Management Of Species Research Articles

Tourists’ preferences for managing invasive species in national parks: a choice experiment study in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This research study utilises the choice experiment methodology to examine tourists’ preferences regarding the adverse effects of managing invasive species in national parks. The study estimates the willingness of tourists to pay for mitigating various negative externalities associated with invasive species management. By understanding these willingness to pay estimates, national park management authorities can develop invasive species management strategies that have minimal impact on tourists. The study focuses on tourists visiting Yushan National Park and Taroko National Park in Taiwan. The findings indicate that tourists recognise the significant impact of negative externalities resulting from invasive species management, yet they still exhibit a preference for management over non-management. Among the negative externalities, tourists prioritise avoiding ecological disturbances and health risks over reducing recreational areas. National parks that are more easily accessible tend to have lower travel costs, making them more attractive to tourists visiting other destinations, particularly those on group tours. However, these characteristics result in stronger reactions from tourists towards management measures or lesser impacts from not managing invasive species, leading to reduced support for management initiatives. Furthermore, the study’s questionnaire format and sampling method are deemed consistent and reliable, effectively addressing potential biases associated with on-site visitor sampling.

Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly and Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Barbel Chub (Squaliobarbus curriculus) by Integration of PacBio Sequencing and Hi-C Technology

The barbel chub (Squaliobarbus curriculus), the only species in the genus, is widely distributed in freshwater lakes and rivers at different latitudes in East Asia, with fishery and biodiversity importance, and is an emerging commercially important fish in China. However, the resource of this species has dramatically declined due to anthropogenic activities such as over-exploitation, as well as water pollution. Genomic resources for S. curriculus are useful for the management and sustainable utilization of this important fish species, and also for a better understanding of its genetic variation in the region. Here, we report the chromosome-level assembly of the S. curriculus genome obtained from the integration of PacBio long sequencing and Hi-C technology. A total of 155.34 Gb high-quality PacBio sequences were generated, and the preliminary genome assembly was 894.95 Mb in size with a contig N50 being 20.34 Mb. By using Hi-C data, 99.42% of the assembled sequences were anchored to 24 pseudochromosomes, with chromosome lengths ranging from 27.22 to 58.75 Mb. A total of 25,779 protein-coding genes were predicted, 94.70% of which were functionally annotated. Moreover, S. curriculus shows resistance to grass carp haemorrhagic disease (GCHD) caused by grass carp reovirus (GCRV), which seriously hinders the status and future perspectives of commercial grass carp production. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that S. curriculus diverged with grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) approximately 20.80 million years ago. Annotations of the expanded gene families were found to be largely enriched in immune-related KEGG pathway categories. Moreover, a total of 18 Toll-like receptor (TLR) genes were identified from the whole genome of S. curriculus. The high-quality genome assembled in this study will provide a valuable resource for accelerating ecological, evolutionary, and genetic research on S. curriculus.

Cost‐effective portfolio allocation across quarantine, surveillance and eradication using info‐gap theory

Abstract Biosecurity activities primarily include pre‐border and border quarantine, post‐border surveillance and post‐border eradication. Budget allocated to quarantine and surveillance activities ultimately influence the expenditure and success rate of eradication campaigns. Optimal portfolio allocation examined in previous research is susceptible to potential severe uncertainties existing in ecology and in the behaviour of invasive species itself. These uncertainties, together with a limited budget, make it difficult for decision makers to allocate the total management budget to each biosecurity activity in a robust manner. Info‐gap decision theory is applied to model the severe uncertainty in invasive species management, and robust optimize the total management cost. This research shows that using a combination of pre‐border and border quarantine (to reduce the incursion probability) and post‐border surveillance (to enable early detection and rapid response), enables decision makers to be more robust to potential uncertainty. Further, it is reported that investment in quarantine that is more cost‐effective should outweigh that in surveillance, in line with precautionary principle. Increasing the estimated population threshold for surveillance detection also gains more robustness. Synthesis and applications: Portfolio allocation options developed in this research provide decision makers with a way to manage the invasive species spatially, cost‐effectively and confidently by allocating the total management budget in a robust manner. The methods outlined in this research can not only be applied to invasive species, but also the conservation of endangered species that are constrained by severe uncertainty in ecological modelling and limited resources.

Relationship between season and spermatozoa traits of captive-reared agoutis from Brazilian semiarid.

