One hundred research questions in conservation physiology for generating actionable evidence to inform conservation policy and practice

Steven J Cooke¹, Jordanna N Bergman¹, Christine L Madliger¹, Rebecca L Cramp², John Beardall³, Gary Burness⁴, Timothy D Clark⁵, Ben Dantzer⁶, Erick de la Barrera⁷, Nann A Fangue⁸, Craig E Franklin², Andrea Fuller⁹, Lucy A Hawkes¹⁰, Kevin R Hultine¹¹, Kathleen E Hunt¹², Oliver P Love¹³, Heath A MacMillan¹⁴, John W Mandelman¹⁵, Felix C Mark¹⁶, Lynn B Martin¹⁷, Amy E M Newman¹⁸, Adrienne B Nicotra¹⁹, Graham D Raby⁴, Sharon A Robinson²⁰, Yan Ropert-Coudert²¹, Jodie L Rummer²², Frank Seebacher²³, Anne E Todgham²⁴, Sean Tomlinson²⁵, Steven L Chown³

Affiliations

¹ Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
² School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
³ Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
⁴ Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada.
⁵ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia.
⁶ Department of Psychology, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
⁷ Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Morelia, Michoacán, 58190, Mexico.
⁸ Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁹ Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, 2193, South Africa.
¹⁰ College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK.
¹¹ Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA.
¹² Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA.
¹³ Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
¹⁴ Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
¹⁵ Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA, 02110, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Integrative Ecophysiology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany.
¹⁷ Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
¹⁹ Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.
²⁰ School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences (SEALS) and Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
²¹ Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UMR 7372-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
²² ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
²³ School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
²⁴ Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
²⁵ School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia.

PMID: 33859825
PMCID: PMC8035967
DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab009

One hundred research questions in conservation physiology for generating actionable evidence to inform conservation policy and practice

Steven J Cooke et al. Conserv Physiol. 2021.

. 2021 Apr 7;9(1):coab009.

doi: 10.1093/conphys/coab009. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
² School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
³ Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
⁴ Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada.
⁵ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia.
⁶ Department of Psychology, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
⁷ Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Morelia, Michoacán, 58190, Mexico.
⁸ Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁹ Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, 2193, South Africa.
¹⁰ College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK.
¹¹ Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA.
¹² Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA.
¹³ Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
¹⁴ Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
¹⁵ Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA, 02110, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Integrative Ecophysiology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany.
¹⁷ Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
¹⁹ Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia.
²⁰ School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences (SEALS) and Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
²¹ Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UMR 7372-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
²² ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
²³ School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
²⁴ Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
²⁵ School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia.

PMID: 33859825
PMCID: PMC8035967
DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab009

Abstract

Environmental change and biodiversity loss are but two of the complex challenges facing conservation practitioners and policy makers. Relevant and robust scientific knowledge is critical for providing decision-makers with the actionable evidence needed to inform conservation decisions. In the Anthropocene, science that leads to meaningful improvements in biodiversity conservation, restoration and management is desperately needed. Conservation Physiology has emerged as a discipline that is well-positioned to identify the mechanisms underpinning population declines, predict responses to environmental change and test different in situ and ex situ conservation interventions for diverse taxa and ecosystems. Here we present a consensus list of 10 priority research themes. Within each theme we identify specific research questions (100 in total), answers to which will address conservation problems and should improve the management of biological resources. The themes frame a set of research questions related to the following: (i) adaptation and phenotypic plasticity; (ii) human-induced environmental change; (iii) human-wildlife interactions; (iv) invasive species; (v) methods, biomarkers and monitoring; (vi) policy, engagement and communication; (vii) pollution; (viii) restoration actions; (ix) threatened species; and (x) urban systems. The themes and questions will hopefully guide and inspire researchers while also helping to demonstrate to practitioners and policy makers the many ways in which physiology can help to support their decisions.

Keywords: Biodiversity threats; conservation decisions; conservation physiology; evidence; research questions.

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Figures

**Figure 1**
Visualization of the research themes that include the 100 questions related to conservation physiology generated in this paper. The themes broadly cover the drivers of conservation issues, their consequences and actions to address conservation issues or otherwise advance the impact of conservation physiology.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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One hundred research questions in conservation physiology for generating actionable evidence to inform conservation policy and practice

Affiliations

One hundred research questions in conservation physiology for generating actionable evidence to inform conservation policy and practice

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources