Environmental Drivers Research Articles

Environmental drivers of vigilance behaviour in painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala) nesting colonies

Environmental drivers of vigilance behaviour in painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala) nesting colonies

How can we conceptualise the current position of the retrospective PhD through published work in British Universities?

ABSTRACT The PhD by retrospective published work remains an under-researched area within doctoral education. Introduced into the United Kingdom (UK) in 1966, this variant of PhD is one of several models of doctoral qualification that exist across the globe that include published research in the final submission. Although the retrospective model is an established way of obtaining a PhD through the inclusion of published research it has, together with the prospective ‘three-paper’ PhD, remained largely peripheral within the British HE sector. This paper places the discussion of this variant of the PhD by published work into its intellectual and instrumental contexts through an examination of epistemological and environmental drivers. This paper is informed by data generated through a series of online surveys of the regulations across the HE sector, the British Library’s EThOS database, and responses from 20 universities.

Characterizing juvenile blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) nursery areas in the Galapagos: new methods and understandings.

New approaches to abundance surveying utilizing unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) are proving to be effective tools in marine and terrestrial environments. We explored UAV efficacy for surveys in the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), where relative abundance patterns of juvenile sharks and subsequent classifications of putative nursery areas based on environmental drivers are lacking. The UAV method allowed greater temporal and spatial coverage. We expanded classification of shark nursery habitat through monthly drone surveys and environmental data collection at 14 sites around San Cristobal Island (GMR) from November 2018 to July 2019. In the period of surveying, 56 flights identified 453 juvenile Carcharhinus limbatus (blacktip shark). Classification of nurseries followed three criteria, necessitating higher density, short-term residency, and annual site fidelity in target locations. We developed preliminary generalized linear models to elucidate potential environmental parameters influencing the perceived abundance and habitat preference of juveniles. Four sites were identified as either potential nurseries or nursery areas for the target species based on previous excursions. An averaged model was subsequently created from the models found to best explain deviance patterns (R2 = 0.10-0.44) in perceived shark abundance and habitat preference. Relative variable importance (RVI) values further clarified the parameters most associated with higher juvenile presence. This approach provides a systematic method of abundance surveying while simultaneously beginning the process of defining when and where we expect to find higher abundance through environmental modelling of most influential parameters to perceived abundance in this environment.

Effect of temperature, nutrients and growth rate on picophytoplankton cell size across the Atlantic Ocean.

The cell size of picophytoplankton populations affects their ecology and biogeochemical role, but how different environmental drivers control its variability is still not well understood. To gain insight into the role of temperature and nutrient availability as determinants of picophytoplankton population mean cell size, we carried out five microcosm experiments across the Atlantic Ocean (45°N-27°S) in which surface plankton assemblages were incubated under all combinations of three temperatures (in situ, 3°C cooling and 3°C warming) and two nutrient levels (unamended and addition of nitrogen and phosphorus). The overall range of variability in cell volume was 5-fold for Prochlorococcus, 8-fold for Synechococcus and 6-fold for the picoeukaryotes. We observed, in all the treatments and in the control, a consistent trend toward larger mean cell sizes over time for both Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, which was likely the result of sample confinement. Changes in temperature and nutrient status alone did not cause clear changes in cell size, relative to the control, but the combination of warming and nutrient addition resulted in an increase in Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus cell size. The largest increases in cell volume were associated with slow or negative population net growth rates. Our results emphasize the importance of considering changes in biovolume to obtain accurate estimates of picophytoplankton biomass and suggest that the inverse relationship between growth rate and population mean cell size may be a general pattern in marine phytoplankton.

Economic, institutional and environmental drivers of SMEs’ development in the EU: sustainable development goals perspective

Economic, institutional and environmental drivers of SMEs’ development in the EU: sustainable development goals perspective

Technological and environmental drivers of changes in business model. The film industry perspective

Technological and environmental drivers of changes in business model. The film industry perspective

Investigating the complementarity of thermal and physical soil organic carbon fractions

