Habitat Value Research Articles

Temporal records of organic carbon stocks and burial rates in Mexican blue carbon coastal ecosystems throughout the Anthropocene

Blue carbon (BC) ecosystems provide important and multiple ecosystem services, including climate change mitigation through carbon storage. However, these ecosystems are under the pressure of numerous anthropogenic stressors, such as population growth and industrialization, which jeopardize the benefits they provide. Although the common methodology is based on the use of a linear depth scale, this work highlights the need of sediment dating to evaluate temporal variation of organic carbon (Corg) stocks and burial rates, since sedimentation patterns can be variable even between sites within a single ecosystem. Temporal records of Corg stocks and burial rates during the past 100 years were determined in mangrove, seagrass and salt marsh ecosystems, from five representative areas of the Mexican marine coastal systems, by using 210Pb-dated sediment cores. Carbon stocks during the past 100 years (Corg stock(100 years)) ranged from 67 to 269 Mg Corg ha−1 in mangroves, 8–53 Mg Corg ha−1 in seagrasses and 32–56 Mg Corg ha−1 in salt marshes, and burial rates were 8–426 g m−2 yr−1, 2–252 g m−2 yr−1 and 1–60 g m−2 yr−1, respectively. Most of the stored Corg (60–86%) accumulated during the Anthropocene (since 1950), and in mangrove cores recent Corg stocks were up to six times higher than before the Anthropocene onset (1900–1950), most likely as a result of land use changes. Increased Corg burial rates in seagrass ecosystems were mostly driven by mass accumulation rate changes (promoted by catchment erosion and sea level rise), and in mangroves and salt marshes by changes in Corg content, likely promoted by an increase in productivity associated with nutrient enrichment by fertilizer runoff and sewage disposal. Despite the multiple anthropogenic stressors that positively affected Corg stocks and burial rates in BC ecosystems, worldwide destruction of these valuable habitats will cause losses of long-term buried Corg through significant CO2 releases, thus conservation and/or restoration are effective actions for climate change mitigation.

Thinning scenarios to reconcile biodiversity conservation and socio-economic co-benefits in protected forest of Vietnam: Effects on habitat value and timber yield

Abstract. Segalina F, Dang CN, Grado RSD. 2020. Thinning scenarios to reconcile biodiversity conservation and socio-economic co-benefits in protected forest of Vietnam: effects on habitat value and timber yield. Asian J For 4: 22-35. Forest protection policy since the 1990s in Vietnam has led to an overall increase in forest cover, but has also adversely impacted the livelihoods of local populations and has displaced deforestation to neighboring countries. As such, it is necessary to explore strategies to achieve sustainable utilization of tropical forests in a way that is compatible with the preservation of biodiversity. One of which is by selective thinning. This study aimed to analyze the habitat and economic value of the trees in a forest block, then comparing the effects of four thinning scenarios on profit and habitat value. We simulated four thinning scenarios and assessed their effects on biodiversity and economic value. The scenarios were defined according to two criteria: tree dominance and tree habitat value. The study took place in a one-hectare plot of marteloscope located in a naturally regenerated mixed forest enriched with native tree species. The habitat value, evaluated by tree-related microhabitats, was used as a proxy for biodiversity. In our study, as many 58 different tree species were found within the marteloscope. Co-dominant trees with a higher diameter at breast height yielded the highest average habitat value, which coincides weakly with findings in temperate forests. In our study, the biodiversity conservation criterion had only a marginal effect on economic benefit. Both results together show that a meeting point between profitability and biodiversity conservation is possible.

Effect of environmental gradients, habitat continuity and spatial structure on vascular plant species richness in semi-natural grasslands

