Forest Edge Habitats Research Articles

Non‐native invasive plants in tropical dry forests: a global review of presence, impacts, and management

Tropical dry forests (TDF) are among the most‐threatened terrestrial ecosystems, experiencing ongoing conversion to agricultural fields, pasture, and human settlements. Human disturbances are often precursors to invasion of ecosystems by non‐native species, but research on invasion patterns in tropical ecosystems is sparse, and there is no comprehensive synthesis of invasive species in TDF. We conducted a review of published scientific literature to catalog and synthesize information about invasion by non‐native plants in TDF ecosystems across the globe, drawing out patterns in the invasion of these ecosystems. We found that 130 invasive plant species were documented as present in TDF, but only 25 of these species were mentioned in three or more articles. Almost all 25 of these more‐studied invasive species—mostly pasture grasses, woody legumes, and climbers—have been intentionally cultivated for agricultural or ornamental purposes. Many of these plants are native to open‐canopy savanna or forest edge habitats and benefit from human‐altered disturbance regimes (burning, grazing, and fuelwood and timber harvesting) of TDF fragments within agricultural landscapes. Field studies show that management approaches incorporating invasive removal, native plantings, and reduction in agricultural disturbance (e.g. ungulate fencing and fire control) simultaneously are often the most successful at reducing invasive plant cover. However, management studies in TDF have focused on a limited number of invasive species, and most were conducted in India and Hawaii. Global differences in TDF soils, natural fire regimes, and historic and current land use by humans influence modern biogeographic patterns of invasion and the feasibility of restoration options.

Weighting of sensory cues reflect changing patterns of visual investment during ecological divergence in Heliconius butterflies.

Integrating information across sensory modalities enables animals to orchestrate a wide range of complex behaviours. The relative importance placed on one sensory modality over another reflects the reliability of cues in a particular environment and corresponding differences in neural investment. As populations diverge across environmental gradients, the reliability of sensory cues may shift, favouring divergence in neural investment and the weight given to different sensory modalities. During their divergence across closed-forest and forest-edge habitats, closely related butterflies Heliconius cydno and Heliconius melpomene evolved distinct brain morphologies, with the former investing more in vision. Quantitative genetic analyses suggest that selection drove these changes, but their behavioural consequences remain uncertain. We hypothesized that divergent neural investment may alter sensory weighting. We trained individuals in an associative learning experiment using multimodal colour and odour cues. When positively rewarded stimuli were presented in conflict, i.e. pairing positively trained colour with negatively trained odour and vice versa, H. cydno favoured visual cues more strongly than H. melpomene. Hence, differences in sensory weighting may evolve early during divergence and are predicted by patterns of neural investment. These findings, alongside other examples, imply that differences in sensory weighting stem from divergent investment as adaptations to local sensory environments.

Beetle assemblage distribution along edge–forest gradient in a managed oak forest

Abstract Forest management practices creating small‐scale forest edge habitats in managed forests have substantial impacts on the formation of beetle assemblages. In 2021, we conducted research in a managed oak woodland in Central Slovakia using three flight interception traps (FITs) to study beetle assemblages. Two FITs were installed at the forest edge, facing both, the clearing and the closed‐stand forest, while the third FIT was positioned 100 m within the closed‐canopy forest. We employed a novel methodological approach, which involved separately collected subsamples within the ecotone using FITs differentiated as ‘ecotone inwards’ and ‘ecotone outwards’ to capture distinct directional movements at the edge. We recorded 5.997 beetle specimens, encompassing 417 species across 284 genera and 58 families. We found that the species diversity and abundance of beetles were not significantly different between the FITs. However, the species composition was significantly different. The partial detrended canonical correspondence analysis suggests that these compositional differences might be closely associated with the distribution of trophic guilds, indicating varied responses to habitat modifications induced by forest edge creation. The results of our study showed that phloephagous, saproxylophagous, xylomycetophagous, xylophagous and zoophagous beetles exhibited a positive association with the forest edge, while mycophagous, phytophagous and saprophagous groups were distinctly associated with the closed‐canopy forest. Our analyses indicated that the ‘ecotone outward’ part of forest edges of managed forest may attract higher number of trophic groups, while the ‘ecotone inward’ part of the forest edge hosted high abundances of phloephagous and xylomycetophagous species.

