Latest Articles from BioRisk Latest 20 Articles from BioRisk https://biorisk.pensoft.net/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:30:30 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://biorisk.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from BioRisk https://biorisk.pensoft.net/ China in the anthropocene: Culprit, victim or last best hope for a global ecological civilisation? https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1904/ BioRisk 9: 1-37

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.9.6105

Authors: Joachim Spangenberg

Abstract: The anthropocene is the age where human influences are determining the development of the planet’s ecosystems and thus the bio-physical basis of future human civilisations. Today China has become the world’s largest economy and its worst polluter with per capita greenhouse gas emissions surpassing the EU average, the world’s largest consumer of all kinds of resources. Even regarding the aggregate contribution to climate change (historical emission residues included), called the climate debt, China has not yet, but will be most probably climbing the top position rather soon.At the same time China is the world’s largest victim of environmental change, including air and soil pollution, water and land scarcity, biodiversity loss and climate change.Thus not only slowing down the increase but reducing emissions should be a top priority for China, and it is: the government has taken some bold steps. China is the world’s largest investor in renewable energies, has the largest afforestation program, and leads the world in reducing carbon dioxide emission reduction. As the largest polluter it has extraordinary opportunities to improve the global state of the environment – is it the world’s last best hope for establishing a global ecological civilisation? Some implications regarding the Chinese environmental policy are discussed, some strengths highlighted and some weaknesses identified.However, despite their magnitude, the efforts–and in particular their implementation–are not yet sufficient. We suggest three additional steps which could help China to begin reducing its climate debt within a couple of decades, define a long term perspective for policy planning and adjust its growth model to the challenges of the anthropocene.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Tue, 10 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0300
Assessing continental-scale risks for generalist and specialist pollinating bee species under climate change https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1890/ BioRisk 6: 1-18

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.6.1325

Authors: Stuart Roberts, Simon Potts, Koos Biesmeijer, Michael Kuhlmann, William Kunin, Ralf Ohlemüller

Abstract: Increased risks of extinction to populations of animals and plants under changing climate have now been demonstrated for many taxa. This study assesses the extinction risks to species within an important genus of pollinating bees (Colletes: Apidae) by estimating the expected changes in the area and isolation of suitable habitat under predicted climatic condition for 2050. Suitable habitat was defined on the basis of the presence of known forage plants as well as climatic suitability. To investigate whether ecological specialisation was linked to extinction risk we compared three species which were generalist pollen foragers on several plant families with three species which specialised on pollen from a single plant species. Both specialist and generalist species showed an increased risk of extinction with shifting climate, and this was particularly high for the most specialised species (Colletes anchusae and C. wolfi). The forage generalist C. impunctatus, which is associated with Boreo-Alpine environments, is potentially threatened through significant reduction in available climatic niche space. Including the distribution of the principal or sole pollen forage plant, when modelling the distribution of monolectic or narrowly oligolectic species, did not improve the predictive accuracy of our models as the plant species were considerably more widespread than the specialised bees associated with them.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0200
Dragonflies and climatic change - recent trends in Germany and Europe https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1887/ BioRisk 5: 253-286

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.857

Authors: Jürgen Ott

Abstract: In this paper the trends of dragonfly expansions during the last decades in Germany and Europe are summarized. It is shown, that there is a general expansion of many species to the north: Mediterranean species expanded to Central and Northern Europe, whereas some African species expanded to Southern Europe, some are even new to the continent. In general this means an increase of biodiversity, but looking at the ecological effects, in the medium term a decrease can be expected for mooreland and alpine species. Dragonflies can be regarded as a good indicator group for climatic change. Already now in some areas or regions negative effects on waters bodies and their dragonfly communities can be observed and more will occur if e.g. temperature rises or precipitation decreases. The consequences for nature conservation strategies – such as the NATURA 2000 network – are outlined and the general need for monitoring programmes is emphasised.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
The local species richness of Dragonflies in mountain waterbodies: an indicator of climate warming? https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1886/ BioRisk 5: 243-251

