Tag: Conservation

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Climate Change by Gerard Sarnat MD

Let’s rewild large parts
of the Earth while we rewild
large parts of ourselves.

by Gerard Sarnat MD

My adult son is an entomologist, specifically a myrmecologist (in his case, an “ant man”) who has been primarily interested in digging in dirt before he could walk. As a pre-teen, we visited Harvard Professor E.O. Wilson’s ant-farm exhibit in Cambridge, which inspired him to write essentially the same increasingly sophisticated paper starting, “Ants have done agriculture and had slaves for millions of years” for grade, high school, college and PhD presentations — all of which I was privileged to attend, and be influenced by. His UC Berkeley college prof paid him the ultimate compliment of “likely being the next E.O. Wilson”.

Rewilding was developed as a method to preserve functional ecosystems and reduce biodiversity loss, incorporating research in island biogeography and the ecological role of large carnivores. In 1967, Wilson’s ‘The Theory of Island Biogeography’ established the importance of considering the size and isolation of wildlife conservation areas, stating that protected areas remained vulnerable to extinctions if small and isolated. By happenstance, a family friend and another geographer, Jared Diamond (most famous for ‘Guns, Germs, and Steel‘) has also influenced my once-boy to be a champion of re-wilding and biodiversity.

Further reading:

‘The Theory of Island Biogeography’, Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson, Princeton University Press, https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691088365/the-theory-of-island-biogeography

‘The Theory of Island Biogeography’, Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_Island_Biogeography

‘Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies’, Jared Diamond, W. W. Norton Books: https://wwnorton.com/books/Guns-Germs-and-Steel/

‘Guns, Germs, and Steel’, Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel

Author bio:
Gerard Sarnat MD’s authored ‘HOMELESS CHRONICLES’, ‘Disputes’, ’17s’, and ‘Melting The Ice King’. Gerry’s published by Gargoyle, Newark Public Library, Blue Minaret, Columbia, Harvard, Stanford, Main Street Rag, New Delta Review, Northampton Review, New Haven Institute, Buddhist Review, American Journal Poetry, Poetry Quarterly, Brooklyn Review, LA Review, SF Magazine, NY Times. You can find out more about Gerard’s work here: gerardsarnat.com

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Peat-based Haiku for COP26 by Abby McSherry and The CANN Project

The CANN project (Collaborative Action for the Natura Network) is a cross-border environment project which aims to improve the condition of protected bog and wetland habitats found within Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Scotland, allowing the region to meet key EU biodiversity targets and ensuring the future of these internationally important habitats and species. The CANN project is supported by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It is led by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

The CANN project focuses on the conservation and restoration of seven habitat types which are protected as Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive: Alkaline Fens, Blanket Bog, Active Raised Bog, Marl Lakes, Calcareous Fens, Transition Mire & Quaking Bogs. These habitats are identified as being important in ensuring the survival of at risk plants and wildlife, and for promoting and sustaining biodiversity from a local to an international scale.

The CANN project – led by Abby McSherry, the project’s Communications and Outreach Officer – decided to celebrate COP26 by tweeting a Haiku-a-day on the subject of peat’s role in combatting climate change in the run-up to the meeting in November 2021. Below is a small sample of these fantastic haiku. The entire collection has been compiled in a booklet freely available on the CANN project website here.

Day 5

Sphagnum naturally produces phenolic compounds that slow the decomposition of the plants that make up peat. Preventing peat decomposition will help keep the carbon it holds locked away.

Day 10

A raised bog often has a water table perched higher than the surrounding land, which can be hard to understand unless you visualise it as a water droplet perched on the land. It is delicately balanced, and that balance can shift.

Day 20

Carbon is locked up effectively in other habitats too. Lowland fens and mires are significant sinks too and are under even greater threat from damage as they are often surrounded by valuable arable land.

Day 25

Across the world, peat covers just 3% of the land’s surface, but stores one-third of the Earth’s soil carbon, not just a sticking plaster, but potentially a cure for what ails us. If we care for it, it will care for us.

Further Reading:

All 31 haiku (plus some bonuses!) are freely available here, in pdf and flipbook form: https://thecannproject.org/publications/booklet-of-peat-based-haiku-sci-cu-poems/

Find out more about the CANN project and the brilliant work the team are doing here: https://thecannproject.org/

You can also follow the CANN project on Twitter here: @theCANNproject

About Abby McSherry: I have worked in practical conservation and waste management since I gained my BSc in Physical Geography, and discovered early on that I had a talent for translating geek-speak into language that non-scientists could understand and enjoy so I moved more towards the communication side of various conservation projects. I use creative tools garnered from my personal life to find different ways to communicate my science, so poetry, painting, photography and even crochet are as likely to feature as piezometer readings.

