Local Conservation Planning Research Articles

Estimating multivariate ecological variables at high spatial resolution using a cost‐effective matching algorithm

AbstractSimulation models are valuable tools for estimating ecosystem response to environmental conditions and are particularly relevant for investigating climate change impacts. However, because of high computational requirements, models are often applied over a coarse grid of points or for representative locations. Spatial interpolation of model output can be necessary to guide decision‐making, yet interpolation is not straightforward because the interpolated values must maintain the covariance structure among variables. We present methods for two key steps for utilizing limited simulations to generate detailed maps of multivariate and time series output. First, we present a method to select an optimal set of simulation sites that maximize the area represented for a given number of sites. Then, we introduce a multivariate matching approach to interpolate simulation results to detailed maps for the represented area. This approach links simulation output to environmentally analogous matched sites according to user‐defined criteria. We demonstrate the methods with case studies using output from (1) an individual‐based plant simulation model to illustrate site selection, and (2) an ecosystem water balance simulation model to illustrate interpolation. For the site selection case study, we identified 200 simulation sites that represented 96% of a large study area (1.12 × 106 km2) at a ~1‐km resolution. For the interpolation case study, we generated ~1‐km resolution maps across 4.38 × 106 km2 of drylands in North America from a 10 × 10 km grid of simulated sites. Estimates of interpolation errors using cross validation were low (<10% of the range of each variable). Our point selection and interpolation methods, which are available as an easy‐to‐use R package, provide a means of cost‐effectively generating detailed maps of expensive, complex simulation output (e.g., multivariate and time series) at scales relevant for local conservation planning. Our methods are flexible and allow the user to identify relevant matching criteria to balance interpolation uncertainty with areal coverage to enhance inference and decision‐making at management‐relevant scales across large areas.

Phylogenetic, morphological and niche differentiation unveil new species limits for the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus).

Phylogeographic accounts of mammals across fragmented landscapes show high levels of genetic, morphological and ecological variation. The big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) widely spans mainland landmasses from Canada to Ecuador and Colombia, and the insular Caribbean through The Bahamas and Greater and Lesser Antilles. Given the distribution of E. fuscus, we hypothesized that insular lineages could represent a different species aided by isolation. We assessed species limits by capitalizing on available mitochondrial and genomic data. Novel morphological and spatial datasets were produced to examine limits phenotypically and whether ecological niches could be associated with differences between groups. Phylogenetics strongly supported the Caribbean as unique compared to the mainland. Genomic data indicated high levels of genetic structure within the Caribbean and no detectable admixture of the Caribbean with continental lineages. Similarly, the Caribbean group shows high phenotypic disparity, and niche models revealed differences in habitat suitability between groups, concordant with the phylogenetic results. This study uncovered signals of divergence supporting the Caribbean clade of E. fuscus as unique through an integrative framework. We endorse re-evaluating the taxonomic status of Caribbean big brown bats as Eptesicus dutertreus. This recognition can help promote local conservation plans for insular lineages of big brown bats.

Integrating biodiversity assessments into local conservation planning: the importance of assessing suitable data sources

Integrating biodiversity assessments into local conservation planning: the importance of assessing suitable data sources

Population and spatial ecology of horseshoe crabs (Limulidae) in a nursery ground at Pulau Bedukang, Brunei Bay, Borneo

