Dataset Information

A global synthesis of the small-island effect in habitat islands.

ABSTRACT: Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered to be the leading drivers of biodiversity loss. The small-island effect (SIE) can be used to predict species extinctions resulting from habitat loss and has important implications for species conservation. However, to date, no study has explicitly evaluated the prevalence of SIEs in habitat islands. Here, we compiled 90 global datasets to systematically investigate the prevalence and underlying factors determining the ubiquity of SIEs in habitat island systems. Among the 90 datasets, SIEs were unambiguously detected in 36 cases. We found significant effects of habitat island types and taxon groups on the threshold area of SIEs. The number of islands, area range, species range, island type and taxon group were key variables that determined the prevalence of SIEs. Our study demonstrates that SIEs occur in 40% of cases and thus are common in habitat islands. We conclude that conservation biologists and applied ecologists should consider the prevalence of SIEs when making management strategies in fragmented landscapes.

SUBMITTER: Wang Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6234887 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A global synthesis of the small-island effect in habitat islands.

Wang Yanping Y Chen Chuanwu C Millien Virginie V

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20181017 1889

Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered to be the leading drivers of biodiversity loss. The small-island effect (SIE) can be used to predict species extinctions resulting from habitat loss and has important implications for species conservation. However, to date, no study has explicitly evaluated the prevalence of SIEs in habitat islands. Here, we compiled 90 global datasets to systematically investigate the prevalence and underlying factors determining the ubiquity of SIEs in habitat isla ...[more]

PMID: 30333211

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Project description:High elevation montane areas are called "sky islands" when they occur as a series of high mountains separated by lowland valleys. Different climatic conditions at high elevations makes sky islands a specialized type of habitat, rendering them naturally fragmented compared to more continuous habitat at lower elevations. Species in sky islands face unsuitable climate in the intervening valleys when moving from one montane area to another. The high elevation shola-grassland mosaic in the Western Ghats of southern India form one such sky island complex. The fragmented patches make this area ideal to study the effect of the spatial orientation of suitable habitat patches on population genetic structure of species found in these areas. Past studies have suggested that sky islands tend to have genetically structured populations, possibly due to reduced gene flow between montane areas. To test this hypothesis, we adopted the comparative approach. Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms, we compared population genetic structures of two closely related, similar sized butterfly species: Heteropsis oculus, a high elevation shola-grassland specialist restricted to the southern Western Ghats, and Mycalesis patnia, found more continuously distributed in lower elevations. In all analyses, as per expectation the sky island specialist H. oculus exhibited a greater degree of population genetic structure than M. patnia, implying a difference in geneflow. This difference in geneflow in turn appears to be due to the natural fragmentation of the sky island complexes. Detailed analysis of a subset of H. oculus samples from one sky island complex (the Anamalais) showed a surprising genetic break. A possible reason for this break could be unsuitable conditions of higher temperature and lower rainfall in the intervening valley region. Thus, sky island species are not only restricted by lack of habitat continuity between montane areas, but also by the nature of the intervening habitat.

Project description:ObjectivesThis study explored the health problems of inhabitants of small South Pacific Islands under the influence of climate change, focusing on three communities in the Solomon Islands.DesignCross-sectional study of the Solomon Islands' populations.SettingA field survey was conducted in Taro Island, a small, urbanised island with a whole-community relocation plan; Manuopo community of Reef Islands, a small remote island on an atoll environment and Sasamungga, an intermediately urbanised community on a larger island. The Sasamungga community was used for comparison.ParticipantsEach community's participants were recruited through local health authorities, and 113, 155 and 116 adults (aged 18+ years) from Taro, Manuopo and Sasamungga, respectively, participated voluntarily.MethodsEach participant's body height, weight and body mass index were measured. A drop of blood was sampled for malaria testing; glycated haemoglobin and C reactive protein levels, measured from another drop of blood, were markers for diabetes and inflammation, respectively. The Primary Care Screening Questionnaire for Depression measured depressive mental states.Primary and secondary outcome measuresRegarding health status, the dependent variables-communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and mental state-and independent variables-differences in communities and socioeconomic status-were measured through health check-ups and interviews of individual participants.ResultsTaro Island inhabitants had a higher risk of obesity (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.27, p=0.0189), and Manuopo inhabitants had a higher risk of depression (1.25, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.44, p=0.0026) than Sasamungga inhabitants. Manuopo inhabitants recognised more serious problems of food security, livelihood, place to live and other aspects of daily living than other communities' inhabitants.ConclusionsThe three small island communities' observation identified different health problems: the urbanised community and remote community had a high risk of non-communicable diseases and mental disorders, respectively. These health problems should be monitored continuously during future climate-related changes.

Dataset Information

A global synthesis of the small-island effect in habitat islands.

Publications

A global synthesis of the small-island effect in habitat islands.

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