two summer research assistant positions in plant/pollinator evolution and conservation
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Two Summer Research Assistant Positions in Plant/Pollinator Evolution and Conservation. Position 1: Part time, on campus, to evaluate divergent selection on floral traits by pollinators (mostly bees) and water availability. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Two Summer Research Assistant Positionsin Plant/Pollinator Evolution and Conservation
Position 1: Part time, on campus, to evaluate divergent selection on floral traits by pollinators (mostly bees) and water availability. Position 2: Full time, Vancouver Island, to assist in building pollinator interaction webs and measure pollen limitation of wildflowers in the endangered Garry Oak Ecosystem.
Both begin mid-April and run through July (flexible at both ends)
To Apply: Send a letter detailing which position you are interested in and why you should be hired, plus a CV including contact information for two references, to Elizabeth Elle: [email protected].
SCHEDULE FOR NEXT 2-3 weeks -
F- Restoration
M- Reintroductions
W- Background for issue based tutorial
not attending will reduce ability to participate in the tutorial
Guest – CWS – Habitat approaches
attendance required
New topic - Reserve Design
RESTORATIONterminologynatural succession vs active managementcase studies
REINTRODUCTIONSWhy and when?Australian and New Zealand perspectivesCanadian reintroductionsThe good, the bad and the ugly
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
CURRENT STATE OF SITE
Reclamation Rehabilitation Re-creation Restoration
Improve Return to historic condition
Replacement
Restore structure, function, diversity and dynamics of ecosystemDESIRED STATE OF SITE
StabilizeRemove pollutantsRevegetateAesthetics
RESTORATION TOOLS
Natural succession - let nature take care of it
Mitigating/altering factors impacting the site
Introducing and promoting species
NATURAL SUCCESSION
Eg Restoration of Tropical Montane Forest,
Goalrestore composition structure functionprevent spp loss and maintain viable populations
Options1)Allow natural regeneration2)Plant native trees, then allow succession
Restoration of Tropical Montane Forest
Ucumari Regional Park, Central Andes, Columbia
Degraded - cattle ranch, pasture, logging
NATURAL INTERVENTIONREGENERATION Plant native
Andean alder40 yrs later
Ecoregion with enormous diversity
Ucumari Regional Park, Central Andes
NATURAL AND TREE PLANTATIONS
Alder dominated canopy No sub-canopy 43 spp per 0.125 ha plot
Mixed uneven canopyContinuous vertical foliage63 spp per 0.125 ha plot
178 spp found in restored plotsOnly 23 shared by two forest types
Initial conditions determine restored ecosystemNatural succession --> greater diversityBUT success depends on availability of seed sources
NATURAL SUCCESSION
Restoration of Fresh Kills Landfill, NY City
•Received urban waste for 50 yrs
•Created four mounds 100+ ft tall
•Mounds “capped” 2001GoalRestore wetlands,grasslands and woodlands that will offer wildlife habitat and natural open spaces
