Recent research indicates increasing openness among conservation experts toward a set of previously controversial proposals for biodiversity protection. These include actions such as assisted migration, and the application of climate-change-informed triage principles for decision-making (e.g., forgoing attention to target species deemed no longer viable). Little is known however, about the levels of expert agreement across different conservation adaptation actions, or the preferences that may come to shape policy recommendations. In this paper, we report findings from a web-based survey of biodiversity experts that assessed: (1) perceived risks of climate change (and other drivers) to biodiversity, (2) relative importance of different conservation goals, (3) levels of agreement/disagreement with the potential necessity of unconventional-taboo actions and approaches including affective evaluations of these, (4) preferences regarding the most important adaptation action for biodiversity, and (5) perceived barriers and strategic considerations regarding implementing adaptation initiatives. We found widespread agreement with a set of previously contentious approaches and actions, including the need for frameworks for prioritization and decision-making that take expected losses and emerging novel ecosystems into consideration. Simultaneously, this survey found enduring preferences for conventional actions (such as protected areas) as the most important policy action, and negative affective responses toward more interventionist proposals. We argue that expert views are converging on agreement across a set of taboo components in ways that differ from earlier published positions, and that these views are tempered by preferences for existing conventional actions and discomfort toward interventionist options. We discuss these findings in the context of anticipating some of the likely contours of future conservation debates. Lastly, we underscore the critical need for interdisciplinary, comparative, place-based adaptation research.
The mycelium extending from ectomycorrhizal fine roots is thought to be an important inoculum source for outplanted seedlings. The purpose of this study, carried out at a subalpine forest in British Columbia, was to investigate the effect of three different clear-cut sizes: 0.1, 1.0, and 10 ha, on the persistence and diversity of ectomycorrhizae. Over the course of the study, a total of 39 distinct mycorrhizal types were observed. The dominant types matched descriptions of E-strain mycorrhizae and of mycorrhizae formed by Cenococcum spp., two types of Lactarius spp., Piloderma spp., Hebeloma spp., Amphinema spp., and Cortinarius spp. One growing season after tree removal, there were no differences between the treatments in the numbers of active fine roots at any location nor were there any effects on the diversity of ectomycorrhizae with treatment. Two and three growing seasons after logging the persistence of some of the main morphotypes differed with treatment. Although there were no differences in the diversity indices at corresponding distances within the different opening sizes, after two and three growing seasons the numbers of active fine roots as well as the diversity of ectomycorrhizae in clearcuts was significantly reduced with distance from the forest edge.
The purpose of this study, carried out at the Sicamous Creek Silvicultural Systems Trial located in the southern Interior of British Columbia, was to investigate the effects of cut block size and distance from the forest edge on patterns of ectomycorrhizal colonization and diversity at a subalpine forest. Non-mycorrhizal Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm. × Picea glauca (Moench) Voss seedlings were planted across cut blocks of three sizes (0.1, 1.0, and 10 ha) and in the uncut forest. In 1996 and 1997, seedlings were harvested after 13 weeks and examined for mycorrhizae. In 1996, diversity and richness of ectomycorrhizal types were significantly greater at forest plots and at plots located 2 m from the forest edge as compared with plots located >16 m into the cut block. In 1997, richness was again significantly reduced beyond 2 m. No differences in any of the diversity measures were detected between the different cut block sizes. The results of this study suggest that proximity to overstory trees may be more important than cut block size for patterns of ectomycorrhizal diversity and colonization. Additionally, polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was used to assess the accuracy of morphotyping and, in some cases, to identify the associated fungus by comparison with RFLP patterns generated by sporocarps.
The world's forests play an important role in regulating climate change through their capacity to sequester carbon. At the same time, they are also increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In the western Canadian province of British Columbia, changes in temperature, precipitation, and disturbance regimes are already impacting forests. In response to these observed and anticipated changes, adapted reforestation practices are being developed and proposed as a means to help forest ecosystems adjust to changing climatic conditions. One such practice under consideration is assisted migration-planting species within or outside of the native historical range into areas that are anticipated to be climatically suitable in the future. We used a survey of British Columbia's population at large (n = 1923) to quantify levels of support for a range of potential reforestation options (including assisted migration) to adapt to climate change, and to explore what factors can help predict this support. Our findings reveal that the likely location of potential public controversy resides not with the potential implementation of assisted migration strategies per se, but rather with assisted migration strategies that involve movement of tree species beyond their native range.
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