Local Human Population Research Articles

Environmental variation across multiple spatial scales and temporal lags influences Hendra virus spillover

Abstract Pathogens can spill over and infect new host species by overcoming a series of ecological and biological barriers. Hendra virus (HeV) circulates in Australian flying foxes and provides a data‐rich study system for identifying environmental drivers underlying spillover events. The frequency of spillover events to horses has varied interannually since the virus was first discovered in 1994. These observations suggest that HeV spillover events are driven, in part, by environmental factors, including loss of flying fox habitat and climate variability. We explicitly examine the impact of environmental variation on the risk of HeV spillover at three spatial scales relevant to this system. We use a dataset of 60 spillover events and boosted regression tree methods to identify environmental features (including concurrent and lagged temperature, rainfall, vegetation indices, land cover, and climate indices) at three spatial scales (1‐km, 20‐km, 100‐km radii) associated with horse contacts and reservoir species ecology. We find that temperature, local (1‐km radius) human population density, and landscape (100‐km radius) forest cover and pasture are the most influential environmental features associated with HeV spillover risk. By including multiple spatial scales and temporal lags in environmental features, we can more accurately quantify risk across space and time than with models that use a single scale. For example, high quality vegetation at the local scale and within a foraging radius (20‐km) in the concurrent month and previous years, combined with poorer quality vegetation at the landscape scale in the concurrent month increase risk of HeV spillover. These and other environmental associations likely influence the dynamic foraging behaviour of reservoir flying foxes and drive contacts that facilitate spillover into horse populations. Synthesis and application: Current management of HeV spillover focuses on local‐scale interventions – primarily through vaccination and detection of infected horses. Our study finds that HeV spillover risk is also driven by environmental changes over much larger scales and demonstrates management practices would benefit from incorporating landscape interventions alongside local interventions.

Spatial distribution of heavy metals in soils around cement factory and health risk assessment: a case study of Canakkale-Ezine (NW Turkey).

Sustainable use of agricultural land plays a crucial role in ensuring food security. For sustainable use of soils, it is very important to focus on the pollution status. This study was conducted on the soils in the northern part of the Ezine district in northwestern Turkey. The study aimed to determine the physicochemical properties of the soils in the vicinity of the cement plant, the concentrations of heavy metals, the spatial distribution of heavy metals, and their impact on the health of the local human population. Soil samples were collected from the cement plant in different directions (S,W, N, E, NE, SW) and at different distances (1, 3, 5, and 7km) from 0-10cm depth with three replicates. The soil samples were analyzed for texture, pH, electrical conductivity, lime, and heavy metals such as Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The soils had different textures (loam, sandy clay loam, loam, sandy loam), slightly alkaline pH, low lime content, and moderate organic matter content. Except for Cd and Pb, the average values of the other heavy metals (Co = 1.18 < 19 mg kg-1,Cr = 50.92 < 90 mg kg-1, Cu = 31.21 < 45 mg kg-1, Fe = 16,007 < 47,200 mg kg-1, Mn = 499.68 < 850 mg kg-1, Ni = 41.17 < 68 mg kg-1, Zn = 50.91 < 95 mg kg-1) in the soils were below the normal background level. The heavy metal contents of the soils in the study area are influenced by various sources (geological structure, agrochemicals used in agricultural activities, and vehicle traffic). The prevailing wind direction did not influence the local distribution of heavy metals in soils in the study area. The health risk assessment model studies showed that the hazard quotient values of less than 1 for adults and children indicate that the noncarcinogenic risks were insignificant. People exposed to heavy metals in the soils of the study area contaminated from various sources for a long time could be at carcinogenic risk. Since Cr and Pb exceed the acceptable risk range in children and Cr exceeds the acceptable risk range in adults, geochemical monitoring of soils should be conducted periodically by authorized institutions in the study area.

Using landscape genomics to assess local adaptation and genomic vulnerability of a perennial herb Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (Vitaceae) in subtropical China.

