Environmental Habitat Research Articles

Human Disturbance Increases Health Risks to Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys and the Transfer Risk of Pathogenic Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria from Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys to Humans.

From the perspective of interactions in the human-animal-ecosystem, the study and control of pathogenic bacteria that can cause disease in animals and humans is the core content of "One Health". In order to test the effect of human disturbance (HD) on the health risk of pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARBs) to wild animals and transfer risk of the PARBs from wild animals to humans, golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) were used as sentinel animals. Metagenomic analysis was used to analyze the characteristics of PARBs in the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys. Then, the total contribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors (VFs) of the PARBs were used to assess the health risk of PARBs to golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the antimicrobial drug resistance and bacterial infectious disease of PARBs were determined to assess the transfer risk of PARBs from golden snub-nosed monkeys to humans. There were 18 and 5 kinds of PARBs in the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys under HD (HD group) and wild habitat environments (W group), respectively. The total health risks of PARBs to the W group and the HD group were -28.5 × 10-3 and 125.8 × 10-3, respectively. There were 12 and 16 kinds of KEGG pathways of human diseases in the PARBs of the W group and the HD group, respectively, and the gene numbers of KEGG pathways in the HD group were higher than those in the W group. HD increased the pathogenicity of PARBs to golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the PARBs in golden snub-nosed monkeys exhibited resistance to lincosamide, aminoglycoside, and streptogramin antibiotics. If these PARBs transfer from golden snub-nosed monkeys to humans, then humans may acquire symptoms of pathogens including Tubercle bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Yersinia, Pertussis, and Vibrio cholera.

Planning research of whale sound detection system

In maritime countries such as the United States and European countries, studies on cetacean resource distribution, vocalization characteristics, auditory characteristics, and habitat environment are actively being conducted in order to permanently preserve cetacean resources. It is necessary to establish a real-time buoy-type marine life observation system for the surrounding waters of the Korean Peninsula, and the components of the real-time buoy-type marine life observation system that can observe the underwater acoustic environment require a line-type underwater acoustic sensor, a large-capacity file real-time transmission system, and a high-capacity battery. Planning contents for the development of the whale sound detection system include realizing scientific whale tourism by combining marine science technology (MT + ICT), presenting a plan for constructing a real-time buoy-type observation system for whales based on ICT, and presenting an analysis algorithm for identifying whale ecology through observation and analysis of radioactive sound characteristics and acoustic characteristics of whales in real time. These research results can be developed as new tourism contents in the southeast sea of Korea, contribute to expanding the base of whale-watching tourism business, and provide information on migratory routes and resource distribution by identifying the sonic characteristics of cetaceans.

Multidimensional comparison of ocean soundscape properties across depth and substrate type

The local soundscape is determined by its physical environment, human activity, and presence of soniferous marine life and, therefore, provides insight on ecosystem processes, habitat quality, and biodiversity. Shallow coral habitats in tropical environments are hotspots of biodiversity and marine life. Deep-sea coral environments along the southeastern U.S. provide important habitat for a variety of marine animals but are generally poorly understood. An innovative Soundscape Code methodology for quantitatively characterizing soundscapes was applied to passive recordings from four locations along the US Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and one from the Great Barrier Reef to assess how differences in habitat, depth, and substrate manifest acoustically. Comparisons were made between (1) deep, cold-water and shallow, warm-water coral reefs and (2) deep-sea coral and sandy bottom habitats. The shallow, tropical reef soundscape differed from the deep-sea soundscapes in amplitude and impulsiveness. Differences in soundscape properties among the deep-sea soundscapes suggest deep-sea coral sites produce different soundscapes than the deep sites without live hardbottom. Biologic and anthropogenic signals influenced the deep-sea soundscapes and represent fundamental differences in habitat. This initial assessment of deep-sea soundscapes along the US OCS provides baseline acoustic properties in a region likely to experience changes in climate and human use.

