scholarly journals A review of climatic change as a determinant of the viability of koala populations

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hailee J. Reckless ◽  
Michael Murray ◽  
Mathew S. Crowther
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Toxic Chemicals ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Local Conservation ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Low Genetic Diversity ◽  
Anthropogenic Processes ◽  
The Impact

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) occupies a broad range of eastern and southern Australia, extending over tropical coastal, semiarid inland and temperate regions. In many areas koala populations are under threat, in particular from the direct and indirect effects of ongoing habitat destruction due to increased urbanisation and other anthropogenic processes. Climate change presents additional threats to the integrity of koala habitats because many species of food and non-food trees have narrow climate envelopes and are unable to adapt to altered temperatures and rainfall. Climate extremes also produce physiological stresses in koalas that may increase the likelihood of outbreaks of chlamydiosis and other diseases. Climate change–related increases in the relative content of toxic chemicals in leaves are further stresses to the koala after ingestion. In addition, populations that originated from a small number of founder individuals are at potential risk due to their relatively low genetic diversity. Strategies that maintain residual habitat fragments and promote the construction of new refugia are now being formulated. Modelling of the impact of habitat metrics on koala distribution is providing important information that can be used in the rehabilitation of koala refugia. In future these models could be augmented with metrics that describe koala homeostasis to inform local conservation strategies. These considerations are also relevant for the maintenance of other taxa in the wider ecosystem that are also at risk from habitat destruction and climate change.

scholarly journals Conservation strategies to mitigate impacts from climate change in Amazonia

2008 ◽  
Vol 363 (1498) ◽  
pp. 1881-1888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J Killeen ◽  
Luis A Solórzano
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Humid Forest ◽  
Infrastructure Investments ◽  
Conservation Corridors ◽  
The Impact

Protected area systems and conservation corridors can help mitigate the impacts of climate change on Amazonian biodiversity. We propose conservation design criteria that will help species survive in situ or adjust range distributions in response to increased drought. The first priority is to protect the western Amazon, identified as the ‘Core Amazon’, due to stable rainfall regimes and macro-ecological phenomena that have led to the evolution of high levels of biodiversity. Ecotones can buffer the impact from climate change because populations are genetically adapted to climate extremes, particularly seasonality, because high levels of habitat diversity are associated with edaphic variability. Future climatic tension zones should be surveyed for geomorphological features that capture rain or conserve soil moisture to identify potential refugia for humid forest species. Conservation corridors should span environmental gradients to ensure that species can shift range distributions. Riparian corridors provide protection to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Multiple potential altitudinal corridors exist in the Andes, but natural and anthropogenic bottlenecks will constrain the ability of species to shift their ranges and adapt to climate change. Planned infrastructure investments are a serious threat to the potential to consolidate corridors over the short and medium term.

scholarly journals The Impact of Human Pressure and Climate Change on the Habitat Availability and Protection of Cypripedium (Orchidaceae) in Northeast China

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Huanchu Liu ◽  
Hans Jacquemyn ◽  
Xingyuan He ◽  
Wei Chen ◽  
Yanqing Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Changbai Mountains ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Human Pressure ◽  
Terrestrial Orchids ◽  
The Future ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
The Impact

Human pressure on the environment and climate change are two important factors contributing to species decline and overall loss of biodiversity. Orchids may be particularly vulnerable to human-induced losses of habitat and the pervasive impact of global climate change. In this study, we simulated the extent of the suitable habitat of three species of the terrestrial orchid genus Cypripedium in northeast China and assessed the impact of human pressure and climate change on the future distribution of these species. Cypripedium represents a genus of long-lived terrestrial orchids that contains several species with great ornamental value. Severe habitat destruction and overcollection have led to major population declines in recent decades. Our results showed that at present the most suitable habitats of the three species can be found in Da Xing’an Ling, Xiao Xing’an Ling and in the Changbai Mountains. Human activity was predicted to have the largest impact on species distributions in the Changbai Mountains. In addition, climate change was predicted to lead to a shift in distribution towards higher elevations and to an increased fragmentation of suitable habitats of the three investigated Cypripedium species in the study area. These results will be valuable for decision makers to identify areas that are likely to maintain viable Cypripedium populations in the future and to develop conservation strategies to protect the remaining populations of these enigmatic orchid species.

