Enhancing Biodiversity Research Articles

The Role of Natural History Collections in Public Engagement for Enhancing Biodiversity Research

Citizen science biodiversity monitoring projects are becoming very common. It is generally accepted that these joint projects, of scientists and the public, have a positive effect on biodiversity and conservation education programs as well as on policy-makers opinion Ganzevoort et al. (2017). Yet, there is still a debate on the quality of the data collected in citizen science monitoring schemes, and especially on the benefits to high-quality research. Here, I present an example of how collection-based research and involvement of the public (non-taxonomists) in taxonomical education, i.e., advanced citizen science, can enhance research on scorpion diversity in Israel. Furthermore, the process of public involvement in monitoring and especially the prerequisites needed for this process, contributed to high-quality research, that in turn is enhancing biodiversity science. Considering this, I will discuss the basic stages required for successful public engagement in high-quality biodiversity research and monitoring schemes.

Local Scale Prioritisation of Green Infrastructure for Enhancing Biodiversity in Peri-Urban Agroecosystems: A Multi-Step Process Applied in the Metropolitan City of Rome (Italy)

Urban–rural interfaces represent complex systems that require complex solutions for sustainable development and resilience against pollution, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss and impaired flux of ecosystem services (ES). Green infrastructure (GI) is increasingly recognised as an effective tool for addressing such a complexity, but needs priority setting to maximise benefits and minimise drawbacks of implementation. Therefore, a prioritisation approach focused on biodiversity and ES in peri-urban areas is required. In the present work, a systematic and hierarchical framework is proposed for setting priority GI objectives, location and actions aimed at enhancing local biodiversity, ES flux and farming sustainability in urban peripheries. By means of a case study in the Metropolitan City of Rome, the framework allowed identification of the main demand for ES and biodiversity; the most suitable location for GI implementation; and the best cost-effective actions. The GI implementation showed an improvement in terms of wooded hedgerow density, an increase regarding the ecological connectivity of riparian ecosystems, and an increment of agroecosystems designated to enhance the ecological network and wildlife support. Finally, the prioritisation framework contributes to fostering environmental benefits while complying with regulations and management practices from the regional to the farm/field decision level.

City Children’s Nature Knowledge and Contact: It Is Not Just About Biodiversity Provision

Much attention has been directed at the perceived decline in city children’s contact with nature. We used a child-centric approach to assess neighborhood nature knowledge in 187 children aged 9 to 11 years, from different socioeconomic and ethnic groups in three New Zealand cities. We evaluated the relative importance of social (independence, gender, social connections, deprivation, age) and environmental factors (biodiversity) in explaining variation in knowledge at a scale relevant to each child’s independent movements. Our biodiversity evaluation reflected the natural dimensions of the habitats where children interacted with nature. Generalized linear modeling identified ethnicity as having the strongest association with nature knowledge. Within each ethnic group, social factors were most important (independence, social connections, deprivation) except for Pākehā/NZ European children, where local biodiversity was most important. Enhancing biodiversity values of private green spaces (yards) would be effective in facilitating opportunities to experience nature, which is fundamental to supporting nature contact.

Enhancing biodiversity conservation in existing land-use plans with widely available datasets and spatial analysis techniques

SUMMARYIn many developing countries, high rates of deforestation and biodiversity loss make conservation efforts urgent. Improving existing land-use plans can be an option for enhancing biodiversity conservation. We showcase an approach to enhancing an existing forest land-use plan using widely available data and spatial tools, focusing on Argentina's Southern Yungas ecoregion. We mapped the distribution of wilderness areas and species and habitats of conservation concern, assessed their representation in the land-use plan and quantified potential changes in habitat availability and forest connectivity. Wilderness comprised 48% of the study area, and the highest concentrations of elements of conservation concern were in the north. In the current land-use plan, wilderness areas often occur in regions where logging and grazing are allowed, and a large proportion of the forest with the highest conservation value (43%) is under some level of human influence. Furthermore, we found that deforestation being legally allowed in the land-use plan could reduce forest connectivity and habitat availability substantially. We recommend updating the current land-use plan by considering human influence and elements of conservation concern. More broadly, we demonstrate that widely available spatial datasets and straightforward approaches can improve the usefulness of existing land-use plans so that they more fully incorporate conservation goals.

