Habitat Index Research Articles

Dynamic Habitat Indices and Climatic Characteristics Explain Species Richness Patterns on the Mongolian Plateau

Global climate change affects biodiversity patterns, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Mongolian plateau, one of the most ecologically fragile regions in the world. Three dynamic habitat indices (DHIs) were related to the productivity hypothesis and calculated based on FAPAR, including cumulative productivity (DHIcum indicates the availability of resources such as food supply and habitat in a year, representing available energy), minimum productivity (DHImin indicates the limitations of food and habitat resources in a year, representing environmental stress), and seasonal productivity (DHIsea denotes the change in productivity in a year, representing environmental stability). In this paper, we investigated the distribution pattern of species richness on the Mongolian Plateau based on the productivity hypothesis. We constructed models of the richness of three species (mammals, birds, and amphibians) using DHIs and climate variables to explain patterns of species richness on the Mongolian Plateau. The results revealed that, on the Mongolian plateau, there is a relatively high correlation between DHIs and species richness, especially with DHIcum (R = 0.59 for mammals, R = 0.73 for birds, and R = 0.58 for amphibians). There was a significant non-linear relationship between DHIs and species richness, as the model predictive power was significantly enhanced with GAM and RF. The inclusion of climate variables significantly improved the explanatory power of various models for the mammal, bird, and amphibian species richness on the Mongolian Plateau, with the best results for RF (0.89, 0.94, and 0.91, respectively). The influence of climate variables on species richness patterns in the importance ranking was higher than that of DHIs. Climate also has an influence on species richness. Vegetation productivity and climatic factors are good determinants of species richness on the Mongolian Plateau and should be carefully considered in future studies.

Habitat and trophic niche overlap among juvenile black sea bass, tautog, and cunner: interspecific interactions amid a species geographic range expansion

Juvenile black sea bass Centropristis striata populations are increasing in southern New England estuaries of the northeastern USA with possible trophodynamic effects on labrid species: tautog Tautoga onitis and cunner Tautogolabrus adspersus. In this study, we examined the abundance, size-structure, and feeding ecology of juvenile sea bass and labrids in Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) from June to October in 2018 and 2019 and evaluated potential interspecific competition using habitat, diet, and isotopic niche overlap indices. Juveniles (age-0+) of each fish species spatiotemporally co-occurred in shallow, polyhaline habitats throughout the estuary. Age-0 cohorts were numerically dominant across species and initially recruited to the study area in July (minimum total length, TL = 15-20 mm), reached peak abundances in mid- to late summer (maximum abundances = 12-140 fish 100 m-2), and emigrated from field sites in October (maximum TL = 85-96 mm). Stomach content and stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) analyses determined that focal fishes were generalist carnivores that foraged in bentho-pelagic food webs. Fishes also overlapped in their respective ambit and core isotopic niche space, but interspecific dietary overlap was size-dependent. Dietary overlap was most pronounced between sea bass ≤49 mm TL and labrids ≤59 mm TL due to their mutual reliance on gammarid and caprellid amphipods. Ontogenetic dietary shifts then resulted in food niche segregation, such that sea bass 50-139 mm TL consumed decapod crustaceans and fish, whereas labrids 60-181 mm TL mainly fed on amphipods, worms, bivalves, and turf-associated biota, i.e. bryozoans, hydroids, and seaweeds. Habitat and trophic niche overlap between early juvenile sea bass and labrids purportedly have not caused opposite population trajectories or food resource limitation in Narragansett Bay, indicating an absence of exploitative competition. Alternatively, realized competition between species may be too spatiotemporally restricted to alter their population dynamics. Continuous monitoring of the sea bass’s bio-ecological effects in southern New England estuaries is warranted, however, given their recent range expansion and increasing abundances at northern latitudes.

