Ecoregions Research Articles

Widespread introduced species dominate the urban tree assemblage on the endemic-rich tropical island of São Tomé.

The Afrotropics are experiencing some of the fastest urbanisation rates on the planet but the impact of city growth on their rich and unique biodiversity remains understudied, especially compared to natural baselines. Little is also known about how introduced species influence β-diversity in these contexts, and how patterns coincide with native ranges of species. Here we investigated how tree assemblages of the endemic-rich Afrotropical island of São Tomé differed between urban, rural and natural zones. These were primarily characterised by urban greenspaces, shade plantations, and old-growth forests, respectively. Based on 81 transects, we assessed biodiversity metrics of endemic, native and introduced species. Tree abundance and species richness were highest in the natural zone, where the composition was most different from the urban zone. The tree community of the rural zone was the most uneven and had the least variation among transects, representing the lowest β-diversity. The urban zone was dominated by introduced species (57.7%), while the natural zone hosted almost exclusively native species (93.3%), including many endemics (26.1%). The biogeographic realms that species originated from were particularly diverse in the urban zone, with few species from the Afrotropics. In contrast to native and endemic trees, introduced trees were clearly associated with urban and rural expansion, as they were much more abundant and species-rich in these zones than in the natural zone, facilitating biotic homogenisation. These findings highlight how urban and rural environments are affecting the native tree flora of São Tomé, and the need for conservation measures geared towards globally threatened and endemic tree species. Importantly, these require the protection of natural forests, despite the rising land demands for settlements and agriculture. Ultimately, such action to conserve endemic trees will contribute to global efforts to prevent further biodiversity declines.

Genomics of Terpene Biosynthesis in Dictyoceratid Sponges (Porifera) - What Do We (Not) Know?

Sponges are recognized as promising sources for novel bioactive metabolites. Among them are terpenoid metabolites that constitute key biochemical defense mechanisms in several sponge taxa. Despite their significance, the genetic basis for terpenoid biosynthesis in sponges remains poorly understood. Dictyoceratida comprise demosponges well-known for their bioactive terpenoids. In this study, we explored the currently available genomic data for insights into the metabolic pathways of dictyoceratid terpenoids. We first identified prenyltransferase (PT) and terpene cyclase (TC) enzymes essential for the terpenoid biosynthetic processes in the terrestrial realm by analyzing available transcriptomic and genomic data of Dictyoceratida sponges and 10 other sponge species. All Dictyoceratida sponges displayed various PTs involved in either sesqui- or diterpene, steroid and carotenoid production. Additionally, it was possible to identify a potential candidate for a dictyoceratid sesterterpene PT. However, analogs of common terrestrial TCs were absent, suggesting the existence of a distinct or convergently evolved sponge-specific TC. Our study aims to contribute to the foundational understanding of terpene biosynthesis in sponges, unveiling the currently evident genetic components for terpenoid production in species not previously studied. Simultaneously, it aims to identify the known and unknown factors, as a starting point for biochemical and genetic investigations in sponge terpenoid production.

Typical earthworm assemblages of European ecosystem types

AbstractFor nature conservation and planning, terrestrial ecosystems are commonly classified based on their plant communities. Although soils are fundamental to ecosystem functioning, ecosystem classifications based on soil organisms are rare, and it is poorly understood whether their assemblage compositions follow existing classification schemes. We examined whether commonly used ecosystem types capture variation in earthworm (Lumbricidae) assemblages—a crucial biotic component of soil ecosystems. To this end, we created four ecosystem classifications by combining large‐scale climatic classifications (Biogeographic Regions [BGR] and Holdridge Life Zones [HLZ]) with small‐scale land cover classifications (CORINE Land Cover [CLC] and European Nature Information System [EUNIS]). European earthworm assemblage data from the sWORM and Edaphobase databases were analysed for variation in composition within and among ecosystem types, using Permutational Analysis of Variance and Analysis of Similarities. Additionally, we used Typical Species Analysis to establish typical earthworm assemblages (TAs) for each ecosystem type. Ecosystem classifications using the BGR explained more variance than HLZ, but HLZ showed a higher separation of assemblages between ecosystem types. The differentiation between Atlantic and Continental climates in the BGR could explain the superiority over the HLZ, which had only one category for the cool temperate zone of our study region. The typical assemblages contained on average six species, with some habitat generalists present in most. This study shows that combinations of ecosystem properties from different spatial scales can be used to distinguish between earthworm assemblages at the European level. However, earthworm assemblages across Europe were highly similar due to low species richness and the dominance of a few widespread species. This limits the possibility of applying TAs on large spatial scales, for example, for environmental monitoring. We suggest that future studies should explore the use of more species‐rich groups of soil organisms to characterize ecosystem types.