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Urban parakeet by Dr Matt Geary

Urban parakeet
Feeds in small parks and gardens
Missing from forests

By Matt Geary

As with many islands around the world, the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean is home to a number of bird species found only there. Hispaniola is divided between two countries, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Both countries have experienced severe environmental change since European colonisation, including considerable forest loss and agricultural expansion. Hispaniolan parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus) is hard to find across the Dominican Republic but a considerable population lives in the capital city, Santo Domingo. Our work explores how these vulnerable island endemics use the urban environment.

In 2019, our research team spent three months walking through parts of the city where parakeets are found, counting birds as well as measuring the natural environment around them. They covered 60 1 km2 squares of Santo Domingo, visiting each square three times. As well as looking for parakeets, they recorded sightings of another endemic, Hispaniolan woodpecker, a species which makes cavities in trees where parakeets are potentially able to nest. The team were also on the lookout for parakeet nest sites in trees and buildings.

Hispaniolan parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus). Image credit: Martingloor.

The population in the city is certainly large. We counted around 1500 birds at a communal roost site in the city centre and saw lots of birds on our surveys. We found that parakeet distribution within the city was related to the number of different tree species within the square and saw more parakeet groups where there were more small greenspace patches. This suggests Hispaniolan parakeets are using street level green spaces like small parks and gardens for foraging rather than relying on large areas of vegetation. We only found three locations where parakeets were nesting, all of which were previously know – one palm tree and two communal roosts in buildings.

This species certainly needs some support across the island of Hispaniola and we hope that by improving our knowledge about this population, which may be the largest remaining, we can help to improve the outlook for the species as a whole. Our work continues on this species and other Hispaniolan endemics. @AndreaThomen is putting the miles in with survey work across the island for her PhD research so we hope to have much more to report in the near future.

Further reading: Geary, M., Brailsford, C.J., Hough, L.I., Baker, F., Guerrero, S., Leon, Y.M., Collar, N.J. and Marsden, S.J., 2021. Street-level green spaces support a key urban population of the threatened Hispaniolan parakeet Psittacara chloropterus. Urban Ecosystems, pp.1-8. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-021-01119-1

Dr Matt Geary (https://mattgeary.github.io/) is a Conservation Ecologist working in the Conservation Biology Research Group at the University of Chester. Twitter: @MattGeary

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Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght – Book Review

a fish owl
on an icy river bank
grabs more than fish

by Jon Hare.

Jonathan Slaght’s book “Owls of the Eastern Ice” is part natural history and part adventure story. The natural history focuses on Blakiston’s fish owl, the largest living species of owl. The adventure focuses on Dr. Slaght’s research on the Blakiston’s fish owl in the Primorye territory of Russia – a rugged region in the Far East bordering the Sea of Japan, North Korea, and China. The region is home to Amur tigers, Asiatic bears, masu salmon, and Blakiston’s fish owls. The region is also home to villages, logging companies, and loners – all living off of the land.

Dr. Slaght’s task is to understand the owl and then develop a conservation plan that the logging companies and local communities can support. This is a well written narrative that is as much a story of the human condition as it is a description of the work necessary to better understand and conserve the fish owl.

Slaght, J.C. 2020. Owls of the Eastern ice: A quest to find and save the world’s largest owl. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 368 pp. ISBN: 9781250798718

Dr. Jon Hare is a scientist who works in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. His research background is fisheries oceanography and climate change impacts on marine fisheries. Check out Jon’s previous sciku ‘Varves’, ‘Cobwebs to Foodwebs’, ‘Signs of Spring’ and ‘Glacier Mice‘.

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The Masterplan by Dr Lisa Holmes

Zoo science prevails

Conservation cannot wait

“Prevent extinction”

By Lisa Holmes

Celebrating its 90th year, Chester Zoo is one of the world’s leading zoo’s, housing more than 500 species and dedicated to their mission of “Preventing extinction”.

This week marks the release of their new 10 year Conservation Masterplan; a bold vision with the aim to tackle the global extinction crisis using six key targets:

  • Preserve options for future conservation for an additional 150 species through conservation breeding and propagation.
  • Halt or reverse the decline of 200 highly threatened populations of plants and animal species in the wild.
  • Improve landscapes for wildlife totalling 250,000 hectares.
  • Train 5,000 conservationists to deliver positive change for wildlife.
  • Empower 10 million people to live more sustainably.
  • Influence change in five major policy areas for wildlife.

Chester Zoo has an integrated approach to conservation using the skills and expertise of their staff, conservation partners, students, academics and supporters.

Dr Lisa Holmes is the Lead Conservation Scientist for Behaviour and Welfare at the zoo. She works closely with the animal curators and teams to provide an evidence-base for management decisions. With her team of staff and students, she conducts research to monitor the wellbeing of all species and is developing tailored welfare assessments for use within the zoo. She is also Vice-Chair of the Animal Welfare Working Group for the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

Check out Lisa’s previous sciku ‘A Zoo Without Bars’.

You can read Chester Zoo’s Conservation Masterplan by clicking on the image below:

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Sawfish Decline

Shout from the rostrum:
‘Poor Carpenters in the soup!’
Such dentistry snared.

