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Journal articles on the topic 'Social-ecological keystone species'
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1
Kronenberg, Jakub, Erik Andersson, and Piotr Tryjanowski. "Connecting the social and the ecological in the focal species concept: case study of White Stork." Nature Conservation 22 (October 3, 2017): 79–105. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.22.12055.
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In this article we provide an overview of five case studies of initiatives using the image of White Stork as a focal species. Our case studies are preceded by a short overview of existing approaches to achieve broader environmental goals through species conservation and a review of the social, ecological and social-ecological importance of White Stork. With the use of the above, we investigate linkages, complementarity and friction between the ecological, social and social-ecological perspectives on focal species, and eventually propose a framework for a more multi-targeted approach. The proposed concept of a social-ecological keystone species recognises social-ecological system complexity and goes beyond traditional divisions into ecological and social. Our approach extends the cultural keystone species concept to tie into new spheres – modern societies with more indirect connections to nature as well as indigenous communities, and all forms of human relationships with other species, not just for consumption – and to explicitly include the ecological significance of a species. Apart from serving as a potentially highly useful conservation proxy, a social-ecological keystone species emerges as a vehicle for ecological literacy, expanding from an interest in a species to learn more about the system of which it is part. White Stork, with its long history of coexistence with humans and many linkages with specific cultural practices offers an excellent example for discussing the broader social-ecological relevance of species in establishing meaningful connections to nature.
2
Lai, Jianyang. "Research on the benefits of Cultural Keystone Species conservation on enhancing local communities sense of place: the case of Guangzhou, China." Advances in Humanities Research 12, no. 2 (2025): 12–24. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7080/2025.23456.
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This study investigates the potential for Cultural Keystone Species (CKS) historically nurtured by Guangzhou Traditional Central Axis to enhance Sense of Place in contemporary communities within its boundaries, addressing the ruptures caused by the city in the Lived and Materialized Layers of the people-place relationship. It is therefore hypothesized that reintroducing these species can enhance visitors' Sense of Place. The study focuses on three thematic CKS: Daily Life, Biodiversity Resources, and the Exchange of Goods and Knowledge. The social benefits of CKS implantation are examined in the form of structured interviews based on three Sense of Place sub-dimensions: Place Dependence, Emotional Attachment, and Place Identity. The results show that all three CKS categories significantly improve the overall Sense of Place, and different CKS types have different abilities in placemaking: culturally oriented species strengthen intangible connections through shared memories and practices, while biodiversity-focused species emphasize specific ecological functions. This study introduces a correlation analysis framework between CKS and Sense of Place, providing theoretical and practical support for the realization of ecological and cultural synergistic regeneration in the renewal of contemporary urban historical environments.
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Kane, Adam, Andrew L. Jackson, Darcy L. Ogada, Ara Monadjem, and Luke McNally. "Vultures acquire information on carcass location from scavenging eagles." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 281, no. 1793 (2014): 20141072. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1072.
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Vultures are recognized as the scroungers of the natural world, owing to their ecological role as obligate scavengers. While it is well known that vultures use intraspecific social information as they forage, the possibility of inter-guild social information transfer and the resulting multi-species social dilemmas has not been explored. Here, we use data on arrival times at carcasses to show that such social information transfer occurs, with raptors acting as producers of information and vultures acting as scroungers of information. We develop a game-theoretic model to show that competitive asymmetry, whereby vultures dominate raptors at carcasses, predicts this evolutionary outcome. We support this theoretical prediction using empirical data from competitive interactions at carcasses. Finally, we use an individual-based model to show that these producer–scrounger dynamics lead to vultures being vulnerable to declines in raptor populations. Our results show that social information transfer can lead to important non-trophic interactions among species and highlight important potential links among social evolution, community ecology and conservation biology. With vulture populations suffering global declines, our study underscores the importance of ecosystem-based management for these endangered keystone species.
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Delibes-Mateos, Miguel, Andrew T. Smith, Con N. Slobodchikoff, and Jon E. Swenson. "The paradox of keystone species persecuted as pests: A call for the conservation of abundant small mammals in their native range." Biological Conservation 144, no. 5 (2011): 1335–46. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13513413.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Small mammals, such as European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) and prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.), traditionally have been perceived as pests and targeted for control within their native ranges, where they perform essential ecosystem roles and are considered keystone species. These species can reach high densities, and have been subjected to eradication campaigns because of their putative negative impact on natural habitats and agriculture and their competition with livestock for forage. Eradication programmes have been a main factor causing sharp declines of these species in their natural ranges. Paradoxically, they are keystone species where they are abundant enough to be perceived as pests. The term ''pest'' is usually a social perception that is rarely supported by scientific data, whereas there is considerable scientific evidence of the key ecological roles played by these species. We call for the conservation of these species and present a conceptual model regarding the management of their populations. Where they occur at high numbers, and hence their effects on biodiversity are still of crucial importance, the persecution of these species should be avoided and their natural habitats preserved. In areas with high conservation value, but where these species occur at low densities, management efforts should aim to increase their density. In areas of high commercial value, managers ideally should consider changing prioritization of the area to high conservation value by purchasing the land or obtaining conservation easements. In situations with high commercial value and demonstrable low conservation concern, small mammals could be reduced humanely.
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Delibes-Mateos, Miguel, Andrew T. Smith, Con N. Slobodchikoff, and Jon E. Swenson. "The paradox of keystone species persecuted as pests: A call for the conservation of abundant small mammals in their native range." Biological Conservation 144, no. 5 (2011): 1335–46. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13513413.
Full textAbstract:
(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Small mammals, such as European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) and prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.), traditionally have been perceived as pests and targeted for control within their native ranges, where they perform essential ecosystem roles and are considered keystone species. These species can reach high densities, and have been subjected to eradication campaigns because of their putative negative impact on natural habitats and agriculture and their competition with livestock for forage. Eradication programmes have been a main factor causing sharp declines of these species in their natural ranges. Paradoxically, they are keystone species where they are abundant enough to be perceived as pests. The term ''pest'' is usually a social perception that is rarely supported by scientific data, whereas there is considerable scientific evidence of the key ecological roles played by these species. We call for the conservation of these species and present a conceptual model regarding the management of their populations. Where they occur at high numbers, and hence their effects on biodiversity are still of crucial importance, the persecution of these species should be avoided and their natural habitats preserved. In areas with high conservation value, but where these species occur at low densities, management efforts should aim to increase their density. In areas of high commercial value, managers ideally should consider changing prioritization of the area to high conservation value by purchasing the land or obtaining conservation easements. In situations with high commercial value and demonstrable low conservation concern, small mammals could be reduced humanely.
6
Wyllie de Echeverria, Victoria Rawn, and Thomas F. Thornton. "Using traditional ecological knowledge to understand and adapt to climate and biodiversity change on the Pacific coast of North America." Ambio 48, no. 12 (2019): 1447–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01218-6.
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Abstract We investigate the perceptions and impacts of climate change on 11 Indigenous communities in Northern British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. This coastal region constitutes an extremely dynamic and resilient social-ecological system where Indigenous Peoples have been adjusting to changing climate and biodiversity for millennia. The region is a bellwether for biodiversity changes in coastal, forest, and montane environments that link the arctic to more southerly latitudes on the Pacific coast. Ninety-six Elders and resource users were interviewed to record Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and observations regarding weather, landscape, and resource changes, especially as concerns what we term Cultural Keystone Indicator Species (CKIS), which provide a unique lens into the effects of environmental change. Our findings show that Indigenous residents of these communities are aware of significant environmental changes over their lifetimes, and an acceleration in changes over the last 15–20 years, not only in weather patterns, but also in the behaviour, distributions, and availability of important plants and animals. Within a broader ecological and social context of dwelling, we suggest ways this knowledge can assist communities in responding to future environmental changes using a range of place-based adaptation modes.
