Biodiversity Research Articles

Contrasting the depths of divergence between gene-tree and coalescent estimates in the North American racers (Colubridae: Coluber constrictor)

Abstract The North American racers (Coluber constrictor) are widely distributed across the Nearctic and numerous studies have demonstrated extensive variation in morphology, ecology, and population genetic structure. Here we take an integrative approach to understand lineage diversification within this taxon by combining genomic sequence capture data, mtDNA sequence data, morphometrics, and ecological niche models. Both the genomic data and mtDNA phylogeographic analyses support five lineages distributed across the range of this species. However, demographic model selection based on these two datasets strongly conflict in both the model of divergence and estimates of timing of lineage divergence. While mtDNA and concatenated genomic data suggest a Miocene origin of these distinct groups, coalescent-based demographic models with the sequence capture data suggest lineage diversification occurred at ~33 kya in allopatry without gene flow. Using linear morphological measurements of head shape we demonstrate that lineages distributed largely east and west of the Mississippi River are distinguishable. Furthermore, ecological niche models demonstrate that lineages distributed in subtropical habitats have environmental niche space that is significantly differentiated from lineages distributed across the continent. Taken together, these results suggest that ecology is an important axis of lineage divergence within this group and that more fine-scale analyses may find even greater differentiation between the populations identified here. This abstract translated to Spanish is avaliable in the Supporting Infromation section (Este resumen traducido al español está disponible en la sección, Supporting Infromation).

Contributions of human cultures to biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.

The expansion of globalized industrial societies is causing global warming, ecosystem degradation, and species and language extinctions worldwide. Mainstream conservation efforts still focus on nature protection strategies to revert this crisis, often overlooking the essential roles of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LC) in protecting biodiversity and ecosystems globally. Here we assess the scientific literature to identify relationships between biodiversity (including ecosystem diversity) and cultural diversity, and investigate how these connections may affect conservation outcomes in tropical lowland South America. Our assessment reveals a network of interactions and feedbacks between biodiversity and diverse IP&LC, suggesting interconnectedness and interdependencies from which multiple benefits to nature and societies emerge. We illustrate our findings with five case studies of successful conservation models, described as consolidated or promising 'social-ecological hope spots', that show how engagement with IP&LC of various cultures may be the best hope for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, particularly when aligned with science and technology. In light of these five inspiring cases, we argue that conservation science and policies need to recognize that protecting and promoting both biological and cultural diversities can provide additional co-benefits and solutions to maintain ecosystems resilient in the face of global changes.

Analysis of 10-m Sentinel-2 imagery and a re-normalization approach reveals a declining trend in the latest rubber plantations in Xishuangbanna

Natural rubber is one of the four main raw materials of industry and a globally important strategic material. Rubber plantations with agroforestry attributes have undergone rapid growth in the northern part of mainland Southeast Asia (including Xishuangbanna) since the 1990s, leading to a series of eco-environmental effects on biological diversity, climate change, carbon stocks, and hydrological processes. Accurate, detailed, and updated spatial information on rubber plantations, therefore, is fundamental for developing efficient management strategies. Currently, the booming rubber plantations are being experienced new changes in Xishuangbanna. The commonly used coarser spatial resolution satellite data (e.g., 250-m MODIS and/or 30-m Landsat) have limited applications because most plantations are often small and scattered, especially in the mountainous areas. Here, we developed a straightforward and effective re-normalization of red green normalized difference vegetation index (ReNDI) approach based on finer resolution (10-m) Sentinel-2 imagery, and then mapped the first annual 10-m rubber plantations in the entire Xishuangbanna during 2018–2021. Interestingly, rubber plots no longer expanded as rapidly as in past decades and even decreased slightly. The latest area of rubber plantations was 2514.7 km2, a decrease of 31.9 km2 comparing since 2018, with an average overall accuracy and kappa coefficient of four-year reached up to 95.37 % and 0.90, respectively. Among them, Jinghong city and Menghai county increased by 52.4 km2 and 14.8 km2 respectively, and Mengla county decreased by 99.1 km2. The main area of rubber expansion was around the Jinghong city, where rubber was initially planted. More importantly, owing to pursuing increased economic benefits and requirements of environmental protection, a considerable portion of the rubber encroachment has disappeared, particularly near roads and rivers. Our phenology-based ReNDI algorithm not only enriches the remotely-sensed methods for other industrial plantations mapping, but also provides a new chance to understanding the current patterns of rubber plantations (i.e., increase and decrease), which will contributed to rational planting planning and agroforestry management in the future, especially in the tropics.

Contributions of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems to risk-based design and management of protected and conserved areas in Africa.

Protected and conserved areas (PCAs) are key ecosystem management tools for conserving biodiversity and sustaining ecosystem services and social cobenefits. As countries adopt a 30% target for protection of land and sea under the Global Biodiversity Framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, a critical question emerging is, which 30%? A risk-based answer to this question is that the 30% that returns the greatest reductions in risks of species extinction and ecosystem collapse should be protected. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List protocols provide practical methods for assessing these risks. All species, including humans, depend on the integrity of ecosystems for their well-being and survival. Africa is strategically important for ecosystem management due to convergence of high ecosystem diversity, intense pressures, and high levels of human dependency on nature. We reviewed the outcomes (e.g., applications of ecosystem red-list assessments to protected-area design, conservation planning, and management) of a symposium at the inaugural African Protected Areas Congress convened to discuss roles of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems in the design and management of PCAs. Recent progress was made in ecosystem assessment, with 920 ecosystem types assessed against the IUCN Red List criteria across 21 countries. Although these ecosystems spanned a diversity of environments across the continent, the greatest thematic gaps were for freshwater, marine, and subterranean realms, and large geographic gaps existed in North Africa and parts of West and East Africa. Assessment projects were implemented by a diverse community of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and researchers. The assessments have influenced policy and management by informing extensions to and management of formal protected area networks supporting decision-making for sustainable development, and informing ecosystem conservation and threat abatement within boundaries of PCAs and in surrounding landscapes and seascapes. We recommend further integration of risk assessments in environmental policy and enhanced investment in ecosystem red-list assessment to fill current gaps.

Федеральные особо охраняемые природные территории Алтайского края: современное состояние и перспективы развития

Одна из важнейших глобальных проблем современности — сохранение природной среды. Гарантией эффективного сохранения природно-территориальных комплексов региона является создание сети особо охраняемых природных территорий (ООПТ), которая обладает репрезентативностью по отношению к ландшафтному и биологическому разнообразию. Также известно, что более строгий режим охраны, который характерен для заповедников и национальных парков, способствует успешной реализации задач охраны природы. В статье рассмотрено современное состояние ООПТ федерального значения Алтайского края — Государственного природного заповедника «Тигирекский» и Национального парка «Салаир», а также перспективы создания проектируемого Национального парка «Горная Колывань». Показано, что действующие и проектируемая федеральные ООПТ в крае располагаются только лишь в его горной части, а природные комплексы равнинной части края, которые также обладают большой природоохранной ценностью, охраняются лишь режимами заказников и памятников природы регионального значения. Площадь федеральных ООПТ за последнее время в крае увеличена с 0,25 до 1,5 % от площади региона, что является одним из самых низких показателей по регионам Сибирского Федерального округа. Создание Национального парка «Горная Колывань» играет большую роль в сохранении природного разнообразияи историко-культурного наследия Северо-Западного Алтая, позволяет объединить разрозненные региональные ООПТ в единое целое на организационном уровне. В случае создания данной ООПТ и придания охранной зоне заповедника федерального статуса доля федеральных охраняемых территорий возрастет до 2,5 % от площади края.

Implications of the scale of detection for inferring co-occurrence patterns from paired camera traps and acoustic recorders.

Multifunctional landscapes that support economic activities and conservation of biological diversity (e.g., cattle ranches with native forest) are becoming increasingly important because small remnants of native forest may comprise the only habitat left for some wildlife species. Understanding the co-occurrence between wildlife and disturbance factors, such as poaching activity and domesticated ungulates, is key to successful management of multifunctional landscapes. Tools to measure co-occurrence between wildlife and disturbance factors include camera traps and autonomous acoustic recording units. We paired 52 camera-trap stations with acoustic recorders to investigate the association between 2 measures of disturbance (poaching and cattle) and wild ungulates present in multifunctional landscapes of the Colombian Orinoquía. We used joint species distribution models to investigate species-habitat associations and species-disturbance correlations. One model was fitted using camera-trap data to detect wild ungulates and disturbance factors, and a second model was fitted after replacing camera-trap detections of disturbance factors with their corresponding acoustic detections. The direction, significance, and precision of the effect of covariates depended on the sampling method used for disturbance factors. Acoustic monitoring typically resulted in more precise estimates of the effects of covariates and of species-disturbance correlations. Association patterns between wildlife and disturbance factors were found only when disturbance was detected by acoustic recorders. Camera traps allowed us to detect nonvocalizing species, whereas audio recording devices increased detection of disturbance factors leading to more precise estimates of co-occurrence patterns. The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) co-occurred with disturbance factors and are conservation priorities due to the greater risk of poaching or disease transmission from cattle.

APPLICATION OF EDU-AGROTOURISM AND AGROFORESTRY: PATTERNS OF LAND USE ON CONSERVATION IN THE BUFFER AREA

Sustainable development encompasses three fundamental dimensions, including the socio-cultural, economic, and ecological. Agroforestry seeks to achieve multifunctional, efficient, and environmentally sustainable production by replicating forest-like circumstances and employing management strategies that align with the cultural values of local people. The successful execution of this strategy is facilitated by the improvement of soil and microclimate conditions, which positively impact agricultural results. The Lore Lindu National Park (TNLL) is an officially declared national park in the Central Sulawesi province of Indonesia. The location plays a crucial role in conserving Sulawesi Island's rich array of biological diversity. The research findings indicate that the flora variety within the TNLL region encompasses a wide range of botanical species, including diverse trees, resin-producing plants, rattan, orchids, and medicinal plants. The agroforestry patterns seen in the buffer region of the TNLL can be categorized as the agrisilviculture model. This model represents an agroforestry system that integrates plant and agricultural components, specifically non-wood species. The pattern under consideration encompasses several components, including tree plants such as cocoa, durian, cloves, and candlenuts, alongside agricultural components like corn, vegetables, and tubers. The historical trajectory of land utilization commenced with the indigenous communities who exercised stewardship over the vicinity surrounding TNLL, employing their indigenous knowledge and practices as a consequence of their successful adaptation to the prevailing natural circumstances. The utilization of natural resources by indigenous groups within national park regions for their daily necessities is frequently perceived as exerting strain on the protected landscape's ecological integrity and long-term viability.

Different divergence processes of isoglosses of folk nomenclature between wild trees and rice landraces imply the need for different conservation planning based on the type of plant resources

BackgroundThe intensification of production and socio-economic changes have accelerated the loss of local traditional knowledge and plant resources. Understanding the distribution and determinants of such biocultural diversity is essential in planning efficient surveys and conservation efforts. Because the concept of biocultural diversity in socio-ecological adaptive systems comprises biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity, linguistic information should serve as a surrogate for the distribution of local biological and cultural diversity. In this study, we spatio-linguistically evaluated the names of local trees and rice landraces recorded in Ehime Prefecture, southwestern Japan.MethodsHierarchical clustering was performed separately for the names of local trees and rice landraces. By considering innate flora differences and species having multiple local names, a novel distance index was adopted for local tree names. For the names of rice landraces, Jaccard distance was adopted. V-measure and factor detector analysis were used to evaluate the spatial association between the isogloss maps of the folk nomenclature derived from the clustering and multiple thematic maps.ResultsLocal tree names showed stronger spatial association with geographical factors than rice landrace names. One folk nomenclature group of trees overlapped well with the slash-and-burn cultivation area, suggesting a link between the naming of trees and the traditional production system. In contrast, rice landraces exhibited stronger associations with folklore practices. Moreover, influences of road networks and pilgrimages on rice landraces indicated the importance of human mobility and traditional rituals on rice seed transfer. High homogeneity and low completeness in the V-measure analysis indicated that the names of local trees and rice landraces were mostly homogenous within current municipalities and were shared with a couple of adjacent municipalities. The isogloss maps help to illustrate how the biological and cultural diversity of wild trees and rice landraces are distributed. They also help to identify units for inter-municipal collaboration for effective conservation of traditional knowledge related to those plant resources and traditional rice varieties themselves.ConclusionsOur spatio-linguistic evaluation indicated that complex geographical and sociological processes influence the formation of plant folk nomenclature groups and implies a promising approach using quantitative lexico-statistical analysis to help to identify areas for biocultural diversity conservation.

Three major steps toward the conservation of freshwater and riparian biodiversity.

Freshwater ecosystems and their bordering wetlands and riparian zones are vital for human society and biological diversity. Yet, they are among the most degraded ecosystems, where sharp declines in biodiversity are driven by human activities, such as hydropower development, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Because freshwater ecosystems are characterized by strongly reciprocal linkages with surrounding landscapes, human activities that encroach on or degrade riparian zones ultimately lead to declines in freshwater-riparian ecosystem functioning. We synthesized results of a symposium on freshwater, riparian, and wetland processes and interactions and analyzed some of the major problems associated with improving freshwater and riparian research and management. Three distinct barriers are the lack of involvement of local people in conservation research and management, absence of adequate measurement of biodiversity in freshwater and riparian ecosystems, and separate legislation and policy on riparian and freshwater management. Based on our findings, we argue that freshwater and riparian research and conservation efforts should be integrated more explicitly. Best practices for overcoming the 3 major barriers to improved conservation include more and sustainable use of traditional and other forms of local ecological knowledge, choosing appropriate metrics for ecological research and monitoring of restoration efforts, and mirroring the close links between riparian and freshwater ecosystems in legislation and policy. Integrating these 3 angles in conservation science and practice will provide substantial benefits in addressing the freshwater biodiversity crisis.

Embodied essentialism in the reconstruction of the animal sign in robot animal design

Robot animals are important for the interpretation of the biological world. In this paper, I show that specific design solutions for robot animal signs usually privilege the overall perception of biological systems (and animal signs in general) as machinic entities, which ignores the role of identity self-generation and sustainability, the hallmark of biological signs. Animal signs are semiotic systems that operate roughly on three subsystems: affordance mapping (related with niche construction and embeddedness), essence categorization, displaying co-enabling relations within the animal system, and sensorimotor autonomy. Of these interrelated systems, the first two are commonly associated with robot animal design and conceptualization, whereas the third one suffers from the unsolved AI design problem of engineering true context-dependent sensitivity. As a result, a semiotic blindness toward biological organisms has derived in dissociated perceptions of robot animals as objects that emulate their biological counterparts through both biomorphic affordance design (biomorphism) and bioinspired task completion. Robot signs are thus confined to the realm of techno myths populating experimental settings narratives, which contributes to a diminishing awareness of biological diversity and animal uniqueness for the construction and preservation of the Umwelt.

Leveraging satellite observations to reveal ecological drivers of pest densities across landscapes

Landscape ecologists have long suggested that pest abundances increase in simplified, monoculture landscapes. However, tests of this theory often fail to predict pest population sizes in real-world agricultural fields. These failures may arise not only from variation in pest ecology, but also from the widespread use of categorical land-use maps that do not adequately characterize habitat-availability for pests. We used 1163 field-year observations of Lygus hesperus (Western Tarnished Plant Bug) densities in California cotton fields to determine whether integrating remotely-sensed metrics of vegetation productivity and phenology into pest models could improve pest abundance analysis and prediction. Because L. hesperus often overwinters in non-crop vegetation, we predicted that pest abundances would peak on farms surrounded by more non-crop vegetation, especially when the non-crop vegetation is initially productive but then dries down early in the year, causing the pest to disperse into cotton fields. We found that the effect of non-crop habitat on pest densities varied across latitudes, with a positive relationship in the north and a negative one in the south. Aligning with our hypotheses, models predicted that L. hesperus densities were 35 times higher on farms surrounded by high versus low productivity non-crop vegetation (EVI area 350 vs. 50) and 2.8 times higher when dormancy occurred earlier versus later in the year (May 15 vs. June 30). Despite these strong and significant effects, we found that integrating these remote-sensing variables into land-use models only marginally improved pest density predictions in cotton compared to models with categorical land cover metrics alone. Together, our work suggests that the remote sensing variables analyzed here can advance our understanding of pest ecology, but not yet substantively increase the accuracy of pest abundance predictions.

Automated detection of an insect‐induced keystone vegetation phenotype using airborne LiDAR

Abstract Ecologists, foresters and conservation practitioners need ‘biodiversity scanners’ to effectively inventory biodiversity, audit conservation progress and track changes in ecosystem function. Quantifying biological diversity using remote sensing methods remains challenging, especially for small invertebrates. However, insect aggregations can drastically alter landscapes and vegetation, and these ‘extended phenotypes’ could serve as environmental landmarks of insect presence in remotely sensed data. To test the feasibility of this approach, we studied symbiotic ants that alter the canopy shape of whistling thorn acacias (Acacia [syn. Vachellia] drepanolobium), a keystone tree species of the black cotton soils of east African savannas. We demonstrate a protocol for using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to collect, prepare (including a customizable tree‐segmentation algorithm) and apply a convolutional neural network‐based classification for the detection of ant‐inhabited acacia tree phenotypic variations. Applying this protocol enabled us to effectively detect intra‐specific tree phenotypic variation induced by insects. Surveying ant occupancy across 16 ha and 9680 acacia trees took 1000 work hours, whereas surveyed patterns of ant distribution were replicated by our trained classifier using only an hour‐long airborne LiDAR collection time. We suggest that large‐scale surveys of insect occupancy (including insect‐vectored disease) can be automated through a combination of airborne LiDAR and machine learning.

Four Treaties in One: The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement

Combine and conquer. That was the strategy of those seeking to develop an international regime to address marine biological diversity found in areas beyond national jurisdiction—areas that constitute half of the world's surface and a much greater proportion of its habitable volume. States had quite different visions for the regime. On the one hand, the European Union and other developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand wanted a conservation-oriented regime providing for the establishment of marine protected areas and setting rules for environmental impact assessments; on the other hand, developing countries wanted a resource-oriented regime that would allow them to get what they consider their fair share of the benefits of marine genetic resources and would assist them with capacity building and technology transfer. Only by combining these disparate topics in a single package was agreement possible.

Too simple, too complex, or just right? Advantages, challenges, and guidance for indicators of genetic diversity

Abstract Measuring genetic diversity of wild species using DNA-based data remains resource intensive and time consuming for nearly all species. However, genetic assessments are needed for global conservation commitments, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, and for governments and managers to evaluate conservation progress, as well as prioritizing species and populations to preserve and recover genetic diversity (e.g., via genetic rescue). Recently, indicators were developed for tracking and reporting genetic diversity status and trends for hundreds of species. The indicators quantify two simple proxies of within-population and among-population genetic diversity and adaptive potential: small effective population size (Ne < 500) and the loss of genetically distinct populations. The indicators must balance scientific credibility, practicality, and simplicity. In the present article, we summarize the advantages of these pragmatic indicators, address critiques by scientists for simplifying assumptions and by policymakers for complexity, and propose potential solutions and next steps. We aim to support practitioners putting indicators into policy, action, legislation, and reporting.

Exploring the biological diversity and source species of medicinal horseflies through metabarcoding

Horseflies from the Tabanidae family play a significant role in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various health conditions, including coronary heart disease, stroke, headaches, liver cirrhosis, psoriasis, and hepatic carcinoma. There are 27 species of Tabaninae (Tabanidae) used as medicine, and they showed high morphological similarities with those for which medicinal properties have not been reported. Nonetheless, there have been reports suggesting that medicinal crude drugs sometimes contain irrelevant or false species, impacting the drug's efficacy. In this current study, we collected 14 batches, totaling 13,528 individuals, from various provinces in China. Instead of “classic” DNA barcoding strategy, we employed a high-throughput metabarcoding approach to assess the biological composition of crude drug mixtures derived from horseflies. Our analysis identified 40 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) with similarity percentages ranging from 92% to 100% with 12 previously reported species. Species delimitation methods revealed the presence of 11 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs), with ten belonging to the Tabanus genus and one to Hybomitra. Tabanus sp6 displayed the highest relative abundance, and its ASVs showed close resemblance to Tabanus pleski. Our investigations revealed that the medicinal batches were biologically composed of 6 to 12 species. Some batches contained ASVs that closely resembled species previously associated with false Tabanus species. In conclusion, our findings offer valuable insights into the biological composition of crude drugs derived from horseflies and have the potential to enhance the quality of these traditional medicines.

Influence of the industrial pollutant on water quality, radioactivity levels, and biological communities in Ismailia Canal, Nile River, Egypt

In the twenty-first century, numerous forms of pollution have adversely impacted freshwater and the entire aquatic ecosystem. The higher population density in urban areas also contributes to increased releases of substances and thermal contaminants, significantly stressing the ecosystem of industrial companies. This study aimed to assess the potential pressure of industrial and municipal activities on water quality, radioactivity levels, and biological diversity, focusing on the consequences of radionuclides on periphytic diatom communities. Furthermore, the environmental impact of pollutants will be evaluated to monitor the ecological condition of the Ismailia Canal. Chemical analyses employed various instruments and methods to identify and quantify matter, with radionuclide elements measured by gamma spectrometry and diatoms counted and identified by inverted microscopy. Our results revealed that the canal was classified as excellent for irrigation, aquatic life, and drinking water based on FAO, CCME, and EWQS water quality indices, with high nutrient levels at Abu Za’baal fertilizer company. The activity concentration of 226Ra-series, 232Th-series, and 40K in the water and sediment samples for two seasons was within the guideline values, except for a few stations in the zone [B] (the industrial zone). Fertilizer samples (raw material) showed a high value of the 226Ra-series activity. Diatom community structure significantly varied across the different canal locations regarding the presence or absence of industrial activities, with no discernible variations between the study seasons. A specific variety of algal species was found to be predominant at the highest radioactive sites. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed a significant correlation between parameters (pH, Na, TDS, PO4, SO4, SiO2, K, and CO3), radionuclides, environmental conditions, and the composition of the diatom community, especially in the area affected by industrial discharges. Moreover, the radiological hazard index in water and sediment remained below the maximum for two seasons. This research provides valuable data and information for communities and decision-makers, suggesting the strategic use of phycoremediation as a water biotreatment process to protect the valuable economic resources of the Ismailia Canal.

Cryopreservation techniques in genipap and mangaba: challengers and perspectives

The genipap (Genipa americana L.) is a native species of Brazil, found in various regions of the country, from the North to the South, including Sergipe. On the other hand, the mangabeira (Hancornia speciosa Gomes), another Brazilian tropical plant, is recognized for its fruits rich in iron and vitamin C, widely exploited by the pulp, juice, and ice cream industry. However, it faces threats due to urban development in the coastal region. To preserve these species, techniques such as cryopreservation are fundamental. This approach, which maintains plant tissues at ultra-low temperatures, allows the conservation of genetic material indefinitely, contributing to the maintenance of biological diversity. Encapsulation technology, which involves enclosing plant material in a specific matrix, is also promising in this context, offering a long-term preservation method for plant explants and embryos. These methods represent significant advances in the field of plant species conservation, providing effective strategies to ensure the survival of these plants in the face of environmental challenges and human development. The objective of this review is to address some studies involving cryopreservation techniques for genipap and mangaba species. Through cryopreservation techniques, we can achieve ex situ conservation for the germplasm bank as well as for plant regeneration and reforestation of areas. It is evident that there is a need to increase studies on the conservation of both species.

