Habitat Improvement Research Articles

Wildlife gardening: an urban nexus of social and ecological relationships

Biodiversity in urban environments continues to decline, alongside diminution of human connections with nature and community. An integrated ethic and practice of caring for one’s human and ecological community could help address these issues. Here, we describe how wildlife gardening can be such a pathway. We provide an overview of related social dynamics and benefits to human well‐being, highlighting a case study that reveals an array of connections and well‐being aspects derived from wildlife gardening, and their relationship with several activities, including time spent in the garden. We outline how positive biodiversity outcomes can be attained through habitat improvement in gardens, and describe how integration of nature and human community stewardship can function across physical and political boundaries when municipal governments and local communities work collaboratively. We contend that wildlife gardening conducted in this manner can involve urban residents in crafting and enacting an intertwined ethic and practice of caring for nature and humanity.

Drivers of revitalization in Great Lakes coastal communities

Sediment remediation and habitat restoration projects have been increasingly employed along the coast of the Great Lakes to improve environmental quality since the designation of 43 highly degraded Areas of Concern (AOCs) by the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the U.S. and Canada. Improvements in water quality, habitat, and other environmental conditions can also support community wellbeing and revitalization; however, the mechanisms that support these connections are relatively unclear. We address this gap through a case study of three AOCs near Lake Michigan: 1) Grand Calumet River; 2) White Lake, and 3) Muskegon Lake. By analyzing secondary data and planning documents, we found that alongside environmental cleanup, anchor institutions, housing and economic development, and local events drive revitalization. Our research also illustrates that, rather than acting as discrete processes, environmental cleanup and revitalization drivers overlap in time and space. Finally, our research reveals a high level of variation within and across AOCs in terms of diverse socioeconomic contexts, planning capacities, and existing partnerships. Together, our findings point to the need for collaborative and inclusive planning processes that account for the heterogeneity present within and across AOCs to simultaneously support remediation, restoration, and revitalization and to sustain continued revitalization in AOC communities after delisting.

Response of Fish Community to Building Block Methodology Mimicking Natural Flow Regime Patterns in Nakdong River in South Korea

Water regulation and flood control of rivers are changing due to streamflow depletion following industrialization and urbanization, significantly impacting aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, restoration of the ecological environment is necessary to maintain a healthy river ecosystem. For ecosystem restoration, the amount of discharge from dams must be controlled and the appropriate environmental flow must be calculated according to the fish species. The change in the flow through the dam due to hydropeaking directly impacts the fish. This study aimed to construct a building block methodology (BBM) using dam inflows in the Gudam Bridge basin upstream of the Nakdong River, build a River2D model of this area, and calculate the natural flow regime and the weighted usable area (WUA). The analysis of the scenarios for the whole period (2006–2020) and by flow regime showed that WUA decreased in some periods, but improved overall in the scenario reflecting the BBM. For Zacco platypus, a dominant fish species of the Gudam Bridge, WUA decreased by ~11% in some periods (in September) but the habitat improvement effect measured up to 79%. Changing the dam discharge pattern by considering the flow regime seemed more effective in improving the habitat of fish living downstream.

Occurrence, Abundance, Movement, and Habitat Associations of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Tributaries to Bear Lake, Idaho–Utah

AbstractBonneville Cutthroat Trout (BCT) Oncorhynchus clarkii utah in Bear Lake, Idaho–Utah, is an important endemic and recreational species and plays a vital ecological role in systems throughout the basin. Although the distribution and abundance of BCT have declined due to anthropogenic disturbances, production of wild BCT in Bear Lake has increased over the past decade as a result of extensive habitat improvement in spawning tributaries. The objective of this study was to assess the occurrence, distribution, and out‐migration of BCT in tributaries of Bear Lake. Surveys were conducted at 75 stream reaches across three study streams (i.e., St. Charles, Fish Haven, and Swan creeks) during 2019 and 2020. A total of 1,064 BCT was sampled from 55 of 75 total reaches (73%). Total length of BCT varied from 22 to 650 mm, and the average TL was 117 mm (SE = 2.2). Regression models were used to identify abiotic and biotic features associated with BCT distribution, abundance, and probability of out‐migration. Regardless of the tributary, elevation was negatively related to BCT occurrence and relative abundance. Other habitat characteristics associated with the presence and abundance of BCT were similar to those of other Cutthroat Trout species. For example, BCT were often associated with large substrates, instream cover, canopy cover, and heterogeneity in several habitat characteristics. The probability of a BCT out‐migrating was positively associated with fish length and age but negatively related to distance to Bear Lake and number of downstream irrigation diversions. Results from this study provide critical information on the ecology and early life history characteristics of BCT that can be used to guide additional conservation and management efforts (i.e., removal of nonnative fish species; continued habitat restoration efforts).