Abstract. Rozaini AF, Laurie KH, Marshall DJ. 2023. Population and spatial ecology of horseshoe crabs (Limulidae) in a nursery ground at Pulau Bedukang, Brunei Bay, Borneo. Biodiversitas 24: 4485-4492. Suitable nursery habitat to support populations of juvenile horseshoe crabs is becoming threatened globally. There are currently no formal studies on juvenile populations of the horseshoe crabs (Limulidae) for Brunei Darussalam (Brunei, Borneo). We investigated body size structure, population cohort and ecological distribution of juvenile horseshoe crabs associated with a mudflat on Pulau Bedukang, in Brunei Bay. Seventy juveniles were retrieved during four sampling days covering two seasons and four study sites. Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda and Tachypleus gigas were common, whereas only two individuals of Tachypleus tridentatus were found. Carapace width (size) was similar in the common species and there was no difference in juvenile size between the seasons and study sites. Body weight to carapace width relationships showed that the species grew at similar rates, although C. rotundicauda developed faster, producing 14 compared to the eight pre-migration mudflat instars produced by T. gigas. Species densities were similar, and there was no spatial separation of species or juvenile size across the mudflat or in relation to the mangrove forest edge. Nearest-neighbor (NN) analysis showed that individual crabs were generally dispersed. Their mudflat cohabitation suggests physiological and behavioral plesiomorphies for common optimal developmental salinity and temperature conditions. This study provides baseline information for comparison with other regional studies and for local conservation planning.

Partial migration of Brolgas (Antigone rubicunda) within a restricted range is revealed by GPS tracking

ABSTRACT No quantitative information exists on the movement patterns of Brolga, Antigone rubicunda (Gruidae) although the species is considered to undertake seasonal movements between breeding and non-breeding areas, and has been also described as both non-migratory and partly migratory. Information on this species’ movement behaviour is required to understand its basic ecology and inform conservation management across its range. Thus, we sought to investigate whether Brolgas in southern Australia undertake seasonal movements, to define routes travelled by individuals, and to clarify the species’ migratory status. Here, for the first time for this species, we quantified the distances travelled, timing of movements between breeding and non-breeding areas, and individual-level differences in movement patterns. We deployed GPS transmitters on five adults, six juvenile and 12 unfledged 6–9 week chicks in Victoria, Australia. Individuals were monitored for 71–646 days. These Brolgas showed partial migratory behaviour, with the south-west Victorian population including resident and migrating individuals, moving 6–30 km and 96–111 km between breeding and non-breeding areas respectively and some remaining resident throughout the year. Brolgas moved 1.6 km from roost to foraging areas on average throughout the year, the majority (95%) of these movements were within 5.2 km and overall Brolgas moved shortest distances during the non-breeding season. We discuss the main potential drivers for these movement patterns. These findings may assist local conservation planning and add to our understanding of Australian waterbird movements more broadly.

Climatic variables and ecological modelling data for birds, amphibians and reptiles in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (Portugal-Spain).

BackgroundClimate change has been widely accepted as one of the major threats for global biodiversity and understanding its potential effects on species distribution is crucial to optimise conservation planning in future scenarios under global change. Integrating detailed climatic data across spatial and temporal scales into species distribution modelling can help to predict potential changes in biodiversity. Consequently, this type of data can be useful for developing efficient biodiversity management and conservation planning. The provision of such data becomes even more important in highly biodiverse regions, currently suffering from climatic and landscape changes. The Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (BRMI; Portugal-Spain) is one of the most relevant reserves for wildlife in Europe. This highly diverse region is of great ecological and socio-economical interest, suffering from synergistic processes of rural land abandonment and climatic instabilities that currently threaten local biodiversity.Aiming to optimise conservation planning in the Reserve, we provide a complete dataset of historical and future climate models (1 x 1 km) for the BRMI, used to build a series of distribution models for 207 vertebrate species. These models are projected for 2050 under two climate change scenarios. The climatic suitability of 52% and 57% of the species are predicted to decrease under the intermediate and extreme climatic scenarios, respectively. These models constitute framework data for improving local conservation planning in the Reserve, which should be further supported by implementing climate and land-use change factors to increase the accuracy of future predictions of species distributions in the study area.New informationHerein, we provide a complete dataset of state-of-the-art historical and future climate model simulations, generated by global-regional climate model chains, with climatic variables resolved at a high spatial resolution (1 × 1 km) over the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica. Additionally, a complete series of distribution models for 207 species (168 birds, 24 reptiles and 15 amphibians) under future (2050) climate change scenarios is delivered, which constitute framework data for improving local conservation planning in the reserve.

