Niche Models Research Articles

Improving the Knowledge of the Pest Scaptocoris castanea Perty (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae), Further Information for its Early Detection and Prevention Based on Ecological Niche Modeling

Scaptocoris castanea Perty is an important soil-borne pest that attacks roots of various crops in all its stages. In South America it is widely distributed and in North America there are two isolated records registered more than 40 years ago. Early detection and prevention are key features for pest management; therefore, having a detailed understanding of the life cycle and knowing how to identify all the stages of the invader is essential. Despite the importance of S. castanea in agriculture, there are no descriptions or illustrations to aid the identification of its nymphs so here we describe and illustrate the fifth instar. To prevent its expansion it is important to know where the species is and where it could get established. We explored if the North American records might belong to established populations and two possible scenarios could have occur either they were accidental catches or they belong to established populations adapted to novel climates as they are in regions where the environmental conditions are outside the range of those where the species is established. The regions we identified where it could get established and preventive actions should be taken are in Belize, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru. Finally, the extent of the regions it could invade in the next two decades are very different depending on the capacity of the species to adapt to novel climates.

Evaluation of climate conditions and ecological traits that limit the distribution expansion of alien Lolium rigidum in Japan

Invasive alien plants cause severe global problems; therefore, determining the factors that lead to the success or failure of invasion is a critical question in the field of invasion ecology. In this study, we aimed to determine the factors underlying differences in the distribution range of alien plants in Japan by investigating why Lolium multiflorum thrives in a wide range of habitats while L. rigidum is mainly distributed on sandy beaches. We initially evaluated environmental niche suitability through species distribution modelling and subsequently examined whether species traits influence the differences in range expansion between the two species. We used MaxEnt modelling to identify potential environmental niches for both species. The analysis revealed that L. rigidum was considerably less suited to the Japanese climate compared to L. multiflorum, with high summer precipitation in Japan identified as one of the climatic factors limiting the distribution of L. rigidum. Given that these winter annual plants remain dormant as seeds during summer, in subsequent experiments, we buried seeds in paddy field soil and sandy beach sand during summer and evaluated their survival rate in autumn. The survival rate of L. rigidum seeds was significantly lower than that of L. multiflorum, particularly in paddy soil. Factors contributing to seed mortality may include the decay or early germination of L. rigidum seeds under Japan’s high rainfall conditions. This study emphasises the importance of considering local environmental factors alongside climate niche modelling in the risk assessment of invasive species. Moreover, the integration of species distribution modelling for large-scale evaluations and manipulation experiments for fine-scale assessments proved effective in identifying climatic conditions and species traits influencing the success or failure of alien species invasion.

Impact of global environmental changes on the range contraction of Eurasian moose since the Late Pleistocene.

Climatic oscillations are considered primary factors influencing the distribution of various life forms on Earth. Large species adapted to cold climates are particularly vulnerable to extinction due to the climate changes. In our study, we investigated whether the temperature increase since the Late Pleistocene and the contraction of environmental niche during the Holocene were the main factors contributing to the decreasing range of moose (Alces alces) in Europe. We also examined whether there were significant differences in environmental conditions between areas inhabited by moose in Europe and Asia, that could support the division of moose into western and eastern forms, as suggested by genetic and morphological data. We analysed environmental conditions in locations of 655 subfossil and modern moose occurrences over the past 50,000 years in Eurasia. We found that the most limiting climatic factor for the moose distribution since the Late Pleistocene was July temperature. >90 % of moose records were found in areas where the mean summer temperature was below 19 °C, with July temperatures showing over 3 times narrower interquartile range compared to January temperatures. We identified significant differences in environmental conditions between areas inhabited by the European and Asiatic moose. In Europe, the species occurred in regions with milder climates, higher primary productivity, and more frequently within forest biomes compared to Asiatic individuals. The moose range shifted more in the west-east than in the south-north direction during the Holocene climate warming in Europe. We concluded that although the area of suitable moose habitat has increased since 12-8 ka years BP, as demonstrated by environmental niche modeling, the retreat of A. alces in large areas of Europe was likely caused by anthropogenic landscape change (e.g., deforestation) and overhunting by humans during the late Holocene rather than by climate warming during the Pleistocene to Holocene transition.

