Reducing risks by transforming landscapes: Cross-scale effects of land-use changes on ecosystem services

Globally, anthropogenic environmental change is exacerbating the already vulnerable conditions of many people and ecosystems. In order to obtain food, water, raw materials and shelter, rural people modify forests and other ecosystems, affecting the supply of ecosystem services that contribute to livelihoods and well-being. Despite widespread awareness of the nature and extent of multiple impacts of land-use changes, there remains limited understanding of how these impacts affect trade-offs among ecosystem services and their beneficiaries across spatial scales. We assessed how rural communities in two forested landscapes in Indonesia have changed land uses over the last 20 years to adapt their livelihoods that were at risk from multiple hazards. We estimated the impact of these adaptation strategies on the supply of ecosystem services by comparing different benefits provided to people from these land uses (products, water, carbon, and biodiversity), using forest inventories, remote sensing, and interviews. Local people converted forests to rubber plantations, reforested less productive croplands, protected forests on hillsides, and planted trees in gardens. Our results show that land-use decisions were propagated at the landscape scale due to reinforcing loops, whereby local actors perceived that such decisions contributed positively to livelihoods by reducing risks and generating co-benefits. When land-use changes become sufficiently widespread, they affect the supply of multiple ecosystem services, with impacts beyond the local scale. Thus, adaptation implemented at the local-scale may not address development and climate adaptation challenges at regional or national scale (e.g. as part of UN Sustainable Development Goals or actions taken under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement). A better understanding of the context and impacts of local ecosystem-based adaptation is fundamental to the scaling up of land management policies and practices designed to reduce risks and improve well-being for people at different scales

Adapting land restoration to a changing climate: Embracing the knowns and unknowns

CIFOR Infobrief 249, Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, doi:10.17528/cifor/007261Land restoration will happen under climate change and different knowledge systems are needed to navigate uncertainties and plan adaptation. • The emergence of novel ecosystems presents a challenge for land restoration; they harbor unknown unknowns. • This brief presents key research linking land restoration and societal adaptation and an example of a practical framework for transformative adaptation. • It also proposes questions that can guide stakeholders in exploring different change narratives for adaptation and restoration planning

Beyond calendars and maps: Rethinking time and space for effective knowledge governance in protected areas

Protected area managers rely on relevant, credible, and legitimate knowledge. However, an increase in the rate, extent, severity, and magnitude of the impacts of drivers of change (e.g., climate change, altered land use, and demand for natural resources) is affecting the response capacity of managers and their agencies. We address temporal aspects of knowledge governance by exploring time-related characteristics of information and decision-making processes in protected areas. These areas represent artefacts where the past (e.g., geological periods and evolutionary processes), the present (e.g., biodiversity richness), and the future (e.g., protection of ecosystem services for future generations) are intimately connected and integrated. However, temporal horizons linked with spatial scales are often neglected or misinterpreted in environmental management plans and monitoring programs. In this paper, we present a framework to address multi-dimensional understandings of knowledge-based processes for managing protected areas to guide researchers, managers, and practitioners to consider temporal horizons, spatial scales, different knowledge systems, and future decisions. We propose that dealing with uncertain futures starts with understanding the knowledge governance context that shapes decision-making processes, explicitly embracing temporal dimensions of information in decision-making at different scales. We present examples from South Africa and Colombia to illustrate the concepts. This framework can help to enable a reflexive practice, identify pathways or transitions to enable actions and connect knowledge for effective conservation of protected areas

Australian forested wetlands under climate change:Collapse or proliferation?

Climatically driven perturbations (e.g. intense drought, fire, sea surface temperature rise) can bring ecosystems that are already stressed by long-term climate change and other anthropogenic impacts to a point of collapse. Recent reviews of the responses of Australian ecosystems to climate change and associated stressors have suggested widespread ecosystem collapse is occurring across multiple biomes. Two commonly cited case studies concern forested wetland ecosystems: mangrove forest dieback in northern Australia (2015-16) and riverine forest dieback in the south-east of the continent (2002-09). We present an alternative interpretation that emphasises the dominant signal of climate change effects, rather than the interdecadal signal of climate variability that drives wetland forest dynamics. For both the south-east Australian riverine forests and mangroves of northern Australia, aerial extent remains greater after dieback than in the early 1990s. We interpret dieback and defoliation in both systems as a dry phase response and provide evidence of a current and near-future climate change trajectory of increased areal extent and cover (i.e. tree colonisation and range infilling). In both case studies, climate change-driven increases in tree cover and extent are occurring at the expense of wetland grasslands and the important ecosystem functions they support

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e. a controlling message) compared to no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly-internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared to the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly-internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing: Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Crotonia weiri Colloff, 2010, sp. nov.

