Articles

Are small protected habitat patches within boreal production forests effective in conserving species richness, abundance and community composition? A systematic review

In boreal zone forest management is changing and degrading forest habitats, which has caused declines in biodiversity. To mitigate these harmful effects in production forests, small-scale habitats with high bi...

Authors: Matti Häkkilä, Anna Johansson, Terhi Sandgren, Anne Uusitalo, Mikko Mönkkönen, Pasi Puttonen and Sini Savilaakso

What are the effects of even-aged and uneven-aged forest management on boreal forest biodiversity in Fennoscandia and European Russia? A systematic review

Forest harvesting changes forest habitat and impacts forest dependent species. Uneven-aged management is often considered better for biodiversity than even-aged management, but there is an ongoing discourse ov...

Authors: Sini Savilaakso, Anna Johansson, Matti Häkkilä, Anne Uusitalo, Terhi Sandgren, Mikko Mönkkönen and Pasi Puttonen

What evidence exists on conservation actions to conserve insects? A protocol for a systematic map of literature reviews

Insects play a central role in the functioning of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and contribute to a multitude of ecosystem services in managed and unmanaged systems Even local declines of insect abunda...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Eliza M. Grames, Douglas H. Boyes, Manu E. Saunders and Nigel G. Taylor

The association between ambient air pollution and pulmonary tuberculosis: a systematic review protocol

There is inconclusive evidence on the association between ambient air pollution and pulmonary tuberculosis-related hospital admission and mortality. This review aims to assess if and to what extent, selected a...

Authors: Christian Akem Dimala, Benjamin Momo Kadia and Anna Hansell

Creating and curating a community of practice: introducing the evidence synthesis Hackathon and a special series in evidence synthesis technology

Evidence synthesis is a vital part of evidence-informed decision-making, but high growth in the volume of research evidence over recent decades has made efficient evidence synthesis increasingly challenging. A...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway and Martin J. Westgate

Effectiveness of struvite precipitation and ammonia stripping for recovery of phosphorus and nitrogen from anaerobic digestate: a systematic review

A regular supply of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to agriculture is needed for global food security, and increased recycling of nutrients back to agriculture from organic waste streams is necessary...

Authors: Dag Lorick, Biljana Macura, Marcus Ahlström, Anders Grimvall and Robin Harder

Groundwater storage effects from restoring, constructing or draining wetlands in temperate and boreal climates: a systematic review protocol

Wetlands in many parts of the world have been degraded, as use of the land for food production and forestry for human needs have taken precedence. Drainage of wetlands has led to deteriorated wetland condition...

Authors: Arvid Bring, Lars Rosén, Josefin Thorslund, Karin Tonderski, Charlotte Åberg, Ida Envall and Hjalmar Laudon

How are nature-based solutions contributing to priority societal challenges surrounding human well-being in the United Kingdom: a systematic map

The concept of nature-based solutions (NBS) has evolved as an umbrella concept to describe approaches to learning from and using nature to create sustainable socio-ecological systems. Furthermore, NBS often ad...

Authors: Jan Dick, Jonathan Carruthers-Jones, Steve Carver, Anne J. Dobel and James D. Miller

What evidence exists on ecotechnologies for recycling carbon and nutrients from domestic wastewater? A systematic map

Eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, and many other water bodies, is partly the result of point-source emissions of nutrients and carbon from wastewater. At the same time, nitrogen and phosphorus planetary bounda...

Authors: Solveig L. Johannesdottir, Biljana Macura, Jennifer McConville, Dag Lorick, Neal R. Haddaway, Agnieszka Karczmarczyk, Filippa Ek, Mikołaj Piniewski, Marta Księżniak and Paweł Osuch

The scope and extent of literature that maps threats to species: a systematic map protocol

The rate of anthropogenic biodiversity loss far exceeds the background rate of species extinctions. Global targets for biodiversity acknowledge this, nevertheless progress towards targets has been poor. There ...

Authors: Francesca Anne Ridley, Philip JK McGowan and Louise Mair

What evidence exists related to soil retention of phosphorus from on-site wastewater treatment systems in boreal and temperate climate zones? A systematic map protocol

Soil-based on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWSs) are suspected to contribute to eutrophication of surface waters, due to the discharge of phosphorus (P). However, along the flow path between the faciliti...

