Habitat Distribution Research Articles

Projected impacts of climate change and anthropogenic effects on habitat distribution of endangered Javan Hawk-Eagle in Indonesia

Changing climate will jeopardize biodiversity, particularly the geographic distribution of endemic species. One such species is the Javan Hawk-Eagle (JHE, Nisaetus bartelsi), a charismatic raptor found only on Java Island, Indonesia. Thus, it is crucial to develop an appropriate conservation strategy to preserve the species. Ecological niche modeling is considered a valuable tool for designing conservation plans for the JHE. We provide an ecological niche modeling approach and transfer its model to future climate scenarios for the JHE. We utilize various machine learning algorithms under sustainability and business-as-usual (BAU) scenarios for 2050. Additionally, we investigate the conservation vulnerability of the JHE, capturing multifaceted pressures on the species from climate dissimilarities and human disturbance variables. Our study reveals that the ensemble model performs exceptionally well, with temperature emerging as the most critical factor affecting the JHE distribution. This finding indicates that climate change will have a significant impact on the JHE species. Our results suggest that the JHE distribution will likely decrease by 28.41% and 40.16% from the current JHE distribution under sustainability and BAU scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, our study reveals high-potential refugia for future JHE, covering 7,596 km2 (61%) under the sustainability scenario and only 4,403 km2 (35%) under the BAU scenario. Therefore, effective management and planning, including habitat restoration, refugia preservation, habitat connectivity, and local community inclusivity, should be well-managed to achieve JHE conservation targets.

High-resolution species distribution modelling reveals spatio-temporal variability of habitat suitability in a declining grassland bird

Abstract Context Species distribution models (SDMs) may provide accurate predictions of species occurrence across space and time, being critical for effective conservation planning. Objectives Focusing on the little bustard (Tetrax tetrax), an endangered grassland bird, we aimed to: (i) characterise the drivers of the species distribution along its key phenological phases (winter, breeding, and post-breeding); and (ii) quantify spatio-temporal variation in habitat suitability across phenological phases and over the years 2005–2021. Methods Combining remotely sensed metrics at high temporal resolution (MODIS) with long-term (> 12 years) GPS telemetry data collected for 91 individuals at one of the species’ main strongholds within the Iberian Peninsula, we built SDMs (250 m resolution) for the species key phenological phases. Results The use of both dynamic and static predictors unveiled previously unknown ecological responses by little bustards, revealing a marked change in the spatial distribution of suitable habitat among phenological phases. Long-term habitat suitability trends showed considerable fluctuations, mainly in the breeding and post-breeding phases. Overall, SDM projections into the past revealed that while the species’ winter and post-breeding habitats apparently increased since 2005, suitable habitat during the species’ most critical phenological phase, breeding, apparently reduced in area over time. Conclusions Our findings show that matching remotely sensed data with GPS tracking data results in accurate habitat suitability predictions throughout the yearly cycle. Additionally, our findings stress the importance of quantifying habitat loss and its potential impact on little bustard decline over nearly 20 years. Spatio-temporal variations in habitat suitability are also identified in this work, which can help prioritize conservation areas, particularly the breeding areas that have remained stable over time, as this is a key requirement for little bustard lek breeding system.

Using vulnerability assessment to characterize coastal protection benefits provided by estuarine habitats of a dynamic intracoastal waterway.