Calls for Conservation: A Review of Bioacoustics Monitoring with Case Studies from India

With recent technological advances and greater accessibility of equipment, bioacoustics monitoring has emerged as a valuable method that utilises biologically-produced acoustic signals to gather information on the presence and absence of animals, as well as their behavioural and ecological features. A wide range of microphones and recorders can be employed to collect acoustical data, allowing for the selection of equipment suitable for the specifics of the study. Data analyses can be conducted using software packages that facilitate visualisation of acoustic emissions. This essay provides an overview of the methods involved in bioacoustics monitoring, followed by advantages, disadvantages, and ethical considerations illustrated through examples of its application to collect data on a wide range of species from varied habitats in India. The case studies reveal that bioacoustics monitoring can be applied to a wide range of studies owing to its passive, non-invasive and increasingly inexpensive methods. As the field is at its nascent stage, it suffers from drawbacks arising from the limited expertise and availability of baseline data, because of which it has not been deployed extensively. Despite this, it holds potential as an emerging tool that can significantly advance the field of conservation research.

Nationwide native forest structure maps for Argentina based on forest inventory data, SAR Sentinel-1 and vegetation metrics from Sentinel-2 imagery

Detailed maps of forest structure attributes are crucial for sustainable forest management, conservation, and forest ecosystem science at the landscape level. Mapping the structure of broad heterogeneous forests is challenging, but the integration of extensive field inventory plots with wall-to-wall metrics derived from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical remote sensing offers a potential solution. Our goal was to map forest structure attributes (diameter at breast height, basal area, mean height, dominant height, wood volume and canopy cover) at 30-m resolution across the diverse 463,000 km2 of native forests of Argentina based on SAR Sentinel-1, vegetation metrics from Sentinel-2 and geographic coordinates. We modelled the forest structure attributes based on the latest national forest inventory, generated uncertainty maps, quantified the contribution of the predictors, and compared our height predictions with those from GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) and GFCH (Global Forest Canopy Height). We analyzed 3788 forest inventory plots (1000 m2 each) from Argentina's Second Native Forest Inventory (2015–2020) to develop predictive random forest regression models. From Sentinel-1, we included both VV (vertical transmitted and received) and VH (vertical transmitted and horizontal received) polarizations and calculated 1st and 2nd order textures within 3 × 3 pixels to match the size of the inventory plots. For Sentinel-2, we derived EVI (enhanced vegetation index), calculated DHIs (dynamic habitat indices (annual cumulative, minimum and variation) and the EVI median, then generated 1st and 2nd order textures within 3 × 3 pixels of these variables. Our models including metrics from Sentinel-1 and 2, plus latitude and longitude predicted forest structure attributes well with root mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from 23.8% to 70.3%. Mean and dominant height models had notably good performance presenting relatively low RMSE (24.5% and 23.8%, respectively). Metrics from VH polarization and longitude were overall the most important predictors, but optimal predictors differed among the different forest structure attributes. Height predictions (r = 0.89 and 0.85) outperformed those from GEDI (r = 0.81) and the GFCH (r = 0.66), suggesting that SAR Sentinel-1, DHIs from Sentinel-2 plus geographic coordinates provide great opportunities to map multiple forest structure attributes for large areas. Based on our models, we generated spatially-explicit maps of multiple forest structure attributes as well as uncertainty maps at 30-m spatial resolution for all Argentina's native forest areas in support of forest management and conservation planning across the country.

Vessel size and perfusion-derived vascular habitat refines prediction of treatment failure to bevacizumab in recurrent glioblastomas: validation in a prospective cohort.

Anti-angiogenic therapy may not benefit all patients with recurrent glioblastomas, and imaging biomarker predicting treatment response to anti-angiogenic therapy is currently limited. We aimed to develop and validate vascular habitats based on perfusion and vessel size to predict time to progression (TTP) in patients with recurrent glioblastomas treated with bevacizumab. Sixty-nine patients with recurrent glioblastomas treated with bevacizumab who underwent pretreatment MRI with dynamic susceptibility contrast imaging and vessel architectural imaging were enrolled. Vascular habitats were constructed using vessel size index (VSI) and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV). Associations with vascular habitats and TTP were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. In a prospectively enrolled validation cohort consisting of 15 patients ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier; NCT04143425), stratification of TTP was demonstrated by the Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank test) using vascular habitats. Three vascular habitats consisting of high, intermediate, and low angiogenic habitats were identified with rCBV and VSI. Both high angiogenic and intermediate angiogenic habitats were significantly associated with a shorter TTP (hazard ratio [HR], 2.78 and 1.82, respectively; largest p = .003) and so was rCBV (HR, 2.15; p = .02). Concordance probability index of vascular habitat combining high and intermediate angiogenic habitats was 0.74. Vascular habitats stratified patients as good or poor responder in a prospective cohort (p = .059). Perfusion- and vessel size-derived vascular habitats predicted TTP in recurrent glioblastomas treated with anti-angiogenic therapy and aided patient stratification in a prospective validation cohort. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04143425 KEY POINTS: • High and intermediate angiogenic habitats predicted TTP in recurrent glioblastomas treated with anti-angiogenic therapy. • Vascular habitats combining high and intermediate angiogenic habitats aided patient stratification for anti-angiogenic therapy in recurrent glioblastomas.