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.853

Authors: Beat Oertli

Abstract: With climate warming, many Odonata species are extending their geographical area. In Switzerland, as in many parts of the world, this phenomenon may lead to a regional increase in species richness. The local richness (the richness of individual waterbodies) is also expected to increase, particularly in the alpine or subalpine areas where the waterbodies are particularly species–poor. Based on the species richness recorded in 109 waterbodies scattered all across Switzerland, a model is presented here relating the local species richness (adult dragonflies) to environmental variables, including the mean annual air temperature. This model predicts a sharp increase in species richness for alpine or subalpine waterbodies, which is expected to double or even treble before the end of this century. This increase would mainly be the consequence of the immigration of eurythermal species extending their geographical range, together with potential local extinctions of the cold stenothermal species.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Dragonfly and Damselfly (Insecta, Odonata) Distributions in Ontario, Canada: Investigating the Influence of Climate Change https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1885/ BioRisk 5: 225-241

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.852

Authors: Christopher Beatty, Stewart Fraser, Felipe Pérez-Jvostov, Thomas Sherratt

Abstract: We analysed temperature data and odonate distribution data collected in the province of Ontario, Canada, over approximately sixty years. Analysis of temperature data from 31 weather stations collected in the years 1945–2000 showed an overall significant increase in the minimum, maximum and mean monthly temperatures; these trends were not adjusted for changes in urbanisation. Comparison of county level presence/absence data for odonates from the 1950´s and 2002 found a slight decrease in the northernmost distributions of some species, although no significant patterns were evident. Lower sampling coverage in the larger, more northerly counties in Ontario, as well as the assessment of distributions based on county records may limit the sensitivity of our approach in detecting changes in odonate species distributions over time. Future work should focus on increasing the coverage, uniformity and geographic detail of available datasets, as well as evaluating range change through testing predictions based on the ecology and biogeography of odonate species.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Expansion of Crocothemis erythraea in Ukraine https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1884/ BioRisk 5: 211-223

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.851

Authors: Lyudmyla Khrokalo

Abstract: A noticeable expansion of some Mediterranean species takes place in Europe during last several decades and this data are related to climatic effects clearly. The present work is a review of literature and original data on distribution of C. erythraea in Ukraine. In the beginning and middle of XX century in Ukraine the Scarlet Dragonfly was observed in southern area at Dnieper valley, in outmost southwest at Danube delta at the west of Ukraine in Transcarpathian and Forecarpathian. Next, this species was registered at the foothills of Carpathian Mountains. During last three decades C. erythraea was also recorded at the north and east (central regions, eastern, northern and northeastern areas). Since 2000 new points have been registered in Odessa, Kherson,Vinnytsya, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kyiv administrative regions and in Crimea.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Anthropogenic climate change impacts on ponds: a thermal mass perspective https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1883/ BioRisk 5: 193-209

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.849

Authors: John Matthews

Abstract: Small freshwater aquatic lentic systems (lakes and ponds) are sensitive to anthropogenic climate change through shifts in ambient air temperatures and patterns of precipitation. Shifts in air temperatures will influence lentic water temperatures through convection and by changing evaporation rates. Shifts in the timing, amount, and intensity of precipitation will alter the thermal mass of lentic systems even in the absence of detectable ambient air temperature changes. These effects are likely to be strongest in ponds (standing water bodies primarily mixed by temperature changes than by wind), for whom precipitation makes up a large component of inflows. Although historical water temperature datasets are patchy for lentic systems, thermal mass effects are likely to outweigh impacts from ambient air temperatures in most locations and may show considerable independence from those trends. Thermal mass-induced changes in water temperature will thereby alter a variety of population- and community-level processes in aquatic macroinvertebrates.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Monitoring the effects of conservation actions in agricultural and urbanized landscapes – also useful for assessing climate change? https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1882/ BioRisk 5: 175-192

