Large Patches Research Articles

Mammal functional diversity increases with forest patch complexity in tropical mining areas

Enhanced mammal functional diversity is crucial for forest ecological functioning. However, this group is affected by habitat degradation, such as mineral exploitation, which is a major threat worldwide. In these habitats, the maintenance of forest patches is important to support species diversity. Here, we addressed this knowledge gap by examining the functional diversity of medium-sized mammals among forest patches of different sizes in an area of approximately 3195 ha that is used for copper mining in the eastern Pará state, in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. In these patches, we also observed responses between mammal functional diversity and patch structural complexity. We used camera traps to survey the mammal fauna. We observed that large forest patches are associated with enhanced mammal functional diversity, mainly due to higher canopy closure and overstory tree density. In these habitats, species with functional attributes that allow resource partitioning may occur, which is important for habitat functioning. These findings have major implications for maintaining forest patch heterogeneity in mined areas, which is important for mammal functional diversity. Thus, management efforts in mining areas should explicitly include large forest patches to conserve mammal assemblages.

Hidden in plain sight: The invasive macroalga Caulerpa prolifera evades detection by environmental DNA methods

AbstractEnvironmental managers need a rapid and cost‐effective monitoring tool for tracking the spread of invasive species, particularly at the onset of introduction. The macroalgae Caulerpa prolifera is considered an invasive species outside its native range, colonizing large patches of seafloor, reducing native species, and altering ecosystem functioning. Here, we developed a droplet digital PCR assay for detection of C. prolifera from environmental DNA seawater samples using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. While the assay itself was confirmed to be highly efficient, we discovered concentrations of C. prolifera eDNA were present below detectable levels in the water column surrounding an outbreak. To understand why, we conducted tank‐based experiments for two California invasive algae species, Caulerpa prolifera and Sargassum horneri. The steady‐state eDNA concentration (eDNA copies/ gram of biomass detected) of C. prolifera was found to be two orders of magnitude lower than S. horneri. A meta‐analysis of steady‐state concentrations reported in the literature showed a remarkable range from ~104–1011 (copies/g), revealing C. prolifera to have the lowest recorded steady‐state concentrations of eDNA of any known species. We attribute C. prolifera's low steady‐state eDNA concentration to its unique biology as a unicellular macroscopic algae which reduces the possible modes of eDNA release compared to similarly sized multicellular organisms. Critically our results demonstrate the potential limits of eDNA approaches, the influence of shedding rates in the reliability of species detections, and the vital importance of benchmarking and validating eDNA assays in both field and laboratory settings.

Evaluating the potential of agri-environmental measures (AEM) in mitigating biodiversity loss due to land consolidation in China: Understanding the function of linear habitats

Semi-natural habitats (SNHs) surrounding agricultural fields contribute significantly to biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. SNHs can be divided into large habitat patches such as contiguous patches of forests, and smaller, interspersed linear habitat types such as grassy field margins. Traditional small-holder agricultural farmlands in China, replete with rich linear habitats, are notably beneficial for biodiversity. However, as these farmlands undergo consolidation to enhance the efficiency of machinery, linear habitats are being removed, a process that could adversely affect biodiversity. Appropriate agri-environmental measures (AEM), such as the restoration of field margins via strategic planting, could serve as an effective countermeasure to maintain biodiversity in consolidated land. This paper discusses how biodiversity monitoring can aid in evaluating the impact of land consolidation and the efficacy of AEM in China, from species richness and species composition perspectives. The paper also discusses the function of linear habitats and how they interact with large habitat patches in promoting biodiversity, while noting that outcomes are likely to vary among taxa. Long-term, multiple-taxa and comprehensive assessments are recommended in further studies, and a collaborative approach that involves multiple stakeholders is essential to ensure a success implication of AEM in China.

Differences in venous clot structures between hemophilic mice treated with emicizumab versus factor VIII or factor VIIIFc.

Recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII), rFVIIIFc and emicizumab are established treatment options in the management of hemophilia A. Each has its unique mode of action, which can influence thrombin generation kinetics and therefore also the kinetics of thrombin substrates. Such differences may potentially result in clots with different structural and physical properties. A starting observation of incomplete wound closure in a patient on emicizumab prophylaxis led us to employ a relevant mouse model in which we noticed that emicizumab-induced clots appeared less stable compared to FVIII-induced clots. We therefore analyzed fibrin formation in vitro and in vivo. In vitro fibrin formation was faster and more abundant in the presence of emicizumab than in the presence of rFVIII/rFVIIIFc. Furthermore, the time-interval between the initiation of fibrin formation and factor XIII activation was twice as long for emicizumab than as for rFVIII/rFVIIIFc. Scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescent spinning-disk confocal microscopy of in vivo-generated clots confirmed increased fibrin formation in the presence of emicizumab. Unexpectedly, we also detected a different morphology between rFVIII/rFVIIIFcand emicizumab-induced clots. Contrary to the regular fibrin mesh obtained with rFVIII/rFVIIIFc, fibrin fibers appeared to be fused into large patches upon emicizumab treatment. Moreover, fewer red blood cells were detected in regions in which these fibrin patches were present. The presence of highly dense fibrin structures associated with a diffuse fiber structure in emicizumab-induced clots was also observed when using super-resolution imaging. We hypothesize that the modified kinetics of thrombin, fibrin and factor XIIIa generation contribute to differences in structural and physical properties between clots formed in the presence of FVIII or emicizumab.

Model analysis of post-fire management and potential reburn fire behavior

Recent trends in wildfire area burned have been characterized by large patches with high densities of standing dead trees, well outside of historical range of variability in many areas and presenting forest managers with difficult decisions regarding post-fire management. Post-fire tree harvesting, commonly called salvage logging, is a controversial management tactic that is often undertaken to recoup economic loss and, more recently, also to reduce future fuel hazard, especially when coupled with surface fuel reduction. It is unclear, however, whether the reductions in future fuels translate to meaningful changes to reburn fire behavior, particularly in the context of potentially detrimental effects of harvest on other ecosystem services. We used observed post-fire snag structure in four high severity burn scars located in the Western United States that had variable post-fire snag basal area (13.3–63.9 mg ha−2) to initialize a simulation study of future coarse and fine woody fuel hazard and associated reburn fire behavior and effects. We compared untreated controls to intensive and intermediate intensity harvest treatments, both simulated and actual. All treatments showed some number of years of extreme fire behavior during which flame lengths exceeded thresholds associated with wildfire resistance to control, implying that future fuel reductions achieved by the treatments did not translate to conditions conducive for effective reburn fire management. Harvested stands had less severe soil fire effects (soil heating and smoldering duration) than untreated controls, explained by lower predicted peak coarse woody fuels (CWD) in the harvested stands. At higher pre-treatment snag basal area, harvested stands better maintained CWD within the range desired to maintain ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling and wildlife habitat. These simulation results indicate that, even with reduced fuel hazard, salvage treatments may still be associated with severe fire behavior for some time after wildfire, but achieved reductions in coarse woody fuels may also reduce some soil fire effects. Tradeoffs in the effects of post-fire harvest must be considered carefully in the context of forest regeneration, local conditions that govern salvage methods, snag fall and decomposition, and associated potential reburn fire effects.

Improved polarimetric analysis of human skin through stitching: advantages, limitations, and applications in dermatology

Polarimetry is a powerful tool for the analysis of the optical properties of materials and systems, such as human skin. However, in many polarimetric setups, the field of view is limited to a few square centimeters. In these cases, it is possible to resort to stitching techniques, which involve combining multiple Mueller matrix measurements obtained from different overlapping regions of the sample. In this paper, we propose a stitching technique for polarimetric data and discuss its advantages and limitations. We also describe the potential of image stitching for improving the accuracy and robustness of in vivo polarimetry in the presence of random patient movement. We conducted our research using a diverse set of samples which included porcine skin, human skin from arms and fingers, cold cuts of chicken and gelatine, alongside synthetically created sample data. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique for the application in dermatology. Each additional in vivo measurement enhances the field of view by approximately one third, thereby considerably augmenting the total observation area. We show that stitching enables for the polarimetric assessment of large skin patches which is useful for the diagnosis of inflammatory skin diseases.