Fueling of a marine-terrestrial ecosystem by a major seabird colony

Seabirds redistribute nutrients between different ecosystem compartments and over vast geographical areas. This nutrient transfer may impact both local ecosystems on seabird breeding islands and regional biogeochemical cycling, but these processes are seldom considered in local conservation plans or biogeochemical models. The island of Stora Karlsö in the Baltic Sea hosts the largest concentration of piscivorous seabirds in the region, and also hosts a large colony of insectivorous House martins Delichon urbicum adjacent to the breeding seabirds. We show that a previously reported unusually high insectivore abundance was explained by large amounts of chironomids—highly enriched in δ15N—that feed on seabird residues as larvae along rocky shores to eventually emerge as flying adults. Benthic ammonium and phosphate fluxes were up to 163% and 153% higher close to the colony (1,300 m distance) than further away (2,700 m) and the estimated nutrient release from the seabirds at were in the same order of magnitude as the loads from the largest waste-water treatment plants in the region. The trophic cascade impacting insectivorous passerines and the substantial redistribution of nutrients suggest that seabird nutrient transfer should be increasingly considered in local conservation plans and regional nutrient cycling models.

Quantifying the impacts of sea-level rise on coastal biodiversity: A case study on lichens in the mid-Atlantic Coast of eastern North America

Preliminary, large-scale assessments of global sea-level rise (SLR) have predicted significant impacts to coastal and island biodiversity. Region-specific estimates of SLR impacts that incorporate accurate species distributions and local rates of SLR are now required for effective conservation planning. Here we use a dataset of >13,000 occurrence records for lichens, obligate symbiotic fungi, in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain of eastern North America to model distributions of 193 species. The resulting models were used to quantify the amount of each species' distribution that is occupied by unsuitable land use types, along with the potential area that will be lost to SLR. We show that species have likely already lost an average of 32% of their distributional area to development and agriculture, and are predicted to lose an average of 12.4 and 33.7% of their distributional area with one foot (~0.3m) and six feet (~1.8m) of SLR, respectively. Functional and taxonomic groups were compared to identify specific effects of SLR. We show that species reproducing with symbiotic propagules have significantly larger distributions than species that reproduce sexually with fungal spores alone, and that the sexually reproducing species are predicted to lose greater distributional area to SLR. Cladonia species occupy significantly less area in the MACP than Parmotrema species and are predicted to lose more of their distributions to SLR. We further examined patterns of total species diversity and found that the area with the highest diversity is the Dare Peninsula in North Carolina, which is also predicted to lose the most land area to SLR. The workflow established here is flexible and applicable to estimating SLR impacts worldwide and can provide essential insights for local conservation planning.

Wetland utilisation patterns in semi-arid communal areas of Zimbabwe between 1985 and 2013 and the associated benefits to livelihoods of the surrounding communities

Wetlands are among the most threatened natural ecosystems in developing countries. Loss of wetlands is attributed to, among other factors, inadequacy in information on the resource's value to rural communities. This paper investigates wetland utilisation patterns as well as the status of benefits derived by surrounding communities in Runde, Tongogara and Vungu rural districts of Zimbabwe. Two sets of questionnaires were used to gather data from 123 household heads and 60 teenagers. Snowball sampling was used to select 14 elderly people for semi-structured interviews. Land cover changes were established through analysis of the 2013 RapidEye imagery and aerial photographs (1985 and 1996). The results of land cover change analysis indicate an increase in spatial extent of cultivated area, water and bare land, and a decrease in the area covered by sparse and dense vegetation. Meanwhile, the majority of households revealed that there is no change in wetland utilisation patterns as cultivation continues to dominate. Increase in area under cultivation is driven by multidecadal rainfall variability, making dryland farming unproductive; food security projects implemented by donors; political interference; and availability of market for horticultural products. The level of households’ dependency on wetlands is generally high, although spatially heterogeneous. Overall, information on community dependence on wetlands should be accounted for and factored into local conservation planning, since it influences use and conservation of wetlands.

