Woody species diversity and structure across natural forest coffee, semi-forest coffee, and homegarden coffee in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwest Ethiopia

Neurobiological effects assessment in wild rodents exposed to mercury in Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Querétaro, Mexico.

Use of Mineral Blocks by Terrestrial Mammals in the Inobong Substation of the Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve: A Preliminary Assessment

With a rapidly expanding population of people in Africa, the demand for food is predicted to increase, with a need for higher environmental sustainability. As such, meeting food consumption needs while continuing on track to limit global warming below 1.5°C and reverse biodiversity loss is referred to as the Food-Climate-Biodiversity challenges posed by the Anthropocene era. The nexus Food-Climate-Biodiversity is complex and interconnected, and solving it requires bridging diverse sources of experience and knowledge. Using the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve that extends across the Togo and the Benin Republic boundary as a case study, this paper explores the future of such a nexus from the perspective of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities based on their cultural and local knowledge. We conducted six focus group discussions with 57 participants from six villages located in the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve between February and April 2024. The study explored experiences and perceptions of the Food-Climate-Biodiversity nexus, the benefits and possible threats impacting it, the role played by Indigenous and Local Knowledge, and the perceived future. Findings demonstrated that despite the foregoing functional importance of mangrove ecosystems, they are disappearing rapidly due to anthropogenic actions, and their future in supporting sustainable food production, regulating drastic weather patterns, and conserving key biodiversity species is full of uncertainties. This study stressed the need to reintegrate Indigenous and Local Knowledge in conservation practices in order to change the current trajectory of the nexus Food Climate Biodiversity.

Słowiński National Park is one of the 23 national parks in Poland and one of the two situated on the Baltic Coast in the country. It was established in 1967 to protect the most valuable ecosystems: coastal lakes, marshes, peat bogs, meadows, forests, and, above all, the dune belt of the Łebska Spit with its unique moving dunes. We aimed to 1. determine the species diversity and structure of thrips assemblages in the most important biotopes of the Park; 2. determine the geographical distribution and food preferences of thrips species; and 3. determine which environmental factors influence the diversity of insect assemblages and which thrips species distinguish these assemblages. The method used in the quantitative research was based on the use of a scoop method; it was supplemented by qualitative research (shaking branches of trees and searching for insects on their host plants). The studies were carried out in 1991 and 1999-2001 in fourteen plant associations. A total of 90 thrips species (nearly 40% of the Polish fauna) were recorded, including 71 in quantitative and 74 in qualitative samples. The study also revealed a significant correlation between the thrips assemblage composition and the following environmental factors: soil moisture, light intensity, general nutrient availability, and soil salinity. In addition, the thrips species with the most significant impact on assemblage composition were identified. The relatively high number of species found, including Taeniothrips zurstrassenii Zawirska, a species new to science, and others rarely recorded in Poland, highlights the value of the SNP habitat diversity in maintaining high Thysanoptera diversity.