Abstract. Partitioning soil organic carbon (SOC) in fractions with different biogeochemical stability is useful to better understand and predict SOC dynamics and provide information related to soil health. Multiple SOC partition schemes exist, but few of them can be implemented on large sample sets and therefore be considered relevant options for soil monitoring. The well-established particulate organic carbon (POC) vs. mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) physical fractionation scheme is one of them. Introduced more recently, Rock-Eval® thermal analysis coupled with the PARTYSOC machine learning model can also fractionate SOC into active (Ca) and stable SOC (Cs). A debate is emerging as to which of these methods should be recommended for soil monitoring. To investigate the complementarity or redundancy of these two fractionation schemes, we compared the quantity and environmental drivers of SOC fractions obtained on an unprecedented dataset from mainland France. About 2000 topsoil samples were recovered all over the country, presenting contrasting land cover and pedoclimatic characteristics, and analysed. We found that the environmental drivers of the fractions were clearly different, the more stable MAOC and Cs fractions being mainly driven by soil characteristics, whereas land cover and climate had a greater influence on more labile POC and Ca fractions. The stable and labile SOC fractions provided by the two methods strongly differed in quantity (MAOC/Cs=1.88 ± 0.46 and POC/Ca=0.36 ± 0.17; n=843) and drivers, suggesting that they correspond to fractions with different biogeochemical stability. We argue that, at this stage, both methods can be seen as complementary and potentially relevant for soil monitoring. As future developments, we recommend comparing how they relate to indicators of soil health such as nutrient availability or soil structural stability and how their measurements can improve the accuracy of SOC dynamics models.

Identification of optimum scopes of environmental drivers for schistosome-transmitting Oncomelania hupensis using agent-based model in Dongting Lake Region, China.

Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis), the sole intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum, greatly influence the prevalence and distribution of schistosomiasis japonica. The distribution area of O. hupensis has remained extensive for numerous years. This study aimed to establish a valid agent-based model of snail density and further explore the environmental conditions suitable for snail breeding. A marshland with O. hupensis was selected as a study site in Dongting Lake Region, and snail surveys were monthly conducted from 2007 to 2016. Combined with the data from historical literature, an agent-based model of snail density was constructed in NetLogo 6.2.0 and validated with the collected survey data. BehaviorSpace was used to identify the optimal ranges of soil temperature, pH, soil water content, and vegetation coverage for snail growth, development and reproduction. An agent-based model of snail density was constructed and showed a strong agreement with the monthly average snail density from the field surveys. As soil temperature increased, the snail density initially rose before declining, reaching its peak at around 21°C. There were similar variation patterns for other environmental factors. The findings from the model suggested that the optimum ranges of soil temperature, pH, soil water content and vegetation coverage were 19°C to 23 °C, 6.4 to 7.6, 42% to 75%, and 70% to 93%, respectively. A valid agent-based model of snail density was constructed, providing more objective information about the optimum ranges of environmental factors for snail growth, development and reproduction.

Warming promotes expansion of a key demersal fishing resource of the western Mediterranean

Climate change is affecting marine ecosystems altering the distribution and abundance of organisms, with implications for fisheries and food security. This warming-induced reshuffle in species abundance could bring threats and opportunities to the fisheries, but needs to be assessed to promote effective actions and to foster resilience. We analyzed the density and distribution patterns of deep-sea rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), as well as identified the main environmental have identified the environmental drivers shaping its habitat along the western Mediterranean (Iberian Peninsula) during the period 2001–2020. Using spatial distribution models developed concurrently with an ensemble of four Regional Climate Models (RCMs), we have projected the density of this species during the next century under two climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Bathymetry and sea bottom temperature drove the density of the species, leading to a marked northward expansion during the last two decades. Our results projected an increase in its distribution and especially in density throughout the area along the 21st century, mirroring the effect of global warming. Consequently, the most distant period (i.e. 2100s) and the warmest scenario (RCP8.5) presented also the highest densities and low internal variability of the ensemble. We discussed the power of assessing uncertainties using a RCM ensemble, particularly under complex oceanographic features, to bring robust information for an effective scientific advice to fisheries management.

Vertical fungal community distribution patterns along a stratified soil profile in subalpine Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations on China's Luya mountain

