Land-use change is associated with a significant loss of freshwater fish species and functional richness in Sabah, Malaysia

Wilkinson, Clare L.; Yeo, Darren C. J.; Tan, Heok Hui; Fikri, Arman Hadi; Ewers, Robert M.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.004

Cited by 63 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…While this line of reasoning would be consistent with known impacts of oil palm plantations on benthic stream microhabitats (e.g. declines in woody debris in oil palm streams in our study) (Giam et al, 2015; Luke et al, 2017; Wilkinson et al, 2018), we recorded minimal support for linear regression models depicting such relationships. Our findings therefore support the inference that the relationship between mouth position and species occurrences in oil palm streams is more driven via impacts to riparian environments rather than to benthic microhabitats.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…Ewers et al, 2015), a similar level of understanding for fishes and other aquatic taxa is only beginning to emerge despite disproportionately high levels of threat faced by tropical fresh waters (Dudgeon et al, 2006). Recorded declines in freshwater aquatic diversity and abundances have been attributed to sedimentation and loss of microhabitat complexity following land‐use change (Iwata et al, 2003; Wilkinson, Yeo, Tan, Fikir, & Ewers, 2018). Furthermore, there is emerging, albeit inconsistent, evidence of differences between fish assemblages in forest and land‐use impacted streams (Giam et al, 2015; Wilkinson et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recorded declines in freshwater aquatic diversity and abundances have been attributed to sedimentation and loss of microhabitat complexity following land‐use change (Iwata et al, 2003; Wilkinson, Yeo, Tan, Fikir, & Ewers, 2018). Furthermore, there is emerging, albeit inconsistent, evidence of differences between fish assemblages in forest and land‐use impacted streams (Giam et al, 2015; Wilkinson et al, 2018). Crucially, the environmental pathways behind these turnovers are poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

et al. 2020

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Land‐use change is a leading driver of biodiversity loss, especially in tropical fresh waters where the conversion of natural forest to monoculture plantations impacts freshwater fish assemblages. The environmental pathways underpinning shifts in fish assemblages, however, are poorly understood, but could potentially be inferred from trait–environment relationships. We addressed this knowledge gap using eco‐morphological traits to explain fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted streams of the Endau drainage in Peninsular Malaysia. We also investigated how traits relate to differences in environmental conditions associated with land‐use change. We then integrate findings from the above to test how potential pathways of land‐use driven environmental changes can impact species occurrences through effects on life history, feeding habits, and mobility. Mixed‐effects models show that fishes with superior (upward‐facing) mouths and low body mass were more likely to occur in oil palm streams than forest streams, and these traits were associated with grass‐dominated riparian zones and reduced woody debris in oil palm streams, respectively. Structural equation models show that mouth positions statistically mediated the effect of riparian vegetation on fish species occurrences in oil palm streams. Specifically, fishes with superior mouths were more likely to feed on terrestrial invertebrates. Our analysis of easily measurable traits revealed pathways of land‐use impact that are potentially more widely applicable than conventional taxa‐based approaches. Fishes with superior mouths tended to occur in oil palm streams as they were able to more effectively exploit inputs of terrestrial invertebrates that are potentially associated with grass‐dominated riparian vegetation. Moreover, shifts in traits may suggest land‐use driven changes in stream ecosystem functioning (e.g. in terms of the role of terrestrial subsidies), thereby informing targeted management actions in land‐use impacted habitats (e.g. retention/restoration of riparian trees).

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

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“…For example, Wilkinson et al. () found greater local species richness, greater functional richness, and no difference in functional divergence in protected streams in Borneo. This was driven by the presence of several endemic, specialist species in streams within protected areas, which is not consistent with our findings for lakes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…() found that cichlid communities in water adjacent to TPAs had more herbivorous and specialist species, and more similar fish assemblages than areas farther from the TPAs. Similarly, Wilkinson, Yeo, Tan, Fikri, and Ewers () found greater local fish functional richness in headwater streams surrounded by protected areas compared to streams coursing through logged forests or oil‐palm plantations. As such, our objectives were to determine if TPAs preserve functional diversity of lake fish communities by comparing community‐level and species‐specific functional diversity metrics between fish communities in lakes inside, outside, and bordering TPAs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Evaluating functional diversity conservation for freshwater fishes resulting from terrestrial protected areas

