Annual Range Research Articles

Assessing Lifetime Cancer Risk for Radiotherapists using the Excess Relative Risk (ERR) and Excess Absolute Risk (EAR) Models.

This research assesses the occupational radiation exposure of workers in the Radiotherapy Department at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, where ionizing radiation is frequently utilized. The study evaluates the annual effective dose, individual distribution ratios, and collective effective dose for the personnel. The obtained annual effective doses range from 0.25 to 2.75 mSv, and the collective effective doses range from 8.58 to 90.09 man-mSv for Administrative and Medical Physicists, respectively. No radiotherapist received an annual effective dose exceeding 5 or 10 mSv, ensuring that the lifetime cancer risk remains below 75%. This retrospective study relies on at least five years of thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) records to evaluate whole-body occupational exposure among personnel interacting with ionizing radiation. The TLDs were read using a Harshaw dual-4500 TLD reader on a quarterly basis over the five-year study period. The results indicate that no radiologist received an annual effective dose surpassing the 20 mSv limit recommended by UNSCEAR.

Impact of Climate Change on Distribution of Endemic Plant Section Tuberculata (Camellia L.) in China: MaxEnt Model-Based Projection

Sect. Tuberculata, as one of the endemic plant groups in China, belongs to the genus Camellia of the Theaceae family and possesses significant economic and ecological value. Nevertheless, the characteristics of habitat distribution and the major eco-environmental variables affecting its suitability are poorly understood. In this study, using 65 occurrence records, along with 60 environmental factors, historical, present and future suitable habitats were estimated using MaxEnt modeling, and the important environmental variables affecting the geographical distribution of sect. Tuberculata were analyzed. The results indicate that the size of the its potential habitat area in the current climate was 1.05 × 105 km2, and the highly suitable habitats were located in Guizhou, central-southern Sichuan, the Wuling Mountains in Chongqing, the Panjiang Basin, and southwestern Hunan. The highest probability of presence for it occurs at mean diurnal range (bio2) ≤ 7.83 °C, basic saturation (s_bs) ≤ 53.36%, temperature annual range (bio7) ≤ 27.49 °C, −7.75 °C < mean temperature of driest quarter (bio9) < 7.75 °C, annual UV-B seasonality (uvb2) ≤ 1.31 × 105 W/m2, and mean UV-B of highest month (uvb3) ≤ 5089.61 W/m2. In particular, bio2 is its most important environmental factor. During the historical period, the potential habitat area for sect. Tuberculata was severely fragmented; in contrast, the current period has a more concentrated habitat area. In the three future periods, the potential habitat area will change by varying degrees, depending on the aggressiveness of emissions reductions, and the increase in the potential habitat area was the largest in the SSP2.6 (Low-concentration greenhouse gas emissions) scenario. Although the SSP8.5 (High-concentration greenhouse gas emissions) scenario indicated an expansion in its habitat in the short term, its growth and development would be adversely affected in the long term. In the centroid analysis, the centroid of its potential habitat will shift from lower to higher latitudes in the northwest direction. The findings of our study will aid efforts to uncover its originsand geographic differentiation, conservation of unique germplasms, and forestry development and utilization.

Predicting the distribution of Ixodes ricinus in Europe: integrating microclimatic factors into ecological niche models.

Ixodes ricinus, commonly known as the castor bean tick and sheep tick, is a significant vector of various diseases, such as tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis. Owing to climate change, the distribution and activity of I. ricinus are expected to increase, leading to an increase in the number of diseases transmitted by this species. Most distribution models and ecological niche models utilize macroclimate datasets such as WorldClim or CHELSA to map the distribution of disease-transmitting ticks. However, microclimatic factors are crucial for the activity and survival of small arthropods. In this study, an ecological niche modelling approach was used to assess the climatic suitability of I. ricinus using both microclimatic and macroclimatic parameters. A Mixed model was built by combining parameters from the Soiltemp (microclimate) and Wordclim (macroclimate) databases, whereas a Macroclimate model was built with the CHELSA dataset. Additionally, future suitabilities were projected via the macroclimate model under the SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. Macroclimate and Mixed models showed similar distributions, confirming the current distribution of I. ricinus. The most important climatic factors were seasonality, annual temperature range, humidity and precipitation. Future projections suggest significant expansion in northern and eastern Europe, with notable declines in southern Europe.

