Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales
Abstract The world is currently facing a biodiversity crisis and for many species, this is exacerbated by historic exploitation. Monitoring programs provide an integral tool to understand changes in abundance and the impact of threats informing conservation actions. However, measures of absolute abu...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Conservation Science and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13263 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850246728146485248 |
|---|---|
| author | Joshua Reed Peter Corkeron Leslie New Robert Harcourt |
| author_facet | Joshua Reed Peter Corkeron Leslie New Robert Harcourt |
| author_sort | Joshua Reed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The world is currently facing a biodiversity crisis and for many species, this is exacerbated by historic exploitation. Monitoring programs provide an integral tool to understand changes in abundance and the impact of threats informing conservation actions. However, measures of absolute abundance for management can be misleading, particularly when there is a biased sex ratio. Here we recommend focusing on the rate‐limiting cohort for management actions using the case of North Atlantic right whales. The North Atlantic right whale has a male‐biased sex ratio, with reproductively active females making up less than a fifth of the species. We highlight the importance of understanding and incorporating reproductive potential into management actions to provide species with the best chance of recovery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bc105d2d5d25411ab50ed8abb987e8ef |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2578-4854 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-bc105d2d5d25411ab50ed8abb987e8ef2025-08-20T01:59:08ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542024-12-01612n/an/a10.1111/csp2.13263Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whalesJoshua Reed0Peter Corkeron1Leslie New2Robert Harcourt3School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde New South Wales AustraliaCentre for Planetary Health and Food Security Griffith University Nathan Queensland AustraliaDepartment of Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics Ursinus College Collegeville Pennsylvania USASchool of Natural Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde New South Wales AustraliaAbstract The world is currently facing a biodiversity crisis and for many species, this is exacerbated by historic exploitation. Monitoring programs provide an integral tool to understand changes in abundance and the impact of threats informing conservation actions. However, measures of absolute abundance for management can be misleading, particularly when there is a biased sex ratio. Here we recommend focusing on the rate‐limiting cohort for management actions using the case of North Atlantic right whales. The North Atlantic right whale has a male‐biased sex ratio, with reproductively active females making up less than a fifth of the species. We highlight the importance of understanding and incorporating reproductive potential into management actions to provide species with the best chance of recovery.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13263abundancecritically endangereddeclining populationsmanagementmarine mammalsreproduction |
| spellingShingle | Joshua Reed Peter Corkeron Leslie New Robert Harcourt Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales Conservation Science and Practice abundance critically endangered declining populations management marine mammals reproduction |
| title | Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales |
| title_full | Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales |
| title_fullStr | Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales |
| title_full_unstemmed | Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales |
| title_short | Breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations: A case study of North Atlantic right whales |
| title_sort | breaking down abundance to understand conservation for small populations a case study of north atlantic right whales |
| topic | abundance critically endangered declining populations management marine mammals reproduction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13263 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joshuareed breakingdownabundancetounderstandconservationforsmallpopulationsacasestudyofnorthatlanticrightwhales AT petercorkeron breakingdownabundancetounderstandconservationforsmallpopulationsacasestudyofnorthatlanticrightwhales AT leslienew breakingdownabundancetounderstandconservationforsmallpopulationsacasestudyofnorthatlanticrightwhales AT robertharcourt breakingdownabundancetounderstandconservationforsmallpopulationsacasestudyofnorthatlanticrightwhales |