Impacts of PTL coating gaps on cell performance for PEM water electrolyzer

The anode porous transport layer (PTL) is a critical component of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers, providing electrical conduction and water/oxygen transport to the anode catalyst layer. Platinum group metal (PGM) coatings are applied to titanium PTLs to prevent oxidation and preserve conductivity. To implement PEM water electrolysis on a large scale, it is essential to minimize the cost of mass-manufactured cell components while ensuring that defects in materials and components do not adversely affect the performance of the cell. In this study, we created gaps in the Pt coatings that are typically applied to PTLs to understand their effects on cell performance and inform on fabrication tolerances. The PTL coatings were fabricated by sputter deposition of Pt, intentionally leaving uncoated regions in either large patches or thin strips. For either geometry, the cell performance decreased with the increasing fraction of the uncoated regions. However, PTLs containing multiple thin uncoated strips caused a less severe performance effect than PTLs with continuous uncoated regions of the same relative total area. Through analysis of cell performance, impedance, and 3D charge transport modelling, we demonstrate that both the anode catalyst layer and membrane play a role in distributing current to mitigate the impact of coating defects at a short length scale. These results allow to draw conclusions about the tolerance requirements with regards to PTL coating uniformity in terms of both the size and total area of defects.

Wedge plasticity and a minimalist dynamic rupture model for the 2011 MW 9.1 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami

One crucial yet unanswered question about the 2011 MW 9.1 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami is what generated the largest tsunami (up to 40 m) along the Sanriku coast north of 39°N without large slip near the trench. A minimalist dynamic rupture model with wedge plasticity is presented to address this issue. The model incorporates the important variation of sediment thickness along the Japan Trench into the Japan Integrated Velocity Structure Model (JIVSM). By revising a heterogeneous stress drop model, the dynamic rupture model with a standard rate-and-state friction law can explain the GPS, tsunami, and differential bathymetry data (within data uncertainties) with minimum tuning. The rupture is driven by a large patch of stress drop up to ∼10 MPa near the hypocenter with significantly smaller stress drop (< 3 MPa) in the upper ∼10 km. The largest shallow slip reaches 75.67 m close to the trench north of hypocenter, which is caused by the large fault width, free surface, shallowly dipping fault geometry, and northwardly increasing sediment thickness, dominated by elastic off-fault response. North of large shallow slip zone, however, inelastic deformation of thick wedge sediments significantly controls the rupture propagation along trench, giving rise to slow rupture velocity (∼850 m/s), diminishing shallow slip, and efficient seafloor uplift. The short-wavelength inelastic uplift produces impulsive tsunami consistent with the observations off the Sanriku coast in terms of timing, amplitude, and pulse width. Wedge plasticity and variation of sediment thickness along the Japan Trench thus provides a self-consistent interpretation to the along-strike variation of near-trench slip and anomalous tsunami generation in the northern Japan Trench in this earthquake.

How do urban green space designs shape avian communities? Testing the area–heterogeneity trade-off

In cities, green areas are essential for biodiversity conservation, with land cover heterogeneity being a decisive factor. Yet, as heterogeneity increases for a given green area, the patch size of land covers automatically decreases, as the area available for individual species, especially habitat specialist species. This relationship, known as the area-heterogeneity trade-off, is expected to lead to a unimodal relationship between species richness and land cover heterogeneity, and contrasted effects between species according to their level of urban avoidance.We investigated the potential consequences of this trade-off on birds in green areas selected along an urban intensity gradient in six European cities. Using a European database on bird occurrences in nesting habitats, we defined a continuous gradient of urban avian avoidance.We confirmed the marked area-heterogeneity trade-off in urban green areas but found no effect of land cover heterogeneity on total avian richness at green area level. However, both land cover heterogeneity and patch size were positively associated with richness of urban avoider species, indicating that urban avoiders fared better in green areas with large and heterogeneous patches. Total richness was also higher in green areas surrounded by an urban matrix composed of a variety of land covers.To protect urban bird avoiders, which are most at risk in cities, green area managers and urban planners should thus be aware that land cover heterogeneity is not a panacea if patch sizes are too small. To conserve avian richness, we stress the importance of maintaining large vegetated areas as well as heterogeneity in land covers within the urban matrix.