The existence of coastal ecosystems depends on their ability to gain sediment and keep pace with sea level rise. Similar to other coastal areas, Northeast Florida (United States) is experiencing rapid population growth, climate change, and shifting wetland communities. Rising seas and more severe storms, coupled with the intensification of human activities, can modify the biophysical environment, thereby increasing coastal exposure to storm-induced erosion and inundation. Using the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve as a case study, we analyzed the distribution of coastal protection services-expressly, wave attenuation and sediment control-provided by estuarine habitats inside a dynamic Intracoastal waterway. We explored six coastal variables that contribute to coastal flooding and erosion-(a) relief, (b) geomorphology, (c) estuarine habitats, (d) wind exposure, (e) boat wake energy, and (f) storm surge potential-to assess physical exposure to coastal hazards. The highest levels of coastal exposure were found in the north and south sections of the Reserve (9% and 14%, respectively) compared to only 4% in the central, with exposure in the south driven by low wetland elevation, high surge potential, and shorelines composed of less stable sandy and muddy substrate. The most vulnerable areas of the central Reserve and main channel of the Intracoastal waterway were exposed to boat wakes from larger vessels frequently traveling at medium speeds (10-20 knots) and had shoreline segments oriented towards the prevailing winds (north-northeast). To guide management for the recently expanded Reserve into vulnerable areas near the City of Saint Augustine, we evaluated six sites of concern where the current distribution of estuarine habitats (mangroves, salt marshes, and oyster beds) likely play the greatest role in natural protection. Spatially explicit outputs also identified potential elevation maintenance strategies such as living shorelines, landform modification, and mangrove establishment for providing coastal risk-reduction and other ecosystem-service co-benefits. Salt marshes and mangroves in two sites of the central section (N-312 and S-312) were found to protect more than a one-quarter of their cross-shore length (27% and 73%, respectively) from transitioning to the highest exposure category. Proposed interventions for mangrove establishment and living shorelines could help maintain elevation in these sites of concern. This work sets the stage for additional research, education, and outreach about where mangroves, salt marshes, and oyster beds are most likely to reduce risk to wetland communities in the region.

Geographical distribution and ecological niche dynamics of Crassostrea sikamea (Amemiya, 1928) in China's coastal regions under climate change

Global climate change drives species redistribution, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem heterogeneity. The Kumamoto oyster, Crassostrea sikamea (Amemiya, 1928), one of the most promising aquaculture species because of its delayed reproductive timing, was once prevalent in southern China. In this study, an ensemble species distribution model was employed to analyze the distribution range shift and ecological niche dynamics of C. sikamea along China's coastline under the current and future climate scenarios (RCP 2.6–8.5 covering 2050 s and 2100 s). The model results indicated that the current habitat distribution for C. sikamea consists of a continuous stretch extending from the coastlines of Hainan Province to the northern shores of Jiangsu Province. By the 2050 s, the distribution range will stabilize at its southern end along the coast of Hainan Province, while expanding northward to cover the coastal areas of Shandong Province, showing a more dramatic trend of contraction in the south and invasion in the north by the 2100 s. In RCP8.5, the southern end retracts to the coasts of Guangdong, whereas the northern end covers all of China's coastal areas north of 34°N. C. sikamea can maintain relatively stable ecological niche characteristics, while it may occupy different ecological niche spaces under future climate conditions. Significant niche expansion will occur in lower temperature. We concluded C. sikamea habitats are susceptible to climate change. The rapid northward expansion of C. sikamea may open new possibilities for oyster farming in China, but it will also have important consequences for the ecological balance and biodiversity of receiving areas. It's imperative that we closely examine and strategize to address these repercussions for a win-win situation.

Identifying priority areas for conservation: using ecosystem services hotspot mapping for land-use/land-cover planning in central of Iran.

The modeling and mapping of hotspots and coldspots ecosystem services (ESs) is an essential factor in the decision-making process for ESs conservation. Moreover, spatial prioritization is a serious stage in conservation planning. In the present research, based on the InVEST software, Getis-Ord statistics (Gi*), and a set of GIS methods, we quantified and mapped the variation and overlapping among three ESs (carbon storage, soil retention, and habitat quality). Furthermore, an approach was proffered for detecting priority areas to protect multiple ecosystem services. Hotspots recognized via the Gi* statistics technique contain a higher capacity for supplying ESs than other areas. This means that protecting these areas with a bigger number of overlapped hotspots can provide more services. Results indicated that population growth accompanied by the increase in construction sites and low-yield agricultural lands in the Zayanderood dam watershed basin has resulted in ES losses. This situation is represented by increasing soil erosion, reduced carbon storage, reduced biodiversity, and fragmented habitat distribution due to land-use change. The statistically significant carbon storage, soil retention, and habitat quality hotspots with above 95% confidence level account for 21.5%, 39.3%, and 16.9% of the study area, respectively. Therefore, a clear framework was presented in this study for setting ES-based conservation priority. Decision makers and land-use planners can also combine this technique into their framework to identify and conserve ES hotspots to support their targeted ecosystem policies.