7
Kingston, Tigga, F. B. Vincent Florens, and Christian E. Vincenot. "Large Old World Fruit Bats on the Brink of Extinction: Causes and Consequences." ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 54 (June 12, 2023): 237–57. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13534834.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Large Old World fruit bats (LOWFBs), species of Pteropus, Acerodon, and related genera of large bats in the pteropodid subfamily Pteropodinae, play important roles as agents of dispersal and pollination across the Paleotropics. LOWFBs are also collectively the most threatened group of bats in the world, with 71% of extant species assessed as threatened by International Union for Conservation of Nature. As highlighted here, contrary to other bats, the vast majority of LOWFBs face multiple simultaneous threats. Most importantly, biological and ecological traits, in particular life history characteristics, diet, movement, social ecology, and physiology, intensify threats and accelerate species declines. Furthermore,we demonstrate that LOWFBs are to be considered keystone species and express concern about the erosion of this role and the cascading effects expected on native ecosystems. In response to this alarming situation, we advance general recommendations and identify overarching research and conservation actions.
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Kingston, Tigga, F. B. Vincent Florens, and Christian E. Vincenot. "Large Old World Fruit Bats on the Brink of Extinction: Causes and Consequences." ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 54 (June 7, 2023): 237–57. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13534834.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Large Old World fruit bats (LOWFBs), species of Pteropus, Acerodon, and related genera of large bats in the pteropodid subfamily Pteropodinae, play important roles as agents of dispersal and pollination across the Paleotropics. LOWFBs are also collectively the most threatened group of bats in the world, with 71% of extant species assessed as threatened by International Union for Conservation of Nature. As highlighted here, contrary to other bats, the vast majority of LOWFBs face multiple simultaneous threats. Most importantly, biological and ecological traits, in particular life history characteristics, diet, movement, social ecology, and physiology, intensify threats and accelerate species declines. Furthermore,we demonstrate that LOWFBs are to be considered keystone species and express concern about the erosion of this role and the cascading effects expected on native ecosystems. In response to this alarming situation, we advance general recommendations and identify overarching research and conservation actions.
9
Chengere, Shambel Alemu, Cara Steger, Kflay Gebrehiwot, Sileshi Nemomissa, and Bikila Warkineh Dullo. "Modeling Cultural Keystone Species for the Conservation of Biocultural Diversity in the Afroalpine." Environments 9, no. 12 (2022): 156. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/environments9120156.
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Climate warming threatens the future sustainability of mountains, and tropical mountains are particularly threatened with loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Conservation biologists increasingly turn to habitat suitability models to guide the establishment and assessment of protected area networks to protect the highest number of species, yet this focus often neglects the values, attitudes, and beliefs of the people living around protected areas. If we consider protected areas as dynamic social–ecological systems, habitat suitability modeling for conservation planning must pay greater attention to the role of biocultural diversity, rather than biodiversity alone. Here, we describe a conservation assessment of the Afroalpine grassland ecosystem in the northern highlands of Ethiopia. We use a cultural keystone species known as guassa grass (Festuca macrophyhlla) to focus our modeling efforts and evaluate the potential distribution of this endemic species in relation to current national and community-based protected areas. Our model performed highly according to the area under the curve (AUC = 0.96), yet nearly 80% of highly suitable guassa habitat falls outside the range of our training data and thus must be interpreted conservatively. We found that guassa grass distribution is primarily limited by low mean temperature in the warmest quarter (BIO10, 36.7%), high precipitation in the wettest quarter (BIO16, 21%), and low precipitation in the driest quarter (BIO17, 15.6%). As climate change causes rapid warming at high elevations and alters rainfall patterns in the Ethiopian highlands, we urge managers to carefully monitor the changing populations of guassa grass to evaluate whether the species is experiencing an extinction debt. We also recommend four additional areas as potential community-based conservation areas, with government and NGO support for peer-to-peer communication networks. Spatially explicit modeling may be a valuable tool to determine whether these existing and proposed protected areas can sustain future populations of guassa grass.
10
Tsuchiya, Mirian T. N., Rebecca B. Dikow, and Loren Cassin-Sackett. "First Genome Sequence of the Gunnison’s Prairie Dog (Cynomys gunnisoni), a Keystone Species and Player in the Transmission of Sylvatic Plague." Genome Biology and Evolution 12, no. 5 (2020): 618–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa069.
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Abstract Prairie dogs (genus Cynomys) are a charismatic symbol of the American West. Their large social aggregations and complex vocalizations have been the subject of scientific and popular interest for decades. A large body of literature has documented their role as keystone species of western North America’s grasslands: They generate habitat for other vertebrates, increase nutrient availability for plants, and act as a food source for mammalian, squamate, and avian predators. An additional keystone role lies in their extreme susceptibility to sylvatic plague (caused by Yersinia pestis), which results in periodic population extinctions, thereby generating spatiotemporal heterogeneity in both biotic communities and ecological processes. Here, we report the first Cynomys genome for a Gunnison’s prairie dog (C. gunnisoni gunnisoni) from Telluride, Colorado (USA). The genome was constructed using a hybrid assembly of PacBio and Illumina reads and assembled with MaSuRCA and PBJelly, which resulted in a scaffold N50 of 824 kb. Total genome size was 2.67 Gb, with 32.46% of the bases occurring in repeat regions. We recovered 94.9% (91% complete) of the single copy orthologs using the mammalian Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs database and detected 49,377 gene models (332,141 coding regions). Pairwise Sequentially Markovian Coalescent showed support for long-term stable population size followed by a steady decline beginning near the end of the Pleistocene, as well as a recent population reduction. The genome will aid in studies of mammalian evolution, disease resistance, and the genomic basis of life history traits in ground squirrels.
11
Pennisi, Lisa A., Stephen M. Holland, and Taylor V. Stein. "Achieving Bat Conservation Through Tourism." Journal of Ecotourism 3, no. 3 (2004): 195–207. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13423450.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Bats are beneficial to ecosystems around the world, and are often keystone species. However, bat populations are declining worldwide and conservation efforts are needed to conserve bat species throughout the world. Worldwide, superstitions and fear of bats prevail and prolong negative attitudes and human hostility toward most bat species. In the case of other species (e.g. wolves and alligators), tourism efforts have led to improving attitudes and species viability. These examples suggest that bat tourism has a potential to conserve bat populations while providing social and economic benefits to local people in host communities. This article adopts an existing definition of non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreation to frame the issues, summarises the ecological importance of bat species, provides an overview of the existing bat-human relationship, and adopts guidance from existing wildlife tourism initiatives. Information based on studies of wildlife tourists seeking other species is presented, as are examples of bat conservation initiatives based on tourism to change attitudes toward bats while stressing awareness of both potential negative impacts on bat species and economic benefits for local communities. Several existing examples of destinations which are attracting tourists to view bats, are discussed.
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Pennisi, Lisa A., Stephen M. Holland, and Taylor V. Stein. "Achieving Bat Conservation Through Tourism." Journal of Ecotourism 3, no. 3 (2004): 195–207. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13423450.
Full textAbstract:
(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Bats are beneficial to ecosystems around the world, and are often keystone species. However, bat populations are declining worldwide and conservation efforts are needed to conserve bat species throughout the world. Worldwide, superstitions and fear of bats prevail and prolong negative attitudes and human hostility toward most bat species. In the case of other species (e.g. wolves and alligators), tourism efforts have led to improving attitudes and species viability. These examples suggest that bat tourism has a potential to conserve bat populations while providing social and economic benefits to local people in host communities. This article adopts an existing definition of non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreation to frame the issues, summarises the ecological importance of bat species, provides an overview of the existing bat-human relationship, and adopts guidance from existing wildlife tourism initiatives. Information based on studies of wildlife tourists seeking other species is presented, as are examples of bat conservation initiatives based on tourism to change attitudes toward bats while stressing awareness of both potential negative impacts on bat species and economic benefits for local communities. Several existing examples of destinations which are attracting tourists to view bats, are discussed.
