Local Biodiversity Conservation Research Articles

The synergy between protected area effectiveness and economic growth

Protected areas conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions but might impede local economic growth. Understanding the global patterns and predictors of different relationships between protected area effectiveness and neighboring community economic growth can inform better implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We assessed 10,143 protected areas globally with matched samples to address the non-random location of protected areas. Our results show that protected areas resist human-induced land cover changes and do not limit nightlight increases in neighboring settlements. This result is robust, using different matching techniques, parameter settings, and selection of covariates. We identify four types of relationships between land cover changes and nightlight changes for each protected area: "synergy," "retreat," and two tradeoff relationships. About half of the protected areas (47.5%) retain their natural land cover and do so despite an increase of nightlights in the neighboring communities. This synergy relationship is the most common globally but varies between biomes and continents. Synergy is less frequent in the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and some developing areas, where most biodiversity resides and which suffer more from poverty. Smaller protected areas and those with better access to cities, moderate road density, and better baseline economic conditions have a higher probability of reaching synergy. Our results are promising, as the expansion of protected areas and increased species protection will rely more on conserving the human-modified landscape with smaller protected areas. Future interventions should address local development and biodiversity conservation together to achieve more co-benefits.

Odonata Assemblages in Urban Semi-Natural Wetlands.

As the human population in urban areas is continuously growing, urbanization is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. To mitigate the negative effects, the inclusion of blue zones (aquatic habitats) in modern urban development practices is strongly recommended, as they could be beneficial for the local biodiversity conservation. Odonata are a flagship group and are widely used in freshwater conservation as ecological indicators of habitat integrity and health. However, our understanding of their ecological requirements in urban landscapes is not yet complete. Therefore, we analyzed the taxonomic and functional diversity of Odonata in a semi-natural wetland in the Croatian capital. This study was conducted in the summers of 2020 and 2023. Most taxonomic and functional assemblage metrics were comparable between the two main habitat types, anthropogenically disturbed and natural oxbow lakes. However, significant differences were found in relation to the time scale, where most metrics were lower in 2023, indicating the negative impact of extreme climate events (including droughts) that occurred in this region after 2020. With 19 species recorded, our results indicate that semi-natural urban wetlands, especially natural oxbow lakes, have great potential to function as good habitats for Odonata, where even some species of conservation concern were detected. When developing landscape management plans in urban areas, it is essential to consider the importance of habitat heterogeneity in terms of good structure of aquatic macrophytes (presence of submerged, emergent and floating vegetation), which would ensure the most suitable habitat conditions for local Odonata species.

Local knowledge of homegarden plants in Miao ethnic communities in Laershan region, Xiangxi area, China

BackgroundHomegardens are small-scale land use systems with significant implications for local livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development due to their diverse flora and fauna. Conducting homegarden surveys enables researchers to gain insights into the traditional ecological knowledge of indigenous communities, preserve homegarden biodiversity, and promote sustainable livelihoods. This study has two objectives: first, to collect, record, and organize data on homegarden plants and related traditional knowledge from three communities in the Laershan Plateau, and second, to analyze the species and functional diversity of homegarden plants in the region while exploring the factors that contribute to the heterogeneous distribution of these plants among the communities of three townships.MethodsThis research employed field surveys in the Laershan Miao Autonomous Region in Xiangxi, China, from September 2021 to August 2023. Data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews. The study utilized descriptive statistics and quantitative analysis, including the Relative Importance Value (RI), Use Value Index (UV), Jaccard Index (JI), and Comprehensive Index of Land Use Degree (La), to examine the diversity of local homegarden plants and related traditional knowledge, as well as community heterogeneity.ResultsThe study area exhibited rich biodiversity, with 152 plant species recorded belonging to 62 families and 124 genera. These findings highlight the importance of homegarden plants in maintaining ecological balance and enhancing system resilience against disturbances. Homegarden plants serve multiple functions such as food, ornamental, medicinal, and fodder purposes, with edible and trade plants having the most abundant knowledge. Furthermore, this research revealed that communities with similar forest resource compositions may have similar homegarden plant compositions, demonstrating the connection between cultural exchange among different communities and patterns of plant species distribution.ConclusionsThe Laershan region boasts diverse homegarden plant species crucial for ecological balance and resilience. Their multifunctionality reflects human impact. Plant diversity varies with residents' lifestyles, needs, and cultural exchanges. The close connection between plants and local life is clear. Factors like resource distribution, cultural exchange, and lifestyle influence plant distribution. Further research is needed for conservation and sustainable development. Future research should focus on culturally valuable plant species and traditional knowledge applications.

