Global Ecology and Conservation最新文献

{"title":"Developing local-driven adaptive management for coexistence between humans and leopard cats","authors":"Linh Bao Nguyen ,&nbsp;Timothy Bernd Wallace Seekings ,&nbsp;Chun-Hung Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03436","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03436","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coexistence between humans and wildlife is the ultimate conservation goal. However, management approaches often centre on protecting species and their habitats rather than considering the perspectives of impacted communities. Working towards sustainable solutions, this study aimed to develop local-driven adaptive management plans that maximise conservation success without sacrificing local well-being, using a case study of the endangered leopard cat in Taiwan. We integrated the adaptation framework for human–wildlife coexistence into a choice experiment to examine farmers’ preferences for various adaptation strategies to identify optimal conservation efforts for social welfare. In addition, we explored the determinants of their willingness to participate in different management alternatives. Our results confirmed the existence of heterogeneity in farmers’ preferences and heterogeneity factors were subsequently identified. Behaviour change interventions should be carefully customised for specific social groups, considering their distinct perspectives. Findings also reveal the most preferred strategies: ‘Installation of appropriate fencing system to protect poultry’ and ‘Alternative non-invasive methods to control rodents to reduce secondary poisoning of wildlife’. The maximum willingness to participate in these two strategies was 11.058 and 9.267 hours/month/household, respectively. We then developed three future scenarios for coexistence in accordance with respondents’ favoured strategies, serving as guidelines for effective and adaptive conservation programmes. Our empirical evidence provides insights into local preferences for wildlife management, specifically leopard cats, as well as practical recommendations for policymakers and conservation professionals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03436"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vanishing ecosystems: The looming threat of climate change on an iconic genus Vellozia in the Brazilian campos rupestres","authors":"Rain E. Bugado ,&nbsp;Nawal Shrestha ,&nbsp;Renato A. Magri ,&nbsp;Jefferson Prado ,&nbsp;Jenifer C. Lopes","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03439","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03439","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity and habitats worldwide, with mountainous regions and endemic species particularly vulnerable. One such ecosystem is the <em>campos rupestres,</em> a mountainous environment in the highlands of central-eastern Brazil, characterized by high species richness and endemism. Among this ecosystem's most diverse and abundant endemic genera is <em>Vellozia</em> (Velloziaceae), comprising 127 species. Using species distribution modeling, we assessed how climate change will likely affect suitable habitats for the genus. Additionally, we conducted IUCN extinction risk assessments and applied the EDGE2 method, incorporating a phylogenetic framework to identify species that should be prioritized for conservation. Our findings indicate that, on average, each species of <em>Vellozia</em> is expected to lose 84.26 % of its suitable habitat by 2060, with 13 species projected to lose 100 % of their habitat. Over half of the genus is projected to lose over 92 % of its suitable habitat. The species richness and endemism of <em>Vellozia</em> in the <em>campos rupestres</em> will diminish substantially in both geographic extent and species count. This decline is particularly concerning given that nearly half of the genus is microendemic, with 16 species occurring entirely outside protected areas. These findings highlight the potential for climate change to drastically reduce the habitat size and species richness of <em>Vellozia</em> and overall biodiversity within the <em>campos rupestres</em> ecosystem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03439"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracing five decades of junipers’ responses to global changes in Mediterranean high mountains","authors":"José Carlos Pérez-Girón ,&nbsp;Sergio Puertas-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Regino Zamora ,&nbsp;Domingo Alcaraz-Segura","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Persistent and long-lived species, such as <em>Juniperus communis</em> and <em>Juniperus sabina</em>, base their population survival strategy on a great individual longevity under extreme environmental conditions. In the high Mediterranean mountain, global change stressors may challenge such persistence strategy by reducing growth and survival. This study identifies how global change is affecting the growth of juniper shrubs over five decades in Sierra Nevada (southern Spain). For this, we analysed the growth rates and foliage damages of 900 juniper shrubs by manual digitalization of their crowns in historical orthoimages from 1970’s to 2020’s. Almost all small junipers (96 %) and most larger junipers (86 %) increased their size, particularly at lower elevations, favoured by the lengthening of the growing season and by the abandonment of traditional land uses. Such finding supports the persistence strategy hypothesis, highlighting not only junipers’ survival, but also the maintenance of growth even under harshening conditions. Despite the loss of snow cover protection, we also found good juniper foliage health, with a low proportion (∼12 %) of damaged shrubs. Damages only occurred at the highest elevations, particularly on larger shrubs (&gt; 7 m²). However, these findings should be seen as an early warning of increasing risks associated with ongoing climate change, such as heightened exposure to mechanical damage due to the increased wind speeds at high elevations and severe droughts affecting species recruitment. Using historical aerial and satellite orthoimages, we have been able for the first time to track the fate of hundreds of juniper individuals over the last 50 years.