Wild Bird Trust’s Post

🦊 New paper alert 🐺 New paper out in Trends in Ecology & Evolution by CMEC Associate Professor Naia Morueta Holme, led by Morten Limborg, and co-authored by Caroline Sophie Winther-Have, Thomas P. Gilbert and Jacob A. Rasmussen. The paper titled "The overlooked biodiversity loss" highlights the loss of 'invisible biodiversity'. When a species is lost, the microbes associated with it also risk extinction. As a consequence, any potential benefits those microbes might offer to other hosts (including humans) could also be lost. Find the paper here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dvanUZJU

Our new article “Carnivores’ contributions to people in Europe” is now out in Ecology & Society Special thanks to @Sofia Palacios for leading it over the years, and ⁦‪@JLozano_eco‬⁩ ⁦‪@MoralesReyesZ‬⁩ Juanmi Monica and Berta!

Reptile Habitat Suitability Index - an old publication which I will be reviewing for the up and coming adder ecology, mitigation and handling workshops this coming spring. As we head towards the deadline for mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain and following that Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Species Conservation Strategies - there isn't any real attention to species in BNG assessments - using a habitat metric as a proxy for the value of biodiversity. I would assume that learning habitat suitability for species would be helpful. I cannot help but wonder where species surveys are heading in this shake up of the planning system - will it be done anyway or are there schemes down the road which will remove the need for surveys on sites within the red line boundary? https://lnkd.in/esVkh-K3

We have a new paper on migration ecology - this PNAS paper was led by Simeon Livoski and investigates the vulnerability of migratory shorebirds to environmental change. The study developed a new migration modeling framework to explicitly estimate the extent of adaptations required to sustain their migrations. A better understanding of how migratory species adjust to environmental change is vital for developing conservation plans that can account for the future needs of some of many of the world's threatened migratory species. Link to the paper: https://lnkd.in/eH6HV4V7

Well-managed protected areas (including OECMs) and the GBF 30x30 Target 3 are massively important. Many experts rightfully point out the need for broad landscape approaches--but scientific data again and again show that protected areas are indispensable anchors to such integrated landscape interventions. An interesting (and depressing) paper that came out in Nature Ecology & Evolution (Shaw, P., Ogada, D., Dunn, L. et al.) looks at African raptors as indicator species: “evidence of widespread population collapse and a growing dependence on protected areas” “species suffering the steepest declines had become significantly more dependent on PAs” “Our findings also highlight the significance of a recent African-led proposal to strengthen PA management” (they’re referring here to the important APAC outcomes: https://lnkd.in/eDApjYKw) “The median annual rate of decline among the 42 species assessed was 2.3 times higher in [unprotected areas] (−2.66%, quartiles: −1.74% to −5.25%) than in PAs (−1.15%, quartiles: +0.06% to −2.18%) (V = 792, P < 0.0001).” The researchers see that over time, raptors have become more reliant on protected areas. This is especially true for larger raptors. While they chose raptors as indicator species to explore this reliance on PAs, they see that this is “mirroring the pattern of extinction risk observed among terrestrial mammalian predators”. Quality of management and size of PAs matter. The authors highlight (from other studies) that “over 82% of land encompassed within 516 African conservation areas was considered to be failing or deteriorating”. “Clearly, the size, connectivity and/or management of these PAs has failed to safeguard such highly mobile species, reflecting concerns that many African PAs are too small to protect large raptors adequately.” If undermanaged and undersized PAs already play a critical role as anchors for important species, one can only imagine how powerful larger, well-managed PAs would perform this role in avoiding mass extinction and preserving ecosystem services for communities in the larger landscape. #conservation #30x30 #protectedareas #OECMs https://lnkd.in/eUvwf2Xg

Ecology and community based conservation of himalayan ecosystem

#Despite being a treasure trove of rich biodiversity and traditional plant knowledge, little of the ecological knowledge of Afro-descendent peoples in the Caribbean is recognized internationally. For the authors of a recent study published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, an eight-step action plan could rectify this scientific gap in research and policymaking, and ultimately lead to improved species conservation.

Proponents of regenerative grazing often display a profound disregard for ecology, rooted in their oversimplified and reductionist views of nature. Allan Savory, the pioneer of "regenerative" grazing, serves as a disturbing reminder of the extreme consequences of this approach, with his cruel and ill-informed actions leading to the killing of more than 40,000 elephants in Southern Africa during the 1960s. Today, on #WorldElephantDay, we recognize the vital roles that large herbivores like elephants, as well as predators and pollinators, play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Unfortunately, all of these species face serious threats whenever humans introduce farmed animals, disrupting the natural balance and endangering biodiversity. Sources: The trophic-dynamic aspect of ecology (Lindemann, 1942) The effects of livestock grazing on biodiversity are multi-trophic: a meta-analysis (Filazolla et al., 2020)

Giraffe are remarkable in how versatile they can be…across Africa, they inhabit incredibly diverse landuse types. In Zimbabwe, this includes private reserves and large national parks, providing a comparative perspective on how giraffe choose to navigate landscapes that humans manage in different ways. Here, we studied comparative giraffe spatial ecology in Hwange National Park and Save Valley Conservancy to explore how giraffe space use varies across these differently managed systems. Well done, Jaco Olivier, PhD and Giraffe Conservation Foundation in leading the efforts!

Our newly published paper on the ecology of agricultural deforestation. Published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, this paper is making waves (1042 reads already on Researchgate!). Our meta-analysis of bird communities in 71 sites globally, shows that the severity of past disturbance and degree of environmental variability acts as an ecological filter for species assemblages formed when forests are cleared for agriculture. That is forest birds tolerant of disturbance tend to do well in cultivation in the same eco-region. This paper has key policy implications for the conservation planning process in developing countries.