深圳近海公园植物群落结构特征及其与景观格局的相关性

城市公园植物群落为城市生态系统提供重要的生态服务。对深圳最具代表性的6个近海城市公园进行实地调查,同时结合高分辨率的遥感图像,分析其植物群落结构特征及其与公园内部景观格局的相关关系。结果表明：（1）共调查到近海公园植物108科310属471种,其中乡土植物82科169属231种。草本植物中乡土植物比例较高,而木本中乡土植物占比较低。（2）TS-4和H-1分别是近海公园最常见的乔灌群落类型和草本群落类型,其样地量分别占总量的39%和26%。常见群落的指示种多数具有热带性质并占据主体地位。（3）公园中灌木植物种数低于乔木和草本植物,但群落稳定性较高。（4）半自然型和人工型近海公园各类植物的相似性,以灌木层植物最低。（5）公园整体景观格局中,斑块密度与林地面积比、林地最大斑块面积比呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。（6）各层植物多样性也受到景观格局显著影响：草本层植物多样性与草地、林地的斑块形状复杂程度分别呈显著负相关（P<0.05）;灌木层植物多样性与林地、水体的景观破碎度呈显著负相关（P<0.05）;乔木层植物多样性与草地最大斑块指数呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。公园景观破碎度的增大可能会导致植被景观面积减少。建议在公园植物造景初期就要重视对灌木的运用,尤其是一些生态本底比较脆弱的公园,以提高植物群落的稳定性和低维护性。同时应尽可能保留大面积的核心植被生态斑块,更好地发挥其生态功能。研究结果可为城市公园的规划设计、植物群落的优化配置与城市生物多样性保护提供依据。     

基于动物适宜栖息地的北京市自然保护地保护成效评估

栖息地是野生动物赖以生存的基础,明晰物种的适宜栖息地分布是切实加强野生动物保护、提高生物多样性保护成效的重要基础。北京市野生动植物资源丰富,也建立了一系列自然保护地以加强对野生动物的保护。当前亟需系统评估北京市现有自然保护地体系对野生动物适宜栖息地的保护成效,为未来北京市野生动物保护管理和自然保护地体系整合工作优化提供科学指导。研究选取了北京地区6个较为典型的野生动物为主要研究对象,包括黑鹳（Ciconia nigra）、褐马鸡（Crossoption mantchuricum）、大鸨（Otis tarda）、鸳鸯（Aix galericulata）、金雕（Aquila chrysaetos）和斑羚（Naemorhedus griseus）,利用MaxEnt模型和ArcGIS的空间分析功能分析其适宜栖息地的分布;将自然保护地与适宜栖息地相叠加,识别其适宜栖息地的分布热点和保护空缺,进而评估了北京市现有自然保护地体系的保护成效。研究结果表明,6个研究物种在现有的自然保护地体系中均得到了不同程度的保护,其中褐马鸡的受保护率最高（92.82%）,鸳鸯的受保护率最低（13.66%）。各类自然保护地的物种热点区覆盖率不同,风景名胜区类型覆盖率最高（14.74%）。6个物种适宜栖息地的热点区域总面积为280.01km²,保护空缺占热点区域总面积的49.45%,其中密云区、门头沟区和房山区的保护空缺面积最大。基于现有自然保护地体系对野生动物适宜栖息地的保护效率以及存在的空缺,建议因地制宜,采取扩大或合并现有自然保护地、增设新的自然保护地或营造微生境等方式来提升自然保护地的整体保护效率。研究结果可为北京市自然保护地的整合优化提供重要依据,为野生动物重要栖息地的识别与划定提供可行方案,并为加强野生动物的保护管理提供科学指导。     

