Publications
Explore WARC's science publications.
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Global commitments to conserving and monitoring genetic diversity are now necessary and feasible Global commitments to conserving and monitoring genetic diversity are now necessary and feasible
Global conservation policy and action have largely neglected protecting and monitoring genetic diversity—one of the three main pillars of biodiversity. Genetic diversity (diversity within species) underlies species’ adaptation and survival, ecosystem resilience, and societal innovation. The low priority given to genetic diversity has largely been due to knowledge gaps in key areas...
Authors
Sean M. Hoban, Michael W. Bruford, W. Chris Funk, Peter Galbusera, M. Patrick Griffith, Catherine E. Grueber, Myriam Heuertz, Margaret Hunter, Christina Hvilsom, Belma Kalamujic Stroil, Francine Kershaw, Colin K. Khoury, Linda Laikre, Magarida Lopes-Fernandes, Anna J. MacDonald, Joachim Mergeay, Mariah Meek, Cinnamon Mittan, Tarek A. Mukassabi, David O'Brien, Rob Ogden, Clarisse Palma-Silva, Uma Ramakrishnan, Gernot Segelbacher, Robyn E. Shaw, Per Sjogren-Gulve, Nevena Velickovic, Cristiano Vernesi
American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) as restoration bioindicators in the Florida Everglades American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) as restoration bioindicators in the Florida Everglades
The federally threatened American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is a flagship species and ecological indicator of hydrologic restoration in the Florida Everglades. We conducted a long-term capture-recapture study on the South Florida population of American crocodiles from 1978 to 2015 to evaluate the effects of restoration efforts to more historic hydrologic conditions. The study...
Authors
Venetia S. Briggs-Gonzalez, Mathieu Basille, Michael Cherkiss, Frank J. Mazzotti
Rediscovery and genetic confirmation of the Threeridge Mussel, Amblema plicata (Say, 1817) (Bivalvia, Unionidae), in the Choctawhatchee River, Florida, USA Rediscovery and genetic confirmation of the Threeridge Mussel, Amblema plicata (Say, 1817) (Bivalvia, Unionidae), in the Choctawhatchee River, Florida, USA
Recent freshwater mussel research has resulted in rediscovery of several species presumed extinct. We report the rediscovery of Amblema plicata (Say, 1817) in 2019 from the Choctawhatchee River, Florida, USA. Amblema plicata has not been reported in the Choctawhatchee river basin since 1958, more than 61 years ago. This species was collected during the long-term monitoring of freshwater...
Authors
Lauren N. Patterson, Susan R. Geda, Nathan A. Johnson
A U.S.-China EcoPartnership study of disturbed wetland vegetation in West Dongting Lake, China A U.S.-China EcoPartnership study of disturbed wetland vegetation in West Dongting Lake, China
West Dongting Lake in China is important for human livelihoods and habitat of migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. The waterway re-engineering and agriculture intensification have contributed to changes in hydrology, sediment, and vegetation on the floodplain. This paper describes an EcoPartnership program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center...
Authors
Ting Lei, Beth Middleton
Demographic responses to density-dependence by two populations of the Florida Tree Snail, Liguus fasciatus (Gastropoda: Orthalicidae), in Everglades National Park Demographic responses to density-dependence by two populations of the Florida Tree Snail, Liguus fasciatus (Gastropoda: Orthalicidae), in Everglades National Park
During May-October 1996, we captured and individually marked and released Florida Tree Snails, Liguus fasciatus, from two sites, a subclimax hammock and a large isolated wild tamarind tree, in the Long Pine Key region of Everglades National Park. Populations shared the same two dominant morphs, castaneozonatus and. cingulatus, both of which are strong colonizers. Monthly survivorship...
Authors
Walter E. Meshaka, Kenneth G. Rice, Oron L. Bass, Hardin Waddle
Species and population specific gene expression in blood transcriptomes of marine turtles Species and population specific gene expression in blood transcriptomes of marine turtles
Background Transcriptomic data has demonstrated utility to advance the study of physiological diversity and organisms’ responses to environmental stressors. However, a lack of genomic resources and challenges associated with collecting high-quality RNA can limit its application for many wild populations. Minimally invasive blood sampling combined with de novo transcriptomic approaches...