Understanding adaptive genetic variation of plant populations and their vulnerabilities to climate change are critical to preserve biodiversity and subsequent management interventions. To this end, landscape genomics may represent a cost-efficient approach for investigating molecular signatures underlying local adaptation. Tetrastigma hemsleyanum is, in its native habitat, a widespread perennial herb of warm-temperate evergreen forest in subtropical China. Its ecological and medicinal values constitute a significant revenue for local human populations and ecosystem. Using 30,252 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from reduced-representation genome sequencing in 156 samples from 24 sites, we conducted a landscape genomics study of the T. hemsleyanum to elucidate its genomic variation across multiple climate gradients and genomic vulnerability to future climate change. Multivariate methods identified that climatic variation explained more genomic variation than that of geographical distance, which implied that local adaptation to heterogeneous environment might represent an important source of genomic variation. Among these climate variables, winter precipitation was the strongest predictor of the contemporary genetic structure. F ST outlier tests and environment association analysis totally identified 275 candidate adaptive SNPs along the genetic and environmental gradients. SNP annotations of these putatively adaptive loci uncovered gene functions associated with modulating flowering time and regulating plant response to abiotic stresses, which have implications for breeding and other special agricultural aims on the basis of these selection signatures. Critically, modelling revealed that the high genomic vulnerability of our focal species via a mismatch between current and future genotype-environment relationships located in central-northern region of the T. hemsleyanum's range, where populations require proactive management efforts such as assistant adaptation to cope with ongoing climate change. Taken together, our results provide robust evidence of local climate adaption for T. hemsleyanum and further deepen our understanding of adaptation basis of herbs in subtropical China.

Millennial-scale variability of water supply, vegetation and fire activity on a tropical wetland in central Brazil

The Pandeiros wetland is a tropical wetland located in the ecotone between the Cerrado and the Caatinga, in central Brazil. It has a key ecological importance for vegetation biodiversity, hydrological cycles, fauna reproduction and feeding, and for local human populations. Here, we investigate millennial-scale variability of water supply, vegetation structure and fire activity in the Pandeiros wetland during the Late Holocene and discuss forcing mechanisms that affected flooding, vegetation cover and fire regime within this fragile ecosystem. Our study is based on the previously studied pollen record of the Pandeiros palm swamp and on new charcoal analyses of two sediment cores that cover the last 4500 cal years, and their comparison to modern pollen and to available paleoclimatic data. Our results show that both local rainfall at the Pandeiros River basin and southern rainfall at the upper São Francisco River were important in maintaining water supply for the Pandeiros wetland during the last millennia. Our data also suggest that during Late Holocene the arboreal cover declined in the Cerrado of the Pandeiros Basin, an opposite trend to that observed in the wetter Cerrado-Atlantic Forest ecotone. We propose that increasing summer insolation in Southern Hemisphere was an important factor in maintaining low arboreal cover and open savanna vegetation on the drier areas around the Pandeiros wetland. Regarding fire activity, we suggest that until around 2600 cal yr BP, climate conditions were the most important driver of fire activity, in which drier conditions favored the intensification of fire, whereas subsequently, anthropic activities appear to have become an important fire inducer. Our findings highlight the multiple environmental aspects that have influenced the Pandeiros wetland history during the last four thousand years, including monsoon variability, insolation variation and human occupation.

Zooanthroponotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and host-specific viral mutations revealed by genome-wide phylogenetic analysis.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a generalist virus, infecting and evolving in numerous mammals, including captive and companion animals, free-ranging wildlife, and humans. Transmission among non-human species poses a risk for the establishment of SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs, makes eradication difficult, and provides the virus with opportunities for new evolutionary trajectories, including the selection of adaptive mutations and the emergence of new variant lineages. Here, we use publicly available viral genome sequences and phylogenetic analysis to systematically investigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between human and non-human species and to identify mutations associated with each species. We found the highest frequency of animal-to-human transmission from mink, compared with lower transmission from other sampled species (cat, dog, and deer). Although inferred transmission events could be limited by sampling biases, our results provide a useful baseline for further studies. Using genome-wide association studies, no single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were significantly associated with cats and dogs, potentially due to small sample sizes. However, we identified three SNVs statistically associated with mink and 26 with deer. Of these SNVs, ~⅔ were plausibly introduced into these animal species from local human populations, while the remaining ~⅓ were more likely derived in animal populations and are thus top candidates for experimental studies of species-specific adaptation. Together, our results highlight the importance of studying animal-associated SARS-CoV-2 mutations to assess their potential impact on human and animal health.

A habitat stronghold on the precipice: A call-to-action for supporting lemur conservation in northeast Madagascar.

