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1.
  • Caesar, Ryan M., et al. (författare)
  • Integrating DNA data and traditional taxonomy to streamline biodiversity assessment: an example from edaphic beetles in the Klamath ecoregion, California, USA
  • 2006
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 12:5, s. 483-489
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Conservation and land management decisions may be misguided by inaccurate or misinterpreted knowledge of biodiversity. Non-systematists often lack taxonomic expertise necessary for an accurate assessment of biodiversity. Additionally, there are far too few taxonomists to contribute significantly to the task of identifying species for specimens collected in biodiversity studies. While species level identification is desirable for making informed management decisions concerning biodiversity, little progress has been made to reduce this taxonomic deficiency. Involvement of non-systematists in the identification process could hasten species identification. Incorporation of DNA sequence data has been recognized as one way to enhance biodiversity assessment and species identification. DNA data are now technologically and economically feasible for most scientists to apply in biodiversity studies. However, its use is not widespread and means of its application has not been extensively addressed. This paper illustrates how such data can be used to hasten biodiversity assessment of species using a little-known group of edaphic beetles. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I was sequenced for 171 individuals of feather-wing beetles (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) from the Klamath ecoregion, which is part of a biodiversity hotspot, the California Floristic Province. A phylogram of these data was reconstructed via parsimony and the strict consensus of 28,000 equally parsimonious trees was well resolved except for peripheral nodes. Forty-two voucher specimens were selected for further identification from clades that were associated with many synonymous and non-synonymous nucleotide changes. A ptiliid taxonomic expert identified nine species that corresponded to monophyletic groups. These results allowed for a more accurate assessment of ptiliid species diversity in the Klamath ecoregion. In addition, we found that the number of amino acid changes or percentage nucleotide difference did not associate with species limits. This study demonstrates that the complementary use of taxonomic expertise and molecular data can improve both the speed and the accuracy of species-level biodiversity assessment. We believe this represents a means for non-systematists to collaborate directly with taxonomists in species identification and represents an improvement over methods that rely solely on parataxonomy or sequence data.
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2.
  • Fosaa, Anna Maria (författare)
  • Biodiversity patterns of vascular plant species in mountain vegetation in the Faroe Islands
  • 2004
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 10:3, s. 217-223
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Biodiversity patterns of vascular plant species were studied along altitudinal gradients in the Faroe Islands. Plants were sampled from five different mountains (150-856 m a.s.l.) at 50 m altitudinal intervals. Included in the study were 107 vascular plant species. In order to compare only altitudes with the same number of plots, three different analyses were carried out. One analysis included five mountains from 250 to 750 m a.s.l., one had three mountains from 150 to 750 m a.s.l., and the last one had two mountains from 750 to 850 m a.s.l. The patterns of biodiversity were evaluated on the basis of species richness as the total number of species at each altitudinal interval, as species turnover between altitudes and in relation to the Shannon-Wiener index. Similar patterns were found for species richness in the three analyses, although richness was higher along the whole transect when five mountains were included. For the Shannon-Wiener index, only small differences were found among the three analyses. A maximum was seen at 250 m a.s.l. and again at 500 m a.s.l. both in richness and in the Shannon-Wiener index. Maximum species turnover was found at mid-altitudes. Total vegetation cover followed the same pattern as richness. In addition to climate, the altitudinal variation of biodiversity may be affected by grazing.
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3.
  • Thuiller, W, et al. (författare)
  • Using niche-based modelling to assess the impact of climate change on tree functional diversity in Europe
  • 2006
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 12:1, s. 49-60
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Rapid anthropogenic climate change is already affecting species distributions and ecosystem functioning worldwide. We applied niche-based models to analyse the impact of climate change on tree species and functional diversity in Europe. Present-day climate was used to predict the distributions of 122 tree species from different functional types (FT). We then explored projections of future distributions under one climate scenario for 2080, considering two alternative dispersal assumptions: no dispersal and unlimited dispersal. The species-rich broadleaved deciduous group appeared to play a key role in the future of different European regions. Temperate areas were projected to lose both species richness and functional diversity due to the loss of broadleaved deciduous trees. These were projected to migrate to boreal forests, thereby increasing their species richness and functional diversity. Atlantic areas provided an intermediate case, with a predicted reduction in the numbers of species and occasional predicted gains in functional diversity. This resulted from a loss in species within the broadleaved deciduous FT, but overall maintenance of the group. Our results illustrate the fact that both species-specific predictions and functional patterns should be examined separately in order to assess the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and gain insights into future ecosystem functioning.
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4.
  • Andren, Henrik, et al. (författare)
  • Integrating animal tracking datasets at a continental scale for mapping Eurasian lynx habitat
  • 2023
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 29, s. 1546-1560
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim The increasing availability of animal tracking datasets collected across many sites provides new opportunities to move beyond local assessments to enable detailed and consistent habitat mapping at biogeographical scales. However, integrating wildlife datasets across large areas and study sites is challenging, as species' varying responses to different environmental contexts must be reconciled. Here, we compare approaches for large-area habitat mapping and assess available habitat for a recolonizing large carnivore, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx).LocationEurope.Methods We use a continental-scale animal tracking database (450 individuals from 14 study sites) to systematically assess modelling approaches, comparing (1) global strategies that pool all data for training versus building local, site-specific models and combining them, (2) different approaches for incorporating regional variation in habitat selection and (3) different modelling algorithms, testing nonlinear mixed effects models as well as machine-learning algorithms.Results Testing models on training sites and simulating model transfers, global and local modelling strategies achieved overall similar predictive performance. Model performance was the highest using flexible machine-learning algorithms and when incorporating variation in habitat selection as a function of environmental variation. Our best-performing model used a weighted combination of local, site-specific habitat models. Our habitat maps identified large areas of suitable, but currently unoccupied lynx habitat, with many of the most suitable unoccupied areas located in regions that could foster connectivity between currently isolated populations.Main Conclusions We demonstrate that global and local modelling strategies can achieve robust habitat models at the continental scale and that considering regional variation in habitat selection improves broad-scale habitat mapping. More generally, we highlight the promise of large wildlife tracking databases for large-area habitat mapping. Our maps provide the first high-resolution, yet continental assessment of lynx habitat across Europe, providing a consistent basis for conservation planning for restoring the species within its former range.
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5.
  • Andren, Henrik, et al. (författare)
  • Large carnivore expansion in Europe is associated with human population density and land cover changes
  • 2021
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 27, s. 602-617
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: The recent recovery of large carnivores in Europe has been explained as resulting from a decrease in human persecution driven by widespread rural land abandonment, paralleled by forest cover increase and the consequent increase in availability of shelter and prey. We investigated whether land cover and human population density changes are related to the relative probability of occurrence of three European large carnivores: the grey wolf (Canis lupus), the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos).Location: Europe, west of 64 degrees longitude.Methods: We fitted multi-temporal species distribution models using >50,000 occurrence points with time series of land cover, landscape configuration, protected areas, hunting regulations and human population density covering a 24-year period (1992-2015). Within the temporal window considered, we then predicted changes in habitat suitability for large carnivores throughout Europe.Results: Between 1992 and 2015, the habitat suitability for the three species increased in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, North-West Iberian Peninsula and Northern Scandinavia, but showed mixed trends in Western and Southern Europe. These trends were primarily associated with increases in forest cover and decreases in human population density, and, additionally, with decreases in the cover of mosaics of cropland and natural vegetation.Main conclusions: Recent land cover and human population changes appear to have altered the habitat suitability pattern for large carnivores in Europe, whereas protection level did not play a role. While projected changes largely match the observed recovery of large carnivore populations, we found mismatches with the recent expansion of wolves in Central and Southern Europe, where factors not included in our models may have played a dominant role. This suggests that large carnivores' co-existence with humans in European landscapes is not limited by habitat availability, but other factors such as favourable human tolerance and policy.
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6.
  • Angeler, David (författare)
  • Revealing a conservation challenge through partitioned long-term beta diversity: increasing turnover and decreasing nestedness of boreal lake metacommunities
  • 2013
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 19, s. 772-781
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Assessing long-term (1992-2009) trends of littoral invertebrate and phytoplankton metacommunities in boreal lakes with emphasis on separating the nestedness and turnover components of beta diversity. Deriving implications for regional biodiversity conservation and management, based on a data-intensive approach with high ecological realism. Location Sweden (Northern Europe). Methods A recently published method was used to partition beta diversity into species turnover and nestedness components. Regression analyses were used to test for monotonic temporal change of these diversity fractions through time. Associations between the temporal diversity patterns of taxonomic groups and environmental variables were studied using correlation analyses. Results Turnover of both metacommunities increased monotonically over the study period, while nestedness decreased. In invertebrates, these changes correlated mainly with regional changes in acidity, while phytoplankton responded more to changing water clarity. Nestedness and turnover patterns were inversely correlated in both groups, but neither turnover nor nestedness was correlated between invertebrates and phytoplankton. Nestedness of both groups explained a lower percentage of the partitioned variance compared with turnover. Main conclusion Results suggest that all lakes contribute more equally to regional diversity over time and are, as a result, all potential targets of management actions. Not only is a regional conservation strategy logistically difficult, it is also a financially expensive expectation.
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7.
