Incorporating asymmetric connectivity into spatial decision making for conservation
Maria Beger
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorSimon Linke
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
eWater CRC, University of Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorMatt Watts
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorEddie Game
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
TNC, The Nature Conservancy, 51 Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorEric Treml
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorIan Ball
Australian Antarctic Division Channel Highway Kingston, TAS 7050, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorHugh P. Possingham
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorMaria Beger
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorSimon Linke
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
eWater CRC, University of Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorMatt Watts
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorEddie Game
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
TNC, The Nature Conservancy, 51 Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorEric Treml
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorIan Ball
Australian Antarctic Division Channel Highway Kingston, TAS 7050, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorHugh P. Possingham
The University of Queensland, The School of Biological Sciences, The Ecology Centre and The Commonwealth Research Facility for Applied Environmental Decision Analysis, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorEditor : Claire Kremen
Abstract
Real patterns of ecological connectivity are seldom explicitly or systematically accounted for systematic conservation planning, in part because commonly used decision support systems can only capture simplistic notions of connectivity. Conventionally, the surrogates used to represent connectivity in conservation plans have assumed the connection between two sites to be symmetric in strength. In reality, ecological linkages between sites are rarely symmetric and often strongly asymmetric. Here, we develop a novel formulation that enabled us to incorporate asymmetric connectivity into the conservation decision support system Marxan. We illustrate this approach using hypothetical examples of a river catchment and a group of reefs, and then apply it to case studies in the Snowy River catchment and Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We show that incorporating asymmetric ecological connectivity in systematic reserve design leads to solutions that more effectively capture connectivity patterns, relative to either ignoring connectivity or assuming symmetric connectivity.
Supporting Information
Appendix S1. Penalty file setup for a river example. If planning unit 10 needs to be protected, the penalty for not protecting unit 9 equals 1. (1/distance). The penalty for not protecting unit 8 = ½.
Please note: Wiley-Blackwell is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting materials supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing material) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| CONL_123_sm_Appendix1.doc63 KB | Supporting info item |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
References
- Almany, G.R., Berumen M.L., Thorrold S.R., Planes S., Jones G.P. (2007) Local replenishment of coral reef fish populations in a marine reserve. Science 316, 742–744.
-
Ball, I.R.,
Possingham H.P.,
Watts M. (2009) Marxan and relatives: software for spatial conservation prioritisation. Pages
185–195
in
A. Moilanen,
K.A. Wilson,
H.P. Possingham, editors. Spatial conservation prioritisation: quantitative methods and computational tools . Oxford University Press,
Oxford
,
UK
.
10.1093/oso/9780199547760.003.0014 Google Scholar
- Batagelj, V., Mrvar A. (2003) Pajek - analysis and visualization of large networks. Pages 77–103 in M. Jünger, P. Mutzel, editors. Graph drawing software. Springer, Berlin .
- Beger, M., Grantham H., Pressey R.L. (2010) Conservation planning for connectivity across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial realms. Biol Conserv 143, 565–575.
- Beier, P., Majka D.R., Spencer W.D. (2008) Forks in the road: choices in procedures for designing wildland linkages. Conserv Biol 22, 836–851.
- Bode, M., Burrage K., Possingham H.P. (2008) Using complex network metrics to predict the persistence of metapopulations with asymmetric connectivity patterns. Ecol Model 214, 201–209.
- Cowen, R.K., Paris C.B., Srinivasan A. (2006) Scaling of connectivity in marine populations. Science 311, 522–527.
- Fagan, W.F., Lutscher F. (2006) Average dispersal success: linking home range, dispersal, and metapopulation dynamics to reserve design. Ecol Appl 16, 820–828.
- Fausch, K.D., Torgersen C.E., Baxter C.V., Li H.W. (2002) Landscapes to riverscapes: bridging the gap between research and conservation of stream fishes. Bioscience 52, 483–498.
- Fernandes, L., Day J., Lewis A. et al . (2005) Establishing representative no-take areas in the Great Barrier Reef: large-scale implementation of theory on marine protected areas. Conserv Biol 19, 1733–1744.
- Gaines, S.D., Gaylord B., Largier J.L. (2003) Avoiding current oversights in marine reserve design. Ecol Appl 13, S32–S46.
- Game, E.T., Watts M.E., Wooldridge S., Possingham H.P. (2008) Planning for persistence in marine reserves: a question of catastrophic importance. Ecol Appl 18, 670–680.
- Gerber, L.R., Heppell S.S., Ballantyne F., Sala E. (2005) The role of dispersal and demography in determining the efficacy of marine reserves. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 62, 863–871.
- Hanski I. (1998) Metapopulation dynamics. Nature 396, 41–49.
- Hodgson, J.A., Thomas C.D., Wintle B.A., Moilanen A. (2009) Climate change, connectivity and conservation decision making: back to basics. J Appl Ecol 46, 964–969.