Sonotope patterns within a mountain beech forest of Northern Italy: a methodological and empirical approach

According to the Sonotope Hypothesis, the heterogenous nature of the acoustically sensed, but not yet interpreted, environmental sounds (i.e., sonoscape) is created by the spatial and temporal conformation of sonic patches (sonotopes) as recently been described in a Mediterranean rural landscape. We investigated the Sonotope Hypothesis in a mountain beech forest of the Northern Apennines, Italy that is notoriously poor in soniferous species. Our aim was to test whether sonotopes were temporally distinct over seasonal and astronomical timeframes and spatially configured in relation to vegetation variables. We used the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACItf) to analyze the heterogeneity of sonic information gathered from an array of 11 sound recorders deployed within a lattice of eleven 4-ha hexagonal sample sites distributed throughout a 48-ha managed beech forest. We visualized and described the temporal patterns of ACItf between seasons (May–June and July–August 2021), across six astronomical periods (Night I, Morning Twilight, Morning, Afternoon, Evening Twilight, and Night II), and according to two aggregated frequency classes (≤2000 and >2000 Hz). We introduced Spectral Sonic Signature (SSS) calculated from the sequence of ACItf values along frequency bins as a descriptor of the dynamic production of sounds across spatial and temporal scales. We calculated Mean Spectral Dissimilarity to compare SSS values across temporal periods and between sample sites. We identified sonotopes by grouping similar SSS for each sample site generated from cluster analyses and visualized their spatial arrangements. Frequencies ≤2000 Hz (mainly geophonies from wind and rain) were more prevalent than frequencies >2000 Hz (mainly biophonies from songbirds). Despite there being no strong relationship to vegetation variables and minimal biophony and anthropophony, distinct sonotopes still emerged for every astronomical and seasonal period. This suggests that the sonoscape expresses distinct spatial and temporal sonotope configurations associated with the temporal and spatial patterns of geophysical events that generate geophonies with minimal animal or anthropogenic occurrences. A new strategy based on the reintroduction of indigenous trees and shrubs in managed clearings should be considered for enhancing local biodiversity conservation along with ecoacoustic monitoring based on the Sonotope Hypothesis.

Insect galls of the Chapada Diamantina, Rio de Contas, Bahia, Brazil

We surveyed insect galls and their host plants in areas of Caatinga and Cerrado in the municipality of Rio de Contas, in the extreme south of the Chapada Diamantina (Bahia state), between 703 and 1,897 m altitude, in order to contribute to the knowledge and conservation of local biodiversity. The survey was conducted in eight locations, adopting the random walking methodology for sampling, four in Caatinga and four in Cerrado, covering distinct phytophysiognomies (cerrado sensu stricto, gallery forest, shrubby caatinga, riparian forest, and rocky field). Eighty-four different insect gall morphotypes were reported, 48 (57.14%) of them on 42 host species in Cerrado and 36 (42.86%) on 24 host species in Caatinga. Most galls occurred on leaves (48.72%) and were globoid (53.76%), glabrous (52.92%), isolated (55.44%), usually one-chambered (61.32%), and brown (25.2%). The gall-inducing insects identified belonged to Lepidoptera (n = 1), Thysanoptera (n = 1), Hemiptera (n = 2), and Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) (n = 16). This was the first inventory of galls in the Chapada Diamantina, so all records are new for the region. We also recorded the first occurrences of galls on two Cerrado plant species and on two in the Caatinga. We found a significant positive correlation between gall richness and plant species richness, suggesting that radiation of gall-inducing insects may be associated with plant species richness.

