Areas Of High Diversity Research Articles

The socioeconomic and environmental niche of protected areas reveals global conservation gaps and opportunities

The global network of protected areas has rapidly expanded in the past decade and is expected to cover at least 30% of land and sea by 2030 to halt biodiversity erosion. Yet, the distribution of protected areas is highly heterogeneous on Earth and the social-environmental preconditions enabling or hindering protected area establishment remain poorly understood. Here, using fourteen socioeconomic and environmental factors, we characterize the multidimensional niche of terrestrial and marine protected areas, which we use to accurately establish, at the global scale, whether a particular location has preconditions favourable for paestablishment. We reveal that protected areas, particularly the most restrictive ones, over-aggregate where human development and the number of non-governmental organizations are high. Based on the spatial distribution of vertebrates and the likelihood to convert non-protected areas into strictly protected areas, we identify ‘potential’ versus ‘unrealistic’ conservation gains on land and sea, which we define as areas of high vertebrate diversity that are, respectively, favourable and unfavourable to protected area establishment. Where protected areas are unrealistic, alternative strategies such as other effective area-based conservation measures or privately protected areas, could deliver conservation outcomes.

Dune Hares: Population Indices, Home Range Size, and Habitat Selection of the European Hare on a Danish Island.

Population indices, such as transect counts of animals, can provide important information concerning population changes over time. Moreover, data concerning the home range size and habitat selection of individuals can provide valuable insight into spatial requirements of animals and how they can adapt to variable environments. Here, we describe the population development of European hares (Lepus europaeus) and investigated home range sizes and habitat selection of six radio-tagged individuals on the small (80 ha) Danish Wadden Sea island Langli. The average minimum hare population density from 1983 to 1997 was 64 ± 36 (mean ± SD) hares/km2, with hare numbers varying among years and seasons. The average home range size was 23.3 (CI: 18.9-28.7) ha, which is comparable to agricultural areas of high structural diversity. Moreover, hare habitat selection was generally bimodal, with hares moving over larger areas and selecting marsh habitat for foraging during nighttime, and dune and grassland habitat for resting during daytime, especially during winter. Combined, our results indicate that hare abundance and space use in the dunal landscape of Langli Island were similar to agricultural areas of comparatively high habitat quality. Thus, dunal marsh landscapes offer high-quality habitat for hares and might be of importance as population strongholds at a time when hare populations are declining in many agricultural areas across Europe.

Vertebrate taxonomic and functional hotspots in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

AbstractAimWe aim to find the main drivers of the taxonomic and functional richness and functional dispersion of vertebrates (amphibians, birds, primates, marsupials, rodents, bats and medium‐ and large‐sized mammals) across the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We also aim to identify hotspots of vertebrate diversity and quantify the extent to which they are legally protected.LocationBrazilian Atlantic Forest.MethodsWe gathered data on the occurrence of vertebrates based on the most recent published databases for Atlantic Forest vertebrates and measured taxonomic richness, functional richness and functional dispersion. We then related variation in diversity, within each group and overall, to environmental and landscape variables. Also, we modelled the diversity of each group for the entire extent of the Atlantic Forest, superimposing the diversity maps to delimit the vertebrate biodiversity hotspots and verified how much of these hotspots are covered by protected areas.ResultsTaxonomic/functional diversity were driven by environmental (e.g., average annual precipitation and precipitation of the driest quarter) and landscape variables (e.g., amount of forest and agricultural areas) for most taxonomic groups. The main hotspots of taxonomic richness are located in the central region of the Atlantic Forest, whereas those for functional diversity occur in the southern region of the biome. Only a little over 10% of the Atlantic Forest is covered by protected areas, and, as such, the vast majority of the medium and high diversity areas fall outside of protected areas, being therefore not legally protected.Main ConclusionsWe found evidence for previously described patterns, including the predicted positive effects of the amount of forest in the landscape and precipitation and the negative effects of agricultural areas on vertebrate diversity. Finally, our results show that most diversity hotspots are outside of legally protected areas, indicating that more conservation efforts should be made towards safeguarding these important areas.