Tracking declining animal populations can be tricky enough on land, but in the ocean it’s an even harder proposition. Yet without knowledge of marine animal populations, conservation efforts can’t be directed effectively. One way to solve this issue is to examine drivers of site occupancy – what causes some populations to thrive or decline in an area. Understanding these drivers can allow researchers to predict population declines and gain insight into the probability of local population extinctions.

Sawfish are a family of rays with distinctive long, flat snouts which have horizontal teeth running along the length to resemble saws. Known as rostrums (an alternative definition to the more common meaning of a raised platform for speaking or performing from) they are packed with electroreceptors that allow them to detect prey, whilst the teeth are thought to be used in a swiping motion to incapacitate fish.

Sadly, three of the five sawfish species are Critically Endangered and the other two are Endangered. Since sawfish aren’t commonly sighted keeping track of their populations is hard and there’s little systematic monitoring. To address this Yan et al. (2021) combined data from occurrence surveys with indices of ecological carrying capacity, fishing pressure and management capacity to predict local population extinctions and identify regions where conservation efforts might be most effective.

Overfishing of sawfish is a particular threat: their fins are prized for shark fin soup (whilst sawfish are known as Carpenter sharks, they aren’t actually sharks), their teeth are used as spurs for cockfighting, their rostrum are frequently sold as novelties or trophies, and parts of them are used in traditional medicines in countries including China, Mexico, Brazil, India, Kenya and Iran.

Accidental overfishing is an issue too: their iconic rostrum and teeth are easily tangled in fishing nets and lines. What’s more, untangling sawfish from nets can be difficult and dangerous so some fishermen will kill them before bringing them aboard.

By understanding issues like overfishing and habitat loss Yan et al. were able to show that sawfish are likely to be extinct off the coasts of 55 of the 90 countries where they previously existed. Their findings also suggest that if eight nations prioritise sawfish conservation (Cube, Tanzania, Colombia, Madagascar, Panama, Brazil, Mexico and Sri Lanka), then up to 71.5% of the sawfish family’s historical global distribution would be protected.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb6026

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Hedgerow Snuffling by Roy McGhie

Hedgerow snuffling and
intensive farming practices.
A prickly issue.

By Roy McGhie

Hedgehog numbers are declining. Although hedgehogs are often thought of as a countryside animal, recent studies have shown that they are now most likely to be found in urban habitats in the UK.

A recent paper by Yarnell and Pettett (2020) has reviewed the difficulties they face in the rural environment (namely lack of food availability, habitat connectivity and shelter) and highlighted some of the agri-environment options from which they could benefit. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence around the precise benefits such options (like establishment of field margins and boosting hedgerow cover) would bring. More studies are urgently required before hedgehogs and other insectivores are driven out of the countryside entirely.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091566

Roy McGhie works for Natural England as an Uplands Advisor. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here. If you enjoyed his sciku, check out his previous poems Ghost Ponds, A Heady Mixture and Fluttering by at Dusk.

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Whale shark

Sir Fish of the Stars.
Legacy of violence
reveals your true age.

The whale shark is the largest known fish species on the planet, with the longest specimen recorded at 18.8 meters. These gentle giants swim slowly through tropical waters, filter feeding on plankton and small fishes. No one is clear on how long-lived they are – like all sharks they lack the bony structures (otoliths) that are normally used to assess age in other fish species. Yet researchers now think they have the answer, and it lies in the legacy of the cold war.

Whale shark vertebrate have growth bands that increase as they age, rather like tree rings. The trouble is that without knowing how rapidly these bands form it is hard to use them to work out the age of a whale shark. Yet researchers have worked out a useful method of providing a scale for the growth bands by using the effects of nuclear weapons testing.

In the 1950s and 1960s nuclear bomb tests were carried out by countries on both sides of the Cold War, including in the atmosphere. The result of these tests is that the levels of the naturally occurring radioactive element carbon-14 temporarily increased, entering the food web – including whale shark vertebrate.

Ong et al. (2020) used radiocarbon assays of the growth bands of vertebrate from 20 whale sharks caught by the Taiwanese fishery before it was closed in 2007. They found the sampled whale sharks ranged in age from 15 to 50, and that growth bands appear to form annually. The importance of this is key to conservation efforts as understanding population structure is fundamental to understanding threats to the populations.

A note about ‘Whale shark’: Their size and nature mean that whale sharks are widely respected around the world, even featuring on the 100-peso note in the Philippines. Whale sharks are called ‘marokintana’ in Madagascar, meaning ‘many stars’ in reference to the white markings on their dark backs, whilst in Vietnam they are known as ‘ca ong’ – literally translated as ‘sir fish’.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00188

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Holdfast

Marine forests sway,
sheltering, pristine, unchanged.
For how much longer?