Impact of climate change on the habitat range and distribution of Cordyla pinnata, Faidherbia albida and Balanites aegyptiaca in Senegal

Impact of climate change on the habitat range and distribution of Cordyla pinnata, Faidherbia albida and Balanites aegyptiaca in Senegal

Climate Change Threatens the Habitat of Pinus massoniana in China

Pinus massoniana Lamb. is one of the main timber tree species. There is a large artificial planting area in South China, and this tree has important economic and ecological value. In this research, we built a comprehensive habitat suitability model based on 115 current data and 22 environmental variables to analyze the potential suitable habitat distribution of this species. Future climate change scenarios were defined as four shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs): SSP 1–2.6, SSP 2–4.5, SSP 3–7.0, SSP 5–8.5) and four periods (including 2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) based on nine global circulation model datasets. To fully consider the potential distribution of P. massoniana under specific climate change conditions and soil conditions, we constructed an ensemble model using four commonly used model algorithms. The results indicated that the current suitable habitat for P. massoniana covers approximately 1.10 × 106 km2 in southeastern China. In the future, the model results showed that under different climate change scenarios and at different times, the change in suitable habitat for P. massoniana varied; moreover, under moderate climate change scenarios, the average temperature decreased by less than 3 °C and the suitable habitat area decreased slightly, with an area larger than 0.95 × 106 km2. However, under intense warming scenarios, for which the average temperature increased above 3 °C, the suitable habitat for P. massoniana decreased. In the most severe warming scenario, the suitable habitat area for P. massoniana was reduced to 44% of the base climate conditions with severe habitat fragmentation, which should be fully considered in future planting initiatives and plant protection.

Predicting the suitable habitat distribution of berry plants under climate change

ContextClimate change is altering suitable habitat distributions of many species at high latitudes. Fleshy fruit-producing plants (hereafter, “berry plants”) are important in arctic food webs and as subsistence resources for human communities, but their response to a warming and increasingly variable climate at a landscape scale has not yet been examined.ObjectivesWe aimed to identify environmental determinants of berry plant distribution and predict how climate change might shift these distributions.MethodsWe used species distribution models to identify characteristics and predict the distribution of suitable habitat under current (2006–2013) and future climate conditions (2081–2100; representative concentration pathways 4.5, 6.0, & 8.5) for five berry plant species: Vaccinium uliginosum L., Empetrum nigrum L., Rubus chamaemorus L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., and Viburnum edule (Michx.) Raf..ResultsElevation, soil characteristics, and January and July temperatures were important drivers of habitat distributions. Future suitable habitat predictions showed net declines in suitable habitat area for all species modeled under almost all future climate scenarios tested.ConclusionsOur work contributes to understanding potential geographic shifts in suitable berry plant habitat with climate change at a landscape scale. Shifting and retracting distributions may alter where communities can harvest, suggesting that access to these resources may become restricted in the future. Our prediction maps may help inform climate adaptation planning as communities anticipate shifting access to harvesting locations.

Habitat preferences and distribution of some common bryophytes in a tropical forest at the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico

Habitat preferences and distribution of some common bryophytes in a tropical forest at the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico

Identification of Potential Habitats and Adjustment of Protected Area Boundaries for Large Wild Herbivores in the Yellow-River-Source National Park, China

The wild large herbivores inhabiting the Yellow-River-Source National Park (YRSNP) are confronted with a significant threat from climate change and human activities. In response to these detrimental influences, measures have been proposed by the government, such as the Ecological Conservation and Restoration Project in the Sanjiangyuan Region (ECRPSR) and the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Park (SNP). To advance species diversity, it is crucial to investigate the spatial distribution of large herbivores, identify factors influencing their distribution, and address conflicts arising from divergent plans within the YRSNP. In this study, unmanned aerial vehicles were employed for surveying the distribution of the Tibetan wild ass (Equus kiang) and Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata). The findings indicate that the optimal habitat area for Tibetan wild ass is 437.16 km2, while for Tibetan gazelle, it is 776.46 km2. Precipitation and the human footprint index emerge as the primary factors influencing the habitat distribution of large herbivores within the YRSNP. Under the influence of the ECRPSR, there was a noteworthy expansion of the habitat area for Tibetan wild ass by 791.25 km2, and for Tibetan gazelle, it expanded by 1612.94 km2. From a wildlife conservation standpoint, this study proposes the establishment of a wildlife refuge in the YRSNP, effective coordination of conflicts between various functional zones and plans, preservation of suitable habitats for large herbivores, and the provision of a scientific foundation to reconcile development and conservation conflicts in the region, while concurrently fostering biodiversity conservation.