- James, M.K., Armsworth P.R., Mason L.B., Bode L. (2002) The structure of reef fish metapopulations: modelling larval dispersal and retention patterns. Proc R Soc Lond S B Biol Sci 269, 2079–2086.
- Jones, G.P., Almany G.R., Russ G.R. et al . (2009) Larval retention and connectivity among populations of corals and reef fishes: history, advances and challenges. Proceedings of the Workshop on Connectivity and Resilience Sustaining Coral Reefs during the coming Century Townsville , Australia , 307–325.
- Linke, S., Norris R.H., Pressey R.L. (2008) Irreplaceability of river networks: towards catchment-based conservation planning. J Appl Ecol 45, 1486–1495.
- Martin, T.G., Chade's I., Arcese P., Marra P.P., Possingham H.P., Norris D.R. (2007) Optimal conservation of migratory species. PLoS One 2, e751. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000751.
- McCook, L.J., Almany G.R., Berumen M.L. et al . (2009) The challenge of incorporating connectivity science into coral reef management now: principles and practice. Coral Reefs 28, 353–366.
- McDonnell, M., Possingham H.P., Ball I.R., Cousins E. (2002) Mathematical methods for spatially cohesive reserve design. Environ Model Assess 7, 107–114.
- Meir, E., Andelman S., Possingham H.P. (2004) Does conservation planning matter in a dynamic and uncertain world Ecol Lett 7, 615–622.
- Moilanen, A., Leathwick J., Elith J. (2008) A method for spatial freshwater conservation prioritization. Freshw Biol 53, 577–592.
- Mumby, P.J. (2006) Connectivity of reef fish between mangroves and coral reefs: algorithms for the design of marine reserves at seascape scales. Biol Conserv 128, 215–222.
- Newham, L.T.H., Letcher R.A., Jakeman A.J., Kobayashi T. (2004) A framework for integrated hydrologic, sediment and nutrient export modelling for catchment-scale management. Environ Model Softw 19, 1029–1038.
- Newman, M.E.J. (2001) Scientific collaboration networks. Part II. Shortest paths, weighted networks, and centrality. Phys Rev E 64, 016132-1–016132-7.
- Nicholson, E., Ovaskainen O. (2009) Conservation prioritization using metapopulation models. Pages 110–121 in A. Moilanen, K.A. Wilson, H.P. Possingham, editors. Spatial conservation prioritisation: quantitative methods and computational tools . Oxford University Press, Oxford , UK .
- Phillips, J.D. (1988) Nonpoint source pollution and spatial aspects of risk assessment. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 78, 611–623.
- Possingham, H.P., Franklin J., Wilson K.A., Regan T.J. (2005) The roles of spatial heterogeneity and ecological processes in conservation planning. Pages 389–406 in G.M. Lovett, C.G. Jones, M.G. Turner, K.C Weathers, editors. Ecosystem function in heterogeneous landscapes . Springer-Verlag, New York .
- Pyke, C.R. (2005) Assessing suitability for conservation action: prioritizing interpond linkages for the California tiger salamander. Conserv Biol 19, 492–503.
- Sale, P.F., Cowen R.K., Danilowicz B.S. et al . (2005) Critical science gaps impede use of no-take fishery reserves. Trends Ecol Evol 20, 74–80.
- Shanks, A.L., Grantham B.A., Carr M.H. (2003) Propagule dispersal distance and the size and spacing of marine reserves. Ecol Appl 13, S159–S169.
-
Simberloff, D.,
Cox J. (1987) Consequences and costs of conservation corridors.
Conserv Biol
1, 63–71.
10.1111/j.1523-1739.1987.tb00010.x Google Scholar
- Stevens, J.D., West G.J., McLoughlin K.J. (2000) Movements, recapture patterns, and factors affecting the return rate of carcharhinid and other sharks tagged off northern Australia. Mar Freshw Res 51, 127–141.
- Treml, E.A., Halpin P.N., Urban D.L., Pratson L.F. (2008) Modeling population connectivity by ocean currents, a graph-theoretic approach for marine conservation. Landsc Ecol 23, 19–36.
- Vuilleumier, S., Possingham H.P. (2006) Does colonization asymmetry matter in metapopulations Proc R Soc B Biol Sci 273, 1637–1642.
- White, J.W., Botsford L.W., Hastings A., Largier J.L. (2010) Population persistence in marine reserve networks: incorporating spatial heterogeneities in larval dispersal. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 398, 49–67.
- Wilson, K.A., Cabeza M., Klein C.J. (2009) Fundamental concepts of spatial conservation prioritization. Pages 16–27 in A. Moilanen, K.A. Wilson, H.P. Possingham, editors. Spatial conservation prioritisation: quantitative methods and computational tools . Oxford University Press, Oxford , UK .
- Wilson, K.A., Westphal M.I., Possingham H.P., Elith J. (2005) Sensitivity of conservation planning to uncertainty associated with predicted species distribution data. Biol Conserv 122, 99–112.
