Ecological Outcomes Research Articles

Natural resource endowment and its lmpact on ecological efficiency

China's economy grew at an impressive rate, but concerns about its ecological efficiency and the sustainability of its natural resource endowment emerged. The effect of China's natural resource endowment on ecological efficiency from 2005 to 2020 was evaluated using the entropy weight method. Our study revealed several significant findings; China's more naturally resource-endowed regions have frequently seen more substantial economic growth. The difficulty in striking a balance between economic development and environmental sustainability is highlighted by the fact that this growth was only sometimes accompanied by commensurate increases in ecological efficiency. While environmental concerns and policies played a more significant role in shaping ecological efficiency outcomes in later years, resource abundance was still a significant driver of economic growth in earlier years. These findings provide insightful information for researchers and policymakers regarding the intricate interactions in China between environmental sustainability, economic growth, and natural resources.

Beyond a ‘just add water’ perspective: environmental water management for vegetation outcomes

Practitioners of environmental water management (EWM) operate within complex social-ecological systems. We sought to better understand this complexity by investigating the management of environmental water for vegetation outcomes. We conducted an online survey to determine practitioners’ perspectives on EWM for non-woody vegetation (NWV) in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia with regards to: i) desirable outcomes and benefits; ii) influencing factors and risks; iii) challenges of monitoring and evaluation, and iv) improving outcomes.Survey participants indicated that EWM aims to achieve outcomes by improving or maintaining vegetation attributes and the functions and values these provide. Our study reveals that EWM practitioners perceive NWV management in a holistic and highly interconnected way. Numerous influencing factors as well as risks and challenges to achieving outcomes were identified by participants, including many unrelated to water.Survey responses highlighted six areas to improve EWM for NWV outcomes: (1) flow regimes, (2) vegetation attributes, (3) non-flow drivers, (4) management-governance considerations, (5) functions and values, and (6) monitoring, evaluation and research. These suggest a need for more than ‘just water’ when it comes to the restoration and management of NWV. Our findings indicate more integrated land-water governance and management is urgently required to address the impacts of non-flow drivers such as pest species, land-use change and climate change. The results also indicate that inherent complexity in EWM for ecological outcomes has been poorly addressed, with a need to tackle social-ecological constraints to improve EWM outcomes.

Can switches in disturbance type improve habitat for grassland birds in semi‐arid grasslands of South‐Eastern Australia?

AbstractGrasslands are one of the most endangered and degraded ecosystems globally. Switches in disturbance type can restore grassland function and improve conservation outcomes for fauna, but land‐use legacies can limit the capacity of biota to respond positively to shifts in disturbance type, making it difficult to predict ecological outcomes. In semi‐arid grasslands of South‐Eastern Australia, habitat for grassland birds is managed using livestock grazing, a practice that has continued for >150 years. It is unknown if outcomes for birds can be improved by a switch in disturbance type as alternatives to livestock grazing have not been explored. We compare the effects of status‐quo livestock grazing with alternative biomass management tools (no management, ‘crash’ grazing, planned fire) on birds, vegetation structure, and food resources using a BACI design across 3 years (2017–2019). We found crash grazing and fire produced more open, shorter grassy swards, with less exotic grass cover, compared to status‐quo grazing or disturbance exclusion. Preferred habitat structure for the critically endangered plains‐wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) was maximized by status‐quo grazing. Grassland birds responded in opposing ways to a disturbance switch. Brown songlarks (Megalurus cruralis) and Horsfield's bushlarks (Mirafra javanica) responded positively to disturbance exclusion, while stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis) responded negatively to crash grazing. Australasian pipits (Anthus novaeseelandiae) were more frequent in response to status‐quo grazing. Our findings suggest that multiple disturbance types should be used if the aim is to promote the spectrum of vegetation structures and food sources required to support a diverse grassland bird community in semi‐arid grasslands of Australia.