Benefits of pervious concrete for urbanized habitats

Pervious (draining) concrete is a new generation concrete which, for its structure, allows rainwater to enter the subsoil and at the same time is determining the final surface without the need for any additional layer. Pervious concrete allows to drain off up to 95 % of precipitation, which represents a significant contribution to ecology and sustainability. Therefore, its use is particularly suitable in city parks, bike paths, in the vicinity of apartment buildings, swimming pools and parking lots. Rainwater is not purposelessly be drained by the city sewer system, but it is absorbed directly in place and contributing to the environmental improvement of the urban habitat (replenishment of groundwater supplies, water for roots of plants and trees, reduction of the thermal island of the city, etc.). Unlike prefabricated paving blocks (interlocking and flat paving), pervious concrete makes it possible to realize structured and complex shapes of finished surfaces without the need for laborious cutting, waste, dust and with generally faster laying. This paper summarizes the current achievements within the Buzzi Unicem Group and the use of pervious concrete in the Czech and Slovak Republic.

Effective and feasible mechanisms to support native invertebrate pollinators in agricultural landscapes: A meta‐analysis

AbstractPollinator declines have emerged as a major conservation concern across a wide diversity of systems and taxa worldwide. In response to these concerns, active efforts to conserve pollinators are increasingly considered in agricultural landscape design and management, natural area management, and public land decision‐making. An important conservation challenge is translating these efforts to feasible recommendations that agriculturalists across a diversity of systems and contexts can employ to support pollinator communities. In order to develop such a toolbox for agriculturalists, we conducted a meta‐analysis to examine feasible management practices, tools, or decisions, employed in agricultural landscapes, that directly impact pollinator forage and nest site resources. Our search terms netted a total of 743 unique references; from this, we developed a dataset of 209 unique records, derived from 89 unique references, for inclusion in our meta‐analysis. We found that across all treatments aimed at boosting pollinators, there were significant increases in bee abundance, bee species richness, and overall pollinator abundance and visitation rate. We also found specifically that across all study types, the following practices resulted in positive changes in pollinator community responses: reduced distance to natural areas, reduced regional intensity of human modification, increased quantity and quality of pollinator resources within a focal system, plantings adjacent to agricultural areas, and the use of nonconventional agricultural practices. The most consistent pollinator response to treatments was bee species richness, which was significantly increased by plantings adjacent to agricultural areas, distance from natural areas, and quantity and diversity of pollinator resources. Bee species richness also decreased with intensity of human modification. These findings are presented in a toolbox for agriculturalists, containing evidence‐based actions and outcomes to assist practitioners in decision‐making specific to pollinator habitat improvement that could be actionable in the near term.

Managing Freshwater Fish in a Changing Climate: Resist, Accept, or Direct

AbstractClimate change is altering the distribution, phenology (e.g., timing of spawning), and community dynamics of freshwater fishes. Managers have three options for responding to these changes: “Resist” change to maintain or restore historic abiotic and biological conditions; “Accept” change and manage within the new conditions; or “Direct” change to produce new conditions considered desirable by humans. I discuss how the inland fisheries management approaches of stocking, regulations, habitat improvement, and community manipulations can be applied within the Resist‐Accept‐Direct (RAD) framework. I also discuss ways to choose among these options and how ecological tipping points can be used to determine when Resist is no longer a feasible option and managers must shift to Accept or Direct options.