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Pennisi, Lisa A., Stephen M. Holland, and Taylor V. Stein. "Achieving Bat Conservation Through Tourism." Journal of Ecotourism 3, no. 3 (2004): 195–207. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13423450.
Full textAbstract:
(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Bats are beneficial to ecosystems around the world, and are often keystone species. However, bat populations are declining worldwide and conservation efforts are needed to conserve bat species throughout the world. Worldwide, superstitions and fear of bats prevail and prolong negative attitudes and human hostility toward most bat species. In the case of other species (e.g. wolves and alligators), tourism efforts have led to improving attitudes and species viability. These examples suggest that bat tourism has a potential to conserve bat populations while providing social and economic benefits to local people in host communities. This article adopts an existing definition of non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreation to frame the issues, summarises the ecological importance of bat species, provides an overview of the existing bat-human relationship, and adopts guidance from existing wildlife tourism initiatives. Information based on studies of wildlife tourists seeking other species is presented, as are examples of bat conservation initiatives based on tourism to change attitudes toward bats while stressing awareness of both potential negative impacts on bat species and economic benefits for local communities. Several existing examples of destinations which are attracting tourists to view bats, are discussed.
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Mustonen, Tero, Tamara Andreeva, Vyacheslav Shadrin, and Kaisu Mustonen. "Return of Nimat?—Wild Reindeer as an Indicator of Evenki Biocultural Systems." Sustainability 13, no. 21 (2021): 12107. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su132112107.
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This paper reviews oral histories and established scientific materials regarding wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus spp.) in the Southern Sakha-Yakutia, in the Neriungri district and surrounding highlands, river valleys and taiga forest ecosystems. Wild reindeer is seen as an ecological and cultural keystone species through which environmental and social changes can be understood and interpreted. Oral histories of Evenki regarding wild reindeer have been documented in the community of Iyengra between 2005 and 2020. During this 15-year-co-researchership the Southern Sakha-Yakutian area has undergone rapid industrial development affecting the forest and aquatic ecosystems. The wild reindeer lost habitats and dwindles in numbers. We demonstrate that the loss of the wild reindeer is not only a loss of biodiversity, but also of cultural and linguistic diversity as well as food security. Our interpretative and analytical frame is that of emplacement. Socio-ecological systems have the potential and capacity to reconnect and re-establish themselves in post-extractive landscapes, if three main conditions are met. These conditions for successful emplacement include (1) surviving natural core areas, (2) links to cultural landscape knowledge and (3) an agency to renew endemic links.
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Ali, Fayaz, Nasrullah Khan, and Oimahmad Rahmonov. "Ecosystem Services and Linkages of Naturally Managed Monotheca buxifolia (Falc.) A. DC. Forests with Local Communities across Contiguous Mountainous Ranges in Pakistan." Biology 11, no. 10 (2022): 1469. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology11101469.
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The local community of the Suleiman and Hindukush mountain systems in Pakistan has largely depended on the natural resources of the environment since ancient times. The ecosystem of these regions is under huge pressure due to a lack of awareness and the uncontrolled interference of communal, commercial, security, political, and ecological conditions. The present study was designed to illuminate the link between mountain society and the consumption of the benefits from Monotheca phytocoenoses using the ecosystem services concept from the sphere of the socio-ecological system to cultural relations. The use of this approach is very important due to the visible role and dominant status of Monotheca vegetation within the ecological system of the region. M. buxifolia is strongly connected with both local and cultural traditions and is counted as a key species, particularly for high-mountain inhabitants. We report that Monotheca phytocoenoses provide several services including shelter, food, fodder, medicines, and wood, etc., to the indigenous community and is highly valued in the local culture because of the poor economic condition of the society. The concept of this cultural keystone species is crucial for understanding ecosystem services and must be considered for the protection and conservation of these habitats. The results of field and social studies have shown that the stable maintenance of Monotheca phytocoenosis forests ensures the existence of key species as the most important providers of ecosystem services, e.g., provisioning, regulation, maintenance and cultural services, indicating the close relations between society and the protection of mountain areas. According to the results obtained, the mountains community of the studied area believes that tree species like M. buxifolia, F. palmata, O. ferruginea, P. granatum, A. modesta, J. regia, etc., are the key components contributing to the function of both the mountain ecosystem and communities’ well-being. This approach will be extremely useful for ensuring an inclusive management of the socio-ecological system of the Hindukush and Suleiman Mountain ranges of Pakistan.
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Goldenberg, Shifra Z., Iain Douglas-Hamilton, and George Wittemyer. "Inter-generational change in African elephant range use is associated with poaching risk, primary productivity and adult mortality." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285, no. 1879 (2018): 20180286. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0286.
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Repeated use of the same areas may benefit animals as they exploit familiar sites, leading to consistent home ranges over time that can span generations. Changing risk landscapes may reduce benefits associated with home range fidelity, however, and philopatric animals may alter movement in response to new pressures. Despite the importance of range changes to ecological and evolutionary processes, little tracking data have been collected over the long-term nor has range change been recorded in response to human pressures across generations. Here, we investigate the relationships between ecological, demographic and human variables and elephant ranging behaviour across generations using 16 years of tracking data from nine distinct female social groups in a population of elephants in northern Kenya that was heavily affected by ivory poaching during the latter half of the study. Nearly all groups—including those that did not experience loss of mature adults—exhibited a shift north over time, apparently in response to increased poaching in the southern extent of the study area. However, loss of mature adults appeared to be the primary indicator of range shifts and expansions, as generational turnover was a significant predictor of range size increases and range centroid shifts. Range expansions and northward shifts were associated with higher primary productivity and lower poached carcass densities, while westward shifts exhibited a trend to areas with higher values of primary productivity and higher poached carcass densities relative to former ranges. Together these results suggest a trade-off between resource access, mobility and safety. We discuss the relevance of these results to elephant conservation efforts and directions meriting further exploration in this disrupted society of a keystone species.
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Parkes, Margot W., Stephen J. Déry, Philip N. Owens, Ellen L. Petticrew, and Barry P. Booth. "Towards an integrative understanding of British Columbia’s Nechako Watershed: Connecting knowledge systems to strengthen understanding of climate change, watershed security, health and well-being." PLOS Water 3, no. 7 (2024): e0000263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pwat.0000263.
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Understanding of upstream and downstream dynamics of continental river basins demands attention to the influence of important tributaries and watersheds. This is exemplified by the 47,200 km2 Nechako Watershed, the second largest sub-watershed of British Columbia’s Fraser River Basin. Although the Nechako (derived from the Indigenous Dakelh word meaning “big river”) is recognised for its ecological, societal and cultural importance, attention to this sub-watershed has often been overshadowed by a focus on the iconic Fraser River. This paper examines insights from a purposeful response to this gap, whereby a team of researchers has worked together to strengthen understanding of cumulative stressors and changes in the Nechako, focusing on climate change and water security, sediment sources and quality, and health and well-being dynamics within the Nechako Watershed. Lessons learned from a decade of this collaboration are presented, reflecting on the Nechako Watershed’s past, present, and future through the lens of a unique case study of interdisciplinary research. Emerging research and knowledge exchange partnerships are highlighted along with growing concerns for the Nechako’s keystone aquatic species including three species of Pacific salmon and the endangered Nechako white sturgeon. Drawing on the natural, social and health sciences, we examine strengths and challenges of connecting research across interrelated watershed security issues ranging from climate change, landcover disturbances (e.g., wildfires, mountain pine beetle outbreaks and forest harvesting), land use changes (e.g., expansion of Vanderhoof’s agricultural belt), and the far-reaching impacts of the damming of the Nechako River mainstem in the 1950’s. Our paper brings necessary attention to these and other influences on waterways, landscapes and communities of the Nechako Watershed, highlighting new research opportunities arising among diverse knowledges and disciplines, and the ongoing collaborative effort required to address emerging challenges for the Nechako and wider Fraser River Basin, with consequences for current and future generations.
