1. Long-term monitoring of biodiversity is a fundamental part of environmental management, and Citizen Science (CS) approaches are increasing their contribution to such endeavour. CS plant monitoring programmes, however, almost exclusively report on the species presence, which can be used to detect changes in distribution or occupancy areas, but not to assess their local extinction risk. To anticipate the collapse of local populations, we need information on population sizes, trends, temporal fluctuations and threats. This is particularly important in the case of priority species (threatened, endangered and those that need special protection). 2. Here we describe the working protocol of the ‘Adopt a plant’ programme, a collaborative network that is currently monitoring 332 populations of 204 plant taxa (threatened, of community interest, common, rare and habitat indicators) across a heterogeneous landscape in NE Spain. Coordinated by scientists, participants estimate population sizes, record disturbances and follow scientifically rigorous sampling methods to track plant abundances year after year in fixed representative areas within populations. Two simple indices are estimated from that information: the overall trend (mean population abundance change, as percentage; PAch) and temporal fluctuations (standard deviation of annual changes; PAchsd). 3. The potential of this ongoing high-quality dataset is demonstrated through the analysis of 242 populations monitored over 3–10 years. Stability is the dominant trend (mean PAch: +0.14%), with priority species having similar PAch and lower PAchsd than non-priority ones. Regardless of the priority status, small populations performed worse than large ones. Only 8% of studied populations faced direct human threats. 4. Synthesis and applications. The ‘Adopt a plant’ collaborative monitoring programme was launched in NE of Spain to produce standardized indices of abundance change and other early-warning signals of concern or risk of population collapse. Such information is crucial to report the conservation status of threatened plants, and plants of Community interest (Habitats Directive). By analysing hundreds of populations, we found that priority plants experienced few threats and did not perform worse than non-priority ones. This unexpected finding evidences the importance of gathering massive demographic information to refine conservation priorities and to achieve a more comprehensive assessment of flora's vulnerability.
Structured demographic models are among the most common and useful tools in population biology. However, the introduction of integral projection models (IPMs) has caused a profound shift in the way many demographic models are conceptualized. Some researchers have argued that IPMs, by explicitly representing demographic processes as continuous functions of state variables such as size, are more statistically efficient, biologically realistic, and accurate than classic matrix projection models, calling into question the usefulness of the many studies based on matrix models. Here, we evaluate how IPMs and matrix models differ, as well as the extent to which these differences matter for estimation of key model outputs, including population growth rates, sensitivity patterns, and life spans. First, we detail the steps in constructing and using each type of model. Second, we present a review of published demographic models, concentrating on size-based studies, which shows significant overlap in the way IPMs and matrix models are constructed and analyzed. Third, to assess the impact of various modeling decisions on demographic predictions, we ran a series of simulations based on size-based demographic data sets for five biologically diverse species. We found little evidence that discrete vital rate estimation is less accurate than continuous functions across a wide range of sample sizes or size classes (equivalently bin numbers or mesh points). Most model outputs quickly converged with modest class numbers (≥10), regardless of most other modeling decisions. Another surprising result was that the most commonly used method to discretize growth rates for IPM analyses can introduce substantial error into model outputs. Finally, we show that empirical sample sizes generally matter more than modeling approach for the accuracy of demographic outputs. Based on these results, we provide specific recommendations to those constructing and evaluating structured population models. Both our literature review and simulations question the treatment of IPMs as a clearly distinct modeling approach or one that is inherently more accurate than classic matrix models. Importantly, this suggests that matrix models, representing the vast majority of past demographic analyses available for comparative and conservation work, continue to be useful and important sources of demographic information.