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03426"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incorporating food plant distributions as important predictors in the habitat suitability model of sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) in Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia","authors":"Salmah Widyastuti ,&nbsp;Wanda Kuswanda ,&nbsp;M. Hadi Saputra ,&nbsp;Hendra Helmanto ,&nbsp;Nunu Anugrah ,&nbsp;U. Mamat Rahmat ,&nbsp;Rudianto Saragih Napitu ,&nbsp;Andrinaldi Adnan ,&nbsp;Iskandarrudin","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03434","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03434","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is a vital habitat for the Sumatran orangutan. This study enhances habitat suitability models (HSM) for Sumatran orangutans by incorporating the predictive distributions for 21 key orangutan food plants, which had not been previously explored. Using machine learning algorithms—support vector machine, random forest, boosted regression trees, and maximum entropy—along with an ensemble model, seven important food plants, including Ixora insularum and Calamus manan, were identified as critical predictors of habitat suitability. The ensemble model revealed that 70.29 % (5834.84 km²) of GLNP is suitable for Sumatran orangutans, with the key influencing factors being land cover, distance to settlements, and temperature seasonality or annual variation of temperature. As this study only successfully incorporated a few food plant species, future research should include a wider range of food plant species, especially preferred fruits like figs, to improve Sumatran orangutan HSM predictions. The Sumatran orangutan faces significant habitat challenges in GLNP due to habitat fragmentation, and limited monitoring coverage. To address these issues, conservation strategies should prioritize restoring connectivity between forest blocks, particularly through canopy corridors. Expanding monitoring efforts with advanced technologies, such as thermal drones, can improve data collection in remote areas. Additionally, enhancing habitat quality by restoring and protecting key food plant species will ensure sustainable orangutan populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03434"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Converse effects of warming and reclamation on methane uptake in alpine meadows","authors":"Jing Huang ,&nbsp;Guozheng Hu ,&nbsp;Hasbagan Ganjurjav ,&nbsp;Qingzhu Gao ,&nbsp;Yubao Sha ,&nbsp;Zheng Li ,&nbsp;Guoxu Ji ,&nbsp;Huihui Liu ,&nbsp;Ling Han ,&nbsp;Shicheng He ,&nbsp;Jun Yan ,&nbsp;Youxia Wang ,&nbsp;Wendong Xie ,&nbsp;Elise S. Gornish","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate warming will lead to changes in soil properties, which in turn will affect the uptake of methane (CH₄) in meadows. Currently there is artificial reclamation of alpine meadows, and the effect of reclamation on CH₄ uptake in alpine meadow ecosystems is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of warming, reclamation and their interactions on soil CH₄ uptake in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau. From May to December 2021 and from March to May 2022, CH₄ uptake was determined under four treatments: control (CK), warming, reclamation and warming under reclamation. Soil C and N nutrient contents and three enzyme activities were determined in 2021, and their effects on CH₄ uptake were elucidated using the Mantel test as well as structural equation modelling. The results showed that warming significantly increased CH₄ uptake by 23.84 %, reclamation significantly reduced CH₄ uptake by 58.64 %, warming interacted with reclamation significantly reduced CH₄ uptake by 33.45 % in growing season, and warming interacted with reclamation significantly reduced CH₄ uptake by 21.46 % in the non-growing season, as compared to CK. Warming promoted CH₄ uptake by increasing soil nutrient content and increasing the activities of methane monooxygenase and soil sucrase. Reclamation reduced the content of soil soluble carbon and nitrogen and inhibited the uptake of CH₄. Therefore, in the context of global warming, the destruction of natural grassland should be avoided as far as possible and the area of cultivated land should be rationally planned, so as to maintain the higher CH₄ uptake capacity of grassland.