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Bhattacharya, Sayan. "Forest and Biodiversity Conservation in Ancient Indian Culture: A Review Based on Old Texts and Archaeological Evidences." International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences 30 (June 2014): 35–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/ilshs.30.35.
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In the early periods of human history, environment strongly determined the lives and activities of the people. They were very much close to forest and natural resources as we find in historical documents. Ancient Indian texts like Arthasastra, Sathapatha Bhramanas, Vedas, Manusmrti, Brhat-Samhita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Rajtarangini reflected the concepts of forest ecology and conservation in a sustainable manner. In the Indus valley civilization, several characteristics of the city planning and social structure showed environmental awareness. The presence of leaves, wild animals like peacocks and one-horned deer, tigers, elephants, bulls in the seals and the mud pots can indicate the pattern of biodiversity in those areas. Reduction of forests in that area was due to use of huge amount of timber-wood for burning bricks. So rainfall reduced and soil erosion caused deposition of silt in the Indus River which had choked off Mohenjodaro from the sea, causing a rise in the water table that must have been a prime factor in the destruction of Mohenjodaro. The sacred groves (Tapovana) of India were rich in biodiversity and ecological wealth, which was also mentioned in many ancient Indian documents like Abhigyan Shakuntalam written by Kalidasa. They are small packets of forests dedicated to local deities. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna compares the world to a single banyan tree with unlimited branches in which all the species of animals, humans and demigods wander, which reflects the concept of community ecology. The trees like Banyan and Peepal were often referred in historical background (widely protected in Asia and Africa) are keystone resources. In modern age, there are many policies developing in many countries for forest and biodiversity conservation, but they are all directly or indirectly influenced by the traditional knowledge developed in the ancient India.
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Lorimer, Jamie. "Probiotic Environmentalities: Rewilding with Wolves and Worms." Theory, Culture & Society 34, no. 4 (2017): 27–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0263276417695866.
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A probiotic turn is underway in the management of human and environmental health. Modern approaches are being challenged by deliberate interventions that introduce formerly taboo life forms into bodies, homes, cities and the wider countryside. These are guided by concepts drawn from the life sciences, including immunity and resilience. This analysis critically evaluates this turn, drawing on examples of rewilding nature reserves and reworming the human microbiome. It identifies a common ontology of socio-ecological systems marked by anthropogenic absences and tipped across thresholds into less desirable states. It examines the operation of an environmental mode of biopower associated with deliberate efforts to engineer ecologies through the introduction of keystone species. It offers a set of criteria for critically evaluating the degree to which these interventions transform or sustain prevalent forms of late modern biopolitics. The conclusion reflects on the potentials of probiotic environmentalities for hospitable government beyond the Anthropocene.
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Kurz, David J., Thomas Connor, Jedediah F. Brodie, et al. "Socio-ecological factors shape the distribution of a cultural keystone species in Malaysian Borneo." npj Biodiversity 2, no. 1 (2023). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s44185-022-00008-w.
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AbstractBiophysical and socio-cultural factors have jointly shaped the distribution of global biodiversity, yet relatively few studies have quantitatively assessed the influence of social and ecological landscapes on wildlife distributions. We sought to determine whether social and ecological covariates shape the distribution of a cultural keystone species, the bearded pig (Sus barbatus). Drawing on a dataset of 295 total camera trap locations and 25,755 trap days across 18 field sites and three years in Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, we fitted occupancy models that incorporated socio-cultural covariates and ecological covariates hypothesized to influence bearded pig occupancy. We found that all competitive occupancy models included both socio-cultural and ecological covariates. Moreover, we found quantitative evidence supporting Indigenous pig hunting rights: predicted pig occupancy was positively associated with predicted high levels of Indigenous pig-hunting groups in low-accessibility areas, and predicted pig occupancy was positively associated with predicted medium and low levels of Indigenous pig-hunting groups in high-accessibility areas. These results suggest that bearded pig populations in Malaysian Borneo should be managed with context-specific strategies, promoting Indigenous pig hunting rights. We also provide important baseline information on bearded pig occupancy levels prior to the 2020–2021 outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), which caused social and ecological concerns after mass dieoffs of bearded pigs in Borneo. The abstract provided in Malay is in the Supplementary file.
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Breckwoldt, Annette, Yvy Dombal, Catherine Sabinot, et al. "A social-ecological engagement with reef passages in New Caledonia: Connectors between coastal and oceanic spaces and species." Ambio, August 18, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01762-8.
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AbstractHealthy and protected coral reefs help island systems in the tropics thrive and survive. Reef passages link the open ocean to lagoon and coastal areas in these ecosystems and are home to an exceptionally diverse and abundant marine life, hosting emblematic species and fish spawning aggregations. Their multiple benefits for the islands and their peoples (e.g., for transport, fishing, socio-cultural aspects) remain yet understudied. Drawing from qualitative interviews with fishers, scuba divers, and surfers along the coast of Grande Terre in New Caledonia, this study highlights the multi-faceted importance of these keystone places. It shows that reef passages are locally deemed ‘communication zones’ between coastal and oceanic spaces and species, and have significant un(der)explored ecological and socio-cultural roles. Understanding and protecting these ecological and cultural keystone places will strengthen both the reef ecosystems and the people dependent on them.
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Djoudi, Houria, Bruno Locatelli, Catherine Pehou, et al. "Trees as brokers in social networks: Cascades of rights and benefits from a Cultural Keystone Species." Ambio, June 23, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01733-z.
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AbstractIndigenous trees play key roles in West African landscapes, such as the néré tree (Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) R.Br. ex G.Don). We applied social–ecological network analysis to understand the social–ecological interactions around néré. We documented the benefits néré provides and the multiple social interactions it creates amongst a large range of actors. The flows of rights over the trees and benefits from them formed two hierarchical networks, or cascades, with different actors at the top. The two forms of power revealed by the two cascades of rights and benefits suggest possible powers and counter-powers across gender, ethnicity, and age. We documented how the tree catalyses social interactions across diverse groups to sustain vital social connections, and co-constitute places, culture, and relationships. We argue that a paradigm shift is urgently needed to leverage the remarkable untapped potential of indigenous trees and Cultural Keystone Species in current global restoration and climate change agendas.
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Zimmerer, Karl S., Andrew D. Jones, Stef de Haan, et al. "Integrating Social-Ecological and Political-Ecological Models of Agrobiodiversity With Nutrient Management of Keystone Food Spaces to Support SDG 2." Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 6 (March 31, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.734943.
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Agrobiodiversity—the biodiversity of food, agriculture, and land use—is essential to U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 2 by providing crucial food and nutritional quality of diets combined with strengthening agroecological sustainability. Focusing on the agrobiodiversity nexus to SDG 2, the current study utilized the interdisciplinary Agrobiodiversity Knowledge Framework (AKF), household-level surveys, and biodiversity sampling of crop fields and home gardens in a case study in Huánuco, Peru, in 2017. Statistical measures estimated agrobiodiversity of crop fields (n = 268 households) and home gardens (n=159 households) based on species richness (3.7 and 10.2 species/household, in fields and gardens, respectively) and evenness (Shannon diversity index; 0.70 and 1.83 in fields and gardens, respectively). Robust results of Poisson and OLS regression models identified several AKF-guided determinants of agrobiodiversity. Estimated species richness and evenness were significantly associated with 12 social-ecological and political-ecological factors from the four AKF thematic axes: farm characteristics and agroecology; diets and nutrition; markets, governance and sociocultural practices; and global change. This study's AKF approach, agrobiodiversity modeling, agroecological characterization, and field-based case study advanced a series of useful research insights, comparisons, and conceptual innovations to address SDG 2. Characterization of nutrient management through soil- and plant-focused cultural practices and livelihood roles distinguished the “keystone agrobiodiversity-and-food space” of multi-species maize fields (maizales) identified in AKF regression and characterization results. This key space furnished crucial food-nutrition and agroecological benefits that can be expanded by overcoming identified barriers. AKF-guided models incorporating key agrobiodiversity-and-food spaces and ecological nutrient management are needed to strengthen SDG 2 strategies.
