Ecological Requirements Research Articles

An integrated assessment of niche partitioning reveals mechanisms of coexistence between mesocarnivores

Species diversity depends on the capacity of species to coexist, and when these share similar ecological requirements some degree of partitioning of the ecological niche is expected. Within the order Carnivora, direct and indirect interspecific interactions shape community structure and composition. Although strong negative interactions (e.g., interspecific killing) are expected between large carnivores and subordinate species, mesocarnivores that dominate most human disturbed landscapes can still strongly compete for resources given their similar body size and energy requirements. To identify the mechanisms of coexistence between mesocarnivore species in a Mediterranean landscape we assessed the ecological niche overlap between five species (Vulpes vulpes, Meles meles, Martes foina, Herpestes ichneumon, Genetta genetta), by simultaneously measuring the space, time, and trophic resource use. The multi-species occupancy model fit to camera-trapping data revealed spatial co-occurrence between most species’ pairs and an avoidance pattern between only stone marten and Eurasian badger (78 % probability of a negative effect). Using genetically identified scats, we assessed trophic niche breadth and overlap. Niche breadth was narrow for red fox, Eurasian badger, and stone marten, given these species consumed almost exclusively fruits and arthropods, and so trophic niche overlap was high. For the genet and the mongoose, the consumption of different food resources (e.g., mammals, birds, and reptiles) increased niche breadth and decreased the niche overlap with the other sympatric species. Finally, niche segregation was more significant along the temporal axis, since the mongoose has a diurnal activity pattern and the remaining carnivore species, although mostly nocturnal, had small asynchronies in the activity peaks which could decrease the chance of direct encounters. Therefore, our results suggest that similar habitat preferences and ecological requirements rather than interspecific competition shape the mesocarnivores’ resource use in this landscape. Nonetheless, fine-scale temporal segregation seems the main mechanism to facilitate coexistence, together with small differences in trophic resource use, especially for species with high spatial and temporal overlap.

Integrated Pest Management: Success Stories and Key Takeaways

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has revolutionized pest control in various agricultural settings, including orchards. By blending cultural, biological, and chemical methods, IPM aims to minimize pest damage while reducing environmental and health impacts. One of the most successful strategies within IPM is mating disruption, which uses synthetic pheromones to confuse male insects and prevent them from finding mates. This technique has been particularly effective against pests like the codling moth in apple and pear orchards, significantly reducing insecticide use by up to 90% in some regions.The implementation of IPM in orchards has numerous long-term advantages. Lower manufacturing costs, less environmental contamination, and increased worker safety have all resulted from reduced pesticide use. Furthermore, a healthier ecological balance has been promoted by the rise in natural predators and parasitoids brought about by the decrease in chemical treatments. Many growers have reported greater fruit quality due to more targeted pest control and healthier trees, despite worries that reduced use of pesticides would harm fruit quality. Important pests have also been suppressed regionally as a result of IPM's efficacy, such as the codling moth in the Pacific Northwest, whose populations have dropped to the point where little intervention is needed. Economic assessments highlight IPM's financial sustainability by demonstrating considerable long-term cost savings. According to one study, IPM adopters in apple orchards in Nova Scotia had 25% reduced pest management expenses over a ten-year period than those using conventional approaches. These results demonstrate how integrated pest management (IPM) has the ability to provide long-term, efficient pest control that is advantageous to growers, the environment, and consumers alike. IPM's widespread use attests to its effectiveness and sustainability. Integrative pest management (IPM) ensures the long-term health and production of agricultural systems by combining various pest control techniques into a balanced solution that satisfies both ecological and financial requirements.