Characterizing post-fire delayed tree mortality with remote sensing: sizing up the elephant in the room

BackgroundDespite recent advances in understanding the drivers of tree-level delayed mortality, we lack a method for mapping delayed mortality at landscape and regional scales. Consequently, the extent, magnitude, and effects of delayed mortality on post-fire landscape patterns of burn severity are unknown. We introduce a remote sensing approach for mapping delayed mortality based on post-fire decline in the normalized burn ratio (NBR). NBR decline is defined as the change in NBR between the first post-fire measurement and the minimum NBR value up to 5 years post-fire for each pixel. We validate the method with high-resolution aerial photography from six wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington, USA, and then compare the extent, magnitude, and effects of delayed mortality on landscape patterns of burn severity among fires and forest types.ResultsNBR decline was significantly correlated with post-fire canopy mortality (r2 = 0.50) and predicted the presence of delayed mortality with 83% accuracy based on a threshold of 105 NBR decline. Plots with NBR decline greater than 105 were 23 times more likely to experience delayed mortality than those below the threshold (p < 0.001). Delayed mortality occurred across 6–38% of fire perimeters not affected by stand-replacing fire, generally affecting more areas in cold (22–41%) and wet (30%) forest types than in dry (1.7–19%) types. The total area initially mapped as unburned/very low-severity declined an average of 38.1% and generally persisted in smaller, more fragmented patches when considering delayed mortality. The total area initially mapped as high-severity increased an average of 16.2% and shifted towards larger, more contiguous patches.ConclusionsDifferences between 1- and 5-year post-fire burn severity maps depict dynamic post-fire mosaics resulting from delayed mortality, with variability among fires reflecting a range of potential drivers. We demonstrate that tree-level delayed mortality scales up to alter higher-level landscape patterns of burn severity with important implications for forest resilience and a range of fire-driven ecological outcomes. Our method can complement existing tree-level studies on drivers of delayed mortality, refine mapping of fire refugia, inform estimates of habitat and carbon losses, and provide a more comprehensive assessment of landscape and regional scale fire effects and trends.

Assessing evidence on the impacts of nature-based interventions for climate change mitigation: a systematic map of primary and secondary research from subtropical and tropical terrestrial regions

BackgroundNature-based interventions (NbIs) for climate change mitigation include a diverse set of interventions aimed at conserving, restoring, and/or managing natural and modified ecosystems to improve their ability to store and sequester carbon and avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Recent projections estimate that terrestrial NbIs can lead to more than one-third of the climate change mitigation necessary to meet the Paris Climate Agreement by 2030. Further, these interventions can provide co-benefits in the form of social and ecological outcomes. Despite growing recognition of the potential benefits, a clear characterization of the distribution and occurrence of evidence which supports linkages between different types of NbIs and outcomes for climate change mitigation, ecosystems, and people remains poorly understood.MethodsThis systematic map assesses the evidence base on the links between NbIs and climate change mitigation, social, and ecological outcomes in tropical and subtropical terrestrial regions. We searched three bibliographic databases, 65 organization websites, and conducted backward citation chasing within 39 existing evidence syntheses to identify relevant articles. Additionally, we reached out to key informants for additional sources of evidence. We then used machine learning to rank returned results by relevance at the title and abstract stage and manually screened for inclusion using predefined criteria at the title, abstract, and full text stages. We extracted relevant meta-data from included articles using an a priori coding scheme. Lastly, we conducted a targeted, complementary search to identify relevant review and synthesis articles to provide broader context for the findings of the systematic map.Review findingsWe included 948 articles in this systematic map. Most of the evidence base (56%) examined links between protection, natural resource management, and restoration interventions with changes to ‘proxy’ outcomes for climate change mitigation (changes to land condition, land cover, and/or land use). Other areas with high occurrence of articles included linkages between interventions within natural resource management and trees in croplands categories and changes to aboveground carbon storage and/or sequestration (17% of articles). A key knowledge gap was on measured changes in GHG emissions across all intervention types (6% of articles). Overall, articles in the evidence base did not often assess changes in co-benefits alongside direct or indirect changes for climate change mitigation (32%). In most cases, the evidence base contained studies which did not explicitly test for causal linkages using appropriate experimental or quasi-experimental designs.ConclusionsThe evidence base for NbIs is significant and growing; however, key gaps in knowledge hamper the ability to inform ongoing and future investment and implementation at scale. More comprehensive evidence is needed to support causal inference between NbIs and direct outcomes for climate change mitigation to better determine additionality, permanence, leakage, and other unintended consequences. Similarly, priorities emerging from this map include the need for coordinated and harmonized efforts to collect diverse data types to better understand whether and how other outcomes (e.g. social, ecological) of NbIs can be achieved synergistically with mitigation objectives. Understanding potential benefits and trade-offs of NbIs is particularly urgent to inform rapidly expanding carbon markets for nature.