Pollinator insects in the Mount Tumpa Forest Park, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract. Koneri R, Langoy MD, Nangoy MJ, Wakhid. 2024. Pollinator insects in the Mount Tumpa Forest Park, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2415-2426. This study aimed to analyze the diversity and distribution of pollinator insects in forest, forest edge, shrub, and agricultural land around the Mount Tumpa Forest Park, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, using the scan sampling method. Data analysis included species abundance, species dominance, richness index, diversity index, species evenness index, correlation between environmental factors, species diversity, and composition of pollinator insect species among habitats. Therefore, 17 families were reported, comprising 103 species and 3,665 individuals. The family with the highest number and most frequently encountered was Nymphalidae (25 species). Furthermore, the highest species richness and diversity indices were found in the forest edge habitat. Environmental factor analysis indicated that agricultural land habitat was characterized by high air temperature and low humidity. The species distribution found three patterns: clustered, regular, and random. The results showed that the forest edge habitat had the highest diversity due to complex vegetation structure and environmental factors supporting the survival of pollinator insects.

Local factors influence the wild bee functional community at the urban-forest interface

IntroductionUrban forests provide necessary habitat for many forest-associated bee species amidst development and fragmentation. These forest fragments provide a variety of important floral and non-floral resources for bees that encompass a diversity of functional guilds characterized by size, diet breadth, nesting, sociality, origin, and seasonality. The relative importance of forest edge vs. interior habitats to these organisms is not well understood.MethodsHere, we compare bee communities between forest edge and interior locations at eight locations in Athens, GA, USA. We also explore the effects of stand structure, tree composition, ground cover type, and the presence of snags and downed wood on these organisms.ResultsWe found bee abundance and richness to be higher at the forest edge than interior with distinct community compositions at both locations. Canopy cover, invasive shrub cover, ground cover, and tree diversity influenced the observed community composition. We also determined that the most impactful functional traits influencing bee community structure in urban forest fragments were nesting substrate, origin (native or exotic to North America), sociality, and diet breadth.DiscussionOur findings will help establish the effects of local forest characteristics on the community composition, diversity, and abundance of wild bees and further our knowledge of the conservation value of urban forests for preserving wild bee communities.

Blind measurements did not confirm effects of forest fragmentation on fluctuating asymmetry of a tropical butterfly Morpho helenor

Re-evaluation of photographs of the tropical butterfly Morpho helenor from a previous study (Pignataro et al. 2023) revealed that its conclusion regarding increased wing fluctuating asymmetry in forest edge habitats compared to forest interior habitats could not be replicated. This discrepancy likely arises from (i) original measurements not being conducted blindly, (ii) insufficient photograph quality hindering accurate landmark selection, and (iii) a lack of detailed description of the measurement protocol. The likelihood of false positive discoveries within the published data concerning the impacts of environmental stress on the fluctuating asymmetry of plants and animals is probably higher than previously assumed.

Forest Restoration and the Zoonotic Vector Anopheles balabacensis in Sabah, Malaysia.

Anthropogenic changes to forest cover have been linked to an increase in zoonotic diseases. In many areas, natural forests are being replaced with monoculture plantations, such as oil palm, which reduce biodiversity and create a mosaic of landscapes with increased forest edge habitat and an altered micro-climate. These altered conditions may be facilitating the spread of the zoonotic malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi in Sabah, on the island of Borneo, through changes to mosquito vector habitat. We conducted a study on mosquito abundance and diversity in four different land uses comprising restored native forest, degraded native forest, an oil palm estate and a eucalyptus plantation, these land uses varying in their vegetation types and structure. The main mosquito vector, Anopheles balabacensis, has adapted its habitat preference from closed canopy rainforest to more open logged forest and plantations. The eucalyptus plantations (Eucalyptus pellita) assessed in this study contained significantly higher abundance of many mosquito species compared with the other land uses, whereas the restored dipterocarp forest had a low abundance of all mosquitos, in particular, An. balabacensis. No P. knowlesi was detected by PCR assay in any of the vectors collected during the study; however, P. inui, P. fieldi and P. vivax were detected in An. balabacensis. These findings indicate that restoring degraded natural forests with native species to closed canopy conditions reduces abundance of this zoonotic malarial mosquito vector and therefore should be incorporated into future restoration research and potentially contribute to the control strategies against simian malaria.

Rapid southward range expansion of the Fairy Gerygone – a consequence of climate change?