The northeast of Madagascar is as diverse as it is threatened. The area bordering the Analanjirofo and SAVA regions contains six protected areas and at least 22 lemur species. Many applied research and conservation programs have been established in the region with the aim of ensuring both wildlife and people thrive in the long term. While most of the remaining humid evergreen forest of northeast Madagascar is formally protected, the local human population depends heavily on the land, and unsustainable natural resource use threatens this biodiversity hotspot. Drawing from our collective experiences managing conservation activities and research programs in northeast Madagascar, we discuss the major threats to the region and advocate for eight conservation activities that help reduce threats and protect the environment, providing specific examples from our own programs. These include (1) empowering local conservation actors, (2) ensuring effectively protected habitat, (3) expanding reforestation, (4) establishing and continuing long-term research and monitoring, (5) reducing food insecurity, (6) supporting environmental education, (7) promoting sustainable livelihoods, and (8) expanding community health initiatives. Lastly, we provide a list of actions that individuals can take to join us in supporting and promoting lemur conservation.

Human pathogens in ticks removed from humans in Hebei, China

Ticks are the hosts or vectors of many human pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa, and can transmit these causative agents to humans when feeding on human bodies. In this study, 26 ticks removed from humans in Hebei, China were tested for the presence of human-pathogenic microorganisms by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or Reversed Transcript PCR (RT-PCR). As a result, 11 ticks tested positive for at least one human pathogen. Specifically, four validated human pathogens, including Rickettsia raoultii, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae, Babesia venatorum, and Borrelia garinii, as well as Anaplasma ovis with zoonotic potential, were identified in Ixodes persulcatus, Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis concinna. Importantly, this is the first report of Anaplasma and Babesia species pathogenic to humans in Hebei province. Moreover, the co-infections, including double infection and quadruple infection were observed. In addition, Candidatus R. principis with unknown pathogenicity was identified in one tick, which may be the same species as Candidatus R. hongyuanensis based on the nucleotide identity and phylogenetic analysis. Concluding, four validated tick-borne pathogens and one with zoonotic potential were identified in ticks parasitizing humans, suggesting the potential high public health risk in the local human population.

Prehistoric human migration between Sundaland and South Asia was driven by sea-level rise

Rapid sea-level rise between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the mid-Holocene transformed the Southeast Asian coastal landscape, but the impact on human demography remains unclear. Here, we create a paleogeographic map, focusing on sea-level changes during the period spanning the LGM to the present-day and infer the human population history in Southeast and South Asia using 763 high-coverage whole-genome sequencing datasets from 59 ethnic groups. We show that sea-level rise, in particular meltwater pulses 1 A (MWP1A, ~14,500–14,000 years ago) and 1B (MWP1B, ~11,500–11,000 years ago), reduced land area by over 50% since the LGM, resulting in segregation of local human populations. Following periods of rapid sea-level rises, population pressure drove the migration of Malaysian Negritos into South Asia. Integrated paleogeographic and population genomic analysis demonstrates the earliest documented instance of forced human migration driven by sea-level rise.

Population dynamics of Achatina fulica in a peri-urban area adjacent to the Fiocruz Atlantic Forest Biological Station (EFMA), in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with report on Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection.

Achatina fulica is a species native to East Africa, considered one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world. The present study investigated the population of the snail, A. fulica, in a peri-urban area adjacent to the Fiocruz Atlantic Forest Biological Station (EFMA), in Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, focusing on population dynamics and the nematodes associated with this species. To this end, specimens were collected during four climatic seasons of the years 2021 and 2022 in three fixed 20 m × 10 m plots. The abundance of A. fulica in these areas was evaluated in relation to a set of environmental variables (temperature, relative humidity air, and soil pH and calcium). The abundance of snails infected by nematodes was also evaluated in relation to the season and body size of the specimens. The molluscs were found by active search, and standardized (15 minutes/three collections). Nematode larvae were extracted from the specimens by artificial digestion and identified by their external morphology and the sequencing of molecular markers. A total of 280 specimens of A. fulica were collected, with the highest abundances being recorded in the autumn and summer, although no significant relationship was found between the number of specimens collected and the environmental variables. Overall, 192 snails were infected by nematodes: Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Cruzia tentaculata and free-living nematodes, including Caenorhabditis briggsae. These findings demonstrate the epidemiological importance of the study area and the need to implement educational measures in the community, with the aim of controlling the local A. fulica population, thereby minimizing the risk of parasitic infection in the local human population.