Chorotypes and geographic relationships among endemic species of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt, Mexico

The Transmexican Volcanic Belt (TVB) is a complex biogeographical province characterized by several areas of endemism and high diversity of flora and fauna produced by complex geological and evolutionary processes. Chorotypes are biogeographical patterns that occur either when 2 or more independently distributed species share the same occupied area, or even when a single species’ distribution area differs significantly from others. Here, we identified chorotypes of 167 endemic species inhabiting the TVB using geographic distribution models and quantitative methods. Of those species, 136 were included in 11 chorotypes, named I to XI. In addition, the insect Aedes niveoscotum constituted chorotype XII. The 30 remaining species did not belong to any chorotype. All chorotypes included species from different taxonomic groups, which may be due to a shared biogeographical history. The chorotypes with the highest richness were located in the central and eastern TVB, suggesting that volcano peaks and surrounding areas are important for generating the particular environmental conditions that restrict the distribution of species of different taxonomic groups.

Phylogeography and bioclimatic models revealed a complicated genetic structure and future range shifts of Lymantria monacha L.

AbstractThe phylogeography of economically important forest pests is important for understanding their demographic and evolutionary history. Linking the genetic data obtained with the bioclimatic models helps reveal future demographic trends of the pest species studied. Lymantria monacha is a polyphagous species that feeds on numerous coniferous and deciduous trees throughout the Palaearctic and is known to cause catastrophic defoliation, particularly in Europe. In addition, data from various mapping programmes over the last decade have revealed changes in the distribution of L. monacha. Therefore, in this study, we decided to clarify the evolutionary and demographic history of this important forest species using genetic data complemented by bioclimatic modelling. Our results confirmed the systematic status and monophyly of L. monacha. However, the lack of a geographical pattern between the studied regions suggests that the current genetic structure may be the result of recent dispersal events. Moreover, we found that the areas of high genetic diversity are consistent with potential past range shifts and survival of changes in climate and host plant availability. These two main variables also seem to determine the future range of L. monacha. Also, our modelling confirmed a poleward shift in its range and with a significant retraction from its current southern edge of distribution.

Ecogeography and Climate Change in Forage Grasses from Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Mexico

Arid and semi-arid areas are highly productive ecosystems that have a great diversity of species, among which grasses stand out. These species have ecological, environmental, and economic importance. The objective was to identify the ecological descriptors of 15 native species of grasses and diversity patterns through multivariate analysis techniques (principal component analysis, PCA, and cluster analysis, CA), in addition to identifying potential distribution areas (current and future) and regions of high and low diversity from 3841 accessions and 21 climatic variables. Among the main results, the extreme values, coefficient of variation, and median for each species could be determined. PCA determined that, with 10 variables, it was possible to explain 54.36% of the variation between the analyzed species. CA resulted in the formation of four statistically significant groups, with specific climatic characteristics. Regarding potential distribution areas and climate change, a reduction in distribution is expected (2050) on most of the current surface, with a possible opportunity zone in the north of the country. Finally, two hotspots (high diversity areas) and four coldspots (low diversity areas) were identified among the analyzed species. These results can be used to create strategies for sustainable use and the conservation of these resources.