Until the 1920s, the Australian range of the Fairy Gerygone Gerygone palpebrosa was thought to extend south from Cape York to Cardwell (18.3°S), Queensland. However, by 1981 the species was known to occur as far south as Tin Can Bay (25.9°S), and, by 1990, the Sunshine Coast (26.6°S). Sightings of individuals in the Brisbane region (27.5°S), 170 km south of Tin Can Bay, during 2011 and 2012 prompted a review of the southern range limits of the species, and consideration of causes for its southward range expansion. I collated records south of the 26°S parallel using three databases (eBird, WildNet and Atlas of Living Australia), then selected 30 sites that represented their spatial and temporal extent, noting their elevation, distance to the nearest coastline or watercourse, and vegetation according to the Regional Ecosystem classification. Sightings in the Brisbane region have been mostly along rivers or creeks emptying into Moreton Bay, suggesting that dispersal occurs southward along the coast, then inland via watercourses. Rather than being gradual, range expansion in this species has been characterised by ‘leaps’ of 45–59 km at intervals of 6–16 years. Since the early 1970s, at least five other tropical bird species have expanded their range southwards to Coastal Central Queensland. The most likely explanation for such range expansions is birds exploiting ‘new’ areas with suitable thermal regimes that have become available due to global warming. In the Fairy Gerygone, this process may be facilitated by (1) this species’ partiality for forest edge and riparian habitats, and (2) reduced competition with other gerygone species due to differences in preferred habitats and bill morphology.

Long-term exposure to experimental light affects the ground-dwelling invertebrate community, independent of light spectra.

Our planet endures a progressive increase in artificial light at night (ALAN), which affects virtually all species, and thereby biodiversity. Mitigation strategies include reducing its intensity and duration, and the adjustment of light spectrum using modern light emitting diode (LED) light sources. Here, we studied ground-dwelling invertebrate (predominantly insects, arachnids, molluscs, millipedes, woodlice and worms) diversity and community composition after 3 or 4 years of continued nightly exposure (every night from sunset to sunrise) to experimental ALAN with three different spectra (white-, and green- and red-dominated light), as well as for a dark control, in natural forest-edge habitat. Diversity of pitfall-trapped ground-dwelling invertebrates, and the local contribution to beta diversity, did not differ between the dark control and illuminated sites, or between the different spectra. The invertebrate community composition, however, was significantly affected by the presence of light. Keeping lights off during single nights did show an immediate effect on the composition of trapped invertebrates compared to illuminated nights. These effects of light on species composition may impact ecosystems by cascading effects across the food web. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.

Silvopastoral systems benefit invertebrate biodiversity on tropical livestock farms in Caquetá, Colombia.

In the Colombian Amazon, there has been long-term and sustained loss of primary forest threatening biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Silvopastoral practices that integrate trees into livestock production could help address both local economic and wider environmental challenges.We aimed to assess the effects of silvopastoral practices on invertebrate communities on smallholder farms in Caquetá, Colombia. Using sweep nets and malaise trapping, invertebrate communities were compared between traditional pasture, silvopasture and forest edge habitats.Invertebrate communities collected using sweep nets were contrasting among habitat types, communities were significantly different between traditional pasture and forest edge habitats and diversity and evenness were greatest in forest edges compared to traditional pastures. It appears that silvopasture areas, by supporting similar invertebrate assemblages to both traditional pasture and forest edges, may be acting as an intermediate habitat.When individual invertebrate orders were compared, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera were found in greater abundance in the forest edge habitats, while Hemiptera were more abundant in traditional pasture. Hemipterans are often pests of forage plants in pasture systems and these differences in abundance may have implications for ecosystem services and disservices.Silvopastoral approaches cannot replace the unique biodiversity supported by native forests but could deliver benefits for invertebrate conservation and ecosystem services if integrated into landscapes.

Snaring in a stronghold: Poaching and bycatch of critically endangered tigers in northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Wire-snare poaching is increasingly recognized as a major threat to endangered large carnivores in Africa and Asia. However, empirical information on the extent and distribution of snaring remains extremely limited beyond anecdotal reports presenting opportunistically collected data. In this study, we compile information to present a comprehensive synopsis of snaring of critically endangered Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). Hunted for their parts and skins, Sumatran tigers remain in high demand in illicit international markets. We focus our analysis on the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, Indonesia, which cumulatively contain ∼36 % of the island's remaining tiger habitat. Based on records collected from a combination of Indonesian government data, ranger patrol observations, and content analysis of local media, we identified 13 tiger snaring hotspots and documented 28 verified incidents of ensnared tigers between March 2008–March 2023. These totals represent minimum estimates because of spatiotemporal gaps in ranger patrols and inconsistent reporting of snaring by local communities. Our analysis of the incidents reveals tiger mortality in 9 (32.1 %) of the cases and permanent moves to ex-situ settings due to amputation or other debilitating snaring-induced injuries in another 8 (28.6 %) cases. Tiger snaring was positively correlated with forest-edge habitats in the Leuser Ecosystem, where 64.3 % of all incidents occurred. Across both provinces, 28.6 % of all snared tigers were allegedly captured in snares set in agricultural areas to control wild boar. To maximize efficacy of the government's ongoing anti-snare campaigns, we recommend increased personnel for ranger patrols and more attention on tiger-specific snaring impacts.