雅鲁藏布江中上游白草主要分布区植物群落特征

沿环境梯度揭示植物群落特征及其环境影响因子的研究是生态学研究的重点内容之一。雅鲁藏布江作为世界海拔最高的河流之一,目前尚未开展流域内白草(Pennisetum centrasiaticum)主要分布区植物群落研究。从雅鲁藏布江上游源头区仲巴县帕羊镇至中游米林县派镇白草主要分布区设置26个样地对植物群落特征进行调查。研究结果表明:(1)雅鲁藏布江中上游白草主要分布区有119个植物物种,属35科96属,主要有禾本科、菊科和豆科。各样点优势种有白草、砂生槐(Sophora moorcroftiana)、藏沙蒿(Artemisia wellbyi)、白莲蒿(Artemisia sacrorum)、固沙草(Orinus thoroldii),白草群落物种丰富度最大的是江孜县(S=37),最小的是桑日县(S=12),白草重要值最大的是拉孜县(67.52%),最小的是桑日县(11.88%);(2)26个样点的平均地下生物量为3374.23 g/m²,各白草主要分布区群落在0-10 cm、10-20 cm和20-30 cm土层的地下生物量占比分别为60.38%,26.36%和13.26%;(3)相关分析结果表明,白草高度与海拔(r=-0.60),白草高度与土壤pH(r=-0.53),白草生物量与土壤pH(r=-0.55)呈极显著负相关(P<0.01);(4)RDA分析表明:轴1和轴2共解释全部方差的40.60%,在环境-群落的解释中起主导作用。(5)通过聚类分析,将雅鲁藏布江中上游白草主要分布区划分为梯度Ⅰ(平均3008.67 m)、梯度Ⅱ(平均3824.75 m)和梯度Ⅲ(平均4419.29 m),禾本科功能群在不同海拔梯度均有最大的高度、盖度和重要值,4个功能群(禾本科、豆科、菊科和杂类草)的高度随海拔上升而下降,群落物种丰富度和群落地下生物量占比随海拔上升而增加。上述结果表明白草是雅鲁藏布江中上游广泛分布的乡土草种,其群落特征多样,与环境因子有较强的相关性。     

荒漠草原植物群落结构及其稳定性对增水和增氮的响应

通过在荒漠草原开展增水和增氮野外控制试验,研究增水和增氮对荒漠草原植物群落结构、物种多样性及群落稳定性的影响。结果表明：（1）增水和增氮处理显著影响了荒漠草原植物群落结构和地上生物量,而对植物群落稳定性影响不显著（P>0.05）。增水处理显著增加了豆科和禾本科植物地上生物量（101.3%和57.9%）（P<0.05）;增水+增氮处理显著增加了植物群落盖度（43.2%）和地上生物量（112.4%）及不同功能群（禾本科和杂类草）植物盖度（75.5%和47.3%）和地上生物量（139.3%和85.7%）（P<0.05）。与增氮处理相比,增水+增氮处理显著增加了植物群落和不同功能群（禾本科和杂类草）植物高度、盖度和地上生物量（P<0.05）。（2）增水、增氮和增水+增氮处理均显著降低了植物群落Pielou指数（11.7%、8.7%和10.2%）（P<0.05）。（3）增水和增水+增氮处理提高了荒漠草原植物群落稳定性,而增氮处理降低了荒漠草原植物群落稳定性。增水处理荒漠草原植物群落稳定性效应大于增水+增氮处理。研究表明,荒漠草原植物群落结构受到氮沉降和降水增加的共同影响。增加降水对荒漠草原植物群落稳定性的积极效应可能会抵消部分氮沉降的消极影响,荒漠草原植物群落地上生物量及群落稳定性可能有所增加。     

洮河国家湿地公园主要植物群落多样性对土壤环境因子的响应

内陆河湿地原生植被群落多样性对土壤环境因子的响应分析,有助于深入理解河岸带原生植物群落的生态适应策略。采用双向指示种分析（two-way indicator species analysis,TWINSPAN）和典范对应分析（canonical correspondence analysis,CCA）方法对研究区27个样方的原生植物群落进行分析,研究河岸带植物群落多样性与土壤因子之间的关系。结果表明：研究区主要原生植物有8种生活型,群落类型可分为女贞（Ligustrum lucidum）+野蔷薇（Rosa multiflora）群落、杠柳（Periploca sepium）群落、艾蒿（Artemisia argyi）+狗娃花（Heteropappus hispidus）群落、旋覆花（Inula japonica）+败酱（Patrinia scabiosaefolia）群落、沙棘（Hippophae rhamnoides）+小檗（Berberis thunbergii）群落和沙棘+红花岩黄耆（Hedysarum multijugum）群落6类。群落的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数（H''）整体呈下降趋势,Pielou均匀度指数（J）呈现增减交替的趋势,Simpson优势度指数（C）整体呈增加趋势,土壤粉粒含量与Simpson优势度指数（C）呈显著正相关关系（P<0.05）,其他土壤因子与多样性指数无显著相关关系（P>0.05）,表明土壤中粉粒含量是影响河流湿地原生植物群落分布和多样性的关键因子之一。内陆河流湿地土壤质地类型的差异性一定程度上决定河岸带湿地生态系统原生植物群落的种类组成和分布格局。     