Bio-mimetic deconstruction of the digital business ecosystem

The advent of the Internet Plus era, digital technologies, and the digital economy has instigated profound transformations in the commercial landscape, particularly evident in the systematic reshaping of the Digital Business Ecosystem (DBE), encompassing innovations in business models, norms of commercial conduct, and the exploration of business value. This paper delves into the panoramic view of digital business operations of typical companies to uncover the fundamental structural framework of digital commerce. Through deductive reasoning and drawing upon the theoretical framework of natural niche, we construct a niche model for the digital business ecosystem, thereby achieving a bionic deconstruction of the digital business ecosystem. The significance of this research lies in offering a novel research perspective for enterprises, economic regulatory bodies, and scholars in the field of business management, proposing a systemic approach rooted in niche theory models to competition. This approach provides a fresh theoretical framework for enterprises to devise their own ecological and sustainable development strategies. The key findings are as follows: (1) Most business firms establish competitive advantages by constructing commercial cloud platforms that facilitate internal digital transformation and enable digital synergy with external economic entities; (2) Within the digital business ecosystem, enterprises extend their digital capabilities externally through four modalities: data development, data application, data services, and data manufacturing. Externally, six primary forces and roles shape the ecosystem: suppliers, governments, social institutions, consumers, as well as external and internal industry players; (3) The digital business niche is a multidimensional and hyper volumetric relationship positioning between enterprises and the digital business environment. The niche factors include six dimensions: market, personnel, resources, social relationships, technology, and institutions; (4) Given limited ecological factors, the non-exclusivity between static resource allocation and dynamic technological investments in digital enablement leads to the generalization of property rights boundaries and industrial values within the digital business ecosystem. Consequently, this fosters extensive business applications and diversified business models, thereby resulting in less competition and more cooperation, symbiosis, and complementarity within the digital business niche.

Environmental niche models improve species identification in DNA barcoding

Abstract Recent advances in DNA barcoding have immeasurably advanced global biodiversity research in the last two decades. However, inherent limitations in barcode sequences, such as hybridization, introgression or incomplete lineage sorting can lead to misidentifications when relying solely on barcode sequences. Here, we propose a new Niche‐model‐Based Species Identification (NBSI) method based on the idea that species distribution information is a potential complement to DNA barcoding species identifications. NBSI performs species membership inference by incorporating niche modelling predictions and traditional DNA barcoding identifications. Systematic tests across diverse scenarios show significant improvements in species identification success rates under the newly proposed NBSI framework, where the largest increase is from 4.7% (95% CI: 3.51%–6.25%) to 94.8% (95% CI: 93.19%–96.06%). Additionally, obvious improvements were observed when using NBSI on potentially ambiguous sequences whose genetic nearest neighbours belongs to another species or more than two species, which occurs commonly with species represented by single or short DNA barcodes. These results support our assertion that environmental factors/variables are valuable complements to DNA sequence data for species identification by avoiding potential misidentifications inferred from genetic information alone. The NBSI framework is currently implemented as a new R package, ‘NicheBarcoding’, that is open source under GNU General Public Licence and freely available from https://CRAN.R‐project.org/package=NicheBarcoding.

Sympatric diversity pattern driven by the secondary contact of two deeply divergent lineages of the soybean pod borer Leguminivora glycinivorella.