For the development of efficient management and conservation strategies for wild rodent species, understanding the aspects related to their reproduction, including the interaction of this physiological function with the environment, is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of weather changes derived from a semiarid region's dry and rainy seasons on the epididymal sperm characteristics of red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina), a histricognath rodent, still little studied, which inhabits the Brazilian Caatinga. The sperm from the epididymal cauda of 14 agoutis were collected, seven individuals per season (dry and rainy). Samples were evaluated for kinetic parameters, membrane structural and functional integrity, mitochondrial activity, morphology, and morphometry. The environmental variables were measured: maximum air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and the total rainfall for dry and rainy seasons were, respectively, 36.2 and 34.1°C, 66.8 and 80.1%, 4.0 and 1.9m/s, 527.3 and 441.8 W/m2, and 0.2 and 517.7mm. There were strong correlations between some sperm parameters and environmental variables, mainly those related to the acquisition of sperm mobility. Sperm concentration and the number of sperm collected were higher in the dry (1028.7 sperm/mL × 10⁶ and 1361.2 × 106 sperm) than in the rainy season (758.9 sperm × 10⁶/mL and 714.6 sperm × 106). During the rainy season, there were fewer sperm defects, higher sperm metrics, and higher membrane structural integrity with mitochondrial activity. Regarding motility patterns, the increases during the rainy season stand out in total and progressive motility, VAP, VSL, VCL, and subpopulations of rapid sperm. In summary, our results suggest that the adverse climatic conditions of the dry season in the semiarid region, mainly high solar radiation and temperature, considerably impair the epididymal sperm quality of red-rumped agoutis. On the contrary, the largest amount of sperm was obtained during this season, probably due to compensatory and adaptive mechanisms of the species to enable its reproduction throughout the year.

Towards sustainable exploitation of European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) stocks off West African waters

European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), herein referred to as “sardine” or “European sardine”, is the most productive and economically important small pelagic fish in the Northwest African waters. Thus far, very little is known about its stock status in the West African region despite the rapid decadal increase in its catch production. The present study provides avenues vital to improving guidance for sustainable species management. In this region, sardine is divided administratively into three stocks (northern: stock N, central: stock A + B, and southern: stock C). Thus, the present study used two Surplus Production Models (SPM) to evaluate sardine's stock status. Sardine's catch and scientific survey biomass data obtained from FAO-CECAF's (Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)) latest reports were used in this analysis to fit the SPMs and investigate the effectiveness of the available catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) trends in setting the total allowable catch (TAC) for sustaining the different sardine stocks in the region. Results from the SPMs indicate that the sardine stock in the north is fished at optimum levels. Meanwhile, the SPMs output based on the scientific survey biomass indices indicated a healthy state for the central and southern sardine stocks. Similarly, the fishery CPUE indices for the central and southern stocks showed similar biomass trends compared to the survey biomass index, indicating healthy stock status. Therefore, in cases where survey biomass index data is unavailable to run stock assessments, this study suggests that sardine fishery CPUEs could be used in SPMs to monitor biomass trends over time and may also provide stock status proxies. Additionally, with rapid climate and other environmental changes, sardine stocks must be regularly monitored with consistent and comparable scientific methodologies and updated fisheries time series data.

Using Systematic Conservation Planning to Identify Climate Resilient Habitat for Endangered Species Recovery While Retaining Areas of Cultural Importance

The effective management of at-risk species often requires fine-scale actions by natural resource managers. However, balancing these actions with concurrent land uses is challenging, particularly when compounded by the interplay of climate shifts, and escalating wildland–urban interface conflicts. We used spatial prioritization tools designed for biodiversity conservation to help resource managers on the Island of Lānaʻi prioritize mutually exclusive land use objectives: endangered species recovery and subsistence and recreational hunting. We weighed the current and anticipated future distributions of threatened and endangered plant species against the distribution of non-native game mammals to plan for species recovery more effectively. Prioritization results identified multiple footprints that could support recovery of all endangered species targets in climate resilient areas while retaining the majority of existing hunting areas. However, very little native vegetation was retained in conservation footprints without deliberate inclusion, which increased footprint area by 268%. Scenarios which prioritized contiguous conservation areas also dramatically increased conservation footprint area, although these scenarios may reduce associated fencing costs. This work demonstrates how spatial prioritization may guide localized species recovery efforts by supporting long-term conservation planning that addresses anticipated climate-driven increases in conflict between conservation and other land uses, with clear applicability beyond Lānaʻi.

Developing a list of Alert Alien Species in South Korea.