First Report for Painted Globular Frog Uperodon taprobanicus in North Bastar Kanker District of Chhattisgarh, (India)

The North Bastar Kanker is full of natural wealth where different types of species are found every year, out of which new species are found the Painted Globular Frog (Uperodon taprobanicus) has been seen for the first time, according to the current study. One year of observation throughout the village badgaon near Khandi Rivershowed this species to be present in this microhabitat. The species' taxonomic validity in the area was aided by morphological and photographsanalysis that validated its identification. The known distribution range of U. taprobanicus, which was previously primarily reported in South India and Sri Lanka, is expanded by this finding. In order to shed light on the state of the species' conservation in this area, ecological characteristics like habitat choice, microhabitat usage and potential threats were also evaluated. The exploration underscores the importance of continued monitoring and conservation efforts to safeguard the diversity of amphibians in Chhattisgarh and highlights the need for further research to elucidate the ecological requirements and population dynamics of U. taprobanicus in its newly identified habitat. This species has been marked in the IUCN data and its conservation is very important in time. If we cannot conserve it, then we will eliminate this species from our ecosystem and we may see natural calamity and loss in the near future.

Ecological determinants of leishmaniasis vector, Lutzomyia spp.: A scoping review.

Leishmania spp. are zoonotic parasites transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, including those of the Lutzomyia genus, which can cause leishmaniases in both humans and dogs. Lutzomyia spp. are established in many countries in South and Central America and some areas of the southern United States, with suspected potential of these vectors to undergo further range expansion due to climate change. A scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extensions for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines to describe the current state of knowledge on the key ecological factors associated with Lutzomyia spp. survival, reproduction and establishment. The following electronic databases were searched for eligible studies published from 1 January 1990, to the date of search, 26 April 2023: CAB Direct (CABI), MEDLINE (via Ovid), Biological Sciences Database and Environmental Sciences Database. Primary research articles that were available in English and focused on ecological factors associated with Lutzomyia spp., such as climatic and habitat factors, geographic range, seasonality and temporality, and host abundance, were eligible for inclusion in the study. Following de-duplication, a total of 167 studies were included in Level 1 screening, 64 studies were included in Level 2 screening and 31 studies met the criteria for data extraction. Study locations included Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico and Canada, with some studies including multiple regions. A total of 31 different Lutzomyia spp. were assessed across these studies, with most (51.6%) of the studies focused on Lutzomyia longipalpis. Eligible studies investigated factors such as seasonality (n = 5), temperature (n = 19), precipitation (n = 13), humidity (n = 2), vegetation presence or requirements (n = 13), ecotypes (n = 7), and/or community type (i.e., urban, suburban, rural) (n = 5). Lutzomyia spp. activity was found to be higher during the rainy season, and peak when temperatures were between 20 and 25°C. Lutzomyia spp. were also found to preferentially reside in tropical or subtropical forests, which are characterised by their lack of a distinct dry season and high precipitation. This scoping review summarised the current state of the literature on the ecological factors associated with the survival, activity and reproduction of Lutzomyia spp. While there appears to be some consensus in the literature regarding some ecological requirements (such as seasonality, temperature and habitat features), overall, there is a lack of published research in this topic. This poses a significant challenge for future studies, which aim to predict the future distribution of Lutzomyia spp. in the context of climate and land use changes. Additional ecological research is urgently needed on Lutzomyia spp. given their relevance to both human and animal health.

Continental scale dietary patterns in a New World raptor using web-sourced photographs.

Dietary studies are essential to better understand raptor ecology and resource requirements through time and space, informing species habitat use, interspecific interactions and demographic rates. Methods used to collect data on raptor diets can constrain how dietary analyses can be interpreted. Traditional approaches to study raptor diets, such as analysis of pellets or prey remains, often provide dietary data at the local population level and tend to be restricted to pairs during the breeding season. The increasing use of citizen science data has the potential to provide dietary inferences at larger spatial, demographic and temporal scales. Using web-sourced photography, we explore continental-scale demographic and latitudinal dietary patterns between adult and non-adult Crested Caracaras (Caracara plancus), throughout the species' range across the Americas. We analysed 1,555 photographs of caracaras feeding and found no age effects on the probabilities of different food groups being included in photographs. The probability of reptiles being included in photographs of caracaras from the northern population was significantly higher than those from the southern population, with the opposite pattern for birds. There were significant latitudinal effects with the probabilities of fishes and invertebrates in the diet of northern caracaras increasing towards the equator. Contrastingly, the probability of mammals in the diet increased away from the equator for both populations. Assuming the focal species is well-sampled, web-sourced photography can improve our understanding of raptor diets at large-scales and complements more traditional approaches. This approach is more accessible to raptor researchers without access to the field or expertise in physical prey identification techniques.