The soybean pod borer, Leguminivora glycinivorella (Matsumura), is an important tortricid pest species widely distributed in most parts of China and its adjacent regions. Here, we analyzed the genetic diversity and population differentiation of L. glycinivorella using diverse genetic information including the standard cox1 barcode sequences, mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes), and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from genotyping-by-sequencing. Based on a comprehensive sampling (including adults or larvae of L. glycinivorella newly collected at 22 of the total 30 localities examined) that covers most of the known distribution range of this pest, analyses of 543 cox1 barcode sequences and 60 mitogenomes revealed that the traditionally recognized and widely distributed L. glycinivorella contains two sympatric and widely distributed genetic lineages (A and B) that were estimated to have diverged ∼1.14 million years ago during the middle Pleistocene. Moreover, low but statistically significant correlations were recognized between genetic differentiation and geographic or environmental distances, indicating the existence of local adaptation to some extent. Based on SNPs, phylogenetic inference, principal component analysis, fixation index, and admixture analysis all confirm the two divergent sympatric lineages. Compared with the stable demographic history of Lineage B, the expansion of Lineage A had possibly made the secondary contact of the two lineages probable, and this process may be driven by the climate fluctuation during the late Pleistocene as revealed by ecological niche modeling.

Factors contributing to organelle genomes size variation and the intracellular DNA transfer in Polygonaceae

The use of complete organelle genomes, including chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes, is a powerful molecular method for studying biological evolution and gene transfer. However, in the case of Polygonaceae, an important family with numerous edible, medicinal, and ornamental species, the mitochondrial genomes of only three species have been sequenced and analyzed. In this study, we present the mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes of two important Tibetan medicinal plants, Bistorta viviparum and B. macrophyllum. All the organelle genomes are assembled into a single circular structure and contain a common set of 32 protein-coding genes (PCGs). Some genes such as rps2 and ndhF were found to have high nucleotide polymorphism (Pi) in the chloroplast genomes, while cox1, mttB and rps12 showed pronounced Pi values in the mitochondrial genomes. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that most chloroplast genes and mitochondrial PCGs in Polygonaceae plants are under purifying selection. However, a few genes, including the chloroplast gene psaJ and the mitochondrial genes ccmFc, atp8 and nad4, showed positive selection in certain Polygonaceae plants, as indicated by a Ka/Ks ratio greater than one. Structural variation analysis revealed a wealth of differences between the mitochondrial genomes of five Polygonaceae species, with a particularly notable large-scale inversion observed between Reynoutria japonica and Fallopia aubertii. Furthermore, an analysis of the homologous sequences in the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes revealed that the rps7 has been transferred from the chloroplast to the mitochondrial genome in all five Polygonaceae species. Finally, ecological niche models were constructed for B. viviparum and B. macrophyllum, indicating that mean annual temperature and altitude are the main climatic factors influencing the distribution of both species. Although the current distribution of B. viviparum is significantly wider than that of B. macrophyllum, projections suggest that the optimal growth ranges of both species will expand in the future, with B. macrophyllum potentially exceeding B. viviparum. This study not only contributes to the plastid genome database for Polygonaceae plants, but also provides theoretical insights into the adaptive evolution of these plants.

Modelling post-chemotherapy stem cell dynamics in the bone marrow niche of AML patients

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a stem cell-driven malignancy of the blood forming (hematopoietic) system. Despite of high dose chemotherapy with toxic side effects, many patients eventually relapse. The “7+3 regimen”, which consists of 7 days of cytarabine in combination with daunorubicin during the first 3 days, is a widely used therapy protocol. Since peripheral blood cells are easily accessible to longitudinal sampling, significant research efforts have been undertaken to characterize and reduce adverse effects on circulating blood cells. However, much less is known about the impact of the 7+3 regimen on human hematopoietic stem cells and their physiological micro-environments, the so-called stem cell niches. One reason for this is the technical inability to observe human stem cells in vivo and the discomfort related to bone marrow biopsies. To better understand the treatment effects on human stem cells, we consider a mechanistic mathematical model of the stem cell niche before, during and after chemotherapy. The model accounts for different maturation stages of leukemic and hematopoietic cells and considers key processes such as cell proliferation, self-renewal, differentiation and therapy-induced cell death. In the model, hematopoietic (HSCs) and leukemic stem cells (LSCs) compete for a joint niche and respond to both systemic and niche-derived signals. We relate the model to clinical trial data from literature which longitudinally quantifies the counts of hematopoietic stem like (CD34+CD38-ALDH+) cells at diagnosis and after therapy. The proposed model can capture the clinically observed interindividual heterogeneity and reproduce the non-monotonous dynamics of the hematopoietic stem like cells observed in relapsing patients. Our model allows to simulate different scenarios proposed in literature such as therapy-related impairment of the stem cell niche or niche-mediated resistance. Model simulations suggest that during the post-therapy phase a more than 10-fold increase of hematopoietic stem-like cell proliferation rates is required to recapitulate the measured cell dynamics in patients achieving complete remission. We fit the model to data of 7 individual patients and simulate variations of the treatment protocol. These simulations are in line with the clinical finding that G-CSF priming can improve the treatment outcome. Furthermore, our model suggests that a decline of HSC counts during remission might serve as an indication for salvage therapy in patients lacking MRD (minimal residual disease) markers.

Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron Napoleonis) Species Distribution Modeling: A Review of the Impact of Typhoon Rai/Odette on the Diversity and Distribution of an Endemic Bird Species

This study quantified the habitat requirements and, consequently, described the remaining suitable habitats through species distribution modeling of Polyplectron napoleonis within Cleopatra’s Needle Forest Reserve and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in the Palawan region. This was accomplished using MaxEnt software, a statistical machine-learning algorithm that creates niche models with presence-only (PO) data and surrounding environmental variables (Dudik et al., 2007; Merow et al., 2013). Previous studies have identified precipitation, elevation, and land cover as the top environmental variables influencing tandikan habitat suitability, as revealed by their percent contributions. There were earlier claims of the noticeable movement of habitat-suitable areas to the fringes and beyond Cleopatra's Needle Forest Reserve. The migration seems to be going towards highland forests. Two factors could be behind this migration: the tandikan are responding to climate change or avoiding human disturbance. As this species is known to have a high tolerance for temperature change, the latter could be the more plausible factor. For 2022, post-Odette, MaxEnt analysis revealed a shift of percent contributions with elevation and land cover classification outranking aspect and slope. Environmental layers were limited to four, as these were the only currently available data. This shift in percent contributions could be linked to the direct damage to forests brought by the Typhoon in December of 2021. The land cover map generated for this year has shown large areas of forests that were converted into non-forests. Conservation efforts, therefore, for the tandikan, a forest species, should be recalibrated in response to this current development. Further, measures to mitigate the impact of solid typhoons on forests should be reviewed and evaluated.

Differential climatic niche diversification processes in South American rodents (Octodontoidea) across tropical and extratropical regions

ABSTRACT Studying niche evolution becomes central to understanding the processes driving species diversification along latitudinal gradients. Octodontoidea rodents serve as a model group for understanding how the colonisation of extratropical regions has shaped the climatic niche evolution of species. We analyse the time and mode of climatic niche evolution among different Octodontoidea lineages to understand how niche evolutionary processes operate across the spatial gradient of the Neotropical region. We constructed ecological niche models for living Octodontoidea species to assess the timing and mode of climatic niche evolution across tropical and extratropical lineages. We estimated niche similarity and correlated it with species divergence times, and estimated the rate of climatic niche diversification across lineages. Our results show a trend of greater niche overlap in more recent lineages and lower niche overlap in older lineages. However, extratropical lineages exhibit lower climatic niche overlaps. From diversification analysis, we detected that the Ctenomyidae group shows higher rates of niche diversification, whereas the tropical Echimyidae group exhibits the lowest rates of climatic niche diversification. Our results support the idea that the lineages restricted to tropical regions tend towards niche conservatism. However, some tropical lineages have successfully colonised extratropical regions, and this colonisation has been accompanied by strong selective pressures, leading to higher rates of niche diversification and lower climatic niche overlap among species.

Yellow fever in Ghana: Predicting emergence and ecology from historical outbreaks.