Offshore wind farm foundations as artificial reefs: The devil is in the detail

Climate change and global biodiversity loss call for clean energy production systems with minimised ecological impacts. Offshore wind energy production will become one of the main uses of global marine spaces within next decades. Offshore wind turbine foundations can function as artificial reefs but it is unknown if these capabilities apply to different foundation types. We collected field data on Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), a species under pressure in the southern North Sea, around three foundation types to assess these capabilities. Catch rates showed that monopile foundations with rock protection on the seabed were able to attract significantly more fish than monopile foundations with sandbag protection and jacket foundations. Fish densities varied on small scales meaning that reef effects were spatially restricted. This implies that offshore wind energy production can be used as tool to combine climate change mitigation with local biodiversity conservation but that a consideration of the wind farm design is required.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, income of local communities and biodiversity conservation: Evidence from Burunge wildlife management area, Tanzania

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in various negative repercussions worldwide in terms of biological conservation, the tourism sector and socio-economic welfare. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on socio-economic activities, income from the tourism sector, alternative sources of income adapted by the local communities adjacent to the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as a means of survival, and its implications for biodiversity conservation. To assess tourism status, socio-economic activities and alternative livelihoods, interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informants’ consultations were conducted on 264 respondents, of whom 53 % (n = 140) were men and 47 % (n = 124) were women. Secondary data were obtained from soft and hard copy reports through an extensive literature search in order to comprehend the implications of COVID-19 and alternative livelihoods in biodiversity conservation. 90.5 % (239) of respondents reported being seriously affected by the emergence of COVID-19, while 9.5 % (n = 25) were not affected by it. Some of the impacts of the COVID-19 as pointed out by the respondents included deflation (91.7 %, n = 242), a decline in the number of customers (91.7 %, n = 242), whereas others lost jobs (5.7 %, n = 15). In the case of the Burunge WMA authority, revenue collection (mainly from the tourism sector) declined by 32.5 % and 76.4 % for the years 2019/20 and 2020/21, respectively, as compared to the revenue obtained in the year 2018/19 before COVID-19. During the pandemic, local communities adapted to several alternative sources of income while others intensified their former ones mainly being agriculture, fishing and livestock keeping. It is important for local communities, especially those adjacent to protected areas, to have diversified means of income that are environmentally and socially sustainable, such as fish farming and beekeeping, to reduce the impacts of unanticipated crises such as COVID-19.

The Challenges of Symmetrical Dialogue: Reflections on Collaborative Research in Northeast Brazil

This article explores ways to promote symmetrical dialogue among knowledge-practices of artisanal fishing communities, primary education teachers, and academic researchers in the state of Bahia, Brazil. We describe multiple engagements in an inter- and transdisciplinary project that integrates research, educational, and conservation activities in two communities living in an estuarine ecosystem. Most community members dedicate their efforts to fishing activities, harboring wide knowledge about local biocultural diversity. The project promotes collaborative inclusion of local expertise and knowledge in school activities, while also striving for the inhabitants’ inclusion in the planning of protected areas. The collaboration aims at symmetrical dialogues between researchers and communities that support self-determination in local school education and biodiversity conservation. Challenges to such symmetrization, including disagreements and tensions among diverse actors, not only appear in encounters of local and academic knowledge, but also within the interdisciplinary project involving natural sciences, social sciences, and philosophy.

The influence of proximity with riparian forests and the distance from urban areas on roadkills of vertebrates in a fragmented Brazilian savanna area

AbstractThe increasing development of highways severely threatens several vertebrates due to habitat fragmentation, edge effects and roadkills. Understanding how the landscape influences the occurrence of roadkills on highways can provide insights into the preferred routes of fauna dispersion and define the priority stretches to implement mitigation actions. This study evaluated the association between landscape characteristics and fauna roadkills on the BR‐158 highway (State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil), where the adjacent vegetation encompasses phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado, a severely threatened biome. The spatial distribution of recorded road‐killed vertebrates (secondary data) was analysed using the statistical tool 2D Hotspot Identification, which defined the stretches with the highest mortality (hotspots). The surrounding landscape within a 1 km buffer zone around the highway was characterized based on area and distance information considering the land use and cover. Generalized linear models were applied to test the influence of locations on roadkill, considering the landscape characteristics as independent variables and the presence/absence of roadkill as the dependent variable. Our results indicated two hotspot stretches along the BR‐158 highway and a higher probability of roadkill in stretches associated with riparian forests and more distant from urban areas. The identification of landscape characteristics associated with the occurrence of vertebrate roadkills can help guide the planning and monitoring of highways. Furthermore, in dry ecosystems such as the Cerrado, we must provide information to implement priority actions in stretches of riparian forest, aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of highways on local biodiversity conservation.