The habitat suitability of Timor friarbird (Philemon inornatus) in Western Timor Island, Indonesia

Abstract. Paga B, Pudyatmoko S, Wijayanti LR, Yuda P, Sulaksono N. 2021. The habitat suitability of Timor friarbird (Philemon inornatus) in Western Timor Island, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 703-713. Timor friarbird is an endemic bird to Timor Island. The population of this bird has been declining due to land cover changes as a result of massive anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed to assess the suitability of Timor friarbird's habitat by using 12 ecogeographical variables. The sources of data included Sentinel 2A satellite imagery and remote sensing-based algorithms. The bird's presence was analyzed by using a combination of line transect with point count methods. Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) model was applied to obtain habitat suitability value as well as coefficient of marginality (M) and specialization (S). These results showed that the Timor friarbird needs a habitat with a different value from the average of the entire habitat. High specialization value indicated that the species has a narrow ecological niche. Factors influencing habitat suitability included the distance from roads, the presence of mangroves, primary and secondary dryland forests, rivers, and low-density settlements. About 75% of the study area is classified as unsuitable habitat, and only 22% is suitable with range classes of suitability from marginal to optimal habitat. Areas with less anthropogenic pressure on the land cover will be preferred more by the bird. Improvement of unsuitable habitat and protection of suitable habitat, therefore, will be the most important strategy for Timor friarbird conservation.

Benefits of Pervious Concrete for Urbanized Habitats

Pervious (draining) concrete is a new generation concrete which, for its structure, allows rainwater to enter the subsoil and at the same time is determining the final surface without the need for any additional layer. Pervious concrete allows to drain off up to 95% of precipitation, which represents a significant contribution to ecology and sustainability. Therefore, its use is particularly suitable in city parks, bike paths, in the vicinity of apartment buildings, swimming pools and parking lots. Rainwater is not purposelessly be drained by the city sewer system, but it is absorbed directly in place and contributing to the environmental improvement of the urban habitat (replenishment of groundwater supplies, water for roots of plants and trees, reduction of the thermal island of the city, etc.). Unlike prefabricated paving blocks (interlocking and flat paving), pervious concrete makes it possible to realize structured and complex shapes of finished surfaces without the need for laborious cutting, waste, dust and with generally faster laying. This paper summarizes the current achievements within the Buzzi Unicem Group and the use of pervious concrete in the Czech and Slovak Republic.

Habitat restoration and improvement (pathway cause)

This datasheet on Habitat restoration and improvement (pathway cause) covers Identity.

Landowner Cooperative Key to Success in the Bee Ridge Quail Focus Area

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) began establishing Quail Focus Areas (QFAs) on private lands in 2004. The goal of QFAs is to increase and expand quail habitat management efforts around a core area. Because most (93%) of the landscape of Missouri, USA is in private ownership, habitat improvement programs on private lands have greater potential to impact quail populations than on public lands alone. A motivated group of landowners led the charge to begin habitat improvement efforts in the Bee Ridge QFA. This group was instrumental in starting earlier monitoring efforts to determine whether habitat improvements were leading to increased northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter, bobwhite) numbers. In fall 2017, MDC staff began monitoring bobwhite and songbirds in a portion of the Bee Ridge QFA in Knox County, Missouri and in a control area (without habitat management for bobwhite). This effort is part of the Coordinated Implementation Plan developed by the National Bobwhite Technical Committee as a part of the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. The goal of the monitoring plan is to document whether quail habitat management can achieve sustainable bobwhite populations within 5–10 years. We selected a 2,225-ha portion of the Bee Ridge QFA where habitat management for quail has been conducted through efforts by landowners and MDC staff. Point transect surveys are conducted at 46 250-m radius points in spring for bobwhite and songbirds and at 12 500-m radius points in fall for bobwhite coveys. Bobwhite densities ranged from 0.23 bobwhite/ha (95% credible interval [CrI] = 0.14–0.35) to 0.27 bobwhite/ha (95% CrI = 0.15–0.43) in the focus area and 0.03 bobwhite/ha (95% CrI = 0.01–0.08) to 0.06 bobwhite/ha (95% CrI = 0.01–0.15) in the control area from 2013 through 2019. Landowners working together to implement recommended habitat management practices resulted in greater quail and songbird numbers in the focus area, compared to the control area.