Genotyping of tick-borne pathogens and determination of human attacking tick species in Novosibirsk and its suburbs

The south of Western Siberia traditionally belongs to the regions with unfavorable epidemiological situation for tick-transmitted infections. In Novosibirsk and its suburbs, approximately 20 thousand people annually seek for medical care after tick bites. The purpose of this work was to determine human-attacking tick species composition in the territory of Novosibirsk and its suburbs by identifying nucleotide sequence of tick mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase COI fragment during the 2018 spring-summer season, determination of infections of individual ticks with viral and bacterial tick-borne infections, followed by genotyping identified pathogens by PCR methods, by determining nucleotide sequences and phylogenetic analysis. It is established that ticks of five species attack the humans: Ixodes persulcatus, Ixodes pavlovskyi, Dermacentor reticulatus, Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor nuttali in the Novosibirsk metropolis. The majority of tick attacks on humans are associated with I. pavlovskyi (43.6%) and D. reticulatus (41.2%) ticks. The genetic material of the tick-borne encephalitis virus was detected in 3.6%, borrelia 13.8% and Rickettsia 23.1% individual ticks collected from humans. Genotyping of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in the collected ticks showed the presence of TBEV Siberian and Far Eastern genotype in 83% and 17% cases, respectively. The Kemerovo virus could not be detected. Genetic material from Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp. has been detected in all five tick species attacking the local human population. The bulk of the identified Borrelia spp. isolates were genotyped as Borrelia garinii (86%) and 13% of the isolates as Borrelia afzelii species. The genetic material of Borrelia miyamotoi was found in one individual tick. Ticks of the genus Dermacentor have been found to be infected by Rickettsia raoultii, and ticks of the genus Ixodes were largely infected with Rickettsia tarasevichiae, and I. persulcatus tick was infected by Rickettsia helvetica in a single case. Thus, the human population of Novosibirsk and its suburbs is attacked by five species of ixodid ticks dominated by I. pavlovskyi and D. reticulatus ticks. The genetic material of the following tick-borne pathogens was found: Siberian and Far Eastern TBEV genotype, B. garinii, B. afzelii, B. miyamotoi, R. raoulti, R. tarasevichiae and R. helvetica in the individual ticks collected from humans.

Cost-Potential Curves of Onshore Wind Energy: the Role of Disamenity Costs

Numerical optimization models are used to develop scenarios of the future energy system. Usually, they optimize the energy mix subject to engineering costs such as equipment and fuel. For onshore wind energy, some of these models use cost-potential curves that indicate how much electricity can be generated at what cost. These curves are upward sloping mainly because windy sites are occupied first and further expanding wind energy means deploying less favorable resources. Meanwhile, real-world wind energy expansion is curbed by local resistance, regulatory constraints, and legal challenges. This presumably reflects the perceived adverse effect that onshore wind energy has on the local human population, as well as other negative external effects. These disamenity costs are at the core of this paper. We provide a comprehensive and consistent set of cost-potential curves of wind energy for all European countries that include disamenity costs, and which can be used in energy system modeling. We combine existing valuation of disamenity costs from the literature that describe the costs as a function of the distance between turbine and households with gridded population data, granular geospatial data of wind speeds, and additional land-use constraints to calculate such curves. We find that disamenity costs are not a game changer: for most countries and assumptions, the marginal levelized cost of onshore wind energy increase by 0.2–12.5 €/MWh.

Spatial variation of parrotfish assemblages at oceanic islands in the western Caribbean: evidence of indirect effects of fishing?