Bioactivity Features of Novel Actinobacteria Isolated from Lichen and Orchid Plant

A total of 10 actinobacterial strains were isolated from a lichen and an orchid species by employing a selective isolation procedure for actinobacteria. Antimicrobial activities of the isolates were evaluated against Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603, Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC 27853, Salmonella enterica ATCC 13311, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Listeria monocytogenes NCTC 5348. Out of the 10 isolates, eight showed antimicrobial activity against at least one pathogen. For molecular identification of the strains, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis was performed. The pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains with the databases showed that the strains are members of the genus Streptomyces by sharing 98.9 – 100% gene sequence similarities. Phylogenetic relationships of the strains within the genus Streptomyces were revealed by maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony phylogenetic trees. The results revealed that unexplored environmental habitats like lichens and plant tissues may represent a potential reservoir for novel actinobacteria with promising bioactivity features.

Similarity-Based Algorithm for Urban Street Refinement Design Model Extraction Research

INTRODUCTION: The function of many public street spaces in Chinese cities is declining, but urban street space is essential in cities. How to enhance the street's fireworks and reshape the street's rich living atmosphere is worthy of further research and discussion.
 OBJECTIVES: Based on the similarity algorithm urban street enhancement-related theories, paper summarizes the current problems of urban street space in China, researches the corresponding enhancement strategies according to the issues, and makes a strategic research and summary on the relationship between the interfaces of the scope of the visual field and the human behavior, as well as the relationship between the pedestrian and the vehicular traffic.
 METHODS: An in-depth study after defining the concept, summarizing the idea and extracting the urban street refinement design model using the similarity algorithm.
 RESULTS: The new urban street refinement design model can improve the psychological satisfaction of people walking in the application; the street space design model of the walking experience will also use the algorithm to simulate the joy; lastly, a recommended optimization technique is presented for the construction of a humanized street scale and other related factors.
 CONCLUSION: The study of urban street space is a refined design strategy for the improvement of the urban landscape; the growth of the happiness index of urban residents is of great significance and, at the same time, for the enhancement of China's modernization level, improve the human habitat environment are of great importance, and should pay attention to the urban street refinement design.

Characteristics and potential human health risks of microplastics identified in typical clams from South Yellow Sea Mudflat

The ingestion of clams (Meretrix) with microplastics (MP) contamination could pose potential risk to human health. The characteristics and potential risks of MP identified in wild-clam and farm-clam from South Yellow Sea Mudflat were studied comprehensively in this paper. The results indicated that MP were identified in both wild-clam (3.4–21.3 items/individual, 2.11–10.65 items/g) and farm-clam (1.3–20.8 items/individual, 0.62–8.67 items/g) among 21 sampling sites along South Yellow Sea Mudflat. The MP abundance of clams from marine estuarine or coast ports were significantly higher than those from purely marine coast mudflat, implying that environmental habitats played an important role on MP characteristics. MP abundance were significantly and positively related to shell length, shell height, shell width and soft tissue wet weight by Pearson test, suggesting the bigger the shell, there existed more MP abundance. Among MP in wild-clams and farm-clams, fragment, fiber were most abundant MP shapes, most MP's sizes were lower than 0.25 mm, the predominant colors were black, red, blue and transparent, chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) was the major polymer. Additionally, estimated dietary intake (EDI) of MP for adults via consumption of wild-clam and farm-clam were 1123.33 ± 399.97 and 795.07 ± 326.72 items/kg/year, respectively, suggesting EDI values of wild-clams were higher than those of farm-clams, and MP intake via wild-clam consumption were more than that via farm-clam consumption. The polymer risk indexes (PRI) of MP in total tissue and digestive system for wild-clam were 1297.8 ± 92.15 (hazard level: IV ~ V), 1038 ± 69.55 (IV ~ V), respectively, while PRI of MP in total tissue and digestive system for farm-clam were 979.92 ± 75.45 (III ~ IV), 735 ± 47.78 (III ~ IV), respectively, implying that PRI and hazard level of MP from wild-clam were higher than those from farm-clam, and the potential risks would decrease greatly when digestive systems of clams are removed during ingestion.