Little is known about how much continuous landscape transformation might affect the most vulnerable elements of biodiversity. In this study, we quantified changes in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over the past 35 years across locations with threatened plants and in Natura 2000 (N2000) protected areas, in an environmentally heterogeneous region of Southern Europe. First, we estimated the intensity and duration of NDVI gains and losses based on Landsat time series using the LandTrendr algorithm in Google Earth Engine. Then, we tested: 1) whether populations of threatened plants were located in more stable sites than non-threatened plants (i.e., lower NDVI changes); 2) whether NDVI changes around populations of threatened plants differed across habitats and inside/outside N2000 areas, and 3) whether lower NDVI changes occurred in N2000 areas than unprotected areas, thereby indicating their effectiveness at preserving biodiversity. Threatened plants tended to be concentrated in sites with less change irrespective of the habitat where they occurred and their location within protected areas. Occurrence in stable sites also reduced the risk associated with small-sized populations. N2000 areas were in line with the overall greening trend but they experienced less loss events than the unprotected areas, thereby supporting their role in slowing down human-induced land cover changes. Our approach demonstrates how long-term remote sensing monitoring can help to assess the effects of both slow processes and drastic landscape transformation events on priority plants in a comprehensive and rapid manner. This method can identify hidden patterns in extensive regions and guide effective conservation management
2017-2022 |
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Miranda H, C Roquet, X Font, M Pizarro, MB García. In press. Inferring the vulnerability of plant richness and phylogenetic diversity in habitats of the Pyrenean range through rarity patterns. Conservation Science and Practice Pironon S, D Gómez, X Font, MB García. 2022. Living at the limit in the Pyrenees: peripheral and endemic plants are rare but under-represented in protection lists. Diversity and Distributions. Lembrechts, J, …. MB García….R Hoffrén … 2022. Global maps of soil temperature. Global change and Biology. See also Preprint: https://ecoevorxiv.org/pksqw. Ameztegui A; A Morán-Ordóñez; A Márquez; A Blázquez; M Pla; D Villero; MB García; MP Errea; L Coll. 2022. Forest expansion in mountain protected areas: trends and consequences for the landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning, 216. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204621002036 Matas-Granados, L, M Pizarro, L Cayuela, D Domingo, D Gómez, MB García. 2022. Long-term monitoring of NDVI changes by remote sensing to assess the vulnerability of threatened plants. Biological Conservation, 265 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109428 Domingo, D, MT Lamelas, & MB García. 2021. Caracterización de cambios estructurales en la vegetación y su relación con la severidad del fuego mediante datos LiDAR multi-temporales. Ecosistemas García MB, JL Silva, P Tejero, I Pardo. 2021. Detecting early warning-signals of concern in plant populations with a Citizen Science network. Are threatened and priority species for conservation performing worse?. Journal of Applied Ecology. DOI:10.1111/1365-2664.13890 Villellas J, J Ehrlén, EE Crone, AM Csergo, MB Garcia, A-L Laine, DA Roach, R Salguero-Gómez, GM Wardle, DZ Childs, BD Elderd, A Finn, S Munné-Bosch, B Bachelot, J Bódis, A Bucharova, CM Caruso, J Catford, M Coghill, A Compagnoni, RP Duncan, JM Dwyer, A Ferguson, L Fraser, E Griffoul, R Groenteman, LN Hamre, A Helm, R Kelly, L Laanisto, M Lonati, Z Munzbergová, P Nuche, SL Olsen, A Oprea, M Pärtel, WK Petry, S Ramula, PU Rasmussen, SR Enri, A Roeder, C Roscher, C Schultz, O Skarpaas, AL Smith, JP Töpper, PA Vesk, GE Vose, E Wandrag, A Wingler and YM Buckley. Phenotypic plasticity masks range-wide genetic differentiation for vegetative but not reproductive traits in a short-lived plant. Ecology Letters 10.1111/ele.13858 Doak DF; E Waddle; RE Langendorf; AM Louthan; NI Chardon; RR Dibner; DA Keinath; E Lombardi; C Steenbock; RK Shriver; C Linares; MB Garcia; WC Funk; SW Fitzpatrick; WF Morris; and ML Peterson. 2021. A critical comparison of integral projection and matrix projection models for demographic analysis. Ecological Monographs. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1447 Doak, D. F., M. B. Garcia, C. Linares, S. W. Fitzpatrick, W. C. Funk, M. L. Peterson, E. Waddle, R. K. Shriver, and W. F. Morris. 2021. Testing Demographic Methods Using Field Studies of Five Dissimilar Species. Bull Ecol Soc Am 102(2):e01870. https://doi.org/10.1002/bes2.1870 Smith, Annabel L., Trevor R. Hodkinson, Jesus Villellas, Jane A. Catford, Anna Mária Csergő, Simone P. Blomberg, Elizabeth E. Crone, Johan Ehrlén, Maria B. Garcia, Anna-Liisa Laine, Deborah A. Roach, Roberto Salguero-Gómez, Glenda Wardle, Dylan Z. Childs, Bret D. Elderd, Alain Finn, Sergi Munné-Bosch, Maude E.A. Baudraz, Judit Bódis, Francis Q. Brearley, Anna Bucharova, Christina M. Caruso, Richard P. Duncan, John M. Dwyer, Ben Gooden, Ronny Groenteman, Liv Norunn Hamre, Aveliina Helm, Ruth Kelly, Lauri Laanisto, Michele Lonati, Joslin L. Moore, Melanie Morales, Siri Lie Olsen, Meelis Pärtel, William K. Petry, Satu Ramula, Pil U. Rasmussen, Simone Ravetto Enri, Anna Roeder, Christiane Roscher, Marjo Saastamoinen, Ayco J. M. Tack, Joachim Paul Töpper, Gregory E. Vose, Elizabeth M. Wandrag, Astrid Wingler and Yvonne M. Buckley. Global gene flow releases plants from environmental constraints on genetic diversity. Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences 117: 4218-4227. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1915848117 Cotado A, Garcia MB, Munné-Bosch S. 2020. Physiological seed dormancy increases at high altitude in Pyrenean saxifrage (Saxifraga longifolia Lapeyr.). Environmental and Experimental Botany 171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.103929 García MB, J Arroyo, J Ehrlén. 2020 The climatic change. Learning from past survivors and present outliers. Environmental and Experimental Botany 170, Article 103971 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.103931 Sherman D., JP Dahlgren, J Ehrlén, MB García. 2019. Sex and the cost of reproduction through the life course of an extremely long-lived herb. Oecologia 191:369-375. doi: 10.1007/s00442-019-04491-0 García MB, P Errea, D Gómez, M Pizarro. 2019. Winners and losers of landscape changes over the last sixty years in one of the oldest and Southernmost National Parks of the European Alpine region: Ordesa and Monte Perdido. Geographical Research Letters 45: 123-141. http://doi.org/10.18172/cig.3711 Bascompte*, J, MB García*, R Ortega, E Rezende, S Pironon. 2019. Mutualistic interactions reshuffle the effects of climate change on plants across the tree of life. Science Advances 5: eaav2539. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav2539 Villellas, J., García, M. B., & Morris, W. F. (2019). Geographic location, local environment, and individual size mediate the effects of climate warming and neighbors on a benefactor plant. Oecologia, 189(1), 243-253. http://doi.org/c5rf |
García, M. B., Silva, J. L., Tejero, P., Pardo, I., & Gómez, D. (2019). Tracking the long-term dynamics of plant diversity in Northeast Spain with a network of volunteers and rangers. Regional Environmental Change, 19(2), 391-401. http://doi.org/c5rc |
Pironon, S., Villellas, J., Thuiller, W., Eckhart, V. M., Geber, M. A., Moeller, D. A., & García, M. B. (2018). The ‘Hutchinsonian niche’as an assemblage of demographic niches: implications for species geographic ranges. Ecography, 41(7), 1103-1113. http://doi.org/c5q5 |
Canelles, Q., Saura-Mas, S., Brotons, L., García, M. B., Lloret, F., Villellas, J., & Morris, W. F. (2018). Environmental stress effects on reproduction and sexual dimorphism in the gynodioecious species Silene acaulis. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 146, 27-33. http://doi.org/gcz2sh |
Villellas, J., & García, M. B. (2018). Life‐history trade‐offs vary with resource availability across the geographic range of a widespread plant. Plant Biology, 20(3), 483-489. http://doi.org/c5q8 |
Pironon, S., Papuga, G., Villellas, J., Angert, A. L., García, M. B., & Thompson, J. D. (2017). Geographic variation in genetic and demographic performance: new insights from an old biogeographical paradigm. Biological Reviews, 92(4), 1877-1909. http://doi.org/c5q7 |
Villellas, J., & García, M. B. (2017). Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of recruitment across the distribution range of a seed-dimorphic herb. Plant ecology, 218(5), 529-539. http://doi.org/f95trp |
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