艺术保护自然 冈仁波齐圣地手绘图的诞生

为便于本地社区了解当地生态系统的复杂性,以便在得益于自然环境的同时更好地珍视、利用和保护,国际山地综合发展中心（ICIMOD）联合其他环保组织提出了“神山圣湖山水自然保护倡议”（KSLCI）,制作了圣地区域的手绘宣传图册,其目的在于,协助山地乡村社区更好地了解本地所面临的变化和机遇。手册以生活于冈仁波齐（Kailash）圣地的本地社区为服务对象,也可为范围更大的山地社区提供助益。     

太岳山油松林火烧迹地恢复初期植物群落结构特征

为研究山西太岳山油松（Pinus tabuliformis）林过火后恢复初期林下草本植物群落结构,以2019年3月太岳山油松林火烧迹地为研究对象,采用群落相似性指数、多样性指数、稳定性系数、TWINSPAN数量分类和DCA排序等方法对群落组成、多样性、类型及稳定性等进行了研究。结果表明：（1）火烧迹地恢复初期以低矮灌木和多年生草本植物为主,其中又以地面芽植物占比最大。优势植物主要为大披针薹草（Carex lanceolata）和多花胡枝子（Lespedeza floribunda）;（2）火烧迹地恢复初期各样地植物群落相似性系数和多样性指数相对较小,均匀度指数较大,但各样地恢复效果不尽相同,样地6和样地7的植物群落各项指标相对大于其他样地;（3）TWINSPAN数量分类将火烧迹地植物群落划分成：I.大披针薹草+南牡蒿（Artemisia eriopoda）+地榆（Sanguisorba officinalis）群丛、II.多花胡枝子+大披针薹草+二色棘豆（Oxytropis bicolor）群丛、III.多花胡枝子+大披针薹草+米口袋（Gueldenstaedtia verna）群丛、IV.多花胡枝子+大披针薹草+荠苨（Adenophora trachelioides）群丛、V.大披针薹草+白莲蒿（Artemisia stechmanniana）+狗娃花（Aster hispidus）群丛、VI.白莲蒿群丛、VII.大披针薹草+狗娃花+野艾蒿（Artemisia lavandulifolia）群丛;（4）DCA排序结果表明,火烧迹地恢复初期植物群落结构单一,沿样地和坡位变化较小,仅区分出样地7和其他样地两大类植物群落。（5）火烧迹地恢复初期植物群落处于不稳定的状态,但各样地间群落稳定性存在一定差别,其中样地1最大,样地5最小。总之,研究区植物群落处于演替初期,各样地间植物群落稳定性较差,多样性和整体相似性较小,但优势种群相似性较高,植物群落结构仍处于动态变化之中。研究揭示了太岳山火烧迹地恢复初期植物群落结构特征,积累了该区域火烧迹地植物群落生态学数据,同时可为该区域生态恢复提供科学依据。     

粤港澳大湾区不同恢复模式植物群落结构与生态系统健康的动态变化

基于长期定位监测数据,量化揭示了红锥纯林（Castanopsis hystrix）、10种与30种乡土树种混交林等3种乡土人工林植物群落的生物量、物种多样性、生物热力学健康水平（eco-exergy）和土壤理化性状在种植后13年内的发展动态,并与尾叶桉（Eucalyptus urophylla）纯林,以及自然恢复系统（灌草坡）进行了比较。结果表明：（1）研究期间,5种恢复模式的植物群落生物量均呈现波动上升趋势,但在发展节率上有所差异。13龄时的尾叶桉纯林与两种乡土树种混交林生物量显著高于其各自1龄时的水平,且显著高于自然恢复灌草坡;相较于其他人工林,红锥纯林生物量增长缓慢,但快于灌草坡;（2）5种恢复模式植物群落的物种多样性（物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou均匀度指数）在6至13龄间均呈下降趋势,且30种乡土树种混交林下降趋势最为显著。13龄时,两种混交林Shannon-Wiener指数略高于两种纯林,显著高于灌草坡;10种乡土树种混交林的Pielou均匀度指数略高于红锥纯林与30种乡土树种混交林,显著高于尾叶桉纯林与灌草坡。（3）4种人工林的植物群落生物热力学健康水平皆在6至13龄间显著增加;13龄时两种乡土混交林群落生态显著高于两种纯林,两种纯林显著高于灌草坡,且该差异主要源自于乔木层生态的差异。（4）不同植被恢复模式中,10种乡土树种混交林土壤养分的累积效果最佳,13龄时其土壤总氮含量显著高于红锥纯林和自然恢复灌草坡,但与30种乡土树种混交林和尾叶桉纯林无显著差异。（5）冗余分析结果显示,研究期间植被与土壤间的相关关系逐步建立,土壤理化性状对地上植被结构变化的解释度由1龄时的73.3%逐步上升至13龄时的82.0%,但只有土壤有机碳含量在13龄时与地上植被结构的相关性达到显著水平。上述结果表明,乡土种人工林与外来种人工纯林群落结构、生物热力学健康水平、及植被与土壤间关系的发展规律相似,且相对而言,混交林优于纯林,纯林优于自然恢复灌草坡。植被恢复的起始物种丰富度并不是越高越好;发展到13龄时,10种乡土树种混交林在植被结构与土壤改良方面均优于30种乡土树种混交林。植被与土壤间相关关系的建立是一个长期的过程,不同植被恢复模式对土壤理化性状的差异性影响难以在短期内有所显现。     