European semi-natural grasslands host numerous and diverse living organisms within a relatively small area; therefore, conservation of these habitats is crucial to maintain high biodiversity in agricultural areas. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of environment, habitat continuity and spatial structure on semi-natural grassland species richness (SR) at the regional extent. SR and characteristic SR (CHSR) were calculated in 709 georeferenced vegetation plots obtained from the Polish Vegetation Database. For each vegetation plot, (1) environmental variables representing climate, topography, soil characteristics (e.g. pH and physical soil properties), landscape and anthropogenic pressure; (2) habitat continuity in time and (3) variables reflecting the spatial structure of vegetation plots using principal coordinates of neighbour matrices were measured. Environmental data were measured at four different spatial scales (buffers of 0.05-, 0.5-, 2.5- and 5-km radii surrounding each vegetation plot). Boosted regression trees were generated to explore the relationships of SR and CHSR with predictors. Variables associated with anthropogenic pressure, landscape structure and soil characteristics operating in the 0.5- and 5-km buffers significantly improved SR and CHSR model. However, effects of individual predictors on SR and CHSR were not predominant. Habitat continuity and topographic heterogeneity operating in the 0.05-km buffer exclusively improved CHSR model. The results suggest that neutral processes (dispersion limitation, local management history and/or stochastic events) reflected by spatial variables are strongly related to SR and CHSR. Patterns observed herein may also exist in other agriculture-dominated regions in temperate Europe. This knowledge will contribute to effective conservation of valuable habitats over large spatial areas.

How generalist are these forest specialists? What Sweden’s avian indicators indicate

AbstractMonitoring of forest biodiversity and habitats is an important part of forest conservation, but due to the impossible task of monitoring all species, indicator species are frequently used. However, reliance on an incorrect indicator of valuable habitat can reduce the efficiency of conservation efforts. Birds are often used as indicators as they are charismatic, relatively easy to survey, and because we often have knowledge of their habitat and resource requirements. In the Swedish government’s environmental quality goals, there are a number of bird species identified as being associated with ‘older’ and ‘high natural value’ forests. Here we evaluate the occurrence of four of these indicator species using data from 91 production forest stands and 10 forest reserves in southern Sweden. The bird species assessed are willow titPoecile montanus, coal titPeriparus ater, European crested titLophophanes cristatusand Eurasian treecreeperCerthia familiaris. For the production stands assessed, these indicator species exhibited no significant preferences regarding forest composition and structure, indicating a wider range of habitat associations than expected. These species frequently showed territorial behavior in forest stands <60 and even 40 years of age; much younger than the 120‐year threshold for ‘older forest’ as defined by governmental environmental goals. As almost 80% of the production stands ≥10 years old included at least one of the four indicator species, this raises questions regarding the suitability of these species as indictors of forests of high conservational value in southern Sweden. Notably, besides the four species assessed here, none of the additional indicator taxa identified by the government, were recorded in the 10 reserves. This outcome may reflect the difficulties involved in finding bird indicator species indicative of high natural values in this region. Our results highlight the importance of coupling bird surveys with quantified assessments of proximate vegetation cover.

Association of a threatened forest ungulate with the treeless herriza or Mediterranean heathland in southern Spain

The Andalusian roe deer (Capreolus capreolus var. garganta) is a medium-sized ungulate species whose unique biological features and protected, red-listed status have made it a highly prized hunting trophy. This game species is relatively abundant in forest ecosystems of southern Spain (province of Cádiz), at the European side of the Strait of Gibraltar. In this region, the herriza or Mediterranean heathland is a relatively abundant natural habitat of outstanding biodiversity value but frequently underappreciated due to its characteristic treeless feature. We searched available abundance data of roe deer in 182 hunting estates in the province of Cádiz during three four-year periods (2006–2009, 2010–2013, and 2014–2017) and obtained surface cover data of herriza habitat for each estate. We also collected data on other variables that could influence roe deer abundance, such as hunting estate surface area, and relative abundance of red deer (Cervus elaphus), a co-occurring game species. Then, using a spatially explicit approach, we explored the association of the Andalusian roe deer with the relative abundance of herriza and red deer in the hunting states. A significant, positive effect of the relative abundance of herriza in the hunting estates was found for the Andalusian roe deer abundance but not for the red deer. Although reasons for such positive association remain speculative, an ecosystem service potential of the herriza should be considered, not only to enhance the conservation of a protected, singular game species, but also to promote the conservation value of a unique natural habitat.

