Conservation of vertebrate fauna using hollows in forests of south-west Western Australia: strategic risk assessment in relation to ecology, policy, planning, and operations management

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Abbott ◽  
Kim Whitford
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Eucalyptus Marginata ◽  
South West ◽  
Standing Trees

Forty-two vertebrate species use hollows in live standing trees in the forests of south-west Westem Australia. We determined the reliance of each of these species on hollows in standing trees, assessed the relative frequency of occurrence of suitable hollows (based on the size of hollow and hollow entry), and further categorized species by the size of their home range and their current dependence on publicly-owned forest. No species was identified as being at high or immediate risk of decline. Eight species (6 bird, 2 mammal) were identified as excellent candidates for monitoring, with one species (Trichosurus vulpecula) most likely to provide the earliest indication of any critical reduction in the long-term supply of large hollows at small spatial scales. Past impacts of Aborigines and Europeans on populations of the larger species are likely to have been substantial, as these were hunted for food and trapped for fur. Hollow-using species are considered at present to be adequately safeguarded by: extensive areas of forest reserved from logging; science-based prescriptions mandating the retention of trees in Jarrah Eucalyptus marginata forest available for timber harvesting; a forest-wide baiting program to reduce predation by the introduced Red fox Vulpes vulpes; and a 70 year tradition of adaptive forest management. The recovery of populations of medium-sized mammal species following control of foxes will provide an opportunity to re-assess the adequacy of current hollow-management strategies. Future research should include modelling of stand structure, determining the home range of priority species, and assessing the extent of overlap of home ranges. Monitoring of indicator hollow-using species should take place at landscape scales.

Characteristics of nest trees and nest hollows used by the forest red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso) in south-west Western Australia: comments on Johnstone et al. (2013)

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 133
Author(s):  
K. R. Whitford ◽  
D. Wiseman ◽  
W. L. McCaw ◽  
F. J. Bradshaw
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Substantial Contribution ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Eucalyptus Marginata ◽  
South West ◽  
Size And Age Structure ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Minimum Age ◽  
Management Context

Johnstone et al. (2013) (Pacific Conservation Biology 19, 122–141) make a substantial contribution to the knowledge of the forest red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso) (FRTBC), presenting data on nest hollows and nest tree attributes. They discuss the threats to the current and future breeding hollows and conclude that ‘we are facing a major crisis in southern forests’. Although there are sound reasons for concern over the conservation of cockatoo species, the imminence of a crisis is not established by the data presented. We provide spatial and management context and present data relevant to discussion of threats to FRTBC hollows in south-west Western Australia. The primary strategy for providing habitat across the publicly owned forests is reservation, which formally excludes timber harvesting from more than 50% (1.3 million ha) of the forest, informally protects a further 11%, and protects habitat trees within harvested areas. Timber harvesting in these forests generally involves partial cutting, which retains trees of a wide range of size and age classes. A realistic minimum age for trees bearing hollows used by FRTBC in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest is ~120–150 years (trees diameters of 50–60 cm), well below the 209 years highlighted by Johnstone et al. (2013). Most nest hollows occur in intermediate-sized trees. Clustering of FRTBC nest trees was not demonstrated in their data but is worthy of further investigation. Improved estimates of nest tree availability and loss would provide perspective on the threats to FRTBC, as would knowledge of population size and age structure of the FRTBC. The protection of known nest trees and control of feral competitors, where possible, would benefit FRTBC.

Biodiversity of canopy arthropods in Jarrah forest of south-west Western Australia: review of ecological theory and conservation management

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Abbott ◽  
Allan Wills
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Jarrah Forest ◽  
Eucalyptus Marginata ◽  
Arthropod Species ◽  
South West ◽  
Landscape Scales ◽  
Conservation Threats

A theory proposed in 1996 by Recher, Majer and Ganesh linking biodiversity of forest canopy arthropods to site productivity is analysed. Available evidence from Jarrah Eucalyptus marginata forest is inconsistent with this model. We instead propose that increased habitat variety and temperature and rainfall clines are the major environmental factors that determine canopy arthropod species richness. Biodiversity gradients for mammal, landbird and reptile species across south-west Western Australia appear to provide an appropriate model for forest insect faunas. These gradients predict that the most diverse canopy fauna should occur in the eastern Jarrah and Wandoo forests. Precautionary forest management policies and procedures currently in place to conserve the poorly collected and inadequately known arthropod fauna of tree crowns in Jarrah forest are summarized and discussed. In essence, these maximize habitat diversity at landscape scales. Major conservation threats are considered to be factors that reduce leaf area at large spatial (Phytophthora infection) and temporal scales (summer wildfire and defoliating insect outbreaks). Logging is not considered significant because it is constrained to small spatial scales (10 ha for the most extreme treatment) and long return times (2-3 decades).