Analisis Situasi Luas Wilayah Reseptif Malaria di Kabupaten Gunungkidul Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Tahun 2021

Gunungkidul Regency received an elimination certificate in April 2014, but in 2019 there was one imported case, and it is possible that indigenous transmission may have the potential to occur. Gunungkidul is also a tourist area visited by many domestic tourists who can come from malaria endemic areas. This study aims to map the malaria receptive area to determine early warning measure to maintain malaria elimination status. The research method is quantitative with observational descriptive. The data was obtained from the mapping of the malaria receptive area of the Yogyakarta BBTKLPP in 2021 in the form of larval survey results and the capture of nocturnal adult mosquitoes. The location of the activity is at two points, namely Ngawis Village, Karangmojo District and Pacarejo Village, Semanu District, Gunungkidul Regency. The results showed that Ngawis Village and Pacarejo Village were malaria receptive areas because Anopheles sp. larvae were found with a habitat index of 20.7% and 3.3%, which exceeded the quality standard of the Minister of Health RI No. 50 of 2017 and the capture of the Anopheles mosquito as a potential malaria vector in residential areas. The identified species are An. vagus, An. aconitus, and An. maculatus. Conclusion Ngawis Village has a higher malaria receptivity compared to Pacarejo Village, with more diverse breeding places and more adult mosquitoes caught. Both villages need to make efforts to reduce breeding places and implement an early warning system against malaria.

Translocation as an ultimate conservation measure for the long-term survival of a critically endangered freshwater mussel

Pseudunio auricularius (Spengler, 1793) is one of the most threatened unionid species worldwide. Translocation is considered one of the ultimate actions that can save this species from extinction in the Iberian Peninsula. Since 2013, massive mortalities have been recorded in the Canal Imperial de Aragón (CIA), an anthropogenic habitat where the highest density of P. auricularius had been recorded in Spain. An adequacy habitat index was calculated assigning scores to different environmental variables to select the most suitable river stretches receiving the translocated specimens. A total of 638 specimens have been translocated: 291 in 2017, 291 in 2018, and 56 in 2019. The first-year survival in the group of individuals translocated in 2017 was 41.6%. The next year, 95% of these specimens were found alive, suggesting a successful initial establishment. Specimens translocated in 2018 and 2019 showed a survival of c. 69% and 49%, respectively. In contrast, the control group left in CIA in 2017 showed a much lower survival rate of 19.7% after one year, which remained equally low during the next two years. Currently, the conditions in the Ebro River seem to allow a higher survival rate for P. auricularius than those in the CIA; nevertheless, future monitoring should confirm their long-term success.

Taphonomical and palaeoenvironmental analyses of the microvertebrate fossil material from the Late Pleistocene cave of Kalamakia (Mani peninsula), Greece

ABSTRACT The present study focuses on the microvertebrate fossil material retrieved from the three fossiliferous units of Kalamakia cave dating from ca. 90–25 kya BP, to identify the accumulation agents of the assemblage and the processes that affected it post-depositionally. This was done through the quantification of specific indices described in the literature concerning breakage, digestion and other types of modifications observed upon the surface of the specimens. Furthermore, the Taxonomic Habitat Index was calculated to reconstruct the possible habitat types in the surrounding area. Regarding the results on taphonomy, significant amounts of post-depositional breakage were observed, possibly resulting from trampling and, secondarily, modifications from the occasionally naturally occurring high humidity within a cave. The main accumulators of the microvertebrate assemblage seem to have been barn owls either independently or jointly with long-eared owls and/or owlets. Concerning the habitats possibly present in the area, the existence of mixed habitats varying between relative expansions of shrublands, grasslands, rocky areas and (limited) deciduous forests was identified, while the occasional presence of water bodies was also revealed. Shifts between the percentages of different habitats were not great but could be correlated with climatic events within a geochronological context.