Are state growth management programs viable tools for biodiversity conservation? A case study examining Florida local governments

We examined the quality of Florida's state growth management program and associated county comprehensive plans as an overall biological conservation strategy. A plan evaluation coding protocol using a conceptual framework derived from the science of conservation planning was applied to local comprehensive plan Conservation Elements to determine the extent to which county-level conservation planning met the well-accepted conceptual framework. We found a high degree of variability in the quality of conservation planning for biodiversity, which was related to political geography. The quality of plans in coastal counties was significantly higher than that of inland counties. Significant regional differences were also evident, with conservation planning quality in South Florida counties significantly higher than in Panhandle counties. Geographic differences in the quality of local conservation planning are attributable to socioeconomic differences, education of the public, and availability of resources for planners. A model selection and averaging approach based on information theory was employed to develop a predictive model of conservation planning quality of Florida local governments. The results of this study call into the question the efficacy of state growth management programs as land-use regulatory tools to stem current rapid losses in biological diversity.

Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China

Understanding how communities respond to environmental gradients is critical to predict responses of species to changing habitat conditions such as in regenerating secondary habitats after human land use. In this study, ground-living ants were sampled with pitfall traps in 27 plots in a heterogeneous and diverse subtropical forest to test if and how a broad set of environmental variables including elevation, successional age, and tree species richness influence ant diversity and community composition. In total, 13,441 ant individuals belonging to 71 species were found. Ant abundance was unrelated to all environmental variables. Rarefied ant species richness was negatively related to elevation, and Shannon diversity decreased with shrub cover. There was considerable variation in ant species amongst plots, associated with elevation, successional age, and variables related to succession such as shrub cover. It is shown that younger secondary forests may support a species-rich and diverse community of ants in subtropical forests even though the species composition between younger and older forests is markedly different. These findings confirm the conservation value of secondary subtropical forests, which is critical because subtropical forests have been heavily exploited by human activities globally. However, the findings also confirm that old-growth forest should have priority in conservation as it supports a distinct ant community. Our study identifies a set of ant species which are associated with successional age and may thus potentially assist local conservation planning.

Spatio-temporal variation in species assemblages in field edges: seasonally distinct responses of solitary bees to local habitat characteristics and landscape conditions

The bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) are important pollinators in many ecosystems, but their diversity has declined in Europe during the past century, mainly due to habitat loss. However, some of the habitat requirements of wild bees are met in anthropogenic landscape elements, such as road sides, power-line strips and field edges. Moreover, as the bee species assemblages change throughout the season the habitat requirements of the bee fauna may change accordingly. Understanding such seasonally distinct responses of solitary bees with different phenologies may be of high value for local conservation planning. The purpose of this study was to examine if the habitat quality of field edges for solitary bees change throughout the season, and how this temporal variation relates to local habitat and landscape conditions. By sampling solitary bees in 18 field edges in southeast Norway throughout the season we found that the species richness and abundance of bees was highest in sun exposed field edges, independently of the season. However, we found phenologically distinct responses to the landscape context. Moreover, field edges situated in landscapes with a high proportion of forests and semi-natural landscape elements hosted the most phenologically diverse bee species assemblages. We conclude that in order to fulfil the habitat requirements of bee species assemblages throughout the season, one should conserve and direct habitat restoration schemes towards increasing sun exposure at field edges with a diverse flora and a high proportion of semi-natural areas in the vicinity.

‘God is my forest’ – Xhosa cultural values provide untapped opportunities for conservation

In South Africa conservation is still largely framed in terms of Western scientific values, with a focus on material benefits to local communities, whilst little is known about the intangible values local people attach to nature and biodiversity. We explored the cultural, spiritual and emotional relationships with nature expressed by Xhosa people, within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot, as well as the activities that mediate this relationship. A descriptive research approach was applied to document the emotions, meanings and values associated with landscape elements. This approach included group and individual interviews and ‘walk-in-the-woods’ interviews and participatory mapping exercises. Respondents portrayed a strong, although not always easily articulated, appreciation for nature, especially ihlathi lesiXhosa (‘Xhosa forest’, vegetation types within the Thicket Biome). Activities such as collecting fuelwood and other resources, hunting and time spent at initiation schools were described as key opportunities for spending time in nature. The benefits of being in nature were ascribed not only to the physical experience of the forest environment and its biota, but also to the presence of ancestral spirits. Being in nature thus contributes significantly to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of local people, and is also integral to their sense of cultural identity. This study has made it clear that maintenance of biodiversity and natural vegetation is as much in the interest of the local community’s well-being as it is in the interest of conservation planners. We recommend that cultural values be incorporated into local conservation plans.