Niche overlap between native Cirrhinus molitorella and potential invasive competitors

Biological invasion is one of the important reasons for the decline of freshwater biodiversity in China and even in the world. The Pearl river basin is one of the most threatened areas in China by biological invasion. Over the past four decades, mrigal carp Cirrhinus mrigala and rohu Labeo rohita have invaded the Pearl river. They potentially pose a huge threat to a well-known economic species, native mud carp Cirrhinus molitorella. However, little is known about the likely habitat distributions of these two invasive species, which limits our management of them. In this study, we detected the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen and carbon for fish and quantified their niche overlap with nicheROVER in R. The result showed that the individuals of two invasive species had a higher probability to be found in niche region of native C. molitorella (i.e., 65 % for C. mrigala and 74 % for L. rohita). Moreover, to increase understanding of their habitat distributions and potential range of spread, the existing habitats data of these three fish species obtained from previous literatures and the high-resolution bioclimatic parameters from WorldClim were analyzed via Maxent model. The results stressed that niche overlap was high among species, which could have an impact on local biodiversity in future. Furthermore, the visualization of habitat distributions could help show the dynamic habitat changes of invasive and native species over time, while also provide new insights into the subsequent prevention and control for invasive species in other river regions around the world.

Current and Future Distribution of Camellia sinensis in China Estimated by MaxEnt

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is an important cash crop. In the context of climate change, analyzing the current distribution of tea trees and climate change environmental variables to predict the potential distribution area of tea trees in the future can help decision-makers make appropriate planting decisions and promote sustainable management. In this study, an optimized MaxEnt model was used to predict the limiting factors of tea tree growth and distribution under current and future climate change scenarios. The climate soil mixing model [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.934] performed excellently. The results showed that precipitation, temperature, slope, and soil factors all affected the distribution of suitable habitats for tea trees. Compared with the current distribution area of tea trees, under three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585), the area of highly suitable habitats for tea trees will expand, especially in 2061–2080 and 2081–2100 years, and the suitable area will extend overall to the north of China, indicating that future climate change may create more new suitable habitats for tea production, especially in Shandong, Shaanxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces. This study will provide important scientific insights for tea production decision-making, tea garden location selection, and future adaptation methods, and will help in the cultivation and transplantation of tea trees in the future.

Baleen–Plastic Interactions Reveal High Risk to All Filter-Feeding Whales from Clogging, Ingestion, and Entanglement

Baleen whales are ecosystem sentinels of microplastic pollution. Research indicates that they likely ingest millions of anthropogenic microparticles per day when feeding. Their immense prey consumption and filter-feeding behavior put them at risk. However, the role of baleen, the oral filtering structure of mysticete whales, in this process has not been adequately addressed. Using actual baleen tissue from four whale species (fin, humpback, minke, and North Atlantic right) in flow tank experiments, we tested the capture rate of plastics of varying size, shape, and polymer type, as well as chemical residues leached by degraded plastics, all of which accumulated in the baleen filter. Expanded polystyrene foam was the most readily captured type of plastic, followed by fragments, fibers, nurdles, and spherical microbeads. Nurdle and microbead pellets were captured most readily by right whale baleen, and fragments were captured by humpback baleen. Although not all differences between polymer types were statistically significant, buoyant polymers were most often trapped by baleen. Plastics were captured by baleen sections from all regions of a full baleen rack, but were more readily captured by baleen from dorsal and posterior regions. Baleen–plastic interactions underlie various risks to whales, including filter clogging and damage, which may impede feeding. We posit that plastics pose a higher risk to some whale species due to a combination of factors, including filter porosity, diet, habitat and geographic distribution, and foraging ecology and behavior. Certain whale species in specific marine regions are of the greatest concern due to plastic abundance. It is not feasible to remove all plastic from the sea; most of what is there will continue to break into ever-smaller pieces. We suggest that higher priorities be accorded to lessening humans’ dependence on plastics, restricting entry points of plastics into the ocean, and developing biodegradable alternatives.