  • Azevedo, Josué, et al. (författare)
  • Deforestation limits evolutionary rescue under climate change in Amazonian lizards
  • 2024
  • Ingår i: DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 30:7
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • AimThe impact of climate change on biodiversity is often analysed under a stable evolutionary perspective focused on whether species can currently tolerate warmer climates. However, species may adapt to changes, and particularly under conditions of low habitat fragmentation, standing adaptive genetic variation can spread across populations tracking changing climates, increasing the potential for evolutionary rescue. Here, our aim is to integrate genomic data, niche modelling and landscape ecology to predict range shifts and the potential for evolutionary rescue.LocationThe megadiverse Amazonian rainforest.MethodsWe use genome-environment association analyses to search for candidate loci under environmental selection, while accounting for neutral genetic variation in a widespread Amazonian whiptail lizard (Teiidae: Kentropyx calcarata). We then model the distribution of individuals with genotypes adapted to different climate conditions. We predict range shifts for each genotype in distinct future climate change scenarios by integrating this information with dispersal constraints based on predicted scenarios of forest cover across Amazonia. The predicted ranges of each genotype were then overlapped to infer the potential for evolutionary rescue.ResultsWe find that the potential for evolutionary rescue and, therefore, a smaller degree of range loss buffering extinction risk in the future is considerably high, provided that current forest cover is retained and climate change is not extreme. However, under extreme environmental change scenarios, range loss will be high in central and southern Amazonia, irrespective of the degree of deforestation.Main ConclusionsOur results suggest that protecting the Amazonian rainforest against further deforestation and mitigating climate change to moderate scenarios until 2070 could foster evolutionary rescue of ectothermic organisms. These actions could prevent substantial biodiversity loss in Amazonia, emphasizing the importance of understanding species adaptability in maintaining biodiversity.
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8.
  • Bjelke, Ulf (författare)
  • Distribution trends of European dragonflies under climate change
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 25, s. 936-950
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Poleward range shifts of species are among the most obvious effects of climate change on biodiversity. As a consequence of these range shifts, species communities are predicted to become increasingly composed of warm-dwelling species, but this has only been studied for a limited number of taxa, mainly birds, butterflies and plants. As species groups may vary considerably in their adaptation to climate change, it is desirable to expand these studies to other groups, from different ecosystems. Freshwater macroinvertebrates, such as dragonflies (Odonata), have been ranked among the species groups with highest priority. In this paper, we investigate how the occurrence of dragonflies in Europe has changed in recent decades, and if these changes are in parallel with climate change. Location Europe. Methods We use data from 10 European geographical regions to calculate occupancy indices and trends for 99 (69%) of the European species. Next, we combine these regional indices to calculate European indices. To determine if changes in regional dragonfly communities in Europe reflect climatic warming, we calculate Species Temperature Indices (STI), Multi-species Indicators (MSI) and Community Temperature Indices (CTI). Results 55 of 99 considered species increased in occupancy at European level, 32 species remained stable, and none declined. Trends for 12 species are uncertain. MSI of cold-dwelling and warm-dwelling species differ in some of the regions, but increased at a similar rate at European level. CTI increased in all regions, except Cyprus. The European CTI increased slightly. Main conclusions European dragonflies, in general, have expanded their distribution in response to climate change, even though their CTI lags behind the increase in temperature. Furthermore, dragonflies proved to be a suitable species group for monitoring changes in communities, both at regional and continental level.
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9.
  • Bommarco, Riccardo, et al. (författare)
  • Extinction debt for plants and flower-visiting insects in landscapes with contrasting land use history
  • 2014
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 20:5, s. 591-599
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Species are lost world-wide because of habitat destruction and fragmentation. Impacted communities can exhibit transient dynamics in response to such environmental changes, where slow extinctions and immigration delay the arrival to a new equilibrium. Life history traits such as generation time, resource use and dispersal capacity, as well as landscape history can be expected to affect possible extinction debt, but few have examined this for multiple taxa in the same study and particularly so for arthropods. The aim was to assess under which current and historical land use circumstances an extinction debt occurs for vascular plants and three insect taxa. Location South-eastern Sweden. Method We sampled current species richness of habitat specialist and generalist butterflies, bees, hoverflies, and vascular plants in 45 dry to mesic semi-natural grassland fragments of various size and degree of connectivity, and situated in landscapes with contrasting land use conversion history. Habitat loss was estimated in each landscape by comparing modern maps to ~45year old digitized aerial photographs. An extinction debt can be assumed if historical habitat size and connectivity better explain current species distribution than current habitat variables do. Results Bees responded rapidly to habitat loss possibly as a result of their primary nesting resource being destroyed. Interestingly, species richness of specialist plants was best explained by historical habitat connectivity, richness of hoverflies by historical habitat area, and richness of butterflies by both historical habitat area and connectivity, indicating extinction debt for these taxa. Habitat generalist butterflies and hoverflies, but not plants and bees, exhibited extinction debt mainly in relation to habitat area. No effect of landscape type was found on the observed extinction debt. Main conclusions Slow extinctions of persistent and long-lived plants might explain extinction debt for both plants and herbivorous insects linked to these plants.
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10.
  • Bradter, Ute, et al. (författare)
  • Habitat suitability models based on opportunistic citizen science data: Evaluating forecasts from alternative methods versus an individual-based model
  • 2021
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 27, s. 2397-2411
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim To evaluate the utility of opportunistic data from citizen science programmes for forecasting species distributions against forecasts with a model of individual-based population dynamics. Location Sweden. Methods We evaluated whether alternative methods for building habitat suitability models (HSMs) based on opportunistic data from citizen science programmes produced forecasts that were consistent with forecasts from two benchmark models: (1) a HSM based on data from systematic monitoring and (2) an individual-based model for spatially explicit population dynamics based on empirical demographic and movement data. We forecasted population numbers and habitat suitability for three realistic, future forest landscapes for a forest bird, the Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus). We ranked simulated forest landscapes with respect to their benefits to Siberian jays for each modelling method and compared the agreement of the rankings among methods. Results Forecasts based on our two benchmark models were consistent with each other and with expectations based on the species' ecology. Forecasts from logistic regression models based on opportunistic data were consistent with the benchmark models if species detections were combined with high-quality inferred absences derived via retrospective interviews with experienced "super-reporters." In contrast, forecasts with three other widely used methods were inconsistent with the benchmark models, sometimes with misleading rankings of future scenarios. Main conclusions Our critical evaluation of alternative HSMs against a spatially explicit IBM demonstrates that information on species absences critically improves forecasts of species distributions using opportunistic data from citizen science programmes. Moreover, high-quality information on species absences can be retrospectively inferred from surveys of the consistency of reporting of individual species and the identification skills of participating reporters. We recommend that citizen science projects incorporate procedures to evaluate reporting behaviour. Inferred absences may be especially useful for improving forecasts for species and regions poorly covered by systematic monitoring schemes.
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11.
  • Brunet, Jörg (författare)
  • Alien plant invasions in European woodlands
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 23, s. 969-981
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Woodlands make up a third of European territory and carry out important ecosystem functions, yet a comprehensive overview of their invasion by alien plants has never been undertaken across this continent. Location: Europe.Methods: We extracted data from 251,740 vegetation plots stored in the recently compiled European Vegetation Archive. After filtering (resulting in 83,396 plots; 39 regions; 1970-2015 time period), we analysed the species pool and frequency of alien vascular plants with respect to geographic origin and life-forms, and the levels of invasion across the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) woodland habitats.Results: We found a total of 386 alien plant species (comprising 7% of all recorded vascular plants). Aliens originating from outside of and from within Europe were almost equally represented in the species pool (192 vs. 181 species) but relative frequency was skewed towards the former group (77% vs. 22%) due, to some extent, to the frequent occurrence of Impatiens parviflora (21% frequency among alien plants). Phanerophytes were the most species-rich life-form (148 species) and had the highest representation in terms of relative frequency (39%) among aliens in the dataset. Apart from Europe (181 species), North America was the most important source of alien plants (109 species). At the local scale, temperate and boreal softwood riparian woodland (5%) and mire and mountain coniferous woodland (<1%) had the highest and lowest mean relative alien species richness (percentage of alien species per plot), respectively.Main conclusions: Our results indicate that European woodlands are prone to alien plant invasions especially when exposed to disturbance, fragmentation, alien propagule pressure and high soil nutrient levels. Given the persistence of these factors in the landscape, competitive alien plant species with a broad niche, including alien trees and shrubs, are likely to persist and spread further into European woodlands.
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12.
  • Brunet, Jörg (författare)
  • Modelling the distribution and compositional variation of plant communities at the continental scale
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 24, s. 978-990
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: We investigate whether (1) environmental predictors allow to delineate the distribution of discrete community types at the continental scale and (2) how data completeness influences model generalization in relation to the compositional variation of the modelled entities.Location: Europe.Methods: We used comprehensive datasets of two community types of conservation concern in Europe: acidophilous beech forests and base-rich fens. We computed community distribution models (CDMs) calibrated with environmental predictors to predict the occurrence of both community types, evaluating geographical transferability, interpolation and extrapolation under different scenarios of sampling bias. We used generalized dissimilarity modelling (GDM) to assess the role of geographical and environmental drivers in compositional variation within the predicted distributions.Results: For the two community types, CDMs computed for the whole study area provided good performance when evaluated by random cross-validation and external validation. Geographical transferability provided lower but relatively good performance, while model extrapolation performed poorly when compared with interpolation. Generalized dissimilarity modelling showed a predominant effect of geographical distance on compositional variation, complemented with the environmental predictors that also influenced habitat suitability.Main conclusions: Correlative approaches typically used for modelling the distribution of individual species are also useful for delineating the potential area of occupancy of community types at the continental scale, when using consistent definitions of the modelled entity and high data completeness. The combination of CDMs with GDM further improves the understanding of diversity patterns of plant communities, providing spatially explicit information for mapping vegetation diversity and related habitat types at large scales.
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13.