Current conservation status and potential distribution under climate change of Michelia lacei, a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations in Yunnan, China

Abstract Michelia lacei W.W. Smith, a magnolia species categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, is subject to severe disturbance. We carried out field surveys and a review of literature records to present a detailed description of the current status of M. lacei. We then predicted the potential distribution of M. lacei under different climatic scenarios based on 60 occurrence records (53 recorded during our field surveys and 7 earlier records) and 19 bioclimatic variables from the WorldClim database. We selected 18 locations and four bioclimatic variables for model training. Temperature seasonality and annual temperature range were the most influential variables for predicting the potential distribution of the species. We used MaxEnt to model distribution under current climate conditions and four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenarios in four future time periods to determine the effects of future climate change on the habitat suitable for the species. We predict areas of moderately and highly suitable habitat will gradually decrease over time. We recommend increased in situ and ex situ conservation efforts to mitigate this habitat decline and protect populations of M. lacei.

A dual bivalve approach for interpreting past sea surface temperatures and seasonality from shell midden sites using oxygen isotope sclerochronology

Stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis of archaeological shellfish remains combined with sclerochronology can be used to precisely reconstruct past sea surface temperature (pSST), season(s) of shellfish collection, and thus the season(s) of archaeological site occupation. Our study tests if δ18Oshell and sclerochronological analyses of marine bivalve species Leukoma staminea – with previously unassessed seasonality and pSST potential – can provide additional insights not captured by the better studied species, Saxidmous gigantea in British Columbia (BC, Canada). We analyzed live-collected L. staminea and S. gigantea shells from Sechelt, BC, and compared results to archaeological shell data from Powell River, BC, in the territory of the Tla'amin First Nation (1065 to 797 cal. B.P.). The seasonality of shellfish harvest differed between species, with S. gigantea preferentially collected in the spring, whereas L. staminea collected year-round. This highlights that sole-species seasonality studies may miss important variability harvesting strategies. Additionally, comparisons between instrumental (5.7 to 20.4 °C) and reconstructed SST from modern L. staminea δ18Oshell (5.6 to 18.4 °C) showed good agreement in annual range. Our results indicate that archaeological S. gigantea record a wider range of pSST (−1.6 to 22.9 °C) than archaeological L. staminea (5.8 to 25.9 °C), suggesting that S. gigantea may be a more sensitive palaeotemperature recorder. Further, we found that using the same reconstructed δ18Owater value for both species in pSST reconstruction caused an overestimation of temperature. Accordingly, we argue that it is critical to calibrate the equation with corresponding species-specific δ18Oshell values, regardless of both having aragonite mineral structures. Our study highlights the potential of L. staminea to broaden seasonality interpretations while clarifying that its use for pSST reconstruction may not capture the lower range of temperature.

Associations of Climatic Variables with Health Problems in Dairy Sheep Farms in Greece

This study aimed to study the potential effects of climatic conditions prevalent at the locations of sheep farms in the country. The specific objectives were to explore associations between climatic variables and the incidence of four clinical problems in sheep farms and, moreover, to compare these to the health management practices applied in the farms. Our hypothesis was that climatic factors may be associated with the prevalence of diseases in sheep farms; this will provide information regarding potential weather effects, to take into account in the efforts for control of the diseases. Data were obtained during a large cross-sectional investigation performed across Greece involving 325 sheep flocks. Climatic variables prevailing at the location of each farm were derived from ‘The POWER Project’. The annual incidence rate for abortion was 2.0% (95% confidence intervals: 1.9–2.1%), for clinical mastitis 3.9% (3.8–4.0%), for lamb pneumonia 1.4% (1.3–1.4%) and for lamb diarrhoea 7.9% (7.8–8.1%). In multivariable analyses, climatic variables emerged as significant predictors for abortion—high annual precipitation at the farm location (p = 0.024)—and for lamb diarrhoea—high average annual temperature range at the farm location (p < 0.0001)—but not for clinical mastitis or lamb pneumonia. The potential effects of climatic variables were found to be more important in lambs than in adult animals. Future studies may focus on how variations in temperature and precipitation can be translated into on-farm metrics to understand the impacts on sheep health and welfare.