Juquitiba virus (JUQV) is endemic in Oligoryzomys nigripes across several South American countries and causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome when transmitted to humans via infectious saliva or excreta. We developed a next-generation sequencing (NGS) pipeline to generate the first complete reference genome for assessing the genetic diversity of JUQV in Oligoryzomys populations inhabiting the Mbaracayú Biosphere Reserve within the Atlantic Forest of Paraguay. From 32 additional Oligoryzomys specimens, we obtained 17 S- and M-segment viral RNA (vRNA) genomes from lungs with 94–100% sequence coverage and 101 additional vRNAs with ≥80% genome coverage and ≥500x sequence depth from saliva, urine, lungs, heart, kidney, liver, and spleen. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses showed that the Paraguayan JUQV is genetically distinct from the Brazilian JUQV lineage. Shannon entropy calculations of genetic diversity revealed that saliva and lung samples had higher entropy values than urine, kidney, spleen, and heart samples. The greater genetic diversity was driven in part by greater nucleotide, but not amino acid, diversity in persistently infected rodent samples compared to acutely infected ones. Genetic diversity varied across collection sites, although, given the continuous habitat matrix, there was no apparent reason for these differences. Fixed Effects Likelihood analysis of lung, saliva, and urine sequences suggested that purifying selection was the primary driver of evolution, with no evidence of positive selection. Only three of the 29 codons in the N protein and the glycoprotein (GP) were under purifying selection, and only Gn harbored nonsynonymous mutations. We tested two of the nonsynonymous mutations within the Gn for their effect on entry into Vero cells using VSV-pseudotyped JUQV GP; however, only V504I resulted in a significant reduction in entry compared to wild-type Gn. In summary, tissue source, field locale, and persistent infection were clear drivers of virus evolution.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened human pressures on the Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve (MBR), harming biodiversity and polluting water sources. In response, two community-led initiatives, the Save Our Species Eco-Rangers and the Majakaneng hiking trail, catalysed environmental stewardship. Building on these, a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project engaged traditional health practitioners and churches using natural spaces for spiritual practices. The overall objective of this article is to demonstrate how PAR can facilitate context-sensitive, transformative environmental management in culturally and spiritually significant landscapes. A key stakeholder matrix, the Nominal Group Technique, photo-elicitation and participatory mapping were used to identify role players, sacred natural sites and determine collective priorities for community-led environmental stewardship. A key theme emerging was access control, implemented through permits, fees, and protocols. At one site introducing bookings and fees for clean-ups and guided hikes improved socio-ecological conditions. Eco-literacy, feedback and engagement were initiated through signage, flyers and sharing on social media but needs to continue and spread to other sites. This iterative, collaborative approach shows how participatory methods can turn environmental threats into opportunities, advancing both environmental sustainability and post-apartheid transformation.

In 2023, we published the first list of birds from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and recorded the presence of 365 species. By that time, eight additional species had been registered. Based on scientific literature, online sources, and field investigations, we identified a total of 373 bird species observed in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, belonging to 61 families (out of a total of 65 families in Romania) and 19 orders. Our interest in publishing such biodiversity lists is not only important from a scientific point of view but also supports reports and presentations in which we refer to the current number of species in published material.

Across the western United States, introductions of non-native fish into historically fishless mountain lakes have impacted native biota. Understanding the impacts of fish introductions is essential for conservation in Olympic National Park, a Biosphere Reserve. We reconstructed fish plantings using records dating back to 1930, followed by environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to estimate the current distribution of fish and amphibians in 117 remote mountain lakes. We used Bayesian multiscale occupancy models to determine how lake attributes and planting history related to fish and amphibian occupancy. The most frequently detected species were Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cascades Frog, and Northwestern Salamander. eDNA sampling revealed 52 lakes with amphibians only, 45 with fish and amphibians, 14 with fish only, and 6 unoccupied. Of the 53 lakes with planting records, 38 had fish eDNA detected. Fish eDNA was also detected in 21 lakes lacking planting records, which could reflect incomplete records, unauthorized plantings, and false positive detections. Of the three species planted, Cutthroat Trout had the highest failure rate and did not become established in 23 of 28 historically planted lakes. In a subset of 9 lakes sampled for up to 7 years, those with known fish and amphibian presence showed consistent eDNA detections over time. The number of times a lake was stocked was the best predictor of occupancy for Brook and Rainbow trout, while higher occupancy for Brook Trout was also associated with lower elevations, lower solar radiation, and larger lake area. We did not observe widespread negative associations between amphibian occupancy and fish presence, although there was a negative relationship between fish presence and Rough-skinned Newt and Long-toed Salamander occupancy. Cascades Frog occupancy showed no relationship to fish presence or lake traits. Our results suggest mechanisms of fish persistence over time and highlight areas where native amphibians are impacted by introduced fish. These results can guide management options like targeted fish removals that benefit native fauna while still supporting recreational fishing. More broadly, our work demonstrates the value of combining historical records with contemporary surveys and the utility of eDNA for broad-scale surveys of species distribution in remote wilderness areas.

