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Mapping global coral vulnerability to stony coral tissue loss disease: Implications for biosecurity and conservation Mapping global coral vulnerability to stony coral tissue loss disease: Implications for biosecurity and conservation
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) has devastated Caribbean coral reefs since 2014, but its potential for global impact remains uncertain. We developed predictive models to assess the worldwide vulnerability of coral reefs to SCTLD under different origin and spread hypotheses. Using random forest regression models incorporating coral taxonomy and zooxanthellae clade associations...
Authors
Kevin D. Lafferty, Giovanni Strona
Sinoatrial contracaeciasis in Johnny Darters (Etheostoma nigrum) and Plains Topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus) from the South Platte drainage, Colorado Sinoatrial contracaeciasis in Johnny Darters (Etheostoma nigrum) and Plains Topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus) from the South Platte drainage, Colorado
Intra-sinoatrial nematodes were incidentally recognized in wild-caught Colorado Johnny Darters (Etheostoma nigrum, JD) in 2020–2021 and in Colorado Plains Topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus, PTM) in 2023-2024. PTM and JD were evaluated histologically. Nematodes dissected from PTM were used for morphologic evaluation and molecular identification. The first and second internal transcribed...
Authors
Paula Andrea Schaffer, Ashley K. McGrew, Jessica Henley, Catherine M. Adams, Dana L. Winkelman, Ryan M. Fitzpatrick, Pete Cadmus
Bright spots for advancing ecological understanding and conservation decision-making Bright spots for advancing ecological understanding and conservation decision-making
A lot can be learned by studying bright spots—defined as unexpected positive outcomes. In fields like public health, education, and oncology, identifying factors behind bright spots reveals previously unknown drivers of success that can be replicated elsewhere. This concept is being applied in conservation but is hampered by variations in definitions of bright spots and confusion with...
Authors
Holly Susan Embke, Zachary S. Feiner, Gretchen Hansen, Daniel A. Isermann, Olaf P. Jensen, Christopher I. Rounds, Quinn Smith, M. Jake Vander Zanden
Animal trajectory imputation and uncertainty quantification via deep learning Animal trajectory imputation and uncertainty quantification via deep learning
Imputing missing data in animal trajectories is crucial for understanding animal movements during unobserved periods. However, the traditional methods, such as linear interpolation and the continuous-time correlated random walk model, are often inadequate to capture the complexity of animal movements. Here, we develop a deep learning approach to animal trajectory imputation by a...
Authors
Kehui Yao, Ian P. McGahan, Jun Zhu, Daniel J. Storm, Daniel P. Walsh
Public support for puma reintroduction in the eastern United States Public support for puma reintroduction in the eastern United States
Pumas (Puma concolor) are among the species identified as having the potential to enhance ecosystem function. Previous research highlights sufficient ecological habitat to support pumas in the eastern United States; however, their reintroduction requires social and institutional support as well. To this end, we conducted research to assess attitudes about puma reintroduction among key
Authors
L. Mark Elbroch, Jazmin Murphy, Shelby Carlson, John A. Vucetich, Richard Eugene Waggaman Berl, Lexi Galiardi, Shelby Perry, Tom Butler, Neil H. Carter, Joseph W. Hinton, Axel Moehrenschlager, Emily M. Carrollo, Rana Bayrakcismith, Jeremy T. Bruskotter
Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change
Ecological responses to climate change occur across vastly different time-scales, from minutes for physiological plasticity to decades or centuries for community turnover and evolutionary adaptation. Accurately predicting the range of ecosystem trajectories will require models that incorporate both fast processes that may keep pace with climate change and slower ones likely to lag behind...