PREDICTING THE POTENTIAL DISTRIBUTION OF Pinus cernua L.K. PHAN EX AVER., K.S. NGUYEN AND T.H. NGUYEN, A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED CONIFER SPECIES

Pinus cernua L.K. Phan ex Aver., K.S. Nguyen and T.H. Nguyen (Pinaceae) is a critically endangered species restricted to the Laos - Vietnam border. The population of this species has been declining due to habitat loss and forest fire. Predicting the potential distribution of the species is an important priority for conservation plans and strategies. In this study, a MaxEnt model was used for predicting the potential distribution of P. cernua using 21 occurrence data and 13 environmental variables. Precipitation of driest month (with 32.3% of contribution), annual mean diurnal range (23.4%), elevation (18.4%), and aspect (12.3%) are crucial factors for predicting the species’ potential distribution in the MaxEnt model, while remaining factors are less important factors. The suitable distribution was predicted in the north-western region of Vietnam and the adjacent regions of Son La and Thanh Hoa provinces (Vietnam) and Houaphan province (Laos) with 1,544 km2 in total. The high, medium, and low suitability areas are 159 km2 (10%), 475 km2 (31%), and 910 km2 (59%), respectively. The current protected areas do not contain many of the possible habitats for this species. Priority should be given to conservation efforts for species in these potentially suitable locations both in- and outside of current protected areas, particularly in the surrounding area of Vietnam and Laos.

Habitat suitability and relative abundance of wild boars in the east‐central Tianshan Mountains, China

AbstractAs wild boar populations and their distribution ranges increase, human–wild boar conflicts have become increasingly prevalent in numerous regions across the globe. These conflicts have a profound impact on human livelihoods, resulting in significant economic losses. Understanding the habitat requirements and relative abundance of wild boars is crucial prior to implementing any conservation measures. However, studies on wild boar habitat and population in the central and eastern regions of the Tianshan Mountains in China are lacking. We assessed the activity patterns and relative abundance of wild boars in these areas and evaluated habitat suitability using a combination of camera trapping, line transects, species distribution modeling (maximum entropy model), and hierarchical abundance modeling (Bayesian N‐mixture model). We used 311 infrared cameras and 280 field‐based line transects to cover approximately 31,000 km² from September 2022 to May 2023 in the east‐central Tianshan Mountains. We used 240 wild boar distribution locations and 13 environmental predictors in the development of species distribution models. We also used species counts and associated environmental predictors in the N‐mixture model to estimate the relative abundance of wild boar. Wild boars were most active during crepuscular hours (1800), and relatively active in the diurnal period compared to the nocturnal period. The probability of wild boar occurrence increased with higher normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the minimum temperature of the coldest month, and annual temperatures below 39°C. Boars were most likely to be found in closed deciduous‐coniferous forests. The relative abundance of wild boars was positively affected by NDVI and negatively affected by the minimum temperature of the coldest month and temperature annual range. Based on our results, we suggest areas of management priority. In particular, extensive and intact habitat with substantial wild boar populations, such as the Banfanggou, the South Mountain of Urumqi, and the Hutubi, should be prioritized for long‐term wild boar population monitoring and management so the adverse impacts of increasing wild boar populations in the study region can be minimized.

Climate and management changes over 40 years drove more stress‐tolerant and less ruderal weed communities in vineyards