Applying Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function Theory to Turfgrass Management

In the United States, there is a growing need for turfgrass management practices that protect community and environmental health. The proportion of the developed landscape in the United States covered by turfgrass is significant and, at present, covers at least 1.9% of the total land area and comprises 60% in parts of the country. As urbanization progresses, there is a critical need to re‐examine turf management practices that reduce reliance on pesticide and fertilizer inputs while contributing additional beneficial ecosystem services. In this review, we discuss the functional role of turfgrass in urban ecosystems. We identify key urban ecosystem processes associated with turfgrass and evaluate the potential to integrate biodiversity into their design and management. Specifically, we summarize research on the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function theory that shows enhanced C storage, N retention, and weed suppression in natural and managed ecosystems, which are traits that are relevant to turfgrass systems. Enhancing biodiversity in turfgrass systems could increase ecosystem services in urban landscapes and should be considered a component of sustainable management practices.

To What Extent Can Constructed Wetlands Enhance Biodiversity?

To What Extent Can Constructed Wetlands Enhance Biodiversity?

GIS를 이용한 아산시 마을습지 인벤토리 구축 및 관리 방안 연구

This study was conducted to establish an inventory and propose conservation strategies for 'village wetlands' in Asan city, Korea, using GIS. As results, the village wetlands are defined as such places as 'palustrine' wetland, village embankment, agricultural reservoir or small reservoirs located in or near the village and related to everyday life or farming. Firstly 807 provisional village wetlands(draft) were identified in Asan by using Arc-GIS 10.1, then 196 wetlands(final) were defined finally as village wetlands and listed the inventory of Asan Village Wetlands after being validated through office works and field survey. The office works analyzed minimum area(greater than <TEX>$625m^2$</TEX>), satellite images, the Korea Land Information System, land use map and land coverage map. To evaluate the function and conservation values, the 37 wetlands were selected for detailed surveying and function assessment based on the following criteria : 1) doubled code both wetland and reservoir at digital map, 2) located less than 100m from village and 3) ecologically connected to such ecological resources as seaside mudflats, mountains and green area and ecological passages for small size wildlifes. As the result of the wetland function assessments by the RAM method, 7 wetlands were found to have 'high' wetland function (conservation) 18 wetlands were 'medium' (enhancement) and 12 wetlands were 'low' (restoration or enhancement). Enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services through ecological management of wetlands in Asan and connecting with the Ecological Natural Degree were proposed.

Plant Diversity in an Intensively Cultivated Vineyard Agroecosystem (Langhe, North-West Italy)

In areas of intensive agriculture, wild plant species are confined to field margins, thus they play a role in protecting biodiversity. The aim of the present study was to assess plant diversity in an area of intensive viticulture and to evaluate, for the first time, the impact of field margins on vineyard flora biodiversity. The study was conducted in North-West Italy, were five categories of floristic lists in vineyard-margin pairs were sampled and compared. Five margins were identified: grass-covered (A) and bare (B) headlands, small (C) and wide (D) woodlands, and shrub and herbaceous (E) areas. Two hundred and fifty-two taxa were found, although only 19 were widespread. Differences among categories emerged, highlighting the high floristic complexity of the sites surrounded by wide wooded areas (D). The findings suggest an influence of margin size, in addition to margin type, on the floristic richness of the vineyard. Moreover, an inverse relationship between species richness and both the presence of Poaceae and the degree of soil grass coverage emerged. Enhancing biodiversity, at landscape and field level, by the appropriate management of cover crops and ecological infrastructures, within and around vineyards, could be a strategy in sustainable viticulture. The increase in plant species richness is not an end in itself, but it might help to promote biodiversity at different trophic levels.

Overcoming Evolutionary Mismatch by Self-Treatment with Helminths: Current Practices and Experience

Background. Biome depletion, or loss of biodiversity from the ecosystem of the human body, is a major evolutionary mismatch underlying a variety of inflammatory diseases in Western populations. Enhancing biodiversity via exposure to helminths has effectively treated immune diseases in a variety of experimental animal models and in a few published studies involving human subjects. Purpose. This study probes another untapped resource for helminthic therapy: the methods and outcomes reported by individuals currently self-treating with helminths. Procedures. Helminth providers were interviewed, surveys were collected from self-treaters, and publically available information was compiled. Results. More than 250 anecdotal experiences of self-treatment were assessed, and the total number of individuals worldwide currently self-treating was estimated at between 6,000 and 7,000. A wide range of inflammation- related diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, and autoimmunity, were effectively treated. Conclusions. This study finds that the therapy is being refined through experience and is now expanding to treat widespread neuropsychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, migraine headaches, bipolar disorder, and perhaps Parkinson's disease.