Effects of Landscape Context on Bird Community in the Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest of Wuyishan National Park.

Landscape context can reflect the habitat structure and play an important role in bird species occurrences and abundance. For local biodiversity conservation and restoration, we examined the effects of landscape context on bird communities at different altitude gradients. Our study was conducted in four altitude gradients (<300 m, 300-599 m, 600-899 m, 900-1200 m) of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Wuyishan National Park, China. The bird survey was carried out in 115 transects in spring, summer, autumn and winter. We examined the effects of altitude, season and landscape context. The result showed that (1) species richness and abundance at <300 m altitude were highest among the four altitude gradients, and they showed more significant differences than those at other altitude gradients; (2) the species richness of birds was associated with altitude, season and landscape context, as the season is more significant than other explanatory variables; (3) at the landscape level, habitat configuration is more important. The average canopy height and contagion index positively correlated with the species richness and abundance of birds at all four altitude gradients. In particular, the average canopy height is significant at 300-599 m and 600-899 m altitude gradients. The study results can provide a theoretical basis and guidance for future national park conservation and management and ecological restoration in the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest regions.

The Zoʻé perspective on what scientists call “forest management” and its implications for floristic diversity and biocultural conservation

Indigenous perspectives on forest management are grounded in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), so that socioculture influences the ways Indigenous Peoples transform their landscapes. However, how socioculture structures Indigenous perspectives on forest management is unclear. Moreover, little is known about the influence of Indigenous landscape transformations on forest succession and floristic diversity. Here, we test hypotheses from biocultural and ecological theories suggesting that: (i) key social-ecological relationships with specific taxa structure Indigenous perspectives on forest management; (ii) such relationships guide sustainable management that generates resilient forest regrowth; and (iii) this management promotes floristic diversity by acting as an intermediate disturbance. We collected information about cosmology, occupation history and management among the Zoʻé, in Brazilian Amazonia. We also carried out floristic inventories in old-growth forests and in old Zoʻé swidden-fallow areas to analyze forest structure and alpha- and beta-diversity along a gradient of forest successional stages. We show that the Zoʻé perspective on forest management is structured by an ethical principle involving a social-ecological relationship with different beings, especially the spider monkey (<em>Ateles</em> sp.). This relationship generates mobility among the Zoʻé that allows forest regrowth in their fallow areas, so that in 28 years, forest basal area may equal that of old-growth forests. Also, Zoʻé forest management has increased alpha- and beta-diversity by increasing species richness and diversity in intermediate secondary forests and promoting floristic turnover at the landscape-level. These results show that some aspects of Zoʻé cosmology influence forest disturbance regimes that generate a sustainable social-ecological system, therefore being key for Zoʻé well-being and local biodiversity conservation. We believe that Indigenous perspectives about forest management should be included in forest conservation efforts aimed at protecting Amazonian biocultural diversity, thus valuing TEK and engendering sustainable social-ecological systems.

Vulnerability of biological resources to potential oil spills in the Lower Amazon River, Amapá, Brazil.