Faunal Diversity and the Ecological Aspects of a Community-Based Fragmented Lowland Rainforest Patch in Western Province, Sri Lanka

Wawekale Rainforest Reserve (WRR) is a primary lowland tropical rainforest area in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, established with diversity, but disturbed by human activities such as rubber cultivation, logging, poaching, chemical release, and the collection of firewood. Visual Encounter Surveys (VES) were conducted for 100 hours in the year 2022, which covered wide habitat distribution. The herpetofaunal diversity was measured in the WRR which can indicate broader ecological shifts, environmental changes, or habitat degradation. Water quality was measured in the WRR area to determine the ecosystem health and human impact. The study reports 171 species in 73 families, including two Critically Endangered (1.17%), six Endangered (3.51%), 16 Vulnerable (9.36%), and 14 Near Threatened (8.19%) species according to the IUCN Red List. The study area showed 51 endemic faunal species in Sri Lanka, which represented 29.83% of endemism. Based on the observations conducted on the herpetofauna diversity, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) was calculated and the overall herpetofauna (H’H) showed high diversity within the forest premises. The water quality of the forest fragment had an influence from anthropogenic activities such as removing forest cover, bathing, washing vehicles, and releasing agro-chemical compounds resulting in high water temperature, basic pH level, high electrical conductivity, and high total dissolved solid conditions. The WRR, designated under protection, exhibits the need for immediate remedial actions to mitigate human-induced pollution and deforestation, emphasizing the critical importance of implementing proactive conservation measures to sustain ecological integrity and preserve biodiversity.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of spawning habitat distribution of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) in the Hudson River Estuary under multi stressors

Diadromous fishes, known for their extensive migrations between freshwater and marine ecosystems, are highly vulnerable to environmental fluctuations and human activities, making them prone to population declines. Despite awareness of climate change impacts and habitat limitations, the remaining spawning habitat’s biogeography is understudied. The present study focuses on the Hudson River Estuary (HRE) American shad ( Alosa sapidissima) population which is experiencing historically low stock levels, as a case study to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of its existing spawning habitat. Generalized additive models were used to investigate the effect of some environmental (e.g., temperature, river bottom type) and sampling variables (e.g., sampling location and time) on the spatial distribution of the American shad. Our results provide compelling evidence of an optimal spawning habitat for the American shad, suggesting that environmental factors may not be the primary drivers shaping the distribution of their spawning grounds. The significant relationships between the distribution of spawning habitat and spawning stock biomass indicates that factors beyond the HRE are likely to play the most significant roles in the shad population.

Predicting the Potential Habitat Distribution of Relict Plant Davidia involucrata in China Based on the MaxEnt Model

Davidia involucrata Baill. 1871 (D. involucrata), as a tertiary relict plant unique to China, is a national Class I protected plant with high economic value. Oil extracted from its seeds and peels can be used for both consumption and industrial purposes. It has become a popular income-earning export tree in China because of its graceful posture and beautiful white bracts. Climate change affects the distribution of the species’ potential habitat areas. Thus, studying its natural distribution pattern and future potential habitat distribution changes has great significance for the sustainable resource utilization and biodiversity conservation of D. involucrata. Here, we employed the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS software to predict the current and future (the 2050s and 2070s) potential habitats of D. involucrata via 130 species distribution records and 37 environmental variables. Meanwhile, we used the jackknife method to assess the importance of environmental factors. Our results showed the following: (1) When the RM = 4 and FC = LQHPT, the MaxEnt model exhibited the lowest complexity and overfitting degree while achieving high model prediction accuracy. The area under the curve (AUC) value of the simulated training was 0.958, indicating an excellent forecast. (2) Under the current climate scenario, D. involucrata was mainly concentrated in eastern Sichuan, western Hubei, northern Guizhou, and northwestern Hunan, with an area of 98.02 × 104 km2. (3) The precipitation in the warmest quarter (Bio18, 30%), mean temperature in the driest quarter (Bio9, 24.4%), annual mean radiation (Bio20, 14.6%), and elevation (ele, 12.7%) were the main environmental factors affecting its habitat distribution; the t contribution was 82.1%. (4) Under different future climate scenarios, the potential habitat area of D. involucrata decreased overall. Compared with the current climate scenario, the areas of potential habitats gradually decreased in both the 2050s and 2070s under the ssp126 and ssp585 climate scenarios but decreased in the 2050s and then increased in the 2070s under the ssp370 climate scenario. Therefore, it is of great significance to track and monitor the existing population or community on the basis of the possible changes in its distribution area. Moreover, the artificial breeding of its seedlings should be considered in the future to improve the quality of its germplasm resources. In summary, our findings can provide a scientific understanding of D. involucrata distribution in China and are conducive to conservation and utilization.