围封和放牧对科尔沁沙地植物群落种间关联的影响

为明确围封和放牧对科尔沁沙地植物群落种间关联的影响,在对植物群落进行样方调查的基础上,采用方差比率法（VR）、χ²检验、Ochiai指数、Spearman秩相关分析对种间关联性及相关性进行研究,得出如下结论：（1）围封和放牧改变了群落物种组成,围封群落出现30个物种,主要物种16个;放牧群落出现物种21个,主要物种13个。（2）VR值显示围封和放牧群落总体均呈正关联性,χ²检验表明围封群落正联结显著率大于负联结显著率,主要物种间显著联结率为27.5%,放牧群落仅有显著正联结种对4个,占6.06%,OI值与χ²检验结果基本一致。（3） Spearman秩相关分析表明,围封群落显著正相关对数略高于显著负相关对数,放牧群落则相反,且围封群落显著相关水平种对占比（44.17%）高于放牧群落（12.82%）,故围封群落处于稳定发展阶段,而放牧群落处于退化阶段。     

珍稀濒危植物长白松(Pinus sylvestris var. sylvestriformis)天然种群生存压力

为了揭示珍稀濒危植物长白松（Pinus sylvestris var. sylvestriformis）天然种群生存压力状况,在全面调查长白山国家级自然保护区长白松分布的基础上,基于邻体干扰模型,引入树高、冠幅、方位等因子,提出3种生存压力指数：个体生存压力指数、种群生存压力指数和群落生存压力指数,分析天然长白松所处6种群落类型中的生存压力。结果表明：长白松承受群落生存压力（PI）从大到小依次为：白桦-臭冷杉群落（PI=21.532）、红松-长白松群落（PI=14.185）、白桦群落（PI=13.262）、臭冷杉-长白松群落（PI=8.752）、长白落叶松-鱼鳞云杉群落（PI=7.780）和蒙古栎群落（PI=5.440）。多重比较单向方差分析表明,6种群落类型中长白松生存压力总体上差异明显,白桦-臭冷杉群落中长白松生存压力最大,显著高于其他5种群落;竞争树种主要为长白落叶松、红松、长白松、山杨和白桦,这5个树种生存压力大小占群落生存压力的87%;红松-长白松群落和白桦群落中长白松生存压力无明显差异,但显著高于臭冷杉-长白松群落、长白落叶松-鱼鳞云杉群落和蒙古栎群落;臭冷杉-长白松群落、长白落叶松-鱼鳞云杉群落和蒙古栎群落中长白松生存压力相对较小,彼此无明显差异。长白松生存压力与其所处植物群落演替阶段及其龄级结构有关。目前,保护区采取严格保护和管理方式不完全有利于长白松种群的稳定发展。根据长白松种群所处的植物群落生境特点、种群生存压力状况并结合种群年龄结构特征,针对不同群落类型提出相应抚育措施建议以期为长白松天然种群的保护提供参考。     

Challenging Wallacean and Linnean shortfalls: knowledge gradients and conservation planning in a biodiversity hotspot