Ships that transport oil or derivatives on the Lower Amazon River waterway are at a considerably high risk of suffering spills, with severe environmental and socioeconomic consequences. The present study is aimed at modeling and simulating the oil dispersion and magnitude of these accidents in terms of the vulnerability of biological resources, considering two oil types most often transported by medium-sized tankers in the region (S500 and S10). The study method was as follows: (a) secondary data were collected from local species, and the coastal sensitivity index (CSI) was calculated, obtained from Brazil's Letters of Environmental Sensitivity to Oil Spill (Cartas de Sensibilidade Ambiental ao Derramamento de Óleo (SAO)); (b) ship traffic information was obtained from Brazil's Statistical Yearbook of Waterway (Anuário Estatístico Aquaviário (ANTAQ)); (c) modeling and numerical simulation of oil spills in water were performed, in order to investigate dispersion scenarios (SisBaHia); (d) three numerical scenarios of oil plume dispersion (in May and November) were integrated to assess species vulnerability in three zones of environmental interest (I, II, and III). Some species identified in zone II were considered to be the most vulnerable (fish, plankton, aquatic mammals, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, trees, and plants), with the mammal Sotalia fluviatilis being at risk of extinction (Gervais & Deville, 1853). The simulated scenarios showed that contingency plans should have a minimum response time of 3h and a maximum response time of 72h to prevent the oil plumes from dispersing as far as 170km longitudinally, depending on the zone, season, and tidal phase. Thus, a total of 62 sites of biological resources were identified in the literature recorded from 2016. Considering them, 324 species of flora and fauna were recorded, distributed in the following seven groups: (i) 49 tree and plant species, (ii) 37 amphibian species, (iii) 2 aquatic invertebrate species, (iv) 23 invertebrate species, (v) 1 aquatic mammal species, (vi) 95 fish species, and (vii) 117 planktonic species. A failure to respond to these accidents would impact immense intact aquatic areas and ecosystems, with unpredictable consequences for local biodiversity conservation.

The Pagoda of the Gods: A case for Indigenous Karen sacred sites as Special Cultural Zones along Thailand’s borders

Burgeoning recognition of Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and livelihood practices have led to ‘Special Cultural Zone’ designations for some traditionally Indigenous lands in Thailand. Simultaneously, the Thai government has designated 10 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to bolster trade and investments along its borders without acknowledging the pre-existence of Indigenous peoples. SEZs intersect with sites of notable cultural significance, such as Kho Pho Lu (Pagoda of the Gods), a sacred site for Indigenous Karen near Mae Sot in Tak province. Detailed ethnographic and interview findings show the resilience of these sacred sites and embedded ritualistic place-making practices that persist despite a legacy of Indigenous displacement. Ethnobotanical findings of 39 sampled taxa in the sacred forest of Kho Pho Lu indicate that cultural and spiritual practices support local biodiversity conservation. Potential biocultural conservation approaches include the adoption of ‘Special Cultural Zones’ to promote Indigenous well-being and the preservation of biocultural diversity in Thailand.

Classification of rocky outcrops plant communities in the mountains of Central Argentina

AbstractAimsClassification of plant communities and identification of their diagnostic species in different types of rocky outcrops in mountains from Central Argentina. We also explored how these plant communities differ in their endemisms, chorotypes and non‐natives species composition, as well as in rock chemistry, elevation and climatic variables.LocationCórdoba Province, Central Argentina.MethodsThe study was based on 505 phytosociological relevés collected from 2009 to 2019 using the Braun‐Blanquet cover‐abundance scale. The hierarchical ISOmetric feature mapping and Partition Around Medoids (ISOPAM) analysis was applied. The vegetation matrix was ordinated through isometric feature mapping (ISOMAP), and the geochemical and bioclimatic variables were related to the ISOMAP ordination.ResultsWe identified 14 plant communities distributed in three main clusters. We recorded 59 endemic species at the national level and 28 narrow endemics, restricted to the study area and nearby mountains. The number of non‐native plants was relatively low (26 species). Perennial herbs (221 species), grasses (97 species) and shrubs (68 species) were the most prominent life forms. Plant communities were associated with rock chemistry (carbonate and acidic rocks), and also with elevation and climatic variables.ConclusionThis study highlights the remarkable heterogeneity of outcrop vegetation in Central Argentina. It reveals that elevation and rock type (geochemical composition) were relevant factors associated with the floristic composition of plant communities and also, that outcrop habitats comprise a high level of endemisms, as well as a low number of non‐native species, suggesting a high value for the conservation of local and regional biodiversity.