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Loayza, Gabriela, Shirley Pozo, Max Lascano, et al. "Dynamic reciprocal contributions between Indigenous communities and cultural keystone species: A study case in Western Ecuador." People and Nature, July 10, 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10684.
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Abstract The reciprocal contributions concept provides a holistic approach to understanding management of natural resources in social‐ecological systems. The purpose of this study was to understand how Indigenous peoples build reciprocal contributions with cultural keystone species (CKS) through their dynamic knowledge systems. We explore the cultural value and reciprocal contributions between an endemic palm locally known as tagua (Phytelephas aequatorialis Spruce) and the Indigenous Commune of Salanguillo in western Ecuador. We use a multidisciplinary, mixed methods approach (including participant observation, focus group discussions, talking maps and social surveys) to identify reciprocity at three human dimensions (institutional‐social‐political, biophysical and symbolic–linguistic–cultural). Our study revealed multiple and diverse reciprocal contributions between people and tagua across all dimensions, and the tagua palm was identified as a CKS. Interactions with tagua reflect broader social‐ecological changes in the region. Reciprocal contributions between tagua and the Commune are built through direct individual experience, but also rely on communal and national institutional agreements. Integration of Indigenous knowledge with the global environmental discourse underpins the place‐based learning strategies for the sustainable use and management of tagua and human well‐being. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Risley, Sarah C., Melissa L. Britsch, Joshua S. Stoll, and Heather M. Leslie. "Mapping local knowledge supports science and stewardship." Ambio, April 26, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02170-4.
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Abstract Coastal marine social–ecological systems are experiencing rapid change. Yet, many coastal communities are challenged by incomplete data to inform collaborative research and stewardship. We investigated the role of participatory mapping of local knowledge in addressing these challenges. We used participatory mapping and semi-structured interviews to document local knowledge in two focal social–ecological systems in Maine, USA. By co-producing fine-scale characterizations of coastal marine social–ecological systems, highlighting local questions and needs, and generating locally relevant hypotheses on system change, our research demonstrates how participatory mapping and local knowledge can enhance decision-making capacity in collaborative research and stewardship. The results of this study directly informed a collaborative research project to document changes in multiple shellfish species, shellfish predators, and shellfish harvester behavior and other human activities. This research demonstrates that local knowledge can be a keystone component of collaborative social–ecological systems research and community-lead environmental stewardship.
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Griffiths, Brian M., David C. Luther, and Henry S. Pollock. "Mineral Licks: An Overlooked Model System for Species Interactions." Biotropica 57, no. 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.70003.
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ABSTRACTMineral licks are deposits of minerals, salts, and/or clays that attract animals and serve as keystone resources in terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Previous research on natural mineral licks has focused largely on characterizing the soil properties of the licks and describing the species that consume the minerals. Yet mineral licks are also hubs of species interactions, where predators hunt prey, diseases are spread, and social information is transferred. Here, we argue that mineral licks are an overlooked model system with massive potential for both characterizing biodiversity and studying species interactions. We review the current state of knowledge and identify gaps related to predator–prey interactions, disease transfer, social information, and population dynamics and mineral licks. In each area, we propose future research directions, including how to leverage emerging technologies to more fully understand the ecology of mineral licks. We highlight that new conservation technologies may be particularly powerful in studying species at mineral licks, including telemetry and tracking, LiDAR, environmental DNA, and camera traps. We also note that experimental approaches to mineral licks are currently severely underutilized in ecosystems around the world and offer enormous potential in understanding species interactions in our four highlighted areas. This synthesis provides a framework for testing hypotheses about the ecological importance of mineral licks as a keystone resource and shifts the focus to include more emphasis on current knowledge gaps.
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de Medeiros, Patrícia Muniz, Washington Soares Ferreira Júnior, and Fabiane da Silva Queiroz. "Utilitarian redundancy in local medical systems - theoretical and methodological contributions." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 16, no. 1 (2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-020-00416-x.
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Abstract The utilitarian redundancy model (URM) is one of the recent contributions to ethnobiology. We argue that URM can be applied to access use-pressure on plant species, the resilience of socioecological systems (e.g., local medical systems), cultural keystone species, and the role of exotic species in social-ecological systems. Based on previous URM studies, we also emphasize the need to differ practical (considering plants and uses that are currently employed) and theoretical (considering both currently employed and potentially employed plants and uses) redundancy. Based on the main applications of the URM, we propose a new index to access redundancy of a therapeutic indication: the Uredit, so that Uredit = NSp + CR, were Uredit is the Utilitarian Redundancy Index for the therapeutic indication; NSp is the total number of species mentioned for the indication, and CR is the species’ contribution to redundancy (in terms of knowledge sharing). The maximum value that the Uredit could reach is twice the number of species employed for the therapeutic indication. We believe that this theoretical and methodological improvement in the model can improve comparisons of redundancy in different social-ecological systems. We also highlight some limitations of the URM (and our Uredit), and we believe that conscious reasons behind people’s decisions should be incorporated into future studies on the subject.
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Dar, Showket Ahmad, Marwa Saad, Wajid Hasan, et al. "Solitary Bees as Vital Bioindicators: A Comprehensive Review of the Diversity, Decline, and Conservation Imperatives of the Halictidae Family." Entomological Research 55, no. 6 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-5967.70047.
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ABSTRACTPollination, a keystone ecological process sustaining most flowering plant communities, is indispensable to human survival, with over 500 cultivated plant species relying on insect pollinators. Solitary bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) are critical contributors to this service, requiring specialized foraging, nesting, and habitat resources. Plant diversity strongly correlates with pollinator community composition, underscoring the ecological interdependence of these groups. Within solitary bees, the family Halictidae (~4500 species) plays a disproportionately significant role in global pollination networks. Halictids exhibit remarkable diversity in social organization—ranging from solitary to communal, semi‐social, and primitively eusocial behaviors—shaped by floral resource availability, geographic distribution, and climatic factors. The subfamily Halictinae represents the group's greatest diversity, with the tribe Halictini comprising 53.3% of described species. Key pollinator genera such as Lasioglossum (e.g., Lasioglossum marginatum, Lasioglossum leucozonium) dominate temperate ecosystems. However, population declines in solitary bees have severely disrupted pollination services across wild and cultivated plant systems, exacerbating global concerns over insect biodiversity loss and biomass reduction. These declines threaten foundational ecosystem services, necessitating urgent research to refine species diversity estimates, identify habitat conservation priorities, and implement evidence‐based protective policies. This review highlights the need for standardized methodologies to accurately assess global bee diversity and proposes targeted strategies to mitigate conservation challenges for Halictidae and other solitary bee taxa.
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Gupta, Urvi, and Nishant Kumar. "Feathers, folklore, and eco-literacy: Stories ascribe cultural keystone status to avian scavengers in South Asian cities." Ornithological Applications, October 15, 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duae056.