Spatial Population Structuring and Genetic Analysis of Exotic Grevillea robusta in Northwestern India

Abstract The introduction of exotics is common in forestry, and majorly important species, like eucalypts, poplar, and Casuarina sp., occupy vast areas in the Indian subcontinent. Importantly, with the latest cost-effective sequencing techniques, genetic diversity research through molecular marker approaches on major exotics provides novel information for genetic improvement in economic traits with climatic adaptation. The study was carried out on Grevillea robusta to assess genetic relatedness and diversity among 228 genotypes belonging to five northwestern states in India. These genotypes were assayed using twelve simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A population structure analysis using structure software identified four major gene pool subgroups with clear-cut differences from each other. Principal coordinate analysis also supports the clustering patterns of the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean analysis. In the case of genetic diversity assessment, a total of seventy-three alleles were detected from twelve SSRs, with an average of 6.08 ± 0.71 per locus. Polymorphism information content ranged from 0.17 to 0.67 with a mean of 0.44 ± 0.045, indicating high levels of polymorphism across the genotypes. All the evaluated SSRs demonstrated moderate genetic diversity (observed heterozygosity = 0.31 ± 0.03; expected heterozygosity = 0.32 ± 0.03; and genetic differentiation = 0.295) among the sampled genotypes. These findings indicate significant genetic variability in the germplasm to warrant selection and have potential for a long-term tree improvement program of G. robusta in India. Study Implications: The study on population genetics of Grevillea robusta in exotic environments assessed probable gene pools, provenances, and genetic diversity in geographical distribution range of the species in the Indian scenario. The basic population genetic measures revealed the high diversity areas and probable seed zones of G. robusta in its exotic range. Importantly, the study will be helpful in the selection of candidate plus trees of G. robusta to further strengthen the genotype × environment interaction study for future breeding programs. Further, studying the genetic makeup for moderately diverse species offers valuable insights into evolutionary history, population dynamics, and ecological interactions, which may lead to conservation efforts and guidance for the management of trees such as G. robusta in their native and introduced regions.

Spatial patterns of congruence or mismatch between taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and endemism of perennial flora along the aridity gradient of Chile.

Understanding the relationships between taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and endemism across environmental gradients is essential for elucidating the eco-evolutionary mechanisms that shape local plant communities. A database was compiled from field surveys, national herbarium records, and virtual records of perennial plant specimens collected in the aridity gradient of northern Chile, between 18 and 32°S. A large-scale dated phylogeny of available perennial plants was used, and 11 functional traits were selected to construct a dendrogram using the Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) method for the species present in our database. We calculated spatial patterns of a-diversity, including taxonomic (TD), functional (FD), and phylogenetic (PD) diversity, as well as weighted (WE), functional (FE), and phylogenetic (PE) endemism. We used multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to identify spatial congruencies and discrepancies among these dimensions and to test different eco-evolutionary processes. The diversity indices TD, FD and PD showed similar geographic patterns (R2 > 0.93), with lower diversity observed in absolute desert regions. The pattern of weighted endemism (WE) showed a weak association with functional endemism (FE) and phylogenetic endemism (PE) (local R2 < 0.48). The regions with lower FD or PD than expected given the TD (i.e. FD<TD and PD<TD) are mainly located in desert areas, as well as in high Andean areas influenced by the Atacama Desert, suggesting communities with associated in situ speciation processes, as well as a limitation of morpho-functional trait diversity in response to extreme environmental conditions (environmental filter hypothesis). Similarly, where FE and PE values are higher than expected given the WE (i.e. FE>WE and PE>WE), they are found in arid, high Andean and transitional zones, at different altitudes, which would indicate a greater presence of phylogenetic lineages and species with morpho-functional traits related to extreme environmental conditions and transitional biomes (arid-semiarid). These spatial discrepancies suggest different eco-evolutionary drivers between the dimensions of diversity and endemism (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic). Areas of high diversity and high endemism do not necessarily coincide, and both should be addressed by conservation efforts.