Spatial genetic structure and gene flow of the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), in a rapidly urbanising landscape

Urban landscapes contain many barriers to wildlife movement and gene flow, particularly for large terrestrial mammals with extensive natural home ranges. Eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) are a large macropodid, whose biological range partially coincides with areas subjected to high rates of urban expansion, including the Southeast Queensland (SEQ) bioregion of Australia. Within this region, M. giganteus populations have had recent, rapid declines in numbers with ongoing urbanisation posing a significant threat due to the isolation of populations. Therefore, we investigated the genetic profile of kangaroos in a rapidly urbanising SEQ region (Sunshine Coast) by comparing them to other SEQ kangaroos (Greater Brisbane) and to higher density kangaroo populations in a landscape matrix with greater levels of connectivity (Australian Capital Territory; ACT). We utilised a targeted genetic probe of genome-wide SNPs to obtain baseline genetic profiles of M. giganteus using scat samples collected from 24 sites in the Sunshine Coast (n = 103) and compared these to Greater Brisbane (n = 20) and ACT (n = 29) scat samples. Genetic diversity was similar when comparing the ACT, Sunshine Coast and Greater Brisbane regions (HE: 0.224–0.238), yet effective population size was markedly higher for the ACT region (Ne = 3453) than for both the Sunshine Coast and Greater Brisbane (Ne = 43.3 and 25.0, respectively), with clear genetic differentiation on a regional scale. We also identified six genetic groups within our SEQ study area, with significant differences in genetic diversity (HE: 0.188 – 0.289). The presence of high numbers of private alleles in all regions and within some SEQ populations highlights the conservation significance of preserving local populations. We also identified natural and anthropogenic barriers, which may have impacted genetic processes such as gene flow in the region. Therefore, this research highlights the need for localised management of kangaroo populations to preserve genetic diversity and structure in the SEQ region, by maintaining and improving landscape connectivity. We emphasise that for the conservation of local and global biodiversity, it is imperative to assess baseline genetic status of both common and threatened species, particularly when declines and extirpations are occurring across these species’ ranges.

Attitudes and preferences of wildlife and their relationship with childhood nature experience amongst residents in a tropical urban city.

How people relate to biodiversity and whether they are supportive of conservation programs and policies has implications on global and local biodiversity conservation efforts. Nature experiences in childhood has been shown to be strongly correlated to positive attitudes towards nature and wildlife in adulthood. In this study, we examined wildlife experience, attitudes and willingness to coexist with 26 vertebrates and invertebrates amongst residents in a highly urbanized tropical city, Singapore. A total of 1004 respondents were surveyed and their childhood nature experience and various socioeconomic variables were obtained. The animals were grouped by their likeability and preferred habitat from the respondents’ answers. Three main groups of animals were discerned – unfavorable animals, mammals, and favorable animals. Singapore residents generally had high direct experiences of animals that are common in urban settings, for both favorable and unfavorable animals, such as butterflies, dragonflies, crows and bees, but low direct experiences of forest-dependent wildlife. Animals that were well-liked and acceptable near homes include the common urban ones and some forest-dependent ones, while animals that were disliked included stinging insects (bees and hornets) and reptiles (snakes and water monitors). Structured equation modelling showed that both childhood nature experience and wildlife experience had strong effects on wildlife likeability and habitat preference. The apparent mismatch between greening policies and people’s willingness to coexist with wildlife may be problematic as urban development further encroaches on forest habitats, and this study highlights the importance of preserving forest habitats so that young children and adults have opportunities to be exposed to them.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11252-022-01280-1.

Sacred groves of Central India: Diversity status, carbon storage, and conservation strategies

AbstractSacred groves (SGs) play an important role in the conservation of local biodiversity and provide numerous ecosystem services worldwide. We studied how the ecological status of Central Indian SGs contributes to regional tree diversity and carbon (C) storage. We inventoried the trees in fifty‐nine SGs of Madhya Pradesh and recorded a total of 109 tree species (90 genera, 40 families). The most species‐rich families were Fabaceae, Combretaceae, Malvaceae, and Moraceae. The tree density ranged from 75 to 925 individuals ha−1 (mean: 398 ± 32 individuals ha−1), while basal area varied from 2.5 to 69.2 m2 ha−1 (mean: 24.2 ± 1.9 m2 ha−1). The total C stock {tree C + soil organic C (SOC; 0–30 cm)} ranged from 44.7 to 455.4 Mg C ha−1 (mean: 153.8 ± 9.6 Mg C ha−1) across the SGs. The studied SGs represented 74.7% of the total tree diversity and contained 33.1% higher total C stock than the forests of the state. Tree C stock was significantly positively correlated with tree basal area, distance from the nearest village, and number of years of existence. The present study highlights the crucial role of SGs in sustaining regional biodiversity and storing C in biomass and soil. Continued conservation efforts and contained interventions by people are necessary in order to maintain the current role of these SGs as biodiversity and carbon reservoirs of Central India.