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.848

Authors: Hansruedi Wildermuth

Abstract: Various methods for measuring the success of conservation actions and for evaluating aquatic habitats are outlined, based on quantified dragonfly monitoring. They are discussed with respect to their practicability and information value, counts of adult males and especially of exuviae yielding the most valuable results. These are presented by actual examples of mire ponds, streams, ditches and rivers from central Europe, making allowance for the dynamics of the habitats and their dragonfly community. Records of detailed data, if repeated subsequently at the same localities with the same methods, are considered a useful basis for preparation of distribution maps and for comparison of the fauna over the time. Fauna shifts in horizontal and vertical distribution over the time should be judged critically with respect to climate change as they could also be caused by anthropogenic habitat changes.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Changes in the range of dragonflies in the Netherlands and the possible role of temperature change https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1881/ BioRisk 5: 155-173

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.847

Authors: Tim Termaat, Vincent Kalkman, Jaap Bouwman

Abstract: The trends of 60 Dutch dragonfly species were calculated for three different periods (1980–1993, 1994–1998 and 1999–2003). Comparing period 1 and period 3 shows that 39 of these species have increased, 16 have remained stable and 5 have decreased. These results show a revival of the Dutch dragonfly fauna, after decades of ongoing decline. The species were categorized in different species groups: species with a southern distribution range, species with a northern distribution range, species of running waters, species of fenlands and species of mesotrophic lakes and bogs. The trends of these different species groups were compared with the all-species control group. As expected, a significantly higher proportion of the southern species show a positive trend than the all-species group. In the northern species group on the contrary, a significantly higher proportion of the species show a negative trend than the all-species group. Different explanations for these results are discussed, such as climate change, improved quality of certain habitats and degradation of other habitats. It is likely that the observed increase of southern species is at least partly caused by the increasing temperatures. The less positive picture of the northern species group is probably more influenced by other environmental factor than directly by climate change. Three out of six southern species which have become established since 1990 have done so during the aftermath of large invasions. It is concluded that dragonflies are well capable of using changing climate circumstances to colonise new habitats.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
When south goes north: Mediterranean dragonflies (Odonata) conquer Flanders (North-Belgium) https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1880/ BioRisk 5: 141-153

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.855

Authors: Geert De Knijf, Anny Anselin

Abstract: Since 1980, eight southern dragonfly species have been regularly recorded in Flanders. They show a significant increase in relative abundance, relative area as well as indications of reproduction since the beginning of the nineties, with peak occurrence mainly in the 1995–1999 period. Since 2000, numbers are lower but more species were simultaneously present. Three species, Lestes barbarus, Crocothemis erythraea and Sympetrum fonscolombii, show a combination of earlier arrival, earlier reproduction with a higher frequency and higher maximum ranges and can be considered asstable populations in Flanders. All other southern species show in general a later arrival, only one confirmed or probable reproduction and have much lower maximum ranges. Two other species, reaching their northern limit of distribution in Flanders, Erythromma viridulum and E. lindenii have clearly expanded their relative area since the eighties. Their relative abundance also increased although this shows more fluctuations.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Monitoring of Odonata in Britain and possible insights into climate change https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1879/ BioRisk 5: 127-139

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.846

Authors: Adrian Parr

Abstract: The history of recording and monitoring of Odonata in Britain is briefly described. Results are then presented which suggest that the country’s Odonata fauna is currently in a period of flux, in a manner consistent with the actions of a high-level regulatory factor such as climate change. The ranges of many resident species are shifting. Leucorrhinia dubia has recently been lost from southern England, but many species are presently expanding their ranges to the north and west, some (such as Aeshna mixta and Anax imperator) with considerable speed. In addition to these changes, a number of ‘southern’ species have started to appear in Britain for the very first time. These include Lestes barbarus, Erythromma viridulum (which has now become a locally-common resident in southeast England), Anax parthenope and Crocothemis erythraea. In addition to these distributional changes, some recent trends in flight times are also discussed. Evidence indicates that many species are now emerging significantly earlier than in the past, though trends relating to the end of the flight period are less clear cut.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Southern dragonflies expanding in Wallonia (south Belgium): a consequence of global warming? https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1878/ BioRisk 5: 109-126