AbstractSpontaneous plant communities have undergone considerable constraints due to human‐mediated changes. Understanding how plant communities are shifting in response to land management and climate changes is necessary to predict future ecosystem functioning and improve the resilience of managed ecosystems, such as agroecosystems. Using Mediterranean weed communities as models of managed plant communities in a climate change hotspot, we quantified the extent to which they have shifted from the 1980s to the 2020s in response to climate and management changes in vineyards. The weed communities of the same 40 vineyards in the Montpellier region were surveyed using the same protocol in spring, summer, and autumn, for two years, with a 40‐year interval (1978–1979 vs. 2020–2021). In four decades, the annual range of temperatures (i.e., the difference between the warmest month's and the coldest month's mean temperatures) increased by 1.2°C and the summer temperatures by 2°C. Weed management diversified over time with the adoption of mowing that replaced the chemical weeding of interrows. Chemical weeding is now mostly limited to the area under the row. Current weed communities were 41% more abundant, 24% more diverse, and with a less even distribution of abundance across species than the 1980s communities at the vineyard level. Modern communities were composed of more annual species (57% of annual species in the 1980s vs. 80% in the 2020s) with lower community‐weighted seed mass and were composed of fewer C4 species. They had higher community‐weighted specific leaf area, higher leaf dry matter content, and lower leaf area than the 1980s weed communities. At the community level, the onset of flowering was earlier and the duration of flowering was longer in the 2020s. Climate change induced more stress‐tolerant communities in the 2020s while the diversification of weed management practices favored less ruderal communities. This study shows that plant communities are shifting in response to climate change and that land management is a strong lever for action to model more diverse and eventually more desirable weed communities in the future.

Quantifying Annual Glacier Mass Change and Its Influence on the Runoff of the Tuotuo River

Glacier meltwater is an indispensable water supply for billions of people living in the catchments of major Asian rivers. However, the role of glaciers on river runoff regulation is seldom investigated due to the lack of annual glacier mass balance observation. In this study, we employed an albedo-based model with a daily land surface albedo dataset to derive the annual glacier mass balance over the Tuotuo River Basin (TRB). During 2000–2022, an annual glacier mass balance range of −0.89 ± 0.08 to 0.11 ± 0.11 m w.e. was estimated. By comparing with river runoff records from the hydrometric station, the contribution of glacier mass change to river runoff was calculated to be 0.00–31.14% for the studied period, with a mean value of 9.97%. Moreover, we found that the mean contribution in drought years is 20.07%, which is approximately five times that in wet years (4.30%) and twice that in average years (9.49%). Therefore, our results verify that mountain glaciers act as a significant buffer against drought in the TRB, at least during the 2000–2022 period.

Frequencies of house fly proto-Y chromosomes across populations are predicted by temperature heterogeneity within populations.

Sex chromosomes often differ between closely related species and can even be polymorphic within populations. Species with multifactorial sex determination segregate for multiple different sex determining loci within populations, making them uniquely informative of the selection pressures that drive the evolution of sex chromosomes. The house fly (Musca domestica) is a model species for studying multifactorial sex determination because male determining genes have been identified on all six of the chromosomes, which means that any chromosome can be a "proto-Y". Natural populations of house fly also segregate for a recently derived female-determining locus, meaning house flies also have a proto-W chromosome. The different proto-Y chromosomes are distributed along latitudinal clines on multiple continents, their distributions can be explained by seasonality in temperature, and they have temperature-dependent effects on physiological and behavioral traits. It is not clear, however, how the clinal distributions interact with the effect of seasonality on the frequencies of house fly proto-Y and proto-W chromosomes across populations. To address this question, we measured the frequencies of house fly proto-Y and proto-W chromosomes across nine populations in the United States of America. We confirmed the clinal distribution along the eastern coast of North America, but it is limited to the eastern coast. In contrast, annual mean daily temperature range predicts proto-Y chromosome frequencies across the entire continent. Our results therefore suggest that temperature heterogeneity can explain the distributions of house fly proto-Y chromosomes in a way that does not depend on the cline.

Socio-psychological Paradigms and Economic Metrics of the Beneficiary Farmers of Centrally Sponsored Agricultural Schemes: A Comprehensive Evaluation of PKVY, PMKSY and SHC in Maharashtra

