Freshwater habitats occupy ,1% of the Earth's surface, yet are hotspots that support ,10% of all known species, and ,M of vertebrate species. Fresh waters also are hotspots for human activities that have led to widespread habitat degradation, pollution, flow regulation and water extraction, fisheries overexploitation, and alien species introductions. These impacts have caused severe declines in the range and abundance of many freshwater species, so that they are now far more imperiled than their marine or terrestrial counterparts. Here, we review progress in conservation of freshwater biodiversity, with a focus on the period since 1986, and outline key challenges for the future. Driven by rising conservation concerns, freshwater ecologists have conducted a great deal of research over the past 25 y on the status, trends, autecology, and propagation of imperiled species, threats to these species, the consequences of biodiversity loss for ecosystem functioning, metapopulation dynamics, biodiversity hotspots, reserve design, habitat restoration, communication with stakeholders, and weaknesses of protective legislation. Nevertheless, existing efforts might be insufficient to stem the ongoing and coming multitude of freshwater extinctions. We briefly discuss 4 important challenges for freshwater conservation. First, climate change will imperil both freshwater species and human uses of fresh water, driving engineering responses that will further threaten the freshwater biota. We need to anticipate both ecological and human responses to climate change, and to encourage rational and deliberate planning of engineering responses to climate change before disasters strike. Second, because freshwater extinctions are already well underway, freshwater conservationists must be prepared to act now to prevent further losses, even if our knowledge is incomplete, and engage more effectively with other stakeholders. Third, we need to bridge the gap between freshwater ecology and conservation biology. Fourth, we suggest that scientific societies and scholarly journals concerned with limnology or freshwater sciences need to improve their historically poor record in publishing important papers and influencing practice in conservation ecology. Failure to meet these challenges will lead to the extinction or impoverishment of the very subjects of our research.

https://www.caryinstitute.org/sites/default/files/public/reprints/Strayer_JNABS_conservation_2010.pdf

Freshwater biodiversity conservation: recent progress and future challenges

http://www.cbsg.org/sites/cbsg.org/files/2013_AM/Fischer_Lindenmayer_Assessment_animal_relocations_2000.pdf

An assessment of the published results of animal relocations

Translocations are being increasingly proposed as a way of conserving biodiversity, particularly in the management of threatened and keystone species, with the aims of maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function under the combined pressures of habitat fragmentation and climate change. Evolutionary genetic considerations should be an important part of translocation strategies, but there is often confusion about concepts and goals. Here, we provide a classification of translocations based on specific genetic goals for both threatened species and ecological restoration, separating targets based on ‘genetic rescue’ of current population fitness from those focused on maintaining adaptive potential. We then provide a framework for assessing the genetic benefits and risks associated with translocations and provide guidelines for managers focused on conserving biodiversity and evolutionary processes. Case studies are developed to illustrate the framework.

/pdf/assessing-the-benefits-and-risks-of-translocations-in-4biiz1bry4.pdf

Assessing the benefits and risks of translocations in changing environments : a genetic perspective

In 1993 we conducted a follow-up study of the 1987 survey by Griffith et al. (1989) of 421 avian and mammalian translocation programs in North America, Australia, and New Zealand to reassess the programs’ status and the biological and methodological factors associated with success. Our survey response rate was 81%. Approximately 38% of usable programs in 1993 reported a change in outcome from 1987 (e.g., a translocated population was “declining” but now is “self-sustaining”), but the difference between the overall success rates was not statistically significant (66% in 1987 and 67% in 1993). Since 1987, an increase was observed in the median number of animals translocated per program (31.5 to 50.5), median duration of releases (2 to 3 years), and proportion of programs releasing more than 30 animals (46% to 68%). Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that release into the core of the historical range, good-to-excellent habitat quality, native game species, greater numbers of released animals, and an omnivorous diet were positively associated with translocation success. Moreover, our results indicate that translocated birds were less successful at establishing self-sustaining populations than translocated mammals. Our findings, using comparable logistic analyses, generally corroborate the results of Grifftth et al. (1989). Variables not found to be significantly correlated with translocation success include species’ reproductive potential (number of offspring and first age of reproduction), number and duration of the releases, and source of the translocated animals (wild-caught versus captive-reared).



En 1993 realizamos un estudio de seguimiento de la evaluacion de 421 programas de translocacion de aves y mamiferos en Norteamerica, Australia y Nueva Zelandia hecha por Griffith et al. (1989), para reevaluar la situacion del programa y los factores biologicos y metodologicos asociados con se exito. La tasa de respuesta a nuestra encuesta fue de un 81%. Aproximadamente un 38% de los programas vigentes en 1993 reportaron un cambio en los resultados de 1987 (e. g., una poblacion translocada se encontraba “declinando,” pero ahora se encuentra “auto-sopsteniendose”) De cualquier manera, la diferencia entre las tasas de exito no fueron estadisticamente significativas (66% en 1987 y 67% en 1993). Desde 1987 se ha observado un incremento en el numero promedio de animales translocados por programa (31.5 a 50.5), la duracion promedio de las liberaciones (2 a 3 anos) y una proporcion de programas de liberacion de mas de 30 animales (46% al 68%). Un analisis de regresion logistica multiple indica que las liberaciones dentro de un rango historico relacionan positivamente los hatbitats de buena a excelente calidad, las especies deportivas nativas, un mayor numero de animales liberados y una dieta omnivora con una translocacion exitosa. Ademas, nuestros resultados indican que las aves translocadas fueron menos exitosas para establecer poblaciones autosostenibles que los mamiferos translocados. Nuestras observaciones corroboraron los resultados de Griffith (1989) por medio de comparaciones de analisis logistico. Variables encontradas como no significativas con el exito de la translocacion incluyen potencial reproductivo de la especie (numero de crias y edad a la primera reproduccion), numero y duracion de liberaciones y la fuente de animales translocados (salvajes-capturados vs. captivos-liberados).

Avian and Mammalian Translocations: Update and Reanalysis of 1987 Survey Data

Renewable energy is a promising alternative to fossil fuel-based energy, but its development can require a complex set of environmental tradeoffs. A recent increase in solar energy systems, especially large, centralized installations, underscores the urgency of understanding their environmental interactions. Synthesizing literature across numerous disciplines, we review direct and indirect environmental impacts - both beneficial and adverse - of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) development, including impacts on biodiversity, land-use and land-cover change, soils, water resources, and human health. Additionally, we review feedbacks between USSE infrastructure and land-atmosphere interactions and the potential for USSE systems to mitigate climate change. Several characteristics and development strategies of USSE systems have low environmental impacts relative to other energy systems, including other renewables. We show opportunities to increase USSE environmental co-benefits, the permitting and regulatory constraints and opportunities of USSE, and highlight future research directions to better understand the nexus between USSE and the environment. Increasing the environmental compatibility of USSE systems will maximize the efficacy of this key renewable energy source in mitigating climatic and global environmental change. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

/pdf/environmental-impacts-of-utility-scale-solar-energy-43rahsg0xr.pdf

Environmental impacts of utility-scale solar energy

Relocation, repatriation, and translocation of amphibians and reptiles: Are they conservation strategies that work?

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Relocation, repatriation, and translocation of amphibians and reptiles: Are they conservation strategies that work?