Application of remote sensors and artificial intelligence in the management and conservation of forests in the face of climate change in Mexico

The present review focuses on remote sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) are key tools for monitoring forests andunderstanding climate change. These sensors provide detailed information about the structure and status of forests, includingthe detection of deforestation, diseases, and pests, as well as the estimation of stored carbon. The combination of remotesensors with AI has revolutionized forest management, enabling soil classification, change detection, and forecasting theeffects of climate change. They have also been valuable for biodiversity conservation, identifying areas of high diversity,monitoring ecosystems, and supporting the planning of conservation strategies. Advanced technologies such as drones,planes, satellite imagery, and LiDAR have also proven effective in environmental monitoring. Drones are versatile and cost-effective, planes cover large areas, satellites provide global data, and LiDAR is useful for characterizing forest structure.However, in Mexico overall, there is a lack of application and utilization of these technologies due to the absence of updateddata and limited integration of AI. Investment in technological infrastructure and the promotion of collaboration betweeninstitutions are needed to overcome this gap and fully harness the potential of these tools in environmental decision-making.

The Late Miocene Talpidae (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from the Pannonian Region, Slovakia

AbstractCentral Europe is an area of high diversity for the Talpidae (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) during the Late Miocene. The assemblages from Slovakia (Borský Svätý Jur, Krásno, Pezinok, Šalgovce, Studienka, Triblavina) are no exception with their abundant material representing eleven species. The uropsiline Desmanella is represented by D. rietscheli and D. dubia. Desmanini fossils are attributed to Archaeodesmana vinea, Archaeodesmana dissona new species, Gerhardstorchia biradicata, and Gerhardstorchia sp. The scalopines Proscapanus minor and P. austriacus are well recorded in the Vallesian localities and support the emergence of P. austriacus before the MN9/10 transition. Talpini and Urotrichini are especially rare and only represented by Talpa cf. T. minuta and Urotrichini gen. sp. indet. Finally, we identified the youngest occurrence of Desmanodon in Europe, D. cf. D. fluegeli, at the MN9 locality of Borský Svätý Jur. The high diversity in the Late Miocene Central European is partly explained by the co-occurrence of the competing Scalopini and Talpini during the Vallesian, indicating high resource environments. The decline of these tribes, followed by the success of the desmans during the Turolian, appears as a consequence of regional environmental changes.UUID: http://zoobank.org/a3eb532b-c341-489a-b0ff-ecf3f9466a76

Current status of the remaining Mexican cloud forests: landscape findings and conservation initiatives.

Tropical montane cloud forests are known for their unique biodiversity and their critical role in sustaining ecosystem services; however, approximately 50% of their original cover in Mexico was estimated to have been lost by 1998. The Mexican ecoregion that supports these ecosystems experienced one of the highest rates of deforestation between 2001 and 2021. Thus, a more recent evaluation of Mexico's cloud forests is required. There is limited data on the landscape structure of cloud forests in Mexico, despite the possible application of landscape factors in conservation planning. Here, we estimated the average total area, number of patches, effective mesh size, total edge, and the shape of mixed forests that was present in 2020 within polygons of cloud forests defined in 1999 by Mexico's National Commission for the Use and Knowledge of Biodiversity (CONABIO for its acronym in Spanish). We estimated land cover using data from the North American Land Change Monitoring System, which classifies cloud forests as mixed forests. We found that eight out of the 109 polygons have no mixed forests and that an average of 49% of the 1,768,914 ha of cloud forests polygons are now covered by mixed forests distributed across 13 states. Additionally, within the remaining 101 polygons that do contain this type of vegetation, mixed forest is distributed on average across 140 patches (range = 1-1,473); 80% of these forests have very low effective mesh size values; 90% of them have low total edge values (<2,000 km); and their shapes tend to be uniformly distributed. Furthermore, most of cloud forest polygons are located outside of federal protected areas. Overall, our results suggest that the remaining Mexican cloud forests are extremely vulnerable and fragmented and that their extent has steadily declined since 1999. To ensure the survival of Mexican cloud forests, it will be crucial to prioritize high-diversity areas, strengthen protection in critical zones, establish ecological corridors, encourage sustainable practices, and actively engage local communities. This study highlights the complex issues and inherent heterogeneity that characterize cloud forest ecosystems in Mexico and provides crucial insights for conservation.

Human activity and climate change accelerate the extinction risk to non-human primates in China.