The present study focused on assessing the socio-psychological constructs and economic variables of beneficiaries of centrally sponsored agricultural schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), and the Soil Health Card Scheme (SHC). An ex post facto research design was employed in the present study. Amravati and Buldhana districts in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra was selected for the study. For the proposed study 60 beneficiary farmers were selected from Amravati districts and 60 beneficiary farmers were selected from Buldhana districts for each scheme. Thus, for the three schemes, a total of 360 beneficiary farmers were selected from seven selected talukas of two districts of Vidarbha for three schemes. Majority of the middle aged respondents (61.11%) having secondary school level of education (39.44%) received low level of training (59.00%), but PKVY beneficiaries received high level of training (73.33%). Majority of the overall respondents had small land holdings (40.28%) with 1.01 to 1.50 ha. of irrigation potential (41.39%) having biseasonal cropping system (96.94%). Beneficiary farmers had sound financial background with 35.83 per cent of PKVY respondents with annual income in the range of Rs. 2,07,901 to 3,35,301/-, 56.67 per cent of PMKSY respondents in an annual income range of Rs. 2,86,962 to Rs. 4,77,753/-, and 40.83 per cent of SHC respondents in the range of Rs. 2,10,101 to 3,29,701/- annual income respectively. In overall beneficiaries of centrally sponsored agricultural schemes, 63.89 per cent of the respondents had medium level of social participation, source of information (65.00%), innovativeness (58.33%), economic motivation (47.50 %) and benefits accrued (43.06%). The study revealed lower participation of older farmers, indicating a need for targeted outreach and simplified training. Educated farmers benefited more, suggesting their role in promoting new technologies. Local information sources, like friends and relatives, were crucial, emphasizing the need for Gram Sabhas and exhibitions to improve awareness and participation.

Numerical analysis of rack-based data center cooling with rear door heat exchanger (RDHx): Interrelationship between thermal performance and energy efficiency

This study presents a comprehensive numerical analysis of thermal performance and energy efficiency, IT operating environment, and thermal performance of the RDHx system, a rack-based cooling solution for high-density IT power using air-cooled equipment. A 150 kW IT module and RDHx cooling system were designed and evaluated, and CFD numerical analysis confirmed that RDHx maintains a stable IT environment within ASHRAE standards at a supply air temperature of 24 °C. Additionally, the chilled water supply temperature for the secondary CDU can be increased to 14 °C, and for the primary chiller to 12 °C. A central chilled water system for a 30 MW reference data center was designed and analyzed, showing increased efficiency with a 12 °C supply temperature and varying condenser water return temperatures in winter, resulting in an annual PUEcooling range of 1.25–1.33, with an average of 1.27. The annual energy consumption distribution for rack-based cooling is approximately 46 % from chillers, 21 % from fans, and 33 % from pumps. These results provide crucial insights into data center cooling and support the application of the RDHx system in high-density data centers, with future validation involving a field mock-up test of a 150 kW IT module.

Peripheral Population Status and Habitat Suitability Assessment of the Kiang (Equus kiang) on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Shiqu County, Sichuan Province, forms the eastern edge of the distribution area of the kiang (Equus kiang). It is important to assess the population and habitat status of peripheral populations, as these play a significant role in the development of conservation strategies for kiangs. Based on field transect data collected from July to August 2023, this study predicted the suitable habitat distribution of kiangs in Shiqu County using a MaxEnt model and estimated the population size and density using the ‘Distance’ package. Additionally, it analyzed the responses of the group size of kiangs to environmental factors in Shiqu County. The results showed that the area of suitable habitat for kiangs is 3402.45 km2, accounting for 13.51% of the total area of Shiqu County. The estimated population was 1395.00 ± 272.20, with a population density of 0.41 ± 0.08/km2. Additionally, the group size of kiangs was significantly positively correlated with the distance from the road and grazing site. The distance from the grazing site, elevation, and temperature annual range are the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of kiangs. This study initially revealed the peripheral population Status and suitable habitat of the kiang on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, and the potential threat of grazing interference and road obstruction. The research results can provide a scientific reference for the population and habitat protection of kiangs in this area.

The influence of climate change on the potential distribution of Ageratum conyzoides in China.