Giant kelp forests are some of the most diverse, productive and dynamic ecosystems on the planet. A marine algae (not a plant), giant kelp anchors itself to the seabed and grows up towards the surface, with some species growing up to 30-60 centimetres vertically a day to reach heights of 45 meters. Whilst typically found in temperate and polar coastal oceans, deep water kelp forests have been discovered in clear tropical waters where the sunlight can penetrate far enough below the water surface for the kelp to grow, potentially as far down as 200 meters.

Kelp forests are home to a vast number of species, from those living in the surface canopy to those on the seafloor. This makes them key areas to protect for species richness, much like rainforests and coral reefs. Yet many kelp forests are under threat due to marine pollution, water quality, kelp harvesting, overfishing, invasive species and climate change.

This makes the recent survey of kelp forests in southern South America heartening. Friedlander et al. (2020) re-surveyed 11 locations at the easternmost extent of Tierra del Fuego and compared their findings to surveys originally conducted in 1973. They found no differences in kelp densities or anchor diameter. Sea urchins, if not kept in check, can decimate kelp forests but the researchers also found no difference in sea urchin numbers. Additionally, comparisons of satellite imagery showed no long-term trends over the past 20 years.

It’s thought that the remoteness of the location has meant these kelp forests have been relatively unaffected by human disturbance, although increases in sea temperature as a result of climate change are likely to have an impact in the future.

A note about ‘Holdfast’ – The title refers to both the wish that kelp forests such as the one surveyed in this study persist and survive, and to the root-like mass that anchors kelp to the seafloor which is known as the kelp’s holdfast.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229259

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Amid fields of rubble

Seamounts amid fields
of rubble, scars and lost gear.
A glimmer of hope.

Seamounts are underwater mountains that rise at least 1,000 meters above the seafloor with their peaks hundreds or even thousands of meters underwater. Seamounts are often thriving areas of marine life, based around high levels of plankton and deep-sea corals.

However the fishing practice of trawling can decimate these areas, destroying corals and causing huge population crashes in the species that depend on them. Deep-sea coral growth rates can be as little as micrometres a year meaning that recovery, if possible, could be very slow. As a result it’s unknown whether protecting areas damaged by trawling is worthwhile or whether once lost these deep-sea communities are unlikely to recover.

New research by Baco et al. (2019) sheds comforting light on this dimly known area. Whilst little evidence supports seamount recovery over 10 years, their study examined recovery following 30-40 years protection from trawling. Encouragingly many of the sites surveyed showed multiple signs of recovery, including coral regrowth and higher levels of animal life compared to areas still being trawled. The research is clear and much needed evidence to support continued seamount protection efforts.

Author’s note: I thought that the research study’s title was too poetic to improve upon so used part of it in this sciku. The full title is ‘Amid fields of rubble, scars, and lost gear, signs of recovery observed on seamounts on 30- to 40-year time scales’ by Amy R. Baco, E. Brendan Roark and Nicole B. Morgan.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw4513

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Whale strike

To avoid striking
whales, great creatures of the sea,
use the app. Impact!

Blue whales can be injured or killed in collisions with ships, particularly in regions where migration routes cross shipping lanes. Yet because they travel huge distances, predicting where whales will be at any given time is difficult. However, now research by Abrahms et al (2019) suggests that statistical modelling techniques may be able to help.

The researchers used satellite tracking data from 104 blue whales across 14 years along with daily information on three-dimensional oceanic habitats to model the whales’ daily distribution. By using an ensemble modelling approach they were able to produce daily, year-round predictions of blue whale habitat suitability in the Californian Current Ecosystem.

The statistical approach allows the researchers to quantify the spatial and temporal distribution of exposure to ship strike risk within shipping lanes in the Southern California Bight. The researchers plan on converting this approach into a downloadable app which would alert ships to the risks of whale collision and could recommend alternative shipping lanes or vessel slow-downs.

It’s a truly fascinating piece of research that seems likely to have a huge impact upon a real-world problem – research at its best.

The sciku also includes a line from Mr Scruff’s truly excellent track ‘Shanty Town’ from his ‘Keep It Unreal’ album released in 1999. The full line is ‘Whales! Great creatures of the sea! Please listen to me!’ It’s well worth checking out!

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12940

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Indigenous Engagement

The benefits of
indigenous engagement:
Ethics and Science.

Local knowledge and an awareness of local context can be integral to conducting a variety of research. However, one thing that’s less often considered is the impact of the diversity of the research team itself.

Conservation research by Ward-Fear et al (2019) into the impact of cane toads on yellow-spotted monitor lizards in Australia has unintentionally produced evidence of the scientific benefits of collaborating with local indigenous people.

Large cane toads are spreading through tropical Australia but are fatally toxic if eaten by yellow-spotted monitor lizards. Ward-Fear et al (2016) trained lizards with smaller, non-lethal cane toads and then compared the survival rates of trained and non-trained lizards in the wild over an 18 month period. They found that trained lizards had a greater survival rate than non-trained lizards, suggesting that the training helped the lizards to avoid eating the larger toxic cane toads.