scholarly journals Exploring farmers’ perception on climate-induced events and adaptation practices to protect crop production and livestock farming in Haor area of northeastern Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tasneem Chowdhury Fahim ◽  
Bivuti Bhushan Sikder
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
Adaptation Practices ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Bangladesh is confronting terrible impacts of climate change on agriculture across the country, especially in the low-lying area like- Haor, coastal region, and islands. This behavioral study (N = 320) examines the perception and knowledge of farmers on climate-induced events and experiences, and explores the adaptation practices they adopt to protect crop production and livestock farming from the impact of climate change in the Northeastern Haor area of the country. Using triangulation method, it is detected that farmers of the study area have erroneous idea on climate change and the causes of frequent climate extremes. Study results show that respondents’ perception and experiences on climate-induced event are verified positively with the historical trend and time-series analysis of climate indicators as well as with the findings of researchers using PRA tools and techniques. This study explores the traditional and systematic adaptation approaches of farmers which are practiced in individual or community level. The rationale of each of the approach from respondents’ side is also analyzed in the study. It is statistically tested using chi-square that some of the scientific and systematic adaptation options for crop production is predominantly influenced by the educational qualifications of the respondents. The study reveals that lack of proper information prevents subsistence farmers to find the most effective adaptation pathways.

Evaluating the effect of climate change on snow load on structures

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pietro Croce ◽  
Paolo Formichi ◽  
Filippo Landi ◽  
Francesca Marsili
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Regional Climate Models ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Uncertainty Range ◽  
Greenhouse Gasses ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
The Impact

<p>As consequence of global warming extreme weather events might become more frequent and severe across the globe. The evaluation of the impact of climate change on extremes is then a crucial issue for the resilience of infrastructures and buildings and is a key challenge for adaptation planning. In this paper, a suitable procedure for the estimation of future trends of climatic actions is presented starting from the output of regional climate models and taking into account the uncertainty in the model itself. In particular, the influence of climate change on ground snow loads is discussed in detail and the typical uncertainty range is determined applying an innovative algorithm for weather generation. Considering different greenhouse gasses emission scenarios, some results are presented for the Italian Mediterranean region proving the ability of the method to define factors of change for climate extremes also allowing a sound estimate of the uncertainty range associated with different models.</p>

Populations, communities, and conservation

2020 ◽  
pp. 140-154
Author(s):  
Graham Scott
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Range Expansion ◽  
Population Change ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Habitat Availability ◽  
Natural Range ◽  
Avian Diseases ◽  
The Impact

In this final chapter populations, population change, and population regulation are discussed, particularly in the context of threats to species and the conservation strategies employed to protect them. Population size, structure, and distribution in relation to ecology and habitat availability are analysed. The movements and establishment of species through natural range expansion and through introduction are considered in the context of climate change, conservation, and threat. The impact and management of emerging avian diseases is discussed. Extinction, the threat of extinction, and conservation efforts are considered and throughout the chapter the roles of professional and citizen scientist ornithologists are emphasized.

scholarly journals Modeling the Potential Distribution of Three Taxa of Akebia Decne. under Climate Change Scenarios in China

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1710
Author(s):  
Xiuting Wang ◽  
Wenwen Zhang ◽  
Xin Zhao ◽  
Huiqin Zhu ◽  
Limiao Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Potential Distribution ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Sustainable Utilization ◽  
Entropy Model ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Diurnal Range ◽  
The Impact

Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz., Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis (Diels) T. Shimizu and Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Decne. are the source plants of the traditional Chinese medicines AKEBIAE CAULIS and AKEBIAE FRUCTUS, and have high pharmaceutical value. However, the resource reserve of these plants has dramatically declined due to habitat destruction, which has seriously affected their adequate supply and sustainable utilization. A poor knowledge of the potential distribution of these medicinal materials would seriously constrain the protective exploitation of wild resources and the establishment of new cultivations. In this study, based on the scenarios of SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5, the maximum entropy model was used to predict the potential distribution of these three Akebia taxa under current and future (2030s, 2050s, 2070s and 2090s) climate conditions. Our findings showed that the potentially suitable areas of these three Akebia taxa were mainly distributed in China at 101.8–121.9° E and 23.5–34.6° N. Temperature played a more significant role than precipitation in affecting the distribution. The dominant bioclimatic variable that affected the distribution of A. trifoliata and A. quinata in China was the minimum temperature of the coldest month (BIO06). For A. trifoliata subsp. australis, the mean diurnal range (BIO02) was the dominant variable influencing its distribution. Compared with current conditions, the moderate- and high-suitability areas of these three Akebia taxa were predicted to shrink towards the core areas, while the low-suitability areas were all observed to increase from the 2030s to the 2090s. With the increase in radiative forcing of SSP, the low-impact areas of these three Akebia taxa showed a decreasing trend as a whole. Our results illustrate the impact of climate change on the distribution of Akebia, and would provide references for the sustainable utilization of Akebia’s resources.