Crotonia weiri sp. nov. (Figs. 9, 18 i, 21) Dimensions: holotype female length 1137, breadth 561. Paratypes: females (n = 14): mean length 1213 (range 1074–1372); mean breadth 621 (range 506–718); males (n = 16): mean length 1076 (range 1003–1130); mean breadth 532 (range 490–587). Ratio of length of prodorsum to total body length: 0.35 (holotype). Description of female. Prodorsum: ratio of length to breadth 1.0. Rostrum with squat naso, barely projecting beyond rostrum; lateral edges slightly concave; rostral seta 43, straight, spiniform, smooth (Fig. 9 a). Lamellar seta 243, curved, smooth, flagelliform apically. Lamellar apophyses 108, straight, thin, slightly diverging apically, shorter than their mutual distance by half; extending anteriorly beyond apices of rostral setae. Interlamellar apophyses twice as long as broad; interlamellar seta 335, flagelliform, smooth; extending anteriorly as far as apex of curve of lamellar setae. Prodorsal ridges well-developed, curved medially, extending anteriorly almost a third of the distance between bases of interlamellar and lamellar apophyses. Diameter of bothridium 42; auriculate ridge of bothridium in the form of a complex series of digitate or triangular spines, with a large, blunt, anterior projection; hexagonal reticulations of operculum lacking concentric ridges and with point of origin near lateral margin (Fig. 18 i). Inter-bothridial ridge well-developed, straight, transverse, curved anteriolaterally at margins, with a slight median invagination. Median field of muscle sigilla present. Prodorsal microsculpture smooth, porose. Notogaster: ratio of length of notogaster to breadth of notogastral shield 1.31; notogastral shield broadest between setae cp and e 2 (Fig. 9 a); ratio of width of shield to entire notogastral width 0.82; lateral margins of shield greatly expanded, sub-circular. Dorsosejugal suture discrete, with single indented ridge. Region posterior of apophyses of setae c 3 slightly concave. Lyrifissure ia short (22), on shallow ridge posteriolateral of apophyses of setae c 3. With 14 pairs of smooth notogastral setae. Pre-notogastral shield separated from notogastral shield by narrow hyaline strip, and bearing well-developed cylindrical apophysis (27 long) of seta c 3 and minute, subequal, setiform setae c 1 and c 2 (11)on posterior margin. Seta c 3 well-developed, long (390), flagelliform apically, extending anteriorly to point midway between bases of interlamellar and lamellar apophyses. Notogastral shield smooth, slightly convex, tapering to U-shape anterior of caudal apophyses; bordered laterally by two narrow strips of small tubercles extending to point between tubercles of setae f 2 and f 1. Lateral hyaline strip (suprapleural scissure) wide, bearing tubercles of short, setiform, setae cp (94) and e 2 (70). Seta d 2 thin, short (56), setiform; mutual distance (81) a third greater than that between setae c 2. Seta f 2 short (89), recurved, each on squat tubercle barely projecting from margin of notogastral shield. Opisthosomal gland opening gla positioned anteriomedial of setae f 2. Caudal apophyses short, clustered, projecting directly from posterior notogastral shield, not on stalk; those of h 2 short (44), more-or-less parallel, caudal margin between them transverse. Apophysis of h 1 (30) emerging dorsolaterally from base of that of h 2; apophysis of f 1 (16) projecting posteriolaterally; the base not closely associated with that of h 1. Apophysis of seta h 3 positioned between h 1 and f 1 ventrally; seta h 3 thin, setiform, curved. Other caudal setae short, thick, straight, semi-spiniform; f 1 46, h 1 67, h 2 71. Caudal region of dorsal notogastral plate with small, sparse tubercles, extending onto lateral plates. Ven ter: epimeral microsculpture smooth, porose (Fig. 9 b); epimeral setae smooth, thin, spiniform, very short, ca. 8–15, formula 3 - 1-3 - 3; seta 3 c longer and stouter than others (24) on well-developed tubercle. Epimeral plates I with sharp, horn-like projections posteriolaterally. With lcs broad, curved, forming a broad obtuse angle (ca. 140 °) with pcs. Anteriolateral margin of adanal plate with a broad, shallow indentation. Genital plates sub-circular; posterior margin