Ageratum conyzoides L., an invasive plant originating from South America, is characterized by rapid growth and strong ecological adaptability, posing a threat to China's ecosystems, agricultural industry, and biodiversity. In this study, we optimized the MaxEnt model using the ENMeval package and constructed an ensemble model using the Biomod2 package based on global geospatial distribution data of A. conyzoides and considering climate, soil, and topography factors. We simulated the potential suitable distribution of A. conyzoides in China at present and in the future (2041-2060, 2061-2080). Through multivariate environment similarity surface and most dissimilar variable analysis, we identified the main environmental variables influencing the distribution of A. conyzoides. Additionally, niche analysis elucidated temporal and spatial variations in A. conyzoides' climate niche. Our results demonstrate that the ensemble model, constructed from the top seven single models, outperforms the individual models in predicting the suitable habitat of A. conyzoides. The ensemble model achieved the true skill statistic (TSS) of 0.833 and the area under the subject curve (AUC) of 0.971, indicative of outstanding predictive performance. Presently, the suitable habitat of A. conyzoides in China primarily exists in the region between 18° and 28° N, covering approximately 1.47 million km2. The temperature annual range, precipitation of the wettest month, and mean temperature of the coldest quarter were identified as the primary environmental variables influencing its distribution, while soil and elevation variables had minor roles. Under future climate conditions, the suitable habitat of A. conyzoides is expected to expand northeastward, with the centroid of its habitat shifting northward as the climate warms. The migration speed of A. conyzoides is projected to increase with the degree of warming. Furthermore, the climate niche of A. conyzoides will undergo certain changes and may face both niche expansion and a decrease in niche overlap under different climate conditions.

Cost-utility analysis and drug pricing of once-weekly insulin icodec versus once-daily insulin degludec for type 2 diabetes patients treated with basal insulin in China.

Insulin icodec is a first once-weekly administration basal insulin analogue for type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the price range of icodec for type 2 diabetes in the Chinese market, taking insulin degludec as reference. Long-term health outcomes and costs for icodec and degludec were simulated using the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study Outcomes Model (version 2.1) over 40 years from the Chinese healthcare provider's perspective. The efficacy and safety data were obtained from the ONWARDS 2 trial (Switching to once-weekly insulin icodec versus once-daily insulin degludec in individuals with basal insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (ONWARDS 2): a phase 3a, randomised, open label, multicentre, treat-to-target trial). Cost-utility analysis and a binary search were used to investigate the price range of icodec. Sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the base-case analysis results. After a 40-year simulation, the quality-adjusted life years (QALY) of icodec and degludec were 10.32 and 10.28 years, respectively. At the initial assumption of the same annual costs of icodec and degludec of $455.40, icodec was the dominant therapy compared with degludec, with higher QALYs and lower total cost. After the binary search, we observed that the annual cost range of icodec was $625.17-$855.25. This cost range was finally adjusted to be $597.66-$736.34 using one-way sensitivity analysis and confirmed using probabilistic sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis. The scenario analysis revealed that the annual cost range of icodec could be $506.70-$736.34 if the price of degludec decreased by 20% in the future. Insulin icodec appears to be more cost effective than degludec if the annual cost of icodec ranges from $597.66 to $736.34 for patients with type 2 diabetes in China.

Mapping Species Distributions of Latoia consocia Walker under Climate Change Using Current Geographical Presence Data and MAXENT (CMIP 6).

Latoia consocia Walker is an important phytophagous pest that has rapidly spread across North China in recent years, posing a severe threat to related plants. To study the impact of climatic conditions on its distribution and to predict its distribution under current and future climate conditions, the MaxEnt niche model and ArcGIS 10.8 software were used. The results showed that the MaxEnt model performs well in predicting the distribution of L. consocia, with an AUC value of 0.913. The annual precipitation (Bio12), the precipitation of the driest month (Bio14), the temperature annual range (Bio7), and the minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6) are key environmental factors affecting the potential distribution of L. consocia. Under current climate conditions, L. consocia has a highly suitable growth area of 2243 km2 in China, among which Taiwan has the largest high-suitable area with a total area of 1450 km2. With climate warming, the potential habitat area for L. consocia shows an overall decreasing trend in future. This work provides a scientific basis for research on pest control and ecological protection. A "graded response" detection and early warning system, as well as prevention and control strategies, can be developed for potentially suitable areas to effectively address this pest challenge.

Predicting the potential geographical distribution of Zingiber striolatum Diels (Zingiberaceae), a medicine food homology plant in China.

