Past Imperfect

Alagona, Peter S.; Sandlos, John; Wiersma, Yolanda F.

doi:10.5840/envirophil2012914

Cited by 122 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…We also used the number of R. boylii specimens in collections to estimate minimum abundance. To account for the differences between the reliability of primary sources (i.e., specimen collections and field notes) versus interviews that rely solely on memory (Alagona, Sandlos, & Wiersma, 2012), we coded interviews, field notes, and specimen collections as separate information categories.…”

Section: Interviews and Field Notesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid extirpation of a North American frog coincides with an increase in fungal pathogen prevalence: Historical analysis and implications for reintroduction

Adams

Pessier

Briggs

2017

Ecology and Evolution

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As extinctions continue across the globe, conservation biologists are turning to species reintroduction programs as one optimistic tool for addressing the biodiversity crisis. For repatriation to become a viable strategy, fundamental prerequisites include determining the causes of declines and assessing whether the causes persist in the environment. Invasive species—especially pathogens—are an increasingly significant factor contributing to biodiversity loss. We hypothesized that Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of the deadly amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, was important in the rapid (<10 years) localized extirpation of a North American frog (Rana boylii) and that Bd remains widespread among extant amphibians in the region of extirpation. We used an interdisciplinary approach, combining interviews with herpetological experts, analysis of archived field notes and museum specimen collections, and field sampling of the extant amphibian assemblage to examine (1) historical relative abundance of R. boylii; (2) potential causes of R. boylii declines; and (3) historical and contemporary prevalence of Bd. We found that R. boylii were relatively abundant prior to their rapid extirpation, and an increase in Bd prevalence coincided with R. boylii declines during a time of rapid change in the region, wherein backcountry recreation, urban development, and the amphibian pet trade were all on the rise. In addition, extreme flooding during the winter of 1969 coincided with localized extirpations in R. boylii populations observed by interview respondents. We conclude that Bd likely played an important role in the rapid extirpation of R. boylii from southern California and that multiple natural and anthropogenic factors may have worked in concert to make this possible in a relatively short period of time. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing historical ecological contexts in making future management and reintroduction decisions.

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Section: Interviews and Field Notesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid extirpation of a North American frog coincides with an increase in fungal pathogen prevalence: Historical analysis and implications for reintroduction

Adams

Pessier

Briggs

2017

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Archaeology can clarify restoration objectives and inform management activities by shedding light on past human impacts to communities. Humans have managed ecosystems for thousands of years through actions such as prescribed burning, agriculture, and harvesting and transport of plant and animal species-even in areas earlier thought to be pristine and free of human impact (Hayashida 2005;Alagona et al 2012;Rick and Lockwood 2013). Past human settlement can have legacy impacts on ecosystem properties that last for centuries (Hejcman et al 2013).…”

Section: Archaeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All of these approaches are subject to data limitations, including a fading record through time, poor spatial and/or temporal resolution, limited taxonomic resolution, and inconsistent preservation. Recorded data can be subjective, ambiguous, or inconsistent because of social norms and values dictating what types of information on which species were recorded and preserved (Edmonds 2005;Lucia et al 2008;Alagona et al 2012). Records from the Public Land Survey (PLS) have become a standard, valuable resource for restoration ecologists in the United States, but even this rich data set represents only a snapshot of past communities (Shea et al 2014) and is subject to surveyor bias and taxonomic uncertainty (Schulte and Mladenoff 2005).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Taking the Long View: Integrating Recorded, Archeological, Paleoecological, and Evolutionary Data into Ecological Restoration

Barak¹,

Hipp

Cavender‐Bares

et al. 2016

International Journal of Plant Sciences

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Historical information spanning different temporal scales (from tens to millions of years) can influence restoration practice by providing ecological context for better understanding of contemporary ecosystems. Ecological history provides clues about the assembly, structure, and dynamic nature of ecosystems, and this information can improve forecasting of how restored systems will respond to changes in climate, disturbance regimes, and other factors. History recorded by humans can be used to generate baselines for assessing changes in ecosystems, communities, and populations over time. Paleoecology pushes these baselines back hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years, offering insights into how past species assemblages have responded to changing disturbance regimes and climate. Furthermore, archeology can be used to reconstruct interactions between humans and their environment for which no documentary records exist. Going back further, phylogenies reveal patterns that emerged from coupled evolutionary-ecological processes over very long timescales. Increasingly, this information can be used to predict the stability, resilience, and functioning of assemblages into the future. We review examples in which recorded, archeological, paleoecological, and evolutionary information has been or could be used to inform goal setting, management, and monitoring for restoration. While we argue that longview historical ecology has much to offer restoration, there are few examples of restoration projects explicitly incorporating such information or of research that has evaluated the utility of such perspectives in applied management contexts. For these ideas to move from theory into practice, tests performed through research-management partnerships are needed to determine to what degree taking the long view can support achievement of restoration objectives.

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“…The epistemological challenges of integrating both historical and place‐based empirical knowledge into population ecology deserve particular attention (Taylor, ). Bridging various modes of knowledge production requires an active engagement and dialogue with anthropology and the philosophy of science—as well as epistemology, phenomenology, hermeneutics and ethics (Alagona, Sandlos, & Wiersma, ; Cajete, )—in close collaboration with social scientists and humanities scholars (Anderson, ; Bolster, ). In our case, this dialogue was facilitated by the inclusion of an anthropologist (M.M.E.C.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing 290 years of a data‐poor fishery through ethnographic and archival research: The East Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Baja California, Mexico

et al. 2017

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Evaluating historical changes in the exploitation of marine organisms is a key challenge in fisheries ecology and marine conservation. In the Eastern Pacific, marine turtles were exploited for millennia before systematic monitoring began <50 years ago. Using ethnographic and historical data, we generated a detailed reconstruction of the East Pacific green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) fishery in Mexico's Baja California peninsula from 1700 to 1990. Sea turtles from the region's important feeding areas were a staple food source from the earliest phases of human occupation, dating back at least 12,000 years. In contrast with regions such as the Caribbean, small human populations and limited market access resulted in apparently sustainable turtle harvests until the second half of the 20th century. We found that the estimated annual catches between 1960 and 1980 exceeded the estimated annual catches of the previous 250 years by an order of magnitude, leading to the collapse of the fishery and the depletion of the green turtle population. A total ban on sea turtle captures in 1990, comprehensive nesting beach protection, and significant conservation efforts resulted in increases in breeding females on nesting beaches and catch rates in scientific monitoring on main feeding grounds since the early 2000s. This provides a positive outlook for this once‐depleted population segment. Although further research is needed to evaluate current conservation status, we have identified a date, between 1950 and 1960, which can serve as a reliable temporal reference for future evaluations of historical baseline abundance in this region.

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Past Imperfect

Cited by 122 publications

References 74 publications

Rapid extirpation of a North American frog coincides with an increase in fungal pathogen prevalence: Historical analysis and implications for reintroduction

Rapid extirpation of a North American frog coincides with an increase in fungal pathogen prevalence: Historical analysis and implications for reintroduction

Taking the Long View: Integrating Recorded, Archeological, Paleoecological, and Evolutionary Data into Ecological Restoration

Reconstructing 290 years of a data‐poor fishery through ethnographic and archival research: The East Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Baja California, Mexico

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