Fish populations that bear considerable pressure levels tend to show a decline in the average size of individuals, with the small and unexploited species replacing the large and exploited ones. It is important to carry on with their characterization in areas where they are becoming an important source of food for local human populations. An example of such species are parrotfishes, whose responses to external factors such as fishing need to be understood and predicted. In this study, we used a diver-operated stereo-video to examine individual body size, sex ratios and proportion of species of the parrotfish assemblage and analyze them on a qualitative fishing pressure gradient at four oceanic islands in the Colombian Caribbean. We reported over 10,000 occurrences of eleven parrotfish species, of which we estimated the total length of over 90%, grouping them into three size categories (large, medium, and small). Our data showed a spatial variation of parrotfishes' abundances, biomass, and individual body size. Observed differences are size-category-dependent throughout the qualitative fishing pressure. In general, the medium-bodied species had smaller sizes, lower abundances, and thus lower contribution to the total parrotfish biomass at the most heavily fished island. Unexpectedly, we found evidence of possible indirect effects over the small-bodied species Scarus iseri and Scarus taeniopterus with significantly greater abundances, and larger sizes of males of S. iseri, at the higher fishing pressure sites. Overall, our data highlights the extent of the spatial variation in the parrotfish communities at relatively short distances, and present new insights into the responses of parrotfish species on a spectrum of body sizes along a gradient of human pressure.

Are Wildfires in the Wildland-Urban Interface Increasing Temperatures? A Land Surface Temperature Assessment in a Semi-Arid Mexican City

High rates of land conversion due to urbanization are causing fragmented and dispersed spatial patterns in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) worldwide. The occurrence of anthropogenic fires in the WUI represents an important environmental and social issue, threatening not only vegetated areas but also periurban inhabitants, as is the case in many Latin American cities. However, research has not focused on the dynamics of the local climate in the WUI. This study analyzes whether wildfires contribute to the increase in land surface temperature (LST) in the WUI of the metropolitan area of the city of Guanajuato (MACG), a semi-arid Mexican city. We estimated the pre- and post-fire LST for 2018–2021. Spatial clusters of high LST were detected using hot spot analysis and examined using ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc statistical tests to assess whether LST is related to the spatial distribution of wildfires during our study period. Our results indicate that the areas where the wildfires occurred, and their surroundings, show higher LST. This has negative implications for the local ecosystem and human population, which lacks adequate infrastructure and services to cope with the effects of rising temperatures. This is the first study assessing the increase in LST caused by wildfires in a WUI zone in Mexico.

Tracking Deforestation, Drought, and Fire Occurrence in Kutai National Park, Indonesia

The dry lowland and mangrove forests of Kutai National Park (KNP) in Indonesia provide invaluable ecosystem services to local human populations (&gt;200,000 in number), serve as immense carbon sinks to recapture anthropogenic emissions, and safeguard habitats for thousands of wildlife species including the critically endangered Northeast Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio). With recent reports of ongoing illegal logging and large-scale wildfires within this National Park, we sought to leverage the extensive catalogue and processing power of Google Earth Engine to track the rates and influences of forest loss within KNP over various time periods since 1997. We present estimates of forest loss from the Hansen Global Forest Change v1.9 dataset (2000–2021) which detected a loss of 15% (272 km2) of forest cover within KNP since 2000, half of which (137 km2) coincided with the El Niño-induced wildfires of 2015–2016. Using the MCD64A1 C6.1 MODIS dataset, we found significant spatial overlap between burned area and forest loss detections during the 2015–2016 period but identified considerable omissions in the burned area dataset over smallholder farms within KNP. We discuss the implications of deforestation in areas of primary orangutan habitat and how patterns of forest loss have influenced drought and fire dynamics within KNP. Finally, we compare time-series estimates of precipitation, the ENSO index, burned area, and forest loss to demonstrate that fire risk within KNP depends largely—but not exclusively—on drought severity, and that rates of non-fire (gradual) and fire-related (extreme) forest loss threaten the remaining forests of this National Park.

Rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic cats.

SARS-CoV-2 (SARS2) infection of a novel permissive host species can result in rapid viral evolution. Data suggest that felids are highly susceptible to SARS2 infection, and species-specific adaptation following human-to-felid transmission may occur. We employed experimental infection and analysis of publicly available SARS2 sequences to observe variant emergence and selection in domestic cats. Three cohorts of cats (N = 23) were inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 or infected via cat-to-cat contact transmission. Full viral genomes were recovered from RNA obtained from nasal washes 1-3 days post-infection and analyzed for within-host viral variants. We detected 118 unique variants at ≥3 per cent allele frequency in two technical replicates. Seventy of these (59 per cent) were nonsynonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs); the remainder were synonymous SNVs or structural variants. On average, we observed twelve variants per cat, nearly 10-fold higher than what is commonly reported in human patients. We observed signatures of positive selection in the spike protein and the emergence of eleven within-host variants located at the same genomic positions as mutations in SARS2 variant lineages that have emerged during the pandemic. Fewer variants were noted in cats infected from contact with other cats and in cats exposed to lower doses of cultured inoculum. An analysis of ninety-three publicly available SARS2 consensus genomes recovered from naturally infected domestic cats reflected variant lineages circulating in the local human population at the time of sampling, illustrating that cats are susceptible to SARS2 variants that have emerged in humans, and suggesting human-to-felid transmission occurring in domestic settings is typically unidirectional. These experimental results underscore the rapidity of SARS2 adaptation in felid hosts, representing a theoretical potential origin for variant lineages in human populations. Further, cats should be considered susceptible hosts capable of shedding virus during infections occurring within households.