  • Carruthers, J., et al. (författare)
  • A native at home and abroad : the history, politics, ethics and aesthetics of Acacia
  • 2011
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 17:5, s. 810-821
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Anthropogenic introductions of Australian Acacia spp. that become classed as alien invasive species have consequences besides the physical, spatial and ecological: there are also cultural, ethical and political considerations that demand attention from scholars in the humanities and social sciences. As practitioners in these disciplines, our aim is to reflect upon some of the social and conceptual ideas and attitudes relating to the spread of Australian Acacia spp. around the world. We therefore provide a longer-term historical and philosophical perspective using South Africa as a key example. We explain some of the cultural aspects of Australian acacias, relating them to history, philosophy and societal ideas that were once, or indeed remain, important, either regarding their exportation from Australia or their importation into other countries. Focussing principally on South Africa and Australia but including brief references to other locations, we augment the literature by making connections between acacia introductions and environmental ethics and aesthetics, national and environmental history and symbolic and other discourses. We evaluate a number of the cultural and philosophical dimensions of invasion biology as a societal response and explicate the interesting contradiction of Australian acacia introductions as simultaneously economically valuable and environmentally transformative in South Africa.
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14.
  • Catford, Jane A., et al. (författare)
  • Reducing redundancy in invasion ecology by integrating hypotheses into a single theoretical framework
  • 2009
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 15:1, s. 22-40
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Invasion ecology includes many hypotheses. Empirical evidence suggests that most of these can explain the success of some invaders to some degree in some circumstances. If they all are correct, what does this tell us about invasion? We illustrate the major themes in invasion ecology, and provide an overarching framework that helps organize research and foster links among subfields of invasion ecology and ecology more generally.Location: Global.Methods: We review and synthesize 29 leading hypotheses in plant invasion ecology. Structured around propagule pressure (P), abiotic characteristics (A) and biotic characteristics (B), with the additional influence of humans (H) on P, A and B (hereon PAB), we show how these hypotheses fit into one paradigm. P is based on the size and frequency of introductions, A incorporates ecosystem invasibility based on physical conditions, and B includes the characteristics of invading species (invasiveness), the recipient community and their interactions. Having justified the PAB framework, we propose a way in which invasion research could progress.Results: By highlighting the common ground among hypotheses, we show that invasion ecology is encumbered by theoretical redundancy that can be removed through integration. Using both holistic and incremental approaches, we show how the PAB framework can guide research and quantify the relative importance of different invasion mechanisms.Main conclusions: If the prime aim is to identify the main cause of invasion success, we contend that a top-down approach that focuses on PAB maximizes research efficiency. This approach identifies the most influential factors first, and subsequently narrows the number of potential causal mechanisms. By viewing invasion as a multifaceted process that can be partitioned into major drivers and broken down into a series of sequential steps, invasion theory can be rigorously tested, understanding improved and effective weed management techniques identified.
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15.
  • Chazot, Nicolas (författare)
  • Anthropogenic pressures coincide with Neotropical biodiversity hotspots in a flagship butterfly group
  • 2022
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 28, s. 2912-2930
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim The biodiversity crisis has highlighted the need to assess and map biodiversity in order to prioritize conservation efforts. Clearwing butterflies (tribe Ithomiini) have been proposed as biological indicators for habitat quality in Neotropical forests, which contain the world's richest biological communities. Here, we provide maps of different facets of Ithomiini diversity across the Neotropics to identify areas of evolutionary and ecological importance for conservation and evaluate their overlap with current anthropogenic threats. Location Neotropics. Methods We ran species distribution models on a data set based on 28,986 georeferenced occurrences representing 388 ithomiine species to generate maps of geographic rarity, taxonomic, phylogenetic and Mullerian mimetic wing pattern diversity. We quantified and mapped the overlap of diversity hotspots with areas threatened by or providing refuge from current anthropogenic pressures. Results The eastern slopes of the Andes formed the primary hotspot of taxonomic, phylogenetic and mimetic diversity, with secondary hotspots in Central America and the Atlantic Forest. Most diversity indices were strongly spatially correlated. Nevertheless, species-poor communities on the Pacific slopes of the Andes also sheltered some of the geographically rarest species. Overall, tropical montane forests that host high species and mimetic diversity as well as rare species and mimicry rings appeared particularly under threat. Main conclusions Remote parts of the Upper Amazon may act as refuges against current anthropogenic pressures for a limited portion of Ithomiini diversity. Furthermore, it is likely that the current threat status may worsen with ongoing climate change and deforestation. In this context, the tropical Andes occupy a crucial position as the primary hotspot for multiple facets of biodiversity for ithomiine butterflies, as they do for angiosperms, tetrapods and other insect taxa. Our results support the role of ithomiine butterflies as a suitable flagship indicator group for Neotropical butterfly diversity and reinforce the position of the tropical Andes as a flagship region for biodiversity conservation in general, and insect and butterfly conservation in particular.
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16.
  • Cromsigt, Joris (författare)
  • The difficulty of using species distribution modelling for the conservation of refugee species - the example of European bison
  • 2012
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 18, s. 1253-1257
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Refugee species have been confined to suboptimal habitat through historic anthropogenic factors. If this is unknown, management might actively conserve these species in suboptimal habitat assuming it represents optimal habitat. Similarly, species distribution modelling (SDM) might misguide conservation management of refugee species by only using presence data from suboptimal habitats. We illustrate this by commenting on a recent SDM for European bison that reconstructed the historic distribution of the species. We challenge the interpretation of this model by suggesting an alternative historic biogeography based on the refugee species concept. We argue that, in the case of refugee species, historic reconstructions using SDM cannot be used as a template for conservation management. Rather, experimental re-introduction programmes should provide us with population performance and life history data from a range of suboptimal to optimal habitats. Such data could be used in mechanistic niche modelling to predict potential distribution of refugee species.
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17.
  • Cumming, Graeme S., et al. (författare)
  • Network analysis in conservation biogeography : Challenges and opportunities
  • 2010
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 16:3, s. 414-425
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • ABSTRACTAims To highlight the potential value of network analysis for conservation biogeography and to focus attention on some of the challenges that lie ahead in applying it to conservation problems.Location Global.Methods We briefly review existing literature and then focus on five important challenges for the further development of network-based approaches in the field.Results Our five challenges include (i) understanding cross-scale and cross-level linkages in ecological systems (top–down and bottom–up effects, such as trophic cascades, have been demonstrated in food webs but are poorly understood in nested hierarchies such as reserve networks and stream catchments), (ii) capturing dynamic aspects of ecological systems and networks (with a few exceptions we have little grasp of how important whole-network attributes change as the composition of nodes and links changes), (iii) integrating ecological aspects of network theory with metacommunity frameworks and multiple node functions and roles (can we link the spatial patterns of habitat patches in fragmented landscapes, the parallel networks of interacting species using those patches and community-level interactions as defined by metacommunity theory in a single framework?), (iv) integrating the analysis of social and ecological networks (particularly, can they be analysed as a single interacting system?) and (v) laying an empirical foundation for network analysis in conservation biogeography (this will require a larger data bank of well-studied networks from diverse habitats and systems).Main conclusions Recent research has identified a variety of approaches that we expect to contribute to progress in each of our five challenge areas. We anticipate that some of the most exciting outcomes of attempts to meet these challenges will be frameworks that unite areas of research, such as food web analysis and metacommunity theory, that have developed independently.
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18.
  • Dapporto, Leonardo, et al. (författare)
  • Identifying zones of phenetic compression in West Mediterranean butterflies (Satyrinae) : refugia, invasion and hybridization
  • 2012
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 18:11, s. 1066-1076
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Distinct insular populations are generally considered important units for conservation. In islandmainland situations, unidirectional introgressive gene flow from the most abundant, typically continental, populations into the smaller island populations can erase native insular genetic units. As an indication of threat, the concept of phenetic slope is developed, a measure proportional to differentiation and to geographical proximity. Location The Western Mediterranean, including the following islands: Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica, Balearics, circum-Italian, circum-Sicilian and circum-Sardo-Corsican archipelagos. Eastern Europe is included for comparison. Methods Geometric morphometrics was applied to 2392 male genitalia of seven butterfly species groups. Geographic Information System techniques were used to depict the pattern in the distribution of morphotypes. The slope of variation in genital shape was computed to highlight geographical areas showing abrupt morphological changes. Correlation analyses were performed between the mean slope values across sea straits separating islands and nearest sources and ecological traits of the species that underlie their colonization and migration capacity. Results Phenetic slope analysis has revealed that the strait of Messina and the northern Tyrrhenian Sea support particularly contrasting populations. In these areas, mean slopes for species also correlated with certain ecological traits of the species. Sardinia emerges as the most stable refugium for ancestral mediterranean populations. Main conclusions There is strong support for the hypothesis that Italy has experienced invasion by populations from Eastern Europe with postglacial expansion of these populations across Italy. However, propagules are impeded from invading islands by the expanse of sea straits. Even so, sea straits are not invariably barriers. Our results suggest that wind direction in combination with habitat occupancy may have maintained ancestral insular populations in key locations distinguished by phenetic compression. We conclude that native insular populations acting as barriers to introgression in the areas showing particularly steep phenetic slopes deserve attention in conservation programmes.
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19.