Human activity and climate change affect biodiversity and cause species range shifts, contractions, and expansions. Globally, human activities and climate change have emerged as persistent threats to biodiversity, leading to approximately 68% of the ~522 primate species being threatened with extinction. Here, we used habitat suitability models and integrated data on human population density, gross domestic product (GDP), road construction, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the location of protected areas (PAs), and climate change to predict potential changes in the distributional range and richness of 26 China's primate species. Our results indicate that both PAs and NDVI have a positive impact on primate distributions. With increasing anthropogenic pressure, species' ranges were restricted to areas of high vegetation cover and in PAs surrounded by buffer zones of 2.7-4.5 km and a core area of PAs at least 0.1-0.5 km from the closest edge of the PA. Areas with a GDP below the Chinese national average of 100,000 yuan were found to be ecologically vulnerable, and this had a negative impact on primate distributions. Changes in temperature and precipitation were also significant contributors to a reduction in the range of primate species. Under the expected influence of climate change over the next 30-50 years, we found that highly suitable habitat for primates will continue to decrease and species will be restricted to smaller and more peripheral parts of their current range. Areas of high primate diversity are expected to lose from 3 to 7 species. We recommend that immediate action be taken, including expanding China's National Park Program, the Ecological Conservation Redline Program, and the Natural Forest Protection Program, along with a stronger national policy promoting alternative/sustainable livelihoods for people in the local communities adjacent to primate ranges, to offset the detrimental effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change on primate survivorship.

Preverbal clitic clusters in the Tanzanian Rift Valley revisited

Abstract This paper examines preverbal clitic clusters in the Tanzanian Rift Valley, an area of high linguistic diversity with representatives of the Bantu, Cushitic, and Nilotic families, as well as Sandawe (possibly a distant member of the Khoi-Kwadi family), and the language isolate Hadza. An earlier work (Kießling, Roland, Maarten Mous &amp; Derek Nurse. 2008. The Tanzanian Rift Valley area. In Bernd Heine &amp; Derek Nurse (eds.), A linguistic geography of Africa, 186–227. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) identified preverbal clitic clusters as a widespread feature across many languages of the Rift Valley, and posited the preverbal clitic cluster as a feature characteristic of a ‘Tanzanian Rift Valley Area’. The current paper provides further detail on preverbal clitic clusters across the languages of the region and examines possible routes of development for these structures. From this analysis, the picture that emerges is complex: contact scenarios cannot be restricted to ones in which West Rift Cushitic or its predecessor languages are the only models for the development of a preverbal clitic cluster and, in the case of Sandawe (and perhaps the Datooga varieties), it appears as if the development of a preverbal clitic cluster cannot be linked to contact at all. In terms of what this means for the ‘areality’ of the Tanzanian Rift Valley, this paper forgoes discussions about geographical delineation or arguments for or against a ‘Tanzanian Rift Valley Area’ in favour of highlighting the individual historical events (c.f. Campbell, Lyle. 2017. Why is it so hard to define a linguistic area? In Raymond Hickey (ed.), The Cambridge handbook of areal linguistics, 19–39. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) that may have given rise to preverbal clitic clusters in the languages of our sample, as well as encouraging continued investigation into the nature of these histories, both from a linguistic and interdisciplinary perspective.

