Tapping into non-English-language science for the conservation of global biodiversity.

The widely held assumption that any important scientific information would be available in English underlies the underuse of non-English-language science across disciplines. However, non-English-language science is expected to bring unique and valuable scientific information, especially in disciplines where the evidence is patchy, and for emergent issues where synthesising available evidence is an urgent challenge. Yet such contribution of non-English-language science to scientific communities and the application of science is rarely quantified. Here, we show that non-English-language studies provide crucial evidence for informing global biodiversity conservation. By screening 419,679 peer-reviewed papers in 16 languages, we identified 1,234 non-English-language studies providing evidence on the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation interventions, compared to 4,412 English-language studies identified with the same criteria. Relevant non-English-language studies are being published at an increasing rate in 6 out of the 12 languages where there were a sufficient number of relevant studies. Incorporating non-English-language studies can expand the geographical coverage (i.e., the number of 2° × 2° grid cells with relevant studies) of English-language evidence by 12% to 25%, especially in biodiverse regions, and taxonomic coverage (i.e., the number of species covered by the relevant studies) by 5% to 32%, although they do tend to be based on less robust study designs. Our results show that synthesising non-English-language studies is key to overcoming the widespread lack of local, context-dependent evidence and facilitating evidence-based conservation globally. We urge wider disciplines to rigorously reassess the untapped potential of non-English-language science in informing decisions to address other global challenges. Please see the Supporting information files for Alternative Language Abstracts

Shifts in leaf and stem hydraulic traits across aridity gradients in Eastern Australia

Plants are faced with a challenge across all climates they inhabit—they must transport water to their leaves so that photosynthesis can take place. Although this is simple in concept, it can be achieved by different arrangements of root, stem, and leaf traits. The hydraulic functioning of species across aridity gradients is determined by the coordination of these traits. Nevertheless, we have an imperfect understanding of which trait shifts are favored across aridity gradients as well as the alignment of trait shifts with climate. Methodology. We measured hydraulic traits relating to Darcy’s law for 120 angiosperm species across a broad range of climates in eastern Australia; nearly one-third of all biome space on Earth was represented. We then determined which hydraulic trait shifts have been favored across aridity gradients and which climate characteristics these trait shifts aligned with. Pivotal results. Increasing aridity, from climates with similar precipitation and evaporation to climates where precipitation was only a third of evaporation, was associated with a 4.8-fold decrease in plant height, a 3.0-fold decrease in leaf area–to–sapwood area ratio, and a 3.3-fold decrease in leaf water potential. However, sapwood-specific conductivity decreased by 5.9-fold, more than any other hydraulic trait. Greater sapwood-specific conductivity (decreasing resistance) at wet sites compensated for increasing resistance and hydraulic demand that was associated with taller plants and leafier shoots. All hydraulic traits were strongly correlated with growth season aridity ( ; ) but were not correlated with maximum aridity. This suggests that plant hydraulic traits are most responsive to water availability and evaporative demand present during the most suitable months for growth rather than the driest months. Conclusions. We suggest that evolution has equipped plants with various mechanisms to avoid desiccation during the dry season while optimizing hydraulic traits for carbon gain during the growth season

Dataset: seedlings emergence and survival following topsoil transfer, Western Australia

These data refer to the paper by Waryszak et al (2020). These data record the four vegetation surveys (spring 2012, spring 2013, autumn 2013 and autumn 2014) following topsoil transfer as part of the restoration PhD project on restoration of Banksia Woodland of Swan Coastal Plain, undertaken at Murdoch University in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Wildlife in Western Australia. The top 5-10 cm of soil, where most of the propagules are stored, was stripped and transferred to six restoration study sites in mid–April 2012 (16 ha in total). A fully factorial experimental plot design was used to investigate the effects of environmental filter manipulation treatments on emergence and survival of native plants (density, diversity, functional types) emerging from the transferred topsoil. For more details see Waryszak (2017) or contact Pawel. Pawel's website: https://sites.google.com/site/pawelwaryszak Reference: Waryszak, P., Standish, R.J., Ladd, P.G., Enright, N.J., Brundrett, M. and Fontaine, J.B. (2020), Best served deep: the seedbank from salvaged topsoil underscores the role of the dispersal filter in restoration practice. Applied Vegetation Science. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/avsc.12539 Waryszak, P. (2017) Evaluating Emergence, Survival, and Assembly of Banksia Woodland Communities to Achieve Restoration Objectives Following Topsoil Transfer. Murdoch University. PhD Thesis. URL: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/38303

Dataset: Direct and indirect effects of climate change in coastal wetlands

This dataset was created based off the Coastwide Reference and Monitoring Sites (CRMS) data (Retrieved from Coastal Information Management System database: http://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov [Accessed 21 June 2017] ). We analysed plant species composition, soil pore water salinity (ppt) and water depth (cm) part of that CRMS dataset that were consistently monitored by CRMS over the period of 11 years (2007 – 2017, see file "VegAllEnvData_03july2018.csv") Additionally, to assign each species in the dataset as native/introduced, we obtained a Louisiana introduced species lists from the Louisiana Native Plant Society (https://www.lnps.org/references, see file "LA_Plants_Clean.csv"). The outcomes of the analysis of these date were published in: Christina Birnbaum, Paweł Waryszak and Emily C. Farrer (accepted in 2021) Effects of climate and invasion on vegetation patterns in rapidly declining coastal wetlands in Louisiana. Wetlands