Knowledge about biodiversity remains inadequate because most species living on Earth were still not formally described (the Linnean shortfall) and because geographical distributions of most species are poorly understood and usually contain many gaps (the Wallacean shortfall). In this paper, we developed models to infer the size and placement of geographical ranges of hypothetical non‐described species, based on the range size frequency distribution of anurans recently described in the Cerrado Biome, on the level of knowledge (number of inventories) and on surrogates for habitat suitability. The rationale for these models is as follow: (1) the range size frequency distribution of these species should be similar to the range‐restricted species, which have been most recently described in the Cerrado Biome; (2) the probability of new discoveries will increase in areas with low biodiversity knowledge, mainly in suitable areas, and (3) assuming range continuity, new species should occupy adjacent cells only if the level of knowledge is low enough to allow the existence of undiscovered species. We ran a model based on the number of inventories only, and two models combining effects of number of inventories and two different estimates of habitat suitability, for a total of 100 replicates each. Finally, we performed a complementary analysis using simulated annealing to solve the set‐covering problem for each simulation (i.e. finding the smallest number of cells so that all species are represented at least once), using extents of occurrence of 160 species (131 real anuran species plus 29 new simulated species). The revised reserve system that included information about unknown or poorly sampled taxa significantly shifted northwards, when compared to a system based on currently known species. This main result can be explained by the paucity of biodiversity data in this part of the biome, associated with its relatively high habitat suitability. As a precautionary measure, weighted by the inferred distribution data, the prioritization of a system of reserves in the north part of the biome appears to be defensible.     

Conservation and human livelihoods at the crossroads: Local needs and knowledge in the management of Arabuko Sokoke Forest

Arabuko Sokoke Forest is the largest remaining single block of indigenous dry coastal tropical forest in Eastern Africa. Households within a 5 km buffer zone depend heavily on the forest for their livelihood needs, and the pressure on forest resources is on the increase. In May 2015, 109 households were interviewed on resources they obtain from the forest, in terms of the self‐reported level of monthly income. We found household income and farm size significantly positively correlated with benefits from the forest, highlighting the possible influence of household wealth in exploiting forest resources. A large proportion of households (32%) had limited knowledge of local birds, while human–bird conflict was reported by 44% of the households. While many households were keen to participate in conservation projects that maintain the forest, 44% had no knowledge of the forest management plan, and 60% of those interviewed had no idea of how forest zones were designated for particular activities. Drivers for local community participation in conservation projects appear to be sustainable income and fulfilment of basic household needs.     

Coming to Understanding: Developing Conservation through Incremental Learning in the Pacific Northwest

Lessons in conservation are often seen as resulting from cycles of overexploitation and subsequent depletion of resources, followed by catastrophic consequences of shortage and starvation, and finally, development of various strategies, including privatization of the commons, to conserve remaining resource stocks. While such scenarios have undoubtedly occurred on many occasions, we suggest that they are not the only means by which people develop conservation practices and concepts. There are other pathways leading to ecological understanding and conservation, which act at a range of scales and levels of complexity. These include: lessons from the past and from other places, perpetuated and strengthened through oral history and discourse; lessons from animals, learned through observation of migration and population cycles, predator effects, and social dynamics; monitoring resources and human effects on resources (positive and negative), building on experiences and expectations; observing changes in ecosystem cycles and natural disturbance events; trial and error experimentation and incremental modification of habitats and populations. Humans, we believe, are capable of building a sophisticated conservation ethic that transcends individual species and resources. A combination of conservation knowledge, practices, and beliefs can lead to increasingly greater sophistication of ecological understanding and the continued encoding of such knowledge in social institutions and worldview.     

The impact of in-person and video-recorded animal experiences on zoo visitors' cognition,affect, empathic concern,and conservation intent

Currently there are mixed results regarding the ability for media or more specifically video to increase a person's interest in conservation. However, there is a growing amount of evidence that in-person experiences at a zoo or aquarium can increase a person's interest in conservation. The goal of the current study was to examine the difference between an in-person experience viewing a polar bear training session and watching a video of the same experience on cognition, emotion, empathic concern, and conservation intent. A total of 124 Brookfield Zoo members were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition 1 was an in-person 10 min (Live Animal) experience viewing a training session with a polar bear. Condition 2 participants (Video Animal) watched a video of the same experience from Condition 1 and Condition 3 (Control) listened to the audio from Condition 1 but only viewed an image of one of our animal care specialists. Results suggest that the live condition is associated with higher probability of answering questions correctly, having a positive emotional experience, having greater empathic concern for wild bears, and wanting to get involved in conservation when compared to the control. These impacts were not observed for the video condition suggesting that for this study, watching a video of a training session was not an effective tool for getting people involved in conservation. Future research is needed to better understand this important topic, but we now have further evidence of the importance of in-person zoo experiences.     