Dam‐induced riverbed degradation in the Saskatchewan River Delta

AbstractRiver deltas formed by the uninterrupted flow of water carrying sediments and nutrients provide many benefits to humans, including natural resources (e.g., water, aquatic, and terrestrial species) and fertile land. However, the sustainability of river deltas is threatened by large hydraulic infrastructure (e.g., upstream dams), other human activities, and climate change. For example, the Saskatchewan River Delta in Northern Canada is threatened because dams upstream interrupt the sediment transport, resulting in declining sediment levels. The lack of sediment affects the ecology and environment of the delta. This paper will address how dam operation can be adapted to decrease erosion and maintain hydrological, ecological, and environmental outcomes from human activities in the Saskatchewan River Basin, especially the South Saskatchewan River and the river delta. The cross‐sectional data along the Saskatchewan River below the E.B. Campbell Dam were considered for unsteady flow simulations via HEC‐RAS. Insufficient sediment reaches the Saskatchewan River Delta, resulting in ecological changes. The purpose is to give decision‐makers or related stakeholders insight into developing strategies for reducing erosion, replenishing moisture, and restoring sediment in the Saskatchewan River Delta to minimize dam‐induced issues.

This seems fishy: Technology-Critical Elements as a growing concern to aquatic biota and elasmobranchs in particular

Human activities have significantly impacted our natural environments, resulting in extensive degradation, with chemical contamination emerging as a critical concern. This type of pollution has far-reaching implications, affecting ecological health and socioeconomic dimensions. The concept of “contaminants of emerging concern” encompasses newly recognized environmental pollutants, highlighting their diverse and often understudied effects. This category includes microplastics, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and metals, among others, many of which lack adequate regulations and understanding of their ecological and human impacts. A subset of these pollutants, termed Technology-Critical Elements (TCEs), holds significance in high-tech industries but also poses environmental challenges due to increased extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. Aquatic environments, the ultimate chemical contaminant sinks, require heightened attention with regard to TCE dynamics and effects. Despite increasing research on TCEs in various aquatic taxa, a lack of comprehensive data hinders further knowledge assessments. In this scenario, fish, key environmental health indicators and links to human contamination, demand focused studies. Cartilaginous fish, specifically, are often overlooked, although ecologically and economically significant, warranting research into TCE effects. This type of research displays the potential to shed light on TCE dynamics, ecological outcomes, and guide conservation strategies for these species and their habitat, also aligning with the One Health concept, acknowledging the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment and contributing to SDG goals, underpinning marine ecosystem conservation.

Tradeoffs between resources and risks shape the responses of a large carnivore to human disturbance

Wide-ranging carnivores experience tradeoffs between dynamic resource availabilities and heterogeneous risks from humans, with consequences for their ecological function and conservation outcomes. Yet, research investigating these tradeoffs across large carnivore distributions is rare. We assessed how resource availability and anthropogenic risks influence the strength of lion (Panthera leo) responses to disturbance using data from 31 sites across lions’ contemporary range. Lions avoided human disturbance at over two-thirds of sites, though their responses varied depending on site-level characteristics. Lions were more likely to exploit human-dominated landscapes where resources were limited, indicating that resource limitation can outweigh anthropogenic risks and might exacerbate human-carnivore conflict. Lions also avoided human impacts by increasing their nocturnal activity more often at sites with higher production of cattle. The combined effects of expanding human impacts and environmental change threaten to simultaneously downgrade the ecological function of carnivores and intensify human-carnivore conflicts, escalating extinction risks for many species.