Rooting depth and below ground biomass in a freshwater coastal marsh invaded by European Reed (<i>Phragmites australis</i>) compared with remnant uninvaded sites at Long Point, Ontario

Invasive European Reed (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) outcompetes native vegetation, reducing floristic diversity and habitat value for wildlife. Research in coastal salt marshes has indicated that P. australis invasion may be facilitated by its relatively deep rooting depth, but in freshwater marshes the growth pattern of below ground tissues in relation to water depth is uncertain. To determine if P. australis is rooting more deeply than resident wetland plant species in a freshwater coastal marsh on Lake Erie, Ontario, we measured the vertical distribution of below ground biomass in P. australis invaded marsh sites and compared it to the below ground biomass distribution in nearby sites not yet invaded by P. australis. These invaded and uninvaded sites were paired by water depth, which is known to influence resource allocation and rooting depth. Below ground biomass in invaded sites was greater than in uninvaded sites (t28 = 3.528, P = 0.001), but rooting depth (i.e., the depth at which 90% of total below ground biomass is accounted for) was comparable (t28 = 0.992, P = 0.330). Using water depth and site type, general linear models could predict below ground biomass (F2,55 = 9.115, P < 0.001) but not rooting depth (F2,55 = 1.175, P = 0.316). Rooting depth is likely affected by other factors such as substrate type and the depth of the organic soil horizon.

Fear and stressing in predator-prey ecology: considering the twin stressors of predators and people on mammals.

Predators induce stress in prey and can have beneficial effects in ecosystems, but can also have negative effects on biodiversity if they are overabundant or have been introduced. The growth of human populations is, at the same time, causing degradation of natural habitats and increasing interaction rates of humans with wildlife, such that conservation management routinely considers the effects of human disturbance as tantamount to or surpassing those of predators. The need to simultaneously manage both of these threats is particularly acute in urban areas that are, increasingly, being recognized as global hotspots of wildlife activity. Pressures from altered predator–prey interactions and human activity may each initiate fear responses in prey species above those that are triggered by natural stressors in ecosystems. If fear responses are experienced by prey at elevated levels, on top of responses to multiple environmental stressors, chronic stress impacts may occur. Despite common knowledge of the negative effects of stress, however, it is rare that stress management is considered in conservation, except in intensive ex situ situations such as in captive breeding facilities or zoos. We propose that mitigation of stress impacts on wildlife is crucial for preserving biodiversity, especially as the value of habitats within urban areas increases. As such, we highlight the need for future studies to consider fear and stress in predator–prey ecology to preserve both biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, especially in areas where human disturbance occurs. We suggest, in particular, that non-invasive in situ investigations of endocrinology and ethology be partnered in conservation planning with surveys of habitat resources to incorporate and reduce the effects of fear and stress on wildlife.

Seasonal selection of habitat by Spotted Bass and Shorthead Redhorse in a regulated river in the Midwest, USA

AbstractRiverine fish populations depend on habitats supporting their resource and life history needs. Dynamic streamflow caused by river regulation or natural events influences the distribution of downstream habitat characteristics. Through studying habitat selection, we can identify the most utilized and valuable habitats for the success of native fishes. We determined seasonal habitat selection of two common, native fish species on the Osage River downstream of Bagnell Dam, a hydroelectric dam in central Missouri, from April 2016 to June 2017 using radio telemetry. Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus) are nest‐guarders, sight feeders, and habitat generalists, whereas Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) are fluvial dependent, migratory, and benthic feeders. Bayesian discrete choice analyses determined that both species selected particular water depth, velocity, and presence of submerged cover in some or all seasons, even as available habitat changed. Spotted Bass selected water depths <4.0 m near submerged cover during all seasons, low velocity during spring and summer, and near‐bank habitat in all seasons except spring. Shorthead Redhorse used fast flowing habitat during spring, 0.4–1.1 m/s velocity during summer, and low velocity in fall and winter (0.1–0.5 m/s). Shorthead Redhorse used submerged cover in all seasons except summer and selected specific ranges of depth within spring (2.4–4.4 m), summer (3.3–6.7 m), and winter (1.1–2.3 m). Our findings suggest that maintaining habitats with cover and diverse water depths and velocities, particularly both low and high velocity habitats during spring, may promote resilience by providing beneficial habitats for native fishes.