천안시 마을습지 인벤토리구축 및 보전전략

This study was conducted to establish inventory and propose conservation strategy of 'village wetlands' in Cheonan. As results, the village wetlands are defined as such places as palustrine wetland, village embankment, agricultural reservoir or small reservoirs located in or near the village and related to everyday life or farming. Firstly 791 provisional village wetlands were identified in Cheonan by using Arc-GIS 10.1, then 104 wetlands were defined as village wetlands and listed the inventory of Cheonan Village Wetlands after being validated through their area (greater than <TEX>$1,000m^2$</TEX>), satellite images, Korea Land Information System, land use map, land coverage map and field survey. Finally the 49 wetlands were selected for detailed surveying, and function assessment. As the result of the wetland function assessments, 11 wetlands were found to have 'high' wetland function (conservation) 30 wetlands were 'average' (enhancement) and 8 wetlands were 'low' (restoration or enhancement). Enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services through ecological management of wetlands in Cheonan and connecting with an ecological network were proposed.

Does Riparian Forest Restoration Thinning Enhance Biodiversity? The Ecological Importance of Large Wood

AbstractIntact riparian ecosystems are rich in biological diversity, but throughout the world, many have been degraded. Biodiversity declines, particularly of vertebrates, have led to experimental efforts to restore riparian forests by thinning young stands to accelerate creation of large diameter live trees. However, many vertebrates depend on large diameter deadwood that is standing as snags or fallen to the forest floor or fallen into streams. Therefore, we reviewed the sizes of deadwood and live trees used by different vertebrate species to understand which species are likely to benefit from different thinning treatments. We then examined how riparian thinning affects the long‐term development of both large diameter live trees and deadwood. To this end, we used a forest growth model to examine how different forest thinning intensities might affect the long‐term production and abundance of live trees and deadwood. Our results suggest that there are long‐term habitat tradeoffs associated with different thinning intensities. Species that utilize large diameter live trees will benefit most from heavy thinning, whereas species that utilize large diameter deadwood will benefit most from light or no thinning. Because far more vertebrate species utilize large deadwood rather than large live trees, allowing riparian forests to naturally develop may result in the most rapid and sustained development of structural features important to most terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates.

Enhancing Biodiversity in Singapore with Nature Ways: Seeking Nature‘s Mysterious Ways

Enhancing Biodiversity in Singapore with Nature Ways: Seeking Nature‘s Mysterious Ways

Enhancing Biodiversity by Restoring Wetland Vegetation Communities in Irrigation Ponds

Enhancing Biodiversity by Restoring Wetland Vegetation Communities in Irrigation Ponds The survival and establishment rates of five different densities and compositions of Scirpus atrovirens, Carex lacustris and Sagittaria latifolia were tested in a pilot study at two irrigation ponds in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Robust emergent wetland species were monitored to determine community assembly principles for water quality and biodiversity improvement in irrigation ponds. Growth trait and survival measurements were taken every two weeks in the growing season of 2011. A vegetation inventory occurred four times throughout the growing season. Using multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance (MANOVAR) we found that S. latifolia is capable of interspecific competition when planted in mixed plot plantings in semi-naturalized ponds. We found that S. atrovirens was more competitive in monoculture plantings in a pond community comprised of agricultural weed species. It is more difficult to establish C. lacustris making it a less suitable choice for restoration plantings in irrigation ponds. The findings suggest pre-restoration community composition will influence the survival establishment rates of some wetland plant species. Pond age may be an important determinant in the vegetative community composition in irrigation ponds.

Does soil biota benefit from organic farming in complex vs. simple landscapes?

Organic farming can counteract detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on farmland biodiversity. Enhancing biodiversity with agri-environmental schemes is hypothesized to be more efficient in simple than complex landscapes, a pattern confirmed for many aboveground taxa. Although belowground biodiversity is an important part of the agroecosystem, studies on the interacting effects of local and landscape intensification on the belowground detritivore community, including bacteria, fungi, collembolans and earthworms are lacking. We sampled diversity and abundance of arable weeds, earthworms and collembolans, soil respiration rate and microbial biomass in 12 pairs of organically and conventionally managed fields in landscapes differing in structural complexity. Organic farming significantly enhanced species richness of arable weeds, while conventional farming enhanced soil respiration and abundance of Collembola with furca. This research shows that the landscape context plays a significant role in shaping effects of organic vs. conventional farming on soil biota. Earthworm species richness in simple landscapes, where predation pressure is reduced, was enhanced by organic farming, whereas in complex landscapes, conventional farming, which often causes reduced predation, fostered earthworm species richness. As the same pattern was found for microbial carbon biomass, earthworms may have enhanced microbial biomass. In contrast to earthworm and microbial diversity, aboveground biodiversity benefits most from organic farming in simple landscapes. In general, organic farming appears to be more efficient in conserving aboveground than belowground diversity.