The 2020 to 2021 California megafires and their impacts on wildlife habitat.

Fire activity during 2020 to 2021 in California, USA, was unprecedented in the modern record. More than 19,000 km2 of forest vegetation burned (10× more than the historical average), potentially affecting the habitat of 508 vertebrate species. Of the >9,000 km2 that burned at high severity, 89% occurred in large patches that exceeded historical estimates of maximum high-severity patch size. In this 2-y period, 100 vertebrate species experienced fire across >10% of their geographic range, 16 of which were species of conservation concern. These 100 species experienced high-severity fire across 5 to 14% of their ranges, underscoring potentially important changes to habitat structure. Species in this region are not adapted to high-severity megafires. Management actions, such as prescribed fires and mechanical thinning, can curb severe fire behavior and reduce the potential negative impacts of uncharacteristic fires on wildlife.

Computational study of bubble, thin-film dynamics and heat transfer during flow boiling in non-circular microchannels

Flow boiling in multi-microchannel evaporators is one of the most efficient thermal management solutions for high-power-density applications. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the governing two-phase heat and mass transfer processes that occur in these devices, which has resulted in a limited availability of applicable boiling heat transfer prediction methods based on first principles, and of reliable thermal design tools. This article presents a systematic analysis of the dynamics of bubbles and the surrounding liquid film during flow boiling in three-side-heated non-circular microchannels. The study is performed using a custom version of ESI OpenFOAM v2106 with a geometric volume-of-fluid method to capture the interface dynamics, also incorporating conjugate heat transfer through the evaporator walls. The hydraulic diameter of the channel is fixed to Dh=0.229mm and the range of width-to-height aspect ratios ϵ=0.25−4 is examined. We investigate different fluids, namely water, HFE7100, R1233zd(E), R1234ze(E), and evaporator materials, namely copper, aluminium, silicon, stainless steel, with base heat fluxes in the range qb=50−200kW/m2. The results show that conjugate heat transfer acts to make the temperature distributions around the perimeter of the channel cross-section more uniform, and that the topography of the lubricating film and the extension of the dry vapour patches that develop while the film is depleted both depend on the cross-sectional channel shape and influence the heat transfer performance significantly. For highly wetting conditions, channels with ϵ=0.25 tend to allow enhanced heat transfer rates, with a spatially-averaged Nusselt number that is 50% higher than that obtained for ϵ=1 (square channels) and 10% higher than that for ϵ=4. This arises thanks to an extended evaporating film that covers the vertical walls which, owing to the three-side-heated configuration, contribute twice to the spatially-averaged heat transfer performance. For more hydrophobic conditions, large dry patches develop over the vertical walls for ϵ=0.25 due to the lower evaporator temperatures, leading to reduced heat transfer, with thermal performance weakly dependent on ϵ in the range ϵ=0.5−2.

Stratosphere-troposphere coupling during stratospheric extremes in the 2022/23 winter