Ecology and Sustainable Conservation of the Nase, Chondrostoma nasus: A Literature Review

Cyprinid fish play a major role in riverine ecosystems because of their high abundance, variety of life-history patterns, and habitat requirements. The nase (Chondrostoma nasus) is an algivorous, rheophilic, lithophilic, and oxyphilic species and is very pollution-sensitive. Thus, it represents a good indicator for habitat quality in the lower rhithral and upper potamal zones of the European river system. Due to its high level of ecological requirements, the species is very sensitive to human disturbance, leading to habitat loss and river fragmentation, climatic disruption causing a modification of hydrological and thermal regimes, organic and inorganic chemical water pollution, as well as sediment deposition. Its populations are declining in most of its distribution areas. This paper aims to synthesise the scientific knowledge on the different aspects of the nase ecology thanks to consultation of the scientific literature by addressing the following themes: European repartition, morphology and identification, reproduction and life cycle, diet, movement dynamics of adults and juveniles, and the characteristics of spawning grounds and habitats of juveniles and adults. We also provide an overview of the impact of human activities and climate shifts on natural ecology and conservation and present restoration measures based on the results of some studies that have successfully improved their habitats and/or preserved their populations. A series of key research questions are identified that should stimulate new research on this species as well as conservation measures for sustainable conservation. This paper may be particularly of interest to researchers in aquatic and fisheries sciences, river managers, and environmental conservationists.

Genetic and morphological evidence support the specific status of the endemic Ericaandevalensis (Ericales, Ericaceae).

Assessing the taxonomic status of closely related taxa is crucial in plant systematics and can have important implications for conservation and human plant use. Ericaandevalensis Cabezudo & Rivera is a metallophyte endemic species from highly metal-polluted soils of SW Iberian Peninsula, an area with a mining history going back more than 5,000 years. Ericaandevalensis is closely related to Ericamackayana Bab., a northern Iberian species also present in western Ireland. The status of E.andevalensis as a species or subspecies subordinated to E.mackayana is subject to debate. Here, we assessed the genetic and phenotypic relationship between both species, including the population structure of E.andevalensis. We used high throughput sequencing to determine genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and morphometric analyses from 35 reproductive and vegetative traits. The morphological analysis showed at least eight characters that can discriminate the two species, from which ovary hairiness and the size of leaf glandular hairs were the most informative. Genetic analyses showed that each species formed a monophyletic cluster with full support, separated by an interspecific genetic distance >4-fold higher than intra-specific distance. Population genetic analyses of E.andevalensis shows that populations are highly structured, with the Portuguese one as the most isolated and less variable. These results support the recognition of E.andevalensis as a distinct species with a highly constrained ecological requirements and a narrow geographic distribution, but with a limited gene flow between populations. We discuss the implications of these outcomes in conservation policies and potential uses of E.andevalensis such as decontamination of polluted soils.