Authors: Ida Envall, Fritjof Fagerlund, Lena Johansson Westholm, Charlotte Åberg, Arvid Bring, Magnus Land and Jon Petter Gustafsson

What are the effects of climate variability and change on ungulate life-histories, population dynamics, and migration in North America? A systematic map protocol

Climate is an important driver of ungulate life-histories, population dynamics, and migratory behaviors, and can affect the growth, development, fecundity, dispersal, and demographic trends of populations. Cha...

Authors: Katherine C. Malpeli, Sarah R. Weiskopf, Laura Thompson and Amanda R. Hardy

Evidence of the impact of noise pollution on biodiversity: a systematic map

Ecological research now deals increasingly with the effects of noise pollution on biodiversity. Indeed, many studies have shown the impacts of anthropogenic noise and concluded that it is potentially a threat ...

Authors: Romain Sordello, Ophélie Ratel, Frédérique Flamerie De Lachapelle, Clément Leger, Alexis Dambry and Sylvie Vanpeene

Diversity of antibiotics in hospital and municipal wastewaters and receiving water bodies and removal efficiency by treatment processes: a systematic review protocol

Antibiotics are extensively discharged into the environment through sewages. These emergent contaminants cause health and environmental risks by toxicity, allergic impacts, non-biodegradability and more import...

Authors: Seyedeh Masoumeh Ebrahimi, Reza Dehghanzadeh Reyhani, Mohammad Asghari-JafarAbadi and Zahra Fathifar

What evidence exists on the impacts of chemicals arising from human activity on tropical reef-building corals? A systematic map protocol

Tropical coral reefs cover ca. 0.1% of the Earth’s surface but host an outstanding biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services to millions of people living nearby. However, they are currently threate...

Authors: Dakis-Yaoba Ouédraogo, Romain Sordello, Sophie Brugneaux, Karen Burga, Christophe Calvayrac, Magalie Castelin, Isabelle Domart-Coulon, Christine Ferrier-Pagès, Mireille M. M. Guillaume, Laetitia Hédouin, Pascale Joannot, Olivier Perceval and Yorick Reyjol

How does sediment exposure affect corals? A systematic review protocol

Local management action to address coral-reef stressors can improve reef health and mitigate the effects of global climate change. Coastal development and runoff lead to sedimentation, which directly impacts c...

Authors: Lillian J. Tuttle, Craig Johnson, Steve Kolinski, Dwayne Minton and Megan J. Donahue

Outcomes of wildlife translocations in protected areas: what is the type and extent of existing evidence? A systematic map protocol

Conversion, fragmentation, and loss of natural habitats are among the main causes of declining species’ populations worldwide. Protected areas are therefore crucial for biodiversity as they provide refuge and ...

Authors: Joseph Langridge, Romain Sordello and Yorick Reyjol

The spatial distribution of illegal hunting of terrestrial mammals in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic map

There is a rich body of literature addressing the topic of illegal hunting of wild terrestrial mammals. Studies on this topic have risen over the last decade as species are under increasing risk from anthropog...

Authors: Isla Duporge, Timothy Hodgetts, Tiejun Wang and David W. Macdonald

How do changes in flow magnitude due to hydroelectric power production affect fish abundance and diversity in temperate regions? A systematic review protocol

Natural flow regimes are an essential component of healthy fluvial systems, but hydropower production alters flow components, disrupting natural processes and impacting species reliant on them. Establishing im...

Authors: Meagan Harper, Trina Rytwinski, Jessica J. Taylor, Joseph R. Bennett, Karen E. Smokorowski and Steven J. Cooke

Can linear transportation infrastructure verges constitute a habitat and/or a corridor for vertebrates in temperate ecosystems? A systematic review

Linear transportation infrastructures (roads, railways, oil and gas pipelines, powerlines and waterways) generate well documented fragmenting effects on species habitats. However, the potential of verges of li...

Authors: Dakis-Yaoba Ouédraogo, Anne Villemey, Sylvie Vanpeene, Aurélie Coulon, Vital Azambourg, Marine Hulard, Eric Guinard, Yves Bertheau, Frédérique Flamerie De Lachapelle, Vanessa Rauel, Eric Le Mitouard, Arzhvaël Jeusset, Marianne Vargac, Isabelle Witté, Hervé Jactel, Julien Touroult…

What is the research evidence for antibiotic resistance exposure and transmission to humans from the environment? A systematic map protocol

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health crisis that is predicted to cause 10 million deaths per year by 2050. The environment has been implicated as a reservoir of AMR and is suggested to play a role...

