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123 results for “conservation programs”
Data from: Deciphering genetic mate choice: not so simple in group-housed conservation breeding programs
Incorporating mate choice into conservation breeding programs can improve reproduction and the retention of natural behaviours. However, different types of genetic-based mate choice can have varied consequences for genetic diversity management. As a result, it is important to examine mechanisms of mate choice in captivity to assess its costs and benefits. Most research in this area has focused on experimental pairing trials, however this resource-intensive approach is not always feasible in captive settings and can interfere with other management constraints. We used generalised linear mixed models and permutation approaches to investigate overall breeding success in group-housed Tasmanian devils at three non-mutually exclusive mate choice hypotheses: (i) advantage of heterozygous individuals, (ii) advantage of dissimilar mates, and (iii) optimum genetic distance, using both 1,948 genome-wide SNPs and 12 MHC-linked microsatellites. The managed devil insurance population is the largest such breeding program in Australia and is known to have high variance in reproductive success. We found that non-genetic factors such as age were the best predictors of breeding success in a competitive breeding scenario, with younger females and older males being more successful. We found no evidence of mate choice under the hypotheses tested. Mate choice varies among species and across environments, so we advocate for more studies in realistic captive management contexts as experimental or wild studies may not apply. Conservation managers must weigh up the need to wait for adequate sample sizes to detect mate choice with the risk that genetic changes may occur during this time in captivity. Our study shows that examining and integrating mate choice into the captive management of species housed in realistic, semi-natural group-based contexts may be more difficult than previously considered.
Data from: Initial nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and methane costs of converting conservation reserve program grassland to row crops under no-till vs. conventional tillage
Around 4.4 million ha of land in USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts will expire between 2013 and 2018 and some will likely return to crop production. No-till (NT) management offers the potential to reduce the global warming costs of CO2 , CH4 , and N2 O emissions during CRP conversion, but to date there have been no CRP conversion tillage comparisons. In 2009, we converted portions of three 9-21 ha CRP fields in Michigan to conventional tillage (CT) or NT soybean production and reserved a fourth field for reference. Both CO2 and N2 O fluxes increased following herbicide application in all converted fields, but in the CT treatment substantial and immediate N2 O and CO2 fluxes occurred after tillage. For the initial 201-day conversion period, average daily N2 O fluxes (g N2 O-N ha-1 d-1 ) were significantly different in the order: CT (47.5 ± 6.31, n = 6) ≫ NT (16.7 ± 2.45, n = 6) ≫ reference (2.51 ± 0.73, n = 4). Similarly, soil CO2 fluxes in CT were 1.2 times those in NT and 3.1 times those in the unconverted CRP reference field. All treatments were minor sinks for CH4 (-0.69 ± 0.42 to -1.86 ± 0.37 g CH4 -C ha-1 d-1 ) with no significant differences among treatments. The positive global warming impact (GWI) of converted soybean fields under both CT (11.5 Mg CO2 e ha-1 ) and NT (2.87 Mg CO2 e ha-1 ) was in contrast to the negative GWI of the unconverted reference field (-3.5 Mg CO2 e ha-1 ) with on-going greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation. N2 O contributed 39.3% and 55.0% of the GWI under CT and NT systems with the remainder contributed by CO2 (60.7% and 45.0%, respectively). Including foregone mitigation, we conclude that NT management can reduce GHG costs by ~60% compared to CT during initial CRP conversion.
Landscape conservation as a strategy for recovering biodiversity: lessons from a long-term program of pasture restoration in the southern Atlantic Forest
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span>Although ecological restoration has entered the global agenda to reverse different anthropogenic disturbances, we still know little about how this solution interacts with other conservation strategies, to avoid the progressive loss of species and ecosystem services. </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span>Here we evaluate one of the pioneering restoration programs in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where the combination of conservation and restoration efforts have been carried out for 20 years. Specifically, we tested how landscape characteristics, restoration strategies <span class="msoDel"> </span>and environmental characteristics affect the results of the restoration of pastures. </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span>We established 65 circular plots (total 4.0 ha) along restoration areas (3-10 years) and sampled trees and shrubs composing the canopy (DBH <u>></u> 5cm) and understory (DBH< 5cm, height > 1.3m). We analyzed the landscape metrics (proportion of old-growth forests in 200 m, 500m and 1000m buffers around each plot; and area and distance of the nearest-neighboring old-growth forests). We explored the multiple effects of landscape, restoration strategy (reforestation, natural regeneration) and environmental variables (soil, pasture grass types) on the species composition and multiple diversity metrics of restoration areas. </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span>The species composition was very similar among restoration ages and restoration strategies. We found positive and strong effects of old-growth forest (200 m buffer) proportion on the species richness and Shannon diversity (canopy and understory), aboveground biomass (canopy) and functional diversity (understory) of restoration areas. The restoration strategies affected forest structure, and, in general, the reforestation strategy increased aboveground biomass, Shannon, functional and phylogenetic diversities (in canopy), and percentage of endemic species and biomass (understory), when compared to natural regeneration. </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span>The 20 year-experience in the southern Atlantic Forest showed that programs focused on landscape conservation associated with a mixture of restoration strategies (i.e. natural regeneration in larger areas and active restoration in more disturbed sites)<span class="msoDel"> </span>, can be an efficient strategy to ensure biodiversity and ecosystem services in tropical landscapes.</span></p> <p><span>Synthesis and applications</span><span>: To manage degraded tropical lands and achieve global targets for biodiversity and ecosystem services, it is necessary to first ensure the conservation of natural remnants and then use multiple restoration strategies in less resilient areas.</span></p>
Fig. 4 in Captive breeding program for Scinax alcatraz (Anura: Hylidae): introducing amphibian ex situ conservation in Brazil
Fig. 4. Frequency of the founder Scinax alcatraz breeding events from 2012 to 2017.