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Abstract We examined the cultural significance of commensal avian scavenger species—vultures, kites, and crows—and their exploitation of anthropogenic resources and sentiments within Delhi’s urban landscapes. For this, we investigated the intrinsic values attributed to these birds by people, which are indicative of complex, rapidly urbanizing social-ecological systems. Semi-structured interviews revealed folk perceptions intertwined with socio-cultural narratives and traditions, shaped by observations of avian morphology, ecology, and behavior. Birds’ nesting habits, habitats, home ranges, and foraging behaviors affected people’s perceptions, while ecosystem services inspired zoomorphism and anthropomorphism via vernacular-nomenclature (e.g., chidiya collectively for songbirds, giddha for scavenging raptors). Culturally rooted perceptions, which informed ritual feeding practices and shaped prevalent attitudes towards commensal species, fostered mutual tolerance, and brought people into closer contact with urban biodiversity. Such physical and cultural proximity is a defining characteristic distinguishing tropical urban ecosystems from their Western counterparts. We also uncovered the web of social-technological influences on animal-related folk stories. The urbanization of perceptions in vulture extinction zones revealed shifts in social-ecological relationships with wildlife. It adds cultural dimensions to the currently appreciated keystone status of vultures, vital for their erstwhile coexistence at extremely high densities in South Asia. Urban transformations, technological advancements, and media exposure potentially reshaped human–animal interface, with media misinformation affecting personalized ecologies. Conflicts and health concerns arose from media narratives on garbage-consuming animals. Our findings offer insights to prevent severing of people and nature connections due to urbanization (e.g., technological applications can integrate scientific knowledge with biocultural narratives and folklore), promoting a new-age eco-literacy.
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Kingston, Tigga, F. B. Vincent Florens, and Christian E. Vincenot. "Large Old World Fruit Bats on the Brink of Extinction: Causes and Consequences." Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 54, no. 1 (2023). http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110321-055122.
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Large Old World fruit bats (LOWFBs), species of Pteropus, Acerodon, and related genera of large bats in the pteropodid subfamily Pteropodinae, play important roles as agents of dispersal and pollination across the Paleotropics. LOWFBs are also collectively the most threatened group of bats in the world, with 71% of extant species assessed as threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. As highlighted here, contrary to other bats, the vast majority of LOWFBs face multiple simultaneous threats. Most importantly, biological and ecological traits, in particular life history characteristics, diet, movement, social ecology, and physiology, intensify threats and accelerate species declines. Furthermore, we demonstrate that LOWFBs are to be considered keystone species and express concern about the erosion of this role and the cascading effects expected on native ecosystems. In response to this alarming situation, we advance general recommendations and identify overarching research and conservation actions. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, Volume 54 is November 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Ortiz, Marco, and Brenda Hermosillo-Núñez. "Quantifying stability and resilience of eco-social keystone species complexes for coastal marine ecosystems of the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific: applications in conservation and monitoring programmes." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 379, no. 1909 (2024). http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2023.0176.
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The local stability and resilience of 13 eco-social keystone species complexes (eco-social KSCs)—considered as conservation and monitoring units—were quantified in coastal marine ecosystems located in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Based on Routh–Hurwitz’s criterion and Levins’ criteria, the eco-social KSCs corresponding to Islas Marietas National Park (Mexico) emerged as the most locally stable and resilient ecosystem. To the contrary, the eco-social KSCs determined for Guala Guala Bay (Chile) and Xcalak Reef National Park (Caribbean) were the least stable and resilient, respectively. In terms of sensitivity, the eco-social KSCs corresponding to El Cobre Bay (Chile) presented the greatest number of sensitive components. The ecological section of the KSCs is formed by a tri-trophic network, dominating self-negative feedbacks. In the case of the socio-economic section, the fisher could exhibit the three types of self-feedbacks, and instead, the demand should be controlled. The identification of eco-social KSCs and the quantification of their stabilities and resiliences allow us to approach ecosystem-based fisheries management under a climate change context. Therefore, we suggest assessing and monitoring the persistence of the eco-social KSCs herein analysed over time, as a way to conserve the fundamental network structure of these ecosystems intervened by fishing. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions’.
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Oostdijk, Maartje, Erla Sturludóttir, and Maria J. Santos. "Risk Assessment for Key Socio-Economic and Ecological Species in a Sub-Arctic Marine Ecosystem Under Combined Ocean Acidification and Warming." Ecosystems, September 28, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00705-w.
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AbstractThe Arctic may be particularly vulnerable to the consequences of both ocean acidification (OA) and global warming, given the faster pace of these processes in comparison with global average speeds. Here, we use the Atlantis ecosystem model to assess how the trophic network of marine fishes and invertebrates in the Icelandic waters is responding to the combined pressures of OA and warming. We develop an approach where we first identify species by their economic (catch value), social (number of participants in fisheries), or ecological (keystone species) importance. We then use literature-determined ranges of sensitivity to OA and warming for different species and functional groups in the Icelandic waters to parametrize model runs for different scenarios of warming and OA. We found divergent species responses to warming and acidification levels; (mainly) planktonic groups and forage fish benefited while (mainly) benthic groups and predatory fish decreased under warming and acidification scenarios. Assuming conservative harvest rates for the largest catch-value species, Atlantic cod, we see that the population is projected to remain stable under even the harshest acidification and warming scenario. Further, for the scenarios where the model projects reductions in biomass of Atlantic cod, other species in the ecosystem increase, likely due to a reduction in competition and predation. These results highlight the interdependencies of multiple global change drivers and their cascading effects on trophic organization, and the continued high abundance of an important species from a socio-economic perspective in the Icelandic fisheries.
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Pennartz, Katie J., Evan P. Tanner, J. Matthew Carroll, R. Dwayne Elmore, Craig A. Davis, and Samuel D. Fuhlendorf. "From eradication to conservation: identifying areas for restoration and management of a Pliocene relic in a changing climate." Restoration Ecology, July 17, 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/rec.14232.
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By 1985, approximately 400,000 ha of the keystone species Shinnery oak's (Quercus havardii) historic distribution had been eliminated for agricultural purposes across the southwestern United States. These trends indicate a need for targeted conservation and restoration efforts, especially considering the increased attention received for its role in providing habitat for endangered fauna. Setting spatially explicit conservation targets can be challenging for species with limited distributions, as the change in climate conditions over time may disconnect the relationship between environmental suitability and static, topo‐edaphic factors. Our objective was to identify areas for Shinnery oak restoration and conservation and explore the role climate plays in determining these areas while considering topo‐edaphic relationships. We constructed ecological niche models to estimate Shinnery oak's distribution under current climate conditions and temporally transferred our model using an ensemble‐mean of general circulation models to identify areas predicted to retain environmental suitability for Shinnery oak through 2100. The current distribution model was best informed by one climate and two topo‐edaphic variables. We created a second distribution model excluding topo‐edaphic variables to estimate future plant–climate relationships. Incorporating insights from models informed by both static (e.g. soil) and dynamic (e.g. climate) variables, we identified areas for conservation characterized by persistent climate suitability and high soil type suitability. Lastly, we incorporated data on land use and ownership to explore socio‐ecological influences on management decisions. By identifying areas of agreement between our modeled distributions and considering social context, we prioritized conservation areas where environmental suitability persists under changing conditions to facilitate restoration success.
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Moyano-Fernández, C. "A multispecies coexistence based on rewilding and degrowth for the sake of global health." European Journal of Public Health 33, Supplement_2 (2023). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckad160.1176.
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Abstract The climate emergency is closely linked to biodiversity loss, both in its (anthropogenic) causes (anthropogenic) and possible (nature-based) solutions. Both crises are a major threat to global health because zoonoses, global warming and other climate impacts make present and future generations vulnerable, and aggravate social inequalities. Indeed, this has led some authors to start talking about ecological determinants of health. However, based on a narrative review of recent academic literature, I will argue that trophic rewilding strategies, framed within conservation biology, can ensure global health by stopping the spread of zoonoses and animating the carbon cycle. A first aim of my contribution will be to defend this correlation. Then, my next purpose will be to address how rewilding could favor coexistence with protected or reintroduced keystone species. The recent UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal agreed to extend the care of wilderness areas and restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, but this is a political as well as a social challenge. The current development model in Europe, based on fossil-dependent economic growth, is a stumbling block for wildlife to flourish. I will therefore argue that degrowth could be a complementary development alternative to rewilding in order to make a more serious commitment to global health. Key messages • The ecological restoration of trophic rewilding can contribute to global health by mitigating climate change and zoonoses. • The development of European societies is based on economic growth, and as this is a threat for wildlife flourishing, a shift towards degrowh could complement rewilding and strengthen global health.