Physical habitat in conterminous US streams and Rivers, part 2: A quantitative assessment of habitat condition

Rigorous assessments of the ecological condition of water resources and the effect of human activities on those waters require quantitative physical, chemical, and biological data. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s river and stream surveys quantify river and stream bed particle size and stability, instream habitat complexity and cover, riparian vegetation cover and structure, and anthropogenic disturbance activities. Physical habitat is strongly controlled by natural geoclimatic factors that co-vary with human activities. We expressed the anthropogenic alteration of physical habitat as O/E ratios of observed habitat metric values divided by values expected under least-disturbed reference conditions, where site-specific expected values vary given their geoclimatic and geomorphic context. We set criteria for good, fair, and poor condition based on the distribution of O/E values in regional least-disturbed reference sites. Poor conditions existed in 22–24% of the 1.2 million km of streams and rivers in the conterminous U.S. for riparian human disturbance, streambed sediment and riparian vegetation cover, versus 14% for instream habitat complexity. Based on the same four indicators, the percentage of stream length in poor condition within 9 separate U.S. ecoregions ranged from 4% to 42%. Associations of our physical habitat indices with anthropogenic pressures demonstrate the scope of anthropogenic habitat alteration; habitat condition was negatively related to the level of anthropogenic disturbance nationally and in nearly all ecoregions. Relative risk estimates showed that streams and rivers with poor sediment, riparian cover complexity, or instream habitat cover conditions were 1.4 to 2.6 times as likely to also have fish or macroinvertebrate assemblages in poor condition. Our physical habitat condition indicators help explain deviations in biological conditions from those observed among least-disturbed sites and inform management actions for rehabilitating impaired waters and mitigating further ecological degradation.

Development of an efficient in vitro regeneration system in Costus speciosus - an important herbal insulin plant

Costus speciosus is being rapidly eliminated in its natural habitats in India and driven to a nearly threatened degree of extinction because of non-selective collection and over-exploitation. The commercial cultivation of C. speciosus is impeded owing to its poor seed viability, reduced germination rate, and weak rooting potential of vegetative cuttings. As costus could not be multiplied rapidly by conventional propagation methods, in-vitro regeneration technology was experimented with to standardize explants in addition to the combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) to fortify the growing media that helps to produce the enormous number of plants in a shorter duration. Several kinds of explants viz., leaves and nodes were cultured into the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium reinforced with different combinations and doses of PGRs. A higher frequency (51.67 ± 1.7%) of the regenerated adventitious shoot was obtained from nodal segments cultured onto MS medium fortified with 0.5 mg/l Thidiazuron (TDZ) and 2.0 mg/l of 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP). TDZ in combination with BAP and Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) exhibited a remarkable effect on shoot multiplication and elongation. Further, MS medium with 0.5 mg/l TDZ, 1.0 mg/l 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 0.5 mg/l IAA yielded a great range of callus initiation (86.66 ± 1.6%) from leaf explants. Leaf-derived callus results in the greatest shoot regeneration (56.66 ± 1.7%) response on TDZ (0.5 mg/l) and BAP (1.0 mg/l) reinforced MS medium. Elongated shoots from node and callus cultures when inoculated with the MS medium reinforced along with 1.0 mg/l of IAA and 0.5 mg/l of Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) produced optimum rooting (88.33 ± 1.66%). The rooted young plantlets were effectively acclimatized to the environmental climate and their greenhouse survival rate was 85%.