Yet their study also revealed the importance of researcher diversity. In monitoring the population of lizards over 18 months, the research team included western scientists (professional, nonindigenous ecologists) and indigenous rangers (Australian-Aboriginal Traditional Owners of the region).

The indigenous rangers saw lizards from a greater distance, in more dense vegetation, under poorer light levels, and more frequently when the lizard was stationary. Additionally, when assessing the behavioural traits of the lizards, those that were spotted by the indigenous rangers were found to be more shy. What’s more, the ranger caught lizards appeared to benefit more from the training against the toxic cane toads.

All this highlights the importance of cultural diversity within research teams and in particular shows that indigenous collaboration can be utterly crucial for conservation efforts.

Original research:

Training of predatory lizards reduces their vulnerability to invasive toxic prey: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0863

Collaboration with indigenous peoples can alter the outcomes of conservation research: https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12643

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Domino effect

Domino effect.

Ocean-behaviour-hookworms

lead to seal pup deaths.

 

The web of life, food chains, ecological balance – there are a lot of terms that indicate how interlinked ecosystems are. A recent, tragic example of this is how a rise in ocean temperatures can indirectly result in increased seal pup death from hookworm infection.

Seguel et al (2018) found that sea temperatures influenced the survival of South American fur seal pups. Sea temperatures effect wind patterns and ocean currents, changing the abundance of nutrients and as a result fishes. Higher sea temperatures resulted in lower fish abundance, meaning that fur seal mothers needed to spend more time at sea feeding, consequentially spending less time with their pups. The reduced maternal care led to lower pup growth rates and a less effective immune system, making the fur seal pups more susceptible and less likely to successfully fight off hookworm infection.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.38432

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Wild, rural, urban

Mammal density

wild, rural, urban – the same.

Rocking the suburbs.

 

Urban development encroaches on natural spaces, reducing and altering animal habitats. A consequence of this is that many species have evolved to live around humans, although developed areas are thought to have low species diversity and abundance.

Yet research by Parsons et al (2018) in coordination with citizen scientist volunteers suggests this might not be the case. Using camera traps placed in areas of varying development (from wild to urban) and scale (from forests to yards) the researchers found that mammals were found in similar or higher levels of abundancy and species richness in developed areas compared to wild areas. The research highlights the need to conserve wild areas and preserve green spaces within cities.

The keen eyed may spot that the final line of this sciku is a reference to Ben Folds’ first solo album ‘Rockin’ the Suburbs’, released in 2001.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.38012.001

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Lingering threat

PCB. Lingering threat.

Slinking up food chains, silent.

Killing the killers.

 

PCBs – polychlorinated biphenyls – were widely used in a variety of manufacturing techniques until they were linked to health problems such as increasing the risk of cancer, disrupting the immune system and impairing reproduction. Despite a ban on their use, the compounds remain an environmental contamination and can accumulate in the tissues of animals, passing up the food chain to accumulate in dangerous levels in apex predators.

Whilst killer whales are one of the most populous mammal species on the planet, research by Desforges et al (2018) suggests that PCB pollution could result in a collapse in over 50% of the world’s killer whale populations. The researchers amalgamated data on PCB concentrations in killer whale tissues from across the world and modelled the predicted impacts of PCB pollution over the next 100 years. The results highlight how important it is to be aware of potential environmental issues, even with species that appear to be thriving.

Original research: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6409/1373

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No catch-22

Does the protected

lion eat conserved zebra?

Phew! No catch-22!

 

Recovering predator populations as a result of conservation work can result in impacts on their prey species populations, causing issues if those prey species are themselves endangered. One case in particular is whether lions exert top-down pressure on Grevy’s zebra in Kenya – does the recovery plan of one species negatively affect the conservation of another?

A study by O’Brien et al (2018) suggests we need not worry in this case – working in Laikipia County in Kenya the researchers found that lions were less likely to prey on Grevy’s zebra than expected. In fact, population trends suggest that the Grevy’s zebra population in Kenya may be stabilising. The researchers conclude that the most likely threat to Grevy’s zebra are competition for grass with Plain’s zebra and the impact of livestock.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201983

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Fluttering by at dusk by Roy McGhie

Fluttering by at dusk,

dawn, and in between.

Crop diversity!

Recent research by Olimpi & Philpott (2018) concludes that crop diversity as a management practice drives bat activity, and that crop diversity and less frequent pesticide use increase bats’ insect prey populations. The study notes that this could be a useful management tool where other options, such as hedgerow or tree management, are not available.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.06.008

Roy McGhie works for Natural England as an Uplands Advisor. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here. If you enjoyed his sciku, check out his previous poems Ghost Ponds, A Heady Mixture and Hedgerow Snuffling.

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Where are all the wildflowers?

Monoculture crops.

Where are all the wildflowers?

Where is all the life?