Habitat Works: How Partnerships and Habitat Improvement have Restored Quail Populations in the 2C Quail Focus Area

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) began establishing Quail Focus Areas (QFAs) on private lands in 2004. The goal of QFAs was to bring groups of landowners together to manage bobwhite habitat on a larger scale in a targeted landscape. Through a variety of state, federal, and other partnership programs, habitat improvement efforts have resulted in large increases in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter, bobwhite) numbers in the 2C QFA. In spring 2013, MDC staff and Quail Forever biologists began monitoring bobwhite and songbirds in a portion of the 2C QFA in Carroll County, Missouri, USA and in a control area (without habitat management for bobwhite). This effort is part of the Coordinated Implementation Plan developed by the National Bobwhite Technical Committee as a part of the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. The goal of the monitoring plan is to document whether quail habitat management can achieve sustainable bobwhite populations within 5–10 years. We selected a 2,100-ha portion of the 2C QFA where habitat management for quail has been conducted through efforts by landowners, MDC staff, and Quail Forever volunteers. Point-transect surveys were conducted at 48 250-m radius points in spring for bobwhite and songbirds and at 12 500-m radius points in fall for bobwhite coveys. Quail densities ranged from 0.18 quail/ha (95% credible interval [CrI] = 0.09–0.32) to 0.41 quail/ha (95% CrI = 0.30–0.57) in the focus area and from 0.04 quail/ha (95% CrI = 0.01–0.11) to 0.12 quail/ha (95% CrI = 0.06–0.20) in the control area from 2013–2019. We have also documented increases in grassland songbirds through monitoring efforts. Results show that dedicated management efforts were successful in increasing bobwhite density in the focus area.

THE ROLE OF BEEKEEPING ON THE ROOFS OF CITY BUILDINGS

Introduction. The development of the concept of a green city or the city of the future is necessary to form mini-beehives on the roofs of city buildings, where this innovation will contribute to the development of urban horticulture, as pollination increases the yield and quality of agricultural crops. In this regard, research into the role of beekeeping on the roofs of city buildings is quite relevant and necessary in modern conditions. The goal of the work is to study the role of beekeeping on the roofs of city buildings. Materials and methods of research. When conducting the research, general scientific and special research methods were used, including analysis and synthesis, comparison, generalization, system-structural analysis. Results of research and discussion. Cities are increasingly committed to sustainable development goals, leading to initiatives to increase environmental justice and promote biodiversity and nature’s contribution to people’s lives. This has led to the intensification of urban greening activities and environmental behavior of local residents and city authorities (FOEN, 2017). For example, beekeeping has grown in several European cities in recent years, partly as a response to the current biodiversity crisis (Geldmann, González-Varo, 2018). Conclusions and prospects for further research. As a result of the conducted research, it was established that the role of beekeeping on the roofs of city buildings is a relevant topic due to modern conditions. Due to the integral role of bees in the reproduction of flowering plants, bees can function as indicator species of the status of the flowering plant community. The ability of bees to exist in small areas in an urban environment opens up opportunities for small-scale habitat improvement measures to reap significant benefits from urban beekeeping. When starting urban rooftop beekeeping, you need to network with other beekeepers in the region, as larger cities may have more than one beekeeping club, while smaller cities usually have only one. Beekeeping mentors will have urban beekeeping skills to share with newbies and greatly contribute to the success of urban beekeeping Worldwide, there are urban beekeepers in Brisbane, Midtown, New York, San Diego, Darmstadt, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Paris, etc., have legalized urban beekeeping and have a large number of beekeepers. We can note that these cities are scattered all over the world, so urban beekeeping on rooftops has truly become a global phenomenon. As a result, it remains to assume that this "creative, evolutionary" process will constantly develop. We believe that the spread of urban beekeeping corresponds to a certain region of the country, established traditions of beekeeping, climatic zones, features of meadow flora, etc.