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Herrera, Inma, Manuel Carrillo, Marcial Cosme de Esteban, and Ricardo Haroun. "Distribution of Cetaceans in the Canary Islands (Northeast Atlantic Ocean): Implications for the Natura 2000 Network and Future Conservation Measures." Frontiers in Marine Science 8 (August 3, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.669790.
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The waters of the Canary Islands are considered a hotspot for marine biodiversity, especially regarding cetacean species. Based on this fact, this study pays attention to the spatial distribution pattern of cetacean species and the conservation role of the Natura 2000 Network, a set of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), which were defined mainly based on data compiled in 1996, under the framework of the European Habitats Directive. In recent years, the declaration of conservation areas for cetaceans between the Tenerife—La Gomera Islands by two global conservation programs, Mission Blue (“Hope Spots”) and Whale Heritage Site (“Whale Sanctuary”) sent clear signals of scientific and social interest to promote better protection of the cetacean species in the Canary Islands. The main aim of the designated SACs is the conservation of its biological and ecological diversity, ensuring the long-term survival of the target species in the waters around islands. In this case, the enactment of the SACs was based only on the sparse data available for the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus. This study shows that the spatial distribution of cetaceans in the Canary archipelago generated from a large database of cetacean sightings, from 2007 to 2018. The results obtained show the main marine areas where the different cetacean species are distributed around the different islands of the archipelago. The spatial distribution maps of the cetacean species, when compared with the existing SACs of the Natura 2000, show the need to extend these SACs into the open sea to include more cetacean species and a larger number of individuals for better conservation of the endangered marine mammals. As a consequence, some suggestions were proposed to improve and update the role of SACs in European Northeast Atlantic waters as a key environmental tool for cetacean conservation. The data supporting the recent declarations of these two new milestones the “Hope Spot” and the “Whale Sanctuary” enhance more keystone information to promote a large marine protected area in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, such as the “Macaronesian Biodiversity and Ecological Migration Corridor for Cetaceans,” a conservation figure that has been already proposed in the scientific literature as a deserving candidate of governmental regulations and policies by Portugal and Spain; it would also require joint cross-border cooperation efforts for marine spatial planning.
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Jacobs, Douglass F., R. Kasten Dumroese, Andrea N. Brennan, et al. "Reintroduction of at-risk forest tree species using biotechnology depends on regulatory policy, informed by science and with public support." New Forests, June 12, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11056-023-09980-y.
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AbstractIntroduced pests (insects and pathogens) have rapidly increased the numbers of at-risk native forest tree species worldwide. Some keystone species have been functionally extirpated, resulting in severe commercial and ecological losses. When efforts to exclude or mitigate pests have failed, researchers have sometimes applied biotechnology tools to incorporate pest resistance in at-risk species to enable their reintroduction. Often erroneously equated solely with genetic engineering, biotechnology also includes traditional and genome informed breeding—and may provide a holistic approach toward applying genomic-based information and interventions to increase tree species’ pest resistance. Traditional tree breeding is responsible for successes to date, but new technologies offer hope to increase the efficiency of such efforts. Remarkable recent progress has been made, and for some at-risk species, novel biotechnological advances put reintroduction within reach. The high costs of reintroduction of at-risk species at necessary scale, however, will initially limit the pursuit to a few species. Successful deployment of pest resistant material may require improved species-specific knowledge and should integrate into and leverage existing reforestation systems, but these operations are sometimes rare where pest threats are greatest. While use of some biotechnologies, such as traditional tree breeding, are commonplace, others such as genetic engineering are controversial and highly regulated, yet may be the only viable means of achieving reintroduction of some at-risk species. Efforts to modify policy toward allowing the use of appropriate biotechnology, especially genetic engineering, have lagged. Provided that risk-benefits are favorable, policy is likely to follow with public opinion; in some countries, society is now increasingly open to using available biotechnologies. Continued engagement using the most recent advances in social science to build public trust, combined with a science-based collaboration among land managers and regulators, will generate the collective momentum needed to motivate policymakers to act rapidly given the speed at which forest health threats unfold and the large areas they affect.
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MacDonald, Brandi Lee, David Stalla, Xiaoqing He, et al. "Hunter-Gatherers Harvested and Heated Microbial Biogenic Iron Oxides to Produce Rock Art Pigment." Scientific Reports 9, no. 1 (2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53564-w.
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AbstractRed mineral pigment use is recognized as a fundamental component of a series of traits associated with human evolutionary development, social interaction, and behavioral complexity. Iron-enriched mineral deposits have been collected and prepared as pigment for use in rock art, personal adornment, and mortuary practices for millennia, yet little is known about early developments in mineral processing techniques in North America. Microanalysis of rock art pigments from the North American Pacific Northwest reveals a sophisticated use of iron oxide produced by the biomineralizing bacterium Leptothrix ochracea; a keystone species of chemolithotroph recognized in recent advances in the development of thermostable, colorfast biomaterial pigments. Here we show evidence for human engagement with this bacterium, including nanostructural and magnetic properties evident of thermal enhancement, indicating that controlled use of pyrotechnology was a key feature of how biogenic iron oxides were prepared into paint. Our results demonstrate that hunter-gatherers in this area of study prepared pigments by harvesting aquatic microbial iron mats dominated by iron-oxidizing bacteria, which were subsequently heated in large open hearths at a controlled range of 750 °C to 850 °C. This technical gesture was performed to enhance color properties, and increase colorfastness and resistance to degradation. This skilled production of highly thermostable and long-lasting rock art paint represents a specialized technological innovation. Our results contribute to a growing body of knowledge on historical-ecological resource use practices in the Pacific Northwest during the Late Holocene.Figshare link to figures: https://figshare.com/s/9392a0081632c20e9484.
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Blossey, Bernd, and Darragh Hare. "Myths, Wishful Thinking, and Accountability in Predator Conservation and Management in the United States." Frontiers in Conservation Science 3 (June 3, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2022.881483.
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Large predators are thought of as ecological keystone species, posterchildren of conservation campaigns, and sought-after targets of tourists and photographers. At the same time, predators kill livestock and huntable animals, and occasionally people, triggering fears and antipathy among those living alongside them. Until the 1960’s government-sponsored eradication and persecution campaigns in the United States prioritized interests of livestock producers and recreational hunters, leading to eradication of wolves and bears over much of their range. Without large predators, subsidized by changes in agricultural practices and milder winters, ungulate populations erupted, triggering negative ecological impacts, economic damage, and human health crises (such as tick-borne diseases). Shifting societal preferences have ushered in more predator-friendly, but controversial wildlife policies, from passively allowing range expansion to purposeful reintroductions (such as release of wolves in Yellowstone National Park). Attempts to restore wolves or mountain lions in the U.S. and protecting coyotes appear to enjoy strong public support, but many state wildlife agencies charged with managing wildlife, and recreational hunters continue to oppose such efforts, because they perceive predators as competitors for huntable animals. There may be compelling reasons for restoring predators or allowing them to recolonize their former ranges. But if range expansion or intentional releases of large predators do not result in ecosystem recovery, reduced deer populations, or Lyme disease reductions, conservationists who have put their reputation on the line and assured decision makers and the public of the important functional role of large predators may lose public standing and trust. Exaggerated predictions by ranchers and recreational hunters of greatly reduced ungulate populations and rampant livestock killing by large carnivores may lead to poaching and illegal killing threatening recovery of predator populations. How the return of large carnivores may affect vegetation and successional change, ungulate population size, other biota, livestock and human attitudes in different landscapes has not been appropriately assessed. Societal support and acceptance of living alongside predators as they expand their range and increase in abundance requires development and monitoring of social, ecological and economic indicators to assess how return of large predators affects human and animal and plant livelihoods.