 

Modern intensive agricultural practices have had a devastating impact upon the native wildlife that inhabits arable land, from the density of worms in the soil to the number of apex predators patrolling the skies. In particular, monoculture crops, herbicides, pesticides and the removal of hedgerows have resulted in depleted numbers of invertebrates and subsequently the numbers and variety of birds and other vertebrates that feed upon them.

The farmer and writer John Lewis-Stempel approached this issue by taking a small arable field in south Herefordshire, UK, and spending a year growing wheat following traditional methods. Whilst sowing a mix of wheat he also sowed various species of wildflower, both in the margins of the field and amongst the crop itself. As the year processed he charted the wildlife that appeared in the field, from harvestmen and worms to hares and barn owls.

The blossoming of life was astonishing, absent in the vast, monoculture fields that dominate much of agricultural Britain. Lewis-Stempel’s work begs the question whether such endeavours if repeated across the countryside could transform the levels of biodiversity in the UK? Are the (supposed) gains that modern intensive farming bring worth the environmental devastation they create? As a consumer I am guilty of benefitting from cheap food, it’s hard not to be. But as Lewis-Stempel says “every time one buys the lie of cheap food a flower or a bird dies”. I do believe in flowers and birds, I do, I do.

I can’t recommend his book documenting the project enough: ‘The Running Hare: The Secret Life of Farmland’. From the quality of the prose to the clearly outlined arguments throughout, it is outstanding. If you care about native species, conservation or agriculture then this is essential reading. For everyone else it’s just highly recommended. (And how nice it is to see Herefordshire getting any form of recognition or acknowledgement in the media).

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Forgotten value

Forgotten value

of seagrass meadows. Crucial

for world’s fisheries.

Life in the ocean is under threat from a variety of manmade issues, including climate change, mining and over-fishing. Yet our understanding of marine ecosystems still remains far from complete.

New research by Unsworth et al (2018) has revealed just how important seagrass meadows are for fish populations and as a result for humanity’s fisheries. Seagrass meadows are found in the shallow seas around all the continents (aside from Antarctica) between the intertidal zone and 60 meters deep.

The researchers found that seagrass meadows provide a nursery habitat for over a fifth of the world’s largest 25 fisheries and provide support to a large number of other small-scale fisheries around the world. The study indicates that these seagrass meadows should be maintained in order to maximise their role in global fisheries production.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12566

Interested in seagrass meadows? They also play a hugely important role in sequestering carbon. Find out more with this sciku here.

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Giant becomes five

Giant becomes five

endangered salamanders.

Hidden extinction?

 

The Chinese Giant salamander is the world’s largest amphibian, adults can be 2 meters long and weigh up to 50 kg. It’s critically endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction, fungal infection and because the species is used as a luxury food source in China. It is kept in far greater numbers in captivity as a result of it being farmed for food. Two studies published in Current Biology add additional concerns for the future of this species in the wild.

In what is thought to be the largest wildlife survey conducted in China, Turvey et al (2018) found that giant salamander populations were either critically depleted or had been eradicated, as well as finding plenty of evidence for illegal poaching. The researchers were unable to confirm the survival of wild Chinese giant salamanders at any of their survey sites, raising the question of whether this species is all but extinct in the wild.

In a companion piece of research, Yan et al (2018) performed a genetic analysis on Chinese giant salamanders and found that the species actually consists of at least five species-level lineages, potentially up to eight. This suggests that some of these distinct lineages (effectively separate species) may well have already gone extinct in the wild – a phenomenon known as cryptic or hidden extinction. This has crucial importance for conservation efforts, particularly with regards to re-releases from captive populations where the five lineages have been mixed and the resulting offspring are effectively hybrids.

Original research:

Turvey et al (2018): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.005

Yan et al (2018): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.004

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Cuckoo bee

No longer extinct,

cuckoo bee, nest parasite,

found further afield.

 

The Macropis Cuckoo Bee was thought to be extinct until the early 2000s when a specimen was found in Nova Scotia. The bee is one of the rarest bees in North America, with only a handful found during the past decades. A new specimen found in Alberta and reported by Sheffield and Heron (2018) has now pushed the known geographical range of the Macropis Cuckoo Bee further west and gives hope to the continued survival of this species.

The Macropis Cuckoo Bee lays its eggs in the nests of Macropis bees and therefore requires the presence of its hosts in order to reproduce, yet cuckoo bees are not always found where their hosts are. In turn Macropis bees are entirely dependent on plants of the primrose genus meaning that the there is a chain of co-dependence between the plants, bees and cuckoo bees.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.6.e22837

 

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Reservoir or predator

African clawed frog –

reservoir or predator

of the fungal blight?

Amphibian populations worldwide are being devastated by a fungal infection (known as chytrid or Bd). As an invasive species and carrier of the fungal infection African clawed frogs are often blamed for the spread of chytrid and the current conservation crisis.