Using the ERA5 reanalysis, sea surface temperature, sea ice observations, and the real-time multivariate Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) index, the evolution of the stratospheric extreme circulation in the winter of 2022/2023 is explored. The stratospheric polar vortex was disturbed three times in the 2022/23 winter, contrasted with only one disturbance during the other three recent winters with an SSW. Possible favorable conditions for the strong stratospheric disturbances and their effects on stratospheric ozone, water vapor distribution, and near-surface temperature were examined. Around 7 December 2022 when a short but strong pulse of planetary wavenumber 2 appeared from the troposphere to stratosphere, a weakened and elongated stratospheric polar vortex formed at 10 hPa. This pulse is related to the intensifying Ural ridge and the deepening East Asian trough. After the first stratospheric disturbance, a large fraction of cold anomalies occurred in the Eurasian continent. A lagged impact after these stratospheric disturbances was observed as strong cold anomalies formed in North America from 13 to 23 December. On 28 January 2023, a minor SSW event occurred due to a displacement of the stratospheric polar vortex. A strong pulse of eddy heat flux contributed alternately by planetary wavenumber 1 and 2 showed a large accumulative effect on the stratospheric disturbance. However, the downward impact of this second disturbance was weak, and cold surges were not noticeable after this minor SSW. The third stratospheric disturbance this winter is a major displace-type SSW that occurred on 16 February 2023, and the total eddy heat flux primarily contributed by planetary wavenumber 1 increased rapidly. Following the major SSW, the North American continent was covered by large patches of strong cold anomalies until the end of March. During the three disturbances, the residual circulation correspondingly strengthened. The water vapor and ozone in the middle and lower layers of the polar stratosphere showed positive anomaly disturbances, especially after the major SSW onset. The unprecedented frequent stratospheric disturbances in winter 2022/23 were accompanied by severe loss of Barents-Laptev Sea ice and anomalously cold tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (La Niña), which have been reported to be conducive to the enhancement of planetary waves 1 and 2 respectively. Further, two weeks before the major SSW, existing MJO developed into phases 4–6, also contributing to the occurrence of major SSW.

Construction of multi-level ecological security network in fragmented nature landscape using the three-dimensional framework of ecological adaptability

As the basis for constructing ecological security network, the ecological source has been broadly understood as larger patches that provide important ecosystem services and high comprehensive habitat quality. But the traditional methods for identifying ecological source (e.g. selecting natural vegetation patches and connectivity analysis) are not suitable for the Yanhe River Basin due to its fragmented patches and high vegetation cover. With the progress of research, the multidimensional evaluation framework is used to extract ecological source to mine more function and characteristic of ecosystem. Considering the fragmented nature of patches and the rapid recovery characteristics of vegetation in the Yanhe River Basin, a comprehensive evaluation model was developed based on the three-dimensional framework of ecological adaptability cycle (potential-resilience-connectivity) to extract ecological source. Additionally, due to the insufficient size of the extracted ecological source area to meet the increasing demand for ecosystem services in the future, the potential patches with high ecosystem services and large distribution were considered as secondary ecological source, and the patches with weak connectivity but high potential resilience were as considered tertiary ecological source. Finally, the ecological corridors were delineated based on the three ecological sources and the selected ecological resistance surface. The primary ecological sources were predominantly located in the central region, where grassland was the dominant land use type. The secondary ecological sources were mainly distributed in the southern woodland belt with the highest ecological services, but further enhancements to these services were unattainable. The tertiary ecological sources were mainly distributed in the western region and represented high-quality potential targets for future ecological source expansion. Therefore, it is recommended to give priority to the construction of a primary ecological corridors. The secondary ecological corridors exhibit the lowest comprehensive resistance, and can be constructed concurrently with the primary ecological corridors. Given its highest total comprehensive resistance, construction of tertiary ecological corridors should be contingent upon economic feasibility.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA FROM COVID-19 BY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

The retrospective study was conducted on data collected from tertiary Care Hospitals from January 2020 to May 2021 to compare CT manifestations and clinical features of COVID-19 with CAP and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CT in patients with COVID-19 and CAP. The study included one hundred sixty patients with COVID-19 and 115 with CAP diagnosed during the same time. Clinical data and CT images of the participants were collected. Results showed that 134 (84.3%) patients in the COVID-19 group had ground glass opacities on CT scans. In the COVID-19 group, the typical early presentation was single or multiple small round lesions. 51 (31.8%) patients had small lesions, and 83 (51.8%) had large patches, areas of fusion, or density shadows with spots. In the CAP group, 69 (60%) patients had consolidation, and 45 (39.1%) had ground glass shadows. There was a significant difference in density between both groups (P &lt;.001). Of observed imaging and clinical manifestations, ground glass shadows, number of leukocytes, and age factor are clinically significant in diagnosing COVID-19. In the CAP group, major characteristics were the thickening of the bronchial wall, accumulation of textures and fibrous cords, and consolidated lung lesions. In COVID-19, common imaging manifestations of GGO and consolidation. Clinically, a CT scan should be used along with history and examination for early and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19.