Detection of sub-canopy forest structure using airborne LiDAR

Knowledge on forest structure is vital for sustainable forest management decisions. Currently, Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) has been well established as an effective tool to delineate and characterize the structure of canopies across a range of forested biomes. However, the use of ALS to provide information on sub-canopy structure is less well developed. Sub-canopy structure consists of suppressed mature trees, regenerating tree saplings, shrubs, herbs, snags and coarse-woody-debris. With the increasing density of ALS point clouds, new opportunities exist to describe these sub-canopy structural components in forests that were previously difficult to detect using passive remote sensing technologies. In this research we use discrete return ALS data acquired at a density of 23 points × m2 to estimate sub-canopy forest structure for 48,000 ha of conifer dominated forest in central British Columbia, Canada. We first segmented the forest vertical structure into canopy and sub-canopy based on Lorey's mean height (HL). HL, which favours larger trees as a baseline for canopy height, provides separation between the taller trees that dominate the canopy and smaller trees that represent the sub-canopy. We defined sub-canopy trees as those <70% of HL. Both ground-truthed forest inventory data and the ALS point cloud were then segmented into canopy and sub-canopy components. A mixture of standard height-based and density-based ALS metrics were then computed to develop predictive models of sub-canopy component of the stands. Models were calibrated with 28 ground plots and developed using stepwise regression with the strongest predictors being a combination of height, structure and cover-based metrics. Two model sets were developed, one for the entire point cloud, and another for an isolated sub-canopy point cloud defined by HL. The isolated sub-canopy set of models resulted in stronger cross-validated R-squared values of 0.88, 0.68, and 0.55 for tree volume, basal area and number of sub-canopy trees, respectively. We then applied these models over the entire study area to characterize the sub-canopy structure, resulting inventory can be used by land managers for a number of purposes including selecting candidate locations for selective logging to preserve mid-term timber opportunities, fire susceptibility and carbon sequestration modelling, and wildlife habitat values.

Diversity of old-drained forests in Estonia

Due to originating from various mire or paludified forests and consequently developing after drainage under different growth conditions, the drained forests are very heterogeneous and complex. In the official Estonian forest typology, the old-drained stands are divided into Myrtillus and Oxalis site types, but recently the validity of the autonomous Dryopteris (expansa) forest site type was again asserted. The aims of the current study were to (i) elucidate the main factors determining the structure and variation of the Estonian old-drained forests, (ii) elaborate the typology of these forests at the community level and, (iii) establish the indicator species of the established community types. 218 forest stands drained not less than 35–40 years ago were analysed. According to multivariate data analyses (cluster, ordination and variance analyses, multi-response permutation procedures, indicator species analyses) it appeared that the soil reaction, nutrients, and moisture content, assessed by the Ellenberg ecological indicator values for habitats are much more significant factors for plant growth and community structure than the thickness of soil/peat horizons. Nevertheless, the litter and peat horizons in soils of drained Dryopteris site type forests is significantly thinner than in Oxalis and Myrtillus site type stands. The Dryopteris site type forests can be divided into six, the Oxalis site type forests into three, and the Myrtillus site type forests into two types of communities. Each of the 11 established community types differ significantly (p &lt; 0.05) from each other and have their own dominant and significant indicator species. When comparing the Estonian old-drained forests with analogous stands in neighbouring countries (Latvia, Finland, Sweden, northwestern Russia) we can find rather large similarities; the typological differences result mainly from the methodological approaches and geographical scope of countries.&#x0D; Key words: community types, drainage impact, Dryopteris forest site type, fern-rich forests, indicator species, Ellenberg indicator values, nutrition gradient.

Tree diversity and timber productivity in planted forests: Pinus patula versus mixed cloud forest species

Planted forests contribute to maximizing timber production but their role as valuable habitat for diversity is of increasing concern, particularly in tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) landscapes, which present extremely high diversity and endemism. We compared tree diversity, potential timber productivity and estimated net revenues in planted forests of Pinus patula and mixed TMCF species in southern Mexico. These planted forests were 21 years-old and established under similar environmental conditions in abandoned pastures previously occupied by TMCF. Adult tree height and density were similar between planted forests, but sapling and seedling density were reduced in P. patula in comparison to the mixed forest (0.05 and 0.28 sapling m−2 and 0.08 and 0.56 seedling m−2, respectively). The diversity of adults was similar, but that of saplings and seedlings was lower in P. patula than in the mixed forest (saplings: 3.39 and 9.14 effective species; seedlings: 2.85 and 9.59, respectively). Timber volume was similar between planted forests; however, due to higher establishment costs and lower market price, the net present value (NPV) of the mixed forest was considerably lower than that of P. patula. The mixed forest only achieved a positive NPV with subsidies and an interest rate < 5% under a 30% harvesting intensity. To ameliorate biobiodiversity loss, TMCF landscapes require alternative measures; e.g., a supply of a diverse mix of native seedlings, stimulation of the market for native species, compensatory mechanisms for mixed plantations of native species and landscape approaches that combine economically profitable and ecologically desirable species.