Herbicide effectiveness under elevated CO2 in controling 14 environmental weed species in Australia

The data was generated in the "Elevated CO2 and herbicide tolerance" experiment (2012). The experiment followed a randomised fully factorial design, with the factors being CO2 concentration (ambient or elevated) and herbicide treatment (recommended and double recommended label rate). Four glasshouses were used: two at the ambient and two at the elevated CO2 concentration. Ten replicates of each weed species for each CO2 × herbicide treatment combination were grown. These were evenly split between the treatment glasshouses. Additionally, six replicates of each weed species were grown under each CO2 treatment to assess the biomass allocation each species at the time of herbicide application. This could not be done after herbicide treatment due to plant mortality. These plants were harvested into their above- and belowground components on the day of herbicide application and oven-dried at 60oC to constant weight (48 – 72 hours) before being weighed. Pots were randomly rearranged within the glasshouses each fortnight to minimise any within-glasshouse effects. All pots were evenly spaced to minimise shading from neighbouring plants. As Lantana camara and I. indica were propagated from cuttings, they were re-potted into 2.8 L pots after eight weeks and six weeks respectively to allow them ample space for root development. The vine species A. cordifolia and I. indica were trained onto stakes. Pots were mist watered for one minute four times daily. The elevated CO2 treatment was maintained by a dosing and monitoring system (Canary Company Pty Ltd, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia) at 550 ppm, from 6 am to 6 pm, with air continuously circulated within each glasshouse. The elevated CO2 treatment represents the predicted atmospheric CO2 concentration by 2030 under most emissions scenarios (IPCC, 2001). The ambient CO2 treatment was 380 ppm. The glasshouse temperature was set to 17°C at night and 24°C during the day

Dataset: Planted mangroves cap toxic petroleum-contaminated sediments

Dataset contains information on hydrocarbon content in mangrove sediments from three sampling sites at Stony Creek, Victoria, Australia. At each sampling site, we collected three soil cores (1 m deep or until bedrock was reached) using a PVC pipe (5 cm internal diameter, 120 cm length) to profile the hydrocarbon content within the sediment. Nine sediment cores (collected on 03/July/2019) were immediately transported to Deakin University (Burwood campus) and sliced at six depth intervals: 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–50, 50–75 and 75–100 cm. Wet sediment samples were stored at 4℃ and shipped to the Analytical Reference Laboratory (Welshpool, Western Australia) for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) analyses. The dry content of PAHs and TPH and soil organic matter in mangrove sediments was estimated from a set of nine additional cores collected at the same three mangrove sites within the 5m by 5m plots. These additional soil cores were sliced at compatible intervals and dried at 60℃ (until a consistent weight was achieved). The organic matter was estimated by looking at the organic carbon in the sediments above the oil spill prior mangrove arrival (establishment horizon)

Soil seed bank ecology and its role in Banksia woodland restoration, Western Australia

Background/questions/methods: The main urban areas of Western Australia (WA) are located on the Swan Coastal Plain - the 400 km long sandy landform between the Indian Ocean and Darling Scarp that encompasses the main habitat for endangered Banksia woodland. This floristically rich but poorly understood Mediterranean-type ecosystem is being rapidly destroyed by urban, horticultural and industrial development. In order to partially ameliorate the damage being inflicted on Banksia woodland vegetation WA land developers have been required to purchase offsets of, often degraded, land to where topsoil from construction sites can be moved to help rehabilitate the damaged areas. The aim of this project is to restore Banksia woodlands by optimising germination and survival of native species from the soil seed bank contained within transferred topsoil. The project is a part of an offset program associated with the development of the Jandakot Airport 25 km south of Perth city. In the first year, key research questions are focused on enhancing germination by varying depth of returned topsoil, ripping, fencing, weed control and experimental additions of smoke. Subsequent work will examine the survival and persistence of germinants including treatments such as provision of artificial shade. Assessing the efficacy of a spectrum of novel restoration technologies will provide new insights for environmental management of endangered plant communities. Results/conclusions: Preliminary results will be presented at the conference

Offset or off-the-mark? Seedling emergence and survival following topsoil transfer in Banksia woodland

Floristically rich and ecologically complex, Mediterranean-type ecosystems are rapidly being cleared for urban, horticultural and industrial development. A prime example is Banksia woodland, an ecosystem restricted to the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia. In order to compensate for the clearing of Banksia woodland due to urbanization, land developers are required to attempt biodiversity offsets whereby topsoil from newly cleared landscapes can be moved to degraded land with the aim of restoring Banksia woodland. Yet the science and practice of restoration ecology is not sufficiently advanced to know for certain that this aim can be achieved. Assessing the efficacy of a spectrum of restoration techniques will provide new insights for the restoration of endangered plant communities, and critically, a test of the feasibility of biodiversity off setting. The topsoil was subjected to three site-scale treatments: altering topsoil depth, ripping & herbivore exclosures. Additionally, six plot-scale treatments were applied to explore germination effect (three smoke water-related, topsoil heating) and competition effect (herbicide & artificial shade installation) on native seedlings’ emergence and survival. Significantly fewer seedlings emerged from ripped (17.01 ±1.03 SE) than unripped plots (37.99 ±2.05 SE). Species richness was similar across all treatments with a total number of native plant species emerging from the transferred topsoil of 129 in the first year and 115 in the second year. Mean survival rates of native perennial seedlings were very low (year I = 11.1% & year II = 1.2%). The maximum average survival was recorded under artificial shade (41% ±12.2 SE)