Mapping Benthic Habitat Distribution and Coral Reef Health Index in Ternate Island and Tidore Island, North Maluku

Coral reefs are underwater marine organisms whose coverage can be identified using remote sensing technology utilizing satellite imagery. The benthic habitats classification and coral reef health index analysis were carried out on the Ternate and Tidore islands in June 2021. This study aims to map the distribution of benthic habitat as well as calculate the value of the coral reef health index. The processing of satellite imagery data from Landsat 8, using ENVI 5.3 and ArcGIS 10.1 software. The "depth invariant index" algorithm is used in the image sharpening process (Lyzenga, 1981). The maximum likelihood classification technique is used to identify substrate type, with a confusion matrix used to test its accuracy. The coral reef health index assessment is based on the condition of live coral cover, resilience level, and reef fish biomass. The results from water column image classification showed that there were four classes of habitat, i.e. coral, seagrass, sand, and rubble with an overall accuracy value of 85.86% and kappa coefficient of 0.80605. The total area of classified coral reefs is 1152.85 hectares. The coral reef health index values ranged from 2 to 8 with an average of 5, which translates to a moderate percentage of live coral cover, high resilience, and low fish biomass. Keywords: coral reefs, benthic habitat, health index, Landsat 8 images. Abstrak Terumbu karang merupakan objek tutupan bawah air laut yang dapat diidentifikasi menggunakan teknologi penginderaan jauh yakni memanfaatkan citra satelit. Klasifikasi habitat bentik dan analisis indeks kesehatan terumbu karang telah dilakukan di pulau Ternate dan pulau Tidore pada bulan Juni 2021. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memetakan sebaran habitat bentik serta mengetahui nilai indeks kesehatan terumbu karang. Pengolahan data citra Landsat 8 dengan perangkat lunak ENVI 5.3 dan ArcGIS 10.1. Proses penajaman citra menggunakan algoritma “depth invariant index” (Lyzenga, 1981). Teknik klasifikasi maximum likelihood digunakan untuk identifikasi objek dasar perairan dan uji akurasi menggunakan confusion matrix. Penilaian indeks kesehatan terumbu karang berdasarkan kondisi tutupan karang hidup, tingkat resiliensi dan biomassa ikan karang. Hasil klasifikasi citra kolom air mendapatkan empat kelas habitat yaitu karang, lamun, pasir dan pecahan karang mati (rubble) dengan nilai akurasi keseluruhan sebesar 85,86 % dan koefisien kappa sebesar 0,80605. Total luasan area terumbu karang hasil klasifikasi adalah 1152,85 ha. Nilai indeks kesehatan terumbu karang berkisar antara 2 sampai 8, dengan rata-rata 5 yang menggambarkan persentase tutupan karang hidup sedang, tingkat resiliensi tinggi dan biomassa ikan rendah. Kata kunci: terumbu karang, habitat bentik, indeks kesehatan, citra Landsat 8.