Linking landscape-level change to habitat quality: an evaluation of restoration actions on the freshwater habitat of spring-run Chinook salmon

Summary 1. Conservation planning is often hampered by the lack of causal quantitative links between landscape characteristics, restoration actions and habitat conditions that impact the status of imperilled species. Here we present a first step toward linking actions on the landscape to the population status of endangered stream-type Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). 2. We developed relationships between land use, landscape characteristics and freshwater habitat of spring Chinook salmon in the Wenatchee River basin. Available data allowed us to find relationships that described water temperatures at several life stages (prespawning, egg incubation and summer rearing) and substratum characteristics, including fine sediments, cobble and embeddedness. Predictors included altitude, gradient, mean annual precipitation, total and riparian forest cover, road density, impervious surface and alluvium. We used a model averaging approach to account for parameter and model selection uncertainty. Key predictors were total forest cover and impervious surface area for prespawning and summer rearing temperatures; precipitation and stream gradients were important predictors of the percent of fine sediments in stream substrata. 3. We estimated habitat conditions using these relationships in three alternative landscape scenarios: historical, no restoration and one that included a set of restoration actions from local conservation planning. We found that prespawning and summer temperatures were estimated to be slightly higher historically relative to current conditions in dry sparsely forested areas, but lower in some important Chinook salmon spawning and rearing areas and lower in those locations under the restoration scenario. Fine sediments were lower in the historical scenario and were reduced as a consequence of restoration actions in two areas currently unoccupied by Chinook salmon that contain reaches with some potential for high quality spawning and rearing. Cobble and embeddedness in general were predicted to be higher historically and changed little as a result of restoration actions relative to current conditions. 4. This modelling framework converts suites of restoration actions into changes in habitat condition, thereby enabling restoration planners to evaluate alternative combinations of proposed actions. It also provides inputs to models linking habitat conditions to population status. This approach represents a first step in estimating impacts of restoration strategies, and can provide key information for conservation managers and planners.

A Multiscale Landscape Approach to Predicting Bird and Moth Rarity Hotspots in a Threatened Pitch Pine–Scrub Oak Community

Abstract: In the northeastern United States, pitch pine ( Pinus rigida Mill.)–scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia Wang.) communities are increasingly threatened by development and fire suppression, and prioritization of these habitats for conservation is of critical importance. As a basis for local conservation planning in a pitch pine–scrub oak community in southeastern Massachusetts, we developed logistic‐regression models based on multiscale landscape and patch variables to predict hotspots of rare and declining bird and moth species. We compared predicted moth distributions with observed species‐occurrence records to validate the models. We then quantified the amount of overlap between hotspots to assess the utility of rare birds and moths as indicator taxa. Species representation in hotspots and the current level of hotspot protection were also assessed. Predictive models included variables at all measured scales and resulted in average correct classification rates (optimal cut point) of 85.6% and 89.2% for bird and moth models, respectively. The majority of moth occurrence records were within 100 m of predicted habitat. Only 13% of all bird hotspots and 10% of all moth hotspots overlapped, and only a few small patches in and around Myles Standish State Forest were predicted to be hotspots for both taxa. There was no correlation between the bird and moth species‐richness maps across all levels of richness (r =−0.03, p = 0.62). Species representation in hotspots was high, but most hotspots had limited or no protection. Given the lack of correspondence between bird and moth hotspots, our results suggest that use of species‐richness indicators for conservation planning may be ineffective at local scales. Based on these results, we suggest that local‐level conservation planning in pitch pine–scrub oak communities be based on multitaxa, multiscale approaches.