Along with transportation development, climate change and socio-economic changes, invasive alien species (IAS) are causing a significant decline in biodiversity around the world. Internationally, policies for pre-invasion management of IAS are being emphasised to minimise damage from biological invasions. In South Korea, through the 2nd Alien Species Management Plan (2019-2023), IAS that are not yet present in the country but are likely to be introduced are designated as Alert Alien Species (AAS). In this study, the overall process of AAS designation is summarised and improvements to the current system are presented. To select AAS, an invasive alien species database (IASD) of 8,456 species was built by integrating the IAS lists from many countries. Amongst them, 1,534 species, included in IASD at genus, family and order level, were excluded and 3,298 species confirmed to have been introduced to South Korea were excluded from the AAS candidate species. After the creation and review of species profiles by experts, 150 species were finally designated as AAS in 2023. The AAS discovery process needs to reflect international trends of IAS and be continuously supplemented through policy research of other countries. In addition, the IAS management system in South Korea, in which various ministries play their own roles with sufficient data sharing, should be systematically linked from introduction to control of IAS.

Global species diversity, bioecology and management of white grubs in crops: a review

Global species diversity, bioecology and management of white grubs in crops: a review

Effects of Habitat Management for Small Game Species on Bat Activity in Three French Mediterranean Scrublands

Effects of Habitat Management for Small Game Species on Bat Activity in Three French Mediterranean Scrublands

Leslie Matrix Model For Euphorbia Hirta L Population

Invasive species management has developed into a highly specialized field utilizing a systems approach. It requires knowledge of their life history, growth requirements, and population dynamics that integrate their biology and control. The foundation of strategic planning for the management of invasive species is laid by demographic studies, which record the birth, growth, reproduction, and death of individuals within a population. The present study makes use of the Discrete Leslie Matrix Model to analyze the growth in the age-structured population of Euphorbia hirta, an invasive species in agrosystems, identify critical stages in the species' life cycle, and project the structure and size of future population.

Spatiotemporal patterns of public attention to invasive species across an invasion front: a case study of lionfish (Pterois miles) from the Mediterranean Sea

Understanding societal interest in invasive species is crucial as greater public attention can support the success of conservation efforts. One of the main challenges in monitoring societal interest to support conservation is the absence of near-real-time indicators to track large-scale spatiotemporal dynamics of public attention. However, the digital revolution has opened up new opportunities to develop such indicators in support of invasive species research and management. Here, we aim to evaluate public awareness and interest in the invasive lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea and investigate spatiotemporal patterns of public interest in the species along its invasion front by using Google search volumes as a proxy for public attention. We implemented topic searches for the lionfish to download Google search volumes from 2013 to 2022 and used these data to test two hypotheses: (1) countries experiencing lionfish invasion exhibit higher public attention than those without lionfish, and (2) in invaded countries, public attention peaks around the arrival year, followed by a decline to baseline levels. Our study confirmed the first hypothesis, showing higher public attention in invaded countries. However, temporal patterns of attention did not fully align with the year of lionfish arrival, suggesting that the socio-political complexity of the region (e.g., cultural trends or internet accessibility), may be a key aspect to consider in future studies. Overall our study shows that digital data sources provide a unique opportunity to monitor social aspects of biological invasions with low associated costs and quick access to a great amount of data generated by internet users.

Elasmobranch Mark–Recapture Experiment off the Balearic Islands: Insight into Scyliorhinus canicula Growth, Mobility, and Population Size

Despite the high diversity of elasmobranch fishes in the Balearic Islands, knowledge of their biology and population dynamics is still scarce. A recent mark-and-recapture experiment off the Balearic Islands tagged 3738 individuals of 23 shark and batoid species during MEDITS and CANAL bottom trawl scientific surveys from June 2021 to August 2023. Retrieval was reported for the sharks Scyliorhinus canicula and Mustelus mustelus, revealing relatively small home ranges for these species (0.2–38.5 km and 7.8–15.3 km for S. canicula and M. mustelus, respectively). Recapture efficiency was higher from scientific surveys than from commercial catches, highlighting potential challenges in collaboration with fishermen and recapture reports. Density estimates obtained from the MEDITS bottom trawl survey suggest a much larger population for S. canicula than estimates from the mark–recapture data, indicating MEDITS density estimates for this species may be overestimated due to its scavenger behavior perhaps favoring individuals searching for discards aggregated in the fishing grounds. This study emphasizes the importance of monitoring, collaborative efforts, and improved reporting mechanisms to enhance our understanding of elasmobranch populations and provide support for sustainable management of these vulnerable marine species.

Bison mother-offspring acoustic communication.