Review of terrestrial temporarily conserved areas in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

The establishment of protected areas is a cornerstone of conservation, but permanent protection could be inefficient or even impossible in some situations. We synthesized the literature on temporarily conserved areas (TCAs) across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. We used a comprehensive search string to retrieve peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 to 2021 from the Web of Science. We identified 27 relevant peer-reviewed articles that examined the potential benefits of TCAs in the study area, indicating TCA is a relatively understudied area of research in the peer-reviewed literature. The TCA studies were highly clustered; 77% of studies focused on protecting a single life stage of migratory species and 61% of studies related to temporary conservation of breeding or staging habitats for migratory birds. Ninety-three percent of studies focused on preventing human-driven threats, mainly on public lands of coastal areas, the Great Plains, and the Mississippi Valley in the central United States. Short-term and experimental studies were the dominant study types. TCAs have the potential to complement permanently protected areas and provide protection when permanent protection is difficult. Some included studies examined their conservation value, but the ecological, social, and economic outcomes of TCAs are unclear. More TCA research is needed to determine the role they could play in conservation worldwide. Embracing the concept of TCAs as conservation tool could lead to more comprehensive and consistent reporting of the outcomes of temporary area-based conservation measures. However, a global review and analysis of effectiveness of TCAs will be required if they are to play a formal role in meeting international targets for biodiversity conservation.

Social and ecological outcomes of tropical dry forest restoration through invasive species removal in central India

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) support endemic biodiversity, and the livelihoods of millions of people globally. Invasive species, such as Lantana camara, are a predominant cause of degradation of TDFs. We examined lesser-studied vocalizing fauna and social outcomes of TDF restoration through Lantana removal, focusing on a Central Indian TDF. We quantified biodiversity using acoustics in 55 locations in restored, unrestored, and Low Lantana Density (LLD) forest sites and surveyed 656 households across villages adjacent to these forest sites. Our ecological analysis showed that in comparison to unrestored and LLD sites, restoration was not significantly associated with a different acoustic space occupancy (ASO) in higher frequencies (9–24 kHz) during night time hours, meaning restoration does not impact nocturnal vocalising or stridulating species. However, restored and LLD sites had significantly lower ASO in the day time hours, potentially due to differences in the insect community when Lantana is absent. Through the household surveys, we found that the highest number of respondents across all the three types of sites valued the cash payment they received for participating in restoration efforts. Perceptions of lower amounts of crop raiding by wild ungulates were associated by villagers with a restored site. This perception was mediated by the total number of households in a village with a restored site. Focusing restoration efforts on forests surrounding villages, restoration planners could reduce potential negative human-wildlife interactions. Combining ecological and social outcomes, we found that there are immediate positive outcomes of restoration for people. However, in the short term (three years following restoration), there was no significant biodiversity ‘benefit’. Based on our results, we recommend that restoration planners (1) consult local people about their perception of forest degradation and restoration because people’s perceptions can accurately mirror the condition of the forest; (2) provide a cash income for participating in restoration activities and (3) anticipate potential changes in the faunal species community in the short term when large scale invasive species removal takes place.

Does participation in agri-environmental schemes increase eco-efficiency?

The literature on the effectiveness of Agri-Environmental Schemes focuses mainly on the environmental effects; only a few studies have focused on economic aspects. The number of papers that address ecological and economic outcomes simultaneously is even more limited. In this paper, we apply the concept of eco-efficiency to integrate these two factors. The aim of the paper is to analyze the impact of participation in the agri-environmental scheme of Hungarian field crop farmers in terms of eco-efficiency. To make unbiased and consistent comparisons we use advances from aggregation and bootstrap theory in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) context. The results indicate that there exists a significant potential for enhancing eco-efficiency in Hungarian crop farms. Furthermore, our results reveal that, in terms of eco-efficiency, perceived as the relationship of farm income to pesticide, fertilizers and energy use, no significant differences exist between participating and non-participating farmers. The results are robust to different methods. Our results pose questions about the efficacy of the Agri-Environmental Scheme.

Implementing a resilience‐based management system in Mongolia's rangelands

AbstractA primary challenge in advancing sustainability in rangelands and drylands is the lack of governance systems that are linked to information about highly variable ecosystem conditions. Here, we describe the national‐scale implementation of a resilience‐based management system in the rangelands of Mongolia. The system comprises several interacting elements. Land type‐specific information about rangeland conditions was captured in vegetation state‐and‐transition models (STMs) that allow interpretation of monitoring data and locally tailored restoration recommendations. Rangeland monitoring systems based on standardized protocols were developed and have been adopted by national government agencies, which provide annual, high‐quality data on rangeland conditions on which to base and adjust management decisions. Rangeland use agreements between local governments and herders' collective organizations, called Pasture Users' Groups, define their respective rights and responsibilities and introduce economic and policy incentives for management changes. Pasture Users' Groups also provide a platform for information sharing and collective action. Rangeland condition data and other indicators are linked to the Responsible Nomads product traceability system that provides consumers and industry a means to associate products with sustainable rangeland management practices. The collaboration between national agencies, international donors, scientists, and herders has been essential to initial success, but longer term support and monitoring will be needed to assess whether the adoption of resilience‐based management leads to positive social and ecological outcomes. We draw generalizations and lessons learned from this effort, which can lead to the successful implementation of new management systems across global rangelands.