Multi-scale assessment of roost selection by 'ōpe'ape'a, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus).

The Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus; Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), commonly and locally known as 'ōpe'ape'a, is a solitary, insectivorous, and foliage-roosting species distributed across a wide range of habitats in lowland and montane environments. The species, as with many others in the Hawaiian archipelago, are facing a suite of challenges due to habitat loss and degradation, introduced predators and pests, and climate change. An understanding of the roost requirements of foliage-roosting tree bats is critical to their conservation as these habitats provide several important benefits to survival and reproduction. Because little is known about 'ōpe'ape'a roost ecology and considerable effort is needed to capture and track bats to roost locations, we examined resource selection at multiple spatial scales-perch location within a roost tree, roost tree, and forest stand. We used a discrete choice modeling approach to investigate day-roost selection and describe attributes of roost trees including those used as maternity roosts. 'Ōpe'ape'a were found roosting in 19 tree species and in an assortment of landcover types including native and non-native habitats. Our results are largely consistent with findings of other studies of foliage-roosting, insectivorous tree bats where bats selected roost locations that may offer protection and thermoregulatory benefits.

Из фондов Музея антропологии МГУ. Фотографии народов Северного Кавказа в экспозиции Антропологической выставки 1879 года: карачаевцы

Introduction. This publication is the second in a series of articles devoted to the description of the collection of photographs of representatives of the peoples of the Kuban region, and is devoted to the study of a part of the collection, including photographs of Karachays. Materials and methods. The basis of the work was a collection of photographs collected by E.D. Felitsyn (1848-1903), presented by him at the Anthropological Exhibition of 1879 in Moscow and kept in the funds of Anuchin Scientific Research Institute and the Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University. Results and discussion. Photographs of the Karachays of the Batalpashinsky district (now the village of Batalpashinsky - the city of Cherkessk) are described and analyzed. Of these: two photographs of children (8 years old), four photographs of men (19, 37, 70 и 72 years old) and one photograph of a woman (57 years old). The authorship of the studied images has been established. All of them belong to the Russian photographer, the owner of one of the very first photo workshops in Tiflis, Vladimir Barkanov (1826-1892). A description is given of one of the famous dynasties of Karachay - the Krymshamkhalov princes, whose representative is depicted in the picture of the studied photo collection. A summary of literary anthropological information about the Karachavians of this period is presented. Conclusion. The presented materials are unique, have scientific, historical and documentary value and significance, allowing to determine the authenticity of the person depicted in the photo, and its dynasty, as well as to obtain a lot of information about the typical realities of the depicted era, in particular, the features of his life, costumes, customs, environment habitats, as well as the implementation of a comparative anthropological and historical and cultural analysis. @ 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

C14-HSL limits the mycelial morphology of pathogen Trichosporon cells but enhances their aggregation: Mechanisms and implications

The biosecurity hazards caused by pathogenic fungus have been widely concerned. Given the long-term coexistence of eukaryotic pathogens and quorum sensing bacteria in different habitats in environments, we hypothesized that they have social interactions via signal molecules. In this work, we firstly discovered the well-known bacterial signal molecules play an adverse role in the cell morphology and metabolism in a model pathogen Trichosporon asahii. N-Tetradecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C14-HSL) was discovered to increase pathogen hazards of T. asahii, which limited mycelium by 52%, but enhanced cell aggregation by 93%. Higher fluorescence intensity of tryptophan (59%) and aromatic protein (2-fold) contents after the treatment of C14-HSL, indicating that aromatic proteins helped aggregate Trichosporon and showed hydrophobicity. Transcriptome analysis revealed that C14-HSL upregulated the shikimate pathway (above 1-fold) located in downstream of tricarboxylic acid cycle, which contributed to the synthesis of more aromatic proteins and the formation of larger flocs. The limited mycelial growth of T. asahii attributed to the up-regulated expressions of cell cycle process. The fungal transboundary response to bacterial C14-HSL was controlled by signal transduction pathways. This study provides new insights into the co-evolution of bacterial and pathogenic fungi in microecosystems.