Facilitating foundation species: The potential for plant–bivalve interactions to improve habitat restoration success

Abstract Vegetated marine and freshwater habitats are being increasingly lost around the world. Habitat restoration is a critical step for conserving these valuable habitats, but new approaches are needed to increase restoration success and ensure their survival. We investigated interactions between plants and bivalves through a review and analysis of 491 studies, determined the effects, mechanisms and key environmental variables involved in and driving positive and negative interactions, and produced guidelines for integrating positive interactions into restoration efforts in different habitats. Fifty per cent of all interactions (both correlative and experimental studies) were positive. These were predominant between epifaunal bivalves and plants in all habitats, and between infaunal bivalves and plants in subtidal habitats. Plants primarily promoted bivalve survival and abundance by providing substrate and shelter, while bivalves promoted plant growth and survival by stabilizing and fertilizing the sediment, and reducing water turbidity. The prevalence of positive interactions increased with water temperature in subtidal habitats, but decreased with water temperature in intertidal habitats. The subset of studies conducted in a restoration context also showed mostly positive interactions. Twenty‐five per cent of all interactions were negative, and these were predominant between plants and infaunal bivalves in intertidal habitats, except sulphide‐metabolizing bivalves, which facilitated plant survival. Interactions involving non‐native species were also mostly negative. Synthesis and applications. Promoting facilitative interactions through plant–bivalve co‐restoration can increase restoration success. The prevalence of positive interactions depends on habitat and environmental conditions such as temperature, and was especially important in subtidal habitats (involving both infaunal and epifaunal bivalves) and in intertidal habitats (involving only epifaunal bivalves). Thus sites and species for co‐restoration must be carefully chosen to maximize the chances of success. If done properly, co‐restoration could increase initial survival, persistence and resilience of foundation species, and promote the recovery of associated biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Reconciling Tourism Development and Conservation Outcomes Through Marine Spatial Planning for a Saudi Giga-Project in the Red Sea (The Red Sea Project, Vision 2030)

.The Red Sea Project (TRSP) is a development that extends over 28,000 km2 along the shores of the Red Sea that will progress to become a sustainable luxury tourism destination on the west coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The destination incorporates the Al Wajh lagoon, a pristine 2,081 km2 area that includes 92 islands with valuable habitats (coral reefs, seagrass and mangroves) and species of global conservation importance. The Red Sea Development Company, responsible for the execution of TRSP, has committed to achieve a net-positive impact on biodiversity while developing the site for sustainable tourism. This requires reaching conservation outcomes superior to those of a “business as usual” scenario for an undeveloped site. After careful optimization of the development plans to explore every opportunity to avoid impacts, we applied Marine Spatial Planning to optimize the conservation of the Al Wajh lagoon in the presence of development. We subsequently tested five conservation scenarios (excluding and including development) using Marxan, a suite of tools designed to identify priority areas for protection on the basis of prescribed conservation objectives. We succeeded in creating a three-layer conservation zoning achieving conservation outcomes as those possible in the “business as usual” scenario. Subsequently, we designed additional actions to remove existing pressures and generate net positive conservation outcomes. The results demonstrate that careful design and planning could potentially allow coastal development to enhance, rather than jeopardize, conservation.