Fig. 1 in Captive breeding program for Scinax alcatraz (Anura: Hylidae): introducing amphibian ex situ conservation in Brazil
Fig. 1. Adult male of Scinax alcatraz. Photo by Cybele Lisboa.
Data from: Optimising the hatching success of artificially incubated eggs for use in a conservation program for the western saw-shelled turtle (Myuchelys bellii)
<p>Artificial incubation of eggs and the release of hatchlings into the wild is a common conservation intervention designed to augment threatened turtle populations. We investigate a range of incubation temperatures to establish an optimal temperature for maximum hatching success of western saw-shelled turtle (<em>Myuchelys</em> <em>bellii</em>) eggs. We report on the influence of incubation temperature on incubation duration and hatching success and describe two experimental incubation methods which, for the same incubation temperature, resulted in 77% and 97% hatching success, respectively. Eggs were incubated at constant temperatures (27°C, 28°C and 29°C) to determine the influence of temperature on incubation period, hatchling morphology and external residual yolk. Incubation duration was negatively correlated with incubation temperature. We report on the morphology of eggs and hatchlings and show that their dimensions are positively correlated with maternal adult size and mass. A constant incubation temperature of 27°C produced the highest hatching success and smallest external residual yolk on hatching and is therefore recommended for incubation of eggs for population reinforcement programs. Our study is the first to optimise artificial incubation procedures for <em>M</em>. <em>bellii</em> and will be a valuable resource for <em>M</em>. <em>bellii</em> and other threatened freshwater turtle conservation initiatives.</p>
Integrating Conservative Kidney Management Options and Advance Care Planning Into a Pre-Dialysis Educational Program
ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT03229811. IPD Sharing: NO. Countries: 1. Publications: 1.
Data from: Optimising the hatching success of artificially incubated eggs for use in a conservation program for the western saw-shelled turtle (Myuchelys bellii)
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Data from: Carbon debt of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands converted to bioenergy production
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Landscape conservation as a strategy for recovering biodiversity: lessons from a long-term program of pasture restoration in the southern Atlantic Forest
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Data from: Duration and economic value of a walking-in-nature therapy program: Implications for conservation
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Data from: Initial nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and methane costs of converting conservation reserve program grassland to row crops under no-till vs. conventional tillage
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Data from: Deciphering genetic mate choice: not so simple in group-housed conservation breeding programs
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Wild at heart: programs to diminish negative ecological and evolutionary effects of conservation hatcheries
<p>Hatchery programs are critical for conservation and management of many imperiled fishes. Most traditional aquaculture programs negatively affect ecological performance, genetic, and phenotypic diversity of hatchery-origin fish compared with wild counterparts. Here, we synthesize outcomes of three conservation programs aimed at enhancing 'wildness'. Each program focuses on a different species: lake sturgeon, razorback sucker, and Rio Grande silvery minnow. These species differ in key life history traits including size and age at sexual maturity, reproductive and migratory behavior, and habitat requirements. Threats to persistence of the focal taxa, however, exemplify common pressures experienced by freshwater fishes worldwide. Conservation hatchery programs for lake sturgeon, razorback sucker, and Rio Grande silvery minnow capitalize on natural spawning in the wild followed by collections of wild-fertilized eggs/larvae for hatchery rearing. Individuals are repatriated to the wild after rearing to body sizes less susceptible to mortality. Protocols include collections of eggs or larvae across the entire spawning period and at appropriate geographic scales to maximize retention of genetic diversity and, to increase the likelihood of preserving variation for heritable life history traits. Using direct and indirect evidence we show that hatchery programs that allow individuals to fulfill parts of the life-cycle in their native habitats can be conducted without compromising genetic diversity. Adoption of similar strategies in other imperiled fishes would improve understanding of species life history, and provide an incentive to protect native habitats so they may eventually support self-sustaining populations.</p>
Data from: Mating system and genetic composition of the macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata): implications for breeding and genetic conservation programs
Acrocomia aculeata (Arecaceae), a palm endemic to South and Central America, is a potential oil crop. Knowledge of the mating system of this species is limited to its reproductive biology and to studies using molecular markers. The present study analyzed genetic diversity between its developmental stages and determined its prevailing mating system in order to support genetic conservation and breeding programs. We tested nine microsatellite markers in 27 mother trees (adult plants) and 157 offspring (juvenile plants) from the southeastern region of Brazil. Heterozygosity levels differed between the two studied life stages, as indicated by the fixation index of adult and juvenile trees, suggesting that selection against homozygotes occurs during the plant life cycle. The mating system parameters analyzed indicate that A. aculeata is predominantly outcrossing (allogamous). However, its low levels of selfing suggest that there is individual variation with regard to self-incompatibility, which can be a survival strategy in isolated or fragmented habitats. Deviations in variance effective size were detected because of high mating rates among relatives and correlated matings. These findings indicate that the main source of inbreeding results from biparental inbreeding in the population and that the progenies are predominantly composed of full-sibs. The information provided by this study on the ecology and reproduction dynamics of A. aculeata should be useful to both breeding and genetic conservation programs, allowing the development of more precise mathematical models and the estimation of the appropriate number of mother trees for seed collection.