«ЗЕЛЕНИЙ» ОБЛІК В УКРАЇНІ ТА ЗА ЇЇ МЕЖАМИ: НАБУТТЯ ДОСВІДУ

The existent approaches to a «green» account need to examine not only, from the necessity of maintenance of natural resources and guard of environment, but also as a process that integrates life with social aspects, by financial operations and influences on all spheres of economic activity and its safety. Therefore, using experience of foreign countries, it need green account to implement to the different spheres of national economy, applying the wide set of tools of analysis, evaluation, audit, monitoring and digitalization. The purpose of the research is expansion of limits of perception of «green» account in a theory and practice of instrument of management modern socio-economic development as on the level development level of separate business of region and national economy. The object of the research is a process of expansion the traditional account and including for its of instruments of ecology and social responsibility of business. The method of the research became modern methods and principles of scientific cognition, methods and methodologies of realization of audit, instruments of financial and economic analysis, principles of social responsibility of business that will allow to enter the existent approaches a «green account» in a modern theory and practice of traditional account that influences on steady and stability of national economy. The hypothesis of the research became a supposition about possibility of introduction of foreign mechanisms and instruments of «green» account in a theory in practice of traditional account. The statement of basic materials. It is well-proven that the task of «green» account there is harmonization the protection of environment with socio-economic and technological activity with helps by means of account instruments. It is confirmed, that a «green» account becomes the constituent of conception of steady development today, what proclaimed UN, and its main tendencies spread the input of the ecological development systems on all levels of management, using renewable energy, diminishing contamination of air, water, abbreviating the volumes of placing of wastes and so on. It is offered to the existent types of public account to add an ecological audit, which is sent to the search verification of observance of real ecological internals, standards and requirements that is pulled out by society. It is marked that «green» account allows obtaining information about charges and receipts of ecological benefits, which helps administrative composition to control, make decision, report and protect an environment. It is showed the list of benefits reasonable that it is possible to get if input of foreign experience of the using «green» account in the traditional system of account in Ukraine. The originality and practical significance of the research are confirmed by the ground of necessity of the using all elements, instruments and constituents of «green» account at a traditional account. Conclusions and perspectives of further research. It is well-proven that it is necessary to change approaches to «green» account, especially in a post-war period, because «green» account includes the economic, social and evaluation ecological aspects of enterprises activity that should be concerted with the landscape of country and its territories. A «green» account now become control system by all ecological charges that take into attention different general interests for strengthening of ecological state and socio-economic safety of environment. And this situation are allowing the determination of standards, rules and criteria, which should be reasonable and codification on the basis of certain practical experience, with bringing competent domestic and international organizations to forming of the special standards of «green» account for inhibition and normalization of ecological and socio-economic situation in a country and its territories. Further researches will be sent to the input of the special educational programs on the first, second and third educational levels and on the courses of in-plant training all professional directions that are the experience of successful global development of world community.

A framework for using community determined iconic species to advance socio-ecology connections and promote nature-based solutions

The community value and resonate with some species and ecological systems more than others and therefore can be used to engender broader public support for nature positive outcomes. Yet many of these are not the scientifically-derived indicator species or ecological communities used by conservation scientists to determine and report on the pressures or condition of the environment nor by those implementing programs or actions needed to reverse biodiversity loss. Urban environments represent the intersection of two complex systems, human and natural, and yet this socio-ecological or coupled human-natural system nexus remains elusive within conservation law and policy and the dominant paradigm of grey infrastructure in cities. New approaches are needed to tether environmental policies and practices, such as nature based solutions, to the values and interests of individuals and their place. This article offers a novel framework through which nature-based solutions may achieve policy traction when tied to iconic species that the community value. The iconic species framework is founded on validity theory and the relevance of community-selected species in supporting nature positive outcomes. In parallel, the framework satisfies the data driven outcomes on which science and conservation policy relies upon and the use controls that direct nature-based rather than conventional engineering approaches. The iconic species framework is situated between the indicator species framework, whereby taxa are selected on the basis of their ecological sensitivity, and flagship species, that are largely emblematic. It links numerous ecological and environmental requirements of the species that are preferred by the community to develop nature-positive policy and practice outcomes.

Ecological drivers of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of bryophytes in an oceanic island.