Topcats and underdogs: intraguild interactions among three apex carnivores across Asia's forestscapes.

Intraguild interactions among carnivores have long held the fascination of ecologists. Ranging from competition to facilitation and coexistence, these interactions and their complex interplay influence everything from species persistence to ecosystem functioning. Yet, the patterns and pathways of such interactions are far from understood in tropical forest systems, particularly across countries in the Global South. Here, we examined the determinants and consequences of competitive interactions between dholes Cuon alpinus and the two large felids (leopards Panthera pardus and tigers Panthera tigris) with which they most commonly co-occur across Asia. Using a combination of traditional and novel data sources (N = 118), we integrate information from spatial, temporal, and dietary niche dimensions. These three species have faced catastrophic declines in their extent of co-occurrence over the past century; most of their source populations are now confined to Protected Areas. Analysis of dyadic interactions between species pairs showed a clear social hierarchy. Tigers were dominant over dholes, although pack strength in dholes helped ameliorate some of these effects; leopards were subordinate to dholes. Population-level spatio-temporal interactions assessed at 25 locations across Asia did not show a clear pattern of overlap or avoidance between species pairs. Diet-profile assessments indicated that wild ungulate biomass consumption by tigers was highest, while leopards consumed more primate and livestock prey as compared to their co-predators. In terms of prey offtake (ratio of wild prey biomass consumed to biomass available), the three species together harvested 0.4-30.2% of available prey, with the highest offtake recorded from the location where the carnivores reach very high densities. When re-examined in the context of prey availability and offtake, locations with low wild prey availability showed spatial avoidance and temporal overlap among the carnivore pairs, and locations with high wild prey availability showed spatial overlap and temporal segregation. Based on these observations, we make predictions for 40 Protected Areas in India where temporally synchronous estimates of predator and prey densities are available. We expect that low prey availability will lead to higher competition, and in extreme cases, to the complete exclusion of one or more species. In Protected Areas with high prey availability, we expect intraguild coexistence and conspecific competition among carnivores, with spill-over to forest-edge habitats and subsequent prey-switching to livestock. We stress that dhole-leopard-tiger co-occurrence across their range is facilitated through an intricate yet fragile balance between prey availability, and intraguild and conspecific competition. Data gaps and limitations notwithstanding, our study shows how insights from fundamental ecology can be of immense utility for applied aspects like large predator conservation and management of human-carnivore interactions. Our findings also highlight potential avenues for future research on tropical carnivores that can broaden current understanding of intraguild competition in forest systems of Asia and beyond.

Of forests and grasslands: human, primate, and ungulate palaeoecology in Late Pleistocene-Holocene Sri Lanka

The Wet Zone region of Sri Lanka has provided some of the earliest direct evidence of human utilization of rainforest resources anywhere in the world. Stable isotope analysis of human and animal remains, alongside detailed zooarchaeological analyses, have demonstrated reliance on rainforest resources as far back as 48,000 years ago. However, changes in human adaptations and the varying niches of exploited fauna, through major periods of climatic change such as during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, remain relatively under-explored. Here, we present the results of stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope analyses of dental enamel from 311 animal and eight human teeth recovered from recent excavations at Fa-Hien Lena and Kitulgala Beli-lena from contexts spanning the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Our data for human teeth from the Terminal Pleistocene and Holocene layers of Fa-Hien Lena and the Holocene layers of Kitulgala Beli-lena show little departure from rainforest resource reliance between the Pleistocene and Holocene. Meanwhile, the most dominant faunal taxa, including cercopithecid monkeys, show a similar stability in canopied forest habitation across the different species. However, δ13C data from ungulates found at Fa-Hien Lena indicate human populations did have access to forest edge and grassland habitats, suggesting either specific foraging trips or long-distance trade with other communities. In addition, our reporting of an Early Holocene presence of rhinoceros in the Wet Zone forest of Sri Lanka, the last fossil occurrence of this now regionally-extirpated taxon, highlights ongoing human interactions with large mammal communities on the island. We argue that our data demonstrate the benefits of detailed isotopic and zooarchaeological studies for detailed insights into the nature of tropical human adaptations through time.

