Hybridization presents a unique challenge for conservation biologists and managers. While hybridization is an important evolutionary process, hybridization is also a threat formany native species. The endangered speci...Hybridization presents a unique challenge for conservation biologists and managers. While hybridization is an important evolutionary process, hybridization is also a threat formany native species. The endangered species recovery effort for the red wolf Canis rufus is a classic system for understanding and addressing the challenges of hybridization. From 1987-1993, 63 red wolves were released from captivity in eastern North Carolina, USA, to establish a free-ranging, non-essential experimental population. By 1999, managers recognized hybridization with invasive coyotes Canis latrans was the single greatest threat to successful recovery, and an adaptive management plan was adopted with innovative approaches for managing the threat of hybri- dization. Here we review the application and results of the adaptive management efforts from 1993 to 2013 by comparing： （1） the numbers of wolves, coyotes, and hybrids captured, （2） the numbers of territorial social groups with presumed breeding capabili- ties, （3） the number of red wolf and hybrid litters documented each year and （4） the degree of coyote introgression into the wild red wolf gene pool. We documented substantial increases in the number of known red wolves and red wolf social groups from 1987-2004 followed by a plateau and slight decline by 2013.The number of red wolf litters exceeded hybrid litters each year and the proportion of hybrid litters per year averaged 21%. The genetic composition of the wild red wolf population is estimated to include 〈 4% coyote ancestry from recent introgression since reintroduction. We conclude that the adaptive management plan was effective at reducing the introgression of coyote genes into the red wolf population, but population recovery of red wolves will require continuation of the current management plan, or alternative approaches, for the foreseeable future. More broadly, we discuss the lessons learned from red wolf adaptive management that could assist other endangered species recovery efforts facing the challenge of minimizing hybridization [Current Zoology 61 （1）： 191-205, 2015 ].展开更多
Estimation of soil organic carbon （SOC） pools and fluxes bears large uncertainties because SOC stocks vary greatly over geographical space and through time. Although development of the U.S. Soil Survey Geographic Da...Estimation of soil organic carbon （SOC） pools and fluxes bears large uncertainties because SOC stocks vary greatly over geographical space and through time. Although development of the U.S. Soil Survey Geographic Database （SSURGO）, currently the most detailed level with a map scale ranging from 1：12 000 to 1：63 360, has involved substantial government funds and coordinated network efforts, very few studies have utilized it for soil carbon assessment at the large landscape scale. The objectives of this study were to 1） compare estimates in soil organic matter among SSURGO, the State Soil Geographic Database （STATSGO）, and referenced field measurements at the soil map unit; 2） examine the influence of missing data on SOC estimation by SSURGO and STATSGO; 3） quantify spatial differences in SOC estimation between SSURGO and STATSCO, specifically for the state of Louisiana; and 4） assess scale effects on soil organic carbon density （SOCD） estimates from a soil map unit to a watershed and a river basin scale. SOC was estimated using soil attributes of SSURGO and STATSGO including soil organic matter （SOM） content, soil layer depth, and bulk density. Paired t-test, correlation, and regression analyses were performed to investigate various relations of SOC and SOM among the datasets. There were positive relations of SOC estimates between SSURGO and STATSGO at the soil map unit （R2 = 0.56, n = 86, t = 1.65, P = 0.102; depth： 30 cm）. However, the SOC estimated by STATSGO were 9%, 33% and 36~ lower for the upper 30-cm, the upper l-m, and the maximal depth （up to 2.75 m） soils, respectively, than those from SSURGO. The difference tended to increase as the spatial scale changes from the soil map unit to the watershed and river basin scales. Compared with the referenced field measurements, the estimates in SOM by SSURGO showed a closer match than those of STATSCO, indicating that the former was more accurate than the latter in SOC estimation, both in spatial and temporal resolutions. Further applications of SSURGO in SOC estimation for the entire United States could improve the accuracy of soil carbon accounting in regional and national carbon balances.展开更多
文摘Hybridization presents a unique challenge for conservation biologists and managers. While hybridization is an important evolutionary process, hybridization is also a threat formany native species. The endangered species recovery effort for the red wolf Canis rufus is a classic system for understanding and addressing the challenges of hybridization. From 1987-1993, 63 red wolves were released from captivity in eastern North Carolina, USA, to establish a free-ranging, non-essential experimental population. By 1999, managers recognized hybridization with invasive coyotes Canis latrans was the single greatest threat to successful recovery, and an adaptive management plan was adopted with innovative approaches for managing the threat of hybri- dization. Here we review the application and results of the adaptive management efforts from 1993 to 2013 by comparing： （1） the numbers of wolves, coyotes, and hybrids captured, （2） the numbers of territorial social groups with presumed breeding capabili- ties, （3） the number of red wolf and hybrid litters documented each year and （4） the degree of coyote introgression into the wild red wolf gene pool. We documented substantial increases in the number of known red wolves and red wolf social groups from 1987-2004 followed by a plateau and slight decline by 2013.The number of red wolf litters exceeded hybrid litters each year and the proportion of hybrid litters per year averaged 21%. The genetic composition of the wild red wolf population is estimated to include 〈 4% coyote ancestry from recent introgression since reintroduction. We conclude that the adaptive management plan was effective at reducing the introgression of coyote genes into the red wolf population, but population recovery of red wolves will require continuation of the current management plan, or alternative approaches, for the foreseeable future. More broadly, we discuss the lessons learned from red wolf adaptive management that could assist other endangered species recovery efforts facing the challenge of minimizing hybridization [Current Zoology 61 （1）： 191-205, 2015 ].
基金Supported by the U.S. Louisiana Board of Regents (No. LEQSF (2004-2007)-RD-A-04)
文摘Estimation of soil organic carbon （SOC） pools and fluxes bears large uncertainties because SOC stocks vary greatly over geographical space and through time. Although development of the U.S. Soil Survey Geographic Database （SSURGO）, currently the most detailed level with a map scale ranging from 1：12 000 to 1：63 360, has involved substantial government funds and coordinated network efforts, very few studies have utilized it for soil carbon assessment at the large landscape scale. The objectives of this study were to 1） compare estimates in soil organic matter among SSURGO, the State Soil Geographic Database （STATSGO）, and referenced field measurements at the soil map unit; 2） examine the influence of missing data on SOC estimation by SSURGO and STATSGO; 3） quantify spatial differences in SOC estimation between SSURGO and STATSCO, specifically for the state of Louisiana; and 4） assess scale effects on soil organic carbon density （SOCD） estimates from a soil map unit to a watershed and a river basin scale. SOC was estimated using soil attributes of SSURGO and STATSGO including soil organic matter （SOM） content, soil layer depth, and bulk density. Paired t-test, correlation, and regression analyses were performed to investigate various relations of SOC and SOM among the datasets. There were positive relations of SOC estimates between SSURGO and STATSGO at the soil map unit （R2 = 0.56, n = 86, t = 1.65, P = 0.102; depth： 30 cm）. However, the SOC estimated by STATSGO were 9%, 33% and 36~ lower for the upper 30-cm, the upper l-m, and the maximal depth （up to 2.75 m） soils, respectively, than those from SSURGO. The difference tended to increase as the spatial scale changes from the soil map unit to the watershed and river basin scales. Compared with the referenced field measurements, the estimates in SOM by SSURGO showed a closer match than those of STATSCO, indicating that the former was more accurate than the latter in SOC estimation, both in spatial and temporal resolutions. Further applications of SSURGO in SOC estimation for the entire United States could improve the accuracy of soil carbon accounting in regional and national carbon balances.