Zingiber striolatum Diels is a unique medicine food homology plant native to China. In recent years, due to severe habitat destruction, studying the impact of climate change on the distribution of wild resources is of great significance for the ecological conservation and artificial cultivation of Z. striolatum. This study collected 141 valid species distribution records, and 37 environmental variables, and projected two future climate scenarios (SSP126 and SSP585) for two periods (2050s and 2090s). By employing Pearson analysis, Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt), and Geographic Information System (ArcGIS), we predicted the potential suitable habitats for Z. striolatum under present and future climates, as well as identified the dominant environmental variables influencing its distribution. The results indicated that the MaxEnt model performed well (AUC > 0.9) with high accuracy and reliability. The dominant environmental factors included Precipitation of driest quarter (39.0 ~ 473.8mm), Precipitation of wettest quarter (593.2 ~ 1269.4mm), Temperature annual range (9.8 ~ 28.6℃), and Mean diurnal range (6.5 ~ 9.6℃). The highly suitable areas for Z. striolatum were mainly distributed in western and southern Yunnan, northern and western Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, and central Hainan. Under future climate change, the centroid of the total suitable area for Z. striolatum is projected to shift towards the southwest (Yungui Plateau) at higher elevations.

Enhancing floral diversity: A review of mutation breeding techniques in flower crops

Flower crops encompass a wide range of ornamental annuals and perennials that are commercially cultivated for aesthetic appeal of their floral displays. Mutation induction has been used since the early 20th century to increase genetic diversity and develop new flower varieties with improved yield, quality, adaptation and market value. Mutation experiments have successfully created genetic variability and novel phenotypes in diverse floral species. Mutation breeding, which involves the induction of genetic variations via physical and chemical mutagens, has emerged as a vital technique for enhancing ornamental plant traits, such as flower color, shape, disease resistance and stress tolerance. It explores the types and applications of physical mutagens, such as gamma rays and ion beams and chemical mutagens, such as ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and sodium azide (SA). This review provides detailed insights into mutation breeding research conducted on major flower crops (e.g., rose, carnation, chrysanthemum and gerbera). This study also highlights achievements in the development of novel flower varieties, highlights the key challenges faced in mutation breeding programs and identifies gaps in research, particularly concerning the comparative efficacy of different mutagens, environmental impacts and genetic stability of mutated varieties. Furthermore, the impact of mutation breeding on the global flower market is discussed, emphasizing its role in expanding trait diversity, catering to niche markets and enhancing the commercial value of flower crops. Mutation breeding offers significant promise in the development of sustainable and climate-resilient ornamental crops that can meet the needs of emerging markets. This review serves as a valuable resource for students, scientists and breeders interested in leveraging mutation breeding for floral crop improvement.

Mitigating the extinction risk of globally threatened and endemic mountainous Orthoptera species: Parnassiana parnassica and Oropodisma parnassica

Abstract Orthoptera species are vulnerable to extinction on a global scale. Greece hosts 35% (380 species) of the European Orthoptera fauna with a high degree of endemic (37%) and threatened species (37%). We sampled 46 plots (100 m2) to investigate the distribution and ecological requirement of two Greek mountain endemic and red‐listed species: Parnassiana parnassica (Ramme, 1926; Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Critically Endangered [CR]) and Oropodisma parnassica (Scudder, 1897; Orthoptera: Caelifera; Endangered [EN]). Species had a restricted geographical range, with two isolated populations confined to high altitudes (1527–2320 m) of Mts. Parnassos and Elikonas. Species distribution models showed that slope affected their suitable habitat, together with the topographic position index and the annual temperature range (P. parnassica), and the amount of green vegetation and evapotranspiration (O. parnassica). Connectivity analysis showed that P. parnassica‐suitable habitat consisted of few larger and well‐connected patches (26 patches: effective mesh size of 1.57 km2) and that O. parnassica‐suitable habitat consisted of more but smaller and less connected patches (56 patches: effective mesh size of 0.3 km2). Generalised linear models showed that the population density of P. parnassica was negatively influenced by the height of herbaceous vegetation and that of O. parnassica was positively influenced by altitude. The species face three main imminent threats: land take, wildfires and global warming, whereas livestock grazing seems to have a positive impact and skiing a neutral impact on their populations. We assessed both species as EN after International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and a suite of conservation measures are suggested for their status improvement.