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03429"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Restoration patterns and influencing factors for the vegetation structure and carbon storage in mangroves converted from abandoned ponds","authors":"Fang Yang ,&nbsp;Ruili Li ,&nbsp;Mao Wang ,&nbsp;Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenqing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03430","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03430","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Afforestation of mangroves in abandoned ponds is considered an effective approach for global mangrove restoration. Although several studies have assessed recovery outcomes of reforested mangroves, the studies about the synergistic recovery of mangrove vegetation and ecosystem carbon stocks in abandoned ponds are still limited. The present study compared the vegetation structure and carbon stocks of pond-to-mangrove sites with different restored methods in Dongzhaigang Bay, Hainan Province, China. We found that the vegetation structure (tree density and Shannon diversity) had no significant differences between afforestation sites and natural mangroves. The total ecosystem carbon stocks of all the sample sites ranged from 64.07 to 224.91 (mean ± SD: 114.82 ± 49.30) Mg C ha⁻¹, while there were no significant variations between restoration sites in 2014 (p &gt; 0.05). In addition, 85.44 % of the total carbon stocks were stored in the soil among the study sites. The soil physicochemical properties such as soil pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen had effects on tree height, diameter at breast height and carbon stocks composition. Meanwhile, in-situ soil redox potentials, Shannon diversity, tree height, density and diameter at breast height affected carbon stock. Moreover, the soil physicochemical properties, absolute elevation and vegetation structural variables could explain 76.83 % of the carbon stock variance. This study demonstrated that artificial planting had no superiority in vegetation restoration and carbon sequestration over natural regeneration. Under appropriate environmental conditions, natural regeneration is an economically effective way to restore mangroves from abandoned ponds to realize the co-benefits of biodiversity and carbon storage restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03430"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drought and bush encroachment threaten dry rangeland sustainability in Northeastern Ethiopia","authors":"Minyahel Tilahun ,&nbsp;Zenghui Liu ,&nbsp;Ayana Angassa ,&nbsp;Zhipeng Wang ,&nbsp;Meng Li ,&nbsp;Jianshuang Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change and the spread of invasive bush species significantly threaten global rangeland health. However, the effects of different land use intensities and timings on vegetation health are still poorly understood. This study evaluated the sustainability of vegetation health in grazing lands of the Afar region of Ethiopia, using a community-based classification that includes three categories: dry season grazing land, wet season grazing land, and wildlife reserves. We assessed the combined impacts of drought and bush invasion on vegetation health, employing the standardized precipitation index (SPI), vegetation health index (VHI), and field measurements of invasive bush thickets, native herbaceous density, and the functional traits of <em>Prosopis juliflora</em> (Sw.) DC as indicators. Our results indicated that SPI and thicket explained 44 % and 16 % of the variance in VHI, respectively. Using structural equation modeling, we demonstrated both direct and indirect effects of the functional traits of <em>Prosopis juliflora</em> on the relationship between SPI, thicket, and VHI in dry rangeland ecosystems. Notably, VHI, as an indicator of vegetation health, decreased with increased bush encroachment and positively correlated with higher herbaceous density across the grazing lands. These findings highlight the complex interplay of physiographic, environmental, and botanical factors amid the challenges posed by invasive plant species and severe drought. They also underscore critical implications for managing and restoring dry rangeland ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainability into land-use practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03425"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blue shark conservation in the Indian Ocean: data-limited insights on population structure, distribution, and stock assessments","authors":"Hoang Huy Huynh ,&nbsp;Chun-Yi Hung ,&nbsp;Sheng-Ping Wang ,&nbsp;Wen-Pei Tsai","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03433","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03433","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite advances in ocean science, potential uncertainty continues to surround the stock dynamics of the blue shark <em>(Prionace glauca)</em> in the Indian Ocean. Fork-length <em>(FL)</em> data from 31,404 sharks, collected by observers between 2006 and 2022, were analyzed in this study. Population structure analysis revealed spatial, seasonal, and size variability, with <em>FL</em> declining more in females (-2.90 cm/year) than in males (-2.44 cm/year). Small juveniles concentrated in temperate waters (30°S–40°S) in summer/autumn, while juveniles had a broader range (10°N–40°S). Adults ranged widely (10°N–40°S) with higher densities in southern areas (30°S–40°S) in spring/summer. Males dominated the population (55 %), with spatial and seasonal sex ratio shifts, and the proportion of females increasing with size in most seasons. Several analytical approaches, including length-based mortality estimators (MLZ), and spawning potential ratio (SPR), were applied alongside empirical length-based indicators (LBIs) as auxiliary. A stochastic framework with bootstrap statistics