Research by Wilson et al (2018) suggests the story is more complicated than it at first seems though. Field studies in California suggest a 10% level of Bd infection in the frogs, with infected individuals having very low levels of infection. Additionally, larval clawed frogs appear to eat the Bd zoospores and may therefore actually be helping to reduce the negative impact and spread of the fungus. Unfortunately the study also suggests that the frog larvae also eat Daphnia, which are another predator of the Bd zoospores.

This latest research adds to growing evidence suggesting that African clawed frogs may not be as guilty as they seemed at first.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191537

Interested in African clawed frogs? Check out these other Xenopus sciku: ‘Clawed frogs indicate‘, ‘Have frog, will travel‘, ‘Fungal culprit‘ and ‘Xenopus enrichment‘.

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Rivers cut corners by John Norwood

Rivers cut corners

Reducing the meander

Over centuries

This poem is one of several that were inspired looking out of an airplane window. I was looking at an oxbow lake and thinking about how the river took a short cut. It is a simple reflection on what may seem static is decidedly not so with a shift of time frame. Incidentally, someone called me on this, claiming that rivers actually meander more over time. Turns out both cases can be true, but the meaning of the poem is the same either way.

Oxbow lakes are formed from curves in rivers as the water erodes the banks of bends, pinching off a loop of river that becomes an oxbow lake as it’s isolated from the main body of the river. Many rivers were channelized during the 19th century to be used as water ways, forming artificial oxbow lakes which may since have silted up or dried out. A study by Seidel et al (2017) suggests that reconnecting such oxbow lakes to the main channels might be an important measure for native species conservation and river restoration.

The name oxbow comes from the U-shaped collar that used to be used as a harness around the neck of oxen as they pulled ploughs. Other terms for oxbow lakes are loop lakes, cutoff lakes and horseshoe lakes.

Original Research: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/clen.201600211

John Norwood is a Mechanical Engineer working with Carbon, Inc. to revolutionize how things are made. His interests include old houses, yoga, baking, cryptography, and bluegrass music. You can follow him on Twitter under the handle @pryoga

Enjoyed this sciku? Check out some of John’s other work: Universal truth, The answer is none, God may be defined, With enough data, and Squeamish ossifrage.

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Inbreeding Depression by Prof Fred W. Allendorf

More homozygous

brings inbreeding depression.

Cousins should not mate.

Inbreeding (mating between relatives) results in offspring having reduced fitness. This is known as inbreeding depression and is primarily caused by increased homozygosity at loci with harmful recessive alleles. Small populations, where most or all mates are relatively closely related, are particularly vulnerable to inbreeding and inbreeding depression. The effects of inbreeding depression in small populations can accumulate to reduce the population growth rate and increase the probability of extinction (Keller and Waller 2002).

Despite being of interest since Darwin, inbreeding depression remains a crucial area of research in conservation biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. As global change, habitat destruction, and fragmentation rapidly progress, many natural populations will become smaller and more isolated and consequently more affected by inbreeding depression.

Original Research: Keller, L. F., and D. M. Waller. 2002. Inbreeding effects in wild populations. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 17:230-241. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5347(02)02489-8

Fred W. Allendorf is Regents Professor of Biology Emeritus at the University of Montana. His primary scientific interest is the application of population genetics to conservation biology. He is senior author of the book Conservation and the Genetics of Populations.

Enjoyed this sciku? Check out Fred’s other sciku: Genetic drift, Gene Flow, and Adaptation.

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On a knife edge

Life on a knife edge:

The metabolic demands

facing polar bears.

 

Polar bears rely on marine mammals such as seals which are high-fat prey. Despite the richness of their diet however, new research suggests that a reduction in the prey availability can have severe consequences on polar bear survival.

Pagano et al (2018) monitored nine free-ranging female polar bears over 2 years, measuring their metabolic rates, daily activity patterns, body condition and foraging success. They found that more than half of the bears had an energy deficit resulting from a high metabolic rate (1.6 times higher than previously assumed) and a low intake of the high-fat prey. As fragmentation of sea ice continues and seals become harder to catch the high metabolic requirements of polar bears is likely to become increasingly catastrophic for the species.

Original research: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan8677

 

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Genetic drift by Prof Fred W. Allendorf

Unavoidable

Time and chance happen to all

Wright, genetic drift.

Genetic drift is one of the primary mechanisms of evolution. It is the change in allele frequencies in a population between generations due to the sampling of individuals that become parents and the random binomial sampling of alleles during meiosis. The theory of genetic drift was primarily developed by Sewall Wright.

Genetic drift causes the loss of genetic variation, and it is more pronounced in small and isolated populations. The ongoing human-caused loss of habitat has brought about the loss of genetic variation in many species throughout the world via genetic drift.

Original research:

Wright, S. 1931. Evolution in Mendelian populations. Genetics 16:97-159. http://www.genetics.org/cgi/reprint/16/2/97

Fred W. Allendorf is Regents Professor of Biology Emeritus at the University of Montana. His primary scientific interest is the application of population genetics to conservation biology. He is senior author of the book Conservation and the Genetics of Populations.