  • De Smedt, Pallieter, et al. (författare)
  • Strength of forest edge effects on litter-dwelling macro-arthropods across Europe is influenced by forest age and edge properties
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 25:6, s. 963-974
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • AimForests are highly fragmented across Western Europe, making forest edges important features in many agricultural landscapes. Forest edges are subject to strong abiotic gradients altering the forest environment and resulting in strong biotic gradients. This has the potential to change the forest's capacity to provide multiple ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and natural pest control. Soil organisms play a key role in this perspective; however, these taxa are rarely considered in forest edge research.LocationA latitudinal gradient of 2,000 km across Western Europe.MethodsWe sampled six dominant taxa of litter-dwelling macro-arthropods (carabid beetles, spiders, harvestmen, centipedes, millipedes and woodlice) in forest edges and interiors of 192 forest fragments in 12 agricultural landscapes. We related their abundance and community composition to distance from the edge and the interaction with forest age, edge orientation and edge contrast (contrast between land use types at either side of the edge).ResultsThree out of six macro-arthropod taxa have higher activity-density in forest edges compared to forest interiors. The abundance patterns along forest edge-to-interior gradients interacted with forest age. Forest age and edge orientation also influenced within-fragment compositional variation along the forest edge-to-interior gradient. Edge contrast influenced abundance gradients of generalist predators. In general, older forest fragments, south-oriented edges and edges along structurally more continuous land use (lower contrast between forest and adjacent land use) resulted in stronger edge-to-interior gradients while recent forests, north-oriented edges and sharp land use edges induced similarity between forest edge and interior along the forest edge-to-interior gradients in terms of species activity-density and composition.Main conclusionsEdge effects on litter-dwelling macro-arthropods are anticipated to feedback on important ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and natural pest control from small forest fragments.
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20.
  • Dynesius, Mats, et al. (författare)
  • Species richness correlations among primary producers in boreal forests
  • 2006
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 12, s. 703-713
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Close correlations in species numbers may make it possible to indirectly assess the species richness of difficult taxonomic groups by investigating indicator groups, for which data are more easily collected. We asked if species numbers correlate among the four dominating groups of primary producers in boreal forests (liverworts, macrolichens, mosses, and vascular plants) and if substrate affiliation of species (ground vs. other substrates), sample plot size (0.01-1000 m2), and stand age (young vs. old) influence correlation strength. We used three sets of study plots from northern Sweden each including wide ranges of species richness. Although there are large differences in the ecophysiology and substrate use of vascular plants and the two bryophyte groups (mosses and liverworts), we found strong positive correlations among them not previously reported from boreal forests. In contrast, no correlation in total species richness was found between macrolichens and the two bryophyte groups, despite large overlaps in their ecology. We suggest that the positive correlations among land plants (liverworts, mosses, and vascular plants) are linked to positive relationships between site moisture and species number for all three groups. In contrast, total species number of macrolichens has not been shown to be strongly associated with moisture. However, ground-living lichens and mosses correlated negatively in old forests. This may relate to the inability of macrolichens to exploit shaded and wet old forest ground, a habitat that is used by many moss species. Furthermore, lichens and mosses of 'other substrates' correlated positively in old forests, probably because the amount of boulders was positively related to species richness in both groups. Generally, correlations became stronger with increasing plot size, whereas stand age had relatively little influence. We conclude that vascular plants could be used as an indicator group for species richness of mosses and liverworts in boreal landscapes.
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21.
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22.
  • Farooq, Harith, 1986, et al. (författare)
  • WEGE: A new metric for ranking locations for biodiversity conservation
  • 2020
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642.
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Effective policymaking for biological conservation requires the identification and ranking of the most important areas for protection or management. One of the most frequently used systems for selecting priority areas is the Key Biodiversity Areas (hereafter KBAs), developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, KBAs cannot be used to rank areas, potentially limiting their use when limited funding is available. To tackle this shortcoming and facilitate spatial prioritization, here we develop and validate the "WEGE index" (Weighted Endemism including Global Endangerment index), consisting of an adaptation of the EDGE score (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered). WEGE allows the ranking of any set of locations according to the KBA guidelines and on a continuous scale. Location Global. Methods We calculated the EDGE score, Weighted Endemism, Evolutionary distinctiveness, Extinction risk and our newly developed WEGE index for all terrestrial species of amphibians, mammals and birds accessed by IUCN. We then compared the performance of each of those five indices at prioritizing areas according to the KBA guidelines. Results We found that for all taxa surveyed, WEGE was consistently better at identifying areas that trigger KBA status. Main conclusions In our analyses, WEGE outperformed all other methods and metrics designed for similar purposes. It can serve as a robust evidence-based methodology to prioritize among otherwise equally qualified sites according to the KBA categories. WEGE can therefore support transparent, evidence-based and biologically meaningful decision-making for conservation priorities.
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23.
  • Gaertner, Mirijam, et al. (författare)
  • Invasive plants as drivers of regime shifts : identifying high-priority invaders that alter feedback relationships
  • 2014
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 20:7, s. 733-744
  • Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim A major challenge for invasion ecology is to identify high-impact invaders to guide prioritization of management interventions. We argue that species with the potential to cause regime shifts (altered states of ecosystem structure and function that are difficult or impossible to reverse) should be prioritized. These are species that modify ecosystems in ways that enhance their own persistence and suppress that of native species through reinforcing feedback processes. Methods Using both systems analysis and meta-analysis approaches, we synthesized changes to ecosystems caused by 173 invasive plant species. For the systems analysis, we examined published studies of impacts of invasive plants to determine which presented evidence consistent with a reinforcement of feedback processes. For the meta-analysis, we calculated the effect size ratio between standardized changes in recipient ecosystem and in the status of introduced species as an indication of a reinforcing feedback in particular species-environment combinations. The systems analysis approach allowed us to conceptualize regime shifts in invader-dominated landscapes and to estimate the likelihood of such changes occurring. The meta-analysis allowed us to quantitatively verify the conceptual model and the key invader-context feedbacks and to detect the strength and direction of feedbacks. Results Most reinforcing feedbacks involve impacts on soil-nutrient cycling by shrub and tree invaders in forests and herbaceous invaders in wetlands. Feedbacks resulting in regime shifts were most likely related to processes associated with seed banks, fire and nutrient cycling. Results were used to derive a key for identifying high-impact invaders. Main conclusions Identifying combinations of plant life-forms and ecosystems most likely to result in regime shifts is a robust approach for predicting high-impact invasions and therefore for prioritizing management interventions. The meta-analysis revealed the need for more quantitative studies, including manipulative experiments, on ecosystem feedbacks.
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24.
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25.
  • Gossmann, Anika, et al. (författare)
  • Interaction between regional temperature and shade level shapes saproxylic beetle communities
  • 2024
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 30
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • AimThe 'concept of relative constancy of habitats' assumes that species differ in their habitat preferences depending on the regional temperature so that all populations experience similar microclimatic conditions. Our aim was to assess the relevance of this concept by disentangling the effects of shade level and regional temperature on southern and northern distributed saproxylic (=dead wood dependent) beetle species.LocationSweden.MethodsWe established a field experiment by placing 435 logs of Norway spruce (Picea abies) along shade gradients in six regions differing in regional temperature (along a 1200 km latitudinal gradient). For each log, we sampled the saproxylic beetle community and calculated the Community Temperature Index (CTI), indicating to what extent the community is dominated by southern or northern species.ResultsSpecies richness and total abundance were better explained by shade level, whereas species composition was better explained by study region. In colder regions, CTI varied along the shade gradient, whereas in warmer regions, CTI was more similar along the shade gradient. Moreover, in colder regions, the number of southern species was higher in sun-exposed logs, whereas in warmer regions, the number of southern species was higher in shaded logs. This supports the concept of relative constancy of habitats. In contrast, northern species preferred shaded conditions regardless of the regional temperature.Main ConclusionsRegional temperature, shade level and resulting microclimate are important drivers of species richness, total abundance and composition. Occurrence patterns of saproxylic beetle species follow to some extent the concept of relative constancy of habitats since their habitat preferences vary with regional temperature. Northern species are of conservation concern due to disadvantages by climate warming and clear-cutting. They are favoured by preserving forests with rarely disturbed canopies.
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26.
  • Green, Leon, et al. (författare)
  • Sperm performance limits the reproduction of an invasive fish in novel salinities
  • 2021
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 27:6, s. 1091-1105
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: The few fish species able to reproduce across wide osmotic ranges either plastically acclimate sperm performance to, or are locally adapted to, different salinities. The invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is spreading in Eurasia and the Americas, into both fresh and brackish water. We aim to understand if reproduction in different salinities is affected by an ability to acclimate. Location: Brackish and freshwater systems of northern Europe and the Baltic Sea. Methods: We cross-exposed round gobies of freshwater and brackish origin to 0 and 16 practical salinity units (PSU), and the fish were given nest boxes in which to spawn. After 4weeks, we measured their sperm performance in both 0 and 16 PSU; fertilization success of each egg clutch was measured through visual analysis of eggs. Clutches were split and allowed to develop in both 0 and 16 PSU salinity, and reproductive success (zygote development) was measured 20±1days later. Responses were analysed using generalized mixed models. Results: After a month, the fish showed no plasticity in sperm performance to their acclimation salinity, regardless of their origin. Sperm velocity was highest in the salinity similar to the males’ origin. Significantly lower fertilization success was measured for individuals that reproduced outside their salinity of origin despite recurring spawning events in all treatment groups. Among fertilized eggs, zygote development was similar regardless of salinity treatment of either eggs or parents. Main Conclusions: Short-term acclimation to new salinities does not affect sperm performance in the round goby. Alternative hypotheses such as local adaption should be further investigated. Limits to the species’ reproductive success, and therefore invasion processes, are likely dependent on environment-phenotype matches. Fish of brackish origin spawned successfully in freshwater, pointing to an increased risk of introducing populations of brackish origin into freshwater.
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27.
