Birds as surrogates for mammals and reptiles: Are patterns of cross-taxonomic associations stable over time in a human-modified landscape?
- Yong, Ding, Barton, Philip, Okada, Sachiko, Crane, Mason, Lindenmayer, David
- Authors: Yong, Ding , Barton, Philip , Okada, Sachiko , Crane, Mason , Lindenmayer, David
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ecological Indicators Vol. 69, no. (2016), p. 152-164
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Cross-taxonomic surrogates can be feasible alternatives to direct measurements of biodiversity in conservation if validated with robust data and used with explicit goals. However, few studies of cross-taxonomic surrogates have examined how temporal changes in composition or richness in one taxon can drive variation in concordant patterns of diversity in another taxon, particularly in a dynamic and heavily modified landscape. We examined this problem by assessing changes in cross-taxonomic associations over time between the surrogate (birds) and target vertebrate taxa (mammals, reptiles) that demand high sampling effort, in a heterogeneous mosaic landscape comprising pine monoculture, eucalypt woodland remnants and agricultural land. Focussing on four study years (1999, 2001, 2011, 2013) from a dataset collected over 15 years, we: (1) investigated temporal changes in cross-taxonomic congruency among three animal taxa (2) explored how temporal variation in composition and species richness of each taxon might account for variation in cross-taxonomic congruency, and (3) identified habitat structural variables that are strongly correlated with species composition of each taxon. We found the strength of cross-taxonomic congruency varied between taxa in response to both landscape context and over time. Among the three taxa, overall correlations were weak but were consistently positive and strongest between birds and mammals, while correlations involving reptiles were usually weak and negative. We also found that stronger species richness and composition correlations between birds and mammals were not only more prevalent in woodland remnants in the agricultural matrix, but they also increased in strength over time. Temporal shifts in species composition differed in rate and extent among the taxa even though these shifts were significant over time, while important habitat structural correlates were seldom shared across taxa. Our study highlights the role of the landscape matrix and time in shaping animal communities and the resulting cross-taxonomic associations in the woodland remnants, especially after a major perturbation event (i.e. plantation establishment). In such dynamic landscapes, differing and taxon-specific shifts in species diversity over time can influence the strength, direction and consistency of cross-taxonomic correlations, therefore posing a 'temporal' problem for the use of surrogates like birds in monitoring and assessment of biodiversity, and conservation management practices in general. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Authors: Yong, Ding , Barton, Philip , Okada, Sachiko , Crane, Mason , Lindenmayer, David
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ecological Indicators Vol. 69, no. (2016), p. 152-164
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Cross-taxonomic surrogates can be feasible alternatives to direct measurements of biodiversity in conservation if validated with robust data and used with explicit goals. However, few studies of cross-taxonomic surrogates have examined how temporal changes in composition or richness in one taxon can drive variation in concordant patterns of diversity in another taxon, particularly in a dynamic and heavily modified landscape. We examined this problem by assessing changes in cross-taxonomic associations over time between the surrogate (birds) and target vertebrate taxa (mammals, reptiles) that demand high sampling effort, in a heterogeneous mosaic landscape comprising pine monoculture, eucalypt woodland remnants and agricultural land. Focussing on four study years (1999, 2001, 2011, 2013) from a dataset collected over 15 years, we: (1) investigated temporal changes in cross-taxonomic congruency among three animal taxa (2) explored how temporal variation in composition and species richness of each taxon might account for variation in cross-taxonomic congruency, and (3) identified habitat structural variables that are strongly correlated with species composition of each taxon. We found the strength of cross-taxonomic congruency varied between taxa in response to both landscape context and over time. Among the three taxa, overall correlations were weak but were consistently positive and strongest between birds and mammals, while correlations involving reptiles were usually weak and negative. We also found that stronger species richness and composition correlations between birds and mammals were not only more prevalent in woodland remnants in the agricultural matrix, but they also increased in strength over time. Temporal shifts in species composition differed in rate and extent among the taxa even though these shifts were significant over time, while important habitat structural correlates were seldom shared across taxa. Our study highlights the role of the landscape matrix and time in shaping animal communities and the resulting cross-taxonomic associations in the woodland remnants, especially after a major perturbation event (i.e. plantation establishment). In such dynamic landscapes, differing and taxon-specific shifts in species diversity over time can influence the strength, direction and consistency of cross-taxonomic correlations, therefore posing a 'temporal' problem for the use of surrogates like birds in monitoring and assessment of biodiversity, and conservation management practices in general. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Conserving focal insect groups in woodland remnants : the role of landscape context and habitat structure on cross-taxonomic congruence
- Yong, Ding, Barton, Philip, Okada, Sachiko, Crane, Mason, Cunningham, Saul, Lindenmayer, David
- Authors: Yong, Ding , Barton, Philip , Okada, Sachiko , Crane, Mason , Cunningham, Saul , Lindenmayer, David
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ecological Indicators Vol. 115, no. (2020), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Determining the shared responses of different taxa to landscape modification is a key step for identifying which groups of species are good surrogates for other groups. Yet, surprisingly little is known about the spatial processes that drive cross-taxonomic congruence of diversity and how this knowledge can be used to improve the management of modified landscapes for biodiversity, especially insects. We investigated how assemblages of two ecologically important insect groups, wild bees and beetles, respond to different landscape contexts and habitat structure in an Australian agricultural landscape, and how this, in turn, influenced either group's potential as a surrogate for the other. Bee and ground-active beetle assemblages were sampled in remnant woodland patches in two landscape contexts: woodland patches surrounded by pine plantation and woodland patches surrounded by open grazing land. Bee species richness, and the richness of functionally-defined bee groups did not differ between landscape contexts, in contrast to beetles. We found that landscape context exerted a stronger effect on species composition than species richness of both groups. Although some landscape and habitat variables were useful in predicting the diversity of both insect groups, few were shared. Our findings showed that bee and beetles are poor surrogates for each other in landscapes that are highly modified. Our study highlighted the need to consider: (1) taxon-specific responses to landscape context, (2) the influence of different metrics of cross-taxonomic surrogacy and, (3) dissimilar ecological attributes among insect taxa when selecting insects as biodiversity surrogates. It should not be assumed that agricultural landscapes managed to conserve specific insects (e.g. bees) will necessarily benefit other insects. © 2020
- Authors: Yong, Ding , Barton, Philip , Okada, Sachiko , Crane, Mason , Cunningham, Saul , Lindenmayer, David
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ecological Indicators Vol. 115, no. (2020), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Determining the shared responses of different taxa to landscape modification is a key step for identifying which groups of species are good surrogates for other groups. Yet, surprisingly little is known about the spatial processes that drive cross-taxonomic congruence of diversity and how this knowledge can be used to improve the management of modified landscapes for biodiversity, especially insects. We investigated how assemblages of two ecologically important insect groups, wild bees and beetles, respond to different landscape contexts and habitat structure in an Australian agricultural landscape, and how this, in turn, influenced either group's potential as a surrogate for the other. Bee and ground-active beetle assemblages were sampled in remnant woodland patches in two landscape contexts: woodland patches surrounded by pine plantation and woodland patches surrounded by open grazing land. Bee species richness, and the richness of functionally-defined bee groups did not differ between landscape contexts, in contrast to beetles. We found that landscape context exerted a stronger effect on species composition than species richness of both groups. Although some landscape and habitat variables were useful in predicting the diversity of both insect groups, few were shared. Our findings showed that bee and beetles are poor surrogates for each other in landscapes that are highly modified. Our study highlighted the need to consider: (1) taxon-specific responses to landscape context, (2) the influence of different metrics of cross-taxonomic surrogacy and, (3) dissimilar ecological attributes among insect taxa when selecting insects as biodiversity surrogates. It should not be assumed that agricultural landscapes managed to conserve specific insects (e.g. bees) will necessarily benefit other insects. © 2020
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