An environmental habitat gradient and within-habitat segregation enable co-existence of ecologically similar bird species.

Niche theory predicts that ecologically similar species can coexist through multidimensional niche partitioning. However, owing to the challenges of accounting for both abiotic and biotic processes in ecological niche modelling, the underlying mechanisms that facilitate coexistence of competing species are poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated potential mechanisms underlying the coexistence of ecologically similar bird species in a biodiversity-rich transboundary montane forest in east-central Africa by computing niche overlap indices along an environmental elevation gradient, diet, forest strata, activity patterns and within-habitat segregation across horizontal space. We found strong support for abiotic environmental habitat niche partitioning, with 55% of species pairs having separate elevation niches. For the remaining species pairs that exhibited similar elevation niches, we found that within-habitat segregation across horizontal space and to a lesser extent vertical forest strata provided the most likely mechanisms of species coexistence. Coexistence of ecologically similar species within a highly diverse montane forest was determined primarily by abiotic factors (e.g. environmental elevation gradient) that characterize the Grinnellian niche and secondarily by biotic factors (e.g. vertical and horizontal segregation within habitats) that describe the Eltonian niche. Thus, partitioning across multiple levels of spatial organization is a key mechanism of coexistence in diverse communities.

The Construction of a Coordinated Integration System of Rural Tourism and Habitat Environment in China Based on Coupled Coordination Degree Model

Abstract The tourism industry provides the impetus for the development of the habitat environment, while the development of the habitat environment lays the foundation for the development of the tourism industry, and the two develop in a coordinated manner. In rural habitat improvement, rural tourism development should be integrated with rural habitat improvement, and a coordinated integration system of rural tourism and habitat environment should be built to extend the coverage of rural habitat improvement and improve the level of rural tourism development. This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation system and evaluation indexes for the development level of the rural tourism industry, and the analysis of the coupling coordination degree results shows that Fi(x, t) > F2(y, t) from 2017 to 2020, and Fi(x, t) < F2(y, t) from 2014 to 2016 and 2021 to 2022. From the integration coordination degree (D), from 2014 to 2018, the integration coordination degree (D) of rural tourism and habitat environment shows a fluctuation trend, the integration degree shows an upward trend, the coordination area of rural tourism income level shows a spatial polarization gesture, and the integration of cultural industry and tourism industry reaches the initial coordination by 2021. The integration of rural tourism and habitat environment in China is currently in a dysfunctional state, which is very unfavorable to the long-term development of China’s rural tourism industry and threatens the original habitat environment and should adhere to the people-oriented principle, gradually build up a coordinated integration system of rural tourism and habitat environment in China, and realize a win-win situation for the development of rural tourism and habitat environment.

Bacterial community analysis identifies Klebsiella pneumoniae as a native symbiotic bacterium in the newborn Protobothrops mucrosquamatus

BackgroundThe study of the native microbiome of organisms is crucial. The connection between the native microbiome and the host affects the formation of the innate immune system and the organism’s growth. However, the native microbiome of newborn venomous snakes has not been reported. Therefore, we aimed to determine the oral and skin microbiomes of newborn Protobothrops mucrosquamatus.ResultsWe performed 16 S full-length sequencing on 14 samples collected from 7 newborn P. mucrosquamatus individuals, specifically targeting their oral and skin microbiomes. In terms of the oral and skin microbiome, the main species were Klebsiella pneumoniae lineages. According to subspecies/species analysis, the proportion from highest to lowest was K. quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae, K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae, and K. pneumoniae subsp. rhinoscleromatis. These three bacteria accounted for 62.5% and 85% of the skin and oral activity, respectively. The oral microbiome of newborn P. mucrosquamatus did not comprise common bacteria found in snakebite wounds or oral cultures in adult snakes. Therefore, the source of other microbiomes in the oral cavities of adult snakes may be the environment or prey. Functional Annotation of the Prokaryotic Taxa analysis showed that the skin/oral native microbiome metabolism was related to fermentation and human infection owing to the dominance of K. pneumoniae lineages. The characteristics of K. pneumoniae may impact the development of venom in venomous snakes.ConclusionThe results of the native microbiome in the oral cavity and skin of newborn P. mucrosquamatus demonstrated that the habitat environment and prey capture may affect the composition of bacteria in adult snakes. We hypothesized that the native microbiome influences newborn venomous snakes and that K. pneumoniae lineages related to citrate fermentation may play a role in venom growth. However, further verification of this is required.