Innovative Strategies for Restoration of Degraded Ecosystems: A Case Study of Abandoned Agricultural Land and Abandoned Mining Land Recovery in West Java Province

Ecosystem degradation and land abandonment are pressing global environmental challenges, with significant ecological, social, and economic consequences. In the context of West Java Province, Indonesia, the degradation of abandoned agricultural and mining lands has been a particularly pronounced issue. This study explored innovative strategies for the restoration of these degraded ecosystems, focusing on the recovery of abandoned agricultural and mining lands in West Java. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Key findings revealed a range of innovative strategies, including natural regeneration, agroforestry, phytoremediation, and soil improvement techniques, being used to restore abandoned lands. Challenges such as slow ecological recovery, community conflicts, and technical hurdles were also identified. Despite these challenges, the restoration efforts have yielded positive ecological, social, and economic outcomes, including increased biodiversity, improved soil quality, enhanced community livelihoods, and economic benefits. This study provides valuable insights into the complex process of ecosystem restoration in West Java Province and offers recommendations for policymakers, landowners, and conservation practitioners. The findings underscore the importance of community engagement, sustainable land management practices, and ongoing monitoring and research to support the long-term success of ecosystem restoration initiatives.

Status of integrated crop-livestock research in the mixed farming systems of the Global South: a scoping study

Mixed farming systems (MFS) are the main food source and exist across almost all agroecological regions in the Global South. A systematic scoping review was conducted to identify the status of integrated crop-livestock research in MFS of the Global South. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol was used to identify 210 studies (excluding reviews) addressing productivity, resilience, challenges, opportunities, and perceptions of integrating crops and livestock in the Global South from the Scopus and Web of Science database. Publication details, problem statement, experimental details and research outcomes of each study were extracted into an MS. Excel sheet. Descriptive methods such as frequency counting and the word frequency cloud were used to analyze the data and identify emerging themes. Integrated crop-livestock research was mostly conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and not much from North Africa and the Caribbean. The integrated research has been focused on farm production of human food and animal feed by smallholder farmers and soil productivity. Maize was the most dominant crop, while for livestock, it was sheep and cattle. The integrated crop-livestock research seeked to address various challenges, including the growing demand for food and fodder, water scarcity, land scarcity and degradation, climate change, disease outbreaks and social changes. The review summarized proposed strategies and approaches to improve the efficiency of MFS in the Global South. Under the current challenges, feed quality and supply can be improved through adoption of high biomass, climate smart and improved drought-tolerant fodder crops. Using crop residues incorporated in crop fields for improved soil organic matter and controlled grazing were some strategies suggested for land rehabilitation. Building the resilience of smallholder farmers in MFS can be done through diversification and ensuring access to information, markets and finance. Policies that promote the business component, i.e., markets, training, gender equality, private investments, tenure systems and technology adoption were identified for the sustainability of MFS. There is need for research that integrates crop-livestock systems and natural resource management innovations and that evaluates sustainable intensification strategies to meet productivity goals without compromising social and ecological outcomes in MFS.

Redox-active metals and oxidative stress-mediated myopathies in Callinectes amnicola, blue crab populations from impacted sites of the Lagos Lagoon: inferences for adverse ecological outcomes.

