Biology subjects

Burgio, K. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Burgio, K. R..

10 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Strategic Conservation Prioritization Through Creating and Updating the Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN) List in the Northeastern U.S.

Through the end of the century, biodiversity is expected to markedly decline around the world due to climate change, habitat loss, and other factors. Because of this, there is an increasing need for more efficient, effective, and collaborative conservation efforts worldwide. While many global and national threat assessment databases exist, they may only have limited utility at regional and local scales where on-the-ground conservation is best implemented. To better identify species risk at a more regional scale, the 14 state fish and wildlife agencies in the northeastern United States worked with taxonomic experts across the Northeast to create the most recent (2023) list of Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN). We compared a preliminary list compiled from global and national datasets to the finalized list after the process documented here. We found that the global and national datasets only identified [~]55% of the 806 species statuses accurately for the region, demonstrating the importance of current local and regional expertise and data. The process of identifying RSGCN for the northeastern U.S. has resulted in specific actionable information leading to beneficial outcomes, such as dedicated funding for regional initiatives, data-sharing, and coordination among regional, state, and local conservation organizations - enabling beneficial conservation outcomes across the region for many of the species and habitats of the region. The methods described may serve as a framework for other regions to help identify conservation targets using the best available and more localized landscape- and watershed-scale information.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Virtually the same? Evaluating the effectiveness of remote undergraduate research experiences

In-person undergraduate research experiences (UREs) promote students integration into careers in life science research. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted institutions hosting summer URE programs to offer them remotely, raising questions about whether undergraduates who participate in remote research can experience scientific integration. To address this, we investigated indicators of scientific integration for students who participated in remote life science URE programs in summer 2020. We found that these students experienced gains in their scientific self-efficacy and scientific identity similar to results reported for in-person UREs. We also found that these students perceived high benefits and low costs of doing research at the outset of their programs, and their perceptions did not change despite the remote circumstances. Yet, their perceptions differed by program, indicating that programs differentially affected students perceptions of the costs of doing research. Finally, we observed that students with prior research experience made greater gains in self-efficacy and identity, as well as in their perceptions of the alignment of their values with those of the scientific community, in comparison to students with no prior research experience. This finding suggests that additional programming may be needed for undergraduates with no prior experience to benefit from remote research.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2021

Predicting Bird Distributions Under Global Change

An introduction to predictive distribution modelling for conservation to encourage novel perspectives. The rapid pace and potentially irreversible consequences of global change create an urgent need to predict the spatial responses of biota for conservation to better inform the prioritization and management of terrestrial habitats and prevent future extinctions. Here, we provide an accessible entry point to the field to guide near-future work building predictive species distribution models (SDMs) by synthesizing a technical framework for the proactive conservation of avian biodiversity. Our framework offers a useful approach to navigate the challenges surrounding the large spatio-temporal resolution of datasets and datasets that favor hypothesis testing at broad spatio-temporal scales and coarse resolutions, which can affect our ability to assess the validity of current predicted distributions. We explain how to improve the accuracy of predictive models by determining the extent to which: 1) dispersal limitation impacts the rate of range shifts, 2) taxa are rare at their range limits, and 3) land use and climate change interact. Finally, we offer approaches to filling knowledge gaps by creatively leveraging existing methods and data sources. RESUMENUna introduccion a la modelizacion predictiva de la distribucion para la conservacion con el fin de fomentar nuevas perspectivas. El rapido ritmo y las consecuencias potencialmente irreversibles del cambio global crean una necesidad urgente de predecir las respuestas espaciales de la biota para la conservacion, con el fin de informar mejor la priorizacion y gestion de los habitats terrestres y prevenir futuras extinciones. Aqui proporcionamos un punto de entrada accesible al campo para guiar el trabajo del futuro proximo en la construccion de modelos predictivos de distribucion de especies (SDM), sintetizando un marco tecnico para la conservacion proactiva de la biodiversidad aviar. Nuestro marco ofrece un enfoque util para navegar por los retos que rodean a la gran resolucion espacio-temporal de los conjuntos de datos y a los conjuntos de datos que favorecen la comprobacion de hipotesis a escalas espacio-temporales amplias y resoluciones gruesas, lo que puede afectar a nuestra capacidad para evaluar la validez de las distribuciones predichas actuales. Explicamos como mejorar la precision de los modelos predictivos determinando hasta que punto 1) la limitacion de la dispersion influye en el ritmo de los cambios de area de distribucion, 2) los taxones son raros en los limites de su area de distribucion, y 3) el uso del suelo y el cambio climatico interactuan. Por ultimo, proponemos enfoques para colmar las lagunas de conocimiento aprovechando de forma creativa los metodos y fuentes de datos existentes.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