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.845

Authors: Philippe Goffart

Abstract: The occurrence of seven southern Odonata species has been watched in Wallonia over the last two decades (from 1981 to 2000). They have clearly expanded in the meantime and this pattern is still highly significant when the data are corrected for the increase of sampling efforts. Moreover, reproduction evidences have been collected recently (from 1993 onwards) for all these species and several settled and have now resident populations in Wallonia. In a second step, all present regular and irregular resident species of Wallonia were looked for change in range size and observation rate per visit between two six years periods of a survey and monitoring scheme, from 1989 to 2000. Analysis was achieved on grid cells visited at the right time at both periods, a procedure designed to neutralize the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of sampling. The comparison of results in relation to the distribution types of species and their habitat preferences show a significant global trend toward an increase for southern species during the investigated time interval, contrasting with other groups of species. If there is a tendency to rise for species preferring eutrophic still waters, this proves to be clearly due to the southern species sub-group, the other dragonflies of this habitat type showing a stable or even decreasing trend. Three distinct hypotheses are examined and discussed as possible explanations of the expansion pattern of southern species: (1) global warming, (2) change in aquatic habitats, especially eutrophication, and (3) intrinsic population dynamics. The rise of temperatures appears to be the main factor explaining the observed expansions.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Climate and elevational range of a South African dragonfly assemblage https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1877/ BioRisk 5: 85-107

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.844

Authors: Michael Samways, Augustine Niba

Abstract: Elevation and climate are interrelated variables which have a profound affect on biota. Flying insects such as dragonflies can rapidly disperse and optimal habitat conditions at appropriate elevations. Such behaviour is likely to be especially important in geographical areas which are subject to major climatic events such as El Niño. Accordingly, we studied dragonflies and environmental variables in a series of reservoirs over an elevational range of 100–1350 m a.s.l. at the same latitude on the eastern seaboard of South Africa. The aim was to determine how elevation and climate (as regional processes), as well as local factors, influence species assemblage variability, habitat preference and phenology. Certain environmental variables strongly explained the main variation in species assemblage. These included local factors such as pH, marginal grasses, percentage shade, exposed rock, marginal forest and to a lesser extent, marshes and flow. Different species showed various tolerance levels to these variables. Elevation and climate as regional processes had very little influence on dragonfly assemblages in comparison with these environmental factors. These odonate species are essentially sub-tropical, and are similar to their tropical counterparts in that they have long flight periods with overlapping generations. Yet they also have temperate characteristics such as over-wintering mostly as larvae. These results indicate evolutionary adaptations from both temperate and tropical regions. Furthermore, most were also widespread and opportunistic habitat generalists. The national endemics Pseudagrion citricola and Africallagma sapphirinum only occurred at high elevations. However, the endemic Agriocnemis falcifera was throughout all elevations, suggesting regional endemism does not necessarily equate to elevational intolerance. Overall, the results suggest that many millennia of great climatic variation have led to a highly vagile and elevation-tolerant dragonfly assemblage which readily occupies new water bodies. Such an assemblage is likely to be highly tolerant of global climate change, so long as there is sufficient water to keep the reservoirs at a constant level.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Impacts of extreme weather and climate change on South African dragonflies https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1876/ BioRisk 5: 73-84

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.843

Authors: Michael Samways

Abstract: The absence of ice sheets for many millions of years, yet variable topography and changing climate, has generated considerable biodiversity in South Africa. There is no evidence to date that anthropogenic climate change has affected odonate populations in the region. One reason is that the highly varying weather and climate constitutes considerable background noise against which any effects of modern climate change must be measured. Evidence is accumulating that the Holocene interglacial and gradual warming has left some species with isolated populations in montane areas among a matrix of arid land. Many South African odonate species are remarkably vagile and elevationally tolerant, readily immigrating into and emigrating from pools during wet and dry phases respectively. Some species take this movement to greater extremes by moving the southern margins of their geographical range back and forth with varying climate. After floods, populations of riverine odonates can recover within a year, although where the riparian corridor has been stripped of its trees, the recovery is very slow. Various synergistic impacts, particularly from invasive alien woody plants, area severe impact on many riverine species, and reducing their ability to respond positively to changing environmental conditions. Large-scale removal of these woody aliens is greatly benefiting the odonates’ ability to survive in the short-term and to restore natural corridors for movement in the face of possible future climatic changes.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Do climate changes influence dispersal and population dynamics of dragonflies in the western Peruvian Andes? https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1874/ BioRisk 5: 47-72

