory tools due to their mobility and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal independence. However, such scanners may be heavy, expensive and unable to verify results on-site. With the improved SLAM algorithm and chip computing capabilities, a smartphone can deploy an online SLAM system, which allows the smartphone to perform the relative positioning in forests without GNSS signals. Previous research studies have demonstrated this simple, portable, and economical device for estimating the tree position and diameter at breast height (DBH) through tree-by-tree measurements in real time. However, the device might face a challenge in large-scale forest inventories because the image-feature-based backend may not work well in forests that are not well constructed for traditional SLAM systems. In this paper, an online trunk-based backend was designed to accurately estimate tree position and correct pose drift in large-scale forest inventories in real time. Specifically, a trunk-based loop closure detection algorithm was designed for detecting whether an earlier observed tree is re-observed to provide nodes and constraints for tree position graph optimization; this algorithm uses the provided nodes and constraints to build and optimize the tree position graph and then correct the current pose based on the optimized globally consistent tree position graph. This new backend was integrated with the previous work as an executable program that can be deployed on a smartphone with an online RGB-D SLAM system. The method was tested in 5 field sample plots (32 × 32 m), and the reference tree positions were collected using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) through multi-scan mode. The distance mean between the estimated and reference tree positions was 0.133 m when using our new backend, and it was 0.759 m when estimated with the RTAB-Map. The tree position estimates were unbiased and had root mean square errors (RMSEs) of less than 0.09 m in the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis directions when using the trunk-based backend. However, the estimates had biases of −0.125 m, −0.261 m and 0.262 m and RMSEs of more than 0.30 m in the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis directions without the new backend. The results showed that the designed trunk-based backend allows a smartphone with an online SLAM system to function as an accurate and efficient tool for large-scale forest inventories. However, the method was tested only in 32 × 32 m square field sample plots. More tests must be performed in larger plots in the future, although enough loop-closure constraints can theoretically guarantee the accuracy of the tree position graph and current pose.

Prioritizing Areas for Land Conservation and Forest Management Planning for the Threatened Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) in the Atlantic Northern Forest of Canada

Populations of Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) are declining in Canada’s Atlantic Northern Forest. Land conservancies and government agencies are interested in identifying areas to protect populations, while some timber companies wish to manage forests to minimize impacts on Canada Warbler and potentially create future habitat. We developed seven conservation planning scenarios using Zonation software to prioritize candidate areas for permanent land conservation (4 scenarios) or responsible forest management (minimizing species removal during forest harvesting while promoting colonization of regenerated forest; 3 scenarios). Factors used to prioritize areas included Canada Warbler population density, connectivity to protected areas, future climate suitability, anthropogenic disturbance, and recent Canada Warbler observations. We analyzed each scenario for three estimates of natal dispersal distance (5, 10, and 50 km). We found that scenarios assuming large dispersal distances prioritized a few large hotspots, while low dispersal distance scenarios prioritized smaller, broadly distributed areas. For all scenarios, efficiency (proportion of current Canada Warbler population retained per unit area) declined with higher dispersal distance estimates and inclusion of climate change effects in the scenario. Using low dispersal distance scenarios in decision-making offers a more conservative approach to maintaining this species at risk. Given the differences among the scenarios, we encourage conservation planners to evaluate the reliability of dispersal estimates, the influence of habitat connectivity, and future climate suitability when prioritizing areas for conservation.

Recognizing peripheral ecosystems in marine protected areas: A case study of golden jellyfish lakes in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Peripheral marine ecosystems can harbor endemic diversity and attract tourism attention, yet are generally not included in conservation management plans due to their remoteness or inland positioning. A case study in Raja Ampat of seven landlocked marine lakes containing golden jellyfish (Mastigias spp.) was conducted to address the lack of fundamental insights into evolutionary, ecological and social contexts of these ecosystems. An interdisciplinary approach was taken towards identifying the jellyfish lakes as distinct management units in order to incorporate them into existing Marine Protected Areas. Mastigias papua populations showed strong genetic (ϕST: 0.30–0.86) and morphological (F = 28.62, p-value = 0.001) structure among lakes, with putative new subspecies. Risks arising from rapid increase in tourism to Raja Ampat (30-fold since 2007) warrant restrictions on jellyfish lake use. Recommendations are provided for adaptive management and science-based conservation policies for jellyfish lakes across Indonesia.

Retrieving Foliar Traits of Quercus garryana var. garryana across a Modified Landscape Using Leaf Spectroscopy and LiDAR

Understanding the ecological effects of human activities on an ecosystem is integral to the implementation of conservation management plans. The plasticity of plant functional traits presents an opportunity to examine the capacity for intraspecific functional trait variations to be indicators of anthropogenic landscape modifications. The presence of intraspecific trait variation would indicate that plants of a single species could to be used to evaluate and map functional diversity, a common metric used to measure biodiversity. This study uses leaf spectroscopy, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) to examine the intraspecific variation of functional traits in a population of 40 Quercus garryana experiencing varying levels of anthropogenic influence at the site level (&lt;0.3 km2) in Duncan, B.C., Canada. These individuals vary in their spatial relationship to roads, agricultural land use change and an encroaching Coastal Douglas-fir forest. A total of 14 functional traits were estimated using pre-determined PLSR coefficients from a multi-species dataset. LiDAR data for each tree and were organized into functional categories based on their influence of plant lifeform, leaf growth or leaf structure. Principal components analysis was performed on each functional category to determine the relative influence of each trait. Results show that leaf growth and lifeform functional trait categories express significant variation in relation to three anthropogenic landscape modifications, while traits associated to leaf structure only varied between land use types (p = 0.05). Diameter at breast height (DBH), mass-based chlorophyll and leaf mass per area (LMA) showed the strongest variation across treatments. These findings support the hypothesis that trait variation exists in small populations of the same species and illustrate that spectroscopy can be used to indirectly sense land use via the leaf functional traits of a single tree species.

The Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory and the Offa’s Dyke Journal

Opening the first volume of a new open-access peer-reviewed academic publication, we are pleased to introduce the Offa’s Dyke Journal. This venture stems from the activities of the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory, a research network founded in April 2017 to foster and support new research on the monuments and landscapes of the Anglo-Welsh borderlands and comparative studies of borderlands and frontiers from prehistory to the present. The proceedings of a series of academic and public-facing events have informed the character and direction of the Journal. Moreover, its establishment coincides with the Cadw/Historic England/Offa’s Dyke Association-funded Offa’s Dyke Conservation Management Plan as well as other new community and research projects on linear earthworks. Funded by the University of Chester and the Offa’s Dyke Association, and published online by JAS Arqueologia and print-distributed by Archaeopress, the journal aims to provide a resource for scholars, students and the wider public regarding the archaeology, heritage and history of the Welsh Marches and its linear monuments. It also delivers a much-needed venue for interdisciplinary studies from other times and places.