Divergent Responses of Fir and Pine Trees to Increasing CO2 Levels in the Face of Climate Change

AbstractUnderstanding the response of forests to the increases in atmospheric CO2 (ca) is fundamental to implementing innovative management strategies and for assessing impacts on the global carbon and water cycles. Here, we explored correlations between ecophysiological traits and climate variability that influence changes in stable isotope carbon and oxygen (δ13C and δ18O) of tree‐rings. We present these relationships between species of the contrasting genera Abies and Pinus, along a latitudinal transect encompassing different biogeographical regions in North America. We also tested if the rate of intrinsic water‐use efficiency per unit of ca (dW/dca) during two periods (1890–1965 vs. 1966–2016), for fir and pine were different and indicated acclimation to ca increases. We hypothesize that, spatially and temporally, the divergent responses among species to carbon and oxygen isotopes and dW/dca are influenced by the site conditions and the historical increases in ca. From our results, we show that fir and pine species will behave physiologically different as global warming progresses. Firs are more responsive to atmosphere vapor pressure deficit along different geographical zones. The survival of forests species under climate change will rely on the response to water stress and species' traits that influence the regulation of dW. Finally, we want to highlight the concept of “progressive resource limitation” of soil water and nutrients, previously proposed by other authors, that likely indicate fir species that inhabit moister sites will benefit more from increased ca than pine, but this positive effect is likely transitory as global warming increases.

Machine Learning-Based Remote Sensing Inversion of Non-Photosynthetic/Photosynthetic Vegetation Coverage in Desertified Areas and Its Response to Drought Analysis

Determining the responses of non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV) and photosynthetic vegetation (PV) communities to climate change is crucial in illustrating the sensitivity and sustainability of these ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of inverting NPV and PV using Landsat imagery with random forest (RF), backpropagation neural network (BPNN), and fully connected neural network (FCNN) models. Additionally, we inverted MODIS NPV and PV time-series data using spectral unmixing. Based on this, we analyzed the responses of NPV and PV to precipitation and drought across different ecological regions. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) In NPV remote sensing inversion, the softmax activation function demonstrates greater advantages over the ReLU activation function. Specifically, the use of the softmax function results in an approximate increase of 0.35 in the R2 value. (2) Compared with a five-layer FCNN with 128 neurons and a three-layer BPNN with 12 neurons, a random forest model with over 50 trees and 5 leaf nodes provides better inversion results for NPV and PV (R2_RF-NPV = 0.843, R2_RF-PV = 0.861). (3) Long-term drought or heavy rainfall events can affect the utilization of precipitation by NPV and PV. There is a high correlation between extreme precipitation events following prolonged drought and an increase in PV coverage. (4) Under long-term drought conditions, the vegetation in the study area responded to precipitation during the last winter and growing season. This study provides an illustration of the response of semi-arid ecosystems to drought and wetting events, thereby offering a data basis for the effect evaluation of afforestation projects.