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Demongeot, Marilou, Younes Hmimsa, Doyle McKey, Yildiz Aumeeruddy‐Thomas, and Delphine Renard. "Social strategies to access land influence crop diversity in northwestern Morocco." People and Nature, March 8, 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10617.
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Abstract Much evidence supports the ecological and agronomic benefits of diversity, of both crops and environments, for building resilience and sustainability in agroecosystems. Farmers' knowledge about crop diversity is well‐documented, but aside from studies on how farmers exchange seeds and knowledge through networks, the interactions of social factors and the diversity of crops and cultivated environments have been mainly overlooked. One factor receiving attention is farmers' access to land, but in only one of its dimensions, the security of access. Here we address the different strategies by which farmers gain access to land. How does the plurality of modes of access to land influence crop choices, and thereby crop diversity? How does this plurality influence the range of environments available to individual farmers for cultivating crop diversity? Analysing data from 51 interviews with farmers and 312 plots in agrosilvopastoral systems in northwestern Morocco, we described eight different modes of access. Each mode offers different opportunities and constraints concerning the kind of crops that can be grown on the plot. We found that an increase in the number of modes of access to land increases the crop diversity of farmers' holdings, regardless of the total area each farmer cultivates. Accessing additional plots contributed to both environmental heterogeneity and to crop diversity of farms. In striving to gain access to land and to grow diverse crops, farmers are motivated by their notion of what it means to be a ‘real farmer’, that is, the relation to their identity. Farmers mobilize not only their economic power but also their social relationships to gain access to plots of land. Their choices are also based on their relationships to tree crops such as olive, which are economic and cultural keystone species, as well as markers of land ownership and control. Multiple modes of access to land characterize many smallholder farming systems, which support a large fraction of the world's population. Recognizing diverse social practices of access to land that allow farmers to continue to mobilize multiple modes of access can increase resilience against unpredictable events and help maintain sustainable agroecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Chen, Bixia, and Hikaru Akamine. "Distribution and utilization of homestead windbreak Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica Merr.) trees: an ethnobotanical approach." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 17, no. 1 (2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-021-00434-3.
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Abstract Background Garcinia subelliptica (Fukugi in Japanese) is an evergreen tropical tree, first identified in Batanes, the Philippines, which has been planted as a homestead windbreak and in coastal forests extensively on the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. This article focuses on the traditional uses and cultural values of Fukugi trees and provides ethnobotanical information for the conservation scheme of this important tree species. Methods A combination of ecological and ethnobotanical approaches was applied in this study. Extensive field surveys were conducted to collect dimensions of relatively large trees, and in-depth interviews with the village leaders and knowledgeable persons were conducted to collect ethnobotanical data. Results Fukugi trees have been primarily planted as homestead or farmland windbreaks. Timber was harvested during difficult times, for example, after WWII, and used for recreational purposes for children or farmers. The fruits were also eaten on some remote islands. Old-growth Fukugi trees are widely found in sacred sites, within cities, and as symbolic trees. The older generations respect Fukugi trees; however, the cultural significance valued by older generation seems to be lacking in the younger generation. We argue that Fukugi is a cultural keystone species in Okinawa, which underpins Ryukyu culture and has transformed islands into a pleasant land, a unique place, and shared identity for the community. Conclusions Fukugi windbreaks provide significant ecosystem services, such as biodiversity in the forest, reducing soil erosion, and spiritual and cultural values. A combination of biophysical environment, as well as tradition and custom, has played an essential role in tree species selection for windbreaks. The positive impacts that anthropogenic activities have had on the sustainability of woody species, namely, the active utilization of tree species, may have enabled the species to sustain. Strategies for protecting old-growth Fukugi trees, in addition to restoration of damaged trees, are needed to improve the sustainable management of Fukugi trees in Okinawa.
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Begossi, Alpina, Svetlana Salyvonchyk, Branko Glamuzina, et al. "Fishers and groupers (Epinephelus marginatus and E. morio) in the coast of Brazil: integrating information for conservation." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 15, no. 1 (2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0331-2.
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Abstract Background Groupers are a vulnerable but economically important group of fish, especially for small-scale fisheries. We investigated catches and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of diet, habitat, and past fishing experiences. Methods Landings, prices, interviews, and restaurants demand for two species, Epinephelus marginatus (dusky grouper) and Epinephelus morio (red grouper), were registered. Results We visited 74 markets and 79 sites on the coast of Brazil in 2017–2018, and we interviewed 71 fishers: Bahia (NE), Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (SE), and Santa Catarina (S). The landings sampled of dusky grouper (2016–2017) in Rio de Janeiro were: n = 222, size 38–109 cm, weight 1–24 kg, average 3.84 kg; in São Paulo, São Sebastião were: n = 47, size 39–106 cm, weight 2–8 kg, average of 2.77 kg; and at Santos: n = 80, 26–120 cm, weight 0.36–15 kg, average 2.72 kg. Red grouper was observed in markets in the northeastern Brazil. We did not observe Epinephelus marginatus from Bahia northward; a maximum size of 200 cm was reported south of the Bahia, besides Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo coasts, 20 years ago (or longer) by 12 fishers. Local knowledge of fishers was important for grouper data of habitat and diet; the reproduction period was identified by fishers as September to March. Conclusions Groupers can be considered as a cultural and ecological keystone species. We suggest protective measures: 1) fishing zoning, 2) islands (MPAs) with the surveillance of fishers, 3) late Spring and early Summer as key periods for management (grouper reproduction), 4) studies on grouper larvae, 5) mapping of fishing spots, 6) studies on local knowledge. Collaboration with small-scale fishers and local knowledge could contribute to low-conflict management measures. In that regard, integrative models of management from Latin America, by using local knowledge and citizen science, could produce successful grouper management for Brazilian data-poor fisheries, a contrasting reality to the Mediterranean areas. Finally, the distribution of E. marginatus in Brazil leave us with questions: a) Have dusky groupers disappeared from Bahia because of a decline in the population? b) Was it uncommon in Northeast Brazil? c) Did changes in water temperatures forced a movement southward?
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Mon, Aye Mya, Yinxian Shi, Xuefei Yang, et al. "The uses of fig (Ficus) by five ethnic minority communities in Southern Shan State, Myanmar." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 16, no. 1 (2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-020-00406-z.
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Abstract Background Most regions of Myanmar fall within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and are threatened with biodiversity loss. Development of a comprehensive framework for sustainable development is crucial. Figs are ecological keystone species within these regions and are also important for traditional spiritual food and health uses, which often have accompanying conservation practices. The traditional use and management of figs may offer clues to help guide the development of national policies for sustainable development. In this study, we showcase the rich ethnobotanical knowledge as well as the variety of collection and conservation practices of figs among five ethnic groups in Southern Shan State. Methods We performed both key informant and semi-structured interviews with 114 informants from five ethnic groups. Their uses for figs were categorized according to local practices and recipes. Informants were asked about trends in conservation status over the past 10 years and any conservation-related customs and practices. Data were analyzed quantitatively with common quantitative ethnobotany indices, the use report (UR) and use value (UV). Results Informants reported the uses of eight fig species (Ficus auricularta, F. concinna, F. geniculata, F. hispida, F. racemosa, F. religiosa, F. semicordata, and F. virens). F. geniculata and F. virens were most useful (UR = 228) and were used by all five ethnic groups, corresponding to a high use value (UV = 2). Treatments for 16 diseases were reported from seven species. Household consumption, economic and sacred uses were accompanied by sustainable practices of harvest and protection. Traditional taboos, in situ and ex situ conservation were common especially for highly demanded species (F. geniculata and F. virens) and the sacred fig F. religiosa. Conclusion Findings suggest that figs are useful for food (all informants) and medicine (13.16% of the informants) in the study area. Traditional taboos, in situ and ex situ conservation practices help to maintain sustainable utilization of locally important figs. This is an early contribution to the traditional knowledge of edible figs. Although similar uses have been reported in neighboring countries for seven of the fig species, the ethnobotanical use of F. concinna is novel.