Soil microorganisms play important roles in the biogeochemical cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. Recent studies found that soil fungal composition and diversity varied significantly with soil depth. However, little is known about the vertical distribution patterns of soil fungal communities and their associated drivers. For this study, we collected soil samples from six soil layers (i.e., litter layer (P), humus layer (P0), 0–10 cm layer (P1), 10–20 cm layer (P2), 20–40 cm layer (P3), and 40–80 cm layer (P4)) within Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations to investigate fungal community composition, diversity, and associated drivers using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that the top 10 dominant genera with the highest relative abundance belonged to Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota. A decreasing α-diversity trend was observed along with soil depth. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), pH, total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN) content markedly correlated with fungal α-diversity. Significant β-diversity differences were found in soil fungal communities. Additionally, TN and total phosphorus (TP) content were the main environmental drivers that influenced the spatial distribution pattern of fungal communities. The βNTI showed a gradual increase with soil depth. In the surface layers of soil, the dominant factor of fungal community assembly was homogeneous selection, while in the deep layers of soil, it was variable selection. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that fungal community interactions in the deepest soil layer (40–80 cm) were more complex and were more positive. Results from this study provide a theoretical basis and data support to understand the mechanisms of soil fungal community assembly processes more deeply in L. principis-rupprechtii plantations.

Unravelling the environmental drivers determining the residual fraction of soybean seed

Unravelling the environmental drivers determining the residual fraction of soybean seed

Population dynamics of sympatric Phortica spp. and first record of stable presence of Phortica oldenbergi in a Thelazia callipaeda-endemic area of Italy

BackgroundFive species of the Phortica genus (Diptera: Drosophilidae) are known in Europe and the Middle East. Among these, Phortica variegata and Phortica okadai are better known for their role as vectors of the zoonotic eyeworm Thelazia callipaeda. Other species, such as Phortica semivirgo and Phortica oldenbergi, have been studied less. Given the paucity of data about these Phortica spp. vectors, we explored the population dynamics and ecology of Phortica spp. in an area highly endemic for T. callipeada (Manziana, Rome, Central Italy).MethodsPhortica spp. flies were collected over a 3-year period (2018–2020) during their active season (April–October) with a sweep net while hovering around fermenting fruits or a human operator acting as baits. Collected flies were morphologically identified and tested for a T. callipeada infection and for the presence of Wolbachia, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Population dynamics of species collected was associated to environmental drivers through generalized additive models.ResultsOf the 5564 flies collected, 90.8% were P. variegata, 9.1% were P. oldenbergi, 0.05% were P. semivirgo, and one specimen was P. okadai. Only P. variegata scored molecularly infected with T. callipeada throughout the 3-year sampling period (1.8%). Phortica oldenbergi, observed consistently during the entire sampling period, exhibited a marked preference for fruit traps, contrasting with the lachryphagous activity of P. variegata. Analysis of environmental drivers of P. oldenbergi and P. variegata population dynamics indicated temperature, wind speed, and pressure as significant factors. In addition, Wolbachia pipientis endosymbiont was detected in P. oldenbergi and P. okadai.ConclusionsFor the first time, this study analysed several ecological aspects of Phortica species coexisting in a T. callipeada endemic area, highlighting different behaviors in the same environment and their vectorial role. Notably, this is also the first report of the presence of P. oldenbergi in Italy and P. okadai in Europe, underscoring the importance of extensive sampling for detecting potential vectors and alien species with direct implications for vector-borne disease epidemiology.Graphical

Potential drivers of urban green space availability in Latin American cities

AbstractUrban green spaces play a critical role in regulating air temperature, reducing air pollution and enhancing people’s well being. Yet, existing data and research on potential drivers of urban green space availability in Latin America are limited. Here, focusing on 371 large cities in 11 countries in Latin America, we described the total and per capita variability of urban green space, its spatial configuration and green urban parks across the categories of cities’ natural, built and socioeconomic environments. We tested the relative importance of geographic (climate) versus city-level built environment (population, population density, street intersection density) and socioeconomic (city gross domestic product per capita, unemployment, education) drivers in explaining urban green space availability. We found a high level of heterogeneity in green space quantity across cities and across categories of cities’ environments. Relative to other city factors, climate zone had the largest influence in explaining the quantity of green space, whereas education, street intersection density and population density were the most important drivers of urban park availability. The significance of climate for green space availability, combined with the inequitable quantity of green space, indicates that cities have differing capacities to implement nature-based solutions for heat mitigation and health promotion.