「부론강」에 나타난 장소성 구축과 로컬 정체성 연구

Labor writer Lee In-hwi’s ‘Buron River’ clearly reveals ‘Buron-ness’ through the journey of the space called ‘Buron’ becoming a place from a minority anti-capitalist, other-oriented perspective. In the Anthropocene, where locality is highlighted and reflection on human-centered and human exceptional thinking is required, this novel moves away from people-centered and focuses on communication and response with nature such as trees, rivers, and land, and the meaning of historical figures and relics/remains between humans and humans. It presents an inhumane turn while providing equal and fair consideration and placement. Buron-myeon, Wonju-si, where the writer from Seoul happened to settle, is a place where self-care and wound healing are realized, and it contains topographical and historical significance with the characteristics of motherhood and inclusiveness of the Namhan River, Seom River, Chiaksan Mountain, Baekunsan Mountain, and Mireuksan Mountain. ‘Dream Seekers’, a bar and active community created by people from outside, is a place where self-sufficiency through communal farming, samulnori, caring for others, and local culture take place.Those who want to reflect on the use of land, which was a means of human profit, and escape from capitalism, overcome their wounds and open their hearts in Buron. The setting of a community made up of outsiders and strangers rather than natives or locals allows us to escape from the limitations of regional bias and a sense of home that is overly romanticized and portrayed only as beautiful and positive. In the Buron area, love of place and love of life are expressed through physical harmony with nature, such as thousand-year-old zelkova trees, a river that embraces and allows infinitely, and an abandoned temple site with solitude and mystery. In the literary representation of the Buron region, humans, Nature and history are arranged fairly and balancedly. “Buron River,” in which space is specifically transformed into a place, is evaluated as a very unique and original regional ecology (life) novel that highlights the identity of Buron, Wonju City, clearly and clearly enough to become a model.

Investigating the Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Land Cover and Ecosystem Service Value in the Kuye River Basin

Land cover change influences the provision of regional ecosystem services, posing a threat to regional ecological security and sustainable development. The Kuye River Basin, a vital tributary of the Yellow River Basin, has experienced significant land cover changes due to intense human activity. Building on analysing the spatiotemporal evolution of land use cover and ecosystem service values from 1990 to 2022, this study predicted the land cover structure and ecosystem service value with two future scenarios, the NDC and the EPC, to provide insights into guiding sustainable policy interventions. We found the predominant land cover types were greensward and forest land, accounting for 67.22% of the total area. Forest land, greensward, and farmland have increased, while desert, water area, and other land types have decreased from 1990 to 2022. Forest land, greensward, farmland, and water areas are the main contributors to ecosystem service value in the Kuye River Basin. However, water area services have significantly decreased from 1990 to 2022. Under the NDC scenario, land development primarily relies on greensward and farmland, reducing forest and water areas and weakening the ecosystem’s regulatory and supporting functions. In contrast, the EPC scenario enhances ecosystem services by protecting critical ecological regions. Ecological protection measures significantly increase the ecosystem service values of the Kuye River Basin, and well-planned land use can effectively balance economic development with ecological preservation. This study provides scientific evidence to inform policies integrating ecological protection and economic growth, contributing to the sustainable development of the Kuye River Basin.

Predicting population-level impacts of projected climate heating on a temperate freshwater fish.

Climate heating has the potential to drive changes in ecosystems at multiple levels of biological organization. Temperature directly affects the inherent physiology of plants and animals, resulting in changes in rates of photosynthesis and respiration, and trophic interactions. Predicting temperature-dependent changes in physiological and trophic processes, however, is challenging because environmental conditions and ecosystem structure vary across biogeographical regions of the globe. To realistically predict the effects of projected climate heating on wildlife populations, mechanistic tools are required to incorporate the inherent physiological effects of temperature changes, as well as the associated effects on food availability within and across comparable ecosystems. Here we applied an agent-based bioenergetics model to explore the combined effects of projected temperature increases for 2100 (1.4, 2.7, and 4.4°C), and associated changes in prey availability, on three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations representing latitudes 50, 55, and 60°N. Our results showed a decline in population density after a simulated 1.4°C temperature increase at 50°N. In all other modeled scenarios there was an increase (inflation) in population density and biomass (per unit area) with climate heating, and this inflation increased with increasing latitude. We conclude that agent-based bioenergetics models are valuable tools in discerning the impacts of climate change on wild fish populations, which play important roles in aquatic food webs.