Mother-offspring communication is especially crucial for social species in order to synchronize activities essential for early survival including nursing, resting, maintaining proximity during group movements between food or water sources, and locating one another if separated in a large social group. One of the most social ungulate species in North America is the American Bison (Bison bison), formerly known as buffalo. Adult female bison associate with their young for over a year and communication between mother and offspring is likely essential for establishing and maintaining a bond upon which the life of a calf depends. One goal of this study was to quantify and compare the acoustic form of vocalizations of adult female, subadult, and calf bison and to determine how age classes differed in call structure. The other goal was to identify the contexts in which bison vocalized. Vocalizations of 101 bison (53 adult females, 15 subadults, 33 calves) in a semi-free-ranging herd in Montana were analyzed and found to be pulsatile sounds, unlike vocalizations of bison bulls or domestic cows and calves. Vocalizations of bison cows, subadults, and calves differed significantly in total duration, numbers of pulses, pulse duration, and pulse rate. Seven distinct call contexts were identified. The majority of calls were "moving-on calls" (39%), when a cow called and her calf ran to her side and the 2 moved on together, and "contact calls" (21%) when a cow called and her calf called back but neither changed their location. "Imprinting calls" and "nursing calls" were also identified. Mother-offspring acoustic communication in bison appears especially critical for coordinating movements. Understanding the role of acoustic communication in maintaining the bond between bison mothers and their offspring can contribute to the humane management and welfare of this iconic species.

Recommendations for incorporating invasive species into U.S. climate change adaptation planning and policy

AbstractExecutive Order No. 14008 mandated that U.S. federal agencies and departments develop Climate Change Adaptation Plans to enhance the nation's resilience to climate change. Invasive species are documented to reduce the effectiveness of climate adaptation and mitigation actions. In spite of this, only eight of the 26 federal plans directly reference invasive species, and just four meaningfully consider the reciprocal impact of invasive species on climate adaptation efforts. To ensure that climate adaptation planning and processes are effective with associated benefits for biodiversity conservation, a gap analysis of the Climate Change Adaptation Plans was conducted. Five key recommendations were developed that would transform how invasive species are considered within them. Examples of how invasive species have been included in some of the plans are provided, with suggestions for agencies that did not include invasive species on how they might do so, to illustrate that dedicated efforts in prevention, detection, and management of invasive species can safeguard carbon sequestration, protect communities and infrastructure, and minimize economic and biodiversity losses. Although developed based on U.S. federal plans, these recommendations can be used by state and local, as well as international, jurisdictions tasked with implementing climate‐adaptive policies to build resilience across multiple sectors.

Species distribution models predict potential habitat for the endangered New Mexico jumping mouse

AbstractThe New Mexico jumping mouse (Zapus luteus) is a federally endangered species that relies on riparian sites of the southwestern United States. Only isolated populations occur throughout its range and detecting potential suitable environments and identifying new populations are important for long‐term conservation of genetic diversity and habitat restoration by management agencies. We used a presence‐only data approach compiled from multiple surveys since 2000 in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico with bioclimatic and vegetation variables to generate species distribution models for the species. Our models predicted environmentally suitable areas outside the current species management units that could be prioritized in surveys. Our models also highlighted opportunities for collaboration among federal, state, tribal, and private landowners and managers to secure habitat and connectivity for the species and its long‐term survival.

Ecological integration of Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836 in South Korea: a comprehensive study of co-occurrence and interaction patterns with native social wasps.

The spread of Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836 (Asian hornet) in South Korea poses a threat to biodiversity and agriculture. Traditional species interaction models often fail to capture the complexity of invasive species dynamics. This study used association rule learning (ARL) and clustering analyses to explore the interactions of V. velutina with native Vespidae species in South Korea, with the aim of uncovering patterns of coexistence and competition. Over 4 years (2020-2023), 304 traps were strategically placed across South Korea to collect data on Vespidae species. Our findings showed that Vespula flaviceps, Vespa crabro, and Vespula koreensis were the most frequently encountered species. V. velutina was also widespread, suggesting its successful integration into local ecosystems. The ARL analysis, using the 'apriori' algorithm, identified significant co-occurrence patterns and potential interactions. The rules generated indicated both competitive and coexistent relationships with varying levels of association strength across different regions. Clustering analyses, including hierarchical and k-means clustering, grouped species based on their occurrence similarities. The distinct clusters formed in the analysis highlighted the unique ecological roles and interactions of V. velutina and other Vespidae species in South Korean ecosystems. This study confirms the successful establishment of V. velutina in diverse South Korean ecosystems and highlights its complex interactions with native species. These findings support the need for nuanced management strategies that consider the intricate ecological relationships of V. velutina. This approach is crucial for the effective management of invasive species and ecosystem conservation. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The use of conceptual ecological models to identify critical data and uncertainties to support numerical modeling: The northern Gulf of Mexico eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica example

