Institution
James Cook University
Education•Townsville, Queensland, Australia•
About: James Cook University is a education organization based out in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Coral reef. The organization has 9101 authors who have published 27750 publications receiving 1032608 citations. The organization is also known as: JCU.
Topics: Population, Coral reef, Reef, Coral, Coral reef fish
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: Learning how to avoid undesirable phase-shifts, and how to reverse them when they occur, requires an urgent reform of scientific approaches, policies, governance structures and coral reef management.
Abstract: Phase-shifts from one persistent assemblage of species to another have become increasingly commonplace on coral reefs and in many other ecosystems due to escalating human impacts. Coral reef science, monitoring and global assessments have focused mainly on producing detailed descriptions of reef decline, and continue to pay insufficient attention to the underlying processes causing degradation. A more productive way forward is to harness new theoretical insights and empirical information on why some reefs degrade and others do not. Learning how to avoid undesirable phase-shifts, and how to reverse them when they occur, requires an urgent reform of scientific approaches, policies, governance structures and coral reef management.
944 citations
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TL;DR: It is asserted that such impacts are often qualitatively and quantitatively different in tropical forests than in other ecosystems, and practical measures to reduce the negative impacts of roads and other linear infrastructure on tropical species are highlighted.
Abstract: Linear infrastructure such as roads, highways, power lines and gas lines are omnipresent features of human activity and are rapidly expanding in the tropics. Tropical species are especially vulnerable to such infrastructure because they include many ecological specialists that avoid even narrow (<30-m wide) clearings and forest edges, as well as other species that are susceptible to road kill, predation or hunting by humans near roads. In addition, roads have a major role in opening up forested tropical regions to destructive colonization and exploitation. Here, we synthesize existing research on the impacts of roads and other linear clearings on tropical rainforests, and assert that such impacts are often qualitatively and quantitatively different in tropical forests than in other ecosystems. We also highlight practical measures to reduce the negative impacts of roads and other linear infrastructure on tropical species.
903 citations
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TL;DR: It is suggested that fish biodiversity is threatened wherever permanent reef degradation occurs and warned that marine reserves will not always be sufficient to ensure their survival.
Abstract: The worldwide decline in coral cover has serious implications for the health of coral reefs. But what is the future of reef fish assemblages? Marine reserves can protect fish from exploitation, but do they protect fish biodiversity in degrading environments? The answer appears to be no, as indicated by our 8-year study in Papua New Guinea. A devastating decline in coral cover caused a parallel decline in fish biodiversity, both in marine reserves and in areas open to fishing. Over 75% of reef fish species declined in abundance, and 50% declined to less than half of their original numbers. The greater the dependence species have on living coral as juvenile recruitment sites, the greater the observed decline in abundance. Several rare coral-specialists became locally extinct. We suggest that fish biodiversity is threatened wherever permanent reef degradation occurs and warn that marine reserves will not always be sufficient to ensure their survival.
898 citations
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TL;DR: Seagrass bioregions at the scale of ocean basins are identified based on species distributions which are supported by genetic patterns of diversity, and provide a useful framework for interpreting ecological, physiological and genetic results collected in specific locations or from particular species.
894 citations
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West Virginia University1, Yale University2, Food and Agriculture Organization3, Landcare Research4, University of Udine5, Max Planck Society6, University of Alaska Fairbanks7, Technische Universität München8, Université du Québec à Montréal9, University of the French West Indies and Guiana10, University of Freiburg Faculty of Biology11, Cornell University12, Wageningen University and Research Centre13, University of Sydney14, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu15, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro16, University of Göttingen17, Russian Academy of Sciences18, Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research19, Lakehead University20, University of La Frontera21, Seoul National University22, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg23, University of Cambridge24, James Cook University25, Center for International Forestry Research26, University of Zurich27, University of Yaoundé I28, University of Wisconsin-Madison29, Queensland Government30, Florida International University31, Institut national de la recherche agronomique32, Forest Research Institute33, Polish Academy of Sciences34, University of Minnesota35, Warsaw University of Life Sciences36, Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava37, University of Florence38, University of Warsaw39, Spanish National Research Council40, King Juan Carlos University41, International Trademark Association42, National Scientific and Technical Research Council43, National University of Austral Patagonia44, Wildlife Conservation Society45, College of African Wildlife Management46, University of York47, Durham University48, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources49, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador50, Centre national de la recherche scientifique51, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi52, University College London53, University of Leeds54
TL;DR: A consistent positive concave-down effect of biodiversity on forest productivity across the world is revealed, showing that a continued biodiversity loss would result in an accelerating decline in forest productivity worldwide.
Abstract: The biodiversity-productivity relationship (BPR) is foundational to our understanding of the global extinction crisis and its impacts on ecosystem functioning. Understanding BPR is critical for the accurate valuation and effective conservation of biodiversity. Using ground-sourced data from 777,126 permanent plots, spanning 44 countries and most terrestrial biomes, we reveal a globally consistent positive concave-down BPR, showing that continued biodiversity loss would result in an accelerating decline in forest productivity worldwide. The value of biodiversity in maintaining commercial forest productivity alone-US$166 billion to 490 billion per year according to our estimation-is more than twice what it would cost to implement effective global conservation. This highlights the need for a worldwide reassessment of biodiversity values, forest management strategies, and conservation priorities.
889 citations
Authors
Showing all 9184 results
Name | H-index | Papers | Citations |
---|---|---|---|
Christopher J L Murray | 209 | 754 | 310329 |
Hui-Ming Cheng | 147 | 880 | 111921 |
Joseph T. Hupp | 141 | 731 | 82647 |
Graeme J. Hankey | 137 | 844 | 143373 |
Bryan R. Cullen | 121 | 371 | 50901 |
Thomas J. Meyer | 120 | 1078 | 68519 |
William F. Laurance | 118 | 470 | 56464 |
Staffan Kjelleberg | 114 | 425 | 44414 |
Mike Clarke | 113 | 1037 | 164328 |
Gao Qing Lu | 108 | 546 | 53914 |
David J. Williams | 107 | 2060 | 62440 |
Tim J Peters | 106 | 1037 | 47394 |
Michael E. Goddard | 106 | 424 | 67681 |
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg | 106 | 425 | 63750 |
John C. Avise | 105 | 413 | 53088 |