Exploring the role of lags and legacies in the productivity of Australian ecosystems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Page ◽  
Martin De Kauwe ◽  
Gab Abramowitz
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Multiple Time Scales ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Legacy Effects ◽  
Ecological Memory ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;The vegetation&amp;#8217;s response to climate change is a major source of uncertainty in terrestrial biosphere model (TBM) projections. Constraining carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change requires improving our understanding of both the direct plant physiological responses to global change, as well as the role of legacy effects (e.g. reductions in plant growth, damage to the plant&amp;#8217;s hydraulic transport system), that drive multi-timescale feedbacks. In particular, the role of these legacy effects - both the timescale and strength of the memory effect - have been largely overlooked in the development of model hypotheses. This is despite the knowledge that plant responses to climatic drivers occur across multiple time scales (seconds to decades), with the impact of climate extremes (e.g. drought) resonating for many years. Using data from 13 eddy covariance sites, covering two rainfall gradients in Australia, in combination with a hierarchical Bayesian model, we characterised the timescales of influence of antecedent drivers on fluxes of net carbon exchange and evapotranspiration. Using our data assimilation approach we were able to partition the influence of ecological memory into both biological and environmental components. Overall, we found that the importance of ecological memory to antecedent conditions increased as water availability declines. Our results therefore underline the importance of capturing legacy effects in TBMs used to project responses in water limited ecosystems.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals The Impact of Climate Change and Climate Extremes on Sugarcane Production

GCB Bioenergy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Flack‐Prain ◽  
Liangsheng Shi ◽  
Penghui Zhu ◽  
Humberto R. da Rocha ◽  
Osvaldo Cabral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Sugarcane Production ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals An Introduction to Ecomodernism

2021 ◽  
pp. 163-175
Author(s):  
Hidde Boersma
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Production Process ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Yield Gaps ◽  
The Impact

AbstractLand use change has detrimental impacts on the planet. It is not only a major cause of biodiversity loss, through habitat destruction and fragmentation, but also an important driver for climate change, through deforestation and peat oxidation. Land use change is mainly driven by food production, of which meat production comprises the major share. Ecomodernists therefore feel reduction of the impact of meat production is paramount for a sustainable future. To achieve this, ecomodernists focus on intensification of the production process to produce more on less land, both through the closing of global yield gaps and through the development of integrated indoor systems like agroparks. On the demand side, ecomodernists feel a diverse strategy is needed, from the development of meat substitutes and lab meat, to the persuasion of consumers to move from beef to monogastrics like pork or chicken.

Inbreeding and testicular abnormalities in a bottlenecked population of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romane Cristescu ◽  
Valma Cahill ◽  
William B. Sherwin ◽  
Kathrine Handasyde ◽  
Kris Carlyon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Population ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Population Bottlenecks ◽  
Subsequent Increase ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Low Genetic Diversity ◽  
Deleterious Alleles ◽  
High Prevalence

Habitat destruction and fragmentation, interactions with introduced species or the relocation of animals to form new populations for conservation purposes may result in a multiplication of population bottlenecks. Examples are the translocations of koalas to French Island and its derivative Kangaroo Island population, with both populations established as insurance policies against koala extinction. In terms of population size, these conservation programs were success stories. However, the genetic story could be different. We conducted a genetic investigation of French and Kangaroo Island koalas by using 15 microsatellite markers, 11 of which are described here for the first time. The results confirm very low genetic diversity. French Island koalas have 3.8 alleles per locus and Kangaroo Island koalas 2.4. The present study found a 19% incidence of testicular abnormality in Kangaroo Island animals. Internal relatedness, an individual inbreeding coefficient, was not significantly different in koalas with testicular abnormalities from that in other males, suggesting the condition is not related to recent inbreeding. It could instead result from an unfortunate selection of founder individuals carrying alleles for testicular abnormalities, followed by a subsequent increase in these alleles’ frequencies through genetic drift and small population-related inefficiency of selection. Given the low diversity and possible high prevalence of deleterious alleles, the genetic viability of the population remains uncertain, despite its exponential growth so far. This stands as a warning to other introductions for conservation reasons.

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