Importance of health assessments for conservation in noncaptive wildlife |
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Authors: | Sara Kophamel Björn Illing Ellen Ariel Morgan Difalco Lee F. Skerratt Mark Hamann Leigh C. Ward Diana Méndez Suzanne L. Munns |
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Affiliation: | 1. College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia;2. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia;3. School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, UK;4. Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, Australia;5. College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia;6. School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;7. Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
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Abstract: | Wildlife health assessments help identify populations at risk of starvation, disease, and decline from anthropogenic impacts on natural habitats. We conducted an overview of available health assessment studies in noncaptive vertebrates and devised a framework to strategically integrate health assessments in population monitoring. Using a systematic approach, we performed a thorough assessment of studies examining multiple health parameters of noncaptive vertebrate species from 1982 to 2020 (n = 261 studies). We quantified trends in study design and diagnostic methods across taxa with generalized linear models, bibliometric analyses, and visual representations of study location versus biodiversity hotspots. Only 35% of studies involved international or cross-border collaboration. Countries with both high and threatened biodiversity were greatly underrepresented. Species that were not listed as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List represented 49% of assessed species, a trend likely associated with the regional focus of most studies. We strongly suggest following wildlife health assessment protocols when planning a study and using statistically adequate sample sizes for studies establishing reference ranges. Across all taxa blood analysis (89%), body composition assessments (81%), physical examination (72%), and fecal analyses (24% of studies) were the most common methods. A conceptual framework to improve design and standardize wildlife health assessments includes guidelines on the experimental design, data acquisition and analysis, and species conservation planning and management implications. Integrating a physiological and ecological understanding of species resilience toward threatening processes will enable informed decision making regarding the conservation of threatened species. |
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Keywords: | biodiversity hotspots conceptual framework diagnostic techniques red lists sample size systematic review vertebrates listas rojas marco conceptual hotspots de biodiversidad revisión sistemática tamaño muestral técnicas diagnósticas vertebrados 系统综述 脊椎动物 生物多样性热点 诊断技术 样本量 概念框架 红色名录 |
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