  • Hein, Catherine L, et al. (författare)
  • Dispersal through stream networks : modelling climate-driven range expansions of fishes
  • 2011
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 17:4, s. 641-651
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim To incorporate dispersal through stream networks into models predicting the future distribution of a native, freshwater fish given climate change scenarios. Location Sweden. Methods We used logistic regression to fit climate and habitat data to observed pike (Esox lucius Linnaeus) distributions in 13,476 lakes. We used GIS to map dispersal pathways through streams. Lakes either (1) contained pike or were downstream from pike lakes, (2) were upstream from pike lakes, but downstream from natural dispersal barriers, or (3) were isolated from streams or were upstream from natural dispersal barriers. We then used climate projections to model future distributions of pike and compared our results with and without including dispersal. Results Given climate and habitat, pike were predicted present in all of 99,249 Swedish lakes by 2100. After accounting for dispersal barriers, we only predicted pike presence in 31,538 lakes. Dispersal barriers most strongly limited pike invasion in mountainous regions, but low connectivity also characterized some relatively flat regions. Main conclusions The dendritic network structure of streams and interconnected lakes makes a two-dimensional representation of the landscape unsuitable for predicting range shifts of many freshwater organisms. If dispersal through stream networks is not accounted for, predictions of future fish distributions in a warmer climate might grossly overestimate range expansions of warm and cool-water fishes and underestimate range contractions of cold-water fishes. Dispersal through stream networks can be modelled in any region for which a digital elevation model and species occurrence data are available.
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28.
  • Henckel, Laura, et al. (författare)
  • Assessing the usefulness of citizen science data for habitat suitability modelling: Opportunistic reporting versus sampling based on a systematic protocol
  • 2020
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 26, s. 1276-1290
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim To evaluate the potential of models based on opportunistic reporting (OR) compared to models based on data from a systematic protocol (SP) for modelling species distributions. We compared model performance for eight forest bird species with contrasting spatial distributions, habitat requirements and rarity. Differences in the reporting of species were also assessed. Finally, we tested potential improvement of models when inferring high-quality absences from OR based on questionnaires sent to observers. Location Both datasets cover the same large area (Sweden) and time period (2000-2013). Methods Species distributions were modelled using logistic regression. Predictive performance of OR models to predict SP data was assessed based on AUC. We quantified the congruence in spatial predictions using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. We related these results to species characteristics and reporting behaviour of observers. We also assessed the gain in predictive performance of OR models by adding inferred absences. Finally, we investigated the potential impact of sampling bias in OR. Results For all species, and despite the sampling biases, results from OR overall agreed well with those of SP, for the nationwide spatial congruence of habitat suitability maps and the selection and directions of species-environment relationships. The OR models also performed well in predicting the SP data. The predictive performance of the OR models increased with species rarity and even outperformed the SP model for the rarest species. No significant impact of observer behaviour was found. Main conclusions Relatively simple analyses with inferred absences could produce reliable spatial predictions of habitat suitability. This was especially true for rare species. OR data should be seen as a complement to SP, as the weakness of one is the strength of the other, and OR may be especially useful at large spatial scales or where no systematic data collection protocols exist.
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29.
  • Hoeks, Selwyn, et al. (författare)
  • Shifts in ecosystem equilibria following trophic rewilding
  • 2023
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 29:12, s. 1512-1526
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Trophic rewilding is proposed as an approach to tackle biodiversity loss by restoring ecosystem dynamics through the reintroduction of keystone species. Currently, evidence on the ecological consequences of reintroduction programmes is sparse and difficult to generalize. To better understand the ecological consequences of trophic rewilding, we simulated the extinction and reintroduction of large-bodied mammals under different environmental conditions. Location: Europe. Methods: We selected four locations varying in productivity and seasonality in Europe and used a general ecosystem model called Madingley to run simulations. We initialized the model using body mass limits of a European Holocene baseline; we then removed large mammals and let the model converge to a new equilibrium. Next, we reintroduced the previously removed groups to assess whether the equilibrium would shift back to the initial condition. We tested three different reintroduction scenarios, in order to disentangle the importance of the different large mammal groups. Results: The removal of large-bodied mammals led to cascading effects, mainly resulting in increases in smaller-bodied herbivores and the release of mesopredators. Post-reintroduction, the system's new equilibrium state was closer to the initial equilibrium for stable and productive locations compared to highly seasonal and low-productive locations. The maximum trait space volume of the initial state and the post-reintroduction state varied by 9.1% on average over all locations, with an average decrease in trait combinations of 6.6%. The body mass distribution differed by 28%, comparing the initial state to the post-reintroduction state. Main Conclusions: Our simulation results suggest that reintroducing locally extinct large-bodied mammals can broadly restore shifts in ecosystem structure, roughly resembling the baseline ecosystem conditions. However, the extent to which the ecosystem's state resembles the original ecosystem is largely dependent on the reintroduction strategy (only herbivores and omnivores vs. also carnivores) and timing, as well as local environmental conditions.
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30.
  • Hof, Anouschka R, et al. (författare)
  • How biotic interactions may alter future predictions of species distributions : future threats to the persistence of the arctic fox in Fennoscandia
  • 2012
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 18:6, s. 554-562
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim With climate change, reliable predictions of future species geographic distributions are becoming increasingly important for the design of appropriate conservation measures. Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used to predict geographic range shifts in response to climate change. However, because species communities are likely to change with the climate, accounting for biotic interactions is imperative. A shortcoming of introducing biotic interactions in SDMs is the assumption that biotic interactions remain the same under changing climatic factors, which is disputable. We explore the performance of SDMs while including biotic interactions.Location Fennoscandia, Europe.Methods We investigate the appropriateness of the inclusion of biotic factors (predator pressure and prey availability) in assessing the future distribution of the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) in Fennoscandia by means of SDM, using the algorithm MaxEnt.Results Our results show that the inclusion of biotic interactions enhanced the accuracy of SDMs to predict the current arctic fox distribution, and we argue that the accuracy of future predictions might also be enhanced. While the range of the arctic fox is predicted to have decreased by 43% in 2080 because of temperature-related variables, projected increases in predator pressure and reduced prey availability are predicted to constrain the potential future geographic range of the arctic fox in Fennoscandia 13% more.Main conclusions The results indicate that, provided one has a good knowledge of past changes and a clear understanding of interactions in the community involved, the inclusion of biotic interactions in modelling future geographic ranges of species increases the predictive power of such models. This likely has far-reaching impacts upon the design and implementation of possible conservation and management plans. Control of competing predators and supplementary feeding are suggested as necessary management actions to preserve the Fennoscandian arctic fox population in the face of climate change.
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31.
  • Hylander, Kristoffer, et al. (författare)
  • Waiving the extinction debt : Can shade from coffee prevent extinctions of epiphytic plants from isolated trees?
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 23:8, s. 888-897
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • AimLocal extinction after habitat modifications is often delayed, leading to an extinction debt. Our first aim was to develop a conceptual model for natural and human-mediated habitat improvements after a disturbance that may waive part of the predicted extinction debt. Second, we wanted to test this model on the distribution of epiphytic plants on trees that had been isolated in the agricultural matrix after forest clearing, around which coffee subsequently had been planted with a possible improvement of the microclimate. LocationBonga, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Ethiopia. MethodsWe studied 50 trees that had been isolated for periods ranging from a few years to half a century after clearing. The trees were now located in the agricultural landscape at different distances from intact Afromontane forests. Fourteen trees in the forests were used as references. Each tree was inventoried for all vascular epiphytic plants, mosses and liverworts. ResultsTime since clearance had a direct negative effect on number of forest specialist species via delayed extinctions and the detected large extinction debt of both bryophytes and vascular plants continued to be paid over several decades. However, time since clearance had an indirect positive effect on number of forest indicator species via the reappearance of shade from coffee planted surrounding the trees, even if the waiving effect on the extinction debt was rather small. Additionally, trees at further distances from the forest edge had fewer forest-associated species. Main conclusionsOur results show that the ability of agroecological landscapes to foster forest biodiversity may be overestimated if meta-community processes over time and space are not taken into account. However, the possibility of initiating counteracting processes that modify the level of expected local extinctions should be evaluated more often to find ways of improving conditions for biodiversity in human-modified landscapes.
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32.
  • Jahnke, Marlene, et al. (författare)
  • Potential and realized connectivity of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica and their implication for conservation
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 23:12, s. 1423-1434
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Connectivity assessments are crucial to large-scale conservation planning, in particular for establishing and monitoring connected networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). Using biophysical modelling and genetic analyses, we assessed potential and realized connectivity among MPA populations of a benthic foundation species, the Mediterranean endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Methods: We assessed potential and realized connectivity among eight P.oceanica meadows, mostly located in MPAs. Potential connectivity was assessed over a time horizon of 10years via an individual-based biophysical model whose physical component relies on fine-scale spatio-temporal ocean circulation fields. Genetic assessments of realized connectivity were carried out by means of a set of 14 neutral microsatellite loci, as well as a larger dataset of 19 loci including outlier loci that did not conform to expectations under neutrality. Results: Our findings point out a relatively high potential connectivity through long-range dispersal of floating fruits. Genetic connectivity analyses show a complex scenario with an apparent lower realized connectivity. The P.oceanica meadow within Torre Guaceto MPA (TOG), a well-enforced MPA within our study area, showed one of the highest levels of genotypic richness, indicative of high levels of sexual reproduction and/or recruitment of foreign genotypes. Both biophysical modelling and population genetics indicate that TOG is important to ensure the viability of the species at the local scale, and does likely play a key role as a source of propagules for the whole Adriatic area. Main conclusions: Our results show that realized dispersal does not necessarily match with the potential for dispersal. Still, both genetic and physical connectivity analyses show good agreement in identifying hotspots of connectivity. Such information can guide management of networks of MPAs and advance conservation of marine biodiversity.
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33.