Forests are important biodiversity reservoirs and require sustainable management to prevent deforestation and forest degradation. Forest landscape restoration (FLR) has been proposed as a sustainable initiative aimed at restoring ecosystem functions and improving the well-being of surrounding populations. In 2005, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiated a project to protect 200 ha of savanna in Manzonzi landscape, Democratic Republic of Congo, on the outskirts of the Luki Biosphere Reserve. The biodiversity changes related to this ecological restoration project remain unpublished. To address this knowledge gap, floristic inventories of the protected Manzonzi landscape were carried out over a 12-year period and we assessed how changes in the floral composition of this landscape evolved and affected the provision of ecosystem services (ES). We found that protection of the savanna by banning recurring bush fires and fencing off the area promoted the richness and abundance of forest species, such as Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich, Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W. Wight. These forest taxa replaced grassland species, such as Hymenocardia acida Tul. and Maprounea africana Müll. Arg., and served to benefit the local population, who use these forest taxa as food, fuelwood, and medicines. This study revealed that protected savanna improved woody biomass, plant diversity (richness/abundance), and carbon storage, significantly boosting essential ES for communities; yet these positive trends reversed when active monitoring ceased. Protecting savannas improves the environment and benefits communities, but stopping protection efforts can undo these gains, emphasizing the need for ongoing conservation.

Raman imaging spectroscopy approach for the microplastics detection in the Oka estuary in the Urdaibai biosphere reserve (Basque Country, Spain).

This study evaluates the spatial and seasonal variation of surface water quality in the Can Gio estuary, a core area of the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve in Southern Vietnam, using the VN-WQI water quality index. Fourteen monitoring sites were sampled during the dry and rainy seasons, and major physicochemical, nutritional, heavy metal, and microbiological indicators were analyzed according to national standards. The evaluation results showed that the VN-WQI value ranged from 68 to 83 (from moderate to good) in both the weighted VN-WQI and unweighted VN-WQI (the weighted VN-WQI provides a more sensitive indication of organic and nutrient pollution than the unweighted index). The main polluting parameters contributing to water quality degradation were organic and microbiological indicators, particularly BOD5, COD, ammonium, nitrite, phosphate, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. The data used in this study were derived from secondary monitoring datasets . In particular, the sample collection points near aquaculture areas and human activities (CG5, CG8, CG9, CG10, CG11, and CG12) have a lower VN-WQI index than the rest of the points. The results of these studies contribute to helping the state management agency in charge of the environmental control pollution as well as monitoring surface water quality to protect the biosphere reserve as well as the mangrove ecosystem.

A photographic framework for the rapid assessment of macro-litter pollution in mangrove ecosystems: A citizen science-ready approach and a case study in a UNESCO biosphere reserve

An increase in population density amplifies the demandfor forest products, which in turn drives deforestation and the exhaustion of forest resource. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of population pressure on forest resource depletion in the Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwest Ethiopia. A mixed-methods research design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data was collected from selected households, focus groups and key informant through semi-structured interview, group discussion and field observation. A systematic random sampling technique were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by SPSS and Microsoft office excels. Land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes over the past forty years were analyzed using satellite imagery to assess the impact of population growth on forest dynamics. Results indicated that the major livelihood strategies were contributed by the combination of crop production, livestock and forest product collection (36.2%) and followed by crop production and livestock (27.5%). Agricultural expansion (23.13%), overgrazing (17.9%), timber extraction (15.27%) and urbanization (14%) were the main direct drivers of forest loss. Satellite analysis revealed that forest cover declined from 120,087.2 hectares in 1982-100,772.9 hectares in 2024 an 11.6% reduction over four decades with a strong negative correlation (r = -0.998, p < 0.05) between population growth and forest area. Overall, both local practices and systemic pressures drive the conversion of forests to agricultural land in the Yayo Biosphere Reserve. This calls for district-specific interventions that engage indigenous institutions such as Shane, Xuxee, and Tuullaa in the management of coffee forests and enforcement of the law, encouraging alternative sources of energy, and ensuring that forest resources are not overexploited.