Physical habitat in conterminous US streams and rivers, Part 1: Geoclimatic controls and anthropogenic alteration

Anthropogenic alteration of physical habitat structure in streams and rivers is increasingly recognized as a major cause of impairment worldwide. As part of their assessment of the status and trends in the condition of rivers and streams in the U.S., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) quantify and monitor channel size and slope, substrate size and stability, instream habitat complexity and cover, riparian vegetation cover and structure, anthropogenic disturbance activities, and channel-riparian interaction. Like biological assemblages and water chemistry, physical habitat is strongly controlled by natural geoclimatic factors that can obscure or amplify the influence of human activities. We developed a systematic approach to estimate the deviation of observed river and stream physical habitat from that expected in least-disturbed reference conditions. We applied this approach to calculate indices of anthropogenic alteration of three aspects of physical habitat condition in the conterminous U.S. (CONUS): streambed sediment size and stability, riparian vegetation cover, and instream habitat complexity. The precision and responsiveness of these indices led the USEPA to use them to evaluate physical habitat condition in CONUS rivers and streams. The scores of these indices systematically decreased with greater anthropogenic disturbance at river and stream sites in the CONUS and within ecoregions, which we interpret as a response of these physical habitat indices to anthropogenic influences. Although anthropogenic activities negatively influenced all three physical habitat indices in the least-disturbed sites within most ecoregions, natural geoclimatic and geomorphic factors were the dominant influences. For sites over the full range of anthropogenic disturbance, analyses of observed/expected sediment characteristics showed augmented flood flows and basin and riparian agriculture to be the leading predictors of streambed instability and excess fine sediments. Similarly, basin and riparian agriculture and non-agricultural riparian land uses were the leading predictors of reduced riparian vegetation cover complexity in the CONUS and within ecoregions. In turn, these reductions in riparian vegetation cover and complexity, combined with reduced summer low flows, were the leading predictors of instream habitat simplification. We conclude that quantitative measures of physical habitat structure are useful and important indicators of the impacts of human activities on stream and river condition.

Multivariate relations of river habitat to water–sediment indexes in the Yangtze Estuary

River habitat varies with water–sediment. The relations of river habitat to water–sediment are significant in river ecosystems and water environment management but rarely studied. An index system regarding to river habitat and water–sediment was proposed, in which 14 parameters were monthly monitored at Xuliujing hydrological station of the Yangtze Estuary during 2015 to 2018. The relations of river habitat indexes to water temperature (T), discharge (Q) and suspended sediment concentration (SS) were investigated by using principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA), discriminant analysis (DA), artificial neural networks (ANNs) and multivariate regression (MR). The correlation coefficient matrix for 14 parameters indicated which indexes were well related to a specific index. Five principal components from PCA contributed to 70.2% of the total variance of all variables so that data dimension reduction was realized. Then five independent factors were obtained through FA, in which river habitat and water–sediment indexes were interrelated. The seasonal relations of river habitat to water–sediment were further developed after DA. Dissolved oxygen (DO), chloride (Cl), conductivity (COND), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), SS, T and Q were the most significant parameters for discriminating differences between the wet season and dry season, which could be applied to explain most of the expected temporal variations in river habitat and water–sediment. SS, T and Q was selected as input variables in the ANNs and MR models for predicting river habitat indexes. The predicted values of river habitat indexes DO, TN, TP, COND and Cl agreed well with the measured based on ANNs and MR models, which have high correlation coefficients ranged from 0.64 to 0.96. The results indicated that river habitat management policies should also consider the hydrological processes.

The Analysis Of Characteristics, Habitat Spatial Distribution, and The Impacts On Anopheles Sp. Larvae Dencities at Perimeter and Buffer Area in The Mota’ain Cross-Border Station Of Port Health Office Kupang 2021