Population size affected by environmental variability impacts genetics, traits, and plant performance in Trifolium montanum L.

Population size, genetic diversity, and performance have fundamental importance for ecology, evolution, and nature conservation of plant species. Despite well-studied relationships among environmental, genetic, and intraspecific trait variation (ITV), the influence of population size on these aspects is less understood. To assess the sources of population size variation, but also its impact on genetic, functional trait, and performance aspects, we conducted detailed population size estimations, assessed 23 abiotic and biotic environmental habitat factors, performed population genetic analyses using nine microsatellite markers, and recorded nine functional traits based on 260 Trifolium montanum individuals from 13 semi-dry grassland locations of Central Europe. Modern statistical analyses based on a multivariate framework (path analysis) with preselected linear regression models revealed that the variation of abiotic factors (in contrast to factors per se) almost completely, significantly explained fluctuations in population size (R 2 = .93). In general, abiotic habitat variation (heterogeneity)was not affected by habitat area. Population size significantly explained genetic diversity(N A: R 2 = .42, H o: R 2 = .67, H e: R 2 = .43, and I: R 2 = .59), inbreeding (F IS: R 2 = .35), and differentiation (G ST: R 2 = .20). We also found that iFDCV (ITV) was significantly explained by abiotic habitat heterogeneity, and to a lesser extent by genetic diversity H e (R 2 = .81). Nevertheless, habitat heterogeneity did not statistically affect genetic diversity. This may be due to the use of selectively neutral microsatellite markers, and possibly by insufficient abiotic selective pressures on habitats examined. Small T. montanum populations in nonoptimal habitats were characterized by reduced genetic and functional trait diversity, and elevated genetic inbreeding and differentiation. This indicates reduced adaptability to current and future environmental changes. The long-term survival of small populations with reduced genetic diversity and beginning inbreeding will be highly dependent on habitat protection and adequate land-use actions.

Leptospirosis: toward a better understanding of the environmental lifestyle of Leptospira

Leptospira is a complex bacterial genus which biodiversity has long been overlooked. In the recent years however, environmental studies have contributed to shed light on its original and current environmental habitat. Although very fragile bacteria in laboratories, Leptospira have been shown to successfully occupy a range of soil and freshwater habitats. Recent work has strongly suggested that biofilm formation, a multicellular lifestyle regulated by the second messenger c-di-GMP, might be one strategy developed to overcome the multiple challenges of environmental survival. Within the genus, a minority of pathogenic species have developed the ability to infect mammals and be responsible for leptospirosis. However, most of them have retained their environmental survival capacity, which is required to fulfill their epidemiological cycle. Indeed, susceptible hosts, such as human, suffer from various symptoms, while reservoir hosts stay asymptomatic and release bacteria in the environment. In this review, we discuss how c-di-GMP might be a central regulator allowing pathogenic Leptospira to fulfill this complex life cycle. We conclude by identifying knowledge gaps and propose some hypotheses that should be researched to gain a holistic vision of Leptospira biology.