Site selection decision for biomass cogeneration projects from a sustainable perspective: A case study of China

Biomass energy has made significant contributions to energy demand and environmental protection. The purpose of this study is to establish a new integrated method adapted to the site selection of biomass cogeneration projects. The highlight lies in the integration of Multiple Criterion Decision Making methods with Geographic Information System at different stages. This study takes Henan Province as an example to introduce the application of this model. Stage I preliminary screening stage: use Geographic Information System and Fuzzy Best Worst Method to classify the suitability level of project site selection within the research area. Identify alternative solutions in areas with high suitability and large patch area. Stage II selection stage: Calculate the indicator weights using Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation method first; Then use the Multi-attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison method to select the optimal factory site. Using geographic information system technology, the factory is selected to be built in an area with a suitable value greater than 7 in Xiangcheng County, Zhoukou City. Finally, the obstacle model diagnoses the direction of optimizing the location environment. This study provides a theoretical reference for the new construction, renovation and expansion of biomass cogeneration projects.

Purification, Characterization, and Ferrous Oxidation Kinetics of Iron Oxidase from Acidithiobacillus ferridurans

Iron oxidase was proposed to be the initial electron acceptor from the ferrous ion in the iron oxidation of the Acidithiobacillus genus for metal bioextraction; however, its most fundamental property of direct ferrous oxidation kinetics remains undetermined due to the confusion of reaction monitor method. Here, a recombinant iron oxidase from Acidithiobacillus ferridurans Riv11 was constructed, expressed, purified, characterized, and further used to investigate the kinetics and mechanism of ferrous oxidation. This protein is more stable in an acid solution than in a neutral solution. An infrared characteristic peak around 1050 cm−1 of the [Fe4S4] cluster was identified. The [Fe4S4] cluster does not affect the secondary structure of protein, but plays an important role in the stability of protein and strongly absorbs the intrinsic fluorescence of protein, resulting in a great loss of the fluorescence emission. The protein has far more absorbance than those of the iron ions in solution in the visible region; therefore, the maximum difference absorbance around 500 nm between the oxidized and reduced states of protein can be used to monitor the reaction of ferrous oxidation. Accordingly, the kinetic rate constant of the reaction was determined. Bioinformatics analysis and molecular simulation further revealed the underlying molecular mechanism that ferrous ions approach the protein at the edge of a large hydrophobic surface patch nearest to the [Fe4S4] cluster from a direction far from all positively charged residues, which enough enables an efficient electron transfer.

Northward range expansions are not the full story: A case study of Sabellaria alveolata in Great Britain

Warming oceans are causing changes in the distribution of numerous species. If greenhouse gas production continues to follow current trends, further distribution changes will result. It is often assumed that range shifts into higher latitudes may mitigate threats to susceptible species. Sabellaria alveolata is an important intertidal ecosystem engineer and protected by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. In this study we created a habitat suitability model for S. alveolata around Great Britain and quantified changes in coastal suitability with increasing sea surface temperatures (SST) using Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios modelled by the International Panel on Climate Change. The model included maximum and minimum SST, substrate, slope, kinetic energy due to waves and currents, photosynthetically active radiation, and the coefficient of light attenuation. The model performed very well (AUC = 0.932, 50.2% of deviance explained) and all variables explaining comparable deviance (up to 10%). Recent SST was then combined with predicted SST increases, leading to suitable habitat locations expanding across the southern and western GB coastlines and resulting in larger patches, hence potential for connectivity. Some northern extension was observed; however, this was limited and patchy. The greatest extensions were seen on the south coast, with most of the south coast becoming a continuous network with excellent suitability. With an increase of 1.2 °C, the extent of coast in the excellent suitability class was increased by 5.75% compared to 2020, and by 38.1% with 3.2 °C. Despite the importance of winter temperature in driving S. alveolata distribution, over-riding environmental constraints prevented any major northward migration. The assertion that potential for range shifts to higher latitudes may mitigate the effects of climate change depends on niche availability which may not always be realised.