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is still the third largest contributor to Malaria cases in Indonesia, with a prevalence of 12%, Papua (18.4%) and West Papua (26.1%). Directly border with The Democratic Republic of Timor Leste (RDTL) with Mota'ain as the main crossing point, increases the risk of infectious diseases transmission. Mota’ain is located in coastal areas, swamps, river basins, former fish ponds, and rice fields potentially to be Anopheles sp. habitats. The purpose of this research is to examine the characteristics and spatial distribution of potential breeding habitats for Anopheles sp. in Mota'ain. This is a descriptive analytic study with a cross-sectional design. The Anopheles sp mosquito bionomic area, which included swamps, rice fields, estuaries around the perimeter, and the buffer area of the Mota'ain border, served as the research sample. The spatial regression test was used to analyze the data, and the results revealed three points of Anopheles sp larvae habitats, namely fish ponds, swamps, and river basin. In the buffer area, 24 (80%) of the larvae habitats were found within a 200-meter radius, and 24 (80%) of the larvae habitats were found within a 400-meter radius 6 (20%). There was no habitat found around the perimeter. With a habitat index of 50%, the density of Anopheles sp larvae per catch ranged from 0.04 to 12.03. Anopheles sp larvae discovered included Anopheles Barbirostris, Anopheles Subpictus, and Anopheles Vagus. Swamps have the most habitat (3,004.7 m2), while river basins have the least (3,004.7 m2) (2.93 m2). The Spatial Regression Test revealed that habitat area (p = 0.014), water pH (p = 0.015), and salinity (p = 0.00012) were significant. This means that habitat area, water pH, and salinity all have an effect on Anopheles sp. density, whereas temperature has no effect (p = 0.778). Cleaning aquatic plants and employing larval predators to prevent larval breeding.

Diet of the Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis) in dry scrubland of north Gujarat, India

Indian fox Vulpes bengalensis, a mesocarnivore of the Indian subcontinent, is distributed widely in all kinds of habitats in India except the Western Ghats. The Indian fox prefers semi-arid landscapes with low rainfall where it is easy to hunt and dig dens and where the vegetation is mainly short grasslands or scrub, thorn thickets or dry deciduous forests. They mostly avoid dense forests, steep terrain, tall grasslands, and true deserts. The Indian fox is listed as of Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN and legally protected in India under schedule II of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972. An opportunistic and omnivorous feeder, its diet includes insects, scorpions, centipedes, small rodents, monitor lizards and other reptiles, ground nesting birds, their eggs and fruit such as Ziziphus sp. (Rhamnaceae), Citrullus vulgaris (Cucurbitaceae), Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae), Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae), Syzigium cumini (Myrtaceae), Melia azedarach (Meliaceae), and Ficus bengalensis (Moraceae). Some local shepherds have also reported seeing Indian foxes feed on the freshly voided pellets of sheep. Their presence and density in any area is closely related to the abundance of food.

Agricultural trade and its impacts on cropland use and the global loss of species habitat

Agricultural expansion and intensification are threatening biodiversity worldwide, and future expansion of agricultural land will exacerbate this trend. One of the main drivers of this expansion is an increasingly global trade of agricultural produce. National and international assessments tracking the impact of agriculture on biodiversity thus need to be expanded by a consumption-based accounting of biodiversity loss. In this study, we use global trade data, provided by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), to construct national trade profiles for 223 countries, at the level of 191 produced items and over the timespan of 15 years. We show how bilateral trade data and a national biodiversity indicator, the Species Habitat Index (SHI), can be combined to quantify consumption-based impacts of agricultural trade on biodiversity. We found that the cropland area for agricultural trade has increased from 17 (in 2000) to 23.5% (in 2013) of the global total cropland area. Especially, countries in Western Europe, North America, and the Middle East, create a large part of their biodiversity footprint outside their own country borders, because they import large amounts of agricultural products from areas where the SHI records high biodiversity loss. With our approach, we can thus identify countries where consumption-based interventions might be most effective for the protection of global biodiversity. Analyses like the one presented in this study are needed to complement territorial sustainability assessments. By taking into account trade and consumption, they can inform cross-border agreements on biodiversity protection.

