A conceptual framework for the emerging discipline of conservation physiology

Coristine, Laura E.; Robillard, Cassandra M.; Kerr, Jeremy T.; O’Connor, Constance M.; Lapointe, Dominic; Cooke, Steven J.

doi:10.1093/conphys/cou033

Cited by 34 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Niche conservatism could reduce the capacity of taxa originating under warm conditions to establish populations in higher elevation, cooler areas (Moritz et al , Wiens , Wiens et al , Kozak and Wiens ) and climate change‐related extinction risk for some taxa (Deutsch et al , Sinervo et al , Kerr et al ). Understanding how climate interacts with species' physiological characteristics (Buckley et al , Coristine et al ) and requirements for behavioral thermoregulation (Kearney et al , Meiri et al , Sunday et al ) will help assessments of emerging conservation challenges for which responses to climatic conditions play a role (e.g. biotic homogenization; White and Kerr ).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Organisms in such areas are, as a result, less likely to experience strong dispersal limitations arising from intolerance to temperature differences along elevation gradients (Ghalambor et al 2006). physiological characteristics (Buckley et al 2013a, Coristine et al 2014 and requirements for behavioral thermoregulation (Kearney et al 2009, Meiri et al 2013, Sunday et al 2014 will help assessments of emerging conservation challenges for which responses to climatic conditions play a role (e.g. biotic homogenization; White and Kerr 2007).…”

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Over the top: do thermal barriers along elevation gradients limit biotic similarity?

Zuloaga

Kerr

2016

Ecography

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Organismal dispersal through mountain passes should be more constrained by temperature‐related differences between lowland and highland sites in montane environments. This may lead to higher rates of diversification through isolation of existing lineages toward the tropics. This mechanism, proposed by Janzen, could influence broad‐scale patterns of biodiversity across mountainous regions and more broadly across latitudinal gradients. We constructed two complementary analyses to test this hypothesis. First, we measured topographically‐derived thermal gradients using recently‐developed climatic data across the Americas, reviewing the main expectations from Janzen's climatic model. Then, we evaluated whether thermal barriers predict assemblage similarity for amphibians and mammals along elevational gradients across most of their latitudinal extent in the Americas. Thermal barriers between low and high elevation areas, initially proposed to be unique to tropical environments, are comparably strong in some temperate regions, particularly along the western slopes of North American dividing ranges. Biotic similarity for both mammals and amphibians decreases between sites that are separated by elevation‐related thermal barriers. That is, the stronger the thermal barrier separating pairs of sites across the latitudinal gradient, the lower the similarity of their species assemblages. Thermal barriers explain 10–35% of the variation in latitudinal gradients of biotic similarity, effects that were stronger in comparisons of sites at high elevations. Mammals' stronger dispersal capacities and homeothermy may explain weaker effects of thermal barriers on gradients of assemblage similarity than among amphibians. Understanding how temperature gradients have shaped gradients of montane biological diversity in the past will improve understanding of how changing environments may affect them in the future.

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Over the top: do thermal barriers along elevation gradients limit biotic similarity?

Zuloaga

Kerr

2016

Ecography

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“…It involves the application of physiological concepts, knowledge, and tools to identify and solve conservation problems (Cooke et al 2013). A recently developed conceptual framework for conservation physiology clearly articulates the pathways in which physiology can inform conservation policy and practice (Coristine et al 2014). While a range of other endpoints may be used (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation physiology can inform threat assessment and recovery planning processes for threatened species

Birnie‐Gauvin¹,

Walton²,

Palme³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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Conservation physiology has emerged as a discipline with many success stories. Yet, it is unclear how it is currently integrated into the activities of the IUCN and other bodies which undertake international, national, or regional species threat assessments and work with partners to develop recovery plans. Here we argue that conservation physiology has much to offer for the threat assessment process and we outline the ways in which this can be operationalized. For instance, conservation physiology is effective in revealing causal relationships and mechanisms that explain observed patterns, such as population declines. Identifying the causes of population declines is a necessary precursor to the design of actions to reverse or mitigate such threats. Conservation physiology can also identify complex interactions and support modeling activities that consider emerging threats. When a population or species is deemed threatened and recovery plans are needed, physiology can be used to predict how organisms will respond to the conservation intervention and future threats. For example, if a recovery plan was focused on translocation, understanding how to safely translocate organisms would be necessary, as would ensuring that the recipient habitat provides the necessary environmental characteristics to meet the fundamental physiological needs/tolerances of that organism. Our hope is that this paper will clarify ways in which physiological data can make an important contribution to the conservation activities of bodies like the IUCN that are engaged in threat assessment and recovery of endangered organisms. Although we focus on activities at the international scale, these same concepts are relevant and applicable to national and regional bodies.

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“…Conservation physiology is an emerging discipline that aims to quantify physiological responses of organisms to human-caused changes in the environment and inform management actions by incorporating information from integrative, whole-organism biology (Wikelski and Cooke 2006;Cooke et al 2013). Ultimately, the objective is to link cause and effect at the level of the whole-organism (i.e., the scale of traditional physiological studies) with responses to anthropogenic threats and conservation actions at the levels of populations and ecological communities (i.e., the scale of most research on conservation and management) (Cooke et al 2013;Coristine et al 2014). Although it has not always been explicitly labeled as conservation physiology, this approach has been applied to many issues in wildlife conservation, including the effects of human activities on physiological stress (i.e., studies of glucocorticoid stress hormones), the influence of habitat quality and/or changing climate on the energy balance of freeliving wildlife, the role of diet and nutritional status in reproduction, and the direct and indirect effects of chemical spills, or other pollutants, on an individual's physiology, survival, or reproduction (reviewed by Cooke et al 2013;Coristine et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Physiology and Conservation Pathogens: White-Nose Syndrome and Integrative Biology for Host–Pathogen Systems

Willis

2015

Integr. Comp. Biol.

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Conservation physiology aims to apply an understanding of physiological mechanisms to management of imperiled species, populations, or ecosystems. One challenge for physiologists hoping to apply their expertise to conservation is connecting the mechanisms we study, often in the laboratory, with the vital rates of populations in the wild. There is growing appreciation that infectious pathogens can threaten populations and species, and represent an important issue for conservation. Conservation physiology has much to offer in terms of addressing the threat posed to some host species by infectious pathogens. At the same time, the well-developed theoretical framework of disease ecology could provide a model to help advance the application of physiology to a range of other conservation issues. Here, I use white-nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating North American bats as an example of a conservation problem for which integrative physiological research has been a critical part of research and management. The response to WNS highlights the importance of a well-developed theoretical framework for the application of conservation physiology to a particular threat. I review what is known about physiological mechanisms associated with mortality from WNS and emphasize the value of combining a strong theoretical background with integrative physiological studies in order to connect physiological mechanisms with population processes and thereby maximize the potential benefits of conservation physiology.

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A conceptual framework for the emerging discipline of conservation physiology

Cited by 34 publications

References 83 publications

Over the top: do thermal barriers along elevation gradients limit biotic similarity?

Over the top: do thermal barriers along elevation gradients limit biotic similarity?

Conservation physiology can inform threat assessment and recovery planning processes for threatened species

Conservation Physiology and Conservation Pathogens: White-Nose Syndrome and Integrative Biology for Host–Pathogen Systems

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