Landscape genetics identified conservation priority areas for blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) in the Indian Trans-Himalayan Region

The trans-Himalayan region of India, although have xeric features, still supports a unique assemblage of biodiversity, including some of the charismatic and endemic species. In the present study, we studied blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) across the distribution range in the Western trans Himalayas of India and found about 18,775 km2 area suitable for blue sheep. The explicit Bayesian based spatial and non-spatial population structure analysis assigned blue sheep into two genetic populations, i.e., Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti. We found relatively high genetic divergence in blue sheep which is also supported by the low current flow in Circuitscape model. With the multiple evidences, we explain landscape resistance facilitated by the landscape heterogeneity, and large patches of unsuitable habitats forced population divergence and poor functional connectivity. We found that blue sheep population has been demographically stable in the past, but showed a slight decline within the last few decades. This study is the first range-wide attempt to exhibit landscape features in shaping the spatial distribution, genetic structure and demography patterns of blue sheep in Western Himalayas, and will be of use in the conservation and management planning of blue sheep.

Urban landscape organization is associated with species-specific traits in European birds

Urbanization is one of the main current drivers of the global biodiversity loss. Cities are usually developed in a gradient between land-sharing (low density housing with small and fragmented green areas) and land-sparing areas (high density housing with large and non-fragmented green patches) depending on the spatial organization of urban attributes. Previous studies have indicated differences in biodiversity between these two urban development types, but mechanisms underlying these differences are inadequately understood. In this context, the landscape features of each urban development type may select for organisms with specific traits. To analyze it, we quantified birds in 9 European cities during the breeding and wintering season, collected species-specific traits and performed Bayesian comparative analyses. We found that birds living in land-sparing areas had a higher reproductive investment and a higher nesting specialization than birds living in land-sharing areas during the breeding season. Typical birds from land-sparing urban areas during winter are fast-lived species. Our results indicate that urban development type could have an important role selecting animal traits and provides useful information on how to build more biodiversity-friendly cities.

Estimation of habitat suitability and landscape connectivity for Liaoning and Jilin clawed salamanders (Hynobiidae: Onychodactylus) in the transboundary region between the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Human activities and climate change have caused damage to the natural world, leading to increased attention on habitat protection. However, most conservation efforts focus on flagship species, while many other species lack protection and are gradually becoming extinct due to the lack of conservation efforts and public attention. The Liaoning clawed salamander (Onychodactylus zhaoermii) and the Jilin clawed salamander (Onychodactylus zhangyapingi) are two amphibians endemic to Northeast Asia, but they have not received enough conservation attention, and little is known about their distribution. In this study, we collected field survey and literature data for both species to obtain data on occurrence, and constructed ecological niche models (ENMs) to understand their suitable habitat and potential distribution. The ENMs revealed that the suitable habitat of O. zhangyapingi was primarily located within the Yalu River basin, as well as western and eastern mountains of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPR Korea). On the other hand, the suitable habitat for O. zhaoermii was mainly distributed in the Xiuyan area of Liaoning in China, the Changbai Mountains, and north of the Tumen River basin. Although there is currently no direct evidence of the species’ presence in DPR Korea, the ENM results support their putative presence in the nation, as there are large patches of suitable habitat. In addition, the connectivity model showed the presence of transboundary corridors between patches of suitable habitat, with some nodes (here defined as continuous patches of habitat enabling connection between suitable habitats) located in multiple provinces or within different countries. In addition, the two nodes with the lowest resistance distance value were contiguous with the nodes along the corridors. In our evaluation of the transboundary corridors in the eastern and western parts of the study area, we found that the surfaces located downstream along the Tumen River showed a better quality for corridor. However, the gradual fragmentation and disappearance of the landscape may lead the two species to extinction. Therefore, we recommend establishing a transboundary amphibian protection network in the China-DPR Korea river basin and encouraging collaborations for amphibian surveys and applied conservation projects in the Tumen River basin.