Environmental awareness and determinants of environmental crisis faced by the indigenous agrarian community: Empirical evidence from Indian Sundarban Biosphere Reserve

Radionuclides 137Cs, 238, 239+240Pu, 40K and 210Po in water areas on the river-sea border and assessment of their action levels to hydrobionts.

Trade-off between NTFP harvesting and tourism income in a protected area: Evidence from the Yading Biosphere Reserve, China

Biosphere Reserves are founded on an innovative concept: fostering networks of protected areas where conservation coexists with activities that meet local community needs. Increasingly, equity and justice are recognised as vital to conservation, with studies showing that positive perceptions of fairness improve outcomes. Respecting local autonomy and cultural practices enhances biodiversity without compromising social well-being. Nonetheless, achieving Biosphere Reserves’ objectives and effective management remains challenging. This paper explores the potential of environmental justice and socio-technical analysis to inform sustainable tourism research within these reserves. Using Mar Chiquito Atlantic Park (MCAP) in Argentina as a case study, we applied a qualitative approach, incorporating participant observation within the management committee (2017–2022) and assessing the perspectives of key social actors involved in the reserve. Findings reveal that governance limitations and sustainable tourism potential are closely tied to shortcomings in environmental justice. Socio-technical analysis highlights that core challenges and governance issues arise from conflicting interests and diverging views on conservation and development, hindering shared goal-setting. We argue that integrating environmental justice with socio-technical analysis enhances stakeholder engagement by addressing diverse and evolving priorities—an essential step towards adaptive governance and sustainable tourism development.

Diversity patterns of rodent communities along elevational gradients are recognized in the Chihuahuan Desert; however, local variation in community composition and species turnover remains poorly understood. Because anthropogenic pressures vary among ecosystems, identifying biotic transitions is critical for conservation planning. We estimated rodent diversity across five prairie-to-mountain ecosystems in the Janos Biosphere Reserve, Chihuahua, Mexico, along an elevational gradient from 1,300 to 2,600 m asl. The studied ecosystems included scrubland, two grasslands (with and without black-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus), oak forest (Quercus spp.), and pine forest (Pinus spp.). We hypothesized that rodent communities would show strong habitat associations, with higher species turnover between prairie and mountain ecosystems than within each ecosystem type. Rodents were sampled during dry, wet, and winter seasons, and we estimated species richness, dominance, and species turnover for each ecosystem. Each community was distinct, except for grasslands with and without prairie dogs. Two major rodent assemblages were identified: prairie ecosystems (grasslands and scrubland) and mountain ecosystems (oak and pine forests). Scrubland was the most species-rich ecosystem (N = 15), encompassing all grassland species and acting as the only ecosystem sharing species with mountain forests. In contrast, oak and pine forests were less diverse (N = 6) and dominated by habitat specialists. Our results demonstrate that prairie and mountain ecosystems in the Janos Biosphere Reserve support two distinct rodent communities, highlighting the importance of ecosystem-specific conservation strategies.

Accurate wind resource assessment requires proper characterization of local atmospheric conditions. Previous studies conducted in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve used a standard air density value [1.225 kg/m³], which corresponds to dry air at sea level, 15 °C, and 101.325 kPa. However, the Automatic Weather Station at Ejido La Flor, which provides the data for this study, is located at an altitude where average pressure is 709 hPa, annual mean temperature is 22 °C, and relative humidity is approximately 44 %, making the use of the standard value inadequate. This article evaluates the impact of adjusting air density based on actual atmospheric conditions using both the simplified and full formulations of the CIPM-2007 model, with data from the year 2024. Using the standard density value, the average wind power density was estimated at 36.5462 Wh/m² at 10 meters height. In contrast, the simplified and full CIPM 2007 equations yielded values of 28.2551 Wh/m² [0.89861 kg/m³] and 28.0325 Wh/m² [0.89217 kg/m³], respectively. The results show that local parameters are decisive in wind resource estimation and in the feasibility of wind turbines in the area of interest.