Understanding the epidemiology and ecology of yellow fever in endemic regions is critical for preventing future outbreaks. Ghana is a high-risk country for yellow fever. In this study we estimate the disease burden, ecological cycles, and areas at risk for yellow fever in Ghana based on historical outbreaks. We identify 2387 cases and 888 deaths (case fatality rate 37.7%) from yellow fever reported in Ghana from 1910 to 2022. During the approximately 30-year periods before and after implementation of routine childhood vaccination in 1992, the reported mean annual number of cases decreased by 80%. The geographic distribution of yellow fever cases has also changed over the past century. While there have been multiple large historical outbreaks of yellow fever in regions throughout Ghana, recent outbreaks have originated in northern regions. Comparing the locations where yellow fever outbreaks have emerged, we find patterns with seasons and different ecological transmission cycles. Using an ecological niche modeling framework, we predict areas in Ghana that are similar to where prior yellow fever outbreaks have originated based on temperature, precipitation, vegetation, and human population density. We find that these predictions differ depending on the ecological cycles of outbreaks. Ultimately, these findings and methods could be used to inform further subnational risk assessments for yellow fever in Ghana and other high-risk countries.

Integrating datasets from herbarium specimens and images to treat a Neotropical myrtle species complex.

Herbaria are the most important source of information for plant taxonomic work. Resources and technologies available today, such as digitised collections and herbarium DNA sequencing, can help accelerate taxonomic decisions in challenging plant groups. Here we employ an integrative methodology relying exclusively on herbarium specimens to investigate species boundaries in the Neotropical Myrcia neoobscura complex (Myrtaceae). We collected morphometric data from high-resolution images of herbarium sheets and analysed it using hierarchical clustering. We posteriorly tested the obtained morpho-groups with phylogenomics using the Angiosperms353 probe kit. We also gathered phenological and geographic information from specimen labels and built phenological histograms and ecological niche models to investigate ecological differences amongst taxa. Current circumscriptions of Myrcia arenaria, Myrcia neoglabra and Myrcia neoregeliana are confirmed in this study. Conversely, the four pieces of evidence together support Calyptranthes langsdorffii var. grandiflora, Marlierea regeliana var. parviflora and Marlierea warmingiana as separate from Myrcia marliereana, Myrcia neoriedeliana and Myrcia neoobscura, respectively, contrary to arrangements proposed by previous authors. Integrated analyses also support separation between Myrcia excoriata and two similar, undescribed taxa. Our data reveal the need for major changes in the systematics of the group, with recognition of 12 species. The successful delivery of our study aims was possible due to obtaining robust, high-quality data from museum specimens. We emphasise the importance of maintaining botanical collections physically and digitally available for taxonomic work and advocate their use to accelerate holistic taxonomic solutions of tropical species complexes. This is urgent, given the paucity of funds for fieldwork and unprecedented rates of habitat loss in the tropics.

The Concept of Levels of Detail for 3D Niche Models in CityGML

Abstract. Buddhist niches in grottoes can be represented in three-dimensional (3D) for their detailed geometries on surfaces by using triangular meshes generated from point clouds. However, not all applications require 3D models with high geometric detail. The mesh models of niches have drawbacks such as large data volumes, lack of semantic information, and absence of spatial relationships between structural components and members within niches. Those limitations make mesh models suitable only for visualization and challenging to use directly in tasks like spatial analysis, simulation experiments, mechanical analysis, and disease investigation. To address this problem, this study defines four Levels of Detail (LoDs) for Buddhist niches, ranging from LoD0 to LoD3, drawing on the concept of LoDs for urban buildings in CityGML 3.0. As the LoD level increases, 3D models contain more detailed geometries, including spatial points, bounding boxes, niche structural components, and component members. Those 3D models at different LoDs can represent niches with varying degrees of abstraction, making them suitable for different applications and guiding the production of standardized 3D semantic models. To validate the feasibility of the LoDs definition for Buddha niches, this paper reconstructs 3D models of niches at different LoDs based on high-precision mesh models. Finally, a comparison is made between the original mesh model and models at different LoDs in terms of data size and potential application scenarios.

Modeling climate-related global risk maps of rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae (Ishiyama 1922) using geographical information system (GIS).