Plastic ingestion in Asian elephants in the forested landscapes of Uttarakhand, India

Ecological impacts of plastic contamination on marine environment have been documented extensively, however its spread and impacts on terrestrial and freshwater fauna are still poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated diet of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) for plastic ingestion around forested habitats of Uttarakhand state in India. We quantified plastic particles and other anthropogenic waste from elephant dung samples collected from edges and interiors of forest areas, confirming plastic ingestion by this endangered mammal species. Each human-derived item was identified, measured, and sub-categorized into plastic or other anthropogenic waste. About one-third (32%) of the elephant dung samples showed presence of anthropogenic waste. Plastic particles ranging from size 1–355 mm, comprised of 85% of the waste recovered from elephant dung samples (47.08 ± 12.85 particles per sample). We found twice as many plastic particles (85.27 ± 33.7/ 100 g) in samples collected from inside forest as compared to forest edge (35.34 ± 11.14 plastic particles/100 g). A higher count (34.79 ± 28.41 items/100 g sample) of non-biodegradable anthropogenic waste (glass, metal, rubber bands, clay pottery and tile pieces) was obtained from samples collected inside the forest area samples as compared to forest edge samples (9.44 ± 1.91items/100 g). There were higher proportion of macroplastic (>5 mm) retrieved than microplastic (1–5 mm) in the elephant dung. The present study is the first systematic documentation of non-biodegradable waste ingestion by Asian elephants. High plastic presence in elephant dung highlights its widespread use near protected habitats and lack of waste segregation practices underlining the vulnerability of wild animals to plastic ingestion risk. We provide recommendations for developing a comprehensive solid waste management strategy to mitigate the threat of plastic pollution around critical elephant habitats in India.

City love and place quality assessment of liveable and loveable neighbourhoods in Rotterdam

After the worldwide interest in global sustainability and climate change challenges, an increasing concern is voiced on local quality of life and neighbourhood liveability. In recent urban studies, human well-being, satisfaction and happiness studies are gaining much popularity in a local context (the ‘microcosmic city’). The present study seeks to identify the determinants of the residents’ appreciation for their daily environment, called here ‘city love’. The latter concept captures both tangible or material aspects of city life (‘body’) and immaterial and emotional dimensions of local quality of life (‘soul’). The present paper seeks to develop and test a new quantitative ‘city love’ concept, inspired by the soul and body conceptualisation of urban attractiveness for residents and visitors – based on a novel ‘feelgood’ index (FGI) and a ‘human habitat’ index (HHI) –, with a view to map out the citizens’ contentment or appreciation (called neighbourhood love index – NLI) at a district or neighbourhood scale in the city of Rotterdam. Our study utilises data from a quantitative survey among thousands of residents located in 63 neighbourhoods in this city. In addition, the Rotterdam dataset contains not only survey data, but also register data on these neighbourhoods, e.g., real-estate values, crime statistics, and socio-demographics, while geographical information from OpenStreetMap (OSM) is added as a complement. In addition to a multivariate analysis of the rich data set, the paper employs also a quantile regression analysis extended with fixed effects. The results show that the coefficients of the feelgood index (FGI) and the human habitat index (HHI) decrease slightly as we move up the distribution of the neighbourhood love index (NLI). This means that physical and functional aspects of neighbourhoods, e.g., access to such amenities as public transportation, sport facilities, and also streets with diverse attractions or bikeable and walkable road networks, become more important for the lower end of the distribution of the neighbourhood love index (NLI). Our neighbourhood-specific analyses show that the Rotterdam districts and neighbourhoods differ substantially in many physical and social-emotional respects, which calls for place-based policies and sub-local well-being initiatives.

Landscape heterogeneity affects diurnal raptor communities in a sub-tropical region of northwestern Himalayas, India.

Raptors are highly sensitive to environmental and human-induced changes. In addition, several species of raptors exist in considerably small numbers. It is thus critical to conserve raptors and their habitats across relatively larger landscapes. We examined the diurnal raptor assemblages and seasonality in a subtropical habitat in India’s northwestern Himalayas. Quantitative data on diurnal birds of prey and their habitat features across six distinct habitat types were collected from 33 sample sites. We observed 3,434 individuals of 28 diurnal raptors belonging to two orders and three families during a two-year survey from December 2016 to November 2018. A significant variation in bird species richness and abundance was found across habitats and seasons, with farmlands and winters being the most diverse and speciose. The generalized linear model, used to determine raptor community responses, indicated that elevation and proximity to dumping sites significantly affected the raptor abundance. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed significant differences in raptor assemblages across the habitat types. The study concluded that raptors’ persistence is largely determined by their preference for favourable feeding, roosting, and nesting opportunities. The presence of protected and habitat-exclusive species validates the high conservation importance of these ecosystems, particularly the forest patches and farmlands, necessitating robust conservation and management measures in this part of northwestern Himalaya.