The microbiome of the main deep-water scleractinian reef-framework engineers from the Southwestern Atlantic

Deep waters (>150 m) shelter half of the extant diversity of scleractinian corals, including framework reef-forming species. However, to date, the relationship between microorganisms and corals has focused mainly on their zooxanthellate shallow-water counterparts. Here, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we explore the microbiome of all major Atlantic deep-water scleractinian reef framework engineers (Desmophyllum pertusum, Solenosmilia variabilis, Madrepora oculata, and Enallopsammia rostrata), and correlated them with environmental characteristics. Colony fragments of each coral species used in the present study were sampled from three sedimentary basins off the Southeastern coast of Brazil, including two water masses (Antarctic Intermediate Water and South Atlantic Coastal Water). Although representing distant scleractinian evolutionarily lineages, some evolving apart for more than 300Ma, our results suggest a taxonomic homogeneity in their microbial profile. The species-specific microbial core, as well as the core common to all examined species, were identified. Such cores are composed of bacterial genera that have already been observed in other coral species, including those from zooxanthellate species. Such a pattern suggests an active selection of the microbial community by their hosts, a phenomenon that seems to be fundamental for holobiont fitness, especially in long-lived species, such as corals. Besides the microbial core, for all examined species, part of the determined microbiome was flexible and responded to environmental drivers. This flexibility is most probably related to the host's ability to adapt in ecological time scales. Taken together, these holobiont abilities may be crucial to its success in both ecological and geological timescales.

Multivariate Environmental Factors and Seasonal Spatial Dynamics Affecting the Phytoplankton Community in Yazhou Bay, South China Sea

This study investigated phytoplankton and water environmental factors in Yazhou Bay, South China Sea, during the winter, spring, and summer of 2023. It examined phytoplankton community structure, subgroup heterogeneity, and key environmental drivers. Phytoplankton abundance ranged from 0.08 to 14.30 × 10⁴ cells·L−1, with high concentrations in estuary and nearshore zones. In summer, currents carry phytoplankton offshore, with stratification leading to high sedimentation in southern offshore waters. RDA results indicated that in winter and spring, inorganic nitrogen mainly influences phytoplankton distribution, while silicate is the primary factor in summer. Although seasonal differences in total phytoplankton abundance are minimal, significant horizontal and vertical distribution variations exist. Diverse preferences of different phytoplankton species for temperature, salinity, nitrogen, and phosphorus result in high species diversity. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) averages 3.96 ± 0.09, and the Pielou evenness index (J) averages 0.82 ± 0.01. Dominant species include Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, Skeletonema costatum, and Rhizosolenia sinica. Influenced by external oceanic water masses, estuary input, and islands, phytoplankton subgroups show regional and seasonal variations. Despite recorded harmful algal blooms (HABs) in adjacent waters, Yazhou Bay’s high biodiversity and low cell density suggest a low HAB risk, though future risks due to climate change and human activities remain.

Environmental Drivers of the Divergence of Harveyi Clade Pathogens with Distinctive Virulence Gene Profiles

Fish and shellfish pathogens of the Harveyi clade of the Vibrio genus cause significant losses to aquaculture yields and profits, with some of them also causing infections in humans. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of Harveyi clade fish and shellfish pathogens and their possible diversification in response to environmental drivers in southeastern USA waters. The presence and abundance of potential pathogens were evaluated via the detection and quantitation of six Harveyi-clade-specific virulence genes (toxR, luxR, srp, vhha, vhh, and vhp; VGs) in environmental DNA with clade-specific primers. The environmental DNA was obtained from water and sediments collected from three Georgia (USA) cultured clam and wild oyster grounds. In sediments, the VG concentrations were, on average, three orders of magnitude higher than those in water. The most and least frequently detected VGs were vhp and toxR, respectively. In water, the VGs split into two groups based on their seasonal trends. The first group, composed of luxR, vhp, vhha, and vhh, peaked in August and remained at lower concentrations throughout the duration of the study. The second group, composed of toxR and srp, peaked in June and disappeared between July and December. The first group revealed a high adaptation of their carriers to an increase in temperature, tolerance to a wide range of pH, and a positive correlation with salinity up to 25 ppt. The second group of VGs demonstrated a lower adaptation of their carriers to temperature and negative correlations with pH, salinity, potential water density, conductivity, and dissolved solids but a positive correlation with turbidity. No such trends were observed in sediments. These data reveal the role of VGs in the adaptability of the Harveyi clade pathogens to environmental parameters, causing their diversification and possibly their stratification into different ecological niches due to changes in water temperature, acidity, salinity, and turbidity. This diversification and stratification may lead to further speciation and the emergence of new pathogens of this clade. Our data urge further monitoring of the presence and diversification of Harveyi clade pathogens in a global warming scenario.