transverse. Perigenital region strongly and densely tuberculate. Each genital plate 198 long, 118 broad, with eight setiform setae, subequal in length (30); two pairs of aggenital setae, subequal in length to epimeral setae. Anal plate narrow (41 broad), 251 long, with three very short (10) setae on posterior region of plate; three pairs of spiniform adanal setae, ad 2-3 slightly shorter than spiniform ad 1 (29); distance between ad series subequal. Ventral margin of notogaster surrounding anal plates curved, U-shaped. Setae of p series curved, setiform, p 1 very short, 15, p 2 30, p 3 43. Tubercles of p 1 squat, separated by distance at least four times their length. Lateral view: Caudal margin inflated, rounded, contiguous with notogastral shield (Fig. 9 c); dorsal and ventral surfaces convex, not parallel, distance between them ca. 660 perpendicular of seta e 2, narrowing anteriorly. Apophysis of seta f 1 pointing dorsally, those of h 1 pointing posteriodorsally, those of h 2 only slightly longer than those of h 1, positioned ventral of them; those of h 3 positioned ventral of h 2, pointing ventrolaterally. Caudal cluster positioned below level of notogastral shield. Apophyses of setae of p series equidistantly spaced. Pleuraspis with sparse tubercles. Material examined. Holotype female, litter and moss under Nothofagus moorei, Mount Bithongabel, Lamington National Park, Queensland, ANIC 654, 28° 15 ' 46 "S, 153 ° 10 ' 17 "E, 1190 m., coll. T. Weir & J. Lawrence, 23.x. 1978. Paratype female, QM S 26049, brushings from sticks, rainforest, Mount Bithongabel, Lamington National Park, Queensland, 28 ° 16 'S 153 ° 10 'E, coll. G.B. Monteith, 8.x. 1979. Paratypes: 13 females, 16 males, QM S 26069, litter, Mount Hobwee, Lamington National Park, Queensland, 28 ° 12 'S 153 ° 10 'E. Paratype female, QM S 26073, pitfall trap, simple notophyll vine forest, Nagarigoon, Lamington National Park, Queensland, 28 ° 12 'S 153 ° 10 'E, coll. R.J. Raven & V.T. Davies, 30.iii.– 4.iv. 1976. Holotype and paratypes deposited in the Queensland Museum, Brisbane. Etymology. This species is named in honour of my colleague Tom Weir (Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences), in recognition of his contribution to Australian entomology. Remarks. Crotonia weiri differs from all other Crotonia spp. by the following combination of characters: 1) the expanded, sub-circular opisthosoma; 2) the short caudal apophyses with those of seta h 2 only slightly longer than those of h 1; 3) the short, smooth, spiniform caudal setae; 4) the very short epimeral, anal and p 1 setae; 5) the minute setae c 1 and c 2 positioned close together; 6) the considerable depth of the opisthosoma in lateral view; 7) the lateral ridge of the bothridium with a series of digitate and triangular spines and a large, blunt, anterior projection. Crotonia weiri is most similar to C. daviesae in the morphology of the prodorsum and its structures; the inflated opisthosoma narrowing anteriorly in lateral view; the relative lengths of setae c 3, cp, e 2 and f 2 and the projections on epimeral plates I. It is also similar to C. yeatesi sp. nov. in these characters as well as the morphology and relative lengths of setae d 2 and the caudal apophyses and their setae. Other than the characters mentioned in the diagnosis, C. weiri differs from C. daviesae in having setae f 2 on tubercles rather than on apophyses that project beyond the margin of the notogaster, in the more restricted tuberculate microsculpture, the positioning of the anal setae on the posterior half of the anal plate, in the short setae of the p series and the lateral regions of the notogastral plate bearing a narrower tuberculate strip. Crotonia weiri differs from C. yeatesi in having much longer setae c 2, smooth reflexed setae f 2 lacking projecting apophyses, short setae p 1 and a more rounded notogastral shield.Published as part of Colloff, Matthew J., 2010, The Gondwanan relict oribatid genus Crotonia (Acari: Oribatida: Crotoniidae) from rainforests in Queensland and Northern New South Wales: new species show a mixed pattern of short-range and long-range endemism, pp. 1-51 in Zootaxa 2649 on pages 25-27, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19874