was developed, to compare prior research with revisited growth parameters using ELEFAN_GA_Boot. Empirical surveillance LBIs revealed increases in male abundance in 2018 and 2022, and in female abundance in 2017 and 2022. SPR estimates were 50 % in one scenario and 37 % in another, suggesting ongoing overfishing to the reference range (SPR 30 %–60 %). Current exploitation rates are near the sustainability threshold of 0.5 year⁻¹ , indicating fishing levels are likely sustainable but close to the threshold level. Findings indicate blue sharks are not overfished but require adaptive sex-specific management to mitigate overfishing risks. Collaboration among researchers, managers, and fleets is vital for sustainable practices. Continuous monitoring and adaptive management are essential for long-term sustainability, and size-based methods provide valuable insights for data-limited stocks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03433"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing sampling methods to monitor population abundance while accounting for imperfect detection: An application of N-mixture models on Orthoptera","authors":"Alberto Mattia Nodari ,&nbsp;Marco Bonifacino ,&nbsp;Elena Eustacchio ,&nbsp;Marco Bonelli ,&nbsp;Mattia Falaschi","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03435","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03435","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human activities are profoundly altering natural ecosystems, impacting both the distribution and abundance of animal populations. Monitoring is the base for assessing the status and temporal changes in animal populations. Among the various considerations involved in establishing a monitoring program, the choice of sampling methods can significantly influence the project's outcomes. In this study, we compared two sampling methods to monitor Orthoptera communities: sweep netting and tube sampling (a modified version of box quadrats). Imperfect detection can strongly bias the outcome of statistical models. Therefore, to compare the two sampling methods, we performed <em>N</em>-mixture models to take into account detection probability and uncertainty in abundance estimates. Between June and September 2023, we sampled Orthoptera communities across 25 sites in northern Italy, including a broad variety of grasslands, which are ecosystems holding high ecological value in agricultural landscapes. We detected a total of 35 species, 33 through sweep netting and 30 through tube sampling. <em>N</em>-mixture models were performed on the 14 most abundant species detected with both sampling methods. While detection probability was similar between the two sampling methods, the precision of detection estimates was markedly higher when using sweep netting. Additionally, abundance estimates were generally higher and showed less uncertainty when using sweep netting instead of tube sampling. These results suggest that, in our study system, sweep netting seems to be the best method to monitor Orthoptera communities. Still, the limited area sampled with tube used here (2–4 m² per survey in each plot) possibly influenced the precision of abundance estimates, and larger sampled areas may provide more accurate measures. Our framework to compare sampling methods can be applied to a broad range of organisms. It can help in deciding which method is better to fulfill the aims of multi-season monitoring programs by conducting pilot surveys at a small set of sites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03435"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The strength of the Yellowstone trophic cascade after wolf reintroduction","authors":"William J. Ripple ,&nbsp;Robert L. Beschta ,&nbsp;Christopher Wolf ,&nbsp;Luke E. Painter ,&nbsp;Aaron J. Wirsing","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Trophic cascades, the indirect effects of predators propagating downward through food webs, play a critical role in shaping ecosystems. We evaluated the strength of a large carnivore-induced trophic cascade in northern Yellowstone National Park, focusing on riparian willows (<em>Salix</em> spp<em>.</em>) as primary producers. Using the log₁₀ response ratio, a standardized indicator of trophic cascade strength, we quantified changes in willow crown volume following the 1995–96 reintroduction of gray wolves (<em>Canis lupus</em>), which completed the large carnivore guild. Reduced herbivory pressure from Rocky Mountain elk (<em>Cervus canadensis</em>) followed their reintroduction, leading to increased growth in willows. Crown volume, a proxy for above-ground biomass, was calculated using a predictive model based on willow height and was used to index primary producer response. Data from a 20-year study (2001–2020) revealed a relatively strong trophic cascade, with a ∼1500 % increase in average willow crown volume and a log₁₀ ratio of 1.21. This ratio surpassed 82 % of those reported in a global meta-analysis of trophic cascades. These results emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring to capture gradual and nonlinear ecosystem responses following predator reintroductions. They also underscore the substantial effect restored large carnivores can have on riparian vegetation and highlight the utility of crown volume as a metric for assessing trophic cascade strength.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03428"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143534923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}