Exploring Trade-Offs and Synergies in Social–Ecological System Services across Ecological Engineering Impact Regions: Insights from South China Karst

Karst ecosystems have become complex social–ecological systems (SESs) as a result of the interventions of large-scale ecological restoration programs, and the ecosystem services (ESs) that provide regional well-being can, to some extent, be described as social–ecological system services (S–ESs). Understanding the relationships among multiple S–ESs and exploring their drivers are essential for effective ecological management in karst areas, especially in regions differently affected by ecological engineering programs. Taking South China Karst (SCK) as a study area, we first identified two regions as comparative boundaries, namely significant engineering impact regions (SEERs) and non-significant ecological engineering impact regions (NEERs). Then we used ES assessment models, Spearman correlation, and optimal parameter geographic detector to identify the supply capacity, trade-offs/synergies, and their drivers of six types of S–ESs in SEERs and NEERs. The findings included: (1) SEERs were predominantly concentrated in the central and southern SCK regions, accounting for 33.98% of the total SCK area, with the most concentrated distribution observed in Guizhou and Guangxi. (2) Within the entire SCK, six S–ESs maintained a relatively stable spatial distribution pattern over time, with the most pronounced increase in soil conservation and a slight decrease in water retention, and the S–ES hotspots were more concentrated within the SEERs. (3) Most S–ES pairs within SEERs were optimized synergistically, with lower trade-off intensity and higher synergy intensity compared to NEERs. (4) S–ES pairs were affected by the interactions between the natural and socio-economic factors, with land use changes playing a crucial role, and natural factors were difficult to predict but cannot be ignored. Based on the results, we propose different SES sustainable development suggestions, with a view to providing theoretical support for the optimization of SES functions and the consolidating of integrated ecological construction.

Mycobiota of the planned protected area Nyuk Lake (Republic of Karelia, Russia)

The article reports the results of macrofungi surveys in the planned protected area Lake Nyuk (pPA), situated in the north-west of the Republic of Karelia. The forests there are primarily north-boreal pine stands with pine trees aged 170—250 years at maximum. As of now, records from the pPA include 183 species of 114 genera of aphyllophoroid and agaricoid fungi. The annotation for each species specifies their habitats and occurrence. Seven species are reported for the biogeographical province Karelia pomorica occidentalis for the first time; of which two species, Hydnellum gracilipes and Tubulicrinis medius, are first records for the Republic of Karelia. The territory was found to harbor nine fungal species (Anthoporia albobrunnea, Diplomitoporus crustulinus, Flavidoporia mellita, Gloeophyllum protractum, Resinoporia crassa, Rhodonia placenta, Sidera lenis, Skeletocutis sajanensis, S. stellae) red-listed in the Republic of Karelia (2020). Locations of 13 indicator species and 16 specialist species of biologically valuable forests are known within the pPA. The findings are validated by the herbarium specimens stored at the Karelian Research Centre RAS Herbarium (PTZ) and Botanical Museum of the University of Helsinki (H). The rationale for establishing a nature conservation area in the territory is provided.

A New Species of Creptotrematina (Trematoda: Allocreadiidae) from the Red Minor Tetra, Hyphessobrycon eques (Steindachner, 1882) (Characidae) from Brazil, with Comments on the Genetic Divergence of C. Aguirrepequenoi Jiménez-Guzmán, 1973 across a Wide Geographical Range in Middle America.

Allocreadiids are relatively small digeneans that appear to be restricted to freshwater systems distributed across the world. Allocreadiids are highly diverse in the Americas, particularly in the Neotropical biogeographical region. Their taxonomic history has been rather controversial, with several taxonomic reassessments and the description of new genera and species. We sampled Creptotrematina specimens from a characid collected in the Pardo River, Paranapanema River basin in Brazil, and specimens of C. aguirrepequenoi, from Astyanax spp. in several localities between northern Mexico and Costa Rica. The specimens were studied through integrative approaches using morphological and molecular analyses of the 28S rDNA gene and two different regions of the COI mtDNA gene. We describe a new species of Creptotrematina which is differentiated from other congeners by the overall body size, but in particular by the size and position of the cirrus-sac, distribution of the vitelline follicles, and extension of uterine loops in the posterior end of body. Phylogenetic analyses of the 28S rDNA and COI mtDNA genes placed the new species in a monophyletic clade together with all other sequenced species of Creptotrematina, and as a sister species of C. batalhensis. Genetic divergences between the new species and other Creptotrematina spp. varied from 1.1 to 1.2% for the 28S rDNA and 12.4-14.3% for the COI mtDNA. Phylogenetic analysis based on COI mtDNA showed the isolates of C. aguirrepequenoi grouped in four monophyletic clades representing populations geographically separated along a wide geographical range spanning between northern Mexico and Costa Rica, with an estimated genetic divergence between 3.9% and 8.9%. Our findings based on integrative analyses recognize Creptotrematina saltograndensis n. sp. from a characid collected in the Pardo River, Paranapanema River basin in Brazil and provide validation of the wide geographical distribution of C. aguirrepequenoi across Middle-America parasitizing Astyanax spp.; the genetic divergence of the species through the analysis of two regions of COI mtDNA points towards considering it represent a species complex, although we refrain at the moment on describing a new species, awaiting for further verification using other molecular markers, and obtaining fresh material for a more detailed taxonomic analyses. This study increases the known diversity of allocreadiids and contributes to the understanding of evolutionary relationships, host-parasite relationships, and biogeographic history of the group.