2019

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Protected areas are one of the hammers in conservation toolkits, yet few protected areas exist that were designed to protect freshwater ecosystems. This is problematic as freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened systems on earth. Nonetheless, terrestrial protected areas (TPAs) may afford spill‐over benefits to freshwater ecosystems included within their boundaries, but evaluations of these potential benefits for the protection of freshwater fish diversity are lacking. Using fish community data from 175 lakes inside, outside, or bordering TPAs in Ontario, Canada, we sought to determine if TPAs preserve fish functional diversity. We focused on functional diversity because previous work indicated no taxonomic differences between these lakes, but a difference in normalised‐length size‐spectra slopes inside versus outside TPAs (indicator of unique predator–prey ratios and trophic energy transfer). We expected that communities inside TPAs would show greater functional diversity (i.e. functional dispersion and functional richness) and have more extreme trait combinations (i.e. functional divergence) than communities outside or bordering TPAs. We also tested for differences in the rarity of species‐specific functional traits between fish communities inside, outside, or bordering TPAs, between thermal guilds, and across average body size and overall prevalence of the species. Our results indicated no significant differences in functional diversity among lake fish communities inside, outside, or bordering TPAs. However, fish communities inside TPAs had more extreme trait combinations than outside TPAs because abundant species in lake communities outside TPAs had more ubiquitous trait combinations than abundant fishes inside TPAs. Small‐bodied species showed greater functional rarity than large‐bodied species, indicating that small‐bodied fishes fill functionally unique roles while the most prevalent, large‐bodied species possess a more generalist set of traits. Overall, the similarity of functional diversity metrics for lake fish communities inside, outside, or bordering TPAs in Ontario suggests that TPAs capture the functional diversity of Ontario's lake fish communities. However, we encourage similar evaluations in regions where environmental conditions and stressors are more distinct across TPA boundaries than they are in Ontario, as these types of evaluations will inform guidelines for the design of freshwater protected areas and monitoring of their effectiveness in the future.

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A new genus and two new, rare freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae) species endemic to Borneo are threatened by ongoing habitat destruction

Zieritz

Jainih

Pfeiffer

et al. 2021

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Most of the Bornean endemic freshwater mussel (Unionida) species known to date have not been recorded by science for the past 50 years or more, owing to a lack of research effort and presumed population losses.2. This study assessed current patterns and recent changes in the diversity and distribution of freshwater mussels in north-eastern Borneo. Physical surveys and interviews were conducted at 24 sites, and anecdotal evidence for current or historical presence of mussels was collected for a further 13 sites. 3. Native species, i.e. Schepmania sp. and Khairuloconcha sahanae gen. & sp. nov., were only found in one small stream of the Kinabatangan River basin within the Gomantong Forest Reserve, whereas the non-native Sinanodonta cf. woodiana was common across the study area. 4. Molecular phylogenetics (five genes) of the native taxa, including comparative material from West Kalimantan and Sarawak, revealed: (i) the presence of a new genus with two new, rare species: Khairuloconcha lunbawangorum sp. nov. in the Limbang River basin and K. sahanae in the Kinabatangan River basin; (ii) that Khairuloconcha and Ctenodesma form the Bornean endemic tribe Ctenodesmini trib. nov.; and (iii) that Schepmania represents another Bornean endemic tribe Schepmaniini trib. nov. 5. Both Khairuloconcha gen. nov. species are known from a single stream each and are apparently restricted to forest stream habitats where they occur at very low densities. Schepmania appears to have a severely contracted range in the Kinabatangan and adjacent basins. We urgently call for full protection of the currently known sites of K. lunbawangorum and K. sahanae, and development of an action plan to save the Bornean freshwater mussel fauna.

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Land-use change is associated with a significant loss of freshwater fish species and functional richness in Sabah, Malaysia

Cited by 63 publications

References 55 publications

Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

Evaluating functional diversity conservation for freshwater fishes resulting from terrestrial protected areas

A new genus and two new, rare freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae) species endemic to Borneo are threatened by ongoing habitat destruction

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