Backyard buzz: human population density modifies the value of vegetation cover for insect pollinators in a subtropical city

AbstractUrbanisation drives overall declines in insect pollinators. Although urban green spaces can provide suitable habitat for pollinators much remains to be learned about how urban landscapes either promote or negatively impact pollinators. We investigated how backyard design, local (100 m) and landscape (500 m) scale vegetation cover and human population density were associated with non-eusocial native bee species, eusocial bees (Apis melliferaandTetragonula spp.), and hoverflies, in residential green spaces of the subtropical city Brisbane, Australia. We found that associations between bee abundance and vegetation cover were moderated by human density, but the direction of this effect differed for non-eusocial and eusocial species. Non-eusocial bee abundance was positively associated with tree cover at local and landscape scales when human densities were low, but negatively so at high human population densities. We suggest this may be because the quality of vegetation for non-eusocial bees deteriorates as human density increases. In contrast, abundance of eusocial bees was negatively associated with increasing local cover of grass and shrubs at low levels of human density, but positively associated at high densities. This affinity to humans could partly be explained by domesticated “kept” hives. We found no effect of urban gradients on bee species richness. Hoverfly abundance was negatively related to human density and positively related to vegetation cover at local and landscape scales. At the backyard scale, both bee species richness and bee and hoverfly abundances were positively associated to flower abundance. Backyards with more vegetation cover had higher densities of non-eusocial bees. Our results thus support the idea that urban greening in densely populated areas at multiple spatial scales can benefit a range of insect pollinators.

Total RNA sequencing of Phlebotomus chinensis sandflies in China revealed viral, bacterial, and eukaryotic microbes potentially pathogenic to humans

ABSTRACT Phlebotomus chinensis sandfly is a neglected insect vector in China that is well-known for carrying Leishmania. Recent studies have expanded its pathogen repertoire with two novel arthropod-borne phleboviruses capable of infecting humans and animals. Despite these discoveries, our knowledge of the general pathogen diversity and overall microbiome composition of this vector species is still very limited. Here we carried out a meta-transcriptomics analysis that revealed the actively replicating/transcribing RNA viruses, DNA viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotic microbes, namely, the “total microbiome”, of several sandfly populations in China. Strikingly, “microbiome” made up 1.8% of total non-ribosomal RNA and comprised more than 87 species, among which 70 were novel, including divergent members of the genera Flavivirus and of the family Trypanosomatidae. Importantly, among these microbes we were able to reveal four distinguished types of human and/or mammalian pathogens, including two phleboviruses (hedi and wuxiang viruses), one novel Spotted fever group rickettsia, as well as a member of Leishmania donovani complex, among which hedi virus and Leishmania each had > 50% pool prevalence rate and relatively high abundance levels. Our study also showed the ubiquitous presence of an endosymbiont, namely Wolbachia, although no anti-viral or anti-pathogen effects were detected based on our data. In summary, our results uncovered the much un-explored diversity of microbes harboured by sandflies in China and demonstrated that high pathogen diversity and abundance are currently present in multiple populations, implying disease potential for exposed local human population or domestic animals.