Rice is a critical staple crop that feeds more than half of the world's population. Still, its production confronts various biotic risks, notably the severe bacterial blight disease produced by Xanthomonas oryzae. Understanding the possible effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of this virus is critical to ensuring food security. This work used ecological niche modeling and the Maxent algorithm to create future risk maps for the range of X. oryzae under several climate change scenarios between 2050 and 2070. The model was trained using 93 occurrence records of X. oryzae and five critical bioclimatic variables. It has an excellent predictive performance, with an AUC of 0.889. The results show that X. oryzae's potential geographic range and habitat suitability are expected to increase significantly under low (RCP2.6) and high (RCP8.5) emission scenarios. Key climatic drivers allowing this development include increased yearly precipitation, precipitation during the wettest quarter, and the wettest quarter's mean temperature. These findings are consistent with broader research revealing that climate change is allowing many plant diseases and other dangerous microbes to spread across the globe. Integrating these spatial predictions with data on host susceptibility, agricultural practices, and socioeconomic vulnerabilities can help to improve targeted surveillance, preventative, and management methods for reducing the growing threat of bacterial blight to rice production. Proactive, multidisciplinary efforts to manage the changing disease dynamics caused by climate change will be critical to assuring global food security in the future decades.

Evolutionary origins, macroevolutionary dynamics, and climatic niche space of the succulent plant syndrome in the Caryophyllales.

The succulent plant syndrome is defined by the coordination of traits that enhance internal water storage within plant tissues. Although distributed globally in different habitats, succulent plants are thought to have evolved to avoid drought in arid regions, due to trait modifications that decrease tissue water deficits. We evaluated the evolution and the ecological significance of the succulent strategy at a global scale by comparing the climatic niche of species displaying succulence within the Core Caryophyllales with their non-succulent relatives. We assembled and curated a worldwide dataset of 201K georeferenced records belonging to 5447 species within 28 families, and analyzed the climatic niche of species along with their origin and evolutionary trajectories using ecological niche modeling, phylogenetic regression, divergence dates and ancestral state estimation. Results indicate the Core Caryophyllales have inhabited drylands since their origin in the Early Cretaceous. However, the succulent syndrome appeared and diversified during later geologic periods. The climatic niche space of succulents is narrower than non-succulent relatives, but no climate niche separation was detected between groups. Our results support alternative interpretations on the environmental and ecological forces that spurred the origin and diversification of the succulent plant syndrome and the radiation of rich succulent lineages.

Niche divergence mechanisms of closely related hybridising bird species. Modeling approach based on remote sensing data of forest habitats

Describing mechanisms that ensure stable co-occurrence of sympatric species is fundamental to understanding the complexity of ecological community dynamics. In this study, the Pied flycatcher and the Collared flycatcher were used as model species for the analysis of co-occurrence patterns of closely related hybridising species that inhabit overlapping forest habitats. I hypothesise that spatial niche partitioning between species emerges as a vital adaptive response to interspecific competition and manifests itself in significant shifts in habitat preferences in syntopic areas but not in the allotopic ones. The study leverages a comprehensive dataset that includes species density in 372 randomly selected 1 km² grid cells across the territory of Poland. The analysis of habitat preferences was performed with linear mixed-effect modeling, whereas a contrast analysis was used to investigate changes in habitat preferences resulting from the presence of a competitor. The findings indicate that both species modify their habitat preferences when transitioning between syntopic and allotopic sites. Remarkably, in regions without competitors, such shifts are significantly less pronounced, as demonstrated by the Pied flycatcher that prefers the same habitats both in allopatric regions and allotopic sites. When these results are compared with other studies on closely related hybridising and non-hybridising species, it turns out that what influences the degree and number of niches subjected to competition is the time that passes from species divergence. This study highlights the imperative need to incorporate co-occurrence parameters of closely related species into niche and species distribution models to enhance their ecological realism.

High phenotypic diversity correlated with genomic variation across the European Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans epizootic.