Environmental Flows to Estuaries and Coastal Lagoons Shape the Salinity Gradient and Generate Suitable Fish Habitat: Predictions From the Coorong, Australia

Freshwater flows to estuaries shape habitat, transport nutrients to drive productivity, and generate a salinity gradient that impacts water quality and provides spawning cues for fish. The aim of this study was to quantify how environmental flows improved outcomes for a coastal lagoon system (the Coorong, South Australia), considering the export, and prevention of ingress, of salt from the system, and the increased available habitat for key fish biota. A hydrodynamic model was used to simulate salinity and water temperature, and to determine the salt exchange between the Coorong and ocean for the observed conditions with environmental water release included. Scenario simulations showed that maintaining river flow is shown to arrest salt intrusion from the ocean into the Coorong. Without environmental water, the net import of salt into the Coorong would have been considerably greater, ranging between 1.86 million tonnes in 2018–19 to approximately 2.33 million tonnes in 2019–20. The fresher conditions created by environmental water provision supported a considerable expansion of suitable fish habitat area, derived from a simple habitat index based on salinity and water temperature. Without environmental water the habitat suitable for mulloway would have contracted by 38% over the 3 year investigation period. A similar trend is evident for black bream, Tamar goby, greenback flounder, yelloweye mullet, congolli and smallmouth hardyhead. The results highlighted the importance of cumulative benefits from delivering environmental water over multiple years, with different results obtained if the environmental water provided regularly or just focused over a single year. The approach used in this work to relate hydrological changes from water management to indicators of habitat suitability through changes to physical attributes provides information to inform the evaluation of environmental watering, as well as a tool to support future decision making to maximise the benefits from this precious resource.

Abundance and conservation status of Rosa gallica in Strzyżów Foothills (SE Poland)

Rosa gallica is a rare, threatened, and legally protected species; hence, research on this species is important for identification of threats and development of protection strategies. The aim of the study was to characterise plant communities with Rosa gallica and to determine the habitat conditions, abundance, and diversity of selected population traits. The study was conducted in 2016-2020 in two localities (Bukowa, Kołaczyce) in Strzyżów Foothills. Twenty phytosociological relevés were made using the Braun-Blanquet method. The habitat conditions were assessed using Ellenberg indicator values. The following parameters were used to evaluate the diversity and quantitative relationships between the species in the analysed communities: Shannon-Wiener diversity (H՛), Evenness (J՛), and Simpson dominance (SIMP) indices. The size of the analysed populations was estimated based on the number of vegetative and generative shoots. Height was measured in 100 randomly selected shoots, and the number of flowers per generative shoot was additionally determined. Rosa gallica was part of the community with Brachypodium pinnatum in the Bukowa locality and occurred in the association Arrhenatheretum elatioris in Kołaczyce. The diversity indices had higher values ​​in Kołaczyce. The population in Bukowa covered an area of 500 m2 and comprised 911 (578 generative and 333 vegetative) shoots. From 1 to 10 flowers per shoot were noted. The population from Kołaczyce occupied a twofold smaller area and was less numerous, i.e. 465 (168 generative and 297 vegetative) shoots were recorded. It was also characterised by less abundant flowering (1-5 flowers per shoot). There were differences in the height of the generative and vegetative shoots. The parameter exhibited higher values in Bukowa ​​(55.17 and 36.95 cm, respectively) than in Kołaczyce (33.79 and 26.79 cm, respectively). All the habitat indices (except for K and R) and the biodiversity indices had higher values in Kołaczyce. The present results show that Rosa gallica occurs in a wide range of habitats varying in light, moisture, and fertility requirements. It grows in different-sized clusters or sometimes produces single shoots. Advanced succession has a negative impact on the conservation status of the population, which is particularly evident in the Kołaczyce locality. Therefore, the conservation of this species will depend on active protection measures.