Rocky pine forests in the High Coast Region in Sweden: structure, dynamics and history

Almost all forests in Sweden are managed and only a small fraction are considered natural. One exception is low productive forests where, due to their limited economical value, natural dynamics still dominate. One example is the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests occurring on rocky and nutrient-poor hilltops. Although these forests represent a regionally common forest type with a high degree of naturalness, their dynamics, structure and history are poorly known. We investigated the structure, human impact and fire history in eight rocky pine forests in the High Coast Area in eastern Sweden, initially identified as good representatives of this forest type. This was done by sampling and measuring tree sizes, -ages, fire-scarred trees, as well as dead wood volumes and quality along three transects at each site. The structure was diverse with a sparse layer of trees (basal area 9 m2 and 640 trees larger than 10 cm ha-1) in various sizes and ages; 13 trees ha-1 were more than 300 years old. Dead wood (DW), snags and logs in all stages of decay, was present and although the actual DW (pine) volume (4.4 m3 ha-1) and number of units (53 ha-1) was low, the DW share of total wood volume was 18% on average. Dead wood can be present for several centuries after death; we found examples of both snags and logs that had been dead more than 300 years. Frequent fires have occurred, with an average cycle of 40 years between fires. Most fires occurred between 1500-1900 and many of them (13) during the 1600s. However, fires were probably small since most fire years were only represented at one site and often only in one or a few samples. The rocky pine forests in the High Coast Area are representative of undisturbed forests with low human impact, exhibiting old-growth characteristics and are valuable habitats for organisms connected to sun-exposed DW. Management of protected rocky pine forests may well include small-scale restoration fires and the limited DW volumes should be protected.

Patterns of fish use in urban estuaries: Engineering maintenance schedules to protect broader seascape habitat

Estuaries are experiencing high rates of modification because of urban development and on-going associated maintenance works which impacts their ecosystem functions and services. This research appraises the fish and crustacean community occupying urbanised estuaries, and whether necessary maintenance works (dredging, mangrove pruning) could be timed to better protect the ecosystem values. Using a range of sampling equipment we collected fish and crustacean assemblages from urban, semi-urban, and non-urban estuaries, in addition to water quality, tidal inundation, and marine plant densities to determine relationships among sites. Seasonal differences in body size distributions of socio-economically important species were also examined to infer timing of juvenile recruitment. Despite common assumptions that urbanised estuaries are degraded and provide little habitat value for coastal species, we found that the species composition of aquatic assemblages was similar between urban and non-urban sites, but differed according to tidal position (i.e. supralittoral vs. lower tidal). Seasonality in body size distributions differed among socio-economically important fisheries species, with some species showing juvenile recruitment during the wet season, dry season, or throughout the year. This study demonstrates that, regardless of urban vs. non-urban context, estuaries provide habitat for many aquatic animals, including socio-economically important fish species. Complexity associated with the dynamism of estuarine ecosystems and variability in constituent species’ life-history patterns makes management decisions regarding timing and delivery of urban waterway maintenance difficult. However, maintenance works that occur during Austral dry season (May to October) would provide the best protection for marine plants (non-flowering season for mangroves), while also reduces downstream movement of sediments and contaminants during wet season rainfall flow. Undertaking necessary maintenance works in the dry season provides grounds for wide scale seascape ecosystem optimism.

Response of Zooplankton Indices to Anthropogenic Pressure in the Catchment of Field Ponds

As methods for assessing the environmental conditions in ponds are still not well developed, I studied zooplankton to identify a response of community indices to abiotic, biotic, and habitat type in two types of ponds differing in the level of human stress. Ponds of low human alterations (LowHI) harbored generally richer communities and a higher share littoral zooplankton, whose occurrence was associated with higher water transparency and complex macrophyte habitat, particularly the presence of hornworts and charoids. In high human-impact ponds (HighHI) planktonic communities prevailed. Their distribution was mainly related to the open water area and fish presence. Anthropogenic disturbance was also reflected in the frequency of rare species, which were associated with LowHI ponds. Higher diversity of zooplankton increased the chance for rare species to occur. Despite the fact that the majority of rare species are littoral-associated, they had no prevalence towards a certain ecological type of plants, which suggests that any kind of plant cover, even macrophytes typical for eutrophic waters (e.g., Ceratophyllum demersum) will create a valuable habitat for conservation purposes. Thus, it is postulated that a complex and dense cover of submerged macrophytes ought to be maintained in order to improve the ecological value of small water bodies.

Integrating wildlife conservation into ecosystem service payments and carbon offsets: A case study from Costa Rica

AbstractWildlife conservation is challenged by the expensive and cost prohibitive strategy of directly purchasing land to protect habitat at the landscape scale. An alternative mechanism used to protect habitat includes payments for ecosystem‐services (PES), where farmers and landowners are paid to manage their lands for a particular ecological service. Some of these easements are used to conserve a diversity of resources (i.e., water, soil, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity); however, the largest PES easement programs focus on carbon sequestration and are sold on international carbon markets as offsets. Here, we demonstrate that successfully protecting vulnerable habitat for wildlife can be achieved through partnerships with programs that trade in carbon offsets by focusing landowner recruitment activities in areas with ecologically valuable habitat. This collaborative strategy represents a cost effective and efficient model to protect wildlife at landscape scales. As proof of concept, in 2015 we successfully protected and restored habitats used by golden‐winged warblers, a species being considered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for protection under the Endangered Species Act, by partnering with organizations responsible for managing carbon offsets in Costa Rica. Through these partnerships, we successfully protected 790 ha of valuable habitat, within a single year, by recruiting farmers and landowners into an easement program in the heart of the warbler's winter range. We present our efforts as a model for similar collaborative partnerships in the tropics and beyond.

Traditional orchard Management in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia): evolution between 1955 and 2015

Changes in management regime in recent decades have significantly contributed to threats to traditional European agricultural systems, but this has not been studied sufficiently. This paper examines these changes by considering the agroforestry system of traditional orchards in the Myjava-White Carpathian scattered settlement region (Slovakia) between 1955 and 2015. Data on orchard management was collected using structured interviews with 116 local residents in 2015 – 2016. Information was sought on management practices in the following years: 1955, when collectivisation was just beginning, and traditional practices were dominant; 1975, when collectivisation had finished; 1990, when the socialist period had ended; 2000, after the subsequent socio-political changes; and 2015, reflecting the current state of affairs. Traditional orchard management included mowing, grazing, ploughing, fertilising, and litter raking. Management had changed in 75.8 % of the studied orchards between 1955 and 2015. These changes included especially change in frequency of mowing, a drastic decline in grazing, and cessation of ploughing. Also, understorey mulching appeared as a new practice in 1990 and has been growing steadily more common since that time. Our study confirms an escalating risk of extinction of these valuable habitats, whose management is affected by socio-economic changes.

Chemical composition of microplastic in sediments and protected detritivores from different marine habitats (Salina Island)

This study estimates chemical composition of microplastic in sediments and benthic detritivores (sea cucumbers) collected from different marine rocky bottom habitat types (bank, landslide, cliff) of Salina Island (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy). Also, species richness and bottom coverings by benthic species were recorded at each sampling station. Correlations among chemical composition of microplastic in sediments and in detritivores were explored linking recorded variability to the factor “habitat type”. Results evidence that the habitat types considered in this study are characterized by wide species richness and by high percentages of bottom coverage by protected species by international conventions. In spite of the high ecological value of habitats considered in this study, microplastics were recorded both in sediments (PVC, PET, PE, PS, PA, PP) and in stomach contents of sea cucumbers (PET, PA) collected in all sampling sites, confirming the exposure of benthic species to microplastic pollution.

Monetary Assessment of Restored Habitats as a Support Tool for Sustainable Landscape Management in Lowland Cultural Landscapes

Surfaces directly influenced by mining and post-mining have risen to prominence in the field of restoration ecology. It is important to gain a better understanding of sustainable landscape management in lowland European cultural landscapes. Sand and gravel-pit areas were selected as study sites, where mining activities have been the main factor in land use over recent decades. The post-mining restoration of each area disturbed by mining processes was planned according to legally enforced technical and biological restoration protocols, as well as a specific document entitled the Biological Action Plan (BAP). The financial costs of BAPs for individual study sites were compared with the monetary value of habitats over three time periods. The economic evaluation was based on the assessment method of ecological harm to habitats carried out in Hesse (Germany). The results show that the restoration of target habitats after mining will establish and gradually develop new natural habitats with a higher monetary value than before mining, which become refuges of biodiversity in cultural landscapes. The results also indicate that the ecological restoration of post-mining areas can result in a higher monetary value of the restored natural habitats in comparison to the original habitats which were destroyed by mining.