Priority conservation areas for butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in the Philippine islands

AbstractEffective representation of all species in local conservation planning is a major challenge, particularly in poorly known but highly fragmented biological ‘hotspots’. Based on 105 months of studies over 49 years, we reviewed the status of 915 species and 910 subspecies of butterflies known in the Philippines. We identified 133 globally threatened and conservation‐dependent endemic Philippine taxa. The current system of 18 priority protected areas provides at least one protected area for 65 of these but no areas for 29 species and 39 subspecies. Of the 133 taxa, 71% do not have a stable population inside a priority site. A total of 29 taxa is endangered or critically endangered; 83% of these do not occur within a priority site. Least protected are the lowland taxa. The minimum network required to include each threatened and conservation‐dependent taxon of butterfly within at least one area would comprise 29 sites. The Sulus and Mindanao hold disproportionate numbers of threatened butterflies. Our findings suggest limited cross‐taxon congruence in complementarity‐derived priority sets. A large proportion of the priority areas for Philippine butterflies do not coincide with known priority areas for mammals and birds. We demonstrate that a better resolved species level classification could reveal numerous ‘new’ priority areas. In tropical island and mountain regions where the distinctiveness of butterfly subspecies is high, significant evolutionary units may be lost unless fine‐scale conservation planning pays attention to well‐defined subspecies.

A GIS model of subsurface water potential for aquatic resource inventory, assessment, and environmental management.

Biological, chemical, and physical attributes of aquatic ecosystems are often strongly influenced by groundwater sources. Nonetheless, widespread access to predictions of subsurface contributions to rivers, lakes, and wetlands at a scale useful to environmental managers is generally lacking. In this paper, we describe a "neighborhood analysis" approach for estimating topographic constraints on spatial patterns of recharge and discharge and discuss how this index has proven useful in research, management, and conservation contexts. The Michigan Rivers Inventory subsurface flux model (MRI-DARCY) used digital elevation and hydraulic conductivity inferred from mapped surficial geology to estimate spatial pattems of hydraulic potential. Model predictions were calculated in units of specific discharge (meters per day) for a 30-m-cell raster map and interpreted as an index of potential subsurface water flux (shallow groundwater and event through-flow). The model was evaluated by comparison with measurements of groundwater-related attributes at watershed, stream segment, and local spatial scales throughout Lower Michigan (USA). Map-based predictions using MRI-DARCY accounted for 85% of the observed variation in base flow from 128 USGS gauges, 69% of the observed variation in discharge accrual from 48 river segments, and 29% of the residual variation in local groundwater flux from 33 locations as measured by hyporheic temperature profiles after factoring out the effects of climate. Although it does not incorporate any information about the actual water table surface, by quantifying spatial variation of key constraints on groundwater-related attributes, the model provides strata for more intensive study, as well as a useful spatial tool for regional and local conservation planning, fisheries management, wetland characterization, and stream assessment.

Using higher-taxon richness as a surrogate for species richness: II. Local applications

Recent analyses confirm that urgent attempts to catalogue the distribution of biological diversity may be facilitated by focusing at the level of genera or families rather than species. However, questions remain over the application of higher-taxon surveys to identify networks of priority areas for conservation action. Is the close spatial match between species and higher-taxon richness at global and regional scales re-iterated when sites are locally distributed? How much money is saved by the higher-taxon approach? And how does using genus or family information affect the efficiency with which spatial priorities for conservation are identified? We examined these issues using data on the diversity of woody plants in Sri Lankan forests. We found that at this local scale, the family and particularly generic richness of sites was closely linked to their species richness, independently of variation in site size. Moreover, fieldwork in an additional forest showed that targeting woody plant genera and families rather than species reduced survey costs by a minimum of 60% and 85% respectively. Most importantly, while using family data in site-selection algorithms led to the loss from reserve networks of around 7-10% of woody plant species, using genera rather than species had virtually no effect on the representation of species in priority sites. These results thus confirm that judicious use of the higher-taxon approach is indeed a valuable technique for improving the cost effectiveness of field surveys for local conservation planning in the tropics.