Population characteristics and habitat suitability of Khao Yai National Park, Thailand for Asian elephant and five ungulate species

Abstract. Pla-ard M, Khioesree N, Sungkalak B, Nathalang A, Thomas W, Uthairatsamee S, Paansri P, Chanachai Y, Sukmasuang R. 2021. Population characteristics and habitat suitability of Khao Yai National Park, Thailand for Asian elephant and five ungulate species. Biodiversitas 23: 231-243. This study of population characteristics and habitat suitability of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758) and five ungulate species was conducted between October 2017 and July 2020 in Khao Yai National Park (KYNP) using camera traps. One hundred and twenty-two camera trap locations were set up for a total of 4,139 trap nights and 5,461 independent encounters were identified. The target species of Asian elephant, gaur, sambar deer, wild boar, northern red muntjac and lesser oriental chevrotain were recorded. The results show the occupancy of Asian elephant was 1.21 individuals/km2 within the study area. The probability occupancy of the Asian elephant was 70% (SE=0.06). In comparison, gaur had a probability occupancy of 57% (SE=0.07), whereas sambar deer was 79% (SE=0.04), followed by wild boar 77% (SE=0.05), northern red muntjac 77% (SE=0.05) and lesser oriental chevrotain occupancy 63% (SE=0.07). The age structure of Asian elephant between calf, juvenile, sub-adult and adult was 1: 2.1: 1.2: 3.16, and the ratio between adult males and females was 1: 1.72. The results show that roads and salt lick sites were the essential factors affecting the chance of Asian elephants and ungulate species in the area. The habitat suitability for Asian elephant was 331 km2, while those for gaur, sambar deer, wild boar, northern red muntjac and lesser oriental chevrotain were 287.73 km2, 249.97 km2, 540.40 km2, 451.34 km2 and 434.30 km2, respectively. Recommendations for further management involve concentration on the suitable area resulting from this study. Concerning the suitability habitat, it was found that the park boundary was most suited. Therefore, habitat improvements for all large herbivorous mammal species should improve the areas within the national park and especially address the central area, with an emphasis on creating salt lick sites, in addition to grassland and water sources that must be quality and sufficient, the most important habitat factor for these species.

Human-Elephant interactions and associated damage in the northern transboundary areas of Bangladesh

We have studied human-elephant interactions in the northern transboundary of Bangladesh and estimated the scale of associated damage due to the negative interaction by visiting conflict area, performing focus group discussions key informant interviews and using secondary data sources. Around 70-80 non-resident elephants regularly intruded to the study area through the international border fence using several trespassing points and engaged in conflicts with frontier villagers. We discussed the nature and scale of conflict and the financial losses due to the conflict. Besides severe casualties in both ends, the enumerated economic loss was USD 1,171, 665 in 2013 and 2014 due to the damage to cropland, houses and properties, trees and orchards. We have identified major human-elephant conflict (HEC) zones adjacent to the border fence through spatial analysis with different level of intensity. Appropriate human-elephant conflict mitigation measures such as habitat improvement and management, monitoring of elephant population, alternative income generation, awareness programs for the local people and working together with India regarding this issue is a timely and urgent need for Bangladesh

Exploring options for a PES-like scheme to conserve red panda habitat and livelihood improvement in western Nepal

Mountain ecosystems in western Nepal provide critical habitats for the endangered red panda. These habitats also need to satisfy the daily livelihood requirements of local communities. High levels of resource dependence and unsustainable resource use are creating pressure on the provision of ecosystem services in the region. Understanding the views of local villagers about their willingness to constrain the use of forest resources is the first step towards helping them realise sustainable environmental management. We conducted a survey among villagers to determine their willingness to participate in a potential PES-like scheme to help the conservation of the red panda habitat through reduced use of forest resources. Choice experiment results indicate that a high proportion of respondents (87%) were willing to accept payments in return for reducing the use of the high pastures for animal grazing while a reduction in the harvest of medicinal plants would require more compensation. People living inside a protected area were willing to accept a lower compensation than those outside. Respondents indicated that they would prefer communal over personal compensation payments. The findings could support design and implementation of a PES-like scheme that concurrently manages the nexus between effective conservation, sustainable resource utilisation and livelihoods improvement.

