A landscape-scale framework to identify refugia from multiple stressors |
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Authors: | Isabel M Rojas Megan K Jennings Erin Conlisk Alexandra D Syphard Jack Mikesell Alicia M Kinoshita Krista West Doug Stow Emanuel Storey Mark E De Guzman Diane Foote Alexandria Warneke Amber Pairis Sherry Ryan Lorraine E Flint Alan L Flint Rebecca L Lewison |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA;2. Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA;3. Department of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA;4. Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
School of Public Affairs, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA;5. Climate Science Alliance, San Diego, California, USA;6. School of Public Affairs, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA;7. Water Resources Discipline, U.S. Geological Survey, Sacramento, California, USA |
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Abstract: | From a conservation perspective, quantifying potential refugial capacity has been predominantly focused on climate refugia, which is critical for maintaining the persistence of species and ecosystems. However, protection from other stressors, such as human-induced changes in fire and hydrology, that cause habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation is also necessary to ensure that conservation efforts focused on climate are not undermined by other threats. Thus, conceptual and methodological advances for quantifying potential refugia from multiple anthropogenic stressors are important to support conservation efforts. We devised a new conceptual approach, the domains of refugia, for assessing refugial capacity that identifies areas where exposure to multiple stressors is low. In our framework, patterns of environmental variability (e.g., increased frequency of warm summers), thresholds of resilience, and extent and intensity of stressors are used to identify areas of potential refugia from a suite of ongoing anthropogenic stressors (e.g., changes in fire regime). To demonstrate its utility, we applied the framework to a Southern California landscape. Sites with high refugial capacity (super-refugia sites) had on average 30% fewer extremely warm summers, 20% fewer fire events, 10% less exposure to altered river channels and riparian areas, and 50% fewer recreational trails than the surrounding landscape. Our results suggest that super-refugia sites (∼8200 km2) for some natural communities are underrepresented in the existing protected area network, a finding that can inform efforts to expand protected areas. Our case study highlights how considering exposure to multiple stressors can inform planning and practice to conserve biodiversity in a changing world. |
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Keywords: | amenazas biodiversidad cambio climático cambio global gestión y planificación estratégica paisajes sur de California biodiversity climate change global change landscapes Southern California strategic planning and management threats 生物多样性 威胁 气候变化 景观 战略规划和管理 全球变化 南加州 |
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