Ecotypic variation and environmental influence on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) vegetative growth: a multivariate performance analysis

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a crop of significant medicinal and economic importance, exhibiting phenotypic plasticity that leads to variable vegetative growth. This three-year multifactorial study evaluated the vegetative potential of various saffron ecotypes under contrasting environments. The results revealed significant effects on shoot sprouting, leaf count, and overall growth, with the ´Tamlakoute´ ecotype (E2) performing best, particularly in the coastal field (CF2). The leaf count increased markedly from 24.9 ± 8.8 in the first year to 188.8 ± 43.9 by the third year, influenced by ecotypes and cultivation fields. In contrast, plant length variations revealed less dependence on ecotypes throughout the different growing seasons. Pearson's correlation analysis showed a weak relationship (r = 0.108, p < 0.004) between the number of shoots per original corm and per progeny corm. This implies a varied trade-off in resource allocation between vegetative growth and corm formation. The principal component analysis highlighted patterns of variations governed by environmental drivers, particularly favoring the E2 ecotype. Performance scoring and ranking, which assigned scores based on vegetative performance across all ecotypes by environment combinations, identified CF2E2 as the highest-ranking performer, followed by CF2E1 and CF2E4, with comprehensive scores of 2.4, 1.3, and 1.1, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of selecting superior ecotypes and coastal environments to promote sustainable saffron cultivation.

Planting density effect on poplar growth traits and soil nutrient availability, and response of microbial community, assembly and function

BackgroundThe interaction between soil characteristics and microbial communities is crucial for poplar growth under different planting densities. Yet, little is understood about their relationships and how they respond to primary environmental drivers across varying planting densities.ResultsIn this study, we investigated poplar growth metrics, soil characteristics, and community assembly of soil bacterial and fungal communities in four poplar genotypes (M1316, BT17, S86, and B331) planted at low, medium, and high densities. Our findings reveal that planting density significantly influenced poplar growth, soil nutrients, and microbial communities (P < 0.05). Lower and medium planting densities supported superior poplar growth, higher soil nutrient levels, increased microbial diversity, and more stable microbial co-occurrence networks. The assembly of bacterial communities in plantation soils was predominantly deterministic (βNTI < -2), while fungal communities showed more stochastic assembly patterns (-2 < βNTI < 2). Soil available phosphorus (AP) and potassium (AK) emerged as pivotal factors shaping microbial communities and influencing bacterial and fungal community assembly. Elevated AP levels promoted the recruitment of beneficial bacteria such as Bacillus and Streptomyces, known for their phosphate-solubilizing abilities. This facilitated positive feedback regulation of soil AP, forming beneficial loops in soils with lower and medium planting densities.ConclusionsOur study underscores the critical role of planting density in shaping soil microbial communities and their interaction with poplar growth. This research carries significant implications for enhancing forest management practices by integrating microbiological factors to bolster forest resilience and productivity.

Environmental drivers of mean weight-at-age variability in pelagic and benthic fish from the NW Iberian Peninsula

Environmental drivers of mean weight-at-age variability in pelagic and benthic fish from the NW Iberian Peninsula

Functional ecology of plant communities as a guide for vegetation management

Plant functional traits determine how individual plants cope with varying environmental conditions, and extensive literature supports their role in influencing ecosystem properties. The study of plant functional traits could help the prediction of species responses to disturbances and environmental change, thus providing invaluable knowledge to refine conservation strategies of species and vegetation. However, applications of functional ecology for vegetation management are still underrepresented.The articles in this Special Issue of FLORA offer cutting-edge insights on the variation of plant traits and ecological strategies in response to environmental drivers, such as anthropogenic disturbance, climate and land use change. The results demonstrate how trait-based approaches can be used for the prediction of climate and land use change impacts on vulnerable sets of species or on biogeochemical cycles, reinforcing the concept that functional plant ecology can help identify the most effective procedures for vegetation management, such as the choice of mowing intensity in grasslands or planning vegetation recovery after wildfires.Our knowledge of plant trait coordination at the community level is still undefined, especially concerning the integration of above- and belowground traits. This represents a missed opportunity for vegetation management, especially considering that a complete understanding of the dynamics of the entire ecosystem is crucial for complete understanding of ecosystem properties. Since plant functional traits can represent a straightforward tool for monitoring changes in ecosystem structure and functions, their use could support vegetation monitoring as required by different programs of nature conservation. It would be useful to embrace a perspective that integrates plant traits with systematic conservation planning, ensuring effective and sustainable conservation efforts.