Not just the Big Five: African ecotourists prefer parks brimming with bird diversity

AbstractEcotourism helps sustain protected areas (PAs) that in turn conserve Africa's declining fauna. Identifying ecotourist preferences and which species and landscapes benefit from ecotourism could therefore support African biodiversity conservation efforts. Due to historic associations with trophy hunting and subsequent ecotourism marketing efforts, ecotourist preferences have been thought to traditionally center around the ‘Big Five’: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. But these preferences may be evolving. Here, we ask two questions, one about the drivers and one about the consequences of ecotourism: (1) Which species and landscapes do ecotourists most prefer based on realized visitation data? And (2), differently, which species and landscapes benefit most from ecotourism? We gathered data on average annual tourist visits, the occurrence of nine mammals, bird species richness, forest cover, national wealth, local human population and accessibility for 164 Sub‐Saharan African PAs. To address our first question, we used a Bayesian multivariable model to identify whether bird and megafaunal diversity explain visits to PAs while controlling for other factors. To address our second question, we used Bayesian univariate models to analyze the relationships between park visitation and each species/landscape. We found that tourist preferences extend beyond the Big Five to include bird diversity. We also observed that ecotourism may be well suited to conserve bird diversity, lion, cheetah, black and white rhinoceros, African wild dog and giraffe species. Collectively, our results may help inform how to leverage ecotourism to conserve African fauna.

When nature needs a helping hand: Different levels of human intervention for mangrove (re-)establishment

Protecting existing mangrove forests is a priority for global conservation because of the wide range of services that these coastal forests provide to humankind. Despite the recent reduction in global rates of mangrove loss, high historical loss rates mean that there are at least 800,000 ha globally that are potentially suitable for mangrove re-establishment. Recently deposited mud banks or intertidal, previously terrestrial, land might provide additional habitat for expanding mangrove areas locally. There is a long history of mangrove rehabilitation. However, despite numerous good examples of, and growing expertise in, natural or assisted (re-)establishment activities, most mangrove planting efforts, for instance, either fail entirely or meet with only limited success. Exposed to waves and currents and subject to tidal inundation, mangroves differ from terrestrial forests, and approaches to, or tools for, terrestrial forest restoration cannot easily be transferred to mangrove forests. Successful mangrove (re-)establishment usually requires a robust understanding of the abiotic and biotic conditions of the chosen site, the ecological requirements of the mangrove species used or facilitated, the reasons for previous mangrove loss or degradation, as well as the barriers–both societal and ecological–that have prevented natural recovery to date. Because most mangrove forests are socio-ecological systems, with which local human populations are intimately engaged, (re-)establishment will normally require the support of, and engagement with, local communities and other local stakeholders. Here, we summarize where, when and why (re-)establishment of mangroves is needed and how to assess this need. We discuss a range of potential aims and goals of mangrove (re-)establishment along with potential pitfalls along the way from conceiving the initial idea to its realization. We compare different technical and conceptual approaches to mangrove (re-)establishment, their challenges and opportunities, and their design and financial requirements, as well as potential solutions. We ground our final outlook and recommendations on examples of successful efforts and the factors that rendered (re-)establishment successful in the past.

Community‐based monitoring of wild felid hunting in Central Amazonia

AbstractHunting is a critical issue in wild felid conservation, contributing to the decline of these species worldwide. Here, we present 18 years of a community‐based monitoring program, quantifying and characterizing wild felid hunting in two sustainable development reserves in Central Amazonia. We investigated how felid hunting was affected by the flood pulse and whether local human population size, habitat type, and total hunting events influenced felid hunting. We recorded 71 adult felids being killed, most of them in opportunistic events (88.7%), usually during hunting expeditions aimed at other game species. Four felid species were recorded in the hunts (Panthera onca, Leopardus pardalis, Puma concolor, and Leopardus wiedii) with jaguars accounting for almost half of all hunting events (N = 35). We found that more felid hunting events occurred during the flooded season, in more populated communities, and in várzea habitats. Most felids were hunted opportunistically, demonstrating the complexity of human‐felid interactions. Stories of attacks on humans are widespread in the study area, which may strengthen an instinctive fear of felids, driving their persecution. The increase of hunting events during the flooded season seems to be related to a higher probability of encounters between humans and wild felids. High waters make fishing difficult, therefore, locals hunt more, entering deep into the forest through flooded habitats. Since jaguars have an arboreal lifestyle during the flooded season in várzea forests, they are easily spotted by locals and have less of a chance to escape since they are slower and more exposed when swimming, which increases the probability of being killed. It is generally acknowledged that involving local stakeholders in conservation projects is essential for their success. In our case, collaboration among researchers and community members was fundamental to access hunting information. We show that community‐based monitoring empowers the local communities and facilitates data collection on sensitive topics.