While oxidative stress pathways are associated with a wide variety of tissue pathologies, its applications for evaluating and discerning ecological risks are limited. This study seeks to associate trends of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress to risks of muscle pathologies in blue crabs inhabiting regions of the Lagos Lagoon. Crab samples (n = 520) were selected from pollution-impacted sites of the lagoon at Iddo, Ajah, Okobaba, Makoko, and the mid-lagoon area (control site). Antioxidant enzyme capacity, i.e., superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-S-transferase, and lipid peroxidation were evaluated in the muscle tissue of the blue crabs. The study findings showed distinct patterns of metal uptake in muscle, with redox-active metals (Cu and Zn) and redox-inactive metals (Pb and Cd) exhibiting site-specific differences. Additionally, there were changes in antioxidant modulation, lipid peroxidation, and the presence of associated myopathies. Blue crabs from sites (Makoko and Ajah) with greater uptake of redox-active metals (Cu and Zn) in muscle tissue showed higher trends of lipid peroxidation and the most prevalence of severe regression-type myopathies. Sites with lower uptake of redox-active metals showed the predominance of circulatory-type myopathies. This study also provides evidence of severe necrosis and myositis associated with digenean parasite cysts in crab muscle. Pathological evidence of severe skeletal muscle deterioration in the presence of greater lipid peroxidation could have implications for motor-neuron activity and reduced force-generating capacity necessary for adaptive responses in the wild. We conclude that elevated uptake of redox metals could aggravate the onset of myopathies in wild populations.

Using social-ecological models to explore stream connectivity outcomes for stakeholders and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

Despite growing interest in conservation and re-establishment of ecological connectivity, few studies have explored its context-specific social-ecological outcomes. We aimed to explore social and ecological outcomes to changing stream connectivity for both stakeholders and native fish species impacted by habitat fragmentation and nonnative species. We (1) investigated stakeholder perceptions of the drivers and outcomes of stream connectivity, and (2) evaluated the effects of stakeholder-identified connectivity and nonnative species scenarios on Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) populations. Our study was conducted in the Teton River, Idaho, USA. We integrated two modeling approaches, mental modeling and individual-based ecological modeling, to explore social-ecological outcomes for stakeholders and YCT populations. Aggregation of mental models revealed an emergent pattern of increasing complexity as more types of stakeholders were considered, as well as gaps and linkages among different stakeholder knowledge areas. These results highlight the importance of knowledge sharing among stakeholders when making decisions about connectivity. Additionally, the results from the individual-based models suggested that the potential for a large, migratory life history form of YCT, in addition to self-preference mating where they overlap with rainbow trout, had the strongest effects on outcomes for YCT. Exploring social and ecological drivers and outcomes to changing connectivity is useful for anticipating and adapting to unintended outcomes, as well as making decisions for desirable outcomes. The results from this study can contribute to the management dialogue surrounding stream connectivity in the Teton River, as well as to our understanding of connectivity conservation and its outcomes more broadly.

Nutritional, ecological and livelihood significance of Moringa oleifera: A review

The potential ecological and livelihood benefits of Moringa plants are often overlooked. There is a need to raise awareness and encourage farmers and decision makers to adopt Moringa on marginal and degraded lands with changing climate risks. Previous studies have focused mainly on the pharmacological uses and oil content from a commercial point of view and failed to explore its ecological benefits and economic potential to address the growing problems of global food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate risks. Planting Moringa on unused and marginal land can improve soil fertility, food production, and resilience to climate change, offering a significant opportunity for diversification of livelihoods and economic development in the changing climate. Henceforth, this study compiles scientific evidence through a systematic literature search to highlight the ecological benefits and livelihood opportunities associated with the use of Moringa. Initially, we retrieved 206 pieces of global literature and, through the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted information from 22 articles. Various studies have consistently shown that Moringa leaves are highly nutritious and that their consumption can combat food and nutrition insecurity in low-income countries. Its seeds offer the potential for the commercial production of oils with heart-healthy properties. The oil is stable and suitable for cooking and its quality varies depending on location and environmental factors. When included in the diet, Moringa leaves improve the quality and quantity of goat milk and support the growth of fish in aquaculture. The extract of Moringa provides versatile uses in water purification, offering sustainable solutions to water pollution. We thus conclude that Moringa's diverse applications can contribute to the livelihood enhancement and economic well-being of poor and marginalized farmers in low-income countries. Planting Moringa trees in abandoned croplands and other degraded areas can have positive ecological and socioeconomic outcomes for rural communities. However, to support smallholders in low-income countries, favorable policies, field-based research evidences, and products development are crucial.

