The lancehead (Bothrops lanceolatus) is a poisonous snake endemic to Martinique, an island in the Lesser Antilles arc. Today, this snake is on the verge of extinction. The recorded number of snakes killed yearly betwe...The lancehead (Bothrops lanceolatus) is a poisonous snake endemic to Martinique, an island in the Lesser Antilles arc. Today, this snake is on the verge of extinction. The recorded number of snakes killed yearly between 1970 and 2002 decreased by 97%. Despite the production of an antivenom in 1993, the local authorities set up a financial reward to encourage the eradication of lancehead snakes. Today the local population still perceives the snake as a threat, due to its fatal venom and its fierce behaviour. The case study of the lancehead in Martinique highlights the need to develop integrated strategies to conserve species of poisonous snakes on densely populated islands. This requires innovative, cross-sectoral strategies that involve decision-makers working along with multi-disciplinary scientists. Approaching the complexity of ecosystems through the socio-ecological prism implies, conversely, linking up the domains of science and technology, life and environmental sciences, and human and social sciences, through interactions based on sharing common展开更多
The severe and rapid attack on the Caicos pine Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis(Pinaceae) by the nonnative invasive pine tortoise scale, Toumeyella parvicornis, has resulted in the death of most of the trees in the Turk...The severe and rapid attack on the Caicos pine Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis(Pinaceae) by the nonnative invasive pine tortoise scale, Toumeyella parvicornis, has resulted in the death of most of the trees in the Turks and Caicos Islands(TCI) in just over a decade. Local and international conservation efforts have enabled the necessary multi-disciplinary research, data gathering, and monitoring to develop and implement a restoration strategy for this endemic tree from the Bahaman archipelago. The native plant nursery established on North Caicos and horticultural expertise acquired throughout the years were crucial to the successful rescue of Caicos pine saplings from the wild populations and cultivation of new saplings grown from locally sourced seeds. These saplings have been used to establish six Restoration Trial Plots on Pine Cay and a seed orchard on North Caicos in TCI. Core Conservation Areas(CCAs) for the Caicos pine forests have been identified and mapped. To date, forest within the Pine Cay CCA has been supplemented by planting more than 450 pine trees, which have survived at a high(>80%)rate.展开更多
Plate tectonics is driven by Earth-Moon barycentre shifts in the lower mantle. The eastern Canary Islands have geographic and geological conditions derived from the movements of the Central American plates. Some featu...Plate tectonics is driven by Earth-Moon barycentre shifts in the lower mantle. The eastern Canary Islands have geographic and geological conditions derived from the movements of the Central American plates. Some features of these islands are influenced by the rotation of the Earth from west to east in the evolution of the marine currents that surround them and the opening of the North Atlantic to the North Pole with little dependence of the glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). In addition, their position with respect to the Tropic of Cancer and the African continent affect the north-south and east-west climatic change dynamics and their tectonic stability respectively. Dated lavas contain marine and aeolian deposits and some of the Pleistocene marine deposits indicate higher sea level in cooler circumstances, which is anomalous. Relating those marine deposits produced during the warmest interglacial, the last interglacial and the Holocene with their equivalents in the Southern Hemisphere, they reflect shifts in the barycentre. Thanks to Holocene radiocarbon, topographic and day length data and alkenone temperature, we describe a mechanism by which the oscillation of the Moon’s inclination (and declination) reaches extreme values (14ºand 34ºabout 4.9ºmore than current values) approximately every 1450 years. These values occur when there is a harmonic distortion in surface areas of the Earth’s crust as response associated with oscillations in the displacements of the barycentre of the Earth-Moon system. As the declination influences the movement of oceanic waters, there is also a relationship with the Bond Events of the North Atlantic, of unknown cause until now.展开更多
Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species,including the Critically Endangered ground lizard(Pholidoscelis atratus).Black rats(Rattus rattus)and domestic goats(Capra...Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species,including the Critically Endangered ground lizard(Pholidoscelis atratus).Black rats(Rattus rattus)and domestic goats(Capra hircus)were introduced to the island at some time after its discovery by Europeans in the late 1500s.They had a devastating effect on the island,resulting in the loss of nearly all trees and most of the ground vegetation.Point count surveys of P.atratus in 2012 indicated low densities,and the invasive rats were observed hunting and preying on the lizards.Both populations of rats and goats were successfully removed in 2017 as part of an ecological restoration program,and native vegetation and invertebrate populations have increased rapidly since.Population surveys in 2017,2018,and 2019 show the lizard population has increased by more than sixfold.In 2017,as rats and goats were being removed,we evaluated the morphology and escape behavior of this species and repeated these measurements 1 year later.We observed that P.atratus had become bolder,with a reduced flight distance.We also detected changes in limb morphology related to locomotion and suggest possible explanations that will need to be further investigated in the future.These results show how the removal of invasive species can rapidly affect lizard population recovery and behavior,potentially restoring island ecosystems to their pre-human interference dynamics.展开更多
Complementarities between wind and wave energies have many signifcant advantages that are unavailable with the sole deployment of either.Using all available wind speed,signifcant wave height,and wave period buoy obser...Complementarities between wind and wave energies have many signifcant advantages that are unavailable with the sole deployment of either.Using all available wind speed,signifcant wave height,and wave period buoy observations over a 10-year period(i.e.,2009–2019),colocated wind and wave energy resources are estimated.Although buoy records are imper-fect,results show that the inner Caribbean Sea(CS)under the infuence of the Caribbean low-level jet has the highest wind energy resource at~1500 W/m^(2),followed by the outer CS at~600 W/m^(2) and Atlantic Ocean(AO)at~550–600 W/m^(2) at a 100 m height.Wave energy was most abundant in the AO at 14 kW/m,followed by the inner CS at 13 kW/m and outer CS at 5 kW/m.The average and dominant wave energies can reach a maximum of 10 and 14 kW/m,respectively.Asymmetry between wind and wave energy resources is observed in the AO,where wave energy is higher than the low wind speed/energy would suggest.Swell is responsible for this discrepancy;thus,it must be considered not only for wave energy extraction but also for wind turbine fatigue,stability,and power extraction efciency.展开更多
Aims The spatial distribution of biotic and abiotic factors may play a dominant role in determining the distribution and abundance of plants in arid and semiarid environments.In this study,we evaluated how spatial pat...Aims The spatial distribution of biotic and abiotic factors may play a dominant role in determining the distribution and abundance of plants in arid and semiarid environments.In this study,we evaluated how spatial patterns of microhabitat variables and the degree of spatial dependence of these variables influence the distribution and abundance of the endangered cactus Harrisia portoricensis.Methods We used geostatistical analyses of five microhabitat variables(e.g.vegetation cover,soil cover and light incidence)and recorded the abundance of H.portoricensis in 50 permanent plots established across Mona Island,Puerto Rico,by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service as part of the Forest Inventory and Analysis(USDA–FIA).We also used partial Mantel tests to evaluate the relationships between microhabitat variables and abundance of H.portoricensis,controlling for spatial autocorrelation.Important findings Abundance of H.portoricensis showed strong affinities with microhabitat variables related to canopy structure,soil cover and light environment.The distribution of this cactus species throughout the island was consistent with the spatial variation patterns of these variables.In general,landscape-level analyses suggested a predictive value of microhabitat traits for the distribution and abundance of this endangered species.For sensitive cacti species,wherein abundance may be influenced by similar variables,these types of analyses may be helpful in developing management plans and identifying critical habitats for conservation.展开更多
基金the support of“Investissements d’Avenir”of the French National Agency for Research(CEBA,ref.ANR-10-LABX-25-01).