The influence of environment on invasive Carpobrotus sp. populations across genetic clusters

The study aims to explore the natural variation in the metabolome of different populations of the invasive plant Carpobrotus from different genetic clusters and geographical origins to enhance our comprehension of its involvement in the adaptation process and phenotypic diversity. The metabolomic profile of shoots was analysed in four populations from two different genetic clusters (Cluster A: Cádiz and A Lanzada; Cluster B: La Marina and Samil) and two different biogeographical regions in Spain (Atlantic: Samil and A Lanzada; Mediterranean: Cádiz and La Marina), collected in the field and subsequently grown in the greenhouse. In addition, climatic, and physiological parameters were analysed. The Mediterranean populations (Cádiz and La Marina) showed lower initial weight and length measurements in morphological parameters than the Atlantic populations. On the contrary, only root parameters showed significant differences in growth parameters among populations. The analysis of ion levels revealed a consistent pattern of higher concentrations in shoots compared to roots, with significant differences among populations, particularly in sodium (Na+) and chlorides (Cl−) levels. Regarding metabolomic analysis, clear correlations between the metabolome, genetic and climatic conditions of Carpobrotus sp.pl populations are described. Pairwise comparisons using t-tests and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that the differences in metabolomic profile between the Samil and La Marina populations, which correspond to the same genetic cluster (cluster B), were smaller than in the rest of the comparisons indicating that populations from the same genetic cluster were more similar metabolically than those from the same climatic region. The study identified key metabolites representative of each cluster, with significant differences in amino acids, organic acids, and sugars contributing to the variation among populations. Pathway analysis highlighted the impact of climatic conditions on metabolic pathways, particularly in populations from Cluster A. In conclusion, the different populations were more similar according to the genetic cluster than to the climatic region of origin when studied at the metabolomic level. Consequently, the metabolites more representative of each cluster were also identified.

New Species and New Records of Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from the Neotropical schulzi Species Group

The genus Strumigenys is the third most diverse among ants, having been reviewed globally. Despite this comprehensive review, new species are frequently discovered in most biogeographic regions. Here, we describe two new species, Strumigenys itannae sp. nov. and Strumigenys xoko sp. nov., based on material collected in the Amazon and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Additionally, new records for S. castanea, S. metrix, and S. orchibia are provided, expanding the known distribution of these species. We discuss morphological variation in S. schulzi and provide biological notes that indicate some species within the schulzi group are arboreal inhabitants. We provided an identification key for the newly described species as an amendment to the identification key for the Neotropical Strumigenys.

Unveiling Colombia's medicinal Cannabis sativa treasure trove: Phenotypic and Chemotypic diversity in legal cultivation.