Authors
Michael Stemkovski, Joey Bernhardt, Benjamin Wong Blonder, John B. Bradford, Kyra Clark-Wolf, Laura E. Dee, Margaret Evans, Virginia Iglesias, Loretta Johnson, Abigail J. Lynch, Sparkle Malone, Brooke Osborne, Melissa Pastore, Michael Paterson, Malin Pinsky, Christine R. Rollinson, Oliver Selmoni, Jason Venkiteswarnan, Anthony P. Walker, Nicole K. Ward, John B. Williams, Claire Zarakas, Peter B. Adler
Pathology, tissue distribution, and phylogenomic characterization of largemouth bass virus isolated from a wild smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) Pathology, tissue distribution, and phylogenomic characterization of largemouth bass virus isolated from a wild smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
We performed a diagnostic disease investigation on a wild smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) with skin ulcers that was collected from Lake Oahe, South Dakota, following reports from anglers of multiple fish with similar lesions. Gross and histologic lesions of ulcerative dermatitis, myositis, and lymphocytolysis within the spleen and kidneys were consistent with largemouth bass virus...
Authors
Christine J.E. Haake, Thomas B. Waltzek, Chrissy D. Eckstrand, Nora Hickey, Joetta Lynn Reno, Rebecca M. Wolking, Preeyanan Sriwanayos, Jan Lovy, Elizabeth A. Renner, Kyle R. Taylor, Ryan Oliveira
Sustaining Namāēw (Lake Sturgeon): Partner-led climate adaptation for Indigenous fisheries in the Laurentian Great Lakes Sustaining Namāēw (Lake Sturgeon): Partner-led climate adaptation for Indigenous fisheries in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Namāēw (Menominee; Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens) have long supported Indigenous culture and food sovereignty but have declined by over 80% in the Laurentian Great Lakes, exacerbating their sensitivity to climate change. Following interest from Indigenous leaders, we initiated a partnership-driven effort to (1) assess climate effects and (2) develop potential adaptation options for...
Authors
Holly Susan Embke, Robert Croll, Hannah Panci, Aaron D. Shultz, Sara Smith, Nick Boygo, Marvin DeFoe, Jennifer Gauthier, Gary Michaud, Michael Waasegiizhig Price, Donald Reiter, Jason Schlender, Frank Zomer
Risks and rewards of pre-emergent herbicide (indaziflam) to defend core sagebrush-steppe ecosystems under suboptimal precipitation Risks and rewards of pre-emergent herbicide (indaziflam) to defend core sagebrush-steppe ecosystems under suboptimal precipitation
Protection of intact habitat from the spread of invasive plants is a global priority, especially where invaders alter wildfire occurrence. Invasion of perennial sagebrush-steppe ecosystems by cheatgrass and other fire-promoting exotic annual grasses (EAGs) is one of the most notorious examples of this problem. Protection and expansion of the remaining intact “core” sagebrush areas are...
Authors
Brynne Lazarus, Matthew Germino
Daily fluctuating flows affect riparian plant species distributions from local to regional scales Daily fluctuating flows affect riparian plant species distributions from local to regional scales
Aims The number of hydropower dams has grown globally over recent decades, with significant impacts on downstream riparian plant communities. Many of these dams generate daily fluctuating flows known as hydropeaking to meet sub-daily variation in energy demands. Hydropeaking can significantly impact riparian plant communities, with obligate riparian species tending to experience the...
Authors
Bradley J. Butterfield, Emily C. Palmquist
From water to web: Trophic transfer of neonicotinoids from a wastewater effluent-dominated stream to riparian spiders From water to web: Trophic transfer of neonicotinoids from a wastewater effluent-dominated stream to riparian spiders
Municipal wastewater is a known point source of organic contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and neonicotinoid insecticides. Emergent aquatic insects can provide a direct aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant transfer route to the food web, with implications for terrestrial food web dispersal of wastewater-derived organic contaminants. We quantified 17 target pharmaceuticals and...
Authors
A. L. Mianecki, J. R. Behrens, Dana W. Kolpin, G. R. Hemphill, K. Kapoor, G. H. LeFevre
Genetic structure of an expanding population of Humpback Chub in Grand Canyon Genetic structure of an expanding population of Humpback Chub in Grand Canyon
Objective Humpback Chub (HBC) Gila cypha in Grand Canyon declined in abundance and distribution over the latter part of the 20th century but have substantially increased in abundance and distribution over the past two decades. Although previous genetic work suggested that HBC in Grand Canyon belong to one genetic group, here we evaluate the genetic structure of HBC in Grand Canyon to...
Authors
Maria C. Dzul, Robert Massatti, Charles B. Yackulic, Emily Omana-Smith, Kirk Young