文摘The lancehead (Bothrops lanceolatus) is a poisonous snake endemic to Martinique, an island in the Lesser Antilles arc. Today, this snake is on the verge of extinction. The recorded number of snakes killed yearly between 1970 and 2002 decreased by 97%. Despite the production of an antivenom in 1993, the local authorities set up a financial reward to encourage the eradication of lancehead snakes. Today the local population still perceives the snake as a threat, due to its fatal venom and its fierce behaviour. The case study of the lancehead in Martinique highlights the need to develop integrated strategies to conserve species of poisonous snakes on densely populated islands. This requires innovative, cross-sectoral strategies that involve decision-makers working along with multi-disciplinary scientists. Approaching the complexity of ecosystems through the socio-ecological prism implies, conversely, linking up the domains of science and technology, life and environmental sciences, and human and social sciences, through interactions based on sharing common
基金The Meridian ClubPine Cay Homeowners Association for their support to research and restoration efforts on Pine Cay+1 种基金the John Ellerman FoundationDarwin Plus grant (DPLUS016) for financial support for different elements of the overall Caicos Pine Recovery Project between 2014 and 2016
文摘The severe and rapid attack on the Caicos pine Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis(Pinaceae) by the nonnative invasive pine tortoise scale, Toumeyella parvicornis, has resulted in the death of most of the trees in the Turks and Caicos Islands(TCI) in just over a decade. Local and international conservation efforts have enabled the necessary multi-disciplinary research, data gathering, and monitoring to develop and implement a restoration strategy for this endemic tree from the Bahaman archipelago. The native plant nursery established on North Caicos and horticultural expertise acquired throughout the years were crucial to the successful rescue of Caicos pine saplings from the wild populations and cultivation of new saplings grown from locally sourced seeds. These saplings have been used to establish six Restoration Trial Plots on Pine Cay and a seed orchard on North Caicos in TCI. Core Conservation Areas(CCAs) for the Caicos pine forests have been identified and mapped. To date, forest within the Pine Cay CCA has been supplemented by planting more than 450 pine trees, which have survived at a high(>80%)rate.
文摘Plate tectonics is driven by Earth-Moon barycentre shifts in the lower mantle. The eastern Canary Islands have geographic and geological conditions derived from the movements of the Central American plates. Some features of these islands are influenced by the rotation of the Earth from west to east in the evolution of the marine currents that surround them and the opening of the North Atlantic to the North Pole with little dependence of the glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). In addition, their position with respect to the Tropic of Cancer and the African continent affect the north-south and east-west climatic change dynamics and their tectonic stability respectively. Dated lavas contain marine and aeolian deposits and some of the Pleistocene marine deposits indicate higher sea level in cooler circumstances, which is anomalous. Relating those marine deposits produced during the warmest interglacial, the last interglacial and the Holocene with their equivalents in the Southern Hemisphere, they reflect shifts in the barycentre. Thanks to Holocene radiocarbon, topographic and day length data and alkenone temperature, we describe a mechanism by which the oscillation of the Moon’s inclination (and declination) reaches extreme values (14ºand 34ºabout 4.9ºmore than current values) approximately every 1450 years. These values occur when there is a harmonic distortion in surface areas of the Earth’s crust as response associated with oscillations in the displacements of the barycentre of the Earth-Moon system. As the declination influences the movement of oceanic waters, there is also a relationship with the Bond Events of the North Atlantic, of unknown cause until now.
基金This research was carried out under the auspices of the Redonda Restoration Programme,a collaborative program of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda,Environmental Awareness Group,British Mountaineering Council,Fauna&Flora International,Island Conservation and Wildlife Management International Ltd.Fieldwork between 2012 and 2019 was funded by grants from Darwin Initiative through UK Government funding(grant#23-003)Betty Liebert Trust,Disney Conservation Fund,Global Wildlife Conservation,National Fish&Wildlife Foundation(#51228)+2 种基金Taurus Foundation,and U.S.Fish andWildlife Service’s Neotropical Migratory Birds Conservation Act(grants#F10AP00785 and F17AP00667)with additional technical and material support from Caribbean Helicopters Ltd.and Syngenta Crop Protection AGSupport for field work for A.H.and C.M.D.was provided through the U.S.N.S.F.IOS-1354620 to J.LososA.H.A.H.and C.M.D.thank Ms.Nneka Nicholas(Department of Environment)for her assistance in procuring permits to conduct fieldwork.