Recognizing the influence of pathogen diversity on infection dynamics is crucial for mitigating emerging infectious diseases. Characterising such diversity is often complex, for instance when multiple pathogen variants exist that interact differently with the environment and host. Here, we explore genotypic and phenotypic variation of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), an emerging fungal pathogen that is driving declines among an increasing number of European amphibian species. For thirteen isolates, spanning most of the known temporal and geographical Bsal range in Europe, we mapped phenotypic diversity through numerous measurements that describe varying reproductive rates in vitro across a range of temperatures. Bsal isolates are revealed to have different thermal optima and tolerances, with phenotypic variation correlating with genomic diversity. Using a mechanistic niche model of the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) as an example, we illustrate how host steady-state body temperature and Bsal thermal range variation may influence pathogen growth through space and time across Europe. Our combined findings show how the identity of emergent pathogen variants may strongly influence when and which host populations are most at risk.

Ecological niche assessment and conservation status of colocolo pampas cat Leopardus colocola (Molina 1782)

Until 2021, Leopardus colocola was considered a species distributed across much of South America. However, recent studies have shown that it is a monotypic species, apparently restricted in its distribution to the central-northern region of Chile, distinct from other felines of the same genus. This change in its classification and distribution has sparked debate regarding its conservation status, which now requires a detailed assessment. In this study, we analyzed the species’ geographic distribution using ecological niche modeling and evaluated its conservation status according to the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, considering the impact of mining concessions and Chile's road network. Presence records of the species were systematized, and a new ecological niche model was developed. Additionally, the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and the Area of Occupancy (AOO) were calculated. The fragmentation and projected reduction of the niche model, along with the EOO and AOO, place the species under the Criteria B2ab (i, ii, iii), leading to its classification as “Endangered.” This study provides an updated view of the species' geographic distribution and conservation status in Chile. The results are crucial for future conservation efforts and offer a solid foundation for effective management strategies.

Study on the Comprehensive Assessment and its Application of Environmental Pollution Governance Effect of Low-carbon Tourism Emissions from Energy Consumption in Jiangsu Province

Jiangsu Province is the first largest province in China for low-carbon tourism, set to explore the comprehensive assessment method of the effect of low-carbon tourism environmental pollution governance in Jiangsu Province and to promote the effective way of continuous improvement of low-carbon tourism in Jiangsu. This paper takes the effect of low-carbon tourism environmental pollution governance in Jiangsu Province as an overall comprehensive assessment object and utilizes the spatial ecological niche model as well as the basic statistical data of Jiangsu Province to carry out a comprehensive assessment study on the effect of low-carbon tourism environmental pollution governance in Jiangsu Province from 2013 to 2021. It is found that the comprehensive assessment coefficient of low-carbon tourism in Jiangsu Province rises from 0.8770 in 2013, with the environmental pollution governance effect of low-carbon tourism ranked at level II, to 0.9401 in 2021, with the corresponding environmental pollution governance effect of low-carbon tourism ranked at level I, which fully reflects the good trend of continuous growth of the environmental pollution governance effect of low-carbon tourism in Jiangsu Province. According to the specific assessment results, this paper further puts forward policy recommendations to promote the continuous improvement of the environmental pollution governance effect of low-carbon tourism in Jiangsu Province.

Open-source software integration: A tutorial on species distribution mapping and ecological niche modelling

Over the last decade, access to global data has become increasingly critical for research, allowing insights into diverse biological, environmental and societal questions at a macro scale. Digitisation has greatly enhanced the use of herbarium data in the analysis of species distributions and ecological niche modelling. Yet, sources on modelling and mapping methodology using open-source software is greatly lacking for beginners. We have created a replicable and thorough tutorial to visualise species occurrence data and exploratory analysis that was developed by undergraduates with broad backgrounds and levels of experience. This tutorial integrates the open-source programmes QGIS, MaxEnt and R to develop distribution maps, using bryophytes as a case study, to promote the accessibility of open-source software and remote access learning. This tutorial has already set the foundation for further research into distribution modelling of rare Illinois bryophytes to better understand the potential impact of climate change.