A first syntaxonomic description of the vegetation of the Karstveld in Namibia

Aims: The Karstveld in Namibia has been recognized as an area of high plant diversity. However, this area is also recognised as a hotspot of various forms of degradation including bush encroachment. Minimal baseline data on the composition and diversity of vegetation in this area is available, therefore this paper is a first attempt to rectify this data deficiency. Study area: The Karstveld in Namibia is formed around the Otavi Mountain Range in northern Central Namibia, consisting of strongly karstified carbonate bedrock, rising up to 2000 m a.s.l. The Karstveld includes the Ovambo Basin plains with shallow calcrete soils north of the range, up to the Omuramba Ovambo. Because of orographic effects, the area receives some of the highest rainfall in Namibia, with up to 600 mm per year. Methods: A set of 889 relevés with 868 species was selected from the GVID ID AF-NA-001 database. A partial data set, using trees, shrubs, dwarf shrubs and grasses only, was used for the classification with modified TWINSPAN. The initial result yielded four main groups, according to which the data was split and further classified. Several vegetation types observed during field surveys were not reflected in the classification results; these were refined using Cocktail with known characteristic species. Results: The four main units represented wetlands and grasslands with six associations, a Thornbush savanna – Karstveld transition zone with four associations, Kalahari vegetation with four associations and the Karstveld proper with eight associations. The latter are grouped together as the Terminalietea prunioides, with two orders and three alliances recognised under them. We describe 16 associations according to the ICPN. Conclusions: Although the associations presented in this paper are clearly defined, there exists a high degree of diversity within these. The Karstveld is also extraordinary species rich within the context of the arid to semi-arid Namibian environment. Taxonomic reference: Klaassen and Kwembeya (2013) for vascular plants, with the exception of the genus Acacia s.l. (Fabaceae), for which Kyalangalilwa et al. (2013) was followed. Abbreviations: ga = annual grass; gp = perennial grass; GPS = Global Positioning System, referring to a hand-held ground receiver; hl = herb layer, containing all hemicryptophytes, therophytes and geophytes, but excluding grasses (Poaceae); ICPN = International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (Theurillat et al. 2021); MAP = mean annual precipitation; NMS = nonmetric multidimensional scaling (Kruskal 1964); RDL = Red Data List (IUCN Species Survival Commission 2001); s1 = tall shrubs, i.e. multi-stemmed phanerophytes between 1 and 5 m; s2 = short shrubs, i.e. chamaephytes or ‘dwarf shrubs’ below 1 m; SOTER = Global and National Soils and Terrain Digital Database (FAO 1993); t1 = tall trees, &amp;gt; 10 m; t2 = short trees, between 5 and 10 m; t3 = low trees, i.e. single-stemmed phanerophytes between 2 and 5 m; TWINSPAN = Two Way Indicator Species Analysis (Roleček et al. 2009); WGS84 = World Geodetic System, 1984 ensemble.

Deep learning with citizen science data enables estimation of species diversity and composition at continental extents.

Effective solutions to conserve biodiversity require accurate community- and species-level information at relevant, actionable scales and across entire species' distributions. However, data and methodological constraints have limited our ability to provide such information in robust ways. Herein we employ a Deep-Reasoning Network implementation of the Deep Multivariate Probit Model (DMVP-DRNets), an end-to-end deep neural network framework, to exploit large observational and environmental data sets together and estimate landscape-scale species diversity and composition at continental extents. We present results from a novel year-round analysis of North American avifauna using data from over nine million eBird checklists and 72 environmental covariates. We highlight the utility of our information by identifying critical areas of high species diversity for a single group of conservation concern, the North American wood warblers, while capturing spatiotemporal variation in species' environmental associations and interspecific interactions. In so doing, we demonstrate the type of accurate, high-resolution information on biodiversity that deep learning approaches such as DMVP-DRNets can provide and that is needed to inform ecological research and conservation decision-making at multiple scales.

How diverse are the mountain karst forests of Mexico?