Authors: Isobel C. Stanton, Alison Bethel, Anne F. C. Leonard, William H. Gaze and Ruth Garside

What approaches exist to evaluate the effectiveness of UK-relevant natural flood management measures? A systematic map protocol

Natural flood management (NFM) measures seek to protect, enhance, emulate, or restore the natural function of rivers as part of approaches to flood risk management (FRM). While there is agreement in both acade...

Authors: Angela Connelly, Andrew Snow, Jeremy Carter and Rachel Lauwerijssen

Do empirical observations support commonly-held climate change range shift hypotheses? A systematic review protocol

Among the most widely anticipated climate-related impacts to biodiversity are geographic range shifts, whereby species shift their spatial distribution in response to changing climate conditions. In particular...

Authors: Madeleine A. Rubenstein, Sarah R. Weiskopf, Shawn L. Carter, Mitchell J. Eaton, Ciara Johnson, Abigail J. Lynch, Brian W. Miller, Toni Lyn Morelli, Mari Angel Rodriguez, Adam Terando and Laura M. Thompson

Social and ecological outcomes of conservation interventions in tropical coastal marine ecosystems: a systematic map protocol

Tropical coastal marine ecosystems (TCMEs) are rich in biodiversity and provide many ecosystem services, including carbon storage, shoreline protection, and food. Coastal areas are home to increasing numbers o...

Authors: Willa R. Brooks, Morgan E. Rudd, Samantha H. Cheng, Brian R. Silliman, David A. Gill, Gabby N. Ahmadia, Dominic A. Andradi-Brown, Louise Glew and Lisa M. Campbell

The impact of terrestrial protected areas on vegetation extent and condition: a systematic review protocol

Establishing protected areas is a key approach to protecting nature. However, protected areas are often biased towards remote and less productive lands. It is important to evaluate the impacts protected areas ...

Authors: Roshan Sharma, Johanna Eklund, Megan Barnes, Jonas Geldmann, Judith Schleicher, Robert L. Pressey, Marco Gutierrez, Simon Jones and Ascelin Gordon

What are the effects of flow-regime changes on fish productivity in temperate regions? A systematic map

There is growing evidence of the potential negative consequences of altered flow regimes, in terms of magnitude, frequency, timing, duration or season pattern, on fluvial ecosystems and the fisheries they supp...

Authors: Trina Rytwinski, Meagan Harper, Jessica J. Taylor, Joseph R. Bennett, Lisa A. Donaldson, Karen E. Smokorowski, Keith Clarke, Michael J. Bradford, Haitham Ghamry, Julian D. Olden, Daniel Boisclair and Steven J. Cooke

What do we know about the impacts of the Marine Stewardship Council seafood ecolabelling program? A systematic map

Voluntary Sustainability Standards and ecolabels are market-based mechanisms used to encourage producers and consumers toward environmental sustainability. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) aims to improve ...

Authors: Ashleigh Arton, Anthony Leiman, Gillian Petrokofsky, Hilde Toonen and Catherine S. Longo

What evidence exists for the impact of Baltic Sea ecosystems on human health and well-being? A systematic map protocol

The Baltic Sea ecosystems supply many benefits to society, termed ecosystem services. These depend upon a healthy marine environment requiring marine and relevant land-based policies integrated with public hea...

Authors: Joanna Storie, Monika Suškevičs, Mart Külvik, Virpi Lehtoranta, Suvi Vikström, Simo Riikonen, Harri Kuosa, Kristin Kuhn and Soile Oinonen

How effective are strategies to control the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in the environment? A systematic review

Antibiotic resistance is a major concern for public and environmental health. The role played by the environment in disseminating resistance is increasingly considered, as well as its capacity for mitigation. ...

Authors: Anaïs Goulas, Drifa Belhadi, Alexandre Descamps, Antoine Andremont, Pierre Benoit, Sophie Courtois, Christophe Dagot, Nathalie Grall, David Makowski, Sylvie Nazaret, Sylvie Nélieu, Dominique Patureau, Fabienne Petit, Céline Roose-Amsaleg, Marion Vittecoq, Barbara Livoreil…

What are the relative risks of mortality and injury for fish during downstream passage at hydroelectric dams in temperate regions? A systematic review

Fish injury and mortality resulting from entrainment and/or impingement during downstream passage over/through hydropower infrastructure has the potential to cause negative effects on fish populations. The pri...