Combining acoustic tracking and LiDAR to study bat flight behaviour in three-dimensional space

BackgroundHabitat structure strongly influences niche differentiation, facilitates predator avoidance, and drives species-specific foraging strategies of bats. Vegetation structure is also a strong driver of echolocation call characteristics. The fine-scale assessment of how bats utilise such structures in their natural habitat is instrumental in understanding how habitat composition shapes flight- and acoustic behaviour. However, it is notoriously difficult to study their species-habitat relationship in situ.MethodsHere, we describe a methodology combining Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to characterise three-dimensional vegetation structure and acoustic tracking to map bat behaviour. This makes it possible to study fine-scale use of habitat by bats, which is essential to understand spatial niche segregation in bats. Bats were acoustically tracked with microphone arrays and bat calls were classified to bat guild using automated identification. We did this in multiple LiDAR scanned vegetation plots in forest edge habitat. The datasets were spatially aligned to calculate the distance between bats’ positions and vegetation structures.ResultsOur results are a proof of concept of combining LiDAR with acoustic tracking. Although it entails challenges with combining mass-volumes of fine-scale bat movements and vegetation information, we show the feasibility and potential of combining those two methods through two case studies. The first one shows stereotyped flight patterns of pipistrelles around tree trunks, while the second one presents the distance that bats keep to the vegetation in the presence of artificial light.ConclusionBy combining bat guild specific spatial behaviour with precise information on vegetation structure, the bat guild specific response to habitat characteristics can be studied in great detail. This opens up the possibility to address yet unanswered questions on bat behaviour, such as niche segregation or response to abiotic factors in interaction with natural vegetation. This combination of techniques can also pave the way for other applications linking movement patterns of other vocalizing animals and 3D space reconstruction.

Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) increases abundance and diversity of shrub-dwelling arthropods and birds in forest edge habitat

Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) increases abundance and diversity of shrub-dwelling arthropods and birds in forest edge habitat

Fragile plant-frugivore interaction networks in tropical forest edges

Current incessant threats of environmental changes, such as habitat fragmentation, may disrupt vital mutualistic plant-frugivore networks, threatening the whole ecosystem. To advance our knowledge of the magnitude of the impacts of such disruption, we need a better understanding of its structure and robustness. We addressed this by comparing several aspects of plant-frugivore networks in the forest edge and interior habitats of a fragmented forest, using field data on fruit removal by a community of frugivorous birds and lemurs from 40 tree species over 30 months. While the plant-frugivore networks in both habitats were significantly less nested than random expectations, the network in the forest edge habitat had higher value of nestedness compared to the network in the forest interior. Also, the networks in both habitats were highly modular compared to random expectations, with a dominance of species that are highly interactive within its modules. We also found that fruit size, weight, and color as well as tree height predicted the structural role of plants in the networks and their degree of specialization. Finally, the removal/loss of best-connected plants or animals resulted in a weak robustness of the networks in both habitats; this vulnerable pattern is more pronounced in forest edges than interior habitats. Interestingly, the loss of large-bodied seed dispersers from either habitat did not affect much the robustness of the networks; in contrast, when small-sized species were eliminated first, the network became less robust, especially for the edge community. These findings highlight the need to preserve species interactions in forest edges to avoid the collapse of the network, mitigating the impacts of species extinctions on ecosystem equilibrium.

Seasonal home range and habitat selection patterns of sika deer Cervus nippon in southern Hokkaido, Japan

In 1980 and 1981, eight and nine individual sika deer Cervus nippon were reintroduced in southern Hokkaido, Japan, respectively, to address population declines in this species during 1900s. As recent population growth has led to human–wildlife conflicts, this study investigated the responses of sika deer to resource availability and geomorphic factors during the summer and winter seasons in southern Hokkaido. Global positioning system‐collared data collected from 2016 to 2018 were used to assess the home range patterns and habitat selection of 14 female sika deer located in Mount Esan and Shiriuchi. The core home range size was defined using a 50% kernel density estimation that indicated a larger home range in winter than summer for all deer. Habitat selection was assessed using generalized linear mixed models. The results showed variation in habitat selection between resident deer of Mount Esan and Shiriuchi, as well as migratory deer in Shiriuchi during summer. Resident deer in Mount Esan and Shriuchi preferred areas closer to crops during summer. Interaction effects revealed that migratory deer utilized natural grassland close to forest edge habitat in Shiriuchi. By contrast, resident deer in Shiriuchi selected forest edge habitat and natural grasslands close to crops. In winter, low elevation was the most important habitat factor for all deer across the study area. Thus, sika deer habitat selection depends on resource availability in summer and topographic factors in the winter.