"How do we do this at a distance?!" A descriptive study of remote undergraduate research programs during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down undergraduate research programs across the U.S. Twenty-three sites offered remote undergraduate research programs in the life sciences during summer 2020. Given the unprecedented offering of remote research experiences, we carried out a study to describe and evaluate these programs. Using structured templates, we documented how programs were designed and implemented, including who participated. Through focus groups and surveys, we identified programmatic strengths and shortcomings as well as recommendations for improvements from the perspectives of participating students. Strengths included the quality of mentorship, opportunities for learning and professional development, and development of a sense of community. Weaknesses included limited cohort building, challenges with insufficient structure, and issues with technology. Although all programs had one or more activities related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, these topics were largely absent from student reports even though programs coincided with a peak in national consciousness about racial inequities and structural racism. Our results provide evidence for designing remote REUs that are experienced favorably by students. Our results also indicate that remote REUs are sufficiently positive to further investigate their affordances and constraints, including the potential to scale up offerings, with minimal concern about disenfranchising students.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

Dimensions of passerine biodiversity along an elevational gradient: a nexus for historical biogeography and contemporary ecology

AimThe incorporation of functional and phylogenetic information is necessary to comprehensively characterize spatial patterns of biodiversity and to evaluate the relative importance of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms in molding such patterns. We evaluated the relative importance of mechanisms that shape passerine biodiversity along an extensive elevational gradient. LocationManu Biosphere Reserve in the Peruvian Andes TaxonSongbirds (order Passeriformes) MethodsWe quantified elevational gradients of species richness, phylogenetic biodiversity, and functional biodiversity for all passerines as well as separately for suboscines and oscines; determined if phylogenetic or functional biodiversity was consistent with random selection or if there was evidence of particular mechanisms dominating community assembly; and compared patterns for each dimension of biodiversity for the two suborders. ResultsFor all passerines and for suboscines, species richness decreased in a saturating fashion, phylogenetic biodiversity declined linearly, and functional biodiversity was stochastic along the elevation gradient. For oscines, species richness and phylogenetic biodiversity decreased linearly, and functional biodiversity decreased in a saturating fashion. Main conclusionsElevational gradients of biodiversity at Manu result from a combination of adaptations associated with radiations that occurred elsewhere (suboscines in Amazonian lowlands, oscines in colder climes of North America) and an in situ radiation in the Andes (tanagers). Our results suggest a combination of temperature-related physiological constraints and a reduction in functional redundancy associated with decreasing resource abundance at higher elevations molded the passerine assemblages along this elevational gradient. Explicit consideration of historical biogeography and conservatism of ancestral niches is necessary to comprehensively understand the mechanisms that mold gradients of biodiversity.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Integrating multiple dimensions of biodiversity to inform global parrot conservation

Because biodiversity is increasingly threatened by habitat destruction and climate change, conservation agencies face challenges associated with an uncertain future. In addition to changes associated with climate and land use, parrots are threatened by hunting and capture for the pet trade, making them the most at-risk order of birds in the world. Parrots provide key ecosystem services, but remain understudied compared to other major bird orders despite their high extinction risk and ecological importance. Species richness is often used to identify high priority areas for conserving biodiversity. By definition, richness considers all species to be equally different. However, ongoing research emphasizes the importance of incorporating ecological functions (functional diversity) or evolutionary relationships (phylogenetic diversity) to more fully understand patterns of biodiversity, suggesting that using functional and phylogenetic information could improve conservation strategies. These distinctions among dimensions of biodiversity are important, because (1) areas of high species richness do not always represent areas of high functional or phylogenetic diversity, and (2) functional or phylogenetic diversity may better predict ecosystem function and evolutionary potential, which are essential for effective long-term conservation policy and management.\n\nOur objective was to create a framework for identifying areas of high species richness, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity within the global distribution of parrots We combined species richness, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity into an Integrated Biodiversity Index (IBI) to identify global biodiversity hotspots for parrots. We found important spatial mismatches among dimensions, which demonstrate that species richness is not always an effective proxy for other dimensions of parrot biodiversity. The IBI is an integrative and flexible index that can incorporate multiple dimensions of biodiversity, resulting in an intuitive and more direct way of assessing comprehensive goals in conservation planning (i.e., healthy ecosystem functioning and climate change resilience).