Sustainability of Artemisia umbelliformis gathering in the wild: An integration of ecological conditions and harvesting exposure

Harvesting of wild plants is a traditional practice that is sustainable if the plant populations reproduce and persist. The génépi, Artemisia umbelliformis, occurs on crests and summits in the Alps, and is harvested mainly by amateurs. However, little is known about the ecology of this species and the practice of harvesting has received little scientific attention. Here we assess the sustainability of génépi harvesting through an integrative approach combining: (1) the quantification of spatial ecological variation across the distribution of A. umbelliformis in the southern Alps and (2) the examination of the social-ecological parameters that modulate the intensity of harvesting practices. We showed that topographic roughness is important for the presence of the species at a 25‑m resolution, while its cover at a 1‑m resolution is mainly influenced by space availability (with a fine‑grained stony substrate and limited vegetal cover). Our results show how the amateur activity of harvesting depends on resource availability, sitehiking attractiveness, and to a lesser extent the accessibility of the harvesting site. More precisely, harvesting intensity is more closely correlated with resource availability at the landscape scale than at the harvesting site scale, with a stronger importance of plant density in a large zone (500 m and 1 km buffers) than local density in a given site. Finally, we map both the potential ecological sensitivity of A. umbelliformis and its exposure to harvesting to produce an integrated ecological risk assessment for the conservation of this species. This study illustrates how the concept of the niche can be more precisely recognised by integrating both human and ecological dimensions, particularly when dealing with the sustainability of wild plant harvesting.

A 14-gene B-cell immune signature in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): a pooled analysis of seven studies

BackgroundEarly-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) displays clinical and biological diversity. From a biological standpoint, immune infiltration plays a crucial role in TNBC prognosis. Currently, there is a lack of genomic tools aiding in treatment decisions for TNBC. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a B-cell/immunoglobulin signature (IGG) alone, or in combination with tumor burden, in predicting prognosis and treatment response in patients with TNBC. MethodsGenomic and clinical data were retrieved from 7 cohorts: SCAN-B (N=874), BrighTNess (n=482), CALGB-40603 (n=389), METABRIC (n=267), TCGA (n=118), GSE58812 (n=107), GSE21653 (n=67). IGG and a risk score integrating IGG with tumor/nodal staging (IGG-Clin) were assessed for event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in each cohort. Random effects model was used to derive pooled effect sizes. Association of IGG with pathological complete response (pCR) was assessed in CALGB-40603 and BrighTNess. Immune significance of IGG was estimated through CIBERSORTx and EcoTyper. ResultsIGG was associated with improved EFS (pooled HR=0⸳77, [95% CI=0⸳70-0⸳85], I2=18%) and OS (pooled HR=0⸳79, [0⸳73-0⸳85], I2=0%) across cohorts, and was predictive of pCR in CALGB-40603 (OR 1⸳25, [1⸳10-1⸳50]) and BrighTNess (OR 1⸳57 [1⸳25-1⸳98]). IGG-Clin was predictive of recurrence (pooled HR=2⸳11, [1⸳75-2⸳55], I2=0%) and death (pooled HR=1⸳99, 95% [0.84-4⸳73], I2=79%) across cohorts. IGG was associated with adaptive immune response at CIBERSORTx and EcoTyper analysis. InterpretationIGG is linked to improved prognosis and pCR in early-stage TNBC. The integration of IGG alongside tumor and nodal staging holds promise as an approach to identify patients benefitting from intensified or de-intensified treatments.Funding: this study received funding from: European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation and Marie Skłodowska–Curie Actions programs, Fundación CRIS contra el cáncer, Agència de Gestó d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Fundación Fero, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Asociación Cáncer de Mama Metastásico IV, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, RESCUER, Fundación científica AECC and FSEOM.

Ganoderma lucidum-Derived Meroterpenoids Show Anti-Inflammatory Activity In Vitro.

Ganoderma lucidum, known as the "herb of spiritual potency", is used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases, but the responsible constituents for its therapeutic effects are largely unknown. For the purpose of obtaining insight into the chemical and biological profiling of meroterpenoids in G. lucidum, various chromatographic approaches were utilized for the title fungus. As a result, six undescribed meroterpenoids, chizhienes A-F (1-6), containing two pairs of enantiomers (4 and 5), were isolated. Their structures were identified using spectroscopic and computational methods. In addition, the anti-inflammatory activities of all the isolates were evaluated by Western blot analysis in LPS-induced macrophage cells (RAW264.7), showing that 1 and 3 could dose dependently inhibit iNOS but not COX-2 expression. Further, 1 and 3 were found to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production using the Greiss reagent test. The current study will aid in enriching the structural and biological diversity of Ganoderma-derived meroterpenoids.