Multi‐scale habitat overlap in two broad‐ranged sympatric Neotropical forest eagles reveals shared environmental space and habitat use

Quantifying resource partitioning between co‐occurring species can provide insight into processes facilitating coexistence by closely related species, a fundamental question in ecology. We tested whether the habitat requirements of two closely related Neotropical forest eagles, the Crested Eagle Morphnus guianensis and Harpy Eagle Harpia harpyja, differ at fine and coarse resolutions across their shared geographical range. Using landcover and topographical covariates, we quantified potential resource overlap first using higher resolution (30 arc‐s, ~ 1‐km2 data) generalized linear models (GLMs), and secondly using coarser‐grain (2.5 arc‐min, ~ 4.5‐km2 data) environmental ordination to capture the potential effect of scale on habitat overlap. The distribution of both eagles was largely explained by canopy tree species richness and canopy structural complexity, with peak suitability of 60–80% evergreen forest cover. Both eagles were negatively associated with mosaic forest and cultivated areas. From the GLMs, habitat overlap was >93% in geographical space but was reduced to 73% when considering environmental space, a proxy for resource overlap. From ordination (principal component analysis), resource overlap was 67% in environmental space, with randomization tests supporting equivalent environmental space for both eagles. Our results suggest that at the continental scale, Crested and Harpy Eagles share identical environmental space when quantified at fine and broad scales, with little difference in distribution and habitat use. At the continental scale used here, both eagles can coexist, presumably with sufficient habitat heterogeneity for coexistence when they occur in close proximity. Therefore, further research is required at the local level to capture fully where coexistence at the local scale is facilitated more by fine‐scale habitat selection, or difference in diet between two species with indistinguishable habitat use.

Investigation of the Siderophore Production and Associated Heavy Metal Accumulation Potential of Brevibacillus laterosporus 301/İK3-2

Siderophores are secondary metabolites released into the environment by various microorganisms, fungi, and plants to chelate iron from the surrounding environment. It is known that siderophores bind to other metals besides iron. Today, heavy metals, which are released as an undesirable result of industrial development, accumulate at high rates and pose a significant threat to biological living things. In this sense, remediation of heavy metal-contaminated sites is an urgent requirement. Siderophores are promising agents for the removal of heavy metals from natural habitats with the role of bioremediation. 
 In this study, the effect of heavy metals on the growth and siderophore production of Brevibacillus laterosporus was investigated. Maximum siderophore production was determined as 50 % at 48 h in the metal-free growth media. In addition, maximum siderophore production was determined for various heavy metals including 5 μM Hg2+, 0.5 mM Ni2+, 0.1 mM Co2+, and 2.5 μM Fe2+. Intracellular uptake of the mercury was also measured using optical emission spectroscopy and compared with siderophore production values of the B. laterosporus. The maximum biosorption of mercury was measured to be 40% in 5 μM Hg2+-containing media at 48 h of incubation. The results show that siderophore production is affected by uptake of various metals, and are usable for removing of heavy metals from environmental habitats.

Simulation of suitable habitats for typical vegetation in the Yellow River Estuary based on complex hydrodynamic processes