Old-growth forest reserves in Slovenia: the past, present, and future

2012 ◽  
Vol 163 (6) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Nagel ◽  
Jurij Diaci ◽  
Dusan Rozenbergar ◽  
Tihomir Rugani ◽  
Dejan Firm
Keyword(s):  
Stand Structure ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Forest Reserves ◽  
The Past ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Remnants ◽  
Basic Characteristics

Old-growth forest reserves in Slovenia: the past, present, and future Slovenia has a small number of old-growth forest remnants, as well as many forest reserves approaching old-growth conditions. In this paper, we describe some of the basic characteristics of these old-growth remnants and the history of their protection in Slovenia. We then trace the long-term development of research in these old-growth remnants, with a focus on methodological changes. We also review some of the recent findings from old-growth research in Slovenia and discuss future research needs. The conceptual understanding of how these forests work has slowly evolved, from thinking of them in terms of stable systems to more dynamic and unpredictable ones due to the influence of natural disturbances and indirect human influences. In accordance with this thinking, the methods used to study old-growth forests have changed from descriptions of stand structure to studies that address natural processes and ecosystem functions.

scholarly journals Operations management of smart logistics: A literature review and future research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Feng ◽  
Qiwen Ye
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Optimization Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Smart Logistics ◽  
Promising Solution ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Offline Channels ◽  
The Internet Of Things

AbstractThe global collaboration and integration of online and offline channels have brought new challenges to the logistics industry. Thus, smart logistics has become a promising solution for handling the increasing complexity and volume of logistics operations. Technologies, such as the Internet of Things, information communication technology, and artificial intelligence, enable more efficient functions into logistics operations. However, they also change the narrative of logistics management. Scholars in the areas of engineering, logistics, transportation, and management are attracted by this revolution. Operations management research on smart logistics mainly concerns the application of underlying technologies, business logic, operation framework, related management system, and optimization problems under specific scenarios. To explore these studies, the related literature has been systematically reviewed in this work. On the basis of the research gaps and the needs of industrial practices, future research directions in this field are also proposed.

scholarly journals Optimization of Plasmodium vivax sporozoite production from Anopheles stephensi in South West India

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajeet Kumar Mohanty ◽  
Charles de Souza ◽  
Deepika Harjai ◽  
Prathamesh Ghavanalkar ◽  
Mezia Fernandes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
Plasmodium Vivax ◽  
Anopheles Stephensi ◽  
Parasite Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Gametocyte Density ◽  
Feeding Experiments ◽  
South West ◽  
Membrane Feeding

Abstract Background Efforts to study the biology of Plasmodium vivax liver stages, particularly the latent hypnozoites, have been hampered by the limited availability of P. vivax sporozoites. Anopheles stephensi is a major urban malaria vector in Goa and elsewhere in South Asia. Using P. vivax patient blood samples, a series of standard membrane-feeding experiments were performed with An. stephensi under the US NIH International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) for Malaria Evolution in South Asia (MESA). The goal was to understand the dynamics of parasite development in mosquitoes as well as the production of P. vivax sporozoites. To obtain a robust supply of P. vivax sporozoites, mosquito-rearing and mosquito membrane-feeding techniques were optimized, which are described here. Methods Membrane-feeding experiments were conducted using both wild and laboratory-colonized An. stephensi mosquitoes and patient-derived P. vivax collected at the Goa Medical College and Hospital. Parasite development to midgut oocysts and salivary gland sporozoites was assessed on days 7 and 14 post-feeding, respectively. The optimal conditions for mosquito rearing and feeding were evaluated to produce high-quality mosquitoes and to yield a high sporozoite rate, respectively. Results Laboratory-colonized mosquitoes could be starved for a shorter time before successful blood feeding compared with wild-caught mosquitoes. Optimizing the mosquito-rearing methods significantly increased mosquito survival. For mosquito feeding, replacing patient plasma with naïve serum increased sporozoite production > two-fold. With these changes, the sporozoite infection rate was high (> 85%) and resulted in an average of ~ 22,000 sporozoites per mosquito. Some mosquitoes reached up to 73,000 sporozoites. Sporozoite production could not be predicted from gametocyte density but could be predicted by measuring oocyst infection and oocyst load. Conclusions Optimized conditions for the production of high-quality P. vivax sporozoite-infected An. stephensi were established at a field site in South West India. This report describes techniques for producing a ready resource of P. vivax sporozoites. The improved protocols can help in future research on the biology of P. vivax liver stages, including hypnozoites, in India, as well as the development of anti-relapse interventions for vivax malaria.

scholarly journals Are We Doing ‘Systems’ Research? An Assessment of Methods for Climate Change Adaptation to Hydrohazards in a Complex World

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bedinger ◽  
Lindsay Beevers ◽  
Lila Collet ◽  
Annie Visser
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Nature ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Time Scales ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Multiple Time Scales ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Systems Research