Montane oceanic islands possess unique geographic and ecological attributes, rendering them valuable for assessing patterns and drivers of alpha and beta taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity along elevational gradients. Such comparisons of diversity facets can provide insights into the mechanisms governing community assembly on islands. Herein, we aimed to characterize taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic bryophyte diversity on Madeira Island within and across areas at varying elevations. We also assessed how these diversity facets for the alpha and beta components relate to ecological and anthropogenic factors. We estimated and compared alpha and beta taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity using 80 plots of 0.5 m × 0.5 m across the whole elevational gradient of the island. We compiled trait databases and supplemented them with our own observations. Phylogenetic information was sourced from the Moss and Liverwort Tree of Life. To assess the impact of ecological and anthropogenic factors on the three facets, we applied linear mixed-effects models and generalized dissimilarity models to alpha- and beta-diversity matrices, respectively. All facets of diversity exhibited strong correlations within both mosses and liverworts, indicating a substantial congruence when alpha and beta are analyzed separately. The bryophyte groups categorized by the growth form demonstrated contrasting patterns, aligning with their distinctive ecological requirements. While a mid-elevation peak emerged as a common pattern across the three facets of alpha diversity, beta diversity often displayed the opposite trend. Although the relative influence of environmental factors varied depending on the diversity facet and bryophyte grouping considered, we found that alpha and beta diversity of bryophytes are more influenced by climatic factors and the predominant type of vegetation than by anthropogenic factors. In the current context of global change, these results should be interpreted with caution, but they point to the resilience of bryophytes to survive in relatively well-preserved natural microhabitats within anthropogenic landscapes. In this study on Madeira Island, we investigated patterns and drivers of alpha and beta taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity along elevational gradients. We found that alpha and beta diversity of bryophytes are more strongly influenced by climatic factors and the predominant type of vegetation than by anthropogenic factors.

Prevalence of the crayfish plague pathogen in red swamp crayfish populations in western France: How serious is the risk for the native white-clawed crayfish?

The crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci has been implicated in a number of mass mortalities and irreversible population declines of native crayfish across Europe. At present, the reservoirs of the pathogen in Europe are mainly populations of invasive North American crayfish species. In southwestern Europe, including France, a particularly widespread invader is the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Recent distribution data confirm that P. clarkii is present in at least 75 French departments, i.e. more than 78% of those in metropolitan France. We analysed the prevalence and pathogen load of A. astaci in 42 populations of this species in western France (Nouvelle Aquitaine region), where the species is most densely distributed, particularly in a wide range of environments around the Gironde estuary. The pathogen was detected by two different quantitative PCR assays in more than three quarters of the populations studied (34 out of 42); 163 out of 480 analysed crayfish individuals tested positive for the presence of A. astaci. In most cases, individual infection levels were very low, detectable with quantitative PCR but not sufficient for pathogen genotyping. In seven P. clarkii individuals from four populations, however, we were able to assess A. astaci variation by microsatellite markers and sequencing of mitochondrial markers. All these host specimens carried A. astaci genotype group D, haplotype d1, which has caused the majority of crayfish plague outbreaks in neighbouring Spain. In contrast, the French outbreaks genotyped to date (including eight newly analysed in this study) were mostly caused by strains of genotype group B, specific to the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus. Haplotype d1 found in P. clarkii was involved in one of the newly characterised outbreaks. Our study confirms that P. clarkii is a potentially important reservoir of the crayfish plague pathogen in France, but not the main source of the pathogen in mass mortalities of A. pallipes, probably due to different ecological requirements of the different invasive host crayfish. However, as P. clarkii continues to spread, the threat posed by this species to native crayfish is likely to increase.

Modeling the distribution of the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in Sabah (Borneo) based on remotely sensed high-resolution global cloud dynamics