Foundation and Prospects of Wild Population Reconstruction of Acipenser dabryanus

Acipenser dabryanus is an endemic fish inhabiting the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China. It is classified as a first-class nationally protected animal in China and is listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Critically Endangered Species (CR). Recently, there has been a decrease in natural reproduction of A. dabryanus, and the wild population is almost extinct. This paper summarizes the changes observed in the natural population of A.dabryanus and the factors leading to its endangerment. Based on the process of artificial propagation and achievement of relevant protection goals, this paper presents the concept and technical framework for reconstruction of the wild population of A. dabryanus. In addition, by comprehensively reviewing the research findings and existing problems in the resource protection and monitoring of A. dabryanus in recent years, we assessed the possibility of wild population reconstruction and resource restoration for A. dabryanus. Reconstruction and restoration measures for the wild population of A. dabryanus are proposed, with the aim of providing a scientific basis for the reconstruction of the natural population and the improvement and restoration of critical habitat of this species. Furthermore, it is hoped that this paper will serve as a reference for the protection and restoration of other endangered fishes.

Central Valley Project Habitat and Facility Improvements (DOI)

Central Valley Project Habitat and Facility Improvements (DOI)

Habitat restoration for brown trout (Salmo trutta) has limited effects on macroinvertebrate communities in a historically metal-contaminated stream.

Quantifying the success of stream remediation or restoration projects that are designed to improve water quality or habitat, respectively, is often challenging because of insufficient posttreatment monitoring, poorly defined restoration goals, and failure to consider fundamental aspects of ecological theory. We measured the effects of habitat restoration on aquatic and terrestrial prey resources in a system recovering from the long-term effects of mining pollution. The study was conducted in the Upper Arkansas River, a Rocky Mountain stream located in central Colorado, USA. Remediation of California Gulch, a United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund Site that discharged metals from past mining operations into the stream, was completed in 2000, resulting in significant improvements in water quality, benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations. A large-scale restoration project designed to improve habitat and increase the density and biomass of brown trout was completed in 2014. To assess the effectiveness of these habitat improvements on invertebrate communities in this system, we sampled sites for 9 years before (2010-2014) and after (2015-2018) restoration was completed. In contrast to our expectations, we observed few changes in the abundance of aquatic or terrestrial invertebrates after restoration. The most common response was an overall reduction in abundance resulting from significant instream disturbances during and immediately after restoration, followed by a gradual return to pretreatment conditions. Despite reductions in prey abundance, the number of prey items in the diet of brown trout increased significantly after restoration. We discuss several explanations for these responses, including the effects of residual metals, increased predation by brown trout, and the recalcitrance of novel communities dominated by metal-tolerant species. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of remediation and restoration differed between macroinvertebrates and fish. Benthic macroinvertebrates were more dependent on water quality improvements at the watershed scale, whereas brown trout populations responded to both improvements in water quality and reach-scale improvements in habitat.Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1047-1055. © 2021 SETAC.

Insectivorous birds are not effective pest control agents in olive groves

Although avian-mediated pest control is a significant ecosystem service with important economic implications, few experimental studies have ever documented its role in Mediterranean agroforests. Specifically, information on pest control by birds is lacking in certain permanent agroecosystems of worldwide importance such as olive groves.Here, we assess experimentally for the first time the effectiveness of insectivorous birds in controlling the two main olive-tree pests. We also explore the effects of distance to semi-natural habitat patches on avian insectivore abundance and pest control. We combined bird and pest surveys with pest damage monitoring and two field experiments (branch exclusion and plasticine models) at a regional scale.The experiments showed that birds played a negligible role as pest controllers (measured in terms of attack rates on plasticine models and controlled pest damage) in the studied olive groves; overall, pests were abundant and pest damage was high on most farms. In addition, surveys showed that insectivorous birds were more abundant and diverse in patches of semi-natural habitat, compared to the matrix of olive groves, and that proximity to semi-natural patches was not a driver of bird-driven pest control.This study experimentally demonstrates that insectivorous birds are not effective pest controllers in olive groves. The absence of patterns linking insectivorous birds’ availability and observed pest control suggests that birds are unable to exert effective control over the main olive-tree pests. This lack of biocontrol by birds is probably due to low accessibility and/or appetence for the current insectivorous groups. Habitat improvement aimed at encouraging some under-represented forager species could improve the likelihood that birds will provide this ecosystem service.