Social and River Networks for the Trees: Wounaan's Riverine Rhizomic Cosmos and Arboreal Conservation

ABSTRACT   The effects of environmental conservation and development are of significant anthropological interest. Recent focus on the politics of knowledge and translation has shown the importance of cosmology in conservation encounters. I examine how Wounaan indigenous peoples and extralocal conservation practitioners "translate" eastern Panama based on their own cosmologies. ¹ Specifically, I explore how Wounaan's social and river-networked rhizomic cosmos is overlooked in the practice of forest-focused conservation. This results from Panama's environmental history, in which actors simplified early representations of a complex landscape to one characterized by forests, as well as a Western bias toward forests with scant attention paid to cosmology. Finally, I note how Wounaan negotiate this cultural disconnect by emphasizing their ties to forests. In so doing, they buttress the arboreal bias, in turn reinforcing power relations, but also giving themselves political leverage in conservation activities. These results inform recent discussion about politics and scientific praxis in conservation.     

Implications of poor taxonomy in conservation

Red Lists are legal instruments that guide decisions within the context of conservation. Such lists can indicate the most appropriate conservation actions, leading to choices of priority areas for conservation, or create alternatives to ensure the preservation of threatened species. However, if Red Lists are effective tools in the conservation of threatened species, then it is important that we have guaranteed the quality of taxonomic delimitation of these taxa. Here we discuss a case of taxonomic confusion, emphasizing the implications of misidentification in Red Lists. To avoid mistakes in species conservation, we advocate that a minimum level of taxonomic knowledge is needed to ensure success in preserving target species. Therefore, complementarity of taxonomy and conservation guarantee stronger conservation actions.     

History and conservation of wild and cultivated plant diversity in Uganda: forest species and banana varieties as case studies

The history of wild and cultivated plant diversity in Uganda is reviewed, taking forest species and bananas as examples. Palynological research into past human influences on forests is reassessed. The evidence suggests that crops were first introduced into the country at about 1,000 BCE, farming communities practicing slash and burn agriculture started to significantly influence the floristic composition of forests during the 1st millennium BCE and there was a major episode of forest reduction at about 1,000 CE related to socio economic change. Bananas were probably introduced in the early centuries CE. The colonial era from 1894 saw the introduction of new concepts of land ownership and the establishment of forest reserves and agricultural stations. Forests and banana diversity are currently under threat, Uganda having a very high rate of deforestation and endemic banana varieties proving susceptible to introduced pests and diseases. It is suggested that, under these circumstances, conservationists take an opportunistic approach to field engagement, making use of favourable local conditions as they arise. Partnerships should be sought with elements of society concerned with sustainable use, provision of ecosystem services and cultural survival to widen the social base of plant conservation. International organisations involved in conservation of plant genetic resources and wild plant species should collaborate with one another to develop the conceptual basis of plant conservation, to make it more relevant to countries like Uganda.     

Conservation genetics: Linking science with practice

Conservation genetics is a well‐established scientific field. However, limited information transfer between science and practice continues to hamper successful implementation of scientific knowledge in conservation practice and management. To mitigate this challenge, we have established a conservation genetics community, which entails an international exchange‐and‐skills platform related to genetic methods and approaches in conservation management. First, it allows for scientific exchange between researchers during annual conferences. Second, personal contact between conservation professionals and scientists is fostered by organising workshops and by popularising knowledge on conservation genetics methods and approaches in professional journals in national languages. Third, basic information on conservation genetics has been made accessible by publishing an easy‐to‐read handbook on conservation genetics for practitioners. Fourth, joint projects enabled practitioners and scientists to work closely together from the start of a project in order to establish a tight link between applied questions and scientific background. Fifth, standardised workflows simplifying the implementation of genetic tools in conservation management have been developed. By establishing common language and trust between scientists and practitioners, all these measures help conservation genetics to play a more prominent role in future conservation planning and management.     

Knowledge, Learning and the Evolution of Conservation Practice for Social-Ecological System Resilience

There are two broadly conceptualized ways in which conservation knowledge may evolve: the depletion crisis model and the ecological understanding model. The first one argues that developing conservation thought and practice depends on learning that resources are depletable. Such learning typically follows a resource crisis. The second mechanism emphasizes the development of conservation practices following the incremental elaboration of environmental knowledge by a group of people. These mechanisms may work together. Following a perturbation, a society can self-organize, learn and adapt. The self-organizing process, facilitated by knowledge development and learning, has the potential to increase the resilience (capability to absorb disturbance and reorganize while undergoing change) of resource use systems. Hence, conservation knowledge can develop through a combination of long-term ecological understanding and learning from crises and mistakes. It has survival value, as it increases the resilience of integrated social--ecological systems to deal with change in ways that continue to sustain both peoples and their environments.