Proboscis monkeys, Nasalis larvatus (Wurmb, 1787), are indigenous to the island of Borneo and are considered one of its most emblematic species. Today the conservation status of this primate is classified as Endangered on the the IUCN Red List and listed under Appendix I of CITES, prohibiting all international commercial trade. In the Malaysian state of Sabah, the species is listed as totally protected and cannot be hunted. Continuing studies suggest that the number of proboscis monkeys has been decreasing in recent years. These studies have identified various factors contributing to this decline and its potential consequences. In order to carry out a thorough assessment of the conservation status of the species it is essential to have a good understanding of the animal`s ecology and habitat requirements and to use research-based approaches. One of such are species distribution models (SDMs) which in recent decades have become widely used tools in ecology by relating species occurrences to environmental data so as to gain ecological insights. In this work we specifically evaluated the effect of environmental parameters such as cloud cover to predict the potential distribution of the proboscis monkey in Sabah. Cloud cover, a seemingly simple atmospheric phenomenon, exerts a profound influence on a wide range of ecological biological processes, yet the assessment of its importance has remained remarkably limited. For modeling purposes the ‘flexsdm’ R (v. 3.3.3) modeling package was employed for testing out the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) algorithm, one of the most widely used SDM modeling methods. Model evaluation gave satisfactory results and the resulting model found a high level of suitability for proboscis monkeys in nearshore areas. A concerning discovery is that perhaps less than 13% of Sabah's area is suitable for proboscis monkey habitats, raising questions about their long-term viability. Cloud cover, particularly average annual cloudiness, is a key environmental factor influencing the distribution of proboscis monkeys in Sabah. The conversion of Borneo's forests to oil palm plantations can negatively impact cloud properties, potentially threatening the monkeys' habitat.

Wood charcoal from the late Neolithic site of Yingpanshan, southwest China: Past vegetation and plant resources utilization

Despite the increasing archaeobotanical studies on the prehistoric southeastern Tibetan Plateau, past woodland use strategies in this region remain unknown. Here we conduct an analysis of wood charcoals recovered from the late Neolithic site of Yingpanshan (5300–4500 BP) in order to understand past vegetation and wood utilization in the north of this region. The results show a great taxonomic diversity of woody species, as well as a landscape that was characterized by the predominance of Bambusoideae, Tsuga and Pinus, followed by Prunus, Quercus and Betula. These major taxa seem to have a high availability in the surrounding environment of the settlement, given their ecological requirements and contemporary distribution. There was a preferential use of the major taxa as fuel and timber. The anthracological data, combined with the carpological remains retrieved from the site, demonstrate the exploration of multiple plant food resources, with edible woody species possibly serving as fruits and vegetables. This study suggests the significance of integration of charcoal analysis with other archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological evidence for gaining an accurate picture of the land use practices and their environmental settings on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.

Analysis of systems for cooling liquid injection in turbine engine gas flow duct

The subject of this article is a system for cooling liquid injection in gas flow duct of aviation gas-turbine engine (GTE). The goal is to soften the acuteness of contradictions between economic and ecological requirements; ecological requirements and technological limitations; marketing and service life requirements, due to the application of a system for cooling liquid injection in gas flow duct of GTE. The tasks to be solved are: development of a classification, revealing the advantages and drawbacks of various technologies of systems for cooling liquid injection in the gas flow duct of GTE, analysis of the investigation methods used for cooling liquid injection systems, and analysis of the system application experience in various aircraft (A/C) and A/C projects. The methods used are: search of corresponding information sources on the Internet and analysis based on operational experience in the aviation branch. The following results were obtained: in terms of found information sources, classification of systems for cooling liquid injection in the gas flow duct of GTE has been developed; advantages and drawbacks of various cooling liquid injection technologies have been formulated; it was revealed that, three types of methods (experimental, computational fluid dynamic, and analytical) are used for cooling liquid injection system investigation; results of available research are briefly presented; application of cooling liquid injection systems in A/C with the purpose of extending the airplane flight envelop, increasing of aviation GTE thrust/power, and decreasing emissions of nitrogen oxides during takeoff have been analyzed. Conclusions. The scientific novelty of the results obtained is as follows: 1) information from numerous sources of literature that clarifies classification, advantages and drawbacks of various technologies of cooling liquid injection in the gas flow duct, development of these system investigations by various methods, and experience of these systems application both in real A/C, and in A/C projects were collected in the review article; 2) necessity in development of transport category A/C design methodology taking into account installation of the system for cooling liquid injection in the gas flow duct of GTE has been revealed. The goal and challenges of the following research in this field are outlined.