  • Jonsson, Per R., 1957, et al. (författare)
  • High climate velocity and population fragmentation may constrain climate-driven range shift of the key habitat former Fucus vesiculosus
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 24:7, s. 892-905
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: The Baltic Sea forms a unique regional sea with its salinity gradient ranging from marine to nearly freshwater conditions. It is one of the most environmentally impacted brackish seas worldwide, and the low biodiversity makes it particularly sensitive to anthropogenic pressures including climate change. We applied a novel combination of models to predict the fate of one of the dominant foundation species in the Baltic Sea, the bladder wrack Fucus vesiculosus. Methods: We used a species distribution model to predict climate change-induced displacement of F.vesiculosus and combined these projections with a biophysical model of dispersal and connectivity to explore whether the dispersal rate of locally adapted genotypes may match estimated climate velocities to recolonize the receding salinity gradient. In addition, we used a population dynamic model to assess possible effects of habitat fragmentation. Results: The species distribution model showed that the habitat of F.vesiculosus is expected to dramatically shrink, mainly caused by the predicted reduction of salinity. In addition, the dispersal rate of locally adapted genotypes may not keep pace with estimated climate velocities rendering the recolonization of the receding salinity gradient more difficult. A simplistic model of population dynamics also indicated that the risk of local extinction may increase due to future habitat fragmentation. Main conclusions: Results point to a significant risk of locally adapted genotypes being unable to shift their ranges sufficiently fast considering the restricted dispersal and long generation time. The worst scenario is that F.vesiculosus may disappear from large parts of the Baltic Sea before the end of this century with large effects on the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We finally discuss how to reduce this risk through conservation actions, including assisted colonization and assisted evolution.
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34.
  • Jonsson, Per R., 1957, et al. (författare)
  • How to select networks of marine protected areas for multiple species with different dispersal strategies
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions: A journal of biological invasions and biodiversity. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 22:2, s. 161-173
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim To develop and test theory based on connectivity to identify optimal networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) that protect multiple species with a range of dispersal strategies. Location The eastern North Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Methods Theory of finding optimal MPA network is based on eigenvalue perturbation theory applied to population connectivity. Previous theory is here extended to the persistence of multiple species by solving a maximization problem with constraints, which identifies an optimal consensus network of MPAs. The theory is applied to two test cases within a 120,000km2 area in the North Sea where connectivity was estimated with a biophysical model. In a realistic case, the theory is applied to the protection of rocky-reef habitats, where the biophysical model is parameterized with realistic dispersal traits for key species. Theoretical predictions of optimal networks were validated with a simple metapopulation model. Persistence of optimal consensus MPA networks is compared to randomly selected networks as well as to the existing MPA network. Results Despite few overlapping MPA sites for the optimal networks based on single dispersal strategies, the consensus network for multiple dispersal strategies performed well for 3 of 4 contrasting strategies even without user-defined constraints. In the test with five realistic dispersal strategies, representing a community on threatened rocky reefs, the consensus network performed equally well compared to solutions for single species. Different dispersal strategies were also protected jointly across the MPA network (93% of sites), in contrast to simulations of the existing MPA network (2% of sites). Consensus networks based on connectivity were significantly more efficient compared to existing MPAs. Main conclusions Our findings suggest that the new theoretic framework can identify a consensus MPA network that protects a whole community containing species with multiple dispersal strategies.
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35.
  • Kot, C.Y., et al. (författare)
  • Network analysis of sea turtle movements and connectivity: A tool for conservation prioritization
  • 2022
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 28:4, s. 810-829
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Understanding the spatial ecology of animal movements is a critical element in conserving long-lived, highly mobile marine species. Analyzing networks developed from movements of six sea turtle species reveals marine connectivity and can help prioritize conservation efforts. Location: Global. Methods: We collated telemetry data from 1235 individuals and reviewed the literature to determine our dataset's representativeness. We used the telemetry data to develop spatial networks at different scales to examine areas, connections, and their geographic arrangement. We used graph theory metrics to compare networks across regions and species and to identify the role of important areas and connections. Results: Relevant literature and citations for data used in this study had very little overlap. Network analysis showed that sampling effort influenced network structure, and the arrangement of areas and connections for most networks was complex. However, important areas and connections identified by graph theory metrics can be different than areas of high data density. For the global network, marine regions in the Mediterranean had high closeness, while links with high betweenness among marine regions in the South Atlantic were critical for maintaining connectivity. Comparisons among species-specific networks showed that functional connectivity was related to movement ecology, resulting in networks composed of different areas and links. Main conclusions: Network analysis identified the structure and functional connectivity of the sea turtles in our sample at multiple scales. These network characteristics could help guide the coordination of management strategies for wide-ranging animals throughout their geographic extent. Most networks had complex structures that can contribute to greater robustness but may be more difficult to manage changes when compared to simpler forms. Area-based conservation measures would benefit sea turtle populations when directed toward areas with high closeness dominating network function. Promoting seascape connectivity of links with high betweenness would decrease network vulnerability. © 2022 The Authors. Diversity and Distributions published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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36.
  • Kuemmerle, Tobias, et al. (författare)
  • Reconstructing range dynamics and range fragmentation of European bison for the last 8000 years
  • 2012
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 18:1, s. 47-59
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Understanding what constituted species ranges prior to large-scale human influence, and how past climate and land use change have affected range dynamics, provides conservation planners with important insights into how species may respond to future environmental change. Our aim here was to reconstruct the Holocene range of European bison (Bison bonasus) by combining a time-calibrated species distribution models (SDM) with a dynamic vegetation model. Location Europe. Method We used European bison occurrences from the Holocene in a maximum entropy model to assess bison range dynamics during the last 8000 years. As predictors, we used bioclimatic variables and vegetation reconstructions from the generalized dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS. We compared our range maps with maps of farmland and human population expansion to identify the main species range constraints. Results The Holocene distribution of European bison was mainly determined by vegetation patterns, with bison thriving in both broadleaved and coniferous forests, as well as by mean winter temperature. The heartland of European bison was in Central and Eastern Europe, whereas suitable habitat in Western Europe was scarce. While environmentally suitable regions were overall stable, the expansion of settlements and farming severely diminished available habitat. Main conclusions European bison habitat preferences may be wider than previously assumed, and our results suggest that the species had a more eastern and northern distribution than previously reported. Vegetation and climate transformation during the Holocene did not affect the bison's range substantially. Conversely, human population growth and the spread of farming resulted in drastic bison habitat loss and fragmentation, likely reaching a tipping point during the last 1000 years. Combining SDM and dynamic vegetation models can improve range reconstructions and projections, and thus help to identify resilient conservation strategies for endangered species.
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37.
  • Kuemmerle, Tobias, et al. (författare)
  • Refugee species: which historic baseline should inform conservation planning?
  • 2012
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 18:12, s. 1258-1261
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Understanding species’ historical ranges can provide important information for conservation planning in the face of environmental change. Cromsigt et al. (this issue) comment on our recent European bison (Bison bonasus) range reconstruction, suggesting that bison were already 8000 years ago a refugee species (i.e. restricted to marginal habitat due to past human pressure) and that species distribution models (SDM) are generally of limited use for refugee species conservation. While we welcome this discussion, we find no evidence for the claim that human pressure prior to 8000 BP determined where bison occurred. More importantly, as human pressure is generally high and increasing, attempts to restore species across their former range may fail where the factors that relegated species into refugee status are still at play or where their optimal habitat has vanished. Identifying areas where human pressure is low and where refugee species have persisted over the last millennia is crucial, and SDM based on historical data are important for doing so. Refugee species suffer from the shifting baseline syndrome, but careful reality checks are needed and all available data should be considered before determining the baseline that should inform conservation planning.
  •  
38.
  • La Sorte, Frank, et al. (författare)
  • The phylogenetic and functional diversity of regional breeding bird assemblages is reduced and constricted through urbanization
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 24:7, s. 928-938
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Urbanization broadly affects the phylogenetic and functional diversity of natural communities through a variety of processes including habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species. Due to the challenge of acquiring direct measurements, these effects have been studied primarily using ‘space-for-time’ substitution where spatial urbanization gradients are used to infer the consequences of urbanization occurring across time. The ability of alternative sampling designs to replicate the findings derived using space-for-time substitution has not been tested. Here, we contrastthe phylogenetic and functional diversity of breeding bird assemblages in 58 cities worldwide with the corresponding regional breeding bird assemblages estimated using geographic range maps. Our findings indicate that urban areas are associated with lower phylogenetic diversity, lower phylogenetic beta diversity, a reduction in the least evolutionary distinctspecies, and the complete loss of the most evolutionarily distinct species. We found no evidence that these effects were related to the presence of non-native species. At a function level, our findings indicate that urban areas were associated with fewer aquatic species, fewer small and especially large bodied species, fewer narrowly and especially broadly distributed species, fewer herbivores, and fewer aquatic foraging species. Conversely, urban areas were associated with a greater prevalence of passerines, doves and pigeons, granivores, species that forage in association with vegetation or in the air, and species with more generalized associations with foraging strata. In total, our findings indicate that urbanization is associated with the overall reduction and constriction of phylogenetic and functional diversity, results that largely replicated those generated using space-for-time substitution, increasing our confidence in the quality of the combined inferences. When direct measurements are unavailable, our findings emphasize the value of developing independent sampling methods that broaden and reinforce our understanding of the ecological implications of urbanization.
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39.
  • Lehikoinen, Aleksi, et al. (författare)
  • Large-scale climatic drivers of regional winter bird population trends
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 22:11, s. 1163-1173
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Changes in climate and land use practices have been found to affect animal populations in different parts of the world. These studies have typically been conducted during the breeding season, whereas the non-breeding season (hereafter ‘winter’) has received much less attention. Changes in regional winter abundances could be caused by changes in overall population sizes and/or redistribution of populations. We tested these mechanisms for terrestrial winter bird population changes in Northern Europe and explored the role of climate change and species habitat preference. Location: The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland. Methods: We used winter bird counts from four countries conducted annually between 15 December and 20 January in 1980/1981–2013/2014. We report national population trends for 50 species for which a trend could be calculated in at least three of the countries. We analysed country-specific population growth rates in relation to species’ climatic summer and winter niches, habitat preference and migratory behaviour. Results: Species breeding in colder (typically northern) areas showed more negative winter population trends than species breeding in warmer areas. Regional winter population trends were negatively correlated with characteristics of their winter climatic niche: populations in the colder part of their winter distribution increased in abundance, whereas populations in the warmer part of their winter distribution decreased. Woodland species tended to do better than farmland species. Migratory behaviour did not explain variation in population trends. Main conclusions: The generally decreasing winter population trends of cold-dwelling breeding species probably reflect the general decline in population sizes of these species. In contrast, increasing winter population trends for populations in the colder parts of the winter distribution indicate a redistribution of wintering individuals towards the north-east. Both these patterns are likely caused by climate change.