Cannabis sativa is a highly versatile plant with a long history of cultivation and domestication. It produces multiple compounds that exert distinct and valuable therapeutic effects by modulating diverse biological systems, including the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Access to standardized, metabolically diverse, and reproducible C. sativa chemotypes and chemovars is essential for physicians to optimize individualized patient treatment and for industries to conduct drug-discovery campaigns. This study aimed to characterize and assess the phytochemical diversity of C. sativa chemotypes in diverse ecological regions of Colombia, South America. Ten cannabinoids and 23 terpenes were measured using liquid and gas chromatography, in addition to other phenotypic traits, in 156 C. sativa plants that were grown in diverse ecological regions in Colombia, a hotspot for global biodiversity. Our results reveal significant phytochemical diversity in Colombian-grown C. sativa plants, with four distinct chemotypes based on cannabinoid profile. The significant amount of usually uncommon terpenes suggests that Colombia's environments may have unique capabilities that allow the plant to express these compounds. Colombia's diverse climates offer enormous cultivation potential, making it a key player in both domestic and international medicinal and recreational C. sativa trade. These findings underscore Colombia's capacity to pioneer global C. sativa production diversification, particularly in South America with new emerging markets.

Intra-annual variations and determinants of canopy layer urban heat island in China using remotely sensed air temperature and apparent temperature

Canopy layer urban heat island (CLUHI) is closely related to about 4.7 billion urban residents’ well-being. Compared with sparse observation stations, remote sensing can obtain spatially continuous temperature, which is conducive to intra-annual variation and associated factors of CLUHI over large regions. Such research is scarce, especially from apparent temperature perspective. Thus, the intra-annual spatio-temporal variations and twelve determinants of CLUHI intensities (CLUHIIs) were investigated for 917 urban region agglomerations in China’s five ecological regions, using remotely sensed near-surface air temperature, apparent temperature and other multi-source data, and several spatial analysis and mathematical statistic methods. The findings revealed that annual CLUHIIs by mean temperatures were most between 0.5 and 1.0 ℃, higher in the summer and spring, and larger in North China than South China in the summer. The annual CLUHIIs by maximum temperatures were negative in several cities, especially in rainless West China. North China generally had stronger CLUHIIs by minimum temperatures in all seasons compared to South China. The CLUHIIs by mean apparent temperatures were larger in the summer (most between 0.5 and 2.0 ℃) and varied across ecological regions. Significant positive correlations generally existed among CLUHIIs by various air temperature and land surface temperature indices (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, obvious differences existed among them. The CLUHII was significantly negatively partially correlated with total precipitation, urban–rural difference in enhanced vegetation index and albedo, positive with urban–rural difference in nighttime light intensity, population density, sulfur dioxide concentration, insignificant with total population, urban area size and landscape shape index in different degree. These findings provided valuable insights into CLUHI research.

North Atlantic deep-sea benthic biodiversity unveiled through sponge natural sampler DNA

The deep-sea remains the biggest challenge to biodiversity exploration, and anthropogenic disturbances extend well into this realm, calling for urgent management strategies. One of the most diverse, productive, and vulnerable ecosystems in the deep sea are sponge grounds. Currently, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is revolutionising the field of biodiversity monitoring, yet complex deep-sea benthic ecosystems remain challenging to assess even with these novel technologies. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of whole-community metabarcoding to characterise metazoan diversity in sponge grounds across the North Atlantic by leveraging the natural eDNA sampling properties of deep-sea sponges themselves. We sampled 97 sponge tissues from four species across four North-Atlantic biogeographic regions in the deep sea and screened them using the universal COI barcode region. We recovered unprecedented levels of taxonomic diversity per unit effort, especially across the phyla Chordata, Cnidaria, Echinodermata and Porifera, with at least 406 metazoan species found in our study area. These assemblages identify strong spatial patterns in relation to both latitude and depth, and detect emblematic species currently employed as indicators for these vulnerable habitats. The remarkable performance of this approach in different species of sponges, in different biogeographic regions and across the whole animal kingdom, illustrates the vast potential of natural samplers as high-resolution biomonitoring solutions for highly diverse and vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems.