Implications of Ecological Drivers on Roan Antelope Populations in Mokala National Park, South Africa

Climate change has massive global impacts and affects a wide range of species. Threatened species such as the roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) are particularly vulnerable to these changes because of their ecological requirements. Attempts to address concerns about the roan’s vulnerability have not been well documented in South African protected areas. This study identifies the landscape use and distribution of the roan as well as habitat and forage suitability changes to help inform management decisions for the conservation of roan. We used fine- and broad-scale data from Mokala National Park, South Africa that includes roan occurrence data, vegetation condition indices, vegetation (structure and plant species composition), elevation and temperature differences, and precipitation strata to construct a suitability framework using the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) and Random Forest statistical package. In Mokala National Park, roan occurred in the Schmidtia pappophoroides–Vachellia erioloba sparse woodland, Senegalia mellifera–Vachellia erioloba closed woodland, Senegalia mellifera–Vachellia tortilis open shrubland, Vachellia erioloba–V. tortilis closed woodland and Rhigozum obovatum–Senegalia mellifera open shrubland. The veld (vegetation) condition index (VCI) improved from 2019 (VCI < 50%) to 2021 (VCI > 60%), with the proportion of palatable grass species (Schmidtia pappophoroides and Eragrostis lehmanniana) also increasing. This study identified four key climatic conditions affecting roan distribution, namely annual mean daily temperature range, temperature seasonality, minimum temperatures of the coldest month, and precipitation of the wettest month. These results suggest that the conservation of roan antelope should consider these key variables that affect their survival in preferred habitats and foraging areas in anticipation of changing ecological conditions.

Urban biodiversity conservation: A framework for ecological network construction and priority areas identification considering habit differences within species

The construction of ecological networks within the context of urbanization is an effective approach to cope with the challenges of urban biodiversity decline, representing a crucial goal in urban planning and development. However, existing studies often overlook the richness and uniqueness within species communities by homogenizing traits of species in the same class. This study proposes a framework for constructing and optimizing ecological networks focused on differential conservation within the same class. By classifying birds into three groups (specialists of water, forest or urban areas) based on their ecological requirements and urbanization tolerance, we constructed an ecological network tailored to their distinct migratory dispersal patterns. We then identified strategic areas including pinch points, barriers, and breakpoints specific to each bird group. Our findings reveal notable variations in suitable habitat distribution among different bird groups in urban environments. Corridor layouts varied according to habitat preferences and migratory dispersal patterns. Despite these differences, urban built-up areas persist as central hubs for the distribution of suitable habitats for 75% of bird species, with peripheral mountain-plain transition areas constituting 63% of crucial dispersal corridors. This emphasizes the critical role of urban built-up areas in maintaining biodiversity and ecological connectivity. Prioritizing connectivity between central urban areas and distant natural spaces is imperative. Our approach innovatively classifies and constructs networks to identify strategic areas with diverse species-specific attributes, providing valuable spatial information for land planning and guiding solutions to enhance target species. While the primary focus is on bird conservation in Beijing, our framework is broadly applicable to global biodiversity management and green planning under urbanization challenges. Overall, this study offers innovative insights for urban planning development and serves as decision support for prioritizing urban actions.

Coupling hydrological methods with ‘Flow Health’ to simulate ecological flow in the Weihe River Basin, China

AbstractReducing river flows significantly affects livelihoods, ecology and industrial production. Therefore, allowing for ecological flow requirements has been applied to limiting human water consumption and is incorporated into water allocation planning. However, the unavailability of ecological data greatly limits e‐flow studies and this lack of sufficient ecosystem data is mostly addressed by using hydrological metrics as surrogates of the river ecosystem. This study employed the nine indicators of the ‘Flow Health’ model to assess river hydrological health and explore optimal ecological flow regimes. The modelling estimated the required flow and the extra flood flows of ecosystem conservation under default and custom thresholds. Ecological flows were calculated for five stations of the Weihe River through coupling with three hydrological methodologies. The index of flow deviation indicated that the flow regimes in Weihe River have partially changed from the reference period. Fish and other aquatic habitats have changed by reduced flows, but the health of the floodplain ecosystem has not been seriously affected. The ecological flow modelling results showed that the extra flow required for the ecology restoration in five stations is concentrated from July to September. The optimal ecological flows in dry seasons by coupling three hydrological methods were less than the average current flow, which is reasonable. This coupling provides ideas on how environmental flow assessments are undertaken in similar regions.