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40.
  • Lehtilä, Kari, et al. (författare)
  • Plant response to habitat amount and configuration in Swedish forests
  • 2020
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 26:3, s. 329-339
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: There is an intense debate about whether habitat fragmentation has a negative or positive effect on biodiversity. We examined whether species richness and incidence of forest plants were negatively or positively associated with fragmented forest configuration. We also analysed whether the results support the fragmentation threshold hypothesis with fragmentation effects only in landscapes with small habitat amount.Location: Sodermanland province, south-eastern Sweden (8,388 km(2)).Methods: Data consisted of plant distribution maps and landscape data on forest amount and configuration in 2.5 km x 2.5 km quadrats. We carried out models including forest area together with clumpiness index (CL models) or edge density (ED models) as the measure of habitat configuration. We focused on plant taxa with positive association between incidence and forest area (163 taxa in CL models; 119 taxa in ED models).Results: Responses to fragmented configuration were negative more often than by random (33 and 22 taxa in CL and ED models, respectively; includes only models without significant forest area x configuration interaction), whereas positive responses were rare (four taxa in both models). When forest area x configuration interaction was significant, the most common response had a negative effect of fragmented configuration when forest area was low and no effect of configuration when forest area was high, which agrees with the fragmentation threshold hypothesis. Species richness also had this type of response. In another common interactive response, the effect of fragmented configuration was negative at low forest area and positive at high forest area.Main conclusions: Responses to fragmented forest configuration, when significant, were usually negative. When responses to fragmented configuration were modulated by forest area, they were negative when forest area was low. The findings of complex interaction between forest area and configuration have implications for selection of appropriate patch sizes in sustainable forest management.
  •  
41.
  • Levanoni, Oded, et al. (författare)
  • Are beavers a solution to the freshwater biodiversity crisis?
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 25, s. 1763-1772
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim To determine whether reintroduced beavers, as an example of native herbivorous megafauna, can increase freshwater biodiversity at the landscape scale and to compare effects on two contrasting taxonomic groups. Location South-central Sweden. Methods We collected data on plant and water beetle composition and supporting environmental variables from 20 closely located wetlands, half created from the damming of streams by beavers-beaver ponds (BP), and half by other, mainly natural (e.g. topographic, river migration) means-other wetlands (OW). Differences in species composition and plant growth strategy (i.e. competitor, stress tolerator or ruderal) between wetland types were assessed using multivariate analyses. Results The species pool of both taxonomic groups was higher in BP than OW (plants + 17%; beetles + 15%). For both groups, the number of species unique to BP was 50% higher than those unique to OW. Plant and beetle compositions differed significantly between wetlands, most strongly for plants, while rarity scores showed no difference, and the incidence of invasive species was negligible. Plant composition was mostly influenced by open water, bare ground and woody debris in BP, and plant cover, height and leaf litter in OW. This was consistent with the characterization of BP vegetation by ruderal plants and OW by competitors and stress tolerators. A significant residual effect of wetland type on plant, but not beetle composition, suggests that beavers exert important direct effects on some biota (e.g. via herbivory) independent of the indirect effects they exert via environmental change. Main conclusions Beaver-created ponds support novel biodiversity that is not merely a subset of that found elsewhere in the same landscape. As such, re-establishing beaver populations where they are native should benefit freshwater biodiversity, but effects may be context and taxon specific. Beavers alone cannot solve the freshwater biodiversity crisis, but recognizing the widespread importance of herbivorous megafauna in maintaining heterogeneity and creating novel habitat will be a positive step.
  •  
42.
  • López, Maria-Eugenia (författare)
  • Taxonomy based on limited genomic markers may underestimate species diversity of rockhopper penguins and threaten their conservation
  • 2021
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 27, s. 2277-2296
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Delimiting recently diverged species is challenging. During speciation, genetic differentiation may be distributed unevenly across the genome, as different genomic regions can be subject to different selective pressures and evolutionary histories. Reliance on limited numbers of genetic markers that may be underpowered can make species delimitation even more challenging, potentially resulting in taxonomic inconsistencies. Rockhopper penguins of the genus Eudyptes comprise three broadly recognized taxa: northern (E. moseleyi), southern (E. chrysocome) and eastern rockhopper (E. filholi). Their taxonomic status has been controversial for decades, with researchers disagreeing about whether E. chrysocome and E. filholi are distinct species or conspecific. Our goal is to evaluate genome-wide patterns of divergence to evaluate genetic differentiation and species delimitation in rockhopper penguins, and to assess which mechanisms may underlie previous discordance among nuclear versus mitochondrial analyses. Location Sub-Antarctic and temperate coastal regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Methods We generated reduced-representation genomic libraries using double digest restriction-site associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing to evaluate genetic differentiation, contemporary migration rates and admixture among colonies of rockhopper penguins. Results The extent of genetic differentiation among the three taxa was consistently higher than population-level genetic differentiation found within these and other penguin species. There was no evidence of admixture among the three taxa, suggesting the absence of ongoing gene flow among them. Species delimitation analyses based on molecular data, along with other lines of evidence, provide strong support for the taxonomic distinction of three species of rockhopper penguins. Main conclusions Our results provide strong support for the existence of three distinct species of rockhopper penguins. The recognition of this taxonomic diversity is crucial for the management and conservation of this widely distributed species group. This study illustrates that widespread dispersive seabird lineages lacking obvious morphological differences may nevertheless have complex evolutionary histories and comprise cryptic species diversity.
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43.
  • Mair, Louise, et al. (författare)
  • Land use changes could modify future negative effects of climate change on old-growth forest indicator species
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 24, s. 1416-1425
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • AimClimate change is expected to have major impacts on terrestrial biodiversity at all ecosystem levels, including reductions in species-level distribution and abundance. We aim to test the extent to which land use management, such as setting-aside forest from production, could reduce climate-induced biodiversity impacts for specialist species over large geographical gradients.LocationSweden.MethodsWe applied ensembles of species distribution models based on citizen science data for six species of red-listed old-forest indicator fungi confined to spruce dead wood. We tested the effect on species habitat suitabilities of alternative climate change scenarios and varying amounts of forest set-aside from production over the coming century.ResultsWith 3.6% of forest area set-aside from production and assuming no climate change, overall habitat suitabilities for all six species were projected to increase in response to maturing spruce in set-aside forest. However, overall habitat suitabilities for all six species were projected to decline under climate change scenario RCP4.5 (intermediate-low emissions), with even greater declines projected under RCP 8.5 (high emissions). Increasing the amount of forest set-aside to 16% resulted in significant increases in overall habitat suitability, with one species showing an increase. A further increase to 32% forest set-aside resulted in considerably more positive trends, with three of six species increasing.Main conclusionsThere is interspecific variation in the importance of future macroclimate and resource availability on species occurrence. However, large-scale conservation measures, such as increasing resource availability through setting aside forest from production, could reduce future negative effects from climate change, and early investment in conservation is likely to reduce the future negative impacts of climate change on specialist species.
  •  
44.
  • Mammola, Stefano, et al. (författare)
  • Challenges and opportunities of species distribution modelling of terrestrial arthropod predators
  • 2021
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 27:12, s. 2596-2614
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Species distribution models (SDMs) have emerged as essential tools in the equipment of many ecologists, useful to explore species distributions in space and time and answering an assortment of questions related to biogeography, climate change biology and conservation biology. Historically, most SDM research concentrated on well-known organisms, especially vertebrates. In recent years, these tools are becoming increasingly important for predicting the distribution of understudied invertebrate taxa. Here, we reviewed the literature published on main terrestrial arthropod predators (ants, ground beetles and spiders) to explore some of the challenges and opportunities of species distribution modelling in mega-diverse arthropod groups. Location Global. Methods Systematic mapping of the literature and bibliometric analysis. Results Most SDM studies of animals to date have focused either on broad samples of vertebrates or on arthropod species that are charismatic (e.g. butterflies) or economically important (e.g. vectors of disease, crop pests and pollinators). We show that the use of SDMs to map the geography of terrestrial arthropod predators is a nascent phenomenon, with a near-exponential growth in the number of studies over the past ten years and still limited collaborative networks among researchers. There is a bias in studies towards charismatic species and geographical areas that hold lower levels of diversity but greater availability of data, such as Europe and North America. Conclusions Arthropods pose particular modelling challenges that add to the ones already present for vertebrates, but they should also offer opportunities for future SDM research as data and new methods are made available. To overcome data limitations, we illustrate the potential of modern data sources and new modelling approaches. We discuss areas of research where SDMs may be combined with dispersal models and increasingly available phylogenetic and functional data to understand evolutionary changes in ranges and range-limiting traits over past and contemporary time-scales.
  •  
45.