Expanding the environmental virome: Infection profile in a native rainforest tree species.

Agroforestry systems (AFS) for cocoa production combine traditional land-use practices with local biodiversity conservation, resulting in both ecological and agricultural benefits. The cacao-cabruca AFS model is widely implemented in regions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Carpotroche brasiliensis (Raddi) A. Gray (Achariaceae) is a tree found in cabruca landscapes that is often used for reforestation and biotechnological applications. Despite its importance, we still lack information about viruses circulating in C. brasiliensis, particularly considering the possibility of spillover that could affect cocoa production. In our study, we analyzed the Carpotroche brasiliensis virome from Atlantic Forest and cacao-cabruca AFS regions using metatranscriptomics from several vegetative and reproductive organs. Our results revealed a diverse virome detecting near-complete or partial coding sequences of single- and double-stranded DNA and RNA viruses classified into at least six families (Botourmiaviridae, Bromoviridae, Caulimoviridae, Genomoviridae, Mitoviridae, and Rhabdoviridae) plus unclassified elements. We described with high confidence the near-complete and the partial genomes of two tentative novel viruses: Carpotroche-associated ilarvirus and Carpotroche-associated genomovirus, respectively. Interestingly, we also described sequences likely derived from a rhabdovirus, which could represent a novel member of the genus Gammanucleorhabdovirus. We observed higher viral diversity in cacao-cabruca AFS and reproductive organs of C. brasiliensis with preferential tropism to fruits, which could directly affect production. Altogether, our results provide data to better understand the virome in this unexplored agroecological interface, such as cacao-cabruca AFS and forest ecosystem, providing information on the aspects of virus–plant interactions.

Farmers using local livestock biodiversity share more than animal genetic resources: Indications from a workshop with farmers who use local breeds

Recognizing the products from farms that use local breeds is key to in situ conservation of local animal biodiversity. Recognition often focuses on a small number of specific breeds or products but could be expanded to include multiple local breeds and products. This paper shows that several farmers who use local breeds can share principles among the multiple dimensions of their farming systems. We analyzed the exchanges among nine farmers who use local breeds on the different dimensions of their farming systems at a workshop held in November 2017. We present the principles they shared and discuss (i) the fact that bringing the principles to the fore requires a collective participatory approach, (ii) the fact that shared principles may also concern dimensions often neglected in livestock farming systems approaches, and (iii) how a collective participatory approach can help recognize the products and activities of farmers who use local breeds.

Potential of Group-Based Negotiation to Promote Learner-Based Reasoning and Weighting of Arguments on Socioscientific Issues

This study analyzes the potential of group-based negotiation processes based on changes in reasoning and argument weighting for a socioscientific issue (SSI) in biology classes. In the corresponding pre- and post-study, students were encouraged to reason and weight arguments about the conservation of local biodiversity before and after a group-based negotiation. For this purpose, the students employed a target-mat structuring tool for compensatory reasoning and weighting in both the individual pre- and post-phases and the group phase. To identify changes in reasoning after group-based negotiation, the use of argumentative resources, i.e., fact-based and normative resources, was assessed. When the students added confirming reasons for arguments, they were more likely to use fact-based resources. When refuting the initial reasoning, the students tended to add normative resources. Furthermore, individual changes in weightings and their relationship to the group weighting were calculated. This analysis revealed that the students changed their weightings toward the group weighting. The results are discussed in terms of the potential of negotiations to cause students to revise and rethink their reasoning and weighting in addressing SSIs and the particular potential of the target-mat instructional tool for structured decision-making.