Estuarine ecosystems are influenced by the combination of freshwater runoff and ocean tides, and the natural environment is intricate and complex, with special natural environmental conditions and biological habitat characteristics. The Yellow River is characterized by high sediment-bearing water flow, and the estuary forms a unique clear and turbid confluence. The Water and Sand Regulation (WSRS) from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir to the estuary and nearshore has had significant impacts on the environmental conditions of water, sediment and nutrients, further affecting the growth and development of vegetation in the nearshore zone. In recent years, more studies have focused on the effects of climate change and ocean tides on vegetation in the Yellow River Estuary; however, few studies have been conducted on the effects of the WSRS on klysmoeionion. In this study, we investigated the influence of water flow, sediment and nutrients on klysmoeionion based on long-term field monitoring and indoor control experiments; constructed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic water quality model to simulate the hydrodynamic characteristics, sediment transport patterns and nutrient salt distribution in the Yellow River Estuary under the combined influence of tides and riverine water and sediment; and further combined the growth competition model of typical vegetation (including the native species Zostera japonica and invasive species Spartina alterniflora) to construct a suitable habitat simulation model for typical vegetation communities in the Yellow River Estuary. Habitat and biomass changes in Z. japonica and S. alterniflora in the Yellow River Estuary were simulated under the influence of the WSRS and climate change. The results showed that the distribution of suitable habitats for Z. japonica and S. alterniflora in the Yellow River Estuary and offshore was characterized by a zonal distribution along both sides of the estuary, with an increasing trend of suitable habitat area from the estuary to both sides of the estuary; due to environmental conditions and inter- and intra-species competition, the biomass of Z. japonica and S. alterniflora was mainly distributed in the estuary and near the northern and southern shores, with the southern shore have the most distribution. In contrast, S. alterniflora was mainly distributed in the northern shore away from the estuary and in Laizhou Bay. During the WSRS period, the suitable habitat area of Z. japonica decreased by 25%, and the biomass decreased by 50%, while the suitable habitat and biomass of S. alterniflora were not significantly affected. The growth of Z. japonica was severely affected by the dual effects of global warming and the WSRS, while the biomass of S. alterniflora showed an increasing trend. The WSRS can further consider the growth pattern of vegetation to protect the resources of Z. japonica and to curb the expansion of the invasive S. alterniflora.

Plasmids, a molecular cornerstone of antimicrobial resistance in the One Health era.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a substantial threat to human health. The widespread prevalence of AMR is, in part, due to the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), typically mediated by plasmids. Many of the plasmid-mediated resistance genes in pathogens originate from environmental, animal or human habitats. Despite evidence that plasmids mobilize ARGs between these habitats, we have alimited understanding of the ecological and evolutionary trajectories that facilitate the emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids in clinical pathogens. One Health, a holistic framework, enables exploration of these knowledge gaps. In this Review, we provide an overview of how plasmids drive local and global AMR spread and link different habitats. We explore some of the emerging studies integrating an eco-evolutionary perspective, opening upa discussion about the factors that affect the ecology and evolution of plasmids in complex microbial communities. Specifically, we discuss how the emergence and persistence of MDR plasmids can be affected by varying selective conditions, spatial structure, environmental heterogeneity, temporal variation and coexistence with other members of the microbiome. These factors, along with others yet to be investigated, collectively determine the emergence and transfer of plasmid-mediated AMR within and between habitats at the local and global scale.

Predicting of Komodo dragon's potential prey habitat suitability using MaxEnt in Riung Nature Reserve, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Abstract. Pramatana F, Aini Y, Rammang N, Mau YS, Arsa IGBA, Mahmud A. 2023. Predicting of Komodo dragon's potential prey habitat suitability using MaxEnt in Riung Nature Reserve, Flores East Nusa Tenggara. Biodiversitas 24: 3128-3139. The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912) is a big lizard species from the Varanidae family that belongs to the Endangered category (EN) listed on the IUCN red list and Appendix I CITES. This study aimed to reveal the distribution of potential preys Komodo dragons in Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), which was collected using rapid assessment methods. The presences of the Komodo dragon's potential prey come from direct and indirect observation or previous studies. We collected 510 points of Komodo dragon prey presence in Riung, Ngada District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia from six species, including cattle, but only used 127 points for analysis based on the correlation. Long-tailed macaque, wild boar, civet, Timor deer, feral horses, and cows were the potential prey for komodo in Riung. Most of the points come from cattle, such as cows. On the other hand, we used environmental habitat to represent prey habitats such as elevation, slope, land surface temperature, moisture index, vegetation index, and distance from specific objects such as distance from agriculture, rivers, road, savanna, and settlement. Komodo dragon's potential prey in Riung was distributed in savanna, mangrove, and lowland forest. The result showed three suitable habitats for the Komodo dragon's potential prey dominated by low and moderate-suitability areas.

Seasonal Activities of Lepidosaphes beckii and Its Associated Natural Enemies in Response to Habitat Environment

Seasonal Activities of Lepidosaphes beckii and Its Associated Natural Enemies in Response to Habitat Environment