Authors
Shreya M. Banjeree, Jamie Adkins Stoll, Camryn D. Allen, Jennifer M. Lynch, Heather S. Harris, Lauren Kenyon, Richard E. Connon, Eleanor J. Sterling, Eugenia Naro-Maciel, Kathryn McFadden, Margaret Lamont, James Benge, Nadia B. Fernandez, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Scott R. Benson, Rebecca L. Lewison, Tomoharu Eguchi, Tammy M. Summers, Jessy R. Hapdei, Marc R. Rice, Summer Martin, T. Todd Jones, Peter H. Dutton, George H. Balazs, Lisa M. Komoroske
Biodiversity effects on grape quality depend on variety and management intensity Biodiversity effects on grape quality depend on variety and management intensity
Interactions between plants can be beneficial, detrimental or neutral. In agricultural systems, competition between crop and spontaneous vegetation is a major concern. We evaluated the relative support for three non-exclusive ecological hypotheses about interactions between crop and spontaneous plants based on competition, complementarity or facilitation.The study was conducted in Swiss...
Authors
Magdalena Steiner, James Grace, Sven Bacher
A graphical causal model for resolving species identity effects and biodiversity–ecosystem function correlations: comment A graphical causal model for resolving species identity effects and biodiversity–ecosystem function correlations: comment
In a recent paper, Schoolmaster, Zirbel, and Cronin (SZC) (2020) claim “Formal causal analysis show[s] that biodiversity–ecosystem function (BEF) correlations are non-causal associations.” If this conclusion is accepted as true, it suggests a reconsideration of much of our current understanding of how biodiversity relates to the functioning of ecosystems. On the surface, it is easy to...
Authors
James B. Grace, Michel Loreau, Bernhard Schmid
Late Pleistocene baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) forest deposit on the continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico Late Pleistocene baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) forest deposit on the continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico
Approximately 13 km south of Gulf Shores, Alabama (United States), divers found in situ baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) stumps 18 m below the ocean surface. These trees could have only lived when sea level fell during the Pleistocene subaerially exposing the tectonically stable continental shelf. Here we investigate the geophysical properties along with microfossil and stratigraphical...
Authors
Kristine L. DeLong, Suyapa Gonzalez, Jeffrey B. Obelcz, Jonathan T. Truong, Samuel J. Bentley, Kehui Xu, Carl A. Reese, Grant L. Harley, Alicia Caporaso, Zhixiong Shen, Beth Middleton
Lipidomics reveals specific lipid molecules associated with cold stress syndrome in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Lipidomics reveals specific lipid molecules associated with cold stress syndrome in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
Cold stress syndrome (CSS) in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) results in perturbations to many physiological pathways, often leading to further illness or death. In this study, we applied a non-targeted lipidomics approach with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry to characterize changes related to CSS in the...
Authors
Emily K. Griffin, Kaylie Anne Costa, Juan J. Aristizabal-Henao, Michael P. Napolitano, Margaret Hunter, Jason Ferrante, John A. Bowden
Widespread Ranavirus and Perkinsea infections in Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) invading New Orleans, USA Widespread Ranavirus and Perkinsea infections in Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) invading New Orleans, USA
Invasive species can negatively impact ecosystems in numerous ways, including vectoring pathogenic organisms. In amphibians, a lineage globally threatened by multiple pathogens, this spread of disease via invasive species could contribute to declines in native populations. The Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is invasive in the southeastern USA. To assess whether O...
Authors
Net Galt, Matthew S Atkinson, Brad Glorioso, Hardin Waddle, Melanie Litton, Anna E. Savage
A novel framework to predict relative habitat selection in aquatic systems: Applying machine learning and resource selection functions to acoustic telemetry data from multiple shark species A novel framework to predict relative habitat selection in aquatic systems: Applying machine learning and resource selection functions to acoustic telemetry data from multiple shark species
Resource selection functions (RSFs) have been widely applied to animal tracking data to examine relative habitat selection and to help guide management and conservation strategies. While readily used in terrestrial ecology, RSFs have yet to be extensively used within marine systems. As acoustic telemetry continues to be a pervasive approach within marine environments, incorporation of...
Authors
Lucas P. Griffin, Grace A. Casselberry, Kristen Hart, Adrian Jordaan, Sarah L. Becker, Ashleigh J. Novak, Bryan M. DeAngelis, Clayton G. Pollock, Ian Lundgren, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Andy J. Danylchuk, Gregory B. Skomal