AbstractObjectiveIncreasing reliance on numerical simulation models to help inform management and restoration choices benefits from careful consideration of critical early steps in model development. Along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica fulfills important ecological and economic roles. Using the eastern oyster as an example, we draw on several recent frameworks outlining best practices for model development and application for restoration, conservation, and management.MethodsWe identify priority model questions, outline a conceptual ecological model (CEM) to guide numerical model development, and use this framework to identify uncertainties and research needs.ResultThe CEM uses a nested design, identifying explicit vital rates, processes, attributes, and outcomes for the species (oysters), population, and metapopulation (i.e., network of populations) levels in response to drivers of species, population, and metapopulation changes and changing environmental factors. Most management actions related to oyster restoration and harvest affect population attributes directly, but many coastal management actions and changes (i.e., climate change and coastal and water resource engineering) impact environmental factors that alter vital rates and attributes of oysters, populations, and metapopulations.ConclusionInvestment in studies targeting individual oyster‐ and population‐level multi‐stressor responses (filtration, respiration, growth, and reproduction) and improving hydrodynamic and environmental models targeting drivers that influence metapopulation vital rates and attributes (i.e., connectivity and substrate persistence) would contribute to reducing uncertainties. Development of numerical models covering the entire oyster life cycle and connectivity of populations using hydrodynamic models of current and predicted conditions to provide key abiotic and biotic factors influencing larval movement, recruitment, and on‐reef oyster vital rates would assist in balancing the goals of conservation, restoration, and fisheries management of this foundational estuarine species.

Detecting the distribution of and public attitudes to charismatic alien species based on media coverage

Charismatic species are often reported by the media, providing information for detecting population status and public perception. To identify the number and distribution of free-living Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), a charismatic alien species in Chinese mainland and to detect the public and the media attitudes to the species, we analyzed the reports and emotional tendency from media coverage in 2000–2022 using manual reading, crawler extraction and latent Dirichlet allocation. A total of 6654 Black Swans were reported at 711 sites, including 147 individuals at 30 nature reserves. Successful breeding was reported at one-fourth of the total sites, including five nature reserves. The proportion of positive emotional tendency to Black Swans was overwhelming in the reports and was higher than that to alien species in general, suggesting that the public and the media are unaware of the risk of biological invasion. Effective management of invasive species requires the media clarifies the invasion risk of charismatic alien species. Promoting the unity between the harmfulness of abstract concept of alien species and the charisma of a specific alien species among the public help effective management.

Trends and status of harbor seals in Washington State, USA (1977–2023)

AbstractHarbor seal (Phoca vitulina) numbers in the United States rebounded after the implementation of conservation measures associated with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA). Stock estimates are a critical tool for assessing species status and management options under the MMPA and for modeling efforts designed to evaluate the role of pinnipeds in marine ecosystems. We conducted aerial surveys of harbor seal haul‐out sites between 1977 and 2023 to estimate population size and trends in four Washington State, USA, stocks: (1) Hood Canal, (2) Southern Puget Sound, (3) Washington Northern Inland Waters, and (4) the Washington portion of the Oregon‐Washington Coastal Stock. We fit a Bayesian state‐space model to estimate population trends for all stocks, as well as the Washington Coast region, and present carrying capacities and maximum net productivity levels for all stocks. The most recent population estimates for the three inland water stocks are within their optimal sustainable population range, with some evidence that the Southern Puget Sound Stock is continuing to grow.

Indigenous-led designation and management of culturally significant species.

Indigenous peoples globally are actively seeking better recognition of plants and animals that are of cultural significance, which encompass both species and ecological communities. Acknowledgement and collaborative management of culturally significant entities in biodiversity conservation improves environmental outcomes as well as the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people. The global diversity and complexity of Indigenous knowledge, values and obligations make achieving a universal approach to designating culturally significant entities highly unlikely. Instead, empowering local Indigenous-led governance structures with methods to identify place-based culturally significant entities will yield culturally supported results. Here we used a structured decision-making framework with objectives and biocultural measures developed by Indigenous experts, with the aim of prioritizing place-based culturally significant entities for collaborative management approaches on Bundjalung Country in coastal eastern Australia. We found some congruence and some important differences between culturally significant entities priorities and management compared with the colonial focus of threatened species management underpinned by current laws and policies. We provide reproduceable methods and a demonstration of successful local culturally significant entities designation and prioritization in an Australian context that highlights opportunities for Indigenous leadership, supported by governments in the designation and management of culturally significant entities.