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.842

Authors: Joachim Hoffmann

Abstract: For nine dragonfly species (five aeshnids and four libellulids) all previous and verifiable data are related to the vertical climate zones and nature regions of the western Peruvian Andes and the Peruvian Pacific coast. Climate changes due to the El Niño and La Niña phenomena, as well as the global climate change have an influence on the different natural regions and also restrict aquatic biotopes. These changes influence the dispersal and behavior of some dragonflies and concern also loss of habitats as well as alterations of biotic and abiotic factors at and in water. However new waters and habitats also are formed in most nature regions. Specialists like Rhionaeschna peralta, a species of high mountain regions and the Puna, are not able to react to habitat losses by adaptation, while other species such as R. maita and R. marchali do colonize new habitats also in higher altitudes. While the here represented aeshnids change their distribution ranges within the vertical nature regions of the west Andes, this is suspected for three of the four libellulids (Orthemis ferruginea, O. discolor and Pantala flavescens) as latitudinally respectively longitudinally immigrations and expansions of their areals. For all species discussed, a seasonally earlier flight beginning is detectable, but for no species an extension of their flight time. Altogether, the above named three libellulid do react more flexibly and faster to the alterations by climate changes than the majority of the five aeshnid species. The influence of increased UV-B and UV-A radiation possibly affects also the site occurrence of some species in high altitudes of the Andes.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Trends in occurrence of thermophilous dragonfly species in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1873/ BioRisk 5: 31-45

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.841

Authors: Klaus-Jürgen Conze, Nina Grönhagen, Mathias Lohr, Norbert Menke

Abstract: Since 1996 the “Workgroup Odonata in North Rhine-Westphalia” (“AK Libellen NRW”) has built up a data base including about 150.000 data sets concerning the occurrence of dragonflies in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). This data confirms an increase and spread of some thermophilous dragonfly species in NRW, and the effects of climate change evidenced by an increasing average temperature, are considered to be important reasons for this process.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Climate change impacts on biodiversity: a short introduction with special emphasis on the ALARM approach for the assessment of multiple risks https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1872/ BioRisk 5: 3-29

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.856

Authors: Josef Settele, Greg Fanslow, Stefan Fronzek, Stefan Klotz, Ingolf Kühn, Martin Musche, Jürgen Ott, Michael Samways, Oliver Schweiger, Joachim Spangenberg, Gian-Reto Walther, Volker Hammen

Abstract:

HTML

PDF

]]>
Editorial Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
Monitoring climate change with Dragonflies: Foreword https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1871/ BioRisk 5: 1-2

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.5.854

Authors: Jeffrey McNeely

Abstract:

HTML

PDF

]]>
Editorial Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0200
The effects of climate change on biodiversity: Pressing issues and research priorities https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1825/ BioRisk 3: 1-4

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.3.40

Authors: Friedhelm Krupp, Lytton Musselman, Mohammed Kotb, Ilka Weidig

Abstract:

HTML

PDF

]]>
Editorial Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0200
Corrigenda: Climatic Risk Atlas of European Butterflies https://biorisk.pensoft.net/article/1824/ BioRisk 2: 33-72

DOI: 10.3897/biorisk.2.38

Authors: Josef Settele, Otakar Kudrna, Alexander Harpke, Ingolf Kühn, Chris van Swaay, Rudi Verovnik, Martin Warren, Martin Wiemers, Jan Hanspach, Thomas Hickler, Elisabeth Kühn, Inge van Halder, Kars Veling, Albert Vliegenthart, Irma Wynhoff, Oliver Schweiger

Abstract: In the „Climatic Risk Atlas of European Butterflies” by Settele et al. (2008) some errors occurred for which we apologize and herewith present the corrections.

HTML

PDF

]]>
Corrigenda Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0200