Climate change is a product of the Anthropocene, and the human–nature system in which we live. Effective climate change adaptation requires that we acknowledge this complexity. Theoretical literature on sustainability transitions has highlighted this and called for deeper acknowledgment of systems complexity in our research practices. Are we heeding these calls for ‘systems’ research? We used hydrohazards (floods and droughts) as an example research area to explore this question. We first distilled existing challenges for complex human–nature systems into six central concepts: Uncertainty, multiple spatial scales, multiple time scales, multimethod approaches, human–nature dimensions, and interactions. We then performed a systematic assessment of 737 articles to examine patterns in what methods are used and how these cover the complexity concepts. In general, results showed that many papers do not reference any of the complexity concepts, and no existing approach addresses all six. We used the detailed results to guide advancement from theoretical calls for action to specific next steps. Future research priorities include the development of methods for consideration of multiple hazards; for the study of interactions, particularly in linking the short- to medium-term time scales; to reduce data-intensivity; and to better integrate bottom–up and top–down approaches in a way that connects local context with higher-level decision-making. Overall this paper serves to build a shared conceptualisation of human–nature system complexity, map current practice, and navigate a complexity-smart trajectory for future research.

Mapping wildlife: integrating stakeholder knowledge with modelled patterns of deer abundance by using participatory GIS

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Austin ◽  
S. Cinderby ◽  
J. C. R. Smart ◽  
D. Raffaelli ◽  
P. C. L. White
Keyword(s):  
Community Involvement ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Participatory Gis ◽  
Wild Deer

Context. Some species that are perceived by certain stakeholders as a valuable resource can also cause ecological or economic damage, leading to contrasting management objectives and subsequent conflict between stakeholder groups. There is increasing recognition that the integration of stakeholder knowledge with formal scientific data can enhance the information available for use in management. This is especially true where scientific understanding is incomplete, as is frequently the case for wide-ranging species, which can be difficult to monitor directly at the landscape scale. Aims. The aim of the research was to incorporate stakeholder knowledge with data derived from formal quantitative models to modify predictions of wildlife distribution and abundance, using wild deer in the UK as an example. Methods. We use selected predictor variables from a deer–vehicle collision model to estimate deer densities at the 10-km square level throughout the East of England. With these predictions as a baseline, we illustrate the use of participatory GIS as a methodological framework for enabling stakeholder participation in the refinement of landscape-scale deer abundance maps. Key results. Stakeholder participation resulted in modifications to modelled abundance patterns for all wild deer species present in the East of England, although the modifications were minor and there was a high degree of consistency among stakeholders in the adjustments made. For muntjac, roe and fallow deer, the majority of stakeholder changes represented an increase in density, suggesting that populations of these species are increasing in the region. Conclusions. Our results show that participatory GIS is a useful technique for enabling stakeholders to contribute to incomplete scientific knowledge, especially where up-to-date species distribution and abundance data are needed to inform wildlife research and management. Implications. The results of the present study will serve as a valuable information base for future research on deer management in the region. The flexibility of the approach makes it applicable to a range of species at different spatial scales and other wildlife conflict issues. These may include the management of invasive species or the conservation of threatened species, where accurate spatial data and enhanced community involvement are necessary in order to facilitate effective management.

scholarly journals Changes in landscape composition influence the decline of a threatened woodland caribou population

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Wittmer ◽  
B McLellan ◽  
R Serrouya ◽  
C Apps
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Apparent Competition ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Vital Rates ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Habitat Alterations

Large-scale habitat loss is frequently identified with loss of biodiversity, but examples of the direct effect of habitat alterations on changes in vital rates remain rare. Quantifying and understanding the relationship between habitat composition and changes in vital rates, however, is essential for the development of effective conservation strategies. It has been suggested that the decline of woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou populations in North America is precipitated by timber harvesting that creates landscapes of early seral forests. Such habitat changes have altered the predator-prey system resulting in asymmetric predation, where predators are maintained by alternative prey (i.e. apparent competition). However, a direct link between habitat condition and caribou population declines has not been documented. We estimated survival probabilities for the threatened arboreal lichen-feeding ecotype of woodland caribou in British Columbia, Canada, at two different spatial scales. At the broader scale, observed variation in adult female survival rates among 10 distinct populations (range = 0.67-0.93) was best explained by variation in the amount of early seral stands within population ranges and population density. At the finer scale, home ranges of caribou killed by predators had lower proportions of old forest and more mid-aged forest as compared with multi-annual home ranges where caribou were alive. These results are consistent with predictions from the apparent competition hypothesis and quantify direct fitness consequences for caribou following habitat alterations. We conclude that apparent competition can cause rapid population declines and even extinction where changes in species composition occur following large scale habitat change. © 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2007 British Ecological Society.

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