Retraction: Application of edge computing and GIS in ecological water requirement prediction and optimal allocation of water resources in irrigation area.

Retraction: Application of edge computing and GIS in ecological water requirement prediction and optimal allocation of water resources in irrigation area.

Temporal turnover of Ceratobasidiaceae orchid mycorrhizal fungal communities with ontogenetic and phenological development in Prasophyllum (Orchidaceae).

Plant-fungus symbioses may experience temporal turnover during the host's ontogenetic or phenological development, which can influence the host plant's ecological requirements. This study investigates temporal turnover of Ceratobasidiaceae orchid mycorrhizal fungal (OMF) communities in Prasophyllum (Orchidaceae), asking if OMF communities are subject to temporal change due to orchid phenology or ontogeny. Roots of adult Prasophyllum frenchii, P. lindleyanum and P. sp. aff. validum from Australia were sampled between autumn and spring. Seed was sown in situ as 'baits' to explore the mycorrhizal associations of germinating protocorms, which were compared to OMF in roots of co-occurring adult plants. Culture dependent and independent sequencing methods were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer and mitochondrial large subunit loci, with sequences assigned to Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in phylogenetic analyses. Germination trials were used to determine if fungal OTUs were mycorrhizal. A persistent core of OMF associated with Prasophyllum, with Ceratobasidiaceae OMF dominant in all three species. Phenological turnover occurred in P. lindleyanum and P. sp. aff. validum, but not in P. frenchii, which displayed specificity to a single OTU. Ontogenetic turnover occurred in all species. However, phenological and ontogenetic turnover was typically driven by the presence or absence of infrequently detected OTUs in populations that otherwise displayed specificity to one or two dominant OTUs. Ex situ germination trials showed 13 of 14 tested OTUs supported seed germination in their host orchid, including eight OTUs that were not found in protocorms in situ. An understanding of OMF turnover can have practical importance for the conservation of threatened orchids and their mycorrhizal partners. However, frameworks for classifying OMF turnover should focus on OTUs important to the life cycle of the host plant, which we suggest are likely to be those that are frequently detected or functionally significant.

Sessile oak (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl.) and its adaptation strategies in the context of global climate change: a review

Abstract This paper provides characteristic and a comprehensive overview of the adaptation strategies of sessile oak (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl.) in the context of global climate change (GCC). The GCC is primarily manifested by increasing air temperatures and changing precipitation distribution. It poses a significant challenge to tree species including sessile oak, affecting its capacity for adaptation and survival. Despite the challenge, sessile oak shows significant drought tolerance due to its deep-reaching root system, which allows the tree to use available water more efficiently. Other adaptive strategies include the establishment of mixed stands that increase the resilience and biodiversity of the ecosystem. Adjustments of stand density through tending interventions play a significant role, helping to improve the stress resistance of stands. Additionally, coppice forest cultivation is applied on extremely dry sites. The sessile oak is also significant for its ecological plasticity – its ability to thrive on versatile soil and climatic conditions makes it a promising tree species for future forest management. Mixed stands with sessile oak and other tree species can enhance the ecosystem services of forests and also increase their endurance to GCC events. However, sessile oak faces several challenges, including the increasing risk of damage from pests and pathogens that require targeted measures for its protection and sustainable cultivation. The literature review suggests that a comprehensive understanding of sessile oak’s ecological requirements and interactions with the environment is crucial for its successful adaptation to GCC and the formulation of effective strategies for its protection and use in forest management.