文摘Redonda is a small volcanic Caribbean island that is home to at least 4 endemic lizard species,including the Critically Endangered ground lizard(Pholidoscelis atratus).Black rats(Rattus rattus)and domestic goats(Capra hircus)were introduced to the island at some time after its discovery by Europeans in the late 1500s.They had a devastating effect on the island,resulting in the loss of nearly all trees and most of the ground vegetation.Point count surveys of P.atratus in 2012 indicated low densities,and the invasive rats were observed hunting and preying on the lizards.Both populations of rats and goats were successfully removed in 2017 as part of an ecological restoration program,and native vegetation and invertebrate populations have increased rapidly since.Population surveys in 2017,2018,and 2019 show the lizard population has increased by more than sixfold.In 2017,as rats and goats were being removed,we evaluated the morphology and escape behavior of this species and repeated these measurements 1 year later.We observed that P.atratus had become bolder,with a reduced flight distance.We also detected changes in limb morphology related to locomotion and suggest possible explanations that will need to be further investigated in the future.These results show how the removal of invasive species can rapidly affect lizard population recovery and behavior,potentially restoring island ecosystems to their pre-human interference dynamics.
文摘Complementarities between wind and wave energies have many signifcant advantages that are unavailable with the sole deployment of either.Using all available wind speed,signifcant wave height,and wave period buoy observations over a 10-year period(i.e.,2009–2019),colocated wind and wave energy resources are estimated.Although buoy records are imper-fect,results show that the inner Caribbean Sea(CS)under the infuence of the Caribbean low-level jet has the highest wind energy resource at~1500 W/m^(2),followed by the outer CS at~600 W/m^(2) and Atlantic Ocean(AO)at~550–600 W/m^(2) at a 100 m height.Wave energy was most abundant in the AO at 14 kW/m,followed by the inner CS at 13 kW/m and outer CS at 5 kW/m.The average and dominant wave energies can reach a maximum of 10 and 14 kW/m,respectively.Asymmetry between wind and wave energy resources is observed in the AO,where wave energy is higher than the low wind speed/energy would suggest.Swell is responsible for this discrepancy;thus,it must be considered not only for wave energy extraction but also for wind turbine fatigue,stability,and power extraction efciency.
基金National Science Foundation-Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology(NSF-CREST,HRD-0206200 and HRD 0734826)through the Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation of the University of Puerto Rico.
文摘Aims The spatial distribution of biotic and abiotic factors may play a dominant role in determining the distribution and abundance of plants in arid and semiarid environments.In this study,we evaluated how spatial patterns of microhabitat variables and the degree of spatial dependence of these variables influence the distribution and abundance of the endangered cactus Harrisia portoricensis.Methods We used geostatistical analyses of five microhabitat variables(e.g.vegetation cover,soil cover and light incidence)and recorded the abundance of H.portoricensis in 50 permanent plots established across Mona Island,Puerto Rico,by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service as part of the Forest Inventory and Analysis(USDA–FIA).We also used partial Mantel tests to evaluate the relationships between microhabitat variables and abundance of H.portoricensis,controlling for spatial autocorrelation.Important findings Abundance of H.portoricensis showed strong affinities with microhabitat variables related to canopy structure,soil cover and light environment.The distribution of this cactus species throughout the island was consistent with the spatial variation patterns of these variables.In general,landscape-level analyses suggested a predictive value of microhabitat traits for the distribution and abundance of this endangered species.For sensitive cacti species,wherein abundance may be influenced by similar variables,these types of analyses may be helpful in developing management plans and identifying critical habitats for conservation.