Authors: Dirk A. Algera, Trina Rytwinski, Jessica J. Taylor, Joseph R. Bennett, Karen E. Smokorowski, Philip M. Harrison, Keith D. Clarke, Eva C. Enders, Michael Power, Mark S. Bevelhimer and Steven J. Cooke

What evidence exists on the impact of agricultural practices in fruit orchards on biodiversity? A systematic map

Biodiversity loss, partly due to intensification of agriculture, has become a global issue. In this context, fruit producers have been looking for nature-friendly production methods. By reducing intensive pest...

Authors: Markus van der Meer, Sonja Kay, Gisela Lüscher and Philippe Jeanneret

Management of UK priority invasive alien plants: a systematic review protocol

Invasive alien plant species often have negative environmental and social impacts, such as loss of biodiversity and alteration of ecosystem services. As a result, managing the introduction, establishment, and ...

Authors: Philip A. Martin, Gorm E. Shackelford, James M. Bullock, Belinda Gallardo, David C. Aldridge and William J. Sutherland

Effectiveness of ecotechnologies in agriculture for the recovery and reuse of carbon and nutrients in the Baltic and boreo-temperate regions: a systematic map

Agriculture is the main sector responsible for nutrient emissions in the Baltic Sea Region and there is a growing pressure to identify cost-effective solutions towards reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loads or...

Authors: Biljana Macura, Mikołaj Piniewski, Marta Księżniak, Paweł Osuch, Neal R. Haddaway, Filippa Ek, Karolin Andersson and Sirkka Tattari

What are the impacts of within-field farmland management practices on the flux of greenhouse gases from arable cropland in temperate regions? A systematic map protocol

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a vital step in limiting climate change and meeting the goals outlined in the COP 21 Paris Agreement of 2015. Studies have suggested that agriculture accounts for around 11...

Authors: Alexandra M. Collins, Neal R. Haddaway, Biljana Macura, James Thomas, Nicola Randall, Jessica J. Taylor, Steve Cooke and Alyssa Gilbert

How are nature based solutions contributing to priority societal challenges surrounding human well-being in the United Kingdom: a systematic map protocol

The concept of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) has evolved as an umbrella concept embracing concepts such as Green/Blue/Nature Infrastructure, Ecosystem Approach, Ecosystem Services, but at their core, they clust...

Authors: Jan Dick, James D. Miller, Jonathan Carruthers-Jones, Anne J. Dobel, Steve Carver, Angus Garbutt, Alison Hester, Rosie Hails, Victoria Magreehan and Melina Quinn

Bridging Indigenous and science-based knowledge in coastal and marine research, monitoring, and management in Canada

Drawing upon multiple types of knowledge (e.g., Indigenous knowledge, local knowledge, science-based knowledge) strengthens the evidence-base for policy advice, decision making, and environmental management. W...

Authors: Steven M. Alexander, Jennifer F. Provencher, Dominique A. Henri, Jessica J. Taylor, Jed Immanuel Lloren, Lushani Nanayakkara, Jay T. Johnson and Steven J. Cooke

Correction to: What are the effective solutions to control the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in the environment? A systematic review protocol

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that wrong website were hyperlinked in the “Methods” section of the paper. The article has been updated and the links have been removed.

Authors: Anaïs Goulas, Barbara Livoreil, Nathalie Grall, Pierre Benoit, Céline Couderc-Obert, Christophe Dagot, Dominique Patureau, Fabienne Petit, Cédric Laouénan and Antoine Andremont

What is the nature and extent of evidence on methodologies for monitoring and evaluating marine spatial management measures in UK and similar coastal waters? A systematic map protocol

Anthropogenic degradation of marine ecosystems is widely accepted as a major social-ecological problem. The growing urgency to better manage marine ecosystems has led to the increasing application of ‘spatial ...

Authors: Bethan C. O’Leary, Bryce D. Stewart, Emma McKinley, Prue F. E. Addison, Chris Williams, Griffin Carpenter, David Righton and Katherine L. Yates

Use of literature mining for early identification of emerging contaminants in freshwater resources

Chemical and microbial contaminants in the aquatic environment pose a potential threat to humans and to ecosystems. Humans may be exposed to contaminants in water resources when used for drinking water product...