What went right? A collaborative process to prepare a city forest management strategy

ABSTRACT We analyze a multi-stakeholder process that succeeded in creating a joint forest management strategy for the city of Jyväskylä, Finland. The analysis draws on the participants’ own account of the process, elicited via interviews and questionnaires. We attend to critical context and process factors to account for the success of the collaborative process and evaluate the effectiveness of the agreement in terms of ecological and social outcomes. The process created a practical agreement, which increased the share of protected forests and introduced new biodiversity protection measures for commercial and recreational forests. It also created innovative solutions, like the new concept of a nature value forest, which helped the parties to negotiate around their differences. However, disagreement over the impacts of forest management practices, especially continuous cover forestry, remained. The crucial contextual conditions contributing to the agreement were strong initiating leadership and political mandate, which motivated the participants to engage in collaborative dialogue and stick with the process. The key process factors were a third-party facilitation and joint fact-finding. Most importantly, the process was not constrained by a pre-defined agenda or assumptions related to the status quo, but the participants were granted considerable influence over decisions and outputs.

What evidence exists on the ecological and physical effects of built structures in shallow, tropical coral reefs? A systematic map protocol

BackgroundShallow, tropical coral reefs face compounding threats from habitat degradation due to coastal development and pollution, impacts from storms and sea-level rise, and pulse disturbances like blast fishing, mining, dredging, and ship groundings that reduce coral reefs’ height and variability. One approach toward restoring coral reef structure from these threats is deploying built structures. Built structures range from engineered modules and repurposed materials to underwater sculptures and intentionally placed natural rocks. Restoration practitioners and coastal managers increasingly consider incorporating built structures, including nature-based solutions, into coral reef-related applications. Yet, synthesized evidence on the ecological and physical performance of built structure interventions across a variety of contexts (e.g., restoration, coastal protection, mitigation, tourism) is not readily available to guide decisions. To help inform management decisions, here we aim to document the global evidence base on the ecological and physical performance of built structures in shallow (≤ 30 m) tropical (35° N to 35° S latitude) coral ecosystems. The collated evidence base on use cases and associated ecological and physical outcomes of built structure interventions can help inform future consideration of built structures in reef restoration design, siting, and implementation.MethodTo discover evidence on the performance of built structures in coral reef-related applications, such as restoration, mitigation, and coastal protection, primary literature will be searched across indexing platforms, bibliographic databases, open discovery citation indexes, a web-based search engine, a novel literature discovery tool, and organizational websites. The geographic scope of the search is global, and there is no limitation to temporal scope. Primary literature will be screened first at the level of title and abstract and then at the full text level against defined eligibility criteria for the population, intervention, study type, and outcomes of interest. Metadata will be extracted from studies that pass both screening levels. The resulting data will be analyzed to determine the distribution and abundance of evidence. Results will be made publicly available and reported in a systematic map that includes a narrative description, identifies evidence clusters and gaps, and outlines future research directions on the use of built structures in coral reef-related applications.

Short-term temperature fluctuations increase disease in a Daphnia-parasite infectious disease system.

Climate change has profound effects on infectious disease dynamics, yet the impacts of increased short-term temperature fluctuations on disease spread remain poorly understood. We empirically tested the theoretical prediction that short-term thermal fluctuations suppress endemic infection prevalence at the pathogen's thermal optimum. This prediction follows from a mechanistic disease transmission model analyzed using stochastic simulations of the model parameterized with thermal performance curves (TPCs) from metabolic scaling theory and using nonlinear averaging, which predicts ecological outcomes consistent with Jensen's inequality (i.e., reduced performance around concave-down portions of a thermal response curve). Experimental observations of replicated epidemics of the microparasite Ordospora colligata in Daphnia magna populations indicate that temperature variability had the opposite effect of our theoretical predictions and instead increase endemic infection prevalence. This positive effect of temperature variability is qualitatively consistent with a published hypothesis that parasites may acclimate more rapidly to fluctuating temperatures than their hosts; however, incorporating hypothetical effects of delayed host acclimation into the mechanistic transmission model did not fully account for the observed pattern. The experimental data indicate that shifts in the distribution of infection burden underlie the positive effect of temperature fluctuations on endemic prevalence. The increase in disease risk associated with climate fluctuations may therefore result from disease processes interacting across scales, particularly within-host dynamics, that are not captured by combining standard transmission models with metabolic scaling theory.