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

The two extinctions of the Carolina parakeet

Due to climate change and habitat conversion, estimates of the number of species extinctions over the next century are alarming. Coming up with solutions for conservation will require many different approaches, including exploring the extinction processes of recently extinct species. Given that parrots are the most threatened group of birds, information regarding parrot extinction is especially pressing. While most recent parrot extinctions have been island endemics, the Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) had an 18th-century range covering nearly half of the present-day United States, despite which, they went extinct in the 20th century. The major cause of their extinction remains unknown. As a first step to determining what caused their extinction, we used a newly published, extensive dataset of Carolina parakeet observations combined with a Bayesian extinction estimating model to determine the most likely date of their extinction. By considering each of the two subspecies independently, we found that they went extinct ~30 years apart: the western subspecies (C. c. ludovicianus) around 1914 and the eastern subspecies (C. c. carolinensis) either in the late 1930s or mid-1940s. Had we only considered all observations together, this pattern would have been obscured, missing a major clue to the Carolina parakeets extinction. Since the Carolina parakeet was a wide-ranging species that went extinct during a period of rapid agricultural and industrial expansion, conditions that mirror those presently occurring in many parts of the world where parrot diversity is highest, any lessons we can glean from their disappearance may be vital to modern parrot conservation efforts.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2018

Spatial extinction date estimation: a novel method for reconstructing spatiotemporal patterns of extinction and identifying potential zones of rediscovery

O_LIThe estimation of extinction dates from limited and incomplete sighting records is a key challenge in conservation (when experts are uncertain whether a species has gone extinct) and historical ecology (when the date and mechanism of extinction is controversial).\nC_LIO_LIWe introduce a spatially-explicit method of interpolating extinction date estimators, allowing users to estimate spatiotemporal surfaces of population persistence from georeferenced sighting data of variable quality.\nC_LIO_LIWe present the R package spatExtinct, which produces spatially-explicit extinction date surfaces from geolocated sightings, including options for custom randomization schemes to improve accuracy with limited datasets. We use simulations to illustrate the sensitivity of the method to parameterization, and apply the method to identify potential areas where Bachmans warbler (Vermivora bachmanii) might be rediscovered.\nC_LIO_LIOur method, and the spatExtinct package, has the potential to help describe and differentiate different drivers of extinction for historical datasets, and could be used to identify possible regions of population persistence for species with an uncertain extinction status, improving on non-spatial or imprecise methods that are currently in use.\nC_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2017

The Parasite Extinction Assessment & Red List: an open-source, online biodiversity database for neglected symbionts

Parasite conservation is a rapidly growing field at the intersection of ecology, epidemiology, parasitology, and public health. The overwhelming diversity of parasitic life on earth, and recent work showing that parasites and other symbionts face severe extinction risk, necessitates infrastructure for parasite conservation assessments. Here, we describe the release of the Parasite Extinction Assessment & Red List (PEARL) version 1.0, an open-access database of conservation assessments and distributional data for almost 500 macroparasitic invertebrates. The current approach to vulnerability assessment is based on range shifts and loss from climate change, and will be expanded as additional data (e.g., host-parasite associations and coextinction risk) is consolidated in PEARL. The web architecture is also open-source, scalable, and extensible, making PEARL a template for more eZcient red listing for other high-diversity, data-de1cient groups. Future iterations will also include new functionality, including a user-friendly open data pository and automated assessment and re-listing.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2017

Estimating The Extinction Date Of The Thylacine Accounting For Unconfirmed Sightings

The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), one of Australias most characteristic megafauna, was the largest marsupial carnivore until hunting, and potentially disease, drove them to extinction in 1936. Current knowledge suggests that thylacines became extinct on mainland Australia two millennia prior to their extirpation on Tasmania, but recent \"plausible\" sightings on the Cape York Peninsula have emerged, leading some to speculate the species may persist, undetected. Here we show that the continued survival of the thylacine is entirely implausible based on most current mathematical theories of extinction. We present a dataset including physical evidence, expert-validated sightings, and unconfirmed sightings leading up to the present day, and use a Bayesian framework that takes all three types of data into account by modelling them as independent processes, to evaluate the likelihood of the thylacines persistence. Although the last captive thylacine died in 1936, our model suggests the most likely extinction date would be 1940, or at the latest the 1950s. We validated this result by using other extinction estimator methods, all of which confirmed that the thylacines extinction likely fell between 1936 and 1943; even the most optimistic scenario suggests the species did not persist beyond 1956. The search for the thylacine, much like similar efforts to \"rediscover\" other recently extinct charismatic species, is likely to be fruitless, especially given that persistence on Tasmania would have been no guarantee the species could reappear in regions that had been unoccupied for millennia. The search for the thylacine may become a rallying point for conservation and wildlife biology, and could indirectly help fund and support critical research in understudied areas like Cape York. However, our results suggest that attempts to rediscover the thylacine will likely be unsuccessful.

ecology↗