  • Marcer, Arnald, et al. (författare)
  • Quality issues in georeferencing : From physical collections to digital data repositories for ecological research
  • 2021
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 27:3, s. 564-567
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Natural history collections constitute an enormous wealth of information of Life on Earth. It is estimated that over 2 billion specimens are preserved at institutions worldwide, of which less than 10% are accessible via biodiversity data aggregators such as GBIF. Moreover, they are a very important resource for eco-evolutionary research, which greatly depends on knowing the precise location where the specimens were collected in order to characterize the environment in which they lived. Yet, only about 55% of the accessible records are georeferenced and only 31% have coordinate uncertainty information, which is critical for conducting rigorous studies. The awareness of this gap of knowledge which hinders the enormous potential of such data in research led to the organization of a workshop which brought together key players in georeferencing of natural history collections. The discussion and outcomes of this workshop are here presented.
  •  
46.
  • Marini, Lorenzo, et al. (författare)
  • Traits related to species persistence and dispersal explain changes in plant communities subjected to habitat loss
  • 2012
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 18:9, s. 898-908
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim Habitat fragmentation is a major driver of biodiversity loss but it is insufficiently known how much its effects vary among species with different life-history traits; especially in plant communities, the understanding of the role of traits related to species persistence and dispersal in determining dynamics of species communities in fragmented landscapes is still limited. The primary aim of this study was to test how plant traits related to persistence and dispersal and their interactions modify plant species vulnerability to decreasing habitat area and increasing isolation. Location Five regions distributed over four countries in Central and Northern Europe. Methods Our dataset was composed of primary data from studies on the distribution of plant communities in 300 grassland fragments in five regions. The regional datasets were consolidated by standardizing nomenclature and species life-history traits and by recalculating standardized landscape measures from the original geographical data. We assessed the responses of plant species richness to habitat area, connectivity, plant life-history traits and their interactions using linear mixed models. Results We found that the negative effect of habitat loss on plant species richness was pervasive across different regions, whereas the effect of habitat isolation on species richness was not evident. This area effect was, however, not equal for all the species, and life-history traits related to both species persistence and dispersal modified plant sensitivity to habitat loss, indicating that both landscape and local processes determined large-scale dynamics of plant communities. High competitive ability for light, annual life cycle and animal dispersal emerged as traits enabling species to cope with habitat loss. Main conclusions In highly fragmented rural landscapes in NW Europe, mitigating the spatial isolation of remaining grasslands should be accompanied by restoration measures aimed at improving habitat quality for low competitors, abiotically dispersed and perennial, clonal species.
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47.
  • Monadjem, Ara, et al. (författare)
  • Elevation filters bat, rodent and shrew communities differently by morphological traits
  • 2024
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 30:3
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Mountains are geographic features that provide sharp elevational gradients which can accommodate a diversity of terrestrial flora and fauna. In the face of climate change, many of these species are being pushed higher to escape ever-increasing temperatures. Despite this, we have little understanding of how species distribute themselves across mountains. African mountains in particular are less studied than mountains elsewhere and the small mammal groups that inhabit them are also poorly studied when compared to other groups. In this study, we examined the responses of three functionally distinct small mammal taxonomic groups to changes in elevation across Africa. Location: Africa. Methods: We calculated four functional diversity metrics for 166, 97 and 153 communities of rodents, bats and shrews comprising 225, 183 and 109 species, respectively. We employed RLQ and fourth-corner analyses to identify any associations between the functional traits of the small mammals and elevation and other climatic variables. Results: We show that the species richness of the three taxa responded differently to increases in elevation, with only rodents showing a mid-elevational hump. The composition of rodent and bat communities differed significantly in upland versus lowland sites, but bat communities showed far more overlap across the elevational gradient. Functional diversity metrics responded differently for each taxon highlighting the importance of using different taxonomic groups when studying elevational patterns of functional diversity. Main Conclusions: Our study shows that functional divergence increases with elevation in all three taxa, indicating a pervasive and broadly applicable strong environmental filtering at higher elevations. Our findings suggest that species at higher elevations may be at higher risk due to specialization. These species are losing habitat due to ongoing climate change that will force them up the elevational gradient. At the same time, the human population in Africa is predicted to triple in size by the year 2100, which will also likely contribute to further habitat loss and fragmentation. As small mammals often play essential roles in ecosystems, from seed dispersal to soil aeration and predation, understanding the susceptibility of the specialization of species at higher elevations is crucial for the effective conservation and management of mountain ecosystems, especially in light of climatic change and human expansion.
  •  
48.
  • Neumann, Wiebke (författare)
  • Widespread habitat for Europe's largest herbivores, but poor connectivity limits recolonization
  • 2023
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 29, s. 423-437
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Aim: Several large-mammal species in Europe have recovered and recolonized parts of their historical ranges. Knowing where suitable habitat exists, and thus where range expansions are possible, is important for proactively promoting coexistence between people and large mammals in shared landscapes. We aimed to assess the opportunities and limitations for range expansions of Europe's two largest herbivores, the European bison (Bison bonasus) and moose (Alces alces).Location: Central Europe.Methods: We used large occurrence datasets from multiple populations and species distribution models to map environmentally suitable habitats for European bison and moose across Central Europe, and to assess human pressure inside the potential habitat. We then used circuit theory modeling to identify potential recolonization corridors.Results: We found widespread suitable habitats for both European bison (> 120,000 km(2)) and moose (> 244,000 km(2)), suggesting substantial potential for range expansions. However, much habitat was associated with high human pressure (37% and 43% for European bison and moose, respectively), particularly in the west of Central Europe. We identified a strong east-west gradient of decreasing connectivity, with major barriers likely limiting natural recolonization in many areas.Main conclusions: We identify major potential for restoring large herbivores and their functional roles in Europe's landscapes. However, we also highlight considerable challenges for conservation planning and wildlife management, including areas where recolonization likely leads to human-wildlife conflict and where barriers to movement prevent natural range expansion. Conservation measures restoring broad-scale connectivity are needed in order to allow European bison and moose to recolonize their historical ranges. Finally, our analyses and maps indicate suitable but isolated habitat patches that are unlikely to be colonized but are candidate locations for reintroductions to establish reservoir populations. More generally, our work emphasizes that transboundary cooperation is needed for restoring large herbivores and their ecological roles, and to foster coexistence with people in Europe's landscapes.
  •  
49.
  • Olle, Jonsson B., et al. (författare)
  • Allozyme diversity and geographic variation in the widespread coastal sedge, Carex arenaria
  • 2000
  • Ingår i: Diversity & distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 6:2, s. 65-80
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Allozyme electrophoresis was used to investigate the structure of genetic variation in the rhizomatous coastal sedge, Carex arenaria, throughout its European range - from the SW Iberian peninsula to the Baltic region. Material was sampled from 77 sites in five geographic regions. Nine of the 13 investigated loci were polymorphic in the total material and there were interregional differences in the number of polymorphic loci per site and the percentage of variable sites. In the Scandinavia/Baltic region only 61% of the sites contained at least one locus with more than one allele, whereas all the British and SW Iberian sites were variable. There was a general tendency for the regional frequencies of the less common alleles at individual loci to decline from SW to NE. The mean (over loci and sites) within-site gene diversity (H(site)) was 0.064 (in calculations based on the number of observed multilocus allozyme genotypes within each sampling site). Although there was considerable variation between geographically adjacent sites, within-site diversity showed a general decrease from SW to NE in Europe. There were significant differences in within-region gene diversity (H(reg)) for the four most variable loci between the five regions. H(reg) generally decreased from SW to NE Europe and most loci showed the highest diversity in the SW Iberian peninsula and the Bay of Biscay regions. The mean (over loci) gene diversity in the total material (H(tot)) was 0.070 and the levels of diversity in Carex arenaria are substantially lower than is usual in rhizomatous sedges. The within-site, between-site and between-regional components of the total diversity were 92.4%, 2.5% and 5.1%, respectively. The low levels of overall gene diversity in C. arenaria and the successive decrease in diversity from SW to NE are interpreted in terms of the species' history of post-glacial spread into northern Europe. Despite the overall northwards decrease in diversity, the widespread occurrence of less common alleles and the lack of regional deviations from Hardy-Weinberg genotype frequency expectations suggest that C. arenaria is not predominantly self-fertilized.
  •  
50.
  • Pavon-Jordan, Diego, et al. (författare)
  • Climate-driven changes in winter abundance of a migratory waterbird in relation to EU protected areas
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516. ; 21:5, s. 571-582
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • AimSpecies are responding to climate change by changing their distributions, creating debate about the effectiveness of existing networks of protected areas. As a contribution to this debate, we assess whether regional winter abundances and distribution of the Smew Mergellus albellus, a migratory waterbird species listed on Annex I (EU Birds Directive) that overwinters exclusively in European wetlands, changed during 1990-2011, the role of global warming in driving distributional changes and the effectiveness of the network of Special Protection Areas (SPAs, EU Birds Directive) in the context of climate change. LocationEurope. MethodsWe used site-specific counts (6,883 sites) from 16 countries covering the entire flyway to estimate annual abundance indices and trends at country, region (north-eastern, central and south-western) and flyway scales, inside and outside SPAs. We fitted autoregressive models to assess the effect of winter temperature on the annual abundance indices whilst accounting for autocorrelation. ResultsThe Smew wintering distribution shifted north-eastwards in Europe in accordance with the predictions of global warming, with increasing numbers in the north-eastern region and declines in the central region. Trends in wintering numbers were more positive in SPAs on the north-eastern and south-western part of the flyway. However, a large proportion of the wintering population remains unprotected in north-eastern areas outside of the existing SPA network. Main conclusionsSPAs accommodated climate-driven abundance changes in the north-eastern region of the wintering distribution by supporting increasing numbers of Smew in traditional and newly colonized areas. However, we highlight gaps in the current network, suggesting that urgent policy responses are needed. Given rapid changes in species distributions, we urge regular national and international assessments of the adequacy of the EU Natura 2000 network to ensure coherence in site-safeguard networks for this and other species.
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