Data from: Increased natural reproduction and genetic diversity one generation after cessation of a steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) conservation hatchery program
Spatial and temporal fluctuations in productivity and abundance confound assessments of captive propagation programs aimed at recovery of Threatened and Endangered populations. We conducted a 17 year before-after-control-impact experiment to determine the effects of a conservation hatchery program for anadromous steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) on a key indicator of natural reproduction (naturally produced nests or 'redds'). The supplemented population exhibited a significant (2.6-fold) increase in redd abundance in the generation following supplementation. Four non-supplemented (control) populations monitored over the same 17 year period exhibited stable or decreasing trends in redd abundance. Expected heterozygosity in the supplemented population increased significantly. Allelic richness increased, but to a lesser (non-significant) degree. Estimates of the effective number of breeders increased from a harmonic mean of 24.4 in the generation before supplementation to 38.9 after supplementation. Several non-conventional aspects of the captive rearing program may have contributed to the positive response in the natural population.
Data from: Maintaining a wild phenotype in a conservation hatchery program for Chinook salmon: the effect of managed breeding on early male maturation
In many salmonid species, age and size of maturation is plastic and influenced by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Hatchery reared salmon often mature at an earlier age and smaller size than wild fish. Modern salmon conservation efforts have focused on managing the level of gene flow between hatchery and natural origin fish to minimize potential genotypic and phenotypic change. In salmonids, maturation probability is dependent on exceeding a genetically set threshold in growth rate and energetic status (and by association body size) referred to as the probabalisitic maturation reaction norm (PMRN). Over fourteen years, we monitored the frequency of age-2 precocious male maturation (common term: minijack rate) and the PMRN of a natural founder (FNDR), integrated natural-hatchery (INT), and segregated hatchery (SEG) broodlines of spring Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. The average minijack rate (± SEM) of the FNDR, INT and SEG broodlines was 48.2 ± 5.2%, 41.9 ± 3.6% and 30.9 ± 4.7%, respectively. Additionally, the PMRN WP50 (predicted weight at 50% maturation) of the SEG broodline was significantly greater (20.5 g) than that of the FNDR/INT broodline (18.2 g). We also conducted a common garden experiment exploring the effects of less than one [INT (0-1)], one [SEG (1)] or two [SEG (2)] generations of hatchery culture on the minijack rate and PMRN WP50 . Growth was not significantly different among broodlines, but minijack rates were significantly lower following two consecutive generations of hatchery culture: [INT (0-1): 68.3 ± 1.7%], [SEG (1): 70.3 ± 1.8%] and [SEG (2): 58.6 ± 0.4%] and the PMRN WP50 was significantly higher by 6.1 g after two generations of SEG culture. These results indicate that managed gene flow reduces phenotypic divergence, but may serve to maintain potentially undesirable high minijack rates in salmon conservation hatchery programs.
Restoring faith in conservation action: maintaining wild genetic diversity through the Tasmanian devil insurance program
<p>Conservation breeding programs aim to maintain 90% wild genetic diversity, but rarely assess functional diversity. Here, we compare both genome-wide and functional diversity (in over 500 genes) of Tasmanian devils (<em>Sarcophilus harrisii</em>) within the insurance metapopulation and across the species' range (64,519 km<sup>2</sup>). Populations have declined by 80% since 1996 due to a contagious cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). However, predicted local extinctions have not occurred. Recent suggestions of selection for "resistance" alleles in the wild precipitated concerns that insurance population devils may be unsuitable for translocations. Using 830 wild samples collected at 31 locations between 2012-2021, and 553 insurance metapopulation devils, we show that the insurance metapopulation is representative of current wild genetic diversity. Allele frequencies at DFTD-associated loci were not substantially different between captive and wild devils. Methods presented here are valuable for others investigating evolutionary potential in threatened species, particularly ones under significant selective pressures.</p>
EduLifeDesks Archive: CIEE Tropical Ecology and Conservation Program Spring 2013 (655) DwCA
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A Self-Management Energy Conservation Program for Cancer-Related Fatigue
ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT03282214. IPD Sharing: YES. Countries: 1. Publications: 1.
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International Brain Laboratory public data
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OpenNeuro
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