Authors: Julia Hartmann, Susanne Wuijts, Jan Peter van der Hoek and Ana Maria de Roda Husman

What are the effects of control of mosquitoes and other nematoceran Diptera using the microbial agent Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems? A systematic review protocol

The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis (Bti) is used in many countries as a biological larvicide to control dipteran insects of the suborder Nematocera, especially mosquitoes and black flies. Bt...

Authors: Magnus Land, Mirco Bundschuh, Richard J. Hopkins, Brigitte Poulin and Brendan G. McKie

What evidence exists for landbird species-environment relationships in eastern temperate and boreal forests of North America? A systematic map protocol

Eastern temperate and boreal forests of North America contain declining populations of several migratory bird species. Breeding season habitat loss and degradation, and lack of structural complexity, have been...

Authors: Casey A. Lott, Michael E. Akresh, Andrew J. Elmore, Cameron J. Fiss, Matthew C. Fitzpatrick, Cara J. Joos, David I. King, Darin J. McNeil, Scott H. Stoleson and Jeffery L. Larkin

Do small protected habitat patches within boreal production forests provide value for biodiversity conservation? A systematic review protocol

Forest harvesting is the main driver of habitat degradation and biodiversity loss in forests of the boreal zone. To mitigate harmful effects, small-scale habitats with high biodiversity values have been protec...

Authors: Matti Häkkilä, Sini Savilaakso, Anna Johansson, Terhi Sandgren, Anne Uusitalo, Mikko Mönkkönen and Pasi Puttonen

Effectiveness of ecotechnologies for recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from anaerobic digestate and effectiveness of the recovery products as fertilisers: a systematic review protocol

The regular addition of plant-available nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, either as manufactured fertilisers or animal manure, to agricultural soils is needed for global food security. Increased recyc...

Authors: Biljana Macura, Solveig L. Johannesdottir, Mikołaj Piniewski, Neal R. Haddaway and Elisabeth Kvarnström

The relative effectiveness of seed addition methods for restoring or re-creating species rich grasslands: a systematic review protocol

Extensively managed grasslands in temperate biomes are capable of harboring a big variety of plant and invertebrate species. Yet, they have suffered from a strong decline in the past decades mainly due to agri...

Authors: Daniel Slodowicz, Jean-Yves Humbert and Raphaël Arlettaz

What is the available evidence for the range of applications of genome-editing as a new tool for plant trait modification and the potential occurrence of associated off-target effects: a systematic map

Within the last decades, genome-editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas, TALENs, Zinc-Finger Nucleases, Meganucleases, Oligonucleotide-Directed Mutagenesis and base editing have been developed enabling a precise...

Authors: Dominik Modrzejewski, Frank Hartung, Thorben Sprink, Dörthe Krause, Christian Kohl and Ralf Wilhelm

What evidence exists on the effectiveness of the techniques and management approaches used to improve the productivity of field grown tomatoes under conditions of water-, nitrogen- and/or phosphorus-deficit? A systematic map protocol

There is an urgent need to ensure that food production is maintained in response to either a reduction in use or lack of availability of natural resources. To this end, several strategies have been investigate...

Authors: Nora Quesada, Pietro P. M. Iannetta, Philip J. White, Fanny Tran and Graham S. Begg

Using animal behavior in conservation management: a series of systematic reviews and maps

Authors: Alison L. Greggor, Daniel T. Blumstein, Bob B. M. Wong and Oded Berger-Tal

Correction to: What is the effectiveness of using conspecific or heterospecific acoustic playbacks for the attraction of animals for wildlife management? A systematic review protocol

Following publication of the original article [1], it was reported that the article entitled “What is the effectiveness of using conspecific or heterospecific acoustic playbacks for the attraction of animals f...

Authors: Breanna J. Putman and Daniel T. Blumstein

What evidence exists on the effects of anthropogenic noise on acoustic communication in animals? A systematic map protocol

Noise pollution is an intense, widespread anthropogenic disturbance that can have highly detrimental impacts on natural populations, communities, and ecosystems across the globe. One major way through which no...

Authors: Oded Berger-Tal, Bob B. M. Wong, Ulrika Candolin and Jesse Barber

What is the available evidence that artificial light at night affects animal behaviour? A systematic map protocol

Artificial light at night (ALAN), has increased dramatically over the past two centuries and is linked to demonstrable shifts in a range of behaviours across diverse animal taxa. This systematic map will colla...

Authors: Lucy Katherine McLay, Juhani Peter Hopkins, Bob Bern Ming Wong, Ulrika Candolin and Therésa Melanie Jones