In situ occurrence and conservation of Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima ((L.) Arcangeli) in Italy

IntroductionCrop Wild Relatives (CWR) have great socioeconomic importance for humans harbouring a broad spectrum of diversity and being important elements of different habitats. Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima ((L.) Arcangeli), also known as sea beet, is an important CWR of cultivated beets (GP-1). The high adaptability of this taxon to different environmental conditions, as well as its tolerance/resistance to different biotic and abiotic stresses, makes it a vital source for sugar beet improvement. Aim of this work was to analyse the in situ and ex situ status of sea beet population conservation in Italy, so as to guide protection activities and new collecting missions.MethodsGeographical distribution data of populations were that occur in the wild and conserved in genebanks were assembled from different databases and submitted to data quality control. Distribution, habitat characterization, land cover and use of the involved sites were then evaluated to provide insight into the current condition of areas hosting this CWR diversity. The presence of populations within vs. outside Italian protected areas was also evaluated. A density analysis of the records was performed and the adequateness of sea beet ex situ conservation, in terms of number of conserved accessions, was finally estimated.ResultsA collection of 138 B. vulgaris subsp. maritima high quality georeferenced records were obtained, mainly distributed into Mediterranean Biogeographic Region. About 22% of the considered populations occurs in protected sites of the Natura 2000 Network, while about 15% in areas recorded in the Official list of protected natural areas (EUAP). Occurrences within protected areas are founded primarily in natural environments, whereas those outside are mainly located in urban and cultivated areas. The comparison of distribution and density analysis results revealed the presence of several gaps between sites hosting in situ populations and sites where ex situ conserved accessions were originally collected.DiscussionHere presented data indicates that the protection status for sea beet in Italy can be considered only partially adequate; more proactive protection measures should be foreseen to increase the role of protected areas in safeguarding in situ conservation. “Out of reserve management” for populations outside protected areas should also be developed, as well as new collecting missions carried out.

Exploring the association between school greenness and academic performance across diverse ecological regions

Exploring the association between school greenness and academic performance across diverse ecological regions

Spatial-temporal response of the regional ecological quality to urban settlement development

ABSTRACT Based on the objective evaluation of the regional ecological quality (Urban Cluster in Mid-inner Zhejiang) by Remote Sensing based Ecological Index (RSEI), it was proposed to study the spatial-temporal response of the regional ecological quality to the urban built-up areas, impervious surface, land use and “production-living-ecological” space under urban settlement change to quantitatively describe the mechanism of human activities’ influence on the regional ecology. The results showed that: (1) From 1985 to 2020, the RSEI of the Urban Cluster in Mid-inner Zhejiang was above 0.50 as a whole, showing a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with a slight decrease in some parts. (2) From the perspective of the urban built-up areas, it was dominated by ecological level 2–3, gradually changing from ecological level 3 to ecological level 2. (3) From the perspective of the impervious surface, it was dominated by ecological level 2–3, accounting for more than 75.00% of the total study area. (4) From the perspective of land use, the cropland, forestland, water and construction land were mainly ecological level 2–4, 3–4, 3–4 and 2–3. (5) From the perspective of “production-living-ecological” space, production space, ecological space and living space were dominated by ecological level 3, 3–4 and 2–3. The results can deepen the understanding of the impact of urban settlement development on the regional ecological quality, avoid the unbalanced situation of blindly pursuing socio-economic development while ignoring the ecological environment, which scientifically helps the sustainable construction and high-quality development of the Urban Cluster in Mid-inner Zhejiang.

Distinct Genes with Similar Functions Underlie Convergent Evolution in Myotis Bat Ecomorphs.

Convergence offers an opportunity to explore to what extent evolution can be predictable when genomic composition and environmental triggers are similar. Here, we present an emergent model system to study convergent evolution in nature in a mammalian group, the bat genus Myotis. Three foraging strategies-gleaning, trawling, and aerial hawking, each characterized by different sets of phenotypic features-have evolved independently multiple times in different biogeographic regions in isolation for millions of years. To investigate the genomic basis of convergence and explore the functional genomic changes linked to ecomorphological convergence, we sequenced and annotated 17 new genomes and screened 16,426 genes for positive selection and associations between relative evolutionary rates and foraging strategies across 30 bat species representing all Myotis ecomorphs across geographic regions as well as among sister groups. We identify genomic changes that describe both phylogenetic and ecomorphological trends. We infer that colonization of new environments may have first required changes in genes linked to hearing sensory perception, followed by changes linked to fecundity and development, metabolism of carbohydrates, and heme degradation. These changes may be linked to prey acquisition and digestion and match phylogenetic trends. Our findings also suggest that the repeated evolution of ecomorphs does not always involve changes in the same genes but rather in genes with the same molecular functions such as developmental and cellular processes.