Tropical forests on karstic relief (tropical karst forest) are among the most species-rich biomes. These forests play pivotal roles as global climate regulators and for human wellbeing. Their long-term conservation could be central to global climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. In Mexico, karst landscapes occupy 20% of the total land surface and are distributed mainly in the southeast of the country, along the eastern slope, and in the Yucatan Peninsula. Within each of these areas, the following types of karst occur: coastal karst, plain karst, hill karst, and mountain karst (low, medium, high). Mountain karst cover 2.07% of Mexico's land surface and are covered by tropical rainforests, montane cloud forests, and tropical deciduous forests. These are probably one of the most diverse biomes in Mexico. However, the mountain karst forests of Mexico have received little attention, and very little is known about their diversity. Here, we evaluated the vascular plant species richness within the mountain karst forests of Mexico. We assembled the first, largest, and most comprehensive datasets of Mexican mountain karst forest species, from different public databases (CONABIO, GBIF, IBdata-UNAM), which included a critical review of all data. We compiled a list of the families, genera, and species present within the mountain karst forests of Mexico. Taxa that best characterize these forests were identified based on their spatial correlation with this biome. We explored biodiversity patterns, identifying areas with the highest species richness, endemism centers, and areas of relatively low sampling intensity. We found that within the mountain karst forests of Mexico there are representatives of 11,771 vascular plant species (253 families and 2,254 genera), ca. 50% of the Mexican flora. We identified 372 species endemic to these forests. According to preliminary IUCN red list criteria, 2,477 species are under some category of conservation risk, of which 456 (3.8%) are endangered. Most of the Mexican mountain karst forests have been extensively explored and six allopatric, species-rich areas were identified. Compared to other regions in the world, the mountain karst forests of Mexico are one of the most diverse biomes. They contain more species than some entire montane systems in Mexico such as Sierra Madre Oriental, and Sierra Madre del Sur. Also, the mountain karst forests of Mexico are most diverse than similar forests of South America and Asia, even if considering the effect of different sampling areas. The fact that mountain karst forests are embedded in areas of high biotic diversity, probably contributes to their great floristic diversity. Thus, the mountain karst forests of Mexico are an important source of diversity and shelters a large percentage of the Mexican flora.

A cabled ocean acoustic array to be installed in the Gulf of Maine

It is often noted that we know more about the planets than the processes of our oceans. A network of ocean observatories is improving our knowledge; however, measurements are still relatively scarce and do not provide enough data to validate and refine models of ocean currents, soundscapes, and biological activity. A cabled acoustic array is being developed for deployment in 2024 in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine to complement existing oceanographic monitoring infrastructure. The system will make measurements of the nearshore (6 km) environment and shed light on the connections between coastal measurements and the overall Gulf of Maine environment. The system is designed to synoptically collect acoustic, oceanographic, and biogeochemical data, while also remaining flexible enough in design to incorporate new sensors in the future. Measurements made with this ocean asset will serve as a baseline for pattern and trend analyses of changing environmental conditions in an area of high productivity, human use, and species diversity. The data management and visualization team are developing an infrastructure to provide public access to the data and its products. Public data access will permit researchers at all levels to advance our understanding of ocean acoustics and oceanographic processes.

The secret life of wild animals revealed by accelerometer data: how landscape diversity and seasonality influence the behavioural types of European hares

ContextLandscape composition and configuration, as well as seasonal landscape dynamics shape the behaviour, movement and energy expenditure of animals, i.e. foraging, hiding or fleeing, and ultimately survival. Especially in highly modified agricultural systems, it is crucial to understand how animal behaviour is influenced by landscape context to develop sustainable land management concepts.ObjectivesWe show how landscape composition and configuration, together with seasonal dynamics affect animal behavioural types, accounting for the different life-history events in both sexes.MethodsWe investigated 34 European hares in two contrasting agricultural landscapes (a simple and a complex landscape) by using tri-axial accelerometer data to classify the animals’ behaviour into five categories: resting, foraging, moving, grooming and standing upright (i.e. vigilance behaviour). We tested whether the amount of behaviours per category changed with landscape composition and configuration, season and sex.ResultsDuring peak breeding, hares in areas of high habitat diversity rested more, moved less and spent less time searching for resources. During winter, hares moved more and rested less. Females rested less and foraged more in areas with large agricultural fields.ConclusionsA complex landscape is particularly important during the breeding season, allowing animals to allocate enough energy into reproduction. In winter, hares in areas of low habitat diversity may not find enough thermal and anti-predator shelter to move as much as they would need to meet their requirements. Hence, high habitat diversity and small field sizes guarantee species persistence in human-altered agricultural areas throughout the year.