Predicting Changes in and Future Distributions of Plant Habitats of Climate-Sensitive Biological Indicator Species in South Korea

Climate change has been progressing rapidly in recent years; consequently, current plant habitats are expected to change. Therefore, to monitor plant movement caused by changed habitat environments, certain plants are designated as bioindicators and managed accordingly. Monitoring changes in plant habitats is important for protecting vulnerable plant species and establishing suitable measures for vegetation environments with suitable plant species under future climates. As part of this task, South Korea manages climate-sensitive plant species for each biological classification group, including plants. Accordingly, in this study, possible current habitats were identified and future habitats were predicted for nine climate-sensitive species in South Korea under climate change scenarios (representative concentration pathways RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) using a species distribution model (SDM) and based on national data acquired through field surveys. The MaxEnt algorithm, with high accuracy, was used for the SDM analysis. The MaxEnt algorithm is a powerful tool that analyzes the effects of environmental variables based on occurrence data and indicates possible habitats. To obtain precise results, environmental variables were utilized by collecting comprehensive climatic and topographic data for South Korea. Based on a current habitat analysis, the model accuracy of nine species yielded a high value of more than 0.9, on average, which indicates the extremely high performance of the model. Under climate change scenarios, evergreen coniferous and deciduous broadleaf plant habitats were predicted to expand inland and to the north of South Korea. The results of this study provide valuable data for establishing future conservation and management strategies for climate-sensitive plant species in South Korea. In addition, the detailed environment variable construction method and SDM analysis method used in this study could be applied to the analysis of changes in comprehensive plant habitats caused by climate change in other countries.

Parasitic findings on threatened pudu deer from Central Chile accounts first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile and the first molecular report of Taenia hydatigena metacestodes in this species

Southern pudu (Pudu puda) is a threatened endemic deer of the temperate forests of Chile. In recent years pudu populations rates have decreased mainly due to anthropogenic causes including forest loss and landscape fragmentation. In this context, the parasitic fauna of Chilean pudu has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the parasitic status of rescued pudu n = 13 from its natural habitat in Central Chile (Maule region) during March 2022 and June 2023 by applying morphological, histopathological, and molecular analyses. As result, we report the presence of transmission of parasites from dogs to pudus as showed by the presence of metacestodes of the parasite Taenia hydatigena on omentum, liver, and pleura of pudus during postmortem examinations, being the first molecular report on the presence of this parasite on Chilean pudu. Meanwhile, ectoparasite examinations determined the presence of chewing and sucking lice on pudu exemplars here analysed. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of lice revealed new insights on Bovicola and Anoplura lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile, equally being the first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing pudu exemplars in Chile. In addition, parasite loads of lice and metacestodes were analysed. However, no statistically significance was observed when comparing environmental and individual traits influence on parasite load variation. Overall, the study area is the northern limit of habitat distribution of this specie in Chile and we here provide novel information on pudu deer parasites, thus making a useful and valuable contribution to the parasitological knowledge on this threatened species.

Identifying priority mitigation areas for human–osprey conflict

AbstractRaptor nests on human‐built structures represent a significant source of conflict, as they can result in bird mortality, fires, or power outages due to falling nest materials or animals connecting with energized conductors. Power companies typically try to mitigate these conflicts to avoid service disruptions. Performing mitigation measures across all potentially problematic power infrastructure is generally not a practical solution given logistical, time, or budgetary constraints. Therefore, there is a need for quantitative, landscape‐scale tools to identify conflict risk and prioritize mitigation. We examined the influence of habitat and transmission infrastructure distribution on the potential risk of osprey (Pandion haliaetus) nesting‐infrastructure conflict in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power service area within Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia, USA, using osprey nesting and conflict records from 1990–2020. We modeled risk using a 3‐stage approach, which intersected a nesting habitat suitability model and density of infrastructure to evaluate the potential risk of conflict. Habitat suitability was greater on or near open water and closer to developed areas. Transmission line density was low (0.14 ± 0.29 lines/km2) and heterogenous across the service area with more lines within urban centers and near power facilities. Integrating habitat suitability and transmission infrastructure information revealed that very low and low‐risk areas comprised 99% of the service area. Less than 1% comprised 1,113.7 km2 of moderate and 82.2 km2 of high or very high risk, mostly concentrated along major rivers and lakes, and around urban centers. Risk was more prevalent in the northeastern portion of the service area. This work presents a top‐down approach to mitigating osprey–power infrastructure conflict, which allows for the prioritization of mitigation actions and can facilitate long‐term coexistence with this protected species.