Restoration of Fresh Kills Landfill, NY City
Natural regeneration---> little structure, diversity
Planted shrubs, oak, pine (17 spp)---> arrival 20 new spp. in 2 yrs
Planting adds spp, provides habitat that allows arrival animal-dispersed seeds
Fresh Kills 2016
NATURAL SUCCESSION
Proportion of ancient forest left
Herb species diversity in regenerating forest
Vellend 2003 Ecol 84: 1158-64
Q. Conclusions?
RESTORATION - mitigating impacts on a site
Steps:1. Define Goal - restore what?2. Identify constraints
Disturbance regimeLack seed source/limited spp poolInvasive spp - biogeochemical feedbackHerbivory or other trophic interactionsEnvironmental change
3. Prioritize - 4. Address Constraint5. Evaluate and GO TO 1
Restoration of tropical dry forest, Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica
Issue - conversion of forest for pasture
- dry forest is the most endangered lowland forest type
- less 0.1% original habitat is protected
Daniel Janzen
Restoration of tropical dry forest, Costa Rica
Guanacaste - major restoration project
- 47000 ha pasture + 23000 ha park
- 130 staff
Restoration of tropical dry forest, Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica
Constraints - fires set to maintain pasture - pasture dominated by
exotics - seeds are animal dispersedPrioritize
Step 1 - aggressive fire control; fire breaks, fire access
roadsStep 2 - horses/cows used to promote seed dispersal
Restoration of tropical dry forest, Costa Rica
ResultsAreas protected 5-10 yrs
- Fires reduced by 93%- trees 10-15 ft tall
Pasture expected to be closed canopy forest in 20-50 yrs
mature forest in 300 yrs
Restoration of Garry Oak Ecosystems
High diversityNative wild flowers
BUT dominated by exotics (grasses/broom)
Restoration constraints: invasive spp, grazing, fire
Evaluating constraints: an experimental approach
1. Plants compete with each other for resources “Bottom-up hypothesis”
2. Herbivores regulate plants “ top-down hypothesis”
3. Herbivores eat certain plants which helps less palatable species
“enemy of my enemy hypothesis”
Emily Gonzalez – UBC200 plots in Southern gulf and San Juan Islands
Many deer
Few deer
200 plots in Southern gulf and San Juan Islands
Evaluating constraints: an experimental approach
Plant native species in plotsSeeds Seedlings
TreatmentsHerbivore exclusion, Competitor removal
Fence Cut Factorial 2x2 design
Gonzales and Arcese Ecology 2009
Competition (C) and Herbivore (H) impacts on seedlings and seeds
Evaluating actions: an experimental approach
Removal of competitors (burn or mow)Re-seed with natives
Control Burned Seeded Both
300
200
100
0
No.
Seed
ling
s
Added
Non-added
exotics
Burning can help some natives but it helps some exotics too MacDougal and Turkington Ecology
Restoration of tall grass prairie
Tall grass prairiescovered 250 million acres of Midwestdominated by 30 grass + 250 forb spp1% remainingmost endangered ecosystem in NA
Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie
projected initiated 199619,000 acres in Illinoismassive restoration project
Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie
Action - removal excess willow/cottonwood - plantings 69000 plants, 79 sp - seeding - 112 spp
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
New disciplineActive research - how to assemble a
communityorder effects, trophic interactions
Requiresmultidisciplinary approachclear goalscommunity involvementplanning$$$
ANIMAL RESTORATION PROJECTS
Once habitat is restored
How successful are (re)introductions of animals?
REINTRODUCTIONS - OVERVIEWTerminologyWhy and when?Australian and New Zealand perspectivesCanadian reintroductionsThe good, the bad and the ugly
TERMINOLOGY
Reintroduction - introduce into historic range
Translocation - movement from A to B
Supplementation/reinforcement
Benign introduction - introduce outside known range
Loggerhead shrike
takahe
REINTRODUCTIONS - Why and When?
Why maintain/restore biodiversityre-establish keystone taxaestablish viable wild populationslimit long-term management costs
When need to increase number or rangeno risk to source populationcause of decline removedsufficient protected habitatcommunity supportimpact on people +ve$$$
IUCN guidelines
REINTRODUCTIONS - Can they work?
Famous success stories
Mauritius kestrel1974 - 4 birds1994 333rd release2000 ca. 700
Golden lion tamarin1970’s 200147 captive bred releases2001 - 1000% wildborn now 88%
REINTRODUCTIONS - Will they work?
Wolves in Yellowstone
Cause of extirpation
Human hunting
Reintroduction
1995-97 41 individuals
Current population in YNP - 271+
Prospects No longer “endangered”
REINTRODUCTIONS - Will they work?
The Guam rail
Cause of extirpation
brown tree snake (introduced)
Reintroduction
Rota - predator free island Guam - 60 ha fenced area
Prospects on Guam - not good
REINTRODUCTIONS - Will they work?
MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION
What caused extirpation in the first place?
Has that threat been reduced/eliminated
NEXT LECTURE ReintroductionsAustralian and New Zealand perspectivesCanadian reintroductionsThe good, the bad and the ugly