ESA Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: Media Tip Sheet
Research news from the Ecological Society of America: Recent findings from Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
War, what is it good for? Biological invasions, it turns out.
Author contact: Alberto Santini (ti.rncnull@initnas.otrebla)
Baggage carried by horseback along the Alpine Front bordering Austria and Italy in World War I. The transport of war-related materiel and troop movements during armed conflicts greatly facilitates the introduction and spread of non-native species. Photo courtesy of Museo storico Italiano della guerra, Rovereto, Italy
The transport of massive amounts of military equipment and supplies, as well as troops, into new areas during armed conflicts greatly facilitates
the introduction and spread of non-native species, according to a new study. Large-scale warfare involving multiple combatants fighting over a broad geographic area, such as World Wars I and II, inevitably require enormous logistical support structures, often resulting in the unintentional – and, on occasion, deliberate, via biological warfare – introduction of exotic species. However, the authors of this article show that even restricted conflicts that involve the occupation of enemy territory contribute to biological invasions, with potentially long-term ecological and environmental impacts beyond those directly inflicted by combat. The authors contend that existing international conventions dictating the rules of modern warfare fail to consider the risks posed by the introduction of new species during conflicts, necessitating the development of novel approaches to mitigate the occurrence and impacts of war-related biological invasions.
Why it matters: Even comparatively small-scale armed conflicts facilitate the introduction and spread of non-native species, with potentially long-term detrimental impacts in the invaded area.
Read the article: Collateral damage: military invasions beget biological invasions
Ecological diffusion models aid in tracking predator recovery
Author contact: Joseph M. Eisaguirre (vog.sgsunull@erriugasiej)
In this article, the authors assessed the effectiveness of using ecological diffusion models fit to population survey data to characterize how fast and over what geographic extent predator populations are recovering.
Focusing on sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Southeast Alaska, a keystone species reintroduced into the area in the 1960s, the authors found that frameworks based on these statistical models provide insight into a range of sea otter population dynamics, such as abundance and carrying capacity, and how these factors vary over space and time. In addition, the models could also be used to track the population dynamics of key prey species as well. Based on their analysis, the authors conclude that ecological diffusion models can serve as beneficial tools for informing research on, and management of, recovering predators and their prey.
Why it matters: Ecological diffusion models for estimating the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of recovering predator populations may be of great value for informing management decisions.
Read the article: Informing management of recovering predators and their prey with ecological diffusion models
Urban nitrogen: a significant contributor to downstream eutrophication
Author contact: Angela H. Chung (ude.ttipnull@23cha, vog.asannull@gnuhc.h.alegna)
Excess nitrogen transported by rivers and streams trigger downstream eutrophication events but pinpointing the relative contributions of nitrogen sources is challenging, particularly those situated in urban areas. Results of an analysis of nitrogen chemistry and isotopic composition based on four surveys of rivers flowing through and near to the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when compared with model-derived nitrogen fluxes in three urban areas in the Ohio River Basin – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Louisville, Kentucky – revealed that the nitrate present in rivers around Pittsburgh predominately originated from wastewater inputs, especially fluxes in sewer overflow. Based on their assessment, the authors conclude that urban sources contribute roughly the same amount of nitrogen to watersheds as agricultural sources. Moreover, they note, permitted point sources do not account for the entirety of urban-discharged nitrogen, suggesting that nonpoint sources compose a significant but largely neglected source of riverine nitrogen.
Why it matters: It is widely assumed that the excess nitrogen in riverine systems that causes coastal eutrophication originates primarily from agricultural sources, but discharges from urban sources may also play a large, if not equal, role.
Read the article: Riverine nitrogen source and yield in urban systems
Identifying science needs for informing public lands management
Author contact: Sarah K. Carter (vog.sgsunull@retracks)
Effective management of US public lands requires a solid scientific foundation on which to base decision making, yet surprisingly little effort has been made to clarify the specific types of science and issues that are of greatest significance to land managers. To identify these factors, the authors of this study first described four distinct categories of science information fundamental to decision making for public lands derived from the federal National Environmental Policy Act, then scrutinized a suite of environmental assessments conducted in Colorado to determine which topics – defined as commonly analyzed actions, such as oil and gas development or livestock grazing, and resources, such as wildlife or soils – are most relevant to managers of public lands. Research focusing on combinations of these factors will provide managers with the best-available science for informing and guiding decision making, ultimately improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public lands management across the country, the authors argue.
Why it matters: Decision making for public lands management should be grounded in the best-available science, but few studies have focused on identifying the specific types and topics of science information most needed by land managers.
Read the article: Prioritizing science efforts to inform decision making on public lands
Loosening geographic restrictions on spending boosts conservation gains
Author contact: Paul R. Armsworth (ude.ktunull@htrowsmra.p)
Funding for the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services is insufficient generally, but constraints on how funds are to be disbursed further impedes the efficacy of investment in conservation efforts. In this study, the authors demonstrate how one particular stipulation common to financial endowments, that of restricting spending to within a specified geographic area – a single US state, for instance – can limit the impacts of conservation investments, reducing funding effectiveness. Using estimates of “conservation exchange rates” – a novel approach for comparing the impacts of funding between regions based on the concept of international currency exchange rates – the authors suggest that encouraging funders to ease or forgo conditions that prevent money from being spent in other locations would significantly improve regional conservation outcomes because funds would be shifted to areas in greatest need of attention. Moreover, the gains that would result from moderating geographic restraints on fund allocation would likely prove appealing to potential donors who may be hesitant to contribute to programs perceived to be overly restrictive.
Why it matters: Allowing greater flexibility in terms of where available funds can be spent would both improve conservation outcomes and attract additional potential donors.
Read the article: Multiplying the impact of conservation funding using spatial exchange rates
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The Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world’s largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge, committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 8,000 member Society publishes six journals and a membership bulletin and broadly shares ecological information through policy, media outreach, and education initiatives. The Society’s Annual Meeting attracts 4,000 attendees and features the most recent advances in ecological science. Visit the ESA website at https://www.esa.org.