Diversity and Habitat Preferences of Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera) in Indikadamukalana, a Lowland Wet Zone Forest in Sri Lanka

The moths (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of Sri Lanka have not been well studied and no comprehensive scientific study on their diversity has been carried out over the past 100 years. Thus, establishing species richness and diversity of moths in different habitats of the island is important. The present study was carried out to investigate moth species diversity and habitat factors which can affect moths in Indikadamukalana Forest Reserve situated in the wet zone of Sri Lanka. Moth diversity of the forest was investigated for a period of approximately seven months in 2018, where two habitat types as forest edge and within forest were studied. Transect line count method was used to sample diurnal moths and light traps were used to study nocturnal moths. Aerial nets and fruit-baited traps were used to improve the sampling efficiency. Weather parameters of the two habitat types were estimated using a potable weather station. A total of 138 moth species of 19 families were recorded, with forest edge habitat recording 18 families (91 species) and within the forest habitat recording 15 families (47 species). Crambidae and Erebidae were the most prominent families of moths found in both habitats of the forest. Gelechiidae was recorded only from within the forest habitat while Sphingidae, Hepialidae, Tortricidae and Bombycidae were recorded only from the forest edge habitat. Weather parameters between the two habitats did not depict a significant difference. Maintenance of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity hotspot status lies within the wet zone of the country. Thus, long term studies of moth communities of the wet zone are of vital importance

Grizzly bear habitat selection across the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem

Understanding habitat selection is challenging but key for species of conservation concern, including grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). Here we demonstrate an approach for understanding and predicting habitat use over multiple stages that test hypotheses of animal behavior, use newly gained knowledge to mechanistically simulate individual movements, translate results to predictive habitat maps, and test their predictive power across a large spatiotemporal scale. Grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem of northwest Montana served as our study system. Mechanistically modeling grizzly bear movements demonstrated that grizzly bears have highly individualistic spatial behaviors. Some individuals avoided whereas others preferred areas of vegetation green-up, terrain ruggedness, forest edge, riparian areas, building densities, and secure habitat. Such individualism supported the need for an individual-based modeling approach to understand and predict grizzly bear behavior. External validation using >375,000 GPS locations for 261 individuals over nearly 2 decades demonstrated mean Spearman rank scores of >0.90 across seasons and years, and overall scores of 1.0. The top 5 classes of our predictive habitat maps contained 73.5 % of female fixes and 83.6 % of male fixes, and the top class (comprising 10 % of mapped area) contained 25.6 % and 41.7 % of female and male fixes, respectively. Results of this research provide tools for conservation planning and serve as the basis for future grizzly bear research within our study system and beyond. Our multi-stage approach for understanding and predicting habitat use has high utility for conservation of myriad threatened species around the globe.

Metabarcoding data analysis revealed the plant dietary variation of long-tailed macaque Macacafascicularis (Cercopithecidae, Cercopithecinae) living in disturbed habitats in Peninsular Malaysia.

The long-tailed macaque (Macacafascicularis) has a wide range in both Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Although the primates are especially vulnerable to habitat alterations, this primate lives in disturbed habitats due to human-induced land-use. Thus, this study presents a faecal metabarcoding approach to clarify the plant diet of long-tailed macaques from five locations in Peninsular Malaysia to represent fragmented forest, forest edge, island and recreational park habitats. We extracted genomic DNA from 53 long-tailed macaque faecal samples. We found 47 orders, 126 families, 609 genera and 818 species across these five localities. A total of 113 plant families were consumed by long-tailed macaques in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 61 in the Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute, 33 in Langkawi Island, 53 in Redang Island and 44 in the Cenderawasih Cave. Moraceae (33.24%) and Fabaceae (13.63%) were the most common families consumed by long-tailed macaques from the study localities. We found that habitat type impacted diet composition, indicating the flexibility of foraging activities. This research findings provide an understanding of plant dietary diversity and the adaptability of this macaque with the current alteration level that applies to long-tailed macaque conservation management interest in the future.