Determining spatial and temporal scales for management: lessons from whaling

摘要: Selection of the appropriate management unit is critical to conservation animal populations. Defining such units depends upon knowledge population structure and timescale being considered. Here, we examine trajectory eleven subpopulations five species baleen whales investigate temporal spatial scales in management. These were all extirpated by commercial whaling, no recovery or repopulation has occurred since. In these cases, time elapsed since extinction ranges from four decades almost centuries. We propose that did not recover either because cultural memory habitat been lost, widespread whaling among adjacent stocks eliminated as sources for repopulation, and/or segregation following exploitation produced abandonment certain areas. Spatial associated with are frequently smaller than those typically employed Overall, evidence indicates that: (1) frame should be at most decadal scope (i.e., <100 yr) based on both genetic nongenetic substructure, (2) least some defined a scale they currently are.