Development, acceptability and feasibility of a community-based intervention to increase timely initiation of antenatal care in an area of high ethnic diversity and low socio-economic status in the UK

BackgroundAntenatal care plays an important role in preventing adverse maternal and new-born outcomes. Women from ethnic minority backgrounds and of low socio-economic status are at greater risk of initiating antenatal care later than the recommended 10 weeks. There is a paucity of research exploring the development and evaluation of community-based interventions to increase the timely initiation of antenatal care. ObjectiveTo develop and evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a co-produced community-based intervention to increase uptake of antenatal care in an area with high ethnic diversity and low socio-economic status. DesignThe intervention was developed using co-production workshops and conversations with 20 local service users and 14 stakeholders, underpinned by the theory of Diffusion of Innovation. The intervention was evaluated, on the domains of acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, and feasibility. Questionnaires (n=36), interviews (n=10), and focus groups (n=13) were conducted among those who received the intervention. Observations (n=13) of intervention sessions were conducted to assess intervention fidelity. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS and NVivo software respectively. ResultsOver 91% of respondents positively ranked the intervention. Qualitative findings with respect to ‘acceptability’ included four subthemes: how the intervention was communicated, the characteristics of the person delivering the intervention and their knowledge, and the reassurance offered by the intervention. The ‘adoption’ theme included three sub-themes: being informed helps women to engage with antenatal care, the intervention provides information for future use, and onwards conveyance of the intervention information. The ‘appropriateness’ theme included three sub-themes: existing gap in information, nature of information given as part of the intervention, and talking about pregnancy in public. The ‘feasibility’ theme included two sub-themes: value of delivering the intervention in areas of high footfall and relational aspect of receiving the intervention. Observations showed intervention fidelity of 100%. ConclusionThe community-based intervention, coproduced with women and maternity care stakeholders, was positively evaluated, and offered an innovative and promising approach to engage and educate women about the timely initiation of antenatal care in an ethnically diverse and socio-economically deprived community.

Mesozooplankton and oceanographic conditions in the North zone of Coiba National Park (Panamá, Central America)

Zooplankton plays a central role in marine trophic webs, where community indexes (diversity, abundance, and biomass) are affected by regional and local oceanographic conditions. The multinational conservation initiative, known as the Eastern Tropical Marine Corridor (CMAR) encompasses a network of Marine Protected Areas of unique and high biological diversity along the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Zooplankton studies in this area are scarce and recently conducted. In the northern zone of Coiba Island (Coiba National Park, Panamá) during the dry and rainy seasons (2019–2020), the composition, abundance, and biomass of mesozooplankton and its relationship with oceanographic variables (temperature, salinity and euphotic zone) were analyzed. In both seasons different oceanographic conditions were found with vertical heterogeneities of temperature (T) and salinity and seasonal significant differences in minimum of T and euphotic zone depth (EZ). Zooplankton abundance and total biomass showed positive associations, and maximum values during the dry season; in oblique trawls, total zooplankton biomass showed negative associations with T (−0,60) and positive with Secchi disk depth (0.67). These patterns suggest higher zooplankton productivity during dry season associated with oceanographic conditions in the North zone of Coiba Island. Organisms were classified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (Sub-family or Genus) and a total of 33 zooplankton taxa were identified. In the holoplankton the most important groups were Copepoda, Chaetognata, Appendicularia and Thaliacea, while in the meroplankton larvae of Crustacea, Echinodermatha and Mollusca were the most common groups. Zooplankton indexes (abundance, biomass and composition) were similar to those reported for other CMAR islands. Strategies recommended to strengthen biodiversity conservation in this MPA include more studies on taxonomy, trophic dynamics, and connectivity of planktonic communities as central link in marine trophic webs.