Wetlands and Ponds for Stormwater Treatment in Subtropical Australia: Their Effectiveness in Enhancing Biodiversity and Improving Water Quality?

Abstract:Stormwater best management practice is aimed at reducing potential downstream impacts on aquatic ecosystem health. Sediment basins, wetlands and ponds are commonly used in subtropical Australia for water‐quality improvement; they also have the potential to enhance aquatic biodiversity in urbanised catchments. Two retrofit field sites in Brisbane, Australia were monitored for water quality and ecosystem health. The Golden Pond “wetland system” treatment train consisted of a sediment basin and two wetlands. The Bridgewater Creek “pond system”, consisted of a sediment basin and five ponds. Suspended solids were reduced during wet weather, but increased during dry weather due to resuspension by ducks. NO3‐N decreased in both wet and dry weather. NH4‐N increased probably due to ammonification of organic matter. PO4‐P decreased. The removal of soluble NO3 and PO4 is indicative of biological uptake by phytoplankton submerged pond weeds and periphyton attached to aquatic macrophytes. Macroinvertebrate species richness increased, and mosquitoes were not a problem due to predation of larvae by macroinvertebrates. Macrophyte survival was adversely affected by flash flooding and increased inundation. Although water quality objectives were not consistently achieved, both systems were effective in reducing suspended solids and nutrients from stormwater runoff and provided a habitat for aquatic organisms.

Enhancing biodiversity at business sites: What are the options, and which of these do stakeholders prefer?

Abstract Biotic aspects of business site environments – flora and fauna and the landscape they inhabit – are not yet fully addressed in sustainable business site design. In this study a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) framework was developed with which scenarios were assessed that include various measures (elaborating five defined design and management principles) to enhance biodiversity at business site. Discrimination among the scenarios was based on socioeconomic and environmental criteria, both monetary and non-monetary. With this MCA framework, it was illustrated how different stakeholder groups (companies, employees, local governments, neighbors and environmental NGOs) in the Netherlands may rank scenarios for enhancing biodiversity at business sites, based on stakeholders’ preferences. This ranking of scenarios proved rather robust, as in an uncertainty analyses (run for a large range of both weights and scores) the ranking remains the same for most runs. Scenarios that include a large amount of urban green emerged as the favorite of all stakeholders, including companies and local governments. Besides it was found that implementing measures to enhance biodiversity may be acceptable only if combined with other ‘urban green’ functions (predominately related to ‘recreation’ and ‘health and well-being’) and if tailored to the required functional appearance of the business site environment (in terms of ‘external appearance’ and ‘tidiness’). Thus, the study broadens the concept of sustainable business site development by focusing on strategies to enhance biodiversity and landscape values at business sites.

Novel field margin management to enhance invertebrate biodiversity in intensive livestock farms

Most agricultural grassland in lowland UK is species-poor and structurally uniform. Management intensification has had a deleterious affect on the biodiversity of invertebrates and the suitability of grassland as feeding and breeding habitat for birds (Vickery et al. 20001). The PEBIL project (Defra BD 1444: Potential for Enhancing Biodiversity in Intensive Livestock Farms) is investigating the effects of structural and plant species manipulation on the invertebrate communities of field margins. The different treatments are designed to test the effects of increasing amounts of sward structural heterogeneity, in terms of canopy height, architectural complexity &amp; botanical composition, on faunal abundance and diversity as well as improving food resources for birds.

Farming with the Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches

Farming with the Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches

Farming with the Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches. By Daniel Imhoff; designed by , Roberto Carra; Foreword by , Fred Kirschenmann. A Watershed Media Book. Published by Sierra Books, San Francisco (California); distributed by University of California Press, Berkeley (California). $29.95 (paper). 182 p; ill.; index. ISBN: 1–57805–092–8. 2003.

Previous articleNext article No AccessEnvironmental SciencesFarming with the Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches. By Daniel Imhoff; designed by , Roberto Carra; Foreword by , Fred Kirschenmann. A Watershed Media Book. Published by Sierra Books, San Francisco (California); distributed by University of California Press, Berkeley (California). $29.95 (paper). 182 p; ill.; index. ISBN: 1–57805–092–8. 2003.Frank TuranoFrank TuranoEcology & Evolution, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York Search for more articles by this author Ecology & Evolution, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New YorkPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Quarterly Review of Biology Volume 79, Number 1March 2004 Published in association with Stony Brook University Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/421662 Views: 1Total views on this site PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

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Decolonizing Nature: Strategies for Conservation in a Post‐colonial Era By Jason W. Clay Farming With the Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches By Daniel Imhoff Singing the Turtles to Sea: The Comcáac (Seri) Art and Science of Reptiles By Gary Paul Nabhan