Enjoyed this sciku? Check out Fred’s other sciku: Inbreeding Depression, Gene Flow, and Adaptation.

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Equal rights for parasites by Donald A. Windsor

All over the Earth

Equal rights for parasites!

All life forms conserved!

 

Most of the species on Earth are parasites, so parasites are an
integral part of Earth’s biosphere. Parasites enable ecosystems to
function, mainly by preventing monocultures and generating
biodiversity. Therefore, it certainly seems prudent to conserve
parasites. Admittedly, parasites are not warm, fuzzy attractions and
even horrify most people. Consequently, conserving parasites is an
uphill battle. To cheer on supporters, I came up with the catchy
slogan, “Equal rights for parasites!”

Original research:

Windsor, Donald A. Equal rights for parasites. Perspectives in
Biology and Medicine 1997 Winter; 40(2): 222-229. https://doi.org/10.1353/pbm.1997.0011

Windsor, Donald A. Most of the species on Earth are parasites.
International Journal for Parasitology 1998 Dec; 28(12): 1939-1941. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7519(98)00153-2

Windsor, Donald A.  Parasites’ rights gaining ground.  Nature 2017 December 21/28; 552(7685): 334. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-017-08873-3

Donald A. Windsor, a biologist with a multidisciplinary background, is
fascinated by the enormous impact parasites have on ecosystems. He
retired from industrial pharmaceutical research and development 23
years ago. He is currently affiliated with the Ronin Institute for
Independent Scholarship. His blog is:
http://www.parasitesdominate.blogspot.com/ 

Enjoyed this sciku? Check out Donald’s other sciku: Native American Dugout Canoe in Central New York.

 

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A zoo without bars by Dr Lisa Holmes

A zoo without bars –

Building thoughtful habitats

for all to explore.

Chester Zoo (www.chesterzoo.org) is a registered conservation and education charity that supports projects around the world and closer to home in Cheshire. Welcoming 1.9 million visitors a year, it is the most visited zoo in the UK; home to over 15,000 animals and more than 500 different species, many of which are endangered in the wild.

Chester Zoo has continued with the ‘always building’ philosophy of our founder, George Mottershead, who created the UK’s first zoo without bars and focused on animal wellbeing and conservation. In 2015 Chester Zoo opened Islands which was the largest zoological development in the UK to date. The Islands expedition is an immersive experience, taking visitors through six South East Asian islands to discover the incredible wildlife native to those areas and highlight the conservation issues that the zoo staff are working hard to address.

Modern day zoo research encompasses many aspects of biological and social sciences with the overall aim to address challenges faced in the natural world. Chester Zoo not only supports conservation research both in- and ex-situ but leads on important projects both in the UK and across the globe to improve the management of animals and plants, influence sustainability of wild populations and inspire others to Act for Wildlife.

Lisa Holmes is the Behaviour and Welfare Scientist within the Applied Science team at Chester Zoo. Her role involves working closely with the animal curators and keepers to provide evidence-based recommendations to enhance animal wellbeing and help to inform enclosure design. Lisa supervises postgraduate and sandwich placement students who help to gather key data for a wide range of species. Lisa’s research team are currently working on a long-term project assessing the response of species which have moved into the new Islands habitats.

Check out Lisa’s latest sciku ‘The Masterplan’ here.

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Declining monarchs

Declining monarchs:

Habitat not climate is

your Achilles’ heel.

 

Understanding why a species is declining is a large part of establishing a suitable conservation approach. In North America the monarch butterfly population has sharply declined in recent decades, yet the reasons for this were unclear until now.

Thogmartin et al (2017) investigated monarch butterfly populations and found that the decline is largely down to habitat loss from herbicide use and the loss of overwinter forest, as well as insecticides. Whilst climate impacts on yearly population size, this is not enough to explain the decreases in monarch butterfly population recorded over recent decades.

Original Research : https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170760

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Flocks of new markers

Little white sponges,

filtering in mining zones:

Flocks of new markers.

 

New species are being discovered all the time and even the most innocuous can be important. A new species of sponge has been discovered and recorded by Lim et al (2017) at a depth of 4000m on the abyssal seafloor of the central Pacific Ocean. Morphologic and genetic analysis of the sponges (Plenaster craigi) has revealed they are a new genus, currently placed within the family Stelligeridae.

The region where the sponges are found is rich in polymetallic (metal-rich) nodules and may well be subjected to deep-sea mining. The sponges could be useful indicators of the impacts of such mining efforts – they are abundant on the nodules, are easily identified and are filter-feeders so sensitive to changing conditions.

The Latin name Plenaster is due to the abundance of star-shaped microscleres within their bodies, whilst the species name of craigi is in honour of the Chief Scientist on the expeditions that sampled the species Professor Craig R. Smith of the University of Hawaii.

Original research: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2017.1358218